Chapter 56 Several People delighted, and the Game Chicken disgusted The Midshipman was all alive. Mr Toots and Susan had arrived at last. Susan had run upstairs like a young woman bereft of her senses, and Mr Toots and the Chicken had gone into the Parlour. 'Oh my own pretty darling sweet Miss Floy!' cried the Nipper, running into Florence's room, 'to think that it should come to this and I should find you here my own dear dove with nobody to wait upon you and no home to call your own but never never will I go away again Miss Floy for though I may not gather moss I'm not a rolling stone nor is my heart a stone or else it wouldn't bust as it is busting now oh dear oh dear!' Pouring out these words, without the faintest indication of a stop, of any sort, Miss Nipper, on her knees beside her mistress, hugged her close. 'Oh love!' cried Susan, 'I know all that's past I know it all my tender pet and I'm a choking give me air!' 'Susan, dear good Susan!' said Florence. 'Oh bless her! I that was her little maid when she was a little child! and is she really, really truly going to be married?'exclaimed Susan, in a burst of pain and pleasure, pride and grief, and Heaven knows how many other conflicting feelings. 'Who told you so?' said Florence. 'Oh gracious me! that innocentest creetur Toots,' returned Susan hysterically. 'I knew he must be right my dear, because he took on so. He's the devotedest and innocentest infant! And is my darling,' pursued Susan, with another close embrace and burst of tears, 'really really going to be married!' The mixture of compassion, pleasure, tenderness, protection, and regret with which the Nipper constantly recurred to this subject, and at every such once, raised her head to look in the young face and kiss it, and then laid her head again upon her mistress's shoulder, caressing her and sobbing, was as womanly and good a thing, in its way, as ever was seen in the world. 'There, there!' said the soothing voice of Florence presently. 'Now you're quite yourself, dear Susan!' Miss Nipper, sitting down upon the floor, at her mistress's feet, laughing and sobbing, holding her pocket-handkerchief to her eyes with one hand, and patting Diogenes with the other as he licked her face, confessed to being more composed, and laughed and cried a little more in proof of it. 'I-I-I never did see such a creetur as that Toots,' said Susan, 'in all my born days never!' 'So kind,' suggested Florence. 'And so comic!' Susan sobbed. 'The way he's been going on inside with me with that disrespectable Chicken on the box!' 'About what, Susan?' inquired Florence, timidly. 'Oh about Lieutenant Walters, and Captain Gills, and you my dear Miss Floy, and the silent tomb,' said Susan. 'The silent tomb!' repeated Florence. 'He says,' here Susan burst into a violent hysterical laugh, 'that he'll go down into it now immediately and quite comfortable, but bless your heart my dear Miss Floy he won't, he's a great deal too happy in seeing other people happy for that, he may not be a Solomon,' pursued the Nipper, with her usual volubility, 'nor do I say he is but this I do say a less selfish human creature human nature never knew!' Miss Nipper being still hysterical, laughed immoderately after making this energetic declaration, and then informed Florence that he was waiting below to see her; which would be a rich repayment for the trouble he had had in his late expedition. Florence entreated Susan to beg of Mr Toots as a favour that she might have the pleasure of thanking him for his kindness; and Susan, in a few moments, produced that young gentleman, still very much dishevelled in appearance, and stammering exceedingly. 'Miss Dombey,' said Mr Toots. 'To be again permitted to - to - gaze - at least, not to gaze, but - I don't exactly know what I was going to say, but it's of no consequence. 'I have to thank you so often,' returned Florence, giving him both her hands, with all her innocent gratitude beaming in her face, 'that I have no words left, and don't know how to do it.' 'Miss Dombey,' said Mr Toots, in an awful voice, 'if it was possible that you could, consistently with your angelic nature, Curse me, you would - if I may be allowed to say so - floor me infinitely less, than by these undeserved expressions of kindness Their effect upon me - is - but,' said Mr Toots, abruptly, 'this is a digression, and of no consequence at all.' As there seemed to be no means of replying to this, but by thanking him again, Florence thanked him again. 'I could wish,' said Mr Toots, 'to take this opportunity, Miss Dombey, if I might, of entering into a word of explanation. I should have had the pleasure of - of returning with Susan at an earlier period; but, in the first place, we didn't know the name of the relation to whose house she had gone, and, in the second, as she had left that relation's and gone to another at a distance, I think that scarcely anything short of the sagacity of the Chicken, would have found her out in the time.' Florence was sure of it. 'This, however,' said Mr Toots, 'is not the point. The company of Susan has been, I assure you, Miss Dombey, a consolation and satisfaction to me, in my state of mind, more easily conceived than described. The journey has been its own reward. That, however, still, is not the point. Miss Dombey, I have before observed that I know I am not what is considered a quick person. I am perfectly aware of that. I don't think anybody could be better acquainted with his own - if it was not too strong an expression, I should say with the thickness of his own head - than myself. But, Miss Dombey, I do, notwithstanding, perceive the state of - of things - with Lieutenant Walters. Whatever agony that state of things may have caused me (which is of no consequence at all), I am bound to say, that Lieutenant Walters is a person who appears to be worthy of the blessing that has fallen on his - on his brow. May he wear it long, and appreciate it, as a very different, and very unworthy individual, that it is of no consequence to name, would have done! That, however, still, is not the point. Miss Dombey, Captain Gills is a friend of mine; and during the interval that is now elapsing, I believe it would afford Captain Gills pleasure to see me occasionally coming backwards and forwards here. It would afford me pleasure so to come. But I cannot forget that I once committed myself, fatally, at the corner of the Square at Brighton; and if my presence will be, in the least degree, unpleasant to you, I only ask you to name it to me now, and assure you that I shall perfectly understand you. I shall not consider it at all unkind, and shall only be too delighted and happy to be honoured with your confidence.' 'Mr Toots,' returned Florence, 'if you, who are so old and true a friend of mine, were to stay away from this house now, you would make me very unhappy. It can never, never, give me any feeling but pleasure to see you. 'Miss Dombey,' said Mr Toots, taking out his pocket-handkerchief, 'if I shed a tear, it is a tear of joy. It is of no consequence, and I am very much obliged to you. I may be allowed to remark, after what you have so kindly said, that it is not my intention to neglect my person any longer.' Florence received this intimation with the prettiest expression of perplexity possible. 'I mean,' said Mr Toots, 'that I shall consider it my duty as a fellow-creature generally, until I am claimed by the silent tomb, to make the best of myself, and to - to have my boots as brightly polished, as - as -circumstances will admit of. This is the last time, Miss Dombey, of my intruding any observation of a private and personal nature. I thank you very much indeed. if I am not, in a general way, as sensible as my friends could wish me to be, or as I could wish myself, I really am, upon my word and honour, particularly sensible of what is considerate and kind. I feel,' said Mr Toots, in an impassioned tone, 'as if I could express my feelings, at the present moment, in a most remarkable manner, if - if - I could only get a start.' Appearing not to get it, after waiting a minute or two to see if it would come, Mr Toots took a hasty leave, and went below to seek the Captain, whom he found in the shop. 'Captain Gills,' said Mr Toots, 'what is now to take place between us, takes place under the sacred seal of confidence. It is the sequel, Captain Gills, of what has taken place between myself and Miss Dombey, upstairs.' 'Alow and aloft, eh, my lad?' murmured the Captain. 'Exactly so, Captain Gills,' said Mr Toots, whose fervour of acquiescence was greatly heightened by his entire ignorance of the Captain's meaning. 'Miss Dombey, I believe, Captain Gills, is to be shortly united to Lieutenant Walters?' 'Why, ay, my lad. We're all shipmets here, - Wal'r and sweet- heart will be jined together in the house of bondage, as soon as the askings is over,' whispered Captain Cuttle, in his ear. 'The askings, Captain Gills!' repeated Mr Toots. 'In the church, down yonder,' said the Captain, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. 'Oh! Yes!' returned Mr Toots. 'And then,' said the Captain, in his hoarse whisper, and tapping Mr Toots on the chest with the back of his hand, and falling from him with a look of infinite admiration, 'what follers? That there pretty creetur, as delicately brought up as a foreign bird, goes away upon the roaring main with Wal'r on a woyage to China!' 'Lord, Captain Gills!' said Mr Toots. 'Ay!' nodded the Captain. 'The ship as took him up, when he was wrecked in the hurricane that had drove her clean out of her course, was a China trader, and Wal'r made the woyage, and got into favour, aboard and ashore - being as smart and good a lad as ever stepped - and so, the supercargo dying at Canton, he got made (having acted as clerk afore), and now he's supercargo aboard another ship, same owners. And so, you see,' repeated the Captain, thoughtfully, 'the pretty creetur goes away upon the roaring main with Wal'r, on a woyage to China.' Mr Toots and Captain Cuttle heaved a sigh in concert. 'What then?' said the Captain. 'She loves him true. He loves her true. Them as should have loved and tended of her, treated of her like the beasts as perish. When she, cast out of home, come here to me, and dropped upon them planks, her wownded heart was broke. I know it. I, Ed'ard Cuttle, see it. There's nowt but true, kind, steady love, as can ever piece it up again. If so be I didn't know that, and didn't know as Wal'r was her true love, brother, and she his, I'd have these here blue arms and legs chopped off, afore I'd let her go. But I know it, and what then! Why, then, I say, Heaven go with 'em both, and so it will! Amen!' 'Captain Gills,' said Mr Toots, 'let me have the pleasure of shaking hands You've a way of saying things, that gives me an agreeable warmth, all up my back. I say Amen. You are aware, Captain Gills, that I, too, have adored Miss Dombey.' 'Cheer up!' said the Captain, laying his hand on Mr Toots's shoulder. 'Stand by, boy!' 'It is my intention, Captain Gills,' returned the spirited Mr Toots, 'to cheer up. Also to standby, as much as possible. When the silent tomb shall yawn, Captain Gills, I shall be ready for burial; not before. But not being certain, just at present, of my power over myself, what I wish to say to you, and what I shall take it as a particular favour if you will mention to Lieutenant Walters, is as follows.' 'Is as follers,' echoed the Captain. 'Steady!' 'Miss Dombey being so inexpressably kind,' continued Mr Toots with watery eyes, 'as to say that my presence is the reverse of disagreeable to her, and you and everybody here being no less forbearing and tolerant towards one who - who certainly,' said Mr Toots, with momentary dejection, 'would appear to have been born by mistake, I shall come backwards and forwards of an evening, during the short time we can all be together. But what I ask is this. If, at any moment, I find that I cannot endure the contemplation of Lieutenant Walters's bliss, and should rush out, I hope, Captain Gills, that you and he will both consider it as my misfortune and not my fault, or the want of inward conflict. That you'll feel convinced I bear no malice to any living creature-least of all to Lieutenant Walters himself - and that you'll casually remark that I have gone out for a walk, or probably to see what o'clock it is by the Royal Exchange. Captain Gills, if you could enter into this arrangement, and could answer for Lieutenant Walters, it would be a relief to my feelings that I should think cheap at the sacrifice of a considerable portion of my property.' 'My lad,' returned the Captain, 'say no more. There ain't a colour you can run up, as won't be made out, and answered to, by Wal'r and self.' 'Captain Gills,' said Mr Toots, 'my mind is greatly relieved. I wish to preserve the good opinion of all here. I - I - mean well, upon my honour, however badly I may show it. You know,' said Mr Toots, 'it's as exactly as Burgess and Co. wished to oblige a customer with a most extraordinary pair of trousers, and could not cut out what they had in their minds.' With this apposite illustration, of which he seemed a little Proud, Mr Toots gave Captain Cuttle his blessing and departed. The honest Captain, with his Heart's Delight in the house, and Susan tending her, was a beaming and a happy man. As the days flew by, he grew more beaming and more happy, every day. After some conferences with Susan (for whose wisdom the Captain had a profound respect, and whose valiant precipitation of herself on Mrs MacStinger he could never forget), he proposed to Florence that the daughter of the elderly lady who usually sat under the blue umbrella in Leadenhall Market, should, for prudential reasons and considerations of privacy, be superseded in the temporary discharge of the household duties, by someone who was not unknown to them, and in whom they could safely confide. Susan, being present, then named, in furtherance of a suggestion she had previously offered to the Captain, Mrs Richards. Florence brightened at the name. And Susan, setting off that very afternoon to the Toodle domicile, to sound Mrs Richards, returned in triumph the same evening, accompanied by the identical rosy-cheeked apple-faced Polly, whose demonstrations, when brought into Florence's presence, were hardly less affectionate than those of Susan Nipper herself. This piece of generalship accomplished; from which the Captain derived uncommon satisfaction, as he did, indeed, from everything else that was done, whatever it happened to be; Florence had next to prepare Susan for their approaching separation. This was a much more difficult task, as Miss Nipper was of a resolute disposition, and had fully made up her mind that she had come back never to be parted from her old mistress any more. 'As to wages dear Miss Floy,' she said, 'you wouldn't hint and wrong me so as think of naming them, for I've put money by and wouldn't sell my love and duty at a time like this even if the Savings' Banks and me were total strangers or the Banks were broke to pieces, but you've never been without me darling from the time your poor dear Ma was took away, and though I'm nothing to be boasted of you're used to me and oh my own dear mistress through so many years don't think of going anywhere without me, for it mustn't and can't be!' 'Dear Susan, I am going on a long, long voyage.' 'Well Miss Floy, and what of that? the more you'll want me. Lengths of voyages ain't an object in my eyes, thank God!' said the impetuous Susan Nipper. 'But, Susan, I am going with Walter, and I would go with Walter anywhere - everywhere! Walter is poor, and I am very poor, and I must learn, now, both to help myself, and help him.' 'Dear Miss Floy!' cried Susan, bursting out afresh, and shaking her head violently, 'it's nothing new to you to help yourself and others too and be the patientest and truest of noble hearts, but let me talk to Mr Walter Gay and settle it with him, for suffer you to go away across the world alone I cannot, and I won't.' 'Alone, Susan?' returned Florence. 'Alone? and Walter taking me with him!' Ah, what a bright, amazed, enraptured smile was on her face! - He should have seen it. 'I am sure you will not speak to Walter if I ask you not,' she added tenderly; 'and pray don't, dear.' Susan sobbed 'Why not, Miss Floy?' 'Because,' said Florence, 'I am going to be his wife, to give him up my whole heart, and to live with him and die with him. He might think, if you said to him what you have said to me, that I am afraid of what is before me, or that you have some cause to be afraid for me. Why, Susan, dear, I love him!' Miss Nipper was so much affected by the quiet fervour of these words, and the simple, heartfelt, all-pervading earnestness expressed in them, and making the speaker's face more beautiful and pure than ever, that she could only cling to her again, crying. Was her little mistress really, really going to be married, and pitying, caressing, and protecting her, as she had done before. But the Nipper, though susceptible of womanly weaknesses, was almost as capable of putting constraint upon herself as of attacking the redoubtable MacStinger. From that time, she never returned to the subject, but was always cheerful, active, bustling, and hopeful. She did, indeed, inform Mr Toots privately, that she was only 'keeping up' for the time, and that when it was all over, and Miss Dombey was gone, she might be expected to become a spectacle distressful; and Mr Toots did also express that it was his case too, and that they would mingle their tears together; but she never otherwise indulged her private feelings in the presence of Florence or within the precincts of the Midshipman. Limited and plain as Florence's wardrobe was - what a contrast to that prepared for the last marriage in which she had taken part! - there was a good deal to do in getting it ready, and Susan Nipper worked away at her side, all day, with the concentrated zeal of fifty sempstresses. The wonderful contributions Captain Cuttle would have made to this branch of the outfit, if he had been permitted - as pink parasols, tinted silk stockings, blue shoes, and other articles no less necessary on shipboard - would occupy some space in the recital. He was induced, however, by various fraudulent representations, to limit his contributions to a work-box and dressing case, of each of which he purchased the very largest specimen that could be got for money. For ten days or a fortnight afterwards, he generally sat, during the greater part of the day, gazing at these boxes; divided between extreme admiration of them, and dejected misgivings that they were not gorgeous enough, and frequently diving out into the street to purchase some wild article that he deemed necessary to their completeness. But his master-stroke was, the bearing of them both off, suddenly, one morning, and getting the two words FLORENCE GAY engraved upon a brass heart inlaid over the lid of each. After this, he smoked four pipes successively in the little parlour by himself, and was discovered chuckling, at the expiration of as many hours. Walter was busy and away all day, but came there every morning early to see Florence, and always passed the evening with her. Florence never left her high rooms but to steal downstairs to wait for him when it was his time to come, or, sheltered by his proud, encircling arm, to bear him company to the door again, and sometimes peep into the street. In the twilight they were always together. Oh blessed time! Oh wandering heart at rest! Oh deep, exhaustless, mighty well of love, in which so much was sunk! The cruel mark was on her bosom yet. It rose against her father with the breath she drew, it lay between her and her lover when he pressed her to his heart. But she forgot it. In the beating of that heart for her, and in the beating of her own for him, all harsher music was unheard, all stern unloving hearts forgotten. Fragile and delicate she was, but with a might of love within her that could, and did, create a world to fly to, and to rest in, out of his one image. How often did the great house, and the old days, come before her in the twilight time, when she was sheltered by the arm, so proud, so fond, and, creeping closer to him, shrunk within it at the recollection! How often, from remembering the night when she went down to that room and met the never-to-be forgotten look, did she raise her eyes to those that watched her with such loving earnestness, and weep with happiness in such a refuge! The more she clung to it, the more the dear dead child was in her thoughts: but as if the last time she had seen her father, had been when he was sleeping and she kissed his face, she always left him so, and never, in her fancy, passed that hour. 'Walter, dear,' said Florence, one evening, when it was almost dark.'Do you know what I have been thinking to-day?' 'Thinking how the time is flying on, and how soon we shall be upon the sea, sweet Florence?' 'I don't mean that, Walter, though I think of that too. I have been thinking what a charge I am to you. 'A precious, sacred charge, dear heart! Why, I think that sometimes.' 'You are laughing, Walter. I know that's much more in your thoughts than mine. But I mean a cost. 'A cost, my own?' 'In money, dear. All these preparations that Susan and I are so busy with - I have been able to purchase very little for myself. You were poor before. But how much poorer I shall make you, Walter!' 'And how much richer, Florence!' Florence laughed, and shook her head. 'Besides,' said Walter, 'long ago - before I went to sea - I had a little purse presented to me, dearest, which had money in it.' 'Ah!' returned Florence, laughing sorrowfully, 'very little! very little, Walter! But, you must not think,' and here she laid her light hand on his shoulder, and looked into his face, 'that I regret to be this burden on you. No, dear love, I am glad of it. I am happy in it. I wouldn't have it otherwise for all the world!' 'Nor I, indeed, dear Florence.' 'Ay! but, Walter, you can never feel it as I do. I am so proud of you! It makes my heart swell with such delight to know that those who speak of you must say you married a poor disowned girl, who had taken shelter here; who had no other home, no other friends; who had nothing - nothing! Oh, Walter, if I could have brought you millions, I never could have been so happy for your sake, as I am!' 'And you, dear Florence? are you nothing?' he returned. 'No, nothing, Walter. Nothing but your wife.' The light hand stole about his neck, and the voice came nearer - nearer. 'I am nothing any more, that is not you. I have no earthly hope any more, that is not you. I have nothing dear to me any more, that is not you. Oh! well might Mr Toots leave the little company that evening, and twice go out to correct his watch by the Royal Exchange, and once to keep an appointment with a banker which he suddenly remembered, and once to take a little turn to Aldgate Pump and back! But before he went upon these expeditions, or indeed before he came, and before lights were brought, Walter said: 'Florence, love, the lading of our ship is nearly finished, and probably on the very day of our marriage she will drop down the river. Shall we go away that morning, and stay in Kent until we go on board at Gravesend within a week?' 'If you please, Walter. I shall be happy anywhere. But - ' 'Yes, my life?' 'You know,' said Florence, 'that we shall have no marriage party, and that nobody will distinguish us by our dress from other people. As we leave the same day, will you - will you take me somewhere that morning, Walter - early - before we go to church?' Walter seemed to understand her, as so true a lover so truly loved should, and confirmed his ready promise with a kiss - with more than one perhaps, or two or threes or five or six; and in the grave, peaceful evening, Florence was very happy. Then into the quiet room came Susan Nipper and the candles; shortly afterwards, the tea, the Captain, and the excursive Mr Toots, who, as above mentioned, was frequently on the move afterwards, and passed but a restless evening. This, however, was not his habit: for he generally got on very well, by dint of playing at cribbage with the Captain under the advice and guidance of Miss Nipper, and distracting his mind with the calculations incidental to the game; which he found to be a very effectual means of utterly confounding himself. The Captain's visage on these occasions presented one of the finest examples of combination and succession of expression ever observed. His instinctive delicacy and his chivalrous feeling towards Florence, taught him that it was not a time for any boisterous jollity, or violent display of satisfaction; floating reminiscences of Lovely Peg, on the other hand, were constantly struggling for a vent, and urging the Captain to commit himself by some irreparable demonstration. Anon, his admiration of Florence and Walter - well-matched, truly, and full of grace and interest in their youth, and love, and good looks, as they sat apart - would take such complete possession of hIm, that he would lay down his cards, and beam upon them, dabbing his head all over with his pockethandkerchief; until warned, perhaps, by the sudden rushing forth of Mr Toots, that he had unconsciously been very instrumental, indeed, in making that gentleman miserable. This reflection would make the Captain profoundly melancholy, until the return of Mr Toots; when he would fall to his cards again, with many side winks and nods, and polite waves of his hook at Miss Nipper, importing that he wasn't going to do so any more. The state that ensued on this, was, perhaps, his best; for then, endeavouring to discharge all expression from his face, he would sit staring round the room, with all these expressions conveyed into it at once, and each wrestling with the other. Delighted admiration of Florence and Walter always overthrew the rest, and remained victorious and undisguised, unless Mr Toots made another rush into the air, and then the Captain would sit, like a remorseful culprit, until he came back again, occasionally calling upon himself, in a low reproachful voice, to 'Stand by!' or growling some remonstrance to 'Ed'ard Cuttle, my lad,' on the want of caution observabl in his behaviour. One of Mr Toots's hardest trials, however, was of his own seeking. On the approach of the Sunday which was to witness the last of those askings in church of which the Captain had spoken, Mr Toots thus stated his feelings to Susan Nipper. 'Susan,' said Mr Toots, 'I am drawn towards the building. The words which cut me off from Miss Dombey for ever, will strike upon my ears like a knell you know, but upon my word and honour, I feel that I must hear them. Therefore,' said Mr Toots, 'will you accompany me to-morrow, to the sacred edifice?' Miss Nipper expressed her readiness to do so, if that would be any satisfaction to Mr Toots, but besought him to abandon his idea of going. 'Susan,' returned Mr Toots, with much solemnity, 'before my whiskers began to be observed by anybody but myself, I adored Miss Dombey. While yet a victim to the thraldom of Blimber, I adored Miss Dombey. When I could no longer be kept out of my property, in a legal point of view, and - and accordingly came into it - I adored Miss Dombey. The banns which consign her to Lieutenant Walters, and me to - to Gloom, you know,' said Mr Toots, after hesitating for a strong expression, 'may be dreadful, will be dreadful; but I feel that I should wish to hear them spoken. I feel that I should wish to know that the ground wascertainly cut from under me, and that I hadn't a hope to cherish, or a - or a leg, in short, to - to go upon.' Susan Nipper could only commiserate Mr Toots's unfortunate condition, and agree, under these circumstances, to accompany him; which she did next morning. The church Walter had chosen for the purpose, was a mouldy old church in a yard, hemmed in by a labyrinth of back streets and courts, with a little burying-ground round it, and itself buried in a kind of vault, formed by the neighbouring houses, and paved with echoing stones It was a great dim, shabby pile, with high old oaken pews, among which about a score of people lost themselves every Sunday; while the clergyman's voice drowsily resounded through the emptiness, and the organ rumbled and rolled as if the church had got the colic, for want of a congregation to keep the wind and damp out. But so far was this city church from languishing for the company of other churches, that spires were clustered round it, as the masts of shipping cluster on the river. It would have been hard to count them from its steeple-top, they were so many. In almost every yard and blind-place near, there was a church. The confusion of bells when Susan and Mr Toots betook themselves towards it on the Sunday morning, was deafening. There were twenty churches close together, clamouring for people to come in. The two stray sheep in question were penned by a beadle in a commodious pew, and, being early, sat for some time counting the congregation, listening to the disappointed bell high up in the tower, or looking at a shabby little old man in the porch behind the screen, who was ringing the same, like the Bull in Cock Robin,' with his foot in a stirrup. Mr Toots, after a lengthened survey of the large books on the reading-desk, whispered Miss Nipper that he wondered where the banns were kept, but that young lady merely shook her head and frowned; repelling for the time all approaches of a temporal nature. Mr Toots, however, appearing unable to keep his thoughts from the banns, was evidently looking out for them during the whole preliminary portion of the service. As the time for reading them approached, the poor young gentleman manifested great anxiety and trepidation, which was not diminished by the unexpected apparition of the Captain in the front row of the gallery. When the clerk handed up a list to the clergyman, Mr Toots, being then seated, held on by the seat of the pew; but when the names of Walter Gay and Florence Dombey were read aloud as being in the third and last stage of that association, he was so entirley conquered by his feelings as to rush from the church without his hat, followed by the beadle and pew-opener, and two gentlemen of the medical profeesion, who happened to be present; of whom the first-named presently returned for that article, informing Miss Nipper in a whisper that she was not to make herself uneasy about the gentleman, as the gentleman said his indisposition was of no consequence. Miss Nipper, feeling that the eyes of that integral portion of Europe which lost itself weekly among the high-backed pews, were upon her, would have been sufficient embarrassed by this incident, though it had terminated here; the more so, as the Captain in the front row of the gallery, was in a state of unmitigated consciousness which could hardly fail to express to the congregation that he had some mysterious connection with it. But the extreme restlessness of Mr Toots painfully increased and protracted the delicacy of her situation. That young gentleman, incapable, in his state of mind, of remaining alone in the churchyard, a prey to solitary meditation, and also desirous, no doubt, of testifying his respect for the offices he had in some measure interrupted, suddenly returned - not coming back to the pew, but stationing himself on a free seat in the aisle, between two elderly females who were in the habit of receiving their portion of a weekly dole of bread then set forth on a shelf in the porch. In this conjunction Mr Toots remained, greatly disturbing the congregation, who felt it impossible to avoid looking at him, until his feelings overcame him again, when he departed silently and suddenly. Not venturing to trust himself in the church any more, and yet wishing to have some social participation in what was going on there, Mr Toots was, after this, seen from time to time, looking in, with a lorn aspect, at one or other of the windows; and as there were several windows accessible to him from without, and as his restlessness was very great, it not only became difficult to conceive at which window he would appear next, but likewise became necessary, as it were, for the whole congregation to speculate upon the chances of the different windows, during the comparative leisure afforded them by the sermon. Mr Toots's movements in the churchyard were so eccentric, that he seemed generally to defeat all calculation, and to appear, like the conjuror's figure, where he was least expected; and the effect of these mysterious presentations was much increased by its being difficult to him to see in, and easy to everybody else to see out: which occasioned his remaining, every time, longer than might have been expected, with his face close to the glass, until he all at once became aware that all eyes were upon him, and vanished. These proceedings on the part of Mr Toots, and the strong individual consciousness of them that was exhibited by the Captain, rendered Miss Nipper's position so responsible a one, that she was mightily relieved by the conclusion of the service; and was hardly so affable to Mr Toots as usual, when he informed her and the Captain, on the way back, that now he was sure he had no hope, you know, he felt more comfortable - at least not exactly more comfortable, but more comfortably and completely miserable. Swiftly now, indeed, the time flew by until it was the evening before the day appointed for the marriage. They were all assembled in the upper room at the Midshipman's, and had no fear of interruption; for there were no lodgers in the house now, and the Midshipman had it all to himself. They were grave and quiet in the prospect of to-morrow, but moderately cheerful too. Florence, with Walter close beside her, was finishing a little piece of work intended as a parting gift to the Captain. The Captain was playing cribbage with Mr Toots. Mr Toots was taking counsel as to his hand, of Susan Nipper. Miss Nipper was giving it, with all due secrecy and circumspection. Diogenes was listening, and occasionally breaking out into a gruff half-smothered fragment of a bark, of which he afterwards seemed half-ashamed, as if he doubted having any reason for it. 'Steady, steady!' said the Captain to Diogenes, 'what's amiss with you? You don't seem easy in your mind to-night, my boy!' Diogenes wagged his tail, but pricked up his ears immediately afterwards, and gave utterance to another fragment of a bark; for which he apologised to the Captain, by again wagging his tail. 'It's my opinion, Di,' said the Captain, looking thoughtfully at his cards, and stroking his chin with his hook, 'as you have your doubts of Mrs Richards; but if you're the animal I take you to be, you'll think better o' that; for her looks is her commission. Now, Brother:' to Mr Toots: 'if so be as you're ready, heave ahead.' The Captain spoke with all composure and attention to the game, but suddenly his cards dropped out of his hand, his mouth and eyes opened wide, his legs drew themselves up and stuck out in front of his chair, and he sat staring at the door with blank amazement. Looking round upon the company, and seeing that none of them observed him or the cause of his astonishment, the Captain recovered himself with a great gasp, struck the table a tremendous blow, cried in a stentorian roar, 'Sol Gills ahoy!' and tumbled into the arms of a weather-beaten pea-coat that had come with Polly into the room. In another moment, Walter was in the arms of the weather-beaten pea-coat. In another moment, Florence was in the arms of the weather-beaten pea-coat. In another moment, Captain Cuttle had embraced Mrs Richards and Miss Nipper, and was violently shaking hands with Mr Toots, exclaiming, as he waved his hook above his head, 'Hooroar, my lad, hooroar!' To which Mr Toots, wholly at a loss to account for these proceedings, replied with great politeness, 'Certainly, Captain Gills, whatever you think proper!' The weather-beaten pea-coat, and a no less weather-beaten cap and comforter belonging to it, turned from the Captain and from Florence back to Walter, and sounds came from the weather-beaten pea-coat, cap, and comforter, as of an old man sobbing underneath them; while the shaggy sleeves clasped Walter tight. During this pause, there was an universal silence, and the Captain polished his nose with great diligence. But when the pea-coat, cap, and comforter lifted themselves up again, Florence gently moved towards them; and she and Walter taking them off, disclosed the old Instrument-maker, a little thinner and more careworn than of old, in his old Welsh wig and his old coffee-coloured coat and basket buttons, with his old infallible chronometer ticking away in his pocket. 'Chock full o' science,' said the radiant Captain, 'as ever he was! Sol Gills, Sol Gills, what have you been up to, for this many a long day, my ould boy?' 'I'm half blind, Ned,' said the old man, 'and almost deaf and dumb with joy.' 'His wery woice,' said the Captain, looking round with an exultation to which even his face could hardly render justice - 'his wery woice as chock full o' science as ever it was! Sol Gills, lay to, my lad, upon your own wines and fig-trees like a taut ould patriark as you are, and overhaul them there adwentures o' yourn, in your own formilior woice. 'Tis the woice,' said the Captain, impressively, and announcing a quotation with his hook, 'of the sluggard, I heerd him complain, you have woke me too soon, I must slumber again. Scatter his ene-mies, and make 'em fall!' The Captain sat down with the air of a man who had happily expressed the feeling of everybody present, and immediately rose again to present Mr Toots, who was much disconcerted by the arrival of anybody, appearing to prefer a claim to the name of Gills. 'Although,' stammered Mr Toots, 'I had not the pleasure of your acquaintance, Sir, before you were - you were - ' 'Lost to sight, to memory dear,' suggested the Captain, in a low voice. Exactly so, Captain Gills!' assented Mr Toots. 'Although I had not the pleasure of your acquaintance, Mr - Mr Sols,' said Toots, hitting on that name in the inspiration of a bright idea, 'before that happened, I have the greatest pleasure, I assure you, in - you know, in knowing you. I hope,' said Mr Toots, 'that you're as well as can be expected.' With these courteous words, Mr Toots sat down blushing and chuckling. The old Instrument-maker, seated in a corner between Walter and Florence, and nodding at Polly, who was looking on, all smiles and delight, answered the Captain thus: 'Ned Cuttle, my dear boy, although I have heard something of the changes of events here, from my pleasant friend there - what a pleasant face she has to be sure, to welcome a wanderer home!' said the old man, breaking off, and rubbing his hands in his old dreamy way. 'Hear him!' cried the Captain gravely. ''Tis woman as seduces all mankind. For which,' aside to Mr Toots, 'you'll overhaul your Adam and Eve, brother.' 'I shall make a point of doing so, Captain Gills,' said Mr Toots. 'Although I have heard something of the changes of events, from her,' resumed the Instrument-maker, taking his old spectacles from his pocket, and putting them on his forehead in his old manner, 'they are so great and unexpected, and I am so overpowered by the sight of my dear boy, and by the,' - glancing at the downcast eyes of Florence, and not attempting to finish the sentence - 'that I - I can't say much to-night. But my dear Ned Cuttle, why didn't you write?' The astonishment depicted in the Captain's features positively frightened Mr Toots, whose eyes were quite fixed by it, so that he could not withdraw them from his face. 'Write!' echoed the Captain. 'Write, Sol Gills?' 'Ay,' said the old man, 'either to Barbados, or Jamaica, or Demerara, That was what I asked.' 'What you asked, Sol Gills?' repeated the Captain. 'Ay,' said the old man. 'Don't you know, Ned? Sure you have not forgotten? Every time I wrote to you.' The Captain took off his glazed hat, hung it on his hook, and smoothing his hair from behind with his hand, sat gazing at the group around him: a perfect image of wondering resignation. 'You don't appear to understand me, Ned!' observed old Sol. 'Sol Gills,' returned the Captain, after staring at him and the rest for a long time, without speaking, 'I'm gone about and adrift. Pay out a word or two respecting them adwenturs, will you! Can't I bring up, nohows? Nohows?' said the Captain, ruminating, and staring all round. 'You know, Ned,' said Sol Gills, 'why I left here. Did you open my packet, Ned?' 'Why, ay, ay,' said the Captain. 'To be sure, I opened the packet.' 'And read it?' said the old man. 'And read it,' answered the Captain, eyeing him attentively, and proceeding to quote it from memory. '"My dear Ned Cuttle, when I left home for the West Indies in forlorn search of intelligence of my dear-" There he sits! There's Wal'r!' said the Captain, as if he were relieved by getting hold of anything that was real and indisputable. 'Well, Ned. Now attend a moment!' said the old man. 'When I wrote first - that was from Barbados - I said that though you would receive that letter long before the year was out, I should be glad if you would open the packet, as it explained the reason of my going away. Very good, Ned. When I wrote the second, third, and perhaps the fourth times - that was from Jamaica - I said I was in just the same state, couldn't rest, and couldn't come away from that part of the world, without knowing that my boy was lost or saved. When I wrote next - that, I think, was from Demerara, wasn't it?' 'That he thinks was from Demerara, warn't it!' said the Captain, looking hopelessly round. 'I said,' proceeded old Sol, 'that still there was no certain information got yet. That I found many captains and others, in that part of the world, who had known me for years, and who assisted me with a passage here and there, and for whom I was able, now and then, to do a little in return, in my own craft. That everyone was sorry for me, and seemed to take a sort of interest in my wanderings; and that I began to think it would be my fate to cruise about in search of tidings of my boy, until I died.' 'Began to think as how he was a scientific Flying Dutchman!' said the Captain, as before, and with great seriousness. 'But when the news come one day, Ned, - that was to Barbados, after I got back there, - that a China trader home'ard bound had been spoke, that had my boy aboard, then, Ned, I took passage in the next ship and came home; arrived at home to-night to find it true, thank God!' said the old man, devoutly. The Captain, after bowing his head with great reverence, stared all round the circle, beginning with Mr Toots, and ending with the Instrument-maker; then gravely said: 'Sol Gills! The observation as I'm a-going to make is calc'lated to blow every stitch of sail as you can carry, clean out of the bolt-ropes, and bring you on your beam ends with a lurch. Not one of them letters was ever delivered to Ed'ard Cuttle. Not one o' them letters,' repeated the Captain, to make his declaration the more solemn and impressive, 'was ever delivered unto Ed'ard Cuttle, Mariner, of England, as lives at home at ease, and doth improve each shining hour!' 'And posted by my own hand! And directed by my own hand, Number nine Brig Place!' exclaimed old Sol. The colour all went out of the Captain's face and all came back again in a glow. 'What do you mean, Sol Gills, my friend, by Number nine Brig Place?' inquired the Captain. 'Mean? Your lodgings, Ned,' returned the old man. 'Mrs What's-her-name! I shall forget my own name next, but I am behind the present time - I always was, you recollect - and very much confused. Mrs - ' 'Sol Gills!' said the Captain, as if he were putting the most improbable case in the world, 'it ain't the name of MacStinger as you're a trying to remember?' 'Of course it is!' exclaimed the Instrument-maker. 'To be sure Ned. Mrs MacStinger!' Captain Cuttle, whose eyes were now as wide open as they would be, and the knobs upon whose face were perfectly luminous, gave a long shrill whistle of a most melancholy sound, and stood gazing at everybody in a state of speechlessness. 'Overhaul that there again, Sol Gills, will you be so kind?' he said at last. 'All these letters,' returned Uncle Sol, beating time with the forefinger of his right hand upon the palm of his left, with a steadiness and distinctness that might have done honour, even to the infallible chronometer in his pocket, 'I posted with my own hand, and directed with my own hand, to Captain Cuttle, at Mrs MacStinger's, Number nine Brig Place.' The Captain took his glazed hat off his hook, looked into it, put it on, and sat down. 'Why, friends all,' said the Captain, staring round in the last state of discomfiture, 'I cut and run from there!' 'And no one knew where you were gone, Captain Cuttle?' cried Walter hastily. 'Bless your heart, Wal'r,' said the Captain, shaking his head, 'she'd never have allowed o' my coming to take charge o' this here property. Nothing could be done but cut and run. Lord love you, Wal'r!' said the Captain, 'you've only seen her in a calm! But see her when her angry passions rise - and make a note on!' 'I'd give it her!' remarked the Nipper, softly. 'Would you, do you think, my dear?' returned the Captain, with feeble admiration. 'Well, my dear, it does you credit. But there ain't no wild animal I wouldn't sooner face myself. I only got my chest away by means of a friend as nobody's a match for. It was no good sending any letter there. She wouldn't take in any letter, bless you,' said the Captain, 'under them circumstances! Why, you could hardly make it worth a man's while to be the postman!' 'Then it's pretty clear, Captain Cuttle, that all of us, and you and Uncle Sol especially,' said Walter, 'may thank Mrs MacStinger for no small anxiety.' The general obligation in this wise to the determined relict of the late Mr MacStinger, was so apparent, that the Captain did not contest the point; but being in some measure ashamed of his position, though nobody dwelt upon the subject, and Walter especially avoided it, remembering the last conversation he and the Captain had held together respecting it, he remained under a cloud for nearly five minutes - an extraordinary period for him when that sun, his face, broke out once more, shining on all beholders with extraordinary brilliancy; and he fell into a fit of shaking hands with everybody over and over again. At an early hour, but not before Uncle Sol and Walter had questioned each other at some length about their voyages and dangers, they all, except Walter, vacated Florence's room, and went down to the parlour. Here they were soon afterwards joined by Walter, who told them Florence was a little sorrowful and heavy-hearted, and had gone to bed. Though they could not have disturbed her with their voices down there, they all spoke in a whisper after this: and each, in his different way, felt very lovingly and gently towards Walter's fair young bride: and a long explanation there was of everything relating to her, for the satisfaction of Uncle Sol; and very sensible Mr Toots was of the delicacy with which Walter made his name and services important, and his presence necessary to their little council. 'Mr Toots,' said Walter, on parting with him at the house door, 'we shall see each other to-morrow morning?' 'Lieutenant Walters,' returned Mr Toots, grasping his hand fervently, 'I shall certainly be present. 'This is the last night we shall meet for a long time - the last night we may ever meet,' said Walter. 'Such a noble heart as yours, must feel, I think, when another heart is bound to it. I hope you know that I am very grateful to you?' 'Walters,' replied Mr Toots, quite touched, 'I should be glad to feel that you had reason to be so.' 'Florence,' said Walter, 'on this last night of her bearing her own name, has made me promise - it was only just now, when you left us together - that I would tell you - with her dear love - ' Mr Toots laid his hand upon the doorpost, and his eyes upon his hand. - with her dear love,' said Walter, 'that she can never have a friend whom she will value above you. That the recollection of your true consideration for her always, can never be forgotten by her. That she remembers you in her prayers to-night, and hopes that you will think of her when she is far away. Shall I say anything for you?' 'Say, Walter,' replied Mr Toots indistinctly, 'that I shall think of her every day, but never without feeling happy to know that she is married to the man she loves, and who loves her. Say, if you please, that I am sure her husband deserves her - even her!- and that I am glad of her choice.' Mr Toots got more distinct as he came to these last words, and raising his eyes from the doorpost, said them stoutly. He then shook Walter's hand again with a fervour that Walter was not slow to return and started homeward. Mr Toots was accompanied by the Chicken, whom he had of late brought with him every evening, and left in the shop, with an idea that unforeseen circumstances might arise from without, in which the prowess of that distinguished character would be of service to the Midshipman. The Chicken did not appear to be in a particularly good humour on this occasion. Either the gas-lamps were treacherous, or he cocked his eye in a hideous manner, and likewise distorted his nose, when Mr Toots, crossing the road, looked back over his shoulder at the room where Florence slept. On the road home, he was more demonstrative of aggressive intentions against the other foot-passengers, than comported with a professor of the peaceful art of self-defence. Arrived at home, instead of leaving Mr Toots in his apartments when he had escorted him thither, he remained before him weighing his white hat in both hands by the brim, and twitching his head and nose (both of which had been many times broken, and but indifferently repaired), with an air of decided disrespect. His patron being much engaged with his own thoughts, did not observe this for some time, nor indeed until the Chicken, determined not to be overlooked, had made divers clicking sounds with his tongue and teeth, to attract attention. 'Now, Master,' said the Chicken, doggedly, when he, at length, caught Mr Toots's eye, 'I want to know whether this here gammon is to finish it, or whether you're a going in to win?' 'Chicken,' returned Mr Toots, 'explain yourself.' 'Why then, here's all about it, Master,' said the Chicken. 'I ain't a cove to chuck a word away. Here's wot it is. Are any on 'em to be doubled up?' When the Chicken put this question he dropped his hat, made a dodge and a feint with his left hand, hit a supposed enemy a violent blow with his right, shook his head smartly, and recovered himself' 'Come, Master,' said the Chicken. 'Is it to be gammon or pluck? Which?' Chicken,' returned Mr Toots, 'your expressions are coarse, and your meaning is obscure.' 'Why, then, I tell you what, Master,' said the Chicken. 'This is where it is. It's mean.' 'What is mean, Chicken?' asked Mr Toots. 'It is,' said the Chicken, with a frightful corrugation of his broken nose. 'There! Now, Master! Wot! When you could go and blow on this here match to the stiff'un;' by which depreciatory appellation it has been since supposed that the Game One intended to signify Mr Dombey; 'and when you could knock the winner and all the kit of 'em dead out o' wind and time, are you going to give in? To give in? 'said the Chicken, with contemptuous emphasis. 'Wy, it's mean!' 'Chicken,' said Mr Toots, severely, 'you're a perfect Vulture! Your sentiments are atrocious.' 'My sentiments is Game and Fancy, Master,' returned the Chicken. 'That's wot my sentiments is. I can't abear a meanness. I'm afore the public, I'm to be heerd on at the bar of the Little Helephant, and no Gov'ner o' mine mustn't go and do what's mean. Wy, it's mean,' said the Chicken, with increased expression. 'That's where it is. It's mean.' 'Chicken,' said Mr Toots, 'you disgust me.' 'Master,' returned the Chicken, putting on his hat, 'there's a pair on us, then. Come! Here's a offer! You've spoke to me more than once't or twice't about the public line. Never mind! Give me a fi'typunnote to-morrow, and let me go.' 'Chicken,' returned Mr Toots, 'after the odious sentiments you have expressed, I shall be glad to part on such terms.' 'Done then,' said the Chicken. 'It's a bargain. This here conduct of yourn won't suit my book, Master. Wy, it's mean,' said the Chicken; who seemed equally unable to get beyond that point, and to stop short of it. 'That's where it is; it's mean!' So Mr Toots and the Chicken agreed to part on this incompatibility of moral perception; and Mr Toots lying down to sleep, dreamed happily of Florence, who had thought of him as her friend upon the last night of her maiden life, and who had sent him her dear love. 海军军官候补生精神抖擞。图茨先生和苏珊终于来了。苏珊像一个发疯的姑娘一样跑到楼上,图茨先生和斗鸡则走进客厅。 “啊,我亲爱的心肝宝贝可爱的弗洛伊小姐!”尼珀跑进弗洛伊的房间,喊道,“想不到事情会到了这个地步,我竟会在这里找到您呀我亲爱的小鸽子,您在这里没有人侍候您也没有一个您可以称为自己的家,不过我永远永远也不会再离开您了,弗洛伊小姐,因为我虽然不会长苔藓,但我不是一块滚动的石头,①我的心也不是一块石头要不然它就不会像现在这样在爆裂了,啊亲爱的啊亲爱的!” -------- ①滚动的石头不长苔藓(Arollingstonegathersnomoss),是英国谚语。滚动的石头一般比喻喜欢改换职业、住址等的人。 尼珀姑娘滔滔不绝地倾吐出这些话语,并跪在她的女主人的前面,紧紧地拥抱着她。 “我亲爱的!”苏珊喊道,“过去发生的事情我全知道了,我一切都知道了,我心爱的宝贝,我喘不过气来了,给我空气吧!” “苏珊,亲爱的好苏珊!”弗洛伦斯说道。 “啊上帝保佑她!她还是个小孩子的时候我就是她的小侍女!难道她确确实实当真要结婚了吗?”苏珊高声喊道,她又是痛苦又是高兴,又是自豪又是悲伤,天知道还夹杂着多少其他相互冲突的感情。 “谁跟您这么说的?”弗洛伦斯说道。 “啊我的天哪!就是那个最傻里傻气的人图茨,”苏珊歇斯底里地回答道,“我知道他准没错,我亲爱的,因为他很伤心。他是个最忠实最傻里傻气的小娃娃!难道我心爱的人儿确确实实要结婚了吗?”苏珊继续说道,一边泪流满脸地又紧紧拥抱着她。 尼珀不断地提到这个问题,每当提到这个问题的时候,她都要抬起头来注视这张年轻的脸孔并吻它,然后又把头低垂在女主人肩膀上,爱抚着她,并哭泣着;她提到这个问题时所流露出来的、混杂着同情、喜悦、亲切与爱护的感情是世界上真正女性的高尚的感情。 “好了,好了!”弗洛伦斯不久用安慰的声调说道,“啊现在您镇静下来了,亲爱的苏珊!” 尼珀姑娘坐在女主人脚边的地板上,又是大笑又是哭泣,一只手用手绢抹着眼泪,另一只手轻轻地拍着正舔她的脸孔的戴奥吉尼斯;她承认她现在镇静一些了,为了证明这一点,她又大笑了一会儿,哭泣了一会儿。 “我——我——我从来没有见过像图茨这样的人,”苏珊说道,“从我生下来起从来没有见过!” “他是那么善良,”弗洛伦斯提示道。 “而且是那么滑稽可笑!”苏珊抽抽嗒嗒地哭泣着说道,“他跟我坐在马车里跟我谈话,那位不值得尊敬的斗鸡则坐在车夫座位上,那时候瞧他那说话的神态和腔调!” “他谈了些什么呢;苏珊?”弗洛伦斯胆怯地问道。 “他谈到沃尔特斯上尉,谈到吉尔斯船长,还谈到您我亲爱的弗洛伊小姐,还有那沉默的坟墓,”苏珊说道。 “沉默的坟墓!”弗洛伦斯重复地说道。 “他说,”这时苏珊歇斯底里地大笑了一阵子,“他将立刻很轻松自在地走进沉默的坟墓,可是您放心他不会的,我亲爱的弗洛伊小姐,他说那句话是表示他看到别人幸福真是太快乐了,他也许并不是所罗门,”尼珀姑娘又像往常那样滔滔不绝地继续说道,“我也没有说他就是所罗门,但是我敢说世界上从来没有见到过像他那样不自私的人!” 尼珀姑娘作了这个有力的声明之后,仍然处于歇斯底里的状态,毫无节制地大笑着,然后才告诉弗洛伦斯,他在楼下等着见她,这将是对他最近不辞辛苦、长途奔波的极为丰厚的酬答。 弗洛伦斯请苏珊去邀请图茨先生上楼来,她将高兴地对他的好意帮助表示感谢。几分钟之后,苏珊就把那位年轻人带进房间,他头发还是乱蓬蓬的,说起话来结巴得厉害。 “董贝小姐,”图茨先生说道,“又承蒙您允许我——注视——至少,不是注视,不过——我不知道我要说什么,不过这是无关紧要的。” “我是这么经常地感谢您,我都已经把话讲完了,因此我不知道现在该讲些什么好。”弗洛伦斯向他伸出双手,脸上露出真挚的谢意。 “董贝小姐,”图茨先生用可怕的说道,“如果您能够咒骂我几句(这并不改变您那天使般的性格),那么我反倒好受些;现在您讲了这样亲切的话,可真把我难住了(如果您允许我这样说的话)。这些话对我的影响——是——不过,”图茨先生突然中断话头,说道,“我离题了,这完全是无关紧要的。” 弗洛伦斯由于除了再次谢谢他之外,似乎没办法回答他的话,所以就再一次谢谢他。 “董贝小姐,”图茨先生说道,“如果可能的话,我希望趁这个机会解释一、两句。我本可以和苏珊早一些回来的,可是第一,我们不知道她投奔的亲戚的姓名,第二,因为她已离开了她那位亲戚的家,到另一位住在远处的亲戚那里去了,所以我想,如果不是斗鸡聪明的话,那么我们到现在也还不见得就能找到她呢。” 弗洛伦斯相信这一点。 “不过,这并不是重要的一点,”图茨先生说道,“我可以向您肯定地说,董贝小姐,就我当时的心情来说(它是容易想象而难以描述的),跟苏珊在一起对我是一种安慰与满足。这次旅行本身就是一种报酬。可是那仍然不是重要的一点。董贝小姐,我曾经跟您说过,我明白,我并不是个人们可以称做头脑灵敏的人。我完全知道这一点。我自己比任何人都清楚,我是个多么——如果不算说得太过分的话,那么我就要说,我是个脑子很愚钝的人。可是尽管这样,董贝小姐,我还是看出沃尔特斯上尉的情况是怎么回事。不论这种情况会使我产生多少痛苦(这是完全无关紧要的),可是我一定得说,沃尔特斯上尉看来是个值得享受降临在他的——他的身上的幸福的人。祝愿他长久地享受它,并珍惜它,就像一个很不相同、很不足取、指出他的姓名完全是无关紧要的人会珍惜它的一样!不过,这仍然不是重要的一点。董贝小姐,吉尔斯船长是我的朋友,我觉得如果在这段时间里我不时来回到这里来看看,吉尔斯船长是会感到高兴的。到这里来看看也会使我感到高兴。不过我不能忘记,我有一次在布赖顿广场角落里犯了一个极严重的错误;如果我到这里来会使您有一点点不乐意的话,那么我只请求您现在就向我指出来;我可以向您保证,我将完全理解您。我决不会认为这是冷酷无情,而只会由于荣幸地得到您的信任而感到快乐和幸福。” “图茨先生,”弗洛伦斯回答道,“您是我的一位很真诚的老朋友;如果您现在不再到这里来看我们的话,那么您将会使我感到很不快乐。我看到您只会感到高兴,而决不会产生任何其他的感情。”“董贝小姐,”图茨先生掏出手绢来,说道,“如果我掉眼泪的话,那么这是欢乐的眼泪;这是无关紧要的;我深深地感谢您。在您讲了这些亲切的话以后,请允许我说一句,我不打算再轻视我自己了。” 弗洛伦斯听到这个暗示,露出了茫然不解的可爱的表情。 “我的意思是说,”图茨先生说道,“我将认为,在我没有被沉默的坟墓召唤去之前,作为人类的一员,我有责任尽量让我的外表好看一些;如果——如果情况允许的话,那么我将——把我的靴子擦得亮亮的。董贝小姐,这是我最后一次冒昧地向您讲到有关个人方面的事。我确实非常感谢您。如果我不是像我的朋友们或我自己所希望的那样明白事理的话,那么,说实话,我以我的荣誉发誓,我对别人的体贴与好意是特别能领会的。如果——如果——我知道怎样开始的话,图茨先生用充满热情的语气说道,“我觉得仿佛我现在能以最美好的方式来表达我的感情似的。” 图茨先生等了一、两分钟,看看他是否能想出怎样开始;看来他还是想不出来,就匆匆告辞了。他走下楼去找船长,在店铺里找到了他。 “吉尔斯船长,”图茨先生说道,“我现在跟您谈的事情必须保证严守秘密,吉尔斯船长;这是我跟董贝小姐在楼上谈话的结果。” “在船内和在桅杆高处是吗,我的孩子?”船长低声问道。 “正是这样,吉尔斯船长,”图茨先生说道,他由于完全不明白船长讲话的意思,就以极大的热情表示同意。“吉尔斯船长,我相信董贝小姐很快就要跟沃尔特斯上尉结婚了吧?” “是的,是的,我的孩子。我们这里全都是船友。沃尔跟他亲爱的情人在结婚预告①结束之后,就立即在缔结婚姻的房屋里结为夫妇了,”卡特尔船长凑着他的耳朵低声说道。 -------- ①在信奉基督教的国家,人们在结婚之前,在教堂中须宣读结婚预告,询问是否有人提出异议;在不同时间,共宣读三次预告。 “结婚预告,吉尔斯船长!”图茨先生重复说道。 “在那边教堂里,”船长用大姆指指指肩膀后面,说道。 “啊,是的!”图茨先生回答道。 “然后怎样呢?”船长用手背拍拍图茨先生的胸膛,往后退了一步,露出钦佩的神情看着他,并用嘶哑的低声说道,“然后这个像只外国鸟儿一样娇生惯养大的可爱的人儿,将跟沃尔一起,离开这里,越过呼啸的海洋,航行到中国去!”
“天主啊,吉尔斯船长!”图茨先生说道。
“是的,”船长点点头。“沃尔上次乘船遇难,飓风把船刮得离开了航线;后来把沃尔搭救起来的那只船是一条中国商船;沃尔随着这只船航行,不论是在船上还是上岸的时候,大家都喜爱他,因为他是个十分灵敏和善良的小伙子。由于船上的货物经管员①在广州死去了,沃尔就得到了这个职务(他先前是当一名办事员)。现在他被任命为另一条船上的货物经管员,这条船和那条船同属于一个主人。因此,你看,”船长沉思地重复说道,“这个可爱的人儿就要跟沃尔一起,越过呼啸的海洋,航行到中国去了。”
--------
①货物经管员(supercargo):是船上权力很大的人,他代表船主处理一切营业事务。
图茨先生和卡特尔船长一齐叹了一口气。
“那该怎么办呢?”船长说道。“她真诚地爱着他。他真诚地爱着她。那些本应该喜爱她、照料她的人却像凶残的野兽一样对待她。当她被自己的家庭抛弃、来到我这里、倒在地板上的时候,她的受了创伤的心破碎了。我知道这一点。我,爱德华·卡特尔看到了这一点。只有真诚的、亲切的、始终如一的爱情才能使它重新愈合。如果我不知道这一点,如果,老弟,我不知道沃尔是她真正的心爱的情人,她又是他真正心爱的情人的话,那么我宁肯把我这发青的胳膊和腿砍断,也不会让她出去航海的。可是我确实知道这一点,那又该怎么办呢?呃,那我就说,让老天爷保佑他们两人吧,老天爷一定会保佑的!阿门!”
“吉尔斯船长,”图茨先生说道,“请让我高兴地跟您握手吧。您说得真好,说得我整个背上感到阵阵愉快的温暖。我也说阿门。您知道,吉尔斯船长,我也是爱慕董贝小姐的。”
“高兴起来,别灰心丧气!”船长把手搁在图茨先生的肩膀上,说道,“做好准备,孩子!”
“吉尔斯船长,”振作起精神的图茨先生说道,“我自己也打算高兴起来,不灰心丧气。也要尽可能做好准备。当沉默的坟墓张开嘴巴的时候,吉尔斯船长,我将准备好被埋葬;但决不是在它张开嘴巴之前。可是我现在对控制我自己的能力没有把握,我想跟您说的话,以及想劳驾您转告沃尔特斯上尉的话是以下一些。”
“是以下一些,”船长重复着说道。“别着急!”
“董贝小姐是无比地仁厚,”图茨先生眼泪汪汪地继续说道,“她说,她看到我非但不觉得讨厌,而恰好是相反。您和这里所有的人对于一个——一个确实好像是错生下来的人又都是同样的宽厚与容忍,”图茨先生说到这里,情绪暂时低落下来,“因此,我以后将不时在晚间到这里来,在这短短的时间里我们大家全都能聚会在一起。不过我所要请求的是这样:如果将来在某一个时刻我觉得看到沃尔特斯上尉美满幸福的生活,忍受不了内心的痛苦,不得不突然跑出屋子的话,那么我希望,吉尔斯船长,您和他都能把这看作是我的不幸,而不是我的过失或由于我不愿进行思想斗争。那时候,请你们相信,我对任何人都不怀恶意——尤其是对沃尔特斯上尉本人——,那时候您可以随便说一下,我是出去散步,或可能是去看看皇家交易所的时钟几点钟了。吉尔斯船长,如果您能跟我达成这个协议,并能替沃尔特斯上尉作主的话,那么这就将会解除我感情上的沉重的负担,就是要我牺牲一大笔财产我都十分愿意。”
“别说了,我的孩子,”船长答道,“不论您升出什么旗,沃尔和我都能明白您的信号,并作出回答的。”
“吉尔斯船长,”图茨先生说道,“我的心情大大地轻松了。我希望我能保持住这里大家对我的好感。以我的荣誉发誓,我——我的用意是好的,虽然我不能很好地把它表明。您知道,”图茨先生说道,“这正好像伯吉斯公司想给顾客做一条新奇出色的裤子,却不能按他们心里的设想裁剪出来一样。”
图茨先生举了这个适当的比方来说明,似乎有些扬扬得意,然后他向卡特尔船长祝了福,就告辞了。
正直的船长有心的喜悦住在他的家里,又有苏珊照料他,成了个喜气洋洋,快乐幸福的人。日子一天天地过去,他愈来愈喜气洋洋,愈来愈快乐幸福。船长对苏珊的智慧怀着深深的敬意,他也永远不会忘记她对麦克·斯廷杰太太的英勇对抗。在与她讨论了几次之后,他向弗洛伦斯建议,为了谨慎小心和保守秘密起见,那位暂时请来照料家务的、平时坐在伦敦肉类市场蓝伞下面的老太太的女儿,由一个他们比较熟悉的、他们可以完全放心的人来代替。苏珊当时在场,就提名理查兹大嫂,这她在事前曾向船长建议过。弗洛伦斯一听到这个名字,脸上就露出喜色。苏珊当天下午就出发到图德尔的住处去跟理查兹大嫂商量,而且当天晚上,就在脸颊红润、脸孔长得像苹果一样的波利的陪同下,得意扬扬地回来了。波利看到弗洛伦斯时表露出来的那些深厚的、亲热的感情,实在不比苏珊·尼珀本人逊色。
这桩具有韬略意义的事情完成了,船长感到非常满意(虽然他对其他完成的各种事情也很满意);弗洛伦斯下一步就得让苏珊为即将来临的离别做好思想准备。这是一件更加困难的任务,因为尼珀姑娘是个性格坚定的人,她完全下定决心,她这次回来以后,再也不跟她的老主人分离了。
“关于工资,亲爱的弗洛伊小姐,”她说道,“您就别暗示这个问题了,你要是想到要向我提起这个问题那就冤屈我了,我存有一些钱,像现在这种时候哪怕储蓄银行翻脸不认我或银行破了产,我也不愿意抛弃我的爱与责任,可是亲爱的,自从您可怜的亲爱的妈妈离开人世之后,您就从来没有离开过我,虽然我没有什么可以夸耀的,可是在这许多年月中您跟我已经相处惯了,啊我亲爱的小姐,您甚至连想也别去想离开我到任何地方去,因为这是不应该的也是不可能的!”
“亲爱的苏珊,我要动身去进行一次很远很远的航行。”
“唔弗洛伊小姐,这算得了什么?在这种情况下您就更需要我了。谢谢上帝!航行的距离在我看来并不是个障碍!”急躁的苏珊·尼珀说道。
“可是,苏珊,我将跟沃尔特一起走,我将跟沃尔特到任何地方去——到所有地方去!沃尔特穷,我也穷,我现在必须学习帮助我自己和帮助他生活。”
“亲爱的弗洛伊小姐!”苏珊又大声喊道,并使劲地摇着头,“您帮助自己,做一个最有耐性最真诚最高尚的人,这已不是新鲜的事情了,不过让我跟沃尔特·兼伊先生谈谈,跟他一起把这个问题解决了,因为我不能让您孤身一人出去远渡重洋,横穿世界,我不能,我也不肯。”
“孤身一人吗,苏珊?”弗洛伦斯回答道,“孤身一人吗?沃尔特带着我跟他一道去呢!”啊,这时候她脸上露出了一个多么明朗的、惊奇的、狂喜的微笑啊!他要是能看到这那该多好呀!“我相信,如果我请您别去跟沃尔特谈的话,那么您是不会去谈的,”她亲切地补充道,“请您别去跟他谈吧,亲爱的。”
苏珊抽抽嗒嗒地哭泣道,“为什么别谈呢,弗洛伊小姐?”
“因为,”弗洛伦斯说道,“我将成为他的妻子,将把我整个心都交给他,和他同生共死;如果您把您跟我说过的话说给他听的话,那么他可能会想,我害怕展现在我前面的生活,或者您有理由为我而害怕。啊,苏珊,我亲爱的,我爱他!”
这些平静而热情的话和它们所表达出来的纯朴的、出自肺腑的、渗透一切的恳切的感情,使说话的人的脸孔比以往任何时候都更为漂亮;这一切使尼珀姑娘非常感动,她只好又像先前一样,抱着她,喊道,难道她的小女主人确确实实要结婚了吗?一边怜悯她,爱抚她并保护着她。
不过,尼珀虽然也难免有女性的各种弱点,她却是能够约束自己的,几乎跟她能向厉害的麦克斯廷杰太太发动进攻一样。从这时候起,她没有一次回到这个话题,而总是高高兴兴,灵敏活泼,忙忙碌碌,满怀希望。她在私下里确实跟图茨先生说过她只是暂时“勉强坚持”,当这一切都已经过去,董贝小姐走了以后,她很可能会陷于非常悲惨可怜的境地的。图茨先生也表示,他的情况也会是同样,那时候他们可以把眼泪流在一起,但是她从来没有当着弗洛伦斯的面,或是在海军军官候补生的辖区之内随意放纵自己的感情。
弗洛伦斯需要的服装虽然简朴,有限(这与她上一次参加婚礼之前订做的服装是何等鲜明的对比啊!),但要把它们全都准备好,还是要费很多操劳的,因此,苏珊·尼珀就整天待在弗洛伦斯的身旁,以五十个裁缝集中起来才有的热忱,忙碌个不停。卡特尔船长如果得到允许的话,那么他想给弗洛伦斯补充的物品——如粉红色的阳伞、染色的长丝袜、蓝色的鞋子以及其他船上的必需品——一一列举起来,将会是很长的篇幅。可是他们通过种种哄骗的建议,诱导他把他的贡献只限于一只针线盒和一只化妆用品盒。这两样东西他都买了能用钱买到的最大的品种。在以后的十天或两星期中,他整天大部分时间通常都是坐在那里凝视着这两只盒子;有时对它们极为赞美,有时则郁郁不乐地担心它们还不够华丽;他时常偷偷地到街上去买点他认为使它们更完善所必需的东西。不过他最精采的一着,就是在一个早上突然把这两只盒子带走,嘱咐在每只盒子盖上镶嵌的黄铜的心中刻上“弗洛伦斯·盖伊”几个字。在这之后,他独自在小客厅里接连抽了几烟斗烟,在这几个钟头中总可以看到他在暗自吃吃地笑着。
沃尔特整天忙忙碌碌,但是每天清晨都要去看弗洛伦斯,而且常常跟她在一起度过晚上。弗洛伦斯平时总是不离开她在顶楼上的房间,只有到了他要回来的时候才悄悄地下楼去等待他,或者在他用一只胳膊自豪地搂着她的时候陪他到门口,有时向街上探望。在黎明与黄昏,他们总是待在一起。啊,这最幸福快乐的时光啊!啊,忙乱的心得到安息了!啊,那深深的、无穷无尽的、强有力的爱情的源泉啊,有多少东西沉没在里面呀!
残酷的伤痕依旧留在她的胸脯上。她每吸一口气的时候,它就起来指责她的父亲一次;当他把她紧紧地压在他的心上的时候,它就躺在她和她的情人之间。可是她已经把它忘记了。在为她而存在的那颗心的跳动之中,在为他而存在的她自己的那颗心的跳动之中,所有刺耳的音乐都听不到了,所有冷酷的、缺乏爱情的心都被忘记了。她虽然脆弱、娇嫩,可是她心中爱情的力量却能够,而且已经创造出一个由他一个人的形象所构成的世界,她可以飞到那里去,在那里得到安息。
在黎明与黄昏,当沃尔特怀着自豪与喜爱的心情,用一只胳膊庇护着她的时候,那宏伟的公馆与往昔的日子是多么经常地浮现在她的心间,而当这些记忆浮现时她就更加紧紧地悄悄挨近他,在他的胳膊中收缩着身子!当她记起那天夜里她到楼下房间里,遇到那永远也不会被忘记的眼光的时候,她是多么经常地抬起眼睛去看那双满怀深情注视着她的眼睛,并在这样的庇护中幸福地哭泣!她愈是亲密地依恋着他,她就愈经常地想起那亲爱的死去的孩子;但是仿佛她最后一次看到父亲的时候,是他正在睡觉,她吻了他的脸的那一次;她总是让他处于那样的状态,在她的想象中从不去想在那以后发生的事情。
“沃尔特,我亲爱的,”有一天傍晚几乎已经天黑了的时候,弗洛伦斯说道,“你知道我今天一直在想什么?”
“你在想,时间飞逝得多么快,我们很快就要在海上了,是吗,亲爱的弗洛伦斯?”
“虽然我也想到这些,沃尔特,但是我不是指这方面。我一直在想,我对你是一个多么大的负担。”
“是一个宝贵的、神圣的负担,亲爱的心肝!我自己有时也想到这一点呢。”
“你在开玩笑,沃尔特。我知道你比我更经常地想到这一点。不过现在我说的是一笔开支。”
“一笔开支,我的宝贝?”
“钱的开支,亲爱的。苏珊和我忙着进行的这些准备——我靠自己的力量不能买什么东西。你以前是穷的。可是我将使你变得更加穷了,沃尔特!”
“更加富了,弗洛伦斯!”
弗洛伦斯大笑起来,摇摇头。
“再说,”沃尔特说道,“好久以前——在我出发航海之前——,我还得到一个小钱包,送给我作为礼物的,里面有钱。”
“啊!”弗洛伦斯忧愁地笑着,回答道,“钱很少!很少,沃尔特!不过,你别以为,”这时她把轻轻的手搁在他的肩膀上,注视着他的脸孔,“我因为成为你的负担而感到遗憾。不,亲爱的,我很高兴成为这个负担。我为这感到幸福。无论如何我也不愿意不是。”
“确实,我也是这样,亲爱的弗洛伦斯。”
“是的,不过,沃尔特,你决不能像我感觉到这一点。我是多么为你而感到自豪!我知道,那些谈到你的人一定会说,你娶了一个穷苦的、被遗弃的、到这里来避难的姑娘;她没有别的家,没有别的朋友,她什么也没有,——什么也没有!我知道这些情形,只能使我心里感到非常高兴!啊,沃尔特,如果我能带给你几百万镑的话,那么我也决不能像我现在这样由于你而感到幸福的!”
“可是你,亲爱的弗洛伦斯!难道你什么也不值吗?”他回答道。
“是的,什么也不值,沃尔特。我只是你的妻子。”那只轻轻的手偷偷地搂着他的脖子,声音愈来愈近,——愈来愈近,“没有你,我就什么也不值了。没有你,我就没有人世间的一切希望了。没有你,我就没有什么更可宝贵的了。”
啊!怪不得那天晚上图茨先生要离开他的这几个朋友们,两次出去跟皇家交易所的时钟对表,一次出去跟他突然记起的一位银行家约会,一次到阿尔德盖特水泵房去兜一个圈子,然后回来!
可是,在图茨先生还没有出去转悠之前,甚至在他还没有来到之前,当还没有点燃蜡烛的时候,沃尔特说:
“弗洛伦斯,我亲爱的,我们的船装货快装完了,也许就在我们结婚的那天它就要开到河口去了。我们是不是那天早上离开这里,到肯特郡①去待着,然后过一个星期到格雷夫森德上船?”
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①肯特郡(Kent):在英格兰东南端。
“随你的便,沃尔特。我不论在什么地方都是幸福的。不过——”
“什么,我的命根子?”
“你知道,”弗洛伦斯说道,“我们将不举行隆重的婚礼,谁也不会根据我们的服装看出我们跟其他的人们有什么区别。既然那天我们要离开这里,你是不是可以——你是不是可以在那天早上——一清早——在我们去教堂之前,带我到一个地方去,沃尔特?”
沃尔特似乎理解她的意思,就像被这样真诚爱着的一位真诚的情人应当理解的一样,他以一个吻来证明他已欣然同意——,也许不止一个吻,而是两、三个或是五、六个吻;在那个庄严的、宁静的傍晚,弗洛伦斯感到很幸福。
在这之后,苏珊·尼珀拿着蜡烛走进安静的房间;不久,茶端来了,船长来了,爱转悠的图茨先生来了;前面说过,图茨先生后来经常离开,他度过了一个很不安宁的夜晚。不过这倒不是他的习惯,他通常是过得很好的,因为他在尼珀姑娘的参谋与指导下,跟船长玩克里拜基牌①。这时候他把心思用在记分上面了,他觉得这是可以把自己完全弄得糊里糊涂的很有效的方法。
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①克里拜基(Cribbage)牌:一种二、三或四人玩的纸牌戏。每人每次发6张牌,先凑足121分或61分的人取胜。
在这种场合,船长面部的表情是各种感情相互混杂和交替出现的最好的例子。他生性谨慎细心,对弗洛伦斯又怀着骑士般的感情,这些都使他懂得,这不是吵吵闹闹,尽情欢乐或是狂热地表露自己称心满意的时候。可是,另一方面,对《可爱的配格姑娘》这首歌曲的回忆浮现到心头,又总是经常不断地在挣扎着,想要打开一个发泄的孔道,并驱策着船长作出一些并不能弥补损失的表示。有时,船长对弗洛伦斯和沃尔特赞赏极了(当他们稍稍离开坐着的时候,他们确实是非常相配的一对;在他们的青春、爱情与美貌中充满了优雅与情趣),于是就忘掉了其余的一切,情不自禁地放下纸牌,眉开眼笑地对着他们,一边用手绢轻轻地擦着自己脑袋各处,直到图茨先生突然离座而走,这才提醒他确实已在无意间大大地触动了这位年轻人,使他感到痛苦。这个想法使船长深为忧郁,直到图茨先生回来为止;图茨先生回来以后,他就重新玩起牌来,一边向尼珀姑娘暗暗地眨眨眼睛,点点头,彬彬有礼地挥挥钩子,让她了解,他再也不那么做了。在这种情况下,船长的面容也许是最有意思的了,因为他这时候竭力想保持着镇静自若、不动声色的神态,就坐在那里,注视着房间各处,而恰好就在这时候,所有各种表情都同时涌入他的脸膛,相互搏斗着。对弗洛伦斯与沃尔特高兴赞赏的表情经常打倒其他的表情,不加掩饰地在欢庆胜利,除非图茨先生又突然往门外跑去,那时候船长就像一个悔恨的罪犯一样坐在那里,直到他又回来为止;有时他用轻轻的责备的命令自己。“做好准备!”或粗声大气地告诫“爱德华·卡特尔,我的孩子,”他的行为不慎重。
不过,图茨先生最艰难的考验当中的一个,却是他自愿去接受的。在船长说过的,最后一次宣读结婚预告的那个星期天将要来临的时候,图茨先生对苏珊·尼珀这样吐露他的心情。
“苏珊,”图茨先生说道,“教堂正在把我吸引到它那里去。您知道,那些把我跟董贝小姐永远切断的词句将像丧钟一样在我的耳边敲响;可是说实话,我以我的荣誉发誓,我觉得我必须听它们。因此,”图茨先生说道,“明天您能陪我到那座神圣的大厦去吗?”
尼珀姑娘表示,如果这使图茨先生高兴的话,那么她将十分乐意陪他去,但是她恳求他放弃那个念头。
“苏珊,”图茨先生一本正经地回答道,“当我的连鬓胡子除我自己以外没有被任何人看出来之前,我就爱慕董贝小姐了。当我还在受布林伯奴役的时候,我就爱慕董贝小姐了。当从法律的观点来说,我不能再被剥夺对我的财产的所有权(因此后来我就取得了这份财产)的时候,我就爱慕董贝小姐。结婚预告把她交付给沃尔特斯上尉,而把我交付给——您知道,交付给黯然忧伤,”图茨先生在思索一个有力的表达词语之后,说道,“它可能是可怕的,它将是可怕的,但是我觉得我应当希望听到它们被读出来。我觉得我应当希望知道,我脚底下的土地确实被抽掉了,我已没有什么希望可以怀抱的了,或者——总而言之,我没有腿可以走路了。”
苏珊·尼珀只能同情图茨先生不幸的境遇,同意在这种情况下陪他前去。第二天早上她果真这样做了。
沃尔特为了这一目的所选的教堂是一座生霉的老教堂,坐落在一个围场里;围场四周是错综复杂的偏僻的街道与庭院,围场外面的一圈是一个小小的墓地;由于围场四周围着房屋,它铺砌的石头踩上去又会发出回声,所以它本身就好像是埋葬在墓穴当中似的。这座教堂是一座幽暗的、破旧失修的高大建筑物;里面有高高的、老旧的、栎木制作的靠背长椅;每个星期天约有20个人心不在焉地坐在上面,这时教士的催人睡眠似地在空处回荡,风琴叮叮冬冬地大声鸣响、号叫着,仿佛教堂由于缺少听众,不能把风和湿气挡在外面,因而患了腹绞痛似的。但是这个城市教堂却决不会由于缺少其他教堂陪伴而苦恼,因为其他教堂的尖顶群集在它的四周,就像船舶的桅杆群集在河流上面一样。它们的数目太多了,很难从教堂的尖顶上数清它们。几乎在每一个围场和附近不通行的地方都有一个教堂。当星期天早上苏珊和图茨先生走近它的时候,四周教堂发出一片重叠交错的钟声,真是震耳欲聋。有20个教堂挨在一起,吵吵闹闹地召唤着人们到它那里去。
这两只离群的羊被一位教区事务员赶进宽敞的靠背长凳上;由于时间还早,他们就坐在那里数听众的人数,听高高的钟楼上的失望的钟声,看一位衣衫褴褛的矮小的老头子站在门廊后面,像《科克·罗宾》中的公牛一样,①脚踩在镜形的铁具里,让钟发出当当的响声。图茨先生对读经台上的大书进行了长时间的观察之后,低声对尼珀姑娘说,他很想知道,结婚预告保存在什么地方,可是那位姑娘只是摇摇头,皱皱眉头,暂时避开谈一切世俗性质的事情。
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①《科克·罗宾》(CockRobin)是一支摇篮曲,共有14段,叙述科克·罗宾被杀死的情况及他的丧葬安排。最后第2段的原文为:“Who’lltollthebell?I,saidtheBull,BecauseIcanpull,I’lltollthebell.”译为中文是:“谁将来敲丧钟?我!公牛自告奋勇,因为我能把钟绳拉动,所以我将来敲丧钟。”
图茨先生的思想看来不能从结婚预告上转开,在礼拜仪式开头部分进行时显然在用眼睛寻找它。当宣读结婚预告的时间来临时,这位可怜的年轻人显示出极大的忧虑与恐慌,这并不因为船长在边座前排意外地出现而减轻。当教会文书把名册递给教士的时候,当时坐着的图茨先生用手抓住靠背长椅。当沃尔特·盖伊和弗洛伦斯·董贝的名字在第三次也是最后一次结婚预告中被高声宣读的时候,他完全失去了对自己的控制力,忘了戴帽就从教堂往外急匆匆地跑出去;一位教区事务员、两位领座人和两位偶然到教堂里来的、从事医疗职业的先生跟在他后面。教区事务员不久就回来取帽子,低声对尼珀姑娘说,她不必为那位先生担心,因为那位先生说,他的不舒服是无关紧要的。
尼珀姑娘感到,每周消失在高背条凳式座位中的欧洲那整个部分的眼睛全都在注视她,如果事情就到此为止的话,那么她也由于这件事情弄得够窘迫的,而当边座前排中的船长显示出极大的关切,不免使教堂中的会众感到他跟刚才发生的事情有着某种神秘的关系,这样她就更感到窘迫了。可是图茨先生极为烦躁不安的心情在痛苦地增加着,这就延长了她的难堪的处境。这位年轻的先生在当时的心情下不可能一个人留在教堂院子里,孤单寂寞地苦苦思索;他无疑也想对被他多少打扰了的仪式表示敬意,所以突然又回来了,但不是回到原先的座位中,而是在走廊里一个免费座位中坐下来,坐在两位上了岁数的妇女中间;这两位妇女习惯在星期天来接受每星期向她们施舍的面包(这时候面包正放在门廊里的架子上),图茨先生跟她们坐在一道,就大大地打扰了教堂的会众安心听讲,他们觉得不能不去看他,直到他又抑制不住自己的感情,悄悄地、突然地离开为止。图茨先生不敢再到教堂里去,可是又希望自己多少能参加一些那里正在举行的活动,所以就带着一副孤独无助的神色,一会儿从这个窗口往里看看,一会儿从另一个窗口往里看看;由于他可以从外面往里看的窗子有好几个,又由于他极度地坐立不安,所以不仅很难想象他下一次会在哪一个窗口出现,而且全体会众还感到有必要利用说教给他们提供的比较闲暇的时间,猜测猜测他在各个窗口出现的机会;图茨先生在教堂院子里的走动真是异常古怪,他似乎总是能使所有的猜测落空,并像魔术家似地在大家最意料不到的地方出现;由于他难于看清里面,而其他人却容易看清外面,所以这些神秘出现所产生的效果就大大地增强了;正因为他难于看清里面,所以他每次脸贴着玻璃的时间比大家预料的要长久,直到他突然注意到所有的眼睛都在注视着他的时候,他才立刻消失不见了。
由于图茨先生进行这些活动,船长对它们又显示出极大的关切,这使得尼珀姑娘感到自己处于一种责任重大的地位,所以礼拜仪式结束之后她感到大大地轻松;在返回的路途中,她对图茨先生比往常格外亲切,因为这时候图茨先生告诉她和船长,现在他相信他已没有希望,您知道,他感到舒适一些了;确切地说,不是舒适一些了,而是对他的完全不幸心安理得了。
时间迅速飞逝,结婚前一天的晚上来到了。他们全都聚集在海军军官候补生家里楼上的房间里,不用担心有谁来打扰他们,因为现在已没有房客,整个房子完全听由海军军官候补生管理。他们展望明天来临时神色庄严、安静,但也适度地高兴。弗洛伦斯打算送给船长一件刺绣品作为临别礼物,现正在上面缝上最后几针,沃尔特紧紧挨在她的身旁。船长正在跟图茨先生玩克里拜基牌。图茨先生正在跟尼珀姑娘商量怎样出牌。尼珀姑娘以应有的秘密与谨慎在给他出主意。戴奥吉尼斯在听着什么,不时发出一声粗哑的、半压住的吠叫,事后似乎又有些难为情,仿佛他怀疑他刚才的吠叫是否有理由。
“沉着气,沉着气!”船长对戴奥吉尼斯说道,“你什么事不对头啦?今晚你似乎心情不平静,我的孩子!”
戴奥吉尼斯摇摇尾巴,但立刻又竖起耳朵,发出另一声吠叫;在这之后,他又摇摇尾巴,向船长表示歉意。
“我觉得,戴,”船长沉思地看着牌,用钩子敲着下巴,说道,“你对理查兹大嫂有些怀疑;可是你如果是我认为的那种狗的话,那么你得改变你的看法才好;因为你一看见她的脸孔,你就对她完全信任了。唔,老弟,”他转向图茨先生说道,“如果您准备好了,那就收着曳索让船前进吧!”
船长说的时候十分镇静、注意力完全集中在牌上,但是突然间牌从他的手中掉下,他的嘴和眼睛张得大大的,他的腿离开了地面,笔直地伸在椅子前面;他坐在那里,无限诧异地凝视着门口。船长环视屋子里的人们,发现谁也没有注意到他或他惊奇的原因,就大大地喘了一口气,定定神,在桌子上猛力地敲了一下,洪亮地喊道,“啊嗬,所尔·吉尔斯!”然后跌跌撞撞地倒在那位穿着遭受风吹雨打的粗呢上装的人的怀抱里了,他是由波利陪着走进房间里来的。
在另一瞬间,沃尔特投到那套遭受风吹雨打的粗呢上装的怀抱里了。在另一瞬间,弗洛伦斯投到那套遭受风吹雨打的粗呢上装的怀抱里了。在另一瞬间,卡特尔船长拥抱了理查兹大嫂和尼珀姑娘,并和图茨先生使劲地握着手,同时在头顶挥着钩子,喊道,“万岁!我的孩子!万岁!”图茨先生完全不明白发生的情形,彬彬有礼地回答道,“当然,吉尔斯船长,您认为合适的一切都万岁!”
遭受风吹雨打的粗呢上装和同样遭受风吹雨打的便帽与羊毛围巾离开了船长,离开了弗洛伦斯,又转回到沃尔特那里,然后又从遭受风吹雨打的粗呢上装、便帽与羊毛围巾中发出了好像是一位老人在它们下面抽泣的,而那破烂的衣袖则紧紧地拥抱着沃尔特。在这段时间中,屋内一片寂静,船长不时地擦着鼻子。但是当粗呢上装、便帽与羊毛围巾又离开沃尔特的时候,弗洛伦斯又静悄悄地走向它们。她与沃尔特把它们脱掉,在他们面前出现了年老的仪器制造商,戴着旧的威尔士假发,穿着旧的有着很大钮扣的咖啡色上衣,老的准确无误的精密计时表在衣袋里滴嗒滴嗒地响着;他比过去稍稍瘦了一些,面容更加显露出饱经忧患的神色。
“满脑子都是科学,就像过去一样!”容光焕发的船长说道,“所尔·吉尔斯,所尔·吉尔斯,你在这许许多多的日子里,在哪里待着哪,我的老孩子!”
“我高兴得眼睛都快看不见了,内德,”老人说道,“耳朵几乎也聋了,嘴巴几乎也说不出话来了。”
“这就是他的!”船长说道,一边欢天喜地地环视四周,他这种欢天喜地的心情甚至连他的面容也难以正确地表露出来,“这就是他的,就像过去一样,充满了科学!所尔·吉尔斯,我的朋友,像一位身体健壮的、年老的家长那样,躺在你自己的葡萄藤蔓与无花果树中间休息休息,然后用你原先的、我们熟悉的,跟我们谈谈你的奇遇吧。”船长动人地说道,一边挥了一下钩子,说出一段引语,“我听到懒汉就用这种抱怨说,您喊醒我太早了,我还想再睡睡。把他的敌人打得落花流水,让他们倒下吧!”
船长露出一副高兴地表达了所有在场的人的感情的神态,坐下来,然后又立刻站起来去介绍图茨先生。图茨先生看到这位新来的人看来愿意姓吉尔斯,感到不知该怎么办才好。
“虽然,”图茨先生结结巴巴地说道,“我不能有幸在以前认识您,先生,那时候,——那时候——”
“我们看不见您了,但您却保留在我们的亲切记忆中,”船长低声提示道。
“完全正确,吉尔斯船长!”图茨先生同意道,“虽然我不能有幸在那以前认识您,——所尔斯先生,”图茨先生灵机一动,想出了一个称呼姓名的巧妙主意,“但是我肯定地对您说,我非常高兴现在跟您认识,您知道。我希望,”图茨先生说道,“您的身体就像我们所期望的那样健康。”
图茨先生说了这些有礼貌的话以后,坐下来,脸孔涨得通红,吃吃地笑着。
年老的仪器制造商坐在沃尔特与弗洛伦斯之间的角落里,向满脸笑容,高兴地看着他们的波利点点头,这样回答船长:
“内德·卡特尔,我亲爱的老朋友,虽然我已经从我这位和蔼亲切的朋友那里听到这里所发生的一些变化——她欢迎一位在外飘泊流浪的人回家时,脸容是多么和蔼亲切啊!”老人突然中断了讲话,以他惯常的恍惚的神情搓着手。
“听他讲!”船长庄严地喊道,“这是个诱惑所有男子的女人,”他转向图茨先生说道,“老弟,翻一翻您的‘亚当与夏娃’就可以找到这句话。”
“我一定照办,吉尔斯船长,”图茨先生说道。
“我虽然已从她那里听到这里发生的一些变化,”仪器制造商从衣袋中取出他的旧眼镜,像过去一样戴在额头上,并继续说道,“这些变化这样大,这样意想不到,当我看到我的亲爱的孩子和——”他向弗洛伦斯低垂的眼睛看了一眼,不想把话说得完完整整,“我是多么地激动,我——我今天不能说很多的话了。可是我亲爱的内德·卡特尔,你为什么不给我写信呢?”
船长脸上表露出的惊奇使图茨先生感到十分害怕,他眼睛紧紧地盯住船长,不能从他脸上离开。
“写信!”船长重复地说道,“写信,所尔·吉尔斯!”
“是啊,”老人说道,“把信寄到巴巴多斯,牙买加①或德梅拉拉②,这就是我请求你做的。”
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①牙买加(Jamaica):在拉丁美洲,在狄更斯写作本书时是英国的殖民地,1962年宣布独立,为英联邦的成员。
②德梅拉拉(Demerara):圭亚那城市。
“这就是你请求我做的吧,所尔·吉尔斯?”船长重复着说道。
“是啊,”老人说道,“难道你不知道这一点吗,内德?你肯定不会忘记吧?我在每封信中都这样请求你。”
船长脱下上了光的帽子,挂在钩子上;一边用手把头发从后往前梳理,一边坐在那里注视着四周的人们,完全是一副困惑不解与听天由命的神情。
“你好像不明白我的话,内德!”老所尔指出道。
“所尔·吉尔斯,”船长目不转睛地向他和其他人注视了很久之后,回答道,“我已掉转船头,随风飘流了。你讲几句你的冒险故事好不好?难道我没法子改变方向了吗?没法子了吗?”船长沉思默想着,同时注视着四周,说道。
“内德,你知道我为什么要离开这里,”所尔·吉尔斯说道,“你打开我的小包包了没有?”
“是的,是的,”船长说道,“当然,我打开那个小包包了。”
“也念过里面的信了吗?”老人问道。
“念了,”船长聚精会神地注视着他,回答道,然后凭着记忆背出其中的一些段落,“我亲爱的内德·卡特尔,当我离开家前往西印度群岛,怀着渺茫的希望去打听我亲爱的孩子的消息的时候,——他就坐在这里哪!沃尔就在这里哪!”船长说道,仿佛他抓住了什么真实的、无可争辩的东西,因而感到轻松似的。
“唔,内德,等一会儿!”老人说道,“在第一封信中——那是从巴巴多斯寄出的——我写道,虽然你收到的时候离一年的期限还很远,但我希望你能打开那个小包包,因为我在里面说明了我离开的原因。很好,内德。在第二封、第三封、也许还在第四封信中——那些信都是从牙买加寄出的——我写道,我仍处在同样的状态中;当我不知道我的孩子是遭难了还是被救起来了的时候,我不能休息,不能从世界的那个地区离开。下一封信——我想是从德梅拉拉寄出的,是不是?”
“他想是从德梅拉拉寄出的,是不是!”船长毫无希望地看看四周,说道。
“我在信中写道,仍旧得不到任何确实的消息。在世界的这个地区,我遇见许多跟我认识已有多年的船长和其他人,他们帮助我从一个地方迁到另一个地方,我则不时凭我的技术给他们一些微薄的帮助,作为答谢。我写道,大家都怜悯我,似乎对我的飘泊流浪都抱着同情的态度,我开始想,也许我为了打听孩子的消息,命该在海上航行,直到死去吧。”
“他开始想,他成了个懂得科学的漂泊的荷兰人了!”船长像先前一样毫无希望地,同时又一本正经地说道。
“但是有一天传来了一个消息,内德,——那是在我回到巴巴多斯以后传到那里的——消息说,一条中国商船在回国途中把我的孩子救起来了,于是,内德,我就搭乘下一条回国的船,今天回到家里,证明那消息是真实的。谢谢上帝!”
老人虔诚地说道。
船长十分崇敬地低下头之后,向所有在场的人(从图茨先生开始,一直到最后的仪器制造商)扫视了一遍,然后庄严地说道:
“所尔·吉尔斯!我打算作出的声明将像大风一样把你帆上的每一个针眼吹裂,把缝在帆边的粗绳吹断,把你的船吹得就要倾覆,使你濒临危境!这些信没有一封寄到爱德华·卡特尔的手中。”船长为了使他的声明更加庄严,给人以更深的印象,重复说道,“没有一封寄到在家乡安宁生活、时刻都有进步的英国海员爱德华·卡特尔的手中!”
“这些信是我亲手投邮的!投寄地址也是我亲笔写的:布里格广场九号!”老所尔大声喊道。
船长的脸孔立刻变得毫无血色,然后又涨得通红。
“所尔·吉尔斯,我的朋友,你说布里格广场九号是什么意思?”
“什么意思?那是你的住所呀,内德,”老人回答道,“那位姓什么的太太!哎呀,我看我下一步连自己的姓名都要给忘掉了,不过我是落后于当今时代的人——你记得,我过去也总是这样——,已被弄得糊涂不清。那位太太姓——”
“所尔·吉尔斯!”船长说道,他那声调仿佛是在说出一个世界上最不可能的假设似的,“你想要回忆起来的姓是不是麦克斯廷杰?”
“可不,当然是啦!”仪器制造商高声喊道,“完全不错,内德·麦克斯廷杰!”
卡特尔船长的眼睛张大得不能再大了,脸上的疙瘩完全发亮了;他这时吹了一声长长的、尖声的、音调忧郁的口哨,站在那里默默地看着每一个人,失去了说话的能力。
“劳驾你再说一遍好吗,所尔·吉尔斯?”他终于说道。
“所有这些信,”所尔舅舅回答道,一边用右手的食指在左手手掌中拍着拍子,他拍得那么准确、清楚,甚至给他衣袋中毫无误差的精密计时表也增了光,“这些信是我亲手投邮的,投寄地址也是我亲笔写的:布里格广场9号麦克斯廷杰太太家的房客卡特尔船长收。”
船长从钩子上取下上了光的帽子,往里看看,戴到头上,然后坐下。
“哎呀,我所有的朋友们啊,”船长非常狼狈地向四周看看,说道,“要知道我已从那里急忙逃跑出来了!”①
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①急忙逃跑(cutandrun):是航海用语,意即来不及起锚,就砍断锚绳,立即开航。
“谁也不知道您逃到哪里去了吗,卡特尔船长?”沃尔特性急地喊道。
“哎呀,沃尔,”船长摇摇头,说道,“她决不会允许我到这里来看管这里的财产。我没有别的办法好想,就只好急忙逃跑。天主爱你,沃尔!”船长说道,“你只是在她平静的时候看到她,可是当她火冒三丈的时候你去看看她吧!——从书本上查到这句话的时候,请做个记号。”
“要是我,我得让她尝尝我的厉害!”尼珀温和地说道。
“您想,您得让她尝尝您的厉害吗,我亲爱的?”船长怀着几分钦佩的心情回答道,“唔,我亲爱的,这会给您增添光彩。至于我,我宁肯面对任何野兽。我是靠了一位举世无双的朋友的帮助,才把我的箱子从她那里搬出来的。把信投寄到那里去是毫无用处的。我的天,在这种情况下她是什么信也不会收的。简直犯不着让邮差去跑这趟路!”
“这么说,情况完全清楚了,卡特尔船长,”沃尔特说道,“我们所有的人,特别是您和所尔舅舅,可能都要为我们经受过的万分忧虑谢谢麦克斯廷杰太太。”
已故麦克斯廷杰先生的意志坚决的遗孀在这方面的恩情是这么明显,因此船长没有提出任何异议。可是他对自己的境况感到一定程度的羞愧(虽然谁也没有涉及这一点;沃尔特记得,他跟船长最近关于这个问题的一次谈话,尤其避免提到这一点),所以像在乌云下面一样郁郁不乐地待了将近五分钟光景——对他来说,这是一段异乎寻常的时间——,然后,他的脸像太阳一样重新露了出来,以异乎寻常的光辉,照耀着所有在场的人;他突然高兴地跟每个人握起手来,握了一次又一次。
在不很晚的时候——不过那时候所尔舅舅和沃尔特已经相当详细地问到了各自的航行情况和所遭遇过的危险了——,除了沃尔特以外,其他的人全都离开了弗洛伦斯的房间,到楼下的客厅里去。不久,沃尔特到客厅里参加到他们当中,他告诉他们,弗洛伦斯感到有些难过和心情沉重,已经上床睡觉了。虽然他们在楼下的不可能打扰她,可是在这之后大家都压低嗓子说话;每个人都按照各自不同的想法,对沃尔特漂亮的、年轻的未婚妻抱着喜爱的、亲切的感情。为了满足所尔舅舅的要求,一切有关她的事情都向他作了详细的说明;沃尔特提到了图茨先生的名字,对他和他的帮助给了很高的评价,并认为他参加到小小的家庭聚会中是必要的。
图茨先生十分赏识沃尔特关怀体贴的心意。
“图茨先生,”沃尔特在门口和他分别时说道,“我们明天上午再见面?”
“沃尔特斯上尉,”图茨先生热烈地握着他的手,回答道,“我一定来。”
“今天夜里是我们长期分离——也许是永远分离前的最后一夜,”汉尔特说道,“我觉得您的心这样高尚,因而它对于另一颗心的呼唤是不可能不作出响应的。我希望您知道,我是多么感谢您?”
“沃尔特斯,”图茨先生十分感动地回答道,“如果您认为有理由感谢我,我很高兴。”
“弗洛伦斯在还姓她自己的姓之前的这最后一夜,”沃尔特说道,“就在几分钟之前,你们离开之后我们两人待在一起的时候,她要我答应,我要以她亲切的爱转告您——”
图茨先生把手臂搁在门柱上,并让眼睛被那只手臂捂住。
“——以她亲切的爱转告您,”沃尔特说道,“她永远不会有一个像您这样她更为珍视的朋友了。她永远也不会忘记您对她的真诚的关怀。她今天夜间将记得为您祈祷,希望当她远离这里的时候,您将想到她。您有什么话需要我转告她的吗?”
“沃尔特,”图茨先生模糊地回答道,“请告诉她,我将每天想到她;但我知道她嫁给了一个她喜爱的、也喜爱她的人,总是感到很快乐的。如果您愿意,也请转告她,我相信,她的丈夫是配得上她的——哪怕是她!我对她的选择感到高兴。”
图茨先生讲到最后几个字时,说得比较清楚,他把眼睛从门柱上抬起来,勇敢地把它们说了出来。然后他又热情地跟沃尔特握手,沃尔特也毫不迟疑地回握了他的手。在这之后他动身回家了。
图茨先生由斗鸡陪伴;最近他每天晚上都把他带到这里来,并把他留在店铺里,唯恐外面会发生什么预料不到的情况;如果发生这种情况的话,那么这位卓越人物的英勇是可以为海军军官候补生效劳的。这一天斗鸡的情绪好像不是特别好。当图茨先生穿过马路,回头看看弗洛伦斯睡觉的房间的时候,如果煤气灯的灯光没有照错的话,那么它就照出他用一个丑恶的态度,把眼睛向上一瞟,并用同样的态度歪歪鼻子。在回家的路途中,他对其他行人显示出一种敌对的意向,不像是一位和平的自卫艺术的教授应有的的行为。到了家里,他把图茨先生护送到房间里以后没有离开,而是继续站在他的前面,露出一副明显的无礼的神态,一边用两只手提着白帽子的边缘,掂掂它的分量,一边猛晃着头和急抽着鼻子(他的头和鼻子曾经被打破过好多次,修补得并不好)。
他的恩主专心一意地想着自己的心事,一时没有注意到这些情形;后来斗鸡不甘心被忽视,就用舌头和牙齿发出各种各样的来引起他的注意。
“喂,主人,”斗鸡终于顽固地使图茨先生注意到他,说道,“我想要知道,究意是您已一败涂地、就此结束,还是您打算要赢?”
“斗鸡,”图茨先生回答道,“请把您这话的意思解释明白。”
“既然是这样,我就向您和盘托出,主人,”斗鸡说道,“我不是个吞吞吐吐、不肯把话说完的家伙。问题在于:是不是需要把他们当中的什么人打得直不起腰来?”
斗鸡提出这个问题之后,把帽子扔掉,闪开身子,用左手虚击了一拳,再用右手把假想的敌人猛打了一拳,威风凛凛地摇着头,然后重新站稳。
“喂,主人,”斗鸡说道,“是您已一败涂地、就此了事,还是我们重振旗鼓,去取得胜利?哪一个?”
“斗鸡,”图茨先生回答道,“您的话是粗野的,您的意思是暧昧的。”
“好吧,那我就来跟您说,主人,”斗鸡说道,“实际情况就是这样。它是下贱的。”
“什么是下贱,斗鸡?”图茨先生问道。
“是的,就是下贱!”斗鸡可怕地皱着被打坏的鼻子,说道,“您看!主人!这是什么?您可以在婚礼上上前去打那个目中无人的家伙,”假定斗鸡的这个称呼是指董贝先生,“您可以把得胜的人和他们所有这伙人都打倒,可是这些时候您不去打,是不是反而打算屈服投降?是不是要去屈服投降?”
斗鸡用轻蔑的强调语气说道,“呸,这是下贱!”
“斗鸡,”图茨先生严厉地说道,“您是一只真正的兀鹰!
您的感情是残忍的!”
“我的感情是勇敢和高尚的,主人,”斗鸡回答道,“我的感情就是这样。我不能容忍下贱。我将在一家‘小象’酒吧里,在大庭广众之前讲话。我的主人不应该干出下贱的事情来。是的,这是下贱的,”斗鸡更富于表情地说道,“正是这样。这是下贱的。”
“斗鸡,”图茨先生说道,“我讨厌您。”
“主人,”斗鸡戴上帽子,回答道,“我也讨厌您。请听着!这是我对您的建议。您向我不止一、两次谈到开饭馆的事。没关系。明天给我五十镑,让我走吧。”
“斗鸡,”图茨先生回答道,“在您表达了这样令人嫌恶的感情之后,我乐意跟您按这样的条件分手。”
“那就这样办吧,”斗鸡说道,“这笔交易就讲定了。您的行为不合我的口味,主人。它是下贱的,”斗鸡说道;他似乎同样不能容忍那一点,并就此了事。“实际情况就是这样,这是下贱的!”
于是,图茨先生和斗鸡由于对道义原则的认识上互不投合就这样分手了;图茨先生躺下睡觉,快乐地梦见了弗洛伦斯;她在她的未婚生活的最后一个夜晚把他当做朋友,想到了他,并已向他转达了她的亲切的爱。
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