狄更斯长篇小说 狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第22章Part 11

狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第22章Part 11  

The Game Chicken
who was quite the Apollo of Mr Toots's Pantheon
had introduced to him a marker who taught billiards
a Life Guard who taught fencing
a jobmaster who taught riding
a Cornish gentleman who was up to anything in the athletic line
and o or three other friends connected no less intimately with the fine arts. Under whose auspices Mr Toots could hardly fail to improve apace
and under whose tuition he went to work.
But however it came about
it came to pass
even while these gentlemen had the gloss of novelty upon them
that Mr Toots felt
he didn't know how
unsettled and uneasy. There were husks in his corn
that even Game Chickens couldn't peck up; gloomy giants in his leisure
that even Game Chickens couldn't knock down. Nothing seemed to do Mr Toots so much good as incessantly leaving cards at Mr Dombey's door. No taxgatherer in the British Dominions - that wide-spread territory on which the sun never sets
and where the tax-gatherer never goes to bed - was more regular and persevering in his calls than Mr Toots.
Mr Toots never went upstairs; and always performed the same ceremonies
richly dressed for the purpose
at the hall door.
'Oh! Good morning!' would be Mr Toots's first remark to the servant. 'For Mr Dombey
' would be Mr Toots's next remark
as he handed in a card. 'For Miss Dombey
' would be his next
as he handed in another.
Mr Toots would then turn round as if to go away; but the man knew him by this time
and knew he wouldn't.
'Oh
I beg your pardon
' Mr Toots would say
as if a thought had suddenly descended on him. 'Is the young woman at home?'
The man would rather think she was;
but wouldn't quite know. Then he would ring a bell that rang upstairs
and would look up the staircase
and would say
yes
she was at home
and was ing down. Then Miss Nipper would appear
and the man would retire.
'Oh! How de do?' Mr Toots would say
with a chuckle and a blush.
Susan would thank him
and say she was very well.
'How's Diogenes going on?' would be Mr Toots's second interrogation.
Very well indeed. Miss Florence was fonder and fonder of him every day. Mr Toots was sure to hail this with a burst of chuckles
like the opening of a bottle of some effervescent beverage.
'Miss Florence is quite well
Sir
' Susan would add.