狄更斯的小说特点 狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第23章Part 10

狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第23章Part 10  

Rob replied in the affirmative
and turning to a greasy parchment book on the shop desk
read the address aloud.
Florence again turned to her maid and took counsel with her in a low voice
while Rob the round-eyed
mindful of his patron's secret charge
looked on and listened. Florence proposed that they kould go to Captain Cuttle's house; hear from his own lips
what he thought of the absence of any tidings ofthe Son and Heir; and bring him
if they could
to fort Uncle Sol. Susan at first objected slightly
on the score of distance; but a hackney-coach being mentioned by her mistress
withdrew that opposition
and gave in her assent. There were some minutes of discussion beeen them before they came to this conclusion
during which the staring Rob paid close attention to both speakers
and inclined his ear to each by turns
as if he were appointed arbitrator of the argument.
In time
Rob was despatched for a coach
the visitors keeping shop meanwhile; and when he brought it
they got into it
leaving word for Uncle Sol that they would be sure to call again
on their way back. Rob having stared after the coach until it was as invisible as the pigeons had now bee
sat down behind the desk with a most assiduous demeanour; and in order that he might fet nothing of what had transpired
made notes of it on various small scraps of paper
with a vast expenditure of ink. There was no danger of these documents betraying anything
if accidentally lost; for long before a word was dry
it became as profound a mystery to Rob
as if he had had no part whatever in its production.
While he was yet busy with these labours
the hackney-coach
after encountering unheard-of difficulties from swivel-bridges
soft roads
impassable canals
caravans of casks
settlements of scarlet-beans and little wash-houses
and many such obstacles abounding in that country
stopped at the corner of Brig Place. Alighting here
Florence and Susan Nipper walked down the street
and sought out the abode of Captain Cuttle.
It happened by evil chance to be one of Mrs MacStinger's great cleaning days. On these occasions
Mrs MacStinger was knocked up by the policeman at a quarter before three in the morning
and rarely such before elve o'clock next night. The chief object of this institution appeared to be
that Mrs MacStinger should move all the furniture into the back garden at early dawn
walk about the house in pattens all day
and move the furniture back again after dark. These ceremonies greatly fluttered those doves the young MacStingers
who were not only unable at such times to find any resting-place for the soles of their feet
but generally came in for a good deal of pecking from the maternal bird during the progress of the solemnities.
At the moment when Florence and Susan Nipper presented themselves at Mrs MacStinger's door
that worthy but redoubtable female was in the act of conveying Alexander MacStinger
aged o years and three months
along the passage
for forcible deposition in a sitting posture on the street pavement: Alexander being black in the face with holding his breath after punishment
and a cool paving-stone being usually found to act as a powerful restorative in such cases.
The feelings of Mrs MacStinger
as a woman and a mother
were outraged by the look of pity for Alexander which she observed on Florence's face. Therefore
Mrs MacStinger asserting those finest emotions of our nature
in preference to weakly gratifying her curiosity
shook and buffeted Alexander both before and during the application of the paving-stone
and took no further notice of the strangers.
'I beg your pardon
Ma'am
' said Florence
when the child had found his breath again
and was using it. 'Is this Captain Cuttle's house?'
'No
' said Mrs MacStinger.