Kitabı oku: «Лавка древностей / The Old Curiosity Shop», sayfa 11

“I don’t know,” said Kit.

“Oh!” said the dwarf after a little consideration. “Then, I think they’ll come to you.”

“Do you think they will?” cried Kit eagerly.

“Why not?” returned the dwarf. “And when they do, let me know; do you hear? Let me know, and I’ll give you something. I want to do them a kindness, and I can’t do them a kindness unless I know where they are. You hear what I say?”

14

The child trembled with a mingled sensation of hope and fear. The town was glad with morning light; the flowers that sleep by night, opened their gentle eyes and turned them to the day. The two pilgrims, often pressing each other’s hands, or exchanging a smile or cheerful look, pursued their way in silence. They came upon a straggling neighbourhood. At length the streets becoming more straggling yet, dwindled and dwindled away, until there were only small garden patches bordering the road. Then came some houses, one by one, of goodly size with lawns, some even with a lodge where dwelt a porter and his wife. Then, came a turnpike; then fields again with trees and haystacks; then, a hill. In a pleasant field, the old man and his little guide sat down to rest. Here they made their frugal breakfast.

“Dear grandfather,” said Nelly, “this place is very pretty, and I feel as if laid down on this grass all the cares and troubles we brought with us; never to take them up again.”

“No never to return, never to return” replied the old man, waving his hand towards the city. “You and I are free of it now, Nell.”

“Are you tired?” said the child, “are you sure you don’t feel ill from this long walk?”

“I shall never feel ill again, now that we are once away,” was his reply. “Let us go, Nell. We must be further away a long, long way further.We are too near to stop³⁵, and be at rest. Come!”

There was a pool of clear water in the field, in which the child laved her hands and face, and cooled her feet. She refreshed the old man too, cast the water on him with her hands, and dried it with her simple dress.

“I can do nothing for myself, my darling,” said the grandfather; “I don’t know how it is, I could once, but the time’s gone. Don’t leave me, Nell; say that you’ll not leave me. I love you, indeed I do. If I lose you, my dear, I must die!”

He laid his head upon her shoulder and moaned piteously. She soothed him with gentle and tender words. He was soon calmed and fell asleep, singing to himself in a low voice, like a little child.

He awoke refreshed, and they continued their journey. The road was pleasant, lying between beautiful pastures and fields of corn. They were now in the open country; the houses were very few and scattered at long intervals, often miles apart.

15

The sun was setting when they reached thewicket-gate³⁶ at which the path began. The church was old and grey, with ivy clinging to the walls, and round the porch. The old man and the child passed behind the church, and they heard voices near.

Two men were seated upon the grass. It was not difficult to divine that they wereshowmen exhibitors³⁷ of the freaks of Punch³⁸. Upon a tombstone behind them, was a figure of that hero himself.

The men raised their eyes when the old man and his young companion were close upon them, and pausing in their work, returned their looks of curiosity. One of them was a little merry-faced man with a twinkling eye and a red nose. The other that was he who took the money had rather a careful and cautious look.

The merry man was the first to greet the strangers with a nod. He observed that perhaps that was the first time the old man had ever seen a Punchoff the stage³⁹.

“Why did you come here?” said the old man, sitting down beside them, and looking at the figures with extreme delight.

“You see,” rejoined the little man, “we need to repair our puppets.”

“Good!” said the old man, touching one of the puppets, and drawing away his hand with a shrill laugh. “Are you going to show them tonight? Are you?”

“That is the intention, sir,” replied the other, “andTommy Codlin⁴⁰ is calculating at this minute how much we’re going to get tonight.”

The little man accompanied these latter words with a wink.

To this Mr. Codlin, who had a surly, grumbling manner, replied: “Look here; here’s all thisJudy’s⁴¹ clothes falling to pieces again. You haven’t got a needle and thread I suppose?”

The little man shook his head. Seeing that they were at a loss, the child said timidly: “I have a needle, sir, in my basket, and thread too. Will you let me try to mend it for you? I think I could do it neater than you could.”