a separation

with the day, though not so early as the sun, uprose miss susan nipper. there was a heaviness in this young maiden's exceedingly sharp black eyes, that abated somewhat of their sparkling, and suggested - which was not their usual character - the possibility of their being sometimes shut. there was likewise a swollen look about them, as if they had been crying over-night. but the nipper, so far from being cast down, was singularly brisk and bold, and all her energies appeared to be braced up for some great feat. this was noticeable even in her dress, which was much more tight and trim than usual; and in occasional twitches of her head as she went about the house, which were mightily expressive of determination.

in a word, she had formed a determination, and an aspiring one: it being nothing less than this - to penetrate to mr dombey's presence, and have speech of that gentleman alone. 'i have often said i would,' she remarked, in a threatening manner, to herself, that morning, with many twitches of her head, 'and now i will!'

spurring herself on to the accomplishment of this desperate design, with a sharpness that was peculiar to herself, susan nipper haunted the hall and staircase during the whole forenoon, without finding a favourable opportunity for the assault. not at all baffled by this discomfiture, which indeed had a stimulating effect, and put her on her mettle, she diminished nothing of her vigilance; and at last discovered, towards evening, that her sworn foe mrs pipchin, under pretence of having sat up all night, was dozing in her own room, and that mr dombey was lying on his sofa, unattended.

with a twitch - not of her head merely, this time, but of her whole self - the nipper went on tiptoe to mr dombey's door, and knocked. 'come in!' said mr dombey. susan encouraged herself with a final twitch, and went in.

mr dombey, who was eyeing the fire, gave an amazed look at his visitor, and raised himself a little on his arm. the nipper dropped a curtsey.

'what do you want?' said mr dombey.

'if you please, sir, i wish to speak to you,' said susan.

mr dombey moved his lips as if he were repeating the words, but he seemed so lost in astonishment at the presumption of the young woman as to be incapable of giving them utterance.

'i have been in your service, sir,' said susan nipper, with her usual rapidity, 'now twelve 'year a waiting on miss floy my own young lady who couldn't speak plain when i first come here and i was old in this house when mrs richards was new, i may not be meethosalem, but i am not a child in arms.'

mr dombey, raised upon his arm and looking at her, offered no comment on this preparatory statement of fact.

'there never was a dearer or a blesseder young lady than is my young lady, sir,' said susan, 'and i ought to know a great deal better than some for i have seen her in her grief and i have seen her in her joy (there's not been much of it) and i have seen her with her brother and i have seen her in her loneliness and some have never seen her, and i say to some and all - i do!' and here the black-eyed shook her head, and slightly stamped her foot; 'that she's the blessedest and dearest angel is miss floy that ever drew the breath of life, the more that i was torn to pieces sir the more i'd say it though i may not be a fox's martyr..'

mr dombey turned yet paler than his fall had made him, with indignation and astonishment; and kept his eyes upon the speaker as if he accused them, and his ears too, of playing him false.

'no one could be anything but true and faithful to miss floy, sir,' pursued susan, 'and i take no merit for my service of twelve year, for i love her - yes, i say to some and all i do!' - and here the black-eyed shook her head again, and slightly stamped her foot again, and checked a sob; 'but true and faithful service gives me right to speak i hope, and speak i must and will now, right or wrong.

'what do you mean, woman?' said mr dombey, glaring at her. 'how do you dare?'

'what i mean, sir, is to speak respectful and without offence, but out, and how i dare i know not but i do!'said susan. 'oh! you don't know my young lady sir you don't indeed, you'd never know so little of her, if you did.'

mr dombey, in a fury, put his hand out for the bell-rope; but there was no bell-rope on that side of the fire, and he could not rise and cross to the other without assistance. the quick eye of the nipper detected his helplessness immediately, and now, as she afterwards observed, she felt she had got him.

'miss floy,' said susan nipper, 'is the most devoted and most patient and most dutiful and beautiful of daughters, there ain't no gentleman, no sir, though as great and rich as all the greatest and richest of england put together, but might be proud of her and would and ought. if he knew her value right, he'd rather lose his greatness and his fortune piece by piece and beg his way in rags from door to door, i say to some and all, he would!' cried susan nipper, bursting into tears, 'than bring the sorrow on her tender heart that i have seen it suffer in this house!'

'woman,' cried mr dombey, 'leave the room.

'begging your pardon, not even if i am to leave the situation, sir,' replied the steadfast nipper, 'in which i have been so many years and seen so much - although i hope you'd never have the heart to send me from miss floy for such a cause - will i go now till i have said the rest, i may not be a indian widow sir and i am not and i would not so become but if i once made up my mind to burn myself alive, i'd do it! and i've made my mind up to go on.'

which was rendered no less clear by the expression of susan nipper's countenance, than by her words.

'there ain't a person in your service, sir,' pursued the black-eyed, 'that has always stood more in awe of you than me and you may think how true it is when i make so bold as say that i have hundreds and hundreds of times thought of speaking to you and never been able to make my mind up to it till last night, but last night decided of me.'

mr dombey, in a paroxysm of rage, made another grasp at the bell-rope that was not there, and, in its absence, pulled his hair rather than nothing.

'i have seen,' said susan nipper, 'miss floy strive and strive when nothing but a child so sweet and patient that the best of women might have copied from her, i've seen her sitting nights together half the night through to help her delicate brother with his learning, i've seen her helping him and watching him at other times - some well know when - i've seen her, with no encouragement and no help, grow up to be a lady, thank god! that is the grace and pride of every company she goes in, and i've always seen her cruelly neglected and keenly feeling of it - i say to some and all, i have! - and never said one word, but ordering one's self lowly and reverently towards one's betters, is not to be a worshipper of graven images, and i will and must speak!'

'is there anybody there?' cried mr dombey, calling out. 'where are the men? where are the women? is there no one there?'

'i left my dear young lady out of bed late last night,' said susan, nothing checked, 'and i knew why, for you was ill sir and she didn't know how ill and that was enough to make her wretched as i saw it did. i may not be a peacock; but i have my eyes - and i sat up a little in my own room thinking she might be lonesome and might want me, and i saw her steal downstairs and come to this door as if it was a guilty thing to look at her own pa, and then steal back again and go into them lonely drawing-rooms, a-crying so, that i could hardly bear to hear it. i can not bear to hear it,' said susan nipper, wiping her black eyes, and fixing them undauntingly on mr dombey's infuriated face. 'it's not the first time i have heard it, not by many and many a time you don't know your own daughter, sir, you don't know what you're doing, sir, i say to some and all,' cried susan nipper, in a final burst, 'that it's a sinful shame!'

'why, hoity toity!' cried the voice of mrs pipchin, as the black bombazeen garments of that fair peruvian miner swept into the room. 'what's this, indeed?'

susan favoured mrs pipchin with a look she had invented expressly for her when they first became acquainted, and resigned the reply to mr dombey.

'what's this?' repeated mr dombey, almost foaming. 'what's this, madam? you who are at the head of this household, and bound to keep it in order, have reason to inquire. do you know this woman?'

'i know very little good of her, sir,' croaked mrs pipchin. 'how dare you come here, you hussy? go along with you!'

but the inflexible nipper, merely honouring mrs pipchin with another look, remained.

'do you call it managing this establishment, madam,' said mr dombey, 'to leave a person like this at liberty to come and talk to me! a gentleman - in his own house - in his own room - assailed with the impertinences of women-servants!'

'well, sir,' returned mrs pipchin, with vengeance in her hard grey eye, 'i exceedingly deplore it; nothing can be more irregular; nothing can be more out of all bounds and reason; but i regret to say, sir, that this young woman is quite beyond control. she has been spoiled by miss dombey, and is amenable to nobody. you know you're not,' said mrs pipchin, sharply, and shaking her head at susan nipper. 'for shame, you hussy! go along with you!'

'if you find people in my service who are not to be controlled, mrs pipchin,' said mr dombey, turning back towards the fire, 'you know what to do with them, i presume. you know what you are here for? take her away!'

'sir, i know what to do,' retorted mrs pipchin, 'and of course shall do it' susan nipper,' snapping her up particularly short, 'a month's warning from this hour.'

'oh indeed!' cried susan, loftily.

'yes,' returned mrs pipchin, 'and don't smile at me, you minx, or i'll know the reason why! go along with you this minute!'

'i intend to go this minute, you may rely upon it,' said the voluble nipper. 'i have been in this house waiting on my young lady a dozen year and i won't stop in it one hour under notice from a person owning to the name of pipchin trust me, mrs p.'

'a good riddance of bad rubbish!' said that wrathful old lady. 'get along with you, or i'll have you carried out!'

'my comfort is,' said susan, looking back at mr dombey, 'that i have told a piece of truth this day which ought to have been told long before and can't be told too often or too plain and that no amount of pipchinses - i hope the number of 'em mayn't be great' (here mrs pipchin uttered a very sharp 'go along with you!' and miss nipper repeated the look) 'can unsay what i have said, though they gave a whole year full of warnings beginning at ten o'clock in the forenoon and never leaving off till twelve at night and died of the exhaustion which would be a jubilee!'

with these words, miss nipper preceded her foe out of the room; and walking upstairs to her own apartments in great state, to the choking exasperation of the ireful pipchin, sat down among her boxes and began to cry.

from this soft mood she was soon aroused, with a very wholesome and refreshing effect, by the voice of mrs pipchin outside the door.

'does that bold-faced slut,' said the fell pipchin, 'intend to take her warning, or does she not?'

miss nipper replied from within that the person described did not inhabit that part of the house, but that her name was pipchin, and she was to be found in the housekeeper's room.

'you saucy baggage!' retorted mrs pipchin, rattling at the handle of the door. 'go along with you this minute. pack up your things directly! how dare you talk in this way to a gentle-woman who has seen better days?'

to which miss nipper rejoined from her castle, that she pitied the better days that had seen mrs pipchin; and that for her part she considered the worst days in the year to be about that lady's mark, except that they were much too good for her.

'but you needn't trouble yourself to make a noise at my door,' said susan nipper, 'nor to contaminate the key-hole with your eye, i'm packing up and going you may take your affidavit.'

the dowager expressed her lively satisfaction at this intelligence, and with some general opinions upon young hussies as a race, and especially upon their demerits after being spoiled by miss dombey, withdrew to prepare the nipper~s wages. susan then bestirred herself to get her trunks in order, that she might take an immediate and dignified departure; sobbing heartily all the time, as she thought of florence.

the object of her regret was not long in coming to her, for the news soon spread over the house that susan nipper had had a disturbance with mrs pipchin, and that they had both appealed to mr dombey, and that there had been an unprecedented piece of work in mr dombey's room, and that susan was going. the latter part of this confused rumour, florence found to be so correct, that susan had locked the last trunk and was sitting upon it with her bonnet on, when she came into her room.

'susan!' cried florence. 'going to leave me! you!'

'oh for goodness gracious sake, miss floy,' said susan, sobbing, 'don't speak a word to me or i shall demean myself before them' pipchinses, and i wouldn't have 'em see me cry miss floy for worlds!'

'susan!' said florence. 'my dear girl, my old friend! what shall i do without you! can you bear to go away so?'

'no-n-o-o, my darling dear miss floy, i can't indeed,' sobbed susan. 'but it can't be helped, i've done my duty' miss, i have indeed. it's no fault of mine. i am quite resigned. i couldn't stay my month or i could never leave you then my darling and i must at last as well as at first, don't speak to me miss floy, for though i'm pretty firm i'm not a marble doorpost, my own dear.'

'what is it? why is it?' said florence, 'won't you tell me?' for susan was shaking her head.

'no-n-no, my darling,' returned susan. 'don't ask me, for i mustn't, and whatever you do don't put in a word for me to stop, for it couldn't be and you'd only wrong yourself, and so god bless you my own precious and forgive me any harm i have done, or any temper i have showed in all these many years!'

with which entreaty, very heartily delivered, susan hugged her mistress in her arms.

'my darling there's a many that may come to serve you and be glad to serve you and who'll serve you well and true,' said susan, 'but there can't be one who'll serve you so affectionate as me or love you half as dearly, that's my comfort' good-bye, sweet miss floy!'

'where will you go, susan?' asked her weeping mistress.

'i've got a brother down in the country miss - a farmer in essex said the heart-broken nipper, 'that keeps ever so many co-o-ows and pigs and i shall go down there by the coach and sto-op with him, and don't mind me, for i've got money in the savings banks my dear, and needn't take another service just yet, which i couldn't, couldn't, couldn't do, my heart's own mistress!' susan finished with a burst of sorrow, which was opportunely broken by the voice of mrs pipchin talking downstairs; on hearing which, she dried her red and swollen eyes, and made a melancholy feint of calling jauntily to mr towlinson to fetch a cab and carry down her boxes.

florence, pale and hurried and distressed, but withheld from useless interference even here, by her dread of causing any new division between her father and his wife (whose stern, indignant face had been a warning to her a few moments since), and by her apprehension of being in some way unconsciously connected already with the dismissal of her old servant and friend, followed, weeping, downstairs to edith's dressing-room, whither susan betook herself to make her parting curtsey.

'now, here's the cab, and here's the boxes, get along with you, do!' said mrs pipchin, presenting herself at the same moment. 'i beg your pardon, ma'am, but mr dombey's orders are imperative.'

edith, sitting under the hands of her maid - she was going out to dinner - preserved her haughty face, and took not the least notice.

'there's your money,' said mrs pipchin, who in pursuance of her system, and in recollection of the mines, was accustomed to rout the servants about, as she had routed her young brighton boarders; to the everlasting acidulation of master bitherstone, 'and the sooner this house sees your back the better.

susan had no spirits even for the look that belonged to ma pipchin by right; so she dropped her curtsey to mrs dombey (who inclined her head without one word, and whose eye avoided everyone but florence), and gave one last parting hug to her young mistress, and received her parting embrace in return. poor susan's face at this crisis, in the intensity of her feelings and the determined suffocation of her sobs, lest one should become audible and be a triumph to mrs pipchin, presented a series of the most extraordinary physiognomical phenomena ever witnessed.

'i beg your pardon, miss, i'm sure,' said towlinson, outside the door with the boxes, addressing florence, 'but mr toots is in the drawing-room, and sends his compliments, and begs to know how diogenes and master is.'

quick as thought, florence glided out and hastened downstairs, where mr toots, in the most splendid vestments, was breathing very hard with doubt and agitation on the subject of her coming.

'oh, how de do, miss dombey,' said mr toots, 'god bless my soul!'

this last ejaculation was occasioned by mr toots's deep concern at the distress he saw in florence's face; which caused him to stop short in a fit of chuckles, and become an image of despair.

'dear mr toots,' said florence, 'you are so friendly to me, and so honest, that i am sure i may ask a favour of you.

'miss dombey,' returned mr toots, 'if you'll only name one, you'll - you'll give me an appetite. to which,' said mr toots, with some sentiment, 'i have long been a stranger.

'susan, who is an old friend of mine, the oldest friend i have,' said florence, 'is about to leave here suddenly, and quite alone, poor girl. she is going home, a little way into the country. might i ask you to take care of her until she is in the coach?'

'miss dombey,' returned mr toots, 'you really do me an honour and a kindness. this proof of your confidence, after the manner in which i was beast enough to conduct myself at brighton - '

'yes,' said florence, hurriedly - 'no - don't think of that. then would you have the kindness to - to go? and to be ready to meet her when she comes out? thank you a thousand times! you ease my mind so much. she doesn't seem so desolate. you cannot think how grateful i feel to you, or what a good friend i am sure you are!' and florence in her earnestness thanked him again and again; and mr toots, in his earnestness, hurried away - but backwards, that he might lose no glimpse of her.

florence had not the courage to go out, when she saw poor susan in the hall, with mrs pipchin driving her forth, and diogenes jumping about her, and terrifying mrs pipchin to the last degree by making snaps at her bombazeen skirts, and howling with anguish at the sound of her voice - for the good duenna was the dearest and most cherished aversion of his breast. but she saw susan shake hands with the servants all round, and turn once to look at her old home; and she saw diogenes bound out after the cab, and want to follow it, and testify an impossibility of conviction that he had no longer any property in the fare; and the door was shut, and the hurry over, and her tears flowed fast for the loss of an old friend, whom no one could replace. no one. no one.

mr toots, like the leal and trusty soul he was, stopped the cabriolet in a twinkling, and told susan nipper of his commission, at which she cried more than before.

'upon my soul and body!' said mr toots, taking his seat beside her. 'i feel for you. upon my word and honour i think you can hardly know your own feelings better than i imagine them. i can conceive nothing more dreadful than to have to leave miss dombey.'

susan abandoned herself to her grief now, and it really was touching to see her.

'i say,' said mr toots, 'now, don't! at least i mean now do, you know!'

'do what, mr toots!' cried susan.

'why, come home to my place, and have some dinner before you start,' said mr toots. 'my cook's a most respectable woman - one of the most motherly people i ever saw - and she'll be delighted to make you comfortable. her son,' said mr toots, as an additional recommendation, 'was educated in the bluecoat school,' and blown up in a powder-mill.'

susan accepting this kind offer, mr toots conducted her to his dwelling, where they were received by the matron in question who fully justified his character of her, and by the chicken who at first supposed, on seeing a lady in the vehicle, that mr dombey had been doubled up, ably to his old recommendation, and miss dombey abducted. this gentleman awakened in miss nipper some considerable astonishment; for, having been defeated by the larkey boy, his visage was in a state of such great dilapidation, as to be hardly presentable in society with comfort to the beholders. the chicken himself attributed this punishment to his having had the misfortune to get into chancery early in the proceedings, when he was severely fibbed by the larkey one, and heavily grassed. but it appeared from the published records of that great contest that the larkey boy had had it all his own way from the beginning, and that the chicken had been tapped, and bunged, and had received pepper, and had been made groggy, and had come up piping, and had endured a complication of similar strange inconveniences, until he had been gone into and finished.

after a good repast, and much hospitality, susan set out for the coach-office in another cabriolet, with mr toots inside, as before, and the chicken on the box, who, whatever distinction he conferred on the little party by the moral weight and heroism of his character, was scarcely ornamental to it, physically speaking, on account of his plasters; which were numerous. but the chicken had registered a vow, in secret, that he would never leave mr toots (who was secretly pining to get rid of him), for any less consideration than the good-will and fixtures of a public-house; and being ambitious to go into that line, and drink himself to death as soon as possible, he felt it his cue to make his company unacceptable.

the night-coach by which susan was to go, was on the point of departure. mr toots having put her inside, lingered by the window, irresolutely, until the driver was about to mount; when, standing on the step, and putting in a face that by the light of the lamp was anxious and confused, he said abruptly:

'i say, susan! miss dombey, you know - '

'yes, sir.'

'do you think she could - you know - eh?'

'i beg your pardon, mr toots,' said susan, 'but i don't hear you.

'do you think she could be brought, you know - not exactly at once, but in time - in a long time - to - to love me, you know? there!' said poor mr toots.

'oh dear no!' returned susan, shaking her head. 'i should say, never. never!'

'thank'ee!' said mr toots. 'it's of no consequence. good-night. it's of no consequence, thank'ee!'

苏珊·尼珀虽然不像太阳升起得那么早，但天一亮就起床了。这位年轻的少女的非常敏锐的黑眼睛里含着抑郁，因此减少了几分光泽，而且使人想起，它们跟平时的情形不一样，有时是闭着的。这两只眼睛看去还很肿大，好像昨天夜里一直在哭泣似的。可是尼珀决没有灰心丧气，而是非常生气勃勃、大胆泼辣，好像振作起全部精神，要去完成什么丰功伟业似的。这甚至可以从她的比平时紧贴得多和整洁得多的衣服中看得出来，也可以从她在房间里走来走去时偶尔猛晃一下脑袋的动作中看得出来，那动作有力地表明了她的决心。

总之，她已下定了决心，一个抱负不凡的决心，这就是：排除艰险，深入到董贝先生面前，单独跟那位先生谈一谈。

“我曾时常说过，我将会这样做的，”那天早上她用威胁的神气对自己说道，同时把脑袋猛晃了好多次，“现在我·就·要这样做了！”

苏珊·尼珀激励着自己，以她特有的机敏去完成这个大胆冒险的计划，整个上午在门厅里和楼梯上转来转去，没有找到一个有利的机会可以下手。她根本没有被这种失利所挫败，这实际上倒相反起了一种刺激的作用，使她更加鼓起勇气，丝毫没有减却警惕性。终于，到了傍晚的时候，她发现她的不共戴天的敌人皮普钦太太借口昨天坐了一整夜，这时正在自己的房间里打瞌睡；她还发现董贝先生这时正躺在沙发上，身旁没人侍候。

尼珀这次不是猛晃了一下脑袋，而是整个身子都猛晃了一下，然后踮着脚尖，走到董贝先生门口，敲了敲门。“进来！”董贝先生说道。苏珊最后又猛晃了一下身子，来鼓起自己的勇气，然后走进去董贝先生正在注视着炉火，惊奇地看了一下走进房间里来的人，并用胳膊把身子略略支起一点。尼珀行了个屈膝礼。

“你需要什么？”董贝先生问道。

“对不起，先生，我想跟您谈谈。”

董贝先生动了动嘴唇，仿佛在重复说这几个字；可是他似乎对这位年轻女人放肆无礼的态度诧异得不知所措，连也发不出来了。

“我是您家的女用人，先生，”苏珊·尼珀就像平时那样快嘴快舌地说道，“我在这里已经十二年了，一直在服侍我的小女主人弗洛伊小姐，我初到这里来的时候她话还讲不清楚，当理查兹大嫂是这里的新用人的时候我已经是个老用人了，我可能不是梅索沙来姆1，但我已经不是个抱在怀里的娃娃了。”

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1梅索沙来姆（meethosalem）：旧约圣经中传说活了969岁的人。

董贝先生用胳膊支着，欠起身来，看看她，对这一篇开场白性的事实陈述没有发表意见。

“世界上没有哪一位小姐像我的小姐那样可亲可爱的了，先生，”苏珊说道，“我比什么人都了解这一点，因为我看到她处于悲痛的时候，也看到她处于快乐的时候（她的快乐是不多的），我看到她跟她弟弟在一起的时候，也看到她孤零零一个人的时候，而有的人从来也没有看到过她，我对有的人和对所有的人说，是的，我说！”这时黑眼睛摇摇头，轻轻地跺跺脚；“我说，弗洛伊小姐是世界上最可亲可爱的天使，先生，让他们把我撕得粉碎吧，把我撕得越碎我越要这样说，虽然我可能不是福克斯书中的殉难者。”1

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1约翰·福克斯（johnfoxe，1516—1587年）于1663年发表了《最近这些灾难日子里的伟迹与丰碑》（actsandmonumentsoftheselatterandperillousdays》一书，以生动和论战的笔触叙述新教徒从十四世纪到玛丽一世在位这一时期所受的磨难；此书在英国清教徒家庭中传诵甚广，是除《圣经》之外最受珍爱的书；它的通俗名称为《殉教者书》（thebookofmartyrs）。

董贝先生摔伤以后脸色本已发白，这时由于愤怒与惊讶变得更加苍白；他的眼睛直盯着说话的人，那副神态就仿佛在责备他的眼睛和耳朵在欺骗他似的。

“任何人都不能不真诚与忠实地对待弗洛伊小姐，”苏珊继续说道，“我不自夸我服务了十二年有什么功劳，因为我爱她——是的，我可以对有的人和对所有的人这样说！”这时黑眼睛又摇摇头，又轻轻地跺跺脚，抑制着自己不哭泣；“可是真诚与忠实的服务使我有权利说出我希望说的话，说出我应当说和现在就要说的话，不管这话是对还是错！”

“你想要做什么，女人！”董贝先生向她怒瞪着眼睛，说道，“你怎么敢这样？”

“我想要做什么，先生？我只是想恭恭敬敬地，毫不冒犯地，但却开诚布公地把话说出来，至于我怎么敢这样，我也不明白，但我确实是敢！”苏珊说道，“唉！您不了解我的小姐，先生您真是不了解，如果您了解的话，那么您就决不会这样不了解她的。”

董贝先生勃然大怒，伸手去拉铃绳，可是在壁炉这边没有铃绳，而没有别人帮助，他又不能站起来走到另一边去。尼珀眼快，立刻看出他束手无策的状态，现在，正像她后来所说的，她觉得她已经把他掌握在她手中了。

“弗洛伊小姐，”苏珊·尼珀说道，“是世界上最忠诚、最耐性、最孝顺、最漂亮的女儿，先生，任何一位先生，即使把英国最高贵最有钱的先生加起来才抵得上他那样高贵和有钱，也决不会不因为她而感到自豪，他将会感到自豪也应当感到自豪。如果他真正了解她的价值的话，那么他就会宁愿为了她而逐渐失去他的高贵身份和财产，并穿着破烂的衣服挨门逐户去乞讨，而不愿给她温柔的心带来这样沉重的悲伤的，我在这屋子里亲眼看到她的心受了多么大的痛苦啊！我对有的人并对所有的人都这样说。”苏珊·尼珀高声喊道，一边突然泪流满脸地痛哭起来。

“女人，”董贝先生喊道，“离开这房间！”

“请原谅，先生，即使我要丢掉我的职务，丢掉这个我干了这么多年，见识了许许多多事情的职务，我现在也不走，”坚定的尼珀回答道，“虽然我希望您千万别为了这样的原因这样狠心地把我从弗洛伊小姐的身边打发走！是的，我没有把话说完是不会走的。我可能不是一位印度寡妇，1先生，我现在不是也不想成为印度寡妇，但是一旦我下定决心把我自己活活烧死，我是会这样做的！我已下定决心继续把我的话说完！”

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1按照古时印度的风俗习惯，在丈夫死后的火葬柴堆上要把寡妇活活烧死。

这一点，苏珊·尼珀脸上的表情并不比她的言语表达得不清楚。

“在您家服务的所有仆人中，先生，”黑眼睛继续说道，“没有一位像我这样老是害怕您的，我大胆地告诉您，我曾经几百次几百次想跟您谈谈，不过以前总是下不了决心，但是昨天夜里我终于下定决心了，您可以相信我这些话是说得多么真诚。”

董贝先生火冒三丈，又动手去抓那不在近旁的铃绳，由于抓不到铃绳，他就揪自己的头发，这比没有抓住什么总强一些。

“我看到，”苏珊·尼珀说道，“弗洛伊小姐还完全是个孩子的时候，就尝够了艰辛，那时她是个多么可爱多么耐性的孩子啊，即使是最好的妇女也可以仿效她的榜样，我看见她一夜又一夜地坐到深夜，帮助有病的弟弟准备功课，我看见她在其他时候——有的人很了解这是在什么时候——帮助他守护他，我看见她在得不到鼓励得不到帮助的情况下长大成为一位姑娘，谢天谢地！这是她所结交的每一位朋友感到体面和感到自豪的。我看见她受到了冷酷无情的冷落，剧烈地感到痛苦——我对有的人并对所有的人这样说，我已经这样说了！——而她却从来不说一个字，可是即使一个人要低三下四地恭恭敬敬地对待比她高超的人的话，那也并不是说她要崇拜一个雕像呀，我要说出这一点并且必须说出这一点！”

“有人吗？”董贝先生大声喊道，“男仆人在哪里？女仆人在哪里？难道这里一个人也没有了吗？”

“昨天夜晚我离开我亲爱的小姐的时候已经很晚了，可是她还没有上床睡觉，”苏珊没有受到丝毫影响，继续说下去，“我知道这是为什么！因为您病了先生而她却不知道您病得多重，这一点就足以使她变得多么可怜了，我也亲眼看到她是多么可怜。我可能不是孔雀，但是我有眼睛——我坐在我自己的房间里，心想她可能感到寂寞需要我，我看见她偷偷地下了楼走到这个门口，就仿佛看看她的亲爸爸是一件犯罪的事情似的，然后她又偷偷地回去，走到寂静的客厅里，在那里哭起来，哭得我简直·都·不忍心听下去。我·不·能忍心听下去，”苏珊·尼珀抹抹她的黑眼睛，毫不畏惧地注视着董贝先生怒气冲冲的脸孔，说道，“这并不是我第一次听到她哭，我已经听过好多好多次了！您不了解您亲生的女儿，先生，您不明白您做了什么事，先生，我对有的人并对所有的人说，”苏珊·尼珀最后冲动地大声喊叫道，“这是罪孽深重的、可耻的事情！”

“嗳呀，不得了！”传来了皮普钦太太的喊声；穿着黑色邦巴辛毛葛衣服的秘鲁矿的女人昂首阔步地走进了房间。“究竟是怎么回事？”

苏珊向皮普钦太太送去了一个眼神，这种眼神是她们初次相识时她特意为她而创造出来的；她让董贝先生来回答。

“怎么回事？”董贝先生几乎唾沫纷飞地重复问道，“怎么回事，夫人？您是主管这个房屋的，有责任把这个家管得有条不紊，您确实有理由提出这个问题。您知道这个女人吗？”

“我知道她不是个好玩艺儿，先生，”皮普钦太太用哭丧的说道，“你怎么敢到这里来，你这轻佻的贱货？你给我滚！”

可是刚强不屈的尼珀只是向皮普钦太太奉送了另一个眼神，一动不动地继续站在那里。

“夫人，”董贝先生说道，“听任这一类人放肆地进来跟·我谈话，一位上层社会的高贵人物在他自己的公馆里，在他自己的房间里竟居然被他的女仆人鲁莽无礼地教训起来，您还能说是在管家吗？”

“说得对，先生，”皮普钦太太回答道，她那冷酷无情的灰色眼睛中闪射出复仇的火焰，“我非常抱歉，没有比这更不成体统的事了，没有比这更无法无天、超越理性的事了。不过我不得不遗憾地指出，先生，这个年轻女人是很难管束的。她被董贝小姐惯坏了，谁的话她都不听。你明白，你就是这样的，”皮普钦太太对苏珊·尼珀摇着头，苛刻地说道，“真不害臊，你这轻佻的贱货！快给我滚！”

“在为我服务的人们当中，您如果发现有谁难以管束，皮普钦太太，”董贝先生又转向壁炉，说道，“我想，您知道该怎么处理他们。您知道您在这里是干什么的吗？把她带走！”

“先生，我知道该怎么办，”皮普钦太太回答道，“当然我将会这么办的。苏珊·尼珀，”她怒气冲冲、特别急躁无礼地对着她说道，“我预先通知你，从现在起一个月以后你就被解雇了。”

“哦，真的吗？”苏珊高傲地回答道。

“是的，”皮普钦太太回答道，“别朝我发笑，你这发疯的姑娘，要不就把你发笑的原因说出来！你这一分钟就给我滚！”

“我这分钟就走，这一点你别担心，”能言善辩的尼珀说道，“我在这屋子里侍候我的小姐已有十二年，在姓皮普钦的向我发出解雇通知以后，我不会在这里再待一个钟头，这一点你可以相信我，皮太太。”

“我们终于把这臭垃圾给清除掉了！”怒气冲天的老太太说道，“快滚吧，要不我就命令把你拽出去！”

“我感到安慰的是，”苏珊回过头去看着董贝先生，说道，“今天我把好久以前就应当说出的真实情况说出来了，这些话不论说多少次也不会嫌多，不论怎么说也不会嫌太直率，而且没有哪一位皮普钦——我希望她们人数不多——（这时皮普钦太太十分凶狠地喊了一声，“给我滚！”，尼珀姑娘则重新向她送去一个眼神）能取消我已经说了的话，虽然这些皮普钦在整整一年时间里从上午十点钟起一直到夜里十二点钟为止，一直没休没止地发出解雇的警告，最后终于精疲力尽而死去，那时候倒将是个真正欢乐的节日哩！”

尼珀姑娘说完这些话之后，在她的仇人的跟随下，走出了房间，十分庄严地上了楼，回到自己的房间，把忿怒的皮普钦气得喘不过气来，然后她在她的一些箱子中间坐下，开始哭起来。

不久，她就被门外皮普钦太太的从这软弱的状态中唤醒，结果是很有益于身心和振奋精神的。

“那条厚颜无耻的母狗，”凶恶的皮普钦太太说道，“打算接受解雇呢还是不打算接受？”

尼珀姑娘从房间里回答道，她所说的那条厚颜无耻的母狗不在这个房间，那条母狗姓皮普钦，到女管家房间里去可以找到。

“你这不懂规矩的婊子！”皮普钦太太回骂道，一边卡嗒卡嗒地转动着门把，“这分钟就给我滚！立刻就收拾你的东西！

你怎么敢这样对一位过过好日子的贵夫人说话？”

尼珀姑娘从她的城堡中回答道，她真为那些让皮普钦太太过过的好日子惋惜，就她来说，她认为，这一年当中最坏的日子已经离这位太太不远了，只不过这些最坏的日子对这位太太来说还是太好了太好了。

“可是你不必麻烦自己在我的门口吵吵闹闹，”苏珊·尼珀说道，“也不要用你的眼睛把钥匙孔弄脏了。我正在收拾东西，我就走，我这个口头宣誓是你想要的，你拿去吧。”

这位未亡人听到这个消息以后，眉飞色舞，表示十分满意，一边对轻佻的小贱货这一类人，特别是在董贝小姐把她们惯坏以后的种种缺点发表了一番评论，一边回去准备尼珀的工资。在这之后，尼珀忙着把箱子收拾妥贴，以便可以立刻尊严地动身；在这整个时间里，她想到弗洛伦斯，一直在伤心地哭泣着。

她所哀怜的对象不久就来到她的身边，因为整个屋子里很快就传遍了这个消息：苏珊·尼珀跟皮普钦太太发生了激烈的争吵；她们两人都上诉到董贝先生那里，在董贝先生的房间里发生了一场前所未见的大吵大闹；苏珊要离开这里了。弗洛伦斯发现这些众说纷纭的传说中的最后部分十分真实，因为当她走进房间的时候，苏珊已经锁好最后一只箱子，戴着帽子坐在上面。

“苏珊！”弗洛伦斯喊道，“您要离开我了吗！您！”

“哎呀，看在老天爷的面上，弗洛伊小姐，”苏珊哭泣着，说道，“一句话也别跟我说，要不我就在皮—皮—皮—皮普钦她们面前丢了脸了，弗洛伊小姐我无论如何也不能让她们看到我哭！”

“苏珊！”弗洛伦斯说道，“我亲爱的，我的老朋友！我没有您该怎么办哪！您能忍心就这样走了吗？”

“不—不—不—不，我亲爱的宝贝弗洛伊小姐，我确实不忍心，”苏珊哭泣着，“可是没有办法，我已经尽了我的责任，小姐，我确实已经尽了我的责任。这不是我的过错。我是迫不得已，只好这样了。我不能封住自己的嘴，要不我就将永远离不开您了，我的亲爱的，而我最终还是不能不走的，不要跟我说话吧，弗洛伊小姐，因为我虽然是相当坚定的，但我毕竟不是大理石门柱呀，我亲爱的宝贝。”

“究竟是怎么回事？为什么会发生这样的事情？”弗洛伦斯说道，“难道你不想告诉我吗？”因为这时苏珊摇摇头。

“不—不—不，我亲爱的，”苏珊回答道，“别问我吧，因为我不应该说，不论您做什么，千万别去替我说情，让我留下来，因为这是办不到的，而只会使您自己受委屈，因此让上帝保佑您吧，我的宝贝小姐，在这许多年头里我所做的一切不好的事情，我所发的一切脾气，都请您原谅吧！”

苏珊真心诚意地提出这个请求之后，紧紧地拥抱着她的女主人。

“我亲爱的，有许多人可以当您的女仆人，她们将会高兴周到地真诚地侍候您，”苏珊说道，“可是没有一个人能像我这样情深意厚地为您服务，没有一个人能像我这样热爱您，这是我可以安慰自己的。再—再—见吧，我可爱的弗洛伊小姐！”

“您到那里去呢，苏珊？”她的哭泣着的女主人问道。

“小姐我在乡下有一位哥哥——是埃塞克斯1的农民，”

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1埃塞克斯（essex）：英格兰东南部的郡，东滨北海，南界泰晤士河口。

心碎肠断的尼珀说道，“他饲养了许多奶—奶—奶牛和猪，我将搭乘驿车去，在他那里住——住下，别替我操心，因为我在储蓄银行里还存有一笔钱，我亲爱的，现在还不需要再去找一份工作，那是我现在做不到，做不到，做不到的，我的心肝女主人！”苏珊说完之后悲痛地大哭起来，幸好皮普钦太太在楼下谈话的把这给打断了。苏珊一听到那，就把红肿的眼睛擦干，可怜地装出快活的样子，呼唤托林森先生去给她雇马车，并帮她把箱子搬到楼下去。

弗洛伦斯脸色苍白，心情焦急，悲痛，由于害怕会造成她父亲和他的妻子（她的严厉的、愤怒的脸几分钟前对她来说还是一种警告）之间新的分裂，还担心她本人已经在某些方面不知不觉地跟她多年的仆人和朋友的解雇有关系，所以甚至这时她也不敢进行徒劳无益的干涉，只是哭泣着跟着下了楼，到了伊迪丝的化妆室中；苏珊到那里去是向她行屈膝礼，进行告别的。

“好了，这里是马车，这里是箱子，快给我滚吧，滚！”皮普钦太太在同一个时刻来到这里，说道，“请原谅，夫人，不过董贝先生的命令是不容违抗的。”

伊迪丝坐着，她的侍女正在给她梳头——她将出去参加晚晏——，这时她脸上保持着傲慢的神色，丝毫也不理睬。

“这是你的钱，”皮普钦太太说道，她在执行她的制度时和在回忆矿上的情形时，习惯于对仆人们逞凶肆虐，就像她在布赖顿时对那些在她那里吃饭和住宿的年轻人逞凶肆虐的情形一样；比瑟斯通少爷曾被惹得怒气永久不消；“你愈早离开这屋子愈好。”

苏珊连向皮普钦太太送一次专属于她的眼神的精神也没有；她向董贝夫人行了一个屈膝礼（董贝夫人默默无言地点了一下头，她的眼睛避开了除弗洛伦斯以外的任何人），然后在临别前最后一次地紧抱着她的年轻的女主人，并接受了她的年轻的女主人的临别拥抱。可怜的苏珊心绪万分激动，又坚决忍住不哭，唯恐发出一点哭声会使皮普钦太太听了开心得意；在这紧急关头她脸上的表情呈现出极不寻常的种种变化，真是前所未有。

“请原谅，小姐，”托林森先生提着箱子站在门口，对弗洛伦斯说道，“图茨先生在会客室里；他向您问候，并想打听一下戴奥吉尼斯和他的女主人好吗。”

弗洛伦斯像闪电一般迅速溜出房间，急急忙忙地下了楼。图茨先生穿着极为华丽的服装，在楼下正在猜疑她是否可能会来，心情焦躁不安，很急促地呼吸着。

“啊，您好，董贝小姐，”图茨先生说道，“哎哟我的天哪！”

这最后的惊喊声是由于图茨先生看到弗洛伦斯脸上悲痛的神色，感到深切的忧虑而发出的；这立即使他中断了吃吃的笑声，变成了悲观绝望的化身。

“亲爱的图茨先生，”弗洛伦斯说道，“您对我很友好，又很正直，所以我相信我可以请您帮个忙。”

“董贝小姐，”图茨先生回答道，“您只要说出一件事我可以效劳的，您就——您就会恢复我的胃口，”图茨先生感伤地说道，“我已好久没有胃口了。”

“苏珊是我的一位老朋友，是与我相识最久的一位老朋友；她突然要离开这里了，而且是孤零零一个人离开，可怜的女孩子。她回到乡下的家里去。我是不是可以劳驾您照顾她一下，把她送上驿车？”

“董贝小姐，”图茨先生回答道，“您确实使我感到荣幸，这也是您对我的厚道。这证明您信任我，虽然在这之前我在布赖顿的行为真是十足像个畜牲——”

“是的，”弗洛伦斯急忙打断他，说道，“不——别去想那件事吧。这么说，您肯费神去——走一走？并且当她走出门的时候，您去迎接她？谢您一千次！您使我宽心不少。她将不会觉得自己很孤独凄凉了。您不知道我是多么感谢您，我把您看作是一位多么好的朋友！”弗洛伦斯怀着一片真心诚意，一次又一次地感谢他，图茨先生也怀着他的一片真心诚意，急忙离开了——不过是向后退着走的，为的是一眼也不离开她，直到看不见为止。

弗洛伦斯看见可怜的苏珊在前厅里，皮普钦太太把她驱赶到那里；戴奥吉尼斯在她身边跳跃着，并竭尽全力威吓着皮普钦太太；他向她的邦巴辛毛葛裙子猛扑过去，而且一听到她的就痛苦地嗥叫着，因为这位可敬的老媪引起他胸中极大的、深切的嫌恶；这时候弗洛伦斯没有勇气走出去。但是她看着苏珊和周围的仆人们一一握手，向她这个居住多年的老家环视了一次；她还看到戴奥吉尼斯跳出去追赶马车，想跟着它跑；他怎么也不能理解，他对马车里的那位女乘客不再拥有任何亲近的权利了。接着，公馆的门关上了，刚才的忙乱过去了，弗洛伦斯的眼泪簌簌地流下，她为失去老朋友而哭泣着，这位老朋友是谁也不能代替的。谁也不能。谁也不能。

图茨先生是一位忠实可靠的人，他在转瞬之间就拦住这辆单马篷车，对苏珊·尼珀说明了他所受托的任务。苏珊听到以后，比刚才更大声地哭了起来。

“以我的灵魂和身体发誓，”图茨先生在她身旁坐下，说道，“我同情您！说实话，并以我的荣誉发誓，您对您自己的感情还不比我了解得更清楚。我不能想象，有什么事能比离开董贝小姐更可怕的了。”

苏珊这时纵情痛哭，看到她那悲伤的情景真是令人感动。

“我说，”图茨先生说道，“别这样！您知道，至少我知道现在该怎么办！”

“怎么办，图茨先生？”苏珊哭着问道。

“唔，到我家去，先吃一顿晚饭再上路，”图茨先生说道。

“我家的厨娘是一位品格极为高尚的妇女——心地极为慈善，她一定会高高兴兴地把您照料得十分舒适如意。她的儿子，”图茨先生补充介绍道，“在慈善学校中受过教育，后来在一个火药工厂中被炸死了。”

苏珊接受了这个善良的邀请，图茨先生把她一直送到他的住所；上面提到的那位大婶和斗鸡先生在这里迎接他们。那位大婶完全跟图茨先生介绍的情形一样。斗鸡先生起初看到马车里有一位小姐，还以为他先前的建议终于被采纳，董贝先生已被打得直不起腰来，董贝小姐已被诱拐到这里来了。这位先生使尼珀姑娘相当吃惊，因为他被拉基·博伊打败之后，面貌受到极大的损毁，进入社交界时很难使看到的人感到舒服。斗鸡把他所吃到的苦头归咎于他在拳斗过程中，头不幸很快被夹在对方腋下，在这之后，拉基狠狠地打了他一拳，把他往地上猛地一掷。但是从这次伟大竞赛的已经公布的记录来看，拉基·博伊一开始就按照他自己的意思去打，斗鸡被打在身上，被打得鼻青眼肿，被接连速击，逼得他摇摇晃晃，高声哭叫，还受到了好多类似的苦楚，直到最后被彻底制服为止。

苏珊在十分好客的气氛中吃了一顿丰盛的晚饭之后，乘坐了另一辆单马篷车到驿车车站去；图茨先生跟先前一样，跟她并排坐在车子里。斗鸡则坐在马车夫的座位上；虽然他凭他道义上的影响和英雄主义的品格，对他们这几位同行的人可能增添了不小的光彩，不过就他的外表来说，因为他的脸上贴满了膏药，因此未必能成为他们美丽的装饰。但是斗鸡先生暗地里发过誓，在他还不能把一个酒吧的招牌和不动产弄到手可以经营它之前，他决不离开图茨先生（图茨先生暗地里却很想摆脱他）。由于他雄心勃勃地想进入这个行业，并尽早把自己喝得酩酊大醉，他觉得他必须先让他周围的人厌恶他在场。

苏珊乘坐的夜间的驿车立刻就要开动了。图茨先生搀扶她进去、坐好以后，一直迟疑不决地在窗口磨蹭着不走，直到马车夫准备爬上座位的时候，他才站在车子的台阶上，把脸孔探进去（从灯光中可以看到他脸上那焦虑的、困窘的神色），语无伦次地说道：

“我说，苏珊！董贝小姐，您知道——”

“是的，先生。”

“您认为她会——您知道——嗯？”

“请原谅，图茨先生，”苏珊说道，“您的话我没听明白。”

“您认为她能不能，您知道——不是说现在立刻就，而是说以后——过很久以后——终于——会——会爱我吗，您知道？就是这！”可怜的图茨先生说道。

“啊，不会！”苏珊摇摇头，回答道，“我要说那是永远不会的。永远——不会！”

“谢谢您！”图茨先生说道，“这无关紧要。再见。这无关紧要，谢谢您！”