第27部分(第6/7 页)

g！　Most　things　free…born　will　submit　to　anything　for　a　salary；　therefore；　keep　to　yourself；　and　don’t　venture　on　generalities　of　which　you　are　intensely　ignorant。　However；　I　mentally　shake　hands　with　you　for　your　answer；　despite　its　inaccuracy；　and　as　much　for　the　manner　in　which　it　was　said；　as　for　the　substance　of　the　speech；　the　manner　was　frank　and　sincere；　one　does　not　often　see　such　a　manner：　no；　on　the　contrary；　affectation；　or　coldness；　or　stupid；　coarse…minded　misapprehension　of　one’s　meaning　are　the　usual　rewards　of　candour。　Not　three　in　three　thousand　raw　school…girl…governesses　would　have　answered　me　as　you　have　just　done。　But　I　don’t　mean　to　flatter　you：　if　you　are　cast　in　a　different　mould　to　the　majority；　it　is　no　merit　of　yours：　Nature　did　it。　And　then；　after　all；　I　go　too　fast　in　my　conclusions：　for　what　I　yet　know；　you　may　be　no　better　than　the　rest；　you　may　have　intolerable　defects　to　counterbalance　your　few　good　points。”

“And　so　may　you；”　I　thought。　My　eye　met　his　as　the　idea　crossed　my　mind：　he　seemed　to　read　the　glance；　answering　as　if　its　import　had　been　spoken　as　well　as　imagined—

“Yes；　yes；　you　are　right；”　said　he；　“I　have　plenty　of　faults　of　my　own：　I　know　it；　and　I　don’t　wish　to　palliate　them；　I　assure　you。　God　wot　I　need　not　be　too　severe　about　others；　I　have　a　past　existence；　a　series　of　deeds；　a　colour　of　life　to　contemplate　within　my　own　breast；　which　might　well　call　my　sneers　and　censures　from　my　neighbours　to　myself。　I　started；　or　rather　（for　like　other　defaulters；　I　like　to　lay　half　the　blame　on　ill　fortune　and　adverse　circumstances）　was　thrust　on　to　a　wrong　tack　at　the　age　of　one…and…　twenty；　and　have　never　recovered　the　right　course　since：　but　I　might　have　been　very　different；　I　might　have　been　as　good　as　you—　wiser—almo