按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
moment； all but sitting on the table； and yet lazily bending over
her； as if he acknowledged an attraction in her that made her
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 158…
Hard Times 158
charming—in her way。
“Banks； I know； are always suspicious； and officially must be；”
said the stranger； whose lightness and smoothness of speech were
pleasant likewise； suggesting matter far more sensible and
humorous than it ever contained—which was perhaps a shrewd
device of the founder of this numerous sect； whosoever may have
been that great man； “therefore I may observe that my letter—
here it is—is from the member for this place—Gradgrind—whom I
have had the pleasure of knowing in London。”
Mrs Sparsit recognised the hand； intimated that such
confirmation was quite unnecessary； and gave Mr Bounderby’s
address； with all needful clues and directions in aid。
“Thousand thanks；” said the stranger。 “Of course you know the
Banker well？”
“Yes； sir；” rejoined Mrs Sparsit。 “In my dependent relation
towards him； I have known him ten years。”
“Quite an eternity！ I think he married Gradgrind’s daughter？”
“Yes；” said Mrs Sparsit； suddenly compressing her mouth。 “He
had that—honour。”
“The lady is quite a philosopher； I am told？”
“Indeed； sir；” said Mrs Sparsit。 “Is she？”
“Excuse my impertinent curiosity；” pursued the stranger；
fluttering over Mrs Sparsit’s eyebrows； with a propitiatory air；
“but you know the family； and know the world。 I am about to know
the family； and may have much to do with them。 Is the lady so very
alarming？ Her father gives her such a portentously hard…headed
reputation； that I have a burning desire to know。 Is she absolutely
unapproachable？ Repellently and stunningly clever？ I see； by
your meaning smile； you think not。 You have poured balm into my
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 159…
Hard Times 159
anxious soul。 As to age； now。 Forty！ Five and thirty？”
Mrs Sparsit laughed outright。 “A chit；” said she。 “Not twenty
when she was married。”
“I give you my honour； Mrs Powler；” returned the stranger；
detaching himself from the table； “that I never was so astonished
in my life！”
It really did seem to impress him； to the utmost extent of his
capacity of being impressed。 He looked at his informant for full a
quarter of a minute； and appeared to have the surprise in his mind
all the time。 “I assure you； Mrs Powler；” he then said； much
exhausted； “that the father’s manner prepared me for a grim and
stony maturity。 I am obliged to you； of all things； for correcting so
absurd a mistake。 Pray excuse my intrusion Many thanks。 Good
day！”
He bowed himself out； and Mrs Sparsit； hiding in the window…
curtain； saw him languishing down the street on the shady side of
the way； observed of all the town。
“What do you think of the gentleman； Bitzer？” she asked the
light porter； when he came to take away。
“Spends a deal of money on his dress； ma’am。”
“It must be admitted；” said Mrs Sparsit； “that it’s very tasteful”。
“Yes； ma’am；” returned Bitzer； “if that’s worth the money。”
“Besides which； ma’am；” resumed Bitzer； while he was
polishing the table； “he looks to me as if he gamed。”
“It’s immoral to game；” said Mrs Sparsit。
“It’s ridiculous； ma’am；” said Bitzer； “because the chances are
against the players。”
Whether it was that the heat prevented Mrs Sparsit from
working； or whether it was that her hand was out； she did not
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 160…
Hard Times 160
work that night。 She sat at the window； when the sun began to
sink behind the smoke； she sat there； when the smoke was
burning red； when the colour faded from it； when darkness
seemed to rise slowly out of the ground； and creep upward；
upward； up to the house…tops； up the church steeple； up to the
summits of the factory chimneys； up to the sky。 Without a candle
in the room； Mrs Sparsit sat at the window； with her hands before
her； not thinking much of the sounds of evening： the whooping of
boys； the barking of dogs； the rumbling of wheels； the steps and
voices of passengers； the shrill street cries； the clogs upon the
pavement when it was their hour for going by； the shutting…up of
shop…shutters。 Not until the light porter announced that her
nocturnal sweetbread was ready； did Mrs Sparsit arouse herself
from her reverie； and convey her dense black eyebrows—by that
time creased with meditation； as if they needed ironing out—
upstairs。
“O； you Fool！” said Mrs Sparsit； when she was alone at her
supper。 Whom she meant； she did not say； but she could scarcely
have meant the sweetbread。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 161…
Hard Times 161
Chapter 2
Mr James Harthouse
he Gradgrind party wanted assistance in cutting the
throats of the Graces。 They went about recruiting； and
T
where could they enlist recruits more hopefully； than
among the fine gentlemen who； having found out everything to be
worth nothing； were equally ready for anything？
Moreover； the healthy spirits who had mounted to this sublime
height were attractive to many of the Gradgrind school。 They liked
fine gentlemen； they pretended that they did not； but they did。
They became exhausted in imitation of them； and they yaw…yawed
in their speech like them； and they served out； with an enervated
air； the little mouldy rations of political economy； on which they
regaled their disciples。 There never before was seen on earth such
a wonderful hybrid race as was thus produced。
Among the fine gentlemen not regularly belonging to the
Gradgrind school； there was one of a good family and a better
appearance； with a happy turn of humour which had told
immensely with the House of Commons on the occasion of his
entertaining it with his （and the Board of Directors’） view of a
railway accident； in which the most careful officers ever known；
employed by the most liberal managers ever heard of； assisted by
the finest mechanical contrivances ever devised； the whole in
action on the best line ever constructed； had killed five people and
wounded thirty…two； by a casualty without which the excellence of
the whole system would have been positively incomplete。 Among
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 162…
Hard Times 162
the slain was a cow； and among the scattered articles unowned； a
widow’s cap。 And the honourable member had so tickled the
House （which has a delicate sense of humour） by putting the cap
on the cow； that it became impatient of any serious reference to
the Coroner’s Inquest； and brought the railway off with Cheers
and Laughter。
Now； this gentleman had a younger brother of still better
appearance than himself； who had tried life as a Cornet of
Dragoons； and found it a bore； and had afterwards tried it in the
train of an English minister abroad； and found it a bore； and had
then strolled to Jerusalem； and got bored there； and had then
gone yachtin