a simpleton-第21章

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interests。　　Rosa　thought　that　a　little　unkind；　but　said　nothing。

In　this　auction…room　they　easily　got　a　place　at　the　table；　but　did
not　find　it　heaven；　for　a　number　of　secondhand　carpets　were　in　the
sale；　and　these；　brimful　of　dust；　were　all　shown　on　the　table；　and
the　dirt　choked；　and　poisoned　our　fair　friends。　　Brokers　pestered
them；　until　at　last　Rosa；　smarting　under　her　late　exposure；
addressed　the　auctioneer　quietly；　in　her　silvery　tones：　〃Sir；　these
gentlemen　are　annoying　me　by　forcing　their　services　on　me。　　I　do
not　intend　to　buy　at　all　unless　I　can　be　allowed　to　bid　for
myself。〃

When　Rosa；　blushing　and　amazed　at　her　own　boldness；　uttered　these
words；　she　little　foresaw　their　effect。　　She　had　touched　a　popular
sore。

〃You　are　quite　right；　madam；〃　said　a　respectable　tradesman　opposite
her。　　〃What　business　have　these　dirty　fellows；　without　a　shilling
in　their　pockets；　to　go　and　force　themselves　on　a　lady　against　her
will？〃

〃It　has　been　complained　of　in　the　papers　again　and　again；〃　said
another。

〃What！　mayn't　we　live　as　well　as　you？〃　retorted　a　broker。

〃Yes；　but　not　to　force　yourself　on　a　lady。　　Why；　she'd　give　you　in
charge　of　the　police　if　you　tried　it　on　outside。〃

Then　there　was　a　downright　clamor　of　discussion　and　chaff。

Presently　up　rises　very　slowly　a　countryman　so　colossal；　that　it
seemed　as　if　he　would　never　have　done　getting　up；　and　gives　his
experiences。　　He　informed　the　company；　in　a　broad　Yorkshire
dialect；　that　he　did　a　bit　in　furniture；　and　at　first　starting
these　brokers　buzzed　about　him　like　flies；　and　pestered　him。　　〃Aah
damned　'em　pretty　hard；〃　said　he；　〃but　they　didn't　heed　any。　　So
then　ah　spoke　'em　civil；　and　ah　said；　'Well；　lads；　I　dinna　come　fra
Yorkshire　to　sit　like　a　dummy　and　let　you　buy　wi'　my　brass；　the
first　that　pesters　me　again　ah'll　just　fell　him　on　t'　plaace；　like
a　caulf；　and　ah'm　not　very　sure　he'll　get　up　again　in　a　hurry。'　　So
they　dropped　me　like　a　hot　potato；　never　pestered　me　again。　　But　if
they　won't　give　over　pestering　you；　mistress；　ah'll　come　round　and
just　stand　behind　your　chair；　and　bring　nieve　with　me；〃　showing　a
fist　like　a　leg　of　mutton。

〃No；　no；〃　said　the　auctioneer；　〃that　will　not　do。　　I　will　have　no
disturbance　here。　　Call　the　policeman。〃

While　the　clerk　went　to　the　door　for　the　bobby；　a　gentleman
reminded　the　auctioneer　that　the　journals　had　repeatedly　drawn
attention　to　the　nuisance。

〃Fault　of　the　public；　not　mine；　sir。　　Policeman；　stand　behind　that
lady's　chair；　and　if　anybody　annoys　her　put　him　quietly　into　the
street。〃

〃This　auction…room　will　be　to　let　soon；〃　said　a　voice　at　the　end　of
the　table。

〃This　auction…room；〃　said　the　auctioneer；　master　of　the　gay　or
grave　at　a　moment's　notice；　〃is　supported　by　the　public　and　the
trade；　it　is　not　supported　by　paupers。〃

A　Jew　upholsterer　put　in　his　word。　　〃I　do　my　own　business；　but　I
like　to　let　a　poor　man　live。〃

〃Jonathan；〃　said　the　auctioneer　to　one　of　his　servants；　〃after　this
sale　you　may　put　up　the　shutters；　we　have　gone　and　offended　Mr。
Jacobs。　　He　keeps　a　shop　in　Blind　Alley；　Whitechapel。　　Now　then；
lot　69。〃

Rosa　bid　timidly　for　one　or　two　lots；　and　bought　them　cheap。

The　auctioneer　kept　looking　her　way；　and　she　had　only　to　nod。

The　obnoxious　broker　got　opposite　her；　and　ran　her　up　a　little　out
of　spite；　but　as　he　had　only　got　half　a　crown　about　him；　and　no
means　of　doubling　it；　he　dared　not　go　far。

On　the　other　side　of　the　table　was　a　figure　to　which　Rosa's　eyes
often　turned　with　interesta　fair　young　boy　about　twelve　years
old；　he　had　golden　hair；　and　was　in　deep　mourning。　　His　appearance
interested　Rosa；　and　she　wondered　how　he　came　there；　and　why；　he
looked　like　a　lamb　wedged　in　among　wolves；　a　flower　among　weeds。
As　the　lots　proceeded；　the　boy　seemed　to　get　uneasy；　and　at　last；
when　lot　'73　was　put　up；　anybody　could　see　in　his　poor　little　face
that　he　was　there　to　bid　for　it。

〃Lot　'73；　an　armchair　covered　in　morocco。　　An　excellent　and　useful
article。　　Should　not　be　at　all　surprised　if　it　was　made　by　Gillow。〃

〃Gillow　would　though；〃　said　Jacobs；　who　owed　him　a　turn。

Chorus　of　dealers。〃Haw！　haw！〃

The　auctioneer。〃I　like　to　hear　some　people　run　a　lot　down；　shows
they　are　going　to　bid　for　it　in　earnest。　　Well；　name　your　own
price。　　Five　pounds　to　begin？〃

Now　if　nobody　had　spoken　the　auctioneer　would　have　gone　on；　〃Well；
four　pounds　thenthree；　two；　whatever　you　like；〃　and　at　last
obtained　a　bona　fide　offer　of　thirty　shillings；　but　the　moment　he
said　〃Five　pounds　to　begin；〃　the　boy　in　black　lifted　up　his
childish　treble　and　bid　thus；　〃Five　pound　ten〃〃six　pounds〃〃six
pound　ten〃〃seven　pounds〃〃seven　pound　ten〃〃eight　pounds〃
〃eight　pound　ten〃〃nine　pounds〃〃nine　pound　ten〃〃ten　pounds！〃
without　interruption；　and　indeed　almost　in　a　breath。

There　was　a　momentary　pause　of　amazement；　and　then　an　outburst　of
chaff。

〃Nice　little　boy！〃

〃Didn't　he　say　his　lesson　well？〃

〃Favor　us　with　your　card；　sir。　　You　are　a　gent　as　knows　how　to
buy。〃

〃What　did　he　stop　for？　　If　it's　worth　ten；　it　is　worth　a　hundred。〃

〃Bless　the　child！〃　said　a　female　dealer；　kindly；　〃what　made　you　go
on　like　that？　　Why；　there　was　no　one　bid　against　you！　you'd　have
got　it　for　two　poundsa　rickety　old　thing。〃

Young　master　began　to　whimper。　　〃Why；　the　gentleman　said；　'Five
pounds　to　BEGIN。'　　It　was　the　chair　poor　grandpapa　always　sat　in；
and　all　the　things　are　sold；　and　mamma　said　it　would　break　her
heart　to　lose　it。　　She　was　too　ill　to　come；　so　she　sent　me。　　She
told　me　I　was　not　to　let　it　be　sold　away　from　us　for　less　than　ten
pounds；　or　she　shshould　be　mmmiserable；〃　and　the　poor　little
fellow　began　to　cry。　　Rosa　followed　suit　promptly　but　unobtrusively。

〃Sentiment　always　costs　money；〃　said　Mr。　Jacobs；　gravely。

〃How　do　you　know？〃　asked　Mr。　Cohen。　　〃Have　YOU　got　any　on　hand？　　I
never　seen　none　at　your　shop。〃

Some　tempting　things　now　came　up；　and　Mrs。　Staines　bid　freely；　but
all　of　a　sudden　she　looked　down　the　table；　and　there　was　Uncle
Philip；　twinkling　as　before。　　〃Oh；　dear！　what　am　I　doing　now！〃
thought　she。　　〃I　have　got　no　broker。〃

She　bid　on；　but　in　fear　and　trembling；　because　of　those　twinkling
eyes。　　At　last　she　mustered　courage；　wrote　on　a　leaf　of　her　pocket…
book；　and　passed　it　down　to　him：　〃It　would　be　only　kind　to　warn　me。
What　am　I　doing　wrong？〃

He　sent　her　back　a　line　directly：　〃Auctioneer　running　you　up
himself。　　Follow　his　eye　when　he　bids；　you　will　see　there　is　no
bona　fide　bidder　at　your　prices。〃

Rosa　did　so；　and　found　that　it　was　true。

She　nodded　to　Uncle　Philip；　and；　with　her　expressive　face；　asked
him　what　she　should　do。

The　old　boy　must　have　his　joke。　　So　he　wrote　back：　〃Tell　him；　as
you　see　he　has　a　fancy　for　certain　articles；　you　would　not　be　so
discourteous　as　to　bid　against　him。〃

The　next　article　but　one　was　a　drawing…room　suite　Rosa　wanted；　but
the　auctioneer　bid　against　her；　so　at　eighteen　pounds　she　stopped。

〃It　is　against　you；　madam；〃　said　the　auctioneer。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Rosa；　〃but　as　you　are　the　only　bidder；　and　you
have　been　so　kind　to　me；　I　would　not　think　of　opposing　you。〃

The　words　were　scarcely　out　of　her　mouth；　when　they　were　greeted
with　a　roar　of　Homeric　laughter　that　literally　shook　the　room；　and
this　time　not　at　the　expense　of　the　innocent　speaker。

〃That's　into　your　mutton；　governor。〃

〃Sharp's　the　word　this　time。〃

〃I　say；　governor；　don't　you　want　a　broker　to　bid　for　ye？〃

〃Wink　at　me　next　time；　sir；　I'll　do　the　office　for　you。〃

〃No　greenhorns　left　now。〃

〃That　lady　won't　give　a　ten…pund　note　for　her　grandfather's
armchair。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　she　will；　if　it's　stuffed　with　banknotes。〃

〃Put　the　next　lot　up　with　the　owner's　name　and　the　reserve　price。
Open　business。〃

〃And　sing　a　psalm　at　starting。〃

〃A　little　less　noise　in　Judaea；　if　you　please；〃　said　the
auctioneer；　who　had　now　recovered　from　the　blow。　　〃Lot　97。〃

This　was　a　very　pretty　marqueterie　cabinet；　it　stood　against　the
wall；　and　Rosa　had　set　her　heart　upon　it。　　Nobody　would　bid。　　She
had　muzzled　the　auctioneer　effectually。

〃Your　own　price。〃

〃Two　pounds；〃　said　Rosa。

A　dealer　offered　guineas；　and　it　advanced　slowly　to　four　pounds　and
half　a　c