第26章

“Whatisthematter？“askedherladyship，intheheavytoneofonehalf-roused；“Iwasnotasleep。“

“Ohdear，no，ma’am，nobodysuspectedyou!Well，Edmund，“

hecontinued，returningtotheformersubject，posture，andvoice，assoonasLadyBertrambegantonodagain，“but_this_I_will_maintain，thatweshallbedoingnoharm。“

“Icannotagreewithyou；Iamconvincedthatmyfatherwouldtotallydisapproveit。“

“AndIamconvincedtothecontrary。Nobodyisfonderoftheexerciseoftalentinyoungpeople，orpromotesitmore，thanmyfather，andforanythingoftheacting，spouting，recitingkind，Ithinkhehasalwaysadecidedtaste。

Iamsureheencourageditinusasboys。HowmanyatimehavewemournedoverthedeadbodyofJuliusCaesar，andto_be’d_andnot_to__be’d_，inthisveryroom，forhisamusement？AndIamsure，_my__name__was__Norval_，everyeveningofmylifethroughoneChristmasholidays。“

“Itwasaverydifferentthing。Youmustseethedifferenceyourself。Myfatherwishedus，asschoolboys，tospeakwell，buthewouldneverwishhisgrown-updaughterstobeactingplays。Hissenseofdecorumisstrict。“

“Iknowallthat，“saidTom，displeased。“Iknowmyfatheraswellasyoudo；andI’lltakecarethathisdaughtersdonothingtodistresshim。Manageyourownconcerns，Edmund，andI’lltakecareoftherestofthefamily。“

“Ifyouareresolvedonacting，“repliedtheperseveringEdmund，“Imusthopeitwillbeinaverysmallandquietway；

andIthinkatheatreoughtnottobeattempted。

Itwouldbetakinglibertieswithmyfather’shouseinhisabsencewhichcouldnotbejustified。“

“ForeverythingofthatnatureIwillbeanswerable，“

saidTom，inadecidedtone。“Hishouseshallnotbehurt。

Ihavequiteasgreataninterestinbeingcarefulofhishouseasyoucanhave；andastosuchalterationsasIwassuggestingjustnow，suchasmovingabookcase，orunlockingadoor，orevenasusingthebilliard-roomforthespaceofaweekwithoutplayingatbilliardsinit，youmightjustaswellsupposehewouldobjecttooursittingmoreinthisroom，andlessinthebreakfast-room，thanwedidbeforehewentaway，ortomysister’spianofortebeingmovedfromonesideoftheroomtotheother。

Absolutenonsense!“

“Theinnovation，ifnotwrongasaninnovation，willbewrongasanexpense。“

“Yes，theexpenseofsuchanundertakingwouldbeprodigious!

Perhapsitmightcostawholetwentypounds。Somethingofatheatrewemusthaveundoubtedly，butitwillbeonthesimplestplan：agreencurtainandalittlecarpenter’swork，andthat’sall；andasthecarpenter’sworkmaybealldoneathomebyChristopherJacksonhimself，itwillbetooabsurdtotalkofexpense；andaslongasJacksonisemployed，everythingwillberightwithSirThomas。

Don’timaginethatnobodyinthishousecanseeorjudgebutyourself。Don’tactyourself，ifyoudonotlikeit，butdon’texpecttogoverneverybodyelse。“

“No，astoactingmyself，“saidEdmund，“_that_I

absolutelyprotestagainst。“

Tomwalkedoutoftheroomashesaidit，andEdmundwaslefttositdownandstirthefireinthoughtfulvexation。

Fann

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