The first man to enter the room was clad in a blouse of coarse grey cloth which reached down to his knees. On his head he wore a black silk cap, very much pressed down and exceedingly greasy1 on the right side. This was to be accounted for by the fact that he used his right shoulder more than the left in that state of life in which he had been placed. It was not what we, who do not kill, would consider a pleasant state. He was, in fact, a slayer2 of beasts—a foreman at the slaughter-house.
It is, perhaps, fortunate that Antoine Lerac is of no great prominence3 in this record, and of none in his official capacity at the slaughter-house. But the man is worthy4 of some small attention, because he was so essentially5 of the nineteenth century—so distinctly a product of the latter end of what is, for us at least, the most important cycle of years the world has passed through. He was a man wearing the blouse with ostentation6, and glorying in the greasy cap: professing7 his unwillingness8 to exchange the one for an ermine robe or the other for a crown. As a matter of fact, he invariably purchased the largest and roughest blouse to be found, and his cap was unnecessarily soaked with suet. He was a knight9 of industry of the very worst description—a braggart10, a talker, a windbag11. He preached, or rather he shrieked12, the doctrine13 of equality, but the equality he sought was that which would place him on a par14 with his superiors, while in no way benefiting those beneath him.
At one time, when he had first come into contact with the dark-eyed man who now sat at the table watching him curiously15, there had been a struggle for mastery.
“I am,” he had said with considerable heat, “as good as you. That is all I wish to demonstrate.”
“No,” replied the other with that calm and assured air of superiority which the people once tried in vain to stamp out with the guillotine. “No, it is not. You want to demonstrate that you are superior, and you cannot do it. You say that you have as much right to walk on the pavement as I. I admit it. In your heart you want to prove that you have more, and you cannot do it. I could wear your blouse with comfort, but you could not put on my hat or my gloves without making yourself ridiculous. But—that is not the question. Let us get to business.”
And in time the butcher succumbed16, as he was bound to do, to the man whom he shrewdly suspected of being an aristocrat17.
He who entered the room immediately afterwards was of a very different type. His mode of entry was of another description. Whereas the man of blood swaggered in with an air of nervous truculence18, as if he were afraid that some one was desirous of disputing his equality, the next comer crept in softly, and closed the door with accuracy. He was the incarnation of benevolence—in the best sense of the word, a sweet old man—looking out upon the world through large tinted19 spectacles with a beam which could not be otherwise than blind to all motes20. In earlier years his face might, perhaps, have been a trifle hard in its contour; but Time, the lubricator, had eased some of the corners, and it was now the seat of kindness and love. He bowed ceremoniously to the first comer, and his manner seemed rather to breathe of fraternity than equality. As he bowed he mentioned the gentleman's name in such loving tones that no greeting could have been heartier21.
“Citizen Morot,” he said.
The butcher, with more haste than dignity, assumed the chair which stood at the opposite end of the table to that occupied by the Citizen Morot. He had evidently hurried in first in order to secure that seat. From his pocket he produced a somewhat soiled paper, which he threw with exaggerated carelessness across the table. His manner was not entirely22 free from a suggestion of patronage23.
“What have we here?” inquired the first comer, who had not hitherto opened his lips, with a deep interest which might possibly have been ironical24. He was just the sort of man to indulge in irony25 for his own satisfaction. He unfolded the paper, raised his eyebrows26, and read.
“Ah!” he said, “a receipt for five hundred rifles with bayonets and shoulder-straps complete. 'Received of the Citizen Morot five hundred rifles with bayonets and shoulder-straps complete.—Antoine Lerac.'”
He folded the paper again and carefully tore it into very small pieces.
“Thank you,” he said gravely.
Then he turned in his chair and threw the papers into the ash-tray of the little iron stove behind him.
“I judged it best to be strictly27 business-like,” said the butcher, with moderately well-simulated carelessness.
“The brave Lerac,” he said, “is a man of business.”
Citizen Morot ignored this observation.
“And,” he said, turning to Lerac, “you have them stored in a safe place? There is absolutely no doubt of that?”
“Absolutely none.”
“Good.”
“They are under my own eye.”
“Very good. It is not for a short time only, but for some months. One cannot hurry the people. Besides, we are not ready. The rifles we bought, the ammunition30 we must steal.”
“They are good rifles—they are English,” said the butcher.
“Yes; the English Government is full of chivalry31. They are always ready to place it within the power of their enemies to be as well armed as themselves.”
The old gentleman laughed—a pleasant, cooing laugh. He invariably encouraged humour, this genial32 philanthropist.
“At last Friday's meeting,” Lerac said shortly, “we enrolled33 forty new members. We now number four hundred and two in our arrondissement alone.”
“Good,” muttered the Citizen Morot, without enthusiasm.
“So I should imagine” (very gravely).
“Four hundred strong men,” broke in the old gentleman rather hastily. “Ah, but that is already a power.”
“It is,” opined Lerac sententiously, “the strong man who is the power. Riches are nothing; birth is nothing. This is the day of force. Force is everything.”
“Everything,” acquiesced35 Morot fervently36. He was consulting a small note-book, wherein he jotted37 down some figures.
“Four hundred and two,” he muttered as he wrote, “up to Friday night, in the arrondissement of the citizen—the good citizen—Antoine Lerac.”
The butcher looked up with a doubtful expression upon his coarse face. His great brutal38 lips twitched39, and he was on the point of speaking when the Citizen Morot's velvety40 eyes met his gaze with a quiet smile in which arrogance41 and innocence42 were mingled43.
“And now,” said the last-mentioned, turning affably to the old gentleman, “let us have the report of the reverend Father.”
“Ah,” laughed Lerac, without attempting to conceal44 the contempt that was in his soul, “the Church.”
The old gentleman spread out his hands in mild deprecation.
“Yes,” he admitted, “we are under a shadow. I do not even dare to wear my cassock.”
“You are in a valley of shadow, my reverend friend,” said the butcher, with visible exultation45, “to which the sun will never penetrate46 now.”
The Citizen Morot laughed at this pleasantry, while the old man against whom it was directed bowed his head patiently.
“And yet,” said the laugher, with a certain air of patronage, “the Church is of some use still. She paid for those rifles, and she will pay for the ammunition—is it not so, my father?”
“Without doubt—without doubt.”
“Not to mention,” continued the other, “many contributions towards our general fund. The force that is supplied by the strong right arm of the people is, one finds, a force constantly in need of substantial replenishment47.”
“But,” exclaimed the butcher, emphatically banging his fist down upon the table, “why does she do it? That is what I want to know!”
The old priest glanced furtively48 towards Morot, and then his face assumed an air of childish bewilderment.
“Ah!” he said guilelessly, “who can tell?”
“Who, indeed!” chimed in Morot.
The butcher was pleased with himself. He sat upright, and, banging the table a second time, he looked round defiantly49.
“But,” said Morot, in an indifferent way which was frequently characteristic, “I do not see that it matters much. The money is good. It buys rifles, and it places them in the hands of the Citizen Lerac and his hardy companions. And when all is said and done, when the cartridges50 are burnt and a New Commune is raised, what does it matter whose money bought the rifles, and with what object the money was supplied?”
The old gentleman looked relieved. He was evidently of a timid and conciliatory nature, and would, with slight encouragement, have turned upon that Church of which he was the humble51 representative, merely for the sake of peace.
The butcher cleared his throat after the manner of the streets—causing Morot to wince52 visibly—and acquiesced.
“But,” he added cunningly, “the Church, see you—Ach! it is deep—it is treacherous53. Never trust the Church!”
The Citizen Morot, to whom these remarks were addressed, smiled in a singular way and made no reply. Then he turned gravely to the old man and said—
“Have you nothing to report to us—my father?”
“Nothing of great importance,” replied he humbly54. “All is going on well. We are in treaty for two hundred rifles with the Montenegrin Government, and shall no doubt carry the contract through. I go to England next week in order to carry out the—the—what shall I say?—the loan of the ammunition.”
“Ha, ha!” laughed the butcher.
Morot smiled also, as he made an entry in the little note-book.
“Next week?” he said interrogatively.
“Yes—on Tuesday.”
“Thank you.”
The butcher here rose and ostentatiously dragged out a watch from the depths of his blouse.
“I must go,” he said. “I have committee at seven o'clock. And I shall dine first.”
“Yes,” said Morot gravely. “Dine first. Take good care of yourself, citizen.”
“Trust me.”
The butcher walked noisily through the shop—heavy with responsibility—weighted with the sense of his own importance to the world in general and to France in particular. Had he walked less noisily he might have overheard the soft laugh of the old priest.
Citizen Morot did not laugh. He was not a laughing man. But a fine, disdainful smile passed over his face, scarce lighting56 it up at all.
“What an utter fool the man is!” he said impatiently.
“Yes—sir,” replied the old man, “but if he were less so it would be difficult to manage him.”
“That is because your Highness knows how to outwit them.”
“No titles—my father,” said the Citizen Morot quietly. “No titles here, if you please. Tell me, are you quite sure of this scum—this Lerac?”
“As sure as one can be of anything that comes from the streets. He is an excitable, bumptious58, quarrelsome man; but he has a certain influence with those beneath him, although it seems hard to realise that there are such.”
“Ha! you are right! But a republic is a social manure-heap—that which is on the top is not pleasant, and the stuff below—ugh!”
The manner of the two men had quite changed. He who was called Morot leant back in his seat and stretched his arms out wearily. There is no disguise like animation59; when that is laid aside we see the real man or the real woman. In repose60 this Frenchman was not cheerful to look upon. He was not sanguine61, and a French pessimist62 is the worst thing of the kind that is to be found.
When the door had closed behind the departing Lerac, the old priest seemed to throw off suddenly quite a number of years. His voice, when next he spoke63, was less senile, his movements were brisker. He was, in a word, less harmless.
Mr. Jacquetot had finished his dinner, brought in from a neighbouring restaurant all hot, and was slumberously enjoying a very strong-smelling cigar, when the door of the little room opened at length, and the two men went out together into the dimly-lighted street.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
greasy
|
|
| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
slayer
|
|
| n. 杀人者，凶手 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
prominence
|
|
| n.突出；显著；杰出；重要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
essentially
|
|
| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
ostentation
|
|
| n.夸耀，卖弄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
professing
|
|
| 声称( profess的现在分词 )； 宣称； 公开表明； 信奉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
unwillingness
|
|
| n. 不愿意，不情愿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
knight
|
|
| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
braggart
|
|
| n.吹牛者；adj.吹牛的，自夸的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
windbag
|
|
| n.风囊，饶舌之人，好说话的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
shrieked
|
|
| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
doctrine
|
|
| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
par
|
|
| n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
curiously
|
|
| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
succumbed
|
|
| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
aristocrat
|
|
| n.贵族，有贵族气派的人，上层人物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
truculence
|
|
| n.凶猛，粗暴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
tinted
|
|
| adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
motes
|
|
| n.尘埃( mote的名词复数 )；斑点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
heartier
|
|
| 亲切的( hearty的比较级 )； 热诚的； 健壮的； 精神饱满的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
patronage
|
|
| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
ironical
|
|
| adj.讽刺的，冷嘲的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
irony
|
|
| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
eyebrows
|
|
| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
strictly
|
|
| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
shrug
|
|
| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
soothing
|
|
| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
ammunition
|
|
| n.军火，弹药 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
chivalry
|
|
| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
genial
|
|
| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
enrolled
|
|
| adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
hardy
|
|
| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
acquiesced
|
|
| v.默认，默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
fervently
|
|
| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
jotted
|
|
| v.匆忙记下( jot的过去式和过去分词 )；草草记下，匆匆记下 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
brutal
|
|
| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
twitched
|
|
| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
velvety
|
|
| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
arrogance
|
|
| n.傲慢，自大 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
innocence
|
|
| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
mingled
|
|
| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
conceal
|
|
| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
exultation
|
|
| n.狂喜，得意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
penetrate
|
|
| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
replenishment
|
|
| n.补充(货物) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
furtively
|
|
| adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
defiantly
|
|
| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
cartridges
|
|
| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
humble
|
|
| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
wince
|
|
| n.畏缩，退避，（因痛苦，苦恼等)面部肌肉抽动；v.畏缩，退缩，退避 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
treacherous
|
|
| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
humbly
|
|
| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
curt
|
|
| adj.简短的，草率的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
lighting
|
|
| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
knaves
|
|
| n.恶棍，无赖( knave的名词复数 )；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
bumptious
|
|
| adj.傲慢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
animation
|
|
| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
repose
|
|
| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
sanguine
|
|
| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
pessimist
|
|
| n.悲观者；悲观主义者；厌世 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |