按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
at Eton。 My brother was to be his representative and successor； he must
go to Eton and Oxford； for the sake of making connexions； of course：
my father was not a man to underrate the bearing of Latin satirists or
Greek dramatists on the attainment of an aristocratic position。 But；
intrinsically； he had slight esteem for 〃those dead but sceptred spirits〃；
having qualified himself for forming an independent opinion by reading
Potter's AEschylus； and dipping into Francis's Horace。 To this negative
view he added a positive one； derived from a recent connexion with
mining speculations； namely； that a scientific education was the really
useful training for a younger son。 Moreover； it was clear that a shy；
sensitive boy like me was not fit to encounter the rough experience of a
public school。 Mr。 Letherall had said so very decidedly。 Mr。 Letherall
was a large man in spectacles； who one day took my small head between
his large hands； and pressed it here and there in an exploratory； auspicious
mannerthen placed each of his great thumbs on my temples； and pushed
me a little way from him； and stared at me with glittering spectacles。 The
contemplation appeared to displease him； for he frowned sternly； and said
to my father； drawing his thumbs across my eyebrows …
〃The deficiency is there； sirthere； and here；〃 he added； touching the
upper sides of my head； 〃here is the excess。 That must be brought out； sir；
and this must be laid to sleep。〃
I was in a state of tremor； partly at the vague idea that I was the object
of reprobation； partly in the agitation of my first hatred hatred of this big；
spectacled man； who pulled my head about as if he wanted to buy and
cheapen it。
I am not aware how much Mr。 Letherall had to do with the system
afterwards adopted towards me； but it was presently clear that private
tutors； natural history； science； and the modern languages； were the
appliances by which the defects of my organization were to be remedied。
I was very stupid about machines； so I was to be greatly occupied with
them； I had no memory for classification； so it was particularly necessary
that I should study systematic zoology and botany； I was hungry for
human deeds and humane motions； so I was to be plentifully crammed
with the mechanical powers； the elementary bodies； and the phenomena of
5
… Page 6…
THE LIFTED VEIL
electricity and magnetism。 A better…constituted boy would certainly have
profited under my intelligent tutors； with their scientific apparatus； and
would； doubtless； have found the phenomena of electricity and magnetism
as fascinating as I was； every Thursday； assured they were。 As it was； I
could have paired off； for ignorance of whatever was taught me； with the
worst Latin scholar that was ever turned out of a classical academy。 I
read Plutarch； and Shakespeare； and Don Quixote by the sly； and supplied
myself in that way with wandering thoughts； while my tutor was assuring
me that 〃an improved man； as distinguished from an ignorant one； was a
man who knew the reason why water ran downhill。〃 I had no desire to
be this improved man； I was glad of the running water； I could watch it
and listen to it gurgling among the pebbles； and bathing the bright green
water…plants； by the hour together。 I did not want to know WHY it ran； I
had perfect confidence that there were good reasons for what was so very
beautiful。
There is no need to dwell on this part of my life。 I have said enough
to indicate that my nature was of the sensitive； unpractical order； and that
it grew up in an uncongenial medium； which could never foster it into
happy； healthy development。 When I was sixteen I was sent to Geneva to
complete my course of education； and the change was a very happy one to
me； for the first sight of the Alps； with the setting sun on them； as we
descended the Jura； seemed to me like an entrance into heaven； and the
three years of my life there were spent in a perpetual sense of exaltation；
as if from a draught of delicious wine； at the presence of Nature in all her
awful loveliness。 You will think； perhaps； that I must have been a poet；
from this early sensibility to Nature。 But my lot was not so happy as that。
A poet pours forth his song and BELIEVES in the listening ear and
answering soul； to which his song will be floated sooner or later。 But the
poet's sensibility without his voicethe poet's sensibility that finds no vent
but in silent tears on the sunny bank； when the noonday light sparkles on
the water； or in an inward shudder at the sound of harsh human tones； the
sight of a cold human eyethis dumb passion brings with it a fatal solitude
of soul in the society of one's fellow…men。 My least solitary moments
were those in which I pushed off in my boat； at evening； towards the
6
… Page 7…
THE LIFTED VEIL
centre of the lake； it seemed to me that the sky； and the glowing mountain…
tops； and the wide blue water； surrounded me with a cherishing love such
as no human face had shed on me since my mother's love had vanished out
of my life。 I used to do as Jean Jacques didlie down in my boat and let
it glide where it would； while I looked up at the departing glow leaving
one mountain…top after the other； as if the prophet's chariot of fire were
passing over them on its way to the home of light。 Then； when the white
summits were all sad and corpse…like； I had to push homeward； for I was
under careful surveillance； and was allowed no late wanderings。 This
disposition of mine was not favourable to the formation of intimate
friendships among the numerous youths of my own age who are always to
be found studying at Geneva。 Yet I made ONE such friendship； and；
singularly enough； it was with a youth whose intellectual tendencies were
the very reverse of my own。 I shall call him Charles Meunier； his real
surnamean English one； for he was of English extractionhaving since
become celebrated。 He was an orphan； who lived on a miserable pittance
while he pursued the medical studies for which he had a special genius。
Strange！ that with my vague mind； susceptible and unobservant； hating
inquiry and given up to contemplation； I should have been drawn towards
a youth whose strongest passion was science。 But the bond was not an
intellectual one； it came from a source that can happily blend the stupid
with the brilliant； the dreamy with the practical： it came from
community of feeling。 Charles was poor and ugly； derided by Genevese
gamins； and not acceptable in drawing…rooms。 I saw that he was isolated；
as I was； though from a different cause； and； stimulated by a sympathetic
resentment； I made timid advances towards him。 It is enough to say that
there sprang up as much comradeship between us as our different habits
would allow； and in Charles's rare holidays we went up the Saleve
together； or took the boat to Vevay； while I listened dreamily to the
monologues in which he unfolded his bold conceptions of future
experiment and discovery。 I mingled them confusedly in my thought
with glimpses of blue water and delicate floating cloud； with the notes of
birds and the distant glitter of the glacier。 He knew quite well that my
mind was half absent； yet he liked to talk to me in this way； for don't we
7
… Page 8…
THE LIFTED VEIL
talk of our hopes and our projects even to dogs and birds； when they love
us？ I have mentioned this one friendship because of its connexion with a
strange and terrible scene which I shall have to narrate in my subsequent
life。