condensed novels(压缩小说)-第14节
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proclaiming their lovers。 Stay。 I see a Jewess about to leap from a
battlement。 I see knightly deeds； violence； rapine； and a good deal of blood。
I've seen pretty much the same at Astley's。〃
〃Look again。〃
〃I see purple moors； glens； masculine women； bare…legged men；
priggish book…worms； more violence； physical excellence； and blood。
Always blood；and the superiority of physical attainments。〃
〃And how do you feel now？〃 said the Goblin。
The Haunted Man shrugged his shoulders。 〃None the better for being
carried back and asked to sympathize with a barbarous age。〃
The Goblin smiled and clutched his arm； they again sped rapidly
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through the black night and again halted。
〃What do you see？〃 said the Goblin。
〃I see a barrack room； with a mess table； and a group of intoxicated
Celtic officers telling funny stories； and giving challenges to duel。 I see a
young Irish gentleman capable of performing prodigies of valor。 I learn
incidentally that the acme of all heroism is the cornetcy of a dragoon
regiment。 I hear a good deal of French！ No； thank you；〃 said the Haunted
Man hurriedly； as he stayed the waving hand of the Goblin； 〃I would
rather NOT go to the Peninsula； and don't care to have a private interview
with Napoleon。〃
Again the Goblin flew away with the unfortunate man； and from a
strange roaring below them he judged they were above the ocean。 A ship
hove in sight； and the Goblin stayed its flight。 〃Look；〃 he said； squeezing
his companion's arm。
The Haunted Man yawned。 〃Don't you think； Charles； you're rather
running this thing into the ground？ Of course it's very moral and
instructive； and all that。 But ain't there a little too much pantomime about
it？ Come now！〃
〃Look！〃 repeated the Goblin； pinching his arm malevolently。 The
Haunted Man groaned。
〃O； of course； I see her Majesty's ship Arethusa。 Of course I am
familiar with her stern First Lieutenant； her eccentric Captain； her one
fascinating and several mischievous midshipmen。 Of course I know it's a
splendid thing to see all this； and not to be seasick。 O； there the young
gentlemen are going to play a trick on the purser。 For God's sake； let us
go；〃 and the unhappy man absolutely dragged the Goblin away with him。
When they next halted； it was at the edge of a broad and boundless
prairie； in the middle of an oak opening。
〃I see；〃 said the Haunted Man； without waiting for his cue； but
mechanically； and as if he were repeating a lesson which the Goblin had
taught him；〃I see the Noble Savage。 He is very fine to look at！ But I
observe under his war…paint； feathers； and picturesque blanket； dirt；
disease； and an unsymmetrical contour。 I observe beneath his inflated
rhetoric deceit and hypocrisy； beneath his physical hardihood； cruelty；
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malice； and revenge。 The Noble Savage is a humbug。 I remarked the same
to Mr。 Catlin。〃
〃Come；〃 said the phantom。
The Haunted Man sighed； and took out his watch。 〃Couldn't we do the
rest of this another time？〃
〃My hour is almost spent； irreverent being； but there is yet a chance
for your reformation。 Come！〃
Again they sped through the night； and again halted。 The sound of
delicious but melancholy music fell upon their ears。
〃I see；〃 said the Haunted Man； with something of interest in his
manner；〃I see an old moss…covered manse beside a sluggish； flowing
river。 I see weird shapes： witches； Puritans； clergymen； little children；
judges； mesmerized maidens； moving to the sound of melody that thrills
me with its sweetness and purity。 But； although carried along its calm and
evenly flowing current； the shapes are strange and frightful： an eating
lichen gnaws at the heart of each。 Not only the clergymen； but witch；
maiden； judge； and Puritan； all wear Scarlet Letters of some kind burned
upon their hearts。 I am fascinated and thrilled； but I feel a morbid
sensitiveness creeping over me。 II beg your pardon。〃 The Goblin was
yawning frightfully。 〃Well； perhaps we had better go。〃
〃One more； and the last；〃 said the Goblin。
They were moving home。 Streaks of red were beginning to appear in
the eastern sky。 Along the banks of the blackly flowing river by moorland
and stagnant fens； by low houses； clustering close to the water's edge； like
strange mollusks； crawled upon the beach to dry； by misty black barges；
the more misty and indistinct seen through its mysterious veil； the river
fog was slowly rising。 So rolled away and rose from the heart of the
Haunted Man； etc。； etc。
They stopped before a quaint mansion of red brick。 The Goblin waved
his hand without speaking。
〃I see；〃 said the Haunted Man； 〃a gay drawing…room。 I see my old
friends of the club； of the college； of society； even as they lived and moved。
I see the gallant and unselfish men； whom I have loved； and the snobs
whom I have hated。 I see strangely mingling with them； and now and then
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blending with their forms； our old friends Dick Steele； Addison； and
Congreve。 I observe； though； that these gentlemen have a habit of getting
too much in the way。 The royal standard of Queen Anne； not in itself a
beautiful ornament； is rather too prominent in the picture。 The long
galleries of black oak； the formal furniture； the old portraits； are
picturesque； but depressing。 The house is damp。 I enjoy myself better here
on the lawn； where they are getting up a Vanity Fair。 See； the bell rings；
the curtain is rising； the puppets are brought out for a new play。 Let me
see。〃
The Haunted Man was pressing forward in his eagerness； but the hand
of the Goblin stayed him； and pointing to his feet he saw； between him and
the rising curtain； a new…made grave。 And bending above the grave in
passionate grief； the Haunted Man beheld the phantom of the previous
night。
* * * * *
The Haunted Man started； andwoke。 The bright sunshine streamed
into the room。 The air was sparkling with frost。 He ran joyously to the
window and opened it。 A small boy saluted him with 〃Merry Christmas。〃
The Haunted Man instantly gave him a Bank of England note。 〃How much
like Tiny Tim； Tom； and Bobby that boy looked； bless my soul； what a
genius this Dickens has！〃
A knock at the door； and Boots entered。
〃Consider your salary doubled instantly。 Have you read David
Copperfield？〃
〃Yezzur。〃
〃Your salary is quadrupled。 What do you think of the Old Curiosity
Shop？〃
The man instantly burst into a torrent of tears； and then into a roar of
laughter。
〃Enough！ Here are five thousand pounds。 Open a porter…house； and
call it； 'Our Mutual Friend。' Huzza！ I feel so happy！〃 And the haunted Man
danced about the room。
And so； bathed in the light of that blessed sun； and yet glowing with
the warmth of a good action； the Haunted Man； haunted no longer； save by
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those shapes which make the dreams of children beautiful； reseated
himself in his chair； and finished Our Mutual Friend。
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MISS MIX。
BY CHLTTE BRNTE。
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CHAPTER I。
My earliest impressions are of a huge； misshapen rock； against which
