Chapter 65

ConclusionWhen her term of mourning had expired, Madeline gaveher hand and fortune to Nicholas; and, on the same dayand at the same time, Kate became Mrs FrankCheeryble. It was expected that Tim Linkinwater and Miss LaCreevy would have made a third couple on the occasion, but theydeclined, and two or three weeks afterwards went out togetherone morning before breakfast, and, coming back with merry faces,were found to have been quietly married that day.

　　The money which Nicholas acquired in right of his wife heinvested in the firm of Cheeryble Brothers, in which Frank hadbecome a partner. Before many years elapsed, the business beganto be carried on in the names of ‘Cheeryble and Nickleby,’ so thatMrs Nickleby’s prophetic anticipations¹ were realised at last.

　　The twin brothers retired². Who needs to be told that they werehappy? They were surrounded by happiness of their own creation,and lived but to increase it.

　　Tim Linkinwater condescended³, after much entreaty⁴ and browbeating⁵, to accept a share in the house; but he could never beprevailed upon to suffer the publication of his name as a partner,and always persisted in the punctual and regular discharge of hisclerkly duties.

　　He and his wife lived in the old house, and occupied the verybedchamber in which he had slept for four-and-forty years. As hiswife grew older, she became even a more cheerful and light-  1160hearted little creature; and it was a common saying among theirfriends, that it was impossible to say which looked the happier,Tim as he sat calmly smiling in his elbow-chair on one side of thefire, or his brisk little wife chatting and laughing, and constantlybustling in and out of hers, on the other.

　　Dick, the blackbird, was removed from the counting-house andpromoted to a warm corner in the common sitting-room⁶. Beneathhis cage hung two miniatures, of Mrs Linkinwater’s execution; onerepresenting herself, and the other Tim; and both smiling veryhard at all beholders. Tim’s head being powdered like a twelfthcake, and his spectacles copied with great nicety, strangersdetected a close resemblance to him at the first glance, and thisleading them to suspect that the other must be his wife, andemboldening them to say so without scruple⁷, Mrs Linkinwatergrew very proud of these achievements in time, and consideredthem among the most successful likenesses she had ever painted.

　　Tim had the profoundest faith in them, likewise; for on this, as onall other subjects, they held but one opinion; and if ever therewere a ‘comfortable couple’ in the world, it was Mr and MrsLinkinwater.

　　Ralph, having died intestate, and having no relations but thosewith whom he had lived in such enmity, they would have becomein legal course his heirs. But they could not bear the thought ofgrowing rich on money so acquired, and felt as though they couldnever hope to prosper⁸ with it. They made no claim to his wealth;and the riches for which he had toiled⁹ all his days, and burdenedhis soul with so many evil deeds, were swept at last into the coffersof the state, and no man was the better or the happier for them.

　　Arthur Gride was tried for the unlawful possession of the will,  1161which he had either procured¹⁰ to be stolen, or had dishonestlyacquired and retained by other means as bad. By dint¹¹ of aningenious counsel, and a legal flaw, he escaped; but only toundergo a worse punishment; for, some years afterwards, hishouse was broken open in the night by robbers, tempted¹² by therumours of his great wealth, and he was found murdered in hisbed.

　　Mrs Sliderskew went beyond the seas at nearly the same timeas Mr Squeers, and in the course of nature never returned.

　　Brooker died penitent¹³. Sir Mulberry Hawk¹⁴ lived abroad for someyears, courted and caressed¹⁵, and in high repute as a fine dashingfellow. Ultimately, returning to this country, he was thrown intojail for debt, and there perished miserably¹⁶, as such high spiritsgenerally do.

　　The first act of Nicholas, when he became a rich andprosperous merchant, was to buy his father’s old house. As timecrept on, and there came gradually about him a group of lovelychildren, it was altered and enlarged; but none of the old roomswere ever pulled down, no old tree was ever rooted up, nothingwith which there was any association of bygone times was everremoved or changed.

　　Within a stone’s throw was another retreat, enlivened bychildren’s pleasant voices too; and here was Kate, with many newcares and occupations, and many new faces courting her sweetsmile (and one so like her own, that to her mother she seemed achild again), the same true gentle creature, the same fond sister,the same in the love of all about her, as in her girlish days.

　　Mrs Nickleby lived, sometimes with her daughter, andsometimes with her son, accompanying one or other of them to  1162London at those periods when the cares of business obliged bothfamilies to reside there, and always preserving a great appearanceof dignity, and relating her experiences (especially on pointsconnected with the management and bringing-up of children) withmuch solemnity and importance. It was a very long time beforeshe could be induced to receive Mrs Linkinwater into favour, andit is even doubtful whether she ever thoroughly¹⁷ forgave her.

　　There was one grey-haired, quiet, harmless gentleman, who,winter and summer, lived in a little cottage hard by Nicholas’shouse, and, when he was not there, assumed the superintendenceof affairs. His chief pleasure and delight was in the children, withwhom he was a child himself, and master of the revels¹⁸. The littlepeople could do nothing without dear Newman Noggs.

　　The grass was green above the dead boy’s grave, and troddenby feet so small and light, that not a daisy drooped¹⁹ its headbeneath their pressure. Through all the spring and summertime,garlands of fresh flowers, wreathed by infant hands, rested on thestone; and, when the children came to change them lest theyshould wither²⁰ and be pleasant to him no longer, their eyes filledwith tears, and they spoke²¹ low and softly of their poor dead cousin.

　　The End

1 anticipations   

预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物

参考例句：

• The thought took a deal of the spirit out of his anticipations. 想到这，他的劲头消了不少。
• All such bright anticipations were cruelly dashed that night. 所有这些美好的期望全在那天夜晚被无情地粉碎了。

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 condescended   

屈尊，俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 )； 故意表示和蔼可亲

参考例句：

• We had to wait almost an hour before he condescended to see us. 我们等了几乎一小时他才屈尊大驾来见我们。
• The king condescended to take advice from his servants. 国王屈驾向仆人征求意见。

4 entreaty   

n.恳求，哀求

参考例句：

• Mrs. Quilp durst only make a gesture of entreaty.奎尔普太太仅做出一种哀求的姿势。
• Her gaze clung to him in entreaty.她的眼光带着恳求的神色停留在他身上。

5 browbeating   

v.（以言辞或表情）威逼，恫吓( browbeat的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr Zha urges America to refrain from browbeating China into accepting distant targets for future reductions. 查先生敦促美国不要威胁中国为今后减少排放而去接受这遥远的目标。 来自互联网

6 sitting-room   

n.（BrE）客厅，起居室

参考例句：

• The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
• Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

7 scruple   

n./v.顾忌，迟疑

参考例句：

• It'seemed to her now that she could marry him without the remnant of a scruple.她觉得现在她可以跟他成婚而不需要有任何顾忌。
• He makes no scruple to tell a lie.他说起谎来无所顾忌。

8 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

9 toiled   

长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉

参考例句：

• They toiled up the hill in the blazing sun. 他们冒着炎炎烈日艰难地一步一步爬上山冈。
• He toiled all day long but earned very little. 他整天劳碌但挣得很少。

10 procured   

v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条

参考例句：

• These cars are to be procured through open tender. 这些汽车要用公开招标的办法购买。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• A friend procured a position in the bank for my big brother. 一位朋友为我哥哥谋得了一个银行的职位。 来自《用法词典》

11 dint   

n.由于，靠；凹坑

参考例句：

• He succeeded by dint of hard work.他靠苦干获得成功。
• He reached the top by dint of great effort.他费了很大的劲终于爬到了顶。

12 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

13 penitent   

adj.后悔的；n.后悔者；忏悔者

参考例句：

• They all appeared very penitent,and begged hard for their lives.他们一个个表示悔罪，苦苦地哀求饶命。
• She is deeply penitent.她深感愧疚。

14 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

15 caressed   

爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His fingers caressed the back of her neck. 他的手指抚摩着她的后颈。
• He caressed his wife lovingly. 他怜爱万分地抚摸着妻子。

16 miserably   

adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地

参考例句：

• The little girl was wailing miserably. 那小女孩难过得号啕大哭。
• It was drizzling, and miserably cold and damp. 外面下着毛毛细雨，天气又冷又湿，令人难受。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

18 revels   

n.作乐( revel的名词复数 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉v.作乐( revel的第三人称单数 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉

参考例句：

• Christmas revels with feasting and dancing were common in England. 圣诞节的狂欢歌舞在英国是很常见的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Dickens openly revels in the book's rich physical detail and high-hearted conflict. 狄更斯对该书中丰富多彩的具体细节描写和勇敢的争斗公开表示欣赏。 来自辞典例句

19 drooped   

弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。
• The flowers drooped in the heat of the sun. 花儿晒蔫了。

20 wither   

vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡

参考例句：

• She grows as a flower does-she will wither without sun.她象鲜花一样成长--没有太阳就会凋谢。
• In autumn the leaves wither and fall off the trees.秋天，树叶枯萎并从树上落下来。

21 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。