登陆注册
5251800000039

第39章 MASTER HUMPHREY, FROM HIS CLOCK-SIDE IN THE CHIMNE

TWO or three evenings after the institution of Mr. Weller's Watch, I thought I heard, as I walked in the garden, the voice of Mr.

Weller himself at no great distance; and stopping once or twice to listen more attentively, I found that the sounds proceeded from my housekeeper's little sitting-room, which is at the back of the house. I took no further notice of the circumstance at that time, but it formed the subject of a conversation between me and my friend Jack Redburn next morning, when I found that I had not been deceived in my impression. Jack furnished me with the following particulars; and as he appeared to take extraordinary pleasure in relating them, I have begged him in future to jot down any such domestic scenes or occurrences that may please his humour, in order that they may be told in his own way. I must confess that, as Mr.

Pickwick and he are constantly together, I have been influenced, in making this request, by a secret desire to know something of their proceedings.

On the evening in question, the housekeeper's room was arranged with particular care, and the housekeeper herself was very smartly dressed. The preparations, however, were not confined to mere showy demonstrations, as tea was prepared for three persons, with a small display of preserves and jams and sweet cakes, which heralded some uncommon occasion. Miss Benton (my housekeeper bears that name) was in a state of great expectation, too, frequently going to the front door and looking anxiously down the lane, and more than once observing to the servant-girl that she expected company, and hoped no accident had happened to delay them.

A modest ring at the bell at length allayed her fears, and Miss Benton, hurrying into her own room and shutting herself up, in order that she might preserve that appearance of being taken by surprise which is so essential to the polite reception of visitors, awaited their coming with a smiling countenance.

'Good ev'nin', mum,' said the older Mr. Weller, looking in at the door after a prefatory tap. 'I'm afeerd we've come in rayther arter the time, mum, but the young colt being full o' wice, has been' a boltin' and shyin' and gettin' his leg over the traces to sich a extent that if he an't wery soon broke in, he'll wex me into a broken heart, and then he'll never be brought out no more except to learn his letters from the writin' on his grandfather's tombstone.'

With these pathetic words, which were addressed to something outside the door about two feet six from the ground, Mr. Weller introduced a very small boy firmly set upon a couple of very sturdy legs, who looked as if nothing could ever knock him down. Besides having a very round face strongly resembling Mr. Weller's, and a stout little body of exactly his build, this young gentleman, standing with his little legs very wide apart, as if the top-boots were familiar to them, actually winked upon the housekeeper with his infant eye, in imitation of his grandfather.

'There's a naughty boy, mum,' said Mr. Weller, bursting with delight, 'there's a immoral Tony. Wos there ever a little chap o'

four year and eight months old as vinked his eye at a strange lady afore?'

As little affected by this observation as by the former appeal to his feelings, Master Weller elevated in the air a small model of a coach whip which he carried in his hand, and addressing the housekeeper with a shrill 'ya - hip!' inquired if she was 'going down the road;' at which happy adaptation of a lesson he had been taught from infancy, Mr. Weller could restrain his feelings no longer, but gave him twopence on the spot.

'It's in wain to deny it, mum,' said Mr. Weller, 'this here is a boy arter his grandfather's own heart, and beats out all the boys as ever wos or will be. Though at the same time, mum,' added Mr.

Weller, trying to look gravely down upon his favourite, 'it was wery wrong on him to want to - over all the posts as we come along, and wery cruel on him to force poor grandfather to lift him cross-

legged over every vun of 'em. He wouldn't pass vun single blessed post, mum, and at the top o' the lane there's seven-and-forty on 'em all in a row, and wery close together.'

Here Mr. Weller, whose feelings were in a perpetual conflict between pride in his grandson's achievements and a sense of his own responsibility, and the importance of impressing him with moral truths, burst into a fit of laughter, and suddenly checking himself, remarked in a severe tone that little boys as made their grandfathers put 'em over posts never went to heaven at any price.

By this time the housekeeper had made tea, and little Tony, placed on a chair beside her, with his eyes nearly on a level with the top of the table, was provided with various delicacies which yielded him extreme contentment. The housekeeper (who seemed rather afraid of the child, notwithstanding her caresses) then patted him on the head, and declared that he was the finest boy she had ever seen.

'Wy, mum,' said Mr. Weller, 'I don't think you'll see a many sich, and that's the truth. But if my son Samivel vould give me my vay, mum, and only dis-pense vith his - MIGHT I wenter to say the vurd?'

'What word, Mr. Weller?' said the housekeeper, blushing slightly.

'Petticuts, mum,' returned that gentleman, laying his hand upon the garments of his grandson. 'If my son Samivel, mum, vould only dis-

pense vith these here, you'd see such a alteration in his appearance, as the imagination can't depicter.'

'But what would you have the child wear instead, Mr. Weller?' said the housekeeper.

'I've offered my son Samivel, mum, agen and agen,' returned the old gentleman, 'to purwide him at my own cost vith a suit o' clothes as 'ud be the makin' on him, and form his mind in infancy for those pursuits as I hope the family o' the Vellers vill alvays dewote themselves to. Tony, my boy, tell the lady wot them clothes are, as grandfather says, father ought to let you vear.'

同类推荐
  • 佛说造塔功德经

    佛说造塔功德经

    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。
  • 佛说杂譬喻经

    佛说杂譬喻经

    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。
  • 医宗己任编

    医宗己任编

    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。
  • 太上洞玄灵宝天关经

    太上洞玄灵宝天关经

    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。
  • 唐音癸籖

    唐音癸籖

    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
  • 雪姬之几生几世只为你

    雪姬之几生几世只为你

    根据韩国人气动漫《雪姬》改编。雪姬继承了富豪乔先生几十亿家产,名义上是他的女儿,实际却是被隐藏多年的情人,他们之间究竟有什么秘密?乔先生离世后,雪姬低调回到霓虹市,却同时陷入两个当红男明星的绯闻中,这究竟是预谋还是巧合?雪姬的真实身份是什么,她回来的目的又是什么?
  • 药女晶晶

    药女晶晶

    女药师重生普通人家的女儿,肤白秀美,机敏伶俐,身怀药府空间,突如一夜华丽变身为开国侯府唯一的嫡孙女。幼年时与爹娘居住田园,医治乡野农人;少女时随爷爷到京都,妙手回春医救治达官贵人;成亲后跟着夫君迁居边城,起死回生救活军队将士。神秘的爷爷,纯善的奶奶,憨朴的爹,懦弱的小叔,身世凄惨的娘,英勇的大哥,爱闯祸的二哥,呆萌的四弟,马虎的五弟,亲人不求回报的爱永远伴随她。夫君身份尊贵武功盖世阴辣英俊。她独霸后宅子孙满堂。本文就是女药师在古代幸福一生的故事。
  • 龙珠之悟空转世

    龙珠之悟空转世

    血战一星龙后,孙悟空与神龙一同离开地球,生存在神龙神界,神龙为了提升孙悟空的实力,将孙悟空送去了很多他从未见过的世界,这些世界的人均因和孙悟空的矛盾穿越了时空来到地球……在这里会有吃了恶魔果实的奇异之人,这里会有崇尚忍术的暗夜影子,这里会有热衷于领悟宇宙的恐怖战士,还有……还有很多……这些人将会给予孙悟空怎样的危险呢?群号:638509042
  • 绝代剑侠

    绝代剑侠

    剑指天下,气如虹,谁与争锋?快意恩仇,浊酒评江山,天知否,应是魂断人瘦。何时再执手,尽逐外夷,浪迹天涯,赏遍四海烟霞?
  • 你和时光从未离开过

    你和时光从未离开过

    哥哥是前职业选手,被称为国服第一中单,但是让所有人都没有想到的是,在职业巅峰的时候,退役了。而她,从小就接触电子游戏,最大的愿望就是,有一天可以在电子竞技的舞台上打出自己的一片天。
  • 狼性生存:人生必知的强势生存之道

    狼性生存:人生必知的强势生存之道

    本书将狼道智慧与个人及企业生存发展现状有机结合起来,揭示了狼族驰骋天下、历久不衰的奥秘,并结合现代企业特点总结出一套职场生存经验。
  • 光与暗白与黑

    光与暗白与黑

    本书写的是洛克王国迪莫和小光的故事,凭作者想象再借鉴洛克王国的故事而来。注:小光名字改为晓光。修改部分精灵属性和名称
  • 九连环之白老虎

    九连环之白老虎

    华阴县城南的坊市中,一家新来的马戏班子正在演出。大帐篷内挤满了看客,人头黑压压,却鸦雀无声,人人屏息静气,紧张地注视着舞台上。从幕布后,响起一声低沉而凶猛的咆哮,紧接着,一只土黄色的斑斓猛虎走了出来。它体躯庞大、眼若铜铃,顾盼间威风凛凛,人群中不由得一片惊呼声。在舞台两侧各摆放有一个四尺多高的方墩,之间搭着一条宽不足半尺的长木板,在木板下方,是一溜熊熊燃烧的火盆。老虎轻盈地跳上方墩,走上细木板。木板颤巍巍下沉弯曲,似乎承受不住分量,快要断裂,老虎将跌入火盆。
  • 嚣张极品妃

    嚣张极品妃

    穿越的沐华一睁眼就被人送上了花轿,可是却被人刺杀,甚至还被本应该成为夫君的九皇子,逼迫送回娘家。受了伤的她当日就被无良爹爹送回京城郊外的庄子,原因因为此地山贼横行,她爹爹想兵不血刃的解决掉她这个女儿。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 当种子落进时间

    当种子落进时间

    如果你不相信,也是因为文字。我写下这些文字,不是为了还原过去的生活,而是十多年过去了,我试图将那段生活中有趣的事讲出来。那些曾经和我共事的人看了,肯定不会认可,因为每个人的记忆都会被自己的意趣甚至道德感修正。正如智者所说:记忆一旦遇到当事人的叙述,就会脱离事态的真相,离虚构越来越近。因此只有对我而言,这一切才是真实的,这是生活中曾经的一粒种子,现在仍不时开出花来,有时开在生活中,有时开在写作中。