a trifle of management by mr carker the manager

mr carker the manager sat at his desk, smooth and soft as usual, reading those letters which were reserved for him to open, backing them occasionally with such memoranda and references as their business purport required, and parcelling them out into little heaps for distribution through the several departments of the house. the post had come in heavy that morning, and mr carker the manager had a good deal to do.

the general action of a man so engaged - pausing to look over a bundle of papers in his hand, dealing them round in various portions, taking up another bundle and examining its contents with knitted brows and pursed-out lips - dealing, and sorting, and pondering by turns - would easily suggest some whimsical resemblance to a player at cards. the face of mr carker the manager was in good keeping with such a fancy. it was the face of a man who studied his play, warily: who made himself master of all the strong and weak points of the game: who registered the cards in his mind as they fell about him, knew exactly what was on them, what they missed, and what they made: who was crafty to find out what the other players held, and who never betrayed his own hand.

the letters were in various languages, but mr carker the manager read them all. if there had been anything in the offices of dombey and son that he could read, there would have been a card wanting in the pack. he read almost at a glance, and made combinations of one letter with another and one business with another as he went on, adding new matter to the heaps - much as a man would know the cards at sight, and work out their combinations in his mind after they were turned. something too deep for a partner, and much too deep for an adversary, mr carker the manager sat in the rays of the sun that came down slanting on him through the skylight, playing his game alone.

and although it is not among the instincts wild or domestic of the cat tribe to play at cards, feline from sole to crown was mr carker the manager, as he basked in the strip of summer-light and warmth that shone upon his table and the ground as if they were a crooked dial-plate, and himself the only figure on it. with hair and whiskers deficient in colour at all times, but feebler than common in the rich sunshine, and more like the coat of a sandy tortoise-shell cat; with long nails, nicely pared and sharpened; with a natural antipathy to any speck of dirt, which made him pause sometimes and watch the falling motes of dust, and rub them off his smooth white hand or glossy linen: mr carker the manager, sly of manner, sharp of tooth, soft of foot, watchful of eye, oily of tongue, cruel of heart, nice of habit, sat with a dainty steadfastness and patience at his work, as if he were waiting at a mouse's hole.

at length the letters were disposed of, excepting one which he reserved for a particular audience. having locked the more confidential correspondence in a drawer, mr carker the manager rang his bell.

'why do you answer it?' was his reception of his brother.

'the messenger is out, and i am the next,' was the submissive reply.

'you are the next?' muttered the manager. 'yes! creditable to me! there!'

pointing to the heaps of opened letters, he turned disdainfully away, in his elbow-chair, and broke the seal of that one which he held in his hand.

'i am sorry to trouble you, james,' said the brother, gathering them up, 'but - '

'oh! you have something to say. i knew that. well?'

mr carker the manager did not raise his eyes or turn them on his brother, but kept them on his letter, though without opening it.

'well?' he repeated sharply.

'i am uneasy about harriet.'

'harriet who? what harriet? i know nobody of that name.'

'she is not well, and has changed very much of late.'

'she changed very much, a great many years ago,' replied the manager; 'and that is all i have to say.

'i think if you would hear me -

'why should i hear you, brother john?' returned the manager, laying a sarcastic emphasis on those two words, and throwing up his head, but not lifting his eyes. 'i tell you, harriet carker made her choice many years ago between her two brothers. she may repent it, but she must abide by it.'

'don't mistake me. i do not say she does repent it. it would be black ingratitude in me to hint at such a thing,' returned the other. 'though believe me, james, i am as sorry for her sacrifice as you.'

'as i?' exclaimed the manager. 'as i?'

'as sorry for her choice - for what you call her choice - as you are angry at it,' said the junior.

'angry?' repeated the other, with a wide show of his teeth.

'displeased. whatever word you like best. you know my meaning. there is no offence in my intention.'

'there is offence in everything you do,' replied his brother, glancing at him with a sudden scowl, which in a moment gave place to a wider smile than the last. 'carry those papers away, if you please. i am busy.

his politeness was so much more cutting than his wrath, that the junior went to the door. but stopping at it, and looking round, he said:

'when harriet tried in vain to plead for me with you, on your first just indignation, and my first disgrace; and when she left you, james, to follow my broken fortunes, and devote herself, in her mistaken affection, to a ruined brother, because without her he had no one, and was lost; she was young and pretty. i think if you could see her now - if you would go and see her - she would move your admiration and compassion.'

the manager inclined his head, and showed his teeth, as who should say, in answer to some careless small-talk, 'dear me! is that the case?' but said never a word.

'we thought in those days: you and i both: that she would marry young, and lead a happy and light-hearted life,' pursued the other. 'oh if you knew how cheerfully she cast those hopes away; how cheerfully she has gone forward on the path she took, and never once looked back; you never could say again that her name was strange in your ears. never!'

again the manager inclined his head and showed his teeth, and seemed to say, 'remarkable indeed! you quite surprise me!' and again he uttered never a word.

'may i go on?' said john carker, mildly.

'on your way?' replied his smiling brother. 'if you will have the goodness.

john carker, with a sigh, was passing slowly out at the door, when his brother's voice detained him for a moment on the threshold.

'if she has gone, and goes, her own way cheerfully,' he said, throwing the still unfolded letter on his desk, and putting his hands firmly in his pockets, 'you may tell her that i go as cheerfully on mine. if she has never once looked back, you may tell her that i have, sometimes, to recall her taking part with you, and that my resolution is no easier to wear away;' he smiled very sweetly here; 'than marble.'

'i tell her nothing of you. we never speak about you. once a year, on your birthday, harriet says always, "let us remember james by name, and wish him happy," but we say no more'

'tell it then, if you please,' returned the other, 'to yourself. you can't repeat it too often, as a lesson to you to avoid the subject in speaking to me. i know no harriet carker. there is no such person. you may have a sister; make much of her. i have none.'

mr carker the manager took up the letter again, and waved it with a smile of mock courtesy towards the door. unfolding it as his brother withdrew, and looking darkly aiter him as he left the room, he once more turned round in his elbow-chair, and applied himself to a diligent perusal of its contents.

it was in the writing of his great chief, mr dombey, and dated from leamington. though he was a quick reader of all other letters, mr carker read this slowly; weighing the words as he went, and bringing every tooth in his head to bear upon them. when he had read it through once, he turned it over again, and picked out these passages. 'i find myself benefited by the change, and am not yet inclined to name any time for my return.' 'i wish, carker, you would arrange to come down once and see me here, and let me know how things are going on, in person.' 'i omitted to speak to you about young gay. if not gone per son and heir, or if son and heir still lying in the docks, appoint some other young man and keep him in the city for the present. i am not decided.' 'now that's unfortunate!' said mr carker the manager, expanding his mouth, as if it were made of india-rubber: 'for he's far away.'

still that passage, which was in a postscript, attracted his attention and his teeth, once more.

'i think,' he said, 'my good friend captain cuttle mentioned something about being towed along in the wake of that day. what a pity he's so far away!'

he refolded the letter, and was sitting trifling with it, standing it long-wise and broad-wise on his table, and turning it over and over on all sides - doing pretty much the same thing, perhaps, by its contents - when mr perch the messenger knocked softly at the door, and coming in on tiptoe, bending his body at every step as if it were the delight of his life to bow, laid some papers on the table.

'would you please to be engaged, sir?' asked mr perch, rubbing his hands, and deferentially putting his head on one side, like a man who felt he had no business to hold it up in such a presence, and would keep it as much out of the way as possible.

'who wants me?'

'why, sir,' said mr perch, in a soft voice, 'really nobody, sir, to speak of at present. mr gills the ship's instrument-maker, sir, has looked in, about a little matter of payment, he says: but i mentioned to him, sir, that you was engaged several deep; several deep.'

mr perch coughed once behind his hand, and waited for further orders.

'anybody else?'

'well, sir,' said mr perch, 'i wouldn't of my own self take the liberty of mentioning, sir, that there was anybody else; but that same young lad that was here yesterday, sir, and last week, has been hanging about the place; and it looks, sir,' added mr perch, stopping to shut the door, 'dreadful unbusiness-like to see him whistling to the sparrows down the court, and making of 'em answer him.'

'you said he wanted something to do, didn't you, perch?' asked mr carker, leaning back in his chair and looking at that officer.

'why, sir,' said mr perch, coughing behind his hand again, 'his expression certainly were that he was in wants of a sitiwation, and that he considered something might be done for him about the docks, being used to fishing with a rod and line: but - ' mr perch shook his head very dubiously indeed.

'what does he say when he comes?' asked mr carker.

'indeed, sir,' said mr perch, coughing another cough behind his hand, which was always his resource as an expression of humility when nothing else occurred to him, 'his observation generally air that he would humbly wish to see one of the gentlemen, and that he wants to earn a living. but you see, sir,' added perch, dropping his voice to a whisper, and turning, in the inviolable nature of his confidence, to give the door a thrust with his hand and knee, as if that would shut it any more when it was shut already, 'it's hardly to be bore, sir, that a common lad like that should come a prowling here, and saying that his mother nursed our house's young gentleman, and that he hopes our house will give him a chance on that account. i am sure, sir,' observed mr perch, 'that although mrs perch was at that time nursing as thriving a little girl, sir, as we've ever took the liberty of adding to our family, i wouldn't have made so free as drop a hint of her being capable of imparting nourishment, not if it was never so!'

mr carker grinned at him like a shark, but in an absent, thoughtful manner.

'whether,' submitted mr perch, after a short silence, and another cough, 'it mightn't be best for me to tell him, that if he was seen here any more he would be given into custody; and to keep to it! with respect to bodily fear,' said mr perch, 'i'm so timid, myself, by nature, sir, and my nerves is so unstrung by mrs perch's state, that i could take my affidavit easy.'

'let me see this fellow, perch,' said mr carker. 'bring him in!'

'yes, sir. begging your pardon, sir,' said mr perch, hesitating at the door, 'he's rough, sir, in appearance.'

'never mind. if he's there, bring him in. i'll see mr gills directly. ask him to wait.'

mr perch bowed; and shutting the door, as precisely and carefully as if he were not coming back for a week, went on his quest among the sparrows in the court. while he was gone, mr carker assumed his favourite attitude before the fire-place, and stood looking at the door; presenting, with his under lip tucked into the smile that showed his whole row of upper teeth, a singularly crouching apace.

the messenger was not long in returning, followed by a pair of heavy boots that came bumping along the passage like boxes. with the unceremonious words 'come along with you!' - a very unusual form of introduction from his lips - mr perch then ushered into the presence a strong-built lad of fifteen, with a round red face, a round sleek head, round black eyes, round limbs, and round body, who, to carry out the general rotundity of his appearance, had a round hat in his hand, without a particle of brim to it.

obedient to a nod from mr carker, perch had no sooner confronted the visitor with that gentleman than he withdrew. the moment they were face to face alone, mr carker, without a word of preparation, took him by the throat, and shook him until his head seemed loose upon his shoulders.

the boy, who in the midst of his astonishment could not help staring wildly at the gentleman with so many white teeth who was choking him, and at the office walls, as though determined, if he were choked, that his last look should be at the mysteries for his intrusion into which he was paying such a severe penalty, at last contrived to utter -

'come, sir! you let me alone, will you!'

'let you alone!' said mr carker. 'what! i have got you, have i?' there was no doubt of that, and tightly too. 'you dog,' said mr carker, through his set jaws, 'i'll strangle you!'

biler whimpered, would he though? oh no he wouldn't - and what was he doing of - and why didn't he strangle some- body of his own size and not him: but biler was quelled by the extraordinary nature of his reception, and, as his head became stationary, and he looked the gentleman in the face, or rather in the teeth, and saw him snarling at him, he so far forgot his manhood as to cry.

'i haven't done nothing to you, sir,' said biler, otherwise rob, otherwise grinder, and always toodle.

'you young scoundrel!' replied mr carker, slowly releasing him, and moving back a step into his favourite position. 'what do you mean by daring to come here?'

'i didn't mean no harm, sir,' whimpered rob, putting one hand to his throat, and the knuckles of the other to his eyes. 'i'll never come again, sir. i only wanted work.'

'work, young cain that you are!' repeated mr carker, eyeing him narrowly. 'ain't you the idlest vagabond in london?'

the impeachment, while it much affected mr toodle junior, attached to his character so justly, that he could not say a word in denial. he stood looking at the gentleman, therefore, with a frightened, self-convicted, and remorseful air. as to his looking at him, it may be observed that he was fascinated by mr carker, and never took his round eyes off him for an instant.

'ain't you a thief?' said mr carker, with his hands behind him in his pockets.

'no, sir,' pleaded rob.

'you are!' said mr carker.

'i ain't indeed, sir,' whimpered rob. 'i never did such a thing as thieve, sir, if you'll believe me. i know i've been a going wrong, sir, ever since i took to bird-catching' and walking-matching. i'm sure a cove might think,' said mr toodle junior, with a burst of penitence, 'that singing birds was innocent company, but nobody knows what harm is in them little creeturs and what they brings you down to.'

they seemed to have brought him down to a velveteen jacket and trousers very much the worse for wear, a particularly small red waistcoat like a gorget, an interval of blue check, and the hat before mentioned.

'i ain't been home twenty times since them birds got their will of me,' said rob, 'and that's ten months. how can i go home when everybody's miserable to see me! i wonder,' said biler, blubbering outright, and smearing his eyes with his coat-cuff, 'that i haven't been and drownded myself over and over again.'

all of which, including his expression of surprise at not having achieved this last scarce performance, the boy said, just as if the teeth of mr carker drew it out ofhim, and he had no power of concealing anything with that battery of attraction in full play.

'you're a nice young gentleman!' said mr carker, shaking his head at him. 'there's hemp-seed sown for you, my fine fellow!'

'i'm sure, sir,' returned the wretched biler, blubbering again, and again having recourse to his coat-cuff: 'i shouldn't care, sometimes, if it was growed too. my misfortunes all began in wagging, sir; but what could i do, exceptin' wag?'

'excepting what?' said mr carker.

'wag, sir. wagging from school.'

'do you mean pretending to go there, and not going?' said mr carker.

'yes, sir, that's wagging, sir,' returned the quondam grinder, much affected. 'i was chivied through the streets, sir, when i went there, and pounded when i got there. so i wagged, and hid myself, and that began it.'

'and you mean to tell me,' said mr carker, taking him by the throat again, holding him out at arm's-length, and surveying him in silence for some moments, 'that you want a place, do you?'

'i should be thankful to be tried, sir,' returned toodle junior, faintly.

mr carker the manager pushed him backward into a corner - the boy submitting quietly, hardly venturing to breathe, and never once removing his eyes from his face - and rang the bell.

'tell mr gills to come here.'

mr perch was too deferential to express surprise or recognition of the figure in the corner: and uncle sol appeared immediately.

'mr gills!' said carker, with a smile, 'sit down. how do you do? you continue to enjoy your health, i hope?'

'thank you, sir,' returned uncle sol, taking out his pocket-book, and handing over some notes as he spoke. 'nothing ails me in body but old age. twenty-five, sir.'

'you are as punctual and exact, mr gills,' replied the smiling manager, taking a paper from one of his many drawers, and making an endorsement on it, while uncle sol looked over him, 'as one of your own chronometers. quite right.'

'the son and heir has not been spoken, i find by the list, sir,' said uncle sol, with a slight addition to the usual tremor in his voice.

'the son and heir has not been spoken,' returned carker. 'there seems to have been tempestuous weather, mr gills, and she has probably been driven out of her course.'

'she is safe, i trust in heaven!' said old sol.

'she is safe, i trust in heaven!' assented mr carker in that voiceless manner of his: which made the observant young toodle trernble again. 'mr gills,' he added aloud, throwing himself back in his chair, 'you must miss your nephew very much?'

uncle sol, standing by him, shook his head and heaved a deep sigh.

'mr gills,' said carker, with his soft hand playing round his mouth, and looking up into the instrument-maker's face, 'it would be company to you to have a young fellow in your shop just now, and it would be obliging me if you would give one house-room for the present. no, to be sure,' he added quickly, in anticipation of what the old man was going to say, 'there's not much business doing there, i know; but you can make him clean the place out, polish up the instruments; drudge, mr gills. that's the lad!'

sol gills pulled down his spectacles from his forehead to his eyes, and looked at toodle junior standing upright in the corner: his head presenting the appearance (which it always did) of having been newly drawn out of a bucket of cold water; his small waistcoat rising and falling quickly in the play of his emotions; and his eyes intently fixed on mr carker, without the least reference to his proposed master.

'will you give him house-room, mr gills?' said the manager.

old sol, without being quite enthusiastic on the subject, replied that he was glad of any opportunity, however slight, to oblige mr carker, whose wish on such a point was a command: and that the wooden midshipman would consider himself happy to receive in his berth any visitor of mr carker's selecting.

mr carker bared himself to the tops and bottoms of his gums: making the watchful toodle junior tremble more and more: and acknowledged the instrument-maker's politeness in his most affable manner.

'i'll dispose of him so, then, mr gills,' he answered, rising, and shaking the old man by the hand, 'until i make up my mind what to do with him, and what he deserves. as i consider myself responsible for him, mr gills,' here he smiled a wide smile at rob, who shook before it: 'i shall be glad if you'll look sharply after him, and report his behaviour to me. i'll ask a question or two of his parents as i ride home this afternoon - respectable people - to confirm some particulars in his own account of himself; and that done, mr gills, i'll send him round to you to-morrow morning. goodbye!'

his smile at parting was so full of teeth, that it confused old sol, and made him vaguely uncomfortable. he went home, thinking of raging seas, foundering ships, drowning men, an ancient bottle of madeira never brought to light, and other dismal matters.

'now, boy!' said mr carker, putting his hand on young toodle's shoulder, and bringing him out into the middle of the room. 'you have heard me?'

rob said, 'yes, sir.'

'perhaps you understand,' pursued his patron, 'that if you ever deceive or play tricks with me, you had better have drowned yourself, indeed, once for all, before you came here?'

there was nothing in any branch of mental acquisition that rob seemed to understand better than that.

'if you have lied to me,' said mr carker, 'in anything, never come in my way again. if not, you may let me find you waiting for me somewhere near your mother's house this afternoon. i shall leave this at five o'clock, and ride there on horseback. now, give me the address.'

rob repeated it slowly, as mr carker wrote it down. rob even spelt it over a second time, letter by letter, as if he thought that the omission of a dot or scratch would lead to his destruction. mr carker then handed him out of the room; and rob, keeping his round eyes fixed upon his patron to the last, vanished for the time being.

mr carker the manager did a great deal of business in the course of the day, and stowed his teeth upon a great many people. in the office, in the court, in the street, and on 'change, they glistened and bristled to a terrible extent. five o'clock arriving, and with it mr carker's bay horse, they got on horseback, and went gleaming up cheapside.

as no one can easily ride fast, even if inclined to do so, through the press and throng of the city at that hour, and as mr carker was not inclined, he went leisurely along, picking his way among the carts and carriages, avoiding whenever he could the wetter and more dirty places in the over-watered road, and taking infinite pains to keep himself and his steed clean. glancing at the passersby while he was thus ambling on his way, he suddenly encountered the round eyes of the sleek-headed rob intently fixed upon his face as if they had never been taken off, while the boy himself, with a pocket-handkerchief twisted up like a speckled eel and girded round his waist, made a very conspicuous demonstration of being prepared to attend upon him, at whatever pace he might think proper to go.

this attention, however flattering, being one of an unusual kind, and attracting some notice from the other passengers, mr carker took advantage of a clearer thoroughfare and a cleaner road, and broke into a trot. rob immediately did the same. mr carker presently tried a canter; rob was still in attendance. then a short gallop; it was all one to the boy. whenever mr carker turned his eyes to that side of the road, he still saw toodle junior holding his course, apparently without distress, and working himself along by the elbows after the most approved manner of professional gentlemen who get over the ground for wagers.

ridiculous as this attendance was, it was a sign of an influence established over the boy, and therefore mr carker, affecting not to notice it, rode away into the neighbourhood of mr toodle's house. on his slackening his pace here, rob appeared before him to point out the turnings; and when he called to a man at a neighbouring gateway to hold his horse, pending his visit to the buildings that had succeeded staggs's gardens, rob dutifully held the stirrup, while the manager dismounted.

'now, sir,' said mr carker, taking him by the shoulder, 'come along!'

the prodigal son was evidently nervous of visiting the parental abode; but mr carker pushing him on before, he had nothing for it but to open the right door, and suffer himself to be walked into the midst of his brothers and sisters, mustered in overwhelming force round the family tea-table. at sight of the prodigal in the grasp of a stranger, these tender relations united in a general howl, which smote upon the prodigal's breast so sharply when he saw his mother stand up among them, pale and trembling, with the baby in her arms, that he lent his own voice to the chorus.

nothing doubting now that the stranger, if not mr ketch' in person, was one of that company, the whole of the young family wailed the louder, while its more infantine members, unable to control the transports of emotion appertaining to their time of life, threw themselves on their backs like young birds when terrified by a hawk, and kicked violently. at length, poor polly making herself audible, said, with quivering lips, 'oh rob, my poor boy, what have you done at last!'

'nothing, mother,' cried rob, in a piteous voice, 'ask the gentleman!'

'don't be alarmed,' said mr carker, 'i want to do him good.'

at this announcement, polly, who had not cried yet, began to do so. the elder toodles, who appeared to have been meditating a rescue, unclenched their fists. the younger toodles clustered round their mother's gown, and peeped from under their own chubby arms at their desperado brother and his unknown friend. everybody blessed the gentleman with the beautiful teeth, who wanted to do good.

'this fellow,' said mr carker to polly, giving him a gentle shake, 'is your son, eh, ma'am?'

'yes, sir,' sobbed polly, with a curtsey; 'yes, sir.'

'a bad son, i am afraid?' said mr carker.

'never a bad son to me, sir,' returned polly.

'to whom then?' demanded mr carker.

'he has been a little wild, sir,' returned polly, checking the baby, who was making convulsive efforts with his arms and legs to launch himself on biler, through the ambient air, 'and has gone with wrong companions: but i hope he has seen the misery of that, sir, and will do well again.'

mr carker looked at polly, and the clean room, and the clean children, and the simple toodle face, combined of father and mother, that was reflected and repeated everywhere about him - and seemed to have achieved the real purpose of his visit.

'your husband, i take it, is not at home?' he said.

'no, sir,' replied polly. 'he's down the line at present.'

the prodigal rob seemed very much relieved to hear it: though still in the absorption of all his faculties in his patron, he hardly took his eyes from mr carker's face, unless for a moment at a time to steal a sorrowful glance at his mother.

'then,' said mr carker, 'i'll tell you how i have stumbled on this boy of yours, and who i am, and what i am going to do for him.'

this mr carker did, in his own way; saying that he at first intended to have accumulated nameless terrors on his presumptuous head, for coming to the whereabout of dombey and son. that he had relented, in consideration of his youth, his professed contrition, and his friends. that he was afraid he took a rash step in doing anything for the boy, and one that might expose him to the censure of the prudent; but that he did it of himself and for himself, and risked the consequences single-handed; and that his mother's past connexion with mr dombey's family had nothing to do with it, and that mr dombey had nothing to do with it, but that he, mr carker, was the be-all and the end-all of this business. taking great credit to himself for his goodness, and receiving no less from all the family then present, mr carker signified, indirectly but still pretty plainly, that rob's implicit fidelity, attachment, and devotion, were for evermore his due, and the least homage he could receive. and with this great truth rob himself was so impressed, that, standing gazing on his patron with tears rolling down his cheeks, he nodded his shiny head until it seemed almost as loose as it had done under the same patron's hands that morning.

polly, who had passed heaven knows how many sleepless nights on account of this her dissipated firstborn, and had not seen him for weeks and weeks, could have almost kneeled to mr carker the manager, as to a good spirit - in spite of his teeth. but mr carker rising to depart, she only thanked him with her mother's prayers and blessings; thanks so rich when paid out of the heart's mint, especially for any service mr carker had rendered, that he might have given back a large amount of change, and yet been overpaid.

as that gentleman made his way among the crowding children to the door, rob retreated on his mother, and took her and the baby in the same repentant hug.

'i'll try hard, dear mother, now. upon my soul i will!' said rob.

'oh do, my dear boy! i am sure you will, for our sakes and your own!' cried polly, kissing him. 'but you're coming back to speak to me, when you have seen the gentleman away?'

'i don't know, mother.' rob hesitated, and looked down. 'father - when's he coming home?'

'not till two o'clock to-morrow morning.'

'i'll come back, mother dear!' cried rob. and passing through the shrill cry of his brothers and sisters in reception of this promise, he followed mr carker out.

'what!' said mr carker, who had heard this. 'you have a bad father, have you?'

'no, sir!' returned rob, amazed. 'there ain't a better nor a kinder father going, than mine is.'

'why don't you want to see him then?' inquired his patron.

'there's such a difference between a father and a mother, sir,' said rob, after faltering for a moment. 'he couldn't hardly believe yet that i was doing to do better - though i know he'd try to but a mother - she always believes what's,' good, sir; at least i know my mother does, god bless her!'

mr carker's mouth expanded, but he said no more until he was mounted on his horse, and had dismissed the man who held it, when, looking down from the saddle steadily into the attentive and watchful face of the boy, he said:

'you'll come to me tomorrow morning, and you shall be shown where that old gentleman lives; that old gentleman who was with me this morning; where you are going, as you heard me say.'

'yes, sir,' returned rob.

'i have a great interest in that old gentleman, and in serving him, you serve me, boy, do you understand? well,' he added, interrupting him, for he saw his round face brighten when he was told that: 'i see you do. i want to know all about that old gentleman, and how he goes on from day to day - for i am anxious to be of service to him - and especially who comes there to see him. do you understand?'

rob nodded his steadfast face, and said 'yes, sir,' again.

'i should like to know that he has friends who are attentive to him, and that they don't desert him - for he lives very much alone now, poor fellow; but that they are fond of him, and of his nephew who has gone abroad. there is a very young lady who may perhaps come to see him. i want particularly to know all about her.'

'i'll take care, sir,' said the boy.

'and take care,' returned his patron, bending forward to advance his grinning face closer to the boy's, and pat him on the shoulder with the handle of his whip: 'take care you talk about affairs of mine to nobody but me.'

'to nobody in the world, sir,' replied rob, shaking his head.

'neither there,' said mr carher, pointing to the place they had just left, 'nor anywhere else. i'll try how true and grateful you can be. i'll prove you!' making this, by his display of teeth and by the action of his head, as much a threat as a promise, he turned from rob's eyes, which were nailed upon him as if he had won the boy by a charm, body and soul, and rode away. but again becoming conscious, after trotting a short distance, that his devoted henchman, girt as before, was yielding him the same attendance, to the great amusement of sundry spectators, he reined up, and ordered him off. to ensure his obedience, he turned in the saddle and watched him as he retired. it was curious to see that even then rob could not keep his eyes wholly averted from his patron's face, but, constantly turning and turning again to look after him' involved himself in a tempest of buffetings and jostlings from the other passengers in the street: of which, in the pursuit of the one paramount idea, he was perfectly heedless.

mr carker the manager rode on at a foot-pace, with the easy air of one who had performed all the business of the day in a satisfactory manner, and got it comfortably off his mind. complacent and affable as man could be, mr carker picked his way along the streets and hummed a soft tune as he went he seemed to purr, he was so glad.

and in some sort, mr carker, in his fancy, basked upon a hearth too. coiled up snugly at certain feet, he was ready for a spring, or for a tear, or for a scratch, or for a velvet touch, as the humour took him and occasion served. was there any bird in a cage, that came in for a share ofhis regards?

'a very young lady!' thought mr carker the manager, through his song. 'ay! when i saw her last, she was a little child. with dark eyes and hair, i recollect, and a good face; a very good face! i daresay she's pretty.'

more affable and pleasant yet, and humming his song until his many teeth vibrated to it, mr carker picked his way along, and turned at last into the shady street where mr dombey's house stood. he had been so busy, winding webs round good faces, and obscuring them with meshes, that he hardly thought of being at this point of his ride, until, glancing down the cold perspective of tall houses, he reined in his horse quickly within a few yards of the door. but to explain why mr carker reined in his horse quickly, and what he looked at in no small surprise, a few digressive words are necessary.

mr toots, emancipated from the blimber thraldom and coming into the possession of a certain portion of his wordly wealth, 'which,' as he had been wont, during his last half-year's probation, to communicate to mr feeder every evening as a new discovery, 'the executors couldn't keep him out of' had applied himself with great diligence, to the science of life. fired with a noble emulation to pursue a brilliant and distinguished career, mr toots had furnished a choice set of apartments; had established among them a sporting bower, embellished with the portraits of winning horses, in which he took no particle of interest; and a divan, which made him poorly. in this delicious abode, mr toots devoted himself to the cultivation of those gentle arts which refine and humanise existence, his chief instructor in which was an interesting character called the game chicken, who was always to be heard of at the bar of the black badger, wore a shaggy white great-coat in the warmest weather, and knocked mr toots about the head three times a week, for the small consideration of ten and six per visit.

the game chicken, who was quite the apollo of mr toots's pantheon, had introduced to him a marker who taught billiards, a life guard who taught fencing, a jobmaster who taught riding, a cornish gentleman who was up to anything in the athletic line, and two or three other friends connected no less intimately with the fine arts. under whose auspices mr toots could hardly fail to improve apace, and under whose tuition he went to work.

but however it came about, it came to pass, even while these gentlemen had the gloss of novelty upon them, that mr toots felt, he didn't know how, unsettled and uneasy. there were husks in his corn, that even game chickens couldn't peck up; gloomy giants in his leisure, that even game chickens couldn't knock down. nothing seemed to do mr toots so much good as incessantly leaving cards at mr dombey's door. no taxgatherer in the british dominions - that wide-spread territory on which the sun never sets, and where the tax-gatherer never goes to bed - was more regular and persevering in his calls than mr toots.

mr toots never went upstairs; and always performed the same ceremonies, richly dressed for the purpose, at the hall door.

'oh! good morning!' would be mr toots's first remark to the servant. 'for mr dombey,' would be mr toots's next remark, as he handed in a card. 'for miss dombey,' would be his next, as he handed in another.

mr toots would then turn round as if to go away; but the man knew him by this time, and knew he wouldn't.

'oh, i beg your pardon,' mr toots would say, as if a thought had suddenly descended on him. 'is the young woman at home?'

the man would rather think she was;, but wouldn't quite know. then he would ring a bell that rang upstairs, and would look up the staircase, and would say, yes, she was at home, and was coming down. then miss nipper would appear, and the man would retire.

'oh! how de do?' mr toots would say, with a chuckle and a blush.

susan would thank him, and say she was very well.

'how's diogenes going on?' would be mr toots's second interrogation.

very well indeed. miss florence was fonder and fonder of him every day. mr toots was sure to hail this with a burst of chuckles, like the opening of a bottle of some effervescent beverage.

'miss florence is quite well, sir,' susan would add.

oh, it's of no consequence, thank'ee,' was the invariable reply of mr toots; and when he had said so, he always went away very fast.

now it is certain that mr toots had a filmy something in his mind, which led him to conclude that if he could aspire successfully in the fulness of time, to the hand of florence, he would be fortunate and blest. it is certain that mr toots, by some remote and roundabout road, had got to that point, and that there he made a stand. his heart was wounded; he was touched; he was in love. he had made a desperate attempt, one night, and had sat up all night for the purpose, to write an acrostic on florence, which affected him to tears in the conception. but he never proceeded in the execution further than the words 'for when i gaze,' - the flow of imagination in which he had previously written down the initial letters of the other seven lines, deserting him at that point.

beyond devising that very artful and politic measure of leaving a card for mr dombey daily, the brain of mr toots had not worked much in reference to the subject that held his feelings prisoner. but deep consideration at length assured mr toots that an important step to gain, was, the conciliation of miss susan nipper, preparatory to giving her some inkling of his state of mind.

a little light and playful gallantry towards this lady seemed the means to employ in that early chapter of the history, for winning her to his interests. not being able quite to make up his mind about it, he consulted the chicken - without taking that gentleman into his confidence; merely informing him that a friend in yorkshire had written to him (mr toots) for his opinion on such a question. the chicken replying that his opinion always was, 'go in and win,' and further, 'when your man's before you and your work cut out, go in and do it,' mr toots considered this a figurative way of supporting his own view of the case, and heroically resolved to kiss miss nipper next day.

upon the next day, therefore, mr toots, putting into requisition some of the greatest marvels that burgess and co. had ever turned out, went off to mr dotnbey's upon this design. but his heart failed him so much as he approached the scene of action, that, although he arrived on the ground at three o'clock in the afternoon, it was six before he knocked at the door.

everything happened as usual, down to the point where susan said her young mistress was well, and mr toots said it was ofno consequence. to her amazement, mr toots, instead of going off, like a rocket, after that observation, lingered and chuckled.

'perhaps you'd like to walk upstairs, sir!' said susan.

'well, i think i will come in!' said mr toots.

but instead of walking upstairs, the bold toots made an awkward plunge at susan when the door was shut, and embracing that fair creature, kissed her on the cheek

'go along with you!~ cried susan, 'or ill tear your eyes out.'

'just another!' said mr toots.

'go along with you!' exclaimed susan, giving him a push 'innocents like you, too! who'll begin next? go along, sir!'

susan was not in any serious strait, for she could hardly speak for laughing; but diogenes, on the staircase, hearing a rustling against the wall, and a shuffling of feet, and seeing through the banisters that there was some contention going on, and foreign invasion in the house, formed a different opinion, dashed down to the rescue, and in the twinkling of an eye had mr toots by the leg.

susan screamed, laughed, opened the street-door, and ran downstairs; the bold toots tumbled staggering out into the street, with diogenes holding on to one leg of his pantaioons, as if burgess and co. were his cooks, and had provided that dainty morsel for his holiday entertainment; diogenes shaken off, rolled over and over in the dust, got up' again, whirled round the giddy toots and snapped at him: and all this turmoil mr carker, reigning up his horse and sitting a little at a distance, saw to his amazement, issue from the stately house of mr dombey.

mr carker remained watching the discomfited toots, when diogenes was called in, and the door shut: and while that gentleman, taking refuge in a doorway near at hand, bound up the torn leg of his pantaloons with a costly silk handkerchief that had formed part of his expensive outfit for the advent

'i beg your pardon, sir,' said mr carker, riding up, with his most propitiatory smile. 'i hope you are not hurt?'

'oh no, thank you,' replied mr toots, raising his flushed face, 'it's of no consequence' mr toots would have signified, if he could, that he liked it very much.

'if the dog's teeth have entered the leg, sir - ' began carker, with a display of his own'

'no, thank you,' said mr toots, 'it's all quite right. it's very comfortable, thank you.'

'i have the pleasure of knowing mr dombey,' observed carker.

'have you though?' rejoined the blushing took

'and you will allow me, perhaps, to apologise, in his absence,' said mr carker, taking off his hat, 'for such a misadventure, and to wonder how it can possibly have happened.'

mr toots is so much gratified by this politeness, and the lucky chance of making frends with a friend of mr dombey, that he pulls out his card-case which he never loses an opportunity of using, and hands his name and address to mr carker: who responds to that courtesy by giving him his own, and with that they part.

as mr carker picks his way so softly past the house, looking up at the windows, and trying to make out the pensive face behind the curtain looking at the children opposite, the rough head of diogenes came clambering up close by it, and the dog, regardless of all soothing, barks and growls, and makes at him from that height, as ifhe would spring down and tear him limb from limb.

well spoken, di, so near your mistress! another, and another with your head up, your eyes flashing, and your vexed mouth worrying itself, for want of him! another, as he picks his way along! you have a good scent, di, - cats, boy, cats!

经理卡克先生坐在办公桌前，像平日一样，脸孔光滑，皮肤柔嫩，正阅读着那些正等待他去拆开的信件，有时还按照信件业务内容的要求写上批注和指示，并把它们区分成几个小堆，以便分送到公司的各个不同部门。这天早上收到大量信件，经理卡克先生有许多工作要做。

从事于这种工作的人的动作——看着手中的一叠公文，把它们分成几个不同的部分，拿起另一叠公文，皱着眉头，噘着嘴唇，研究着它们的内容——轮流不断地处理，分类，思考着——，很容易使人联想到这与玩牌的人有某些奇异的相似之处。经理卡克先生的脸孔完全符合这个想法。这是一个精心研究纸牌的人的脸孔：他使自己成为行家能手，完全懂得怎样打牌是上算，怎样打牌是失策；他把所有在他面前打出来的牌都记在心上，准确无误地知道哪些牌已经打出来了。哪些牌还没有打了，它们能搭配成什么；他巧妙地推算出其他人手上有些什么牌，但却从不泄露他自己手上的牌。

信件是用各种语言写的，但是经理卡克先生把它们全都看过。如果董贝父子公司的办公室中有什么东西他·不·能看的话，那就好像一副牌中缺少了一张似的。他差不多匆匆溜上一眼就把一个信件看过，然后一边看一边把一封信和另一封信分在一起，把一件业务和另一件业务搭配在一起，同时在小堆上增添上新的材料，这很像一个看一眼就能把好多牌认出来的人，在配牌之后，就在心中设想好它们如何组合一样。作为打牌的搭档来说，他是有些太狡猾了；作为打牌的对手来说，他是太老奸巨猾了，经理卡克先生就这样坐在从天窗斜照到他身上的阳光中，独自玩着他的纸牌。

一长条夏日的阳光照射到桌子和地面，桌子和地面仿佛是一个弯曲的日晷仪，坐在阳光中取暖的经理卡克先生本人是这个日晷议上唯一的身形；虽然不论野猫还是家猫都没有玩牌的天性，但这时候的经理卡克先生却从头到脚都很像是只猫。他的头发和连鬓胡子一直缺乏色泽，在明亮的阳光中就比平时更加显得暗淡，更加像那沙色的玳瑁猫身上的毛了；他的长长的指甲削得漂亮、尖利；他生性厌恶任何细小的污点，所以不时停下来注视着正在落下的微尘，把它们从他光滑的手上或光亮的亚麻布衣服上拂去；经理卡克先生态度狡猾，牙齿锐利，脚步柔软，眼睛机警，舌头油滑，心地残酷，服装漂亮，他就这样极为坚定和耐心地坐在那里工作，仿佛他正在一个耗子洞口守候着似的。

终于他把所有的信件都处理完了，只有一封他留着准备仔细阅读。经理卡克先生把比较机密的信件都锁到一个抽屉里以后，按了一下铃。

“为什么是·你应声前来？”他这样接待他的哥哥。

“信差出去了。除了他，就数我的职位最低了，”这是恭顺的回答。

“除了他，就数你的职位最低了？”经理卡克低声说道，“不错！这是我的莫大光荣！那里！”

他指着那一堆拆开的信件，在扶手椅中不屑一顾地转开身子，把手上拿着的那封信的封印撕破。

“对不起，我不打搅你了，詹姆士，”他的哥哥收集着信件，说道，“不过——”

“哦，你想跟我说话，我早知道这点。唔？”

经理卡克先生没有把眼睛抬起来，也没有把它们转向他的哥哥，而是继续停留在那封信上，虽然他还没有把它展开。

“唔？”他尖刻地重复了一声。

“我为哈里特感到不安。”

“哈里特是谁？哪一位哈里特？我不认识叫这名字的人。”

“她身体不好，最近变化很大。”

“她好多年以前就变化很大，”经理回答道，“这就是我所要说的一切。”

“我想如果你肯听我说一说——”

“为什么我要听你说，约翰哥哥？”经理回答道，他在最后四个字上加上讽刺的强调语气，同时把头一仰，但没有抬起眼睛。“我告诉你，哈里特·卡克好多年以前就已在她的两个兄弟之间作出了选择。她可以后悔这一点，但是她必须继续坚持下去。”

“别误会了我的意思。我不是说她真的后悔了。我要是暗示这样的事，我真是极大的忘恩负义了，”那一位回答道，“虽然，请相信我，詹姆士，我和你一样为她作出的牺牲而难过。”

“和我一样？”经理喊道，“和我一样吗？”

“我为她的选择——为你所说的她的选择而难过，就和你为它而发怒一样，”职位低的那一位说道。

“发怒？”另一位露出宽阔的牙齿，重复道。

“不高兴。你爱用什么字眼都可以。你明白我的意思。我没有冒犯你的意图。”

“你不论做什么事情都在冒犯我。”他的弟弟突然绷着脸、皱着眉头向他怒目而视，回答道；片刻之后又露出了比先前更宽阔的微笑。“劳驾你，把这些公文拿走吧。我忙着。”

他的礼貌比愤怒尖刻得多，所以职位低的那一位就向门口走去。但是他在门口停住，向四周看了一下，说道：

“当你第一次正当地表示愤怒和我第一次蒙受耻辱的时候，哈里特曾经徒劳地试图在你面前为我求情；后来她离开了你，詹姆士，来分担我的不幸的命运；在她用错了的感情的影响下，她把她自己献身给一位身败名裂的弟弟，因为没有她他就没有什么人了，他就会死去；那时候她年轻，漂亮。我想如果你现在看到她——如果你肯去看她的话，她会引起你的钦佩和怜悯的。”

经理低着头，露出牙齿，似乎想要回答无足轻重的什么闲聊似地说一句，“哎呀，这是真的吗？”可是他却一句话也没有说。

“我们在那些日子里，你和我都这么想，她将在年轻的时候出嫁，过幸福的、无忧无虑的生活，”另一位继续说道，“啊，如果你知道她是多么愉快地抛弃了这些希望，她是多么愉快地在她所走上的道路上前进，一次也没有往后回顾的话，那么你就决不会再说她的名字在你的耳朵里是陌生的了。决不会的！”

经理又低下头，露出牙齿，似乎要说，“这确实了不起！

你真使我大吃一惊！”可是他又一句话也没有说。

“我可以继续说下去吗？”约翰·卡克温和地问道。

“说你要走了吗？”笑嘻嘻的弟弟回答道，“如果你肯行个好，那就请吧。”

约翰·卡克叹了一口气，正慢吞吞地走出门口，这时他弟弟的声音又把他在门槛上留住了片刻。

“如果她已经愉快地走过并正在继续走着她自己的道路的话，”他把那封仍然没有展开的信扔到办公桌上，把手坚决地伸进衣袋里，说，“那么你可以告诉她，我也同样愉快地走着我自己的道路。如果她一次也没有往后回顾的话，那么你可以告诉她，我有时却往后回顾，以便回忆她是怎样走到你那边去的；你可以告诉她，要改变我的决心，不比搬走大理石容易。”这时他很快乐地微笑着。

“你的任何事情我都不告诉她。我们从来不谈论你。每年一次，在你的生日，哈里特老是这样说，‘让我们记得詹姆士，祝愿他幸福吧。’但是我们就不再说别的了。”

“那就请告诉你自己吧，”另一位回答道，“你跟我谈话的时候务必避开这个话题。你可以把这作为一个教训，不断地重复地记住它。我不知道哈里特·卡克。世界上没有这样一个人。你可以有一个姐姐，对她赞不绝口。我没有。”

经理卡克又拿起那封信，带者嘲弄性的礼貌微笑了一下，挥着它，指向门口。他的哥哥开始往外走的时候，他把它展开；当他恶狠狠地目送着他离开房间以后，他在扶手椅子中又转回了身子，开始专心地阅读这封信。

这是他的伟大的老板董贝先生的亲笔信，从莱明顿寄出的。虽然卡克先生看其他的信都看得很快，但这封信他却慢慢读着，琢磨着每一个字，所有的牙齿都对着它们。他读完一遍以后，又重新读了一遍，特别注意以下这些段落：“我觉得这次变换环境对我有益，我现在还不打算确定回来的日期。”“我希望，卡克，您能设法到这里来一趟看看我，让我亲自了解业务的进展情况。”“我忘了跟您谈起年轻人盖伊。如果他还没有乘‘儿子和继承人’出发，或者如果‘儿子和继承人’还停泊在码头，那就指派另外的年轻人去，把他暂时留在城里。我还没有打定主意。”

“现在可真不幸！”经理卡克先生说，一边把嘴张开得大大的，仿佛它是由橡皮做成似的；“因为他已经离开得远远的了。”

仍旧是这作为附言的一段再一次吸引了他的注意和他的牙齿。

“我想，”他说，“我的好朋友卡特尔船长那天曾说过，盖伊今后会被绳子拖着前进。真可惜，他已经离开得远远的了。”

他把这封信重新折叠好，坐在那里玩弄着它，使它纵立和横立在桌子上，又把它这样那样地转来转去，这时信差珀奇先生轻轻地敲了敲门，踮着脚走了进来，每走一步都要弯一下身子，仿佛鞠躬是他生活中最大的乐事似的；他把几页公文放在桌子上。

“您还在忙着，是不是，先生？”珀奇先生问道，一边搓着手，毕恭毕敬地把头歪向一侧，仿佛他觉得，在这样一位人物面前他是没有权利竖着头似的，他真愿意把它往一侧尽量歪过去。

“谁想见我？”

“唔，先生，”珀奇先生低声说道，“现在，先生，实际上并没有值得一提的人。船舶仪器制造商吉尔斯先生到这里来谈到付款方面的一点事情，可是我对他说，先生，您非常忙，非常忙。”

珀奇先生用手遮着嘴巴咳嗽了一次，等待着进一步的指示。

“还有别的人吗？”

“唔，先生，”珀奇先生说道，“我不敢冒昧地向您报告，先生，还有什么别的人；不过昨天和上星期曾经到这里来的那个年轻小伙子，先生，还一直在附近闲荡；先生，”珀奇先生停了一下去关上门，然后继续说道，“看他在庭院里向麻雀吹口哨，并叫它们回答他，这实在是十分不得体的。”

“你说他想找工作做，是不是，珀奇？”卡克先生仰靠在椅子上，望着这位办事员，问道。

“唔，先生，”珀奇先生说道，一边用手遮着嘴巴咳嗽，“他确实直率地说过他需要找一个工作，他认为可以在码头上给他找个事做做，因为他过去经常用钓竿钓鱼，不过——”珀奇先生十分怀疑地摇着头。

“他来的时候说了些什么话？”卡克先生问道。

“确实，先生，”珀奇先生说道，一边又用手遮着嘴巴咳嗽；当他想不出别的法子的时候，就经常用这来表示他的谦恭，“他的意见总的来说，就是他低声下气地请求见一见这里的一位先生，而且还想挣点钱维持生活。可是，您瞧，先生，”珀奇先生把他的声音压低成私语，补充说道；为了使他的秘密万无一失起见，他又转过身子，用手和膝盖把门推了一推；虽然门早已关上了，但这样推一下仿佛会使它关得更严实一些似的；“这实在难以令人容忍，先生，像他那样普普通通的一个小伙子竟居然敢窜到这里来，说他的母亲曾经给我们公司的少爷当过奶妈，他希望我们公司因为这个缘故能给他一个机会。说实在的，先生，”珀奇先生说，“虽然珀奇太太那时候曾经用奶把一个小女孩子喂得十分健壮，先生，我们曾经冒昧地把她也算作我们家里的一个成员，可是那时我还不敢放肆地暗示，她能够给我们公司的少爷喂奶，这样的口气我从来没有透露过！”

卡克先生像鲨鱼一样向他咧着嘴笑，但露出心不在焉、若有所思的神情。

“是不是，”珀奇先生在短短的沉默和再咳嗽了一次以后，恭恭敬敬地说道，“最好由我对他说，如果他再到这里来的话，就要把他监禁起来，永远不放出来！至于说对他施行暴力恐吓，”珀奇先生说道，“就我本人来说，我生性是个胆小的人，先生，珀奇太太的状况又把我的神经弄得十分混乱，因此我是很容易屈服招供的。”

“让我看一看这个家伙，珀奇，”卡克先生说，“把他领进来！”

“遵命，先生。请原谅，先生，”珀奇先生在门口迟疑地说道，“他的外貌是粗野的，先生。”

“没关系。如果他在这里的话，那么就把他领进来吧。我过一会儿就接见吉尔斯先生，请他等一下。”

珀奇先生鞠了个躬，严严实实、小小心心地把门关好，仿佛他准备一个星期也不再回到这里来似的，然后他走到庭院里往麻雀中间去寻找。他走了以后，卡克先生在壁炉前面采取了他所喜爱的姿势，站在那里看着门；他收缩下唇，露出微笑，显露出上面的整排牙齿，奇怪地戒备着，就像猫蹲在那里等待耗子似的。

信差不久就回来了，跟随着他的是笨重的长统皮靴在走廊里咯噔咯噔的响声，就像击拳的声音一样。珀奇先生很不客气地喊了一声：“你过来！”——这是从他嘴里说出的很不寻常的引见方式——然后领进了一个体格强壮、十五岁的小伙子；他脸孔圆圆的、红红的，头圆圆的、光光的，眼睛圆圆的、黑黑的，手和脚圆圆的，身体圆圆的，手里还拿着一顶圆圆的、完全没有帽檐的帽子，这使他整个身姿的圆形达到了完备无缺的地步。

珀奇先生刚把这位来访的人领到卡克先生面前，看到卡克先生向他点了一下头，就立刻顺从地退下去了。等到他们两人开始单独面对面的时候，卡克先生预先没有说一句话，就抓住他的喉咙，摇晃着他的身子，直到他的头似乎就要离开肩膀为止。

那孩子在万分惊讶之中，不由自主疯狂似地凝视着这位露出这么多白牙、把他卡得不能透气的先生和办公室的墙壁，仿佛他已下定了决心，如果他真被窒息死去的话，那么他最后一眼也得把他由于闯到这里而遭到如此恶厉惩罚的秘密给探究出来似的；他终于发出了声音：

“好啦，先生！您放开我吧，好不好！”

“放开你！”卡克先生说道，“什么！我已经抓住你了，是不是？”这点是毫无疑问的，而且是抓得紧紧的。“你这条狗，”

卡克先生咬牙切齿地说道，“我要勒死你！”

拜勒抽噎着。他果真要勒死他吗？啊，不，他不会的！那么他为什么要那么做呢？他为什么不勒死跟他个子相同的什么人，而要勒死他呢？可是拜勒被这不寻常的接待方式压制得完全驯服；当他的头安定下来，不再摇晃，他望着那位先生的脸，更正确地说，望着他的牙齿，看到他对他咆哮如雷的时候，他竟完全忘掉了他的丈夫气概，放声大哭起来。

“我没有做什么对不起你的事情，先生，”拜勒说道；他就是罗布，也就是磨工，而且永远是图德尔。

“你这年轻的无赖！”卡克先生回答道，一边慢慢地放开了他，并往后退了一步，恢复了他所喜爱的姿势，“你胆敢跑到这里来，打算干什么？”

“我没有什么坏的用意，先生，”罗布啜泣着，一只手抚摸着喉咙，另一只手的指节擦着眼睛。“我再也不到这里来了，先生。我只是想找工作做。”

“工作？你是个年轻的该隐！1”卡克先生逼视着他，说道，“难道你不是伦敦最游手好闲的流浪汉吗？”

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1该隐：圣经故事中说，该隐是亚当的长子，曾杀死弟弟亚伯。圣经认为它是人类历史上的第一桩凶杀案。

这个指责虽然很影响小图德尔先生的情绪，但却完全符合他的身份，所以他说不出一句否认的话。他就站在那里，怀着惊恐不安、自知有罪、悔恨不已的神情望着这位先生。

可以指出一点的是，当他望着他的时候，他被卡克先生强烈地吸引住了，圆圆的眼睛片刻也没有离开他。

“你不是一个小偷吗？”卡克先生手插在衣袋里，说道。

“不是，先生。”罗布争辩道。

“你就是！”卡克先生说。

“我确实不是，先生，”罗布啜泣着说道，“我没有干过偷窃的事情，先生，请相信我。我知道，自从我开始逮捕鸟儿、追赶鸟儿以后，我就走上错误的道路了。毫无疑问，一般人也许会想，”小图德尔万分后悔地说道，“唱歌的鸟儿是天真无邪的伴侣。可是谁也不知道这些小东西有多大害处，它们会给你带来什么结果。”

看来，它们已经给他带来的结果是，他只有一件棉绒短上衣，一条破烂得不好穿的裤子，一件特别小、像护喉甲胄一般的红背心，背心下面露出蓝色的花格子衬衫，还有就是前面提到的那顶帽子。

“自从这些鸟儿叫我着了迷以后，我已经有二十次没有待在家里了，”罗布说道，“已经有十个月了。他们每个人看到我都伤心，我怎么能回家呢！我不明白，”拜勒放声哇哇大哭起来，并用袖头擦着眼睛，说道，“为什么我老早以前没有跳到水里去把自己淹死呢。”

孩子说所有这些话（包括他对他没有完成最后这稀罕的业绩表示惊奇的话）的时候，就仿佛卡克先生的牙齿从他嘴里把话拉出来似的；在这排炮般强烈的吸引力下，他无法隐瞒任何事情