hard times(艰难时世)-第56章
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Hard Times 297
“It had no effect on Sissy； fact or no fact。
“Besides which；” said Mr Harthouse； taking a turn or two
across the room； dubiously； “it’s so alarmingly absurd。 It would
make a man so ridiculous； after going in for these fellows； to back
out in such an incomprehensible way。”
“I am quite sure；” repeated Sissy； “that it is the only reparation
in your power； sir。 I am quite sure； or I would not have come here。
He glanced at her face； and walked about again。 “Upon my soul；
I don’t know what to say。 So immensely absurd！”
It fell to his lot； now； to stipulate for secrecy。
“If I were to do such a very ridiculous thing；” he said； stopping
again presently； and leaning against the chimney…piece； “it could
only be in the most inviolable confidence。”
“I will trust to you； sir；” returned Sissy； “and you will trust to
me。”
His leaning against the chimney…piece reminded him of the
night with the whelp。 It was the self…same chimney…piece； and
somehow he felt as if he were the whelp tonight。 He could make no
way at all。
“I suppose a man never was placed in a more ridiculous
position；” he said； after looking down； and looking up； and
laughing； and frowning； and walking off； and walking back again。
“But I see no way out of it。 What will be； will be。 This will be； I
suppose。 I must take off myself； I imagine—in short； I engage to do
it。”
Sissy rose。 She was not surprised by the result； but she was
happy in it； and her face beamed brightly。
“You will permit me to say；” continued Mr James Harthouse；
“that I doubt if any other ambassador； or ambassadress； could
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have addressed me with the same success。 I must not only regard
myself as being in a very ridiculous position； but as being
vanquished at all points。 Will you allow me the privilege of
remembering my enemy’s name？”
“My name？” said the ambassadress。
“The only name I could possibly care to know； tonight。”
“Sissy Jupe。”
“Pardon my curiosity at parting。 Related to the family？”
“I am only a poor girl；” returned Sissy。 “I was separated from
my father—he was only a stroller—and taken pity on by Mr
Gradgrind。 I have lived in the house ever since。”
She was gone。
“It wanted this to complete the defeat；” said Mr James
Harthouse； sinking； with a resigned air； on the sofa； after standing
transfixed a little while。 “The defeat may now be considered
perfectly accomplished。 Only a poor girl—only a stroller—only
James Harthouse made nothing of—only James Harthouse a
Great Pyramid of failure。”
The Great Pyramid put it into his head to go up the Nile。 He
took a pen upon the instant； and wrote the following note （in
appropriate hieroglyphics） to his brother：
Dear Jack。—All up at Coketown。 Bored out of the place； and going
in for camels。
Affectionately； JEM。
He rang the bell。
“Send my fellow here。”
“Gone to bed； sir。”
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“Tell him to get up； and pack up。”
He wrote two more notes。 One； to Mr Bounderby； announcing
his retirement from that part of the country； and showing where
he would be found for the next fortnight。 The other； similar in
effect； to Mr Gradgrind。 Almost as soon as the ink was dry upon
their superscriptions； he had left the tall chimneys of Coketown
behind； and was in a railway carriage； tearing and glaring over the
dark landscape。
The moral sort of fellows might suppose that Mr James
Harthouse derived some comfortable reflections afterwards； from
this prompt retreat； as one of his few actions that made any
amends for anything； and as a token to himself that he had
escaped the climax of a very bad business。 But it was not so； at all。
A secret sense of having failed and been ridiculous—a dread of
what other fellows who went in for similar sorts of things； would
say at his expense if they knew it—so oppressed him； that what
was about the very best passage in his life was the one of all others
he would not have owned to on any account； and the only one that
made him ashamed of himself。
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Chapter 3
Very Decided
he indefatigable Mrs Sparsit； with a violent cold upon her；
her voice reduced to a whisper； and her stately frame so
T
racked by continual sneezes that it seemed in danger of
dismemberment； gave chase to her patron until she found him in
the metropolis； and there； majestically sweeping in upon him at
his hotel in St James’s Street； exploded the combustibles with
which she was charged； and blew up。 Having executed her mission
with infinite relish； this high…minded woman then fainted away on
Mr Bounderby’s coat…collar。
Mr Bounderby’s first procedure was to shake Mrs Sparsit off；
and leave her to progress as she might through various stages of
suffering on the floor。 He next had recourse to the administration
of potent restoratives； such as screwing the patient’s thumbs；
smiting her hands； abundantly watering her face； and inserting
salt in her mouth。 When these attentions had recovered her
（which they speedily did）； he hustled her into a fast train without
offering any other refreshment； and carried her back to Coketown
more dead than alive。
Regarded as a classical ruin； Mrs Sparsit was an interesting
spectacle on her arrival at her journey’s end； but considered in
any other light； the amount of damage she had by that time
sustained was excessive； and impaired her claims to admiration。
Utterly heedless of the wear and tear of her clothes and
constitution； and adamant to her pathetic sneezes； Mr Bounderby
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immediately crammed her into a coach； and bore her off to Stone
Lodge。
“Now； Tom Gradgrind；” said Bounderby； bursting into his
father…in…law’s room late at night； “here’s a lady here—Mrs
Sparsit—you know Mrs Sparsit—who has something to say to you
that will strike you dumb。”
“You have missed my letter！” exclaimed Mr Gradgrind；
surprised by the apparition。
“Missed your letter； sir！” bawled Bounderby。 “The present time
is no time for letters。 No man shall talk to Josiah Bounderby of
Coketown about letters； with his mind in the state it’s in now。”
“Bounderby；” said Mr Gradgrind； in a tone of temperate
remonstrance； “I speak of a very special letter I have written to
you； in reference to Louisa。”
“Tom Gradgrind；” replied Bounderby； knocking the flat of his
hand several times with great vehemence on the table； “I speak of
a very special messenger that has come to me； in reference to
Louisa。 Mrs Sparsit ma’am； stand forward！”
That unfortunate lady hereupon essaying to offer testimony；
without any voice and with painful gestures expressive of an
inflamed throat； became so aggravating and underwent so many
facial contortions； that Mr Bounderby； unable to bear it； seized her
by the arm and shook her。
“If you can’t get it out ma’am；” said Bounderby； “leave me to
get it out。 This is not a time for a lady； however highly connected；
to be totally inaudible； and seemingly swallowing marbles。 Tom
Gradgrind； Mrs Sparsit latterly found herself； by accident； in a
situation to overhear a conversation out of doors between your
daughter and your precious gentleman…friend； Mr James
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Harthouse。”
“Indeed？” said Mr Gradgrind。
“Ah！ Indeed！” cried Bounderby。 “And in that conversation—”
“It is not necessary to repeat its tenor； Bounderby。 I know what
passed。”
“You do？ Perhaps；” said Bounderby； starting with all his might
at his so quiet and assuasive father…in…law； “you know where your
daughter is at the present time？”
“Undoubtedly。 She is here。”
“Here？”
“My dear Bounderby； let me beg you to restrain these loud
outbreaks； on all accounts。 Louisa is here。 The moment she could
detach herself from that interview with the person of whom you
speak； and whom I deeply regret to have been the means of
introducing to you； Louisa hurried here； for protection。 I myself
had not been at home many hours； when I received her—here； in
this room。 She hurried by the train to town； she ran from town to
this house through a raging storm； and presented herself before
me in a state of distraction。 Of course； she has remained here ever
since。 Let me entreat you； for your own
