adam bede(亚当[1].比德)-第137章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
rather savage； said； “Let me alooan； will ye？ Else I’ll ma’ ye sing a
toon ye wonna like。” A good…tempered waggoner’s patience has
limits； and Tim was not to be urged further。
“Well； then； David； ye’re the lad to sing；” said Ben； willing to
show that he was not discomfited by this check。 “Sing ‘M’ loove’s a
roos wi’out a thorn。’”
The amatory David was a young man of an unconscious
abstracted expression； which was due probably to a squint of
superior intensity rather than to any mental characteristic； for he
was not indifferent to Ben’s invitation； but blushed and laughed
and rubbed his sleeve over his mouth in a way that was regarded
as a symptom of yielding。 And for some time the company
appeared to be much in earnest about the desire to hear David’s
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 685…
Adam Bede 685
song。 But in vain。 The lyricism of the evening was in the cellar at
present； and was not to be drawn from that retreat just yet。
Meanwhile the conversation at the head of the table had taken
a political turn。 Mr。 Craig was not above talking politics
occasionally； though he piqued himself rather on a wise insight
than on specific information。 He saw so far beyond the mere facts
of a case that really it was superfluous to know them。
“I’m no reader o’ the paper myself；” he observed to…night； as he
filled his pipe； “though I might read it fast enough if I liked； for
there’s Miss Lyddy has ’em and ’s done with ’em i’ no time。 But
there’s Mills； now； sits i’ the chimney…corner and reads the paper
pretty nigh from morning to night； and when he’s got to th’ end on
’t he’s more addle…headed than he was at the beginning。 He’s full
o’ this peace now； as they talk on； he’s been reading and reading；
and thinks he’s got to the bottom on’t。 ‘Why； Lor’ bless you； Mills；’
says I； ‘you see no more into this thing nor you can see into the
middle of a potato。 I’ll tell you what it is： you think it’ll be a fine
thing for the country。 And I’m not again’ it—mark my words—I’m
not again’ it。 But it’s my opinion as there’s them at the head o’ this
country as are worse enemies to us nor Bony and all the
mounseers he’s got at ’s back； for as for the mounseers； you may
skewer half…a…dozen of ’em at once as if they war frogs。’”
“Aye； aye；” said Martin Poyser； listening with an air of much
intelligence and edification； “they ne’er ate a bit o’ beef i’ their
lives。 Mostly sallet； I reckon。”
“And says I to Mills；” continued Mr。 Craig； “‘Will you try to
make me believe as furriners like them can do us half th’ harm
them ministers do with their bad government？ If King George ’ud
turn ’em all away and govern by himself； he’d see everything
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 686…
Adam Bede 686
righted。 He might take on Billy Pitt again if he liked； but I don’t
see myself what we want wi’ anybody besides King and
Parliament。 It’s that nest o’ ministers does the mischief； I tell
you。’”
“Ah； it’s fine talking；” observed Mrs。 Poyser； who was now
seated near her husband； with Totty on her lap—“it’s fine talking。
It’s hard work to tell which is Old Harry when everybody’s got
boots on。”
“As for this peace；” said Mr。 Poyser； turning his head on one
side in a dubitative manner and giving a precautionary puff to his
pipe between each sentence； “I don’t know。 Th’ war’s a fine thing
for the country； an’ how’ll you keep up prices wi’out it？ An’ them
French are a wicked sort o’ folks； by what I can make out。 What
can you do better nor fight ’em？”
“Ye’re partly right there； Poyser；” said Mr。 Craig； “but I’m not
again’ the peace—to make a holiday for a bit。 We can break it
when we like； an’ I’m in no fear o’ Bony； for all they talk so much o’
his cliverness。 That’s what I says to Mills this morning。 Lor’ bless
you； he sees no more through Bony！ 。 。 。 why； I put him up to more
in three minutes than he gets from ’s paper all the year round。
Says I； ‘Am I a gardener as knows his business； or arn’t I； Mills？
Answer me that。’ ‘To be sure y’ are； Craig；’ says he—he’s not a bad
fellow； Mills isn’t； for a butler； but weak i’ the head。 ‘Well；’ says I；
‘you talk o’ Bony’s cliverness； would it be any use my being a first…
rate gardener if I’d got nought but a quagmire to work on？’ ‘No；’
says he。 ‘Well；’ I says； ’that’s just what it is wi’ Bony。 I’ll not deny
but he may be a bit cliver—he’s no Frenchman born； as I
understand—but what’s he got at’s back but mounseers？’”
Mr。 Craig paused a moment with an emphatic stare after this
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 687…
Adam Bede 687
triumphant specimen of Socratic argument； and then added；
thumping the table rather fiercely； “Why； it’s a sure thing—and
there’s them ’ull bear witness to’t—as i’ one regiment where there
was one man a…missing； they put the regimentals on a big monkey；
and they fit him as the shell fits the walnut； and you couldn’t tell
the monkey from the mounseers！”
“Ah！ Think o’ that； now！” said Mr。 Poyser； impressed at once
with the political bearings of the fact and with its striking interest
as an anecdote in natural history。
“Come； Craig；” said Adam； “that’s a little too strong。 You don’t
believe that。 It’s all nonsense about the French being such poor
sticks。 Mr。 Irwine’s seen ’em in their own country； and he says
they’ve plenty o’ fine fellows among ’em。 And as for knowledge；
and contrivances； and manufactures； there’s a many things as
we’re a fine sight behind ’em in。 It’s poor foolishness to run down
your enemies。 Why； Nelson and the rest of ’em ’ud have no merit i’
beating ’em； if they were such offal as folks pretend。”
Mr。 Poyser looked doubtfully at Mr。 Craig； puzzled by this
opposition of authorities。 Mr。 Irwine’s testimony was not to be
disputed； but； on the other hand； Craig was a knowing fellow； and
his view was less startling。 Martin had never “heard tell” of the
French being good for much。 Mr。 Craig had found no answer but
such as was implied in taking a long draught of ale and then
looking down fixedly at the proportions of his own leg； which he
turned a little outward for that purpose； when Bartle Massey
returned from the fireplace； where he had been smoking his first
pipe in quiet； and broke the silence by saying； as he thrust his
forefinger into the canister； “Why； Adam； how happened you not
to be at church on Sunday？ Answer me that； you rascal。 The
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 688…
Adam Bede 688
anthem went limping without you。 Are you going to disgrace your
schoolmaster in his old age？”
“No； Mr。 Massey；” said Adam。 “Mr。 and Mrs。 Poyser can tell
you where I was。 I was in no bad company。”
“She’s gone； Adam—gone to Snowfield；” said Mr。 Poyser；
reminded of Dinah for the first time this evening。 “I thought you’d
ha’ persuaded her better。 Nought ’ud hold her； but she must go
yesterday forenoon。 The missis has hardly got over it。 I thought
she’d ha’ no sperrit for th’ harvest supper。”
Mrs。 Poyser had thought of Dinah several times since Adam
had come in； but she had had “no heart” to mention the bad news。
“What！” said Bartle； with an air of disgust。 “Was there a woman
concerned？ Then I give you up； Adam。”
“But it’s a woman you’n spoke well on； Bartle；” said Mr。 Poyser。
“Come now； you canna draw back； you said once as women
wouldna ha’ been a bad invention if they’d all been like Dinah。”
“I meant her voice； man—I meant her voice； that was all；” said
Bartle。 “I can bear to hear her speak without wanting to put wool
in my ears。 As for other things； I daresay she’s like the rest o’ the
women—thinks two and two ’ll come to make five； if she cries and
bothers enough about it。”
“Aye； aye！” said Mrs。 Poyser； “one ’ud think； an’ hear some
folks talk； as the men war ’cute enough to count the corns in a bag
o’ wheat wi’ only smelling at it。 They can see through a barn…door；
they can。 Perhaps that’s the reason they can see so little o’ this side
on’t。”
Martin Poyser shook with delighted laughter and winked at
Adam； as much as to say the schoolmaster was in for it now。
“Ah！” said Bartle sneeringly； “the women are quick enough—
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 689…
Adam Bede 689
they’re quick enough。 They know the rights of a story before they
hear it； and can tell a man what his thoughts are before he knows
’em himself。”
“Like enough；” said Mrs。 Poyser； “for the men are mostly so
slow； their thoughts overrun ’em； an’ they can only catch ’em by
the tail。 I can count a stocking…top while a man’s getting’s tongue
ready an’ when he outs wi’ his speech at last； there’s little broth to
be made on’t。 It’s your dead chicks take the long
