hard times(艰难时世)-第69章
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know—I thed it wath better not； though I only thought then； it
wath thome thkylarking。 However； thith young man having made
it known to be a robbery of a bank； why； that’h a theriouth thing；
muth too theriouth a thing for me to compound； ath thith young
man hath very properly called it。 Conthequently； Thquire； you
muthn’t quarrel with me if I take thith young man’th thide； and
thay he’th right and there’th no help for it。 But I tell you what I’ll
do； Thquire； I’ll drive your thon and thith young man over to the
rail； and prevent expothure here。 I can’t conthent to do more； but
I’ll do that。”
Fresh lamentations from Louisa； and deeper affliction on Mr
Gradgrind’s part； followed this desertion of them by their last
friend。 But； Sissy glanced to him with great attention； nor did she
in her own breast misunderstand him。 As they were all going out
again； he favoured her with one slight roll of his movable eye；
desiring her to linger behind。 As he locked the door； he said
excitedly：
“The Thquire thtood by you； Thethilia； and I’ll thtand by the
Thquire。 More than that： thith ith a prethiouth rathcal and
belongth to that bluthtering Cove that my people nearly pitht out
o’ winder。 It’ll be a dark night； I’ve got a horthe that’ll do anything
but thpeak； I’ve got a pony that’ll go fifteen mile an hour with
Childerth driving of him； I’ve got a dog that’ll keep a man to one
plathe four…and…twenty hourth。 Get a word with the young
Thquire。 Tell him； when he theeth our horthe begin to danthe； not
to be afraid of being thpilt； but to look out for a pony…gig coming
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up。 Tell him； when he theeth that gig clothe by； to jump down； and
it’ll take him off at a rattling pathe。 If my dog leth thith young man
thtir a peg on foot； I give him leave to go。 And if my horthe ever
thtirth from that thpot where he beginth a danthing； till the
morning—I don’t know him？—Tharp’th the word！”
The word was so sharp； that in ten minutes Mr Childers；
sauntering about the market…place in a pair of slippers； had his
cue； and Mr Sleary’s equipage was ready。 It was a fine sight to
behold the learned dog barking round it； and Mr Sleary
instructing him； with his one practical eye； that Bitzer was the
object of his particular attentions。 Soon after dark they all three
got in and started； the learned dog （a formidable creature） already
pinning Bitzer with his eye； and sticking close to the wheel on his
side； that he might be ready for him in the event of his showing the
slightest disposition to alight。
The other three sat up at the inn all night in great suspense。 At
eight o’clock in the morning Mr Sleary and the dog reappeared：
both in high spirits。
“All right； Thquire！” said Mr Sleary； “your thon may be aboard…
a…thip by thith time。 Childerth took him off； an hour and a half
after we left here lathe night。 The horth danthed the polka till he
was dead beat （he would have walthed； if he hadn’t been in
harneth）； and then I gave him the word and he went to thleep
comfortable。 Then that prethiouth young Rathcal thed he’d go
for’ard afoot； the dog hung on to hith neck…handkercher with all
four legth in the air and pulled him down and rolled him over。 Tho
he come back into the drag； and there he that； ’till I turned the
horthe’th head； at half…path thixth thith morning。”
Mr Gradgrind overwhelmed him with thanks； of course； and
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hinted as delicately as he could； at a handsome remuneration in
money。
“I don’t wan’t money mythelf； Thquire； but Childerth ith a
family man； and if you wath to like to offer him a five…pound note；
it mightn’t be unactheptable。 Likewithe if you wath to thand a
collar for the dog； or a thet of belth for the horthe； I thould be very
glad to take ’em。 Brandy and water I alwayth take。” He had
already called for a glass； and now called for another。 “If you
wouldn’t think it going too far； Thquire； to make a little thpread
for the company at about three and thixth ahead； not reckoning
Luth； it would make ’em happy。”
All these little tokens of his gratitude； Mr Gradgrind very
willingly undertook to render。 Though he thought them far too
slight； he said； for such a service。
“Very well； Thquire； then； if you’ll only give a Horthe…riding； a
bethpeak； whenever you can； you’ll more than balanthe the
account。 Now； Thquire； if your daughter will excuthe me； I thoud
like one parting word with you。”
Louisa and Sissy withdrew into an adjoining room； Mr Sleary；
stirring and drinking his brandy and water as he stood； went on：
“Thquire； you don’t need to be told that dogth is wonderful
animalth。”
“Their instinct；” said Mr Gradgrind； “is surprising。”
“Whatever you call it—and I’m bletht if I know what to call
it；”—said Sleary； “it ith athonithing。 The way in with a dog’ll find
you—the dithtanthe he’ll come！”
“His scent；” said Mr Gradgrind； “being so fine。”
“I’m bleth if I know what to call it；” repeated Sleary； shaking
his head； “but I have had dogth find me； Thquire； in a way that
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made me think whether that dog hadn’t gone to another dog； and
thed； ‘You don’t happen to know a perthon of the name of Thleary；
do you？ Perthon of the name of Thleary； in the Horthe…Riding
way—thout man—game eye？’ And whether that dog mightn’t have
thed； ‘Well； I can’t thay I know him mythelf； but I know a dog that
I think would be likely to be acquainted with him。’ And whether
that dog mightn’t have thought it over； and thed； ‘Thleary；
Thleary！ O yeth； to be thure！ A friend of mine menthioned him to
me at one time。 I can get you hith addreth directly。’ In
conthequenth of my being afore the public； and going about tho
muth； you thee； there muth be a number of dogth acquainted with
me； Thquire； that I don’t know！”
Mr Gradgrind seemed to be quite confounded by this
speculation。
“Any way；” said Sleary； after putting his lips to his brandy and
water； “ith fourteen month ago； Thquire； thinthe we wath at
Chethter。 We wath getting up our Children in the Wood one
morning； when there cometh into our Ring； by the thtage door； a
dog。 He had travelled a long way； he wath in very bad condithon；
he wath lame； and pretty well blind。 He went round to our
children； one after another； as if he wath a theeking for a child he
know’d； and then he come to me； and throwed hithelf up behind；
and thood on hith two fore…legth； weak ath he wath； and then he
wagged hith tail and died。 Thquire； that dog wath Merrylegth。”
“Sissy’s father’s dog！”
“Thethilia’th father’th old dog。 Now； Thquire； I can take my
oath； from my knowledge of that dog； that that man wath dead—
and buried—afore that dog come back to me。 Joth’phine and
Childerth and me talked it over a long time； whether I thoud write
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or not。 But we agreed； ‘No。 There’th nothing comfortable to tell：
why unthettle her mind； and make her unhappy？’ Tho； whether
her father bathely detherted her； or whether he broke his own
heart alone； rather than pull her down along with him； never will
be known； now； Thquire； till—no； not till we know how the dog
findth uth out！”
“She keeps the bottle that he sent her for； to this hour； and she
will believe in his affection to the last moment of her life；” said Mr
Gradgrind。
“It theemth to prethent two thingth to a perthon； don’t it；
Thquire？” said Mr Sleary； musing as he looked down into the
depths of his brandy and water： “one； that there ith a love in the
world； not all Thelf…intereth after all； but thomething very
different； t’other； that it hath a way of ith own of calculating or not
calculating； whith thomehow or another ith at leatht ath hard to
give a name to； ath the wayth of the dogth ith！”
Mr Gradgrind looked out of window； and made no reply。 Mr
Sleary emptied his glass and recalled the ladies。
“Thethilia my dear； kith me and good…bye！ Mith Thquire； to
thee you treating of her like a thithter； and a thithter that you
trutht； and honour with all your heart and more； ith a very pretty
thight to me。 I hope your brother may live to be better detherving
of you； and a greater comfort to you。 Thquire； thake handth； firtht
and latht！ Don’t be croth with uth poor vagabondth。 People mutht
be amuthed。 They can’t be alwayth a learning； nor yet they can’t
be alwayth a working； they an’t made for it。 You mutht have uth；
Thquire。 Do the withe thing and the kind thing too； and make the
beth uth： not the wurth！
“And I never thought before；” said Mr Sleary； putting his head
Charles Dickens
