第 86 节
作者:恐龙王      更新:2021-03-08 19:22      字数:9322
  seaside resort be; for the nonce; called Namelesston。
  I had been loitering about Paris in very hot weather; pleasantly
  breakfasting in the open air in the garden of the Palais Royal or
  the Tuileries; pleasantly dining in the open air in the Elysian
  Fields; pleasantly taking my cigar and lemonade in the open air on
  the Italian Boulevard towards the small hours after midnight。
  Bullfinch … an excellent man of business … has summoned me back
  across the Channel; to transact this said hour's business at
  Namelesston; and thus it fell out that Bullfinch and I were in a
  railway carriage together on our way to Namelesston; each with his
  return…ticket in his waistcoat…pocket。
  Says Bullfinch; 'I have a proposal to make。  Let us dine at the
  Temeraire。'
  I asked Bullfinch; did he recommend the Temeraire? inasmuch as I
  had not been rated on the books of the Temeraire for many years。
  Bullfinch declined to accept the responsibility of recommending the
  Temeraire; but on the whole was rather sanguine about it。  He
  'seemed to remember;' Bullfinch said; that he had dined well there。
  A plain dinner; but good。  Certainly not like a Parisian dinner
  (here Bullfinch obviously became the prey of want of confidence);
  but of its kind very fair。
  I appeal to Bullfinch's intimate knowledge of my wants and ways to
  decide whether I was usually ready to be pleased with any dinner;
  or … for the matter of that … with anything that was fair of its
  kind and really what it claimed to be。  Bullfinch doing me the
  honour to respond in the affirmative; I agreed to ship myself as an
  able trencherman on board the Temeraire。
  'Now; our plan shall be this;' says Bullfinch; with his forefinger
  at his nose。  'As soon as we get to Namelesston; we'll drive
  straight to the Temeraire; and order a little dinner in an hour。
  And as we shall not have more than enough time in which to dispose
  of it comfortably; what do you say to giving the house the best
  opportunities of serving it hot and quickly by dining in the
  coffee…room?'
  What I had to say was; Certainly。  Bullfinch (who is by nature of a
  hopeful constitution) then began to babble of green geese。  But I
  checked him in that Falstaffian vein; urging considerations of time
  and cookery。
  In due sequence of events we drove up to the Temeraire; and
  alighted。  A youth in livery received us on the door…step。  'Looks
  well;' said Bullfinch confidentially。  And then aloud; 'Coffee…
  room!'
  The youth in livery (now perceived to be mouldy) conducted us to
  the desired haven; and was enjoined by Bullfinch to send the waiter
  at once; as we wished to order a little dinner in an hour。  Then
  Bullfinch and I waited for the waiter; until; the waiter continuing
  to wait in some unknown and invisible sphere of action; we rang for
  the waiter; which ring produced the waiter; who announced himself
  as not the waiter who ought to wait upon us; and who didn't wait a
  moment longer。
  So Bullfinch approached the coffee…room door; and melodiously
  pitching his voice into a bar where two young ladies were keeping
  the books of the Temeraire; apologetically explained that we wished
  to order a little dinner in an hour; and that we were debarred from
  the execution of our inoffensive purpose by consignment to
  solitude。
  Hereupon one of the young ladies ran a bell; which reproduced … at
  the bar this time … the waiter who was not the waiter who ought to
  wait upon us; that extraordinary man; whose life seemed consumed in
  waiting upon people to say that he wouldn't wait upon them;
  repeated his former protest with great indignation; and retired。
  Bullfinch; with a fallen countenance; was about to say to me; 'This
  won't do;' when the waiter who ought to wait upon us left off
  keeping us waiting at last。  'Waiter;' said Bullfinch piteously;
  'we have been a long time waiting。'  The waiter who ought to wait
  upon us laid the blame upon the waiter who ought not to wait upon
  us; and said it was all that waiter's fault。
  'We wish;' said Bullfinch; much depressed; 'to order a little
  dinner in an hour。  What can we have?'
  'What would you like to have; gentlemen?'
  Bullfinch; with extreme mournfulness of speech and action; and with
  a forlorn old fly…blown bill of fare in his hand which the waiter
  had given him; and which was a sort of general manuscript index to
  any cookery…book you please; moved the previous question。
  We could have mock…turtle soup; a sole; curry; and roast duck。
  Agreed。  At this table by this window。  Punctually in an hour。
  I had been feigning to look out of this window; but I had been
  taking note of the crumbs on all the tables; the dirty table…
  cloths; the stuffy; soupy; airless atmosphere; the stale leavings
  everywhere about; the deep gloom of the waiter who ought to wait
  upon us; and the stomach…ache with which a lonely traveller at a
  distant table in a corner was too evidently afflicted。  I now
  pointed out to Bullfinch the alarming circumstance that this
  traveller had DINED。  We hurriedly debated whether; without
  infringement of good breeding; we could ask him to disclose if he
  had partaken of mock…turtle; sole; curry; or roast duck?  We
  decided that the thing could not be politely done; and we had set
  our own stomachs on a cast; and they must stand the hazard of the
  die。
  I hold phrenology; within certain limits; to be true; I am much of
  the same mind as to the subtler expressions of the hand; I hold
  physiognomy to be infallible; though all these sciences demand rare
  qualities in the student。  But I also hold that there is no more
  certain index to personal character than the condition of a set of
  casters is to the character of any hotel。  Knowing; and having
  often tested this theory of mine; Bullfinch resigned himself to the
  worst; when; laying aside any remaining veil of disguise; I held up
  before him in succession the cloudy oil and furry vinegar; the
  clogged cayenne; the dirty salt; the obscene dregs of soy; and the
  anchovy sauce in a flannel waistcoat of decomposition。
  We went out to transact our business。  So inspiriting was the
  relief of passing into the clean and windy streets of Namelesston
  from the heavy and vapid closeness of the coffee…room of the
  Temeraire; that hope began to revive within us。  We began to
  consider that perhaps the lonely traveller had taken physic; or
  done something injudicious to bring his complaint on。  Bullfinch
  remarked that he thought the waiter who ought to wait upon us had
  brightened a little when suggesting curry; and although I knew him
  to have been at that moment the express image of despair; I allowed
  myself to become elevated in spirits。  As we walked by the softly…
  lapping sea; all the notabilities of Namelesston; who are for ever
  going up and down with the changelessness of the tides; passed to
  and fro in procession。  Pretty girls on horseback; and with
  detested riding…masters; pretty girls on foot; mature ladies in
  hats; … spectacled; strong…minded; and glaring at the opposite or
  weaker sex。  The Stock Exchange was strongly represented; Jerusalem
  was strongly represented; the bores of the prosier London clubs
  were strongly represented。  Fortune…hunters of all denominations
  were there; from hirsute insolvency; in a curricle; to closely…
  buttoned swindlery in doubtful boots; on the sharp look…out for any
  likely young gentleman disposed to play a game at billiards round
  the corner。  Masters of languages; their lessons finished for the
  day; were going to their homes out of sight of the sea; mistresses
  of accomplishments; carrying small portfolios; likewise tripped
  homeward; pairs of scholastic pupils; two and two; went languidly
  along the beach; surveying the face of the waters as if waiting for
  some Ark to come and take them off。  Spectres of the George the
  Fourth days flitted unsteadily among the crowd; bearing the outward
  semblance of ancient dandies; of every one of whom it might be
  said; not that he had one leg in the grave; or both legs; but that
  he was steeped in grave to the summit of his high shirt…collar; and
  had nothing real about him but his bones。  Alone stationary in the
  midst of all the movements; the Namelesston boatmen leaned against
  the railings and yawned; and looked out to sea; or looked at the
  moored fishing…boats and at nothing。  Such is the unchanging manner
  of life with this nursery of our hardy seamen; and very dry nurses
  they are; and always wanting something to drink。  The only two
  nautical personages detached from the railing were the two
  fortunate possessors of the celebrated monstrous unknown barking…
  fish; just caught (frequently just caught off Namelesston); who
  carried him about in a hamper; and pressed the scientific to look
  in at the lid。
  The sands of the hour had all run out when we got back to the
  Temeraire。  Says Bullfinch; then; to the youth in livery; with
  boldness; 'Lavatory!'
  When we arriv