登陆注册
5262200000195

第195章 Chapter 6 THE GOLDEN DUSTMAN FALLS INTO WORSE COMP

It had come to pass that Mr Silas Wegg now rarely attended the minion of fortune and the worm of the hour, at his (the worm's and minion's) own house, but lay under general instructions to await him within a certain margin of hours at the Bower. Mr Wegg took this arrangement in great dudgeon, because the appointed hours were evening hours, and those he considered precious to the progress of the friendly move. But it was quite in character, he bitterly remarked to Mr Venus, that the upstart who had trampled on those eminent creatures, Miss Elizabeth, Master George, Aunt Jane, and Uncle Parker, should oppress his literary man.

The Roman Empire having worked out its destruction, Mr Boffin next appeared in a cab with Rollin's Ancient History, which valuable work being found to possess lethargic properties, broke down, at about the period when the whole of the army of Alexander the Macedonian (at that time about forty thousand strong) burst into tears simultaneously, on his being taken with a shivering fit after bathing. The Wars of the Jews, likewise languishing under Mr Wegg's generalship, Mr Boffin arrived in another cab with Plutarch: whose Lives he found in the sequel extremely entertaining, though he hoped Plutarch might not expect him to believe them all. What to believe, in the course of his reading, was Mr Boffin's chief literary difficulty indeed; for some time he was divided in his mind between half, all, or none; at length, when he decided, as a moderate man, to compound with half, the question still remained, which half? And that stumbling-block he never got over.

One evening, when Silas Wegg had grown accustomed to the arrival of his patron in a cab, accompanied by some profane historian charged with unutterable names of incomprehensible peoples, of impossible descent, waging wars any number of years and syllables long, and carrying illimitable hosts and riches about, with the greatest ease, beyond the confines of geography--one evening the usual time passed by, and no patron appeared. After half an hour's grace, Mr Wegg proceeded to the outer gate, and there executed a whistle, conveying to Mr Venus, if perchance within hearing, the tidings of his being at home and disengaged.

Forth from the shelter of a neighbouring wall, Mr Venus then emerged.

'Brother in arms,' said Mr Wegg, in excellent spirits, 'welcome!'

In return, Mr Venus gave him a rather dry good evening.

'Walk in, brother,' said Silas, clapping him on the shoulder, 'and take your seat in my chimley corner; for what says the ballad?

"No malice to dread, sir, And no falsehood to fear, But truth to delight me, Mr Venus, And I forgot what to cheer.

Li toddle de om dee.

And something to guide, My ain fireside, sir, My ain fireside."'

With this quotation (depending for its neatness rather on the spirit than the words), Mr Wegg conducted his guest to his hearth.

'And you come, brother,' said Mr Wegg, in a hospitable glow, 'you come like I don't know what--exactly like it--I shouldn't know you from it--shedding a halo all around you.'

'What kind of halo?' asked Mr Venus.

''Ope sir,' replied Silas. 'That's YOUR halo.'

Mr Venus appeared doubtful on the point, and looked rather discontentedly at the fire.

'We'll devote the evening, brother,' exclaimed Wegg, 'to prosecute our friendly move. And arterwards, crushing a flowing wine-cup--which I allude to brewing rum and water--we'll pledge one another. For what says the Poet?

"And you needn't Mr Venus be your black bottle, For surely I'll be mine, And we'll take a glass with a slice of lemon in it to which you're partial, For auld lang syne."'

This flow of quotation and hospitality in Wegg indicated his observation of some little querulousness on the part of Venus.

'Why, as to the friendly move,' observed the last-named gentleman, rubbing his knees peevishly, 'one of my objections to it is, that it DON'T move.'

'Rome, brother,' returned Wegg: 'a city which (it may not be generally known) originated in twins and a wolf; and ended in Imperial marble: wasn't built in a day.'

'Did I say it was?' asked Venus.

'No, you did not, brother. Well-inquired.'

'But I do say,' proceeded Venus, 'that I am taken from among my trophies of anatomy, am called upon to exchange my human warious for mere coal-ashes warious, and nothing comes of it. Ithink I must give up.'

'No, sir!' remonstrated Wegg, enthusiastically. 'No, Sir!

"Charge, Chester, charge, On, Mr Venus, on!"Never say die, sir! A man of your mark!'

'It's not so much saying it that I object to,' returned Mr Venus, 'as doing it. And having got to do it whether or no, I can't afford to waste my time on groping for nothing in cinders.'

'But think how little time you have given to the move, sir, after all,' urged Wegg. 'Add the evenings so occupied together, and what do they come to? And you, sir, harmonizer with myself in opinions, views, and feelings, you with the patience to fit together on wires the whole framework of society--I allude to the human skelinton--you to give in so soon!'

'I don't like it,' returned Mr Venus moodily, as he put his head between his knees and stuck up his dusty hair. 'And there's no encouragement to go on.'

'Not them Mounds without,' said Mr Wegg, extending his right hand with an air of solemn reasoning, 'encouragement? Not them Mounds now looking down upon us?'

'They're too big,' grumbled Venus. 'What's a scratch here and a scrape there, a poke in this place and a dig in the other, to them.

Besides; what have we found?'

'What HAVE we found?' cried Wegg, delighted to be able to acquiesce. 'Ah! There I grant you, comrade. Nothing. But on the contrary, comrade, what MAY we find? There you'll grant me.

Anything.'

'I don't like it,' pettishly returned Venus as before. 'I came into it without enough consideration. And besides again. Isn't your own Mr Boffin well acquainted with the Mounds? And wasn't he well acquainted with the deceased and his ways? And has he ever showed any expectation of finding anything?'

At that moment wheels were heard.

同类推荐
  • 花案奇闻

    花案奇闻

    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。
  • 乙酉笔记

    乙酉笔记

    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。
  • Christian Morals

    Christian Morals

    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。
  • 金刚经持验记

    金刚经持验记

    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。
  • 老子道德经校释

    老子道德经校释

    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
  • 绣像红灯记

    绣像红灯记

    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。
  • 重生归来唯我魔尊

    重生归来唯我魔尊

    简介:末世三千年,重生归来,全能系统加身,自此一路高歌,重走无敌路!通俗版:地球半神级至尊强者莫余,于生命最终时刻,归档重生,重回三千年前地球末世降临的时刻。上一世我登临世界之巅,俯瞰众生,却最终眼睁睁的看着爱我的人化作灰烬。这一世只愿不负前尘不负卿,杀遍诸天我称尊!欢迎加入石头成精的正版读者群:重生归来58502315,进群验证!
  • 这一帮子

    这一帮子

    这是一帮生活在现实社会底层的农民工和打工仔。他们大多数是处在八零后,工作、婚姻、家庭给他们带来了无尽的生活压力使他们气喘嘘嘘。然而他们放弃太多的自由只身在喧哗的都市中跳蚤似慌乱般蹦跳穿梭在城市与城市,高楼与高楼之间寻找可以栖身之处。 这是一群在社会底层生活的一代人,他们正用一双双勤劳的手打造自己幸福生活的美好明天。即便在生活中都会遇见那样这样的不易。尤其是像他们这些从外地农村来城里的打工者,他们用智慧给这座城市带来了美丽的东西。他们勇于在自己的家庭充当一个家庭的顶梁柱更重要的是他们担当得起了一个社会的主角,为这个蒸蒸繁荣的社会和他人服务贡献自己的微薄力量。
  • 处好人际关系小窍门(最实用的居家小书)

    处好人际关系小窍门(最实用的居家小书)

    我们每天都会与各种各样的人打交道,包括同事、上司、顾客、陌生人、朋友等等,尽管有时候,这些交往转瞬即逝,似乎不留一丝痕迹,但聪明的人都明白,一切事情的结果,都是人与人之间关系的结果,他们利用人际关系来建设成功的基石,从不利用“人”来作为实现自己目的的手段。因为他们深知,牢固的人际关系是拍档和团队协作的基础,是忠诚的保障。本书教读者一些处好人际关系的小窍门,助您营造自己的人脉网。
  • 情迷帝少:99天狂爱小娇娃

    情迷帝少:99天狂爱小娇娃

    他是冷酷帝少,复仇归来,誓要夺回属于自己的一切;她是家族私生女,被表姐下药陷害,却撞进了他的怀里,一夜迷情。囚爱99天,他比谁都疯狂,他对她说:“从你上我床的那一刻开始,就没有退路了,萧太太。”这是一个大灰狼吞掉小绵羊的故事!额……只是呢,有时候这该死的小绵羊咬起人来,也还挺疼的!--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 祇洹图经

    祇洹图经

    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。
  • 出息

    出息

    《出息》是一部底层人物的奋斗史,它通过几个年轻人的故事,写出了千千万万底层打工者的无奈境遇和忍耐精神。那些令人落泪的辛酸和悲情,以及卑微的理想、撂荒的田野,都让我们不得不蹲下身子,想去探寻和了解他们的生活与内心世界。小说贵在写出了他们生活的艰辛历程和不屈精神,更写出了他们对幸福未来不停歇的憧憬与追求。
  • 人死魂还在

    人死魂还在

    年幼时,因为一次偶遇,搞的终身处于濒临死亡的状态,只要摘下那块神秘的玉佩便可以灵魂出窍。一次旅行却遇到恶鬼,让我灵魂穿越到抗日时期变成一只无用的黄鼬精,期间遇旱魃,学茅山术。回到现代因为自己茅山传人的身份,恐怖灵异的事情不断发生......只要有人就会有怨气,有怨气就会有复仇恶鬼。
  • 衡藩重刻胥台先生集

    衡藩重刻胥台先生集

    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。
  • 冷帝的金牌宠后

    冷帝的金牌宠后

    一朝穿越,赫赫有名的武器专家重生在胆小懦弱的丞相府嫡出小姐的身上。未婚先孕,伤风败俗?冷血无情的老爹不顾念骨肉亲情将她赶出家门?逐出家门就逐出家门吧,趋炎附势的亲人不要也罢。最受宠爱的庶妹抢走了从小指腹为婚的未婚夫?抢了就抢了吧,她可没有兴趣盲婚哑嫁。铁石心肠的老爹还要将她娘亲丰收的嫁妆据为己有!一碗堕胎药,想要断送她腹中孩儿的性命?尼玛!老虎不发威你当我是病猫是不是?一纸御状捅到皇上跟前,告得你们颜面尽失,灰头土脸的交出娘亲所有的嫁妆。一道圣旨,断绝了和丞相府所有人的关系,自此以后她是死是活,和那些冷血的亲人没有半毛关系。昔日人人羡慕的未来太子妃一下子沦为了京城的笑柄,人人唾弃。五年后,她带着儿子华丽归来,凭着过人的胆识和智慧,开染坊,制兵器,采盐矿,牢牢的把握住了整个云国的经济命脉。于是天翻了,地覆了,那些嘲笑她的人顿时傻眼了。精彩片段一:“娘亲,这个叔叔长得好帅啊,我能找他做我的爹爹吗?”粉嫩可爱的小正太双手插着腰,晶亮的眼珠滴溜溜的转着,指着冷若冰霜的男人兴奋的叫了出来。某清丽无双的女子不紧不慢的扫了面瘫男一眼,气死人不偿命的话语从绝美的红唇中溢了出来,“帅能当饭吃吗?帅能当银子花吗?”小正太茫然的摇了摇头。狠狠的捏着儿子肉嘟嘟的脸颊,女人恨铁不成钢的进行洗脑工作,“那你还想要他做你的爹爹?身板那么高大,会吃很多饭,花很多银子的,你不心疼?”“当然心疼啊,那我不要他做我的爹爹了。”某面无表情的男人,脸刷的一下变黑了,差点呕出鲜红的血来。精彩片段二:“皇上,请你为臣女做主啊,皇后娘娘心狠手辣,连夜派人将臣女一家两百九十八口人都烧死了。她没有资格这么做,求皇上依照云国的律法处置皇后娘娘,为臣女无辜枉死的亲人讨回公道。”娇柔美丽的少女哭得梨花带雨,恨恨的瞪着笑得风华绝代的女人,眼底深处涌动着恶毒的光芒,声音扣动心扉,我见尤怜。“那依钱小姐的意思觉得应该怎么处理?”幽深诡谲的眸子里折射出一抹冷光,没有波澜的声音像是在说着无关紧要的事情。“自古后宫不得干政,皇后娘娘触犯了皇权,按照云国的宫规是要赏赐三尺白绫处死的。可她是皇上最心爱的女人,就从轻发落,重打三十大板好了。”少女怯生生的看了面无表情的帝王一眼,小心翼翼的说道。“一切如你所愿,来人啊,将她拉下去重大三十大板!”