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第79章

hard times(艰难时世)-第79章

小说: hard times(艰难时世) 字数: 每页4000字

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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。” 



Charles Dickens                                                    ElecBook Classics 


… Page 307…

                                   Hard Times                                     307 



    “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?” 



Charles Dickens                                                    ElecBook Classics 


… Page 308…

                                  Hard Times                                   308 



    “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; 



Charles Dickens                                                  ElecBook Classics 


… Page 309…

                                   Hard Times                                     309 



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

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