hard times(艰难时世)-第22章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of his compeers could talk much better than he； at any time。 He
was a good power…loom weaver； and a man of perfect integrity。
What more he was； or what else he had in him； if anything； let him
show for himself。
The lights in the great factories； which looked； when they were
illuminated； like Fairy palaces—or the travellers by express…train
said so—were all extinguished； and the bells had rung for
knocking off for the night； and had ceased again； and the Hands；
men and women； boy and girl； were clattering home。 Old Stephen
was standing in the street； with the odd sensation upon him which
the stoppage of the machinery always produced—the sensation of
its having worked and stopped in his own head。
“Yet I don’t see Rachael； still！” said he。
It was a wet night； and many groups of young women passed
him； with their shawls drawn over their bare heads and held close
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 87…
Hard Times 87
under their chins to keep the rain out。 He knew Rachael well； for a
glance at any one of these groups was sufficient to show him that
she was not there。 At last； there was no more to come； and then he
turned away； saying in a tone of disappointment； “Why； then； I ha’
missed her！”
But； he had not gone the length of three streets； when he saw
another of the shawled figures in advance of him； at which he
looked so keenly that perhaps its mere shadow indistinctly
reflected on the wet pavement—if he could have seen it without
the figure itself moving along from lamp to lamp； brightening and
fading as it went—would have been enough to tell him who was
there。 Making his pace at once much quicker and much softer； he
darted on until he was very near this figure； then fell into his
former walk； and called “Rachael！”
She turned； being then in the brightness of a lamp； and raising
her hood a little； showed a quite oval face； dark and rather
delicate； irradiated by a pair of very gentle eyes； and further set off
by the perfect order of her shining black hair。 It was not a face in
its first bloom； she was a woman five and thirty years of age。
“Ah； lad！ ’Tis thou？” When she had said this； with a smile
which would have been quite expressed； though nothing of her
had been seen but her pleasant eyes； she replaced her hood again；
and they went on together。
“I thought thou wast ahind me； Rachael？”
“No。”
“Early t’night； lass？”
“’Times I’m a little early； Stephen； ’times a little late。 I’m never
to be counted on； going home。”
“Nor going t’other way； neither； ’t seems to me； Rachael？”
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 88…
Hard Times 88
“No； Stephen。”
He looked at her with some disappointment in his face； but with
a respectful and patient conviction that she must be right in
whatever she did。 The expression was not lost upon her； she laid
her hand lightly on his arm a moment as if to thank him for it。
“We are such true friends； lad； and such old friends； and getting
to be such old folk； now。”
“No； Rachael； thou’rt as young as ever thou wast。”
“One of us would be puzzled how to get old； Stephen； without
t’other getting so too； both being alive；” she answered； laughing；
“but； any ways； we’re such old friends； that t’ hide a word of
honest truth fro’ one another would be a sin and a pity。 ’Tis better
not to walk too much together。 ’Times； yes！ ’Twould be hard；
indeed； if ’twas not to be at all；” she said； with a cheerfulness she
sought to communicate to him。
“’Tis hard； anyways； Rachel。”
“Try to think not； and ’twill seem better。”
“I’ve tried a long time； and ’ta’nt got better。 But thou’rt right；
’tmight mak fok talk； even of thee。 Thou hast been that to me；
Rachel； through so many year： thou hast done me so much good；
and heartened of me in that cheering way； that thy word is a law to
me。 Ah lass； and a bright good law！ Better than some real ones。”
“Never fret about them； Stephen；” she answered quickly； and
not without an anxious glance at his face。 “Let the laws be。”
“Yes；” he said； with a slow nod or two。 “Let ’em be。 Let
everything be。 Let all sorts alone。 ’Tis a muddle； and that’s aw。”
“Always a muddle？” said Rachael； with another gentle touch
upon his arm； as if to recall him out of the thoughtfulness； in
which he was biting the long ends of his loose neckerchief as he
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 89…
Hard Times 89
walked along。 The touch had its instantaneous effect。 He let them
fall； turned a smiling face upon her； and said； as he broke into a
good…humoured laugh； “Ay； Rachael； lass； awlus a muddle。 That’s
where I stick。 I come to the muddle many times and agen； and I
never get beyond it。”
They had walked some distance； and were near their own
homes。 The woman’s was the first reached。 It was in one of the
many small streets for which the favourite undertaker （who
turned a handsome sum out of the one poor ghastly pomp of the
neighbourhood） kept a black ladder； in order that those who had
done their daily groping up and down the narrow stairs might
slide out of this working world by the windows。 She stopped at the
corner； and putting her hand in his； wished him good night。
“Good night； dear lass； good night！”
She went； with her neat figure and her sober womanly step；
down the dark street； and he stood looking after her until she
turned into one of the small houses。 There was not a flutter of her
coarse shawl； perhaps； but had its interest in this man’s eyes； not a
tone of her voice but had its echo in his innermost heart。
When she was lost to his view； he pursued his homeward way；
glancing up sometimes at the sky； where the clouds were sailing
fast and wildly。 But； they were broken now； and the rain had
ceased； and the moon shone—looking down the high chimneys of
Coketown on the deep furnaces below； and casting Titanic
shadows of the steam engines at rest； upon the walls where they
were lodged。 The man seemed to have brightened with the night；
as he went on。
His home； in such another street as the first； saving that it was
narrower； was over a little shop。 How it came to pass that any
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 90…
Hard Times 90
people found it worth their while to sell or buy the wretched little
toys； mixed up in its window with cheap newspapers and pork
（there was a leg to be raffled for tomorrow night）； matters not
here。 He took his end of candle from a shelf； lighted it at another
end of
