CHAPTER VIII.
關燈
小
中
大
rticularsettlement.
“Oh,andwithme,papa,”saidAnna,notbearingtobeleftoutfromtheproposaleventemporarily.“Rexwouldwantsomeonetotakecareofhim,youknow—someonetokeephouse.Andweshallnever,eitherofus,bemarried.AndIshouldcostnothing,andIshouldbesohappy.Iknowitwouldbehardtoleaveyouandmammabuttherearealltheotherstobringup,andwetwoshouldbenotroubletoyouanymore.”
Annahadrisenfromherseat,andusedthefeminineargumentofgoingclosertoherpapaasshespoke.Hedidnotsmile,buthedrewheronhiskneeandheldherthere,asiftoputhergentlyoutofthequestionwhilehespoketoRex.
“Youwilladmitthatmyexperiencegivesmesomepowerofjudgingforyou,andthatIcanprobablyguideyouinpracticalmattersbetterthanyoucanguideyourself?”
Rexwasobligedtosay,“Yes,sir.”
“Andperhapsyouwilladmit—thoughIdon’twishtopressthatpoint—thatyouareboundindutytoconsidermyjudgmentandwishes?”
“Ihaveneveryetplacedmyselfinoppositiontoyou,sir.”Rexinhissecretsoulcouldnotfeelthathewasboundnottogotothecolonies,buttogotoOxfordagain—whichwasthepointinquestion.
“Butyouwilldosoifyoupersistinsettingyourmindtowardarashandfoolishprocedure,anddeafeningyourselftoconsiderationswhichmyexperienceoflifeassuresmeof.Youthink,Isuppose,thatyouhavehadashockwhichhaschangedallyourinclinations,stupefiedyourbrains,unfittedyouforanythingbutmanuallabor,andgivenyouadisliketosociety?Isthatwhatyoubelieve?”
“Somethinglikethat.IshallneverbeuptothesortofworkImustdotoliveinthispartoftheworld.Ihavenotthespiritforit.Ishallneverbethesameagain.Andwithoutanydisrespecttoyou,father,Ithinkayoungfellowshouldbeallowedtochoosehiswayoflife,ifhedoesnobodyanyharm.Thereareplentytostayathome,andthosewholikemightbeallowedtogowherethereareemptyplaces.”
“ButsupposeIamconvincedongoodevidence—asIam—thatthisstateofmindofyoursistransient,andthatifyouwentoffasyoupropose,youwouldby-and-byrepent,andfeelthatyouhadletyourselfslipbackfromthepointyouhavebeengainingbyyoureducationtillnow?Haveyounotstrengthofmindenoughtoseethatyouhadbetteractonmyassuranceforatime,andtestit?Inmyopinion,sofarfromagreeingwithyouthatyoushouldbefreetoturnyourselfintoacolonistandworkinyourshirt-sleeveswithspadeandhatchet—inmyopinionyouhavenorightwhatevertoexpatriateyourselfuntilyouhavehone
