Thus did he address his new celestial11 bride, and as he spoke12 a passing cloud rolled itself away from before the moon's face, and the great luminary13 of the night shone down upon his upturned face. "I accept the omen," said Robinson, with lightened heart; and from that moment his great hopes never again altogether failed him, though he was doomed14 to pass through scorching15 fires of commercial disappointment.
But it must not be supposed that he was able to throw off his passion for Maryanne Brown without a great inward struggle. Up to that moment, in which he found Brisket in Mr. Brown's room, and, as he stood for a moment on the landing-place, heard that inquiry16 made as to the use of his name, he had believed that Maryanne would at last be true to him. Poppins, indeed, had hinted his suspicions, but in the way of prophecy Poppins was a Cassandra. Poppins saw a good deal with those twinkling eyes of his, but Robinson did not trust to the wisdom of Poppins. Up to that hour he had believed in Maryanne, and then in the short flash of an instant the truth had come upon him. She had again promised herself to Brisket, if Brisket would only take her. Let Brisket have her if he would. A minute's thought was sufficient to bring him to this resolve. But hours of scorching torment17 must be endured ere he could again enjoy the calm working of a sound mind in a sound body.
It has been told how in the ecstasy18 of his misery19 he poured out the sorrows of his bleeding heart before his brethren at the debating club. They, with that ready sympathy which they always evince for the success or failure of any celebrated20 brother, at once adjourned21 themselves; and Robinson walked out, followed at a distance by the faithful Poppins.
"George, old fellow!" said the latter, touching22 his friend on the shoulder, at the corner of Bridge Street.
"Leave me!" exclaimed Robinson. "Do not pry23 into sorrows which you cannot understand. I would be alone with myself this night."
"You'd be better if you'd come to the 'Mitre,' and smoke a pipe," said Poppins.
"Pipe me no pipes," said Robinson.
"Oh, come. You'd better quit that, and take it easy. After all, isn't it better so, than you should find her out when it was too late? There's many would be glad to have your chance."
"Man!" shouted Robinson, and as he did so he turned round upon his friend and seized him by the collar of his coat. "I loved that woman. Forty thousand Poppinses could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum."
"Very likely not," said Poppins.
"Would'st thou drink up Esil? Would'st thou eat a crocodile?"
"Heaven forbid," said Poppins.
"I'll do it. And if thou prate24 of mountains—"
"But I didn't."
"No, Poppins, no. That's true. Though I should be Hamlet, yet art not thou La?rtes. But Poppins, thou art Horatio."
"I'm Thomas Poppins, old fellow; and I mean to stick to you till I see you safe in bed."
"Thou art Horatio, for I've found thee honest. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamed of in our philosophy."
"Come, old fellow."
"Poppins, give me that man that is not passion's slave, and I will wear him in my heart's core; ay, in my heart of hearts;—as I do thee." And then, falling on Poppins' neck, George Robinson embraced him.
"You'll be better after that," said Poppins. "Come, let's have a little chat over a drop of something hot, and then we'll go to bed. I'll stand Sammy."
"Something hot!" said Robinson. "I tell you, Poppins, that everything is hot to me. Here, here I'm hot." And then he struck his breast. "And yet I'm very cold. 'Tis cold to be alone; cold to have lost one's all. Poppins, I've loved a harpy."
"I believe you're about right there," said Poppins.
"A harpy! Her nails will grow to talons25, and on her feet are hoofs26. Within she is horn all over. There's not a drop of blood about her heart. Oh, Poppins!"
"You're very well out of it, George. But yet I'm sorry for you. I am, indeed."
"And now, good-night. This way is mine; yours there."
"What! to the bridge? No; I'm blessed if you do; at any rate not alone."
"Poppins, tell me this; was Hamlet mad, or did he feign27 so?"
"Faith, very likely the latter. Many do that now. There are better rations28 in Bedlam29, than in any of the gaols;—let alone the workhouses."
"Ay; go mad for rations! There's no feigning30 there, Poppins. The world is doing that. But, Poppins, Hamlet feigned31; and so do I. Let the wind blow as it may, I know a hawk32 from a handsaw. Therefore you need not fear me."
"I don't; but I won't let you go on to that bridge alone. You'll be singing that song of a suicide, till you're as low as low. Come and drink a drop of something, and wish Brisket joy with his wife."
"I will," said Robinson. And so the two went to the "Mitre;" and there, comforted by the truth and honesty of his friend, Robinson resolved that he would be weak no longer, but, returning at once to his work, would still struggle on to rescue the house of Brown, Jones, and Robinson from that bourne of bankruptcy33 to which it was being hurried by the incompetency34 of his partners.
The following day was Sunday, and he rose at twelve with a racking headache. He had promised to take a chop with his friend at two, and at that hour he presented himself, with difficulty, at Mrs. Poppins's room. She was busy laying the cloth as he entered, but his friend was seated, half-dressed, unshorn, pale, and drooping35, in an old arm-chair near the window.
"It's a shame for you, George Robinson," said the lady, as he entered, "so it is. Look at that, for a father of a family,—coming home at three o'clock in the morning, and not able to make his way upstairs till I went down and fetched him!"
"I told her that we were obliged to sit out the debate," said Poppins, winking36 eagerly at his friend.
"Debate, indeed! A parcel of geese as you call yourself! Only geese go to bed betimes, and never get beastly drunk as you was, Poppins."
"I took a bit of stewed37 cheese, which always disagrees with me."
"Stewed cheese never disagrees with you when I'm with you. I'll tell you what it is, Poppins; if you ain't at home and in bed by eleven o'clock next Saturday, I'll go down to the 'Goose and Gridiron,' and I'll have that old Grandy out of his chair. That's what I will. I suppose you're so bad you can't eat a bit of nothing?" In answer to which, Robinson said that he did not feel himself to be very hungry.
"It's a blessing38 to Maryanne to have lost you; that's what it is."
"Stop, woman," said Robinson.
"Don't you woman me any womans. I know what stuff you're made off. It's a blessing for her not to have to do with a man who comes home roaring drunk, like a dead log, at three o'clock in the morning."
"Now, Polly,—" began poor Poppins.
"Oh, ah, Polly! Yes. Polly's very well. But it was a bad day for Polly when she first sat eyes on you. There was Sergeant39 MacNash never took a drop too much in his life. And you're worse than Robinson ten times. He's got no children at home, and no wife. If he kills hisself with tobacco and gin, nobody will be much the worse. I know one who's got well out of it, anyway. And now, if either of you are able to eat, you can come." Robinson did not much enjoy his afternoon, but the scenes, as they passed, served to reconcile him to that lonely life which must, henceforward, be his fate. What was there to enjoy in the fate of Poppins, and what in the proposed happiness of Brisket? Could not a man be sufficient for himself alone? Was there aught of pleasantness in that grinding tongue of his friend's wife? Should not one's own flesh,—the bone of one's bone,—bind up one's bruises40, pouring in balm with a gentle hand? Poppins was wounded sorely about the head and stomach, and of what nature was the balm which his wife administered? He, Robinson, had longed for married bliss41, but now he longed no longer.
On the following Monday and Tuesday he went silently about his work, speaking hardly a word to anybody. Mr. Brown greeted him with an apologetic sigh, and Jones with a triumphant42 sneer43; but he responded to neither of them. He once met Maryanne in the passage, and bowed to her with a low salute44, but he did not speak to her. He did not speak to her, but he saw the colour in her cheek, and watched her downcast eye. He was still weak as water, and had she clung to him even then, he would even then have forgiven her! But she passed on, and, as she left the house, she slammed the door behind her.
A little incident happened on that day, which is mentioned to show that, even in his present frame of mind, Robinson was able to take advantage of the smallest incident on behalf of his firm. A slight crowd had been collected round the door in the afternoon, for there had been a quarrel between Mr. Jones and one of the young men, in which loud words had reached the street, and a baby, which a woman held in her arms, had been somewhat pressed and hurt. As soon as the tidings reached Robinson's ears he was instantly at his desk, and before the trifling45 accident was two hours passed, the following bill was in the printer's hands;—
CAUTION TO MOTHERS!—MOTHERS, BEWARE!
Three suckling infants were yesterday pressed to death in their mothers' arms by the crowd which had congregated46 before the house of Brown, Jones, and Robinson, at Nine times Nine, Bishopsgate Street, in their attempts to be among the first purchasers of that wonderful lot of cheap but yet excellent flannels47, which B., J., and R. have just imported. Such flannels, at such a price, were never before offered to the British public. The sale, at the figures quoted below, will continue for three days more.
Magenta48 House.
And then followed the list.
It had chanced that Mr. Brown had picked up a lot of remnants from a wholesale49 house in Houndsditch, and the genius of Robinson immediately combined that fact with the little accident above mentioned.
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1
chiselled
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| adj.凿过的，凿光的； （文章等）精心雕琢的v.凿，雕，镌( chisel的过去式 ) | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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vows
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| 誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿 | |
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7
adornment
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| n.装饰；装饰品 | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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10
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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11
celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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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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13
luminary
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| n.名人，天体 | |
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14
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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scorching
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| adj. 灼热的 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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17
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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18
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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adjourned
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| （使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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pry
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| vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起) | |
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24
prate
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| v.瞎扯，胡说 | |
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talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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26
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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27
feign
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| vt.假装，佯作 | |
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28
rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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29
bedlam
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| n.混乱，骚乱；疯人院 | |
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30
feigning
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| 假装，伪装( feign的现在分词 )； 捏造（借口、理由等） | |
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31
feigned
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| a.假装的，不真诚的 | |
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32
hawk
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| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
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33
bankruptcy
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| n.破产；无偿付能力 | |
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incompetency
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| n.无能力，不适当 | |
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35
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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36
winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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37
stewed
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| adj.焦虑不安的，烂醉的v.炖( stew的过去式和过去分词 )；煨；思考；担忧 | |
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38
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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39
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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40
bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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41
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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42
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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43
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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44
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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45
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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46
congregated
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| （使）集合，聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
flannels
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| 法兰绒男裤； 法兰绒( flannel的名词复数 ) | |
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48
magenta
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| n..紫红色（的染料）；adj.紫红色的 | |
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49
wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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