been dragged partly off his head.
“He left the room a few minutes ago with the Lord Chancellor,” the Sub-Warden
“Ah!” said my Lady, graciously smiling on that high official. “Your Lordship has
a very taking way with children! I doubt if any one could gain the ear of my
unconscious.
The Chancellor bowed, but with a very uneasy air. “I think the Warden was about to
speak,” he remarked, evidently anxious to change the subject.
But my Lady would not be checked. “He is a clever boy,” she continued with
enthusiasm, “but he needs a man like your Lordship to draw him out!”
The Chancellor bit his lip, and was silent. He evidently feared that, stupid as she
looked, she understood what she said this time, and was having a joke at his
expense. He might have spared himself all anxiety: whatever accidental meaning her
words might have, she herself never meant anything at all.
“It is all settled!” the Warden announced, wasting no time over preliminaries. “
whenever I am absent. So, as I am going abroad for a while, he will enter on his
new duties at once.”
“And there will really be a Vice after all?” my Lady enquired.
“I hope so!” the Warden smilingly replied.
My Lady looked much pleased, and tried to clap her hands: but you might as well
have knocked two feather-beds together, for any noise it made. “When my husband is
“Hear, hear!” cried the Sub-Warden.
“You seem to think it very remarkable14,” my Lady remarked with some severity,
“that your wife should speak the truth!”
“No, not remarkable at all!” her husband anxiously explained. “Nothing is
remarkable that you say, sweet one!”
My Lady smiled approval of the sentiment, and went on. “And am I Vice-Wardeness?”
“If you choose to use that title,” said the Warden: “but 'Your Excellency' will
be the proper style of address. And I trust that both 'His Excellency' and 'Her
words “'item, that we will be kind to the poor.' The Chancellor worded it for me,
” he added, glancing at that great Functionary17. “I suppose, now, that word 'item'
has some deep legal meaning?”
“Undoubtedly!” replied the Chancellor, as articulately as he could with a pen
making room among them for the one the Warden had just handed to him. “These are
merely the rough copies,” he explained: “and, as soon as I have put in the final
hand, from one part of the scroll to another, spreading sheets of blotting-paper
over his corrections, “all will be ready for signing.”
“Should it not be read out, first?” my Lady enquired.
“No need, no need!” the Sub-Warden and the Chancellor exclaimed at the same
through it together. It provides that he shall exercise the full authority of
Warden, and shall have the disposal of the annual revenue attached to the office,
until my return, or, failing that, until Bruno comes of age: and that he shall then
hand over, to myself or to Bruno as the case may be, the Wardenship, the unspent
his guardianship25.”
All this time the Sub-Warden was busy, with the Chancellor's help, shifting the
papers from side to side, and pointing out to the Warden the place whew he was to
sign. He then signed it himself, and my Lady and the Chancellor added their names
as witnesses.
“Short partings are best,” said the Warden. “All is ready for my journey. My
children are waiting below to see me off” He gravely kissed my Lady, shook hands
with his brother and the Chancellor, and left the room.
{Image...'What a game!'}
The three waited in silence till the sound of wheels announced that the Warden was
laughter.
“What a game, oh, what a game!” cried the Chancellor. And he and the Vice-Warden
but she laughed like the neighing of a horse, and waved her handkerchief above her
head: it was clear to her very limited understanding that something very clever had
been done, but what it was she had yet to learn.
“You said I should hear all about it when the Warden had gone,” she remarked, as
soon as she could make herself heard.
“And so you shall, Tabby!” her husband graciously replied, as he removed the
blotting-paper, and showed the two parchments lying side by side. “This is the one
he read but didn't sign: and this is the one he signed but didn't read! You see it
was all covered up, except the place for signing the names—”
“Yes, yes!” my Lady interrupted eagerly, and began comparing the two Agreements.
“'Item, that he shall exercise the authority of Warden, in the Warden's absence.'
Why, that's been changed into 'shall be absolute governor for life, with the title
of Emperor, if elected to that office by the people.' What! Are you Emperor,
darling?”
“Not yet, dear,” the Vice-Warden replied. “It won't do to let this paper be
seen, just at present. All in good time.”
My Lady nodded, and read on. “'Item, that we will be kind to the poor.' Why,
that's omitted altogether!”
”
“Good,” said my Lady, with emphasis, and read on again. “'Item, that the
contents of the Treasury be preserved intact.' Why, that's altered into 'shall be
at the absolute disposal of the Vice-Warden'! Well, Sibby, that was a clever trick!
All the Jewels, only think! May I go and put them on directly?”
“Well, not just yet, Lovey,” her husband uneasily replied. “You see the public
mind isn't quite ripe for it yet. We must feel our way. Of course we'll have the
coach-and-four out, at once. And I'll take the title of Emperor, as soon as we can
safely hold an Election. But they'll hardly stand our using the Jewels, as long as
they know the Warden's alive. We must spread a report of his death. A little
“A Conspiracy!” cried the delighted lady, clapping her hands. “Of all things, I
do like a Conspiracy! It's so interesting!”
to her heart's content!” the cunning Chancellor whispered. “It'll do no harm!”
“And when will the Conspiracy—”
“Hist!', her husband hastily interrupted her, as the door opened, and Sylvie and
Bruno came in, with their arms twined lovingly round each other—Bruno sobbing
convulsively, with his face hidden on his sister's shoulder, and Sylvie more grave
and quiet, but with tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Mustn't cry like that!” the Vice-Warden said sharply, but without any effect on
the weeping children. “Cheer 'em up a bit!” he hinted to my Lady.
“Cake!” my Lady muttered to herself with great decision, crossing the room and
opening a cupboard, from which she presently returned with two slices of plum-cake.
“Eat, and don't cry!” were her short and simple orders: and the poor children sat
down side by side, but seemed in no mood for eating.
For the second time the door opened—or rather was burst open, this time, as Uggug
rushed violently into the room, shouting “that old Beggars come again!”
“He's not to have any food—” the Vice-warden was beginning, but the Chancellor
interrupted him. “It's all right,” he said, in a low voice: “the servants have
their orders.”
“He's just under here,” said Uggug, who had gone to the window, and was looking
down into the court-yard.
“Where, my darling?” said his fond mother, flinging her arms round the neck of
the little monster. All of us (except Sylvie and Bruno, who took no notice of what
was going on) followed her to the window. The old Beggar looked up at us with
hungry eyes. “Only a crust of bread, your Highness!” he pleaded.
{Image...'Drink this!'}
He was a fine old man, but looked sadly ill and worn. “A crust of bread is what I
“Here's some water, drink this!”
“Well done, my boy!” cried the Vice-Warden.
“That's the way to settle such folk!”
“Clever boy!”, the Wardeness chimed in. “Hasn't he good spirits?”
“Take a stick to him!” shouted the Vice-Warden, as the old Beggar shook the water
Possibly there was no red-hot poker handy: but some sticks were forthcoming in a
moment, and threatening faces surrounded the poor old wanderer, who waved them back
with quiet dignity. “No need to break my old bones,” he said. “I am going. Not
even a crust!”
Bruno was at the window, trying to throw out his slice of plum-cake, but Sylvie
held him back.
“He shalt have my cake!” Bruno cried, passionately39 struggling out of Sylvie's
arms.
“Yes, yes, darling!” Sylvie gently pleaded. “But don't throw it out! He's gone
away, don't you see? Let's go after him.” And she led him out of the room,
unnoticed by the rest of the party, who were wholly absorbed in watching the old
Beggar.
The Conspirators40 returned to their seats, and continued their conversation in an
“By the way, there was something about Bruno succeeding to the Wrardenship,” said
my Lady. “How does that stand in the new Agreement?”
exception, my Lady. Instead of 'Bruno,' I've taken the liberty to put in—” he
dropped his voice to a whisper, “to put in 'Uggug,' you know!”
“Uggug, indeed!” I exclaimed, in a burst of indignation I could no longer
control. To bring out even that one word seemed a gigantic effort: but, the cry
and I found myself sitting up, staring at the young lady in the opposite corner of
the carriage, who had now thrown back her veil, and was looking at me with an
expression of amused surprise.
点击收听单词发音
1 warden | |
n.监察员,监狱长,看守人,监护人 | |
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2 chancellor | |
n.(英)大臣;法官;(德、奥)总理;大学校长 | |
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3 wig | |
n.假发 | |
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4 ragged | |
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的 | |
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5 enquired | |
打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 ); 询问; 问问题; 查问 | |
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6 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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7 ledgers | |
n.分类账( ledger的名词复数 ) | |
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8 briefly | |
adv.简单地,简短地 | |
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9 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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10 curiously | |
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 | |
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11 wardenship | |
n.warden之职权(或职务) | |
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12 vice | |
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的 | |
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13 vices | |
缺陷( vice的名词复数 ); 恶习; 不道德行为; 台钳 | |
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14 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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15 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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16 scroll | |
n.卷轴,纸卷;(石刻上的)漩涡 | |
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17 functionary | |
n.官员;公职人员 | |
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18 nervously | |
adv.神情激动地,不安地 | |
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19 scrolls | |
n.(常用于录写正式文件的)纸卷( scroll的名词复数 );卷轴;涡卷形(装饰);卷形花纹v.(电脑屏幕上)从上到下移动(资料等),卷页( scroll的第三人称单数 );(似卷轴般)卷起;(像展开卷轴般地)将文字显示于屏幕 | |
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20 commotion | |
n.骚动,动乱 | |
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21 darted | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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22 feverish | |
adj.发烧的,狂热的,兴奋的 | |
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23 assented | |
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24 treasury | |
n.宝库;国库,金库;文库 | |
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25 guardianship | |
n. 监护, 保护, 守护 | |
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26 peals | |
n.(声音大而持续或重复的)洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 );隆隆声;洪亮的钟声;钟乐v.(使)(钟等)鸣响,(雷等)发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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27 dignified | |
a.可敬的,高贵的 | |
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28 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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29 wretches | |
n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 );可怜的人;恶棍;坏蛋 | |
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30 conspiracy | |
n.阴谋,密谋,共谋 | |
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31 wink | |
n.眨眼,使眼色,瞬间;v.眨眼,使眼色,闪烁 | |
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32 crave | |
vt.渴望得到,迫切需要,恳求,请求 | |
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33 bellowed | |
v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的过去式和过去分词 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫 | |
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34 jug | |
n.(有柄,小口,可盛水等的)大壶,罐,盂 | |
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35 meekly | |
adv.温顺地,逆来顺受地 | |
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36 upwards | |
adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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37 poker | |
n.扑克;vt.烙制 | |
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38 sobs | |
啜泣(声),呜咽(声)( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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39 passionately | |
ad.热烈地,激烈地 | |
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40 conspirators | |
n.共谋者,阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
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41 chuckled | |
轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42 gust | |
n.阵风,突然一阵(雨、烟等),(感情的)迸发 | |
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