hard times(艰难时世)-第3章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
only wait for you。”
So； Mr M’Choakumchild began in his best manner。 He and
some one hundred and forty other schoolmasters； had been lately
turned at the same time； in the same factory； on the same
principles； like so many pianoforte legs。 He had been put through
an immense variety of paces； and had answered volumes of head…
breaking questions。 Orthography； etymology； syntax； and prosody；
biography； astronomy； geography； and general cosmography； the
sciences of compound proportion； algebra； land…surveying and
levelling； vocal music； and drawing from models； were all at the
ends of his ten chilled fingers。 He had worked his stony way into
Her Majesty’s most Honourable Privy Council’s Schedule B； and
had taken the bloom off the higher branches of mathematics and
physical science； French； German； Latin； and Greek。 He knew all
about all the Water Sheds of all the world （whatever they are）； and
all the histories of all the peoples； and all the names of all the
rivers and mountains； and all the productions； manners； and
customs of all the countries； and all their boundaries and bearings
on the two and thirty points of the compass。 Ah； rather overdone；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 16…
Hard Times 16
M’Choakumchild。 If he had only learnt a little less； how infinitely
better he might have taught much more！
He went to work in this preparatory lesson； not unlike
Morgiana in the Forty Thieves： looking into all the vessels ranged
before him； one after another； to see what they contained。 Say；
good M’Choakumchild。 When from thy boiling store； thou shalt fill
each jar brim full by and by； dost thou think that thou wilt always
kill outright the robber Fancy lurking within—or sometimes only
maim him and distort him！
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 17…
Hard Times 17
Chapter 3
A Loophole
r Gradgrind walked homeward from the school； in a
state of considerable satisfaction。 It was his school； and
M
he intended it to be a model。 He intended every child in
it to be a model—just as the young Gradgrinds were all models。
There were five young Gradgrinds； and they were models every
one。 They had been lectured at； from their tenderest years；
coursed； like little hares。 Almost as soon as they could run alone；
they had been made to run to the lecture…room。 The first object
with which they had an association； or of which they had a
remembrance； was a large black board with a dry Ogre chalking
ghastly white figures on it。
Not that they knew； by name or nature； anything about an
Ogre。 Fact forbid！ I only use the word to express a monster in a
lecturing castle； with Heaven knows how many heads manipulated
into one； taking childhood captive； and dragging it into gloomy
statistical dens by the hair。
No little Gradgrind had ever seen a face in the moon； it was up
in the moon before it could speak distinctly。 No little Gradgrind
had ever learnt the silly jingle； Twinkle； twinkle； little star； how I
wonder what you are！ No little Gradgrind had ever known wonder
on the subject； each little Gradgrind having at five years old
dissected the Great Bear like a Professor Owen； and driven
Charles’s Wain like a locomotive engine…driver。 No little
Gradgrind had ever associated a cow in a field with that famous
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 18…
Hard Times 18
cow with the crumpled horn who tossed the dog who worried the
cat who killed the rat who ate the malt； or with that yet more
famous cow who swallowed Tom Thumb： it had never heard of
those celebrities； and had only been introduced to a cow as a
graminivorous ruminating quadruped with several stomachs。
To his matter…of…fact home； which was called Stone Lodge； Mr
Gradgrind directed his steps。 He had virtually retired from the
wholesale hardware trade before he built Stone Lodge； and was
now looking about for a suitable opportunity of making an
arithmetical figure in Parliament。 Stone Lodge was situated on a
moor within a mile or two of a great town—called Coketown in the
present faithful guide…book。
A very regular feature on the face of the country； Stone Lodge
was。 Not the least disguise toned down or shaded off that
uncompromising fact in the landscape。 A great square house； with
a heavy portico darkening the principal windows； as its master’s
heavy brows overshadowed his eyes。 A calculated； cast up；
balanced； and proved house。 Six windows on this side of the door；
six on that side； a total of twelve in this wing； a total of twelve in
the other wing： four and twenty carried over to the back wings。 A
lawn and garden and an infant avenue； all ruled straight like a
botanical account…book。 Gas and ventilation； drainage and water…
service； all of the primest quality。 Iron clamps and girders；
fireproof from top to bottom； mechanical lifts for the housemaids；
with all their brushes and brooms； everything that heart could
desire。
Everything？ Well； I suppose so。 The little Gradgrinds had
cabinets in various departments of science too。 They had a little
conchological cabinet； and a little metallurgical cabinet； and a
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 19…
Hard Times 19
little mineralogical cabinet； and the specimens were all arranged
and labelled； and the bits of stone and ore looked as though they
might have been broken from the parent substances by those
tremendously hard instruments their own names； and； to
paraphrase the idle legend of Peter Piper； who had never found
his way into their nursery； if the greedy little Gradgrinds grasped
at more than this； what was it for good gracious goodness sake；
that the greedy little Gradgrinds grasped at！
Their father walked on in a hopeful and satisfied frame of mind。
He was an affectionate father； after his manner； but he would
probably have described himself （if he had been put； like Sissy
Jupe； upon a definition） as “an eminently practical” father。 He had
a particular pride in the phrase eminently practical； which was
considered to have a special application to him。 Whatsoever the
public meeting held in Coketown； and whatsoever the subject of
such meeting； some Coketowner was sure to seize the occasion of
alluding to his eminently practical friend Gradgrind。 This always
pleased the eminently practical friend。 He knew it to be his due；
but his due was acceptable。
He had reached the neutral ground upon the outskirts of the
town； which was neither town nor country； and yet was neither
spoiled； when his ears were invaded by the sound of music。 The
clashing and banging band attached to the horse…riding
establishment which had there set up its rest in a wooden pavilion；
was in full bray。 A flag； floating from the summit of the temple；
proclaimed to mankind that it was “Sleary’s Horseriding” which
claimed their suffrages。 Sleary himself； a stout modern statue with
a moneybox at its elbow； in an ecclesiastical niche of early Gothic
architecture； took the money。 Miss Josephine Sleary； as some very
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 20…
Hard Times 20
long and very narrow strips of printed bill announced； was then
inaugurating the entertainments with her graceful equestrian
Tyrolean flower…act。 Among the other pleasing but always strictly
moral wonders which must be seen to be believed； Signor Jupe
was that afternoon to “elucidate the diverting accomplishments of
his highly trained performing dog Merrylegs”。 He was also to
exhibit “his astounding feat of throwing seventy…five
hundredweight in rapid succession backhanded over his head
thus forming a fountain of solid iron in mid…air； a feat never before
attempted in this or any other country and which having elicited
such rapturous plaudits from enthusiastic throngs it cannot be
withdrawn”。 The same Signor Jupe was to “enliven the varied
performances at frequent intervals with his chaste Shakespearean
quips and retorts”。 Lastly； he was to wind them up by appearing in
his favourite character of Mr William Button； of Tooley Street； in
“the highly novel and laughable hippocomedietta of The Tailor’s
Journey to Brentford”。
Thomas Gradgrind took no heed of these trivialities of course；
but passed on as a practical man ought to pass on； either brushing
the noisy insects from his thoughts； or consigning them to the
House of Correction。 But； the turning of the road took him by the
back of the booth； and at the back of the booth a number of
children were congregated in a number of stealthy attitudes；
striving to peep in at the hidden glories of the place。
This brought him to a stop。 “Now； to think of these vagabonds；”
said he； “at
