The breakfast table at Mr Boffin’s was usually a very pleasant one, and was always presided over by Bella. As though he began each new day in his healthy natural character, and some waking hours were necessary to his relapse into the corrupting¹ influences of his wealth, the face and the demeanour of the Golden Dustman were generally unclouded at that meal. It would have been easy to believe then, that there was no change in him. It was as the day went on that the clouds gathered, and the brightness of the mornmg became obscured. One might have said that the shadows of avarice² and distrust lengthened³ as his own shadow lengthened, and that the night closed around him gradually.

But, one morning long afterwards to be remembered, it was black midnight with the Golden Dustman when he first appeared. His altered character had never been so grossly marked. His bearing towards his Secretary was so charged with insolent⁴ distrust and arrogance⁵, that the latter rose and left the table before breakfast was half done. The look he directed at the Secretary’s retiring figure was so cunningly malignant⁶, that Bella would have sat astounded⁷ and indignant, even though he had not gone the length of secretly threatening Rokesmith with his clenched⁸ fist as he closed the door. This unlucky morning, of all mornings in the year, was the morning next after Mr Boffin’s interview with Mrs Lammle in her little carriage.

Bella looked to Mrs Boffin’s face for comment on, or explanation of, this stormy humour in her husband, but none was there. An anxious and a distressed⁹ observation of her own face was all she could read in it. When they were left alone together — which was not until noon, for Mr Boffin sat long in his easy-chair, by turns jogging up and down the breakfast-room,

分享到：