In the morning the distress1 and keepers were in Sturk’s house.
We must not be too hard upon Nutter2. ’Tis a fearful affair, and no child’s play, this battle of life. Sturk had assailed3 him like a beast of prey4; not Nutter, to be sure, only Lord Castlemallard’s agent. Of that functionary5 his wolfish instinct craved6 the flesh, bones, and blood. Sturk had no other way to live and grow fat. Nutter or he must go down. The little fellow saw his great red maw and rabid fangs7 at his throat. If he let him off, he would devour8 him, and lie in his bed, with his cap on, and his caudles and cordials all round, as the wolf did by Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmamma; and with the weapon which had come to hand — a heavy one too,— he was going, with Heaven’s help, to deal him a brainblow.
When Sturk heard in the morning that the blow was actually struck, he jumped out of bed, and was taken with a great shivering fit, sitting on the side of it. Little Mrs. Sturk, as white as her nightcap with terror, was yet decisive in emergency, and bethought her of the brandy bottle, two glasses from which the doctor swallowed before his teeth gave over chattering9, and a more natural tint10 returned to his blue face.
‘Oh! Barney, dear, are we ruined?’ faltered11 poor little Mrs. Sturk.
‘Ruined, indeed!’ cried Sturk, with an oath, ‘Come in here.’ He thought his study was on the same floor with his bed-room, as it had been in old times in their house in Limerick, ten or twelve years before.
‘That’s the nursery, Barney, dear,’ she said, thinking, in the midst of the horror, like a true mother, of the children’s sleep.
Then he remembered and ran down to the study, and pulled out a sheaf of bills and promissory notes, and renewals12 thereof, making a very respectable show.
‘Ruined, indeed!’ he cried, hoarsely13, talking to his poor little wife in the tones and with the ferocity which the image of Nutter; with which his brain was filled, called up. ‘Look, I say, here’s one fellow owes me that — and that — and that — and there — there’s a dozen in that by another — there’s two more sets there pinned together — and here’s an account of them all — two thousand two hundred — and you may say three hundred — two thousand three hundred — owed me here; and that miscreant14 won’t give me a day.’
‘Is it the rent, Barney?’
‘The rent? To be sure; what else should it be?’ shouted the doctor, with a stamp.
And so pale little Mrs. Sturk stole out of the room, as her lord with bitter mutterings pitched his treasure of bad bills back again into the escritoire: and she heard him slam the study door and run down stairs to browbeat15 and curse the men in the hall, for he had lost his head somewhat, between panic and fury. He was in his stockings and slippers16, with an old flowered silk dressing-gown, and nothing more but his shirt, and looked, they said, like a madman. One of the fellows was smoking, and Sturk snatched the pipe from his mouth, and stamped it to atoms on the floor, roaring at them to know what the —— brought them there; and without a pause for an answer, thundered, ‘And I suppose you’ll not let me take my box of instruments out of the house — mind, it’s worth fifty pounds; and curse me, if one of our men dies for want of them in hospital, I’ll indict17 you both, and your employer along with you, for murder!’ And so he railed on, till his voice failed him with a sort of choking, and there was a humming in his ears, and a sort of numbness18 in his head, and he thought he was going to have a fit; and then up the stairs he went again, and into his study, and resolved to have Nutter out — and it flashed upon him that he’d say, ‘Pay the rent first;’ and then — what next? why he’d post him all over Dublin, and Chapelizod, and Leixlip, where the Lord Lieutenant19 and Court were.
And down he sat to a sheet of paper, with his left hand clenched20 on the table, and his teeth grinding together, as he ransacked21 his vocabulary for befitting terms; but alas22, his right hand shook so that his penmanship would not do, in fact, it half frightened him. ‘By my soul! I believe something bad has happened me,’ he muttered, and popped up his window, and looked out, half dreaming over the church-yard on the park beyond, and the dewy overhanging hill, all pleasantly lighted up in the morning sun.
While this was going on, little Mrs. Sturk, who on critical occasions took strong resolutions promptly23, made a wonderfully rapid toilet, and let herself quietly out of the street door. She had thought of Dr. Walsingham; but Sturk had lately, in one of his imperious freaks of temper, withdrawn24 his children from the good doctor’s catechetical class, and sent him besides, one of his sturdy, impertinent notes — and the poor little woman concluded there was no chance there. She knew little of the rector — of the profound humility25 and entire placability of that noble soul.
Well, she took the opposite direction, and turning her back on the town, walked at her quickest pace toward the Brass26 Castle. It was not eight o’clock yet, but the devil had been up betimes and got through a good deal of his day’s work, as we have seen. The poor little woman had made up her mind to apply to Dangerfield. She had liked his talk at Belmont, where she had met him; and he enquired27 about the poor, and listened to some of her woful tales with a great deal of sympathy; and she knew he was very rich, and that he appreciated her Barney, and so she trudged28 on, full of hope, though I don’t think many people who knew the world better would have given a great deal for her chance.
Dangerfield received the lady very affably, in his little parlour, where having already despatched his early meal, he was writing letters. He looked hard at her when she came in, and again when she sat down; and when she had made an end of her long and dismal29 tale, he opened a sort of strong box, and took out a thin quarto and read, turning the leaves rapidly over.
‘Ay, here we have him — Chapelizod — Sturk, Barnabas — Surgeon, R.I.A., assignee of John Lowe — hey! one gale30 day, as you call it, only!— September. How came that? Rent, ￡40. Why, then, he owes a whole year’s rent, ￡40, Ma’am. September, and his days of grace have expired. He ought to have paid it.’
Here there came a dreadful pause, during which nothing was heard but the sharp ticking of his watch on the table.
‘Well, Ma’am,’ he said, ‘when a thing comes before me, I say yes or no promptly. I like your husband, and I’ll lend him the amount of his rent.’
Poor little Mrs. Sturk jumped up in an ecstasy31, and then felt quite sick, and sat down almost fainting, with a deathlike smile.
‘There’s but one condition I attach, that you tell me truly, my dear Ma’am, whether you came to me directly or indirectly32 at his suggestion.’
No, indeed, she had not; it was all her own thought; she had not dared to mention it to him, lest he should forbid her, and now she should be almost afraid to tell him where she had been.
‘He’ll not be very angry, depend on’t, my good Madam; you did wisely in coming to me. I respect your sense and energy; and should you hereafter stand in need of a friendly office, I beg you’ll remember once who is disposed to help you.’
Then he sat down and wrote with a flying pen —
‘MY DEAR SIR,— I have just learned from Mrs. Sturk that you have an immediate33 concern for forty pounds, to which, I venture to surmise34, will be added some fees, etc. I take leave, therefore, to send herewith fifty guineas, which I trust will suffice for this troublesome affair. We can talk hereafter about repayment35. Mrs. Sturk has handed me a memorandum36 of the advance.
‘Your very obedient, humble37 servant,
GILES DANGERFIELD.
The Brass Castle, Chapelizod,
‘2nd October, 1767.’
Then poor little Mrs. Sturk was breaking out into a delirium38 of gratitude39. But he put his hand upon her arm kindly40, and with a little bow and an emphasis, he said —
‘Pray, not a word, my dear Madam. Just write a line;’ and he slid his desk before her with a sheet of paper on it; ‘and say Mr. Dangerfield has this day handed me a loan of fifty guineas for my husband, Doctor Barnabas Sturk. Now sign, if you please, and add the date. Very good!’
‘I’m afraid you can hardly read it — my fingers tremble a little,’ said Mrs. Sturk, with a wild little deprecatory titter, and for the first time very near crying.
‘’Tis mighty41 well,’ said Dangerfield, politely; and he accompanied the lady with the note and fifty guineas, made up in a little rouleau, fast in her hand, across his little garden, and with —‘A fine morning truly,’ and ‘God bless you, Madam,’ and one of his peculiar42 smiles, he let her out through his little wicket on the high road. And so away went Mrs. Sturk, scarce feeling the ground under her feet; and Giles Dangerfield, carrying his white head very erect43, with an approving conscience, and his silver spectacles flashing through the leaves of his lilacs and laburnums, returned to his parlour.
Mrs. Sturk, who could hardly keep from running, glided44 along at a wonderful rate, wondering now and then how quickly the whole affair — so awful as it seemed to her in magnitude — was managed. Dangerfield had neither hurried her nor himself, and yet he despatched the matter and got her away in less than five minutes.
In little more than a quarter of an hour after, Dr. Sturk descended45 his door-steps in full costume, and marched down the street and passed the artillery46 barrack, from his violated fortress47, as it were, with colours flying, drums beating, and ball in mouth. He paid the money down at Nutter’s table, in the small room at the Phoenix48, where he sat in the morning to receive his rents, eyeing the agent with a fixed49 smirk50 of hate and triumph, and telling down each piece on the table with a fierce clink that had the ring of a curse in it. Little Nutter met his stare of suppressed fury with an eye just as steady and malign51 and a countenance52 blackened by disappointment. Not a word was heard but Sturk’s insolent53 tone counting the gold at every clang on the table.
Nutter shoved him a receipt across the table, and swept the gold into his drawer.
‘Go over, Tom,’ he said to the bailiff, in a stern low tone, ‘and see the men don’t leave the house till the fees are paid.’
And Sturk laughed a very pleasant laugh, you may be sure, over his shoulder at Nutter, as he went out at the door.
When he was gone Nutter stood up, and turned his face toward the empty grate. I have seen some plain faces once or twice look so purely54 spiritual, and others at times so infernal, as to acquire in their homeliness55 a sort of awful grandeur56; and from every feature of Nutter’s dark wooden face was projected at that moment a supernatural glare of baffled hatred57 that dilated58 to something almost sublime59.
收听单词发音 |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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nutter
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| n.疯子 | |
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assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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functionary
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| n.官员；公职人员 | |
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craved
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| 渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求 | |
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fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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devour
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| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
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chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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tint
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| n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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renewals
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| 重建( renewal的名词复数 )； 更新； 重生； 合同的续订 | |
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hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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miscreant
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| n.恶棍 | |
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browbeat
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| v.欺侮；吓唬 | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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indict
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| v.起诉，控告，指控 | |
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numbness
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| n.无感觉，麻木，惊呆 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ransacked
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| v.彻底搜查( ransack的过去式和过去分词 )；抢劫，掠夺 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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27
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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trudged
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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29
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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30
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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31
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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indirectly
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| adv.间接地，不直接了当地 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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34
surmise
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| v./n.猜想，推测 | |
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35
repayment
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| n.偿还，偿还款；报酬 | |
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36
memorandum
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| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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41
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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42
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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43
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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44
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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45
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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46
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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47
fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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48
phoenix
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| n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生 | |
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49
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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50
smirk
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| n.得意地笑；v.傻笑；假笑着说 | |
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51
malign
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| adj.有害的；恶性的；恶意的；v.诽谤，诬蔑 | |
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52
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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53
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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54
purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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homeliness
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| n.简朴，朴实；相貌平平 | |
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56
grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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57
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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58
dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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