the lazy tour of two idle apprentices(两个闲荡徒弟的旅行)-第25章
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'I must tell it to you；' said the old man； with a ghastly and a stony stare。
'What？' asked Francis Goodchild。
'You know where it took place。 Yonder！'
Whether he pointed to the room above； or to the room below； or to any
room in that old house； or to a room in some other old house in that old
town； Mr。 Goodchild was not； nor is； nor ever can be； sure。 He was
confused by the circumstance that the right forefinger of the One old man
seemed to dip itself in one of the threads of fire； light itself； and make a
fiery start in the air； as it pointed somewhere。 Having pointed
somewhere； it went out。
'You know she was a Bride；' said the old man。
'I know they still send up Bride…cake；' Mr。 Goodchild faltered。 'This is
a very oppressive air。'
'She was a Bride；' said the old man。 'She was a fair； flaxen… haired；
large…eyed girl； who had no character； no purpose。 A weak； credulous；
incapable； helpless nothing。 Not like her mother。 No； no。 It was her
father whose character she reflected。
'Her mother had taken care to secure everything to herself； for her own
life； when the father of this girl （a child at that time） died … of sheer
helplessness； no other disorder … and then He renewed the acquaintance
that had once subsisted between the mother and Him。 He had been put
aside for the flaxen…haired； large…eyed man （or nonentity） with Money。
He could overlook that for Money。 He wanted compensation in Money。
'So； he returned to the side of that woman the mother； made love to her
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again； danced attendance on her； and submitted himself to her whims。
She wreaked upon him every whim she had； or could invent。 He bore it。
And the more he bore； the more he wanted compensation in Money； and
the more he was resolved to have it。
'But； lo！ Before he got it； she cheated him。 In one of her imperious
states； she froze； and never thawed again。 She put her hands to her head
one night； uttered a cry； stiffened； lay in that attitude certain hours； and
died。 And he had got no compensation from her in Money； yet。 Blight
and Murrain on her！ Not a penny。
'He had hated her throughout that second pursuit； and had longed for
retaliation on her。 He now counterfeited her signature to an instrument；
leaving all she had to leave； to her daughter … ten years old then … to whom
the property passed absolutely； and appointing himself the daughter's
Guardian。 When He slid it under the pillow of the bed on which she lay；
He bent down in the deaf ear of Death； and whispered： 〃Mistress Pride； I
have determined a long time that； dead or alive； you must make me
compensation in Money。'
'So； now there were only two left。 Which two were； He； and the fair
flaxen…haired； large…eyed foolish daughter； who afterwards became the
Bride。
'He put her to school。 In a secret； dark； oppressive； ancient house； he
put her to school with a watchful and unscrupulous woman。 〃My worthy
lady；〃 he said； 〃here is a mind to be formed； will you help me to form it？〃
She accepted the trust。 For which she； too； wanted compensation in
Money； and had it。
'The girl was formed in the fear of him； and in the conviction； that
there was no escape from him。 She was taught； from the first； to regard
him as her future husband … the man who must marry her … the destiny that
overshadowed her … the appointed certainty that could never be evaded。
The poor fool was soft white wax in their hands； and took the impression
that they put upon her。 It hardened with time。 It became a part of
herself。 Inseparable from herself； and only to be torn away from her； by
tearing life away from her。
'Eleven years she had lived in the dark house and its gloomy garden。
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He was jealous of the very light and air getting to her； and they kept her
close。 He stopped the wide chimneys； shaded the little windows； left the
strong…stemmed ivy to wander where it would over the house…front； the
moss to accumulate on the untrimmed fruit…trees in the red…walled garden；
the weeds to over…run its green and yellow walks。 He surrounded her
with images of sorrow and desolation。 He caused her to be filled with
fears of the place and of the stories that were told of it； and then on pretext
of correcting them； to be left in it in solitude； or made to shrink about it in
the dark。 When her mind was most depressed and fullest of terrors； then；
he would come out of one of the hiding…places from which he overlooked
her； and present himself as her sole resource。
'Thus； by being from her childhood the one embodiment her life
presented to her of power to coerce and power to relieve； power to bind
and power to loose； the ascendency over her weakness was secured。 She
was twenty…one years and twenty…one days old； when he brought her home
to the gloomy house； his half…witted； frightened； and submissive Bride of
three weeks。
'He had dismissed the governess by that time … what he had left to do；
he could best do alone … and they came back； upon a rain night； to the
scene of her long preparation。 She turned to him upon the threshold； as
the rain was dripping from the porch； and said：
'〃O sir； it is the Death…watch ticking for me！〃
'〃Well！〃 he answered。 〃And if it were？〃 '〃O sir！〃 she returned to
him； 〃look kindly on me； and be merciful to me！ I beg your pardon。 I
will do anything you wish； if you will only forgive me！〃
'That had become the poor fool's constant song： 〃I beg your pardon；〃
and 〃Forgive me！〃
'She was not worth hating； he felt nothing but contempt for her。 But；
she had long been in the way； and he had long been weary； and the work
was near its end； and had to be worked out。
'〃You fool；〃 he said。 〃Go up the stairs！〃
'She obeyed very quickly； murmuring； 〃I will do anything you wish！〃
When he came into the Bride's Chamber； having been a little retarded by
the heavy fastenings of the great door （for they were alone in the house；
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and he had arranged that the people who attended on them should come
and go in the day）； he found her withdrawn to the furthest corner； and
there standing pressed against the paneling as if she would have shrunk
through it： her flaxen hair all wild about her face； and her large eyes
staring at him in vague terror。
'〃What are you afraid of？ Come and sit down by me。〃
'〃I will do anything you wish。 I beg your pardon； sir。 Forgive me！〃
Her monotonous tune as usual。
'〃Ellen； here is a writing that you must write out to…morrow； in your
own hand。 You may as well be seen by others； busily engaged upon it。
When you have written it all fairly； and corrected all mistakes； call i
