Latest / Wives and Daughters / 034 - Brightening Prospects

Transcript

034 - Brightening Prospects · Wives and Daughters

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Chapter thirty three of Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell.
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, chapter thirty three,
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Brightening Prospects. It was a day or two afterwards that
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: mister Gibson made time to ride round by Hamley, desirous
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: to learn more exact particulars of this scheme for Roger
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: than he could obtain from any extraneous source, and rather
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: puzzled to know whether he should interfere in the project
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: or not. The state of the case was this Osborne's
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: symptoms were, in mister Gibson's opinion, signs of his having
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: a fatal disease. Doctor Nicholls had differed from him on
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: this head, and mister Gibson knew that the old physician
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: had had long experience and was considered very skillful in
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: the profession. Still, he believed that he himself was right,
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: and if so, the complaint was one which might continue
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: for years in the same state as at present, or
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: might end the young man's life in an hour a minute.
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: Supposing that mister Gibson was right, would it be well
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: for Roger to be away where no sudden calls for
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: his presence could reach him? Away for two years. Yet,
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: if the affair was concluded, the interference of a medical
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: man might accelerate the very evil to be feared. And
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: after all, doctor Nicholls might be right, and the symptoms
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: might proceed from some other cause. Might yes, probably did No.
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: Mister Gibson could not bring himself to say yes to
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: this latter form of sentence. So he rode on, meditating,
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: his reins slack, his head a little bent. It was
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: one of those still and lovely autumn days, when the
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: red and yellow leaves are hanging pegs to dewy, brilliant
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: gossamer webs, when the hedges are full of trailing brambles
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: loaded with ripe blackberries, when the air is full of
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: the farewell whistles and pipes of birds, and short not
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: the long, full throated warbles of spring, when the whir
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: of the partridge's wings is heard in the stubble fields,
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: as the sharp hoof blows fall on the paved lanes,
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: when here and there a leaf floats and flutters down
• 2:15
  Speaker 1: to the ground, although there is not a single breath
• 2:18
  Speaker 1: of wind. The country surgeon felt the beauty of the seasons,
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: perhaps more than most men. He saw more of it
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: by day by night, in storm and sunshine, or in
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: the still soft, cloudy weather. He never spoke about what
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: he felt on the subject. Indeed, he did not put
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: his feelings into words, even to himself. But if his
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: mood ever approached to the sentimental, it was on such
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: days as this. He rode into the stable yard, gave
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: his horse to a man, and went into the house
• 2:51
  Speaker 1: by a side entrance. In the passage he met the squire.
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: That's capital gift, saying, what good wind blew you here?
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: You'll have some lunch. It's on the table. I only
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: just this minute left the room, And.
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: He kept shaking mister Gibson's hand all the time till
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: he had placed him nothing loose at the well covered
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: dining table.
• 3:13
  Speaker 3: What's this I hear about? Roger?
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: Said mister Gibson, plunging at once into the subject.
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: Aha, so you've heard, have you? It's famous, isn't it.
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: He's a boy to be proud of his old Roger,
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: steady Roger. We used to think him slow, But it
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: seems to me that slow and sure winds the rays.
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: But tell me what have you heard? How much is known? Nay?
• 3:42
  Speaker 2: You must have a glassful it's all ale such as
• 3:45
  Speaker 2: we don't brood nowadays. It's as old as Osborne we
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: brooded that autumn, and we called it the young Squire's Ale.
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: I thought to have tapped it on his marriage, but
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: I don't know when that come to pass, so we've
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: tapped it now in Roger's honor.
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: The old Squire had evidently been enjoying the Young Squire's
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: ale to the verge of prudence. It was, indeed, as
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: he said.
• 4:12
  Speaker 2: As strong as brandy.
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: And mister Gibson had to sip it very carefully as
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: he ate his cold roast beef.
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: Well, and what have you heard? There's a deal to here,
• 4:24
  Speaker 2: and all good news. Though I shall miss the lad.
• 4:28
  Speaker 3: I know that I did not know it was settled.
• 4:31
  Speaker 3: I only heard that it was in progress.
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: Well, it was only in progress, as you call it,
• 4:38
  Speaker 2: till last Tuesday. He never lets me know anything about it,
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: though he says he thought I might be fidgety with
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: thinking of pros and cons, so I never knew a
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: word aunt till I had a letter from my Lord Hollingford.
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: Where is it?
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: Pulling out a great black leathern receptacle for all manner
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: of papers and putting on his spectacles, he read aloud
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: their headings.
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: Measurement of chamber, new railings, trench for cows, Fanharmer, Hayes
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: dubs into counts um um. Now Here it is now
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: read that.
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: Letter, handing it to mister Gibson. It was a manly, feeling,
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: sensible letter explaining to the old father in very simple language,
• 5:24
  Speaker 1: the services which were demanded by the terms of the
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: will to which he and two or three others were trustees.
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: The liberal allowance for expenses, the still more liberal reward
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: for performance, which had tempted several men of considerable renown
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: to offer themselves as candidates for the appointment. Lord Hollingford
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: then went on to say that, having seen a good
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: deal of Roger lately, since the publication of his article
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: in reply to the French Osteologist, he had had reason
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: to think that in him the trustees would find united
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: the various qualities required in a greater measure than in
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: any of the applicants who had at that time presented themselves.
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: Roger had deep interest in the subject, much acquired knowledge,
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: and at the same time great natural powers of comparison
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: and classification of facts. He had shown himself to be
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: an observer of a fine and accurate kind. He was
• 6:17
  Speaker 1: of the right age, in their very prime of health
• 6:19
  Speaker 1: and strength, and unshackled by any family ties. Here mister
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: Gibson paused for consideration. He hardly cared to ascertain by
• 6:29
  Speaker 1: what steps the result had been arrived at. He already
• 6:32
  Speaker 1: knew what that result was. But his mind was again
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: arrested as his eye caught on the remuneration offered, which
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: was indeed most liberal. And then he read with attention
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: the high praise bestowed on the son in this letter
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: to the father. The squire had been watching mister Gibson
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: waiting till he came to this part, and he rubbed
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: his hands together as he said, Ay.
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: You've come to it at last. It's the best part
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: of the whole, isn't it. God bless the boy, and
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: from a whig mind you, which makes it the more handsome.
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: And there's more to come still, I say, Gibson, I
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: think my luck is turning.
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: At last, passing him on yet another.
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: Letter to read that only came this morning. But I've
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: acted on it already by send for the foreman of
• 7:24
  Speaker 2: the drainage works at one sided and tomorrow, Please God,
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: they'll be at work again.
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: Mister Gibson read the second letter from Roger to a
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: certain degree. It was a modest repetition of what Lord
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: Hollingford had said, with an explanation of how he had
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: come to take so decided a step in life without
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: consulting his father. He did not wish him to be
• 7:46
  Speaker 1: in suspense for one reason. Another was that he felt,
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: as no one else could feel for him, that by
• 7:52
  Speaker 1: accepting this offer, he entered upon the kind of life
• 7:55
  Speaker 1: for which he knew himself to be most fitted, and
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: then he merged the whole into business. He said that
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: he knew well the suffering his father had gone through
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: when he had had to give up his drainage works
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: for want of money, that he Roger had been enabled
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: at once to raise money upon the remuneration he was
• 8:13
  Speaker 1: to receive on the accomplishment of his two years work,
• 8:17
  Speaker 1: and that he had also insured his life in order
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: to provide for the repayment of the money he had
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: raised in case he did not live to return to England.
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: He said that the sum he had borrowed on this
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: security would at once be forwarded to his father. Mister
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: Gibson laid down the letter without speaking a word for
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: some time.
• 8:35
  Speaker 3: Then he said, he'll have to pay a pretty sum
• 8:37
  Speaker 3: for insuring his life beyond seas.
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: He's got his fellowship money.
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: Said the Squire, a little depressed at mister Gibson's remark.
• 8:46
  Speaker 3: Yes, that's true, and he's a strong young fellow as
• 8:49
  Speaker 3: I know.
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: I wish I could tell his mother, said the Squire
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: in an undertone.
• 8:55
  Speaker 3: It seems all settled now.
• 8:56
  Speaker 1: Said mister Gibson, more in reply to his own thoughts
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: than to the squire's remark. Yes, said the squire.
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: And they're not going to let the grass grow under
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: his feet. He's to be off as soon as he
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: could get his scientific traps ready. I almost wish he
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: wasn't to go. You don't seem quite to like good doctor.
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: Yes I do, said mister Gibson in a more cheerful
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: tone than before.
• 9:23
  Speaker 3: It can't be helped now without doing a.
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: Mischief, thought he to himself.
• 9:28
  Speaker 3: Why, Squire, I think it's a great honor to have
• 9:30
  Speaker 3: such a son. I envy you, That's what I do.
• 9:34
  Speaker 3: Here's a lad of three or four and twenty distinguishing
• 9:37
  Speaker 3: himself in more ways than one and as simple and
• 9:40
  Speaker 3: affectionate at home as any fellow need to be. Not
• 9:43
  Speaker 3: a bit set up.
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: Ay, Ay, he's twice as much a son to me
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: as Osborne, who has been all his life set up
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: on nothing at all. That's what me.
• 9:56
  Speaker 3: Say, Come, Squire, I mustn't hear anything against Osborne. We
• 10:00
  Speaker 3: may praise one without hitting at the other. Osborne hasn't
• 10:04
  Speaker 3: had the strong health which has enabled Roger to work
• 10:07
  Speaker 3: as he has done. I met a man who knew
• 10:10
  Speaker 3: his tutor at Trinity the other day, and of course
• 10:13
  Speaker 3: we began cracking about Roger. It's not every day that
• 10:16
  Speaker 3: one can reckon a senior wrangler amongst one's friends. And
• 10:20
  Speaker 3: I'm nearly as proud of the lad as you are,
• 10:22
  Speaker 3: this mister Mason told me. The tutor said that only
• 10:25
  Speaker 3: half of Roger's success was owing to his mental powers.
• 10:29
  Speaker 3: The other half was owing to his perfect health, which
• 10:32
  Speaker 3: enabled him to work harder and more continuously than most
• 10:36
  Speaker 3: men without suffering. He said that in all his experience
• 10:39
  Speaker 3: he had never known any one with an equal capacity
• 10:42
  Speaker 3: for mental labor, and that he could come again with
• 10:44
  Speaker 3: a fresh appetite to his studies after shorter intervals of
• 10:48
  Speaker 3: rest than most now, I, being a doctor, trace a
• 10:51
  Speaker 3: good deal of his superiority to the material cause of
• 10:55
  Speaker 3: a thoroughly good constitution, which Osborne hasn't got.
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: Osborne might have if he got out of doors more.
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: Said the squire moodily.
• 11:04
  Speaker 2: But except when he can loafe it to Hollingford, he
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: doesn't care to go out at all.
• 11:10
  Speaker 1: I hope, he continued, with a glance of sudden suspicion
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: at mister Gibson.
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: He's not after one of your girls. I don't mean
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: any offense, you know, But he'll have the estate, and
• 11:22
  Speaker 2: it won't be free, and he must marry money. I
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: don't think I could allow it in Roger. But Osborne
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: is the eldest son, you know.
• 11:34
  Speaker 1: Mister Gibson readdened. He was offended for a moment. Then
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: the partial truth of what the Squire said was presented
• 11:41
  Speaker 1: to his mind, and he remembered their old friendship. So
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: he spoke quietly, if shortly.
• 11:46
  Speaker 3: I don't believe there's anything of the kind going on.
• 11:49
  Speaker 3: I'm not much at home, you know, but I've never
• 11:51
  Speaker 3: heard or seen anything that should make me suppose that
• 11:54
  Speaker 3: there is. When I do, I'll let you know.
• 11:58
  Speaker 2: Now, Gipson don't go and be offended. I'm glad for
• 12:03
  Speaker 2: the boys to have a pleasant house to go to,
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: and I thank you and missus Gibson for making it's pleasant.
• 12:11
  Speaker 2: Only cheap off love it can come to no good,
• 12:16
  Speaker 2: that's all. I don't believe Osborne will ever earn a
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: farthing to keep his wife during my life, and if
• 12:23
  Speaker 2: I were to die tomorrow, she would have to bring
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: some money to clear the estate. Then, if I do
• 12:30
  Speaker 2: speak as I shouldn't have unformally a little shop or so, why,
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: it's because I've been worried by many a care no
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: one knows anything of.
• 12:42
  Speaker 3: I'm not going to take offense.
• 12:44
  Speaker 1: Said mister Gibson.
• 12:45
  Speaker 3: But let us understand each other clearly. If you don't
• 12:48
  Speaker 3: want your sons to come as much to my house
• 12:50
  Speaker 3: as they do, tell them so yourself. I like the
• 12:54
  Speaker 3: lads and I'm glad to see them, but if they
• 12:57
  Speaker 3: do come, you must take the consequences, whatever they are are,
• 13:01
  Speaker 3: and not blame me or them either for what may
• 13:03
  Speaker 3: happen from the frequent intercourse between two young men and
• 13:07
  Speaker 3: two young women. What is more, though, as I said,
• 13:10
  Speaker 3: I see nothing whatever of the kind you fear at present,
• 13:13
  Speaker 3: and have promised to tell you of the first symptoms.
• 13:16
  Speaker 3: I do see yet farther than that, I won't go.
• 13:20
  Speaker 3: If there's an attachment at any future time, I won't interfere.
• 13:25
  Speaker 2: I shouldn't so much mind. If Roger fell in love
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: with hill Molly, you can fight for himself, you see,
• 13:32
  Speaker 2: and she's an uncommon nice girl. My poor wife was
• 13:37
  Speaker 2: so fond of her.
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: Answered the Square.
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: It's Osborne and the as his dates I'm thinking of.
• 13:44
  Speaker 3: Well, then tell him not to come near us. I
• 13:47
  Speaker 3: shall be sorry, but you will be safe.
• 13:49
  Speaker 2: I'll think about it, but he's difficult to manage. I've
• 13:54
  Speaker 2: always to get my blood well up before i can
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: speak my mind to him.
• 13:58
  Speaker 1: Mister Gibson was leaving the but at these words he
• 14:01
  Speaker 1: turned and laid his hand on the Squire's arm.
• 14:04
  Speaker 3: Take my advice, Squire, as I said, there's no harm
• 14:07
  Speaker 3: done as yet. As far as I know, prevention is
• 14:10
  Speaker 3: better than cure. Speak out, but speak gently to Osborne
• 14:14
  Speaker 3: and do it at once. I shall understand how it
• 14:17
  Speaker 3: is if he doesn't show his face for some months
• 14:19
  Speaker 3: in my house. If you speak gently to him, he'll
• 14:22
  Speaker 3: take the advice as from a friend. If he can
• 14:25
  Speaker 3: assure you there's no danger. Of course, he'll come just
• 14:28
  Speaker 3: as usual when he likes.
• 14:29
  Speaker 1: It was all very fine giving the Squire this good advice,
• 14:33
  Speaker 1: but as Osborne had already formed the very kind of
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: marriage his father most deprecated, it did not act quite
• 14:39
  Speaker 1: as well as mister Gibson had hoped. The Squire began
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: the conversation with unusual self control, but he grew irritated
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: when Osborne denied his father's right to interfere in any marriage.
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: He might contemplate denied it with a certain degree of
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: doggedness and weariness of the subject. That drove the Squire
• 14:56
  Speaker 1: into one of his passions. And although on after reflection
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: he remembered that he had his son's promised and solemn
• 15:03
  Speaker 1: word not to think of either Cynthia or Molly for
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: his wife, yet the father and son had passed through
• 15:09
  Speaker 1: one of those altercations which helped to estrange men for life.
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: Each had said bitter things to the other, and if
• 15:16
  Speaker 1: the brotherly affection had not been so true between Osborne
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: and Roger, they too might have become alienated. In consequence
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: of the Squire's exaggerated and injudicious comparison of their characters
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: and deeds, But as Roger in his boyhood had loved
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: Osborne too well to be jealous of the praise and
• 15:34
  Speaker 1: love which the eldest son, the beautiful, brilliant lad, had received,
• 15:38
  Speaker 1: to the disparagement of his own plain, awkwardness and slowness.
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: So now Osborne strove against any feeling of jealousy or
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: envy with all his might, But his efforts were conscious.
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: Roger's had been the simple consequence of affection, and the
• 15:54
  Speaker 1: end to poor Osborne was that he became moody and
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: depressed in mind and body. But both his father and
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: son concealed their feelings in Roger's presence. When he came
• 16:04
  Speaker 1: home just before sailing, busy and happy, the squire caught
• 16:08
  Speaker 1: his infectious energy, and Osborne looked up and was cheerful.
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: There was no time to be lost. He was bound
• 16:15
  Speaker 1: to a hot climate and must take all advantage possible
• 16:18
  Speaker 1: of the winter months. He was to go first to
• 16:21
  Speaker 1: Paris to have interviews with some of the scientific men there.
• 16:25
  Speaker 1: Some of his outfit instruments, et cetera, were to follow
• 16:28
  Speaker 1: him to Havre, from which port he was to embark.
• 16:31
  Speaker 1: After transacting his business in Paris, the Squire learned all
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: his arrangements and plans, and even tried, in after dinner
• 16:39
  Speaker 1: conversations to penetrate into the questions involved in the researchers
• 16:42
  Speaker 1: his son was about to make. But Roger's visit home
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: could not be prolonged beyond two days. The last day
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: he rode into Hollingford earlier than he needed to have
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: done to catch the London coach in order to bid
• 16:55
  Speaker 1: the Gibsons good bye. He had been too actively busy
• 16:58
  Speaker 1: for some time to have leisure to bestow much thought
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: on Cynthia, but there was no need for fresh meditation
• 17:05
  Speaker 1: on that subject. Her image as a prize to be
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: worked for, to be served for seven years and seven
• 17:11
  Speaker 1: years more, was safe and sacred in his heart. It
• 17:15
  Speaker 1: was very bad this going away and wishing her good
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: bye for two long years, and he wondered much during
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: his ride how far he should be justified in telling
• 17:24
  Speaker 1: her mother, perhaps in telling her own sweet self, what
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: his feelings were, without expecting, nay indeed, reprobating any answer
• 17:32
  Speaker 1: on her part. Then she would know at any rate
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: how dearly she was beloved by one who was absent,
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: how in all difficulties or dangers, the thought of her
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: would be a polar star high up in the heavens,
• 17:45
  Speaker 1: and so on and so on. For with all a
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: lover's quickness of imagination and triteness of fancy, he called
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: her a star, a flower, a nymph, a witch, an angel,
• 17:57
  Speaker 1: or a mermaid, a nightingale, a syrinh, as one or
• 18:01
  Speaker 1: another of her attributes rose up before him, end of
• 18:05
  Speaker 1: Chapter thirty three,