手机浏览器扫描二维码访问
y appreciated the skill of their cook or the taste of their waiting…woman。 Mr。 St。 John had said nothing to me yet about the employment he had promised to obtain for me; yet it became urgent that I should have a vocation of some kind。 One morning; being left alone with him a few minutes in the parlour; I ventured to approach the window…recess— which his table; chair; and desk consecrated as a kind of study—and I was going to speak; though not very well knowing in what words to frame my inquiry—for it is at all times difficult to break the ice of reserve glassing over such natures as his—when he saved me the trouble by being the first to mence a dialogue。
Looking up as I dree?” he said。
“Yes; I wish to know whether you have heard of any service I can offer myself to undertake?”
“I found or devised something for you three weeks ago; but as you seemed both useful and happy here—as my sisters had evidently bee attached to you; and your society gave them unusual pleasure—I deemed it inexpedient to break in on your mutual fort till their approaching departure from Marsh End should render yours necessary。”
“And they will go in three days now?” I said。
“Yes; and when they go; I shall return to the parsonage at Morton: Hannah will acpany me; and this old house will be shut up。”
I waited a few moments; expecting he would go on with the subject first broached: but he seemed to have entered another train of reflection: his look denoted abstraction from me and my business。 I was obliged to recall him to a theme which was of necessity one of close and anxious interest to me。
“What is the employment you had in view; Mr。 Rivers? I hope this delay will not have increased the difficulty of securing it。”
“Oh; no; since it is in employment which depends only on me to give; and you to accept。”
He again paused: there seemed a reluctance to continue。 I grew impatient: a restless movement or two; and an eager and exacting glance fastened on his face; conveyed the feeling to him as effectually as words could have done; and with less trouble。
“You need be in no hurry to hear;” he said: “let me frankly tell you; I have nothing eligible or profitable to suggest。 Before I explain; recall; if you please; my notice; clearly given; that if I helped you; it must be as the blind man would help the lame。 I am poor; for I find that; when I have paid my father’s debts; all the patrimony remaining to me will be this crumbling grange; the row of scathed firs behind; and the patch of moorish soil; with the yew… trees and holly…bushes in front。 I am obscure: Rivers is an old name; but of the three sole descendants of the race; two earn the dependant’s crust among strangers; and the third considers himself an alien from his native country—not only for life; but in death。 Yes; and deems; and is bound to deem; himself honoured by the lot; and aspires but after the day when the cross of separation from fleshly ties shall be laid on his shoulders; and when the Head of that church…militant of whose humblest members he is one; shall give the word; ‘Rise; follow Me!’”
St。 John said these words as he pronounced his sermons; with a quiet; deep voice; with an unflushed cheek; and a coruscating radiance of glance。 He resumed—
“And since I am myself poor and obscure; I can offer you but a service of poverty and obscurity。 You may even think it degrading— for I see now your habits have been what the world calls refined: your tastes lean to the ideal; and your society has at least been amongst the educated; but I consider that no service degrades which can better our race。 I hold that the more arid and unreclaimed the soil where the Christian labourer’s task of tillage is appointed him—the scantier the meed his toil brings—the higher the honour。 His; under such circumstances; is the destiny of the pioneer; and the first pioneers of the Gospel were the Apostles—their captain was Jesus; the Redeemer; Himself。”
“Well?” I said; as he again paused—“proceed。”
He looked at me before he proceeded: indeed; he seemed leisurely to read my face; as if its features and lines were characters on a page。 The conclusions drawn from this scrutiny he partially expressed in his succeeding observations。
“I believe you will accept the post I offer you;” said he; “and hold it for a while: not permanently; though: any more than I could permanently keep the narrow and narrowing—the tranquil; hidden office of English country incumbent; for in your nature is an alloy as detrimental to repose as that in mine; though of a different kind。”
“Do explain;” I urged; when he halted once more。
“I will; and you shall hear how poor the proposal is;—how trivial— how cramping。 I shall not stay long at Morton; now that my father is dead; and that I am my own master。 I shall leave the place probably in the course of a twelve…month; but while I do stay; I will exert myself to the utmost for its improvement。 Morton; when I came to it two years ago; had no school: the children of the poor were excluded from every hope of progress。 I established one for boys: I mean now to open a second school for girls。 I have hired a building for the purpose; with a cottage of two rooms attached to it for the mistress’s house。 Her salary will be thirty pounds a year: her house is already furnished; very simply; but sufficiently; by the kindness of a lady; Miss Oliver; the only daughter of the sole rich man in my parish—Mr。 Oliver; the proprietor of a needle… factory and iron…foundry in the valley。 The same lady pays for the education and clothing of an orphan from the workhouse; on condition that she shall aid the mistress in such menial offices connected with her own house and the school as her occupation of teaching will prevent her having time to discharge in person。 Will you be this mistress?”
He put the question rather hurriedly; he seemed half to expect an indignant; or at least a disdainful rejection of the offer: not knowing all my thoughts and feelings; though guessing some; he could not tell in what light the lot would appear to me。 In truth it was humble—but then it was sheltered; and I wanted a safe asylum: it was plodding—but then; pared with that of a governess in a rich house; it was independent; and the fear of servitude with strangers entered my soul like iron: it was not ignoble—not unworthy—not mentally degrading; I made my decision。
“I thank you for the proposal; Mr。 Rivers; and I accept it with all my heart。”
“But you prehend me?” he said。 “It is a village school: your scholars will be only poor girls—cottagers’ children—at the best; farmers’ daughters。 Knitting; sewing; reading; writing; ciphering; will be all you will have to teach。 What will you do with your acplishments? What; with the largest portion of your mind— sentiments—tastes?”
“Save them till they are wanted。 They will keep。”
“You know what you undertake; then?”
“I do。”
He now smiled: and not a bitter or a sad smile; but one well pleased and deeply gratified。
“And when will you mence the exercise of your function?”
“I will go to my house to…morrow; and open the school; if you like; next week。”
“Very well: so be it。”
He rose and walked through the room。 Standing still; he again looked at me。 He shook his head。
寄生女友佐奈 行者 丁玲短篇集 胖女孩,有人爱 动漫之梦游三国 田汉代表作(中国现代文学百家系列) 蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版) 女神收藏家 母亲怀了我的孩子 魏晋南北朝史讲演录 白客 村头那棵樟树 火影之伪暗 西湖梦寻 哈克贝利·费恩历险记 全景玛雅 女大学生蜕变记 银之十字架与吸血姬 乖乖女变身黑道公主 孽卵
一个现代人,来到了古代,哇噻,美女如云呀,一个一个都要到手,战争阴谋铁血一揽众美,逍遥自来快乐似神仙本书集铁血与情感于一身为三国类中佳品。...
少年附身韦小宝,和康熙做兄弟,唬弄皇帝有一手绝色美女尽收,色遍天下无敌手!睿智独立,诱惑惊艳的蓝色妖姬苏荃花中带刺刺中有花的火红玫瑰方怡温柔清新纯洁可人的水仙花沐剑屏空谷幽香,善解人意的解语花双儿倾国倾城,美丽绝伦的花中之王牡丹阿珂诱惑惊艳美艳毒辣的罂粟花建宁空灵纯洁娇艳精怪的山涧兰花曾柔...
地球少年江云卷入了一个神秘的超凡世界之中,获得了超凡之力,并且开始在地球以及一个个超凡世界,开启了自己追逐巅峰的超凡旅程。(ps已经完本异世之虫族无敌神卡神魔系统神魔无双机械神皇)...
魔族强势,在人类即将被灭绝之时,六大圣殿崛起,带领着人类守住最后的领土。一名少年,为救母加入骑士圣殿,奇迹诡计,不断在他身上上演。在这人类六大圣殿与魔族七十二柱魔神相互倾轧的世界,他能否登上象征着骑...
一个被部队开除军籍的特种兵回到了都市,看他如何在充满诱惑的都市里翻云覆雨...
生长于孤儿院的少年刘翰和几女探险时偶得怪果奇蛇致使身体发生异变与众女合体并习得绝世武功和高超的医术为救人与本地黑帮发生冲突得贵人相助将其剿灭因而得罪日本黑道。参加中学生风采大赛获得保送大学机会。上大学时接受军方秘训后又有日本黑龙会追杀其消灭全部杀手后又参加了央视的星光大道和青歌大赛并取得非凡成绩。即赴台探亲帮助马当选总统世界巡演时与东突遭遇和达赖辩论发现超市支持藏独向世界揭露日本称霸全球的野心为此获得诺贝尔和平奖而在颁奖仪式上其却拒绝领奖主人公奇遇不断出现艳遇连绵不...