hard times(艰难时世)-第38章
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the table。 “Oh hide me！ Don’t let me be seen for the world。 Don’t
let him come up till I’ve got away。 Pray； pray！” She trembled； and
was excessively agitated； getting behind Rachael； when Rachael
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tried to reassure her； and not seeming to know what she was
about。
“But hearken； missus； hearken；” said Stephen； astonished；
“’Tisn’t Mr Bounderby； ’tis his wife。 Your not fearfo’ o’ her。 Yo was
hey…go…mad about her； but an hour sin。”
“But are you sure it’s the lady； and not the gentleman？” she
asked； still trembling。
“Certain sure！”
“Well then； pray don’t speak to me； nor yet take any notice of
me；” said the old woman。 “Let me be quite to myself in this
corner。”
Stephen nodded； looking to Rachael for an explanation； which
she was quite unable to give him； took the candle； went
downstairs； and in a few moments returned； lighting Louisa into
the room。 She was followed by the whelp。
Rachel had risen； and stood apart with her shawl and bonnet in
her hand； when Stephen； himself profoundly astonished by this
visit； put the candle on the table。 Then he too stood； with his
doubled hand upon the table near it； waiting to be addressed。
For the first time in her life； Louisa had come into one of the
dwellings of Coketown hands； for the first time in her life； she was
face to face with anything like individuality in connection with
them。 She knew of their existence by hundreds and by thousands。
She knew what results in work a given number of them would
produce； in a given space of time。 She knew them in crowds
passing to and from their nests； like ants or beetles。 But she knew
from her reading infinitely more of the ways of toiling insects than
of these toiling men and women。
Something to be worked so much and paid so much； and there
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ended； something to be infallibly settled by laws of supply and
demand； something that blundered against those laws； and
floundered into difficulty； something that was a little pinched
when wheat was dear； and over…ate itself when wheat was cheap；
something that increased at such a rate of percentage； and yielded
such another percentage of crime； and such another percentage of
pauperism； something wholesale； of which vast fortunes were
made； something that occasionally rose like the sea； and did some
harm and waste （chiefly to itself）； and fell again； this she knew the
Coketown Hands to be。 But； she had scarcely thought more of
separating them into units； than of separating the sea itself into
component drops。
She stood for some moments looking round the room。 From the
few chairs； the few books； the common prints； and the bed； she
glanced to the two women； and to Stephen。
“I have come to speak to you； in consequence of what passed
just now。 I should like to be serviceable to you； if you will let me。 Is
this your wife？”
Rachael raised her eyes； and they sufficiently answered no； and
dropped again。
“I remember；” said Louisa； reddening at her mistake； “I
recollect； now； to have heard your domestic misfortunes spoken of；
though I was not attending to the particulars at the time。 It was
not my meaning to ask a question that would give pain to any one
here。 If I should ask any other question that may happen to have
that result； give me credit； if you please； for being in ignorance
how to speak to you as I ought。”
As Stephen had but a little while ago instinctively addressed
himself to her； so she now instinctively addressed herself to
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Rachel。 Her manner was short and abrupt； yet faltering and timid。
“He has told you what has passed between himself and my
husband？ You would be his first resource； I think。”
“I have heard the end of it； young lady；” said Rachael。
“Did I understand； that； being rejected by one employer； he
would probably be rejected by all？ I thought he said as much？”
“The chances are very small； young lady—next to nothing—for
a man who gets a bad name among them。”
“What shall I understand that you mean by a bad name？”
“The name of being troublesome。”
“Then； by the prejudices of his own class； and by the prejudices
of the other； he is sacrificed alike？ Are the two so deeply separated
in this town； that there is no place whatever； for an honest
workman between them？”
Rachael shook her head in silence。
“He fell into suspicion；” said Louisa； “with his fellow…weavers；
because he had made a promise not to be one of them。 I think it
must have been to you that he made that promise。 Might I ask you
why he made it？”
Rachael burst into tears。 “I didn’t seek it of him； poor lad； I
prayed him to avoid trouble for his own good； little thinking he’d
come to it through me。 But I know he’d die a hundred deaths； ere
ever he’d break his word。 I know that of him well。”
Stephen had remained quietly attentive； in his usual thoughtful
attitude； with his hand at his chin。 He now spoke in a voice rather
less steady than usual。
“No one； excepting myseln； can ever know what honour； an
what love； and respect； I bear to Rachael； or wi’ what cause。 When
I passed that promess； I towd her true； she were th’ Angel o’ my
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life。 ’Twere a solemn promess。 ’Tis gone fro’ me； for ever。”
Louisa turned her head to him； and bent it with a deference
that was new in her。 She looked from him to Rachael； and her
features softened。 “What will you do？” she asked him。 And her
voice had softened too。
“Weel； ma’am；” said Stephen； making the best of it； with a
smile； “when I ha finished off； I mun quit this part； and try
another。 Fortnet or misfortnet； a man can but try； there’s nowt to
be done wi’out tryin’—cept laying down and dying。”
“How will you travel？”
“Afoot； my kind ledy； afoot。”
Louisa coloured； and a purse appeared in her hand。 The
rustling of a banknote was audible； as she unfolded one and laid it
on the table。
“Rachael； will you tell him—for you know how； without
offence—that this is freely his； to help him on his way？ Will you
entreat him to take it？”
“I canna do that； young lady；” she answered； turning her head
aside。 “Bless you for thinking o’ the poor lad wi’ such tenderness。
But ’tis for him to know his heart and what is right according to
it。”
Louisa looked； in part incredulous； in part frightened； in part
overcome with quick sympathy； when this man of so much self…
command； who had been so plain and steady through the late
interview； lost his composure in a moment； and now stood with his
hand before his face。 She stretched out hers； as if she would have
touched him； then checked herself and remained still。
“Not e’en Rachael；” said Stephen； when he stood again with his
face uncovered； “could mak sitch a kind offerin； by onny words；
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kinder T’ show that I’m not a man wi’out reason and gratitude； I’ll
tak two pound。 I’ll borrow ’t for t’ pay ’t back。 ’Twill be the
sweetest work as ever I ha done； that puts it in my power t’
acknowledge once more my lasting thankfulness for this present
action。”
She was fain to take up the note again； and to substitute the
much smaller sum he had named。 He was neither courtly； nor
handsome； nor picturesque； in any respect； and yet his manner of
accepting it； and of expressing his thanks without more words；
had a grace in it that Lord Chesterfield could not have taught his
son in a century。
Tom had sat upon the bed； swinging one leg； and sucking his
walking…stick with sufficient unconcern； until the visit had
attained this stage。 Seeing his sister ready to depart； he got up；
rather hurriedly； and put in a word。
“Just wait a moment； Loo！ Before we go； I should like to speak
to him a moment。 Something comes into my head。 If you’ll step
out on the stairs； Blackpool； I’ll mention it。 Never mind a light；
man！” Tom was remarkably impatient of his moving towards the
cupboard to get one。 “It don’t want a light。”
Stephen followed him out； and Tom closed the room door； and
held the lock in his hand。
“I say！” he whispered。 “I think I can do you a good turn。 Don’t
ask me what it is； because it may not come to anything。 But there’s
no harm in my trying。”
His breath fell like a flame of fire on Stephen’s ear； it was so
hot。
“That was our light porter at the Bank；” said Tom； “who
brought you the message tonight。 I call him our light porter；
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