天才一秒记住【阅读阁】地址:yueduge.cc
Holly,mistletoe,redberries,ivy,turkeys,geese,game,poultry,brawn,meat,pigs,sausages,oysters,pies,puddings,fruit,andpunch,allvanishedinstantly。Sodidtheroom,thefire,theruddyglow,thehourofnight,andtheystoodinthecitystreetsonChristmasmorning,where(fortheweatherwassevere)thepeoplemadearough,butbriskandnotunpleasantkindofmusic,inscrapingthesnowfromthepavementinfrontoftheirdwellings,andfromthetopsoftheirhouses,whenceitwasmaddelighttotheboystoseeitcomeplumpingdownintotheroadbelow,andsplittingintoartificiallittlesnow-storms。
Thehousefrontslookedblackenough,andthewindowsblacker,contrastingwiththesmoothwhitesheetofsnowupontheroofs,andwiththedirtiersnowupontheground;whichlastdeposithadbeenploughedupindeepfurrowsbytheheavywheelsofcartsandwaggons;furrowsthatcrossedandrecrossedeachotherhundredsoftimeswherethegreatstreetsbranchedoff;andmadeintricatechannels,hardtotraceinthethickyellowmudandicywater。Theskywasgloomy,andtheshorteststreetswerechokedupwithadingymist,halfthawed,halffrozen,whoseheavierparticlesdescendedinashowerofsootyatoms,asifallthechimneysinGreatBritainhad,byoneconsent,caughtfire,andwereblazingawaytotheirdearhearts‘content。Therewasnothingverycheerfulintheclimateorthetown,andyetwasthereanairofcheerfulnessabroadthattheclearestsummerairandbrightestsummersunmighthaveendeavouredtodiffuseinvain。
For,thepeoplewhowereshovellingawayonthehousetopswerejovialandfullofglee;callingouttooneanotherfromtheparapets,andnowandthenexchangingafacetioussnowball--better-naturedmissilefarthanmanyawordyjest--laughingheartilyifitwentrightandnotlessheartilyifitwentwrong。Thepoulterers‘shopswerestillhalfopen,andthefruiterers’wereradiantintheirglory。Thereweregreat,round,round,pot-belliedbasketsofchestnuts,shapedlikethewaistcoatsofjollyoldgentlemen,lollingatthedoors,andtumblingoutintothestreetintheirapoplecticopulence。Therewereruddy,brown-faced,broad-girthedSpanishonions,shininginthefatnessoftheirgrowthlikeSpanishFriars,andwinkingfromtheirshelvesinwantonslynessatthegirlsastheywentby,andglanceddemurelyatthehung-upmistletoe。Therewerepearsandapples,clusteredhighinbloomingpyramids;therewerebunchesofgrapes,made,intheshopkeepers‘benevolence,todanglefromconspicuoushooks,thatpeople'smouthsmightwatergratisastheypassed;therewerepilesoffilberts,mossyandbrown,recalling,intheirfragrance,ancientwalksamongthewoods,andpleasantshufflingsankledeepthroughwitheredleaves;therewereNorfolkBiffins,squatandswarthy,settingofftheyellowoftheorangesandlemons,and,inthegreatcompactnessoftheirjuicypersons,urgentlyentreatingandbeseechingtobecarriedhomeinpaperbagsandeatenafterdinner。Theverygoldandsilverfish,setforthamongthesechoicefruitsinabowl,thoughmembersofadullandstagnant-bloodedrace,appearedtoknowthattherewassomethinggoingon;and,toafish,wentgaspingroundandroundtheirlittleworldinslowandpassionlessexcitement。
TheGrocers‘!oh,theGrocers’!nearlyclosed,withperhapstwoshuttersdown,orone;butthroughthosegapssuchglimpses!Itwasnotalonethatthescalesdescendingonthecountermadeamerrysound,orthatthetwineandrollerpartedcompanysobriskly,orthatthecanisterswererattledupanddownlikejugglingtricks,oreventhattheblendedscentsofteaandcoffeeweresogratefultothenose,oreventhattheraisinsweresoplentifulandrare,thealmondssoextremelywhite,thesticksofcinnamonsolongandstraight,theotherspicessodelicious,thecandiedfruitssocakedandspottedwithmoltensugarastomakethecoldestlookers-onfeelfaintandsubsequentlybilious。Norwasitthatthefigsweremoistandpulpy,orthattheFrenchplumsblushedinmodesttartnessfromtheirhighly-decoratedboxes,orthateverythingwasgoodtoeatandinitsChristmasdress;butthecustomerswereallsohurriedandsoeagerinthehopefulpromiseoftheday,thattheytumbledupagainsteachotheratthedoor,crashingtheirwickerbasketswildly,andlefttheirpurchasesuponthecounter,andcamerunningbacktofetchthem,andcommittedhundredsofthelikemistakes,inthebesthumourpossible;whiletheGrocerandhispeopleweresofrankandfreshthatthepolishedheartswithwhichtheyfastenedtheirapronsbehindmighthavebeentheirown,wornoutsideforgeneralinspection,andforChristmasdawstopeckatiftheychose。
Butsoonthesteeplescalledgoodpeopleall,tochurchandchapel,andawaytheycame,flockingthroughthestreetsintheirbestclothes,andwiththeirgayestfaces。Andatthesametimethereemergedfromscoresofbye-streets,lanes,andnamelessturnings,innumerablepeople,carryingtheirdinnerstothebaker‘shops。ThesightofthesepoorrevellersappearedtointeresttheSpiritverymuch,forhestoodwithScroogebesidehiminabaker'sdoorway,andtakingoffthecoversastheirbearerspassed,sprinkledincenseontheirdinnersfromhistorch。Anditwasaveryuncommonkindoftorch,foronceortwicewhentherewereangrywordsbetweensomedinner-carrierswhohadjostledeachother,heshedafewdropsofwateronthemfromit,andtheirgoodhumourwasrestoreddirectly。Fortheysaid,itwasashametoquarreluponChristmasDay。Andsoitwas。Godloveit,soitwas。
Intimethebellsceased,andthebakerswereshutup;andyettherewasagenialshadowingforthofallthesedinnersandtheprogressoftheircooking,inthethawedblotchofwetaboveeachbaker'soven;wherethepavementsmokedasifitsstoneswerecookingtoo。
`Isthereapeculiarflavourinwhatyousprinklefromyourtorch?‘askedScrooge。
`Thereis。Myown。‘
`Woulditapplytoanykindofdinneronthisday?‘askedScrooge。
`Toanykindlygiven。Toapooronemost。‘
`Whytoapooronemost?‘askedScrooge。
`Becauseitneedsitmost。‘
`Spirit,‘saidScrooge,afteramoment'sthought,`Iwonderyou,ofallthebeingsinthemanyworldsaboutus,shoulddesiretocrampthesepeople'sopportunitiesofinnocentenjoyment。’
`I?‘criedtheSpirit。
`Youwoulddeprivethemoftheirmeansofdiningeveryseventhday,oftentheonlydayonwhichtheycanbesaidtodineatall,‘saidScrooge。`Wouldn'tyou?’
`I?‘criedtheSpirit。
`YouseektoclosetheseplacesontheSeventhDay,‘saidScrooge。`Anditcomestothesamething!’
`Iseek?‘exclaimedtheSpirit。
`ForgivemeifIamwrong。Ithasbeendoneinyourname,oratleastinthatofyourfamily,‘saidScrooge。
`Therearesomeuponthisearthofyours,‘returnedtheSpirit,`wholayclaimtoknowus,andwhodotheirdeedsofpassion,pride,ill-will,hatred,envy,bigotry,andselfishnessinourname,whoareasstrangetousandallourkithandkin,asiftheyhadneverlived。Rememberthat,andchargetheirdoingsonthemselves,notus。’
Scroogepromisedthathewould;andtheywenton,invisible,astheyhadbeenbefore,intothesuburbsofthetown。ItwasaremarkablequalityoftheGhost(whichScroogehadobservedatthebaker's),thatnotwithstandinghisgiganticsize,hecouldaccommodatehimselftoanyplacewithease;andthathestoodbeneathalowroofquiteasgracefullyandlikeasupernaturalcreature,asitwaspossiblehecouldhavedoneinanyloftyhall。
AndperhapsitwasthepleasurethegoodSpirithadinshowingoffthispowerofhis,orelseitwashisownkind,generous,heartynature,andhissympathywithallpoormen,thatledhimstraighttoScrooge'sclerk's;fortherehewent,andtookScroogewithhim,holdingtohisrobe;andonthethresholdofthedoortheSpiritsmiled,andstoppedtoblessBobCratchit'sdwellingwiththesprinklingofhistorch。Thinkofthat。Bobhadbutfifteenboba-weekhimself;hepocketedonSaturdaysbutfifteencopiesofhisChristianname;andyettheGhostofChristmasPresentblessedhisfour-roomedhouse。
ThenuproseMrsCratchit,Cratchit'swife,dressedoutbutpoorlyinatwice-turnedgown,butbraveinribbons,whicharecheapandmakeagoodlyshowforsixpence;andshelaidthecloth,assistedbyBelindaCratchit,secondofherdaughters,alsobraveinribbons;whileMasterPeterCratchitplungedaforkintothesaucepanofpotatoes,andgettingthecornersofhismonstrousshirtcollar(Bob'sprivateproperty,conferreduponhissonandheirinhonouroftheday)intohismouth,rejoicedtofindhimselfsogallantlyattired,andyearnedtoshowhislineninthefashionableParks。AndnowtwosmallerCratchits,boyandgirl,cametearingin,screamingthatoutsidethebaker'stheyhadsmeltthegoose,andknownitfortheirown;andbaskinginluxuriousthoughtsofsageandonion,theseyoungCratchitsdancedaboutthetable,andexaltedMasterPeterCratchittotheskies,whilehe(notproud,althoughhiscollarsnearlychokedhim)blewthefire,untiltheslowpotatoesbubblingup,knockedloudlyatthesaucepan-lidtobeletoutandpeeled。
`Whathasevergotyourpreciousfatherthen?‘saidMrsCratchit。`Andyourbrother,TinyTim。AndMarthawarn'taslatelastChristmasDaybyhalf-an-hour。’
`Here'sMartha,mother,‘saidagirl,appearingasshespoke。
`Here'sMartha,mother!‘criedthetwoyoungCratchits。`Hurrah!There'ssuchagoose,Martha!’
`Why,blessyourheartalive,mydear,howlateyouare!‘saidMrsCratchit,kissingheradozentimes,andtakingoffhershawlandbonnetforherwithofficiouszeal。
`We'dadealofworktofinishuplastnight,‘repliedthegirl,`andhadtoclearawaythismorning,mother。’
`Well!Nevermindsolongasyouarecome,‘saidMrsCratchit。`Sityedownbeforethefire,mydear,andhaveawarm,Lordblessye。’
`No,no。There'sfathercoming,‘criedthetwoyoungCratchits,whowereeverywhereatonce。`Hide,Martha,hide!’
SoMarthahidherself,andincamelittleBob,thefather,withatleastthreefeetofcomforterexclusiveofthefringe,hangingdownbeforehim;andhisthreadbareclothesdarnedupandbrushed,tolookseasonable;andTinyTimuponhisshoulder。AlasforTinyTim,heborealittlecrutch,andhadhislimbssupportedbyanironframe。
`Why,where'sourMartha?‘criedBobCratchit,lookinground。
更多内容加载中...请稍候...
本站只支持手机浏览器访问,若您看到此段落,代表章节内容加载失败,请关闭浏览器的阅读模式、畅读模式、小说模式,以及关闭广告屏蔽功能,或复制网址到其他浏览器阅读!
《圣诞颂歌AChristmasCarol》转载请注明来源:阅读阁yueduge.cc,若浏览器显示没有新章节了,请尝试点击右上角↗️或右下角↘️的菜单,退出阅读模式即可,谢谢!