AllIndiaknewWressley’snameandoffice——itwasinThackerandSpink’sDirectory——butwhohewaspersonally，orwhathedid，orwhathisspecialmeritswere，notfiftymenkneworcaredHisworkfilledallhistime，andhefoundnoleisuretocultivateacquaintancesbeyondthoseofdeadRajputchiefswithAhirblotsintheir’scutcheonsWressleywouldhavemadeaverygoodClerkintheHerald’sCollegehadhenotbeenaBengalCivilian。
Uponaday，betweenofficeandoffice，greattroublecametoWressley——overwhelmedhim，knockedhimdown，andlefthimgaspingasthoughhehadbeenalittleschool-boyWithoutreason，againstprudence，andatamoment’snotice，hefellinlovewithafrivolous，golden-hairedgirlwhousedtotearaboutSimlaMallonahigh，roughwaler，withabluevelvetjockey-capcrammedoverhereyesHernamewasVenner——TillieVenner——andshewasdelightful。
ShetookWressley’sheartatahand-gallop，andWressleyfoundthatitwasnotgoodformantolivealone；evenwithhalftheForeignOfficeRecordsinhispresses。
ThenSimlalaughed，forWressleyinlovewasslightlyridiculous。
Hedidhisbesttointerestthegirlinhimself——thatistosay，hiswork——andshe，afterthemannerofwomen，didherbesttoappearinterestedinwhat，behindhisback，shecalled“MrWressley’sWajahs“；forshelispedveryprettilyShedidnotunderstandonelittlethingaboutthem，butsheactedasifshedidMenhavemarriedonthatsortoferrorbeforenow。
Providence，however，hadcareofWressleyHewasimmenselystruckwithMissVenner’sintelligenceHewouldhavebeenmoreimpressedhadheheardherprivateandconfidentialaccountsofhiscallsHeheldpeculiarnotionsastothewooingofgirlsHesaidthatthebestworkofaman’scareershouldbelaidreverentlyattheirfeet。
Ruskinwritessomethinglikethissomewhere，Ithink；butinordinarylifeafewkissesarebetterandsavetime。
AboutamonthafterhehadlosthishearttoMissVenner，andhadbeendoinghisworkvilelyinconsequence，thefirstideaofhis“NativeRuleinCentralIndia“struckWressleyandfilledhimwithjoyItwas，ashesketchedit，agreatthing——theworkofhislife——areallycomprehensivesurveyofamostfascinatingsubject——
tobewrittenwithallthespecialandlaboriouslyacquiredknowledgeofWressleyoftheForeignOffice——agiftfitforanEmpress。
HetoldMissVennerthathewasgoingtotakeleave，andhoped，onhisreturn，tobringherapresentworthyofheracceptanceWouldshewait？CertainlyshewouldWressleydrewseventeenhundredrupeesamonthShewouldwaitayearforthatHermammawouldhelphertowait。
SoWressleytookoneyear’sleaveandalltheavailabledocuments，aboutatruck-load，thathecouldlayhandson，andwentdowntoCentralIndiawithhisnotionhotinhisheadHebeganhisbookinthelandhewaswritingofToomuchofficialcorrespondencehadmadehimafrigidworkman，andhemusthaveguessedthatheneededthewhitelightoflocalcoloronhispaletteThisisadangerouspaintforamateurstoplaywith。
Heavens，howthatmanworked！HecaughthisRajahs，analyzedhisRajahs，andtracedthemupintothemistsofTimeandbeyond，withtheirqueensandtheirconcubinesHedatedandcross-dated，pedigreedandtriple-pedigreed，compared，noted，connoted，wove，strung，sorted，selected，inferred，calendaredandcounter-
calendaredfortenhoursadayAnd，becausethissuddenandnewlightofLovewasuponhim，heturnedthosedrybonesofhistoryanddirtyrecordsofmisdeedsintothingstoweeportolaughoverashepleasedHisheartandsoulwereattheendofhispen，andtheygotintothelinkHewasdoweredwithsympathy，insight，humorandstylefortwohundredandthirtydaysandnights；andhisbookwasaBookHehadhisvastspecialknowledgewithhim，sotospeak；
butthespirit，thewoven-inhumanTouch，thepoetryandthepoweroftheoutput，wer...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：