登陆注册
38540200000003

第3章

His features were strongly marked, though not irregular, and their expression was extreme earnestness; resolute either for good or evil, a sort of latent stern enthusiasm. At the time of which I write, the good predominated over the bad in the countenance, and he was one from whom a stranger would have asked a favour with tolerable faith that it would be granted. He was accompanied by his wife, who might, without exaggeration, have been called a lovely woman, although now her face was swollen with crying, and often hidden behind her apron. She had the fresh beauty of the agricultural districts; and somewhat of the deficiency of sense in her countenance, which is likewise characteristic of the rural inhabitants in comparison with the natives of the manufacturing towns. She was far advanced in pregnancy, which perhaps occasioned the overpowering and hysterical nature of her grief. The friend whom they met was more handsome and less sensible-looking than the man I have just described he seemed hearty and hopeful, and although his age was greater, yet there was far more of youth's buoyancy in his appearance.

He was tenderly carrying a baby in arms, while his wife, a delicate fragile-looking woman, limping in her gait, bore another of the same age; little, feeble twins, inheriting the frail appearance of their mother. The last-mentioned man was the first to speak, while a sudden look of sympathy dimmed his gladsome face. "Well, John, how goes it with you?" and, in a lower voice, he added, "any news of Esther, yet?" Meanwhile the wives greeted each other like old friends, the soft and plaintive voice of the mother of the twins seeming to call forth only fresh sobs from Mrs Barton. "Come, women," said John Barton, "you've both walked far enough. My Mary expects to have her bed in three weeks; and as for you, Mrs Wilson, you know you're but a cranky sort of a body, at the best of times." This was said so kindly, that no offence could be taken. "Sit you down here; the grass is well nigh dry by this time; and you're neither of you nesh folk about taking cold. Stay," he added, with some tenderness, "here's my pocket handkerchief to spread under you to save the gowns, women always think so much on; and now, Mrs Wilson, give me the baby, I may as well carry him, while you talk and comfort my wife; poor thing, she takes on sadly about Esther." These arrangements were soon completed; the two women sat down on the blue cotton handkerchiefs of their husbands, and the latter, each carrying a baby, set off for a further walk; but as soon as Barton had turned his back upon his wife, his countenance fell back into an expression of gloom. "Then you've heard nothing of Esther, poor lass!" asked Wilson. "No, nor shan't, as I take it. My mind is, she's gone off with somebody.

My wife frets and thinks she's drowned herself, but I tell her, folks don't care to put on their best clothes to drown themselves; and Mrs Bradshaw (where she lodged, you know), says the last time she set eyes on her was last Tuesday, when she came down stairs, dressed in her Sunday gown, and with a new ribbon in her bonnet, and gloves on her hands, like the lady she was so fond of thinking herself." "She was as pretty a creature as ever the sun shone on." "Ay, she was a farrantly lass; more's the pity I now," added Barton, with a sigh. "You see them Buckinghamshire people as comes to work here has quite a different look with them to us Manchester folk. You'll not see among the Manchester wenches such fresh rosy cheeks, or such black lashes to grey eyes (****** them look like black), as my wife and Esther had.

I never seed two such pretty women for sistersnever. Not but what beauty is a sad snare. Here was Esther so puffed up, that there was no holding her in. Her spirit was always up, if I spoke ever so little in the way of advice to her; my wife spoiled her, it is true, for you see she was so much older than Esther, she was more like a mother to her, doing every thing for her." "I wonder she ever left you," observed his friend. "That's the worst of factory work for girls. They can earn so much when work is plenty, that they can maintain themselves any how. My Mary shall never work in a factory, that I'm determined on. You see Esther spent her money in dress, thinking to set off her pretty face; and got to come home so late at night, that at last I told her my mind; my missis thinks I spoke crossly, but I meant right, for I loved Esther, if it was only for Mary's sake. Says I, 'Esther, I see what you'll end at with your artificials, and your fly-away veils, and stopping out when honest women are in their beds; you'll be a street-walker, Esther, and then, don't you go to think I'll have you darken my door, though my wife is your sister.' So says she, 'Don't trouble yourself, John. I'll pack up and be off now, for I'll never stay to hear myself called as you call me.' She flushed up like a turkey-cock, and I thought fire would come out of her eyes; but when she saw Mary cry (for Mary can't abide words in a house), she went and kissed her, and said she was not so bad as I thought her. So we talked more friendly, for, as I said, I liked the lass well enough, and her pretty looks, and her cheery ways. But she said (and at that time I thought there was sense in what she said) we should be much better friends if she went into lodgings, and only came to see us now and then." "Then you still were friendly. Folks said you'd cast her off, and said you'd never speak to her again." "Folks always make one a deal worse than one is," said John Barton, testily.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 邪帝尊

    邪帝尊

    沉睡千年,无意躲过旷世危机。强势崛起,有心灭尽该杀之人。前世风流倜傥,吹起邪气之风。今生傲气凌天,重燃邪气之火。一名天纵能毁灭一个家族,一代天骄能创造一个世界!
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 网游之宠你没道理

    网游之宠你没道理

    他是对外高冷实则话痨的腹黑总裁;他是看似正直实则柔媚的女装大佬;他跟他因食物相识,因工作相知,因共处相爱,但相同的性别让他们的爱情变得艰难,家族的阻止,朋友的不解,外人的鄙视,他们该何去何从?他是外人眼中的完美校草,无所不能;她是外人眼中的高冷校花,可远观不可亵渎;可外人怎会知:他喜欢她却不敢告白;他假装偶遇却被无视;他多次靠近却不敢继续前进;而她,高冷的外表下却藏着一颗闷骚的心;封闭的心终于打开却闷不吭声;当‘胆小鬼’遇到‘闷骚怪’,故事的发展该去往何方......忠告:内有高能,不喜勿喷~么么哒~
  • 拜金俏王妃

    拜金俏王妃

    为什么太阳是黄的?因为金子是黄的!东方鸷呀东方鸷,你问我爱你有多深,金子代表我的心!
  • 进化劫

    进化劫

    茫茫太空之中,一颗平凡的人类星球蔚蓝星,在一夜之间,整个星球的生物都开始变异,大进化时代开启,原本处于食物链顶端的人类,如何在这个大进化时代,重新掌控这个星球,开启自身的秘密,迎接未知的未来!
  • 我在末日签到打卡

    我在末日签到打卡

    叶萧和往常一样浏览不可描述的网页,突然弹出一个黑暗血腥的页面,中间一排大字“点击进入”,他鬼使神差的点了进去。眼前一黑,他来到一个天灾凶兽横行的末日。“叮,首次签到送大礼,请点击签到!”随着脑海中的机械声音响起,叶萧开始了疯狂又刺激的末日生活。
  • 随身空间之九幽

    随身空间之九幽

    【架空+重生+空间+种田+反击,温馨、甜宠、无斗无虐,无宫斗,1V1】是灵魂穿越?重生?还是?!醒来时冰天雪地与唯一的哥哥生死相依,净身出户,被家人抛弃?命运多舛的姐姐到底是谁?又将何去何从?!离奇莫测的身世到底隐含着什么?九幽、谷粒、赫连!影主、神匠、圣女、尊王妃,哪个是她?还是依旧是她?!紫藤仙岛、赫连一族又与她、谷家、陆家有何等的渊源?!身世的迷离,要从何追起?!这是一个为了挣脱命运,励志致富的种田小家故事。这是一个反击被坑害,努力追求未来而不畏惧强权艰险的故事。这是一个,从一只狍子引来的与大冰山爱恋与痴缠的故事。还有与他们的情谊……
  • 将门毒后:陛下心尖宠

    将门毒后:陛下心尖宠

    一朝穿越,她成了痴傻嫡女苏挽筝,还被赐婚嫁给了渣男太子?什么?大婚之日被太子拒之门外?苏挽筝翻了白眼表示:老娘又不是吃素的,给我砸了这扇破门!呦,渣男太子竟然在和白莲花侧妃玩捉迷藏,那就叫上满朝文武一起玩,独乐乐不如众乐乐!宅斗权谋一起上,不搅个天翻地覆,我就不叫苏挽筝!
  • 南哥每天都在努力变淑女

    南哥每天都在努力变淑女

    不良少女纪南卿上了大学妄想要改过自新变成淑女。纪南卿身着白裙斜乜了来人一眼:“本姑娘走的是淑女风,你看不出来?”殷航斜着嘴角笑了笑:“那你先把烟放下,酒瓶子也放下。”校园里那个开朗少年和柔情少女,在校外碰见,一个手里拿着酒瓶,一个手里拿着铁棍。“呦,小淑女,真巧。”“嗯呢,小学长,幸会。”那个野的不行的纪南卿,自从跟殷航在一起之后,好像真成了淑女。纪南卿:“不是你南哥自愿的,是你南哥打不过他……”
  • 微故事:这里少了一个你

    微故事:这里少了一个你

    看了过于美好的故事开头,那故事的结局又会带给你怎样的惊艳呢人们总是喜欢把故事的开头设置的过于美好,可他们是非想过这样美好的开头需要怎样的结局这里的故事开始惊艳了人心,结局,让你感慨世道带来的无奈。故事不美,只愿让心得到一个安慰。