第79部分(第4/8 頁)

consciousness　was　confirmed：　they　manifested　their　affection　plainly　and　strongly。　Deep　was　my　gratification　to　find　I　had　really　a　place　in　their　unsophisticated　hearts：　I　promised　them　that　never　a　week　should　pass　in　future　that　I　did　not　visit　them；　and　give　them　an　hour’s　teaching　in　their　school。

Mr。　Rivers　came　up　as；　having　seen　the　classes；　now　numbering　sixty　girls；　file　out　before　me；　and　locked　the　door；　I　stood　with　the　key　in　my　hand；　exchanging　a　few　words　of　special　farewell　with　some　half…dozen　of　my　best　scholars：　as　decent；　respectable；　modest；　and　well…informed　young　women　as　could　be　found　in　the　ranks　of　the　British　peasantry。　And　that　is　saying　a　great　deal；　for　after　all；　the　British　peasantry　are　the　best　taught；　best　mannered；　most　self…　respecting　of　any　in　Europe：　since　those　days　I　have　seen　paysannes　and　Bauerinnen；　and　the　best　of　them　seemed　to　me　ignorant；　coarse；　and　besotted；　pared　with　my　Morton　girls。

“Do　you　consider　you　have　got　your　reward　for　a　season　of　exertion？”　asked　Mr。　Rivers；　when　they　were　gone。　“Does　not　the　consciousness　of　having　done　some　real　good　in　your　day　and　generation　give　pleasure？”

“Doubtless。”

“And　you　have　only　toiled　a　few　months！　Would　not　a　life　devoted　to　the　task　of　regenerating　your　race　be　well　spent？”

“Yes；”　I　said；　“but　I　could　not　go　on　for　ever　so：　I　want　to　enjoy　my　own　faculties　as　well　as　to　cultivate　those　of　other　people。　I　must　enjoy　them　now；　don’t　recall　eithe