DESCRIBES, FAR MORE FULLY1 THAN THECOURT NEWSMAN EVER DID, A BACHELOR’SPARTY, GIVEN BY Mr. BOB SAWYER AT HISLODGINGS IN THE BOROUGHhere is a repose4 about Lant Street, in the Borough3, whichsheds a gentle melancholy5 upon the soul. There are alwaysa good many houses to let in the street: it is a by-street too,and its dulness is soothing6. A house in Lant Street would not comewithin the denomination7 of a first-rate residence, in the strictacceptation of the term; but it is a most desirable spotnevertheless. If a man wished to abstract himself from the world―to remove himself from within the reach of temptation―to placehimself beyond the possibility of any inducement to look out of thewindow―we should recommend him by all means go to LantStreet.
In this happy retreat are colonised a few clear-starchers, asprinkling of journeymen bookbinders, one or two prison agentsfor the Insolvent8 Court, several small housekeepers9 who areemployed in the Docks, a handful of mantua-makers, and aseasoning of jobbing tailors. The majority of the inhabitants eitherdirect their energies to the letting of furnished apartments, ordevote themselves to the healthful and invigorating pursuit ofmangling. The chief features in the still life of the street are greenshutters, lodging-bills, brass10 door-plates, and bell-handles; theprincipal specimens11 of animated12 nature, the pot-boy, the muffinyouth, and the baked-potato man. The population is migratory,usually disappearing on the verge13 of quarter-day, and generally bynight. His Majesty’s revenues are seldom collected in this happyvalley; the rents are dubious14; and the water communication is veryfrequently cut off.
Mr. Bob Sawyer embellished15 one side of the fire, in his first-floor front, early on the evening for which he had invited Mr.
Pickwick, and Mr. Ben Allen the other. The preparations for thereception of visitors appeared to be completed. The umbrellas inthe passage had been heaped into the little corner outside theback-parlour door; the bonnet16 and shawl of the landlady17’s servanthad been removed from the bannisters; there were not more thantwo pairs of pattens on the street-door mat; and a kitchen candle,with a very long snuff, burned cheerfully on the ledge18 of thestaircase window. Mr. Bob Sawyer had himself purchased thespirits at a wine vaults19 in High Street, and had returned homepreceding the bearer thereof, to preclude20 the possibility of theirdelivery at the wrong house. The punch was ready-made in a redpan in the bedroom; a little table, covered with a green baize cloth,had been borrowed from the parlour, to play at cards on; and theglasses of the establishment, together with those which had beenborrowed for the occasion from the public-house, were all drawnup in a tray, which was deposited on the landing outside the door.
Notwithstanding the highly satisfactory nature of all thesearrangements, there was a cloud on the countenance21 of Mr. BobSawyer, as he sat by the fireside. There was a sympathisingexpression, too, in the features of Mr. Ben Allen, as he gazedintently on the coals, and a tone of melancholy in his voice, as hesaid, after a long silence:
‘Well, it is unlucky she should have taken it in her head to turnsour, just on this occasion. She might at least have waited till to-morrow.’
‘That’s her malevolence―that’s her malevolence,’ returned Mr.
Bob Sawyer vehemently22. ‘She says that if I can afford to give aparty I ought to be able to pay her confounded “little bill.”’
‘How long has it been running?’ inquired Mr. Ben Allen. A bill,by the bye, is the most extraordinary locomotive engine that thegenius of man ever produced. It would keep on running during thelongest lifetime, without ever once stopping of its own accord.
‘Only a quarter, and a month or so,’ replied Mr. Bob Sawyer.
Ben Allen coughed hopelessly, and directed a searching lookbetween the two top bars of the stove.
‘It’ll be a deuced unpleasant thing if she takes it into her headto let out, when those fellows are here, won’t it?’ said Mr. BenAllen at length.
‘Horrible,’ replied Bob Sawyer, ‘horrible.’ A low tap was heardat the room door. Mr. Bob Sawyer looked expressively23 at hisfriend, and bade the tapper come in; whereupon a dirty, slipshodgirl in black cotton stockings, who might have passed for theneglected daughter of a superannuated24 dustman in very reducedcircumstances, thrust in her head, and said―‘Please, Mister Sawyer, Missis Raddle wants to speak to you.’
Before Mr. Bob Sawyer could return any answer, the girlsuddenly disappeared with a jerk, as if somebody had given her aviolent pull behind; this mysterious exit was no sooneraccomplished, than there was another tap at the door―a smart,pointed tap, which seemed to say, ‘Here I am, and in I’m coming.’
Mr, Bob Sawyer glanced at his friend with a look of abjectapprehension, and once more cried, ‘Come in.’
The permission was not at all necessary, for, before Mr. BobSawyer had uttered the words, a little, fierce woman bounced intothe room, all in a tremble with passion, and pale with rage.
‘Now, Mr. Sawyer,’ said the little, fierce woman, trying toappear very calm, ‘if you’ll have the kindness to settle that littlebill of mine I’ll thank you, because I’ve got my rent to pay thisafternoon, and my landlord’s a-waiting below now.’ Here the littlewoman rubbed her hands, and looked steadily25 over Mr. BobSawyer’s head, at the wall behind him.
‘I am very sorry to put you to any inconvenience, Mrs. Raddle,’
said Bob Sawyer deferentially26, ‘but―’
‘Oh, it isn’t any inconvenience,’ replied the little woman, with ashrill titter. ‘I didn’t want it particular before to-day; leastways, asit has to go to my landlord directly, it was as well for you to keep itas me. You promised me this afternoon, Mr. Sawyer, and everygentleman as has ever lived here, has kept his word, sir, as ofcourse anybody as calls himself a gentleman does.’ Mrs. Raddletossed her head, bit her lips, rubbed her hands harder, and lookedat the wall more steadily than ever. It was plain to see, as Mr. BobSawyer remarked in a style of Eastern allegory on a subsequentoccasion, that she was ‘getting the steam up.’
‘I am very sorry, Mrs. Raddle,’ said Bob Sawyer, with allimaginable humility28, ‘but the fact is, that I have been disappointedin the City to-day.’―Extraordinary place that City. An astonishingnumber of men always are getting disappointed there.
‘Well, Mr. Sawyer,’ said Mrs. Raddle, planting herself firmly ona purple cauliflower in the Kidderminster carpet, ‘and what’s thatto me, sir?’
‘I―I―have no doubt, Mrs. Raddle,’ said Bob Sawyer, blinkingthis last question, ‘that before the middle of next week we shall beable to set ourselves quite square, and go on, on a better system,afterwards.’
This was all Mrs. Raddle wanted. She had bustled30 up to theapartment of the unlucky Bob Sawyer, so bent31 upon going into apassion, that, in all probability, payment would have ratherdisappointed her than otherwise. She was in excellent order for alittle relaxation32 of the kind, having just exchanged a fewintroductory compliments with Mr. R. in the front kitchen.
‘Do you suppose, Mr. Sawyer,’ said Mrs. Raddle, elevating hervoice for the information of the neighbours―‘do you suppose thatI’m a-going day after day to let a fellar occupy my lodgings2 asnever thinks of paying his rent, nor even the very money laid outfor the fresh butter and lump sugar that’s bought for his breakfast,and the very milk that’s took in, at the street door? Do yousuppose a hard-working and industrious33 woman as has lived inthis street for twenty year (ten year over the way, and nine yearand three-quarters in this very house) has nothing else to do but towork herself to death after a parcel of lazy idle fellars, that arealways smoking and drinking, and lounging, when they ought tobe glad to turn their hands to anything that would help ’em to paytheir bills? Do you―’
‘My good soul,’ interposed Mr. Benjamin Allen soothingly34.
‘Have the goodness to keep your observashuns to yourself, sir, Ibeg,’ said Mrs. Raddle, suddenly arresting the rapid torrent35 of herspeech, and addressing the third party with impressive slownessand solemnity. ‘I am not aweer, sir, that you have any right toaddress your conversation to me. I don’t think I let theseapartments to you, sir.’
‘No, you certainly did not,’ said Mr. Benjamin Allen.
‘Very good, sir,’ responded Mrs. Raddle, with lofty politeness.
‘Then p’raps, sir, you’ll confine yourself to breaking the arms andlegs of the poor people in the hospitals, and keep yourself toyourself, sir, or there may be some persons here as will make you,sir.’
‘But you are such an unreasonable36 woman,’ remonstrated37 Mr.
Benjamin Allen.
‘I beg your parding, young man,’ said Mrs. Raddle, in a coldperspiration of anger. ‘But will you have the goodness just to callme that again, sir?’
‘I didn’t make use of the word in any invidious sense, ma’am,’
replied Mr. Benjamin Allen, growing somewhat uneasy on his ownaccount.
‘I beg your parding, young man,’ demanded Mrs. Raddle, in alouder and more imperative38 tone. ‘But who do you call a woman?
Did you make that remark to me, sir?’
‘Why, bless my heart!’ said Mr. Benjamin Allen.
‘Did you apply that name to me, I ask of you, sir?’ interruptedMrs. Raddle, with intense fierceness, throwing the door wideopen.
‘Why, of course I did,’ replied Mr. Benjamin Allen.
‘Yes, of course you did,’ said Mrs. Raddle, backing gradually tothe door, and raising her voice to its loudest pitch, for the specialbehoof of Mr. Raddle in the kitchen. ‘Yes, of course you did! Andeverybody knows that they may safely insult me in my own ’ousewhile my husband sits sleeping downstairs, and taking no morenotice than if I was a dog in the streets. He ought to be ashamed ofhimself (here Mrs. Raddle sobbed) to allow his wife to be treated inthis way by a parcel of young cutters and carvers of live people’sbodies, that disgraces the lodgings (another sob), and leaving herexposed to all manner of abuse; a base, faint-hearted, timorouswretch, that’s afraid to come upstairs, and face the ruffinlycreatures―that’s afraid―that’s afraid to come!’ Mrs. Raddlepaused to listen whether the repetition of the taunt40 had roused herbetter half; and finding that it had not been successful, proceededto descend41 the stairs with sobs42 innumerable; when there came aloud double knock at the street door; whereupon she burst into anhysterical fit of weeping, accompanied with dismal43 moans, whichwas prolonged until the knock had been repeated six times, when,in an uncontrollable burst of mental agony, she threw down all theumbrellas, and disappeared into the back parlour, closing the doorafter her with an awful crash.
‘Does Mr. Sawyer live here?’ said Mr. Pickwick, when the doorwas opened.
‘Yes,’ said the girl, ‘first floor. It’s the door straight afore you,when you gets to the top of the stairs.’ Having given thisinstruction, the handmaid, who had been brought up among theaboriginal inhabitants of Southwark, disappeared, with the candlein her hand, down the kitchen stairs, perfectly44 satisfied that shehad done everything that could possibly be required of her underthe circumstances.
Mr. Snodgrass, who entered last, secured the street door, afterseveral ineffectual efforts, by putting up the chain; and the friendsstumbled upstairs, where they were received by Mr. Bob Sawyer,who had been afraid to go down, lest he should be waylaid45 by Mrs.
Raddle.
‘How are you?’ said the discomfited46 student. ‘Glad to see you―take care of the glasses.’ This caution was addressed to Mr.
Pickwick, who had put his hat in the tray.
‘Dear me,’ said Mr. Pickwick, ‘I beg your pardon.’
‘Don’t mention it, don’t mention it,’ said Bob Sawyer. ‘I’mrather confined for room here, but you must put up with all that,when you come to see a young bachelor. Walk in. You’ve seen thisgentleman before, I think?’ Mr. Pickwick shook hands with Mr.
Benjamin Allen, and his friends followed his example. They hadscarcely taken their seats when there was another double knock.
‘I hope that’s Jack47 Hopkins!’ said Mr. Bob Sawyer. ‘Hush. Yes,it is. Come up, Jack; come up.’
A heavy footstep was heard upon the stairs, and Jack Hopkinspresented himself. He wore a black velvet48 waistcoat, with thunder-and-lightning buttons; and a blue striped shirt, with a white falsecollar.
‘You’re late, Jack?’ said Mr. Benjamin Allen.
‘Been detained at Bartholomew’s,’ replied Hopkins.
‘Anything new?’
‘No, nothing particular. Rather a good accident brought into thecasualty ward29.’
‘What was that, sir?’ inquired Mr. Pickwick.
‘Only a man fallen out of a four pair of stairs’ window; but it’s avery fair case indeed.’
‘Do you mean that the patient is in a fair way to recover?’
inquired Mr. Pickwick.
‘No,’ replied Mr. Hopkins carelessly. ‘No, I should rather say hewouldn’t. There must be a splendid operation, though, to-morrow―magnificent sight if Slasher does it.’
‘You consider Mr. Slasher a good operator?’ said Mr. Pickwick.
‘Best alive,’ replied Hopkins. ‘Took a boy’s leg out of the socketlast week―boy ate five apples and a gingerbread cake―exactlytwo minutes after it was all over, boy said he wouldn’t lie there tobe made game of, and he’d tell his mother if they didn’t begin.’
‘Dear me!’ said Mr. Pickwick, astonished.
‘Pooh! That’s nothing, that ain’t,’ said Jack Hopkins. ‘Is it,Bob?’
‘Nothing at all,’ replied Mr. Bob Sawyer.
‘By the bye, Bob,’ said Hopkins, with a scarcely perceptibleglance at Mr. Pickwick’s attentive49 face, ‘we had a curious accidentlast night. A child was brought in, who had swallowed a necklace.’
‘Swallowed what, sir?’ interrupted Mr. Pickwick.
‘A necklace,’ replied Jack Hopkins. ‘Not all at once, you know,that would be too much―you couldn’t swallow that, if the childdid―eh, Mr. Pickwick? ha, ha!’ Mr. Hopkins appeared highlygratified with his own pleasantry, and continued―‘No, the waywas this. Child’s parents were poor people who lived in a court.
Child’s eldest50 sister bought a necklace―common necklace, madeof large black wooden beads52. Child being fond of toys, cribbed thenecklace, hid it, played with it, cut the string, and swallowed abead. Child thought it capital fun, went back next day, andswallowed another bead51.’
‘Bless my heart,’ said Mr. Pickwick, ‘what a dreadful thing! Ibeg your pardon, sir. Go on.’
‘Next day, child swallowed two beads; the day after that, hetreated himself to three, and so on, till in a week’s time he had gotthrough the necklace―five-and-twenty beads in all. The sister,who was an industrious girl, and seldom treated herself to a bit offinery, cried her eyes out, at the loss of the necklace; looked highand low for it; but, I needn’t say, didn’t find it. A few daysafterwards, the family were at dinner―baked shoulder of mutton,and potatoes under it―the child, who wasn’t hungry, was playingabout the room, when suddenly there was heard a devil of a noise,like a small hailstorm. “Don’t do that, my boy,” said the father. “Iain’t a-doin’ nothing,” said the child. “Well, don’t do it again,” saidthe father. There was a short silence, and then the noise beganagain, worse than ever. “If you don’t mind what I say, my boy,”
said the father, “you’ll find yourself in bed, in something less thana pig’s whisper.” He gave the child a shake to make him obedient,and such a rattling53 ensued as nobody ever heard before. “Why,damme, it’s in the child!” said the father, “he’s got the croup in thewrong place!” “No, I haven’t, father,” said the child, beginning tocry, “it’s the necklace; I swallowed it, father.”―The father caughtthe child up, and ran with him to the hospital; the beads in theboy’s stomach rattling all the way with the jolting54; and the peoplelooking up in the air, and down in the cellars, to see where theunusual sound came from. He’s in the hospital now,’ said JackHopkins, ‘and he makes such a devil of a noise when he walksabout, that they’re obliged to muffle55 him in a watchman’s coat, forfear he should wake the patients.’
‘That’s the most extraordinary case I ever heard of,’ said Mr.
Pickwick, with an emphatic56 blow on the table.
‘Oh, that’s nothing,’ said Jack Hopkins. ‘Is it, Bob?’
‘Certainly not,’ replied Bob Sawyer.
‘Very singular things occur in our profession, I can assure you,sir,’ said Hopkins.
‘So I should be disposed to imagine,’ replied Mr. Pickwick.
Another knock at the door announced a large-headed youngman in a black wig57, who brought with him a scorbutic youth in along stock. The next comer was a gentleman in a shirt emblazonedwith pink anchors, who was closely followed by a pale youth with aplated watchguard. The arrival of a prim58 personage in clean linenand cloth boots rendered the party complete. The little table withthe green baize cover was wheeled out; the first instalment ofpunch was brought in, in a white jug59; and the succeeding threehours were devoted60 to vingt-et-un at sixpence a dozen, which wasonly once interrupted by a slight dispute between the scorbuticyouth and the gentleman with the pink anchors; in the course ofwhich, the scorbutic youth intimated a burning desire to pull thenose of the gentleman with the emblems61 of hope; in reply towhich, that individual expressed his decided62 unwillingness63 toaccept of any ‘sauce’ on gratuitous64 terms, either from the irascibleyoung gentleman with the scorbutic countenance, or any otherperson who was ornamented65 with a head.
When the last ‘natural’ had been declared, and the profit andloss account of fish and sixpences adjusted, to the satisfaction ofall parties, Mr. Bob Sawyer rang for supper, and the visitorssqueezed themselves into corners while it was getting ready.
it was not so easily got ready as some people may imagine. Firstof all, it was necessary to awaken66 the girl, who had fallen asleepwith her face on the kitchen table; this took a little time, and, evenwhen she did answer the bell, another quarter of an hour wasconsumed in fruitless endeavours to impart to her a faint anddistant glimmering67 of reason. The man to whom the order for theoysters had been sent, had not been told to open them; it is a verydifficult thing to open an oyster68 with a limp knife and a two-pronged fork; and very little was done in this way. Very little of thebeef was done either; and the ham (which was also from theGerman-sausage shop round the corner) was in a similarpredicament. However, there was plenty of porter in a tin can; andthe cheese went a great way, for it was very strong. So upon thewhole, perhaps, the supper was quite as good as such mattersusually are.
After supper, another jug of punch was put upon the table,together with a paper of cigars, and a couple of bottles of spirits.
Then there was an awful pause; and this awful pause wasoccasioned by a very common occurrence in this sort of place, buta very embarrassing one notwithstanding.
The fact is, the girl was washing the glasses. The establishmentboasted four: we do not record the circumstance as at allderogatory to Mrs. Raddle, for there never was a lodging-houseyet, that was not short of glasses. The landlady’s glasses were little,thin, blown-glass tumblers, and those which had been borrowedfrom the public-house were great, dropsical, bloated articles, eachsupported on a huge gouty leg. This would have been in itselfsufficient to have possessed69 the company with the real state ofaffairs; but the young woman of all work had prevented thepossibility of any misconception arising in the mind of anygentleman upon the subject, by forcibly dragging every man’sglass away, long before he had finished his beer, and audiblystating, despite the winks71 and interruptions of Mr. Bob Sawyer,that it was to be conveyed downstairs, and washed forthwith.
It is a very ill wind that blows nobody any good. The prim manin the cloth boots, who had been unsuccessfully attempting tomake a joke during the whole time the round game lasted, saw hisopportunity, and availed himself of it. The instant the glassesdisappeared, he commenced a long story about a great publiccharacter, whose name he had forgotten, making a particularlyhappy reply to another eminent72 and illustrious individual whomhe had never been able to identify. He enlarged at some lengthand with great minuteness upon divers73 collateral74 circumstances,distantly connected with the anecdote75 in hand, but for the life ofhim he couldn’t recollect76 at that precise moment what theanecdote was, although he had been in the habit of telling thestory with great applause for the last ten years.
‘Dear me,’ said the prim man in the cloth boots, ‘it is a veryextraordinary circumstance.’
‘I am sorry you have forgotten it,’ said Mr. Bob Sawyer,glancing eagerly at the door, as he thought he heard the noise ofglasses jingling77; ‘very sorry.’
‘So am I,’ responded the prim man, ‘because I know it wouldhave afforded so much amusement. Never mind; I dare say I shallmanage to recollect it, in the course of half an hour or so.’
The prim man arrived at this point just as the glasses cameback, when Mr. Bob Sawyer, who had been absorbed in attentionduring the whole time, said he should very much like to hear theend of it, for, so far as it went, it was, without exception, the verybest story he had ever heard. The sight of the tumblers restoredBob Sawyer to a degree of equanimity78 which he had not possessedsince his interview with his landlady. His face brightened up, andhe began to feel quite convivial79.
‘Now, Betsy,’ said Mr. Bob Sawyer, with great suavity80, anddispersing, at the same time, the tumultuous little mob of glassesthe girl had collected in the centre of the table―‘now, Betsy, thewarm water; be brisk, there’s a good girl.’
‘You can’t have no warm water,’ replied Betsy.
‘No warm water!’ exclaimed Mr. Bob Sawyer.
‘No,’ said the girl, with a shake of the head which expressed amore decided negative than the most copious81 language could haveconveyed. ‘Missis Raddle said you warn’t to have none.’
The surprise depicted82 on the countenances83 of his guestsimparted new courage to the host.
‘Bring up the warm water instantly―instantly!’ said Mr. BobSawyer, with desperate sternness.
‘No. I can’t,’ replied the girl; ‘Missis Raddle raked out thekitchen fire afore she went to bed, and locked up the kittle.’
‘Oh, never mind; never mind. Pray don’t disturb yourself aboutsuch a trifle,’ said Mr. Pickwick, observing the conflict of BobSawyer’s passions, as depicted in his countenance, ‘cold water willdo very well.’
‘Oh, admirably,’ said Mr. Benjamin Allen.
‘My landlady is subject to some slight attacks of mentalderangement,’ remarked Bob Sawyer, with a ghastly smile; ‘I fearI must give her warning.’
‘No, don’t,’ said Ben Allen.
‘I fear I must,’ said Bob, with heroic firmness. ‘I’ll pay her whatI owe her, and give her warning to-morrow morning.’ Poor fellow!
how devoutly84 he wished he could!
Mr. Bob Sawyer’s heart-sickening attempts to rally under thislast blow, communicated a dispiriting influence to the company,the greater part of whom, with the view of raising their spirits,attached themselves with extra cordiality to the cold brandy-and-water, the first perceptible effects of which were displayed in arenewal of hostilities85 between the scorbutic youth and thegentleman in the shirt. The belligerents86 vented70 their feelings ofmutual contempt, for some time, in a variety of frownings andsnortings, until at last the scorbutic youth felt it necessary to cometo a more explicit87 understanding on the matter; when thefollowing clear understanding took place. ‘Sawyer,’ said thescorbutic youth, in a loud voice.
‘Well, Noddy,’ replied Mr. Bob Sawyer.
‘I should be very sorry, Sawyer,’ said Mr. Noddy, ‘to create anyunpleasantness at any friend’s table, and much less at yours,Sawyer―very; but I must take this opportunity of informing Mr.
Gunter that he is no gentleman.’
‘And I should be very sorry, Sawyer, to create any disturbancein the street in which you reside,’ said Mr. Gunter, ‘but I’m afraid Ishall be under the necessity of alarming the neighbours bythrowing the person who has just spoken, out o’ window.’
‘What do you mean by that, sir?’ inquired Mr. Noddy.
‘What I say, sir,’ replied Mr. Gunter.
‘I should like to see you do it, sir,’ said Mr. Noddy.
‘You shall feel me do it in half a minute, sir,’ replied Mr. Gunter.
‘I request that you’ll favour me with your card, sir,’ said Mr.
Noddy.
‘I’ll do nothing of the kind, sir,’ replied Mr. Gunter.
‘Why not, sir?’ inquired Mr. Noddy.
‘Because you’ll stick it up over your chimney-piece, and deludeyour visitors into the false belief that a gentleman has been to seeyou, sir,’ replied Mr. Gunter.
‘Sir, a friend of mine shall wait on you in the morning,’ said Mr.
Noddy.
‘Sir, I’m very much obliged to you for the caution, and I’ll leaveparticular directions with the servant to lock up the spoons,’
replied Mr. Gunter.
At this point the remainder of the guests interposed, andremonstrated with both parties on the impropriety of theirconduct; on which Mr. Noddy begged to state that his father wasquite as respectable as Mr. Gunter’s father; to which Mr. Gunterreplied that his father was to the full as respectable as Mr. Noddy’sfather, and that his father’s son was as good a man as Mr. Noddy,any day in the week. As this announcement seemed the prelude88 toa recommencement of the dispute, there was another interferenceon the part of the company; and a vast quantity of talking andclamouring ensued, in the course of which Mr. Noddy graduallyallowed his feelings to overpower him, and professed89 that he hadever entertained a devoted personal attachment90 towards Mr.
Gunter. To this Mr. Gunter replied that, upon the whole, he ratherpreferred Mr. Noddy to his own brother; on hearing whichadmission, Mr. Noddy magnanimously rose from his seat, andproffered his hand to Mr. Gunter. Mr. Gunter grasped it withaffecting fervour; and everybody said that the whole dispute hadbeen conducted in a manner which was highly honourable91 to bothparties concerned.
‘Now,’ said Jack Hopkins, ‘just to set us going again, Bob, Idon’t mind singing a song.’ And Hopkins, incited92 thereto bytumultuous applause, plunged93 himself at once into ‘The King, Godbless him,’ which he sang as loud as he could, to a novel air,compounded of the ‘Bay of Biscay,’ and ‘A Frog he would.’ Thechorus was the essence of the song; and, as each gentleman sang itto the tune94 he knew best, the effect was very striking indeed.
It was at the end of the chorus to the first verse, that Mr.
Pickwick held up his hand in a listening attitude, and said, as soonas silence was restored―‘Hush! I beg your pardon. I thought I heard somebody callingfrom upstairs.’
A profound silence immediately ensued; and Mr. Bob Sawyerwas observed to turn pale.
‘I think I hear it now,’ said Mr. Pickwick. ‘Have the goodness toopen the door.’
The door was no sooner opened than all doubt on the subjectwas removed.
‘Mr. Sawyer! Mr. Sawyer!’ screamed a voice from the two-pairlanding.
‘It’s my landlady,’ said Bob Sawyer, looking round him withgreat dismay. ‘Yes, Mrs. Raddle.’
‘What do you mean by this, Mr. Sawyer?’ replied the voice, withgreat shrillness95 and rapidity of utterance96. ‘Ain’t it enough to beswindled out of one’s rent, and money lent out of pocket besides,and abused and insulted by your friends that dares to callthemselves men, without having the house turned out of thewindow, and noise enough made to bring the fire-engines here, attwo o’clock in the morning?―Turn them wretches97 away.’
‘You ought to be ashamed of yourselves,’ said the voice of Mr.
Raddle, which appeared to proceed from beneath some distantbed-clothes.
‘Ashamed of themselves!’ said Mrs. Raddle. ‘Why don’t you godown and knock ’em every one downstairs? You would if you wasa man.’
‘I should if I was a dozen men, my dear,’ replied Mr. Raddlepacifically, ‘but they have the advantage of me in numbers, mydear.’
‘Ugh, you coward!’ replied Mrs. Raddle, with supremecontempt. ‘Do you mean to turn them wretches out, or not, Mr.
Sawyer?’
‘They’re going, Mrs. Raddle, they’re going,’ said the miserableBob. ‘I am afraid you’d better go,’ said Mr. Bob Sawyer to hisfriends. ‘I thought you were making too much noise.’
‘It’s a very unfortunate thing,’ said the prim man. ‘Just as wewere getting so comfortable too!’ The prim man was justbeginning to have a dawning recollection of the story he hadforgotten.
‘It’s hardly to be borne,’ said the prim man, looking round.
‘Hardly to be borne, is it?’
‘Not to be endured,’ replied Jack Hopkins; ‘let’s have the otherverse, Bob. Come, here goes!’
‘No, no, Jack, don’t,’ interposed Bob Sawyer; ‘it’s a capital song,but I am afraid we had better not have the other verse. They arevery violent people, the people of the house.’
‘Shall I step upstairs, and pitch into the landlord?’ inquiredHopkins, ‘or keep on ringing the bell, or go and groan98 on thestaircase? You may command me, Bob.’
‘I am very much indebted to you for your friendship and good-nature, Hopkins,’ said the wretched Mr. Bob Sawyer, ‘but I thinkthe best plan to avoid any further dispute is for us to break up atonce.’
‘Now, Mr. Sawyer,’ screamed the shrill27 voice of Mrs. Raddle,‘are them brutes99 going?’
‘They’re only looking for their hats, Mrs. Raddle,’ said Bob;‘they are going directly.’
‘Going!’ said Mrs. Raddle, thrusting her nightcap over the banisters just as Mr. Pickwick, followed by Mr. Tupman, emergedfrom the sitting-room100. ‘Going! what did they ever come for?’
‘My dear ma’am,’ remonstrated Mr. Pickwick, looking up.
‘Get along with you, old wretch39!’ replied Mrs. Raddle, hastilywithdrawing the nightcap. ‘Old enough to be his grandfather, youwillin! You’re worse than any of ’em.’
Mr. Pickwick found it in vain to protest his innocence101, sohurried downstairs into the street, whither he was closely followedby Mr. Tupman, Mr. Winkle, and Mr. Snodgrass. Mr. Ben Allen,who was dismally102 depressed103 with spirits and agitation,accompanied them as far as London Bridge, and in the course ofthe walk confided104 to Mr. Winkle, as an especially eligible105 person tointrust the secret to, that he was resolved to cut the throat of anygentleman, except Mr. Bob Sawyer, who should aspire106 to theaffections of his sister Arabella. Having expressed hisdetermination to perform this painful duty of a brother withproper firmness, he burst into tears, knocked his hat over his eyes,and, making the best of his way back, knocked double knocks atthe door of the Borough Market office, and took short naps on thesteps alternately, until daybreak, under the firm impression thathe lived there, and had forgotten the key.
The visitors having all departed, in compliance107 with the ratherpressing request of Mrs. Raddle, the luckless Mr. Bob Sawyer wasleft alone, to meditate108 on the probable events of to-morrow, andthe pleasures of the evening.
收听单词发音 |
1
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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borough
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| n.享有自治权的市镇；(英)自治市镇 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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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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soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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denomination
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| n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位 | |
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insolvent
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| adj.破产的，无偿还能力的 | |
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housekeepers
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| n.（女）管家( housekeeper的名词复数 ) | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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embellished
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| v.美化( embellish的过去式和过去分词 )；装饰；修饰；润色 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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vaults
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| n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 )；地下室；撑物跳高；墓穴 | |
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20
preclude
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| vt.阻止，排除，防止；妨碍 | |
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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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22
vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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23
expressively
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| ad.表示(某事物)地；表达地 | |
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24
superannuated
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| adj.老朽的，退休的；v.因落后于时代而废除，勒令退学 | |
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25
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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deferentially
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| adv.表示敬意地，谦恭地 | |
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27
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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29
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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30
bustled
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| 闹哄哄地忙乱，奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 )； 催促 | |
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31
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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32
relaxation
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| n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐 | |
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industrious
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| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
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34
soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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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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unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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remonstrated
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| v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫 | |
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38
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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39
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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40
taunt
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| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
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41
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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42
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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43
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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44
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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45
waylaid
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| v.拦截，拦路( waylay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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47
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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48
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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49
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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50
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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51
bead
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| n.念珠；(pl.)珠子项链；水珠 | |
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52
beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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53
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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54
jolting
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| adj.令人震惊的 | |
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55
muffle
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| v.围裹；抑制；发低沉的声音 | |
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56
emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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57
wig
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| n.假发 | |
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58
prim
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| adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 | |
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59
jug
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| n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂 | |
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60
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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61
emblems
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| n.象征，标记( emblem的名词复数 ) | |
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62
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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63
unwillingness
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| n. 不愿意，不情愿 | |
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64
gratuitous
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| adj.无偿的，免费的；无缘无故的，不必要的 | |
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65
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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67
glimmering
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| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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68
oyster
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| n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人 | |
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69
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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70
vented
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| 表达，发泄（感情，尤指愤怒）( vent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
winks
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| v.使眼色( wink的第三人称单数 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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72
eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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73
divers
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| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
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74
collateral
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| adj.平行的；旁系的；n.担保品 | |
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75
anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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76
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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77
jingling
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| 叮当声 | |
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78
equanimity
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| n.沉着，镇定 | |
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79
convivial
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| adj.狂欢的，欢乐的 | |
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80
suavity
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| n.温和；殷勤 | |
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81
copious
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| adj.丰富的，大量的 | |
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82
depicted
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| 描绘，描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 )； 描述 | |
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83
countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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84
devoutly
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| adv.虔诚地，虔敬地，衷心地 | |
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85
hostilities
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| n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事 | |
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86
belligerents
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| n.交战的一方（指国家、集团或个人）( belligerent的名词复数 ) | |
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87
explicit
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| adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的 | |
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88
prelude
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| n.序言，前兆，序曲 | |
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89
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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90
attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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91
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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92
incited
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| 刺激，激励，煽动( incite的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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93
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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94
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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95
shrillness
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| 尖锐刺耳 | |
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96
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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97
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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98
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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99
brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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100
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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101
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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102
dismally
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| adv.阴暗地，沉闷地 | |
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103
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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104
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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105
eligible
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| adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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106
aspire
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| vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于 | |
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107
compliance
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| n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从 | |
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108
meditate
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| v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想 | |
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