📝 您未登录，登录后完成练习可保存成绩、查看最佳记录。
总字符
0
正确字符
0
错误字符
0
错误率
0.00%
耗时(秒)
0
速度 WPM
0
0 / 69
1"I must take leave to observe, Sir Walter," said Mr Shepherd one morning at Kellynch Hall, as he laid down the
2newspaper, "that the present juncture is much in our favour. This peace will be turning all our rich naval officers
3ashore. They will be all wanting a home. Could not be a better time, Sir Walter, for having a choice of tenants, very
4responsible tenants. Many a noble fortune has been made during the war. If a rich admiral were to come in our way, Sir
5Walter--" "He would be a very lucky man, Shepherd," replied Sir Walter; "that's all I have to remark. A prize indeed
6would Kellynch Hall be to him; rather the greatest prize of all, let him have taken ever so many before; hey, Shepherd?"
7Mr Shepherd laughed, as he knew he must, at this wit, and then added-- "I presume to observe, Sir Walter, that, in the
8way of business, gentlemen of the navy are well to deal with. I have had a little knowledge of their methods of doing
9business; and I am free to confess that they have very liberal notions, and are as likely to make desirable tenants as
10any set of people one should meet with. Therefore, Sir Walter, what I would take leave to suggest is, that if in
11consequence of any rumours getting abroad of your intention; which must be contemplated as a possible thing, because we
12know how difficult it is to keep the actions and designs of one part of the world from the notice and curiosity of the
13other; consequence has its tax; I, John Shepherd, might conceal any family-matters that I chose, for nobody would think
14it worth their while to observe me; but Sir Walter Elliot has eyes upon him which it may be very difficult to elude; and
15therefore, thus much I venture upon, that it will not greatly surprise me if, with all our caution, some rumour of the
16truth should get abroad; in the supposition of which, as I was going to observe, since applications will unquestionably
17follow, I should think any from our wealthy naval commanders particularly worth attending to; and beg leave to add, that
18two hours will bring me over at any time, to save you the trouble of replying." Sir Walter only nodded. But soon
19afterwards, rising and pacing the room, he observed sarcastically-- "There are few among the gentlemen of the navy, I
20imagine, who would not be surprised to find themselves in a house of this description." "They would look around them, no
21doubt, and bless their good fortune," said Mrs Clay, for Mrs Clay was present: her father had driven her over, nothing
22being of so much use to Mrs Clay's health as a drive to Kellynch: "but I quite agree with my father in thinking a sailor
23might be a very desirable tenant. I have known a good deal of the profession; and besides their liberality, they are so
24neat and careful in all their ways! These valuable pictures of yours, Sir Walter, if you chose to leave them, would be
25perfectly safe. Everything in and about the house would be taken such excellent care of! The gardens and shrubberies
26would be kept in almost as high order as they are now. You need not be afraid, Miss Elliot, of your own sweet flower
27gardens being neglected." "As to all that," rejoined Sir Walter coolly, "supposing I were induced to let my house, I
28have by no means made up my mind as to the privileges to be annexed to it. I am not particularly disposed to favour a
29tenant. The park would be open to him of course, and few navy officers, or men of any other description, can have had
30such a range; but what restrictions I might impose on the use of the pleasure-grounds, is another thing. I am not fond
31of the idea of my shrubberies being always approachable; and I should recommend Miss Elliot to be on her guard with
32respect to her flower garden. I am very little disposed to grant a tenant of Kellynch Hall any extraordinary favour, I
33assure you, be he sailor or soldier." After a short pause, Mr Shepherd presumed to say-- "In all these cases, there are
34established usages which make everything plain and easy between landlord and tenant. Your interest, Sir Walter, is in
35pretty safe hands. Depend upon me for taking care that no tenant has more than his just rights. I venture to hint, that
36Sir Walter Elliot cannot be half so jealous for his own, as John Shepherd will be for him." Here Anne spoke-- "The navy,
37I think, who have done so much for us, have at least an equal claim with any other set of men, for all the comforts and
38all the privileges which any home can give. Sailors work hard enough for their comforts, we must all allow." "Very true,
39very true. What Miss Anne says, is very true," was Mr Shepherd's rejoinder, and "Oh! certainly," was his daughter's; but
40Sir Walter's remark was, soon afterwards-- "The profession has its utility, but I should be sorry to see any friend of
41mine belonging to it." "Indeed!" was the reply, and with a look of surprise. "Yes; it is in two points offensive to me;
42I have two strong grounds of objection to it. First, as being the means of bringing persons of obscure birth into undue
43distinction, and raising men to honours which their fathers and grandfathers never dreamt of; and secondly, as it cuts
44up a man's youth and vigour most horribly; a sailor grows old sooner than any other man. I have observed it all my life.
45A man is in greater danger in the navy of being insulted by the rise of one whose father, his father might have
46disdained to speak to, and of becoming prematurely an object of disgust himself, than in any other line. One day last
47spring, in town, I was in company with two men, striking instances of what I am talking of; Lord St Ives, whose father
48we all know to have been a country curate, without bread to eat; I was to give place to Lord St Ives, and a certain
49Admiral Baldwin, the most deplorable-looking personage you can imagine; his face the colour of mahogany, rough and
50rugged to the last degree; all lines and wrinkles, nine grey hairs of a side, and nothing but a dab of powder at top.
51'In the name of heaven, who is that old fellow?' said I to a friend of mine who was standing near, (Sir Basil Morley).
52'Old fellow!' cried Sir Basil, 'it is Admiral Baldwin. What do you take his age to be?' 'Sixty,' said I, 'or perhaps
53sixty-two.' 'Forty,' replied Sir Basil, 'forty, and no more.' Picture to yourselves my amazement; I shall not easily
54forget Admiral Baldwin. I never saw quite so wretched an example of what a sea-faring life can do; but to a degree, I
55know it is the same with them all: they are all knocked about, and exposed to every climate, and every weather, till
56they are not fit to be seen. It is a pity they are not knocked on the head at once, before they reach Admiral Baldwin's
57age." "Nay, Sir Walter," cried Mrs Clay, "this is being severe indeed. Have a little mercy on the poor men. We are not
58all born to be handsome. The sea is no beautifier, certainly; sailors do grow old betimes; I have observed it; they soon
59lose the look of youth. But then, is not it the same with many other professions, perhaps most other? Soldiers, in
60active service, are not at all better off: and even in the quieter professions, there is a toil and a labour of the
61mind, if not of the body, which seldom leaves a man's looks to the natural effect of time. The lawyer plods, quite
62care-worn; the physician is up at all hours, and travelling in all weather; and even the clergyman--" she stopt a moment
63to consider what might do for the clergyman;--"and even the clergyman, you know is obliged to go into infected rooms,
64and expose his health and looks to all the injury of a poisonous atmosphere. In fact, as I have long been convinced,
65though every profession is necessary and honourable in its turn, it is only the lot of those who are not obliged to
66follow any, who can live in a regular way, in the country, choosing their own hours, following their own pursuits, and
67living on their own property, without the torment of trying for more; it is only their lot, I say, to hold the blessings
68of health and a good appearance to the utmost: I know no other set of men but what lose something of their
69personableness when they cease to be quite young."
🎉 全部完成！共 69 行