Різдвяна історія
Chapter 2
Therewasaneager,greedy,restlessmotionintheeye,whichshowedthepassionthathadtakenroot,andwheretheshadowofthegrowingtreewouldfall.
Hewasnotalone,butsatbythesideofafairyounggirlinamourning-dress:inwhoseeyesthereweretears,whichsparkledinthelightthatshoneoutoftheGhostofChristmasPast.
‘Itmatterslittle,’shesaid,softly.‘Toyou,verylittle.Anotheridolhasdisplacedme;andifitcancheerandcomfortyouintimetocome,asIwouldhavetriedtodo,Ihavenojustcausetogrieve.’
‘WhatIdolhasdisplacedyou?’herejoined.
‘Agoldenone.’
‘Thisistheeven-handeddealingoftheworld,’hesaid.‘Thereisnothingonwhichitissohardaspoverty;andthereisnothingitprofessestocondemnwithsuchseverityasthepursuitofwealth.’
‘Youfeartheworldtoomuch,’sheanswered,gently.‘Allyourotherhopeshavemergedintothehopeofbeingbeyondthechanceofitssordidreproach.Ihaveseenyournobleraspirationsfalloffonebyone,untilthemaster-passion,Gain,engrossesyou.HaveInot?’
‘Whatthen?’heretorted.‘EvenifIhavegrownsomuchwiser,whatthen?Iamnotchangedtowardsyou.’
Sheshookherhead.
‘AmI?’
‘Ourcontractisanoldone.Itwasmadewhenwewerebothpoorandcontenttobeso,until,ingoodseason,wecouldimproveourworldlyfortunebyourpatientindustry.Youarechanged.Whenitwasmade,youwereanotherman.’
‘Iwasaboy,’hesaidimpatiently.
