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oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第63部分

小说: oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪)) 字数: 每页4000字

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“He seems in high spirits and happy;” she said; at length。 “I 
feared for a time he might be otherwise。 I was mistaken。 I am very; 
very glad。” 

Tears are signs of gladness as well as grief; but those which 
coursed down Rose’s face; as she sat pensively at the window; still 
gazing in the same direction; seemed to tell more of sorrow than of 
joy。 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 379 

Chapter 37 

In Which The Reader May Perceive A Contrast; Not
Uncommon In Matrimonial Cases。


Mr。 Bumble sat in the workhouse parlour; with his eyes 
moodily fixed on the cheerless grate; whence; as it was 
summer time; no brighter gleam proceeded; than the 
reflection of certain sickly rays of the sun; which were sent back 
from its cold and shining surface。 A paper fly…cage dangled from 
the ceiling; to which he occasionally raised his eyes in gloomy 
thought; and; as the heedless insects hovered round the gaudy 
network; Mr。 Bumble would heave a deep sigh; while a more 
gloomy shadow overspread his countenance。 Mr。 Bumble was 
meditating; it might be that the insects brought to mind some 
painful passage in his own past life。 
Nor was Mr。 Bumble’s gloom the only thing calculated to 
awaken a pleasing melancholy in the bosom of a spectator。 There 
were not wanting other appearances; and those closely connected 
with his own person; which announced that a great change had 
taken place in the position of his affairs。 The laced coat; and the 
cocked hat; where were they? He still wore knee…breeches; and 
dark cotton stockings on his nether limbs; but they were not the 
breeches。 The coat was wide…skirted; and in that respect like the 
coat; but; oh; how different! The mighty cocked hat was replaced 
by a modest round one。 Mr。 Bumble was no longer a beadle。 

There are some promotions in life; which; independent of the 
more substantial rewards they offer; acquire peculiar value and 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 380 

dignity from the coats and waistcoats connected with them。 A 
field…marshal has his uniform; a bishop his silk apron; a counsellor 
his silk gown; a beadle his cocked hat。 Strip the bishop of his 
apron; or the beadle of his hat and lace; what are they? Men。 Mere 
men。 Dignity; and even holiness too; sometimes; are more 
questions of coat and waistcoat than some people imagine。 

Mr。 Bumble had married Mrs。 Corney; and was master of the 
workhouse。 Another beadle had come into power。 On him the 
cocked hat; gold…laced coat; and staff; had all three descended。 

“And tomorrow two months it was done!” said Mr。 Bumble; 
with a sigh。 “It seems a age。” 

Mr。 Bumble might have meant that he had concentrated a 
whole existence of happiness into the short space of eight weeks; 
but the sigh—there was a vast deal of meaning in the sigh。 

“I sold myself;” said Mr。 Bumble; pursuing the same train of 
reflection; “for six tea…spoons; a pair of sugar…tongs; and; a milk…
pot; with a small quantity of second…hand furniture and twenty 
pound in money。 I went very reasonable。 Cheap; dirt cheap!” 

“Cheap!” cried a shrill voice in Mr。 Bumble’s ear; “you would 
have been dear at any price; and dear enough I paid for you; Lord 
above knows that!” 

Mr。 Bumble turned; and encountered the face of his interesting 
consort; who; imperfectly comprehending the few words she had 
overheard of his complaint; had hazarded the foregoing remark at 
a venture。 

“Mrs。 Bumble; ma’am!” said Mr。 Bumble; with sentimental 
sternness。 

“Well?” cried the lady。 

“Have the goodness to look at me;” said Mr。 Bumble; fixing his 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 381 

eyes upon her。 (“If she stands such a eye as that;” said Mr。 Bumble 
to himself; “she can stand anything。 It is a eye I never knew to fail 
with paupers。 If it fails with her; my power is gone。”) Whether an 
exceedingly small expansion of eye be sufficient to quell paupers; 
who; being lightly fed; are in no very high condition; or whether 
the late Mrs。 Corney was particularly proof against eagle glances; 
are matters of opinion。 The matter of fact is; that the matron was 
in no way overpowered by Mr。 Bumble’s scowl; but; on the 
contrary; treated it with great disdain; and even raised a laugh 
thereat; which sounded as though it were genuine。 

On hearing this most unexpected sound; Mr。 Bumble looked; 
first incredulous; and afterwards amazed。 He then relapsed into 
his former state; nor did he rouse himself until his attention was 
again awakened by the voice of his partner。 

“Are you going to sit snoring there; all day?” inquired Mrs。 
Bumble。 

“I am going to sit here; as long as I think proper; ma’am;” 
rejoined Mr。 Bumble; “and although I was not snoring; I shall 
snore; gape; sneeze; laugh; or cry; as the humour strikes me; such 
being my prerogative。 

“Your prerogative!” sneered Mrs。 Bumble; with ineffable 
contempt。 

“I said the word; ma’am;” said Mr。 Bumble。 “The prerogative of 
a man is to command。” 

“And what’s the prerogative of a woman; in the name of 
goodness?” cried the relict of Mr。 Corney deceased。 

“To obey; ma’am;” thundered Mr。 Bumble。 “Your late 
unfortunate husband should have taught it you; and then; 
perhaps; he might have been alive now。 I wish he was; poor man!” 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 382 

Mrs。 Bumble; seeing at a glance; that the decisive moment had 
now arrived; and that a blow struck for the mastership on one side 
or other; must necessarily be final and conclusive; no sooner heard 
this allusion to the dead and gone; than she dropped into a chair; 
and with a loud scream that Mr。 Bumble was a hard…hearted 
brute; fell into a paroxysm of tears。 

But tears were not the things to find their way to Mr。 Bumble’s 
soul; his heart was waterproof。 they were less troublesome than a 
manual assault; but she was quite prepared to make trial of the 
latter mode of proceeding; as Mr。 Bumble was not long in 
discovering。 

The first proof he experienced of the fact; was conveyed in a 
hollow sound; immediately succeeded by the sudden flying off of 
his hat to the opposite end of the room。 This preliminary 
proceeding lay bare his head; the expert lady; clasping him tightly 
round the throat with one hand; inflicted a shower of blows (dealt 
with singular vigour and dexterity) upon it with the other。 This 
done; she created a little variety by scratching his face; and tearing 
his hair; and; having by this time inflicted as much punishment as 
she deemed necessary for the offence; she pushed him over a 
chair; which was luckily well situated for the purpose; and defied 
him to talk about his prerogative again; if he dared。 

“Get up!” said Mrs。 Bumble; in a voice of command。 “And take 
yourself away from here; unless you want me to do something 
desperate。” 

Mr。 Bumble rose with a very rueful countenance—wondering 
much what something desperate might be。 Picking up his hat; he 
looked towards the door。 

“Are you going?” demanded Mrs。 Bumble。 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 383 

“Certainly; my dear; certainly;” rejoined Mr。 Bumble; making a 
quicker motion towards the door。 “I didn’t intend to—I’m going; 
my dear! You are so very violent; that really I—” 

At this instant; Mrs。 Bumble stepped hastily forward to replace 
the carpet; which had been kicked up in the scuffle。 Mr。 Bumble 
immediately darted out of the room; without bestowing another 
thought on his unfinished sentence; leaving the late Mrs。 Corney 
in full possession of the field。 

Mr。 Bumble was fairly taken by surprise; and fairly beaten。 He 
had a decided propensity for bullying; derived no inconsiderable 
pleasure from the exercise of petty cruelty; and; consequently; was 
(it is needless to say) a coward。 This is by no means a 
disparagement to his character; for many official personages; who 
are held in high respect and admiration; are the victims of similar 
infirmities。 The remark is made; indeed; rather in his favour than 
otherwise; and with a view of impressing the reader with a just 
sense of his qualifications for office。 

But the measure of his degradation was not yet full。 After 
making a tour of the house; and thinking; for the first time; that 
the poor…laws really were too hard on people; and that men who 
ran away from their wives; leaving them chargeable to the parish; 
ought; in justice; to be visited with no punishment at all; but rather 
rewarded as meritorious individuals who had suffered much; Mr。 
Bumble came to a room where some of the female paupers were 
usually employed in washing the parish linen; whence the sound 
of voices in conversation; now proceeded。 

“Hem!” said Mr。 Bumble; summoning up all his native dignity。 
“These women at least shall continue to respect the prerogative。 
Hollo! hollo; there! What do you mean by this noise; you hussies?” 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 384 

With these words; Mr。 Bumble opened the door; and walked in 
with a very fierce and angry manner; which was at once 
exchanged for a most humiliated and cowering air; as his eyes 
unexpectedly rested on the form of his lady wife。 

“My dear;” said Mr。 Bumble; “I didn’t know you were here。” 

“Didn’t know I was here!” repeated Mrs。 Bumble。 “What do you 
do here?” 

“I thought they were talking rather too much to be doing their 
work properly; my dear;” replied Mr。 Bumble; glancing 
distractedly at a couple of old women at the wash…tub; who were 
comparing notes of admiration at the workhouse…master’s 
humility。 

“You thought they were talking too much?” said Mrs。 Bumble。 
“What business is it of yours?” 

“Why; my dear—” urged Mr。 Bumble submissively。 

“What business is it of yours?” demanded Mrs。 Bumble again。 

“It’s very true; you’re matron here; my dear;” submitted Mr。 
Bumble; “but I thought you mightn’t be in the way just then。” 

“I’ll tell you what; Mr。 Bumble;” returned his lady。 “We don’t 
want any of your interference。 You’re a gre

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