阅读阁【yueduge.cc】第一时间更新《雾都孤儿（中英文对照）》最新章节。
HASANINTRODUCTORYACCOUNTOFTHEINMATESOFTHEHOUSE，TOWHICHOLIVERRESORTED
Inahandsomeroom：thoughitsfurniturehadrathertheairofold-fashionedcomfort，thanofmodernelegance：theresattwoladiesatawell-spreadbreakfast-table。Mr。Giles，dressedwithscrupulouscareinafullsuitofblack，wasinattendanceuponthem。Hehadtakenhisstationsomehalf-waybetweentheside-boardandthebreakfast-table；and，withhisbodydrawnuptoitsfullheight，hisheadthrownback，andinclinedthemeresttrifleononeside，hisleftlegadvanced，andhisrighthandthrustintohiswaist-coat，whilehislefthungdownbyhisside，graspingawaiter，lookedlikeonewholabouredunderaveryagreeablesenseofhisownmeritsandimportance。
Ofthetwoladies，onewaswelladvancedinyears；butthehigh-backedoakenchairinwhichshesat，wasnotmoreuprightthanshe。Dressedwiththeutmostnicetyandprecision，inaquaintmixtureofby-gonecostume，withsomeslightconcessionstotheprevailingtaste，whichratherservedtopointtheoldstylepleasantlythantoimpairitseffect，shesat，inastatelymanner，withherhandsfoldedonthetablebeforeher。Hereyes（andagehaddimmedbutlittleoftheirbrightness）wereattentivelyuponheryoungcompanion。
Theyoungerladywasinthelovelybloomandspring-timeofwomanhood；atthatage，when，ifeverangelsbeforGod'sgoodpurposesenthronedinmortalforms，theymaybe，withoutimpiety，supposedtoabideinsuchashers。
Shewasnotpastseventeen。Castinsoslightandexquisiteamould；somildandgentle；sopureandbeautiful；thatearthseemednotherelement，noritsroughcreaturesherfitcompanions。Theveryintelligencethatshoneinherdeepblueeye，andwasstampeduponhernoblehead，seemedscarcelyofherage，oroftheworld；andyetthechangingexpressionofsweetnessandgoodhumour，thethousandlightsthatplayedabouttheface，andleftnoshadowthere；aboveall，thesmile，thecheerful，happysmile，weremadeforHome，andfiresidepeaceandhappiness。
Shewasbusilyengagedinthelittleofficesofthetable。Chancingtoraisehereyesastheelderladywasregardingher，sheplayfullyputbackherhair，whichwassimplybraidedonherforehead；andthrewintoherbeaminglook，suchanexpressionofaffectionandartlessloveliness，thatblessedspiritsmighthavesmiledtolookuponher。
‘AndBrittleshasbeengoneupwardsofanhour，hashe？’askedtheoldlady，afterapause。
‘Anhourandtwelveminutes，ma'am，’repliedMr。Giles，referringtoasilverwatch，whichhedrewforthbyablackribbon。
‘Heisalwaysslow，’remarkedtheoldlady。
‘Brittlesalwayswasaslowboy，ma'am，’repliedtheattendant。Andseeing，bythebye，thatBrittleshadbeenaslowboyforupwardsofthirtyyears，thereappearednogreatprobabilityofhiseverbeingafastone。
‘Hegetsworseinsteadofbetter，Ithink，’saidtheelderlady。
‘Itisveryinexcusableinhimifhestopstoplaywithanyotherboys，’saidtheyounglady，smiling。
Mr。Gileswasapparentlyconsideringtheproprietyofindulginginarespectfulsmilehimself，whenagigdroveuptothegarden-gate：outofwhichtherejumpedafatgentleman，whoranstraightuptothedoor：andwho，gettingquicklyintothehousebysomemysteriousprocess，burstintotheroom，andnearlyoverturnedMr。Gilesandthebreakfast-tabletogether。
‘Ineverheardofsuchathing！’exclaimedthefatgentleman。‘MydearMrs。Maylie--blessmysoul--inthesilenceofthenight，too--I_never_heardofsuchathing！’
Withtheseexpressionsofcondolence，thefatgentlemanshookhandswithbothladies，anddrawingupachair，inquiredhowtheyfoundthemselves。
‘Yououghttobedead；positivelydeadwiththefright，’saidthefatgentleman。‘Whydidn'tyousend？Blessme，mymanshouldhavecomeinaminute；andsowouldI；andmyassistantwouldhavebeendelighted；oranybody，I'msure，undersuchcircumstances。Dear，dear！Sounexpected！Inthesilenceofthenight，too！’
Thedoctorseemedexpeciallytroubledbythefactoftherobberyhavingbeenunexpected，andattemptedinthenight-time；asifitweretheestablishedcustomofgentlemeninthehousebreakingwaytotransactbusinessatnoon，andtomakeanappointment，bypost，adayortwoprevious。
‘Andyou，MissRose，’saidthedoctor，turningtotheyounglady，‘I--’
‘Oh！verymuchso，indeed，’saidRose，interruptinghim；‘butthereisapoorcreatureupstairs，whomauntwishesyoutosee。’
‘Ah！tobesure，’repliedthedoctor，‘sothereis。Thatwasyourhandiwork，Giles，Iunderstand。’
Mr。Giles，whohadbeenfeverishlyputtingthetea-cupstorights，blushedveryred，andsaidthathehadhadthathonour。
‘Honour，eh？’saidthedoctor；‘well，Idon'tknow；perhapsit'sashonourabletohitathiefinabackkitchen，astohityourmanattwelvepaces。Fancythathefiredintheair，andyou'vefoughtaduel，Giles。’
Mr。Giles，whothoughtthislighttreatmentofthematteranunjustattemptatdiminishinghisglory，answeredrespectfully，thatitwasnotforthelikeofhimtojudgeaboutthat；butheratherthoughtitwasnojoketotheoppositeparty。
‘Gad，that'strue！’saidthedoctor。‘Whereishe？Showmetheway。I'lllookinagain，asIcomedown，Mrs。Maylie。That'sthelittlewindowthathegotinat，eh？Well，Icouldn'thavebelievedit！’
Talkingalltheway，hefollowedMr。Gilesupstairs；andwhileheisgoingupstairs，thereadermaybeinformed，thatMr。Losberne，asurgeonintheneighbourhood，knownthroughacircuitoftenmilesroundas‘thedoctor，’hadgrownfat，morefromgood-humourthanfromgoodliving：andwasaskindandhearty，andwithalaseccentricanoldbachelor，aswillbefoundinfivetimesthatspace，byanyexploreralive。
Thedoctorwasabsent，muchlongerthaneitherheortheladieshadanticipated。Alargeflatboxwasfetchedoutofthegig；andabedroombellwasrungveryoften；andtheservantsranupanddownstairsperpetually；fromwhichtokensitwasjustlyconcludedthatsomethingimportantwasgoingonabove。Atlengthhereturned；andinreplytoananxiousinquiryafterhispatient；lookedverymysterious，andclosedthedoor，carefully。
‘Thisisaveryextraordinarything，Mrs。Maylie，’saidthedoctor，standingwithhisbacktothedoor，asiftokeepitshut。
‘Heisnotindanger，Ihope？’saidtheoldlady。
‘Why，thatwould_not_beanextraordinarything，underthecircumstances，’repliedthedoctor；‘thoughIdon'tthinkheis。Haveyouseenthethief？’
‘No，’rejoinedtheoldlady。
‘Norheardanythingabouthim？’
‘No。’
‘Ibegyourpardon，ma'am，interposedMr。Giles；’butIwasgoingtotellyouabouthimwhenDoctorLosbernecamein。‘
Thefactwas，thatMr。Gileshadnot，atfirst，beenabletobringhismindtotheavowal，thathehadonlyshotaboy。Suchcommendationshadbeenbestoweduponhisbravery，thathecouldnot，forthelifeofhim，helppostponingtheexplanationforafewdeliciousminutes；duringwhichhehadflourished，intheveryzenithofabriefreputationforundauntedcourage。
‘Rosewishedtoseetheman，’saidMrs。Maylie，‘butIwouldn'thearofit。’
‘Humph！’rejoinedthedoctor。‘Thereisnothingveryalarminginhisappearance。Haveyouanyobjectiontoseehiminmypresence？’
‘Ifitbenecessary，’repliedtheoldlady，‘certainlynot。’
‘ThenIthinkitisnecessary，’saidthedoctor；‘atallevents，Iamquitesurethatyouwoulddeeplyregretnothavingdoneso，ifyoupostponedit。Heisperfectlyquietandcomfortablenow。Allowme--MissRose，willyoupermitme？Nottheslightestfear，Ipledgeyoumyhonour！’
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