第 25 节
作者:怀疑一切      更新:2021-02-24 23:08      字数:9322
  what seemed to her a very trivial offence。 Toad; of course; in his vanity;
  thought that her interest in him proceeded from a growing tenderness; and
  he could not help half…regretting that the social gulf between them was so
  very   wide;   for   she   was   a   comely   lass;   and   evidently   admired   him   very
  much。
  One   morning   the girl   was   very  thoughtful;  and   answered   at   random;
  and did not seem to Toad to be paying proper attention to his witty sayings
  and sparkling comments。
  ‘Toad;' she said presently; ‘just listen; please。 I have an aunt who is a
  washerwoman。'
  ‘There; there;' said Toad; graciously and affably; ‘never mind; think no
  more about it。 _I_ have several aunts who OUGHT to be washerwomen。'
  ‘Do be quiet a minute; Toad;' said the girl。 ‘You talk too much; that's
  your chief fault; and I'm trying to think; and you hurt my head。 As I said; I
  have   an   aunt   who   is   a   washerwoman;   she   does   the   washing   for   all   the
  prisoners in this castlewe try to keep any paying business of that sort in
  the    family;   you   understand。      She   takes   out   the   washing     on   Monday
  morning; and brings it in on Friday evening。 This is a Thursday。 Now; this
  is what occurs to me: you're very richat least you're always telling me so…
  …and she's very poor。 A few pounds wouldn't make any difference to you;
  and    it  would    mean    a  lot  to  her。   Now;    I  think   if  she  were    properly
  approachedsquared;   I   believe   is   the   word   you   animals   useyou   could
  come to some arrangement by which she would let you have her dress and
  bonnet   and   so   on;   and   you   could   escape   from   the   castle   as   the   official
  washerwoman。 You're very alike in many respectsparticularly about the
  figure。'
  ‘We're NOT;' said the Toad in a huff。 ‘I have a very elegant figurefor
  what I am。'
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  ‘So has my aunt;' replied the girl; ‘for what SHE is。 But have it your
  own way。 You horrid; proud; ungrateful animal; when I'm sorry for you;
  and   trying   to   help   you!'   ‘Yes;   yes;   that's   all   right;   thank   you   very   much
  indeed;' said the Toad hurriedly。 ‘But look here! you wouldn't surely have
  Mr。     Toad    of   Toad     Hall;   going    about     the   country    disguised      as  a
  washerwoman!'
  ‘Then you can stop here as a Toad;' replied the girl with much spirit。 ‘I
  suppose you want to go off in a coach…and…four!'
  Honest Toad was always ready to admit himself in the wrong。 ‘You are
  a good; kind; clever girl;' he said; ‘and I am indeed a proud and a stupid
  toad。 Introduce me to your worthy aunt; if you will be so kind; and I have
  no    doubt    that  the  excellent    lady   and   I  will  be   able   to  arrange    terms
  satisfactory to both parties。'
  Next   evening   the   girl   ushered   her   aunt   into   Toad's   cell;   bearing   his
  week's   washing   pinned   up   in   a   towel。   The   old   lady   had   been   prepared
  beforehand for the interview; and the sight of certain gold sovereigns that
  Toad     had    thoughtfully     placed     on   the   table   in  full   view    practically
  completed the matter and left little further to discuss。 In return for his cash;
  Toad received a cotton print gown; an apron; a shawl; and a rusty black
  bonnet;   the   only   stipulation   the   old   lady   made   being   that   she   should   be
  gagged      and   bound     and   dumped      down    in   a  corner。   By   this   not  very
  convincing artifice; she explained; aided by picturesque fiction which she
  could   supply   herself;   she   hoped   to   retain   her   situation;   in   spite   of   the
  suspicious appearance of things。
  Toad was delighted with the suggestion。 It would enable him to leave
  the prison in some style; and with his reputation for being a desperate and
  dangerous fellow untarnished; and he readily helped the gaoler's daughter
  to make her aunt appear as much as possible the victim of circumstances
  over which she had no control。
  ‘Now      it's  your  turn;   Toad;'   said   the  girl。  ‘Take    off  that   coat  and
  waistcoat of yours; you're fat enough as it is。'
  Shaking with laughter;  she proceeded   to ‘hook…and…eye'  him into   the
  cotton print   gown;  arranged   the shawl   with   a professional   fold;  and  tied
  the strings of the rusty bonnet under his chin。
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  ‘You're the very image of her;' she giggled; ‘only I'm sure you never
  looked half   so   respectable in   all   your   life   before。   Now;  good…bye; Toad;
  and   good   luck。   Go   straight   down   the   way   you   came   up;   and   if   any  one
  says anything to you; as they probably will; being but men; you can chaff
  back a bit; of course; but remember you're a widow woman; quite alone in
  the world; with a character to lose。'
  With   a   quaking   heart;   but   as   firm   a   footstep   as   he   could   command;
  Toad set forth cautiously on what seemed to be a most hare… brained and
  hazardous undertaking; but he was soon agreeably surprised to find how
  easy everything was made for him; and a little humbled at the thought that
  both   his   popularity;   and   the   sex   that   seemed   to   inspire   it;   were   really
  another's。   The   washerwoman's   squat   figure   in   its   familiar   cotton   print
  seemed a passport for every barred door and grim gateway; even when he
  hesitated; uncertain as to the right turning to take; he found himself helped
  out of his difficulty by the warder at the next gate; anxious to be off to his
  tea; summoning him to come along sharp and not keep him waiting there
  all night。 The chaff and the humourous sallies to which he was subjected;
  and   to   which;   of   course;   he   had   to   provide   prompt   and   effective   reply;
  formed;   indeed;   his   chief   danger;   for  Toad   was   an   animal   with   a   strong
  sense of his own dignity; and the chaff was mostly (he thought) poor and
  clumsy; and the humour of the sallies entirely lacking。 However; he kept
  his temper; though with great difficulty; suited his retorts to his company
  and his supposed character; and did his best not to overstep the limits of
  good taste。
  It   seemed     hours   before    he   crossed   the    last   courtyard;   rejected    the
  pressing   invitations   from   the   last   guardroom;   and   dodged   the   outspread
  arms   of   the   last   warder;   pleading   with   simulated   passion   for   just   one
  farewell embrace。 But at last he heard the wicket…gate in the great outer
  door   click   behind   him;      felt   the   fresh   air   of   the   outer   world   upon  his
  anxious brow; and knew that he was free!
  Dizzy with the easy success of his daring exploit; he walked quickly
  towards the lights of the town; not knowing in the least what he should do
  next;   only   quite   certain   of   one   thing;   that   he   must   remove   himself   as
  quickly as possible from the neighbourhood where the lady he was forced
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  to represent was so well…known and so popular a character。
  As he walked along; considering; his attention was caught by some red
  and green lights a little way off; to one side of the town; and the sound of
  the puffing and snorting of engines and the banging of shunted trucks fell
  on his ear。 ‘Aha!' he thought; ‘this is a piece of luck! A railway station is
  the thing I want most in the whole world at this moment; and what's more;
  I   needn't   go   through   the   town   to   get   it;   and   shan't   have   to   support   this
  humiliating character by repartees which; though thoroughly effective; do
  not assist one's sense of self…respect。'
  He   made   his   way  to   the   station   accordingly;  consulted a   time…   table;
  and found that   a   train;  bound   more   or less   in  the   direction of   his home;
  was due to start in half…an…hour。 ‘More luck!' said Toad; his spirits rising
  rapidly; and went off to the booking…office to buy his ticket。
  He   gave   the   name   of   the   station   that   he   knew   to   be   nearest   to   the
  village of which Toad Hall was the principal feature; and mechanically put
  his fingers; in search of the necessary money; where his waiscoat pocket
  should   have   been。   But  here the   cotton   gown;   which   had   nobly  stood   by
  him so far; and which he had basely forgotten; intervened; and frustrated
  his efforts。 In a sort of nightmare he struggled with