Chapter 38 (第1/3页)

CONTAININGANACCOUNTOFWHATPASSEDBETWEENMR。ANDMRS。BUMBLE，ANDMR。MONKS，ATTHEIRNOCTURNALINTERVIEW

Itwasadull，close，overcastsummerevening。Theclouds，whichhadbeenthreateningallday，spreadoutinadenseandsluggishmassofvapour，alreadyyieldedlargedropsofrain，andseemedtopresageaviolentthunder-storm，whenMr。andMrs。Bumble，turningoutofthemainstreetofthetown，directedtheircoursetowardsascatteredlittlecolonyofruinoushouses，distantfromitsomemileanda-half，orthereabouts，anderectedonalowunwholesomeswamp，borderingupontheriver。

Theywerebothwrappedinoldandshabbyoutergarments，whichmight，perhaps，servethedoublepurposeofprotectingtheirpersonsfromtherain，andshelteringthemfromobservation。Thehusbandcarriedalantern，fromwhich，however，nolightyetshone；andtrudgedon，afewpacesinfront，asthough--thewaybeingdirty--togivehiswifethebenefitoftreadinginhisheavyfootprints。Theywenton，inprofoundsilence；everynowandthen，Mr。Bumblerelaxedhispace，andturnedhisheadasiftomakesurethathishelpmatewasfollowing；then，discoveringthatshewascloseathisheels，hemendedhisrateofwalking，andproceeded，ataconsiderableincreaseofspeed，towardstheirplaceofdestination。

Thiswasfarfrombeingaplaceofdoubtfulcharacter；forithadlongbeenknownastheresidenceofnonebutlowruffians，who，undervariouspretencesoflivingbytheirlabour，subsistedchieflyonplunderandcrime。Itwasacollectionofmerehovels：some，hastilybuiltwithloosebricks：others，ofoldworm-eatenship-timber：jumbledtogetherwithoutanyattemptatorderorarrangement，andplanted，forthemostpart，withinafewfeetoftheriver'sbank。Afewleakyboatsdrawnuponthemud，andmadefasttothedwarfwallwhichskirtedit：andhereandthereanoarorcoilofrope：appeared，atfirst，toindicatethattheinhabitantsofthesemiserablecottagespursuedsomeavocationontheriver；butaglanceattheshatteredanduselessconditionofthearticlesthusdisplayed，wouldhaveledapasser-by，withoutmuchdifficulty，totheconjecturethattheyweredisposedthere，ratherforthepreservationofappearances，thanwithanyviewtotheirbeingactuallyemployed。

Intheheartofthisclusterofhuts；andskirtingtheriver，whichitsupperstoriesoverhung；stoodalargebuilding，formerlyusedasamanufactoryofsomekind。Ithad，initsday，probablyfurnishedemploymenttotheinhabitantsofthesurroundingtenements。Butithadlongsincegonetoruin。Therat，theworm，andtheactionofthedamp，hadweakenedandrottedthepilesonwhichitstood；andaconsiderableportionofthebuildinghadalreadysunkdownintothewater；whiletheremainder，totteringandbendingoverthedarkstream，seemedtowaitafavourableopportunityoffollowingitsoldcompanion，andinvolvingitselfinthesamefate。

Itwasbeforethisruinousbuildingthattheworthycouplepaused，asthefirstpealofdistantthunderreverberatedintheair，andtheraincommencedpouringviolentlydown。

‘Theplaceshouldbesomewherehere，’saidBumble，consultingascrapofpaperheheldinhishand。

‘Halloathere！’criedavoicefromabove。

Followingthesound，Mr。Bumbleraisedhisheadanddescriedamanlookingoutofadoor，breast-high，onthesecondstory。

‘Standstill，aminute，’criedthevoice；‘I'llbewithyoudirectly。’Withwhichtheheaddisappeared，andthedoorclosed。

‘Isthattheman？’askedMr。Bumble'sgoodlady。

Mr。Bumblenoddedintheaffirmative。

‘Then，mindwhatItoldyou，’saidthematron：‘andbecarefultosayaslittleasyoucan，oryou'llbetrayusatonce。’

Mr。Bumble，whohadeyedthebuildingwithveryruefullooks，wasapparentlyabouttoexpresssomedoubtsrelativetotheadvisabilityofproceedinganyfurtherwiththeenterprisejustthen，whenhewaspreventedbytheappearanceofMonks：whoopenedasmalldoor，nearwhichtheystood，andbeckonedtheminwards。

‘Comein！’hecriedimpatiently，stampinghisfootupontheground。‘Don'tkeepmehere！’

Thewoman，whohadhesitatedatfirst，walkedboldlyin，withoutanyotherinvitation。Mr。Bumble，whowasashamedorafraidtolagbehind，followed：obviouslyveryillateaseandwithscarcelyanyofthatremarkabledignitywhichwasusuallyhischiefcharacteristic。

‘Whatthedevilmadeyoustandlingeringthere，inthewet？’saidMonks，turninground，andaddressingBumble，afterhehadboltedthedoorbehindthem。

‘We--wewereonlycoolingourselves，’stammeredBumble，lookingapprehensivelyabouthim。

‘Coolingyourselves！’retortedMonks。‘Notalltherainthateverfell，oreverwillfall，willputasmuchofhell'sfireout，asamancancarryaboutwithhim。Youwon'tcoolyourselfsoeasily；don'tthinkit！’

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