"Mr. Todd," said Fogg, "I find that you still retain your habit of merriment; but yours ain't the most comfortable laugh in the world, and we seldom hear anything equal to it, even from one of our cells."
"No!" said Sweeney Todd, "I don't suppose you do, and for my part I never heard of a cell laughing yet."
"Oh! you know what I mean, Mr. Todd, well enough."
"That may be," said Todd, "but it would be just as well to say it for all that. I think, however, as I came in you said something about refreshment2?"
"I certainly did; and, if you will honour me by stepping back to my room, I think I can offer you, Mr. Todd, a glass of as nice wine as the king himself could put on his table, if he were any judge of that commodity, which I am inclined to think he is not."
"What do you expect," said Sweeney Todd, "that such an idiot should be a judge of?—but I shall have great pleasure in tasting your wine, for I have no hesitation3 in saying that my work to-night has made me thirsty."
"Oh! it's nothing, it's nothing," said Mr. Fogg; "if you had resided here as long as I have, you would get accustomed to now and then hearing a slight noise. The worst of it is, when half a dozen of the mad fellows get shrieking5 against each other in the middle of the night. Then, I grant, it is a little annoying."
"What do you do with them?"
"We send in one of the keepers with the lash6, and soon put a stop to that. We are forced to keep the upper hand of them, or else we should have no rest. Hark! do you not hear that fellow now?—he is generally pretty quiet, but he has taken it into his head to be outrageous7 to-day; but one of my men will soon put a stop to that. This way, Mr. Todd, if you please, and as we don't often meet, I think when we do we ought to have a social glass."
Sweeney Todd made several horrible faces as he followed the madhouse-keeper, and he looked as if it would have given him quite as much pleasure, and no doubt it would, to brain that individual, as to drink his wine, although probably he would have preferred doing the latter process first, and executing the former afterwards, and at his leisure. They soon reached the room which was devoted8 to the use of Mr. Fogg and his friends, and which contained the many little curiosities in the way of madhouse discipline that were in that age considered indispensable in such establishments. Mr. Fogg moved away with his hands a great number of the books and papers which were on the table, so as to leave a vacant space, and then drawing the cork9 of a bottle, he filled himself a large glass of its contents, and invited Sweeney Todd to do the same, who was by no means slow in following his example. While these two villains10 are carousing11, and caring nothing for the scenes of misery12 with which they are surrounded, poor Tobias, in conformity13 with the orders that had been issued with regard to him, was conveyed along a number of winding14 passages, and down several staircases, towards the cells of the establishment. In vain he struggled to get free from his captor—as well might a hare have struggled in the fangs15 of a wolf—nor were his cries at all heeded16; although, now and then, the shrieks17 he uttered were terrible to hear, and enough to fill any one with dismay.
"I am not mad," said he, "indeed I am not mad—let me go, and I will say nothing—not one word shall ever pass my lips regarding Mr. Todd—let me go, oh, let me go, and I will pray for you as long as I live."
"If I promise—if I swear to tell nothing, Mr. Todd will not wish me kept here—all he wants is my silence, and I will take any oath he likes. Speak to him for me, I implore19 you, and let me go."
Mr. Watson commenced the second part of his lively tune, and by that time he reached a door, which he unlocked, and then, setting down Tobias upon the threshold, he gave him a violent kick, which flung him down two steps on to the stone floor of a miserable20 cell, from the roof of which continual moisture was dripping, the only accommodation it possessed21 being a truss of damp straw flung into one corner.
"There," said Mr. Watson, "my lad, you can stay there and make yourself comfortable till somebody comes to shave your head, and after that you will find yourself quite a gentleman."
"Mercy! mercy—have mercy upon me!"
"Mercy!—what the devil do you mean by mercy? Well, that's a good joke; but I can tell you, you have come to the wrong shop for that; we don't keep it in stock here, and if we wanted ever so little of it, we should have to go somewhere else for it."
Mr. Watson laughed so much at his own joke, that he felt quite amiable22, and told Tobias that if he were perfectly23 quiet, and said "thank you" for everything, he wouldn't put him on the strait waistcoat, although Mr. Fogg had ordered it; "for," added Mr. Watson, "so far as that goes, I don't care a straw what Mr. Fogg says, or what he does; he can't do without me, damn him! because I know too many of his secrets."
Tobias made no answer to this promise, but he lay upon his back on the floor of the cell wringing24 his hands despairingly, and feeling that almost already the very atmosphere of that place seemed pregnant with insanity25, and giving himself up for lost entirely26.
"I shall never—never," he said, "look upon the bright sky and the green fields again. I shall be murdered here, because I know too much; what can save me now? Oh, what an evil chance it was that brought me back again to my mother, when I ought to have been far, far away by this time, instead of being, as I know I am, condemned27 to death in this frightful28 place. Despair seizes upon me! What noise is that—a shriek? Yes, yes, there is some other blighted29 heart beside mine in this dreadful house. Oh, Heaven! what will become of me? I feel already stifled30 and sick, and faint with the air of this dreadful cell. Help, help, help! have mercy upon me, and I will do anything, promise anything, swear anything."
If poor Tobias had uttered his complaints on the most desolate31 shore that ever a shipwrecked mariner33 was cast upon, they could not have been more unheeded than they were in that house of terror. He screamed and shrieked34 for aid. He called upon all the friends he had ever known in early life, and at that moment he seemed to remember the name of every one who had ever uttered a kind word to him; and to those persons who, alas35! could not hear him, but were far enough removed away from his cries, he called for aid in that hour of his deep distress36. At length, faint, wearied and exhausted37, he lay a mere38 living wreck32 in that damp, unwholesome cell, and felt almost willing that death should come and relieve him, at least from the pang39 of constantly expecting it! His cries, however, had had the effect of summoning up all the wild spirits in that building; and, as he now lay in the quiet of absolute exhaustion40, he heard from far and near smothered41 cries and shrieks and groans42, such as one might expect would fill the air of the infernal regions with dismal43 echoes. A cold and clammy perspiration44 broke out upon him, as these sounds each moment more plainly fell upon his ear, and as he gazed upon the profound darkness of the cell, his excited fancy began to people it with strange unearthly beings, and he could suppose that he saw hideous45 faces grinning at him, and huge mis-shapen creatures crawling on the walls, and floating in the damp, pestiferous atmosphere of the wretched cell. In vain he covered his eyes with his hands; those creatures of his imagination were not to be shut out from the mind, and he saw them, if possible, more vividly46 than before, and presenting themselves in more frightfully tangible47 shapes. Truly, if such visions should continue to haunt him, poor Tobias was likely enough to follow the fate of many others who had been placed in that establishment perfectly sane48, but in a short time exhibited in it as raving49 lunatics.
"A nice clear cool glass of wine," said Sweeney Todd, as he held up his glass between him and the light, "and pleasant drinking; so soft and mild in the mouth, and yet gliding50 down the throat with a pleasant strength of flavour!"
"Yes," said Mr. Fogg, "it might be worse. You see some patients, who are low and melancholy51 mad, require stimulants52, and their friends send them wine. This is some that was so sent."
"Then you don't trouble the patients with it?"
"What! give a madman wine, while I am here in my senses to drink it? Oh, dear no! that won't do on any account."
"I should certainly, Mr. Fogg, not expect such an act of indiscretion from you, knowing you as I do to be quite a man of the world."
"Thank you for the compliment. This wine, now, was sent for an old gentleman who had turned so melancholy, that he not only would not take food enough to keep life and soul together, but he really terrified his friends so by threatening suicide that they sent him here for a few months; and, as stimulants were recommended for him, they sent this wine, you see; but I stimulated53 him without it quite as well, for I drink the wine myself and give him an infernal good kick or two every day, and that stimulates54 him, for it puts him in such a devil of a passion that I am quite sure he doesn't want any wine."
"A good plan," said Sweeney Todd, "but I wonder you don't contrive55 that your own private room should be free from the annoyance56 of hearing such sounds as those that have been coming upon my ears for the last five or ten minutes."
"It's impossible; you cannot get out of the way if you live in the house at all; and you see, as regards these mad fellows, they are quite like a pack of wolves, and when once one of them begins howling and shouting, the others are sure to chime in, in full chorus, and make no end of disturbance57 till we stop them, as I have already told you we do, with a strong hand."
"While I think of it," said Sweeney Todd, as he drew from his pocket a leathern bag, "while I think of it, I may as well pay you the year's money for the lad I have now brought you; you see I have not forgot the excellent rule you have of being paid in advance. There is the amount."
"Ah, Mr. Todd," said the madhouse-keeper as he counted the money, and then placed it in his pocket, "it's a pleasure to do business with a thorough business man like yourself. The bottle stands with you, Mr. Todd, and I beg you will not spare it. Do you know, Mr. Todd, this is a line of life which I have often thought would have suited you; I am certain you have a genius for such things."
"Not equal to you," said Todd; "but as I am fond, certainly, of what is strange and out of the way, some of the scenes and characters you come across would, I have no doubt, be highly entertaining to me."
"Scenes and characters—I believe you! During the course of a business like ours, we come across all sorts of strange things; and if I choose to do it, which of course I don't, I could tell a few tales which would make some people shake in their shoes; but I have no right to tell them, for I have been paid, and what the deuce is it to me?"
"Oh, nothing, of course nothing. But just while we are sipping58 our wine, now, couldn't you tell me something that would not be betraying anybody's confidence?"
"I could, I could; I don't mean to say that I could not, and I don't care much if I do to you."
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收听单词发音
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1
diabolical
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| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
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2
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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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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6
lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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11
carousing
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| v.痛饮，闹饮欢宴( carouse的现在分词 ) | |
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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
conformity
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| n.一致，遵从，顺从 | |
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14
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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15
fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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16
heeded
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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18
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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24
wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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insanity
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| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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27
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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28
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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blighted
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| adj.枯萎的，摧毁的 | |
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30
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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31
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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32
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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mariner
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| n.水手号不载人航天探测器，海员，航海者 | |
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34
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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36
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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38
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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40
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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41
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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42
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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43
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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44
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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45
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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46
vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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47
tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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48
sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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49
raving
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| adj.说胡话的；疯狂的，怒吼的；非常漂亮的；令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话；疯话adv.胡言乱语地；疯狂地 | |
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50
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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51
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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52
stimulants
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| n.兴奋剂( stimulant的名词复数 )；含兴奋剂的饮料；刺激物；激励物 | |
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53
stimulated
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| a.刺激的 | |
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54
stimulates
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| v.刺激( stimulate的第三人称单数 )；激励；使兴奋；起兴奋作用，起刺激作用，起促进作用 | |
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55
contrive
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| vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出 | |
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56
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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57
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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58
sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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