Thisadvicequitecoincidingwithhisownopinion,Mr。Pickwickgentlyletdownthewindowanddisengagedthebottlefromthestick:uponwhichthelatterwasdrawnup,andMr。BobSawyerwasheardtolaughheartily。
Whatamerrydogitis!saidMr。Pickwick,lookingroundathiscompanionwiththebottleinhishand。
Heis,saidMr。Allen。
Youcannotpossiblybeangrywithhim,remarkedMr。Pickwick。
Quiteoutofthequestion,observedBenjaminAllen。
Duringthisshortinterchangeofsentiments,Mr。Pickwickhad,inanabstractedmood,uncorkedthebottle。
Whatisit?inquiredBenAllen,carelessly。
Idon’tknow,repliedMr。Pickwick,withequalcarelessness。Itsmells,Ithink,likemilk-punch。
Oh,indeed!saidBen。
Ithinkso,rejoinedMr。Pickwick,veryproperlyguardinghimselfagainstthepossibilityofstatinganuntruth:mind,Icouldnotundertaketosaycertainly,withouttastingit。
Youhadbetterdoso,saidBen。wemayaswellknowwhatitis。
Doyouthinkso?repliedMr。Pickwick。Well。ifyouarecurioustoknow,ofcourseIhavenoobjection。
Everwillingtosacrificehisownfeelingstothewishesofhisfriend,Mr。Pickwickatoncetookaprettylongtaste。
Whatisit?inquiredBenAllen,interruptinghimwithsomeimpatience。
Curious,saidMr。Pickwick,smackinghislips,Ihardlyknow,now。
Oh,yes!saidMr。Pickwick,afterasecondtaste。Itispunch。
Mr。BenAllenlookedatMr。Pickwick。Mr。PickwicklookedatMr。BenAllen。Mr。BenAllensmiled。Mr。Pickwickdidnot。
Itwouldservehimright,saidthelast-namedgentleman,withsomeseverity,itwouldservehimrighttodrinkiteverydrop。
Theverythingthatoccurredtome,saidBenAllen。
Isitindeed?rejoinedMr。Pickwick。Thenhere’shishealth!Withthesewords,thatexcellentpersontookamostenergeticpullatthebottle,andhandedittoBenAllen,whowasnotslowtoimitatehisexample。Thesmilesbecamemutual,andthemilk-punchwasgraduallyandcheerfullydisposedof。
Afterall,saidMr。Pickwick,ashedrainedthelastdrop,hispranksarereallyveryamusing。veryentertainingindeed。
Youmaysaythat,rejoinedMr。BenAllen。InproofofBobSawyer’sbeingoneofthefunniestfellowsalive,heproceededtoentertainMr。
Pickwickwithalongandcircumstantialaccounthowthatgentlemanoncedrankhimselfintoafeverandgothisheadshaved。therelationofwhichpleasantandagreeablehistorywasonlystoppedbythestoppageofthechaiseattheBellatBerkeleyHeath,tochangehorses。
Isay!We’regoingtodinehere,aren’twe?saidBob,lookinginatthewindow。
Dine!saidMr。Pickwick。Why,wehaveonlycomenineteenmiles,andhaveeighty-sevenandahalftogo。
Justthereasonwhyweshouldtakesomethingtoenableustobearupagainstthefatigue,remonstratedMr。BobSawyer。
Oh,it’squiteimpossibletodineathalf-pasteleveno’clockintheday,repliedMr。Pickwick,lookingathiswatch。
Soitis,rejoinedBob,lunchistheverything。Hallo,yousir!
Lunchforthree,directly,andkeepthehorsesbackforaquarterofanhour。Tellthemtoputeverythingtheyhavecold,onthetable,andsomebottledale,andletustasteyourverybestMadeira。Issuingtheseorderswithmonstrousimportanceandbustle,Mr。BobSawyeratoncehurriedintothehousetosuperintendthearrangements。inlessthanfiveminuteshereturnedanddeclaredthemtobeexcellent。
ThequalityofthelunchfullyjustifiedtheeulogiumwhichBobhadpronounced,andverygreatjusticewasdonetoit,notonlybythatgentleman,butMr。BenAllenandMr。Pickwickalso。Undertheauspicesofthethree,thebottledaleandthemadeirawerepromptlydisposedof。andwhenthehorsesbeingoncemoreputtotheyresumedtheirseats,withthecase-bottlefullofthebestsubstituteformilk-punchthatcouldbeprocuredonsoshortanotice,thekey-buglesounded,andtheredflagwaved,withouttheslightestoppositiononMr。Pickwick’spart。
AttheHopPoleatTewkesbury,theystoppedtodine。uponwhichoccasiontherewasmorebottledale,withsomemoreMadeira,andsomePortbesides。
andherethecasebottlewasreplenishedforthefourthtime。Undertheinfluenceofthesecombinedstimulants,Mr。PickwickandMr。BenAllenfellfastasleepforthirtymiles,whileBobandMr。Wellersangduetsinthedickey。
ItwasquitedarkwhenMr。Pickwickrousedhimselfsufficientlytolookoutofwindow。Thestragglingcottagesbytheroad-side,thedingyhueofeveryobjectvisible,themurkyatmosphere,thepathsofcindersandbrick-dust,thedeep-redglowoffurnacefiresinthedistance,thevolumesofdensesmokeissuingheavilyforthfromhightopplingchimneys,blackeningandobscuringeverythingaround。theglareofdistantlights,theponderouswaggonswhichtoiledalongtheroad,ladenwithclashingrodsofiron,orpiledwithheavygoods——allbetokenedtheirrapidapproachtothegreatworkingtownofBirmingham。
Astheyrattledthroughthenarrowthoroughfaresleadingtotheheartoftheturmoil,thesightsandsoundsofearnestoccupationstruckmoreforciblyonthesenses。Thestreetswerethrongedwithworking-people。
Thehumoflabourresoundedfromeveryhouse,lightsgleamedfromthelongcasementwindowsintheatticstories,andthewhirlofwheelsandnoiseofmachineryshookthetremblingwalls。Thefires,whoseluridsullenlighthadbeenvisibleformiles,blazedfiercelyup,inthegreatworksandfactoriesofthetown。Thedinofhammers,therushingofsteam,andthedeadheavyclankingofengines,wastheharshmusicwhicharosefromeveryquarter。
Thepostboywasdrivingbrisklythroughtheopenstreets,andpastthehandsomeandwell-lightedshopswhichintervenebetweentheoutskirtsofthetownandtheOldRoyalHotel,beforeMr。Pickwickhadbeguntoconsidertheverydifficultanddelicatenatureofthecommissionwhichhadcarriedhimthither。
Thedelicatenatureofthiscommission,andthedifficultyofexecutingitinasatisfactorymanner,werebynomeanslessenedbythevoluntarycompanionshipofMr。BobSawyer。Truthtotell,Mr。Pickwickfeltthathispresenceontheoccasion,howeverconsiderateandgratifying,wasbynomeansanhonourhewouldwillinglyhavesought。infact,hewouldcheerfullyhavegivenareasonablesumofmoneytohavehadMr。BobSawyerremovedtoanyplaceatnotlessthanfiftymiles’distance,withoutdelay。
Mr。PickwickhadneverheldanypersonalcommunicationwithMr。Winkle,senior,althoughhehadonceortwicecorrespondedwithhimbyletter,andreturnedsatisfactoryanswerstohisinquiriesconcerningthemoralcharacterandbehaviourofhisson。hefeltnervouslysensiblethattowaituponhim,forthefirsttime,attendedbyBobSawyerandBenAllen,bothslightlyfuddled,wasnotthemostingeniousandlikelymeansthatcouldhavebeenhitupontoprepossesshiminhisfavour。
However,saidMr。Pickwick,endeavouringtore-assurehimself,I
mustdothebestIcan。Imustseehimto-night,forIfaithfullypromisedtodoso。Iftheypersistinaccompanyingme,Imustmaketheinterviewasbriefaspossible,andbecontenttohopethat,fortheirownsakes,theywillnotexposethemselves。
Ashecomfortedhimselfwiththesereflections,thechaisestoppedatthedooroftheOldRoyal。BenAllenhavingbeenpartiallyawakenedfromastupendoussleep,anddraggedoutbythecollarbyMr。SamuelWeller,Mr。Pickwickwasenabledtoalight。Theywereshowntoacomfortableapartment,andMr。PickwickatoncepropoundedaquestiontothewaiterconcerningthewhereaboutofMr。Winkle’sresidence。
Closeby,sir,saidthewaiter,notabovefivehundredyards,sir。
Mr。Winkleisawharfinger,sir,atthecanal,sir。Privateresidenceisnot——ohdearno,sir,notfivehundredyards,sir。Herethewaiterblewacandleout,andmadeafeintoflightingitagain,inordertoaffordMr。Pickwickanopportunityofaskinganyfurtherquestions,ifhefeltsodisposed。
Takeanythingnow,sir?saidthewaiter,lightingthecandleindesperationatMr。Pickwick’ssilence。Teaorcoffee,sir?Dinner,sir?
Nothingnow。
Verygood,sir。Liketoordersupper,sir?
Notjustnow。
Verygood,sir。Here,hewalkedsoftlytothedoor,andthenstoppingshort,turnedround,andsaid,withgreatsuavity:
ShallIsendthechambermaid,gentlemen?
Youmayifyouplease。repliedMr。Pickwick。
Ifyouplease,sir。
Andbringsomesodawater,saidBobSawyer。
Sodawater,sir?Yes,sir。Withhismindapparentlyrelievedfromanoverwhelmingweight,byhavingatlastgotanorderforsomething,thewaiterimperceptiblymeltedaway。Waitersneverwalkorrun。Theyhaveapeculiarandmysteriouspowerofskimmingoutofrooms,whichothermortalspossessnot。
SomeslightsymptomsofvitalityhavingbeenawakenedinMr。BenAllenbythesodawater,hesufferedhimselftobeprevailedupontowashhisfaceandhands,andtosubmittobebrushedbySam。Mr。PickwickandBobSawyerhavingalsorepairedthedisorderwhichthejourneyhadmadeintheirapparel,thethreestartedforth,arminarm,toMr。Winkle’s。BobSawyerimpregnatingtheatmospherewithtobaccosmokeashewalkedalong。
Aboutaquarterofamileoff,inaquiet,substantial-lookingstreet,stoodanoldred-brickhousewiththreestepsbeforethedoor,andabrassplateuponit,bearing,infatRomancapitals,thewords,Mr。Winkle。
Thestepswereverywhite,andthebrickswereveryred,andthehousewasveryclean。andherestoodMr。Pickwick,Mr。BenjaminAllen,andMr。
BobSawyer,astheclockstruckten。
Asmartservantgirlansweredtheknock,andstartedonbeholdingthethreestrangers。
IsMr。Winkleathome,mydear?inquiredMr。Pickwick。
Heisjustgoingtosupper,sir,repliedthegirl。
Givehimthatcardifyouplease,rejoinedMr。Pickwick。SayIamsorrytotroublehimatsolateanhour。butIamanxioustoseehimto-night,andhaveonlyjustarrived。
ThegirllookedtimidlyatMr。BobSawyer,whowasexpressinghisadmirationofherpersonalcharmsbyavarietyofwonderfulgrimaces。andcastinganeyeatthehatsandgreatcoatswhichhunginthepassage,calledanothergirltomindthedoorwhileshewentup-stairs。Thesentinelwasspeedilyrelieved。forthegirlreturnedimmediately,andbeggingpardonofthegentlemenforleavingtheminthestreet,usheredthemintoafloor-clothedbackparlour,halfofficeandhalfdressing-room,inwhichtheprincipalusefulandornamentalarticlesoffurniture,wereadesk,awash-handstandandshavingglass,aboot-rackandboot-jack,ahighstool,fourchairs,atable,andanoldeight-dayclock。Overthemantel-piecewerethesunkendoorsofanironsafe,whileacoupleofhangingshelvesforbooks,andalmanack,andseveralfilesofdustypapers,decoratedthewalls。
Verysorrytoleaveyoustandingatthedoor,sir,saidthegirl,lightingalamp,andaddressingMr。Pickwickwithawinningsmile,butyouwasquitestrangerstome。andwehavesuchamanytrampersthatonlycometoseewhattheycanlaytheirhandson,thatreally——
Thereisnottheleastoccasionforanyapology,mydear,saidMr。
Pickwickgoodhumouredly。
Nottheslightest,mylove,saidBobSawyer,playfullystretchingforthhisarms,andskippingfromsidetoside,asiftopreventtheyounglady’sleavingtheroom。
Theyoungladywasnotatallsoftenedbytheseallurements,forsheatonceexpressedheropinionthatMr。BobSawyerwasanodouscreetur。
and,onhisbecomingrathermorepressinginhisattentions,imprintedherfairfingersuponhisface,andbouncedoutoftheroomwithmanyexpressionsofaversionandcontempt。
Deprivedoftheyounglady’ssociety,Mr。BobSawyerproceededtodiverthimselfbypeepingintothedesk,lookingintoallthetable-drawers,feigningtopickthelockoftheironsafe,turningthealmanackwithitsfacetothewall,tryingonthebootsofMr。Winkle,senior,overhisown,andmakingseveralotherhumorousexperimentsuponthefurniture,allofwhichaffordedMr。Pickwickunspeakablehorrorandagony,andyieldedMr。BobSawyerproportionatedelight。
Atlengththedooropened,andalittleoldgentlemaninasnuff-colouredsuit,withaheadandfacetheprecisecounterpartofthosebelongingtoMr。Winkle,junior,exceptingthathewasratherbald,trottedintotheroomwithMr。Pickwick’scardinonehand,andasilvercandlestickintheother。
Mr。Pickwick,sir,howdoyoudo?saidWinkletheelder,puttingdownthecandlestickandprofferinghishand。HopeIseeyouwell,sir。Gladtoseeyou。Beseated,Mr。Pickwick,Ibeg,sir。Thisgentlemanis——
Myfriend,Mr。Sawyer,interposedMr。Pickwick,yourson’sfriend。
Oh,saidMr。Winkletheelder,lookingrathergrimlyatBob。Ihopeyouarewell,sir。
Rightasatrivet,sir,repliedBobSawyer。
Thisothergentleman,criedMr。Pickwick,is,asyouwillsee,whenyouhavereadtheletterwithwhichIamentrusted,averynearrelative,orIshouldrathersayaveryparticularfriendofyourson’s。HisnameisAllen。
Thatgentleman?inquiredMr。Winkle,pointingwiththecardtowardsBenAllen,whohadfallenasleepinanattitudewhichleftnothingofhimvisiblebuthisspineandhiscoatcollar。
Mr。Pickwickwasonthepointofreplyingtothequestion,andrecitingMr。BenjaminAllen’snameandhonourabledistinctionsatfulllength,whenthesprightlyMr。BobSawyer,withaviewofrousinghisfriendtoasenseofhissituation,inflictedastartlingpinchuponthefleshypartofhisarm,whichcausedhimtojumpupwithashriek。Suddenlyawarethathewasinthepresenceofastranger,Mr。BenAllenadvanced,and,shakingMr。Winklemostaffectionatelybybothhandsforaboutfiveminutes,murmured,insomehalf-intelligiblefragmentsofsentences,thegreatdelighthefeltinseeinghim,andahospitableinquirywhetherhefeltdisposedtotakeanythingafterhiswalk,orwouldpreferwaitingtilldinner-time。
whichdone,hesatdownandgazedabouthimwithapetrifiedstare,asifhehadnottheremotestideawherehewas,whichindeedhehadnot。
AllthiswasmostembarrassingtoMr。Pickwick,themoreespeciallyasMr。Winkle,senior,evincedpalpableastonishmentattheeccentric——nottosayextraordinary——behaviourofhistwocompanions。Tobringthemattertoanissueatonce,hedrewaletterfromhispocket,andpresentingittoMr。Winkle,senior,said:
Thisletter,sir,isfromyourson。Youwillsee,byitscontents,thatonyourfavourableandfatherlyconsiderationofit,dependhisfuturehappinessandwelfare。Willyouobligemebygivingitthecalmestandcoolestperusal,andbydiscussingthesubjectafterwards,withme,inthetoneandspiritinwhichaloneitoughttobediscussed?Youmayjudgeoftheimportanceofyourdecisiontoyourson,andhisintenseanxietyuponthesubject,bymywaitinguponyou,withoutanypreviouswarning,atsolateanhour。and,addedMr。Pickwick,glancingslightlyathistwocompanions,andundersuchunfavourablecircumstances。
Withthisprelude,Mr。Pickwickplacedfourcloselywrittensidesofextrasuperfinewire-wovepenitenceinthehandsoftheastoundedMr。Winkle,senior。Thenreseatinghimselfinhischair,hewatchedhislooksandmanner:
anxiously,itistrue,butwiththeopenfrontofagentlemanwhofeelshehastakennopartwhichheneedexcuseorpalliate。
Theoldwharfingerturnedtheletterover。lookedatthefront,back,andsides。madeamicroscopicexaminationofthefatlittleboyontheseal。raisedhiseyestoMr。Pickwick’sface。andthen,seatinghimselfonthehighstool,anddrawingthelampclosertohim,brokethewax,unfoldedtheepistle,andliftingittothelight,preparedtoread。
Justatthismoment,Mr。BobSawyer,whosewithadlaindormantforsomeminutes,placedhishandsuponhisknees,andmadeafaceaftertheportraitsofthelateMr。Grimaldi,asclown。ItsohappenedthatMr。Winkle,senior,insteadofbeingdeeplyengagedinreadingtheletter,asMr。BobSawyerthought,chancedtobelookingoverthetopofitatnolessapersonthanMr。BobSawyerhimself。rightlyconjecturingthatthefaceaforesaidwasmadeinridiculeandderisionofhisownperson,hefixedhiseyesonBobwithsuchexpressivesternness,thatthelateMr。Grimaldi’slineamentsgraduallyresolvedthemselvesintoaveryfineexpressionofhumilityandconfusion。
Didyouspeak,sir?inquiredMr。Winkle,senior,afteranawfulsilence。
No,sir,repliedBob,withnoremainsoftheclownabouthim,saveandexcepttheextremerednessofhischeeks。
Youaresureyoudidnot,sir?saidMr。Winkle,senior。
Ohdear,yes,sir,quite,repliedBob。
Ithoughtyoudid,sir,rejoinedtheoldgentleman,withindignantemphasis。Perhapsyoulookedatme,sir?
Oh,no!sir,notatall,repliedBob,withextremecivility。
Iamverygladtohearit,sir,saidMr。Winkle,senior。HavingfrownedupontheabashedBobwithgreatmagnificence,theoldgentlemanagainbroughtthelettertothelight,andbegantoreaditseriously。
Mr。Pickwickeyedhimintentlyasheturnedfromthebottomlineofthefirstpagetothetoplineofthesecond,andfromthebottomofthesecondtothetopofthethird,andfromthebottomofthethird,tothetopofthefourth。butnottheslightestalterationofcountenanceaffordedacluetothefeelingswithwhichhereceivedtheannouncementofhisson’smarriage,whichMr。Pickwickknewwasintheveryfirsthalf-dozenlines。
Hereadthelettertothelastword。foldeditagainwithallthecarefulnessandprecisionofamanofbusiness。and,justwhenMr。Pickwickexpectedsomegreatoutbreakoffeeling,dippedapenintheinkstand,andsaidasquietlyasifhewerespeakingonthemostordinarycounting-housetopic:
WhatisNathaniel’saddress,Mr。Pickwick?
TheGeorgeandVulture,atpresent,repliedthatgentleman。
GeorgeandVulture。Whereisthat?
GeorgeYard,LombardStreet。
IntheCity?
Yes。
Theoldgentlemanmethodicallyindorsedtheaddressonthebackoftheletter。andthen,placingitinthedesk,whichhelocked,saidashegotoffthestoolandputthebunchofkeysinhispocket:
Isupposethereisnothingelsewhichneeddetainus,Mr。Pickwick?
Nothingelse,mydearsir!observedthatwarm-heartedpersoninindignantamazement。Nothingelse!Haveyounoopiniontoexpressonthismomentouseventinouryoungfriend’slife?Noassurancetoconveytohim,throughme,ofthecontinuanceofyouraffectionandprotection?Nothingtosaywhichwillcheerandsustainhim,andtheanxiousgirlwholookstohimforcomfortandsupport?Mydearsir,consi...剩余内容请长按扫描二维码或下载丁香书院APP继续免费看:
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