登陆注册
4807800000227

第227章

It is a trite observation, and one which, young as you are, I have no doubt you have often heard repeated, that we have fallen upon strange times, and live in days of constant shiftings and changes.

I had a melancholy instance of this only a week or two since. Iwas returning from Manchester to London by the Mail Train, when Isuddenly fell into another train - a mixed train - of reflection, occasioned by the dejected and disconsolate demeanour of the Post-Office Guard. We were stopping at some station where they take in water, when he dismounted slowly from the little box in which he sits in ghastly mockery of his old condition with pistol and blunderbuss beside him, ready to shoot the first highwayman (or railwayman) who shall attempt to stop the horses, which now travel (when they travel at all) INSIDE and in a portable stable invented for the purpose, - he dismounted, I say, slowly and sadly, from his post, and looking mournfully about him as if in dismal recollection of the old roadside public-house the blazing fire - the glass of foaming ale - the buxom handmaid and admiring hangers-on of tap-room and stable, all honoured by his notice; and, retiring a little apart, stood leaning against a signal-post, surveying the engine with a look of combined affliction and disgust which no words can describe. His scarlet coat and golden lace were tarnished with ignoble smoke; flakes of soot had fallen on his bright green shawl - his pride in days of yore - the steam condensed in the tunnel from which we had just emerged, shone upon his hat like rain. His eye betokened that he was thinking of the coachman; and as it wandered to his own seat and his own fast-fading garb, it was plain to see that he felt his office and himself had alike no business there, and were nothing but an elaborate practical joke.

As we whirled away, I was led insensibly into an anticipation of those days to come, when mail-coach guards shall no longer be judges of horse-flesh - when a mail-coach guard shall never even have seen a horse - when stations shall have superseded stables, and corn shall have given place to coke. 'In those dawning times,'

thought I, 'exhibition-rooms shall teem with portraits of Her Majesty's favourite engine, with boilers after Nature by future Landseers. Some Amburgh, yet unborn, shall break wild horses by his magic power; and in the dress of a mail-coach guard exhibit his TRAINED ANIMALS in a mock mail-coach. Then, shall wondering crowds observe how that, with the exception of his whip, it is all his eye; and crowned heads shall see them fed on oats, and stand alone unmoved and undismayed, while counters flee affrighted when the coursers neigh!'

Such, my child, were the reflections from which I was only awakened then, as I am now, by the necessity of attending to matters of present though minor importance. I offer no apology to you for the digression, for it brings me very naturally to the subject of change, which is the very subject of which I desire to treat.

In fact, my child, you have changed hands. Henceforth I resign you to the guardianship and protection of one of my most intimate and valued friends, Mr. Ainsworth, with whom, and with you, my best wishes and warmest feelings will ever remain. I reap no gain or profit by parting from you, nor will any conveyance of your property be required, for, in this respect, you have always been literally 'Bentley's' Miscellany, and never mine.

Unlike the driver of the old Manchester mail, I regard this altered state of things with feelings of unmingled pleasure and satisfaction.

Unlike the guard of the new Manchester mail, YOUR guard is at home in his new place, and has roystering highwaymen and gallant desperadoes ever within call. And if I might compare you, my child, to an engine; (not a Tory engine, nor a Whig engine, but a brisk and rapid locomotive;) your friends and patrons to passengers; and he who now stands towards you IN LOCO PARENTIS as the skilful engineer and supervisor of the whole, I would humbly crave leave to postpone the departure of the train on its new and auspicious course for one brief instant, while, with hat in hand, Iapproach side by side with the friend who travelled with me on the old road, and presume to solicit favour and kindness in behalf of him and his new charge, both for their sakes and that of the old coachman,Boz.

同类推荐
  • 大广方入如来智德不思议经

    大广方入如来智德不思议经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 偶会篇

    偶会篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 七国春秋平话

    七国春秋平话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 异苑

    异苑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 历世真仙体道通鉴

    历世真仙体道通鉴

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 帝都风云秘事

    帝都风云秘事

    帝都刑侦大队刑警周若瑜在休假时突然被召回。一桩离奇的案件发生在了帝都。致使人人心慌不安,随着周若瑜的归队,所有人都对这起杀人案件展开了调查。明明都死了却还柔软的身体?明明都已经腐烂却在渐渐回复弹性的肌肤?一张模糊不清的照片还有一个臆想症的丈夫。一个个谜团围绕着周若瑜和她的小队。一个男人的突然出现又突然消失,一个看似简单的杀人案却有些惊天秘密!怎么办?周若瑜能否将犯人绳之以法,又能否揭开这层层迷雾,让帝都重归安宁?
  • 清风剑之江湖累

    清风剑之江湖累

    我的朝廷跟武林。他们说朝廷跟武林是两个互不相干的事物,朝廷有自己的规矩,武林也有自己的规矩。
  • 妙引宋词好口才

    妙引宋词好口才

    宋词是中国古代文学皇冠上光辉夺目的一颗巨钻,在古代文学的阆苑里,她是一块芬芳绚丽的园圃。她以姹紫嫣红、千姿百态的丰神,与唐诗争奇,与元典斗妍,历来与唐诗并称双绝,都代表一代文学之胜。词,诗歌的一种。因是合乐的歌词,故又称曲子词、乐府、乐章、长短句、诗余、琴趣等。始于隋,定型于中晚唐,盛于宋。隋唐之际,从西域传入的各民族的音乐与中原旧乐渐渐融合,并以胡乐为主,产生了燕乐。原来整齐的五、七言诗已不适应,于是产生了字句不等、形式更为活泼的词。
  • 动物生存智慧

    动物生存智慧

    每一种动物,都是自然界中靓丽的风景;每一种动物,都是我们人类的亲密朋友。每一种动物的生存智慧,都为我们带来人生的启迪。本书让我们感悟动物的成功品质,学以致用。在漫长的进化过程中,每一种动物都掌握了高超的生存技能。在处理某些问题时,动物的智慧更加简单、有效。从这种意义上来讲,动物比人类更加聪明。了解动物生活习性,增长知识;感悟动物生存智慧,学以致用。
  • 征途

    征途

    上古,一场横扫诸界的旷世之战爆发,三界尽毁,天国坠落,参战各族传承断绝,损失惨重,史称浩劫之战。战后人族虽迅速壮大,但因人皇陨落,致人族长期兴而不旺,分化十国百派,更有万族掺和,数千年来征战不休。千年之后,浩劫之战的端倪再现,灭世之火重新点燃。且看身负妖皇血脉的穿越者天佑,如何隐于仙门之内,以现代眼光造战车、铸傀儡,收妖王于帐下,揽美人在身侧?如何克服入道过晚的困难,从零开始,打破阴阳、解析术法,铸一身混元道体,搏一次五行同修?“来吧,诸位战士、法师、道士、医仙……加入我的征途,终结战的时代!”
  • 不消失的恋人

    不消失的恋人

    饶雪漫的金牌编辑方悄悄转型啦!一直扮演着“失恋专家”的她,写的却是一部百分之百的恋爱小说。一段异国恋情,一个转身的恋人……像《八月照相馆》般清新浪漫,2009不可多得的疗伤小说。本书讲的其实是个简单的故事,表达的也是一种简单的信念:不能让失去的东西禁锢我们的人生,无论受到多重的伤害,都要尽力完整、诚恳地活下去。教授留学生中文的研究生陈晓镜与自己的学生青田开始了一段恋爱,一切看上去美好得不像话。但是青田在一次短暂的回国之后,便向晓镜提出了分手。尚未走出分手困局的晓镜,却猝不及防地接到青田因车祸去世的消息。在这之后,许多和青田有关的人以不同的姿态介入了她的生活……
  • The Gold Bag

    The Gold Bag

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 迟以慕生情

    迟以慕生情

    初遇,他是隔壁的邻家冷哥哥,是疼她、护她的江迟沐.“迟沐哥哥,你为什么对别人总是一副冷冰冰的样子呢?"“傻丫头,那是因为我的温柔仅限于你一人呐!”再逢,他是人人趋之若鹜却又敬而远之的MK幕后神秘执行总裁,是对人友好而又带着淡淡疏离的--Harrison,是a大医学院的高材生,医学界同行敬仰,外界广为流传的医圣....."迟...迟沐哥....哥,这些...年,你...你还好吗?"“姜若生,我要是说这些年我过得不好又能怎样?你也会心疼吗?”姜若生知道,这个男孩是他的劫,她注定是要沦陷下去的........http://wkkk.net/bk/qc/20113475
  • 帝仙殿下超冷的

    帝仙殿下超冷的

    【本文反套路-己完结】“本王帅气多金,能替她吊打白莲花,脚踩炮灰,美人为何不愿嫁与本王为妃?”南越尘看着下属,正色问道。下属面无表情:“她徒手能撕千军万马!”南越尘强颜微笑,控制住寄几:“本王愿割舍城池十座为聘,为她卸去那万人敬仰的身份,美人为何还是不愿嫁与本王为妃?”下属一本正经:“她徒手能撕千军万马!”南越尘扬起衣袖就将下属抽地一脸茫然:“给本王说人话。”“主子,你是存在于一本没男主的书里啊……”
  • 大氏族

    大氏族

    男儿何不带吴钩,收取关山五十州。请君暂上凌烟阁,若个书生万户侯。他本以为他的降临是为了嬉戏世间,他却上了战场;他本以为此生孑然一人做个笑傲江湖的剑客,他却发现无数的人因他而昌亦因他而亡。这就是氏族,氏族之间的征服,至死方休。