登陆注册
5220400000042

第42章

Such was the place to which,when the war was over,my father retired:it was here that the old tired soldier set himself down with his little family.He had passed the greater part of his life in meritorious exertion,in the service of his country,and his chief wish now was to spend the remainder of his days in quiet and respectability;his means,it is true,were not very ample;fortunate it was that his desires corresponded with them;with a small fortune of his own,and with his half-pay as a royal soldier,he had no fears for himself or for his faithful partner and helpmate;but then his children!how was he to provide for them?

how launch them upon the wide ocean of the world?This was,perhaps,the only thought which gave him uneasiness,and I believe that many an old retired officer at that time,and under similar circumstances,experienced similar anxiety;had the war continued,their children would have been,of course,provided for in the army,but peace now reigned,and the military career was closed to all save the scions of the aristocracy,or those who were in some degree connected with that privileged order,an advantage which few of these old officers could boast of;they had slight influence with the great,who gave themselves very little trouble either about them or their families.

'I have been writing to the Duke,'said my father one day to my excellent mother,after we had been at home somewhat better than a year.'I have been writing to the Duke of York about a commission for that eldest boy of ours.He,however,affords me no hopes;he says that his list is crammed with names,and that the greater number of the candidates have better claims than my son.'

'I do not see how that can be,'said my mother.

'Nor do I,'replied my father.'I see the sons of bankers and merchants gazetted every month,and I do not see what claims they have to urge,unless they be golden ones.However,I have not served my king fifty years to turn grumbler at this time of life.

I suppose that the people at the head of affairs know what is most proper and convenient;perhaps when the lad sees how difficult,nay,how impossible it is that he should enter the army,he will turn his mind to some other profession;I wish he may!'

'I think he has already,'said my mother;'you see how fond he is of the arts,of drawing and painting,and,as far as I can judge,what he has already done is very respectable;his mind seems quite turned that way,and I heard him say the other day that he would sooner be a Michael Angelo than a general officer.But you are always talking of him;what do you think of doing with the other child?'

'What,indeed!'said my father;'that is a consideration which gives me no little uneasiness.I am afraid it will be much more difficult to settle him in life than his brother.What is he fitted for,even were it in my power to provide for him?God help the child!I bear him no ill will,on the contrary,all love and affection;but I cannot shut my eyes;there is something so strange about him!How he behaved in Ireland!I sent him to school to learn Greek,and he picked up Irish!'

'And Greek as well,'said my mother.'I heard him say the other day that he could read St.John in the original tongue.'

'You will find excuses for him,I know,'said my father.'You tell me I am always talking of my first-born;I might retort by saying you are always thinking of the other:but it is the way of women always to side with the second-born.There's what's her name in the Bible,by whose wiles the old blind man was induced to give to his second son the blessing which was the birthright of the other.

I wish I had been in his place!I should not have been so easily deceived!no disguise would ever have caused me to mistake an impostor for my first-born.Though I must say for this boy that he is nothing like Jacob;he is neither smooth nor sleek,and,though my second-born,is already taller and larger than his brother.'

'Just so,'said my mother;'his brother would make a far better Jacob than he.'

同类推荐
  • 坐禅三昧法门经

    坐禅三昧法门经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 诗学禁脔

    诗学禁脔

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Ruby of Kishmoor

    The Ruby of Kishmoor

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 颜氏家训

    颜氏家训

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 慈尊升度宝忏

    慈尊升度宝忏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 重生八零之甜妻撩人

    重生八零之甜妻撩人

    新书《我在梦里惹上未来大佬》重生后的程媛怀疑她爸换芯了,对她不冷不热的爸爸,突然把她宠上天不说,还成了挣钱小能手。更离奇的是,她经常做同一个梦,梦里有一个帅到人神共愤的帅哥,就喜欢睡觉,她总是变着各种法子吵醒他。帅到人神共愤的帅哥:要是让我抓到那个天天让他睡不成觉的女人,一定要狠狠教训她!直到后来,见到了她。真香!棠棠的完结文:《重生八零之甜妻撩人》《重拾俏时光》坑品保证,欢迎入坑~~~
  • 南风未过境,你我一场婚

    南风未过境,你我一场婚

    女儿生产当日,他逼着她签了离婚协议书,并让她净身出户。五年后,她成为国内首屈一指的手袋设计师,强势归来。他像五年前一样,用尽一切手段把她从身边驱逐。她与他斗智斗勇稳站脚跟,不但和他抢女儿,还报复性地破坏他和他未婚妻的感情,他被她撩得春心荡漾,恼羞成怒:“五年前你下贱,五年后没想到你还是这么下贱,唐悠然,一定要让我看不起你?”当五年前的真相水落石出,他才明白自己伤她有多深。但是一切已晚,她已穿起婚纱,牵着女儿的手,奔向另一个男人的怀抱!
  • 必要的改革

    必要的改革

    这是一段辉煌而传奇的改革历程,思路和理念在这里相互交织、碰撞。中国的改革涉及领域之广、局面之复杂,堪称波澜壮阔、前所未有。20年的理论与实践锻造了一个颠扑不破的真理,中国的改革一定是一场必要的改革。多位堪称影响了中南海的经济学家们分别从国际经济秩序、老龄化社会、医疗改革、宏观调控、克强经济学、中国式创新、经济增长和城镇化等方面深入探讨了中国改革20年的思想变革、政策制定和社会变化,给我们提供了一个深入观察中国改革发展历程的独特视角。这是一本足以唤起你对中国改革和发展20年五味杂陈的思索和回忆的书。在这本书中,作者以凝练、深邃的笔触描绘了中国20年的改革进程。
  • 让人猛拍大腿的法律常识

    让人猛拍大腿的法律常识

    法律就是法律,它是一座雄伟的大厦,庇护着我们大家。本书是一本为广大读者解决实际问题的法律工具书,案例全都来源于律师执业过程,具有很强的代表性!涵盖了衣食住行、生老病死、婚姻家庭、劳动就业、教育培训、休闲娱乐、投资创业、经济生活、人身权益等领域,所选案例全都来源于律师执业过程,具有很强的代表性。
  • 黑客3

    黑客3

    [我知道简介是吸引人用的……但我似乎就只会写故事……]“灵儿你在看什么?”楚月问道。“没什么。”灵儿藏起了手机……‖虽然没有我的戏份,但我还是想吐槽一句:为什么灵儿还在用手机……‖“黑客萝莉……这名字有点耳熟……”楚月最终还是看到了。“想起来了,狂三跟我讲过作者写了本叫黑客萝莉的书……”“宿主……”“等等,有点不对劲……”楚月仔细地看了看目录。“什么!这居然是预言版的。”楚月震惊道。“灵儿……”“宿主我没有拿这本书开挂啊!”灵儿狡辩道。“都自己招了还说没有?”“那……能不能只关半天……”于是灵儿被关了三天小黑屋……
  • The Boy Captives

    The Boy Captives

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 星际直播:女神食用指南

    星际直播:女神食用指南

    颜烟是江湖人人垂涎的华筵岛首席佳肴大师,人送“食神”美誉。她的毕生追求就是吃遍天下,烹饪无上美味。然而,无味不欢的她穿越到了只有无滋无味营养剂,科技发展空前盛况的星际大时代。嘴里快淡出鸟的颜烟简直不能忍!不知人生有五味,酸、甜、苦、辣、咸?没关系,来个直播,让全星际都臣服在美食的诱惑下!
  • 艺术是生命的支撑

    艺术是生命的支撑

    本书稿收录了作者多年来的所作文章、评论文章以及为他人所作之序等65篇,这些文章曾在省内外多家报刊登载,受到业内人士的一致好评。此书的出版必将对初学写作人员及文学爱好者有一定的帮助。
  • 哈佛学生最喜欢的猜谜游戏

    哈佛学生最喜欢的猜谜游戏

    谜语主要指暗射事物或文字等供人猜测的隐语,也可引申为蕴涵奥秘的事物。由于是通过谜面所提供的信息说出谜底,在猜谜的过程中需要对谜面进行判断、分析,采取创造性的思维,因此,对青少年来说,谜语不但是一种较好的益智游戏,而且还可以帮助青少年了解历史、丰富课余生活。本书所选的谜语都是青少年常见的事物,内容贴切、生动活泼,读来琅琅上口。阅读本书,能够帮助青少年们在猜谜的乐趣中增长对知识的了解,提高对事物的观察和认知能力。
  • 六星记

    六星记

    空间中存在着许多不同的位面,各个位面互不干扰。直到有一天,文极位面的天才少年打破了这一局势。六星具现,异界,恐龙,炼狱……看逗比骚年们如何沉着应对。