|
When Mrs Deborah returned into the room, and was acquainted by her master with the finding the little infant, her consternation was rather greater than his had been; nor could she refrain from crying out, with great horror of accent as well as look, “My good sir! what's to be done?” Mr Allworthy answered, she must take care of the child that evening, and in the morning he would give orders to provide it a nurse. “Yes, sir,” says she; “and I hope your worship will send out your warrant to take up the hussy its mother, for she must be one of the neighbourhood; and I should be glad to see her committed to Bridewell, and whipt at the cart's tail. Indeed, such wicked sluts cannot be too severely punished. I'll warrant 'tis not her first, by her impudence in laying it to your worship.” “In laying it to me, Deborah!” answered Allworthy: “I can't think she hath any such design. I suppose she hath only taken this method to provide for her child; and truly I am glad she hath not done worse.” “I don't know what is worse,” cries Deborah, “than for such wicked strumpets to lay their sins at honest men's doors; and though your worship knows your own innocence, yet the world is censorious; and it hath been many an honest man's hap to pass for the father of children he never begot; and if your worship should provide for the child, it may make the people the apter to believe; besides, why should your worship provide for what the parish is obliged to maintain? For my own part, if it was an honest man's child, indeed—but for my own part, it goes against me to touch these misbegotten wretches, whom I don't look upon as my fellow-creatures. Faugh! how it stinks! It doth not smell like a Christian. If I might be so bold to give my advice, I would have it put in a basket, and sent out and laid at the churchwarden's door. It is a good night, only a little rainy and windy; and if it was well wrapt up, and put in a warm basket, it is two to one but it lives till it is found in the morning. But if it should not, we have discharged our duty in taking proper care of it; and it is, perhaps, better for such creatures to die in a state of innocence, than to grow up and imitate their mothers; for nothing better can be expected of them.” There were some strokes in this speech which perhaps would have offended Mr Allworthy, had he strictly attended to it; but he had now got one of his fingers into the infant's hand, which, by its gentle pressure, seeming to implore his assistance, had certainly out-pleaded the eloquence of Mrs Deborah, had it been ten times greater than it was. He now gave Mrs Deborah positive orders to take the child to her own bed, and to call up a maid-servant to provide it pap, and other things, against it waked. He likewise ordered that proper cloathes should be procured for it early in the morning, and that it should be brought to himself as soon as he was stirring. Such was the discernment of Mrs Wilkins, and such the respect she bore her master, under whom she enjoyed a most excellent place, that her scruples gave way to his peremptory commands; and she took the child under her arms, without any apparent disgust at the illegality of its birth; and declaring it was a sweet little infant, walked off with it to her own chamber. Allworthy here betook himself to those pleasing slumbers which a heart that hungers after goodness is apt to enjoy when thoroughly satisfied. As these are possibly sweeter than what are occasioned by any other hearty meal, I should take more pains to display them to the reader, if I knew any air to recommend him to for the procuring such an appetite. |
衛黛菠大媽返回到主人的臥室時，主人告知她發現了這個小嬰兒，她的驚悚程度比他要大得多；她的神情和聲音令人感到非常恐怖，她忍不住大聲喊道：“好我的老爺啊！這可咋辦呀？”萬德全先生答道，她必須在當天晚上照顧這孩子，明天早上他會吩咐人替這孩子找個奶媽。“遵命，老爺，”她說道，“我希望您能發個火簽，把這小崽子的娘，就是那個婊子給抓起來，她一準就住在附近；要是我能看到她被送進監獄，並且在車尾被人用鞭子抽打，我就心滿意足了。的確，對付這種騷貨，不管多嚴厲的懲罰都不過分。我敢保證她這不是頭一回，她竟敢厚顏無恥地把這個小東西賴到您頭上。”“賴到我頭上，黛菠！”萬德全答道，“我倒沒看出她會有任何這樣的企圖。我想她采取這種方式隻是為了有人能養活她的孩子；還好她沒幹出更糟的事來。”黛菠大聲說道：“這種可惡的淫婦把自己的罪孽推到老實人的家門口，我不知道還有什麽比這更糟的事。雖然老爺您自知一世清白，但世人會說三道四啊；以前就有過許多本本分分的男人，孩子根本就不是他們親生的，機緣巧合卻充當了孩子的爹；如果您來撫養這孩子，可能會讓人們更容易相信您就屬於這種男人；此外，撫養這孩子本該是教區的義務，老爺您為啥要把這事往自己身上攬啊？就我而言，這要真是正經人家的孩子，咱另當別論。但對這種下流坯子，我連碰都不會碰一下，他根本不能算是我的同類。呸！這家夥真臭！一丁點基督徒的味道都沒有。請容我鬥膽提個建議，我看把這孩子放到籃子裏，安排人送出門去，放在教堂管理員的門口。今晚天氣不錯，隻是刮了點風，下了點雨；如果把他包裹嚴實，籃子裏鋪得暖和些，他就有可能活到明天早上，直到被人發現。但如果他沒有活過來，我們也已經做到仁至義盡了；而且，對於這樣的小東西來說，最好在什麽都還不懂時死掉，也比長大後學他們母親的樣子要強，甭想指望在他們身上將來會有什麽好來。”
衛黛菠大媽的這番話中有些地方比較刺耳，要是萬德全先生當時認真聽的話，他也許會很生氣。但現在他已經把一根手指伸進了嬰兒的手裏，那隻小手輕柔地按著他的手指，似乎在向他求救，即便衛黛菠大媽的如簧之舌再巧上十倍，還是肯定蓋不過嬰兒的這個舉動。萬德全先生立刻給衛黛菠大媽下了明確指示，讓她把孩子抱到她自己的床上，並叫來一個女仆給孩子準備一些奶糊之類的東西，等孩子醒來後再吃。他還吩咐仆人天一亮就為孩子購置些合適的衣服，他睡醒後要立即把孩子抱到他跟前。
衛黛菠大媽察言觀色，而且對主人總是畢恭畢敬，所以她在主人心目中享有很高的地位，她剛才的那些顧慮終於讓位給了主人的強製命令；她把孩子抱在自己懷裏，對這個來路不明的私生子沒有表示出任何明顯的反感。而且她嘴裏還念叨著說這孩子真招人待見，抱著這孩子回到了自己的臥室。
萬德全先生一上床倒頭便酣然入睡了。一個人渴求行善的願望一旦得到徹底滿足後，就很容易享受這份酣眠。既然這種酣眠很可能比任何一頓盛宴帶來更甜美的感受，要是我知道有可以滿足這種願望的任何風清氣爽的地方推薦給各位讀者，我就該多費些心思形容一下這種酣眠。 |
