第38章

Butsixmonthshadnowelapsedfromthedateofthisletter，andwehadheardnofurtherintelligenceofmybrother。Myfather’scomplaintincreased；thegout，hisprincipalenemy，occasionallymountedhighupinhissystem，andwehadconsiderabledifficultyinkeepingitfromthestomach，whereitgenerallyprovesfatal。I

nowdevotedalmostthewholeofmytimetomyfather，onwhomhisfaithfulpartneralsolavishedeveryattentionandcare。IreadtheBibletohim，whichwashischiefdelight；andalsooccasionallysuchotherbooksasIthoughtmightproveentertainingtohim。Hisspiritsweregenerallyratherdepressed。Theabsenceofmybrotherappearedtopreyuponhismind。’Iwishhewerehere，’hewouldfrequentlyexclaim；’Ican’timaginewhatcanhavebecomeofhim；Itrust，however，hewillarriveintime。’Hestillsometimesrallied，andItookadvantageofthosemomentsofcomparativeeasetoquestionhimupontheeventsofhisearlylife。

Myattentionstohimhadnotpassedunnoticed，andhewaskind，fatherly，andunreserved。Ihadneverknownmyfathersoentertainingasatthesemoments，whenhislifewasbuttooevidentlydrawingtoaclose。Ihadnoideathatheknewandhadseensomuch；myrespectforhimincreased，andIlookeduponhimalmostwithadmiration。Hisanecdoteswereingeneralhighlycurious；someofthemrelatedtopeopleinthehigheststations，andtomenwhosenameswerecloselyconnectedwithsomeofthebrightestgloriesofournativeland。Hehadfrequentlyconversed-almostontermsoffamiliarity-withgoodoldGeorge。HehadknowntheconquerorofTippooSaib；andwasthefriendofTownshend，who，whenWolfefell，ledtheBritishgrenadiersagainsttheshrinkingregimentsofMontcalm。’Pity，’headded，’thatwhenold-oldasIamnow-heshouldhavedrivenhisownsonmadbyrobbinghimofhisplightedbride；butsoitwas；hemarriedhisson’sbride。Isawhimleadhertothealtar；ifevertherewasanangeliccountenance，itwasthatgirl’s；shewasalmosttoofairtobeoneofthedaughtersofwomen。Isthereanything，boy，thatyouwouldwishtoaskme？nowisthetime。’

’Yes，father；thereisoneaboutwhomIwouldfainquestionyou。’

’Whoisit？shallItellyouaboutElliot？’

’No，father，notaboutElliot；butpraydon’tbeangry；IshouldliketoknowsomethingaboutBigBen。’

’Youareastrangelad，’saidmyfather；’and，thoughoflateI

havebeguntoentertainamorefavourableopinionthanheretofore，thereisstillmuchaboutyouthatIdonotunderstand。Whydoyoubringupthatname？Don’tyouknowthatitisoneofmytemptations：youwishtoknowsomethingabouthim。Well!Iwillobligeyouthisonce，andthenfarewelltosuchvanities-

somethingabouthim。Iwilltellyou-his-skinwhenheflungoffhisclothes-andhehadaparticularknackindoingso-hisskin，whenhebaredhismightychestandbackforcombat；andwhenhefoughthestood，so……ifIrememberright-hisskin，I

say，wasbrownandduskyasthatofatoad。Ohme!Iwishmyeldersonwashere。’

CHAPTERXXVIII

Mybrother’sarrival-Theinterview-Night-Adyingfather-

Christ。

ATlastmybrotherarrived；helookedpaleandunwell；Imethimatthedoor。’Youhavebeenlongabsent，’saidI。

’Yes，’saidhe，’perhapstoolong；buthowismyfather？’

’Verypoorly，’saidI，’hehashadafreshattack；butwherehaveyoubeenoflate？’

’Farandwide，’saidmybrother；’butIcan’ttellyouanythingnow，Imustgotomyfather。Itwasonlybychance