hard times(艰难时世)-第12章
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since I believe it is a general sentiment。”
“Well； ma’am；” said her patron； “perhaps some people may be
pleased to say that they do like to hear； in his own unpolished way；
what Josiah Bounderby of Coketown； has gone through。 But you
must confess that you were born in the lap of luxury； yourself。
Come； ma’am； you know you were born in the lap of luxury。”
“I do not； sir；” returned Mrs Sparsit with a shake of her head；
“deny it。”
Mr Bounderby was obliged to get up from the table； and stand
with his back to the fire； looking at her； she was such an
enhancement of his position。
“And you were in crack society。 Devilish high society；” he said；
warming his legs。
“It is true； sir；” returned Mrs Sparsit； with an affectation of
humility the very opposite of his； and therefore in no danger of
jostling it。
“You were in the tiptop fashion； and all the rest of it；” said Mr
Bounderby。
“Yes； sir；” returned Mrs Sparsit； with a kind of social
widowhood upon her。 “It is unquestionably true。”
Mr Bounderby； bending himself at the knees； literally
embraced his legs in his great satisfaction and laughed aloud。 Mr
and Miss Gradgrind being then announced； he received the
former with a shake of the hand； and the latter with a kiss。
“Can Jupe be sent here； Bounderby？” asked Mr Gradgrind。
Certainly。 So Jupe was sent there。 On coming in； she curtseyed
to Mr Bounderby； and to his friend Tom Gradgrind； and also to
Louisa； but in her confusion unluckily omitted Mrs Sparsit。
Observing this； the blustrous Bounderby had the following
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remarks to make：
“Now； I tell you what； my girl。 The name of that lady by the
teapot； is Mrs Sparsit。 That lady acts as mistress of this house； and
she is a highly connected lady。 Consequently； if ever you come
again into any room in this house； you will make a short stay in it if
you don’t behave towards that lady in your most respectful
manner。 Now； I don’t care a button what you do to me； because I
don’t affect to be anybody。 So far from having high connections； I
have no connections at all； and I come of the scum of the earth。
But towards that lady； I do care what you do； and you shall do
what is deferential and respectful； or you shall not come here。”
“I hope； Bounderby；” said Mr Gradgrind； in a conciliatory
voice； “that this was merely an oversight。”
“My friend Tom Gradgrind suggests； Mrs Sparsit；” said
Bounderby； “that this was merely an oversight。 Very likely。
However； as you are aware； ma’am； I don’t allow of even
oversights towards you。”
“You are very good indeed； sir；” returned Mrs Sparsit； shaking
her head with her State humility。 “It is not worth speaking of。”
Sissy； who all this time had been faintly excusing herself with
tears in her eyes； was now waved over by the master of the house
to Mr Gradgrind。 She stood； looking intently at him； and Louisa
stood coldly by； with her eyes upon the ground； while he
proceeded thus：
“Jupe； I have made up my mind to take you into my house； and；
when you are not in attendance at the school； to employ you about
Mrs Gradgrind； who is rather an invalid。 I have explained to Miss
Louisa—this is Miss Louisa—the miserable but natural end of
your late career； and you are to expressly understand that the
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whole of that subject is past； and is not to be referred to any more。
From this time you begin your history。 You are； at present；
ignorant； I know。”
“Yes； sir； very；” she answered； curtseying。
“I shall have the satisfaction of causing you to be strictly
educated； and you will be a living proof to all who come into
communication with you； of the advantages of the training you will
receive。 You will be reclaimed and formed。 You have been in the
habit now of reading to your father； and those people I found you
among； I dare say？” said Mr Gradgrind； beckoning her nearer to
him before he said so； and dropping his voice。
“Only to father and Merrylegs； sir。 At least I mean to father；
when Merrylegs was always there。”
“Never mind Merrylegs； Jupe；” said Mr Gradgrind； with a
passing frown。 “I don’t ask about him。 I understand you to have
been in the habit of reading to your father？”
“O yes； sir； thousands of times。 They were the happiest—O； of
all the happy times we had together； sir！”
It was only now when her sorrow broke out； that Louisa looked
at her。
“And what；” asked Mr Gradgrind； in a still lower voice； “did you
read to your father； Jupe？”
“About the Fairies； sir； and the Dwarf； and the Hunchback； and
the Genies；” she sobbed out； “and about—”
“Hush！” said Mr Gradgrind； “that is enough。 Never breathe a
word of such destructive nonsense any more。 Bounderby； this a
case of rigid training； and I shall observe it with interest。”
“Well；” returned Mr Bounderby； “I have given you my opinion
already； and I shouldn’t do as you do。 But； very well； very well。
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Since you are bent upon it； very well！”
So； Mr Gradgrind and his daughter took Cecilia Jupe off with
them to Stone Lodge； and on the way Louisa never spoke one
word； good or bad。 And Mr Bounderby went about his daily
pursuits。 And Mrs Sparsit got behind her eyebrows and meditated
in the gloom of that retreat； all the evening。
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Chapter 8
Never Wonder
et us strike the key…note again； before pursuing the tune。
When she was half a dozen years younger； Louisa had
L
been overheard to begin a conversation with her brother
on one day； by saying； “Tom； I wonder”—upon which Mr
Gradgrind； who was the person overhearing； stepped forth into
the light； and said； “Louisa； never wonder！”
Herein lay the spring of the mechanical art and mystery of
educating the reason without stooping to the cultivation of the
sentiments and affections。 Never wonder。 By means of addition；
subtraction； multiplication； and division； settle everything
somehow； and never wonder。 Bring to me； says M’Choakumchild；
yonder baby just able to walk； and I will engage that it shall never
wonder。
Now； besides very many babies just able to walk； there
happened to be in Coketown a considerable population of babies
who had been walking against time towards the infinite world；
twenty； thirty； forty； fifty years and more。 These portentous infants
being alarming creatures to stalk about in any human society； the
eighteen denominations incessantly scratched one another’s faces
and pulled one another’s hair by way of agreeing on the steps to be
taken for their improvement—which they never did； a surprising
circumstance； when the happy adaptation of the means to the end
is considered。 Still； although they differed in every other
particular； conceivable and inconceivable （especially
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inconceivable）； they were pretty well united on the point that
these unlucky infants were never to wonder。 Body number one；
said they must take everything on trust。 Body number two； said
they must take everything on political economy。 Body number
three； wrote leaden little books for them； showing how the good
grown…up baby invariably got to the Savings…bank； and the bad
grown…up baby invariably got transported。 Body number four；
under dreary pretences of being droll （when it was very
melancholy indeed）； made the shallowest pretences of concealing
pitfalls of knowledge； into which it was the duty of these babies to
be smuggled and inveigled。 But； all the bodies agreed that they
were never to wonder。
There was a library in Coketown； to which general access was
easy。 Mr Gradgrind greatly tormented his mind about what the
people read in this library： a point whereon little rivers of tabular
statements periodically flowed into the howling ocean of tabular
statements； which no diver ever got to any depth in and came up
sane。 It was a disheartening circumstance； but a melancholy fact；
that even these readers persisted in wondering。 They wondered
about human nature； human passions； human hopes and fears； the
struggles； triumphs and defeats； the cares and joys and sorrows；
the lives and deaths； of common men and women！ They
sometimes； after fifteen hours’ work； sat down to read mere fables
a
