雾都孤儿(中英文对照)

Chapter 23【1 / 3】

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WHICHCONTAINSTHESUBSTANCEOFAPLEASANTCONVERSATIONBETWEENMR。BUMBLEANDALADY;ANDSHOWSTHATEVENABEADLEMAYBESUSCEPTIBLEONSOMEPOINTS

Thenightwasbittercold。Thesnowlayontheground,frozenintoahardthickcrust,sothatonlytheheapsthathaddriftedintobywaysandcornerswereaffectedbythesharpwindthathowledabroad:which,asifexpendingincreasedfuryonsuchpreyasitfound,caughtitsavagelyupinclouds,and,whirlingitintoathousandmistyeddies,scattereditinair。Bleak,dark,andpiercingcold,itwasanightforthewell-housedandfedtodrawroundthebrightfireandthankGodtheywereathome;andforthehomeless,starvingwretchtolayhimdownanddie。Manyhunger-wornoutcastsclosetheireyesinourbarestreets,atsuchtimes,who,lettheircrimeshavebeenwhattheymay,canhardlyopentheminamorebitterworld。

Suchwastheaspectofout-of-doorsaffairs,whenMrs。Corney,thematronoftheworkhousetowhichourreadershavebeenalreadyintroducedasthebirthplaceofOliverTwist,satherselfdownbeforeacheerfulfireinherownlittleroom,andglanced,withnosmalldegreeofcomplacency,atasmallroundtable:onwhichstoodatrayofcorrespondingsize,furnishedwithallnecessarymaterialsforthemostgratefulmealthatmatronsenjoy。Infact,Mrs。Corneywasabouttosolaceherselfwithacupoftea。Assheglancedfromthetabletothefireplace,wherethesmallestofallpossiblekettleswassingingasmallsonginasmallvoice,herinwardsatisfactionevidentlyincreased,--somuchso,indeed,thatMrs。Corneysmiled。

‘Well!’saidthematron,leaningherelbowonthetable,andlookingreflectivelyatthefire;‘I'msurewehaveallonusagreatdealtobegratefulfor!Agreatdeal,ifwedidbutknowit。Ah!’

Mrs。Corneyshookherheadmournfully,asifdeploringthementalblindnessofthosepauperswhodidnotknowit;andthrustingasilverspoon(privateproperty)intotheinmostrecessesofatwo-ouncetintea-caddy,proceededtomakethetea。

Howslightathingwilldisturbtheequanimityofourfrailminds!Theblackteapot,beingverysmallandeasilyfilled,ranoverwhileMrs。Corneywasmoralising;andthewaterslightlyscaldedMrs。Corney'shand。

‘Dratthepot!’saidtheworthymatron,settingitdownveryhastilyonthehob;‘alittlestupidthing,thatonlyholdsacoupleofcups!Whatuseisitof,toanybody!Except,’saidMrs。Corney,pausing,‘excepttoapoordesolatecreaturelikeme。Ohdear!’

Withthesewords,thematrondroppedintoherchair,and,oncemorerestingherelbowonthetable,thoughtofhersolitaryfate。Thesmallteapot,andthesinglecup,hadawakenedinhermindsadrecollectionsofMr。Corney(whohadnotbeendeadmorethanfive-and-twentyyears);andshewasoverpowered。

‘Ishallnevergetanother!’saidMrs。Corney,pettishly;‘Ishallnevergetanother--likehim。’

Whetherthisremarkborereferencetothehusband,ortheteapot,isuncertain。Itmighthavebeenthelatter;forMrs。Corneylookedatitasshespoke;andtookitupafterwards。Shehadjusttastedherfirstcup,whenshewasdisturbedbyasofttapattheroom-door。

‘Oh,comeinwithyou!’saidMrs。Corney,sharply。‘Someoftheoldwomendying,Isuppose。TheyalwaysdiewhenI'matmeals。Don'tstandthere,lettingthecoldairin,don't。What'samissnow,eh?’

‘Nothing,ma'am,nothing,’repliedaman'svoice。

‘Dearme!’exclaimedthematron,inamuchsweetertone,‘isthatMr。Bumble?’

‘Atyourservice,ma'am,’saidMr。Bumble,whohadbeenstoppingoutsidetorubhisshoesclean,andtoshakethesnowoffhiscoat;andwhonowmadehisappearance,bearingthecockedhatinonehandandabundleintheother。‘ShallIshutthedoor,ma'am?’

Theladymodestlyhesitatedtoreply,lestthereshouldbeanyimproprietyinholdinganinterviewwithMr。Bumble,withcloseddoors。Mr。Bumbletakingadvantageofthehesitation,andbeingverycoldhimself,shutitwithoutpermission。

‘Hardweather,Mr。Bumble,’saidthematron。

‘Hard,indeed,ma'am,’repliedthebeadle。‘Anti-porochialweatherthis,ma'am。Wehavegivenaway,Mrs。Corney,wehavegivenawayamatteroftwentyquarternloavesandacheeseandahalf,thisveryblessedafternoon;andyetthempaupersarenotcontented。’

‘Ofcoursenot。Whenwouldtheybe,Mr。Bumble?’saidthematron,sippinghertea。

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