Then it was necessary to fix the day, and for this purpose it was of course essential that Ruby should be consulted. During the discussion as to the feast and the bridegroom’s entreaties12 that the two ladies would be present, she had taken no part in the matter in hand. She was brought up to be kissed, and having been duly kissed she retired13 again among the children, having only expressed one wish of her own — namely, that Joe Mixet might not have anything to do with the affair. But the day could not be fixed14 without her, and she was summoned. Crumb had been absurdly impatient, proposing next Tuesday — making his proposition on a Friday. They could cook enough meat for all Bungay to eat by Tuesday, and he was aware of no other cause for delay. ‘That’s out of the question,’ Ruby had said decisively, and as the two elder ladies had supported her Mr Crumb yielded with a good grace. He did not himself appreciate the reasons given because, as he remarked, gowns can be bought ready made at any shop. But Mrs Pipkin told him with a laugh that he didn’t know anything about it, and when the 14th of August was named he only scratched his head and, muttering something about Thetford fair, agreed that he would, yet once again, allow love to take precedence of business. If Tuesday would have suited the ladies as well he thought that he might have managed to combine the marriage and the fair, but when Mrs Pipkin told him that he must not interfere15 any further, he yielded with a good grace. He merely remained in London long enough to pay a friendly visit to the policeman who had locked him up, and then returned to Suffolk, revolving16 in his mind how glorious should be the matrimonial triumph which he had at last achieved.
Before the day arrived, old Ruggles had been constrained17 to forgive his granddaughter, and to give a general assent18 to the marriage. When John Crumb, with a sound of many trumpets19, informed all Bungay that he had returned victorious20 from London, and that after all the ups and downs of his courtship Ruby was to become his wife on a fixed day, all Bungay took his part, and joined in a general attack upon Mr Daniel Ruggles. The cross-grained old man held out for a long time, alleging21 that the girl was no better than she should be, and that she had run away with the baronite. But this assertion was met by so strong a torrent22 of contradiction, that the farmer was absolutely driven out of his own convictions. It is to be feared that many lies were told on Ruby’s behalf by lips which had been quite ready a fortnight since to take away her character. But it had become an acknowledged fact in Bungay that John Crumb was ready at any hour to punch the head of any man who should hint that Ruby Ruggles had, at any period of her life, done any act or spoken any word unbecoming a young lady; and so strong was the general belief in John Crumb, that Ruby became the subject of general eulogy24 from all male lips in the town. And though perhaps some slight suspicion of irregular behaviour up in London might be whispered by the Bungay ladies among themselves, still the feeling in favour of Mr Crumb was so general, and his constancy was so popular, that the grandfather could not stand against it. ‘I don’t see why I ain’t to do as I likes with my own,’ he said to Joe Mixet, the baker25, who went out to Sheep’s Acre Farm as one of many deputations sent by the municipality of Bungay.
‘She’s your own flesh and blood, Mr Ruggles,’ said the baker.
‘No; she ain’t; — no more than she’s a Pipkin. She’s taken up with Mrs Pipkin jist because I hate the Pipkinses. Let Mrs Pipkin give ’em a breakfast.’
‘She is your own flesh and blood — and your name, too, Mr Ruggles. And she’s going to be the respectable wife of a respectable man, Mr Ruggles.’
‘I won’t give ’em no breakfast; — that’s flat,’ said the farmer.
But he had yielded in the main when he allowed himself to base his opposition26 on one immaterial detail. The breakfast was to be given at the King’s Head, and, though it was acknowledged on all sides that no authority could be found for such a practice, it was known that the bill was to be paid by the bridegroom. Nor would Mr Ruggles pay the five hundred pounds down as in early days he had promised to do. He was very clear in his mind that his undertaking27 on that head was altogether cancelled by Ruby’s departure from Sheep’s Acre. When he was reminded that he had nearly pulled his granddaughter’s hair out of her head, and had thus justified28 her act of rebellion, he did not contradict the assertion, but implied that if Ruby did not choose to earn her fortune on such terms as those, that was her fault. It was not to be supposed that he was to give a girl, who was after all as much a Pipkin as a Ruggles, five hundred pounds for nothing. But, in return for that night’s somewhat harsh treatment of Ruby, he did at last consent to have the money settled upon John Crumb at his death — an arrangement which both the lawyer and Joe Mixet thought to be almost as good as a free gift, being both of them aware that the consumption of gin and water was on the increase. And he, moreover, was persuaded to receive Mrs Pipkin and Ruby at the farm for the night previous to the marriage. This very necessary arrangement was made by Mr Mixet’s mother, a most respectable old lady, who went out in a fly from the inn attired29 in her best black silk gown and an overpowering bonnet30, an old lady from whom her son had inherited his eloquence31, who absolutely shamed the old man into compliance32 — not, however, till she had promised to send out the tea and white sugar and box of biscuits which were thought to be necessary for Mrs Pipkin on the evening preceding the marriage. A private sitting-room33 at the inn was secured for the special accommodation of Mrs Hurtle — who was supposed to be a lady of too high standing34 to be properly entertained at Sheep’s Acre Farm.
On the day preceding the wedding one trouble for a moment clouded the bridegroom’s brow. Ruby had demanded that Joe Mixet should not be among the performers, and John Crumb, with the urbanity of a lover, had assented35 to her demand — as far, at least, as silence can give consent. And yet he felt himself unable to answer such interrogatories as the parson might put to him without the assistance of his friend, although he devoted36 much study to the matter. ‘You could come in behind like, Joe, just as if I knew nothin’ about it,’ suggested Crumb.
‘Don’t you say a word of me, and she won’t say nothing, you may be sure. You ain’t going to give in to all her cantraps that way, John?’ John shook his head and rubbed the meal about on his forehead. ‘It was only just something for her to say. What have I done that she should object to me?’
‘You didn’t ever go for to — kiss her — did you, Joe?’
‘What a one’er you are! That wouldn’t ‘a set her again me. It is just because I stood up and spoke23 for you like a man that night at Sheep’s Acre, when her mind was turned the other way. Don’t you notice nothing about it. When we’re all in the church she won’t go back because Joe Mixet’s there. I’ll bet you a gallon, old fellow, she and I are the best friends in Bungay before six months are gone.’
‘Nay37, nay; she must have a better friend than thee, Joe, or I must know the reason why.’ But John Crumb’s heart was too big for jealousy38, and he agreed at last that Joe Mixet should be his best man, undertaking to ‘square it all’ with Ruby, after the ceremony.
He met the ladies at the station and — for him — was quite eloquent39 in his welcome to Mrs Hurtle and Mrs Pipkin. To Ruby he said but little. But he looked at her in her new hat, and generally bright in subsidiary wedding garments, with great delight. ‘Ain’t she bootiful now?’ he said aloud to Mrs Hurtle on the platform, to the great delight of half Bungay, who had accompanied him on the occasion. Ruby, hearing her praises thus sung, made a fearful grimace40 as she turned round to Mrs Pipkin, and whispered to her aunt, so that those only who were within a yard or two could hear her: ‘He is such a fool!’ Then he conducted Mrs Hurtle in an omnibus up to the Inn, and afterwards himself drove Mrs Pipkin and Ruby out to Sheep’s Acre; in the performance of all which duties he was dressed in the green cutaway coat with brass41 buttons which had been expressly made for his marriage. ‘Thou’rt come back then, Ruby,’ said the old man.
‘I ain’t going to trouble you long, grandfather,’ said the girl.
‘So best; — so best. And this is Mrs Pipkin?’
‘Yes, Mr Ruggles; that’s my name.’
‘I’ve heard your name. I’ve heard your name, and I don’t know as I ever want to hear it again. But they say as you’ve been kind to that girl as ‘d ‘a been on the town only for that.’
‘Grandfather, that ain’t true,’ said Ruby with energy. The old man made no rejoinder, and Ruby was allowed to take her aunt up into the bedroom which they were both to occupy. ‘Now, Mrs Pipkin, just you say,’ pleaded Ruby, ‘how was it possible for any girl to live with an old man like that?’
‘But, Ruby, you might always have gone to live with the young man instead when you pleased.’
‘You mean John Crumb.’
‘Of course I mean John Crumb, Ruby.’
‘There ain’t much to choose between ’em. What one says is all spite; and the other man says nothing at all.’
‘Oh Ruby, Ruby,’ said Mrs Pipkin, with solemnly persuasive42 voice, ‘I hope you’ll come to learn some day, that a loving heart is better nor a fickle43 tongue — specially44 with vittels certain.’
On the following morning the Bungay church bells rang merrily, and half its population was present to see John Crumb made a happy man. He himself went out to the farm and drove the bride and Mrs Pipkin into the town, expressing an opinion that no hired charioteer would bring them so safely as he would do himself; nor did he think it any disgrace to be seen performing this task before his marriage. He smiled and nodded at every one, now and then pointing back with his whip to Ruby when he met any of his specially intimate friends, as though he would have said, ‘see, I’ve got her at last in spite of all difficulties.’ Poor Ruby, in her misery45 under this treatment, would have escaped out of the cart had it been possible. But now she was altogether in the man’s hands and no escape was within her reach. ‘What’s the odds46?’ said Mrs Pipkin as they settled their bonnets47 in a room at the Inn just before they entered the church. ‘Drat it — you make me that angry I’m half minded to cuff48 you. Ain’t he fond o’ you? Ain’t he got a house of his own? Ain’t he well to do all round? Manners! What’s manners? I don’t see nothing amiss in his manners. He means what he says, and I call that the best of good manners.’
Ruby, when she reached the church, had been too completely quelled49 by outward circumstances to take any notice of Joe Mixet, who was standing there, quite unabashed, with a splendid nosegay in his button-hole. She certainly had no right on this occasion to complain of her husband’s silence. Whereas she could hardly bring herself to utter the responses in a voice loud enough for the clergyman to catch the familiar words, he made his assertions so vehemently50 that they were heard throughout the whole building. ‘I, John — take thee Ruby — to my wedded51 wife — to ‘ave and to ‘old — from this day forrard — for better nor worser — for richer nor poorer’; and so on to the end. And when he came to the ‘worldly goods’ with which he endowed his Ruby, he was very emphatic52 indeed. Since the day had been fixed he had employed all his leisure-hours in learning the words by heart, and would now hardly allow the clergyman to say them before him. He thoroughly53 enjoyed the ceremony, and would have liked to be married over and over again, every day for a week, had it been possible.
And then there came the breakfast, to which he marshalled the way up the broad stairs of the inn at Bungay, with Mrs Hurtle on one arm and Mrs Pipkin on the other. He had been told that he ought to take his wife’s arm on this occasion, but he remarked that he meant to see a good deal of her in future, and that his opportunities of being civil to Mrs Hurtle and Mrs Pipkin would be rare. Thus it came to pass that, in spite of all that poor Ruby had said, she was conducted to the marriage-feast by Joe Mixet himself. Ruby, I think, had forgotten the order which she had given in reference to the baker. When desiring that she might see nothing more of Joe Mixet, she had been in her pride; — but now she was so tamed and quelled by the outward circumstances of her position, that she was glad to have some one near her who knew how to behave himself. ‘Mrs Crumb, you have my best wishes for your continued ‘ealth and ‘appiness,’ said Joe Mixet in a whisper.
‘It’s very good of you to say so, Mr Mixet.’
‘He’s a good ’un; is he.’
‘Oh, I dare say.’
‘You just be fond of him and stroke him down, and make much of him, and I’m blessed if you mayn’t do a’most anything with him — all’s one as a babby.’
‘A man shouldn’t be all’s one as a babby, Mr Mixet.’
‘And he don’t drink hard, but he works hard, and go where he will he can hold his own.’ Ruby said no more, and soon found herself seated by her husband’s side. It certainly was wonderful to her that so many people should pay John Crumb so much respect, and should seem to think so little of the meal and flour which pervaded54 his countenance55.
After the breakfast, or ‘bit of dinner,’ as John Crumb would call it, Mr Mixet of course made a speech. ‘He had had the pleasure of knowing John Crumb for a great many years, and the honour of being acquainted with Miss Ruby Ruggles — he begged all their pardons, and should have said Mrs John Crumb — ever since she was a child.’ ‘That’s a downright story,’ said Ruby in a whisper to Mrs Hurtle. ‘And he’d never known two young people more fitted by the gifts of nature to contribute to one another’s ‘appinesses. He had understood that Mars and Wenus always lived on the best of terms, and perhaps the present company would excuse him if he likened this ‘appy young couple to them two ‘eathen gods and goddesses. For Miss Ruby — Mrs Crumb he should say — was certainly lovely as ere a Wenus as ever was; and as for John Crumb, he didn’t believe that ever a Mars among ’em could stand again him. He didn’t remember just at present whether Mars and Wenus had any young family, but he hoped that before long there would be any number of young Crumbs56 for the Bungay birds to pick up. ‘Appy is the man as ‘as his quiver full of ’em — and the woman too, if you’ll allow me to say so, Mrs Crumb.’ The speech, of which only a small sample can be given here, was very much admired by the ladies and gentlemen present — with the single exception of poor Ruby, who would have run away and locked herself in an inner chamber57 had she not been certain that she would be brought back again.
In the afternoon John took his bride to Lowestoft, and brought her back to all the glories of his own house on the following day. His honeymoon58 was short, but its influence on Ruby was beneficent. When she was alone with the man, knowing that he was her husband, and thinking something of all that he had done to win her to be his wife, she did learn to respect him. ‘Now, Ruby, give a fellow a buss — as though you meant it,’ he said, when the first fitting occasion presented itself.
‘Oh, John — what nonsense!’
‘It ain’t nonsense to me, I can tell you. I’d sooner have a kiss from you than all the wine as ever was swallowed.’ Then she did kiss him, ‘as though she meant it;’ and when she returned with him to Bungay the next day, she had made up her mind that she would endeavour to do her duty by him as his wife.
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1
crumb
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| n.饼屑，面包屑，小量 | |
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2
ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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munificent
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| adj.慷慨的，大方的 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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mash
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| n.麦芽浆，糊状物，土豆泥；v.把…捣成糊状，挑逗，调情 | |
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blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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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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15
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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16
revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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alleging
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| 断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 ) | |
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torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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eulogy
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| n.颂词；颂扬 | |
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baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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compliance
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| n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从 | |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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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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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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42
persuasive
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| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
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43
fickle
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| adj.(爱情或友谊上)易变的，不坚定的 | |
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specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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45
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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46
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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47
bonnets
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| n.童帽( bonnet的名词复数 )；（烟囱等的）覆盖物；（苏格兰男子的）无边呢帽；（女子戴的）任何一种帽子 | |
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48
cuff
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| n.袖口；手铐；护腕；vt.用手铐铐；上袖口 | |
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49
quelled
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| v.（用武力）制止，结束，镇压( quell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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51
wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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53
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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pervaded
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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crumbs
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| int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式 | |
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57
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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honeymoon
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| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
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