登陆注册
5242900000006

第6章 CHAPTER II--THE HEART OF A CHILD(2)

Though Stephen was a sweet child she was a wilful one, and very early in life manifested a dominant nature. This was a secret pleasure to her father, who, never losing sight of his old idea that she was both son and daughter, took pleasure as well as pride out of each manifestation of her imperial will. The keen instinct of childhood, which reasons in feminine fashion, and is therefore doubly effective in a woman-child, early grasped the possibilities of her own will.

She learned the measure of her nurse's foot and then of her father's;and so, knowing where lay the bounds of possibility of the achievement of her wishes, she at once avoided trouble and learned how to make the most of the space within the limit of her tether.

It is not those who 'cry for the Moon' who go furthest or get most in this limited world of ours. Stephen's pretty ways and unfailing good temper were a perpetual joy to her father; and when he found that as a rule her desires were reasonable, his wish to yield to them became a habit.

Miss Rowly seldom saw any individual thing to disapprove of. She it was who selected the governesses and who interviewed them from time to time as to the child's progress. Not often was there any complaint, for the little thing had such a pretty way of showing affection, and such a manifest sense of justified trust in all whom she encountered, that it would have been hard to name a specific fault.

But though all went in tears of affectionate regret, and with eminently satisfactory emoluments and references, there came an irregularly timed succession of governesses.

Stephen's affection for her 'Auntie' was never affected by any of the changes. Others might come and go, but there no change came. The child's little hand would steal into one of the old lady's strong ones, or would clasp a finger and hold it tight. And then the woman who had never had a child of her own would feel, afresh each time, as though the child's hand was gripping her heart.

With her father she was sweetest of all. And as he seemed to be pleased when she did anything like a little boy, the habit of being like one insensibly grew on her.

An only child has certain educational difficulties. The true learning is not that which we are taught, but that which we take in for ourselves from experience and observation, and children's experiences and observation, especially of things other than repressive, are mainly of children. The little ones teach each other. Brothers and sisters are more with each other than are ordinary playmates, and in the familiarity of their constant intercourse some of the great lessons, so useful in after-life, are learned. Little Stephen had no means of learning the wisdom of give-and-take. To her everything was given, given bountifully and gracefully. Graceful acceptance of good things came to her naturally, as it does to one who is born to be a great lady. The children of the farmers in the neighbourhood, with whom at times she played, were in such habitual awe of the great house, that they were seldom sufficiently at ease to play naturally. Children cannot be on equal terms on special occasions with a person to whom they have been taught to bow or courtesy as a public habit. The children of neighbouring landowners, who were few and far between, and of the professional people in Norcester, were at such times as Stephen met them, generally so much on their good behaviour, that the spontaneity of play, through which it is that sharp corners of individuality are knocked off or worn down, did not exist.

And so Stephen learned to read in the Book of Life; though only on one side of it. At the age of six she had, though surrounded with loving care and instructed by skilled teachers, learned only the accepting side of life. Giving of course there was in plenty, for the traditions of Normanstand were royally benevolent; many a blessing followed the little maid's footsteps as she accompanied some timely aid to the sick and needy sent from the Squire's house.

Moreover, her Aunt tried to inculcate certain maxims founded on that noble one that it is more blessed to give than to receive. But of giving in its true sense: the giving that which we want for ourselves, the giving that is as a temple built on the rock of self-sacrifice, she knew nothing. Her sweet and spontaneous nature, which gave its love and sympathy so readily, was almost a bar to education: it blinded the eyes that would have otherwise seen any defect that wanted altering, any evil trait that needed repression, any lagging virtue that required encouragement--or the spur.

同类推荐
  • 扁鹊难经

    扁鹊难经

    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。
  • 佛说作佛形像经

    佛说作佛形像经

    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。
  • 径石滴乳集

    径石滴乳集

    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。
  • Jewel

    Jewel

    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。
  • 缘起圣道经

    缘起圣道经

    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。
热门推荐
  • 雨夜杀凶

    雨夜杀凶

    我见到顾潜鳞的时候是中午十一点。警察局外正下着倾盆大雨,顾潜鳞坐在他那间刑侦队大队长的办公室里,探员林东站在他的面前。我叫卓曦同,是一个侦探推理小说作家。顾潜鳞是我在一次偶然遭遇的案件中相识的,之后便成了不错的朋友,而顾潜鳞也经常邀请我参与他的探案工作。就在上个月,我写了一篇关于他侦破一起杀人案件的小说,拿到稿费之后便约好请他吃饭,而时间就定在今天中午,所以即使是最讨厌的大雨天,我依然准时来到顾潜鳞的办公室。
  • 不如桃杏嫁东风

    不如桃杏嫁东风

    认识他之前,我被未婚夫害的家破人亡,认识他之后,我被他害的差点一尸两命……沉恨细思,不如桃杏,犹解嫁东风。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 岁月留白,温柔如你

    岁月留白,温柔如你

    采薇采薇,薇亦作止。曰归曰归,岁亦莫止。岁月的流逝并不能阻止爱情的漫漫升温。就像最初的温柔,是你含笑的眉眼。回过头,我看到你那年明媚笑容的少年对我扬起大大的笑容。“好!今天我路未归在这里发誓成年以后一定会娶君采薇做妻子!”
  • 现代的我和民国的她

    现代的我和民国的她

    致旧时光里最闪光的青春和爱恋,挽手走过兵荒马乱,情比金坚
  • 沙弥十戒法并威仪

    沙弥十戒法并威仪

    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。
  • 耙耧系列Ⅰ

    耙耧系列Ⅰ

    作者通过描绘耙耧人的生存环境、生存状态和生命意识,揭示他们在现实生活中的诸多矛盾、苦闷、痛苦和挣扎,藉此寄寓自己的人生思考和忧患情绪。在这耙耧世界里,作者对于命运力量的阐释都具有双关性,它既是个人的,又是人类的;既是特殊的,又是普遍的。人物在毫无意义的挣扎、冲突后,最终仍陷入命运的网罗之中。
  • 穿越时空之凯是我的

    穿越时空之凯是我的

    女主大大穿越时空而来,一路收拾小砸裱气死绿茶裱。。。还没出招小三就自愿退出。。。。还有你,你可不要以为我喜欢你。你你你。。你就可以套路我,,,老婆为夫错了???我们不可能了。。
  • 宫杀:最毒女人心

    宫杀:最毒女人心

    一个姿色平庸的妃嫔,眼睁睁看着自己的长姐死在宫闱的阴谋中,为了报仇,为了让自己在后宫这片荆棘地存活下去,她拒绝了心爱的男人,伸出自己纤细柔美的双手,伸向欲望的深渊,一切的一切究竟只是为了报仇还是为了告诉自己原来是活着的?……(纯属虚构,如有雷同纯属巧合。QQ群:32893122)
  • 星域称霸系统

    星域称霸系统

    “犯我文明者,虽远必诛!” ……… 宇宙进入星际联盟时代后,地球文明逐渐发展起来,接触到了更加先进的科技,得知星际联盟的地球文明并不信任联盟,虽然获得了部分联盟的共享科技但是一直没有主动向星际联盟接触。 直到与另一个文明相遇,星际战争爆发,地球的一次失利致使节节败退,战火蔓延到了太阳系,在战火中地球遭到不可挽回重创,地球文明不得不向星际联盟寻求帮助,在联盟的干预下,战争结束了。 但是地球已经没有了往日的生机,继续留在太阳系已经不安全了,文明高层决定放弃地球,去冰冷的宇宙中寻找新的家园,只有一小部分人不愿离开,选择了留下。周骁无意间穿越到这个世界,获得了系统,借助于系统的存在,建立舰队为地球人创造了生存的空间,以实力争得地球军方的认可,不断的征战,称霸整个星域…………
  • 我曾用心爱着你

    我曾用心爱着你

    结婚三年,老公心里只有初恋。你没有错,是我飞蛾扑火。如今成了出得厅堂进的厨房的小男人,他一心扑在了童欢颜身上,恨不能时时刻刻都腻在她身边。阳光,总在风雨后!但是,曾经的伤痕还在。