But instead of adopting this course of retaliation12, Mrs Jarley, on second thoughts, brought out the suspicious bottle, and ordering glasses to be set forth13 upon her favourite drum, and sinking into a chair behind it, called her satellites about her, and to them several times recounted, word for word, the affronts14 she had received. This done, she begged them in a kind of deep despair to drink; then laughed, then cried, then took a little sip15 herself, then laughed and cried again, and took a little more; and so, by degrees, the worthy16 lady went on, increasing in smiles and decreasing in tears, until at last she could not laugh enough at Miss Monflathers, who, from being an object of dire17 vexation, became one of sheer ridicule18 and absurdity19.
‘For which of us is best off, I wonder,’ quoth Mrs Jarley, ‘she or me! It’s only talking, when all is said and done, and if she talks of me in the stocks, why I can talk of her in the stocks, which is a good deal funnier if we come to that. Lord, what does it matter, after all!’
Having arrived at this comfortable frame of mind (to which she had been greatly assisted by certain short interjectional remarks of the philosophical20 George), Mrs Jarley consoled Nell with many kind words, and requested as a personal favour that whenever she thought of Miss Monflathers, she would do nothing else but laugh at her, all the days of her life.
So ended Mrs Jarley’s wrath, which subsided21 long before the going down of the sun. Nell’s anxieties, however, were of a deeper kind, and the checks they imposed upon her cheerfulness were not so easily removed.
That evening, as she had dreaded22, her grandfather stole away, and did not come back until the night was far spent. Worn out as she was, and fatigued23 in mind and body, she sat up alone, counting the minutes, until he returned — penniless, broken-spirited, and wretched, but still hotly bent24 upon his infatuation.
‘Get me money,’ he said wildly, as they parted for the night. ‘I must have money, Nell. It shall be paid thee back with gallant25 interest one day, but all the money that comes into thy hands, must be mine — not for myself, but to use for thee. Remember, Nell, to use for thee!’
What could the child do with the knowledge she had, but give him every penny that came into her hands, lest he should be tempted26 on to rob their benefactress? If she told the truth (so thought the child) he would be treated as a madman; if she did not supply him with money, he would supply himself; supplying him, she fed the fire that burnt him up, and put him perhaps beyond recovery. Distracted by these thoughts, borne down by the weight of the sorrow which she dared not tell, tortured by a crowd of apprehensions27 whenever the old man was absent, and dreading28 alike his stay and his return, the colour forsook29 her cheek, her eye grew dim, and her heart was oppressed and heavy. All her old sorrows had come back upon her, augmented30 by new fears and doubts; by day they were ever present to her mind; by night they hovered31 round her pillow, and haunted her in dreams.
It was natural that, in the midst of her affliction, she should often revert32 to that sweet young lady of whom she had only caught a hasty glance, but whose sympathy, expressed in one slight brief action, dwelt in her memory like the kindnesses of years. She would often think, if she had such a friend as that to whom to tell her griefs, how much lighter33 her heart would be — that if she were but free to hear that voice, she would be happier. Then she would wish that she were something better, that she were not quite so poor and humble34, that she dared address her without fearing a repulse35; and then feel that there was an immeasurable distance between them, and have no hope that the young lady thought of her any more.
It was now holiday-time at the schools, and the young ladies had gone home, and Miss Monflathers was reported to be flourishing in London, and damaging the hearts of middle-aged36 gentlemen, but nobody said anything about Miss Edwards, whether she had gone home, or whether she had any home to go to, whether she was still at the school, or anything about her. But one evening, as Nell was returning from a lonely walk, she happened to pass the inn where the stage-coaches stopped, just as one drove up, and there was the beautiful girl she so well remembered, pressing forward to embrace a young child whom they were helping38 down from the roof.
Well, this was her sister, her little sister, much younger than Nell, whom she had not seen (so the story went afterwards) for five years, and to bring whom to that place on a short visit, she had been saving her poor means all that time. Nell felt as if her heart would break when she saw them meet. They went a little apart from the knot of people who had congregated39 about the coach, and fell upon each other’s neck, and sobbed40, and wept with joy. Their plain and simple dress, the distance which the child had come alone, their agitation41 and delight, and the tears they shed, would have told their history by themselves.
They became a little more composed in a short time, and went away, not so much hand in hand as clinging to each other. ‘Are you sure you’re happy, sister?’ said the child as they passed where Nell was standing42. ‘Quite happy now,’ she answered. ‘But always?’ said the child. ‘Ah, sister, why do you turn away your face?’
Nell could not help following at a little distance. They went to the house of an old nurse, where the elder sister had engaged a bed-room for the child. ‘I shall come to you early every morning,’ she said, ‘and we can be together all the day.–’–‘Why not at night-time too? Dear sister, would they be angry with you for that?’
Why were the eyes of little Nell wet, that night, with tears like those of the two sisters? Why did she bear a grateful heart because they had met, and feel it pain to think that they would shortly part? Let us not believe that any selfish reference — unconscious though it might have been — to her own trials awoke this sympathy, but thank God that the innocent joys of others can strongly move us, and that we, even in our fallen nature, have one source of pure emotion which must be prized in Heaven!
By morning’s cheerful glow, but oftener still by evening’s gentle light, the child, with a respect for the short and happy intercourse43 of these two sisters which forbade her to approach and say a thankful word, although she yearned44 to do so, followed them at a distance in their walks and rambles45, stopping when they stopped, sitting on the grass when they sat down, rising when they went on, and feeling it a companionship and delight to be so near them. Their evening walk was by a river’s side. Here, every night, the child was too, unseen by them, unthought of, unregarded; but feeling as if they were her friends, as if they had confidences and trusts together, as if her load were lightened and less hard to bear; as if they mingled46 their sorrows, and found mutual47 consolation48. It was a weak fancy perhaps, the childish fancy of a young and lonely creature; but night after night, and still the sisters loitered in the same place, and still the child followed with a mild and softened49 heart.
She was much startled, on returning home one night, to find that Mrs Jarley had commanded an announcement to be prepared, to the effect that the stupendous collection would only remain in its present quarters one day longer; in fulfilment of which threat (for all announcements connected with public amusements are well known to be irrevocable and most exact), the stupendous collection shut up next day.
‘Are we going from this place directly, ma’am?’ said Nell.
‘Look here, child,’ returned Mrs Jarley. ‘That’ll inform you.’ And so saying Mrs Jarley produced another announcement, wherein it was stated, that, in consequence of numerous inquiries50 at the wax-work door, and in consequence of crowds having been disappointed in obtaining admission, the Exhibition would be continued for one week longer, and would re-open next day.
‘For now that the schools are gone, and the regular sight-seers exhausted,’ said Mrs Jarley, ‘we come to the General Public, and they want stimulating51.’
Upon the following day at noon, Mrs Jarley established herself behind the highly-ornamented table, attended by the distinguished52 effigies53 before mentioned, and ordered the doors to be thrown open for the readmission of a discerning and enlightened public. But the first day’s operations were by no means of a successful character, inasmuch as the general public, though they manifested a lively interest in Mrs Jarley personally, and such of her waxen satellites as were to be seen for nothing, were not affected54 by any impulses moving them to the payment of sixpence a head. Thus, notwithstanding that a great many people continued to stare at the entry and the figures therein displayed; and remained there with great perseverance55, by the hour at a time, to hear the barrel-organ played and to read the bills; and notwithstanding that they were kind enough to recommend their friends to patronise the exhibition in the like manner, until the door-way was regularly blockaded by half the population of the town, who, when they went off duty, were relieved by the other half; it was not found that the treasury56 was any the richer, or that the prospects57 of the establishment were at all encouraging.
In this depressed58 state of the classical market, Mrs Jarley made extraordinary efforts to stimulate59 the popular taste, and whet37 the popular curiosity. Certain machinery60 in the body of the nun61 on the leads over the door was cleaned up and put in motion, so that the figure shook its head paralytically62 all day long, to the great admiration64 of a drunken, but very Protestant, barber over the way, who looked upon the said paralytic63 motion as typical of the degrading effect wrought65 upon the human mind by the ceremonies of the Romish Church and discoursed66 upon that theme with great eloquence67 and morality. The two carters constantly passed in and out of the exhibition-room, under various disguises, protesting aloud that the sight was better worth the money than anything they had beheld68 in all their lives, and urging the bystanders, with tears in their eyes, not to neglect such a brilliant gratification. Mrs Jarley sat in the pay-place, chinking silver moneys from noon till night, and solemnly calling upon the crowd to take notice that the price of admission was only sixpence, and that the departure of the whole collection, on a short tour among the Crowned Heads of Europe, was positively69 fixed70 for that day week.
‘So be in time, be in time, be in time,’ said Mrs Jarley at the close of every such address. ‘Remember that this is Jarley’s stupendous collection of upwards71 of One Hundred Figures, and that it is the only collection in the world; all others being imposters and deceptions72. Be in time, be in time, be in time!’
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1
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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indignity
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| n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑 | |
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penance
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| n.（赎罪的）惩罪 | |
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jeered
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| v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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flouted
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| v.藐视，轻视( flout的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gentry
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| n.绅士阶级，上层阶级 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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conjure
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| v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法 | |
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atheist
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| n.无神论者 | |
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retaliation
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| n.报复，反击 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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affronts
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| n.（当众）侮辱，（故意）冒犯( affront的名词复数 )v.勇敢地面对( affront的第三人称单数 )；相遇 | |
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15
sip
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| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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22
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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dreading
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| v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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29
forsook
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| forsake的过去式 | |
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Augmented
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| adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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32
revert
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| v.恢复，复归，回到 | |
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33
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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34
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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repulse
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| n.击退，拒绝；vt.逐退，击退，拒绝 | |
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middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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whet
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| v.磨快，刺激 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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congregated
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| （使）集合，聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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41
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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42
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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43
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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44
yearned
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| 渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
rambles
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| （无目的地）漫游( ramble的第三人称单数 )； （喻）漫谈； 扯淡； 长篇大论 | |
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46
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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49
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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50
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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51
stimulating
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| adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的 | |
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52
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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53
effigies
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| n.（人的）雕像，模拟像，肖像( effigy的名词复数 ) | |
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54
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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59
stimulate
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| vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋 | |
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machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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nun
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| n.修女，尼姑 | |
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paralytically
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| Paralytically | |
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paralytic
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| adj. 瘫痪的 n. 瘫痪病人 | |
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64
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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65
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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discoursed
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| 演说（discourse的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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67
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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68
beheld
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| 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 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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deceptions
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| 欺骗( deception的名词复数 )； 骗术，诡计 | |
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