the lazy tour of two idle apprentices(两个闲荡徒弟的旅行)-第18章
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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
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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。
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'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
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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。
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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 t
