登陆注册
5262200000255

第255章 Chapter 17 A SOCIAL CHORUS(5)

This is too insolvent a state of things for the Father to entertain. It is too insolvent a state of things for any one with any self-respect to entertain, and is universally scouted. But, it is so amazing how any people can have come to a total smash, that everybody feels bound to account for it specially. One of the Fathers says, 'Gaming table.' Another of the Fathers says, 'Speculated without knowing that speculation is a science.' Boots says 'Horses.' Lady Tippins says to her fan, 'Two establishments.' Mr Podsnap, saying nothing, is referred to for his opinion; which he delivers as follows;much flushed and extremely angry:

'Don't ask me. I desire to take no part in the discussion of these people's affairs. I abhor the subject. It is an odious subject, an offensive subject, a subject that makes me sick, and I--' And with his favourite right-arm flourish which sweeps away everything and settles it for ever, Mr Podsnap sweeps these inconveniently unexplainable wretches who have lived beyond their means and gone to total smash, off the face of the universe.

Eugene, leaning back in his chair, is observing Mr Podsnap with an irreverent face, and may be about to offer a new suggestion, when the Analytical is beheld in collision with the Coachman; the Coachman manifesting a purpose of coming at the company with a silver salver, as though intent upon making a collection for his wife and family; the Analytical cutting him off at the sideboard. The superior stateliness, if not the superior generalship, of the Analytical prevails over a man who is as nothing off the box; and the Coachman, yielding up his salver, retires defeated.

Then, the Analytical, perusing a scrap of paper lying on the salver, with the air of a literary Censor, adjusts it, takes his time about going to the table with it, and presents it to Mr Eugene Wrayburn.

Whereupon the pleasant Tippins says aloud, 'The Lord Chancellor has resigned!'

With distracting coolness and slowness--for he knows the curiosity of the Charmer to be always devouring--Eugene makes a pretence of getting out an eyeglass, polishing it, and reading the paper with difficulty, long after he has seen what is written on it. What is written on it in wet ink, is:

'Young Blight.'

'Waiting?' says Eugene over his shoulder, in confidence, with the Analytical.

'Waiting,' returns the Analytical in responsive confidence.

Eugene looks 'Excuse me,' towards Mrs Veneering, goes out, and finds Young Blight, Mortimer's clerk, at the hall-door.

'You told me to bring him, sir, to wherever you was, if he come while you was out and I was in,' says that discreet young gentleman, standing on tiptoe to whisper; 'and I've brought him.'

'Sharp boy. Where is he?' asks Eugene.

'He's in a cab, sir, at the door. I thought it best not to show him, you see, if it could be helped; for he's a-shaking all over, like--Blight's simile is perhaps inspired by the surrounding dishes of sweets--'like Glue Monge.'

'Sharp boy again,' returns Eugene. 'I'll go to him.'

Goes out straightway, and, leisurely leaning his arms on the open window of a cab in waiting, looks in at Mr Dolls: who has brought his own atmosphere with him, and would seem from its odour to have brought it, for convenience of carriage, in a rum-cask.

'Now Dolls, wake up!'

'Mist Wrayburn? Drection! Fifteen shillings!'

After carefully reading the dingy scrap of paper handed to him, and as carefully tucking it into his waistcoat pocket, Eugene tells out the money; beginning incautiously by telling the first shilling into Mr Dolls's hand, which instantly jerks it out of window; and ending by telling the fifteen shillings on the seat.

'Give him a ride back to Charing Cross, sharp boy, and there get rid of him.'

Returning to the dining-room, and pausing for an instant behind the screen at the door, Eugene overhears, above the hum and clatter, the fair Tippins saying: 'I am dying to ask him what he was called out for!'

'Are you?' mutters Eugene, 'then perhaps if you can't ask him, you'll die. So I'll be a benefactor to society, and go. A stroll and a cigar, and I can think this over. Think this over.' Thus, with a thoughtful face, he finds his hat and cloak, unseen of the Analytical, and goes his way.

同类推荐
  • 集大乘相论

    集大乘相论

    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。
  • THE LAW

    THE LAW

    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。
  • 鄂州龙光达夫禅师鸡肋集

    鄂州龙光达夫禅师鸡肋集

    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。
  • 佛说灭十方冥经

    佛说灭十方冥经

    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。
  • COUSIN PHILLIS

    COUSIN PHILLIS

    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
  • 陈独秀家族:独立风雨中(中国故事·南方周末)

    陈独秀家族:独立风雨中(中国故事·南方周末)

    陈独秀的一生,反清、反袁、反军阀、批孔、批党、批“国际”,走了一条由改良--民主革命--启蒙--马列主义革命--呼唤议会民主的政治道路。为他生前死后中国的落后,改良,革命,倒退,停滞,再革命,倒退,改革的历史进程,画上一个个问号。他和他的家族一生都在经历政治风雨。
  • 官宦之家

    官宦之家

    明末清初之时,湖南常德人胡统虞进京赶考,高中进士,进入北京官场。他在京城平步青云,七年时间连升十级。只是天有不测风云,人有旦夕祸福。此次会试竟大起风波,胡被贬官降级,不久一命呜呼。胡学士之幼子胡献征,以荫生入朝为官。胡献征一路升迁至江苏布政使。胡布政之子胡期恒从小锦衣玉食、调皮捣蛋,早就被大人宠坏了。就在这时,从二品的胡布政使大人因交友不慎而被卷入了一场人命官司,丢了官,也退了财。胡期恒也就从一个京城高干子弟跌入寻常百姓之列,一直难有机会出仕。胡期恒又经过十六年的奋斗挣扎,才被授予一个小小官职:翰林院典籍。胡珍惜这来之不易的当官机会,厚积薄发,终于使胡家又兰桂齐芳,家道复兴。一个家族,用了80年的时间,经历了三场相似的仕途轮回。其间旳规则和实情,颇耐人寻味!
  • 王爷的绝色悍妃

    王爷的绝色悍妃

    新文《暖婚甜蜜蜜:宁少,强势宠》已发,请亲们多多支持!杀手?特工?天才?她都不是,她是笑颜如花、腹黑凶猛、狡猾如狐的兰府家主。想毁她清白的,被剁掉小指扔出去喂狗;想霸她家业的,被逼死在宗庙大殿;想黑她名节,让她嫁不出去?sorry,她一不小心搞定了权倾天下、酷炫狂霸拽的摄政王大人!他:“夫人,外面盛传我惧内!”她眨巴眨巴眼睛,一脸无辜:“哪个不长眼的乱嚼舌根,拉出去砍了!”他:“我!”她:“……”
  • 最后一个破坏神

    最后一个破坏神

    【龙珠同人】怎么说,时间线错了?贝吉塔,弗利萨,人造人,西鲁,布欧一个个全都蹦了出来,可主角面临的问题是悟空还小,z战士全是酱油,短笛还是个蛋……妈呀,杀了我吧!——————ps;不一样的流水文,轻松不烧脑。作者属性;稳定形,爆发性,词典里无断更。(无毒,放心收藏。)
  • 入土不安

    入土不安

    悬疑小说家陈子言灵感爆发,自认构思出了前所未有的“最终审判者”连环杀人事件,却没想到刚刚写好第一章,警察就在他的负责编辑冯舒的出租屋里发现了一具血淋淋的骨架,竟然与他小说里所描述的古代酷刑“梳洗”一模一样!自此地狱之门大开,好友三皮和小雯也在同一天内接连死于非命,一个被“腰斩”,一个被“剥皮”,且都与陈子言的小说情节相同。难道这是一场“互动式连环凶杀案”?可凶手为何选择了陈子言的小说为蓝本?陈子言是幕后黑手还是下一个受害者?
  • 魅力经济学

    魅力经济学

    经济学是简单的,一杯咖啡、一辆汽车就可以解释它。经济学是迷人的,它的理论充满智慧,也不乏诗意的想象。经济学是体贴的,它与我们的生活息息相关,形影不离。经济学是实用的,从柴米油盐到经营管理无所不包。经济学是精彩的,从温莎公爵的旷世恋情到惊心动魄的货币战争。
  • 包氏喉证家宝

    包氏喉证家宝

    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。
  • 特种兵重生:独宠冷情妃

    特种兵重生:独宠冷情妃

    “轰——”随着爆炸声响起,楼陌在这个世界的生命画上了句点……楼陌啊楼陌,你可真是失败,你所信仰的队伍抛弃了你,你所深爱的恋人要杀了你,哈哈……这世上果然从来就没有什么真心,是自己妄求了……再次睁开眼,她成为了这个异世的一缕游魂,十年后,适逢镇国将军府嫡女南宫浅陌遇刺身亡,从此,她楼陌便成为了南宫浅陌!这一世,她发誓不再信任任何人!十年的江湖飘荡,她一手建立烈焰阁;逍遥谷三年学艺,她的医术出神入化;五年的金戈铁马,她成就了战神的传说!她敢做这世上常人不敢做的一切事,却唯独不敢,也不愿再触碰感情!她自认不曾亏欠过任何人,唯独他——那个爱她如斯的男子,甘愿逆天而行只为换得她一个重来的机会!当淡漠冷清的特种兵遇上腹黑深情的妖孽王爷,会擦出怎样的火花呢?莫庭烨:天若不公,便是逆了这天又如何!我不信命,更不惧所谓的天谴!我只要你活着!这一世,我定不会再将你交给他人,除了我,谁来照顾你我都不放心!你的幸福也只有我能给!南宫浅陌:上穷碧落下黄泉,你若不离不弃,我必生死相依!
  • 射雕英雄传(第四卷)(纯文字新修版)

    射雕英雄传(第四卷)(纯文字新修版)

    《射雕英雄传》又名《大漠英雄传》,是“射雕三部曲”之一,下接《神雕侠侣》和《倚天屠龙记》。这部小说历史背景突出,场景纷繁,气势宏伟,具有鲜明的“英雄史诗”风格。在人物创造与情节安排上,它打破了传统武侠小说一味传奇,将人物作为情节附庸的模式,坚持以创造个性化的人物形象为中心,坚持人物统帅故事,按照人物性格的发展需要及其内在可能性、必然性来设置情节,从而使这部小说达到了事虽奇人却真的妙境。
  • 1分钟和陌生人成为朋友

    1分钟和陌生人成为朋友

    多个朋友多条路,多个敌人多堵墙。每个人都希望自己拥有很多朋友,只是成为朋友之前,他们只是一些陌生人。本书想要告诉读者的是,我们的朋友都隐藏在陌生人中,他们不难接近,更谈不上可怕,只要掌握了本书所介绍的结交陌生人的方法,你的朋友就会遍天下。