lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第6节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



metal　hanging　in　his　window；　each　in　a　separate　pane。'



'Brother　Francis；　brother　Francis；'　cried　Thomas　Idle；　'what　more

do　you　see　of　Wigton；　besides　these　objects；　and　the　man　and　the

pump　and　the　trivet　and　the　houses　all　in　mourning　and　the　rain？'



'I　see　nothing　more；'　said　Brother　Francis；　'and　there　is　nothing

more　to　see；　except　the　curlpaper　bill　of　the　theatre；　which　was

opened　and　shut　last　week　（the　manager's　family　played　all　the

parts）；　and　the　short；　square；　chinky　omnibus　that　goes　to　the

railway；　and　leads　too　rattling　a　life　over　the　stones　to　hold

together　long。　　O　yes！　　Now；　I　see　two　men　with　their　hands　in

their　pockets　and　their　backs　towards　me。'



'Brother　Francis；　brother　Francis；'　cried　Thomas　Idle；　'what　do　you

make　out　from　the　turret；　of　the　expression　of　the　two　men　with

their　hands　in　their　pockets　and　their　backs　towards　you？'



'They　are　mysterious　men；'　said　Brother　Francis；　'with　inscrutable

backs。　　They　keep　their　backs　towards　me　with　persistency。　　If　one

turns　an　inch　in　any　direction；　the　other　turns　an　inch　in　the　same

direction；　and　no　more。　　They　turn　very　stiffly；　on　a　very　little

pivot；　in　the　middle　of　the　market…place。　　Their　appearance　is

partly　of　a　mining；　partly　of　a　ploughing；　partly　of　a　stable；

character。　　They　are　looking　at　nothing　…　very　hard。　　Their　backs

are　slouched；　and　their　legs　are　curved　with　much　standing　about。

Their　pockets　are　loose　and　dog's…eared；　on　account　of　their　hands

being　always　in　them。　　They　stand　to　be　rained　upon；　without　any

movement　of　impatience　or　dissatisfaction；　and　they　keep　so　close

together　that　an　elbow　of　each　jostles　an　elbow　of　the　other；　but

they　never　speak。　　They　spit　at　times；　but　speak　not。　　I　see　it

growing　darker　and　darker；　and　still　I　see　them；　sole　visible

population　of　the　place；　standing　to　be　rained　upon　with　their

backs　towards　me；　and　looking　at　nothing　very　hard。'



'Brother　Francis；　brother　Francis；'　cried　Thomas　Idle；　'before　you

draw　down　the　blind　of　the　turret　and　come　in　to　have　your　head

scorched　by　the　hot　gas；　see　if　you　can；　and　impart　to　me；

something　of　the　expression　of　those　two　amazing　men。'



'The　murky　shadows；'　said　Francis　Goodchild；　'are　gathering　fast；

and　the　wings　of　evening；　and　the　wings　of　coal；　are　folding　over

Wigton。　　Still；　they　look　at　nothing　very　hard；　with　their　backs

towards　me。　　Ah！　　Now；　they　turn；　and　I　see　…　'



'Brother　Francis；　brother　Francis；'　cried　Thomas　Idle；　'tell　me

quickly　what　you　see　of　the　two　men　of　Wigton！'



'I　see；'　said　Francis　Goodchild；　'that　they　have　no　expression　at

all。　　And　now　the　town　goes　to　sleep；　undazzled　by　the　large

unlighted　lamp　in　the　market…place；　and　let　no　man　wake　it。'



At　the　close　of　the　next　day's　journey；　Mr。　Thomas　Idle's　ankle

became　much　swollen　and　inflamed。　　There　are　reasons　which　will

presently　explain　themselves　for　not　publicly　indicating　the　exact

direction　in　which　that　journey　lay；　or　the　place　in　which　it

ended。　　It　was　a　long　day's　shaking　of　Thomas　Idle　over　the　rough

roads；　and　a　long　day's　getting　out　and　going　on　before　the　horses；

and　fagging　up　hills；　and　scouring　down　hills；　on　the　part　of　Mr。

Goodchild；　who　in　the　fatigues　of　such　labours　congratulated

himself　on　attaining　a　high　point　of　idleness。　　It　was　at　a　little

town；　still　in　Cumberland；　that　they　halted　for　the　night　…　a　very

little　town；　with　the　purple　and　brown　moor　close　upon　its　one

street；　a　curious　little　ancient　market…cross　set　up　in　the　midst

of　it；　and　the　town　itself　looking　much　as　if　it　were　a　collection

of　great　stones　piled　on　end　by　the　Druids　long　ago；　which　a　few

recluse　people　had　since　hollowed　out　for　habitations。



'Is　there　a　doctor　here？'　asked　Mr。　Goodchild；　on　his　knee；　of　the

motherly　landlady　of　the　little　Inn：　　stopping　in　his　examination

of　Mr。　Idle's　ankle；　with　the　aid　of　a　candle。



'Ey；　my　word！'　said　the　landlady；　glancing　doubtfully　at　the　ankle

for　herself；　'there's　Doctor　Speddie。'



'Is　he　a　good　Doctor？'



'Ey！'　said　the　landlady；　'I　ca'　him　so。　　A'　cooms　efther　nae　doctor

that　I　ken。　　Mair　nor　which；　a's　just　THE　doctor　heer。'



'Do　you　think　he　is　at　home？'



Her　reply　was；　'Gang　awa'；　Jock；　and　bring　him。'



Jock；　a　white…headed　boy；　who；　under　pretence　of　stirring　up　some

bay　salt　in　a　basin　of　water　for　the　laving　of　this　unfortunate

ankle；　had　greatly　enjoyed　himself　for　the　last　ten　minutes　in

splashing　the　carpet；　set　off　promptly。　　A　very　few　minutes　had

elapsed　when　he　showed　the　Doctor　in；　by　tumbling　against　the　door

before　him　and　bursting　it　open　with　his　head。



'Gently；　Jock；　gently；'　said　the　Doctor　as　he　advanced　with　a　quiet

step。　　'Gentlemen；　a　good　evening。　　I　am　sorry　that　my　presence　is

required　here。　　A　slight　accident；　I　hope？　　A　slip　and　a　fall？

Yes；　yes；　yes。　　Carrock；　indeed？　　Hah！　　Does　that　pain　you；　sir？

No　doubt；　it　does。　　It　is　the　great　connecting　ligament　here；　you

see；　that　has　been　badly　strained。　　Time　and　rest；　sir！　　They　are

often　the　recipe　in　greater　cases；'　with　a　slight　sigh；　'and　often

the　recipe　in　small。　　I　can　send　a　lotion　to　relieve　you；　but　we

must　leave　the　cure　to　time　and　rest。'



This　he　said；　holding　Idle's　foot　on　his　knee　between　his　two

hands；　as　he　sat　over　against　him。　　He　had　touched　it　tenderly　and

skilfully　in　explanation　of　what　he　said；　and；　when　his　careful

examination　was　completed；　softly　returned　it　to　its　former

horizontal　position　on　a　chair。



He　spoke　with　a　little　irresolution　whenever　he　began；　but

afterwards　fluently。　　He　was　a　tall；　thin；　large…boned；　old

gentleman；　with　an　appearance　at　first　sight　of　being　hard…

featured；　but；　at　a　second　glance；　the　mild　expression　of　his　face

and　some　particular　touches　of　sweetness　and　patience　about　his

mouth；　corrected　this　impression　and　assigned　his　long　professional

rides；　by　day　and　night；　in　the　bleak　hill…weather；　as　the　true

cause　of　that　appearance。　　He　stooped　very　little；　though　past

seventy　and　very　grey。　　His　dress　was　more　like　that　of　a　clergyman

than　a　country　doctor；　being　a　plain　black　suit；　and　a　plain　white

neck…kerchief　tied　behind　like　a　band。　　His　black　was　the　worse　for

wear；　and　there　were　darns　in　his　coat；　and　his　linen　was　a　little

frayed　at　the　hems　and　edges。　　He　might　have　been　poor　…　it　was

likely　enough　in　that　out…of…the…way　spot　…　or　he　might　have　been　a

little　self…forgetful　and　eccentric。　　Any　one　could　have　seen

directly；　that　he　had　neither　wife　nor　child　at　home。　　He　had　a

scholarly　air　with　him；　and　that　kind　of　considerate　humanity

towards　others　which　claimed　a　gentle　consideration　for　himself。

Mr。　Goodchild　made　this　study　of　him　while　he　was　examining　the

limb；　and　as　he　laid　it　down。　　Mr。　Goodchild　wishes　to　add　that　he

considers　it　a　very　good　likeness。



It　came　out　in　the　course　of　a　little　conversation；　that　Doctor

Speddie　was　acquainted　with　some　friends　of　Thomas　Idle's；　and　had；

when　a　young　man；　passed　some　years　in　Thomas　Idle's　birthplace　on

the　other　side　of　England。　　Certain　idle　labours；　the　fruit　of　Mr。

Goodchild's　apprenticeship；　also　happened　to　be　well　known　to　him。

The　lazy　travellers　were　thus　placed　on　a　more　intimate　footing

with　the　Doctor　than　the　casual　circumstances　of　the　meeting　would

of　themselves　have　established；　and　when　Doctor　Speddie　rose　to　go

home；　remarking　that　he　would　send　his　assistant　with　the　lotion；

Francis　Goodchild　said　that　was　unnecessary；　for；　by　the　Doctor's

leave；　he　would　accompany　him；　and　bring　it　back。　　（Having　done

nothing　to　fatigue　himself　for　a　full　quarter　of　an　hour；　Francis

began　to　fear　that　he　was　not　in　a　state　of　idleness。）



Doctor　Speddie　politely　assented　to　the　proposition　of　Francis

Goodchild；　'as　it　would　give　him　the　pleasure　of　enjoying　a　few

more　minutes　of　Mr。　Goodchild's　society　than　he　could　otherwise

have　hoped　for；'　and　they　went　out　together　into　the　village

street。　　The　rain　had　nearly　ceased；　the　clouds　had　broken　before　a

cool　wind　from　the　north…east；　and　stars　were　shining　from　the

peaceful　heights　beyond　them。



Doctor　Speddie's　house　was　the　last　house　in　the　place。　　Beyond　it；

lay　the　moor；　all　dark　and　lonesome。　　The　wind　moaned　in　a　low；

dull；　shivering　manner　round　the　little　garden；　like　a　houseless

creature　that　knew　the　winter　was　coming。　　It　was　exceedingly　wild

and　solitary。　　'Roses；'　said　the　Doctor；　when　Goodchild　touched

some　wet　leaves　overhanging　the　stone　porch；　'but　they　get　cut　to

pieces。'



The　Doctor　opened　the　door　with　a　key　he　carried；　and　led　the　way

into　a　low　but　pretty　ample　hall　with　rooms　on　either　side。　　The

door　of　one　of　these　stood　open；　and　the　Doctor　entered　it；　with　a

word　of　welcome　to　his　guest。　　It；　too；　was　a　low　room；　half

surgery　and　half　parlour；　with　shelves　of　books　and　bottles　against

the　walls；　which　were　of　a　very　dark　hue。　　There　was　a　fire　in　the

grate；　the　night　be