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第25章

hard times(艰难时世)-第25章

小说: hard times(艰难时世) 字数: 每页4000字

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his   attentive    face。  Mrs    Sparsit   uttered    a  gentle   ejaculation;    as 

having received a moral shock。 

    “What   do   you   mean?”   said   Bounderby;   getting   up   to   lean   his 

back against the chimney…piece。 “What are you talking about? You 

took her for better for worse。” 

    “I mun’ be ridden o’ her。 I cannot bear ’t nommore。 I ha’ lived 

under ’t so long; for that I ha’ had’n the pity and comforting words 

o’ th’ best lass living or dead。 Haply; but for her; I should ha’ gone 

hottering mad。” 

    “He wishes to be free; to marry the female of whom he speaks; I 

fear;    sir;”  observed     Mrs    Sparsit   in   an   undertone;     and    much 



Charles Dickens                                                   ElecBook Classics 


… Page 98…

                                 Hard Times                                    98 



dejected by the immorality of the people。 

   “I do。 The lady says what’s right。 I do。 I were a coming to ’t。 I 

ha’ read i’ th’ papers that great fok (fair faw ’em a’! I wishes ’em no 

hurt!) are not bonded together for better for worse so fast; but that 

they can be set free fro’ their misfortnet marriages; an marry ower 

agen。 When they dunnot agree; for that their tempers is ill…sorted; 

they has rooms o’ one kind an another in their houses; above a bit; 

and they can live asunders。 We fok ha’ only one room; an we can’t。 

When that won’t do; they ha’ gowd an other cash; an they can say; 

’This for yo’; an that for me;’ an they can go their separate ways。 

We can’t。 Spite o’ all that; they can be set free for smaller wrongs 

than mine。 So; I mun be ridden o’ this woman; and I want t’ know 

how?” 

   “No how;” returned Mr Bounderby。 

   “If I do her any hurt; sir; there’s a law to punish me?” 

   “Of course there is。” 

   “If I flee from her; there’s a law to punish me?” 

   “Of course there is。” 

   “If I marry t’oother dear lass; there’s a law to punish me?” 

   “Of course there is。” 

   “If I was to live wi’ her an not marry her—saying such a thing 

could be; which it never could or would; an her so good—there’s a 

law to punish me; in every innocent child belonging to me?” 

   “Of course there is。” 

   “Now; a’ God’s name;” said Stephen   Blackpool;   “show  me   the 

law to help me!” 

   “Hem!      There’s    a  sanctity   in  this  relation   of  life;”  said  Mr 

Bounderby; “and—and—it must be kept up。” 

   “No no; dunnot say that; sir。 ’Tan’t kep’ up that way。   Not  that 



Charles Dickens                                                 ElecBook Classics 


… Page 99…

                                   Hard Times                                      99 



way。   ’Tis   kep’   down   that   way。   I’m   a   weaver;   I   were   in   a   fact’ry 

when a chilt; but I ha’ gotten een to see wi’ and eern to year wi’。 I 

read    in  th’  papers    every    ‘Sizes;  every    Sessions—and        you   read 

too—I   know   it!—with   dismay—how   th’   supposed   unpossibility   o’ 

ever   getting   unchained   from   one   another;   at   any   price;   on   any 

terms;     brings   blood    upon    this   land;  and   brings   many     common 

married fok to battle; murder; and sudden death。 Let us ha’ this; 

right understood。 Mine’s a grievous case; an I want—if yo will be 

so good—t’knaw the law that helps me。” 

    “Now; I tell you what!” said Mr Bounderby; putting  his   hands 

in his pockets。 “There is such a law。” 

    Stephen; subsiding into his quiet manner; and never wandering 

in his attention gave a nod。 

    “But   it’s   not   for   you   at   all。   It   costs   money。   It   costs   a   mint   of 

money。” 

    “How much might that be?” Stephen calmly asked。 

    “Why; you’d have to  go  to  Doctors’   Commons   with  a  suit; and 

you’d have to go to a court of Common Law with a suit; and you’d 

have to go to the House of Lords with a suit; and you’d have to get 

an Act of  Parliament  to  enable   you  to  marry  again;   and it  would 

cost you (if it was a case of  very  plain   …sailing);   I   suppose   from a 

thousand       to   fifteen   hundred       pounds;”     said    Mr    Bounderby。 

“Perhaps twice the money。” 

    “There’s no other law?” 

    “Certainly not。” 

    “Why   then;   sir;”   said   Stephen;   turning   white;   and   motioning 

with   that   right   hand   of   his;   as   if   he   gave   everything   to   the   four 

winds; “’tis a muddle。 ’Tis just a muddle a’toogether; an the sooner 

I am dead; the better。” 



Charles Dickens                                                    ElecBook Classics 


… Page 100…

                                    Hard Times                                     100 



    (Mrs    Sparsit    again    dejected     by  the   impiety     of  the   people。) 

“Pooh;   pooh!  Don’t  you  talk nonsense;   my   good   fellow;”   said   Mr 

Bounderby;   “about   things   you   don’t   understand;   and   don’t   you 

call the Institutions of your country a muddle; or you’ll get yourself 

into a real muddle one of these fine mornings。 The institutions of 

your country are not your piece…work; and the only thing you have 

got to do;   is;   to  mind   your  piece…work。   You  didn’t  take   your  wife 

for fast and for loose; but for better for worse。 If she has turned out 

worse—why; all we have got to say is; she might have turned out 

better。” 

    “’Tis a muddle;” said Stephen; shaking his head as he moved to 

the door。 “’Tis a’ a muddle!” 

    “Now;      I’ll  tell  you   what!”     Mr    Bounderby        resumed;      as  a 

valedictory      address。     “With    what    I  shall   call  your    unhallowed 

opinions; you have been   quite  shocking  this   lady:   who;   as   I   have 

already told you; is a born lady; and who; as I have not already told 

you; has had her own marriage misfortunes to the tune of tens of 

thousands        of  pounds—tens         of   Thou…sands        of  Pounds!”       (he 

repeated      it  with   great   relish)。  “Now;     you   have    always    been    a 

steady Hand hitherto; but my opinion is; and so I tell you plainly; 

that you are turning into the wrong road。 You have been listening 

to   some   mischievous   stranger   or   other—they’re   always   about— 

and   the   best   thing   you   can   do   is;   to   come   out   of   that。   Now   you 

know;” here his countenance   expressed marvellous   acuteness;   “I 

can   see   as   far   into   a   grindstone   as   another   man;   farther   than   a 

good many; perhaps; because I had my nose well kept to it when I 

was young。 I see traces   of  the   turtle   soup; and   venison; and   gold 

spoon   in   this。   Yes;   I   do!”   cried   Mr   Bounderby;   shaking   his   head 

with obstinate cunning。 “By the Lord Harry; I do!” 



Charles Dickens                                                     ElecBook Classics 


… Page 101…

                                   Hard Times                                     101 



    With a very different shake of the head and deep sigh; Stephen 

said;    “Thank     you;   sir;  I  wish   you    good    day。”   So   he   left  Mr 

Bounderby swelling at his own portrait on the wall; as if he were 

going to explode himself into it; and Mrs Sparsit still ambling  on 

with    her   foot   in  her   stirrup;   looking    quite   cast   down     by   the 

popular vices。 



Charles Dickens                                                    ElecBook Classics 


… Page 102…

                                   Hard Times                                    102 



                                 Chapter 12 



                             The Old Woman 



           ld   Stephen   descended   the   two   white   steps;   shutting   the 

        

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