hard times(艰难时世)-第79章
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and in whom she trusts。”
“I gather from all this; Tom Gradgrind;” said Bounderby;
standing up with his hands in his pockets; “that you are of opinion
that there’s what people call some incompatibility between Loo
Bounderby and myself。”
“I fear there is at present a general incompatibility between
Louisa; and—and—almost all the relations in which I have placed
her;” was her father’s sorrowful reply。
“Now; look you here; Tom Gradgrind;” said Bounderby the
flushed; confronting him with his legs wide apart; his hands
deeper in his pockets; and his hair like a hayfield wherein his
windy anger was boisterous。 “You have said your say; I am going
to say mine。 I am a Coketown man。 I am Josiah Bounderby of
Coketown。 I know the bricks of this town; and I know the works of
this town; and I know the chimneys of this town; and I know the
smoke of this town; and I know the Hands of this town。 I know ’em
all pretty well。 They’re real。 When a man tells me anything about
imaginative qualities; I always tell that man; whoever he is; that I
know what he means。 He means turtle…soup and venison; with a
gold spoon; and that he wants to be set up with a coach and six。
That’s what your daughter wants。 Since you are of opinion that
she ought to have what she wants; I recommend you to provide it
for her。 Because; Tom Gradgrind; she will never have it from me。”
“Bounderby;” said Mr Gradgrind; “I hoped; after my entreaty;
you would have taken a different tone。”
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“Just wait a bit;” retorted Bounderby; “you have said your say;
I believe。 I heard you out; hear me out; if you please。 Don’t make
yourself a spectacle of unfairness as well as inconsistency;
because; although I am sorry to see Tom Gradgrind reduced to his
present position; I should be doubly sorry to see him brought so
low as that。 Now; there’s an incompatibility of some sort or
another; I am given to understand by you; between your daughter
and me。 I’ll give you to understand; in reply to that; that there
unquestionably is an incompatibility of the first magnitude—to be
summed up in this—that your daughter don’t properly know her
husband’s merits; and is not impressed with such a sense as would
become her; by George! of the honour of his alliance。 That’s plain
speaking; I hope。”
“Bounderby;” urged Mr Gradgrind; “this is unreasonable。”
“Is it?” said Bounderby。 “I am glad to hear you say so。 Because
when Tom Gradgrind with his new lights; tells me that what I say
is unreasonable; I am convinced at once it must be devilish
sensible。 With your permission I am going on。 You know my
origin; and you know that for a good many years of my life I didn’t
want a shoeing…horn; in consequence of not having a shoe。 Yet you
may believe or not; as you think proper; that there are ladies—
born ladies—belonging to families—Families!—who next to
worship the ground I walk on。”
He discharged this; like a Rocket; at his father…in…law’s head。
“Whereas your daughter;” proceeded Bounderby; “is far from
being a born lady。 That you know; yourself。 Not that I care a pinch
of candle…snuff about such things; for you are very well aware I
don’t; but that such is the fact; and you; Tom Gradgrind; can’t
change it。 Why do I say this?”
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“Not; I fear;” observed Mr Gradgrind; in a low voice; “to spare
me。”
“Hear me out;” said Bounderby; “and refrain from cutting in till
your turn comes round。 I say this; because highly connected
females have been astonished to see the way in which your
daughter has conducted herself; and to witness her insensibility。
They have wondered how I have suffered it。 And I wonder myself
now; and I won’t suffer it。”
“Bounderby;” returned Mr Gradgrind; rising; “the less we say
tonight the better; I think。”
“On the contrary; Tom Gradgrind; the more we say tonight; the
better; I think。 That is;” the consideration checked him; “till I have
said all I mean to say; and then I don’t care how soon we stop。 I
come to a question that may shorten the business。 What do you
mean by the proposal you made just now?”
“What do I mean; Bounderby?”
“By your visiting proposition;” said Bounderby; with an
inflexible jerk of the hayfield。
“I mean that I hope you may be induced to arrange; in a
friendly manner; for allowing Louisa a period of repose and
reflection here; which may tend to a gradual alteration for the
better in many respects。”
“To a softening down of your ideas of the incompatibility?” said
Bounderby。
“If you put it in those terms。”
“What made you think of this?” said Bounderby。
“I have already said; I fear Louisa has not been understood。 Is it
asking too much; Bounderby; that you; so far her elder; should aid
in trying to set her right? You have accepted a great charge of her;
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for better for worse; for—” Mr Bounderby may have been annoyed
by the repetition of his own words to Stephen Blackpool; but he
cut the quotation short with an angry start。
“Come!” said he; “I don’t want to be told about that。 I know
what I took her for; as well as you do。 Never you mind what I took
her for; that’s my look…out。”
“I was merely going on to remark; Bounderby; that we may all
be more or less in the wrong; not even excepting you; and that
some yielding on your part; remembering the trust you have
accepted; may not only be an act of true kindness; but perhaps a
debt incurred towards Louisa。”
“I think differently;” blustered Bounderby。 “I am going to finish
this business according to my own opinions。 Now; I don’t want to
make a quarrel of it with you; Tom Gradgrind。 To tell you the
truth; I don’t think it would be worthy of my reputation to quarrel
on such a subject。 As to your gentleman…friend; he may take
himself off; wherever he likes best。 If he falls in my way; I shall tell
him my mind; if he don’t fall in my way; I shan’t; for it won’t be
worth my while to do it。 As to your daughter; whom I made Loo
Bounderby; and might have done better by leaving Loo
Gradgrind; if she don’t come home tomorrow by twelve o’clock at
noon; I shall understand that she prefers to stay away; and I shall
send her wearing apparel and so forth over here; and you’ll take
charge of her for the future。 What I shall say to people in general;
of the incompatibility that led to my so laying down the law; will be
this。 I am Josiah Bounderb