FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109  
110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   >>  
could only be the inheritance of many generations of love and hate and quick emotions; his eyelids drooped languidly, but when he opened his eyes and looked full at you!--I felt relieved to think I should not have to conduct his education; I could not have denied him anything. His hair was brown and curly, cut short, but of that fineness and glossy aspect that showed that till lately it had been allowed its own way. The boy had beautiful lips and white regular teeth, with that exquisite complexion that is the result of perfect health and physical condition. He did not speak English very well, but acquired it fast. He always spoke slowly, and with a very pure articulation. His voice was clear, high-pitched, and thrilling--I have no other word for it. On the following day I took him down to Tredennis. The boy was interested and excited, and asked many questions of a very unsophisticated kind. "Why do people stare at me so?" he said, turning round from the window of the carriage, in Bristol, where he stood devouring the crowd with hungry eyes. I could not explain to him. He thought it was because of his foreign look, and was much disgusted. "I made them _dress_ me like an Englishman," he said, surveying himself. To be English, that was his aim. I found that his father had inculcated this idea in him thoroughly, and had impressed upon him the dignity of the position. It was, I was told afterward, the one argument that never failed to make him attentive in his lessons. It was not till he was driving away from Truro into the country that he found leisure to think of his father and brother, and wonder what they would be doing. I had the greatest difficulty in explaining that the hours of the day were different, and that it was early morning there. "No," he said, "it is impossible; I feel like the evening--Martin can not be feeling like the morning." He was rather disappointed as we got further and further into the lovely country. "I have lived among trees all my life," he said. "I want to live among people now, in cities, and hear what they say and do what they do. I love them." And he waved his hand to the lights of the town in the valley below us, as a sign of farewell. At last we drove into the dark gates of Tredennis, and drew up before the house. Arthur came out to meet us. "Where is Edward?" he said. The boy sprang out to meet him, and would have kissed him; but Arthur just grasped his hand, reta
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109  
110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   >>  



Top keywords:

people

 

Tredennis

 
English
 

father

 

Arthur

 

country

 

morning

 

explaining

 

difficulty

 
languidly

greatest
 

drooped

 

evening

 
Martin
 
feeling
 

impossible

 

opened

 
leisure
 

afterward

 
position

dignity

 
impressed
 
argument
 

looked

 

brother

 

driving

 
failed
 

attentive

 

lessons

 
eyelids

generations
 

farewell

 

kissed

 

grasped

 

sprang

 

Edward

 

inheritance

 

valley

 

lovely

 
emotions

lights
 
cities
 

disappointed

 

slowly

 

acquired

 
thrilling
 

pitched

 

articulation

 

condition

 

aspect