"Yes, indeed, Mrs. Lopez. I don't think there is anything left in the world now except sorrow."
"I hope Mr. Parker is well. Will you not sit down, Mrs. Parker?"
"Thank you, ma'am. Indeed, then, he is not well at all. How should he be well? Everything,—everything has been taken away from him." Poor Emily groaned4 as she heard this. "I wouldn't say a word against them as is gone, Mrs. Lopez, if I could help it. I know it is bad to bear when him who once loved you isn't no more. And perhaps it is all the worse when things didn't go well with him, and it was, maybe, his own fault. I wouldn't do it, Mrs. Lopez, if I could help it."
"Let me hear what you have to say," said Emily, determined5 to suffer everything patiently.
"Well;—it is just this. He has left us that bare that there is nothing left. And that, they say, isn't the worst of all,—though what can be worse than doing that, how is a woman to think? Parker was that soft, and he had that way with him of talking, that he has talked me and mine out of the very linen6 on our backs."
"What do you mean by saying that that is not the worst?"
"They've come upon Sexty for a bill for four hundred and fifty,—something to do with that stuff they call Bios,—and Sexty says it isn't his name at all. But he's been in that state he don't hardly know how to swear to anything. But he's sure he didn't sign it. The bill was brought to him by Lopez, and there was words between them, and he wouldn't have nothing to do with it. How is he to go to law? And it don't make much difference neither, for they can't take much more from him than they have taken." Emily as she heard all this sat shivering, trying to repress her groans7. "Only," continued Mrs. Parker, "they hadn't sold the furniture, and I was thinking they might let me stay in the house, and try to do with letting lodgings,—and now they're seizing everything along of this bill. Sexty is like a madman, swearing this and swearing that;—but what can he do, Mrs. Lopez? It's as like his hand as two peas; but he was clever at everything was—was—you know who I mean, ma'am." Then Emily covered her face with her hands and burst into violent tears. She had not determined whether she did or did not believe this last accusation8 made against her husband. She had had hardly time to realise the criminality of the offence imputed9. But she did believe that the woman before her had been ruined by her husband's speculations10. "It's very bad, ma'am; isn't it?" said Mrs. Parker, crying for company. "It's bad all round. If you had five children as hadn't bread you'd know how it is that I feel. I've got to go back by the 10.15 to-night, and when I've paid for a third-class ticket I shan't have but twopence left in the world."
This utter depth of immediate11 poverty, this want of bread for the morrow and the next day, Emily could relieve out of her own pocket. And, thinking of this and remembering that her purse was not with her at the moment, she started up with the idea of getting it. But it occurred to her that that would not suffice; that her duty required more of her than that. And yet, by her own power, she could do no more. From month to month, almost from week to week, since her husband's death, her father had been called upon to satisfy claims for money which he would not resist, lest by doing so he should add to her misery12. She had felt that she ought to bind13 herself to the strictest personal economy because of the miserable14 losses to which she had subjected him by her ill-starred marriage. "What would you wish me to do?" she said, resuming her seat.
"You are rich," said Mrs. Parker. Emily shook her head. "They say your papa is rich. I thought you would not like to see me in want like this."
"Indeed, indeed, it makes me very unhappy."
"Wouldn't your papa do something? It wasn't Sexty's fault nigh so much as it was his. I wouldn't say it to you if it wasn't for starving. I wouldn't say it to you if it wasn't for the children. I'd lie in the ditch and die if it was only myself, because—because I know what your feelings is. But what wouldn't you do, and what wouldn't you say, if you had five children at home as hadn't a loaf of bread among 'em?" Hereupon Emily got up and left the room, bidding her visitor wait for a few minutes. Presently the offensive butler came in, who had wronged Mrs. Parker by watching his master's coats, and brought a tray with meat and wine. Mr. Wharton, said the altered man, hoped that Mrs. Parker would take a little refreshment15, and he would be down himself very soon. Mrs. Parker, knowing that strength for her journey home would be necessary to her, remembering that she would have to walk all through the city to the Bishopsgate Street station, did take some refreshment, and permitted herself to drink the glass of sherry that her late enemy had benignantly poured out for her.
Emily had been nearly half-an-hour with her father before Mr. Wharton's heavy step was heard upon the stairs. And when he reached the dining-room door he paused a moment before he ventured to turn the lock. He had not told Emily what he would do, and had hardly as yet made up his own mind. As every fresh call was made upon him, his hatred16 for the memory of the man who had stepped in and disturbed his whole life, and turned all the mellow17 satisfaction of his evening into storm and gloom, was of course increased. The scoundrel's name was so odious18 to him that he could hardly keep himself from shuddering19 visibly before his daughter even when the servants called her by it. But yet he had determined that he would devote himself to save her from further suffering. It had been her fault, no doubt. But she was expiating20 it in very sackcloth and ashes, and he would add nothing to the burden on her back. He would pay, and pay, and pay, merely remembering that what he paid must be deducted21 from her share of his property. He had never intended to make what is called an elder son of Everett, and now there was less necessity than ever that he should do so, as Everett had become an elder son in another direction. He could satisfy almost any demand that might be made without material injury to himself. But these demands, one after another, scalded him by their frequency, and by the baseness of the man who had occasioned them. His daughter had now repeated to him with sobbings and wailings the whole story as it had been told to her by the woman downstairs. "Papa," she had said, "I don't know how to tell you or how not." Then he had encouraged her, and had listened without saying a word. He had endeavoured not even to shrink as the charge of forgery22 was repeated to him by his own child,—the widow of the guilty man. He endeavoured not to remember at the moment that she had claimed this wretch23 as the chosen one of her maiden24 heart, in opposition25 to all his wishes. It hardly occurred to him to disbelieve the accusation. It was so probable! What was there to hinder the man from forgery, if he could only make it believed that his victim had signed the bill when intoxicated26? He heard it all;—kissed his daughter, and then went down to the dining-room.
Mrs. Parker, when she saw him, got up, and curtsied low, and then sat down again. Old Wharton looked at her from under his bushy eyebrows27 before he spoke28, and then sat opposite to her. "Madam," he said, "this is a very sad story that I have heard." Mrs. Parker again rose, again curtsied, and put her handkerchief to her face. "It is of no use talking any more about it here."
"No, sir," said Mrs. Parker.
"I and my daughter leave town early to-morrow morning."
"Indeed, sir. Mrs. Lopez didn't tell me."
"My clerk will be in London, at No. 12, Stone Buildings, Lincoln's Inn, till I come back. Do you think you can find the place? I have written it there."
"Yes, sir, I can find it," said Mrs. Parker, just raising herself from her chair at every word she spoke.
"I have written his name, you see. Mr. Crumpy."
"Yes, sir."
"If you will permit me, I will give you two sovereigns now."
"Thank you, sir."
"And if you can make it convenient to call on Mr. Crumpy every Thursday morning about twelve, he will pay you two sovereigns a week till I come back to town. Then I will see about it."
"God Almighty29 bless you, sir!"
"And as to the furniture, I will write to my attorney, Mr. Walker. You need not trouble yourself by going to him."
"No, sir."
"If necessary, he will send to you, and he will see what can be done. Good night, Mrs. Parker." Then he walked across the room with two sovereigns which he dropped in her hand. Mrs. Parker, with many sobs30, bade him farewell, and Mr. Wharton stood in the hall immovable till the front door had been closed behind her. "I have settled it," he said to Emily. "I'll tell you to-morrow, or some day. Don't worry yourself now, but go to bed." She looked wistfully,—so sadly, up into his face, and then did as he bade her.
But Mr. Wharton could not go to bed without further trouble. It was incumbent31 on him to write full particulars that very night both to Mr. Walker and to Mr. Crumpy. And the odious letters in the writing became very long;—odious because he had to confess in them over and over again that his daughter, the very apple of his eye, had been the wife of a scoundrel. To Mr. Walker he had to tell the whole story of the alleged32 forgery, and in doing so could not abstain33 from the use of hard words. "I don't suppose that it can be proved, but there is every reason to believe that it's true." And again—"I believe the man to have been as vile34 a scoundrel as ever was made by the love of money." Even to Mr. Crumpy he could not be reticent35. "She is an object of pity," he said. "Her husband was ruined by the infamous36 speculations of Mr. Lopez." Then he betook himself to bed. Oh, how happy would he be to pay the two pounds weekly,—even to add to that the amount of the forged bill, if by doing so he might be saved from ever again hearing the name of Lopez.
The amount of the bill was ultimately lost by the bankers who had advanced money on it. As for Mrs. Sexty Parker, from week to week, and from month to month, and at last from year to year, she and her children,—and probably her husband also,—were supported by the weekly pension of two sovereigns which she always received on Thursday morning from the hands of Mr. Crumpy himself. In a little time the one excitement of her life was the weekly journey to Mr. Crumpy, whom she came to regard as a man appointed by Providence37 to supply her with 40s. on Thursday morning. As to poor Sexty Parker,—it is to be feared that he never again became a prosperous man.
"You will tell me what you did for that poor woman, papa," said Emily, leaning over her father in the train.
"I have settled it, my dear."
"You said you'd tell me."
"Crumpy will pay her two pounds a week till we know more about it." Emily pressed her father's hand and that was an end. No one ever did know any more about it, and Crumpy continued to pay the money.
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收听单词发音
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1
grievance
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| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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quelled
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| v.（用武力）制止，结束，镇压( quell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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6
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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7
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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8
accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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9
imputed
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| v.把（错误等）归咎于( impute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
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11
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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12
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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13
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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14
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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15
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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16
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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17
mellow
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| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
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18
odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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19
shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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20
expiating
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| v.为（所犯罪过）接受惩罚，赎（罪）( expiate的现在分词 ) | |
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deducted
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| v.扣除，减去( deduct的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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forgery
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| n.伪造的文件等，赝品，伪造（行为） | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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26
intoxicated
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| 喝醉的，极其兴奋的 | |
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27
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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28
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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29
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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30
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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31
incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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32
alleged
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| a.被指控的，嫌疑的 | |
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33
abstain
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| v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免 | |
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34
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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35
reticent
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| adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的 | |
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36
infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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37
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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