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第214章

barnaby rudge(巴纳比·卢杰)-第214章

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deepen and intensify; remorseful for every act that had been done 

by   every   man   among   the   cruel   crowd;   feeling   for   the   time   their 

guilt his own; and their lives put in peril by himself; and finding; 

amidst      such   reflections;    little  comfort    in   fanaticism;    or   in  his 



Charles Dickens                                                      ElecBook Classics 


… Page 791…

                               Barnaby Rudge                                      792 



fancied call; sat the unhappy author of all—Lord George Gordon。 

    He   had been made   prisoner   that   evening。   ‘If   you   are   sure   it’s 

me you want;’ he said to the officers; who waited outside with the 

warrant for his arrest on a charge of High Treason; ‘I am ready to 

accompany        you—’     which     he   did   without     resistance。    He    was 

conducted   first   before   the   Privy   Council;   and   afterwards   to   the 

Horse Guards; and then was taken by way of Westminster Bridge; 

and   back   over   London   Bridge   (for   the   purpose   of   avoiding   the 

main streets); to the Tower; under the strongest guard ever known 

to enter its gates with a single prisoner。 

    Of   all   his   forty   thousand   men;   not   one   remained   to   bear   him 

company。   Friends;   dependents;   followers;—none   were   there。   His 

fawning secretary had played the traitor; and he whose weakness 

had been goaded and urged on by so many for their own purposes; 

was desolate and alone。 



Charles Dickens                                                     ElecBook Classics 


… Page 792…

                              Barnaby Rudge                                    793 



                                Chapter 74 



             e   Dennis;     having    been    made     prisoner    late  in   the 

             evening;   was   removed   to   a   neighbouring   round…house 

M 

             for    that   night;    and    carried    before    a   justice   for 

examination on the next day; Saturday。 The   charges   against  him 

being numerous and weighty; and it being in particular proved; by 

the   testimony   of    Gabriel   Varden;    that   he  had   shown    a  special 

desire to take his life; he was committed for trial。 Moreover he was 

honoured with the distinction of being  considered  a   chief  among 

the    insurgents;     and   received     from    the   magistrate’s    lips   the 

complimentary   assurance   that   he   was   in   a   position   of   imminent 

danger; and would do well to prepare himself for the worst。 

   To say that Mr Dennis’s modesty was not somewhat startled by 

these honours; or that he was altogether prepared for so flattering 

a reception; would be to claim for him a greater amount of stoical 

philosophy      than    even   he   possessed。     Indeed     this  gentleman’s 

stoicism was of that not uncommon kind; which enables a man to 

bear   with   exemplary   fortitude   the   afflictions   of   his   friends;   but 

renders him; by  way  of  counterpoise;   rather  selfish and   sensitive 

in respect of any  that  happen   to  befall   himself。 It  is   therefore   no 

disparagement   to   the   great   officer   in   question   to   state;   without 

disguise or concealment; that he was at first very much alarmed; 

and  that  he   betrayed divers   emotions   of  fear;   until   his   reasoning 

powers     came   to   his  relief;   and  set  before   him   a  more   hopeful 

prospect。 

   In    proportion      as   Mr    Dennis    exercised     these    intellectual 

qualities with which he was gifted; in reviewing his best chances of 

coming   off   handsomely   and   with   small   personal   inconvenience; 



Charles Dickens                                                   ElecBook Classics 


… Page 793…

                                Barnaby Rudge                                       794 



his     spirits   rose;    and     his   confidence       increased。      When       he 

remembered the great estimation in which his office was held; and 

the constant demand for his services; when he bethought himself; 

how     the   Statute     Book    regarded      him    as   a  kind    of  Universal 

Medicine   applicable   to   men;   women;   and   children;   of   every   age 

and variety of criminal constitution; and how high he stood; in his 

official   capacity;   in  the   favour  of  the   Crown;   and   both   Houses   of 

Parliament; the Mint; the Bank of England; and the Judges of the 

land; when he recollected that whatever Ministry was in or out; he 

remained   their   peculiar   pet   and   panacea;   and   that   for   his   sake 

England stood single and conspicuous among the civilised nations 

of the earth: when he called these things to mind and dwelt upon 

them; he felt certain   that  the   national   gratitude must  relieve  him 

from      the   consequences        of   his   late   proceedings;       and    would 

certainly restore him to his old place in the happy social system。 

    With these crumbs; or as one may say; with these whole loaves 

of   comfort   to   regale   upon;   Mr   Dennis   took   his   place   among   the 

escort     that   awaited     him;    and    repaired     to   jail  with   a   manly 

indifference。 Arriving at Newgate; where some of the ruined cells 

had   been   hastily  fitted   up   for  the   safe   keeping  of  rioters;   he   was 

warmly   received   by   the   turnkeys;   as   an   unusual   and   interesting 

case;   which   agreeably   relieved   their   monotonous   duties。   In   this 

spirit;   he   was   fettered    with   great    care;   and   conveyed      into   the 

interior of the prison。 

    ‘Brother;’     cried    the   hangman;       as;   following    an    officer;   he 

traversed       under     these    novel     circumstances        the   remains      of 

passages   with   which   he   was   well   acquainted;   ‘am   I   going   to   be 

along with anybody?’ 

    ‘If you’d have left more walls standing; you’d have been alone;’ 



Charles Dickens                                                       ElecBook Classics 


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                               Barnaby Rudge                                      795 



was   the   reply。   ‘As   it  is;   we’re   cramped   for   room;   and   you’ll   have 

company。’ 

    ‘Well;’   returned   Dennis;   ‘I   don’t   object   to   company;   brother。   I 

rather like company。 I was formed for society; I was。’ 

    ‘That’s rather a pity; an’t it?’ said the man。 

    ‘No;’ answered Dennis; ‘I’m not aware that it is。 Why should it 

be a pity; brother?’ 

    ‘Oh! I don’t know;’ said the man carelessly。 ‘I thought that was 

what   you   meant。   Being   formed   for   society;   and   being   cut   off   in 

your flower; you know—’ 

    ‘I   say;’ interposed   the   other  quickly;   ‘what   are   you   talking   of? 

Don’t。 Who’s a…going to be cut off in their flowers?’ 

    ‘Oh;   nobody   particular。   I   thought   you   was;   perhaps;’   said   the 

man。 

    Mr Dennis wiped his face; which had suddenly grown very hot; 

and remarking in a tremulous voice to his conductor that he had 

always   been      fond   of  his  joke;   followed    him   in  silence   until   he 

stopped at a door。 

    ‘This is my quarters; is it?’ he asked facetiously。 

    ‘This is the shop; sir;’ replied his friend。 

    He was walking in; but not with the best possible grace; when 

he suddenly stopped; and started back。 

    ‘Halloa!’ said the officer。 ‘You’re nervous。’ 

    ‘Nervous!’   whispered   Dennis   in   great   alarm。   ‘Well   I   may   be。 

Shut the door。’ 

    ‘I will; when you’re in;’ returned the man。 

    ‘But I can’t go in there;’ whispered Dennis。 ‘I can’t be shut up 

with that man。 Do you want me to be throttled; b

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