miss tox improves an old acquaintance

the forlorn miss tox, abandoned by her friend louisa chick, and bereft of mr dombey's countenance - for no delicate pair of wedding cards, united by a silver thread, graced the chimney-glass in princess's place, or the harpsichord, or any of those little posts of display which lucretia reserved for holiday occupation - became depressed in her spirits, and suffered much from melancholy. for a time the bird waltz was unheard in princess's place, the plants were neglected, and dust collected on the miniature of miss tox's ancestor with the powdered head and pigtail.

miss tox, however, was not of an age or of a disposition long to abandon herself to unavailing regrets. only two notes of the harpsichord were dumb from disuse when the bird waltz again warbled and trilled in the crooked drawing-room: only one slip of geranium fell a victim to imperfect nursing, before she was gardening at her green baskets again, regularly every morning; the powdered-headed ancestor had not been under a cloud for more than six weeks, when miss tox breathed on his benignant visage, and polished him up with a piece of wash-leather.

still, miss tox was lonely, and at a loss. her attachments, however ludicrously shown, were real and strong; and she was, as she expressed it, 'deeply hurt by the unmerited contumely she had met with from louisa.' but there was no such thing as anger in miss tox's composition. if she had ambled on through life, in her soft spoken way, without any opinions, she had, at least, got so far without any harsh passions. the mere sight of louisa chick in the street one day, at a considerable distance, so overpowered her milky nature, that she was fain to seek immediate refuge in a pastrycook's, and there, in a musty little back room usually devoted to the consumption of soups, and pervaded by an ox-tail atmosphere, relieve her feelings by weeping plentifully.

against mr dombey miss tox hardly felt that she had any reason of complaint. her sense of that gentleman's magnificence was such, that once removed from him, she felt as if her distance always had been immeasurable, and as if he had greatly condescended in tolerating her at all. no wife could be too handsome or too stately for him, according to miss tox's sincere opinion. it was perfectly natural that in looking for one, he should look high. miss tox with tears laid down this proposition, and fully admitted it, twenty times a day. she never recalled the lofty manner in which mr dombey had made her subservient to his convenience and caprices, and had graciously permitted her to be one of the nurses of his little son. she only thought, in her own words, 'that she had passed a great many happy hours in that house, which she must ever remember with gratification, and that she could never cease to regard mr dombey as one of the most impressive and dignified of men.'

cut off, however, from the implacable louisa, and being shy of the major (whom she viewed with some distrust now), miss tox found it very irksome to know nothing of what was going on in mr dombey's establishment. and as she really had got into the habit of considering dombey and son as the pivot on which the world in general turned, she resolved, rather than be ignorant of intelligence which so strongly interested her, to cultivate her old acquaintance, mrs richards, who she knew, since her last memorable appearance before mr dombey, was in the habit of sometimes holding communication with his servants. perhaps miss tox, in seeking out the toodle family, had the tender motive hidden in her breast of having somebody to whom she could talk about mr dombey, no matter how humble that somebody might be.

at all events, towards the toodle habitation miss tox directed her steps one evening, what time mr toodle, cindery and swart, was refreshing himself with tea, in the bosom of his family. mr toodle had only three stages of existence. he was either taking refreshment in the bosom just mentioned, or he was tearing through the country at from twenty-five to fifty miles an hour, or he was sleeping after his fatigues. he was always in a whirlwind or a calm, and a peaceable, contented, easy-going man mr toodle was in either state, who seemed to have made over all his own inheritance of fuming and fretting to the engines with which he was connected, which panted, and gasped, and chafed, and wore themselves out, in a most unsparing manner, while mr toodle led a mild and equable life.

'polly, my gal,' said mr toodle, with a young toodle on each knee, and two more making tea for him, and plenty more scattered about - mr toodle was never out of children, but always kept a good supply on hand - 'you ain't seen our biler lately, have you?'

'no,' replied polly, 'but he's almost certain to look in tonight. it's his right evening, and he's very regular.'

'i suppose,' said mr toodle, relishing his meal infinitely, 'as our biler is a doin' now about as well as a boy can do, eh, polly?'

'oh! he's a doing beautiful!' responded polly.

'he ain't got to be at all secret-like - has he, polly?' inquired mr toodle.

'no!' said mrs toodle, plumply.

'i'm glad he ain't got to be at all secret-like, polly,' observed mr toodle in his slow and measured way, and shovelling in his bread and butter with a clasp knife, as if he were stoking himself, 'because that don't look well; do it, polly?'

'why, of course it don't, father. how can you ask!'

'you see, my boys and gals,' said mr toodle, looking round upon his family, 'wotever you're up to in a honest way, it's my opinion as you can't do better than be open. if you find yourselves in cuttings or in tunnels, don't you play no secret games. keep your whistles going, and let's know where you are.

the rising toodles set up a shrill murmur, expressive of their resolution to profit by the paternal advice.

'but what makes you say this along of rob, father?' asked his wife, anxiously.

'polly, old ooman,' said mr toodle, 'i don't know as i said it partickler along o' rob, i'm sure. i starts light with rob only; i comes to a branch; i takes on what i finds there; and a whole train of ideas gets coupled on to him, afore i knows where i am, or where they comes from. what a junction a man's thoughts is,' said mr toodle, 'to-be-sure!'

this profound reflection mr toodle washed down with a pint mug of tea, and proceeded to solidify with a great weight of bread and butter; charging his young daughters meanwhile, to keep plenty of hot water in the pot, as he was uncommon dry, and should take the indefinite quantity of 'a sight of mugs,' before his thirst was appeased.

in satisfying himself, however, mr toodle was not regardless of the younger branches about him, who, although they had made their own evening repast, were on the look-out for irregular morsels, as possessing a relish. these he distributed now and then to the expectant circle, by holding out great wedges of bread and butter, to be bitten at by the family in lawful succession, and by serving out small doses of tea in like manner with a spoon; which snacks had such a relish in the mouths of these young toodles, that, after partaking of the same, they performed private dances of ecstasy among themselves, and stood on one leg apiece, and hopped, and indulged in other saltatory tokens of gladness. these vents for their excitement found, they gradually closed about mr toodle again, and eyed him hard as he got through more bread and butter and tea; affecting, however, to have no further expectations of their own in reference to those viands, but to be conversing on foreign subjects, and whispering confidentially.

mr toodle, in the midst of this family group, and setting an awful example to his children in the way of appetite, was conveying the two young toodles on his knees to birmingham by special engine, and was contemplating the rest over a barrier of bread and butter, when rob the grinder, in his sou'wester hat and mourning slops, presented himself, and was received with a general rush of brothers and sisters.

'well, mother!' said rob, dutifully kissing her; 'how are you, mother?'

'there's my boy!' cried polly, giving him a hug and a pat on the back. 'secret! bless you, father, not he!'

this was intended for mr toodle's private edification, but rob the grinder, whose withers were not unwrung, caught the words as they were spoken.

'what! father's been a saying something more again me, has he?' cried the injured innocent. 'oh, what a hard thing it is that when a cove has once gone a little wrong, a cove's own father should be always a throwing it in his face behind his back! it's enough,' cried rob, resorting to his coat-cuff in anguish of spirit, 'to make a cove go and do something, out of spite!'

'my poor boy!' cried polly, 'father didn't mean anything.'

'if father didn't mean anything,' blubbered the injured grinder, 'why did he go and say anything, mother? nobody thinks half so bad of me as my own father does. what a unnatural thing! i wish somebody'd take and chop my head off. father wouldn't mind doing it, i believe, and i'd much rather he did that than t'other.'

at these desperate words all the young toodles shrieked; a pathetic effect, which the grinder improved by ironically adjuring them not to cry for him, for they ought to hate him, they ought, if they was good boys and girls; and this so touched the youngest toodle but one, who was easily moved, that it touched him not only in his spirit but in his wind too; making him so purple that mr toodle in consternation carried him out to the water-butt, and would have put him under the tap, but for his being recovered by the sight of that instrument.

matters having reached this point, mr toodle explained, and the virtuous feelings of his son being thereby calmed, they shook hands, and harmony reigned again.

'will you do as i do, biler, my boy?' inquired his father, returning to his tea with new strength.

'no, thank'ee, father. master and i had tea together.'

'and how is master, rob?' said polly.

'well, i don't know, mother; not much to boast on. there ain't no bis'ness done, you see. he don't know anything about it - the cap'en don't. there was a man come into the shop this very day, and says, "i want a so-and-so," he says - some hard name or another. "a which?" says the cap'en. "a so-and-so," says the man. "brother," says the cap'en, "will you take a observation round the shop." "well," says the man, "i've done" "do you see wot you want?" says the cap'en "no, i don't," says the man. "do you know it wen you do see it?" says the cap'en. "no, i don't," says the man. "why, then i tell you wot, my lad," says the cap'en, "you'd better go back and ask wot it's like, outside, for no more don't i!"'

'that ain't the way to make money, though, is it?' said polly.

'money, mother! he'll never make money. he has such ways as i never see. he ain't a bad master though, i'll say that for him. but that ain't much to me, for i don't think i shall stop with him long.'

'not stop in your place, rob!' cried his mother; while mr toodle opened his eyes.

'not in that place, p'raps,' returned the grinder, with a wink. 'i shouldn't wonder - friends at court you know - but never you mind, mother, just now; i'm all right, that's all.'

the indisputable proof afforded in these hints, and in the grinder's mysterious manner, of his not being subject to that failing which mr toodle had, by implication, attributed to him, might have led to a renewal of his wrongs, and of the sensation in the family, but for the opportune arrival of another visitor, who, to polly's great surprise, appeared at the door, smiling patronage and friendship on all there.

'how do you do, mrs richards?' said miss tox. 'i have come to see you. may i come in?'

the cheery face of mrs richards shone with a hospitable reply, and miss tox, accepting the proffered chair, and grab fully recognising mr toodle on her way to it, untied her bonnet strings, and said that in the first place she must beg the dear children, one and all, to come and kiss her.

the ill-starred youngest toodle but one, who would appear, from the frequency of his domestic troubles, to have been born under an unlucky planet, was prevented from performing his part in this general salutation by having fixed the sou'wester hat (with which he had been previously trifling) deep on his head, hind side before, and being unable to get it off again; which accident presenting to his terrified imagination a dismal picture of his passing the rest of his days in darkness, and in hopeless seclusion from his friends and family, caused him to struggle with great violence, and to utter suffocating cries. being released, his face was discovered to be very hot, and red, and damp; and miss tox took him on her lap, much exhausted.

'you have almost forgotten me, sir, i daresay,' said miss tox to mr toodle.

'no, ma'am, no,' said toodle. 'but we've all on us got a little older since then.'

'and how do you find yourself, sir?' inquired miss tox, blandly.

'hearty, ma'am, thank'ee,' replied toodle. 'how do you find yourself, ma'am? do the rheumaticks keep off pretty well, ma'am? we must all expect to grow into 'em, as we gets on.'

'thank you,' said miss tox. 'i have not felt any inconvenience from that disorder yet.'

'you're wery fortunate, ma'am,' returned mr toodle. 'many people at your time of life, ma'am, is martyrs to it. there was my mother - ' but catching his wife's eye here, mr toodle judiciously buried the rest in another mug of tea

'you never mean to say, mrs richards,' cried miss tox, looking at rob, 'that that is your - '

'eldest, ma'am,' said polly. 'yes, indeed, it is. that's the little fellow, ma'am, that was the innocent cause of so much.'

'this here, ma'am,' said toodle, 'is him with the short legs - and they was,' said mr toodle, with a touch of poetry in his tone, 'unusual short for leathers - as mr dombey made a grinder on.'

the recollection almost overpowered miss tox. the subject of it had a peculiar interest for her directly. she asked him to shake hands, and congratulated his mother on his frank, ingenuous face. rob, overhearing her, called up a look, to justify the eulogium, but it was hardly the right look.

'and now, mrs richards,' said miss tox, - 'and you too, sir,' addressing toodle - 'i'll tell you, plainly and truly, what i have come here for. you may be aware, mrs richards - and, possibly, you may be aware too, sir - that a little distance has interposed itself between me and some of my friends, and that where i used to visit a good deal, i do not visit now.'

polly, who, with a woman's tact, understood this at once, expressed as much in a little look. mr toodle, who had not the faintest idea of what miss tox was talking about, expressed that also, in a stare.

'of course,' said miss tox, 'how our little coolness has arisen is of no moment, and does not require to be discussed. it is sufficient for me to say, that i have the greatest possible respect for, and interest in, mr dombey;' miss tox's voice faltered; 'and everything that relates to him.'

mr toodle, enlightened, shook his head, and said he had heerd it said, and, for his own part, he did think, as mr dombey was a difficult subject.

'pray don't say so, sir, if you please,' returned miss tox. 'let me entreat you not to say so, sir, either now, or at any future time. such observations cannot but be very painful to me; and to a gentleman, whose mind is constituted as, i am quite sure, yours is, can afford no permanent satisfaction.'

mr toodle, who had not entertained the least doubt of offering a remark that would be received with acquiescence, was greatly confounded.

'all that i wish to say, mrs richards,' resumed miss tox, - 'and i address myself to you too, sir, - is this. that any intelligence of the proceedings of the family, of the welfare of the family, of the health of the family, that reaches you, will be always most acceptable to me. that i shall be always very glad to chat with mrs richards about the family, and about old time and as mrs richards and i never had the least difference (though i could wish now that we had been better acquainted, but i have no one but myself to blame for that), i hope she will not object to our being very good friends now, and to my coming backwards and forwards here, when i like, without being a stranger. now, i really hope, mrs richards,' said miss tox - earnestly, 'that you will take this, as i mean it, like a good-humoured creature, as you always were.'

polly was gratified, and showed it. mr toodle didn't know whether he was gratified or not, and preserved a stolid calmness.

'you see, mrs richards,' said miss tox - 'and i hope you see too, sir - there are many little ways in which i can be slightly useful to you, if you will make no stranger of me; and in which i shall be delighted to be so. for instance, i can teach your children something. i shall bring a few little books, if you'll allow me, and some work, and of an evening now and then, they'll learn - dear me, they'll learn a great deal, i trust, and be a credit to their teacher.'

mr toodle, who had a great respect for learning, jerked his head approvingly at his wife, and moistened his hands with dawning satisfaction.

'then, not being a stranger, i shall be in nobody's way,' said miss tox, 'and everything will go on just as if i were not here. mrs richards will do her mending, or her ironing, or her nursing, whatever it is, without minding me: and you'll smoke your pipe, too, if you're so disposed, sir, won't you?'

'thank'ee, mum,' said mr toodle. 'yes; i'll take my bit of backer.'

'very good of you to say so, sir,' rejoined miss tox, 'and i really do assure you now, unfeignedly, that it will be a great comfort to me, and that whatever good i may be fortunate enough to do the children, you will more than pay back to me, if you'll enter into this little bargain comfortably, and easily, and good-naturedly, without another word about it.'

the bargain was ratified on the spot; and miss tox found herself so much at home already, that without delay she instituted a preliminary examination of the children all round - which mr toodle much admired - and booked their ages, names, and acquirements, on a piece of paper. this ceremony, and a little attendant gossip, prolonged the time until after their usual hour of going to bed, and detained miss tox at the toodle fireside until it was too late for her to walk home alone. the gallant grinder, however, being still there, politely offered to attend her to her own door; and as it was something to miss tox to be seen home by a youth whom mr dombey had first inducted into those manly garments which are rarely mentioned by name,' she very readily accepted the proposal.

after shaking hands with mr toodle and polly, and kissing all the children, miss tox left the house, therefore, with unlimited popularity, and carrying away with her so light a heart that it might have given mrs chick offence if that good lady could have weighed it.

rob the grinder, in his modesty, would have walked behind, but miss tox desired him to keep beside her, for conversational purposes; and, as she afterwards expressed it to his mother, 'drew him out,' upon the road.

he drew out so bright, and clear, and shining, that miss tox was charmed with him. the more miss tox drew him out, the finer he came - like wire. there never was a better or more promising youth - a more affectionate, steady, prudent, sober, honest, meek, candid young man - than rob drew out, that night.

'i am quite glad,' said miss tox, arrived at her own door, 'to know you. i hope you'll consider me your friend, and that you'll come and see me as often as you like. do you keep a money-box?'

'yes, ma'am,' returned rob; 'i'm saving up, against i've got enough to put in the bank, ma'am.

'very laudable indeed,' said miss tox. 'i'm glad to hear it. put this half-crown into it, if you please.'

'oh thank you, ma'am,' replied rob, 'but really i couldn't think of depriving you.'

'i commend your independent spirit,' said miss tox, 'but it's no deprivation, i assure you. i shall be offended if you don't take it, as a mark of my good-will. good-night, robin.'

'good-night, ma'am,' said rob, 'and thank you!'

who ran sniggering off to get change, and tossed it away with a pieman. but they never taught honour at the grinders' school, where the system that prevailed was particularly strong in the engendering of hypocrisy. insomuch, that many of the friends and masters of past grinders said, if this were what came of education for the common people, let us have none. some more rational said, let us have a better one. but the governing powers of the grinders' company were always ready for them, by picking out a few boys who had turned out well in spite of the system, and roundly asserting that they could have only turned out well because of it. which settled the business of those objectors out of hand, and established the glory of the grinders' institution.

可怜的托克斯小姐被她的朋友路易莎·奇克抛弃，又被剥夺了见到董贝先生容颜的幸福，变得意气消沉，郁郁不乐（因为她没有收到用一根银线连结在一起的一对精致的结婚请贴，不能用它来装饰公主广场壁炉上的镜子或大键琴，也不能用它来点缀那些卢克丽霞留着在假日陈列装饰品的小板框）。有一段时候，公主广场听不到鸟儿圆舞曲了，花卉没有人去照料了，托克斯小姐那位头发上撒粉和留着辫子的祖先的小画像上积满了灰尘。

可是，不论就年龄来说，还是就性情来说，托克斯小姐都不是会长久沉陷在无益的悔恨之中的人。当鸟儿圆舞曲在形状弯曲的客厅里重新发出颤音，弹响起来的时候，大键琴上只有两个键由于长久没有使用，发不出来了；在她每天早上重新定时地在绿色的篮子前面料理花卉之前，只有天竺葵的一个幼枝成了护理不善的牺牲品；那位头上撒粉的祖先在尘埃的覆盖下没有超过六个星期，托克斯小姐就对着他仁慈的脸孔哈气，并用一块麂皮把他擦得明明亮亮的了。

然而，托克斯小姐仍然感到孤单寂寞，不知如何是好。她爱慕董贝先生的感情，不管多么可笑地暴露出来，却是真实和强烈的；正像她自己所说的，她已“被路易莎的侮辱深深地伤害了，而这种侮辱是她不应当受到的”。不过托克斯小姐的性格是不知道发怒的。如果说她曾经柔语轻声、唯唯诺诺地走过了她的生活道路的话，那么至少她直到现在还没有发过脾气。有一天她在街道上，隔着相当远的距离，只是看到了路易莎一眼，她那柔弱的性格就支架不住，不得不立即拐到一家糕饼店里去躲避；店里有一间霉臭的小后房，通常是用来喝汤的，房间里充满了牛尾巴的气味；她在那里掉了不少眼泪来排遣她悲伤的感情。

对于董贝先生，托克斯小姐并不感到她有任何理由好抱怨的。这位上等人物的崇高的身份在她的心目中达到了这样的程度：当她一旦被迫离开了他，她就觉得仿佛她和他之间的距离一直是大得无法计量的，仿佛他过去是极为宽宏大量，才容忍她到他那里去的。托克斯小姐真心实意地相信，没有什么人当他的妻子会是太漂亮或是太华贵的。他既然有意物色一位妻子，那么十分自然，他的眼界就应当是高的。托克斯小姐流着眼泪得出了这个正确的结论，一天承认它二十次。她从来没有回想起，董贝先生曾经以一种傲慢的态度，利用她为他自己的利益和任性服务，并且宽大地允许她成为他小儿子的保姆当中的一位。用她自己的话来说，她只是想到“她在那个公馆中度过了许许多多幸福的时光，她应当永远感激地铭记在心；她永远也不会改变地认为，董贝先生是最令人难忘的最高贵的人物当中的一位。”

可是托克斯小姐与毫不留情的路易莎断绝了来往，又不好意思地躲避着少校（她现在对他有些不信任），因此对董贝先生家中的事情一无所知，心中感到很苦闷。因为她确实已习惯于把董贝父子公司看成是全世界都围绕着它旋转的枢轴，所以她决心跟她的一位老熟人理查兹大嫂恢复交情，来得到她所十分关心的消息。她知道，理查兹大嫂自从上一次难忘地来到董贝先生面前之后，跟他的仆人们一直保持着联系。托克斯小姐寻找图德尔这家人，心中也许还暗暗怀着一个微妙的动机，就是找个什么人她可以跟她谈谈董贝先生；不论这个人的地位多么低微她都不在乎。

不论情况如何，总之，有一天晚上，托克斯小姐迈出脚步，向着图德尔的住宅走去了；而这时候，图德尔先生则满身煤灰，皮肤黝黑，在全家团聚中正喝着茶，恢复精神。图德尔先生的生活只有三个阶段。他要末就是像刚才所说的，在享受着天伦之乐的时候恢复精神，要末就是以每小时二十五到五十英里的速度疾驰在国土上，要末就是在劳动疲乏之后睡觉。他经常不是处在急速的旋风中，就是处在风平浪静中。不管是在哪一种情况下，图德尔先生始终是一位和和气气、称心满意、怡然自得的人。他似乎已把他从父母那里继承下来的冒火和生气的脾气全部转让给跟他联系着的机车了；机车毫不客气地喘着气，喷着气，发着火，磨损着自己，而图德尔先生却过着平静的、安定的生活。

“波利，我亲爱的，”图德尔先生说道，他每个膝盖上有一个年幼的图德尔，有两个在给他沏茶，还有更多的小图德尔在他的周围玩耍，——图德尔先生从来也不缺少孩子，身边总是有一大群。——“你最近没有看到我们的拜勒吧，是不是？”

“是的，”波利回答道，“不过他今晚准会回来。今晚他放假，他从不会错过的。”

“我觉得，”图德尔先生津津有味地品尝着茶水的滋味，说道，“就一个孩子所能做到的来说，我们的拜勒现在表现得很好，是不是，波利？”

“啊！他现在好极了！”波利回答道。

“他现在一点也不神秘兮兮，不好捉摸了，是不是，波利？”

图德尔先生问道。

“一点也不！”图德尔太太直截了当地说道。

“我很高兴，他现在一点也不神秘兮兮，不好捉摸了，波利，”图德尔先生不慌不忙，仔细思考着说道，一边像给锅炉送煤似地用折刀把奶油面包送进嘴里，“因为那样不好。对不对，波利？”

“那还用说，当然不好啦，爸爸。亏你问得出来！”

“听着，我的儿子们和女儿们，”图德尔先生向四周的孩子们看了看，说道，“不管你们做一桩什么正直的事情，我认为，你们最好是光明正大地去做。如果你发现你自己进了峡谷或隧道，你可别玩弄秘密的游戏，你得鸣汽笛，让大家知道你在哪里。”

正在成长的图德尔们发出了尖锐的低低的喊声，表示决心遵照父亲的教导去做。

“可是你为什么谈到罗布的时候说到这些话呢，爸爸？”他的妻子忧虑地问道。

“波利，我的老伴，”图德尔先生说道，“说实在的，我不知道我谈到这时是不是谈到了罗布。我只是从罗布这个站出发；我开到一个让车道里了；我在那里找到什么就拉走什么；像整个列车般的一连串思想都向他拥集过来，而那时候我还不知道我在哪里，也不知道这些思想是从哪里来的呢。说实在的，”图德尔先生说道，“一个人的思想是个多么复杂的枢纽站啊！”

图德尔先生喝了容量约一品脱的一杯茶，把这个意义深刻的见解冲了下去，然后用很大的一份奶油面包使它凝固起来；同时他又吩咐他年轻的女儿们在水壶里倒进大量的热水，因为他嘴巴非常干，必须喝上“很多很多个小杯”才能解渴。

不过，图德尔先生在满足自己享受的时候，并没有忘记聚集在他周围的年轻的下一代；他们虽然已经吃过了晚饭，可是却依然眼巴巴地期待着额外的小块食物，就像那是山珍海味似的。他不时把这些小块食物分配给周围盼望着的小家伙们，采取的方式是把切成楔形的一大块奶油面包举出去，让全家的孩子们依照合法的顺序一个个咬去，并按照同样的方式让他们从一个匙子里喝一小口茶水；这些小图德尔们觉得这些平均分配的饮食味道好极了，他们吃完喝完之后，都欣喜若狂地跳起舞来，每个人都用一只脚跳着，并用其他各种跳跃的姿态来表达心中的喜悦。他们找到了这些表达兴奋的方式之后，又逐渐簇拥在图德尔先生的身旁，紧紧地注视着他继续吃着奶油面包和喝着茶水，但却装出不再期望自己能再尝到这些美味佳肴，而在交谈一些不相干的问题，因而十分亲密地低声说着。

图德尔先生坐在全家人的中间，在胃口方面给孩子们树立了一个令人敬畏的榜样，一边正在用特别的机车把膝盖上的两个小图德尔运往伯明翰1，并越过奶油面包围成的栅栏；细心观察着其他的小图德尔们，这时磨工罗布戴着称为“西南人”的防水帽，穿着丧服，走了进来，他的弟弟妹妹们立即争先恐后地向他冲去，迎接他。

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1伯明翰（birmingham）：英国城市。

“妈妈！”罗布孝顺地吻着她，说道，“你好吗，妈妈？”

“我的好孩子！”波利把他紧紧地抱了一抱，并在他的背上轻轻地拍了一拍，喊道，“神秘兮兮，不好捉摸！上帝保佑你，爸爸，他一点也不是！”

这些话是说来开导图德尔先生的，可是磨工罗布对于责难并不是满不在乎的，所以立即就抓住了这些话。

“什么！爸爸又在说我的坏话了，是不是？”无辜地受了委屈的人喊道，“啊，一个小伙子有一段时候走错了一点路，他的亲爸爸却老拿这件事当面和背地里责骂他，这是多么刻薄无情啊！”罗布心情极度痛苦，用袖口擦着眼泪，说道，“这足够使一个小伙子为了泄愤，跑出去干点什么事来了。”

“我可怜的孩子！”波利喊道，“爸爸根本就没有责怪你的意思。”

“如果爸爸根本没有责怪我的意思，”受了委屈的磨工哇哇大哭地说道，“那么他为什么要说出这些话来呢，妈妈？没有什么人比我的亲爸爸把我看得这么坏，连一半也没有！这是多么不合常情的事啊！我真巴不得有什么人会抓住我，把我的头给砍掉。我相信，爸爸对这决不会反对的，我真愿意由他而不是由别人来砍！”

听到这些悲观绝望的话之后，所有的小图德尔们都尖声喊叫起来，磨工讽刺地恳求他们别为他痛哭，因为他们应当憎恨他——如果他们是好男孩和好女孩的话，那就应当这样——。这进一步增强了伤感的效果。第二个最小的图德尔是容易感动的，这些话深深地打动了他，不仅打动了他的心灵，而且还影响了他的呼吸，使得他的脸色十分发紫，因此图德尔先生惊慌地把他拉到屋外接雨的水桶那里；要不是他一见到那个容器就恢复过来的话，图德尔先生本想把他按到水龙头底下去的。

事情到了这个地步，图德尔先生就做了解释；当他儿子想做一位有道德的人的感情得到了抚慰，平静下来之后，他们相互握手，于是房间里又是一片和谐的气氛。

“你是不是跟我一样，也喝点茶，拜勒，我的孩子？”父亲又重新兴趣浓厚地转向他的茶水，问道。

“不，谢谢您，爸爸，主人和我已经一起喝过茶了。”

“主人·怎·么·样，罗布？”波利问道。

“唔，我不知道，妈妈；没有什么好夸耀的。你知道，那里没有生意。他，船长，对生意一窍不通。就在今天，有一个人到店里来，说，‘我想要个某某东西，’他说，——说了一个难懂的名称；‘什么？’船长问道，‘某某东西，’那人说；‘老弟，’船长说，‘是不是请您看一看店里的东西？’‘唔，’；那人说，‘我已经看过了’；‘你看到你所需要的东西了吗？’船长问道；‘没有，我没有看到，’那人说；‘您是不是一看到这个东西就认识它了？’船长问道；‘不，我不认识，’那人说；‘唔，那么我要对您说，我的朋友，’船长说道，‘您最好回去问一下它的形状是怎么样的，因为我也一样不认识！’”

“这样就赚不到钱了，是不是？”波利说道。

“钱，妈妈！他永选也赚不到钱。我从没见过像他那样为人处事的。不过我还得替他说一句，他不是个坏主人。不过这对我无关紧要，因为我想我不会长久跟他待在一起的。”

“不待在你那个地方吗，罗布！”他的母亲喊道；图德尔先生则睁大了眼睛。

“也许不在那个地方，”磨工使了个眼色，回答道，“我将不会奇怪——你知道，宫廷里的朋友——，可是现在你别管这；我一切都很好，这就是我要说的一切。”

磨工的这些暗示和神秘姿态，提供了一个无可争论的证据，说明他的确是有着图德尔先生含蓄地指出的他的那种缺点；如果这时不是凑巧来了另一个人的话，那么这些暗示和姿态本来又会使他遭受到新的委屈，家里又会重新轰动一番的。这位客人使波利大为惊奇地出现在门口，对所有在场的人露出赐加恩惠与友谊的微笑。

“您好吗，理查兹大嫂？”托克斯小姐问道，“我来看看您。

我可以进来吗？”

理查兹大嫂高兴的脸上闪现出一片好客的情意，这就是她的回答；托克斯小姐接受了为她摆好的椅子，并且在向椅子走过去的时候，举止文雅地向图德尔先生打着招呼，然后解开帽带，说，她首先得请这些可爱的小宝宝们一个个前来亲亲她。

第二个最小的图德尔走运不利，如果从他在家里遭到不幸的次数来看，也许他是在一颗不吉祥的星辰的照耀下出生的；这时他又不能参加到这次普遍的问候中去，因为他把那顶防水帽（他起先正在玩弄它）深深地紧套在头上，但前后戴错了，现在不能把它脱下来；这桩意外事故在他恐怖的想象中预兆着一幅灰暗的图景：他将在黑暗中度过今后的岁月，并和他的朋友与家庭永远隔离，因此他拼命挣扎，发出了几乎要窒息的号哭声。当他摆脱困境之后，大家看到他的脸孔很热，很红，很湿；托克斯小姐把他抱到膝盖上，这时他已筋疲力尽了。

“先生，我想您已几乎把我忘了吧，”托克斯小姐对图德尔先生说道。

“不，夫人，不，”图德尔说道。“不过从那时以来我们全都比过去老一些了。”

“您身体怎么样，先生？”托克斯小姐温和地问道。

“身强力壮，夫人，谢谢您，”图德尔回答道。“您身体怎么样？还没有得风湿病吧，夫人？我们岁数慢慢大起来，今后全都会得上它的。”

“谢谢您，”托克斯小姐说道，“我现在还没有得这个病，没有感到它的苦恼呢。”

“您很幸运，夫人，”图德尔先生回答道。“许多人到了您这样的年纪，夫人，都受它的折磨。就拿我母亲来说吧——”可是这时图德尔先生觉察到妻子的眼色，就聪明地把没说出来的话埋葬在另一杯茶水里了。

“理查兹大嫂，”托克斯小姐看着罗布，喊道，“这莫不是您的——”

“大儿子，夫人，”波利说道，“不错，他就是。就是这个小家伙，夫人，他就是好多事情无罪的根源。”

“就是他，夫人，就是那个腿短短的，”图德尔先生带着诗意的语调说道，“特别是当董贝先生让他当上一名磨工，他穿上皮短裤的时候，他的腿就越发显得异乎寻常的短。”

这回忆几乎使托克斯小姐支撑不了。回忆到的主人翁与她直接有着特殊的利害关系。她请他跟她握手，并为他的坦率的、老实的脸孔向他母亲表示祝贺；罗布听到这些话，竭力在脸上装出一副神色来证明这赞美是正确的，可是他装得不太像。

“现在，理查兹大嫂，”托克斯小姐说道，“还有您，先生，”她转过去对图德尔说，“我要坦白地、老实地告诉你们，我为什么要上这里来。您可能知道，理查兹大嫂——也许您也可能知道，先生，——我跟我朋友当中的某个人产生了一点隔阂，相互疏远了；过去我经常去拜访的地方，我现在不去了。”

波利以一个女人的机敏，立刻就明白了，她闪出一道眼光，表明了这一点。图德尔先生对托克斯小姐所谈的话丝毫摸不着头脑，他瞪了一下眼睛，也表明了这一点。

“当然，”托克斯小姐说道，“我们之间这小小的不和是怎么发生的，这个问题无关紧要，不需要讨论。我只要说这一点就够了，就是：我对董贝先生和跟他有关的一切，”托克斯小姐的颤抖了，“有着极大的尊敬和关心。”

图德尔先生受到了启发，摇摇头说，他听别人说过，他本人也认为，董贝先生是个棘手的问题。

“对不起，先生，请您别这么说，”托克斯小姐回答道，“我求您，先生，不论是现在，还是将来的任何时候，都不要这么说。我听到这种意见只能感到很痛苦，对于一位我相信像您同样具有智慧的先生来说，这种意见也不会使他永远高兴的。”

图德尔先生原先毫不怀疑他发表的意见是会得到赞同的，这时却极为困窘了。

“我所想要说的，理查兹大嫂，”托克斯小姐继续说道，“我也对您说，先生，——只是这样：那个家庭里发生的事情，那个家庭的兴隆情况，那个家庭的健康情况，你们听到任何有关这方面的消息，我将永远是极愿意听到的。我将永远很高兴跟理查兹大嫂聊聊这个家庭，聊聊过去的事情。因为理查兹大嫂跟我从来不曾有过任何争吵（虽然我现在真惋惜，从前我们没能更熟悉更亲近一些，不过这只能完全怪我自己），所以我希望她不会反对我高兴的时候常到这里来走走，就像是自己家里的人一样。理查兹大嫂，”托克斯小姐恳切地说道，“您一直是一位心地善良的人，说实在的，我真希望您能体会我的心意，接受我的要求。”

波利听得很高兴，在表情上也流露了出来。图德尔先生不知道他是不是也高兴，呆头呆脑地保持着沉静。

“您知道，理查兹大嫂，”托克斯小姐说道，“我希望您也知道，先生——，如果你们不把我当作外人的话，那么我在好多小事情上对你们是会有点用处的，我也将很高兴这样。比方说，我可以教你们的孩子学点什么。如果你们允许的话，那么我将带一些小书和针线活来，他们可以不时地在晚间学习——啊，我相信，他们将会学到好多东西，并给他们老师增添光彩的。”

图德尔先生对于学问怀有极大的尊敬，所以向妻子赞同地连连点头，并开始感到满意地向手上哈着气。

“那时候，我不是个外人了，所以我将不会妨碍任何人。”托克斯小姐说道，“一切都将照常进行，就仿佛我不在这里似的。理查兹大嫂将照常缝补她的东西，熨她的衣服，照看她的孩子，或不论做其他什么事，用不着管我。您呢，先生，如果您愿意，您就抽您的烟斗，您说好吗？”

“谢谢您，夫人，”图德尔先生说道，“不错，我将抽上几烟斗。”

“您真好，先生，”托克斯小姐回答道，“说真的，我毫不掩饰地对您说，这对我将是个极大的安慰；不论我能幸运地给孩子们做点什么好事，如果您能轻松地、愉快地、善意地达成我们这小小的协议，而不用说什么别的话，那就比给我什么报酬都强。”

这个协议当场就批准了；托克斯小姐觉得自己早已像在自己家里似的，所以她毫不迟延地对周围的孩子们来一番预先的考查（图德尔先生对这十分赞扬），把他们的年龄、名字和知识情况记在一张纸上。这个仪式和伴随的闲聊一直持续到超过了全家人通常上床睡觉的时间，并把托克斯小姐在图德尔先生的炉边一直耽搁到让她一个人回家已经太晚的时候。可是殷勤的磨工还没有离开，他彬彬有礼地提议陪送她到她家门口；由于由董贝先生第一次让他穿上那些叫不出名称的、有着雄赳赳气概的服装的一位年轻人护送回家，对托克斯小姐来说是有一些意义的，所以她立即高兴地接受了这个建议。

因此，托克斯小姐跟图德尔先生和波利握了手，并吻了所有的孩子们之后，离开这座房子的时候，她得到了全家大小无限的喜爱，心情十分轻松愉快；如果这时奇克夫人能把她的心称一称的话，那么它也许会使这位好夫人生气的哩！

磨工罗布由于谦逊，本想走在后面，可是托克斯小姐要他跟随在身旁，以便交谈，并像他以后对他母亲所说的，“一路上从他嘴巴里掏出些东西来。”

他十分机灵、痛快和出色地从自己嘴巴里往外吐露情况，托克斯小姐对他喜欢极了。托克斯小姐从他嘴巴里掏出得愈多，他就愈发显得可爱，就像拉细了的金属丝一样。那天夜里从罗布嘴巴里吐露出的事情来看，世界上没有一个小伙子比罗布更好，前途更有希望的了——没有一位年轻人比他更有情谊、更可靠、更谨慎、更冷静、更诚实、更温顺和更耿直的了。

“我很高兴认识您，”托克斯小姐到达家门口的时候，说道，“我希望您把我当作您的朋友，并希望您高兴的时候，时常来看我。您有没有扑满？”

“有，夫人，”罗布回答道，“我把钱存在里面，等多了再存到银行里，夫人。”

“真值得称赞，”托克斯小姐说道，“我很高兴听您这么说。

请把这个半克朗1存到里面去吧。”

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1半克朗：英国的硬币，半克朗等于2个半先令，或30个便士。

“啊，谢谢您，夫人，”罗布回答道，“不过说真的，我不能把这笔钱从您那里剥夺过来呀。”

“我很喜欢您这种独立的精神，”托克斯小姐说道，“可是我肯定地对您说，这不是剥夺。这是表示我的一点心意，如果您不拿去的话，那么我是会生气的。”

“再见，夫人。”罗布说道，“谢谢您！”

然后，他就嬉皮笑脸地跑去把它换成零钱，在掷钱的赌博中把它输给一个卖馅饼的人了。不过，在磨工学校中是从来不教人正直的，在这个学校中盛行的制度特别有助于伪善的产生，所以过去磨工的许多朋友和老师曾说过：“如果这就是对普通人进行教育的结果，那么就让我们干脆不要这种教育吧。”有些比较有理智的人则说，“让我们要一种更好的教育吧。”可是磨工公司的管辖人员对这些人的回答总是挑选出几个不受现行制度影响，表现良好的孩子，并断然声称，他们之所以表现良好，正是由于有这种制度的缘故。这样一来就使责难的人们哑口无言，并从而确立了磨工制度的荣誉。