登陆注册
5363000000003

第3章

His features were strongly marked, though not irregular, and their expression was extreme earnestness; resolute either for good or evil, a sort of latent stern enthusiasm. At the time of which I write, the good predominated over the bad in the countenance, and he was one from whom a stranger would have asked a favour with tolerable faith that it would be granted. He was accompanied by his wife, who might, without exaggeration, have been called a lovely woman, although now her face was swollen with crying, and often hidden behind her apron. She had the fresh beauty of the agricultural districts; and somewhat of the deficiency of sense in her countenance, which is likewise characteristic of the rural inhabitants in comparison with the natives of the manufacturing towns. She was far advanced in pregnancy, which perhaps occasioned the overpowering and hysterical nature of her grief. The friend whom they met was more handsome and less sensible-looking than the man I have just described he seemed hearty and hopeful, and although his age was greater, yet there was far more of youth's buoyancy in his appearance.

He was tenderly carrying a baby in arms, while his wife, a delicate fragile-looking woman, limping in her gait, bore another of the same age; little, feeble twins, inheriting the frail appearance of their mother. The last-mentioned man was the first to speak, while a sudden look of sympathy dimmed his gladsome face. "Well, John, how goes it with you?" and, in a lower voice, he added, "any news of Esther, yet?" Meanwhile the wives greeted each other like old friends, the soft and plaintive voice of the mother of the twins seeming to call forth only fresh sobs from Mrs Barton. "Come, women," said John Barton, "you've both walked far enough. My Mary expects to have her bed in three weeks; and as for you, Mrs Wilson, you know you're but a cranky sort of a body, at the best of times." This was said so kindly, that no offence could be taken. "Sit you down here; the grass is well nigh dry by this time; and you're neither of you nesh folk about taking cold. Stay," he added, with some tenderness, "here's my pocket handkerchief to spread under you to save the gowns, women always think so much on; and now, Mrs Wilson, give me the baby, I may as well carry him, while you talk and comfort my wife; poor thing, she takes on sadly about Esther." These arrangements were soon completed; the two women sat down on the blue cotton handkerchiefs of their husbands, and the latter, each carrying a baby, set off for a further walk; but as soon as Barton had turned his back upon his wife, his countenance fell back into an expression of gloom. "Then you've heard nothing of Esther, poor lass!" asked Wilson. "No, nor shan't, as I take it. My mind is, she's gone off with somebody.

My wife frets and thinks she's drowned herself, but I tell her, folks don't care to put on their best clothes to drown themselves; and Mrs Bradshaw (where she lodged, you know), says the last time she set eyes on her was last Tuesday, when she came down stairs, dressed in her Sunday gown, and with a new ribbon in her bonnet, and gloves on her hands, like the lady she was so fond of thinking herself." "She was as pretty a creature as ever the sun shone on." "Ay, she was a farrantly lass; more's the pity I now," added Barton, with a sigh. "You see them Buckinghamshire people as comes to work here has quite a different look with them to us Manchester folk. You'll not see among the Manchester wenches such fresh rosy cheeks, or such black lashes to grey eyes (making them look like black), as my wife and Esther had.

I never seed two such pretty women for sistersnever. Not but what beauty is a sad snare. Here was Esther so puffed up, that there was no holding her in. Her spirit was always up, if I spoke ever so little in the way of advice to her; my wife spoiled her, it is true, for you see she was so much older than Esther, she was more like a mother to her, doing every thing for her." "I wonder she ever left you," observed his friend. "That's the worst of factory work for girls. They can earn so much when work is plenty, that they can maintain themselves any how. My Mary shall never work in a factory, that I'm determined on. You see Esther spent her money in dress, thinking to set off her pretty face; and got to come home so late at night, that at last I told her my mind; my missis thinks I spoke crossly, but I meant right, for I loved Esther, if it was only for Mary's sake. Says I, 'Esther, I see what you'll end at with your artificials, and your fly-away veils, and stopping out when honest women are in their beds; you'll be a street-walker, Esther, and then, don't you go to think I'll have you darken my door, though my wife is your sister.' So says she, 'Don't trouble yourself, John. I'll pack up and be off now, for I'll never stay to hear myself called as you call me.' She flushed up like a turkey-cock, and I thought fire would come out of her eyes; but when she saw Mary cry (for Mary can't abide words in a house), she went and kissed her, and said she was not so bad as I thought her. So we talked more friendly, for, as I said, I liked the lass well enough, and her pretty looks, and her cheery ways. But she said (and at that time I thought there was sense in what she said) we should be much better friends if she went into lodgings, and only came to see us now and then." "Then you still were friendly. Folks said you'd cast her off, and said you'd never speak to her again." "Folks always make one a deal worse than one is," said John Barton, testily.

同类推荐
  • 水镜录

    水镜录

    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。
  • 暴风雨

    暴风雨

    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。
  • 玉堂丛语

    玉堂丛语

    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。
  • 天台菩萨戒疏

    天台菩萨戒疏

    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
  • 帝君大人,么么哒

    帝君大人,么么哒

    推荐我的新书,《萌妻2号,老公快过来》本文不长,有甜有虐他是这个大陆的身份地位最高的统治者,有着惊为天人的容貌,但世人皆知,荒神域的帝君最是无情,千万年来靠近他的女人不是死就是残她,是穿过的小白菜,没有金手指就算了,还是个原本本的废材,虽然爹爹疼,娘亲爱,但是那个整天逼着她背医书的臭老头哪里来的?两人第一次相遇以后,某女发誓这个男人她要了,都说女追男,隔层纱,反正她脸皮厚,实在不行,直接下药。后来的后来,“夫人这是想要去哪里啊?”某帝君似非似笑的看着身下的女子“呵呵,我觉得你长得太帅,我太丑,准备退位让贤!”(中间有一部分写得有点菜,大家可以跳章阅读)
  • 剑修少年

    剑修少年

    身为废柴杂役的陈枫苦修剑术,势要改变这一生的命运,看他如何仗剑走江湖,在修真界打出一片天地~~~
  • 黄泉大帝

    黄泉大帝

    何为正邪?在千君殇眼里,那些虚伪而自高自称为正派的人更为邪恶。反而那些率直的妖魔更为正直。他要复仇,那些欺负他还高高在上的邪恶之人,不惜入魔!“魔又如何?魔,亦有情!”
  • 余墨偶谈

    余墨偶谈

    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。
  • 百罹纪

    百罹纪

    我本微末凡尘,却也心怀帝世!当命运的细小齿轮逆向转动,苍茫大世就此拉开帷幕。
  • 重生之爱妻入局

    重生之爱妻入局

    “倾尽所有,让你爱我。”顾意带着两世记忆,披荆斩棘,浴火重生而来。这一世,他不会只做配角,默默的爱她。这一世,他只有一个愿望,让纪茹茜爱上他,然后给她幸福。*纪茹茜:A市经济龙脉——纪氏集团的执行总裁;也是A市的商界神话。婚礼当天,被重生而来的闺蜜纪勤睡了未婚夫,却被告之,奸夫淫妇才是真爱。一纸DNA鉴定报告让纪茹茜从凤凰变成麻雀,商业鬼才纪茹茜成了一个笑话——盗窃商业机密,挪用公款,净身出户,流落街头。*最狼狈最绝望的时候,纪茹茜遇上如立云端的顾意——帅哥中的战斗机,总裁中的VIP,富可敌国的财富,强大的政治背景,堪称女人绝缘体的钻石男。顾意为她承包了全世界的鱼塘,任她玩残渣男,虐死渣女,让她一秒变凤凰。她说:“顾意在手,天下我有!”她说:“纪勤,女配不管怎么蹦哒,始终只能是女配。”*【宠妻篇】顾家家训:宠妻至上。顾家男人好榜样:睡得了地板,住得了走廊,跪得起主板,补得了衣裳,吃得下剩饭,付得起药方,带得了孩子,养得起姑娘,耐得住寂寞,争做灰太狼。顾意口头禅:①我统共就这么一个媳妇,我不惯着她,难道惯着你么?②我惧内我光荣!你们这群没有老婆的人是不会懂的!顾意名言:老婆不败家,赚钱给谁花?*【吃醋篇】纪茹茜深夜拍戏回来,被喝醉酒的前未婚夫纠缠。拉扯之间,顾意一脚将渣男踹进水池里。渣男在水里扑腾扑腾,直喊救命。顾意站在岸上,一脸无辜,又费解的道:“怎么回事?怎么好端端的就往水里跳呢?”“拉他上来吧!”纪茹茜不想和渣男再有任何的牵扯。“水不深,反正淹不死。他一直这么撒酒疯下去,有损他的光辉形象。就让他在水里醒醒酒吧!这是我们的无奈之举,他会理解并感激我们的。”顾意好心的建议。当“酒醒”的差不多的时候,顾意又指使旁边的乞丐往水池里撒了两泡童子尿。有着“世界醋王”之称的顾醋醋表示:情敌掉水里,我只能尿尿。*【注①】:另类重生文、甜宠文,双强双腹黑双C,1V1。【注②】:对于女主,没有最宠,只有更宠;对于男主,没有最深情,只有更深情。
  • 异地生存路

    异地生存路

    20年的孤独生活刚刚有点起色,不想出门的时候摔进了异时空,不气馁,重新来过
  • 社会主义核心价值观通俗读本

    社会主义核心价值观通俗读本

    解读当代社会主义核心价值观的通俗读本。本书围绕社会主义核心价值观“富强、民主、文明、和谐、自由、平等、公正、法治、爱国、敬业、诚信、友善”的十二个关键词,结合当今社会热点事件,一一对应,从历史与现实的双向维度,简明阐释了社会主义核心价值观的内涵、外延及其在当代中国社会建设中的重大意义,引导全民尤其是青少年践行社会主义核心价值观,重塑当代中国精神。
  • 别告诉我你没时间

    别告诉我你没时间

    早上起床三件事:微博、微信、朋友圈。生活在信息爆炸的时代,我们的时间被各类新闻、头条、资讯撕得稀碎。面对怎么也不够用的时间,你的尴尬癌是不是犯了?别告诉我你没时间!你所谓的“没时间”只不过是个伪命题。告诉你碎片化时代的正确打开方式:时间碎了,我们可以“碎片化”运用。翻开本书,83个时间管理小技巧,让你轻松掌握时间管理法则,充分整合利用碎片化时间,取得与完整化时间相同的效率,不再被时间追着跑,从此告别拖延症,摆脱一天到晚的瞎忙。注意!本书内容“有毒”,请仔细观看,也许一不小心你就会成为时间管理达人,学会和时间做朋友,成为一个高效能人士。
  • 天降孽徒是戏精

    天降孽徒是戏精

    “三月天,这是春天来了。”“三月天,开春了,你喜欢上你徒弟了呗。”“噗噗,师徒恋。”这是百里凌霄收徒之后感觉自己不正常,好友给出的病因。呵呵,想他堂堂玄灵大陆第一人!三尊之首,怎么会喜欢上自己那只会惹祸招桃花的孽徒呢!孽徒冷茯苓:“emmm嘤嘤嘤!”“爱徒,一日为师终身为夫这可是你说过的。”冷茯苓:“真香!”“爱徒,为师想让你当自己的师母。”冷茯苓:“真香!!”“茯苓,既与我在一起了,便不可离其他男子太近,女子也不行,不然我会吃醋的。”百里凌霄继续道。冷茯苓:“真香!!!”【这是一个鸡毛小气毒舌腹黑坑货上尊跟着自己徒弟越走越偏的甜宠故事】真香也许会迟到,但永不会缺席!