"
"What do you think of this fellow over here — what's his name?
whose monument I was showing you — Nelson!"
"I used to like him very much, Sir."
"And you do not now?"
"Yes, Sir, I do; I cannot help liking him."
"That is to say, you would if you could?"
"I don't think, Sir, I ought to like a man merely for being
great, unless he was good. Washington was great and good
both."
"Well, what is the matter with Nelson?" said Mr. Lindsay, with
an expression of intense amusement; "I 'used to think,' as you
would say, that he was a very noble fellow."
"So he was, Sir; but he wasn't a good man."
"Why not?"
"Why, you know, Sir, he left his wife; and Lady Hamilton
persuaded him to do one or two other very dishonourable
things; it was a great pity!"
"So you will not like any great man that is not good as well.
What is your definition of a good man, Ellen?"
"One who always does right because it is right, no matter
whether it is convenient or not," said Ellen, after a little
hesitation.
"Upon my word, you draw the line close. But opinions differ as
to what is right; how shall we know?"
"From the Bible, Sir," said Ellen, quickly, with a look that
half-amused and half-abashed him.
"And you, Ellen — are you yourself _good_ after this nice
fashion?"
"No, Sir; but I wish to be."
"I do believe that. But after all, Ellen, you might like
Nelson; those were only the spots in the sun.
Pages:
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867