按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
getting varnished at every step； how the Cumberland girls； coming
out to look after the Cumberland cows； shook the rain from their
eyelashes and laughed it away； and how the rain continued to fall
upon all； as it only does fall in hill countries。
Wigton market was over； and its bare booths were smoking with rain
all down the street。 Mr。 Thomas Idle； melodramatically carried to
the inn's first floor； and laid upon three chairs （he should have
had the sofa； if there had been one）； Mr。 Goodchild went to the
window to take an observation of Wigton； and report what he saw to
his disabled companion。
'Brother Francis； brother Francis；' cried Thomas Idle； 'What do you
see from the turret？'
'I see；' said Brother Francis； 'what I hope and believe to be one
of the most dismal places ever seen by eyes。 I see the houses with
their roofs of dull black； their stained fronts； and their dark…
rimmed windows； looking as if they were all in mourning。 As every
little puff of wind comes down the street； I see a perfect train of
rain let off along the wooden stalls in the market…place and
exploded against me。 I see a very big gas lamp in the centre which
I know； by a secret instinct； will not be lighted to…night。 I see
a pump； with a trivet underneath its spout whereon to stand the
vessels that are brought to be filled with water。 I see a man come
to pump； and he pumps very hard； but no water follows； and he
strolls empty away。'
'Brother Francis； brother Francis；' cried Thomas Idle； 'what more
do you see from the turret； besides the man and the pump； and the
trivet and the houses all in mourning and the rain？'
'I see；' said Brother Francis； 'one； two； three； four； five； linen…
drapers' shops in front of me。 I see a linen…draper's shop next
door to the right … and there are five more linen…drapers' shops
down the corner to the left。 Eleven homicidal linen…drapers' shops
within a short stone's throw； each with its hands at the throats of
all the rest！ Over the small first…floor of one of these linen…
drapers' shops appears the wonderful inscription； BANK。'
'Brother Francis； brother Francis；' cried Thomas Idle； 'what more
do you see from the turret； besides the eleven homicidal linen…
drapers' shops； and the wonderful inscription； 〃Bank；〃 … on the
small first…floor； and the man and the pump and the trivet and the
houses all in mourning and the rain？'
'I see；' said Brother Francis； 'the depository for Christian
Knowledge； and through the dark vapour I think I again make out Mr。
Spurgeon looming heavily。 Her Majesty the Queen； God bless her；
printed in colours； I am sure I see。 I see the ILLUSTRATED LONDON
NEWS of several years ago； and I see a sweetmeat shop … which the
proprietor calls a 〃Salt Warehouse〃 … with one small female child
in a cotton bonnet looking in on tip…toe； oblivious of rain。 And I
see a watchmaker's with only three great pale watches of a dull
metal hanging in his window； each in a separate pane。'
'Brother Francis； brother Francis；' cried Thomas Idle； 'what more
do you see of Wigton； besides these objects； and the man and the
pump and the trivet and the houses all in mourning and the rain？'
'I see nothing more；' said Brother Francis； 'and there is nothing
more to see； except the curlpaper bill of the theatre； which was
opened and shut last week （the manager's family played all the
parts）； and the short； square； chinky omnibus that goes to the
railway； and leads too rattling a life over the stones to hold
together long。 O yes！ Now； I see two men with their hands in
their pockets and their backs towards me。'
'Brother Francis； brother Francis；' cried Thomas Idle； 'what do you
make out from the turret； of the expression of the two men with
their hands in their pockets and their backs towards you？'
'They are mysterious men；' said Brother Francis； 'with inscrutable
backs。 They keep their backs towards me with persistency。 If one
turns an inch in any direction； the other turns an inch in the same
direction； and no more。 They turn very stiffly； on a very little
pivot； in the middle of the market…place。 Their appearance is
partly of a mining； partly of a ploughing； partly of a stable；
character。 They are looking at nothing … very hard。 Their backs
are slouched； and their legs are curved with much standing about。
Their pockets are loose and dog's…eared； on account of their hands
being always in them。 They stand to be rained upon； without any
movement of impatience or dissatisfaction； and they keep so close
together that an elbow of each jostles an elbow of the other； but
they never speak。 They spit at times； but speak not。 I see it
growing darker and darker； and still I see them； sole visible
population of the place； standing to be rained upon with their
backs towards me； and looking at nothing very hard。'
'Brother Francis； brother Francis；' cried Thomas Idle； 'before you
draw down the blind of the turret and come in to have your head
scorched by the hot gas； see if you can； and impart to me；
something of the expression of those two amazing men。'
'The murky shadows；' said Francis Goodchild； 'are gathering fast；
and the wings of evening； and the wings of coal； are folding over
Wigton。 Still； they look at nothing very hard； with their backs
towards me。 Ah！ Now； they turn； and I see … '
'Brother Francis； brother Francis；' cried Thomas Idle； 'tell me
quickly what you see of the two men of Wigton！'
'I see；' said Francis Goodchild； 'that they have no expression at
all。 And now the town goes to sleep； undazzled by the large
unlighted lamp in the market…place； and let no man wake it。'
At the close of the next day's journey； Mr。 Thomas Idle's ankle
became much swollen and inflamed。 There are reasons which will
presently explain themselves for not publicly indicating the exact
direction in which that journey lay； or the place in which it
ended。 It was a long day's shaking of Thomas Idle over the rough
roads； and a long day's getting out and going on before the horses；
and fagging up hills； and scouring down hills； on the part of Mr。
Goodchild； who in the fatigues of such labours congratulated
himself on attaining a high point of idleness。 It was at a little
town； still in Cumberland； that they halted for the night … a very
little town； with the purple and brown moor close upon its one
street； a curious little ancient market…cross set up in the midst
of it； and the town itself looking much as if it were a collection
of great stones piled on end by the Druids long ago； which a few
recluse people had since hollowed out for habitations。
'Is there a doctor here？' asked Mr。 Goodchild； on his knee； of the
motherly landlady of the little Inn： stopping in his examination
of Mr。 Idle's ankle； with the aid of a candle。
'Ey； my word！' said the landlady； glancing doubtfully at the ankle
for herself； 'there's Doctor Speddie。'
'Is he a good