the queen of hearts-第4章

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all　providing　for　the　future　comfort　and　amusement　of　our　fair
guest。　The　first　idea　was　to　get　her　a　Welsh　pony；　the　second　was
to　hire　a　piano　from　the　county　town；　the　third　was　to　send　for　a
boxful　of　novels　from　London。　I　must　confess　I　thought　these
projects　for　pleasing　her　very　happily　conceived；　and　Owen　agreed
with　me。　Morgan；　as　usual；　took　the　opposite　view。　He　said　she
would　yawn　over　the　novels；　turn　up　her　nose　at　the　piano；　and
fracture　her　skull　with　the　pony。　As　for　the　housekeeper；　she
stuck　to　her　text　as　stoutly　in　the　evening　as　she　had　stuck　to
it　in　the　morning。　〃Pianner　or　no　pianner；　story…book　or　no
story…book；　pony　or　no　pony；　you　mark　my　words；　sirthat　young
woman　will　run　away。〃

Such　were　the　housekeeper's　parting　words　when　she　wished　me
good…night。

When　the　next　morning　came；　and　brought　with　it　that　terrible
waking　time　which　sets　a　man's　hopes　and　projects　before　him；　the
great　as　well　as　the　small；　stripped　bare　of　every　illusion；　it
is　not　to　be　concealed　that　I　felt　less　sanguine　of　our　success
in　entertaining　the　coming　guest。　So　far　as　external　preparations
were　concerned；　there　seemed；　indeed；　but　little　to　improve；　but
apart　from　these；　what　had　we　to　offer；　in　ourselves　and　our
society；　to　attract　her？　There　lay　the　knotty　point　of　the
question；　and　there　the　grand　difficulty　of　finding　an　answer。

I　fall　into　serious　reflection　while　I　am　dressing　on　the
pursuits　and　occupations　with　which　we　three　brothers　have　been
accustomed；　for　years　past；　to　beguile　the　time。　Are　they　at　all
likely；　in　the　case　of　any　one　of　us；　to　interest　or　amuse　her？

My　chief　occupation；　to　begin　with　the　youngest；　consists；　in
acting　as　steward　on　Owen's　property。　The　routine　of　my　duties
has　never　lost　its　sober　attraction　to　my　tastes；　for　it　has
always　employed　me　in　watching　the　best　interests　of　my　brother；
and　of　my　son　also；　who　is　one　day　to　be　his　heir。　But　can　I
expect　our　fair　guest　to　sympathize　with　such　family　concerns　as
these？　Clearly　not。

Morgan's　pursuit　comes　next　in　order　of　reviewa　pursuit　of　a
far　more　ambitious　nature　than　mine。　It　was　always　part　of　my
second　brother's　whimsical；　self…contradictory　character　to　view
with　the　profoundest　contempt　the　learned　profession　by　which　he
gained　his　livelihood；　and　he　is　now　occupying　the　long　leisure
hours　of　his　old　age　in　composing　a　voluminous　treatise；
intended；　one　of　these　days；　to　eject　the　whole　body　corporate　of
doctors　from　the　position　which　they　have　usurped　in　the
estimation　of　their　fellow…creatures。　This　daring　work　is
entitled　〃An　Examination　of　the　Claims　of　Medicine　on　the
Gratitude　of　Mankind。　Decided　in　the　Negative　by　a　Retired
Physician。〃　So　far　as　I　can　tell；　the　book　is　likely　to　extend　to
the　dimensions　of　an　Encyclopedia；　for　it　is　Morgan's　plan　to
treat　his　comprehensive　subject　principally　from　the　historical
point　of　view；　and　to　run　down　all　the　doctors　of　antiquity；　one
after　another；　in　regular　succession；　from　the　first　of　the
tribe。　When　I　last　heard　of　his　progress　he　was　hard　on　the　heels
of　Hippocrates；　but　had　no　immediate　prospect　of　tripping　up　his
successor；　Is　this　the　sort　of　occupation　（I　ask　myself）　in　which
a　modern　young　lady　is　likely　to　feel　the　slightest　interest？
Once　again；　clearly　not。

Owen's　favorite　employment　is；　in　its　way；　quite　as
characteristic　as　Morgan's；　and　it　has　the　great　additional
advantage　of　appealing　to　a　much　larger　variety　of　tastes。　My
eldest　brothergreat　at　drawing　and　painting　when　he　was　a　lad；
always　interested　in　artists　and　their　works　in　after　lifehas
resumed；　in　his　declining　years；　the　holiday　occupation　of　his
schoolboy　days。　As　an　amateur　landscape…painter；　he　works　with
more　satisfaction　to　himself；　uses　more　color；　wears　out　more
brushes；　and　makes　a　greater　smell　of　paint　in　his　studio　than
any　artist　by　profession；　native　or　foreign；　whom　I　ever　met
with。　In　look；　in　manner；　and　in　disposition；　the　gentlest　of
mankind；　Owen；　by　some　singular　anomaly　in　his　character；　which
he　seems　to　have　caught　from　Morgan；　glories　placidly　in　the
wildest　and　most　frightful　range　of　subjects　which　his　art　is
capable　of　representing。　Immeasurable　ruins；　in　howling
wildernesses；　with　blood…red　sunsets　gleaming　over　them；
thunder…clouds　rent　with　lightning；　hovering　over　splitting　trees
on　the　verges　of　awful　precipices；　hurricanes；　shipwrecks；　waves；
and　whirlpools　follow　each　other　on　his　canvas；　without　an
intervening　glimpse　of　quiet　everyday　nature　to　relieve　the
succession　of　pictorial　horrors。　When　I　see　him　at　his　easel；　so
neat　and　quiet；　so　unpretending　and　modest　in　himself；　with　such
a　composed　expression　on　his　attentive　face；　with　such　a　weak
white　hand　to　guide　such　bold；　big　brushes；　and　when　I　look　at
the　frightful　canvasful　of　terrors　which　he　is　serenely
aggravating　in　fierceness　and　intensity　with　every　successive
touch；　I　find　it　difficult　to　realize　the　connection　between　my
brother　and　his　work；　though　I　see　them　before　me　not　six　inches
apart。　Will　this　quaint　spectacle　possess　any　humorous
attractions　for　Miss　Jessie？　Perhaps　it　may。　There　is　some　slight
chance　that　Owen's　employment　will　be　lucky　enough　to　interest
her。

Thus　far　my　morning　cogitations　advance　doubtfully　enough；　but
they　altogether　fail　in　carrying　me　beyond　the　narrow　circle　of
The　Glen　Tower。　I　try　hard；　in　our　visitor's　interest；　to　look
into　the　resources　of　the　little　world　around　us；　and　I　find　my
efforts　rewarded　by　the　prospect　of　a　total　blank。

Is　there　any　presentable　living　soul　in　the　neighborhood　whom　we
can　invite　to　meet　her？　Not　one。　There　are；　as　I　have　already
said；　no　country　seats　near　us；　and　society　in　the　county　town
has　long　since　learned　to　regard　us　as　three　misanthropes；
strongly　suspected；　from　our　monastic　way　of　life　and　our　dismal
black　costume；　of　being　popish　priests　in　disguise。　In　other
parts　of　England　the　clergyman　of　the　parish　might　help　us　out　of
our　difficulty；　but　here　in　South　Wales；　and　in　this　latter　half
of　the　nineteenth　century；　we　have　the　old　type　parson　of　the
days　of　Fielding　still　in　a　state　of　perfect　preservation。　Our
local　clergyman　receives　a　stipend　which　is　too　paltry　to　bear
comparison　with　the　wages　of　an　ordinary　mechanic。　In　dress；
manners；　and　tastes　he　is　about　on　a　level　with　the　upper　class
of　agricultural　laborer。　When　attempts　have　been　made　by
well…meaning　gentlefolks　to　recognize　the　claims　of　his
profession　by　asking　him　to　their　houses；　he　has　been　known；　on
more　than　one　occasion；　to　leave　his　plowman's　pair　of　shoes　in
the　hall；　and　enter　the　drawing…room　respectfully　in　his
stockings。　Where　he　preaches；　miles　and　miles　away　from　us　and
from　the　poor　cottage　in　which　he　lives；　if　he　sees　any　of　the
company　in　the　squire's　pew　yawn　or　fidget　in　their　places；　he
takes　it　as　a　hint　that　they　are　tired　of　listening；　and　closes
his　sermon　instantly　at　the　end　of　the　sentence。　Can　we　ask　this
most　irreverend　and　unclerical　of　men　to　meet　a　young　lady？　I
doubt；　even　if　we　made　the　attempt；　whether　we　should　succeed；　by
fair　means；　in　getting　him　beyond　the　servants'　hall。

Dismissing；　therefore；　all　idea　of　inviting　visitors　to　entertain
our　guest；　and　feeling；　at　the　same　time；　more　than　doubtful　of
her　chance　of　discovering　any　attraction　in　the　sober　society　of
the　inmates　of　the　house；　I　finish　my　dressing　and　go　down　to
breakfast；　secretly　veering　round　to　the　housekeeper's　opinion
that　Miss　Jessie　will　really　bring　matters　to　an　abrupt
conclusion　by　running　away。　I　find　Morgan　as　bitterly　resigned　to
his　destiny
　as　ever；　and　Owen　so　affectionately　anxious　to　make　himself　of
some　use；　and　so　lamentably　ignorant　of　how　to　begin；　that　I　am
driven　to　disembarrass　myself　of　him　at　the　outset　by　a
stratagem。

I　suggest　to　him　that　our　visitor　is　sure　to　be　interested　in
pictures；　and　that　it　would　be　a　pretty　attention；　on　his　part；
to　paint　her　a　landscape　to　hang　up　in　her　room。　Owen　brightens
directly；　informs　me　in　his　softest　tones　that　he　is　then　at　work
on　the　Earthquake　at　Lisbon；　and　inquires　whether　I　think　she
would　like　that　subject。　I　preserve　my　gravity　sufficiently　to
answer　in　the　affirmative；　and　my　brother　retires　meekly　to　his
studio；　to　depict　the　engulfing　of　a　city　and　the　destruction　of
a　population。　Morgan　withdraws　in　his　turn　to　the　top　of　the
tower；　threatening；　when　our　guest　comes；　to　draw　all　his　meals
up　to　his　new　residence　by　means　of　a　basket　and　string。　I　am
left　alone　for　an　hour；　and　then　the　upholsterer　arrives　from　the
county　town。

This　worthy　man；　on　being　informed　of　our　emergency；　sees　his
way；　apparently；　to　a　good　stroke　of　business；　and　thereupon　wins
my　lasting　gratitude　by　taking；　in　opposition　to　every　one　else；
a　bright　and　hopeful　view　of　existing　circumstances。

〃You'll　excuse　me；　sir；〃　he　says；　confidentially；　when　I　show　him
the　rooms　in　the　lean…to；　〃but　this　is　a　matter　of　experience。
I'm　a　family　man　myself；　with　grown…up　daughters　of　my　own；　and
the　natures　of　young　women　are　well　known　to　me。　Make　their　rooms
comfortable；　and　you　make　'em　happy。　Surround　their　lives；　sir；
with　a　suitable　atmosphere　of　furniture；　and　you　never　hear　a
word　of　complaint　drop　from　their　lips。　Now；　with　regard　to　these
rooms；　for　example；　siryou　put　a　neat　French　bedstead　in　that
corner；　with　curtains　conformablesay　a　tasty　chintz；　you　put　on
that　bedstead　what　I　will　term　a　sufficiency　of　bedding；　and　you
top　up　with　a　sweet　little　eider…down　quilt；　as　light　as　roses；
and　similar　the　same　in　color。　You　do　that；　and　what　follows？　You
please　her　eye　when　she　lies　down　at　night；　and　you　please　her
eye　when　she　gets　up　in　the　morningand　you're　all　right　so　far；
and　so　is　she。　I　will　not　dwell；　sir；　on　the　toilet…table；　nor
will　I　seek　to　detain　you　about　the　glass　to　show　her　figure；　and
the　other　glass　to　show　her　face；　because　I　have　the　articles　in
stock；　and　will　be　myself　answerable　for　their　effect　on　a　lady's
mind　and　person。〃

He　led　the　way　into　the　next　room　as　he　spoke；　and　arranged　its
future　fittings；　and　decorations；　as　he　had　already　planned　out
the　bedroom；　with　the　strictest　reference　to　the　connection　which
experience　had　shown　him　to　exist　between　comfortable　furniture
and　female　happiness。

Thus　far；　in　my　helpless　state　of　mind；　the　man's　confidence　had
impressed　me　in　spite　of　myself；　and　I　had　listened　to　him　in
superstitious　silence。　But　as　he　continued　to　rise；　by　regular
gradations；　from　one　climax　of　upholstery　to　another；　warning
visions　of　his　bill　disclosed　themselves　in　the　remote　background
of　the　scene　of　luxury　and　magnificence　which　my　friend　was
conjuring　up。　Certain　sharp　professional　instincts　of　bygone
times　resumed　their　influence　over　me；　I　began　to　start　doubts
and　ask　questions；　and　as　a　necessary　consequence　the　interview
between　us　soon　assumed　something　like　a　practical　form。

Having　ascertained　what　the　probable　expense　of　furnishing　would
amount　to　and　having　discovered　that　the　process　of　transforming
the　lean…to　（allowing　for　the　time　required　to　procure　certain
articles　of　rarity　from　Bristol）　would　occupy　nearly　a　fortnight；
I　dismissed　the　upho