It is the
blessedness of a mind and temper such as his that the things which
charm at the beginning of life continue to give pleasure, scarce
abated, as long as the natural force remains. At forty years of age
Gammon set off about his business with all the zest of a healthy
boy. The knowledge he had gained, all practical, and, so to speak,
for external application, could never become the burden of the
philosopher; if he had any wisdom at all it consisted in the lack of
self-consciousness, the animal acceptance of whatever good the hour
might bring. He and his bay cob were very much on the same footing;
granted but a method of communication and they would have understood
each other. Even so with his "bow-wows," as he called them. He rose
superior to horse and dog mainly in that one matter of desire for a
certain kind of female companionship; and this strain of idealism,
naturally enough, was the cause of almost the only discontent he
ever knew.
Joyously he rattled about the highways and by-ways of greater
London. The position he had now obtained was to become a
"permanency"; to Quodling & Son he could attach himself, making his
services indispensable.
Pages:
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154