Magical American forest monster第一节.docx

Magical American forest monster第一节.docx

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MagicalAmericanforestmonster第一节

Chapter15BellYard

WhilewewereinLondonMr.Jarndycewasconstantlybesetbythecrowdofexcitableladiesandgentlemenwhoseproceedingshadsomuchastonishedus.Mr.Quale,whopresentedhimselfsoonafterourarrival,wasinallsuchexcitements.Heseemedtoprojectthosetwoshiningknobsoftemplesofhisintoeverythingthatwentonandtobrushhishairfartherandfartherback,untiltheveryrootswerealmostreadytoflyoutofhisheadininappeasablephilanthropy.Allobjectswerealiketohim,buthewasalwaysparticularlyreadyforanythinginthewayofatestimonialtoanyone.Hisgreatpowerseemedtobehispowerofindiscriminateadmiration.Hewouldsitforanylengthoftime,withtheutmostenjoyment,bathinghistemplesinthelightofanyorderofluminary.HavingfirstseenhimperfectlyswallowedupinadmirationofMrs.Jellyby,Ihadsupposedhertobetheabsorbingobjectofhisdevotion.Isoondiscoveredmymistakeandfoundhimtobetrain-bearerandorgan-blowertoawholeprocessionofpeople.

　　Mrs.Pardigglecameonedayforasubscriptiontosomething,andwithher,Mr.Quale.WhateverMrs.Pardigglesaid,Mr.Qualerepeatedtous;andjustashehaddrawnMrs.Jellybyout,hedrewMrs.Pardiggleout.Mrs.PardigglewrotealetterofintroductiontomyguardianinbehalfofhereloquentfriendMr.Gusher.WithMr.GusherappearedMr.Qualeagain.Mr.Gusher,beingaflabbygentlemanwithamoistsurfaceandeyessomuchtoosmallforhismoonofafacethattheyseemedtohavebeenoriginallymadeforsomebodyelse,wasnotatfirstsightprepossessing;yethewasscarcelyseatedbeforeMr.QualeaskedAdaandme,notinaudibly,whetherhewasnotagreatcreature--whichhecertainlywas,flabbilyspeaking,thoughMr.Qualemeantinintellectualbeauty--andwhetherwewerenotstruckbyhismassiveconfigurationofbrow.Inshort,weheardofagreatmanymissionsofvarioussortsamongthissetofpeople,butnothingrespectingthemwashalfsocleartousasthatitwasMr.Quale'smissiontobeinecstasieswitheverybodyelse'smissionandthatitwasthemostpopularmissionofall.

　　Mr.Jarndycehadfallenintothiscompanyinthetendernessofhisheartandhisearnestdesiretodoallthegoodinhispower;butthathefeltittobetoooftenanunsatisfactorycompany,wherebenevolencetookspasmodicforms,wherecharitywasassumedasaregularuniformbyloudprofessorsandspeculatorsincheapnotoriety,vehementinprofession,restlessandvaininaction,servileinthelastdegreeofmeannesstothegreat,adulatoryofoneanother,andintolerabletothosewhowereanxiousquietlytohelptheweakfromfailingratherthanwithagreatdealofblusterandself-laudationtoraisethemupalittlewaywhentheyweredown,heplainlytoldus.WhenatestimonialwasoriginatedtoMr.

　　QualebyMr.Gusher（whohadalreadygotone,originatedbyMr.

　　Quale）,andwhenMr.Gusherspokeforanhourandahalfonthesubjecttoameeting,includingtwocharityschoolsofsmallboysandgirls,whowerespeciallyremindedofthewidow'smite,andrequestedtocomeforwardwithhalfpenceandbeacceptablesacrifices,Ithinkthewindwasintheeastforthreewholeweeks.

　　ImentionthisbecauseIamcomingtoMr.Skimpoleagain.Itseemedtomethathisoff-handprofessionsofchildishnessandcarelessnesswereagreatrelieftomyguardian,bycontrastwithsuchthings,andwerethemorereadilybelievedinsincetofindoneperfectlyundesigningandcandidmanamongmanyoppositescouldnotfailtogivehimpleasure.IshouldbesorrytoimplythatMr.

　　Skimpoledivinedthisandwaspolitic;Ireallyneverunderstoodhimwellenoughtoknow.Whathewastomyguardian,hecertainlywastotherestoftheworld.

　　Hehadnotbeenverywell;andthus,thoughhelivedinLondon,wehadseennothingofhimuntilnow.Heappearedonemorninginhisusualagreeablewayandasfullofpleasantspiritsasever.

　　Well,hesaid,herehewas!

Hehadbeenbilious,butrichmenwereoftenbilious,andthereforehehadbeenpersuadinghimselfthathewasamanofproperty.Sohewas,inacertainpointofview--inhisexpansiveintentions.Hehadbeenenrichinghismedicalattendantinthemostlavishmanner.Hehadalwaysdoubled,andsometimesquadrupled,hisfees.Hehadsaidtothedoctor,"Now,mydeardoctor,itisquiteadelusiononyourparttosupposethatyouattendmefornothing.Iamoverwhelmingyouwithmoney--inmyexpansiveintentions--ifyouonlyknewit!

"Andreally（hesaid）hemeantittothatdegreethathethoughtitmuchthesameasdoingit.Ifhehadhadthosebitsofmetalorthinpapertowhichmankindattachedsomuchimportancetoputinthedoctor'shand,hewouldhaveputtheminthedoctor'shand.Nothavingthem,hesubstitutedthewillforthedeed.Verywell!

Ifhereallymeantit--ifhiswillweregenuineandreal,whichitwas--itappearedtohimthatitwasthesameascoin,andcancelledtheobligation.

　　"Itmaybe,partly,becauseIknownothingofthevalueofmoney,"saidMr.Skimpole,"butIoftenfeelthis.Itseemssoreasonable!

　　Mybutchersaystomehewantsthatlittlebill.It'sapartofthepleasantunconsciouspoetryoftheman'snaturethathealwayscallsita'little'bill--tomakethepaymentappeareasytobothofus.Ireplytothebutcher,'Mygoodfriend,ifyouknewit,youarepaid.Youhaven'thadthetroubleofcomingtoaskforthelittlebill.Youarepaid.Imeanit.'""But,suppose,"saidmyguardian,laughing,"hehadmeantthemeatinthebill,insteadofprovidingit?

""MydearJarndyce,"hereturned,"yousurpriseme.Youtakethebutcher'sposition.AbutcherIoncedealtwithoccupiedthatveryground.Sayshe,'Sir,whydidyoueatspringlambateighteenpenceapound?

''WhydidIeatspringlambateighteen-penceapound,myhonestfriend?

'saidI,naturallyamazedbythequestion.

　　'Ilikespringlamb!

'Thiswassofarconvincing.'Well,sir,'

　　sayshe,'IwishIhadmeantthelambasyoumeanthemoney!

''Mygoodfellow,'saidI,'prayletusreasonlikeintellectualbeings.

　　Howcouldthatbe?

Itwasimpossible.YouHADgotthelamb,andIhaveNOTgotthemoney.Youcouldn'treallymeanthelambwithoutsendingitin,whereasIcan,anddo,reallymeanthemoneywithoutpayingit!

'Hehadnotaword.Therewasanendofthesubject.""Didhetakenolegalproceedings?

"inquiredmyguardian.

　　"Yes,hetooklegalproceedings,"saidMr.Skimpole."Butinthathewasinfluencedbypassion,notbyreason.PassionremindsmeofBoythorn.Hewritesmethatyouandtheladieshavepromisedhimashortvisitathisbachelor-houseinLincolnshire.""Heisagreatfavouritewithmygirls,"saidMr.Jarndyce,"andIhavepromisedforthem.""Natureforgottoshadehimoff,Ithink,"observedMr.SkimpoletoAdaandme."Alittletooboisterous--likethesea.Alittletoovehement--likeabullwhohasmadeuphismindtoconsidereverycolourscarlet.ButIgrantasledge-hammeringsortofmeritinhim!

"Ishouldhavebeensurprisedifthosetwocouldhavethoughtveryhighlyofoneanother,Mr.BoythornattachingsomuchimportancetomanythingsandMr.Skimpolecaringsolittleforanything.

　　Besideswhich,IhadnoticedMr.BoythornmorethanonceonthepointofbreakingoutintosomestrongopinionwhenMr.Skimpolewasreferredto.OfcourseImerelyjoinedAdainsayingthatwehadbeengreatlypleasedwithhim.

　　"Hehasinvitedme,"saidMr.Skimpole;"andifachildmaytrusthimselfinsuchhands--whichthepresentchildisencouragedtodo,withtheunitedtendernessoftwoangelstoguardhim--Ishallgo.

　　Heproposestofrankmedownandbackagain.Isupposeitwillcostmoney?

Shillingsperhaps?

Orpounds?

Orsomethingofthatsort?

Bytheby,Coavinses.YourememberourfriendCoavinses,MissSummerson?

"Heaskedmeasthesubjectaroseinhismind,inhisgraceful,light-heartedmannerandwithouttheleastembarrassment.

　　"Oh,yes!

"saidI.

　　"CoavinseshasbeenarrestedbytheGreatBailiff,"saidMr.

　　Skimpole."Hewillneverdoviolencetothesunshineanymore."Itquiteshockedmetohearit,forIhadalreadyrecalledwithanythingbutaseriousassociationtheimageofthemansittingonthesofathatnightwipinghishead.

　　"Hissuccessorinformedmeofityesterday,"saidMr.Skimpole.

　　"Hissuccessorisinmyhousenow--inpossession,Ithinkhecallsit.Hecameyesterday,onmyblue-eyeddaughter'sbirthday.Iputittohim,'Thisisunreasonableandinconvenient.Ifyouhadablue-eyeddaughteryouwouldn'tlikeMEtocome,uninvited,onHERbirthday?

'Buthestayed."Mr.Skimpolelaughedatthepleasantabsurdityandlightlytouchedthepianobywhichhewasseated.

　　"Andhetoldme,"hesaid,playinglittlechordswhereIshallputfullstops,"TheCoavinseshadleft.Threechildren.Nomother.

　　AndthatCoavinses'profession.Beingunpopular.TherisingCoavinses.Wereataconsiderabledisadvantage."Mr.Jarndycegotup,rubbinghishead,andbegantowalkabout.

　　Mr.SkimpoleplayedthemelodyofoneofAda'sfavouritesongs.

　　AdaandIbothlookedatMr.Jarndyce,thinkingthatweknewwhatwaspassinginhismind.

　　Afterwalkingandstopping,andseveraltimesleavingoffrubbinghishead,andbeginningagain,myguardianputhishanduponthekeysandstoppedMr.Skimpole'splaying."Idon'tlikethis,Skimpole,"hesaidthoughtfully.

　　Mr.Skimpole,whohadquiteforgottenthesubject,lookedupsurprised.

　　"Themanwasnecessary,"pursuedmyguardian,walkingbackwardandforwardintheveryshortspacebetweenthepianoandtheendoftheroomandrubbinghishairupfromthebackofhisheadasifahigheastwindhadblownitintothatform."Ifwemakesuchmennecessarybyourfaultsandfollies,orbyourwantofworldlyknowledge,orbyourmisfortunes,wemustnotrevengeourselvesuponthem.Ther