XLIV. THAT OF THE BARGAIN SALE.

 I sing of Mrs. Tomkins-Smythe,

And Mrs. Gibson-Brown;

Two ladies resident within

A square, near Camden Town.

Good neighbours they had been, and friends,

For twenty years, or more;

The Tomkins-Smythes they lived at "6,"

The Gibson-Browns at "4."

'Twas in that season of the year

When drapers' bargain sales

Do fascinate the female mind,

And vex¹ the married males.

An illustrated² catalogue

Arrived at "Number 4,"

Which Mrs. Gibson-Brown took in

To show her friend next door.

"My dear!" she cried in eager tones,

"Such bargains! Gracious me!

Here's this reduced from two-and-six

To one eleven-three!

 

"And those which you remember, dear,

We thought so very nice,

They're selling off at really an

Alarming sacrifice!"

"Those remnants—" Mrs. Tomkins-Smythe

Remained to hear no more;

She jabbed her bonnet³ on with pins,

And hurried to the door.

A tram, a 'bus, the tupp'ny tube,

And they were quickly there;

And joining in the buzzing crowd

Of other ladies fair.

They pulled at this, they tugged⁴ at that,

They turned and tumbled those;

And pushed, and crowded with the best,

And trod on people's toes.

They glared at other buyers, and

Forestalled⁵ them—when they could;

And behaved, indeed, exactly,

As at sales all ladies should.

Till with heavy parcels laden⁶,

Breathless, but with keen delight,

They beheld⁷ the remnant counter

("Second turning to the right.")

And (alas! how small a matter

May entirely⁸ change life's view)

Both in the self-same instant

Saw a remnant—Navy blue.

They each reached out to take it.

"'Tis mine!" they both did cry.

"I saw it first, my dearest love."

"No, darling, it was I."

 

"My remnant, and I'll buy it!"

"Indeed? I think you won't!"

"Pooh! madame, I will have it!"

"I'll see, ma'am, that you don't!"

And thus, and thus—oh, woesome sight—

They quarrelled, nor would stop

Until the shopwalker he came

And turned them from the shop.

* * *

They never made the quarrel up,

And now, with icy stare,

They pass each other in the street

With noses in the air.

1 vex   

vt.使烦恼，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Everything about her vexed him.有关她的一切都令他困惑。
• It vexed me to think of others gossiping behind my back.一想到别人在背后说我闲话，我就很恼火。

2 illustrated   

adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。
• The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。

3 bonnet   

n.无边女帽；童帽

参考例句：

• The baby's bonnet keeps the sun out of her eyes.婴孩的帽子遮住阳光，使之不刺眼。
• She wore a faded black bonnet garnished with faded artificial flowers.她戴着一顶褪了色的黑色无边帽，帽上缀着褪了色的假花。

4 tugged   

v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She tugged at his sleeve to get his attention. 她拽了拽他的袖子引起他的注意。
• A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 他的嘴角带一丝苦笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 forestalled   

v.先发制人，预先阻止( forestall的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She forestalled their attempt. 她先发制人，阻止了他们的企图。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I had my objection all prepared, but Stephens forestalled me. 我已做好准备要提出反对意见，不料斯蒂芬斯却抢先了一步。 来自辞典例句

6 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

7 beheld   

v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟

参考例句：

• His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

8 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。