登陆注册
19790300000207

第207章

Mr. Pecksniff durst not issue from his place of concealment; for through the windows of the church he saw Tom passing on among the graves, and sometimes stopping at a stone, and leaning there as if he were a mourner who had lost a friend. Even when he had left the churchyard, Mr. Pecksniff still remained shut up: not being at all secure but that in his restless state of mind Tom might come wandering back. At length he issued forth, and walked with a pleasant countenance into the vestry; where he knew there was a window near the ground, by which he could release himself by merely stepping out.

He was in a curious frame of mind, Mr. Pecksniff: being in no hurry to go, but rather inclining to a dilatory trifling with the time, which prompted him to open the vestry cupboard, and look at himself in the parson's little glass that hung within the door. Seeing that his hair was rumpled, he took the liberty of borrowing the canonical brush and arranging it.

He also took the liberty of opening another cupboard; but he shut it up again quickly, being rather startled by the sight of a black and a white surplice dangling against the wall; which had very much the appearance of two curates who had committed suicide by hanging themselves. Remembering that he had seen in the first cupboard a port-wine bottle and some biscuits he peeped into it again, and helped himself with much deliberation: cogitating all the time though, in a very deep and weighty manner, as if his thoughts were otherwise employed.

He soon made up his mind, if it had ever been in doubt; and putting back the bottle and biscuits, opened the casement. He got out into the churchyard without any difficulty; shut the window after him; and walked straight home.

`Is Mr. Pinch in-doors?' asked Mr. Pecksniff of his serving-maid.

`Just come in, sir.'

`Just come in, eh?' repeated Mr. Pecksniff, cheerfully. `And gone up-stairs, I suppose?'

`Yes sir. Gone up-stairs. Shall I call him, sir?'

`No,' said Mr. Pecksniff, `no. You needn't call him, Jane. Thank you, Jane. How are your relations, Jane?'

`Pretty well, I thank you, sir.'

`I am glad to hear it. Let them know I asked about them, Jane. Is Mr. Chuzzlewit in the way, Jane?'

`Yes, sir. He's in the parlour, reading.'

`He's in the parlour, reading, is he, Jane?' said Mr. Pecksniff. `Very well. Then I think I'll go and see him, Jane.' never had Mr. Pecksniff been beheld in a more pleasant humour!

But when he walked into the parlour where the old man was engaged as Jane had said; with pen and ink and paper on a table close at hand (for Mr. Pecksniff was always very particular to have him well supplied with writing materials); he became less cheerful. He was not angry, he was not vindictive, he was not cross, he was not moody, but he was grieved: he was sorely grieved. As he sat down by the old man's side, two tears: not tears like those with which recording angels blot their entries out, but drops so precious that they use them for their ink: stole down his meritorious cheeks.

`What is the matter?' asked old Martin. `Pecksniff, what ails you, man?'

`I am sorry to interrupt you, my dear sir, and I am still more sorry for the cause. My good, my worthy friend, I am deceived.'

`You are deceived!'

`Ah!' cried Mr. Pecksniff, in an agony, `deceived in the tenderest point.

Cruelly deceived in that quarter, sir, in which I placed the most unbounded confidence. Deceived, Mr. Chuzzlewit, by Thomas Pinch.'

`Oh! bad, bad, bad!' said Martin, laying down his book. `Very bad! I hope not. Are you certain?'

`Certain, my good sir! My eyes and ears are witnesses. I wouldn't have believed it otherwise. I wouldn't have believed it, Mr. Chuzzlewit, if a Fiery Serpent had proclaimed it from the top of Salisbury Cathedral.

I would have said,' cried Mr. Pecksniff, `that the Serpent lied. Such was my faith in Thomas Pinch, that I would have cast the falsehood back into the Serpent s teeth, and would have taken Thomas to my heart. But I am not a Serpent, sir, myself, I grieve to say, and no excuse or hope is left me.'

Martin was greatly disturbed to see him so much agitated, and to hear such unexpected news. He begged him to compose himself, and asked upon what subject Mr. Pinch's treachery had been developed.

`That is almost the worst of all, sir,' Mr. Pecksniff answered. `on a subject nearly concerning you. Oh! is it not enough,' said Mr. Pecksniff, looking upward, `that these blows must fall on me, but must they also hit my friends!'

`You alarm me,' cried the old man, changing colour. `I am not so strong as I was. You terrify me, Pecksniff!'

`Cheer up, my noble sir,' said Mr. Pecksniff, taking courage, `and we will do what is required of us. You shall know all, sir, and shall be righted.

But first excuse me, sir, excuse me. I have a duty to discharge, which I owe to society.'

He rang the bell, and Jane appeared. `Send Mr. Pinch here, if you please, Jane.'

Tom came. Constrained and altered in his manner, downcast and dejected, visibly confused; not liking to look Pecksniff in the face.

The honest man bestowed a glance on Mr. Chuzzlewit, as who should say `You see!' and addressed himself to Tom in these terms:

`Mr. Pinch, I have left the vestry-window unfastened. Will you do me the favour to go and secure it; then bring the keys of the sacred edifice to me!'

`The vestry-window, sir?' cried Tom.

`You understand me, Mr. Pinch, I think,' returned his patron. `Yes, Mr. Pinch, the vestry-window. I grieve to say that sleeping in the church after a fatiguing ramble, I overheard just now some fragments,' he emphasised that word, `of a dialogue between two parties; and one of them locking the church when he went out, I was obliged to leave it myself by the vestry-window.

Do me the favour to secure that vestry-window, Mr. Pinch, and then come back to me.'

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 血龙之手术争雄

    血龙之手术争雄

    遥远纪元中一条血龙腾空而起“我龙飞必然再登巅峰,时空军团,如我不死,必灭汝等”,伴随着血龙最后一次嘶吼,它庞大的身躯轰然爆裂,带走了十几个身穿白色登月服的战士......“孩儿,对不起了,为父不得不这么做,以后的路你要自己走了,原谅我,我去找你的母亲了.....”
  • 黑暗血荒纪

    黑暗血荒纪

    当荒古裂缝撕裂时空的平衡,黑暗降临世间。人类步入新纪元。是毁灭还是新生?一个波澜壮阔的新纪元,一个危险和机遇并存的世界,一个无数强者涌现的时代。带着后世界十年记忆重生的唐天重新踏上征途。手执死神镰刀,问苍天,谁主浮沉?
  • 冰山公主的浪漫爱情

    冰山公主的浪漫爱情

    她,冷夕月,从小在孤儿院长大。她受尽了凌辱,受尽了唾弃与折磨,成为了让人闻风丧胆的杀手女王。她满怀仇恨,恨着杀害她父母的人,恨着侮辱她的人,变得无比冷血。直到,在校园里遇上了他们,阳光温柔的大哥哥上官玄毅,冰冷拽酷的冰山王子叶明皓。从此,她变得不再冰冷,从一天说不了10个字的冰山公主,变成了多愁善感的美少女。可是,她面临着最重要的选择时,她会选择谁?是他还是他?(梦:简介真心好难写,我词穷啦啊啊啊)
  • 重生之腹黑闲妻

    重生之腹黑闲妻

    一场充满利益的联姻,让她默默沉寂了十年。一次精心的布局,让她误以为是转机。当转机却是杀机,她又该何去何从。千刀万剐之痛,她成为相处十年老公泄恨的工具。当海水侵蚀着她的灵魂,身躯被大海淹没,她终于明白,一切都是因为她自己的懦弱。当以新的身份重生,她绝不在任人欺凌。无论我曾经是谁,今生我龙紫玥只为自己而活,重活一世,双手注定沾满血腥。她杀伐果断,杀人诛心,让人生畏。昔日的豪门千金,如今世人眼中的恶魔,她的苦楚,唯有她自己知道。(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • 武极兵锋

    武极兵锋

    他一心归隐都市,却不想麻烦不断,且柳贤如何搅动风云,成就无上霸业。这是一个男人的故事,也是一个热血的故事,更是一个至尊强者的故事。一切尽在武极兵锋的世界!
  • 重生之灵女倾城

    重生之灵女倾城

    上一世,云倾城因《丹典》被觊觎失去了生命和至亲之人。重获新生,她发誓一定要守护好自己珍惜的人,神挡屠神,佛挡杀佛。直到遇到那个男人,她才真正明白什么叫做情不知所起,一往而深……
  • 玄蛇

    玄蛇

    一样的白蛇和青蛇,不一样的白蛇故事。当传说不仅仅是传说,今天的事故就是后人的故事。从小学的是是仁义礼智信,长大后都变成生旦净末丑。两个中考失意的中学生来到雷峰塔下,他们想干啥?
  • 吞天战神

    吞天战神

    少年秦逸资质平庸,屡被欺辱,更面临被宗派驱逐的境地,然而一只神之左手意外融进他的体内,帮他脱胎换骨,修炼晋级再无障碍!没有功法?神手轻松窃取整栋藏经阁!没有丹药?我自己来炼制绝品神丹!从卑微宗门子弟到绝世吞天战神,秦逸强势崛起,一手吞天灭地!
  • 无敌大民工

    无敌大民工

    有人的地方就有江湖,平凡屌丝青年凌飞一次意外邂逅白富美,拜师高人获得《乾蓝心经》,且看我们的单身穷屌丝如何纵横都市,快意情仇于江湖。
  • 霸道总裁强追明星妻

    霸道总裁强追明星妻

    七年前!因跟父亲争吵离家出走的她也许得到了幸运女神的眷顾遇见了一生中重要的他们!霸道冷酷的太子爷。温柔体贴的守护者。花花公子骑士。阳光中偶尔带点邪恶的暖男。他们穿梭在爱恨情仇纠葛中,爱让他们执着,谁也不愿看透与放手。经历坎坷原以为有了结局,却抵不过命运跟他们开的巨大玩一场阴谋,一次痛彻心扉的离别,换来的是缘分赐予他们重新开始的起点七年后!她褪去当年的稚嫩,是聚灯光下千万人爱慕的奥斯卡影后。带着可爱宝宝华丽归来…同样他也褪去那身桀骜不驯,成熟稳重坐拥东南亚福布斯首位首富。再次相遇!他带着仇恨,埋怨折磨她。当真相浮出后!她会选择相濡以沫伴她七年的他…还是那个伤她最深,她念了想了深深埋藏了七年的他…