This was the Palace of the Bishop6 of Wodgate, and here with his arms bare and black, he worked at those locks, which defied any skeleton key that was not made by himself. He was a short, thickset man, powerfully made, with brawny7 arms disproportionately short even for his height, and with a countenance8, as far as one could judge of a face so disfigured by his grimy toil9, rather brutal10 than savage11. His choice apprentices12, full of admiration14 and terror, worked about him; lank4 and haggard youths, who never for an instant dared to raise their dingy15 faces and lack-lustre eyes from their ceaseless labour. On each side of their master, seated on a stool higher than the rest, was an urchin16 of not more than four or five years of age, serious and demure17, and as if proud of his eminent18 position, or working incessantly19 at his little file;—these were two sons of the bishop.
“Now boys,” said the bishop, in a hoarse20, harsh voice, “steady, there; steady. There’s a file what don’t sing; can’t deceive my ear; I know all their voices. Don’t let me find that un out, or I won’t walk into him, won’t I? Ayn’t you lucky boys, to have reg’lar work like this, and the best of prog! It worn’t my lot, I can tell you that. Give me that shut, you there, Scrubbynose, can’t you move? Look sharp, or I won’t move you, won’t I? Steady, steady! All right! That’s music. Where will you hear music like twenty files all working at once! You ought to be happy boys, oughtn’t you? Won’t there be a treat of fish after this, that’s all! Hulloa, there, you red-haired varmint, what are you looking after? Three boys looking about them; what’s all this? Won’t I be among you?” and he sprang forward and seized the luckless ears of the first apprentice13 he could get hold off, and wrung21 them till the blood spouted22 forth23.
“Please, bishop,” sang out the boy, “it worn’t my fault. Here’s a man what wants you.”
“Who wants me?” said the bishop, looking round, and he caught the figure of Morley who had just entered the shop.
“Well, what’s your will? Locks or nails?”
“Neither,” said Morley; “I wish to see a man named Hatton.”
“Well, you see a man named Hatton,” said the bishop; “and now what do want of him?”
“I should like to say a word to you alone,” said Morley.
“Hem! I should like to know who is to finish this lock, and to look after my boys! If it’s an order, let us have it at once.”
“It is not an order,” said Morley.
“Then I don’t want to hear nothing about it,” said the bishop.
“It’s about family matters,” said Morley.
“Ah!” said Hatton, eagerly, “what, do you come from him?”
“It may be,” said Morley.
Upon this the bishop, looking up to the ceiling of the room in which there were several large chinks, began calling out lustily to some unseen person above, and immediately was replied to in a shrill24 voice of objurgation, demanding in peremptory25 words, interlarded with many oaths, what he wanted. His reply called down his unseen correspondent, who soon entered his workshop. It was the awful presence of Mrs Hatton; a tall, bearded virago26, with a file in her hand, for that seemed the distinctive27 arm of the house, and eyes flashing with unbridled power.
“Look after the boys,” said Hatton, “for I have business.”
“Won’t I?” said Mrs Hatton; and a thrill of terror pervaded28 the assembly. All the files moved in regular melody; no one dared to raise his face; even her two young children looked still more serious and demure. Not that any being present flattered himself for an instant that the most sedulous29 attention on his part could prevent an outbreak; all that each aspired30 to, and wildly hoped, was that he might not be the victim singled out to have his head cut open, or his eye knocked out, or his ears half pulled off by the being who was the terror not only of the workshop, but of Wodgate itself,—their bishop’s gentle wife.
In the meantime, that worthy31, taking Morley into a room where there were no machines at work except those made of iron, said, “Well, what have you brought me?”
“In the first place,” said Morley, “I would speak to you of your brother.”
“I concluded that,” said Hatton, “when you spoke32 of family matters bringing you here; he is the only relation I have in this world, and therefore it must be of him.”
“It is of him,” said Morley.
“Has he sent anything?”
“Hem!” said Morley, who was by nature a diplomatist, and instantly comprehended his position, being himself pumped when he came to pump; but he resolved not to precipitate33 the affair. “How late is it since you heard from him?” he asked.
“Why, I suppose you know,” said Hatton, “I heard as usual.”
“From his usual place?” inquired Morley.
“I wish you would tell me where that is,” said Hatton, eagerly.
“Why, he writes to you?”
“Blank letters; never had a line except once, and that is more than twelve year ago. He sends me a twenty-pound note every Christmas; and that is all I know about him.”
“Then he is rich, and well to do in the world? said Morley.”
“Why, don’t you know?” said Hatton; “I thought you came from him!”
“I came about him. I wished to know whether he were alive, and that you have been able to inform me: and where he was; and that you have not been able to inform me.”
“Why, you’re a regular muff!” said the bishop.
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1
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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2
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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3
planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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lank
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| adj.瘦削的；稀疏的 | |
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5
props
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| 小道具； 支柱( prop的名词复数 )； 支持者； 道具； （橄榄球中的）支柱前锋 | |
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6
bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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7
brawny
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| adj.强壮的 | |
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8
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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9
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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10
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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11
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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12
apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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13
apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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14
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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15
dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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16
urchin
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| n.顽童；海胆 | |
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17
demure
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| adj.严肃的；端庄的 | |
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18
eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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19
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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20
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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21
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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22
spouted
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| adj.装有嘴的v.（指液体）喷出( spout的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地讲；喋喋不休地说；喷水 | |
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23
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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24
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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25
peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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26
virago
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| n.悍妇 | |
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27
distinctive
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| adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的 | |
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28
pervaded
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
sedulous
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| adj.勤勉的，努力的 | |
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30
aspired
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| v.渴望，追求( aspire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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32
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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33
precipitate
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| adj.突如其来的；vt.使突然发生；n.沉淀物 | |
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