the days of my life

第8部分 (第1/7頁)

her；　which　she　polished　up　affectionately　with　her　apron。

At　the　top　of　the　pass　we　met　my　brother　and　my　father；　who　had　acpanied　him　so　far。　The　diligence　drove　off；　we　shouting　our　farewells；　my　father　waving　a　tall　white　hat　out　of　which；　to　the　amazement　of　the　travellers；　fell　two　towels　and　an　assortment　of　cabbage　leaves　and　other　greenery。　It　was　like　a　conjuring　trick。　I　should　explain　that　the　day　was　hot；　and　my　parent　feared　sunstroke。

I　think　that　I　remained　at　Ipswich　for　only　one　term　after　this　trip　abroad。　Then；　in　the　following　holidays；　with　characteristic　suddenness　my　father　made　up　his　mind　that　I　was　to　leave；　so　Ipswich　knew　me　no　more。　It　was　at　this　period　that　my　father　determined　that　I　should　go　up　for　the　Foreign　Office；　and；　with　a　view　to　preparing　for　the　examination；　I　was　sent　to　a　private　tutor　in　London；　a　French　professor　who　had　married　one　of　my　sister’s　school…mistresses。　He　was　a　charming　man；　and　she　was　a　charming　woman；　but；　having　married　late　in　life；　they　did　not　in　the　least　assimilate。　For　one　thing；　his　religious　views　were　what　are　called　broad；　whereas　she　belonged　to　the　Society　of　Plymouth　Brethren；　whose　views　are　narrow。　She　told　him　that　he　would　go　to　hell。　He　intimated　in　reply　that；　if　she　were　not　there；　that　fate　would　have　its　consolations。　In　short；　the　rows　were　awful。　I　never　knew　a　more　ill…assorted　pair。　I　think　that　I　stopped　with　these　good　people　for　about　a　year；　imbibing　some　knowledge　of　French　literature；　and　incidentally　of　the　tes　of　the　Plymouth　Brethren。　Then　my　father　announced　that　I　was　to　go　to　Scoones；　the　great　crammer；　and　there　make　ready　to　face　the　Foreign　Office　examination。

To　this　end；　when　I　was　just　eighteen；　I　was　put　in　lodgings　alone　in　London；　ent