Reader's Club

Home Category

05-01-远大前程 [12]

By Root 3722 0
When I saw his blue eyes open wide in surprise,I felt very sorry I had lied,and that evening,as soon as I found Joe alone for a moment,I confessed to him that I had lied about my visit to Miss Havisham.
  ‘Is none of it true,Pip?’he asked,shocked.‘No black carriage
But at least there were dogs, weren't there,Pip?No?Not even one dog?’
  ‘No,Joe,I'm sorry.’
  ‘Pip,old boy!’His kind face looked very unhappy.‘If you tell lies,where do you think you'll go when you die?’
  ‘I know,Joe,it's terrible.I don't know what happened.Oh I wish I didn't have such thick boots and such coarse hands!I'm so miserable,Joe.That beautiful young lady at Miss Havisham's said I was common.And I know I am!Somehow that made me tell lies.’ ‘One thing to remember,Pip,’ said Joe,lighting his pipe slowly,‘is that lies are always wrong.You can't stop being common by telling lies.That's not the way to do it.And you're learning all the time,Pip!Look at that letter you wrote me last night!Even the King had to start learning at the beginning, didn't he?That reminds me,any flags at Miss Havisham's?No?That's a pity.Look here,Pip,this is a true friend speaking to you.Take my advice.No more lies,live well, and die happy.’
  Encouraged by Joe's honest words I went to bed,but I couldn't stop myself thinking that Estella would consider Joe's boots too thick and his hands too coarse,and our whole family common.That was a day I shall never forget.


■ 3 给匹普的一次机会
  我总是想,一到学徒的年龄,我就做乔的徒弟。因此,我常常在锻炉前,白天花费大部分时间帮助乔干活。但是,我也参加村办夜校,这所学校是由伍甫赛先生的一位远房亲戚创办的。她的教学主要是由睡觉、孩子们相互打闹而组成。但是,伍甫赛先生的表妹,毕蒂,设法把我们控制住,教我们读、写和算术。伍甫赛先生每三个月就“考”我们一次。事实上,他什么问题也不问我们,只是挥动着双臂,用他那特有的激动人心、兴高采烈的声调,大声朗读莎士比亚的作品。
  一天晚上,这大约是两个逃犯被捕的一年以后,我正在厨房火炉旁坐着,给乔写封信,我并不需要这样做,因为他就紧靠在我旁边坐着。但是,我是想锻炼我的写作。经过一两小时的努力后,我把这封信递给他:
  “亲爱的乔,我希望你很好,马上我就能把我所学的东西教给你,多么可爱的乔,爱你的匹普”
  “匹普,好小子!”乔喊着,睁大他那仁慈的蓝眼睛,“你学了这么多了!这儿是一个J和O,这是乔字,对吗,匹普?”
  我不知道是否必须从头教乔,所以,我问道,“你写出葛吉瑞。乔,怎么样?”
  “我一点也不会写,”乔说,“但是,你知道,我爱好读,给我一本好书或者报纸,一盆炉火,不要更多。喂!当你写出一个J和O,读它多么有趣呀!”
  “乔,你小时候未曾上过学?”
  “没有,匹普,你知道,我爸爸酗酒,当他酗酒时,常打我妈妈,有时候也打我。因此,她和我几次逃离他,她过去对我说,‘唉,乔,你能上学了。’可是,我爸爸有如此的好心,他不能没有我们。因此,他总是来找我们,并把我们带回家,继续揍我们。这样你就明白了,匹普,我一点也没学习过。”
  “可怜的乔!”
  “但是记住,匹普,我爸爸有一副好心肠。”
  这话让我惊奇,但是没说什么。
  “他让我当了一名铁匠,铁匠也是他的工作,只是他从来不干这活。直到他死,都是我为家里挣钱。听着这一点,匹普,在他的墓碑上我要这样写:
  无论怎样的过失,他是创家立业的。
  记住,读者,他有一颗好心。”
  
Return Main Page Previous Page Next Page

®Reader's Club