天才一秒记住【阅读阁】地址：yueduge.cc
CONTAININGANACCOUNTOFWHATPASSEDBETWEENMR。ANDMRS。BUMBLE，ANDMR。MONKS，ATTHEIRNOCTURNALINTERVIEW
Itwasadull，close，overcastsummerevening。Theclouds，whichhadbeenthreateningallday，spreadoutinadenseandsluggishmassofvapour，alreadyyieldedlargedropsofrain，andseemedtopresageaviolentthunder-storm，whenMr。andMrs。Bumble，turningoutofthemainstreetofthetown，directedtheircoursetowardsascatteredlittlecolonyofruinoushouses，distantfromitsomemileanda-half，orthereabouts，anderectedonalowunwholesomeswamp，borderingupontheriver。
Theywerebothwrappedinoldandshabbyoutergarments，whichmight，perhaps，servethedoublepurposeofprotectingtheirpersonsfromtherain，andshelteringthemfromobservation。Thehusbandcarriedalantern，fromwhich，however，nolightyetshone；andtrudgedon，afewpacesinfront，asthough--thewaybeingdirty--togivehiswifethebenefitoftreadinginhisheavyfootprints。Theywenton，inprofoundsilence；everynowandthen，Mr。Bumblerelaxedhispace，andturnedhisheadasiftomakesurethathishelpmatewasfollowing；then，discoveringthatshewascloseathisheels，hemendedhisrateofwalking，andproceeded，ataconsiderableincreaseofspeed，towardstheirplaceofdestination。
Thiswasfarfrombeingaplaceofdoubtfulcharacter；forithadlongbeenknownastheresidenceofnonebutlowruffians，who，undervariouspretencesoflivingbytheirlabour，subsistedchieflyonplunderandcrime。Itwasacollectionofmerehovels：some，hastilybuiltwithloosebricks：others，ofoldworm-eatenship-timber：jumbledtogetherwithoutanyattemptatorderorarrangement，andplanted，forthemostpart，withinafewfeetoftheriver'sbank。Afewleakyboatsdrawnuponthemud，andmadefasttothedwarfwallwhichskirtedit：andhereandthereanoarorcoilofrope：appeared，atfirst，toindicatethattheinhabitantsofthesemiserablecottagespursuedsomeavocationontheriver；butaglanceattheshatteredanduselessconditionofthearticlesthusdisplayed，wouldhaveledapasser-by，withoutmuchdifficulty，totheconjecturethattheyweredisposedthere，ratherforthepreservationofappearances，thanwithanyviewtotheirbeingactuallyemployed。
Intheheartofthisclusterofhuts；andskirtingtheriver，whichitsupperstoriesoverhung；stoodalargebuilding，formerlyusedasamanufactoryofsomekind。Ithad，initsday，probablyfurnishedemploymenttotheinhabitantsofthesurroundingtenements。Butithadlongsincegonetoruin。Therat，theworm，andtheactionofthedamp，hadweakenedandrottedthepilesonwhichitstood；andaconsiderableportionofthebuildinghadalreadysunkdownintothewater；whiletheremainder，totteringandbendingoverthedarkstream，seemedtowaitafavourableopportunityoffollowingitsoldcompanion，andinvolvingitselfinthesamefate。
Itwasbeforethisruinousbuildingthattheworthycouplepaused，asthefirstpealofdistantthunderreverberatedintheair，andtheraincommencedpouringviolentlydown。
‘Theplaceshouldbesomewherehere，’saidBumble，consultingascrapofpaperheheldinhishand。
‘Halloathere！’criedavoicefromabove。
Followingthesound，Mr。Bumbleraisedhisheadanddescriedamanlookingoutofadoor，breast-high，onthesecondstory。
‘Standstill，aminute，’criedthevoice；‘I'llbewithyoudirectly。’Withwhichtheheaddisappeared，andthedoorclosed。
‘Isthattheman？’askedMr。Bumble'sgoodlady。
Mr。Bumblenoddedintheaffirmative。
‘Then，mindwhatItoldyou，’saidthematron：‘andbecarefultosayaslittleasyoucan，oryou'llbetrayusatonce。’
Mr。Bumble，whohadeyedthebuildingwithveryruefullooks，wasapparentlyabouttoexpresssomedoubtsrelativetotheadvisabilityofproceedinganyfurtherwiththeenterprisejustthen，whenhewaspreventedbytheappearanceofMonks：whoopenedasmalldoor，nearwhichtheystood，andbeckonedtheminwards。
‘Comein！’hecriedimpatiently，stampinghisfootupontheground。‘Don'tkeepmehere！’
Thewoman，whohadhesitatedatfirst，walkedboldlyin，withoutanyotherinvitation。Mr。Bumble，whowasashamedorafraidtolagbehind，followed：obviouslyveryillateaseandwithscarcelyanyofthatremarkabledignitywhichwasusuallyhischiefcharacteristic。
‘Whatthedevilmadeyoustandlingeringthere，inthewet？’saidMonks，turninground，andaddressingBumble，afterhehadboltedthedoorbehindthem。
‘We--wewereonlycoolingourselves，’stammeredBumble，lookingapprehensivelyabouthim。
‘Coolingyourselves！’retortedMonks。‘Notalltherainthateverfell，oreverwillfall，willputasmuchofhell'sfireout，asamancancarryaboutwithhim。Youwon'tcoolyourselfsoeasily；don'tthinkit！’
Withthisagreeablespeech，Monksturnedshortuponthematron，andbenthisgazeuponher，tillevenshe，whowasnoteasilycowed，wasfaintowithdrawhereyes，andturnthemtowardstheground。
‘Thisisthewoman，isit？’demandedMonks。
‘Hem！Thatisthewoman，’repliedMr。Bumble，mindfulofhiswife'scaution。
‘Youthinkwomennevercankeepsecrets，Isuppose？’saidthematron，interposing，andreturning，asshespoke，thesearchinglookofMonks。
‘Iknowtheywillalwayskeep_one_tillit'sfoundout，’saidMonks。
‘Andwhatmaythatbe？’askedthematron。
‘Thelossoftheirowngoodname，’repliedMonks。‘So，bythesamerule，ifawoman'sapartytoasecretthatmighthangortransporther，I'mnotafraidofhertellingittoanybody；notI！Doyouunderstand，mistress？’
‘No，’rejoinedthematron，slightlycolouringasshespoke。
‘Ofcourseyoudon't！’saidMonks。‘Howshouldyou？’
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