barnaby rudge(巴纳比·卢杰)-第64节
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word。
‘You’ll excuse my mentioning it； I hope？’
‘Don’t apologise； sir； I beg。 And now； if you please； to business。’
During the whole of this dialogue； Mr Chester had suffered
nothing but his smile of unvarying serenity and politeness to
appear upon his face。 Sim Tappertit； who had far too good an
opinion of himself to suspect that anybody could be playing upon
him； thought within himself that this was something like the
respect to which he was entitled； and drew a comparison from this
courteous demeanour of a stranger； by no means favourable to the
worthy locksmith。
‘From what passes in our house；’ said Mr Tappertit； ‘I am
aware； sir； that your son keeps company with a young lady against
your inclinations。 Sir； your son has not used me well。’
‘Mr Tappertit；’ said the other； ‘you grieve me beyond
description。’
‘Thank you； sir；’ replied the ’prentice。 ‘I’m glad to hear you say
so。 He’s very proud； sir； is your son； very haughty。’
‘I am afraid he is haughty；’ said Mr Chester。 ‘Do you know I was
really afraid of that before； and you confirm me？’
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‘To recount the menial offices I’ve had to do for your son； sir；’
said Mr Tappertit； ‘the chairs I’ve had to hand him； the coaches
I’ve had to call for him； the numerous degrading duties； wholly
unconnected with my indenters； that I’ve had to do for him； would
fill a family Bible。 Besides which； sir； he is but a young man
himself and I do not consider “thank’ee Sim；” a proper form of
address on those occasions。’
‘Mr Tappertit； your wisdom is beyond your years。 Pray go on。’
‘I thank you for your good opinion； sir；’ said Sim； much
gratified； ‘and will endeavour so to do。 Now sir； on this account
（and perhaps for another reason or two which I needn’t go into） I
am on your side。 And what I tell you is this—that as long as our
people go backwards and forwards； to and fro； up and down； to
that there jolly old Maypole； lettering； and messaging； and fetching
and carrying； you couldn’t help your son keeping company with
that young lady by deputy；—not if he was minded night and day
by all the Horse Guards； and every man of ’em in the very fullest
uniform。’
Mr Tappertit stopped to take breath after this； and then started
fresh again。
‘Now； sir； I am a coming to the point。 You will inquire of me；
“how is this to he prevented？” I’ll tell you how。 If an honest； civil；
smiling gentleman like you—’
‘Mr Tappertit—really—’
‘No； no； I’m serious；’ rejoined the ’prentice； ‘I am； upon my soul。
If an honest； civil； smiling gentleman like you； was to talk but ten
minutes to our old woman—that’s Mrs Varden—and flatter her up
a bit； you’d gain her over for ever。 Then there’s this point got—
that her daughter Dolly；’—here a flush came over Mr Tappertit’s
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Barnaby Rudge 269
face—‘wouldn’t be allowed to be a go…between from that time
forward； and till that point’s got； there’s nothing ever will prevent
her。 Mind that。’
‘Mr Tappertit； your knowledge of human nature—’
‘Wait a minute；’ said Sim； folding his arms with a dreadful
calmness。 ‘Now I come to the point。 Sir； there is a villain at that
Maypole； a monster in human shape； a vagabond of the deepest
dye； that unless you get rid of and have kidnapped and carried off
at the very least—nothing less will do—will marry your son to that
young woman； as certainly and as surely as if he was the
Archbishop of Canterbury himself。 He will； sir； for the hatred and
malice that he bears to you； let alone the pleasure of doing a bad
action； which to him is its own reward。 If you knew how this chap；
this Joseph Willet—that’s his name—comes backwards and
forwards to our house； libelling； and denouncing； and threatening
you； and how I shudder when I hear him； you’d hate him worse
than I do；—worse than I do； sir；’ said Mr Tappertit wildly； putting
his hair up straighter； and making a crunching noise with his
teeth； ‘if sich a thing is possible。’
‘A little private vengeance in this； Mr Tappertit？’
‘Private vengeance； sir； or public sentiment； or both
combined—destroy him；’ said Mr Tappertit。 ‘Miggs says so too。
Miggs and me both say so。 We can’t bear the plotting and
undermining that takes place。 Our souls recoil from it。 Barnaby
Rudge and Mrs Rudge are in it likewise； but the villain； Joseph
Willet； is the ringleader。 Their plottings and schemes are known to
me and Miggs。 If you want information of ’em； apply to us。 Put
Joseph Willet down； sir。 Destroy him。 Crush him。 And be happy。’
With these words； Mr Tappertit； who seemed to expect no
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reply； and to hold it as a necessary consequence of his eloquence
that his hearer should be utterly stunned； dumbfoundered； and
overwhelmed； folded his arms so that the palm of each hand
rested on the opposite shoulder； and disappeared after the manner
of those mysterious warners of whom he had read in cheap story…
books。
‘That fellow；’ said Mr Chester； relaxing his face when he was
fairly gone； ‘is good practice。 I have some command of my features；
beyond all doubt。 He fully confirms what I suspected； though； and
blunt tools are sometimes found of use； where sharper
instruments would fail。 I fear I may be obliged to make great
havoc among these worthy people。 A troublesome necessity！ I
quite feel for them。’
With that he fell into a quiet slumber：—subsided into such a
gentle； pleasant sleep； that it was quite infantine。
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Chapter 25
eaving the favoured； and well…received； and flattered of
the world； him of the world most worldly； who never
L
compromised himself by an ungentlemanly action； and
never was guilty of a manly one； to lie smilingly asleep—for even
sleep； working but little change in his dissembling face； became
with him a piece of cold； conventional hypocrisy—we follow in the
steps of two slow travellers on foot； making towards Chigwell。
Barnaby and his mother。 Grip in their company； of course。
The widow； to whom each painful mile seemed longer than the
last； toiled wearily along； while Barnaby； yielding to every
inconstant impulse； fluttered here and there； now leaving her far
behind； now lingering far behind himself； now darting into some
by…lane or path and leaving her to pursue her way alone； until he
stealthily emerged again and came upon her with a wild shout of
merriment； as his wayward and capricious nature prompted。 Now
he would call to her from the topmost branch of some high tree by
the roadside； now using his tall staff as a leaping…pole； come flying
over ditch or hedge or five…barred gate； now run with surprising
swiftness for a mile or more on the straight road； and halting；
sport upon a patch of grass with Grip till she came up。 These were
his delights； and when his patient mother heard his merry voice；
or looked into his flushed and healthy face； she would not have
abated them by one sad word
