Formyownpoorpart,thefadingsummerleftmeoutofhealth,outofspirits,and,ifthetruthmustbetold,outofmoneyaswell.
DuringthepastyearIhadnotmanagedmyprofessionalresourcesascarefullyasusual;andmyextravagancenowlimitedmetotheprospectofspendingtheautumneconomicallybetweenmymother’scottageatHampsteadandmyownchambersintown.
Theevening,Iremember,wasstillandcloudy;theLondonairwasatitsheaviest;thedistanthumofthestreet-trafficwasatitsfaintest;thesmallpulseofthelifewithinme,andthegreatheartofthecityaroundme,seemedtobesinkinginunison,languidlyandmorelanguidly,withthesinkingsun.
IrousedmyselffromthebookwhichIwasdreamingoverratherthanreading,andleftmychamberstomeetthecoolnightairinthesuburbs.
EventswhichIhaveyettorelatemakeitnecessarytomentioninthisplacethatmyfatherhadbeendeadsomeyearsattheperiodofwhichIamnowwriting;andthatmysisterSarahandIwerethesolesurvivorsofafamilyoffivechildren.
Hisexertionshadmadehimhighlysuccessfulinhisprofession;andhisaffectionateanxietytoprovideforthefutureofthosewhoweredependentonhislabourshadimpelledhim,fromthetimeofhismarriage,todevotetotheinsuringofhislifeamuchlargerportionofhisincomethanmostmenconsideritnecessarytosetasideforthatpurpose.
Thankstohisadmirableprudenceandself-denialmymotherandsisterwereleft,afterhisdeath,asindependentoftheworldastheyhadbeenduringhislifetime.
Isucceededtohisconnection,andhadeveryreasontofeelgratefulfortheprospectthatawaitedmeatmystartinginlife.
Thequiettwilightwasstilltremblingonthetopmostridgesoftheheath;andtheviewofLondonbelowmehadsunkintoablackgulfintheshadowofthecloudynight,whenIstoodbeforethegateofmymother’scottage.
Ihadhardlyrungthebellbeforethehousedoorwasopenedviolently;myworthyItalianfriend,ProfessorPesca,appearedintheservant’splace;anddartedoutjoyouslytoreceiveme,withashrillforeignparodyonanEnglishcheer.
Onhisownaccount,and,Imustbeallowedtoadd,onminealso,theProfessormeritsthehonourofaformalintroduction.
IhadfirstbecomeacquaintedwithmyItalianfriendbymeetinghimatcertaingreathouseswherehetaughthisownlanguageandItaughtdrawing.
AllIthenknewofthehistoryofhislifewas,thathehadonceheldasituationintheUniversityofPadua;thathehadleftItalyforpoliticalreasons(thenatureofwhichheuniformlydeclinedtomentiontoanyone);andthathehadbeenformanyyearsrespectablyestablishedinLondonasateacheroflanguages.
Withoutbeingactuallyadwarf—forhewasperfectlywellproportionedfromheadtofoot—Pescawas,Ithink,thesmallesthumanbeingIeversawoutofashow-room.
Remarkableanywhere,byhispersonalappearance,hewasstillfurtherdistinguishedamongtherankandfileofmankindbytheharmlesseccentricityofhischaracter.
Therulingideaofhislifeappearedtobe,thathewasboundtoshowhisgratitudetothecountrywhichhadaffordedhimanasylumandameansofsubsistencebydoinghisutmosttoturnhimselfintoanEnglishman.
Notcontentwithpayingthenationingeneralthecomplimentofinvariablycarryinganumbrella,andinvariablywearinggaitersandawhitehat,theProfessorfurtheraspiredtobecomeanEnglishmaninhishabitsandamusements,aswellasinhispersonalappearance.
Findingusdistinguished,asanation,byourloveofathleticexercises,thelittleman,intheinnocenceofhisheart,devotedhimselfimpromptutoallourEnglishsportsandpastimeswheneverhehadtheopportunityofjoiningthem;firmlypersuadedthathecouldadoptournationalamusementsofthefieldbyaneffortofwillpreciselyashehadadoptedournationalgaitersandournationalwhitehat.
Ihadseenhimriskhislimbsblindlyatafox-huntandinacricket-field;andsoonafterwardsIsawhimriskhislife,justasblindly,intheseaatBrighton.
IfwehadbeenengagedinanyexercisepeculiartomyownnationIshould,ofcourse,havelookedafterPescacarefully;butasforeignersaregenerallyquiteaswellabletotakecareofthemselvesinthewaterasEnglishmen,itneveroccurredtomethattheartofswimmingmightmerelyaddonemoretothelistofmanlyexerciseswhichtheProfessorbelievedthathecouldlearnimpromptu.
Soonafterwehadbothstruckoutfromshore,Istopped,findingmyfrienddidnotgainonme,andturnedroundtolookforhim.
Tomyhorrorandamazement,Isawnothingbetweenmeandthebeachbuttwolittlewhitearmswhichstruggledforaninstantabovethesurfaceofthewater,andthendisappearedfromview.
WhenIdivedforhim,thepoorlittlemanwaslyingquietlycoiledupatthebottom,inahollowofshingle,lookingbymanydegreessmallerthanIhadeverseenhimlookbefore.
DuringthefewminutesthatelapsedwhileIwastakinghimin,theairrevivedhim,andheascendedthestepsofthemachinewithmyassistance.
Whenhehadthoroughlyrecoveredhimself,andhadjoinedmeonthebeach,hiswarmSouthernnaturebrokethroughallartificialEnglishrestraintsinamoment.
Heoverwhelmedmewiththewildestexpressionsofaffection—exclaimedpassionately,inhisexaggeratedItalianway,thathewouldholdhislifehenceforthatmydisposal—anddeclaredthatheshouldneverbehappyagainuntilhehadfoundanopportunityofprovinghisgratitudebyrenderingmesomeservicewhichImightremember,onmyside,totheendofmydays.
Ididmybesttostopthetorrentofhistearsandprotestationsbypersistingintreatingthewholeadventureasagoodsubjectforajoke;andsucceededatlast,asIimagined,inlesseningPesca’soverwhelmingsenseofobligationtome.
LittledidIthinkthen—littledidIthinkafterwardswhenourpleasantholidayhaddrawntoanend—thattheopportunityofservingmeforwhichmygratefulcompanionsoardentlylongedwassoontocome;thathewaseagerlytoseizeitontheinstant;andthatbysodoinghewastoturnthewholecurrentofmyexistenceintoanewchannel,andtoaltermetomyselfalmostpastrecognition.
Yetsoitwas.IfIhadnotdivedforProfessorPescawhenhelayunderwateronhisshinglebed,Ishouldinallhumanprobabilityneverhavebeenconnectedwiththestorywhichthesepageswillrelate—Ishouldnever,perhaps,haveheardeventhenameofthewomanwhohaslivedinallmythoughts,whohaspossessedherselfofallmyenergies,whohasbecometheoneguidinginfluencethatnowdirectsthepurposeofmylife.
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