狄更斯的小说特点 狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第31章Part 2

狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第31章Part 2  

The pastry-cook is hard at work in the funereal room in Brook Street
and the very tall young men are busy looking on. One of the very tall young men already smells of sherry
and his eyes have a tendency to bee fixed in his head
and to stare at objects without seeing them. The very tall young man is conscious of this failing in himself; and informs his rade that it's his 'exciseman.' The very tall young man would say excitement
but his speech is hazy.
The men who play the bells have got scent of the marriage; and the marrow-bones and cleavers too; and a brass band too. The first
are practising in a back settlement near Battlebridge; the second
put themselves in munication
through their chief
with Mr Towlinson
to whom they offer terms to be bought off; and the third
in the person of an artful trombone
lurks and dodges round the corner
waiting for some traitor tradesman to reveal the place and hour of breakfast
for a bribe. Expectation and excitement extend further yet
and take a wider range. From Balls Pond
Mr Perch brings Mrs Perch to spend the day with Mr Dombey's servants
and acpany them
surreptitiously
to see the wedding. In Mr Toots's lodgings
Mr Toots attires himself as if he were at least the Bridegroom; determined to behold the spectacle in splendour from a secret corner of the gallery
and thither to convey the Chicken: for it is Mr Toots's desperate intent to point out Florence to the Chicken
then and there
and openly to say
'Now
Chicken
I will not deceive you any longer; the friend I have sometimes mentioned to you is myself; Miss Dombey is the object of my passion; what are your opinions
Chicken
in this state of things
and what
on the spot
do you advise? The so-much-to-be-astonished Chicken
in the meanwhile
dips his beak into a tankard of strong beer
in Mr Toots's kitchen
and pecks up o pounds of beefsteaks. In Princess's Place
Miss Tox is up and doing; for she too
though in sore distress
is resolved to put a shilling in the hands of Mrs Miff
and see the ceremony which has a cruel fascination for her
from some lonely corner. The quarters of the wooden Midshipman are all alive; for Captain Cuttle
in his ankle-jacks and with a huge shirt-collar
is seated at his breakfast
listening to Rob the Grinder as he reads the marriage service to him beforehand
under orders
to the end that the Captain may perfectly understand the solemnity he is about to witness: for which purpose
the Captain gravely lays injunctions on his chaplain
from time to time
to 'put about
' or to 'overhaul that 'ere article again
' or to stick to his own duty
and leave the Amens to him
the Captain; one of which he repeats
whenever a pause is made by Rob the Grinder
with sonorous satisfaction.
Besides all this
and much more
enty nursery-maids in Mr Dombey's street alone
have promised enty families of little women
whose instinctive interest in nuptials dates from their cradles
that they shall go and see the marriage. Truly
Mr Sownds the Beadle has good reason to feel himself in office
as he suns his portly figure on the church steps
waiting for the marriage hour. Truly
Mrs Miff has cause to pounce on an unlucky dwarf child
with a giant baby
who peeps in at the porch
and drive her forth with indignation!
Cousin Feenix has e over from abroad
expressly to attend the marriage. Cousin Feenix was a man about town
forty years ago; but he is still so juvenile in figure and in manner
and so well got up
that strangers are amazed when they discover latent wrinkles in his lordship's face
and crows' feet in his eyes: and first observe him
not exactly certain when he walks across a room
of going quite straight to where he wants to go. But Cousin Feenix
getting up at half-past seven o'clock or so
is quite another thing from Cousin Feenix got up; and very dim
indeed
he looks
while being shaved at Long's Hotel
in Bond Street.
Mr Dombey leaves his dressing-room
amidst a general whisking away of the women on the staircase
who disperse in all directions
with a great rustling of skirts
except Mrs Perch
who
being (but that she always is) in an interesting situation
is not nimble
and is obliged to face him
and is ready to sink with confusion as she curtesys; - may Heaven avert all evil consequences from the house of Perch! Mr Dombey walks up to the drawing-room
to bide his time. Geous are Mr Dombey's new blue coat
fawn-coloured pantaloons
and lilac waistcoat; and a whisper goes about the house
that Mr Dombey's hair is curled.
A double knock announces the arrival of the Major
who is geous too
and wears a whole geranium in his button-hole
and has his hair curled tight and crisp
as well the Native knows.
'Dombey!' says the Major
putting out both hands
'how are you?'