第28章

THEeldestson!Theregardandaffectionwhichmyfatherentertainedforhisfirst-bornwerenaturalenough，andappearedtononemoresothanmyself，whocherishedthesamefeelingstowardshim。Whathewasasaboythereaderalreadyknows，forthereaderhasseenhimasaboy；fainwouldIdescribehimatthetimeofwhichIamnowspeaking，whenhehadattainedthevergeofmanhood，butthepenfailsme，andIattemptnotthetask；andyetitoughttobeaneasyone，forhowfrequentlydoeshisformvisitmymind’seyeinslumberandinwakefulness，inthelightofdayandinthenightwatches；butlastnightIsawhiminhisbeautyandhisstrength；hewasabouttospeak，andmyearwasonthestretch，whenatonceIawoke，andtherewasIalone，andthenightstormwashowlingamidstthebranchesofthepineswhichsurroundmylonelydwelling：’Listentothemoaningofthepine，atwhoserootthyhutisfastened，’-asayingthat，ofwildFinland，inwhichthereiswisdom；Ilistenedandthoughtoflifeanddeath……OfallhumanbeingsthatIhaveeverknown，thatelderbrotherwasthemostfrankandgenerous，ay，andthequickestandreadiest，andthebestadaptedtodoagreatthingneedfulatthecriticaltime，whenthedelayofamomentwouldbefatal。Ihaveknownhimdashfromasteepbankintoastreaminhisfulldress，andpulloutamanwhowasdrowning；yetthereweretwentyothersbathinginthewater，whomighthavesavedhimbyputtingoutahand，withoutinconveniencetothemselves，which，however，theydidnotdo，butstaredwithstupidsurpriseatthedrowningone’sstruggles。Yes，whilstsomeshoutedfromthebanktothoseinthewatertosavethedrowningone，andthoseinthewaterdidnothing，mybrotherneithershoutednorstoodstill，butdashedfromthebankanddidtheonethingneedful，which，undersuchcircumstances，notonemaninamillionwouldhavedone。Now，whocanwonderthatabraveoldmanshouldloveasonlikethis，andpreferhimtoanyother？

’Myboy，myownboy，youaretheveryimageofmyself，thedayI

tookoffmycoatintheparktofightBigBen，’saidmyfather，onmeetinghissonwetanddripping，immediatelyafterhisboldfeat。

Andwhocannotexcusethehonestprideoftheoldman-thestoutoldman？

Ay，oldman，thatsonwasworthyofthee，andthouwastworthyofsuchason；anoblespecimenwastthouofthosestrongsingle-

mindedEnglishmen，who，withoutmakingaparadeeitherofreligionorloyalty，fearedGodandhonouredtheirking，andwerenotparticularlyfriendlytotheFrench，whosevauntingpollstheyoccasionallybroke，asatMindenandatMalplaquet，totheconfusionvastoftheeternalfoesoftheEnglishland。I，whowassolittleliketheethatthouunderstoodstmenot，andinwhomwithjusticethoudidstfeelsolittlepride，hadyetperceptionenoughtoseeallthyworth，andtofeelitanhonourtobeabletocallmyselfthyson；andifatsomenodistanttime，whentheforeignenemyventurestoinsultourshore，Ibepermittedtobreaksomevauntingpoll，itwillbeatriumphtometothinkthat，ifthouhadstlived，thouwouldsthavehailedthedeed，andmightestyetdiscoversomedistantresemblancetothyself，thedaywhenthoudidstallbutvanquishthemightyBrain。

Ihavealreadyspokenofmybrother’stasteforpainting，andtheprogresshehadmadeinthatbeautifulart。Itisprobablethat，ifcircumstanceshadnoteventuallydivertedhismindfromthepursuit，hewouldhaveattainedexcellence，andleftbehindhimsomeenduringmonumentofhispowers，forhehadanimaginationtoconceive，andthatyetrarerendowment，ahandcapableofgivinglife，body，andrealitytotheconceptionsofhismind；perhapshewantedonething，thewantofwhichisbuttoooftenfataltothesonsofgenius，andwithoutwhichgeniusislittlemoretha