登陆注册
19790300000083

第83章

MR. PINCH AND M ARTIN, little dreaming of the stormy weather that impended, made themselves very comfortable in the Pecksniffian halls, and improved their friendship daily.

Martin's facility, both of invention and execution, being remarkable, the grammar-school proceeded with great vigour; and Tom repeatedly declared, that if there were anything like certainty in human affairs, or impartiality in human judges, a design so new and full of merit could not fail to carry off the first prize when the time of competition arrived. Without being quite so sanguine himself, Martin had his hopeful anticipations too; and they served to make him brisk and eager at his task.

`If I should turn out a great architect, Tom,' said the new pupil one day, as he stood at a little distance from his drawing, and eyed it with much complacency, `I'll tell you what should be one of the things I'd build.'

`Aye!' cried Tom. `What?'

`Why, your fortune.'

`No!' said Tom Pinch, quite as much delighted as if the thing were done.

`Would you though? How kind of you to say so.'

`I'd build it up, Tom,' returned Martin, `on such a strong foundation, that it should last your life--aye, and your children's lives too, and their children's after them. I'd be your patron, Tom. I'd take you under my protection. Let me see the man who should give the cold shoulder to anybody I chose to protect and patronise, if I were at the top of the tree, Tom!'

`Now, I don't think,' said Mr. Pinch, `upon my word, that I was ever more gratified than by this. I really don't.'

`Oh! I mean what I say,' retorted Martin, with a manner as free and easy in its condescension to, not to say in its compassion for, the other, as if he were already First Architect in ordinary to all the Crowned Heads in Europe. `I'd do it. I'd provide for you.'

`I am afraid,' said Tom, shaking his head, `that I should be a mighty awkward person to provide for.'

`Pooh, pooh!' rejoined Martin. `Never mind that. If I took it in my head to say, "Pinch is a clever fellow; I approve of Pinch;" I should like to know the man who would venture to put himself in opposition to me. Besides, confound it, Tom, you could be useful to me in a hundred ways.'

`If I were not useful in one or two, it shouldn't be for want of trying,' said Tom.

`For instance,' pursued Martin, after a short reflection, `you'd be a capital fellow, now, to see that my ideas were properly carried out; and to overlook the works in their progress before they were sufficiently advanced to be very interesting to me; and to take all that sort of plain sailing. Then you'd be a splendid fellow to show people over my studio, and to talk about Art to 'em, when I couldn't be bored myself, and all that kind of thing. For it would be devilish creditable, Tom (I'm quite in earnest, I give you my word), to have a man of your information about one, instead of some ordinary blockhead. Oh, I'd take care of you.

You'd be useful, rely upon it!'

To say that Tom had no idea of playing first fiddle in any social orchestra, but was always quite satisfied to be set down for the hundred and fiftieth violin in the band, or thereabouts, is to express his modesty in very inadequate terms. He was much delighted, therefore, by these observations.

`I should be married to her then, Tom, of course,' said Martin.

What was that which checked Tom Pinch so suddenly, in the high flow of his gladness: bringing the blood into his honest cheeks, and a remorseful feeling to his honest heart, as if he were unworthy of his friend's regard?

`I should be married to her then,' said Martin, looking with a smile towards the light: `and we should have, I hope, children about us. They'd be very fond of you, Tom.'

But not a word said Mr. Pinch. The words he would have uttered died upon his lips, and found a life more spiritual in self-denying thoughts.

`All the children hereabouts are fond of you, Tom, and mine would be, of course,' pursued Martin. `Perhaps I might name one of 'em after you.

Tom, eh? Well, I don't know. Tom's not a bad name. Thomas Pinch Chuzzlewit.

T. P. C. on his pinafores. No objection to that, I should say?'

Tom cleared his throat, and smiled.

` She would like you, Tom, I know,' said Martin.

`Aye!' cried Tom Pinch, faintly.

`I can tell exactly what she would think of you,' said Martin leaning his chin upon his hand, and looking through the window-glass as if he read there what he said; `I know her so well. She would smile, Tom, often at first when you spoke to her, or when she looked at you--merrily too--but you wouldn't mind that. A brighter smile you never saw.'

`No, no,' said Tom. `I wouldn't mind that.'

`She would be as tender with you, Tom,' said Martin, `as if you were a child yourself. So you are almost, in some things, an't you, Tom?'

Mr. Pinch nodded his entire assent.

`She would always be kind and good-humoured, and glad to see you,' said Martin; `and when she found out exactly what sort of fellow you were (which she'd do very soon), she would pretend to give you little commissions to execute, and to ask little services of you, which she knew you were burning to render; so that when she really pleased you most, she would try to make you think you most pleased her. She would take to you uncommonly, Tom; and would understand you far more delicately than I ever shall; and would often say, I know, that you were a harmless, gentle, well-intentioned, good fellow.'

How silent Tom Pinch was!

`In honour of old time,' said Martin, `and of her having heard you play the organ in this damp little church down here--for nothing too--we will have one in the house. I shall build an architectural music-room on a plan of my own, and it'll look rather knowing in a recess at one end. There you shall play away, Tom, till you tire yourself; and, as you like to do so in the dark, it shall be dark; and many's the summer evening she and I will sit and listen to you, Tom; be sure of that!'

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 交际经商厚灰学

    交际经商厚灰学

    无论是交际还是经商,历来都有已被大家默认的“灰色”地带,在这里,就是“厚灰学”的用武之地。比如,“人脉即财脉”早就是大家认可的真理了,商场上的生意人谁没几个互相帮衬的朋友?有人说“做生意就是做关系”,这其中的关系不只包括与朋友的关系,还包括与顾客、下属,甚至是与对手的关系。只有与更多的人保持和谐,生意才能财源滚滚。除了和气生财,防范之心也不可无,毕竟商场如战场,虽没有硝烟,却是一样的残酷。
  • 步步攻略:一纸误终身

    步步攻略:一纸误终身

    风风火火的去接人,被少爷欺负就算了,吃了豆腐又诋毁的路人甲竟然还是黑老大?少爷忙着充当交际花,忙里偷闲还专门‘需要’她,“吃完要买单!”这边冰山黑老大同样闹开了花,手捧鲜花,上交信用卡,拐弯抹角说要嫁给她……
  • 愿做你的一米阳光

    愿做你的一米阳光

    这是一个小故事,一个关于苏念瑾和林牧城的小故事。那时的恋情,纯洁而青涩。她抬头,他低眉,然后相拥;她转身,他驻首,然后微笑;。相处的点点滴滴,占据了回忆。日出日落,见证了他们的携手。转身,他随时都在,她亦不离不弃。他说:“幸好有你,回忆不被没收”。她说:“幸好有你,让我这么眷恋”。直到这种美好的生活被打破……
  • 人生是长跑

    人生是长跑

    本书通过大量案例总结了中国父母的包办型、控制型抚养方式给孩子带来的不良影响,分析未来国际化竞争社会对孩子的要求,说明国际视野化的教育才能让中国孩子参与国际竞争。从春蚕型父母到春雨型父母,父母的变革迫在眉睫。
  • 尸兄,你好

    尸兄,你好

    宝剑,婚约,千年前的旧人为何滞留古墓千年?书生,执念,徘徊在校园的幽灵何时才能解脱?我一直认为比鬼还要恐怖的是人心。
  • 购物省钱你也行

    购物省钱你也行

    对消费者来说,如何在汹涌而来的市场狂潮中聪明购物,用有限的花费获取尽可能多的收益,成为当下的热门话题。为此,我们精心编著了这本《购物省钱你也行》。《购物省钱你也行》总结了多年来广大消费者在购物消费活动中的经验教训,内容涉及“购物锦囊”、“购物陷阱”、“服饰选鉴”、“食品选鉴”、“家电选鉴”及“其他商品选鉴”等,这些都是广大消费者在日常购物中经常会碰到的问题,也是广大消费者普遍关心欲知究竟的问题。
  • 鸿蒙悟空传

    鸿蒙悟空传

    因果发新书了。《齐天无上》,主角也是孙悟空。创世签约,大纲完整,必定完本,请大家搜因果就可以找到了!
  • 佛说普曜经

    佛说普曜经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 众生阴阳

    众生阴阳

    知北,知北方一切阴。夏,往南方之大光明。爹娘都被抓了,连他的弟弟也下落不明。虽然逃出生天,却阴阳失衡无法修行。但是,当,师父为他而战死,木丫头因他永不成龙,叔父因他背誓而亡。他终于忍住心中的悲痛,承受着内心的苦痛精神分裂了,虽然他仍在伙伴兄弟的前方引领着。但对于那些索取黑棺之谜的人,他一个人格想要杀鸡儆猴,一个想要恩威并施,另一个则嚷嚷着全杀了得了,毕竟欠债还钱和杀人偿命是天经地义的。于是乎,衡量之后,还是杀一半留一半吧。
  • 一念一世界:为人生重拾悠然的心

    一念一世界:为人生重拾悠然的心

    旨在教读者如何在自己的情绪里寻求解脱,如何潇洒地把一切恩怨情仇化作岁月的云烟,于前行里轻松地追逐梦想和信念。只要能坦然面对人生的得失,又何必在乎深浅和长短;计较得太多就成了一种羁绊,迷失得太久便成了一种负担。不必太在意,拥有时珍惜,失去后不说遗憾;过多的在乎会把人生的乐趣减半,看淡了一切也就多了生命的释然——即便我们的人生不能纯美如月,也依然会有一个开阔的精神家园。