murad the unlucky and other tales-第9部分

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new　pair　of　gloves；　〃Child；　you　ought　to　have　had　those　gloves　on
before　this　time　of　day。〃

〃Before　this　time　of　day！〃　cried　Mrs。　Hill；　who　was　now　coming
downstairs　completely　equipped〃before　this　time　of　day！　　She
should　know　better；　I　say；　than　to　put　on　those　gloves　at　all：
more　especially　when　going　to　the　cathedral。〃

〃The　gloves　are　very　good　gloves；　as　far　as　I　see；〃　replied　Mr。
Hill。　　〃But　no　matter　now。　　It　is　more　fitting　that　we　should　be　in
proper　time　in　our　pew；　to　set　an　example；　as　becomes　us；　than　to
stand　here　talking　of　gloves　and　nonsense。〃

He　offered　his　wife　and　daughter　each　an　arm；　and　set　out　for　the
cathedral；　but　Phoebe　was　too　busy　in　drawing　on　her　new　gloves；
and　her　mother　was　too　angry　at　the　sight　of　them；　to　accept　of　Mr。
Hill's　courtesy。　　〃What　I　say　is　always　nonsense；　I　know；　Mr。
Hill；〃　resumed　the　matron：　　〃but　I　can　see　as　far　into　a　millstone
as　other　folks。　　Was　it　not　I　that　first　gave　you　a　hint　of　what
became　of　the　great　dog　that　we　lost　out　of　our　tan…yard　last
winter？　　And　was　it　not　I　who　first　took　notice　to　you；　Mr。　Hill；
verger　as　you　are；　of　the　hole　under　the　foundation　of　the
cathedral？　　Was　it　not；　I　ask　you；　Mr。　Hill？〃

〃But；　my　dear　Mrs。　Hill；　what　has　all　this　to　do　with　Phoebe's
gloves？〃

〃Are　you　blind；　Mr。　Hill？　　Don't　you　see　that　they　are　Limerick
gloves？〃

〃What　of　that？〃　said　Mr。　Hill；　still　preserving　his　composure；　as
it　was　his　custom　to　do　as　long　as　he　could；　when　he　saw　his　wife
was　ruffled。

〃What　of　that；　Mr。　Hill！　why；　don't　you　know　that　Limerick　is　in
Ireland；　Mr。　Hill？〃

〃With　all　my　heart；　my　dear。〃

〃Yes；　and　with　all　your　heart；　I　suppose；　Mr。　Hill；　you　would　see
our　cathedral　blown　up；　some　fair　day　or　other；　and　your　own
daughter　married　to　the　person　that　did　it；　and　you　a　verger；　Mr。
Hill。〃

〃God　forbid！〃　cried　Mr；　Hill；　and　he　stopped　short　and　settled　his
wig。　　Presently　recovering　himself；　he　added；　〃But；　Mrs。　Hill；　the
cathedral　is　not　yet　blown　up；　and　our　Phoebe　is　not　yet　married。〃

〃No；　but　what　of　that；　Mr。　Hill？　　Forewarned　is　forearmed；　as　I
told　you　before　your　dog　was　gone；　but　you　would　not　believe　me；
and　you　see　how　it　turned　out　in　that　case；　and　so　it　will　in　this
case；　you'll　see；　Mr。　Hill。〃

〃But　you　puzzle　and　frighten　me　out　of　my　wits；　Mrs。　Hill；〃　said
the　verger；　again　settling　his　wig。　　〃IN　THAT　CASE　AND　IN　THIS
CASE！　　I　can't　understand　a　syllable　of　what　you've　been　saying　to
me　this　half…hour。　　In　plain　English；　what　is　there　the　matter
about　Phoebe's　gloves？〃

〃In　plain　English；　then；　Mr。　Hill；　since　you　can　understand　nothing
else；　please　to　ask　your　daughter　Phoebe　who　gave　her　those　gloves。
Phoebe；　who　gave　you　those　gloves？〃

〃I　wish　they　were　burnt；〃　said　the　husband；　whose　patience　could
endure　no　longer。　　〃Who　gave　you　those　cursed　gloves；　Phoebe？〃

〃Papa；〃　answered　Phoebe；　in　a　low　voice；　〃they　were　a　present　from
Mr。　Brian　O'Neill。〃

〃The　Irish　glover！〃　cried　Mr。　Hill；　with　a　look　of　terror。

〃Yes；〃　resumed　the　mother；　〃very　true；　Mr。　Hill；　I　assure　you。
Now；　you　see；　I　had　my　reasons。〃

〃Take　off　the　gloves　directly：　　I　order　you；　Phoebe；〃　said　her
father；　in　his　most　peremptory　tone。　　〃I　took　a　mortal　dislike　to
that　Mr。　Brian　O'Neill　the　first　time　I　ever　saw　him。　　He's　an
Irishman；　and　that's　enough；　and　too　much　for　me。　　Off　with　the
gloves；　Phoebe！　　When　I　order　a　thing；　it　must　be　done。〃

Phoebe　seemed　to　find　some　difficulty　in　getting　off　the　gloves；
and　gently　urged　that　she　could　not　well　go　into　the　cathedral
without　them。　　This　objection　was　immediately　removed　by　her
mother's　pulling　from　her　pocket　a　pair　of　mittens；　which　had　once
been　brown；　and　once　been　whole；　but　which　were　now　rent　in　sundry
places；　and　which；　having　been　long　stretched　by　one　who　was　twice
the　size　of　Phoebe；　now　hung　in　huge　wrinkles　upon　her　well…turned
arms。

〃But；　papa；〃　said　Phoebe；　〃why　should　we　take　a　dislike　to　him
because　he　is　an　Irishman？　　Cannot　an　Irishman　be　a　good　man？〃

The　verger　made　no　answer　to　this　question；　but　a　few　seconds　after
it　was　put　to　him　observed　that　the　cathedral　bell　had　just　done
ringing；　and；　as　they　were　now　got　to　the　church　door；　Mrs。　Hill；
with　a　significant　look　at　Phoebe；　remarked　that　it　was　no　proper
time　to　talk　or　think　of　good　men；　or　bad　men；　or　Irishmen；　or　any
men；　especially　for　a　verger's　daughter。

We　pass　over　in　silence　the　many　conjectures　that　were　made　by
several　of　the　congregation　concerning　the　reason　why　Miss　Phoebe
Hill　should　appear　in　such　a　shameful　shabby　pair　of　gloves　on　a
Sunday。　　After　service　was　ended；　the　verger　went；　with　great
mystery；　to　examine　the　hole　under　the　foundation　of　the　cathedral；
and　Mrs。　Hill　repaired；　with　the　grocer's　and　the　stationer's
ladies；　to　take　a　walk　in　the　Close；　where　she　boasted　to　all　her
female　acquaintance；　whom　she　called　her　friends；　of　her　maternal
discretion　in　prevailing　upon　Mr。　Hill　to　forbid　her　daughter
Phoebe　to　wear　the　Limerick　gloves。

In　the　meantime；　Phoebe　walked　pensively　homewards；　endeavouring　to
discover　why　her　father　should　take　a　mortal　dislike　to　a　man　at
first　sight；　merely　because　he　was　an　Irishman：　　and　why　her　mother
had　talked　so　much　of　the　great　dog　which　had　been　lost　last　year
out　of　the　tan…yard；　and　of　the　hole　under　the　foundation　of　the
cathedral！　　〃What　has　all　this　to　do　with　my　Limerick　gloves？〃
thought　she。　　The　more　she　thought；　the　less　connection　she　could
perceive　between　these　things：　　for　as　she　had　not　taken　a　dislike
to　Mr。　Brian　O'Neill　at　first　sight；　because　he　was　an　Irishman；
she　could　not　think　it　quite　reasonable　to　suspect　him　of　making
away　with　her　father's　dog；　nor　yet　of　a　design　to　blow　up　Hereford
Cathedral。　　As　she　was　pondering　upon　these　matters；　she　came
within　sight　of　the　ruins　of　a　poor　woman's　house；　which　a　few
months　before　this　time　had　been　burnt　down。　　She　recollected　that
her　first　acquaintance　with　her　lover　began　at　the　time　of　this
fire；　and　she　thought　that　the　courage　and　humanity　he　showed；　in
exerting　himself　to　save　this　unfortunate　woman　and　her　children；
justified　her　notion　of　the　possibility　that　an　Irishman　might　be　a
good　man。

The　name　of　the　poor　woman　whose　house　had　been　burnt　down　was
Smith：　　she　was　a　widow；　and　she　now　lived　at　the　extremity　of　a
narrow　lane　in　a　wretched　habitation。　　Why　Phoebe　thought　of　her
with　more　concern　than　usual　at　this　instant　we　need　not　examine；
but　she　did；　and；　reproaching　herself　for　having　neglected　it　for
some　weeks　past；　she　resolved　to　go　directly　to　see　the　widow
Smith；　and　to　give　her　a　crown　which　she　had　long　had　in　her
pocket；　with　which　she　had　intended　to　have　bought　play　tickets。

It　happened　that　the　first　person　she　saw　in　the　poor　widow's
kitchen　was　the　identical　Mr。　O'Neill。　　〃I　did　not　expect　to　see
anybody　here　but　you；　Mrs。　Smith；〃　said　Phoebe；　blushing。

〃So　much　the　greater　the　pleasure　of　the　meeting；　to　me；　I　mean；
Miss　Hill；〃　said　O'Neill；　rising；　and　putting　down　a　little　boy；
with　whom　he　had　been　playing。　　Phoebe　went　on　talking　to　the　poor
woman；　and；　after　slipping　the　crown　into　her　hand；　said　she　would
call　again。　　O'Neill；　surprised　at　the　change　in　her　manner；
followed　her　when　she　left　the　house；　and　said；　〃It　would　be　a
great　misfortune　to　me　to　have　done　anything　to　offend　Miss　Hill；
especially　if　I　could　not　conceive　how　or　what　it　was；　which　is　my
case　at　this　present　speaking。〃　　And　as　the　spruce　glover　spoke；　he
fixed　his　eyes　upon　Phoebe's　ragged　gloves。　　She　drew　them　up　in
vain；　and　then　said；　with　her　natural　simplicity　and　gentleness；
〃You　have　not　done　anything　to　offend　me；　Mr。　O'Neill；　but　you　are
some　way　or　other　displeasing　to　my　father　and　mother；　and　they
have　forbid　me　to　wear　the　Limerick　gloves。〃

〃And　sure　Miss　Hill　would　not　be　after　changing　her　opinion　of　her
humble　servant　for　no　reason　in　life　but　because　her　father　and
mother；　who　have　taken　a　prejudice　against　him；　are　a　little
contrary。〃

〃No；〃　replied　Phoebe；　〃I　should　not　change　my　opinion　without　any
reason；　but　I　have　not　yet　had　time　to　fix　my　opinion　of　you；　Mr。
O'Neill。〃

〃To　let　you　know　a　piece　of　my　mind；　then；　my　dear　Miss　Hill；〃
resumed　he；　〃the　more　contrary　they　are；　the　more　pride　and　joy　it
would　give　me　to　win　and　wear　you；　in　spite　of　'em　all；　and　if
without　a　farthing　in　your　pocket；　so　much　the　more　I　should
rejoice　in　the　opportunity　of　proving　to　your　dear　self；　and　all
else　whom　it　may　consarn；　that　Brian　O'Neill　is　no　fortune…hunter；
and　scorns　them　that　are　so　narrow…minded　as　to　think　that　no　other
kind　of　cattle　but　them　there　fortune…hunters　can　come　out　of　all
Ireland。　　So；　my　dear　Phoebe；　now　we　understand　one　another；　I　hope
you　will　not　be　paining　my　eyes　any　longer　with　the　sight　of　these
odious　brown　bags；　which　are　not　fit　to　be　worn　by　any　Christian
arms；　to　say　nothing　of　Miss　Hill's；　which　are　the　handsomest；
without　any　compliment；　that　ever　I　saw；　and；　to　my　mind；　would
become　a　pair　of　Limerick　gloves　beyond　anything：　　and　I　expect
she'll　show　her　generosity　and　proper　spirit　by　putting　them　on
immediately。〃

〃You　expect；　sir！〃　repeated　Miss　Hill；　with　a　look　of　more
indignation　than　her　gentle　countenance　had　ever　before　been　seen
to　assume。　　〃Expect！〃　　〃If　he　had　said　hope；〃　thought　she；　〃it
would　have　been　another　thing：　　but　expect！　what　right　has　he　to
expect？〃

Now　Miss　Hill；　unfortunately；　was　not　sufficiently　acquainted　with
the　Irish　idiom　to　know　that　to　expect；　in　Ireland；　is　the　same
thing　as　to　hope　in　England；　and；　when　her　Irish　admirer　said　〃I
expect；〃　he　meant　only；　in　plain　English；　〃I　hope。〃　　But　thus　it　is
that　a　poor　Irishman；　often；　for　want　of　understanding　the　niceties
of　the　English　language；　says　the　rudest　when　he　means　to　say　the
civillest　things　imaginable。

Miss　Hill's　feelings　were　so　much　hurt　by　this　unlucky　〃I　expect〃
that　the　whole　of　his　speech；　which　had　before　made　some　favourable
impression　upon　her；　now　lost　its　effect：　　and　she　replied　with
proper　spirit；　as　she　thought；　〃You　expect　a　great　deal　too　much；
Mr。　O'Neill；　and　more　than　ever　I　gave　you　reason　to　do。　　It　would
be　neither　pleasure　nor　pri