Already fate was weaving a net about his feet. The man from whom he had bought the poison to kill his father had fallen very ill, and in his illness had repented1 of the part he had played. He had confessed to Westlock, whom, before he had fallen into wicked company, he had once known. Westlock sent for old Chuzzlewit, and he, too, was told the story of the purchased poison. Then together the three went to Jonas's house and brought him face to face with his accuser.
Confronted with their evidence Jonas gave himself up for lost, but old Chuffey, whom he had so abused, escaped the watchful2 eye of Sairey Gamp and entered just in time to keep his promise to his dead master and to clear Jonas, the son. He told them how it had really happened: How Jonas had intended to kill his father but how the latter's death had been due, not to the poison which he had never taken, but to the knowledge of his son's wickedness.
Jonas, in the reaction from his fear, laughed aloud, and was abusively ordering them to leave, when the door opened and the color suddenly left his cheeks. Policemen stood there, and at their head was Nadgett, the spy.
In another moment there were handcuffs on his wrists and he knew not only that the murder[Pg 320] of Tigg had been discovered, but that every action of his own on that fatal night had been traced and that he was surely doomed3 to die on the gallows4.
When he realized that he was lost he fell to the floor in pitiable fear. They put him in a wagon5 to take him to jail, but when they arrived there they found him motionless in his seat. He had swallowed some of his own poison which he carried in his pocket, and was as dead as any hangman could have made him.
Old Chuzzlewit had yet another purpose to carry out before he left London, and for this purpose he asked Westlock to meet him in his rooms at a certain time next day. He sent for Tom Pinch and his sister Ruth, for his grandson Martin, and Mark Tapley, and last, but not least, for Pecksniff himself, all to meet him there at the same hour.
All save Pecksniff arrived together, and greatly astonished most of them were, you may be sure, to see old Chuzzlewit so changed. For now the dull, bent6 look had vanished. His eyes were bright, his form erect7 and every feature eager and full of purpose. Even Mary Graham scarcely knew what to make of it.
As they sat wondering and waiting for old Chuzzlewit to speak, Pecksniff came hurriedly in, to start back as if at a shock of electricity. But he recovered himself, and clasped his hands with a look of pious8 joy to see the old man safe and[Pg 321] well. Then he looked around him and shook his head.
"Oh, vermin! Oh, bloodsuckers!" he said. "Horde9 of unnatural10 plunderers and robbers! Begone! Leave him and do not stay in a spot hallowed by the gray hairs of this patriarchal gentleman!"
He advanced with outstretched arms, but he had not seen how tightly old Chuzzlewit's hand clasped the walking-stick he held. The latter, in one great burst of indignation, rose up, and with a single blow, stretched him on the ground. Mark Tapley dragged him into a corner and propped11 him against the wall, and in this ridiculous position, cringing12, and with his assurance all gone, Pecksniff listened, as did they all, to the old man's story.
He told the assembled company how the curse of selfishness had seemed to him always to rest upon his family. How he had misunderstood Martin, his best loved grandson, and how he had seen Pecksniff doing his best to add to this bad feeling. He beckoned13 Martin to him and put Mary's hand in his, as he told how he had tested them both and had at last resolved to see to what a length the hypocrisy14 of Pecksniff would lead him. How to this end he had pretended feebleness of mind and had planned and plotted finally to expose Pecksniff and set all right.
When he had finished the door was opened and Pecksniff, looking all shrunken and frowsy and[Pg 322] yellow, passed out, never to enter again into the lives of any of them.
There was a great and joyful15 gathering16 that night, when all these, so strangely united, took dinner together. Martin sat beside Mary, while Westlock walked home with Ruth, and before they reached there she had promised to be his wife.
Martin and Mary were married soon, and old Chuzzlewit made Martin his heir. He also gave a home to poor Mercy, the wife of the dead Jonas. Tom Pinch lived a long and happy life in the home which Westlock made for Ruth, where he had a fine organ on which he played every day. Mark Tapley, of course, married the rosy17 landlady18 of The Blue Dragon, and settled down at the inn, which he renamed The Jolly Tapley.
Charity Pecksniff succeeded in ensnaring her young man at last. The day they were to be married, however, he did not come to the church, but ran off to Van Diemen's Land, and she lived and died a vinegary, shrewish old maid.
As for Pecksniff himself, having lost all his money in the Anglo-Bengalee Company (which, of course, went to pieces on Tigg's death), he sank lower and lower, till at last, a drunken, squalid old man, he eked19 out a miserable20 existence writing whining21 begging letters to the very people whom he had once labored22 so hard to make unhappy.

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收听单词发音

1
repented
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对(自己的所为)感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
watchful
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adj.注意的,警惕的 | |
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3
doomed
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命定的 | |
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4
gallows
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n.绞刑架,绞台 | |
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5
wagon
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n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车 | |
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6
bent
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n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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7
erect
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n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的 | |
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8
pious
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adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
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9
horde
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n.群众,一大群 | |
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10
unnatural
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adj.不自然的;反常的 | |
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11
propped
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支撑,支持,维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
cringing
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adj.谄媚,奉承 | |
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13
beckoned
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v.(用头或手的动作)示意,召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
hypocrisy
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n.伪善,虚伪 | |
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15
joyful
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adj.欢乐的,令人欢欣的 | |
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16
gathering
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n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
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17
rosy
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adj.美好的,乐观的,玫瑰色的 | |
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18
landlady
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n.女房东,女地主 | |
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19
eked
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v.(靠节省用量)使…的供应持久( eke的过去式和过去分词 );节约使用;竭力维持生计;勉强度日 | |
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20
miserable
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adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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21
whining
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n. 抱怨,牢骚 v. 哭诉,发牢骚 | |
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22
labored
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adj.吃力的,谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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