151看书网【151kanshu.com】第一时间更新《雾都孤儿(中英文对照)》最新章节。
OLIVER,BEINGGOADEDBYTHETAUNTSOFNOAH,ROUSESINTOACTION,ANDRATHERASTONISHESHIM
Themonth'strialover,Oliverwasformallyapprenticed。Itwasanicesicklyseasonjustatthistime。Incommercialphrase,coffinswerelookingup;and,inthecourseofafewweeks,Oliveracquiredagreatdealofexperience。ThesuccessofMr。Sowerberry'singeniousspeculation,exceededevenhismostsanguinehopes。Theoldestinhabitantsrecollectednoperiodatwhichmeasleshadbeensoprevalent,orsofataltoinfantexistence;andmanywerethemournfulprocessionswhichlittleOliverheaded,inahat-bandreachingdowntohisknees,totheindescribableadmirationandemotionofallthemothersinthetown。AsOliveraccompaniedhismasterinmostofhis*****expeditionstoo,inorderthathemightacquirethatequanimityofdemeanourandfullcommandofnervewhichwasessentialtoafinishedundertaker,hehadmanyopportunitiesofobservingthebeautifulresignationandfortitudewithwhichsomestrong-mindedpeoplebeartheirtrialsandlosses。
Forinstance;whenSowerberryhadanorderfortheburialofsomericholdladyorgentleman,whowassurroundedbyagreatnumberofnephewsandnieces,whohadbeenperfectlyinconsolableduringthepreviousillness,andwhosegriefhadbeenwhollyirrepressibleevenonthemostpublicoccasions,theywouldbeashappyamongthemselvesasneedbe--quitecheerfulandcontented--conversingtogetherwithasmuchfreedomandgaiety,asifnothingwhateverhadhappenedtodisturbthem。Husbands,too,borethelossoftheirwiveswiththemostheroiccalmness。Wives,again,putonweedsfortheirhusbands,asif,sofarfromgrievinginthegarbofsorrow,theyhadmadeuptheirmindstorenderitasbecomingandattractiveaspossible。Itwasobservable,too,thatladiesandgentlemenwhowereinpassionsofanguishduringtheceremonyofinterment,recoveredalmostassoonastheyreachedhome,andbecamequitecomposedbeforethetea-drinkingwasover。Allthiswasverypleasantandimprovingtosee;andOliverbehelditwithgreatadmiration。
ThatOliverTwistwasmovedtoresignationbytheexampleofthesegoodpeople,Icannot,althoughIamhisbiographer,undertaketoaffirmwithanydegreeofconfidence;butIcanmostdistinctlysay,thatformanymonthshecontinuedmeeklytosubmittothedominationandill-treatmentofNoahClaypole:whousedhimfarworsethanbefore,nowthathisjealousywasrousedbyseeingthenewboypromotedtotheblackstickandhatband,whilehe,theoldone,remainedstationaryinthemuffin-capandleathers。Charlottetreatedhimill,becauseNoahdid;andMrs。Sowerberrywashisdecidedenemy,becauseMr。Sowerberrywasdisposedtobehisfriend;so,betweenthesethreeononeside,andaglutoffuneralsontheother,Oliverwasnotaltogetherascomfortableasthehungrypigwas,whenhewasshutup,bymistake,inthegraindepartmentofabrewery。
Andnow,IcometoaveryimportantpassageinOliver'shistory;forIhavetorecordanact,slightandunimportantperhapsinappearance,butwhichindirectlyproducedamaterialchangeinallhisfutureprospectsandproceedings。
Oneday,OliverandNoahhaddescendedintothekitchenattheusualdinner-hour,tobanquetuponasmalljointofmutton--apoundandahalfoftheworstendoftheneck--whenCharlottebeingcalledoutoftheway,thereensuedabriefintervaloftime,whichNoahClaypole,beinghungryandvicious,consideredhecouldnotpossiblydevotetoaworthierpurposethanaggravatingandtantalisingyoungOliverTwist。
Intentuponthisinnocentamusement,Noahputhisfeetonthetable-cloth;andpulledOliver'shair;andtwitchedhisears;andexpressedhisopinionthathewasa‘sneak’;andfurthermoreannouncedhisintentionofcomingtoseehimhanged,wheneverthatdesirableeventshouldtakeplace;andentereduponvarioustopicsofpettyannoyance,likeamaliciousandill-conditionedcharity-boyashewas。But,makingOlivercry,Noahattemptedtobemorefacetiousstill;andinhisattempt,didwhatmanysometimesdotothisday,whentheywanttobefunny。Hegotratherpersonal。
‘Work'us,’saidNoah,‘how'syourmother?’
‘She'sdead,’repliedOliver;‘don'tyousayanythingabouthertome!’
Oliver'scolourroseashesaidthis;hebreathedquickly;andtherewasacuriousworkingofthemouthandnostrils,whichMr。Claypolethoughtmustbetheimmediateprecursorofaviolentfitofcrying。Underthisimpressionhereturnedtothecharge。
‘Whatdidshedieof,Work'us?’saidNoah。
‘Ofabrokenheart,someofouroldnursestoldme,’repliedOliver:moreasifheweretalkingtohimself,thanansweringNoah。‘IthinkIknowwhatitmustbetodieofthat!’
‘Tolderollollol,rightfollairy,Work'us,’saidNoah,asatearrolleddownOliver'scheek。‘What'ssetyouasnivellingnow?’
‘Not_you_,’repliedOliver,sharply。‘There;that'senough。Don'tsayanythingmoretomeabouther;you'dbetternot!’
‘Betternot!’exclaimedNoah。‘Well!Betternot!Work'us,don'tbeimpudent。_Your_mother,too!Shewasanice’unshewas。Oh,Lor!‘Andhere,Noahnoddedhisheadexpressively;andcurledupasmuchofhissmallrednoseasmuscularactioncouldcollecttogether,fortheoccasion。
‘Yerknow,Work'us,’continuedNoah,emboldenedbyOliver'ssilence,andspeakinginajeeringtoneofaffectedpity:ofalltonesthemostannoying:‘Yerknow,Work'us,itcan'tbehelpednow;andofcourseyercouldn'thelpitthen;andIamverysorryforit;andI'msureweallare,andpityyerverymuch。Butyermustknow,Work'us,yermotherwasaregularright-downbad’un。‘
‘Whatdidyousay?’inquiredOliver,lookingupveryquickly。
‘Aregularright-downbad’un,Work'us,‘repliedNoah,coolly。’Andit'sagreatdealbetter,Work'us,thatshediedwhenshedid,orelseshe'dhavebeenhardlabouringinBridewell,ortransported,orhung;whichismorelikelythaneither,isn'tit?‘
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