lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第15章

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Goodchild；　as　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　with　his　two　hands

clasped　behind　his　head；　and　his　legs　crossed；　were　similarly

decorated。



They　had　been　discussing　several　idle　subjects　of　speculation；　not

omitting　the　strange　old　men；　and　were　still　so　occupied；　when　Mr。

Goodchild　abruptly　changed　his　attitude　to　wind　up　his　watch。　　They

were　just　becoming　drowsy　enough　to　be　stopped　in　their　talk　by　any

such　slight　check。　　Thomas　Idle；　who　was　speaking　at　the　moment；

paused　and　said；　'How　goes　it？'



'One；'　said　Goodchild。



As　if　he　had　ordered　One　old　man；　and　the　order　were　promptly

executed　（truly；　all　orders　were　so；　in　that　excellent　hotel）；　the

door　opened；　and　One　old　man　stood　there。



He　did　not　come　in；　but　stood　with　the　door　in　his　hand。



'One　of　the　six；　Tom；　at　last！'　said　Mr。　Goodchild；　in　a　surprised

whisper。　…　'Sir；　your　pleasure？'



'Sir；　YOUR　pleasure？'　said　the　One　old　man。



'I　didn't　ring。'



'The　bell　did；'　said　the　One　old　man。



He　said　BELL；　in　a　deep；　strong　way；　that　would　have　expressed　the

church　Bell。



'I　had　the　pleasure；　I　believe；　of　seeing　you；　yesterday？'　said

Goodchild。



'I　cannot　undertake　to　say　for　certain；'　was　the　grim　reply　of　the

One　old　man。



'I　think　you　saw　me？　　Did　you　not？'



'Saw　YOU？'　said　the　old　man。　　'O　yes；　I　saw　you。　　But；　I　see　many

who　never　see　me。'



A　chilled；　slow；　earthy；　fixed　old　man。　　A　cadaverous　old　man　of

measured　speech。　　An　old　man　who　seemed　as　unable　to　wink；　as　if

his　eyelids　had　been　nailed　to　his　forehead。　　An　old　man　whose　eyes

…　two　spots　of　fire　…　had　no　more　motion　than　if　they　had　been

connected　with　the　back　of　his　skull　by　screws　driven　through　it；

and　rivetted　and　bolted　outside；　among　his　grey　hair。



The　night　had　turned　so　cold；　to　Mr。　Goodchild's　sensations；　that

he　shivered。　　He　remarked　lightly；　and　half　apologetically；　'I

think　somebody　is　walking　over　my　grave。'



'No；'　said　the　weird　old　man；　'there　is　no　one　there。'



Mr。　Goodchild　looked　at　Idle；　but　Idle　lay　with　his　head　enwreathed

in　smoke。



'No　one　there？'　said　Goodchild。



'There　is　no　one　at　your　grave；　I　assure　you；'　said　the　old　man。



He　had　come　in　and　shut　the　door；　and　he　now　sat　down。　　He　did　not

bend　himself　to　sit；　as　other　people　do；　but　seemed　to　sink　bolt

upright；　as　if　in　water；　until　the　chair　stopped　him。



'My　friend；　Mr。　Idle；'　said　Goodchild；　extremely　anxious　to

introduce　a　third　person　into　the　conversation。



'I　am；'　said　the　old　man；　without　looking　at　him；　'at　Mr。　Idle's

service。'



'If　you　are　an　old　inhabitant　of　this　place；'　Francis　Goodchild

resumed。



'Yes。'



'Perhaps　you　can　decide　a　point　my　friend　and　I　were　in　doubt　upon；

this　morning。　　They　hang　condemned　criminals　at　the　Castle；　I

believe？'



'I　believe　so；'　said　the　old　man。



'Are　their　faces　turned　towards　that　noble　prospect？'



'Your　face　is　turned；'　replied　the　old　man；　'to　the　Castle　wall。

When　you　are　tied　up；　you　see　its　stones　expanding　and　contracting

violently；　and　a　similar　expansion　and　contraction　seem　to　take

place　in　your　own　head　and　breast。　　Then；　there　is　a　rush　of　fire

and　an　earthquake；　and　the　Castle　springs　into　the　air；　and　you

tumble　down　a　precipice。'



His　cravat　appeared　to　trouble　him。　　He　put　his　hand　to　his　throat；

and　moved　his　neck　from　side　to　side。　　He　was　an　old　man　of　a

swollen　character　of　face；　and　his　nose　was　immoveably　hitched　up

on　one　side；　as　if　by　a　little　hook　inserted　in　that　nostril。　　Mr。

Goodchild　felt　exceedingly　uncomfortable；　and　began　to　think　the

night　was　hot；　and　not　cold。



'A　strong　description；　sir；'　he　observed。



'A　strong　sensation；'　the　old　man　rejoined。



Again；　Mr。　Goodchild　looked　to　Mr。　Thomas　Idle；　but　Thomas　lay　on

his　back　with　his　face　attentively　turned　towards　the　One　old　man；

and　made　no　sign。　　At　this　time　Mr。　Goodchild　believed　that　he　saw

threads　of　fire　stretch　from　the　old　man's　eyes　to　his　own；　and

there　attach　themselves。　　（Mr。　　Goodchild　writes　the　present

account　of　his　experience；　and；　with　the　utmost　solemnity；　protests

that　he　had　the　strongest　sensation　upon　him　of　being　forced　to

look　at　the　old　man　along　those　two　fiery　films；　from　that　moment。）



'I　must　tell　it　to　you；'　said　the　old　man；　with　a　ghastly　and　a

stony　stare。



'What？'　asked　Francis　Goodchild。



'You　know　where　it　took　place。　　Yonder！'



Whether　he　pointed　to　the　room　above；　or　to　the　room　below；　or　to

any　room　in　that　old　house；　or　to　a　room　in　some　other　old　house　in

that　old　town；　Mr。　Goodchild　was　not；　nor　is；　nor　ever　can　be；

sure。　　He　was　confused　by　the　circumstance　that　the　right

forefinger　of　the　One　old　man　seemed　to　dip　itself　in　one　of　the

threads　of　fire；　light　itself；　and　make　a　fiery　start　in　the　air；

as　it　pointed　somewhere。　　Having　pointed　somewhere；　it　went　out。



'You　know　she　was　a　Bride；'　said　the　old　man。



'I　know　they　still　send　up　Bride…cake；'　Mr。　Goodchild　faltered。

'This　is　a　very　oppressive　air。'



'She　was　a　Bride；'　said　the　old　man。　　'She　was　a　fair；　flaxen…

haired；　large…eyed　girl；　who　had　no　character；　no　purpose。　　A　weak；

credulous；　incapable；　helpless　nothing。　　Not　like　her　mother。　　No；

no。　　It　was　her　father　whose　character　she　reflected。



'Her　mother　had　taken　care　to　secure　everything　to　herself；　for　her

own　life；　when　the　father　of　this　girl　（a　child　at　that　time）　died

…　of　sheer　helplessness；　no　other　disorder　…　and　then　He　renewed

the　acquaintance　that　had　once　subsisted　between　the　mother　and

Him。　　He　had　been　put　aside　for　the　flaxen…haired；　large…eyed　man

（or　nonentity）　with　Money。　　He　could　overlook　that　for　Money。　　He

wanted　compensation　in　Money。



'So；　he　returned　to　the　side　of　that　woman　the　mother；　made　love　to

her　again；　danced　attendance　on　her；　and　submitted　himself　to　her

whims。　　She　wreaked　upon　him　every　whim　she　had；　or　could　invent。

He　bore　it。　　And　the　more　he　bore；　the　more　he　wanted　compensation

in　Money；　and　the　more　he　was　resolved　to　have　it。



'But；　lo！　　Before　he　got　it；　she　cheated　him。　　In　one　of　her

imperious　states；　she　froze；　and　never　thawed　again。　　She　put　her

hands　to　her　head　one　night；　uttered　a　cry；　stiffened；　lay　in　that

attitude　certain　hours；　and　died。　　And　he　had　got　no　compensation

from　her　in　Money；　yet。　　Blight　and　Murrain　on　her！　　Not　a　penny。



'He　had　hated　her　throughout　that　second　pursuit；　and　had　longed

for　retaliation　on　her。　　He　now　counterfeited　her　signature　to　an

instrument；　leaving　all　she　had　to　leave；　to　her　daughter　…　ten

years　old　then　…　to　whom　the　property　passed　absolutely；　and

appointing　himself　the　daughter's　Guardian。　　When　He　slid　it　under

the　pillow　of　the　bed　on　which　she　lay；　He　bent　down　in　the　deaf

ear　of　Death；　and　whispered：　　〃Mistress　Pride；　I　have　determined　a

long　time　that；　dead　or　alive；　you　must　make　me　compensation　in

Money。'



'So；　now　there　were　only　two　left。　　Which　two　were；　He；　and　the

fair　flaxen…haired；　large…eyed　foolish　daughter；　who　afterwards

became　the　Bride。



'He　put　her　to　school。　　In　a　secret；　dark；　oppressive；　ancient

house；　he　put　her　to　school　with　a　watchful　and　unscrupulous　woman。

〃My　worthy　lady；〃　he　said；　〃here　is　a　mind　to　be　formed；　will　you

help　me　to　form　it？〃　　She　accepted　the　trust。　　For　which　she；　too；

wanted　compensation　in　Money；　and　had　it。



'The　girl　was　formed　in　the　fear　of　him；　and　in　the　conviction；

that　there　was　no　escape　from　him。　　She　was　taught；　from　the　first；

to　regard　him　as　her　future　husband　…　the　man　who　must　marry　her　…

the　destiny　that　overshadowed　her　…　the　appointed　certainty　that

could　never　be　evaded。　　The　poor　fool　was　soft　white　wax　in　their

hands；　and　took　the　impression　that　they　put　upon　her。　　It　hardened

with　time。　　It　became　a　part　of　herself。　　Inseparable　from　herself；

and　only　to　be　torn　away　from　her；　by　tearing　life　away　from　her。



'Eleven　years　she　had　lived　in　the　dark　house　and　its　gloomy

garden。　　He　was　jealous　of　the　very　light　and　air　getting　to　her；

and　they　kept　her　close。　　He　stopped　the　wide　chimneys；　shaded　the

little　windows；　left　the　strong…stemmed　ivy　to　wander　where　it

would　over　the　house…front；　the　moss　to　accumulate　on　the　untrimmed

fruit…trees　in　the　red…walled　garden；　the　weeds　to　over…run　its

green　and　yellow　walks。　　He　surrounded　her　with　images　of　sorrow

and　desolation。　　He　caused　her　to　be　filled　with　fears　of　the　place

and　of　the　stories　that　were　told　of　it；　and　then　on　pretext　of

correcting　them；　to　be　left　in　it　in　solitude；　or　made　to　shrink

about　it　in　the　dark。　　When　her　mind　was　most　depressed　and　fullest

of　terrors；　then；　he　would　come　out　of　one　of　the　hiding…places

from　which　he　overlooked　her；　and　present　himself　as　her　sole

resource。



'Thus；　by　being　from　her　childhood　the　one　embodiment　her　life

presented　to　her　of　power　to　coerce　and　power　to　relieve；　power　to

bind　and　power　to　loose；　the　ascendency　over　her　weakness　was

secured。　　She　was　twenty…one　years　and　twenty…one　days　old；　when　he

brought　her　home　to　the　gloomy　house；　his　half…witted；　frightened；

and　submissive　Bride　of　three　weeks。



'He　had　dismissed　the　governess　by　that　time　…　what　he　had　left　to

do；　he　could　best　do　alone　…　and　they　came　back；　upon　a　rain　night；

to　the　scene　of　her　long　preparation。　　She　turned　to　him　upon　the

threshold；　as　the　rain　was　dripping　from　the　porch；　and　said：



'〃O　sir；　it　is　the　Death…watch　ticking　for　me！〃



'〃Well！〃　he　answered。　　〃And　if　it　were？〃



'〃O　sir！〃　she　returned　to　him；　〃look　kindly　on　me；　and　be　merciful

to　me！　　I　beg　your　pardon。　　I　will　do　anything　you　wish；　if　you

will　only　forgive　me！〃



'That　had　become　the　poor　fool's　constant　song：　　〃I　beg　your

pardon；〃　and　〃Forgive　me！〃



'She　was　not　worth　hating；　he　felt　nothing　but　contempt　for　her。

But；　she　had　long　been　in　the　way；　and　he　had　long　been　weary；　and

the　work　was　near　its　end；　and　had　to　be　worked　out。



'〃You　fool；〃　he　said。　　〃Go　up　the　stairs！〃



'She　obeyed　very　quickly；　murmuring；　〃I　will　do　anything　you　wish！〃

When　he　came　into　the　Bride's　Chamber；　having　been　a　little

retarded　by　the　heavy　fastenings　of　the　great　door　（for　they　were

alone　in　the　house；　and　he　had　arranged　that　the　people　who

attended　on　them　should　come　and　go　in　the　day）；　he　found　her

withdrawn　to　the　furthest　corner；　and　there　standing　pressed

against　the　paneling　as　if　she　would　have　shrunk　through　it：　　her

flaxen　hair　all　wild　about　her　face；　and　her　large　eyes　staring　at

him　in　vague　terror。



'〃What　are　you　afraid　of？　　Come　and　sit　down　by　me。〃



'〃I　will　do　anything　you　wish。　　I　beg　your　pardon；　sir。　　Forgive

me！〃　　Her　monotonous　tune　as　usual。



'〃Ellen；　here　is　a　writing　that　you　must　write　out　to…morrow；　in

your　own　hand。　　You　may　as　well　be　seen　by　others；　busily　engaged

upon　it。　　When　you　have　written　it　all　f