狄更斯的小说特点 狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第24章Part 1

狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第24章Part 1  

Sir Bar and Lady Skettles
very good people
resided in a pretty villa at Fulham
on the banks of the Thames; which was one of the most desirable residences in the world when a rowing-match happened to be going past
but had its little inconveniences at other times
among which may be enumerated the occasional appearance of the river in the drawing-room
and the contemporaneous disappearance of the lawn and shrubbery.
Sir Bar Skettles expressed his personal consequence chiefly through an antique gold snuffbox
and a ponderous silk pocket-kerchief
which he had an imposing manner of drawing out of his pocket like a banner and using with both hands at once. Sir Bar's object in life was constantly to extend the range of his acquaintance. Like a heavy body dropped into water - not to disparage so worthy a gentleman by the parison - it was in the nature of things that Sir Bar must spread an ever widening circle about him
until there was no room left. Or
like a sound in air
the vibration of which
according to the speculation of an ingenious modern philosopher
may go on travelling for ever through the interminable fields of space
nothing but ing to the end of his moral tether could stop Sir Bar Skettles in his voyage of discovery through the social system.
Sir Bar was proud of making people acquainted with people. He liked the thing for its own sake
and it advanced his favourite object too. For example
if Sir Bar had the good fortune to get hold of a law recruit
or a country gentleman
and ensnared him to his hospitable villa
Sir Bar would say to him
on the morning after his arrival
'Now
my dear Sir
is there anybody you would like to know? Who is there you would wish to meet? Do you take any interest in writing people
or in painting or sculpturing people
or in acting people
or in anything of that sort?' Possibly the patient answered yes
and mentioned somebody
of whom Sir Bar had no more personal knowledge than of Ptolemy the Great. Sir Bar replied
that nothing on earth was easier
as he knew him very well: immediately called on the aforesaid somebody
left his card
wrote a short note
- 'My dear Sir - penalty of your eminent position - friend at my house naturally desirous - Lady Skettles and myself participate - trust that geniusbeing superior to ceremonies
you will do us the distinguished favour of giving us the pleasure
' etc
etc. - and so killed a brace of birds with one stone
dead as door-nails.
With the snuff-box and banner in full force
Sir Bar Skettles propounded his usual inquiry to Florence on the first morning of her visit. When Florence thanked him
and said there was no one in particular whom she desired to see
it was natural she should think with a pang
of poor lost Walter. When Sir Bar Skettles
urging his kind offer
said
'My dear Miss Dombey
are you sure you can remember no one whom your good Papa - to whom I beg you present the best pliments of myself and Lady Skettles when you write - might wish you to know?' it was natural
perhaps
that her poor head should droop a little
and that her voice should tremble as it softly answered in the negative.
Skettles Junior
much stiffened as to his cravat
and sobered down as to his spirits' was at home for the holidays
and appeared to feel himself aggrieved by the solicitude of his excellent mother that he should be attentive to Florence. Another and a deeper injury under which the soul of young Bar chafed
was the pany of Dr and Mrs Blimber
who had been invited on a visit to the paternal roof-tree
and of whom the young gentleman often said he would have preferred their passing the vacation at Jericho.
'Is there anybody you can suggest now
Doctor Blimber?' said Sir Bar Skettles
turning to that gentleman.