Mr Dombey goes upon a Journey
'Mr Dombey, Sir,' said Major Bagstock, 'Joee' B. is not in general a man of sentiment, for Joseph is tough. But Joe has his feelings, Sir, and when they are awakened - Damme, Mr Dombey,? cried the Major with sudden ferocity, 'this is weakness, and I won't submit to it)'
Major Bagstock delivered himself of these expressions on receiving Mr Dombey as his guest at the head of his own staircase in Princess's Place. Mr Dombey had come to breakfast with the Major, previous to their setting forth on their trip; and the ill-starved Native had already undergone a world of misery arising out of the muffins, while, in connexion with the general question of boiled eggs, life was a burden to him.
'It is not for an old soldier of the Bagstock breed,' observed the Major, relapsing into a mild state, 'to deliver himself up, a prey to his own emotions; but - damme, Sir,' cried the Major, in another spasm of ferocity, 'I condole with you!'
The Major's purple visage deepened in its hue, and the Major's lobster eyes stood out in bolder relief, as he shook Mr Dombey by the hand, imparting to that peaceful action as defiant a character as if it had been the prelude to his immediately boxing Mr Dombey for a thousand pounds a side and the championship of England. With a rotatory motion of his head, and a wheeze very like the cough of a horse, the Major then conducted his visitor to the sitting-room, and there welcomed him (having now composed his feelings) with the freedom and frankness ofa travelling companion.
'Dombey,' said the Major, 'I'm glad to see you. I'm proud to see you. There are not many men in Europe to whom J. Bagstock would say that - for Josh is blunt. Sir: it's his nature - but Joey B. is proud to see you, Dombey.'
'Major,' returned Mr Dombey, 'you are very obliging.'
'No, Sir,' said the Major, 'Devil a bit! That's not my character. If that had been Joe's character, Joe might have been, by this time, Lieutenant-General Sir Joseph Bagstock, K.C.B., and might have received you in very different quarters. You don't know old Joe yet, I find. But this occasion, being special, is a source of pride to me. By the Lord, Sir,' said the Major resolutely, 'it's an honour to me!'
Mr Dombey, in his estimation of himself and his money, felt that this was very true, and therefore did not dispute the point. But the instinctive recognition of such a truth by the Major, and his plain avowal of it, were very able. It was a confirmation to Mr Dombey, if he had required any, of his not being mistaken in the Major. It was an assurance to him that his power extended beyond his own immediate sphere; and that the Major, as an officer and a gentleman, had a no less becoming sense of it, than the beadle of the Royal Exchange.
And if it were ever consolatory to know this, or the like of this, it was consolatory then, when the impotence of his will, the instability of his hopes, the feebleness of wealth, had been so direfully impressed upon him. What could it do, his boy had asked him. Sometimes, thinking of the baby question, he could hardly forbear inquiring, himself, what could it do indeed: what had it done?
But these were lonely thoughts, bred late at night in the sullen despondency and gloom of his retirement, and pride easily found its reassurance in many testimonies to the truth, as unimpeachable and precious as the Major's. Mr Dombey, in his friendlessness, inclined to the Major. It cannot be said that he warmed towards him, but he thawed a little, The Major had had some part - and not too much - in the days by the seaside. He was a man of the world, and knew some great people. He talked much, and told stories; and Mr Dombey was disposed to regard him as a choice spirit who shone in society, and who had not that poisonous ingredient of poverty with which choice spirits in general are too much adulterated. His station was undeniable. Altogether the Major was a creditable companion, well accustomed to a life of leisure, and to such places as that they were about to visit, and having an air of gentlemanly ease about him that mixed well enough with his own City character, and did not compete with it at all. If Mr Dombey had any lingering idea that the Major, as a man accustomed, in the way of his calling, to make light of the ruthless hand that had lately crushed his hopes, might unconsciously impart some useful philosophy to him, and scare away his weak regrets, he hid it from himself, and left it lying at the bottom of his pride, unexamined.
'Where is my scoundrel?' said the Major, looking wrathfully round the room.
The Native, who had no particular name, but answered to any vituperative epithet, presented himself instantly at the door and ventured to come no nearer.
'You villain!' said the choleric Major, 'where's the breakfast?'
The dark servant disappeared in search of it, and was quickly heard reascending the stairs in such a tremulous state, that the plates and dishes on the tray he carried, trembling sympathetically as he came, rattled again, all the way up.
'Dombey,' said the Major, glancing at the Native as he arranged the table, and encouraging him with an awful shake of his fist when he upset a spoon, 'here is a devilled grill, a savoury pie, a dish of kidneys, and so forth. Pray sit down. Old Joe can give you nothing but camp fare, you see.
'Very excellent fare, Major,' replied his guest; and not in mere politeness either; for the Major always took the best possible care of himself, and indeed ate rather more of rich meats than was good for him, insomuch that his Imperial complexion was mainly referred by the faculty to that circumstance.
'You have been looking over the way, Sir,' observed the Major. 'Have you seen our friend?'
'You mean Miss Tox,' retorted Mr Dombey. 'No.'
'Charming woman, Sir,' said the Major, with a fat laugh rising in his short throat, and nearly suffocating him.
'Miss Tox is a very good sort of person, I believe,' replied Mr Dombey.
The haughty coldness of the reply seemed to afford Major Bagstock infinite delight. He swelled and swelled, exceedingly: and even laid down his knife and fork for a moment, to rub his hands.
'Old Joe, Sir,' said the Major, 'was a bit ofa favourite in that quarter once. But Joe has had his day. J. Bagstock is extinguished - outrivalled - floored, Sir.'
'I should have supposed,' Mr Dombey replied, 'that the lady's day for favourites was over: but perhaps you are jesting, Major.'
'Perhaps you are jesting, Dombey?' was the Major's rejoinder.
There never was a more unlikely possiblity. It was so clearly expressed in Mr Dombey's face, that the Major apologised.
'I beg your pardon,' he said. 'I see you are in earnest. I tell you what, Dombey.' The Major paused in his eating, and looked mysteriously indignant. 'That's a de-vilish ambitious woman, Sir.'
Mr Dombey said 'Indeed?' with frigid indifference: mingled perhaps with some contemptuous incredulity as to Miss Tox having the presumption to harbour such a superior quality.
'That woman, Sir,' said the Major, 'is, in her way, a Lucifer. Joey B. has had his day, Sir, but he keeps his eyes. He sees, does Joe. His Royal Highness the late Duke of York observed of Joey, at a levee, that he saw.'
The Major accompanied this with such a look, and, between eating, drinking, hot tea, devilled grill, muffins, and meaning, was altogether so swollen and inflamed about the head, that even Mr Dombey showed some anxiety for him.
'That ridiculous old spectacle, Sir,' pursued the Major, 'aspires. She aspires sky-high, Sir. Matrimonially, Dombey.'
'I am sorry for her,' said Mr Dombey.
'Don't say that, Dombey,' returned the Major in a warning voice.
'Why should I not, Major?' said Mr Dombey.
The Major gave no answer but the horse's cough, and went on eating vigorously.
'She has taken an interest in your household,' said the Major, stopping short again, 'and has been a frequent visitor at your house for some time now.'
'Yes,' replied Mr Dombey with great stateliness, 'Miss Tox was originally received there, at the time of Mrs Dombey's death, as a friend of my sister's; and being a well-behaved person, and showing a liking for the poor infant, she was permitted - may I say encouraged - to repeat her visits with my sister, and gradually to occupy a kind of footing of familiarity in the family. I have,' said Mr Dombey, in the tone of a man who was making a great and valuable concession, 'I have a respect for Miss Tox. She his been so obliging as to render many little services in my house: trifling and insignificant services perhaps, Major, but not to be disparaged on that account: and I hope I have had the good fortune to be enabled to acknowledge them by such attention and notice as it has been in my power to bestow. I hold myself indebted to Miss Tox, Major,' added Mr Dombey, with a slight wave of his hand, 'for the pleasure of your acquaintance.'
'Dombey,' said the Major, warmly: 'no! No, Sir! Joseph Bagstock can never permit that assertion to pass uncontradicted. Your knowledge of old Joe, Sir, such as he is, and old Joe's knowledge of you, Sir, had its origin in a noble fellow, Sir - in a great creature, Sir. Dombey!' said the Major, with a struggle which it was not very difficult to parade, his whole life being a struggle against all kinds of apoplectic symptoms, 'we knew each other through your boy.'
Mr Dombey seemed touched, as it is not improbable the Major designed he should be, by this allusion. He looked down and sighed: and the Major, rousing himself fiercely, again said, in reference to the state of mind into which he felt himself in danger of falling, that this was weakness, and nothing should induce him to submit to it.
'Our friend had a remote connexion with that event,' said the Major, 'and all the credit that belongs to her, J. B. is willing to give her, Sir. Notwithstanding which, Ma'am,' he added, raising his eyes from his plate, and casting them across Princess's Place, to where Miss Tox was at that moment visible at her window watering her flowers, 'you're a scheming jade, Ma'am, and your ambition is a piece of monstrous impudence. If it only made yourself ridiculous, Ma'am,' said the Major, rolling his head at the unconscious Miss Tox, while his starting eyes appeared to make a leap towards her, 'you might do that to your heart's content, Ma'am, without any objection, I assure you, on the part of Bagstock.' Here the Major laughed frightfully up in the tips of his ears and in the veins of his head. 'But when, Ma'am,' said the Major, 'you compromise other people, and generous, unsuspicious people too, as a repayment for their condescension, you stir the blood of old Joe in his body.'
'Major,' said Mr Dombey, reddening, 'I hope you do not hint at anything so absurd on the part of Miss Tox as - '
'Dombey,' returned the Major, 'I hint at nothing. But Joey B. has lived in the world, Sir: lived in the world with his eyes open, Sir, and his ears cocked: and Joe tells you, Dombey, that there's a devilish artful and ambitious woman over the way.'
Mr Dombey involuntarily glanced over the way; and an angry glance he sent in that direction, too.
'That's all on such a subject that shall pass the lips of Joseph Bagstock,' said the Major firmly. 'Joe is not a tale-bearer, but there are times when he must speak, when he will speak! - confound your arts, Ma'am,' cried the Major, again apostrophising his fair neighbour, with great ire, - 'when the provocation is too strong to admit of his remaining silent.'
The emotion of this outbreak threw the Major into a paroxysm of horse's coughs, which held him for a long time. On recovering he added:
'And now, Dombey, as you have invited Joe - old Joe, who has no other merit, Sir, but that he is tough and hearty - to be your guest and guide at Leamington, command him in any way you please, and he is wholly yours. I don't know, Sir,' said the Major, wagging his double chin with a jocose air, 'what it is you people see in Joe to make you hold him in such great request, all of you; but this I know, Sir, that if he wasn't pretty tough, and obstinate in his refusals, you'd kill him among you with your invitations and so forth, in double-quick time.'
Mr Dombey, in a few words, expressed his sense of the preference he received over those other distinguished members of society who were clamouring for the possession of Major Bagstock. But the Major cut him short by giving him to understand that he followed his own inclinations, and that they had risen up in a body and said with one accord, 'J. B., Dombey is the man for you to choose as a friend.'
The Major being by this time in a state of repletion, with essence of savoury pie oozing out at the corners of his eyes, and devilled grill and kidneys tightening his cravat: and the time moreover approaching for the departure of the railway train to Birmingham, by which they were to leave town: the Native got him into his great-coat with immense difficulty, and buttoned him up until his face looked staring and gasping, over the top of that garment, as if he were in a barrel. The Native then handed him separately, and with a decent interval between each supply, his washleather gloves, his thick stick, and his hat; which latter article the Major wore with a rakish air on one side of his head, by way of toning down his remarkable visage. The Native had previously packed, in all possible and impossible parts of Mr Dombey's chariot, which was in waiting, an unusual quantity of carpet-bags and small portmanteaus, no less apoplectic in appearance than the Major himself: and having filled his own pockets with Seltzer water, East India sherry, sandwiches, shawls, telescopes, maps, and newspapers, any or all of which light baggage the Major might require at any instant of the journey, he announced that everything was ready. To complete the equipment of this unfortunate foreigner (currently believed to be a prince in his own country), when he took his seat in the rumble by the side of Mr Towlinson, a pile of the Major's cloaks and great-coats was hurled upon him by the landlord, who aimed at him from the pavement with those great missiles like a Titan, and so covered him up, that he proceeded, in a living tomb, to the railroad station.
But before the carriage moved away, and while the Native was in the act of sepulture, Miss Tox appearing at her window, waved a lilywhite handkerchief. Mr Dombey received this parting salutation very coldly - very coldly even for him - and honouring her with the slightest possible inclination of his head, leaned back in the carriage with a very discontented look. His marked behaviour seemed to afford the Major (who was all politeness in his recognition of Miss Tox) unbounded satisfaction; and he sat for a long time afterwards, leering, and choking, like an over-fed Mephistopheles.
During the bustle of preparation at the railway, Mr Dombey and the Major walked up and down the platform side by side; the former taciturn and gloomy, and the latter entertaining him, or entertaining himself, with a variety of anecdotes and reminiscences, in most of which Joe Bagstock was the principal performer. Neither of the two observed that in the course of these walks, they attracted the attention of a working man who was standing near the engine, and who touched his hat every time they passed; for Mr Dombey habitually looked over the vulgar herd, not at them; and the Major was looking, at the time, into the core of one of his stories. At length, however, this man stepped before them as they turned round, and pulling his hat off, and keeping it off, ducked his head to Mr Dombey.
'Beg your pardon, Sir,' said the man, 'but I hope you're a doin' pretty well, Sir.'
He was dressed in a canvas suit abundantly besmeared with coal-dust and oil, and had cinders in his whiskers, and a smell of half-slaked ashes all over him. He was not a bad-looking fellow, nor even what could be fairly called a dirty-looking fellow, in spite of this; and, in short, he was Mr Toodle, professionally clothed.
'I shall have the honour of stokin' of you down, Sir,' said Mr Toodle. 'Beg your pardon, Sir. - I hope you find yourself a coming round?'
Mr Dombey looked at him, in return for his tone of interest, as if a man like that would make his very eyesight dirty.
''Scuse the liberty, Sir,' said Toodle, seeing he was not clearly remembered, 'but my wife Polly, as was called Richards in your family - '
A change in Mr Dombey's face, which seemed to express recollection of him, and so it did, but it expressed in a much stronger degree an angry sense of humiliation, stopped Mr Toodle short.
'Your wife wants money, I suppose,' said Mr Dombey, putting his hand in his pocket, and speaking (but that he always did) haughtily.
'No thank'ee, Sir,' returned Toodle, 'I can't say she does. I don't.'
Mr Dombey was stopped short now in his turn: and awkwardly: with his hand in his pocket.
'No, Sir,' said Toodle, turning his oilskin cap round and round; 'we're a doin' pretty well, Sir; we haven't no cause to complain in the worldly way, Sir. We've had four more since then, Sir, but we rubs on.'
Mr Dombey would have rubbed on to his own carriage, though in so doing he had rubbed the stoker underneath the wheels; but his attention was arrested by something in connexion with the cap still going slowly round and round in the man's hand.
'We lost one babby,' observed Toodle, 'there's no denyin'.'
'Lately,' added Mr Dombey, looking at the cap.
'No, Sir, up'ard of three years ago, but all the rest is hearty. And in the matter o readin', Sir,' said Toodle, ducking again, as if to remind Mr Dombey of what had passed between them on that subject long ago, 'them boys o' mine, they learned me, among 'em, arter all. They've made a wery tolerable scholar of me, Sir, them boys.'
'Come, Major!' said Mr Dombey.
'Beg your pardon, Sir,' resumed Toodle, taking a step before them and deferentially stopping them again, still cap in hand: 'I wouldn't have troubled you with such a pint except as a way of gettin' in the name of my son Biler - christened Robin - him as you was so good as to make a Charitable Grinder on.'
'Well, man,' said Mr Dombey in his severest manner. 'What about him?'
'Why, Sir,' returned Toodle, shaking his head with a face of great anxiety and distress, 'I'm forced to say, Sir, that he's gone wrong.
'He has gone wrong, has he?' said Mr Dombey, with a hard kind of satisfaction.
'He has fell into bad company, you see, genelmen,' pursued the father, looking wistfully at both, and evidently taking the Major into the conversation with the hope of having his sympathy. 'He has got into bad ways. God send he may come to again, genelmen, but he's on the wrong track now! You could hardly be off hearing of it somehow, Sir,' said Toodle, again addressing Mr Dombey individually; 'and it's better I should out and say my boy's gone rather wrong. Polly's dreadful down about it, genelmen,' said Toodle with the same dejected look, and another appeal to the Major.
'A son of this man's whom I caused to be educated, Major,' said Mr Dombey, giving him his arm. 'The usual return!'
'Take advice from plain old Joe, and never educate that sort of people, Sir,' returned the Major. 'Damme, Sir, it never does! It always fails!'
The simple father was beginning to submit that he hoped his son, the quondam Grinder, huffed and cuffed, and flogged and badged, and taught, as parrots are, by a brute jobbed into his place of schoolmaster with as much fitness for it as a hound, might not have been educated on quite a right plan in some undiscovered respect, when Mr Dombey angrily repeating 'The usual return!' led the Major away. And the Major being heavy to hoist into Mr Dombey's carriage, elevated in mid-air, and having to stop and swear that he would flay the Native alive, and break every bone in his skin, and visit other physical torments upon him, every time he couldn't get his foot on the step, and fell back on that dark exile, had barely time before they started to repeat hoarsely that it would never do: that it always failed: and that if he were to educate 'his own vagabond,' he would certainly be hanged.
Mr Dombey assented bitterly; but there was something more in his bitterness, and in his moody way of falling back in the carriage, and looking with knitted brows at the changing objects without, than the failure of that noble educational system administered by the Grinders' Company. He had seen upon the man's rough cap a piece of new crape, and he had assured himself, from his manner and his answers, that he wore it for his son.
So) from high to low, at home or abroad, from Florence in his great house to the coarse churl who was feeding the fire then smoking before them, everyone set up some claim or other to a share in his dead boy, and was a bidder against him! Could he ever forget how that woman had wept over his pillow, and called him her own child! or how he, waking from his sleep, had asked for her, and had raised himself in his bed and brightened when she carne in!
To think of this presumptuous raker among coals and ashes going on before there, with his sign of mourning! To think that he dared to enter, even by a common show like that, into the trial and disappointrnent of a proud gentleman's secret heart! To think that this lost child, who was to have divided with him his riches, and his projects, and his power, and allied with whom he was to have shut out all the world as with a double door of gold, should have let in such a herd to insult him with their knowledge of his defeated hopes, and their boasts of claiming community of feeling with himself, so far removed: if not of having crept into the place wherein he would have lorded it, alone!
He found no pleasure or relief in the journey. Tortured by these thoughts he carried monotony with him, through the rushing landscape, and hurried headlong, not through a rich and varied country, but a wilderness of blighted plans and gnawing jealousies. The very speed at which the train was whirled along, mocked the swift course of the young life that had been borne away so steadily and so inexorably to its foredoomed end. The power that forced itself upon its iron way - its own - defiant of all paths and roads, piercing through the heart of every obstacle, and dragging living creatures of all classes, ages, and degrees behind it, was a type of the triumphant monster, Death.
Away, with a shriek, and a roar, and a rattle, from the town, burrowmg among the dwellings of men and making the streets hum, flashing out into the meadows for a moment, mining in through the damp earth, booming on in darkness and heavy air, bursting out again into the sunny day so bright and wide; away, with a shriek, and a roar, and a rattle, through the fields, through the woods, through the corn, through the hay, through the chalk, through the mould, through the clay, through the rock, among objects close at hand and almost in the grasp, ever flying from the traveller, and a deceitful distance ever moving slowly within him: like as in the track of the remorseless monster, Death!
Through the hollow, on the height, by the heath, by the orchard, by the park, by the garden, over the canal, across the river, where the sheep are feeding, where the mill is going, where the barge is floating, where the dead are lying, where the factory is smoking, where the stream is running, where the village clusters, where the great cathedral rises, where the bleak moor lies, and the wild breeze smooths or ruffles it at its inconstant will; away, with a shriek, and a roar, and a rattle, and no trace to leave behind but dust and vapour: like as in the track of the remorseless monster, Death!
Breasting the wind and light, the shower and sunshine, away, and still away, it rolls and roars, fierce and rapid, smooth and certain, and great works and massive bridges crossing up above, fall like a beam of shadow an inch broad, upon the eye, and then are lost. Away, and still away, onward and onward ever: glimpses of cottage-homes, of houses, mansions, rich estates, of husbandry and handicraft, of people, of old roads and paths that look deserted, small, and insignificant as they are left behind: and so they do, and what else is there but such glimpses, in the track of the indomitable monster, Death!
Away, with a shriek, and a roar, and a rattle, plunging down into the earth again, and working on in such a storm of energy and perseverance, that amidst the darkness and whirlwind the motion seems reversed, and to tend furiously backward, until a ray of light upon the Wet wall shows its surface flying past like a fierce stream, Away once more into the day, and through the day, with a shrill yell of exultation, roaring, rattling, tearing on, spurning everything with its dark breath, sometimes pausing for a minute where a crowd of faces are, that in a minute more are not; sometimes lapping water greedily, and before the spout at which it drinks' has ceased to drip upon the ground, shrieking, roaring, rattling through the purple distance!
Louder and louder yet, it shrieks and cries as it comes tearing on resistless to the goal: and now its way, still like the way of Death, is strewn with ashes thickly. Everything around is blackened. There are dark pools of water, muddy lanes, and miserable habitations far below. There are jagged walls and falling houses close at hand, and through the battered roofs and broken windows, wretched rooms are seen, where 'want and fever hide themselves in many wretched shapes, while smoke and crowded gables, and distorted chimneys, and deformity of brick and mortar penning up deformity of mind and body, choke the murky distance. As Mr Dombey looks out of his carriage window, it is never in his thoughts that the monster who has brought him there has let the light of day in on these things: not made or caused them. It was the journey's fitting end, and might have been the end of everything; it was so ruinous and dreary.'
So, pursuing the one course of thought, he had the one relentless monster still before him. All things looked black, and cold, and deadly upon him, and he on them. He found a likeness to his misfortune everywhere. There was a remorseless triumph going on about him, and it galled and stung him in his pride and jealousy, whatever form it took: though most of all when it divided with him the love and memory of his lost boy.
There was a face - he had looked upon it, on the previous night, and it on him with eyes that read his soul, though they were dim with tears, and hidden soon behind two quivering hands - that often had attended him in fancy, on this ride. He had seen it, with the expression of last night, timidly pleading to him. It was not reproachful, but there was something of doubt, almost of hopeful incredulity in it, which, as he once more saw that fade away into a desolate certainty of his dislike, was like reproach. It was a trouble to him to think of this face of Florence.
Because he felt any new compunction towards it? No. Because the feeling it awakened in him - of which he had had some old foreshadowing in older times - was full-formed now, and spoke out plainly, moving him too much, and threatening to grow too strong for his composure. Because the face was abroad, in the expression of defeat and persecution that seemed to encircle him like the air. Because it barbed the arrow of that cruel and remorseless enemy on which his thoughts so ran, and put into its grasp a double-handed sword. Because he knew full well, in his own breast, as he stood there, tinging the scene of transition before him with the morbid colours of his own mind, and making it a ruin and a picture of decay, instead of hopeful change, and promise of better things, that life had quite as much to do with his complainings as death. One child was gone, and one child left. Why was the object of his hope removed instead of her?
The sweet, calm, gentle presence in his fancy, moved him to no reflection but that. She had been unwelcome to him from the first; she was an aggravation of his bitterness now. If his son had been his only child, and the same blow had fallen on him, it would have been heavy to bear; but infinitely lighter than now, when it might have fallen on her (whom he could have lost, or he believed it, without a pang), and had not. Her loving and innocent face rising before him, had no softening or winning influence. He rejected the angel, and took up with the tormenting spirit crouching in his bosom. Her patience, goodness, youth, devotion, love, were as so many atoms in the ashes upon which he set his heel. He saw her image in the blight and blackness all around him, not irradiating but deepening the gloom. More than once upon this journey, and now again as he stood pondering at this journey's end, tracing figures in the dust with his stick, the thought came into his mind, what was there he could interpose between himself and it?
The Major, who had been blowing and panting all the way down, like another engine, and whose eye had often wandered from his newspaper to leer at the prospect, as if there were a procession of discomfited Miss Toxes pouring out in the smoke of the train, and flying away over the fields to hide themselves in any place of refuge, aroused his friends by informing him that the post-horses were harnessed and the carriage ready.
'Dombey,' said the Major, rapping him on the arm with his cane, 'don't be thoughtful. It's a bad habit, Old Joe, Sir, wouldn't be as tough as you see him, if he had ever encouraged it. You are too great a man, Dombey, to be thoughtful. In your position, Sir, you're far above that kind of thing.'
The Major even in his friendly remonstrrnces, thus consulting the dignity and honour of Mr Dombey, and showing a lively sense of their importance, Mr Dombey felt more than ever disposed to defer to a gentleman possessing so much good sense and such a well-regulated mind; acoordingly he made an effort to listen to the Major's stories, as they trotted along the turnpike road; and the Major, finding both the pace and the road a great deal better adapted to his conversational powers than the mode of travelling they had just relinquished, came out of his entertainment,
But still the Major, blunt and tough as he was, and as he so very often said he was, administered some palatable catering to his companion's appetite. He related, or rather suffered it to escape him, accidentally, and as one might say, grudgingly and against his will, how there was great curiosity and excitement at the club, in regard of his friend Dombey. How he was suffocated with questions, Sir. How old Joe Bagstock was a greater man than ever, there, on the strength of Dombey. How they said, 'Bagstock, your friend Dombey now, what is the view he takes of such and such a question? Though, by the Rood, Sir,' said the Major, with a broad stare, 'how they discovered that J. B. ever came to know you, is a mystery!'
In this flow of spirits and conversation, only interrupted by his usual plethoric symptoms, and by intervals of lunch, and from time to time by some violent assault upon the Native, who wore a pair of ear-rings in his dark-brown ears, and on whom his European clothes sat with an outlandish impossibility of adjustment - being, of their own accord, and without any reference to the tailor's art, long where they ought to be short, short where they ought to be long, tight where they ought to be loose, and loose where they ought to be tight - and to which he imparted a new grace, whenever the Major attacked him, by shrinking into them like a shrivelled nut, or a cold monkey - in this flow of spirits and conversation, the Major continued all day: so that when evening came on, and found them trotting through the green and leafy road near Leamington, the Major's voice, what with talking and eating and chuckling and choking, appeared to be in the box under the rumble, or in some neighbouring hay-stack. Nor did the Major improve it at the Royal Hotel, where rooms and dinner had been ordered, and where he so oppressed his organs of speech by eating and drinking, that when he retired to bed he had no voice at all, except to cough with, and could only make himself intelligible to the dark servant by gasping at him.
He not only rose next morning, however, like a giant refreshed, but conducted himself, at breakfast like a giant refreshing. At this meal they arranged their daily habits. The Major was to take the responsibility of ordering evrything to eat and drink; and they were to have a late breakfast together every morning, and a late dinner together every day. Mr Dombey would prefer remaining in his own room, or walking in the country by himself, on that first day of their sojourn at Leamington; but next morning he would be happy to accompany the Major to the Pump-room, and about the town. So they parted until dinner-time. Mr Dombey retired to nurse his wholesome thoughts in his own way. The Major, attended by the Native carrying a camp-stool, a great-coat, and an umbrella, swaggered up and down through all the public places: looking into subscription books to find out who was there, looking up old ladies by whom he was much admired, reporting J. B. tougher than ever, and puffing his rich friend Dombey wherever he went. There never was a man who stood by a friend more staunchly than the Major, when in puffing him, he puffed himself.
It was surprising how much new conversation the Major had to let off at dinner-time, and what occasion he gave Mr Dombey to admire his social qualities. At breakfast next morning, he knew the contents of the latest newspapers received; and mentioned several subjects in connexion with them, on which his opinion had recently been sought by persons of such power and might, that they were only to be obscurely hinted at. Mr Dombey, who had been so long shut up within himself, and who had rarely, at any time, overstepped the enchanted circle within which the operations of Dombey and Son were conducted, began to think this an improvement on his solitary life; and in place of excusing himself for another day, as he had thought of doing when alone, walked out with the Major arm-in-arm.
“董貝先生，”白格斯托克少校說(shuō)道，“喬?！ぐ滓话銇?lái)說(shuō)并不是一個(gè)多愁善感的人，因?yàn)榧s瑟夫是堅(jiān)強(qiáng)的。但是喬是有感情的，先生，當(dāng)這些感情·真·的被喚醒的時(shí)候——他媽的，董貝先生，”少校突然兇猛地喊道，“這是個(gè)弱點(diǎn)，我不打算向它屈服！”
白格斯托克少校是在公主廣場(chǎng)他自己的樓梯頂上迎接客人董貝先生時(shí)說(shuō)這些話的。在他們出發(fā)旅行之前，董貝先生前來(lái)跟少校一道吃早餐；薄命倒霉的本地人由于做的松餅不合主人的口味，已經(jīng)受盡種種折磨，至于煮雞蛋引起的問(wèn)題，生活對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)真是個(gè)沉重的負(fù)擔(dān)。
“白格斯托克家族的一個(gè)老兵不應(yīng)當(dāng)束手無(wú)策地聽(tīng)?wèi){他成為自己感情的犧牲品，”少校態(tài)度溫和下來(lái)，說(shuō)道，“可是——他媽的，先生，”少校突然又兇猛起來(lái)，喊道，“我向您表示哀悼！”
當(dāng)少校和董貝先生握手的時(shí)候，他的青紫色的臉孔的顏色加深了，他的龍蝦眼睛更加突出地鼓了出來(lái)，因此在那和平的動(dòng)作中加上了一層挑釁的色彩，仿佛這是一個(gè)序幕，接下去，他立即就要為一千鎊賭金和英國(guó)的錦標(biāo)與董貝先生進(jìn)行拳擊比賽似的。然后，少校一邊轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)著頭，徐馬咳嗽一般地喘著氣，一邊把客人領(lǐng)到起居室（這時(shí)他的情緒已鎮(zhèn)靜下來(lái)了），以一個(gè)旅伴無(wú)拘無(wú)束、坦率真誠(chéng)的態(tài)度歡迎他。
“董貝，”少校說(shuō)道，“我見(jiàn)到您很高興。我見(jiàn)到您感到自豪。在歐洲，喬·白格斯托克能對(duì)他們說(shuō)這種話的人是不多的——因?yàn)閱滔Ｊ莻€(gè)直腸直肚，不會(huì)虛情假意的人。先生，他生性就是這樣——但喬埃·白見(jiàn)到您感到自豪，董貝。”
“少校，”董貝先生說(shuō)道“您很謙和有禮?！?BR> “不，先生，”少校說(shuō)，“絕對(duì)不是！那不是我的性格。如果那是喬的性格，那么喬現(xiàn)在可能已經(jīng)是陸軍中將約瑟夫·白格斯托克爵士，（巴士高級(jí)勛位爵士），可能已經(jīng)在大不相同的公館里接待您了。看來(lái)您還不了解老喬。但是這次非同尋常的機(jī)會(huì)是我自豪的源泉。真的，先生，”少校堅(jiān)決地說(shuō)道，“這是我的光榮！”
董貝先生根據(jù)他對(duì)他本人和對(duì)他的金錢的評(píng)價(jià)，覺(jué)得這話說(shuō)得千真萬(wàn)確，因此沒(méi)有辯駁。但是少校本能地認(rèn)識(shí)這個(gè)真理并爽直地作出這個(gè)聲明，這是令人愉快的。對(duì)于董貝先生來(lái)說(shuō)，它證實(shí)了（如果他需要證實(shí)的話）他對(duì)少校的看法沒(méi)有錯(cuò)。它使他相信：他的權(quán)勢(shì)已擴(kuò)展到他直接管轄的業(yè)務(wù)范圍之外。少校這位軍官和紳士對(duì)他權(quán)勢(shì)的正確認(rèn)識(shí)與倫敦交易所的差役相比絲毫不差。
如果說(shuō)，知道這個(gè)情況或類似的情況過(guò)去一直是他的一種安慰的話，那么現(xiàn)在，當(dāng)他的意志無(wú)能為力，他的希望動(dòng)搖不穩(wěn)，他的財(cái)富軟弱無(wú)能的印象多么悲慘地銘刻在他的心頭的時(shí)候，知道這個(gè)情況更是他的一種安慰。財(cái)富能做什么？——他的男孩子曾經(jīng)這樣問(wèn)過(guò)他。他有時(shí)想到這孩子的問(wèn)題時(shí)也禁不住問(wèn)他自己，它真能做什么？它做到了什么呢？
這些都是他在深夜與世隔絕之情況下愁眉不展、意氣消沉、黯然憂傷時(shí)所產(chǎn)生的隱秘的思想，但是高傲很容易從這個(gè)真理的許多證明中重新使他產(chǎn)生信心，這些證明就跟少校的證明一樣不容懷疑，一樣寶貴可愛(ài)。董貝先生在沒(méi)有朋友的情況下對(duì)少校產(chǎn)生了好感。不能說(shuō)他對(duì)他滿腔熱情，而只能說(shuō)他稍稍解了點(diǎn)凍。在海濱的那些日子里，少校曾經(jīng)起過(guò)一些作用（不很大）。他是個(gè)上層社會(huì)里的人物，認(rèn)識(shí)一些重要人物。他健談，愛(ài)講趣聞?shì)W事；董貝先生喜歡把他看成是在社會(huì)上拋頭露面的才士名流，但卻沒(méi)有才士名流通常摻雜得過(guò)多的有害的寒酸氣。他的地位是不可否認(rèn)的?？偟恼f(shuō)來(lái)，少校是個(gè)可以稱許的旅伴；他對(duì)閑暇安逸的生活十分習(xí)慣，對(duì)他們即將前往游覽的名勝也十分熟悉。在他身上流露出一種上流人士悠閑自在的氣派，它和董貝先生本人忙忙碌碌的城市風(fēng)格搭配得不錯(cuò)，又根本不和它競(jìng)爭(zhēng)高低。如果董貝先生心中出現(xiàn)過(guò)這樣的念頭，那只殘酷無(wú)情的手最近曾經(jīng)摧毀了他的希望，而少校出于他的天職，習(xí)慣于把這類事情看得滿不在乎，因此他可能在無(wú)意間向他灌輸一些有用的哲學(xué)，驅(qū)除他淡弱的哀惜；——如果董貝先生心中出現(xiàn)過(guò)這樣的念頭的話，那么他是把它掩藏起來(lái)了，連他自己也不清楚，并不加考察地讓自己的高傲把它壓在最底層。
“我的無(wú)賴在哪里？”少校怒氣沖沖地環(huán)視著房間，說(shuō)道。
本地人沒(méi)有固定的名字，不論用什么辱罵的綽號(hào)呼喚他，他都應(yīng)聲回答；這時(shí)他立即出現(xiàn)在門口，不敢再向前走近。
“你這壞蛋！”肝火旺盛的少校說(shuō)道，“早餐在哪里？”
膚色黝黑的仆人離開去取早餐，不一會(huì)兒就聽(tīng)到他戰(zhàn)戰(zhàn)兢兢地重新上樓；托盤里的盤子和碟子都同情地震顫著，一路上卡嗒卡嗒地響著。
“董貝，”少校說(shuō)，一邊向正在餐桌上擺放食品的本地人看了一眼；當(dāng)他掉落一只匙子的時(shí)候，少校就威嚇地?fù)]揮拳頭，以示鼓勵(lì)?！斑@是辣子烤肉，這是咸餡餅，這是一碟腰子，還有其他等等。請(qǐng)坐下吧。您看，老喬沒(méi)什么招待您，只能請(qǐng)您吃行軍的伙食啦！”
“飯菜好極了，少校，”客人回答道，這倒不僅僅是說(shuō)客氣話，因?yàn)樯傩？偸潜M量把自己照料得很好；事實(shí)上他葷菜吃得太多，已經(jīng)超出有益于健康的程度；他那紅光滿面的氣色主要?dú)w因于他的這種嗜好。
“您在看對(duì)面的房屋，先生，”少校說(shuō)道，“您看到了我們的朋友沒(méi)有？”
“您是說(shuō)托克斯小姐嗎？”董貝先生回答道，“沒(méi)有看到?！?BR> “迷人的女人哪，先生，”少校說(shuō)道，他那短喉嚨中發(fā)出了縱情的大笑聲，幾乎使他透不過(guò)氣來(lái)。
“我覺(jué)得，托克斯小姐是一個(gè)很好的人，”董貝先生回答道。
傲慢、冷淡的回答似乎使白格斯托克少校感到無(wú)比高興。他非常興奮，非常得意，甚至把刀和叉放下片刻，搓起手來(lái)。
“先生，”少校說(shuō)道，“老喬曾經(jīng)一度是那個(gè)房屋里得寵的人。但是喬的好日子已經(jīng)過(guò)去了。喬已經(jīng)相形見(jiàn)絀，被別人勝過(guò)，被別人打敗了，先生。這就是我要跟您說(shuō)的，董貝?！鄙傩ＭＶ钩詵|西，神色神秘而憤怒，“那是個(gè)像魔鬼一樣野心勃勃的女人，先生?！?BR> 董貝先生說(shuō)了聲：“真的嗎？”他是冷冷淡淡、漠不關(guān)心的，其中也許還夾雜著由于輕蔑而產(chǎn)生的不信任：托克斯小姐怎么竟膽敢懷有野心這樣高超的品質(zhì)呢？
“先生，”少校說(shuō)，“那個(gè)女人就她的本性來(lái)說(shuō)是個(gè)惡魔。喬?！ぐ椎暮萌兆右呀?jīng)過(guò)去了，但是他的眼睛是繼續(xù)注視著的。他洞察一切，喬就是這樣的。已故的約克郡公爵殿下有一次在早朝中談到喬的時(shí)候曾經(jīng)說(shuō)過(guò)，他洞察一切?！?BR> 少校在講這些話的時(shí)候，露出一副異乎尋常的神色；當(dāng)他在喝熱茶、吃辣子烤肉、松餅和進(jìn)行意味深長(zhǎng)的談話中間，頭是那么興奮和激怒，甚至連董貝先生也為他表示幾分憂慮。
“先生，”少校繼續(xù)說(shuō)道，“那個(gè)可笑的老女人想要高攀。
她想要高攀到天上，先生。在婚姻上，董貝?！?BR> “我為她感到遺憾?！倍愊壬f(shuō)道。
“別說(shuō)那個(gè)，董貝，”少校用警告的聲調(diào)說(shuō)道。
“為什么不說(shuō)，少校？”董貝先生問(wèn)道。
少校除了發(fā)出像馬的咳嗽一樣的聲音外，沒(méi)有回答別的，并起勁吃著。
“她對(duì)您的家已經(jīng)產(chǎn)生了興趣，”少校又停止吃東西，說(shuō)道，“好些時(shí)間以來(lái)，她一直是您家的?？汀！?BR> “是的，”董貝先生極為莊嚴(yán)地回答道，“托克斯小姐最初是在董貝夫人逝世時(shí)，作為我妹妹的一位朋友，在我家受到接待的。由于她是個(gè)舉止得當(dāng)、很有禮貌的人，對(duì)那個(gè)可憐的嬰兒又表示喜愛(ài)，所以我允許她，可以說(shuō)是我鼓勵(lì)她，跟我妹妹一道，經(jīng)常不斷地到我家來(lái)拜訪，并逐漸地跟這個(gè)家庭建立了一種親近融洽的關(guān)系。我，”董貝先生說(shuō)，他的聲調(diào)是作出重大的、有價(jià)值的讓步的人才會(huì)有的，“我尊敬托克斯小姐。她很殷勤地在我家里幫了很多小忙，也許這些都是雞毛蒜皮、微不足道的小忙，少校，但不應(yīng)當(dāng)因?yàn)檫@個(gè)緣故而貶損它們。我希望我有幸能在我的力量所及的范圍內(nèi)給予注意和關(guān)切，以表示感謝。我認(rèn)為我自己就是多虧了托克斯小姐，少校，”董貝先生輕輕地?fù)]著手，接下去說(shuō)道，“才有幸跟您相識(shí)的?！?BR> “董貝，”少校激昂地說(shuō)道，“不，不，先生！約瑟夫·白格斯托克不能不對(duì)這種說(shuō)法提出異議。您認(rèn)識(shí)老喬，先生，以及老喬認(rèn)識(shí)您，先生，根源都是由于一位高貴的人，先生，一位卓越非凡的人兒，先生，”少校說(shuō)道，一邊顯露出內(nèi)心痛苦斗爭(zhēng)的表情；要做到這一點(diǎn)在他是不難的，因?yàn)樗@一生都是在跟各種中風(fēng)的癥候作斗爭(zhēng)；“董貝，我們是通過(guò)您的男孩子而相互認(rèn)識(shí)的?！?BR> 董貝先生聽(tīng)到他的這句暗示似乎很受感動(dòng)（很可能少校有意指望他會(huì)這樣）。他低垂著眼睛，嘆了一口氣；少校呢，猛烈地振作起精神；當(dāng)提到他覺(jué)得他本人有危險(xiǎn)陷入那種痛苦心情時(shí)，他再次說(shuō)，這是個(gè)弱點(diǎn)，沒(méi)有什么能誘使他向它屈服。
“我們的朋友與我們之間的認(rèn)識(shí)只有間接的關(guān)系，”少校說(shuō)道，“凡是屬于她的功勞，喬·白是樂(lè)意給她的，先生。盡管如此，夫人，”他接著說(shuō)，一邊抬起眼睛，越過(guò)公主廣場(chǎng)，望過(guò)去，這時(shí)可以看見(jiàn)托克斯小姐正在窗口澆花，“您是個(gè)女流氓，夫人，您的野心無(wú)恥到了極點(diǎn)。如果這僅僅使您自己滑稽可笑，夫人，”少校向一無(wú)所知的托克斯小姐搖晃著腦袋說(shuō)道，這時(shí)他那鼓鼓的眼睛好像要跳向她身上去似的，“您滿可以痛痛快快地那樣做，我敢向您保證，白格斯托克決不會(huì)有任何反對(duì)?！边@時(shí)少?？膳碌毓笮?，連耳朵尖和頭上的血管都震顫起來(lái)了，“可是，夫人，”少校說(shuō)道，“當(dāng)您損害別人，而且損害的是寬宏大量、毫無(wú)猜疑的人，來(lái)報(bào)答他們對(duì)您屈尊俯就的厚意，那么您就叫老喬身上的血液沸騰起來(lái)了?！?BR> “少校，”董貝先生紅著臉說(shuō)道，“我希望您說(shuō)到托克斯小姐的時(shí)候，別暗示任何荒謬絕倫的事情——”
“董貝，”少?；卮鸬?，“我什么也沒(méi)有暗示。但是喬?！ぐ资巧钤谶@個(gè)世界上的，先生，是張開眼睛生活在這個(gè)世界上的，先生，他的耳朵也是豎起來(lái)的；喬告訴您，董貝，就在路對(duì)過(guò)，有一個(gè)非常非常狡猾和野心勃勃的女人?！?BR> 董貝先生不由得向廣場(chǎng)對(duì)過(guò)望了一眼；他朝那個(gè)方向投射過(guò)去的是憤怒的眼光。
“約瑟夫·白格斯托克在這個(gè)問(wèn)題上想要講的話，沒(méi)有半句留在嘴里的了，”少校斬釘截鐵地說(shuō)道，“喬不是個(gè)搬弄是非的人，但有時(shí)候，當(dāng)挑釁強(qiáng)烈得叫他不能再沉默下去的時(shí)候，他必須說(shuō)，他·想·要說(shuō)——您那該死的*計(jì)，夫人！”少校又火冒三丈地向著他的女鄰居大聲喊道。
這突然爆發(fā)的感情激動(dòng)又引起少校發(fā)出一陣馬的咳嗽般的聲音，把他折磨了好久；當(dāng)他恢復(fù)過(guò)來(lái)以后，他又繼續(xù)說(shuō)道：
“現(xiàn)在，董貝，既然您邀請(qǐng)喬——老喬當(dāng)您的客人和萊明頓①的向?qū)?，那就?qǐng)隨意指揮他吧，他是完全屬于您的。他沒(méi)有別的優(yōu)點(diǎn)，先生，但他是堅(jiān)強(qiáng)不屈和誠(chéng)懇熱情的。我不知道，先生，”少校帶著詼諧的神氣，搖擺著他的雙下巴頦，說(shuō)道，“你們這些人在喬身上看到了什么，使你們?nèi)枷蛩岢隽诉@樣重大的請(qǐng)求；不過(guò)我明白，如果他不是堅(jiān)強(qiáng)不屈、頑抗到底地拒絕這些邀請(qǐng)的話，那么你們就會(huì)用請(qǐng)貼及其他一類東西把他的這條命加快一倍地?cái)嗨土??！?BR> --------
①萊明頓（Leamington）：英格蘭沃里克郡的一個(gè)城鎮(zhèn)，是有名的礦泉療養(yǎng)地。
董貝先生三言兩語(yǔ)地表示他認(rèn)識(shí)到，社會(huì)上其他杰出的人物全都爭(zhēng)爭(zhēng)吵吵地想把白格斯托克少校據(jù)為己有，而少校對(duì)他本人的偏愛(ài)則超過(guò)他們之上。但是少校立刻打斷他，讓他明白，他是根據(jù)自己的心意行事的；他的這些心意全都一致起立，用一個(gè)聲調(diào)對(duì)他說(shuō)，“喬·白，董貝是您應(yīng)當(dāng)選來(lái)做朋友的人?！?BR> 少校這時(shí)吃得飽飽的，咸餡餅的液汁從他的眼角中滲流出來(lái)，辣子烤肉和腰子繃緊了他的領(lǐng)帶；火車開往伯明翰的時(shí)間已經(jīng)臨近（他們是乘火車離開城市的），本地人非常困難地給他穿上厚大衣，扣上鈕扣；他的臉孔終于從衣服的頂端露了出來(lái)，眼睛鼓著往外看，嘴巴張著喘氣，仿佛他是裝在一個(gè)琵琶桶里似的。接著，本地人把他的軟皮手套、粗手杖和帽子一件件地遞給他，每遞完一件總要隔適當(dāng)?shù)拈g歇才遞下一件。他把那頂帽子時(shí)髦地歪戴在頭的一邊，為的是使他那驚人的面貌變得柔和一些。董貝先生的四輪輕便馬車正在外面等待著，本地人事先在馬車中一切可能的和不可能的角落里塞滿了數(shù)量異常之多的氈制旅行提包和小旅行皮包；它們那鼓鼓囊囊的外表就跟少校本人一樣，好像患了中風(fēng)癥似的；本地人在自己的口袋中又塞滿了塞爾查礦泉水、東印度群島的雪利酒、夾心面包片、圍巾、望遠(yuǎn)鏡、地圖和報(bào)紙，這一類隨身攜帶的輕便物品是少校在旅行中隨時(shí)可能要的。然后，本地人報(bào)告，一切都已準(zhǔn)備就緒。為了把這位不幸的外國(guó)人（人們傳說(shuō)他在本國(guó)是位王子）裝備得齊全無(wú)缺，當(dāng)他和托林森先生并排坐在馬車后座上的時(shí)候，房東又把一堆少校的斗篷和厚大衣猛擲到他身上；這位房東像一位泰坦①，從鋪石路上把這些巨彈對(duì)準(zhǔn)他投射過(guò)來(lái)，把他完全蒙蓋住了，他就像埋葬在一個(gè)活墳?zāi)估锼频叵蛑疖囌厩斑M(jìn)。
但是在馬車出發(fā)之前，正當(dāng)本地人被埋葬的時(shí)候，托克斯小姐出現(xiàn)在她的窗口，揮著一塊像百合花一樣純白的手絹。董貝先生很冷淡地——甚至對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)也是很冷淡地——接受了這個(gè)送行的問(wèn)候；他的頭極為輕微地點(diǎn)了一下作為回禮，然后神色十分不愉快地仰靠在馬車中。他這故意的態(tài)度使少校感到無(wú)比高興。（他倒很有禮貌地跟托克斯小姐打了招呼），后來(lái)他長(zhǎng)久地坐在那里，眼睛斜瞅著，嘴巴喘著氣，像吃得過(guò)多的梅菲斯托菲爾斯②一樣。
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①泰坦（Titan）：希臘神話中與神斗爭(zhēng)的巨人族。
②梅菲斯托菲爾斯：德國(guó)詩(shī)人哥德所著《浮士德》中的魔鬼。
在車站臨開車前忙忙亂亂的時(shí)間里，董貝先生和少校在月臺(tái)上并排地走來(lái)走去；董貝先生沉默寡言，悶悶不樂(lè)，少校則以各種軼事和回憶（其中大部分的主要角色都是喬·白格斯托克）來(lái)使他或使他自己開心消遣。他們兩人誰(shuí)也沒(méi)有注意到，他們?cè)谏⒉竭^(guò)程中已吸引了一位工人的注意；那位工人站在機(jī)車旁邊；他們每次從旁經(jīng)過(guò)的時(shí)候，他都觸一觸帽檐向他們行禮；因?yàn)槎愊壬凑掌綍r(shí)的習(xí)慣，沒(méi)有正面去看普通老百姓，而是越過(guò)他們的頭頂望出去；少校呢，正全神貫注地在講他的趣聞?shì)W事，所以誰(shuí)也沒(méi)有理會(huì)到這位工人?？墒钱?dāng)他們向后轉(zhuǎn)的時(shí)候，那人終于走到他們面前，脫下帽子，拿在手中，向董貝先生低頭鞠躬。
“請(qǐng)?jiān)?，先生，”那人說(shuō)道，“我希望您身體健康，生活愉快，先生?！?BR> 他穿著一套帆布衣服，上面布滿斑斑點(diǎn)點(diǎn)的煤灰和油垢，連鬢胡子當(dāng)中有著煤屑，全身上下散發(fā)出一股半熄滅的灰燼的氣味。盡管這樣，他并不是一個(gè)難看的人，也不能說(shuō)他是個(gè)看上去骯臟的人；直接了當(dāng)?shù)卣f(shuō)吧，他就是穿著工作服的圖德?tīng)栂壬?BR> “我很榮幸將在這一路上為你們往鍋爐里添煤燒火，”圖德?tīng)栂壬f(shuō)道，“請(qǐng)?jiān)?，先生，我希望您身體開始恢復(fù)過(guò)來(lái)了吧！”
董貝先生嫌惡地看著他，回答他那關(guān)切的聲調(diào)，仿佛像他那樣的人甚至?xí)阉囊曇耙茬栉哿怂频摹?BR> “請(qǐng)?jiān)徫业拿懊?，先生，”圖德?tīng)栂壬吹蕉愊壬延洸磺逅?，就說(shuō)道：“不過(guò)我的老婆波利，在您家里管她叫做理查茲的——”
董貝先生臉色的變化使圖德?tīng)栂壬蝗徽f(shuō)不出話來(lái)。它似乎表示他已記起他來(lái)，實(shí)際上也確實(shí)如此，但它卻以更強(qiáng)烈的程度憤怒地表示出一種屈辱感。
“你的老婆需要錢吧，我想，”董貝先生把手伸進(jìn)衣袋里，傲慢地說(shuō)道，不過(guò)他經(jīng)常是這樣說(shuō)話的。
“不，謝謝您，先生，”圖德?tīng)柣卮鸬?，“她需要不需要我不好說(shuō)。我不需要?！?BR> 現(xiàn)在輪到董貝先生突然尷尬地說(shuō)不出話來(lái)了，他的手還放在衣袋里。
“不，先生，”圖德?tīng)柊阉挠筒济弊釉谑掷镆蝗τ忠蝗Φ卮蛑D(zhuǎn)，“我們過(guò)得不錯(cuò)，先生。我們沒(méi)有理由抱怨生活，先生。從那時(shí)以來(lái)，我們又添了四個(gè)孩子，先生，但是我們還能勉勉強(qiáng)強(qiáng)過(guò)得下去?！?BR> 董貝先生真想使勁地?cái)D到他的車廂里去，那怕這樣做會(huì)把這燒鍋爐的火夫給擠到車輪底下也罷；但是這時(shí)他的注意力卻被那依舊在那人手里慢慢打轉(zhuǎn)的油布帽子上的什么東西吸引住了。
“我們失去了一個(gè)小娃娃，”圖德?tīng)栒f(shuō)，“這是不能否認(rèn)的?！?BR> “最近嗎？”董貝先生看著那帽子，問(wèn)道。
“不，先生，三年多以前的事了，不過(guò)其余的孩子全都很強(qiáng)健。說(shuō)到念書的事，先生，”圖德?tīng)栂壬志狭艘粋€(gè)躬，說(shuō)道，仿佛他想要向董貝先生提醒好久以前他們之間在這方面曾經(jīng)發(fā)生過(guò)的事情似的，“歸根到底，我的這些男孩子們他們?nèi)冀涛?。先生，他們這些男孩子已經(jīng)讓我成了一個(gè)能讀會(huì)寫的人了?！?BR> “走吧，少校！”董貝先生說(shuō)道。
“請(qǐng)?jiān)彛壬?，”圖德?tīng)栕叩剿麄兦懊?，又恭恭敬敬地?cái)r住他們，繼續(xù)往下說(shuō)，他的手里依舊拿著帽子，“如果我不是想把我們的談話引到我的兒子拜勒的話，那么我本不想用這些話來(lái)打攪您的；拜勒的教名叫羅賓，就是他，承蒙您的好意，讓他成了一名慈善的磨工?！?BR> “唔，您說(shuō)，”董貝先生極為嚴(yán)厲地說(shuō)道，“他怎么了？”
“唉，先生，”圖德?tīng)枔u著頭，臉上露出很大的憂慮與痛苦，回答道，“我不得不說(shuō)，先生，他走錯(cuò)路了?！?BR> “他走錯(cuò)路了，真的嗎？”董貝先生說(shuō)道，心中感到一種殘忍的滿足。
“先生們，你們知道，他交了壞朋友了，”那位父親用愁悶的眼光望著他們兩人，繼續(xù)說(shuō)道，他把少校顯然也拉入談話，是為了取得他的同情，“他走到邪路上去了。上帝保佑，他也許是會(huì)回來(lái)的，先生們，可是現(xiàn)在他是在錯(cuò)誤的軌道上行走。您也許總會(huì)聽(tīng)到這件事的，先生，”圖德?tīng)栍謫为?dú)對(duì)著董貝先生說(shuō)道，“不過(guò)還是由我自己來(lái)告訴您，對(duì)您說(shuō)，我的孩子走錯(cuò)路了。波利悲傷得不得了，先生們，”圖德?tīng)柭冻鐾瑯泳趩实纳裆?，再一次向少校求助，說(shuō)道。
“我曾幫助這個(gè)人的兒子去受教育，少校，”董貝先生先生挽著他的胳膊，說(shuō)道，“到頭來(lái)通常是這樣的報(bào)答！”
“請(qǐng)接受老喬直率的忠告，千萬(wàn)別去教育這一類人，先生，”少?；卮鸬?，“他媽的，先生，千萬(wàn)別做那種事！那樣做總是失敗的！”
這位老實(shí)人的兒子，過(guò)去的磨工，曾經(jīng)被他那野獸般粗暴、殘忍的老師嚇唬過(guò)，毆打過(guò)，鞭撻過(guò)，在身上烙過(guò)印，并像鸚鵡般地教過(guò)；由這種人擔(dān)任老師職務(wù)，就像讓獵狗擔(dān)任這種職務(wù)一樣不合適。當(dāng)這位頭腦簡(jiǎn)單的父親正想表示希望他的兒子不要在某些方面接受了錯(cuò)誤的教育的時(shí)候，董貝先生怒沖沖地重復(fù)了一句：“到頭來(lái)通常是這樣的報(bào)答！”，就領(lǐng)著少校走開了。少校身子很重，很不容易把他舉起送進(jìn)董貝先生的車廂里；他被懸舉在半空，每當(dāng)他的腳踩不到車廂門口的踏板，重新落在膚色黝黑的流亡者的身上時(shí)，他就發(fā)誓賭咒地大罵說(shuō)，他要把本地人活活剝下皮來(lái)，要把他的每根骨頭都打斷，還要讓他的身體吃其他各種苦頭；少校進(jìn)了車廂以后，嘶啞地重復(fù)說(shuō)，千萬(wàn)別做那種事，那樣做總是失敗的，如果他要讓“自己這位流浪漢”去受教育的話，那么這小子到頭來(lái)準(zhǔn)會(huì)被絞死的；話音剛落，火車就開了。
董貝先生心里很不好受地表示同意；但是在他的不好受中，在他仰靠在車廂里、皺著眉頭看著車外不斷變化的景物時(shí)那郁郁不樂(lè)的神色中，還包含著另外的意義，它并不是由于磨工公司舉辦的高貴的教育制度遭到失敗所引起的。他剛才在那人的質(zhì)地粗糙的帽子上看到一塊新的黑紗；他從他的態(tài)度和回答中可以肯定，他是為他的兒子保羅佩戴的。
正是這樣！從地位高的到地位低的，在家里或在外面，從住在他的宏偉的公館中的弗洛倫斯開始，一直到這位正在給鍋爐燒火，在他們前面正冒出黑煙來(lái)的粗漢，每個(gè)人都認(rèn)為對(duì)他死去的孩子享有自己的一份權(quán)利，都成為他的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手！他能忘記那個(gè)女人曾經(jīng)怎樣在保羅的枕邊痛哭，把他稱做她自己的孩子嗎？他能忘記那孩子從睡眠中醒來(lái)的時(shí)候怎樣打聽(tīng)她，而當(dāng)她進(jìn)來(lái)的時(shí)候，他又怎樣喜形于色地從床上坐起來(lái)嗎？
想一想這個(gè)在煤塊和灰燼中間撥弄火耙子的人正毫無(wú)顧忌地佩戴著他那服喪的標(biāo)志，在前面向前行進(jìn)吧！想一想他竟敢那怕是采用那樣普普通通的一種表示，來(lái)分擔(dān)一位高傲的紳士的秘密的心中的煩惱與失望吧！想一想這個(gè)死去的孩子本應(yīng)當(dāng)和他共享財(cái)富與權(quán)力，本應(yīng)當(dāng)與他共同策劃未來(lái)的事業(yè)，本應(yīng)當(dāng)和他一起像關(guān)上雙重金門一樣地與全世界隔絕的，卻竟會(huì)讓這樣一類愚昧無(wú)知的平民闖進(jìn)來(lái)，對(duì)他破滅的希望了如指掌，并揚(yáng)揚(yáng)得意地夸耀能跟他分擔(dān)與他們?nèi)绱耸柽h(yuǎn)的感情上的悲痛，用這種方式來(lái)侮辱他吧！且不說(shuō)他們還可能已偷偷地爬進(jìn)他想獨(dú)自霸占的地方了呢！
他沒(méi)有從旅行中找到快樂(lè)或安慰。他被這些思想折磨著，懷著憂悶無(wú)聊的心情，通過(guò)了迅速飛逝的風(fēng)光景色；他匆匆穿過(guò)的不是物產(chǎn)富饒、絢麗多采的國(guó)家，而是茫茫一片破滅了的計(jì)劃與令人苦惱的妒嫉。急速轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)的火車速度本身嘲笑著年輕生命的迅速過(guò)程，它被多么堅(jiān)定不移，多么鐵面無(wú)情地帶向預(yù)定的終點(diǎn)。一股力量迫使它在它的鐵路——它自己的道路——上急馳，它藐視其他一切道路和小徑，沖破每一個(gè)障礙，拉著各種階級(jí)、年齡和地位的人群和生物，向前奔駛；這股力量就是那耀武揚(yáng)威的怪物——死亡！
它尖叫著，呼吼著，卡嗒卡嗒地響著，向遠(yuǎn)方開去；它從城市出發(fā)，穿進(jìn)人們的住宅區(qū)，使街道喧囂活躍；它在片刻間突然出現(xiàn)在草原上，接著鉆進(jìn)潮濕的土地，在黑暗與沉悶的空氣中隆隆前進(jìn)，然后它又突然進(jìn)入了多么燦爛、多么寬廣、陽(yáng)光照耀的白天。它尖叫著，呼吼著，卡嗒卡嗒地響著，向遠(yuǎn)方開去；它穿過(guò)田野，穿過(guò)森林，穿過(guò)谷物，穿過(guò)干草，穿過(guò)白堊地，穿過(guò)沃土，穿過(guò)粘泥，穿過(guò)巖石，穿過(guò)近在手邊、幾乎就在掌握之中、但卻永遠(yuǎn)從旅客身邊飛去的東西，這時(shí)一個(gè)虛幻的遠(yuǎn)景永遠(yuǎn)在他心中緩慢地隨他移動(dòng)著，就像在那個(gè)冷酷無(wú)情的怪物——死亡的軌道上前進(jìn)一樣！
它穿過(guò)洼地，爬上山崗，經(jīng)過(guò)荒原，經(jīng)過(guò)果園，經(jīng)過(guò)公園，經(jīng)過(guò)花園，越過(guò)運(yùn)河、越過(guò)河流，經(jīng)過(guò)羊群正在吃草的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)磨坊正在運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)駁船正在漂流的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)死人躺著的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)工廠正在冒煙的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)小溪正在奔流的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)村莊簇集的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)宏偉的大教堂高高聳立的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)生長(zhǎng)著石竹、狂風(fēng)反復(fù)無(wú)常地有時(shí)使它表面平順光滑、有時(shí)又使它興波起浪的蕭瑟凄涼的荒原；它尖叫著，呼吼著，卡嗒卡嗒地響著，向遠(yuǎn)方開去，除了塵埃與蒸汽外，不留下其他任何痕跡，就像在那個(gè)冷酷無(wú)情的怪物——死亡的軌道上前進(jìn)一樣！
迎著風(fēng)和光，迎著陣雨和陽(yáng)光，它轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)著，吼叫著，猛烈地、迅速地、平穩(wěn)地、確信地向遠(yuǎn)方開去，向更遠(yuǎn)的地方開去。巨大的堤壩和宏偉的橋梁像一束一英寸寬的陰暗的光線閃現(xiàn)在眼前，然后又消失了。它向遠(yuǎn)方，更遠(yuǎn)的地方開去，向前，永遠(yuǎn)向前地開去，瞥見(jiàn)了茅舍，瞥見(jiàn)了房屋、公館、富饒的莊園，瞥見(jiàn)了農(nóng)田和手工作坊，瞥見(jiàn)了人們，瞥見(jiàn)了古老的道路和小徑（當(dāng)它們被拋在后面的時(shí)候，看去是那么荒涼，渺小和微不足道——它們也確實(shí)如此——）、在難以制服的怪物——死亡的軌道上，除了瞥見(jiàn)這些東西之外，又還有什么別的呢？
它尖叫著，呼吼著，卡嗒卡嗒地響著，向遠(yuǎn)方開去；它重新投入地面，以狂風(fēng)暴雨般充沛的精力和堅(jiān)韌不拔的精神向前奔駛；在黑暗與旋風(fēng)中它的車輪似乎倒轉(zhuǎn)，猛烈地向后面退回去，直到射向潮濕的墻上的光輝顯示出，它的頂部表面正像一條湍急的溪流一般向前飛奔過(guò)去。它發(fā)出了歡天喜地的尖叫聲，呼吼著，卡嗒卡嗒地響著，又一次進(jìn)入了白天和經(jīng)過(guò)了白天，急匆匆地繼續(xù)向前奔馳著；它用它黑色的呼吸唾棄一切，有時(shí)在人群聚集的地方停歇一分鐘，一分鐘以后他們就再也看不見(jiàn)了；它有時(shí)貪婪無(wú)厭地狂飲著水，當(dāng)它飲水的噴管還沒(méi)有停止滴水之前，它就尖叫著，呼吼著，卡嗒卡嗒地響著，開向紫紅色的遠(yuǎn)方去了！
當(dāng)它急急匆匆、不可抗拒地向著目標(biāo)奔馳的時(shí)候，它尖叫、呼吼得更響更響了；這時(shí)它的道路又像死亡的道路一樣，厚厚地鋪蓋著灰燼。周圍的一切都變得黑暗了。在很下面的地方是黑暗的水池，泥濘的胡同，簡(jiǎn)陋的住宅。附近有斷垣殘壁和坍塌的房屋，通過(guò)露出窟窿的屋頂和破損的窗子可以看到可憐的房間，房間中顯露出貧困與熱病的各種慘狀；煙塵、堆積的山墻、變形的煙囪、殘破的磚頭和廢棄的灰漿，把畸形的身心關(guān)在里面，并且堵?lián)踝￡幇档倪h(yuǎn)方。當(dāng)董貝先生從車廂窗戶望出去時(shí)，他沒(méi)有想到，把他運(yùn)載到這里來(lái)的怪物只不過(guò)是讓白天的亮光照射到這些景物上面，它沒(méi)有制造它們，也不是它們發(fā)生的原因。這是恰當(dāng)?shù)穆贸探K點(diǎn)，也可能是一切事物的終點(diǎn)——它是多么破落與凄涼。
因此，當(dāng)他沿著那條思路想下去的時(shí)候，那個(gè)殘酷無(wú)情的怪物仍然出現(xiàn)在他眼前。一切事物都暗淡地、冷酷地、死氣沉沉地看著他，他也同樣地看著它們，他到處都看到與他的不幸相似的地方。周圍的一切事物都毫無(wú)憐憫心地慶賀著對(duì)他的勝利，不論這種慶賀采取什么形式，它都傷害與刺痛了他的高傲與妒嫉心；特別是當(dāng)它與他分享他對(duì)那死去的孩子的熱愛(ài)或參與他對(duì)他的回憶的時(shí)候，他的痛苦就格外強(qiáng)烈。
在這一次旅行中有一張臉孔經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)在他的浮思漫想之中；前一天夜間他曾看見(jiàn)它，它也看見(jiàn)他，它上面的兩只眼睛雖然被淚水弄模糊了，而且立即被兩只發(fā)抖的手捂住了，但是卻覺(jué)察到了他的靈魂。他在旅程中看到它就跟昨天夜間的
'Mr Dombey, Sir,' said Major Bagstock, 'Joee' B. is not in general a man of sentiment, for Joseph is tough. But Joe has his feelings, Sir, and when they are awakened - Damme, Mr Dombey,? cried the Major with sudden ferocity, 'this is weakness, and I won't submit to it)'
Major Bagstock delivered himself of these expressions on receiving Mr Dombey as his guest at the head of his own staircase in Princess's Place. Mr Dombey had come to breakfast with the Major, previous to their setting forth on their trip; and the ill-starved Native had already undergone a world of misery arising out of the muffins, while, in connexion with the general question of boiled eggs, life was a burden to him.
'It is not for an old soldier of the Bagstock breed,' observed the Major, relapsing into a mild state, 'to deliver himself up, a prey to his own emotions; but - damme, Sir,' cried the Major, in another spasm of ferocity, 'I condole with you!'
The Major's purple visage deepened in its hue, and the Major's lobster eyes stood out in bolder relief, as he shook Mr Dombey by the hand, imparting to that peaceful action as defiant a character as if it had been the prelude to his immediately boxing Mr Dombey for a thousand pounds a side and the championship of England. With a rotatory motion of his head, and a wheeze very like the cough of a horse, the Major then conducted his visitor to the sitting-room, and there welcomed him (having now composed his feelings) with the freedom and frankness ofa travelling companion.
'Dombey,' said the Major, 'I'm glad to see you. I'm proud to see you. There are not many men in Europe to whom J. Bagstock would say that - for Josh is blunt. Sir: it's his nature - but Joey B. is proud to see you, Dombey.'
'Major,' returned Mr Dombey, 'you are very obliging.'
'No, Sir,' said the Major, 'Devil a bit! That's not my character. If that had been Joe's character, Joe might have been, by this time, Lieutenant-General Sir Joseph Bagstock, K.C.B., and might have received you in very different quarters. You don't know old Joe yet, I find. But this occasion, being special, is a source of pride to me. By the Lord, Sir,' said the Major resolutely, 'it's an honour to me!'
Mr Dombey, in his estimation of himself and his money, felt that this was very true, and therefore did not dispute the point. But the instinctive recognition of such a truth by the Major, and his plain avowal of it, were very able. It was a confirmation to Mr Dombey, if he had required any, of his not being mistaken in the Major. It was an assurance to him that his power extended beyond his own immediate sphere; and that the Major, as an officer and a gentleman, had a no less becoming sense of it, than the beadle of the Royal Exchange.
And if it were ever consolatory to know this, or the like of this, it was consolatory then, when the impotence of his will, the instability of his hopes, the feebleness of wealth, had been so direfully impressed upon him. What could it do, his boy had asked him. Sometimes, thinking of the baby question, he could hardly forbear inquiring, himself, what could it do indeed: what had it done?
But these were lonely thoughts, bred late at night in the sullen despondency and gloom of his retirement, and pride easily found its reassurance in many testimonies to the truth, as unimpeachable and precious as the Major's. Mr Dombey, in his friendlessness, inclined to the Major. It cannot be said that he warmed towards him, but he thawed a little, The Major had had some part - and not too much - in the days by the seaside. He was a man of the world, and knew some great people. He talked much, and told stories; and Mr Dombey was disposed to regard him as a choice spirit who shone in society, and who had not that poisonous ingredient of poverty with which choice spirits in general are too much adulterated. His station was undeniable. Altogether the Major was a creditable companion, well accustomed to a life of leisure, and to such places as that they were about to visit, and having an air of gentlemanly ease about him that mixed well enough with his own City character, and did not compete with it at all. If Mr Dombey had any lingering idea that the Major, as a man accustomed, in the way of his calling, to make light of the ruthless hand that had lately crushed his hopes, might unconsciously impart some useful philosophy to him, and scare away his weak regrets, he hid it from himself, and left it lying at the bottom of his pride, unexamined.
'Where is my scoundrel?' said the Major, looking wrathfully round the room.
The Native, who had no particular name, but answered to any vituperative epithet, presented himself instantly at the door and ventured to come no nearer.
'You villain!' said the choleric Major, 'where's the breakfast?'
The dark servant disappeared in search of it, and was quickly heard reascending the stairs in such a tremulous state, that the plates and dishes on the tray he carried, trembling sympathetically as he came, rattled again, all the way up.
'Dombey,' said the Major, glancing at the Native as he arranged the table, and encouraging him with an awful shake of his fist when he upset a spoon, 'here is a devilled grill, a savoury pie, a dish of kidneys, and so forth. Pray sit down. Old Joe can give you nothing but camp fare, you see.
'Very excellent fare, Major,' replied his guest; and not in mere politeness either; for the Major always took the best possible care of himself, and indeed ate rather more of rich meats than was good for him, insomuch that his Imperial complexion was mainly referred by the faculty to that circumstance.
'You have been looking over the way, Sir,' observed the Major. 'Have you seen our friend?'
'You mean Miss Tox,' retorted Mr Dombey. 'No.'
'Charming woman, Sir,' said the Major, with a fat laugh rising in his short throat, and nearly suffocating him.
'Miss Tox is a very good sort of person, I believe,' replied Mr Dombey.
The haughty coldness of the reply seemed to afford Major Bagstock infinite delight. He swelled and swelled, exceedingly: and even laid down his knife and fork for a moment, to rub his hands.
'Old Joe, Sir,' said the Major, 'was a bit ofa favourite in that quarter once. But Joe has had his day. J. Bagstock is extinguished - outrivalled - floored, Sir.'
'I should have supposed,' Mr Dombey replied, 'that the lady's day for favourites was over: but perhaps you are jesting, Major.'
'Perhaps you are jesting, Dombey?' was the Major's rejoinder.
There never was a more unlikely possiblity. It was so clearly expressed in Mr Dombey's face, that the Major apologised.
'I beg your pardon,' he said. 'I see you are in earnest. I tell you what, Dombey.' The Major paused in his eating, and looked mysteriously indignant. 'That's a de-vilish ambitious woman, Sir.'
Mr Dombey said 'Indeed?' with frigid indifference: mingled perhaps with some contemptuous incredulity as to Miss Tox having the presumption to harbour such a superior quality.
'That woman, Sir,' said the Major, 'is, in her way, a Lucifer. Joey B. has had his day, Sir, but he keeps his eyes. He sees, does Joe. His Royal Highness the late Duke of York observed of Joey, at a levee, that he saw.'
The Major accompanied this with such a look, and, between eating, drinking, hot tea, devilled grill, muffins, and meaning, was altogether so swollen and inflamed about the head, that even Mr Dombey showed some anxiety for him.
'That ridiculous old spectacle, Sir,' pursued the Major, 'aspires. She aspires sky-high, Sir. Matrimonially, Dombey.'
'I am sorry for her,' said Mr Dombey.
'Don't say that, Dombey,' returned the Major in a warning voice.
'Why should I not, Major?' said Mr Dombey.
The Major gave no answer but the horse's cough, and went on eating vigorously.
'She has taken an interest in your household,' said the Major, stopping short again, 'and has been a frequent visitor at your house for some time now.'
'Yes,' replied Mr Dombey with great stateliness, 'Miss Tox was originally received there, at the time of Mrs Dombey's death, as a friend of my sister's; and being a well-behaved person, and showing a liking for the poor infant, she was permitted - may I say encouraged - to repeat her visits with my sister, and gradually to occupy a kind of footing of familiarity in the family. I have,' said Mr Dombey, in the tone of a man who was making a great and valuable concession, 'I have a respect for Miss Tox. She his been so obliging as to render many little services in my house: trifling and insignificant services perhaps, Major, but not to be disparaged on that account: and I hope I have had the good fortune to be enabled to acknowledge them by such attention and notice as it has been in my power to bestow. I hold myself indebted to Miss Tox, Major,' added Mr Dombey, with a slight wave of his hand, 'for the pleasure of your acquaintance.'
'Dombey,' said the Major, warmly: 'no! No, Sir! Joseph Bagstock can never permit that assertion to pass uncontradicted. Your knowledge of old Joe, Sir, such as he is, and old Joe's knowledge of you, Sir, had its origin in a noble fellow, Sir - in a great creature, Sir. Dombey!' said the Major, with a struggle which it was not very difficult to parade, his whole life being a struggle against all kinds of apoplectic symptoms, 'we knew each other through your boy.'
Mr Dombey seemed touched, as it is not improbable the Major designed he should be, by this allusion. He looked down and sighed: and the Major, rousing himself fiercely, again said, in reference to the state of mind into which he felt himself in danger of falling, that this was weakness, and nothing should induce him to submit to it.
'Our friend had a remote connexion with that event,' said the Major, 'and all the credit that belongs to her, J. B. is willing to give her, Sir. Notwithstanding which, Ma'am,' he added, raising his eyes from his plate, and casting them across Princess's Place, to where Miss Tox was at that moment visible at her window watering her flowers, 'you're a scheming jade, Ma'am, and your ambition is a piece of monstrous impudence. If it only made yourself ridiculous, Ma'am,' said the Major, rolling his head at the unconscious Miss Tox, while his starting eyes appeared to make a leap towards her, 'you might do that to your heart's content, Ma'am, without any objection, I assure you, on the part of Bagstock.' Here the Major laughed frightfully up in the tips of his ears and in the veins of his head. 'But when, Ma'am,' said the Major, 'you compromise other people, and generous, unsuspicious people too, as a repayment for their condescension, you stir the blood of old Joe in his body.'
'Major,' said Mr Dombey, reddening, 'I hope you do not hint at anything so absurd on the part of Miss Tox as - '
'Dombey,' returned the Major, 'I hint at nothing. But Joey B. has lived in the world, Sir: lived in the world with his eyes open, Sir, and his ears cocked: and Joe tells you, Dombey, that there's a devilish artful and ambitious woman over the way.'
Mr Dombey involuntarily glanced over the way; and an angry glance he sent in that direction, too.
'That's all on such a subject that shall pass the lips of Joseph Bagstock,' said the Major firmly. 'Joe is not a tale-bearer, but there are times when he must speak, when he will speak! - confound your arts, Ma'am,' cried the Major, again apostrophising his fair neighbour, with great ire, - 'when the provocation is too strong to admit of his remaining silent.'
The emotion of this outbreak threw the Major into a paroxysm of horse's coughs, which held him for a long time. On recovering he added:
'And now, Dombey, as you have invited Joe - old Joe, who has no other merit, Sir, but that he is tough and hearty - to be your guest and guide at Leamington, command him in any way you please, and he is wholly yours. I don't know, Sir,' said the Major, wagging his double chin with a jocose air, 'what it is you people see in Joe to make you hold him in such great request, all of you; but this I know, Sir, that if he wasn't pretty tough, and obstinate in his refusals, you'd kill him among you with your invitations and so forth, in double-quick time.'
Mr Dombey, in a few words, expressed his sense of the preference he received over those other distinguished members of society who were clamouring for the possession of Major Bagstock. But the Major cut him short by giving him to understand that he followed his own inclinations, and that they had risen up in a body and said with one accord, 'J. B., Dombey is the man for you to choose as a friend.'
The Major being by this time in a state of repletion, with essence of savoury pie oozing out at the corners of his eyes, and devilled grill and kidneys tightening his cravat: and the time moreover approaching for the departure of the railway train to Birmingham, by which they were to leave town: the Native got him into his great-coat with immense difficulty, and buttoned him up until his face looked staring and gasping, over the top of that garment, as if he were in a barrel. The Native then handed him separately, and with a decent interval between each supply, his washleather gloves, his thick stick, and his hat; which latter article the Major wore with a rakish air on one side of his head, by way of toning down his remarkable visage. The Native had previously packed, in all possible and impossible parts of Mr Dombey's chariot, which was in waiting, an unusual quantity of carpet-bags and small portmanteaus, no less apoplectic in appearance than the Major himself: and having filled his own pockets with Seltzer water, East India sherry, sandwiches, shawls, telescopes, maps, and newspapers, any or all of which light baggage the Major might require at any instant of the journey, he announced that everything was ready. To complete the equipment of this unfortunate foreigner (currently believed to be a prince in his own country), when he took his seat in the rumble by the side of Mr Towlinson, a pile of the Major's cloaks and great-coats was hurled upon him by the landlord, who aimed at him from the pavement with those great missiles like a Titan, and so covered him up, that he proceeded, in a living tomb, to the railroad station.
But before the carriage moved away, and while the Native was in the act of sepulture, Miss Tox appearing at her window, waved a lilywhite handkerchief. Mr Dombey received this parting salutation very coldly - very coldly even for him - and honouring her with the slightest possible inclination of his head, leaned back in the carriage with a very discontented look. His marked behaviour seemed to afford the Major (who was all politeness in his recognition of Miss Tox) unbounded satisfaction; and he sat for a long time afterwards, leering, and choking, like an over-fed Mephistopheles.
During the bustle of preparation at the railway, Mr Dombey and the Major walked up and down the platform side by side; the former taciturn and gloomy, and the latter entertaining him, or entertaining himself, with a variety of anecdotes and reminiscences, in most of which Joe Bagstock was the principal performer. Neither of the two observed that in the course of these walks, they attracted the attention of a working man who was standing near the engine, and who touched his hat every time they passed; for Mr Dombey habitually looked over the vulgar herd, not at them; and the Major was looking, at the time, into the core of one of his stories. At length, however, this man stepped before them as they turned round, and pulling his hat off, and keeping it off, ducked his head to Mr Dombey.
'Beg your pardon, Sir,' said the man, 'but I hope you're a doin' pretty well, Sir.'
He was dressed in a canvas suit abundantly besmeared with coal-dust and oil, and had cinders in his whiskers, and a smell of half-slaked ashes all over him. He was not a bad-looking fellow, nor even what could be fairly called a dirty-looking fellow, in spite of this; and, in short, he was Mr Toodle, professionally clothed.
'I shall have the honour of stokin' of you down, Sir,' said Mr Toodle. 'Beg your pardon, Sir. - I hope you find yourself a coming round?'
Mr Dombey looked at him, in return for his tone of interest, as if a man like that would make his very eyesight dirty.
''Scuse the liberty, Sir,' said Toodle, seeing he was not clearly remembered, 'but my wife Polly, as was called Richards in your family - '
A change in Mr Dombey's face, which seemed to express recollection of him, and so it did, but it expressed in a much stronger degree an angry sense of humiliation, stopped Mr Toodle short.
'Your wife wants money, I suppose,' said Mr Dombey, putting his hand in his pocket, and speaking (but that he always did) haughtily.
'No thank'ee, Sir,' returned Toodle, 'I can't say she does. I don't.'
Mr Dombey was stopped short now in his turn: and awkwardly: with his hand in his pocket.
'No, Sir,' said Toodle, turning his oilskin cap round and round; 'we're a doin' pretty well, Sir; we haven't no cause to complain in the worldly way, Sir. We've had four more since then, Sir, but we rubs on.'
Mr Dombey would have rubbed on to his own carriage, though in so doing he had rubbed the stoker underneath the wheels; but his attention was arrested by something in connexion with the cap still going slowly round and round in the man's hand.
'We lost one babby,' observed Toodle, 'there's no denyin'.'
'Lately,' added Mr Dombey, looking at the cap.
'No, Sir, up'ard of three years ago, but all the rest is hearty. And in the matter o readin', Sir,' said Toodle, ducking again, as if to remind Mr Dombey of what had passed between them on that subject long ago, 'them boys o' mine, they learned me, among 'em, arter all. They've made a wery tolerable scholar of me, Sir, them boys.'
'Come, Major!' said Mr Dombey.
'Beg your pardon, Sir,' resumed Toodle, taking a step before them and deferentially stopping them again, still cap in hand: 'I wouldn't have troubled you with such a pint except as a way of gettin' in the name of my son Biler - christened Robin - him as you was so good as to make a Charitable Grinder on.'
'Well, man,' said Mr Dombey in his severest manner. 'What about him?'
'Why, Sir,' returned Toodle, shaking his head with a face of great anxiety and distress, 'I'm forced to say, Sir, that he's gone wrong.
'He has gone wrong, has he?' said Mr Dombey, with a hard kind of satisfaction.
'He has fell into bad company, you see, genelmen,' pursued the father, looking wistfully at both, and evidently taking the Major into the conversation with the hope of having his sympathy. 'He has got into bad ways. God send he may come to again, genelmen, but he's on the wrong track now! You could hardly be off hearing of it somehow, Sir,' said Toodle, again addressing Mr Dombey individually; 'and it's better I should out and say my boy's gone rather wrong. Polly's dreadful down about it, genelmen,' said Toodle with the same dejected look, and another appeal to the Major.
'A son of this man's whom I caused to be educated, Major,' said Mr Dombey, giving him his arm. 'The usual return!'
'Take advice from plain old Joe, and never educate that sort of people, Sir,' returned the Major. 'Damme, Sir, it never does! It always fails!'
The simple father was beginning to submit that he hoped his son, the quondam Grinder, huffed and cuffed, and flogged and badged, and taught, as parrots are, by a brute jobbed into his place of schoolmaster with as much fitness for it as a hound, might not have been educated on quite a right plan in some undiscovered respect, when Mr Dombey angrily repeating 'The usual return!' led the Major away. And the Major being heavy to hoist into Mr Dombey's carriage, elevated in mid-air, and having to stop and swear that he would flay the Native alive, and break every bone in his skin, and visit other physical torments upon him, every time he couldn't get his foot on the step, and fell back on that dark exile, had barely time before they started to repeat hoarsely that it would never do: that it always failed: and that if he were to educate 'his own vagabond,' he would certainly be hanged.
Mr Dombey assented bitterly; but there was something more in his bitterness, and in his moody way of falling back in the carriage, and looking with knitted brows at the changing objects without, than the failure of that noble educational system administered by the Grinders' Company. He had seen upon the man's rough cap a piece of new crape, and he had assured himself, from his manner and his answers, that he wore it for his son.
So) from high to low, at home or abroad, from Florence in his great house to the coarse churl who was feeding the fire then smoking before them, everyone set up some claim or other to a share in his dead boy, and was a bidder against him! Could he ever forget how that woman had wept over his pillow, and called him her own child! or how he, waking from his sleep, had asked for her, and had raised himself in his bed and brightened when she carne in!
To think of this presumptuous raker among coals and ashes going on before there, with his sign of mourning! To think that he dared to enter, even by a common show like that, into the trial and disappointrnent of a proud gentleman's secret heart! To think that this lost child, who was to have divided with him his riches, and his projects, and his power, and allied with whom he was to have shut out all the world as with a double door of gold, should have let in such a herd to insult him with their knowledge of his defeated hopes, and their boasts of claiming community of feeling with himself, so far removed: if not of having crept into the place wherein he would have lorded it, alone!
He found no pleasure or relief in the journey. Tortured by these thoughts he carried monotony with him, through the rushing landscape, and hurried headlong, not through a rich and varied country, but a wilderness of blighted plans and gnawing jealousies. The very speed at which the train was whirled along, mocked the swift course of the young life that had been borne away so steadily and so inexorably to its foredoomed end. The power that forced itself upon its iron way - its own - defiant of all paths and roads, piercing through the heart of every obstacle, and dragging living creatures of all classes, ages, and degrees behind it, was a type of the triumphant monster, Death.
Away, with a shriek, and a roar, and a rattle, from the town, burrowmg among the dwellings of men and making the streets hum, flashing out into the meadows for a moment, mining in through the damp earth, booming on in darkness and heavy air, bursting out again into the sunny day so bright and wide; away, with a shriek, and a roar, and a rattle, through the fields, through the woods, through the corn, through the hay, through the chalk, through the mould, through the clay, through the rock, among objects close at hand and almost in the grasp, ever flying from the traveller, and a deceitful distance ever moving slowly within him: like as in the track of the remorseless monster, Death!
Through the hollow, on the height, by the heath, by the orchard, by the park, by the garden, over the canal, across the river, where the sheep are feeding, where the mill is going, where the barge is floating, where the dead are lying, where the factory is smoking, where the stream is running, where the village clusters, where the great cathedral rises, where the bleak moor lies, and the wild breeze smooths or ruffles it at its inconstant will; away, with a shriek, and a roar, and a rattle, and no trace to leave behind but dust and vapour: like as in the track of the remorseless monster, Death!
Breasting the wind and light, the shower and sunshine, away, and still away, it rolls and roars, fierce and rapid, smooth and certain, and great works and massive bridges crossing up above, fall like a beam of shadow an inch broad, upon the eye, and then are lost. Away, and still away, onward and onward ever: glimpses of cottage-homes, of houses, mansions, rich estates, of husbandry and handicraft, of people, of old roads and paths that look deserted, small, and insignificant as they are left behind: and so they do, and what else is there but such glimpses, in the track of the indomitable monster, Death!
Away, with a shriek, and a roar, and a rattle, plunging down into the earth again, and working on in such a storm of energy and perseverance, that amidst the darkness and whirlwind the motion seems reversed, and to tend furiously backward, until a ray of light upon the Wet wall shows its surface flying past like a fierce stream, Away once more into the day, and through the day, with a shrill yell of exultation, roaring, rattling, tearing on, spurning everything with its dark breath, sometimes pausing for a minute where a crowd of faces are, that in a minute more are not; sometimes lapping water greedily, and before the spout at which it drinks' has ceased to drip upon the ground, shrieking, roaring, rattling through the purple distance!
Louder and louder yet, it shrieks and cries as it comes tearing on resistless to the goal: and now its way, still like the way of Death, is strewn with ashes thickly. Everything around is blackened. There are dark pools of water, muddy lanes, and miserable habitations far below. There are jagged walls and falling houses close at hand, and through the battered roofs and broken windows, wretched rooms are seen, where 'want and fever hide themselves in many wretched shapes, while smoke and crowded gables, and distorted chimneys, and deformity of brick and mortar penning up deformity of mind and body, choke the murky distance. As Mr Dombey looks out of his carriage window, it is never in his thoughts that the monster who has brought him there has let the light of day in on these things: not made or caused them. It was the journey's fitting end, and might have been the end of everything; it was so ruinous and dreary.'
So, pursuing the one course of thought, he had the one relentless monster still before him. All things looked black, and cold, and deadly upon him, and he on them. He found a likeness to his misfortune everywhere. There was a remorseless triumph going on about him, and it galled and stung him in his pride and jealousy, whatever form it took: though most of all when it divided with him the love and memory of his lost boy.
There was a face - he had looked upon it, on the previous night, and it on him with eyes that read his soul, though they were dim with tears, and hidden soon behind two quivering hands - that often had attended him in fancy, on this ride. He had seen it, with the expression of last night, timidly pleading to him. It was not reproachful, but there was something of doubt, almost of hopeful incredulity in it, which, as he once more saw that fade away into a desolate certainty of his dislike, was like reproach. It was a trouble to him to think of this face of Florence.
Because he felt any new compunction towards it? No. Because the feeling it awakened in him - of which he had had some old foreshadowing in older times - was full-formed now, and spoke out plainly, moving him too much, and threatening to grow too strong for his composure. Because the face was abroad, in the expression of defeat and persecution that seemed to encircle him like the air. Because it barbed the arrow of that cruel and remorseless enemy on which his thoughts so ran, and put into its grasp a double-handed sword. Because he knew full well, in his own breast, as he stood there, tinging the scene of transition before him with the morbid colours of his own mind, and making it a ruin and a picture of decay, instead of hopeful change, and promise of better things, that life had quite as much to do with his complainings as death. One child was gone, and one child left. Why was the object of his hope removed instead of her?
The sweet, calm, gentle presence in his fancy, moved him to no reflection but that. She had been unwelcome to him from the first; she was an aggravation of his bitterness now. If his son had been his only child, and the same blow had fallen on him, it would have been heavy to bear; but infinitely lighter than now, when it might have fallen on her (whom he could have lost, or he believed it, without a pang), and had not. Her loving and innocent face rising before him, had no softening or winning influence. He rejected the angel, and took up with the tormenting spirit crouching in his bosom. Her patience, goodness, youth, devotion, love, were as so many atoms in the ashes upon which he set his heel. He saw her image in the blight and blackness all around him, not irradiating but deepening the gloom. More than once upon this journey, and now again as he stood pondering at this journey's end, tracing figures in the dust with his stick, the thought came into his mind, what was there he could interpose between himself and it?
The Major, who had been blowing and panting all the way down, like another engine, and whose eye had often wandered from his newspaper to leer at the prospect, as if there were a procession of discomfited Miss Toxes pouring out in the smoke of the train, and flying away over the fields to hide themselves in any place of refuge, aroused his friends by informing him that the post-horses were harnessed and the carriage ready.
'Dombey,' said the Major, rapping him on the arm with his cane, 'don't be thoughtful. It's a bad habit, Old Joe, Sir, wouldn't be as tough as you see him, if he had ever encouraged it. You are too great a man, Dombey, to be thoughtful. In your position, Sir, you're far above that kind of thing.'
The Major even in his friendly remonstrrnces, thus consulting the dignity and honour of Mr Dombey, and showing a lively sense of their importance, Mr Dombey felt more than ever disposed to defer to a gentleman possessing so much good sense and such a well-regulated mind; acoordingly he made an effort to listen to the Major's stories, as they trotted along the turnpike road; and the Major, finding both the pace and the road a great deal better adapted to his conversational powers than the mode of travelling they had just relinquished, came out of his entertainment,
But still the Major, blunt and tough as he was, and as he so very often said he was, administered some palatable catering to his companion's appetite. He related, or rather suffered it to escape him, accidentally, and as one might say, grudgingly and against his will, how there was great curiosity and excitement at the club, in regard of his friend Dombey. How he was suffocated with questions, Sir. How old Joe Bagstock was a greater man than ever, there, on the strength of Dombey. How they said, 'Bagstock, your friend Dombey now, what is the view he takes of such and such a question? Though, by the Rood, Sir,' said the Major, with a broad stare, 'how they discovered that J. B. ever came to know you, is a mystery!'
In this flow of spirits and conversation, only interrupted by his usual plethoric symptoms, and by intervals of lunch, and from time to time by some violent assault upon the Native, who wore a pair of ear-rings in his dark-brown ears, and on whom his European clothes sat with an outlandish impossibility of adjustment - being, of their own accord, and without any reference to the tailor's art, long where they ought to be short, short where they ought to be long, tight where they ought to be loose, and loose where they ought to be tight - and to which he imparted a new grace, whenever the Major attacked him, by shrinking into them like a shrivelled nut, or a cold monkey - in this flow of spirits and conversation, the Major continued all day: so that when evening came on, and found them trotting through the green and leafy road near Leamington, the Major's voice, what with talking and eating and chuckling and choking, appeared to be in the box under the rumble, or in some neighbouring hay-stack. Nor did the Major improve it at the Royal Hotel, where rooms and dinner had been ordered, and where he so oppressed his organs of speech by eating and drinking, that when he retired to bed he had no voice at all, except to cough with, and could only make himself intelligible to the dark servant by gasping at him.
He not only rose next morning, however, like a giant refreshed, but conducted himself, at breakfast like a giant refreshing. At this meal they arranged their daily habits. The Major was to take the responsibility of ordering evrything to eat and drink; and they were to have a late breakfast together every morning, and a late dinner together every day. Mr Dombey would prefer remaining in his own room, or walking in the country by himself, on that first day of their sojourn at Leamington; but next morning he would be happy to accompany the Major to the Pump-room, and about the town. So they parted until dinner-time. Mr Dombey retired to nurse his wholesome thoughts in his own way. The Major, attended by the Native carrying a camp-stool, a great-coat, and an umbrella, swaggered up and down through all the public places: looking into subscription books to find out who was there, looking up old ladies by whom he was much admired, reporting J. B. tougher than ever, and puffing his rich friend Dombey wherever he went. There never was a man who stood by a friend more staunchly than the Major, when in puffing him, he puffed himself.
It was surprising how much new conversation the Major had to let off at dinner-time, and what occasion he gave Mr Dombey to admire his social qualities. At breakfast next morning, he knew the contents of the latest newspapers received; and mentioned several subjects in connexion with them, on which his opinion had recently been sought by persons of such power and might, that they were only to be obscurely hinted at. Mr Dombey, who had been so long shut up within himself, and who had rarely, at any time, overstepped the enchanted circle within which the operations of Dombey and Son were conducted, began to think this an improvement on his solitary life; and in place of excusing himself for another day, as he had thought of doing when alone, walked out with the Major arm-in-arm.
“董貝先生，”白格斯托克少校說(shuō)道，“喬?！ぐ滓话銇?lái)說(shuō)并不是一個(gè)多愁善感的人，因?yàn)榧s瑟夫是堅(jiān)強(qiáng)的。但是喬是有感情的，先生，當(dāng)這些感情·真·的被喚醒的時(shí)候——他媽的，董貝先生，”少校突然兇猛地喊道，“這是個(gè)弱點(diǎn)，我不打算向它屈服！”
白格斯托克少校是在公主廣場(chǎng)他自己的樓梯頂上迎接客人董貝先生時(shí)說(shuō)這些話的。在他們出發(fā)旅行之前，董貝先生前來(lái)跟少校一道吃早餐；薄命倒霉的本地人由于做的松餅不合主人的口味，已經(jīng)受盡種種折磨，至于煮雞蛋引起的問(wèn)題，生活對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)真是個(gè)沉重的負(fù)擔(dān)。
“白格斯托克家族的一個(gè)老兵不應(yīng)當(dāng)束手無(wú)策地聽(tīng)?wèi){他成為自己感情的犧牲品，”少校態(tài)度溫和下來(lái)，說(shuō)道，“可是——他媽的，先生，”少校突然又兇猛起來(lái)，喊道，“我向您表示哀悼！”
當(dāng)少校和董貝先生握手的時(shí)候，他的青紫色的臉孔的顏色加深了，他的龍蝦眼睛更加突出地鼓了出來(lái)，因此在那和平的動(dòng)作中加上了一層挑釁的色彩，仿佛這是一個(gè)序幕，接下去，他立即就要為一千鎊賭金和英國(guó)的錦標(biāo)與董貝先生進(jìn)行拳擊比賽似的。然后，少校一邊轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)著頭，徐馬咳嗽一般地喘著氣，一邊把客人領(lǐng)到起居室（這時(shí)他的情緒已鎮(zhèn)靜下來(lái)了），以一個(gè)旅伴無(wú)拘無(wú)束、坦率真誠(chéng)的態(tài)度歡迎他。
“董貝，”少校說(shuō)道，“我見(jiàn)到您很高興。我見(jiàn)到您感到自豪。在歐洲，喬·白格斯托克能對(duì)他們說(shuō)這種話的人是不多的——因?yàn)閱滔Ｊ莻€(gè)直腸直肚，不會(huì)虛情假意的人。先生，他生性就是這樣——但喬埃·白見(jiàn)到您感到自豪，董貝。”
“少校，”董貝先生說(shuō)道“您很謙和有禮?！?BR> “不，先生，”少校說(shuō)，“絕對(duì)不是！那不是我的性格。如果那是喬的性格，那么喬現(xiàn)在可能已經(jīng)是陸軍中將約瑟夫·白格斯托克爵士，（巴士高級(jí)勛位爵士），可能已經(jīng)在大不相同的公館里接待您了。看來(lái)您還不了解老喬。但是這次非同尋常的機(jī)會(huì)是我自豪的源泉。真的，先生，”少校堅(jiān)決地說(shuō)道，“這是我的光榮！”
董貝先生根據(jù)他對(duì)他本人和對(duì)他的金錢的評(píng)價(jià)，覺(jué)得這話說(shuō)得千真萬(wàn)確，因此沒(méi)有辯駁。但是少校本能地認(rèn)識(shí)這個(gè)真理并爽直地作出這個(gè)聲明，這是令人愉快的。對(duì)于董貝先生來(lái)說(shuō)，它證實(shí)了（如果他需要證實(shí)的話）他對(duì)少校的看法沒(méi)有錯(cuò)。它使他相信：他的權(quán)勢(shì)已擴(kuò)展到他直接管轄的業(yè)務(wù)范圍之外。少校這位軍官和紳士對(duì)他權(quán)勢(shì)的正確認(rèn)識(shí)與倫敦交易所的差役相比絲毫不差。
如果說(shuō)，知道這個(gè)情況或類似的情況過(guò)去一直是他的一種安慰的話，那么現(xiàn)在，當(dāng)他的意志無(wú)能為力，他的希望動(dòng)搖不穩(wěn)，他的財(cái)富軟弱無(wú)能的印象多么悲慘地銘刻在他的心頭的時(shí)候，知道這個(gè)情況更是他的一種安慰。財(cái)富能做什么？——他的男孩子曾經(jīng)這樣問(wèn)過(guò)他。他有時(shí)想到這孩子的問(wèn)題時(shí)也禁不住問(wèn)他自己，它真能做什么？它做到了什么呢？
這些都是他在深夜與世隔絕之情況下愁眉不展、意氣消沉、黯然憂傷時(shí)所產(chǎn)生的隱秘的思想，但是高傲很容易從這個(gè)真理的許多證明中重新使他產(chǎn)生信心，這些證明就跟少校的證明一樣不容懷疑，一樣寶貴可愛(ài)。董貝先生在沒(méi)有朋友的情況下對(duì)少校產(chǎn)生了好感。不能說(shuō)他對(duì)他滿腔熱情，而只能說(shuō)他稍稍解了點(diǎn)凍。在海濱的那些日子里，少校曾經(jīng)起過(guò)一些作用（不很大）。他是個(gè)上層社會(huì)里的人物，認(rèn)識(shí)一些重要人物。他健談，愛(ài)講趣聞?shì)W事；董貝先生喜歡把他看成是在社會(huì)上拋頭露面的才士名流，但卻沒(méi)有才士名流通常摻雜得過(guò)多的有害的寒酸氣。他的地位是不可否認(rèn)的?？偟恼f(shuō)來(lái)，少校是個(gè)可以稱許的旅伴；他對(duì)閑暇安逸的生活十分習(xí)慣，對(duì)他們即將前往游覽的名勝也十分熟悉。在他身上流露出一種上流人士悠閑自在的氣派，它和董貝先生本人忙忙碌碌的城市風(fēng)格搭配得不錯(cuò)，又根本不和它競(jìng)爭(zhēng)高低。如果董貝先生心中出現(xiàn)過(guò)這樣的念頭，那只殘酷無(wú)情的手最近曾經(jīng)摧毀了他的希望，而少校出于他的天職，習(xí)慣于把這類事情看得滿不在乎，因此他可能在無(wú)意間向他灌輸一些有用的哲學(xué)，驅(qū)除他淡弱的哀惜；——如果董貝先生心中出現(xiàn)過(guò)這樣的念頭的話，那么他是把它掩藏起來(lái)了，連他自己也不清楚，并不加考察地讓自己的高傲把它壓在最底層。
“我的無(wú)賴在哪里？”少校怒氣沖沖地環(huán)視著房間，說(shuō)道。
本地人沒(méi)有固定的名字，不論用什么辱罵的綽號(hào)呼喚他，他都應(yīng)聲回答；這時(shí)他立即出現(xiàn)在門口，不敢再向前走近。
“你這壞蛋！”肝火旺盛的少校說(shuō)道，“早餐在哪里？”
膚色黝黑的仆人離開去取早餐，不一會(huì)兒就聽(tīng)到他戰(zhàn)戰(zhàn)兢兢地重新上樓；托盤里的盤子和碟子都同情地震顫著，一路上卡嗒卡嗒地響著。
“董貝，”少校說(shuō)，一邊向正在餐桌上擺放食品的本地人看了一眼；當(dāng)他掉落一只匙子的時(shí)候，少校就威嚇地?fù)]揮拳頭，以示鼓勵(lì)?！斑@是辣子烤肉，這是咸餡餅，這是一碟腰子，還有其他等等。請(qǐng)坐下吧。您看，老喬沒(méi)什么招待您，只能請(qǐng)您吃行軍的伙食啦！”
“飯菜好極了，少校，”客人回答道，這倒不僅僅是說(shuō)客氣話，因?yàn)樯傩？偸潜M量把自己照料得很好；事實(shí)上他葷菜吃得太多，已經(jīng)超出有益于健康的程度；他那紅光滿面的氣色主要?dú)w因于他的這種嗜好。
“您在看對(duì)面的房屋，先生，”少校說(shuō)道，“您看到了我們的朋友沒(méi)有？”
“您是說(shuō)托克斯小姐嗎？”董貝先生回答道，“沒(méi)有看到?！?BR> “迷人的女人哪，先生，”少校說(shuō)道，他那短喉嚨中發(fā)出了縱情的大笑聲，幾乎使他透不過(guò)氣來(lái)。
“我覺(jué)得，托克斯小姐是一個(gè)很好的人，”董貝先生回答道。
傲慢、冷淡的回答似乎使白格斯托克少校感到無(wú)比高興。他非常興奮，非常得意，甚至把刀和叉放下片刻，搓起手來(lái)。
“先生，”少校說(shuō)道，“老喬曾經(jīng)一度是那個(gè)房屋里得寵的人。但是喬的好日子已經(jīng)過(guò)去了。喬已經(jīng)相形見(jiàn)絀，被別人勝過(guò)，被別人打敗了，先生。這就是我要跟您說(shuō)的，董貝?！鄙傩ＭＶ钩詵|西，神色神秘而憤怒，“那是個(gè)像魔鬼一樣野心勃勃的女人，先生?！?BR> 董貝先生說(shuō)了聲：“真的嗎？”他是冷冷淡淡、漠不關(guān)心的，其中也許還夾雜著由于輕蔑而產(chǎn)生的不信任：托克斯小姐怎么竟膽敢懷有野心這樣高超的品質(zhì)呢？
“先生，”少校說(shuō)，“那個(gè)女人就她的本性來(lái)說(shuō)是個(gè)惡魔。喬?！ぐ椎暮萌兆右呀?jīng)過(guò)去了，但是他的眼睛是繼續(xù)注視著的。他洞察一切，喬就是這樣的。已故的約克郡公爵殿下有一次在早朝中談到喬的時(shí)候曾經(jīng)說(shuō)過(guò)，他洞察一切?！?BR> 少校在講這些話的時(shí)候，露出一副異乎尋常的神色；當(dāng)他在喝熱茶、吃辣子烤肉、松餅和進(jìn)行意味深長(zhǎng)的談話中間，頭是那么興奮和激怒，甚至連董貝先生也為他表示幾分憂慮。
“先生，”少校繼續(xù)說(shuō)道，“那個(gè)可笑的老女人想要高攀。
她想要高攀到天上，先生。在婚姻上，董貝?！?BR> “我為她感到遺憾?！倍愊壬f(shuō)道。
“別說(shuō)那個(gè)，董貝，”少校用警告的聲調(diào)說(shuō)道。
“為什么不說(shuō)，少校？”董貝先生問(wèn)道。
少校除了發(fā)出像馬的咳嗽一樣的聲音外，沒(méi)有回答別的，并起勁吃著。
“她對(duì)您的家已經(jīng)產(chǎn)生了興趣，”少校又停止吃東西，說(shuō)道，“好些時(shí)間以來(lái)，她一直是您家的?？汀！?BR> “是的，”董貝先生極為莊嚴(yán)地回答道，“托克斯小姐最初是在董貝夫人逝世時(shí)，作為我妹妹的一位朋友，在我家受到接待的。由于她是個(gè)舉止得當(dāng)、很有禮貌的人，對(duì)那個(gè)可憐的嬰兒又表示喜愛(ài)，所以我允許她，可以說(shuō)是我鼓勵(lì)她，跟我妹妹一道，經(jīng)常不斷地到我家來(lái)拜訪，并逐漸地跟這個(gè)家庭建立了一種親近融洽的關(guān)系。我，”董貝先生說(shuō)，他的聲調(diào)是作出重大的、有價(jià)值的讓步的人才會(huì)有的，“我尊敬托克斯小姐。她很殷勤地在我家里幫了很多小忙，也許這些都是雞毛蒜皮、微不足道的小忙，少校，但不應(yīng)當(dāng)因?yàn)檫@個(gè)緣故而貶損它們。我希望我有幸能在我的力量所及的范圍內(nèi)給予注意和關(guān)切，以表示感謝。我認(rèn)為我自己就是多虧了托克斯小姐，少校，”董貝先生輕輕地?fù)]著手，接下去說(shuō)道，“才有幸跟您相識(shí)的?！?BR> “董貝，”少校激昂地說(shuō)道，“不，不，先生！約瑟夫·白格斯托克不能不對(duì)這種說(shuō)法提出異議。您認(rèn)識(shí)老喬，先生，以及老喬認(rèn)識(shí)您，先生，根源都是由于一位高貴的人，先生，一位卓越非凡的人兒，先生，”少校說(shuō)道，一邊顯露出內(nèi)心痛苦斗爭(zhēng)的表情；要做到這一點(diǎn)在他是不難的，因?yàn)樗@一生都是在跟各種中風(fēng)的癥候作斗爭(zhēng)；“董貝，我們是通過(guò)您的男孩子而相互認(rèn)識(shí)的?！?BR> 董貝先生聽(tīng)到他的這句暗示似乎很受感動(dòng)（很可能少校有意指望他會(huì)這樣）。他低垂著眼睛，嘆了一口氣；少校呢，猛烈地振作起精神；當(dāng)提到他覺(jué)得他本人有危險(xiǎn)陷入那種痛苦心情時(shí)，他再次說(shuō)，這是個(gè)弱點(diǎn)，沒(méi)有什么能誘使他向它屈服。
“我們的朋友與我們之間的認(rèn)識(shí)只有間接的關(guān)系，”少校說(shuō)道，“凡是屬于她的功勞，喬·白是樂(lè)意給她的，先生。盡管如此，夫人，”他接著說(shuō)，一邊抬起眼睛，越過(guò)公主廣場(chǎng)，望過(guò)去，這時(shí)可以看見(jiàn)托克斯小姐正在窗口澆花，“您是個(gè)女流氓，夫人，您的野心無(wú)恥到了極點(diǎn)。如果這僅僅使您自己滑稽可笑，夫人，”少校向一無(wú)所知的托克斯小姐搖晃著腦袋說(shuō)道，這時(shí)他那鼓鼓的眼睛好像要跳向她身上去似的，“您滿可以痛痛快快地那樣做，我敢向您保證，白格斯托克決不會(huì)有任何反對(duì)?！边@時(shí)少?？膳碌毓笮?，連耳朵尖和頭上的血管都震顫起來(lái)了，“可是，夫人，”少校說(shuō)道，“當(dāng)您損害別人，而且損害的是寬宏大量、毫無(wú)猜疑的人，來(lái)報(bào)答他們對(duì)您屈尊俯就的厚意，那么您就叫老喬身上的血液沸騰起來(lái)了?！?BR> “少校，”董貝先生紅著臉說(shuō)道，“我希望您說(shuō)到托克斯小姐的時(shí)候，別暗示任何荒謬絕倫的事情——”
“董貝，”少?；卮鸬?，“我什么也沒(méi)有暗示。但是喬?！ぐ资巧钤谶@個(gè)世界上的，先生，是張開眼睛生活在這個(gè)世界上的，先生，他的耳朵也是豎起來(lái)的；喬告訴您，董貝，就在路對(duì)過(guò)，有一個(gè)非常非常狡猾和野心勃勃的女人?！?BR> 董貝先生不由得向廣場(chǎng)對(duì)過(guò)望了一眼；他朝那個(gè)方向投射過(guò)去的是憤怒的眼光。
“約瑟夫·白格斯托克在這個(gè)問(wèn)題上想要講的話，沒(méi)有半句留在嘴里的了，”少校斬釘截鐵地說(shuō)道，“喬不是個(gè)搬弄是非的人，但有時(shí)候，當(dāng)挑釁強(qiáng)烈得叫他不能再沉默下去的時(shí)候，他必須說(shuō)，他·想·要說(shuō)——您那該死的*計(jì)，夫人！”少校又火冒三丈地向著他的女鄰居大聲喊道。
這突然爆發(fā)的感情激動(dòng)又引起少校發(fā)出一陣馬的咳嗽般的聲音，把他折磨了好久；當(dāng)他恢復(fù)過(guò)來(lái)以后，他又繼續(xù)說(shuō)道：
“現(xiàn)在，董貝，既然您邀請(qǐng)喬——老喬當(dāng)您的客人和萊明頓①的向?qū)?，那就?qǐng)隨意指揮他吧，他是完全屬于您的。他沒(méi)有別的優(yōu)點(diǎn)，先生，但他是堅(jiān)強(qiáng)不屈和誠(chéng)懇熱情的。我不知道，先生，”少校帶著詼諧的神氣，搖擺著他的雙下巴頦，說(shuō)道，“你們這些人在喬身上看到了什么，使你們?nèi)枷蛩岢隽诉@樣重大的請(qǐng)求；不過(guò)我明白，如果他不是堅(jiān)強(qiáng)不屈、頑抗到底地拒絕這些邀請(qǐng)的話，那么你們就會(huì)用請(qǐng)貼及其他一類東西把他的這條命加快一倍地?cái)嗨土??！?BR> --------
①萊明頓（Leamington）：英格蘭沃里克郡的一個(gè)城鎮(zhèn)，是有名的礦泉療養(yǎng)地。
董貝先生三言兩語(yǔ)地表示他認(rèn)識(shí)到，社會(huì)上其他杰出的人物全都爭(zhēng)爭(zhēng)吵吵地想把白格斯托克少校據(jù)為己有，而少校對(duì)他本人的偏愛(ài)則超過(guò)他們之上。但是少校立刻打斷他，讓他明白，他是根據(jù)自己的心意行事的；他的這些心意全都一致起立，用一個(gè)聲調(diào)對(duì)他說(shuō)，“喬·白，董貝是您應(yīng)當(dāng)選來(lái)做朋友的人?！?BR> 少校這時(shí)吃得飽飽的，咸餡餅的液汁從他的眼角中滲流出來(lái)，辣子烤肉和腰子繃緊了他的領(lǐng)帶；火車開往伯明翰的時(shí)間已經(jīng)臨近（他們是乘火車離開城市的），本地人非常困難地給他穿上厚大衣，扣上鈕扣；他的臉孔終于從衣服的頂端露了出來(lái)，眼睛鼓著往外看，嘴巴張著喘氣，仿佛他是裝在一個(gè)琵琶桶里似的。接著，本地人把他的軟皮手套、粗手杖和帽子一件件地遞給他，每遞完一件總要隔適當(dāng)?shù)拈g歇才遞下一件。他把那頂帽子時(shí)髦地歪戴在頭的一邊，為的是使他那驚人的面貌變得柔和一些。董貝先生的四輪輕便馬車正在外面等待著，本地人事先在馬車中一切可能的和不可能的角落里塞滿了數(shù)量異常之多的氈制旅行提包和小旅行皮包；它們那鼓鼓囊囊的外表就跟少校本人一樣，好像患了中風(fēng)癥似的；本地人在自己的口袋中又塞滿了塞爾查礦泉水、東印度群島的雪利酒、夾心面包片、圍巾、望遠(yuǎn)鏡、地圖和報(bào)紙，這一類隨身攜帶的輕便物品是少校在旅行中隨時(shí)可能要的。然后，本地人報(bào)告，一切都已準(zhǔn)備就緒。為了把這位不幸的外國(guó)人（人們傳說(shuō)他在本國(guó)是位王子）裝備得齊全無(wú)缺，當(dāng)他和托林森先生并排坐在馬車后座上的時(shí)候，房東又把一堆少校的斗篷和厚大衣猛擲到他身上；這位房東像一位泰坦①，從鋪石路上把這些巨彈對(duì)準(zhǔn)他投射過(guò)來(lái)，把他完全蒙蓋住了，他就像埋葬在一個(gè)活墳?zāi)估锼频叵蛑疖囌厩斑M(jìn)。
但是在馬車出發(fā)之前，正當(dāng)本地人被埋葬的時(shí)候，托克斯小姐出現(xiàn)在她的窗口，揮著一塊像百合花一樣純白的手絹。董貝先生很冷淡地——甚至對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)也是很冷淡地——接受了這個(gè)送行的問(wèn)候；他的頭極為輕微地點(diǎn)了一下作為回禮，然后神色十分不愉快地仰靠在馬車中。他這故意的態(tài)度使少校感到無(wú)比高興。（他倒很有禮貌地跟托克斯小姐打了招呼），后來(lái)他長(zhǎng)久地坐在那里，眼睛斜瞅著，嘴巴喘著氣，像吃得過(guò)多的梅菲斯托菲爾斯②一樣。
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①泰坦（Titan）：希臘神話中與神斗爭(zhēng)的巨人族。
②梅菲斯托菲爾斯：德國(guó)詩(shī)人哥德所著《浮士德》中的魔鬼。
在車站臨開車前忙忙亂亂的時(shí)間里，董貝先生和少校在月臺(tái)上并排地走來(lái)走去；董貝先生沉默寡言，悶悶不樂(lè)，少校則以各種軼事和回憶（其中大部分的主要角色都是喬·白格斯托克）來(lái)使他或使他自己開心消遣。他們兩人誰(shuí)也沒(méi)有注意到，他們?cè)谏⒉竭^(guò)程中已吸引了一位工人的注意；那位工人站在機(jī)車旁邊；他們每次從旁經(jīng)過(guò)的時(shí)候，他都觸一觸帽檐向他們行禮；因?yàn)槎愊壬凑掌綍r(shí)的習(xí)慣，沒(méi)有正面去看普通老百姓，而是越過(guò)他們的頭頂望出去；少校呢，正全神貫注地在講他的趣聞?shì)W事，所以誰(shuí)也沒(méi)有理會(huì)到這位工人?？墒钱?dāng)他們向后轉(zhuǎn)的時(shí)候，那人終于走到他們面前，脫下帽子，拿在手中，向董貝先生低頭鞠躬。
“請(qǐng)?jiān)?，先生，”那人說(shuō)道，“我希望您身體健康，生活愉快，先生?！?BR> 他穿著一套帆布衣服，上面布滿斑斑點(diǎn)點(diǎn)的煤灰和油垢，連鬢胡子當(dāng)中有著煤屑，全身上下散發(fā)出一股半熄滅的灰燼的氣味。盡管這樣，他并不是一個(gè)難看的人，也不能說(shuō)他是個(gè)看上去骯臟的人；直接了當(dāng)?shù)卣f(shuō)吧，他就是穿著工作服的圖德?tīng)栂壬?BR> “我很榮幸將在這一路上為你們往鍋爐里添煤燒火，”圖德?tīng)栂壬f(shuō)道，“請(qǐng)?jiān)?，先生，我希望您身體開始恢復(fù)過(guò)來(lái)了吧！”
董貝先生嫌惡地看著他，回答他那關(guān)切的聲調(diào)，仿佛像他那樣的人甚至?xí)阉囊曇耙茬栉哿怂频摹?BR> “請(qǐng)?jiān)徫业拿懊?，先生，”圖德?tīng)栂壬吹蕉愊壬延洸磺逅?，就說(shuō)道：“不過(guò)我的老婆波利，在您家里管她叫做理查茲的——”
董貝先生臉色的變化使圖德?tīng)栂壬蝗徽f(shuō)不出話來(lái)。它似乎表示他已記起他來(lái)，實(shí)際上也確實(shí)如此，但它卻以更強(qiáng)烈的程度憤怒地表示出一種屈辱感。
“你的老婆需要錢吧，我想，”董貝先生把手伸進(jìn)衣袋里，傲慢地說(shuō)道，不過(guò)他經(jīng)常是這樣說(shuō)話的。
“不，謝謝您，先生，”圖德?tīng)柣卮鸬?，“她需要不需要我不好說(shuō)。我不需要?！?BR> 現(xiàn)在輪到董貝先生突然尷尬地說(shuō)不出話來(lái)了，他的手還放在衣袋里。
“不，先生，”圖德?tīng)柊阉挠筒济弊釉谑掷镆蝗τ忠蝗Φ卮蛑D(zhuǎn)，“我們過(guò)得不錯(cuò)，先生。我們沒(méi)有理由抱怨生活，先生。從那時(shí)以來(lái)，我們又添了四個(gè)孩子，先生，但是我們還能勉勉強(qiáng)強(qiáng)過(guò)得下去?！?BR> 董貝先生真想使勁地?cái)D到他的車廂里去，那怕這樣做會(huì)把這燒鍋爐的火夫給擠到車輪底下也罷；但是這時(shí)他的注意力卻被那依舊在那人手里慢慢打轉(zhuǎn)的油布帽子上的什么東西吸引住了。
“我們失去了一個(gè)小娃娃，”圖德?tīng)栒f(shuō)，“這是不能否認(rèn)的?！?BR> “最近嗎？”董貝先生看著那帽子，問(wèn)道。
“不，先生，三年多以前的事了，不過(guò)其余的孩子全都很強(qiáng)健。說(shuō)到念書的事，先生，”圖德?tīng)栂壬志狭艘粋€(gè)躬，說(shuō)道，仿佛他想要向董貝先生提醒好久以前他們之間在這方面曾經(jīng)發(fā)生過(guò)的事情似的，“歸根到底，我的這些男孩子們他們?nèi)冀涛?。先生，他們這些男孩子已經(jīng)讓我成了一個(gè)能讀會(huì)寫的人了?！?BR> “走吧，少校！”董貝先生說(shuō)道。
“請(qǐng)?jiān)彛壬?，”圖德?tīng)栕叩剿麄兦懊?，又恭恭敬敬地?cái)r住他們，繼續(xù)往下說(shuō)，他的手里依舊拿著帽子，“如果我不是想把我們的談話引到我的兒子拜勒的話，那么我本不想用這些話來(lái)打攪您的；拜勒的教名叫羅賓，就是他，承蒙您的好意，讓他成了一名慈善的磨工?！?BR> “唔，您說(shuō)，”董貝先生極為嚴(yán)厲地說(shuō)道，“他怎么了？”
“唉，先生，”圖德?tīng)枔u著頭，臉上露出很大的憂慮與痛苦，回答道，“我不得不說(shuō)，先生，他走錯(cuò)路了?！?BR> “他走錯(cuò)路了，真的嗎？”董貝先生說(shuō)道，心中感到一種殘忍的滿足。
“先生們，你們知道，他交了壞朋友了，”那位父親用愁悶的眼光望著他們兩人，繼續(xù)說(shuō)道，他把少校顯然也拉入談話，是為了取得他的同情，“他走到邪路上去了。上帝保佑，他也許是會(huì)回來(lái)的，先生們，可是現(xiàn)在他是在錯(cuò)誤的軌道上行走。您也許總會(huì)聽(tīng)到這件事的，先生，”圖德?tīng)栍謫为?dú)對(duì)著董貝先生說(shuō)道，“不過(guò)還是由我自己來(lái)告訴您，對(duì)您說(shuō)，我的孩子走錯(cuò)路了。波利悲傷得不得了，先生們，”圖德?tīng)柭冻鐾瑯泳趩实纳裆?，再一次向少校求助，說(shuō)道。
“我曾幫助這個(gè)人的兒子去受教育，少校，”董貝先生先生挽著他的胳膊，說(shuō)道，“到頭來(lái)通常是這樣的報(bào)答！”
“請(qǐng)接受老喬直率的忠告，千萬(wàn)別去教育這一類人，先生，”少?；卮鸬?，“他媽的，先生，千萬(wàn)別做那種事！那樣做總是失敗的！”
這位老實(shí)人的兒子，過(guò)去的磨工，曾經(jīng)被他那野獸般粗暴、殘忍的老師嚇唬過(guò)，毆打過(guò)，鞭撻過(guò)，在身上烙過(guò)印，并像鸚鵡般地教過(guò)；由這種人擔(dān)任老師職務(wù)，就像讓獵狗擔(dān)任這種職務(wù)一樣不合適。當(dāng)這位頭腦簡(jiǎn)單的父親正想表示希望他的兒子不要在某些方面接受了錯(cuò)誤的教育的時(shí)候，董貝先生怒沖沖地重復(fù)了一句：“到頭來(lái)通常是這樣的報(bào)答！”，就領(lǐng)著少校走開了。少校身子很重，很不容易把他舉起送進(jìn)董貝先生的車廂里；他被懸舉在半空，每當(dāng)他的腳踩不到車廂門口的踏板，重新落在膚色黝黑的流亡者的身上時(shí)，他就發(fā)誓賭咒地大罵說(shuō)，他要把本地人活活剝下皮來(lái)，要把他的每根骨頭都打斷，還要讓他的身體吃其他各種苦頭；少校進(jìn)了車廂以后，嘶啞地重復(fù)說(shuō)，千萬(wàn)別做那種事，那樣做總是失敗的，如果他要讓“自己這位流浪漢”去受教育的話，那么這小子到頭來(lái)準(zhǔn)會(huì)被絞死的；話音剛落，火車就開了。
董貝先生心里很不好受地表示同意；但是在他的不好受中，在他仰靠在車廂里、皺著眉頭看著車外不斷變化的景物時(shí)那郁郁不樂(lè)的神色中，還包含著另外的意義，它并不是由于磨工公司舉辦的高貴的教育制度遭到失敗所引起的。他剛才在那人的質(zhì)地粗糙的帽子上看到一塊新的黑紗；他從他的態(tài)度和回答中可以肯定，他是為他的兒子保羅佩戴的。
正是這樣！從地位高的到地位低的，在家里或在外面，從住在他的宏偉的公館中的弗洛倫斯開始，一直到這位正在給鍋爐燒火，在他們前面正冒出黑煙來(lái)的粗漢，每個(gè)人都認(rèn)為對(duì)他死去的孩子享有自己的一份權(quán)利，都成為他的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手！他能忘記那個(gè)女人曾經(jīng)怎樣在保羅的枕邊痛哭，把他稱做她自己的孩子嗎？他能忘記那孩子從睡眠中醒來(lái)的時(shí)候怎樣打聽(tīng)她，而當(dāng)她進(jìn)來(lái)的時(shí)候，他又怎樣喜形于色地從床上坐起來(lái)嗎？
想一想這個(gè)在煤塊和灰燼中間撥弄火耙子的人正毫無(wú)顧忌地佩戴著他那服喪的標(biāo)志，在前面向前行進(jìn)吧！想一想他竟敢那怕是采用那樣普普通通的一種表示，來(lái)分擔(dān)一位高傲的紳士的秘密的心中的煩惱與失望吧！想一想這個(gè)死去的孩子本應(yīng)當(dāng)和他共享財(cái)富與權(quán)力，本應(yīng)當(dāng)與他共同策劃未來(lái)的事業(yè)，本應(yīng)當(dāng)和他一起像關(guān)上雙重金門一樣地與全世界隔絕的，卻竟會(huì)讓這樣一類愚昧無(wú)知的平民闖進(jìn)來(lái)，對(duì)他破滅的希望了如指掌，并揚(yáng)揚(yáng)得意地夸耀能跟他分擔(dān)與他們?nèi)绱耸柽h(yuǎn)的感情上的悲痛，用這種方式來(lái)侮辱他吧！且不說(shuō)他們還可能已偷偷地爬進(jìn)他想獨(dú)自霸占的地方了呢！
他沒(méi)有從旅行中找到快樂(lè)或安慰。他被這些思想折磨著，懷著憂悶無(wú)聊的心情，通過(guò)了迅速飛逝的風(fēng)光景色；他匆匆穿過(guò)的不是物產(chǎn)富饒、絢麗多采的國(guó)家，而是茫茫一片破滅了的計(jì)劃與令人苦惱的妒嫉。急速轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)的火車速度本身嘲笑著年輕生命的迅速過(guò)程，它被多么堅(jiān)定不移，多么鐵面無(wú)情地帶向預(yù)定的終點(diǎn)。一股力量迫使它在它的鐵路——它自己的道路——上急馳，它藐視其他一切道路和小徑，沖破每一個(gè)障礙，拉著各種階級(jí)、年齡和地位的人群和生物，向前奔駛；這股力量就是那耀武揚(yáng)威的怪物——死亡！
它尖叫著，呼吼著，卡嗒卡嗒地響著，向遠(yuǎn)方開去；它從城市出發(fā)，穿進(jìn)人們的住宅區(qū)，使街道喧囂活躍；它在片刻間突然出現(xiàn)在草原上，接著鉆進(jìn)潮濕的土地，在黑暗與沉悶的空氣中隆隆前進(jìn)，然后它又突然進(jìn)入了多么燦爛、多么寬廣、陽(yáng)光照耀的白天。它尖叫著，呼吼著，卡嗒卡嗒地響著，向遠(yuǎn)方開去；它穿過(guò)田野，穿過(guò)森林，穿過(guò)谷物，穿過(guò)干草，穿過(guò)白堊地，穿過(guò)沃土，穿過(guò)粘泥，穿過(guò)巖石，穿過(guò)近在手邊、幾乎就在掌握之中、但卻永遠(yuǎn)從旅客身邊飛去的東西，這時(shí)一個(gè)虛幻的遠(yuǎn)景永遠(yuǎn)在他心中緩慢地隨他移動(dòng)著，就像在那個(gè)冷酷無(wú)情的怪物——死亡的軌道上前進(jìn)一樣！
它穿過(guò)洼地，爬上山崗，經(jīng)過(guò)荒原，經(jīng)過(guò)果園，經(jīng)過(guò)公園，經(jīng)過(guò)花園，越過(guò)運(yùn)河、越過(guò)河流，經(jīng)過(guò)羊群正在吃草的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)磨坊正在運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)駁船正在漂流的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)死人躺著的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)工廠正在冒煙的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)小溪正在奔流的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)村莊簇集的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)宏偉的大教堂高高聳立的地方，經(jīng)過(guò)生長(zhǎng)著石竹、狂風(fēng)反復(fù)無(wú)常地有時(shí)使它表面平順光滑、有時(shí)又使它興波起浪的蕭瑟凄涼的荒原；它尖叫著，呼吼著，卡嗒卡嗒地響著，向遠(yuǎn)方開去，除了塵埃與蒸汽外，不留下其他任何痕跡，就像在那個(gè)冷酷無(wú)情的怪物——死亡的軌道上前進(jìn)一樣！
迎著風(fēng)和光，迎著陣雨和陽(yáng)光，它轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)著，吼叫著，猛烈地、迅速地、平穩(wěn)地、確信地向遠(yuǎn)方開去，向更遠(yuǎn)的地方開去。巨大的堤壩和宏偉的橋梁像一束一英寸寬的陰暗的光線閃現(xiàn)在眼前，然后又消失了。它向遠(yuǎn)方，更遠(yuǎn)的地方開去，向前，永遠(yuǎn)向前地開去，瞥見(jiàn)了茅舍，瞥見(jiàn)了房屋、公館、富饒的莊園，瞥見(jiàn)了農(nóng)田和手工作坊，瞥見(jiàn)了人們，瞥見(jiàn)了古老的道路和小徑（當(dāng)它們被拋在后面的時(shí)候，看去是那么荒涼，渺小和微不足道——它們也確實(shí)如此——）、在難以制服的怪物——死亡的軌道上，除了瞥見(jiàn)這些東西之外，又還有什么別的呢？
它尖叫著，呼吼著，卡嗒卡嗒地響著，向遠(yuǎn)方開去；它重新投入地面，以狂風(fēng)暴雨般充沛的精力和堅(jiān)韌不拔的精神向前奔駛；在黑暗與旋風(fēng)中它的車輪似乎倒轉(zhuǎn)，猛烈地向后面退回去，直到射向潮濕的墻上的光輝顯示出，它的頂部表面正像一條湍急的溪流一般向前飛奔過(guò)去。它發(fā)出了歡天喜地的尖叫聲，呼吼著，卡嗒卡嗒地響著，又一次進(jìn)入了白天和經(jīng)過(guò)了白天，急匆匆地繼續(xù)向前奔馳著；它用它黑色的呼吸唾棄一切，有時(shí)在人群聚集的地方停歇一分鐘，一分鐘以后他們就再也看不見(jiàn)了；它有時(shí)貪婪無(wú)厭地狂飲著水，當(dāng)它飲水的噴管還沒(méi)有停止滴水之前，它就尖叫著，呼吼著，卡嗒卡嗒地響著，開向紫紅色的遠(yuǎn)方去了！
當(dāng)它急急匆匆、不可抗拒地向著目標(biāo)奔馳的時(shí)候，它尖叫、呼吼得更響更響了；這時(shí)它的道路又像死亡的道路一樣，厚厚地鋪蓋著灰燼。周圍的一切都變得黑暗了。在很下面的地方是黑暗的水池，泥濘的胡同，簡(jiǎn)陋的住宅。附近有斷垣殘壁和坍塌的房屋，通過(guò)露出窟窿的屋頂和破損的窗子可以看到可憐的房間，房間中顯露出貧困與熱病的各種慘狀；煙塵、堆積的山墻、變形的煙囪、殘破的磚頭和廢棄的灰漿，把畸形的身心關(guān)在里面，并且堵?lián)踝￡幇档倪h(yuǎn)方。當(dāng)董貝先生從車廂窗戶望出去時(shí)，他沒(méi)有想到，把他運(yùn)載到這里來(lái)的怪物只不過(guò)是讓白天的亮光照射到這些景物上面，它沒(méi)有制造它們，也不是它們發(fā)生的原因。這是恰當(dāng)?shù)穆贸探K點(diǎn)，也可能是一切事物的終點(diǎn)——它是多么破落與凄涼。
因此，當(dāng)他沿著那條思路想下去的時(shí)候，那個(gè)殘酷無(wú)情的怪物仍然出現(xiàn)在他眼前。一切事物都暗淡地、冷酷地、死氣沉沉地看著他，他也同樣地看著它們，他到處都看到與他的不幸相似的地方。周圍的一切事物都毫無(wú)憐憫心地慶賀著對(duì)他的勝利，不論這種慶賀采取什么形式，它都傷害與刺痛了他的高傲與妒嫉心；特別是當(dāng)它與他分享他對(duì)那死去的孩子的熱愛(ài)或參與他對(duì)他的回憶的時(shí)候，他的痛苦就格外強(qiáng)烈。
在這一次旅行中有一張臉孔經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)在他的浮思漫想之中；前一天夜間他曾看見(jiàn)它，它也看見(jiàn)他，它上面的兩只眼睛雖然被淚水弄模糊了，而且立即被兩只發(fā)抖的手捂住了，但是卻覺(jué)察到了他的靈魂。他在旅程中看到它就跟昨天夜間的