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第81章

hard times(艰难时世)-第81章

小说: hard times(艰难时世) 字数: 每页4000字

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labouring   friends;   for   I   rejoice   and   triumph   in   that   stigma—my 

friends   whose  hard but  honest  beds are  made   in   toil;   and   whose 

scanty   but   independent   pots   are   boiled   in   hardship;   and;   now   I 

say; my friends; what appellation has that dastard craven taken to 

himself;   when;   with   the   mask   torn   from   his   features   he   stands 

before us in all his native deformity; a What? A thief! A plunderer! 



Charles Dickens                                                       ElecBook Classics 


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A   proscribed  fugitive;   with  a   price  upon   his   head;   a   fester   and   a 

wound       upon    the   noble    character     of  the   Coketown       operative! 

Therefore;   my  band  of  brothers   in   a   sacred   bond;   to   which   your 

children   and   your   children’s   children   yet   unborn   have   set   their 

infant hands and seals; I propose to you on the part of the United 

Aggregate   Tribunal;   ever  watchful   for  your  welfare;   ever   zealous 

for   your   benefit;   that   this   meeting   does   Resolve;   That   Stephen 

Blackpool; weaver; referred to in this placard; having been already 

solemnly   disowned   by   the        community   of      Coketown      Hands;   the 

same   are   free   from   the   shame   of   his   misdeeds;   and   cannot   as   a 

class be reproached with his dishonest actions!” 

    Thus   Slackbridge;   gnashing   and   perspiring  after   a   prodigious 

sort。 A few stern voices called out “No!” and a score or two hailed; 

with   assenting   cries   of   “Hear;   hear!”   the   caution   from   one   man; 

“Slackbridge; y’or over hetter int; y’or a goen too fast!” But these 

were pigmies against an army; the general assemblage subscribed 

to the gospel according to Slackbridge; and gave three cheers for 

him; as he sat demonstratively panting at them。 

    These men and women were yet in the streets; passing quietly 

to   their   homes;     when    Sissy;    who    had   been    called   away     from 

Louisa some minutes before; returned。 

    “Who is it?” asked Louisa。 

    “It is Mr Bounderby;” said Sissy; timid of the name; “and your 

brother     Mr    Tom;    and   a  young     woman      who    says   her   name     is 

Rachael; and that you know her。” 

    “What do they want; Sissy dear?” 

    “They   want   to   see   you。   Rachael   has   been   crying;   and   seems 

angry。” 

    “Father;”   said   Louisa;   for   he   was   present;   “I   cannot   refuse   to 



Charles Dickens                                                     ElecBook Classics 


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see them; for a reason that will   explain  itself。   Shall  they  come   in 

here?” 

   As   he   answered   in   the   affirmative;   Sissy   went   away   to   bring 

them。     She   reappeared      with   them   directly。   Tom    was    last;  and 

remained   standing   in   the   obscurest   part   of   the   room;   near   the 

door。 

   “Mrs Bounderby;” said her husband; entering with a cool nod; 

“I   don’t   disturb   you;   I   hope。   This   is   an   unseasonable   hour;   but 

here   is   a   young   woman   who   has   been   making   statements   which 

render   my   visit   necessary。   Tom   Gradgrind;   as   your   son;   young 

Tom; refuses for some obstinate reason or other to say anything at 

all about those statements; good or bad; I am obliged to confront 

her with your daughter。” 

   “You   have   seen   me     once    before;   young   lady;”   said   Rachael; 

standing in front of Louisa。 

   Tom coughed。 

   “You have seen me; young lady;” repeated Rachael; as she did 

not answer; “once before。” 

   Tom coughed again。 

   “I have。” 

   Rachael cast her eyes proudly towards Mr Bounderby; and said; 

“Will you make it known; young lady; where; and who was there?” 

   “I went to  the   house   where   Stephen   Blackpool   lodged;   on   the 

night of his discharge from his work; and I saw you there。 He was 

there too: and an old woman who did not speak; and whom I could 

scarcely see; stood in a dark corner。 My brother was with me。” 

   “Why couldn’t you say so; young Tom?” demanded Bounderby。 

   “I    promised     my    sister   I  wouldn’t。”     Which     Louisa    hastily 

confirmed。   “And   besides;”   said   the   whelp   bitterly;   “she   tells   her 



Charles Dickens                                                  ElecBook Classics 


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                                   Hard Times                                    316 



own story so precious well—and so full—that what business had I 

to take it out of her mouth!” 

    “Say; young lady; if you please;” pursued Rachael; “why  in   an 

evil hour; you ever came to Stephen’s that night。 

    “I felt compassion for him;” said Louisa; her colour deepening; 

“and   I   wished   to   know   what   he   was   going   to   do;   and   wished   to 

offer him assistance。” 

    “Thank you; ma’am;” said Mr Bounderby。 “Much flattered and 

obliged。” 

    “Did you offer him;” asked Rachael; “a banknote?” 

    “Yes;   but   he   refused   it;   and   would   only   take   two   pounds   in 

gold。” 

    Rachael cast her eyes towards Mr Bounderby again。 

    “Oh     certainly!”    said   Bounderby。      “If   you   put   the   question 

whether your ridiculous and improbable account was true or not; I 

am bound to say it’s confirmed。” 

    “Young lady;” said Rachael; “Stephen Blackpool is now named 

as a thief in public print all over this town; and where else! There 

have been a meeting tonight where he have been spoken of in the 

same   shameful   way。   Stephen!   The   honestest   lad;   the   truest   lad; 

the best!” Her indignation failed her; and she broke off; sobbing。 

    “I am very; very sorry;” said Louisa。 

    “O young lady; young lady;” returned Rachael; “I hope you may 

be; but I don’t know! I can’t say what you may ha’ done! The like 

of you don’t know us; don’t care for us; don’t belong to us。 I am not 

sure   why  you  may  ha’   come   that   night。   I   can’t   tell   but   what   you 

may   ha’   come   wi’   some   aim   of   your   own;   not   mindin’     to   what 

trouble you brought such as the poor lad。 I said then; Bless you for 

coming; and I said it of my heart; you seemed to take so pitifully to 



Charles Dickens                                                   ElecBook Classics 


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him; but I don’t know now; I don’t know!” 

    Louisa   could   not   reproach   her   for   her   unjust   suspicions;   she 

was so faithful to her idea of the man; and so afflicted。 

    “And   when   I   think;”   said Rachael  through  her   sobs;   “that   the 

poor lad was so grateful; thinkin you so good to him—when I mind 

that he put his hand   over  his   hard…worken   face   to  hide  the  tears 

that you brought up there—O; I hope you may be sorry; and ha’ no 

bad cause to be it; but I don’t know; I don’t know!” 

    “You’re a pretty article;” growled the whelp; moving uneasily in 

his   dark   corner;   “to   come   here   with   these   precious   imputations! 

You     ought   to  be   bundled     out   for  not  knowing      how    to  behave 

yourself; and you would be by rights。” 

    She   said   nothing   in   reply;   and   her   low   weeping   was   the   only 

sound that was heard; until Mr Bounderby spoke。 

    “Come!” said he; “you know what you have engaged to do。 You 

had better give your mind to that; not this。” 

    “’Deed;   I   am   loath;”   ret

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