登陆注册
5388100000101

第101章

"Half-civilized man makes blunders that both the savage and the civilized avoid. The savage builds his hut by a running stream. The civilized man draws good water to his door, though he must lay down pipes from a highland lake to a lowland city. It is only half-civilized man that builds a village on a hill, and drinks worms, and snakes, and efts, and antediluvian monsters in limeless water. Then I say, if great but half civilized monarchs would consult Science _before_ they built their serf huts, Science would say, 'Don't you go and put down human habitations far from pure water--the universal diluent, the only cheap diluent, and the only liquid which does not require digestion, and therefore must always assist, and never chemically resist, the digestion of solids.' But when the mischief is done, and the cottages are built on a hill three miles from water, then all that Science can do is to show the remedy, and the remedy is--boring.""Then the remedy is like the discussion," said Fanny Dover, very pertly.

Zoe was amused, but shocked. Miss Gale turned her head on the offender as sharp as a bird. "Of course it is, to _children,"_ said she; "and that is why I wished to confine it to mature minds. It is to you I speak, sir.

Are your subjects to drink poison, or will you bore me a well?--Oh, please!""Do you hear that?" said Vizard, piteously, to Uxmoor. "Threatened and cajoled in one breath. Who can resist this fatal sex?--Miss Gale, I will bore a well on Hillstoke common. Any idea how deep we must go--to the antipodes, or only to the center?""Three hundred and thirty feet, or thereabouts.""No more? Any idea what it will cost?"

"Of course I have. The well, the double windlass, the iron chain, the two buckets, a cupola over the well, and twenty-three keys--one for every head of a house in the hamlet--will cost you about 315 pounds.""Why, this is Detail made woman. How do you know all this?""From Tom Wilder."

"Who is he?"

"What, don't you know? He is the eldest son of the Islip blacksmith, and a man that will make his mark. He casts every Thursday night. He is the only village blacksmith in all the county who _casts._ You know that, Isuppose."

"No, I had not the honor."

"Well, he is, then: and I thought you would consent, because you are so good: and so I thought there could be no harm in sounding Tom Wilder. He offers to take the whole contract, if squire's agreeable; bore the well;brick it fifty yards down: he says that ought to be done, if she is to have justice. 'She' is the well: and he will also construct the gear; he says there must be two iron chains and two buckets going together; so then the empty bucket descending will help the man or woman at the windlass to draw the full bucket up. 315 pounds: one week's income, your Majesty.""She has inspected our rent-roll, now," said Vizard, pathetically: "and knows nothing about the matter.""Except that it is a mere flea-bite to you to bore through a hill for water. For all that, I hope you will leave me to battle it with Tom Wilder. Then you won't be cheated, for once. _You always are,_ and it is abominable. It would have been five hundred if you had opened the business.""I am sure that is true," said Zoe. She added this would please Mrs.

Judge: she was full of the superiority of Islip to Hillstoke.

"Stop a bit," said Vizard. "Miss Gale has not reported on Islip yet.""No, dear; but she has looked into everything, for Mrs. Judge told me.

You have been into the cottages?"

"Yes."

"Into Marks's?"

"Yes, I have been into Marks's."

She did not seem inclined to be very communicative; so Fanny, out of mischief, said, pertly, "And what did you see there, with your Argus eye?""I saw--three generations."

"Ha! ha! La! did you now? And what were they all doing?""They were all living together, night and day, in one room."This conveyed no very distinct idea to the ladies; but Vizard, for the first time, turned red at this revelation before Uxmoor, improver of cottage life. "Confound the brutes!" said he. "Why, I built them a new room; a larger one: didn't you see it?""Yes. They stack their potatoes in it."

"Just like my people," said Uxmoor. "That is the worst of it: they resist their own improvement.""Yes, but," said the doctress, "with monarchial power we can trample on them for their good. Outside Marks's door at the back there is a muck-heap, as he calls it; all the refuse of the house is thrown there;it is a horrible melange of organic matter and decaying vegetables, a hot-bed of fever and malaria. Suffocated and poisoned with the breath of a dozen persons, they open the window for fresh air, and in rushes typhoid from the stronghold its victims have built. Two children were buried from that house last year. They were both killed by the domestic arrangements as certainly as if they had been shot with a double-barreled pistol. The outside roses you admire so are as delusive as flattery;their sweetness covers a foul, unwholesome den.""Marks's cottage! The show place of the village!" Zoe Vizard flushed with indignation at the bold hand of truth so rudely applied to a pleasant and cherished illusion.

Vizard, more candid and open to new truths, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "What can I do more than I have done?""Oh, it is not your fault," said the doctress, graciously. "It is theirs.

Only, as you are their superior in intelligence and power, you might do something to put down indecency, immorality, and disease.""May I ask what?"

"Well, you might build a granary for the poor people's potatoes. No room can keep them dry; but you build your granary upon four pillars: then that is like a room over a cellar.""Well, I'll build it so--if I build it at all," said Vizard, dryly. "What next?""Then you could make them stack their potatoes in the granary, and use the spare room, and so divide their families, and give morality a chance.

The muck-heap you should disperse at once with the strong hand of power."At this last proposal, Squire Vizard--the truth must be told--delivered a long, plowman's whistle at the head of his own table.

同类推荐
  • 御制神僧传

    御制神僧传

    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。
  • 赞阿弥陀佛偈

    赞阿弥陀佛偈

    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。
  • 枕中经

    枕中经

    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。
  • 诗筏

    诗筏

    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。
  • 泾皋藏稿

    泾皋藏稿

    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
  • 假装清纯小丫头

    假装清纯小丫头

    在这世间,真的还有我的容身之处吗?那个拥有我全部童年的地方,是否还会再出现?那个一直在我身边陪着我的那个人,现在我的记忆仅仅只剩一个温暖的背影,和温暖的一句话。
  • 萌神的异界生存法则

    萌神的异界生存法则

    偶然的一天早晨,言小暖发现自己穿越了!附带萌神系统!还有可爱的精灵!她指着一只史莱姆,说道:“系统精灵,怎么解决这只魔物。”“卖萌。”“哈?”“没有什么是卖萌解决不了的,如果有,说明你还不够萌。”言小暖泪奔,她发现自己可能摊上了一个假的系统。于是一个只会卖萌没有攻击力的她,开始了异世界的生存冒险。
  • 智慧女人

    智慧女人

    智慧女人之所以智慧,还表现在生活的方方面面。她们清楚地知道自己需要什么和不需要什么,需要的如何得到,不需要的如何拒绝;她们在得失之间善于权衡,进退之机把握得宜。
  • 华之年,样执念

    华之年,样执念

    青涩的年华里,遇见刻骨铭心的你。朦胧细雨是你我的点点滴滴,青葱光阴是你我刻骨的爱恋,匆匆岁月见证我们的花样年华。冉样是华语的青涩,是华语的懵懂,是华语念念不舍的刻骨岁月。她的初出懵懂,青涩花样,造就他毕生执念。华语是冉样的花样年华,是冉样的匆匆年华的那抹抹不掉的白月光,是冉样刻骨之殇。他的执念是她暖心的港湾,他的付出是她刻骨的爱。相遇时,他说‘别怕,我会一直在你身边保护你。’她瘪着小嘴,泪眼婆娑的看着他。她受伤哭泣时,他轻抚着她的小脑袋,柔声说:“宝贝乖,别怕,我在呢!”其实她不知道,他所说的‘保护你’,就是不管你飞的有多高多远,只要你回头,万家灯火下,灯火阑珊处,那个人一直默默在原地等着你。
  • 元叟行端禅师语录

    元叟行端禅师语录

    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。
  • 有生之年舍你其谁

    有生之年舍你其谁

    前世被渣男未婚夫杀害,重生归来遇到了曾经拒绝过的商场霸王钻石美男相信一见钟情吗?相信爱真的可以持续到一辈子吗?相信兜兜转转,那个人还是一直在哪里吗?原来除了你我的心里不会爱上任何人啊有生之年谢谢你还在我的身边
  • 洛菲翩翩天地仙

    洛菲翩翩天地仙

    一个美轮美奂的小帝姬,一个智慧无双的天外飞仙,一个战无不胜的天界战神,一个万魔敬仰的小霸王,如此的机缘巧合,还是另有玄机……总之打怪、升级、修真、升仙……人界、魔界、天界,怎么还有外星球,一切似乎在情理之中又在意料之外。
  • 农娘

    农娘

    “我的人生,我自己做主!”扔下这么一句话,她踏上了自己选择的人生道路,一路走来坎坎坷坷,有苦有甜,甚至还后悔过.....
  • 了不起的盖茨比

    了不起的盖茨比

    一次偶然的机会,穷职员尼克闯入了挥金如土的大富翁盖茨比隐秘的世界,尼克惊讶地发现,盖茨比内心惟一的牵绊竟是河对岸那盏小小的绿灯--灯影婆娑中,住着心爱的旧情人黛熙。盖茨比曾因贫穷而失去了黛熙,为了找回爱情,他不择一切手段成为有钱人,建起豪宅,只是想让昔日情人来小坐片刻。然而,冰冷的现实容不下缥缈的梦,真正的悲剧却在此时悄悄启幕……《了不起的盖茨比》是世界文学史上“完美之书”,村上春树,海明威,塞林格疯狂迷恋。
  • 智慧人生选择(人生高起点)

    智慧人生选择(人生高起点)

    人生是个万花筒,每个人都以自己的方式,表现出独具个性的色彩与姿态。如果缺少了智慧,就会使自己的人生黯然失色。也许我们一次不理智的拖延,却错过了春天的季节;也许我们一次不留神的冲动,却夭折了未成熟的果实;也许我们一次不聪明的放弃,却失去了与成功牵手的机会。因此,感悟成功人生的经验,激活自我的智慧能量,可以使我们的人生少走些弯路,少犯些错误,更快些与阳光拥抱,与成功交汇。