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第59章

hard times(艰难时世)-第59章

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for;” thought James Harthouse; reversing the reflection of his first 

day’s knowledge of her pretty face。 “So much the less; so much the 

less。” 



Charles Dickens                                                  ElecBook Classics 


… Page 229…

                                  Hard Times                                   229 



                                 Chapter 8 



                                 Explosion 



          he next morning was too bright a   morning  for  sleep; and 

          James   Harthouse   rose   early;   and   sat   in   the   pleasant   bay 

T 

          window   of   his   dressing…room;   smoking   the   rare   tobacco 

that   had   had    so  wholesome      an  influence    on   his  young    friend。 

Reposing   in   the   sunlight;   with   the   fragrance   of   his   eastern   pipe 

about him; and the   dreamy  smoke   vanishing  into  the   air;   so  rich 

and soft  with  summer  odours;   he   reckoned   up  his advantages as 

an idle winner might count his gains。 He was not at all bored for 

the time; and could give his mind to it。 

   He     had   established    a  confidence     with   her;  from    which    her 

husband was excluded。 He had established a confidence with her; 

that    absolutely     turned     upon     her   indifference     towards      her 

husband;       and   the    absence;    now     and   at   all  times;    of  any 

congeniality   between   them。   He   had   artfully;   but   plainly   assured 

her; that he knew  her  heart  in its   most delicate   recesses;   he   had 

come     so  near   to  her   through    its  tenderest    sentiment;     he  had 

associated himself with that feeling; and the barrier behind which 

she lived; melted away。 All very odd; and very satisfactory! 

   And     yet  he   had   not   even   now;    any   earnest    wickedness     of 

purpose in him。 Publicly and privately; it were much better for the 

age in which he lived; that he and the legion of whom he was one 

were   designedly   bad;   than   indifferent   and   purposeless。   It   is   the 

drifting   icebergs   setting   with   any   current   anywhere;   that   wreck 

the ships。 



Charles Dickens                                                  ElecBook Classics 


… Page 230…

                                   Hard Times                                    230 



   When the Devil goeth about like a roaring lion; he goeth about 

in   a   shape   by   which   few   but   savages   and   hunters   are   attracted。 

But; when he is trimmed; smoothed; and varnished; according to 

the mode: when he is aweary of vice; and aweary of virtue; used up 

as to brimstone; and used up as to bliss; then; whether he take to 

the serving out of red tape; or to the kindling of red fire; he is the 

very Devil。 

    So;    James     Harthouse      reclined     in  the    window;     indolently 

smoking; and reckoning up the steps he had taken on the road by 

which he happened to be travelling。 The end to  which  it  led   was 

before     him;   pretty    plainly;   but   he   troubled     himself    with    no 

calculations about it。 What will be; will be。 

   As he had rather a long ride to take that day—for there was a 

public     occasion     “to  do”    at  some    distance;    which     afforded    a 

tolerable     opportunity      of  going   in  for   the  Gradgrind      men—he 

dressed early; and went down to breakfast。 He was anxious to see 

if   she   had   relapsed   since   the   previous   evening。   No。   He   resumed 

where he had left off。 The was a look of interest for him again。 

    He    got  through     the   day   as  much     (or  as   little)  to  his  own 

satisfaction;      as   was     to   be    expected      under     the    fatiguing 

circumstances; and   came   riding back at  six   o’clock。   There   was   a 

sweep of some half mile between the lodge and the house; and he 

was    riding   along    at  a  foot  pace   over   the   smooth     gravel;   once 

Nickits’s;   when   Mr   Bounderby   burst   out   of   the   shrubbery;   with 

such violence as to make his horse shy across the road。 

    “Harthouse;” cried Mr Bounderby。 “Have you heard?” 

    “Heard      what?”     said    Harthouse;      soothing     his   horse;    and 

inwardly favouring Mr Bounderby with no good wishes。 

    “Then you haven’t heard!” 



Charles Dickens                                                    ElecBook Classics 


… Page 231…

                                  Hard Times                                   231 



    “I have heard you; and so has this brute。 I have heard nothing 

else。” 

   Mr Bounderby; red and hot; planted himself in the centre of the 

path before the horse’s head; to explode his bombshell with more 

effect。 

    “The Bank’s robbed!” 

    “You don’t mean it!” 

    “Robbed   last   night;   sir。   Robbed   in   an   extraordinary   manner。 

Robbed with a false key。” 

    “Of much?” 

   Mr     Bounderby;      in  his  desire  to  make    the   most   of  it;  really 

seemed mortified by being obliged to reply; “Why; no; not of very 

much。 But it might have been。” 

    “Of how much?” 

    “Oh!    as  a  sum—if     you   stick  to  a  sum—of     not  more    than   a 

hundred and fifty pound;” said Bounderby; with impatience。 “But 

it’s not the sum; it’s the fact。 It’s the fact of the bank being robbed; 

that’s   the   important   circumstance。   I   am   surprised   you   don’t   see 

it。” 

    “My dear Bounderby;” said James; dismounting; and giving his 

bridle to his servant; “I do see it; and am as overcome as you can 

possibly desire me   to  be; by  the   spectacle afforded   to  my mental 

view。    Nevertheless;     I  may   be   allowed;   I  hope;   to  congratulate 

you—which        I  do  with   all  my   soul;  I  assure   you—on      your   not 

having sustained a greater loss。” 

    “Thank’ee;” replied Bounderby; in a short; ungracious manner。 

“But I tell you what。 It might have been twenty thousand pound。” 

    “I suppose it might。” 

    “Suppose      it  might!   By   the   Lord;   you  may     suppose    so。  By 



Charles Dickens                                                  ElecBook Classics 


… Page 232…

                                   Hard Times                                     232 



George!”   said   Mr   Bounderby;         with   sundry   menacing   nods   and 

shakes of his head; “It might have been twice twenty。 There’s no 

knowing   what   it   would   have   been;   or   wouldn’t   have   been;   as   it 

was; but for the fellows’ being disturbed。” 

    Louisa had come up now; and Mrs Sparsit; and Bitzer。 

    “Here’s   Tom   Gradgrind’s   daughter   knows   pretty   well   what   it 

might  have   been;   if   you   don’t;”   blustered   Bounderby。   “Dropped; 

sir; as if she was shot when I told her! Never knew her to do such a 

thing   before。    Does    her   credit;   under    the  circumstances;       in  my 

opinion!” 

    She still looked faint and pale。 James Harthouse begged her to 

take his arm; and as they moved on very slowly; asked her how the 

robbery had been committed。 

    “Why; I am going to tell you;” said Bounderby; irritably giving 

his   arm   to  Mrs Sparsit。   “If  you  hadn’t  been so   mighty   particular 

about the sum; I should have begun to tell you before。 You know 

this lady (for she is a lady); Mrs Sparsit?” 

    “I have already had the honour—” 

    “Very well。 And this young man; Bitzer; you saw him too on the 

same   occasion?”   Mr   Harthouse   inclined   his   head   in   assent;   and 

Bitzer knuckled his forehead。 

    “Very   well。   They   live   at   the   Bank。   You   know   they   live   at   the 

Bank;   perhaps?   Very   well。   Yesterday   afternoon;   at   the   close   of 

business   hours;   everything   was 

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