Since a man is bound no farther to himself than to do wisely, chance is only to trouble them that stand upon chance.--SIR PHILIPSIDNEY.--The Arcadia.
Meantime a feeble star, but sparkling some rays of comfort, began to shine upon Hugh's wintry prospects. The star arose in a grocer's shop. For one day his landlady, whose grim attentions had been increasing rather than diminishing, addressed him suddenly as she was removing his breakfast apparatus. This was a very extraordinary event, for she seldom addressed him it all; and replied, when he addressed her, only in the briefest manner possible.
"Have you got any pupils yet, Mr. Sutherland?""No--I am sorry to say. But how did you come to know I wanted any, Miss Talbot?""You shouldn't have secrets at home, Mr. Sutherland. I like to know what concerns my own family, and I generally find out.""You saw my advertisement, perhaps?"
To this suggestion Miss Talbot made no other answer than the usual compression of her lips.
"You wouldn't be above teaching a tradesman's son to begin with?""Certainly not. I should be very happy. Do you know of such a pupil?""Well, I can't exactly say I do know or I don't know; but I happened to mention to my grocer round the corner that you wanted pupils.
Don't suppose, Mr. Sutherland, that I'm in the way of talking about any young men of mine; but it--""Not for a moment," interrupted Hugh; and Miss Talbot resumed, evidently gratified.
"Well, if you wouldn't mind stepping round the corner, I shouldn't wonder if you might make an arrangement with Mr. Appleditch. He said you might call upon him if you liked."Hugh jumped up, and got his hat at once; received the few necessary directions from Miss Talbot, and soon found the shop. There were a good many poor people in it, buying sugar, and soap, &c.; and one lady apparently giving a large order. A young man came to Hugh, and bent over the counter in a recipient position, like a live point of interrogation. Hugh answered--"Mr. Appleditch."
"Mr. Appleditch will be disengaged in a few minutes. Will you take a seat?"The grocer was occupied with the lady and her order; but as soon as she departed, he approached Hugh behind the rampart, and stood towards him in the usual retail attitude.
"My name is Sutherland."
"Sutherland?" said Mr. Appleditch; "I think I've 'eard the name somewheres, but I don't know the face.""Miss Talbot mentioned me to you, I understand, Mr. Appleditch.""Oh! ah! I remember. I beg your pardon. Will you step this way, Mr. Sutherland?"Hugh followed him through a sort of draw-bridge which he lifted in the counter, into a little appendix at the back of the shop. Mr. Appleditch was a meek-looking man, with large eyes, plump pasty cheeks, and a thin little person.
"'Ow de do, Mr. Sutherland?" said he, holding out his hand, as soon as they had reached this retreat.
"Thank you--quite well;" answered Sutherland, shaking hands with him as well as he could, the contact not being altogether pleasant.
"So you want pupils, do you, sir?"
"Yes."
"Ah! well you see, sir, pupils is scarce at this season. They ain't to be bought in every shop--ha! ha!" (The laugh was very mild.) "But I think Mrs. Appleditch could find you one, if you could agree with her about the charge, you know, and all that.""How old is he? A boy, I suppose?"
"Well, you're right, sir. It is a boy. Not very old, though. My Samuel is just ten, but a wonderful forward boy for his years--bless him!""And what would you wish him to learn?"
"Oh! Latin and Greek, and all that. We intend bringing him up for the ministry.--I hope your opinions are decided, sir?""On some points, they are. But I do not know to what you refer, exactly.""I mean theological opinions, sir."
"But I shall not have to teach your little boy theology.""Certainly not, sir. That department belongs to his mother and I.
Unworthy vessels, sir; mere earthen vessels; but filled with the grace of God, I hope, sir."The grocer parted his hands, which he had been rubbing together during this conversation, and lifted them upwards from the wrists, like the fins of a seal; then, dropping them, fell to rubbing them again.
"I hope so. Well--you know the best way will be for me--not knowing your opinions--to avoid everything of a religious kind.""Ah! but it should be line upon line, you know; here a little, and there a little, sir. As the bow is bent, you know--the--hoop is made, you know, sir."Here Mr. Appleditch stepped to the door suddenly, and peeped out, as if he feared he was wanted; but presently returning, he continued:
"But time's a precious gift, sir, and we must not waste it. So, if you'll do us the honour, sir, to dine with us next Lord's day--we may call it a work of necessity, you know--you will see the little Samuel, and--and--Mrs. Appleditch.""I shall be very happy. What is your address, Mr. Appleditch?""You had better come to Salem Chapel, Dervish town, and we can go home together. Service commences at eleven. Mrs. Appleditch will be glad to see you. Ask for Mr. Appleditch's pew. Goo-ood morning, sir."Hugh took his leave, half inclined to send an excuse before the day arrived, and decline the connection. But his principle was, to take whatever offered, and thus make way for the next thing. Besides, he thus avoided the responsibility of choice, from which he always shrunk.
He returned to his novel; but, alas! the inventive faculty point-blank refused to work under the weight of such a Sunday in prospect. He wandered out, quite dispirited; but, before long, to take his revenge upon circumstances, resolved at least to have a dinner out of them. So he went to a chop house, had a chop and a glass of ale, and was astonished to find how much he enjoyed them.
In fact, abstinence gave his very plain dinner more than all the charms of a feast--a fact of which Hugh has not been the only discoverer. He studied Punch all the time he ate, and rose with his spirits perfectly restored.