第161章
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  “Ahem!”repliedmyfriend,takingoffhiscoat,withadeepsigh,tyingapocket-handkerchiefaroundhiswaist,andproducinganunaccountablealterationinhiscountenancebytwistinguphiseyesandbringingdownthecornersofhismouth“ahem!”And“ahem!”saidheagain,afterapause;andnotanotherwordmorethan“ahem!”didIeverknowhimtosayafterthat。“Aha!”thoughtI,withoutexpressingmyselfaloud“thisisquitearemarkablesilenceonthepartofTobyDammit,andisnodoubtaconsequenceofhisverbosityuponapreviousoccasion。Oneextremeinducesanother。IwonderifhehasforgottenthemanyunanswerablequestionswhichhepropoundedtomesofluentlyonthedaywhenIgavehimmylastlecture?Atallevents,heiscuredofthetranscendentals。”

  “Ahem!”hererepliedToby,justasifhehadbeenreadingmythoughts,andlookinglikeaveryoldsheepinarevery。

  Theoldgentlemannowtookhimbythearm,andledhimmoreintotheshadeofthebridgeafewpacesbackfromtheturnstile。“Mygoodfellow。”

  saidhe,“Imakeitapointofconsciencetoallowyouthismuchrun。Waithere,tillItakemyplacebythestile,sothatImayseewhetheryougooverithandsomely,andtranscendentally,anddon’tomitanyflourishesofthepigeon-wing。Amereform,youknow。Iwillsay’one,two,three,andaway。’Mindyou,startattheword’away’“Herehetookhispositionbythestile,pausedamomentasifinprofoundreflection,thenlookedupand,Ithought,smiledveryslightly,thentightenedthestringsofhisapron,thentookalonglookatDammit,andfinallygavethewordasagreedupon-

  _Onetwothreeandaway!_

  Punctuallyattheword“away。”mypoorfriendsetoffinastronggallop。

  Thestilewasnotveryhigh,likeMr。Lord’snoryetverylow,likethatofMr。Lord’sreviewers,butuponthewholeImadesurethathewouldclearit。Andthenwhatifhedidnot?ah,thatwasthequestion

  whatifhedidnot?“Whatright。”saidI,“hadtheoldgentlemantomakeanyothergentlemanjump?Thelittleolddot-and-carry-one!whoishe?Ifheasksmetojump,Iwon’tdoit,that’sflat,andIdon’tcarewhothedevilheis。”Thebridge,asIsay,wasarchedandcoveredin,inaveryridiculousmanner,andtherewasamostuncomfortableechoaboutitatalltimesanechowhichIneverbeforesoparticularlyobservedaswhenI

  utteredthefourlastwordsofmyremark。

  ButwhatIsaid,orwhatIthought,orwhatIheard,occupiedonlyaninstant。Inlessthanfivesecondsfromhisstarting,mypoorTobyhadtakentheleap。Isawhimrunnimbly,andspringgrandlyfromthefloorofthebridge,cuttingthemostawfulflourisheswithhislegsashewentup。

  Isawhimhighintheair,pigeon-wingingittoadmirationjustoverthetopofthestile;andofcourseIthoughtitanunusuallysingularthingthathedidnotcontinuetogoover。Butthewholeleapwastheaffairofamoment,and,beforeIhadachancetomakeanyprofoundreflections,downcameMr。Dammitontheflatofhisback,onthesamesideofthestilefromwhichhehadstarted。AtthesameinstantIsawtheoldgentlemanlimpingoffatthetopofhisspeed,havingcaughtandwraptupinhisapronsomethingthatfellheavilyintoitfromthedarknessofthearchjustovertheturnstile。AtallthisIwasmuchastonished;butIhadnoleisuretothink,forDammitlayparticularlystill,andIconcludedthathisfeelingshadbeenhurt,andthathestoodinneedofmyassistance。Ihurrieduptohimandfoundthathehadreceivedwhatmightbetermedaseriousinjury。Thetruthis,hehadbeendeprivedofhishead,whichafteraclosesearchIcouldnotfindanywhere;soI

  determinedtotakehimhomeandsendforthehomoeopathists。Inthemeantimeathoughtstruckme,andIthrewopenanadjacentwindowofthebridge,whenthesadtruthflasheduponmeatonce。Aboutfivefeetjustabovethetopoftheturnstile,andcrossingthearchofthefoot-pathsoastoconstituteabrace,thereextendedaflatironbar,lyingwithitsbreadthhorizontally,andformingoneofaseriesthatservedtostrengthenthestructurethroughoutitsextent。Withtheedgeofthisbraceitappearedevidentthattheneckofmyunfortunatefriendhadcomepreciselyincontact。

  Hedidnotlongsurvivehisterribleloss。Thehomoeopathistsdidnotgivehimlittleenoughphysic,andwhatlittletheydidgivehimhehesitatedtotake。Sointheendhegrewworse,andatlengthdied,alessontoallriotouslivers。Ibedewedhisgravewithmytears,workedabarsinisteronhisfamilyescutcheon,and,forthegeneralexpensesofhisfuneral,sentinmyverymoderatebilltothetranscendentalists。Thescoundrelsrefusedtopayit,soIhadMr。Dammitdugupatonce,andsoldhimfordog’smeat。

  IWILLnowplaytheOedipustotheRattleboroughenigma。IwillexpoundtoyouasIalonecanthesecretoftheenginerythateffectedtheRattleboroughmiracletheone,thetrue,theadmitted,theundisputed,theindisputablemiracle,whichputadefiniteendtoinfidelityamongtheRattleburghersandconvertedtotheorthodoxyofthegrandamesallthecarnal-mindedwhohadventuredtobescepticalbefore。

  ThiseventwhichIshouldbesorrytodiscussinatoneofunsuitablelevityoccurredinthesummerof18。Mr。BarnabasShuttleworthy

  oneofthewealthiestandmostrespectablecitizensoftheboroughhadbeenmissingforseveraldaysundercircumstanceswhichgaverisetosuspicionoffoulplay。Mr。ShuttleworthyhadsetoutfromRattleboroughveryearlyoneSaturdaymorning,onhorseback,withtheavowedintentionofproceedingtothecityof-,aboutfifteenmilesdistant,andofreturningthenightofthesameday。Twohoursafterhisdeparture,however,hishorsereturnedwithouthim,andwithoutthesaddle-bagswhichhadbeenstrappedonhisbackatstarting。Theanimalwaswounded,too,andcoveredwithmud。Thesecircumstancesnaturallygaverisetomuchalarmamongthefriendsofthemissingman;andwhenitwasfound,onSundaymorning,thathehadnotyetmadehisappearance,thewholeborougharoseenmassetogoandlookforhisbody。

  TheforemostandmostenergeticininstitutingthissearchwasthebosomfriendofMr。ShuttleworthyaMr。CharlesGoodfellow,or,ashewasuniversallycalled,“CharleyGoodfellow。”or“OldCharleyGoodfellow。”

  Now,whetheritisamarvellouscoincidence,orwhetheritisthatthenameitselfhasanimperceptibleeffectuponthecharacter,Ihaveneveryetbeenabletoascertain;butthefactisunquestionable,thatthereneveryetwasanypersonnamedCharleswhowasnotanopen,manly,honest,good-natured,andfrank-heartedfellow,witharich,clearvoice,thatdidyougoodtohearit,andaneyethatlookedyoualwaysstraightintheface,asmuchastosay:“Ihaveaclearconsciencemyself,amafraidofnoman,andamaltogetherabovedoingameanaction。”Andthusallthehearty,careless,“walkinggentlemen“ofthestageareverycertaintobecalledCharles。

  Now,“OldCharleyGoodfellow。”althoughhehadbeeninRattleboroughnotlongerthansixmonthsorthereabouts,andalthoughnobodyknewanythingabouthimbeforehecametosettleintheneighborhood,hadexperiencednodifficultyintheworldinmakingtheacquaintanceofalltherespectablepeopleintheborough。Notamanofthembutwouldhavetakenhisbarewordforathousandatanymoment;andasforthewomen,thereisnosayingwhattheywouldnothavedonetoobligehim。AndallthiscameofhishavingbeenchristenedCharles,andofhispossessing,inconsequence,thatingenuousfacewhichisproverbiallythevery“bestletterofrecommendation。”

  IhavealreadysaidthatMr。Shuttleworthywasoneofthemostrespectableand,undoubtedly,hewasthemostwealthymaninRattleborough,while“OldCharleyGoodfellow“wasuponasintimatetermswithhimasifhehadbeenhisownbrother。Thetwooldgentlemenwerenext-doorneighbours,and,althoughMr。Shuttleworthyseldom,ifever,visited“OldCharley。”andneverwasknowntotakeamealinhishouse,stillthisdidnotpreventthetwofriendsfrombeingexceedinglyintimate,asIhavejustobserved;

  for“OldCharley“neverletadaypasswithoutsteppinginthreeorfourtimestoseehowhisneighbourcameon,andveryoftenhewouldstaytobreakfastortea,andalmostalwaystodinner,andthentheamountofwinethatwasmadewaywithbythetwocroniesatasitting,itwouldreallybeadifficultthingtoascertain。“OldCharleys“favoritebeveragewasChateau-Margaux,anditappearedtodoMr。Shuttleworthy’sheartgoodtoseetheoldfellowswallowit,ashedid,quartafterquart;sothat,oneday,whenthewinewasinandthewitasanaturalconsequence,somewhatout,hesaidtohiscrony,asheslappedhimupontheback“Itellyouwhatitis,’OldCharley,’youare,byallodds,theheartiestoldfellowIevercameacrossinallmyborndays;and,sinceyoulovetoguzzlethewineatthatfashion,I’llbedarnedifIdon’thavetomaketheeapresentofabigboxoftheChateau-Margaux。Odrotme。”Mr。

  Shuttleworthyhadasadhabitofswearing,althoughheseldomwentbeyond“Odrotme。”or“Bygosh。”or“Bythejollygolly。”“Odrotme。”sayshe,“ifIdon’tsendanordertotownthisveryafternoonforadoubleboxofthebestthatcanbegot,andI’llmakeyeapresentofit,Iwill!

  yeneedn’tsayawordnowIwill,Itellye,andthere’sanendofit;

  solookoutforititwillcometohandsomeofthesefinedays,preciselywhenyearelookingforittheleast!”ImentionthislittlebitofliberalityonthepartofMr。Shuttleworthy,justbywayofshowingyouhowveryintimateanunderstandingexistedbetweenthetwofriends。

  Well,ontheSundaymorninginquestion,whenitcametobefairlyunderstoodthatMr。Shuttleworthyhadmetwithfoulplay,Ineversawanyonesoprofoundlyaffectedas“OldCharleyGoodfellow。”Whenhefirstheardthatthehorsehadcomehomewithouthismaster,andwithouthismaster’ssaddle-bags,andallbloodyfromapistol-shot,thathadgonecleanthroughandthroughthepooranimal’schestwithoutquitekillinghim;whenheheardallthis,heturnedaspaleasifthemissingmanhadbeenhisowndearbrotherorfather,andshiveredandshookalloverasifhehadhadafitoftheague。

  Atfirsthewastoomuchoverpoweredwithgrieftobeabletodoanythingatall,ortoconcertuponanyplanofaction;sothatforalongtimeheendeavoredtodissuadeMr。Shuttleworthy’sotherfriendsfrommakingastiraboutthematter,thinkingitbesttowaitawhilesayforaweekortwo,oramonth,ortwotoseeifsomethingwouldn’tturnup,orifMr。Shuttleworthywouldn’tcomeinthenaturalway,andexplainhisreasonsforsendinghishorseonbefore。Idaresayyouhaveoftenobservedthisdispositiontotemporize,ortoprocrastinate,inpeoplewhoarelabouringunderanyverypoignantsorrow。Theirpowersofmindseemtoberenderedtorpid,sothattheyhaveahorrorofanythinglikeaction,andlikenothingintheworldsowellastoliequietlyinbedand“nursetheirgrief。”astheoldladiesexpressitthatistosay,ruminateoverthetrouble。

  ThepeopleofRattleboroughhad,indeed,sohighanopinionofthewisdomanddiscretionof“OldCharley。”thatthegreaterpartofthemfeltdisposedtoagreewithhim,andnotmakeastirinthebusiness“untilsomethingshouldturnup。”asthehonestoldgentlemanwordedit;andI

  believethat,afterallthiswouldhavebeenthegeneraldetermination,butfortheverysuspiciousinterferenceofMr。Shuttleworthy’snephew,ayoungmanofverydissipatedhabits,andotherwiseofratherbadcharacter。Thisnephew,whosenamewasPennifeather,wouldlistentonothinglikereasoninthematterof“lyingquiet。”butinsisteduponmakingimmediatesearchforthe“corpseofthemurderedman。Thiswastheexpressionheemployed;andMr。Goodfellowacutelyremarkedatthetime,thatitwas“asingularexpression,tosaynomore。”Thisremarkof’OldCharley’s,’too,hadgreateffectuponthecrowd;andoneofthepartywasheardtoask,veryimpressively,“howithappenedthatyoungMr。

  Pennifeatherwassointimatelycognizantofallthecircumstancesconnectedwithhiswealthyuncle’sdisappearance,astofeelauthorizedtoassert,distinctlyandunequivocally,thathisunclewas’amurderedman。’“Hereuponsomelittlesquibbingandbickeringoccurredamongvariousmembersofthecrowd,andespeciallybetween“OldCharley“andMr。

  Pennifeatheralthoughthislatteroccurrencewas,indeed,bynomeansanovelty,fornogoodwillhadsubsistedbetweenthepartiesforthelastthreeorfourmonths;andmattershadevengonesofarthatMr。

  Pennifeatherhadactuallyknockeddownhisunclesfriendforsomeallegedexcessoflibertythatthelatterhadtakenintheuncle’shouse,ofwhichthenephewwasaninmate。Uponthisoccasion“OldCharley“issaidtohavebehavedwithexemplarymoderationandChristiancharity。Hearosefromtheblow,adjustedhisclothes,andmadenoattemptatretaliationatall

  merelymutteringafewwordsabout“takingsummaryvengeanceatthefirstconvenientopportunity。”anaturalandveryjustifiableebullitionofanger,whichmeantnothing,however,and,beyonddoubt,wasnosoonergivenventtothanforgotten。

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