登陆注册
5167300000108

第108章

It is still possible to believe that the attorney was not more guilty towards him, than an ingenious machine which performs its work with much regularity is guilty towards the rash man who, venturing too near it, is caught up by some fly-wheel or other, and suddenly converted into unexpected sausages.

But it is really impossible to decide this question by a glance at his person: the lines and lights of the human countenance are like other symbols - not always easy to read without a key.On an a priori view of Wakem's aquiline nose which offended Mr Tulliver there was not more rascality than in the shape of his stiff shirt collar, though this too, along with his nose, might have become fraught with damnatory meaning when once the rascality was ascertained.

`Mrs Tulliver, I think?' said Mr Wakem.

`Yes, sir, Miss Elizabeth Dodson as was.'

`Pray be seated.You have some business with me?'

`Well, sir, yes,' said Mrs Tulliver, beginning to feel alarmed at her own courage now she was really in presence of the formidable man, and reflecting that she had not settled with herself how she should begin.Mr Wakem felt in his waistcoat pockets and looked at her in silence.

`I hope, sir,' she began at last, `I hope, sir, you're not a-thinking as I bear you any ill-will because o' my husband's losing his lawsuit, and the bailies being put in, and the linen being sold - O dear!...for I wasn't brought up in that way.I'm sure you remember my father, sir, for he was close friends with Squire Darleigh, and we allays went to the dances there - the Miss Dodsons - nobody could be more looked on - and justly, for there was four of us, and you're quite aware as Mrs Glegg and Mrs Deane are my sisters.And as for going to law and losing money and having sales before you're dead, I never saw anything o' that before Iwas married nor for a long while after.And I'm not to be answerable for my bad luck i' marrying out o' my own family into one where the goings-on was different.And as for being drawn in t' abuse you as other folks abuse you, sir, that I niver was, and nobody can say it of me.'

Mrs Tulliver shook her head a little and looked at the hem of her pocket handkerchief.

`I've no doubt of what you say, Mrs Tulliver,' said Mr Wakem, with cold politeness.`But you have some question to ask me?'

`Well, sir, yes.But that's what I've said to myself - I've said you'd have some nat'ral feeling; and as for my husband as hasn't been himself for this two months, I'm not a-defending him, in no way, for being so hot about th' erigation - not but what there's worse men, for he never wronged nobody of a shilling nor a penny, not willingly - and as for his fieriness and lawing, what could I do? And him struck as if it was with death when he got the letter as said you'd the hold upo' the land.But I can't believe but what you'll behave as a gentleman.'

`What does all this mean, Mrs Tulliver?' said Mr Wakem, rather sharply.

`What do you want to ask me?'

`Why, sir, if you'll be so good,' said Mrs Tulliver, starting a little, and speaking more hurriedly, `if you'll be so good not to buy the mill an' the land - the land wouldn't so much matter, only my husband 'ull be like mad at your having it.'

Something like a new thought flashed across Mr Wakem's face as he said, `Who told you I meant to buy it?'

`Why, sir, it's none o' my inventing and I should never ha' thought of it, for my husband, as ought to know about the law, he allays used to say as lawyers had never no call to buy anything - either lands or houses - for they allays got 'em into their hands other ways.An' I should think that 'ud be the way with you, sir and I niver said as you'd be the man to do contrairy to that.'

`Ah, well, who was it that did say so?' said Wakem, opening his desk, and moving things about, with the accompaniment of an almost inaudible whistle.

`Why, sir, it was Mr Glegg and Mr Deane, as have all the management:

and Mr Deane thinks as Guest and Co.'ud buy the mill and let Mr Tulliver work it for 'em, if you didn't bid for it and raise the price.And it 'ud be such a thing for my husband to stay where he is, if he could get his living: for it was his father's before him, the mill was, and his grandfather built it, though I wasn't fond o' the noise of it, when first I was married, for there was no mills in our family - not the Dodsons - and if I'd known as the mills had so much to do with the law, it wouldn't have been me as 'ud have been the first Dodson to marry one; but I went into it blindfold, that I did, erigation and everything.'

`What - Guest and Co.would keep the mill in their own hands, I suppose, and pay your husband wages?'

`O dear, sir, it's hard to think of,' said poor Mrs Tulliver, a little tear making its way, `as my husband should take wage.But it 'ud look more like what used to be, to stay at the mill, than to go anywhere else.And if you'll only think - if you was to bid for the mill and buy it, my husband might be struck worse than he was before, and niver get better again as he's getting now.'

`Well, but if I bought the mill, and allowed your husband to act as my manager in the same way - how then?' said Mr Wakem.

`O sir, I doubt he could niver he got to do it, not if the very mill stood still to beg and pray of him.For your name's like poison to him, it's so as never was, and he looks upon it as you've been the ruin of him all along, ever since you set the law on him about the road through the meadow - that's eight year ago, and he's been going on ever since - as I've allays told him he was wrong...'

`He's a pig-headed, foul-mouthed fool!' burst out Mr Wakem, forgetting himself.

同类推荐
  • 修行念诵仪轨次第法

    修行念诵仪轨次第法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 辨惑编

    辨惑编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 斋戒箓

    斋戒箓

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 眼科秘诀

    眼科秘诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 真歇清了禅师语录

    真歇清了禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 《中华人民共和国旅游法》释义及实用指南

    《中华人民共和国旅游法》释义及实用指南

    为保障旅游者和旅游经营者的合法权益,规范旅游市场秩序,保护和合理利用旅游资源,促进旅游业持续健康发展,制定旅游法。为了填充《中华人民共和国法律释义及实用指南系列丛书》,我们特意组织编写了本书。
  • 魔王的禁爱

    魔王的禁爱

    【只要2块钱就可以看全本哦,推荐萱萱和博雅的新文《神王的宠后》。】路上偶遇一名超级帅哥搭讪,yy着艳遇来了,没想到对方第一句话就是叫她妈咪!靠,她花花才20出头,还是黄花大闺女一枚好不好,连初吻都还在呢,怎么可能生的出来比她还高一个头的儿子,居然叫她妈,是她长的很老气吗?!这也就算了,居然还说什么魔族皇子,他的父王魔族至尊不日将来,娶她为后。天呐,这都什么啊,玄幻小说看多了吧,什么魔族?然而,当她真的看见了帅哥口中比他大不了几岁的父王——魔王的时候,她的生活也就乱了。而这一切之始,皆由千年之前那一场旷世绝恋开启……
  • 乾元纪之炎皇传

    乾元纪之炎皇传

    炎之皇者重临世间,战鬼魔,斗邪恶。以帝之身,破除黑暗,还三界以太平
  • 闽部疏

    闽部疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 党报品牌建设研究

    党报品牌建设研究

    本书旗帜鲜明地提出党报品牌这一中心概念,从党报品牌定义、内涵,当前党报品牌的现状,存在问题,党报品牌建设指导思想和道路等方面进行了全面深入的阐述,在党报品牌建设这一课题的特殊性、深刻性、系统性、实用性四个方面系统展开论述,力求有所突破。本书材料丰富,论述充分,言之成理,颇有创意。总体来看,刻篇论文立论正确,结构严谨,论证周密,表述清晰,文献综述丰实,引用资料规范,显示了作者较强的独立科研水平。
  • 七言绝

    七言绝

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 阴阳诡事

    阴阳诡事

    我这一生历经诡异之事,起因说来也是离奇诡谲,小时候被蛇妖缠上,为保命被过继给开棺材铺的龙老头,却不知自此之后,却要做那“诡通阴阳”的事情,睡觉也要睡在棺材里头……
  • 腹黑校草心尖宠:丫头,你是我的

    腹黑校草心尖宠:丫头,你是我的

    一次意外躲雨,两人被雷击中,意外的互换了灵魂,原本的娇俏少女夜非语,一觉醒来变成了第一校草司徒京,为了能够换回身体,两人从此开启了同吃同住,相爱相杀的同居生活。夜非语:“你干嘛?”司徒京:洗澡!夜非语:洗澡怎么把我的眼睛蒙上了?司徒京:你难道还想看本少爷的身体不成!夜非语(吃惊):难道你给我洗?司徒京:废话!我可不想要你碰本少爷的身体!等他即将爱上她的时候,两人意外的换回了身体,再次醒过来时,她却彻底消失在他的世界。两年后,她再次回归,可没人想到,此时她的身世已经强悍到令人咋舌。他不畏艰辛,把她吃得死死的,邪魅一笑,“丫头,你是我的!这辈子别想溜走!”“哦?是吗?”
  • 东方剑仙

    东方剑仙

    外卖小哥徐凌飞,机缘巧合下穿越到金庸武侠小说《天龙八部》中,成了天山童姥门下一名弟子,学会了逍遥派的武功绝学。天山童姥为了求长生不老,带领灵鹫宫众弟子一起去东海寻找仙山,自此进入到修仙者的行列。他人以道法修仙,而徐凌飞另辟蹊径,道武双修,成就一番仙缘……求推荐票,求收藏,读者交流QQ群691956389
  • 法师手札

    法师手札

    魔法师们在高塔的阴影中窃窃私语,至今已经少有人能够听到他们微风一般的低吟。新历二十二年我故地重游,法师塔隐没于梧桐与橡叶的树荫当中。那是一个时代的终结,是一个新世界的开始。那也是一个神话的终结,是更多传说的发端。两个世界的碰撞,两种力量的战争,无数种族的血泪,亿万生灵的哀嚎……由野心、鲜血、仇恨、掠夺、迷茫、欣喜构成这画卷,而我就在开端。在某个明媚的清晨,我踏上旅途的第一步。这个世界,早已不是我所知的那副模样。-----书友群号:132717993