the days of my life

第6部分 (第5/7頁)

merous　children　the　truths　of　religion；　and　to　lead　them　into　the　ways　of　righteousness　and　peace。　I　fear；　however；　that　at　times　we　got　beyond　her。　It　is　not　easy　for　any　woman　to　follow　and　direct　all　the　physical　and　mental　developments　of　a　huge　and　vigorous　family　who　are　continually　ing　and　going；　first　from　schools　and　elsewhere；　and　later　from　every　quarter　of　the　world。

She　never　plained；　but　I　cannot　think　that　the　life　she　was　called　upon　to　lead　was　very　congenial　to　her。　When　young　in　India；　where　at　that　time　English　ladies　were　rare；　as　was　natural　in　the　case　of　one　of　her　charm　who　was　known　also　to　be　a　considerable　heiress；　she　was　much　sought　after　and　feted。　Then　she　returned　to　England　and　married；　and　for　her　the　responsibilities　of　life　began　with　a　vengeance；　to　cease　no　more　until　she　died。　These　indeed　were　plicated　by　the　fact　that　a　time　came　when　she　had　to　think　a　good　deal　about　ways　and　means；　especially　after　my　father；　who　had　the　passion　of　his　generation　for　land；　insisted　upon　investing　most　of　her　fortune　in　that　security　just　at　the　mencement　of　its　great　fall　in　value。　Her　various　duties；　including　that　of　housekeeping；　of　which　she　was　a　perfect　mistress；　left　her　scarcely　an　hour　to　follow　her　own　literary　and　artistic　tastes。　All　she　could　do　was　to　give　a　little　attention　to　gardening；　to　which　she　was　devoted。

On　the　whole　life　at　Bradenham　must　have　been　very　dull　for　her；　especially　after　the　London　house　was　sold　and　she　was　settled　there　more　or　less　permanently。　She　used　to　describe　to　me　the　wearisome　and　interminable　local　dinner…parties　to　which　she　was　obliged　to　go　in　her　early　married　life。　The　men　she　met　at　them　talked；　she　said；　chiefly　about　“roots；”　and　for　a　long　while　she　could　not　imagine　wha