按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
How well she looked？ Well？ Why； if he had exhausted every
laudatory adjective in the dictionary； it wouldn’t have been praise
enough。 When and where was there ever such a plump； roguish；
comely； bright…eyed； enticing； bewitching； captivating； maddening
little puss in all this world； as Dolly！ What was the Dolly of five
years ago； to the Dolly of that day！ How many coachmakers；
saddlers； cabinet…makers； and professors of other useful arts； had
deserted their fathers； mothers； sisters； brothers； and； most of all；
their cousins； for the love of her！ How many unknown
gentlemen—supposed to be of mighty fortunes； if not titles—had
waited round the corner after dark； and tempted Miggs the
incorruptible； with golden guineas； to deliver offers of marriage
folded up in love…letters！ How many disconsolate fathers and
substantial tradesmen had waited on the locksmith for the same
purpose； with dismal tales of how their sons had lost their
appetites； and taken to shut themselves up in dark bedrooms； and
wandering in desolate suburbs with pale faces； and all because of
Dolly Varden’s loveliness and cruelty！ How many young men； in
all previous times of unprecedented steadiness； had turned
suddenly wild and wicked for the same reason； and； in an ecstasy
of unrequited love； taken to wrench off door…knockers； and invert
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 442…
Barnaby Rudge 443
the boxes of rheumatic watchmen！ How had she recruited the
king’s service； both by sea and land； through rendering desperate
his loving subjects between the ages of eighteen and twenty…five！
How many young ladies had publicly professed； with tears in their
eyes； that for their tastes she was much too short； too tall； too bold；
too cold； too stout； too thin； too fair； too dark—too everything but
handsome！ How many old ladies； taking counsel together； had
thanked Heaven their daughters were not like her； and had hoped
she might come to no harm； and had thought she would come to
no good； and had wondered what people saw in her； and had
arrived at the conclusion that she was ‘going off’ in her looks； or
had never come on in them； and that she was a thorough
imposition and a popular mistake！
And yet here was this same Dolly Varden； so whimsical and
hard to please that she was Dolly Varden still； all smiles and
dimples and pleasant looks； and caring no more for the fifty or
sixty young fellows who at that very moment were breaking their
hearts to marry her； than if so many oysters had been crossed in
love and opened afterwards。
Dolly hugged her father as has been already stated； and having
hugged her mother also； accompanied both into the little parlour
where the cloth was already laid for dinner； and where Miss
Miggs—a trifle more rigid and bony than of yore—received her
with a sort of hysterical gasp； intended for a smile。 Into the hands
of that young virgin； she delivered her bonnet and walking dress
（all of a dreadful； artful； and designing kind）； and then said with a
laugh； which rivalled the locksmith’s music； ‘How glad I always am
to be at home again！’
‘And how glad we always are； Doll；’ said her father； putting
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 443…
Barnaby Rudge 444
back the dark hair from her sparkling eyes； ‘to have you at home。
Give me a kiss。’
If there had been anybody of the male kind there to see her do
it—but there was not—it was a mercy。
‘I don’t like your being at the Warren；’ said the locksmith； ‘I
can’t bear to have you out of my sight。 And what is the news over
yonder； Doll？’
‘What news there is； I think you know already；’ replied his
daughter。 ‘I am sure you do though。’
‘Ay？’ cried the locksmith。 ‘What’s that？’
‘Come； come；’ said Dolly； ‘you know very well。 I want you to tell
me why Mr Haredale—oh； how gruff he is again； to be sure！—has
been away from home for some days past； and why he is travelling
about （we know he is travelling； because of his letters） without
telling his own niece why or wherefore。’
‘Miss Emma doesn’t want to know； I’ll swear；’ returned the
locksmith。
‘I don’t know that；’ said Dolly； ‘but I do； at any rate。 Do tell me。
Why is he so secret； and what is this ghost story； which nobody is
to tell Miss Emma； and which seems to be mixed up with his going
away？ Now I see you know by your colouring so。’
‘What the story means； or is； or has to do with it； I know no
more than you； my dear；’ returned the locksmith； ‘except that it’s
some foolish fear of little Solomon’s—which has； indeed； no
meaning in it； I suppose。 As to Mr Haredale’s journey； he goes； as I
believe—’
‘Yes；’ said Dolly。
‘As I believe；’ resumed the locksmith； pinching her cheek； ‘on
business； Doll。 What it may be； is quite another matter。 Read Blue
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 444…
Barnaby Rudge 445
Beard； and don’t be too curious； pet； it’s no business of yours or
mine； depend upon that； and here’s dinner； which is much more to
the purpose。’
Dolly might have remonstrated against this summary dismissal
of the subject； notwithstanding the appearance of dinner； but at
the mention of Blue Beard Mrs Varden interposed； protesting she
could not find it in her conscience to sit tamely by； and hear her
child recommended to peruse the adventures of a Turk and
Mussulman—far less of a fabulous Turk； which she considered
that potentate to be。 She held that； in such stirring and
tremendous times as those in which they lived； it would be much
more to the purpose if Dolly became a regular subscriber to the
Thunderer； where she would have an opportunity of reading Lord
George Gordon’s