登陆注册
14727200000080

第80章

`Dread him,' said Wemmick. `I believe you they dread him. Not but what he's artful, even in his defiance of them. No silver, sir. Britannia metal, every spoon.'

`So they wouldn't have much,' I observed, `even if they--'

`Ah! But he would have much,' said Wemmick, cutting me short, `and they know it. He'd have their lives, and the lives of scores of 'em.

He'd have all he could get. And it's impossible to say what he couldn't get, if he gave his mind to it.'

I was falling into meditation on my guardian's greatness, when Wemmick remarked:

`As to the absence of plate, that's only his natural depth, you know.

A river's its natural depth, and he's his natural depth. Look at his watch-chain.

That's real enough.'

`It's very massive,' said I.

`Massive?' repeated Wemmick. `I think so. And his watch is a gold repeater, and worth a hundred pound if it's worth a penny. Mr Pip, there are about seven hundred thieves in this town who know all about that watch; there's not a man, a woman, or a child, among them, who wouldn't identify the smallest link in that chain, and drop it as if it was red-hot, if inveigled into touching it.'

At first with such discourse, and afterwards with conversation of a more general nature, did Mr Wemmick and I beguile the time and the road, until he gave me to understand that we had arrived in the district of Walworth.

It appeared to be a collection of back lanes, ditches, and little gardens, and to present the aspect of a rather dull retirement. Wemmick's house was a little wooden cottage in the midst of plots of garden, and the top of it was cut out and painted like a battery mounted with guns.

`My own doing,' said Wemmick. `Looks pretty; don't it?'

I highly commended it, I think it was the smallest house I ever saw;with the queerest gothic windows (by far the greater part of them sham), and a gothic door, almost too small to get in at.

`That's a real flagstaff, you see,' said Wemmick, `and on Sundays Irun up a real flag. Then look here. After I have crossed this bridge, Ihoist it up - so - and cut off the communication.'

The bridge was a plank, and it crossed a chasm about four feet wide and two deep. But it was very pleasant to see the pride with which he hoisted it up and made it fast; smiling as he did so, with a relish and not merely mechanically.

`At nine o'clock every night, Greenwich time,' said Wemmick, `the gun fires. There he is, you see! And when you hear him go, I think you'll say he's a Stinger.'

The piece of ordnance referred to, was mounted in a separate fortress, constructed of lattice-work. It was protected from the weather by an ingenious little tarpaulin contrivance in the nature of an umbrella.

`Then, at the back,' said Wemmick, `out of sight, so as not to impede the idea of fortifications - for it's a principle with me, if you have an idea, carry it out and keep it up - I don't know whether that's your opinion--'

I said, decidedly.

` - At the back, there's a pig, and there are fowls and rabbits; then, I knock together my own little frame, you see, and grow cucumbers; and you'll judge at supper what sort of a salad I can raise. So, sir,' said Wemmick, smiling again, but seriously too, as he shook his head, `if you can suppose the little place besieged, it would hold out a devil of a time in point of provisions.'

Then, he conducted me to a bower about a dozen yards off, but which was approached by such ingenious twists of path that it took quite a long time to get at; and in this retreat our glasses were already set forth.

Our punch was cooling in an ornamental lake, on whose margin the bower was raised. This piece of water (with an island in the middle which might have been the salad for supper) was of a circular form, and he had constructed a fountain in it, which, when you set a little mill going and took a cork out of a pipe, played to that powerful extent that it made the back of your hand quite wet.

`I am my own engineer, and my own carpenter, and my own plumber, and my own gardener, and my own Jack of all Trades,' said Wemmick, in acknowledging my compliments. `Well; it's a good thing, you know. It brushes the Newgate cobwebs away, and pleases the Aged. You wouldn't mind being at once introduced to the Aged, would you? It wouldn't put you out?'

I expressed the readiness I felt, and we went into the castle. There, we found, sitting by a fire, a very old man in a flannel coat: clean, cheerful, comfortable, and well cared for, but intensely deaf.

`Well aged parent,' said Wemmick, shaking hands with him in a cordial and jocose way, `how am you?'

`All right, John; all right!' replied the old man.

`Here's Mr Pip, aged parent,' said Wemmick, `and I wish you could hear his name. Nod away at him, Mr Pip; that's what he likes. Nod away at him, if you please, like winking!'

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 兽妃难驯,神帝大人轻点宠

    兽妃难驯,神帝大人轻点宠

    一次意外,夏紫轩从现代穿越到了一片历史上从未出现的大陆上,本是暗杀特工的她竟变成了一个新生婴儿。慢慢成长的夏紫轩习得法术,驾驭灵兽,立志成神。而陪伴夏紫轩长大的,是被神帝附身的独孤风禹。因为遇见了夏紫轩,原本冷酷无情的他逐渐学会了如何去爱人。他们一起猎杀凶兽,破解驯服神兽的方法,甚至一起钻研出一套凤凰秘籍。本以为可以一起慢慢修炼成神,却不想,凶残的魔界统领安陵霸闯到凡间,滥杀无辜,涂炭生灵,甚至将他们的至亲全部杀害。面对这种局面的夏紫轩和独孤风禹,究竟会和安陵霸展开怎样的斗争……情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 女娃军师和她的乡村小部队

    女娃军师和她的乡村小部队

    关于本书--写在前面:有诗曰:弥村一世外桃园,桃园有顽童若干。为首者司令刚太,军师是女娃天仙。--关于这本书又诗曰:大潮涌动沉渣溅,污垢浊流狰狞面。人生舞台正义旗,女孩横刀也好汉!--当今社会,在改革的大的社会层面下,中国发生了太多太多的变化,――本小说不说那诸如夏门远华这样的轰动全国的红楼腐败大案;也不说那诸如胡长青之流的其内部的腐败被杀头者的显现,――本书单单描写了一群天不怕地不怕的少年军,在同坏人作斗争中的所作所为,--更着色描写了成都小女孩--小太朗、蒙山少年司令小刚太等众多少年之机智勇敢的英雄行为。正是:初生牛犊无畏险,身处魔爪神童面。斩恶利剑握在手,自古英雄出少年。
  • 龙珠之强生在世

    龙珠之强生在世

    魏强生又穿越了,为什么要说又呢?因为他刚刚和张无忌一起进密室,被石头压死了,事实证明和主角抢机缘会死的很惨,现在来到了龙珠世界,悟空,悟空你在哪?快出来让我抱你大腿!你个小屁孩不要叫我师兄,什么?你叫武天!?从此之后,第七宇宙出了一个超级强者,其名曰,武神魏强生!!
  • 云水梦

    云水梦

    盘古开天辟地,身躯化作山川大地,女娲捏土造人,并让人繁衍生息。女娲娘娘在补天之后,耗费了太多灵力,于是把众生之主之位传给弟子天帝,让他保护众生,自己则到天外天修养。而弟子霹雳心生妒忌,落入魔道,成为魔君。魔君誓要抢到众生之主的位置,一场大战之后,发生了翻天覆地的变化。三公主黄儿,水无玉,云天泽的命运该何去何从呢?
  • 叶罗丽精灵梦之世界公主

    叶罗丽精灵梦之世界公主

    本小说的主人公是和蓝孔雀缔结契约的陈思思在这本小说中思思叫亚希·思奇,是世界公主……
  • 一生执念,依升之念

    一生执念,依升之念

    鹿迪官方后援会推出的小说,请鹿迪CP粉认真阅读,圈地自萌哦!
  • 胡同

    胡同

    那一年,我的小寒妹死了。那一年,一场红色狂飙席卷而来。那一年,小雅宝胡同里产生出很多故事……这是一部历史小说,坊间少见。全书通过一个孩子天真的双眼,写文化大革命初期北京一隅,写当时社会的混乱无序、人性泯灭及道德沦丧对一颗幼小心灵的冲击。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 午夜灰姑娘

    午夜灰姑娘

    她知道,法术会在12点之前统统消失,大钟敲响的那一刻,她慌忙逃离王子情陷已深的王子拿着灰姑娘不小心遗下的玻璃鞋,追上来——“喂,你别走,去把房费付了!”灰姑娘:什么什么?!你是公司总裁,凭什么要我一个临时工付?霸道总裁太难缠,气质暖男不好爱,如果水晶鞋真的合脚,又怎么会掉呢?可见,童话里都是骗人的!灰姑娘什么时候最惨?午夜啊!因为她见识了人间的繁华然后又变回了穷鬼~~~喂!能不能不要再讲黑童话了,简直毁!童!年!王格林怒吼道。辛佩罗莞尔一笑:我没有童年啊!
  • 神谕缥缈

    神谕缥缈

    残卷的天戟,倘落着久封的泪。迷离的眼眸,再守初心的灼热。血干,物已非......吟风屡逆命运曲,傲首轻歌抚平世。神谕之光,将洗礼夕阳的垂幕。黎明之殇,将再现朝新之初。