the way of all flesh-第6部分

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boy's　retreat；　he　can　no　longer　become　a　labourer　or　a　mechanic；　and
these　are　the　only　people　whose　tenure　of　independence　is　not
precariouswith　the　exception　of　course　of　those　who　are　born
inheritors　of　money　or　who　are　placed　young　in　some　safe　and　deep
groove。　　Mr　Pontifex　saw　nothing　of　this；　all　he　saw　was　that　he　was
spending　much　more　money　upon　his　children　than　the　law　would　have
compelled　him　to　do；　and　what　more　could　you　have？　　Might　he　not
have　apprenticed　both　his　sons　to　greengrocers？　　Might　he　not　even
yet　do　so　to…morrow　morning　if　he　were　so　minded？　　The　possibility
of　this　course　being　adopted　was　a　favourite　topic　with　him　when　he
was　out　of　temper；　true；　he　never　did　apprentice　either　of　his　sons
to　greengrocers；　but　his　boys　comparing　notes　together　had　sometimes
come　to　the　conclusion　that　they　wished　he　would。

At　other　times　when　not　quite　well　he　would　have　them　in　for　the　fun
of　shaking　his　will　at　them。　　He　would　in　his　imagination　cut　them
all　out　one　after　another　and　leave　his　money　to　found　almshouses；
till　at　last　he　was　obliged　to　put　them　back；　so　that　he　might　have
the　pleasure　of　cutting　them　out　again　the　next　time　he　was　in　a
passion。

Of　course　if　young　people　allow　their　conduct　to　be　in　any　way
influenced　by　regard　to　the　wills　of　living　persons　they　are　doing
very　wrong　and　must　expect　to　be　sufferers　in　the　end；　nevertheless
the　powers　of　will…dangling　and　will…shaking　are　so　liable　to　abuse
and　are　continually　made　so　great　an　engine　of　torture　that　I　would
pass　a　law；　if　I　could；　to　incapacitate　any　man　from　making　a　will
for　three　months　from　the　date　of　each　offence　in　either　of　the
above　respects　and　let　the　bench　of　magistrates　or　judge；　before
whom　he　has　been　convicted；　dispose　of　his　property　as　they　shall
think　right　and　reasonable　if　he　dies　during　the　time　that　his　will…
making　power　is　suspended。

Mr　Pontifex　would　have　the　boys　into　the　dining…room。　　〃My　dear
John；　my　dear　Theobald；〃　he　would　say；　〃look　at　me。　　I　began　life
with　nothing　but　the　clothes　with　which　my　father　and　mother　sent　me
up　to　London。　　My　father　gave　me　ten　shillings　and　my　mother　five
for　pocket　money　and　I　thought　them　munificent。　　I　never　asked　my
father　for　a　shilling　in　the　whole　course　of　my　life；　nor　took　aught
from　him　beyond　the　small　sum　he　used　to　allow　me　monthly　till　I　was
in　receipt　of　a　salary。　　I　made　my　own　way　and　I　shall　expect　my
sons　to　do　the　same。　　Pray　don't　take　it　into　your　heads　that　I　am
going　to　wear　my　life　out　making　money　that　my　sons　may　spend　it　for
me。　　If　you　want　money　you　must　make　it　for　yourselves　as　I　did；　for
I　give　you　my　word　I　will　not　leave　a　penny　to　either　of　you　unless
you　show　that　you　deserve　it。　　Young　people　seem　nowadays　to　expect
all　kinds　of　luxuries　and　indulgences　which　were　never　heard　of　when
I　was　a　boy。　　Why；　my　father　was　a　common　carpenter；　and　here　you
are　both　of　you　at　public　schools；　costing　me　ever　so　many　hundreds
a　year；　while　I　at　your　age　was　plodding　away　behind　a　desk　in　my
Uncle　Fairlie's　counting　house。　　What　should　I　not　have　done　if　I
had　had　one　half　of　your　advantages？　　You　should　become　dukes　or
found　new　empires　in　undiscovered　countries；　and　even　then　I　doubt
whether　you　would　have　done　proportionately　so　much　as　I　have　done。
No；　no；　I　shall　see　you　through　school　and　college　and　then；　if　you
please；　you　will　make　your　own　way　in　the　world。〃

In　this　manner　he　would　work　himself　up　into　such　a　state　of
virtuous　indignation　that　he　would　sometimes　thrash　the　boys　then
and　there　upon　some　pretext　invented　at　the　moment。

And　yet；　as　children　went；　the　young　Pontifexes　were　fortunate；
there　would　be　ten　families　of　young　people　worse　off　for　one
better；　they　ate　and　drank　good　wholesome　food；　slept　in　comfortable
beds；　had　the　best　doctors　to　attend　them　when　they　were　ill　and　the
best　education　that　could　be　had　for　money。　　The　want　of　fresh　air
does　not　seem　much　to　affect　the　happiness　of　children　in　a　London
alley：　　the　greater　part　of　them　sing　and　play　as　though　they　were
on　a　moor　in　Scotland。　　So　the　absence　of　a　genial　mental　atmosphere
is　not　commonly　recognised　by　children　who　have　never　known　it。
Young　people　have　a　marvellous　faculty　of　either　dying　or　adapting
themselves　to　circumstances。　　Even　if　they　are　unhappyvery
unhappyit　is　astonishing　how　easily　they　can　be　prevented　from
finding　it　out；　or　at　any　rate　from　attributing　it　to　any　other
cause　than　their　own　sinfulness。

To　parents　who　wish　to　lead　a　quiet　life　I　would　say：　　Tell　your
children　that　they　are　very　naughtymuch　naughtier　than　most
children。　　Point　to　the　young　people　of　some　acquaintances　as　models
of　perfection　and　impress　your　own　children　with　a　deep　sense　of
their　own　inferiority。　　You　carry　so　many　more　guns　than　they　do
that　they　cannot　fight　you。　　This　is　called　moral　influence；　and　it
will　enable　you　to　bounce　them　as　much　as　you　please。　　They　think
you　know　and　they　will　not　have　yet　caught　you　lying　often　enough　to
suspect　that　you　are　not　the　unworldly　and　scrupulously　truthful
person　which　you　represent　yourself　to　be；　nor　yet　will　they　know
how　great　a　coward　you　are；　nor　how　soon　you　will　run　away；　if　they
fight　you　with　persistency　and　judgement。　　You　keep　the　dice　and
throw　them　both　for　your　children　and　yourself。　　Load　them　then；　for
you　can　easily　manage　to　stop　your　children　from　examining　them。
Tell　them　how　singularly　indulgent　you　are；　insist　on　the
incalculable　benefit　you　conferred　upon　them；　firstly　in　bringing
them　into　the　world　at　all；　but　more　particularly　in　bringing　them
into　it　as　your　own　children　rather　than　anyone　else's。　　Say　that
you　have　their　highest　interests　at　stake　whenever　you　are　out　of
temper　and　wish　to　make　yourself　unpleasant　by　way　of　balm　to　your
soul。　　Harp　much　upon　these　highest　interests。　　Feed　them
spiritually　upon　such　brimstone　and　treacle　as　the　late　Bishop　of
Winchester's　Sunday　stories。　　You　hold　all　the　trump　cards；　or　if
you　do　not　you　can　filch　them；　if　you　play　them　with　anything　like
judgement　you　will　find　yourselves　heads　of　happy；　united；　God…
fearing　families；　even　as　did　my　old　friend　Mr　Pontifex。　　True；　your
children　will　probably　find　out　all　about　it　some　day；　but　not　until
too　late　to　be　of　much　service　to　them　or　inconvenience　to　yourself。

Some　satirists　have　complained　of　life　inasmuch　as　all　the　pleasures
belong　to　the　fore　part　of　it　and　we　must　see　them　dwindle　till　we
are　left；　it　may　be；　with　the　miseries　of　a　decrepit　old　age。

To　me　it　seems　that　youth　is　like　spring；　an　overpraised　season
delightful　if　it　happen　to　be　a　favoured　one；　but　in　practice　very
rarely　favoured　and　more　remarkable；　as　a　general　rule；　for　biting
east　winds　than　genial　breezes。　　Autumn　is　the　mellower　season；　and
what　we　lose　in　flowers　we　more　than　gain　in　fruits。　　Fontenelle　at
the　age　of　ninety；　being　asked　what　was　the　happiest　time　of　his
life；　said　he　did　not　know　that　he　had　ever　been　much　happier　than
he　then　was；　but　that　perhaps　his　best　years　had　been　those　when　he
was　between　fifty…five　and　seventy…five；　and　Dr　Johnson　placed　the
pleasures　of　old　age　far　higher　than　those　of　youth。　　True；　in　old
age　we　live　under　the　shadow　of　Death；　which；　like　a　sword　of
Damocles；　may　descend　at　any　moment；　but　we　have　so　long　found　life
to　be　an　affair　of　being　rather　frightened　than　hurt　that　we　have
become　like　the　people　who　live　under　Vesuvius；　and　chance　it
without　much　misgiving。



CHAPTER　VII



A　few　words　may　suffice　for　the　greater　number　of　the　young　people
to　whom　I　have　been　alluding　in　the　foregoing　chapter。　　Eliza　and
Maria；　the　two　elder　girls；　were　neither　exactly　pretty　nor　exactly
plain；　and　were　in　all　respects　model　young　ladies；　but　Alethea　was
exceedingly　pretty　and　of　a　lively；　affectionate　disposition；　which
was　in　sharp　contrast　with　those　of　her　brothers　and　sisters。　　There
was　a　trace　of　her　grandfather；　not　only　in　her　face；　but　in　her
love　of　fun；　of　which　her　father　had　none；　though　not　without　a
certain　boisterous　and　rather　coarse　quasi…humour　which　passed　for
wit　with　many。

John　grew　up　to　be　a　good…looking；　gentlemanly　fellow；　with　features
a　trifle　too　regular　and　finely　chiselled。　　He　dressed　himself　so
nicely；　had　such　good　address；　and　stuck　so　steadily　to　his　books
that　he　became　a　favourite　with　his　masters；　he　had；　however；　an
instinct　for　diplomacy；　and　was　less　popular　with　the　boys。　　His
father；　in　spite　of　the　lectures　he　would　at　times　read　him；　was　in
a　way　proud　of　him　as　he　grew　older；　he　saw　in　him；　moreover；　one
who　would　probably　develop　into　a　good　man　of　business；　and　in　whose
hands　the　prospects　of　his　house　would　not　be　likely　to　decline。
John　knew　how　to　humour　his　father；　and　was　at　a　comparatively　early
age　admitted　to　as　much　of　his　confidence　as　it　was　in　his　nature　to
bestow　on　anyone。

His　brother　Theobald　was　no　match　for　him；　knew　it；　and　accepted　his
fate。　　He　was　not　so　good…looking　as　his　brother；　nor　was　his
address　so　good；　as　a　child　he　had　been　violently　passionate；　now；
however；　he　was　reserved　and　shy；　and；　I　should　say；　indolent　in
mind　and　body。　　He　was　less　tidy　than　John；　less　well　able　to　assert
himself；　and　less　skilful　in　humouring　the　caprices　of　his　father。
I　do　not　think　he　could　have　loved　anyone　heartily；　but　there　was　no
one　in　his　family　circle　who　did　not　repress；　rather　than　invite　his
affection；　with　the　exception　of　his　sister　Alethea；　and　she　was　too
quick　and　lively　for　his　somewhat　morose　temper。　　He　was　always　the
scapegoat；　and　I　have　sometimes　thought　he　had　two　fathers　to
contend　againsthis　father　and　his　brother　John；　a　third　and　fourth
also　might　almost　be　added　in　his　sisters　Eliza　and　Maria。　　Perhaps
if　he　had　felt　his　bondage　very　acutely　he　would　not　have　put　up
with　it；　but　he　was　constitutionally　timid；　and　the　strong　hand　of
his　father　knitted　him　into　the　closest　outward　harmony　with　his
brother　and　sisters。

The　boys　were　of　use　to　their　father　in　one　respect。　　I　mean　that　he
played　them　off　against　each　other。　　He　kept　them　but　poorly
supplied　with　pocket　money；　and　to　Theobald　would　urge　that　the
claims　of　his