‘All alone?’ said Mr Codlin, putting down his burden and wiping his forehead.
‘All alone as yet,’ rejoined the landlord, glancing at the sky, ‘but we shall have more company to-night I expect. Here one of you boys, carry that show into the barn. Make haste in out of the wet, Tom; when it came on to rain I told ’em to make the fire up, and there’s a glorious blaze in the kitchen, I can tell you.’
Mr Codlin followed with a willing mind, and soon found that the landlord had not commended his preparations without good reason. A mighty11 fire was blazing on the hearth12 and roaring up the wide chimney with a cheerful sound, which a large iron cauldron, bubbling and simmering in the heat, lent its pleasant aid to swell13. There was a deep red ruddy blush upon the room, and when the landlord stirred the fire, sending the flames skipping and leaping up — when he took off the lid of the iron pot and there rushed out a savoury smell, while the bubbling sound grew deeper and more rich, and an unctuous14 steam came floating out, hanging in a delicious mist above their heads — when he did this, Mr Codlin’s heart was touched. He sat down in the chimney-corner and smiled.
Mr Codlin sat smiling in the chimney-corner, eyeing the landlord as with a roguish look he held the cover in his hand, and, feigning15 that his doing so was needful to the welfare of the cookery, suffered the delightful16 steam to tickle17 the nostrils18 of his guest. The glow of the fire was upon the landlord’s bald head, and upon his twinkling eye, and upon his watering mouth, and upon his pimpled19 face, and upon his round fat figure. Mr Codlin drew his sleeve across his lips, and said in a murmuring voice, ‘What is it?’
‘It’s a stew20 of tripe,’ said the landlord smacking21 his lips, ‘and cow-heel,’ smacking them again, ‘and bacon,’ smacking them once more, ‘and steak,’ smacking them for the fourth time, ‘and peas, cauliflowers, new potatoes, and sparrow-grass, all working up together in one delicious gravy22.’ Having come to the climax23, he smacked24 his lips a great many times, and taking a long hearty25 sniff26 of the fragrance27 that was hovering28 about, put on the cover again with the air of one whose toils29 on earth were over.
‘At what time will it be ready?’ asked Mr Codlin faintly.
‘It’ll be done to a turn,’ said the landlord looking up to the clock — and the very clock had a colour in its fat white face, and looked a clock for jolly Sandboys to consult —‘it’ll be done to a turn at twenty-two minutes before eleven.’
‘Then,’ said Mr Codlin, ‘fetch me a pint30 of warm ale, and don’t let nobody bring into the room even so much as a biscuit till the time arrives.’
Nodding his approval of this decisive and manly31 course of procedure, the landlord retired32 to draw the beer, and presently returning with it, applied33 himself to warm the same in a small tin vessel34 shaped funnel-wise, for the convenience of sticking it far down in the fire and getting at the bright places. This was soon done, and he handed it over to Mr Codlin with that creamy froth upon the surface which is one of the happy circumstances attendant on mulled malt.
Greatly softened35 by this soothing36 beverage37, Mr Codlin now bethought him of his companions, and acquainted mine host of the Sandboys that their arrival might be shortly looked for. The rain was rattling38 against the windows and pouring down in torrents39, and such was Mr Codlin’s extreme amiability40 of mind, that he more than once expressed his earnest hope that they would not be so foolish as to get wet.
At length they arrived, drenched41 with the rain and presenting a most miserable42 appearance, notwithstanding that Short had sheltered the child as well as he could under the skirts of his own coat, and they were nearly breathless from the haste they had made. But their steps were no sooner heard upon the road than the landlord, who had been at the outer door anxiously watching for their coming, rushed into the kitchen and took the cover off. The effect was electrical. They all came in with smiling faces though the wet was dripping from their clothes upon the floor, and Short’s first remark was, ‘What a delicious smell!’
It is not very difficult to forget rain and mud by the side of a cheerful fire, and in a bright room. They were furnished with slippers43 and such dry garments as the house or their own bundles afforded, and ensconcing themselves, as Mr Codlin had already done, in the warm chimney-corner, soon forgot their late troubles or only remembered them as enhancing the delights of the present time. Overpowered by the warmth and comfort and the fatigue44 they had undergone, Nelly and the old man had not long taken their seats here, when they fell asleep.
‘Who are they?’ whispered the landlord. Short shook his head, and wished he knew himself. ‘Don’t you know?’ asked the host, turning to Mr Codlin. ‘Not I,’ he replied. ‘They’re no good, I suppose.’
‘They’re no harm,’ said Short. ‘Depend upon that. I tell you what — it’s plain that the old man an’t in his right mind —’
‘If you haven’t got anything newer than that to say,’ growled45 Mr Codlin, glancing at the clock, ‘you’d better let us fix our minds upon the supper, and not disturb us.’
‘Here me out, won’t you?’ retorted his friend. ‘It’s very plain to me, besides, that they’re not used to this way of life. Don’t tell me that that handsome child has been in the habit of prowling about as she’s done these last two or three days. I know better.’
‘Well, who DOES tell you she has?’ growled Mr Codlin, again glancing at the clock and from it to the cauldron, ‘can’t you think of anything more suitable to present circumstances than saying things and then contradicting ’em?’
‘I wish somebody would give you your supper,’ returned Short, ‘for there’ll be no peace till you’ve got it. Have you seen how anxious the old man is to get on — always wanting to be furder away — furder away. Have you seen that?’
‘Ah! what then?’ muttered Thomas Codlin.
‘This, then,’ said Short. ‘He has given his friends the slip. Mind what I say — he has given his friends the slip, and persuaded this delicate young creetur all along of her fondness for him to be his guide and travelling companion — where to, he knows no more than the man in the moon. Now I’m not a going to stand that.’
‘YOU’RE not a going to stand that!’ cried Mr Codlin, glancing at the clock again and pulling his hair with both hands in a kind of frenzy46, but whether occasioned by his companion’s observation or the tardy47 pace of Time, it was difficult to determine. ‘Here’s a world to live in!’
‘I,’ repeated Short emphatically and slowly, ‘am not a-going to stand it. I am not a-going to see this fair young child a falling into bad hands, and getting among people that she’s no more fit for, than they are to get among angels as their ordinary chums. Therefore when they dewelope an intention of parting company from us, I shall take measures for detaining of ’em, and restoring ’em to their friends, who I dare say have had their disconsolation48 pasted up on every wall in London by this time.’
‘Short,’ said Mr Codlin, who with his head upon his hands, and his elbows on his knees, had been shaking himself impatiently from side to side up to this point and occasionally stamping on the ground, but who now looked up with eager eyes; ‘it’s possible that there may be uncommon49 good sense in what you’ve said. If there is, and there should be a reward, Short, remember that we’re partners in everything!’
His companion had only time to nod a brief assent50 to this position, for the child awoke at the instant. They had drawn51 close together during the previous whispering, and now hastily separated and were rather awkwardly endeavouring to exchange some casual remarks in their usual tone, when strange footsteps were heard without, and fresh company entered.
These were no other than four very dismal52 dogs, who came pattering in one after the other, headed by an old bandy dog of particularly mournful aspect, who, stopping when the last of his followers53 had got as far as the door, erected54 himself upon his hind55 legs and looked round at his companions, who immediately stood upon their hind legs, in a grave and melancholy56 row. Nor was this the only remarkable57 circumstance about these dogs, for each of them wore a kind of little coat of some gaudy58 colour trimmed with tarnished59 spangles, and one of them had a cap upon his head, tied very carefully under his chin, which had fallen down upon his nose and completely obscured one eye; add to this, that the gaudy coats were all wet through and discoloured with rain, and that the wearers were splashed and dirty, and some idea may be formed of the unusual appearance of these new visitors to the Jolly Sandboys.
Neither Short nor the landlord nor Thomas Codlin, however, was in the least surprised, merely remarking that these were Jerry’s dogs and that Jerry could not be far behind. So there the dogs stood, patiently winking60 and gaping61 and looking extremely hard at the boiling pot, until Jerry himself appeared, when they all dropped down at once and walked about the room in their natural manner. This posture62 it must be confessed did not much improve their appearance, as their own personal tails and their coat tails — both capital things in their way — did not agree together.
Jerry, the manager of these dancing dogs, was a tall black-whiskered man in a velveteen coat, who seemed well known to the landlord and his guests and accosted63 them with great cordiality. Disencumbering himself of a barrel organ which he placed upon a chair, and retaining in his hand a small whip wherewith to awe64 his company of comedians65, he came up to the fire to dry himself, and entered into conversation.
‘Your people don’t usually travel in character, do they?’ said Short, pointing to the dresses of the dogs. ‘It must come expensive if they do?’
‘No,’ replied Jerry, ‘no, it’s not the custom with us. But we’ve been playing a little on the road to-day, and we come out with a new wardrobe at the races, so I didn’t think it worth while to stop to undress. Down, Pedro!’
This was addressed to the dog with the cap on, who being a new member of the company, and not quite certain of his duty, kept his unobscured eye anxiously on his master, and was perpetually starting upon his hind legs when there was no occasion, and falling down again.
‘I’ve got a animal here,’ said Jerry, putting his hand into the capacious pocket of his coat, and diving into one corner as if he were feeling for a small orange or an apple or some such article, ‘a animal here, wot I think you know something of, Short.’
‘Ah!’ cried Short, ‘let’s have a look at him.’
‘Here he is,’ said Jerry, producing a little terrier from his pocket. ‘He was once a Toby of yours, warn’t he!’
In some versions of the great drama of Punch there is a small dog — a modern innovation — supposed to be the private property of that gentleman, whose name is always Toby. This Toby has been stolen in youth from another gentleman, and fraudulently sold to the confiding66 hero, who having no guile67 himself has no suspicion that it lurks68 in others; but Toby, entertaining a grateful recollection of his old master, and scorning to attach himself to any new patrons, not only refuses to smoke a pipe at the bidding of Punch, but to mark his old fidelity69 more strongly, seizes him by the nose and wrings70 the same with violence, at which instance of canine71 attachment72 the spectators are deeply affected73. This was the character which the little terrier in question had once sustained; if there had been any doubt upon the subject he would speedily have resolved it by his conduct; for not only did he, on seeing Short, give the strongest tokens of recognition, but catching74 sight of the flat box he barked so furiously at the pasteboard nose which he knew was inside, that his master was obliged to gather him up and put him into his pocket again, to the great relief of the whole company.
The landlord now busied himself in laying the cloth, in which process Mr Codlin obligingly assisted by setting forth75 his own knife and fork in the most convenient place and establishing himself behind them. When everything was ready, the landlord took off the cover for the last time, and then indeed there burst forth such a goodly promise of supper, that if he had offered to put it on again or had hinted at postponement76, he would certainly have been sacrificed on his own hearth.
However, he did nothing of the kind, but instead thereof assisted a stout77 servant girl in turning the contents of the cauldron into a large tureen; a proceeding78 which the dogs, proof against various hot splashes which fell upon their noses, watched with terrible eagerness. At length the dish was lifted on the table, and mugs of ale having been previously79 set round, little Nell ventured to say grace, and supper began.
At this juncture80 the poor dogs were standing6 on their hind legs quite surprisingly; the child, having pity on them, was about to cast some morsels81 of food to them before she tasted it herself, hungry though she was, when their master interposed.
‘No, my dear, no, not an atom from anybody’s hand but mine if you please. That dog,’ said Jerry, pointing out the old leader of the troop, and speaking in a terrible voice, ‘lost a halfpenny to-day. He goes without his supper.’
The unfortunate creature dropped upon his fore-legs directly, wagged his tail, and looked imploringly83 at his master.
‘You must be more careful, Sir,’ said Jerry, walking coolly to the chair where he had placed the organ, and setting the stop. ‘Come here. Now, Sir, you play away at that, while we have supper, and leave off if you dare.’
The dog immediately began to grind most mournful music. His master having shown him the whip resumed his seat and called up the others, who, at his directions, formed in a row, standing upright as a file of soldiers.
‘Now, gentlemen,’ said Jerry, looking at them attentively84. ‘The dog whose name’s called, eats. The dogs whose names an’t called, keep quiet. Carlo!’
The lucky individual whose name was called, snapped up the morsel82 thrown towards him, but none of the others moved a muscle. In this manner they were fed at the discretion85 of their master. Meanwhile the dog in disgrace ground hard at the organ, sometimes in quick time, sometimes in slow, but never leaving off for an instant. When the knives and forks rattled86 very much, or any of his fellows got an unusually large piece of fat, he accompanied the music with a short howl, but he immediately checked it on his master looking round, and applied himself with increased diligence to the Old Hundredth.
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收听单词发音
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1
jugs
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| （有柄及小口的）水壶( jug的名词复数 ) | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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itinerant
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| adj.巡回的；流动的 | |
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forestalled
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| v.先发制人，预先阻止( forestall的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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tinkling
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| n.丁当作响声 | |
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boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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unctuous
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| adj.油腔滑调的，大胆的 | |
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feigning
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| 假装，伪装( feign的现在分词 )； 捏造（借口、理由等） | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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tickle
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| v.搔痒，胳肢；使高兴；发痒；n.搔痒，发痒 | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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pimpled
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| adj.有丘疹的，多粉刺的 | |
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stew
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| n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑 | |
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smacking
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| 活泼的，发出响声的，精力充沛的 | |
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gravy
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| n.肉汁；轻易得来的钱，外快 | |
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climax
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| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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smacked
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| 拍，打，掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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sniff
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| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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toils
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| 网 | |
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pint
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| n.品脱 | |
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manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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beverage
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| n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料 | |
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rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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torrents
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| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
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amiability
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| n.和蔼可亲的，亲切的，友善的 | |
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drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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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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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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45
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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47
tardy
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| adj.缓慢的，迟缓的 | |
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48
disconsolation
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| n.悲伤，阴暗 | |
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49
uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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50
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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51
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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52
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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53
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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54
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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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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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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59
tarnished
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| （通常指金属）（使）失去光泽，（使）变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 )； 玷污，败坏 | |
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winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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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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posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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comedians
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| n.喜剧演员，丑角( comedian的名词复数 ) | |
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66
confiding
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| adj.相信人的，易于相信的v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的现在分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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guile
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| n.诈术 | |
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68
lurks
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| n.潜在，潜伏；（lurk的复数形式）vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的第三人称单数形式） | |
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69
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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70
wrings
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| 绞( wring的第三人称单数 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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71
canine
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| adj.犬的，犬科的 | |
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72
attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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73
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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74
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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75
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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76
postponement
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| n.推迟 | |
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78
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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80
juncture
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| n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头 | |
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81
morsels
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| n.一口( morsel的名词复数 )；（尤指食物）小块，碎屑 | |
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82
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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83
imploringly
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| adv. 恳求地, 哀求地 | |
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84
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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85
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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86
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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