Respecting the parents of Ralph Rashleigh, little needs here he add save that they were of a decent rank as London shopkeepers, and that they were thus enabled to afford their son the advantage of a good plain English education, upon the completion of which he was articled to a conveyancer in extensive practice, who resided near Chancery Lane, a romantic neighbourhood to which Ralph was compelled to restrict his rambles2 for the first two years of his servitude; but on the expiration3 of that period, in compliance4 with a stipulation5 contained in his indentures6, a small allowance being made to him, he ceased to reside under his master’s roof and occupied a lodging7 by himself.
He was now fairly launched upon the great ocean of Life, for although his office hours were sufficiently8 long, yet abundance of time still remained, during which Rashleigh was completely his own master; and amid the varied9 amusements offered to his choice in the modern Babylon, he soon found nothing deficient10 for enjoyment11, except money, with which he was but sparingly supplied. This hiatus, of course, giving him much pain, he naturally set himself to work to remove it, if possible, but for a long period without any success.
Among the number of his boon12 companions was a young man, who though only receiving from his employer an equal salary to himself, yet always appeared to be possessed13 of means for the gratification of his pleasures; and as he ever seemed to distinguish Ralph with his friendship, the latter, one evening when both were tolerably warm from the effect of numerous potations in which they had indulged, begged his friend to explain how he managed so well with his limited income, as always to have cash for any expense he chose to incur14.
His companion, whose name was Hartop, after many injunctions of secrecy15, informed him that as his employer usually sent him to make payments and receive money upon account of the business, he had for a long period been in the habit of occasionally passing bad sovereigns, using however great precaution. and never carrying more than one at a time upon his person. Then he picked his customers — mostly people from the country or residing at a distant part of London — to whom he would tender a queer piece and if it were objected to, would immediately replace it by a good one, wondering how he came by it, etc. At other times, when he thought he could do so safely in telling over money he was about to receive, he would dexterously17 exchange one of the good ones for another he had previously18 concealed19 in his hand, which of course was bad. The result of this manoeuvre20 would be, that when he objected to the one he had himself put down, the person about to pay him, probably knowing all the pieces he had tendered to be genuine, would exchange the one questioned without hesitation21. Nay22, so good were the imitations he made use of, that often, in paying considerable sums of money in gold into banks — where the specie was weighed in the lump — a bad sovereign would pass current enough among many others, and not excite any suspicion.
This communication over, Hartop offered our hero his services, to procure23 him a few of the inimitable imitations of the current coin of the realm, adding that he could pay for them when he was lucky. To this offer Ralph, nothing loath24, assented25. A few days after, he received from his friend twenty spurious sovereigns, that being deemed enough for his first essay.
Thus did Ralph Rashleigh commence his career of dishonesty, and for a long period escaped with impunity26, owing to the able manner in which he adopted and followed the cautious counsels of his sage27 tutor. At length, finding that he could obtain all the luxuries of life, not to mention necessaries only, without any very arduous28 exertion29, he became so very idle, careless, and inattentive to his employer’s business, that after many fruitless remonstrances30 and unavailing lectures from his worthy31 principal, he received lib dismissal, his articles being cancelled.
This event, indeed, did not much concern him, as he believed he should always be able to supply his wants by means of passing bad money. as heretofore. In order, however, to lull32 suspicion, which might have been awakened33 had he remained without any employment or apparent means of earning a livelihood34 whatever, Ralph, who now wrote a remarkably35 fine and quick legal hand, obtained out-of-door copying from a law scrivener, intending to do only just as much work as might be supposed to afford him subsistence.
After this resolution, his custom was to work two or three hours per day at his lodging, and to employ the rest of his time perambulating London, varying his rambles every day, and at times shifting the scene of his exertions36 to a fair or race in the country, where he generally met with tolerable success.
But the period of his profitable trading in this line was rapidly drawing to a close, and one unlucky day, having extended his operations to Maidstone at the time of a fair, he was apprehended37. As, contrary to his usual custom, he had then two bad sovereigns in his pocket, he was committed to take his trial upon a charge of uttering counterfeit38 coin. At the ensuing assizes in spite of a most ingenious defence, he was found guilty and sentenced to pass twelve months in imprisonment39 at hard labour in the house of correction.
This being prior to the invention of treadmills40 or the improvement of prison discipline, there was no restraint to free communication with his fellow unfortunates. And the species of employment, which consisted only of picking oakum and beating hemp41, afforded ample opportunities for the relation by his companions of the many marvellous exploits, cunning schemes, hair-breadth scapes, and successful stratagem42 for which the lives of each had been remarkable43.
It may very easily he imagined, that such society produced its full effect upon the mind of our adventurer, who had, in fact, never been notorious for any great nicety in distinguishing the difference between meum et tuum, and he now emerged from his confinement44 a most finished adept45 in all those arts by winch the unprincipled portion of mankind contrived46, five and twenty years ago, to victimise their unwary fellow-countrymen.
Ardently47 longing48 to reduce the praiseworthy theoretical knowledge he had thus acquired to practical purposes, Rashleigh returned from the gaol49 to London, in which he still possessed some good clothing and a few trinkets. The latter he now turned into cash for his present subsistence, and then proceeded to the town of Winchester, where he had been informed by an old cracksman (housebreaker)— whom he had left in durance at Maidstone — there was a jeweller’s shop from which a large booty might easily he acquired. In fact, before he was released, Ralph had concerted a plan of operations with his informant, to be put in practice for this purpose when the latter should have served his full sentence and again acquired his liberty.
But our hero had no intention of waiting for an associate, as he wisely deemed the spoil would suffer much by participation50 with another. Therefore, the very day after that on which he had returned to the metropolis51, he set off for Winchester per coach, provided with THe necessary implements52 of every kind for his nefarious53 purpose, carefully put up, with a change of clothing, in a carpet bag.
Having duly arrived at the proposed scene of action, he adjourned54 from the coach office to a small public-house on the outside of the town, where he dined. He then proceeded to view the shop in question. Everything here was apparently55 as he had been informed, and having spent a few minutes inside the shop, ostensibly for the purpose of purchasing a trifling56 article, he returned to his inn, there to digest his plans at leisure. These were soon arranged, and Rashleigh, having taken his supper, discharged his reckoning and went to bed, requesting that he might be called at two o’clock, there being a coach to start for Portsmouth at that hour.
The morning proved as dark as Erebus, for it was in the month of November. A chill sleet57 had completely driven the ancient guardians58 of the night to their retreats, and not a single sound disturbed the tranquillity59 of the town. Ralph therefore met with no difficulty or obstacle in his route to the shop. Once there, to remove a panel of the shutter60 with his centre-bit and chisel61 was an easy task. The glass next presented itself. This was also cut through with a diamond and prevented from falling by means of a piece of putty held against it. There was a small brass62 wire grating next the window; but it was movable, and the robber had nothing to prevent him from filling his pockets with the various articles which he could feel lay in the cases before him; when lo, the lusty shout of a watchman at a distance, crying the hour, warned him to be cautious. Accordingly he clapped a piece of dark-coloured paper against the opening of the panel and hastily betook himself to the kind concealment63 afforded by the shadows of an antique porch hard by.
The vigilant64 conservator of public property quickly passed, apparently in great haste to return to his box or the comforts of the watch-house fire, and the coast being thus once more clear, Ralph repaired to his unhallowed occupation. To fill his bag, pockets and hat with valuables and all kind of trinkets was but the work of a few minutes. Then, replacing the paper before named, to prevent too early an outcry, he made the best of his way by unfrequented paths to the outskirts65 of Winchester, where he had during the afternoon noticed a wood, in which he now carefully concealed all his ill-gotten booty, near the foot of an old and remarkable tree. He then cut across the fields until he reached a by-road leading to the town of Basingstoke. He walked upon this road until morning dawned, having for the last few hours had the benefit of the moon’s friendly beams, which so much assisted his progress that at daylight he found himself four and twenty miles from Winchester, and near a small public-house by the wayside. Here he stopped to refresh, and in a short time, a coach coming by, he embraced the opportunity of obtaining a ride to Farnham, where he intended to stay a day or two.
In the evening, weary of the solitude66 of his own apartment in the public house where he put up, Ralph descended67 to the large room, which served the inn “for parlour, for kitchen and hall”, in which he found the assembled rustics68 gaping69 around a man who had just arrived from Winchester, and who was giving them the details of a most owdacious robbery which had there been done the night before, property to the value of ￡1,500 having been abstracted from a jeweller’s shop. The whole town and neighbourhood were in a complete ferment70 at this very palpable proof of the presence of some dexterous16 thieves, of whom it was supposed a whole gang must have been employed to effect this atrocious act. And all whom the sapient71 magistrates72 of Winchester thought fit to consider loose or idle characters among the lower classes of the townsfolk had them apprehended and examined. Such a turmoil73 of arresting, searching, questioning, and cross-questioning had never been known in Hampshire since the death of William Rufus. Moreover, as a finale, to prove they did something as well as talk so much. after all this uproar74, two poor sailors who were begging their way to Portsmouth in the hope of getting a ship were apprehended and each sent six months to hard labour in gaol, because they could give no better account of themselves than their true history.
It may easily he credited that Rashleigh was no indifferent auditor75 of this tale. He was, in sooth, much overjoyed to find that the police of Winchester were so far astray in their suspicions, and he consequently resolved to pay a visit to some relatives he possessed at Southampton for a few days, after which he proposed to return for his spoil, to the place of its concealment.
Accordingly, the next day he put this determination into practice. His friends at that pretty little sea-port received him most cordially, the rather, no doubt, that they had not the slightest idea of the manner in which he had lately spent his time, but believed him to be still employed as a lawyer’s clerk in London, and that he had now come down to keep a holiday. A few days were therefore passed most agreeably among them; but as the weather was too inclement76 to permit much out-of-door exercise, the sameness of the scene began to pall77 upon the mind of our adventurer, who soon longed for a return to the more varied pleasures of the great Babel. While here, however, a singular and rather romantic adventure happened to Rashleigh, which will be found narrated78 in the next chapter.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
oyster
|
|
| n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
rambles
|
|
| （无目的地）漫游( ramble的第三人称单数 )； （喻）漫谈； 扯淡； 长篇大论 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
expiration
|
|
| n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
compliance
|
|
| n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
stipulation
|
|
| n.契约，规定，条文；条款说明 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
indentures
|
|
| vt.以契约束缚（indenture的第三人称单数形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
lodging
|
|
| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
sufficiently
|
|
| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
varied
|
|
| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
deficient
|
|
| adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
enjoyment
|
|
| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
boon
|
|
| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
incur
|
|
| vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
secrecy
|
|
| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
dexterous
|
|
| adj.灵敏的；灵巧的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
dexterously
|
|
| adv.巧妙地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
previously
|
|
| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
concealed
|
|
| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
manoeuvre
|
|
| n.策略，调动；v.用策略，调动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
hesitation
|
|
| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
nay
|
|
| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
procure
|
|
| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
loath
|
|
| adj.不愿意的；勉强的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
assented
|
|
| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
impunity
|
|
| n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
sage
|
|
| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
arduous
|
|
| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
exertion
|
|
| n.尽力，努力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
remonstrances
|
|
| n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
lull
|
|
| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
awakened
|
|
| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
livelihood
|
|
| n.生计，谋生之道 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
remarkably
|
|
| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
exertions
|
|
| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
apprehended
|
|
| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
counterfeit
|
|
| vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
imprisonment
|
|
| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
treadmills
|
|
| n.枯燥无味的工作[生活方式]( treadmill的名词复数 )；（尤指旧时由人或牲畜踩动踏板使之转动的）踏车；（锻炼身体的）跑步机，走步机 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
hemp
|
|
| n.大麻；纤维 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
stratagem
|
|
| n.诡计，计谋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
confinement
|
|
| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
adept
|
|
| adj.老练的，精通的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
contrived
|
|
| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
ardently
|
|
| adv.热心地，热烈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
longing
|
|
| n.（for）渴望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
gaol
|
|
| n.(jail)监狱；(不加冠词)监禁；vt.使…坐牢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
participation
|
|
| n.参与，参加，分享 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
metropolis
|
|
| n.首府；大城市 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
implements
|
|
| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
nefarious
|
|
| adj.恶毒的，极坏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
adjourned
|
|
| （使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
trifling
|
|
| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
sleet
|
|
| n.雨雪；v.下雨雪，下冰雹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
guardians
|
|
| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
tranquillity
|
|
| n. 平静, 安静 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
shutter
|
|
| n.百叶窗；(照相机)快门；关闭装置 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
chisel
|
|
| n.凿子；v.用凿子刻，雕，凿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
concealment
|
|
| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
vigilant
|
|
| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
outskirts
|
|
| n.郊外，郊区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
solitude
|
|
| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
descended
|
|
| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
rustics
|
|
| n.有农村或村民特色的( rustic的名词复数 )；粗野的；不雅的；用粗糙的木材或树枝制作的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
gaping
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
ferment
|
|
| vt.使发酵；n./vt.（使）激动，（使）动乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
sapient
|
|
| adj.有见识的，有智慧的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
magistrates
|
|
| 地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
turmoil
|
|
| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
uproar
|
|
| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
auditor
|
|
| n.审计员，旁听着 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
inclement
|
|
| adj.严酷的，严厉的，恶劣的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
pall
|
|
| v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
narrated
|
|
| v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |