第55章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(38)

第55章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(38)

mr.cruncherdidnotassistattheclosingsports，buthadremainedbehindinthechurchyard，toconferandcondolewiththeundertakers.theplacehadasoothinginfluenceonhim.heprocuredapipefromaneighbouringpublic-house，andsmokedit，lookinginattherailingsandmaturelyconsideringthespot.

'jerry，'saidmr.cruncher，apostrophisinghimselfhisusualway，'youseethatthereclythatday，andyouseewithyourowneyesthathewasayoung'unandastraightmade'un.'

havingsmokedhispipeout，andruminatedalittlelonger，heturnedhimselfabout，thathemightappearbeforethehourofclosing，onhisstationattellson's.whetherhismeditationsonmoralityhadtouchedhisliver，orwhetherhisgeneralhealthhadbeenpreviouslyatallamiss，orwhetherhedesiredtoshowalittleattentiontoaneminentman，isnotsomuchtothepurpose，asthathemadeashortcalluponhismedicaladviser—adistinguishedsurgeon—onhiswayback.

youngjerryrelievedhisfatherwithdutifulinterest，andreportednojobinhisabsence.thebankclosed，theancientclerkscameout，theusualwatchwasset，andmr.cruncherandhissonwenthometotea.

'now，itellyouwhereitis！'saidmr.crunchertohiswife，onentering.'if，asahonesttradesman，mywenturesgoeswrongtonight，ishallmakesurethatyou'vebeenprayingaginme，andishallworkyouforitjustthesameasifiseenyoudoit.'

thedejectedmrs.crunchershookherhead.

'why，you'reatitaforemyface！'saidmr.cruncher，withsignsofangryapprehension.

'iamsayingnothing.'

'well，then；don'tmeditatenothing.youmightaswellflopasmeditate.youmayaswellgoagainmeonewayasanother.dropitaltogether.'

'yes，jerry.'

'yes，jerry，'repeatedmr.crunchersittingdowntotea.'ah！itisyes，jerry.that'saboutit.youmaysayyes，jerry.'

mr.cruncherhadnoparticularmeaninginthesesulkycorroborations，butmadeuseofthem，aspeoplenotunfrequentlydo，toexpressgeneralironicaldissatisfaction.

'youandyouryes，jerry，'saidmr.cruncher，takingabiteoutofhisbread-and-butter，andseemingtohelpitdownwithalargeinvisibleoysteroutofhissaucer.'ah！ithinkso.ibelieveyou.'

'youweregoingouttonight？'askedhisdecentwife，whenhetookanotherbite.

'yes，iam.'

'mayigowithyou，father？'askedhisson，briskly.

'no，youmayn't.i'magoing—asyourmotherknows—afishing.that'swherei'mgoingto.goingafishing.'

'yourfishing-rodgetsraytherrusty；don'tit，father？'

'neveryoumind.'

'shallyoubringanyfishhome，father？'

'ifidon't，you'llhaveshortcommons，tomorrow，'returnedthatgentleman，shakinghishead；'that'squestionsenoughforyou；iain'tagoingout，tillyou'vebeenlonga-bed.'

hedevotedhimselfduringtheremainderoftheeveningtokeepingamostvigilantwatchonmrs.cruncher，andsullenlyholdingherinconversationthatshemightbepreventedfrommeditatinganypetitionstohisdisadvantage.withthisview，heurgedhissontoholdherinconversationalso，andledtheunfortunatewomanahardlifebydwellingonanycausesofcomplainthecouldbringagainsther，ratherthanhewouldleaveherforamomenttoherownreflections.thedevoutestpersoncouldhaverenderednogreaterhomagetotheefficacyofanhonestprayerthanhedidinthisdistrustofhiswife.itwasasifaprofessedunbelieveringhostsshouldbefrightenedbyaghoststory.

'andmindyou！'saidmr.cruncher.'nogamestomorrow！ifi，asahonesttradesman，eedinprovidingajinteofmeatortwo，noneofyournottouchingofit，andstickingtobread.ifi，asahonesttradesman，amabletoprovidealittlebeer，noneofyourdeclaringonwater.whenyougotorome，doasromedoes.romewillbeauglycustomertoyou，ifyoudon't.i'myourrome，youknow.'

thenhebegangrumblingagain：'withyouflyingintothefaceofyourownwittlesanddrink！idon'tknowhowscarceyoumayn'tmakethewittlesanddrinkhere，byyourfloppingtricksandyourunfeelingconduct.lookatyourboy：heisyour'n，ain'the？he'sasthinasalath.doyoucallyourselfamother，andnotknowthatamother'sfirstdutyistoblowherboyout？'

thistouchedyoungjerryonatenderplace；whoadjuredhismothertoperformherfirstduty，andwhateverelseshedidorneglected，aboveallthingstolayespecialstressonthedischargeofthatmaternalfunctionsoaffectinglyanddelicatelyindicatedbyhisotherparent.

thustheeveningworeawaywiththecruncherfamily，untilyoungjerrywasorderedtobed，andhismother，laidundersimilarinjunctions，obeyedthem.mr.cruncherbeguiledtheearlierwatchesofthenightwithsolitarypipes，anddidnotstartuponhisexcursionuntiloneo'clock.towardsthatsmallandghostlyhour，heroseupfromhischair，tookakeyoutofhispocket，openedalockedcupboard，andbroughtforthasack，acrowbarofconvenientsize，aropeandchain，andotherfishingtackleofthatnature.disposingthesearticlesabouthiminskilfulmanner，hebestowedapartingdefianceonmrs.cruncher，extinguishedthelight，andwentout.

youngjerry，whohadonlymadeafeintofundressingwhenhewenttobed，wasnotlongafterhisfather.undercoverofthedarknesshefollowedoutoftheroom，followeddownthestairs，followeddownthecourt，followedoutintothestreets.hewasinnouneasinessconcerninghisgettingintothehouseagain，foritwasfulloflodgers，andthedoorstoodajarallnight.

impelledbyalaudableambitiontostudytheartandmysteryofhisfather'shonestcalling，youngjerry，keepingasclosetohousefronts，walls，anddoorways，ashiseyeswereclosetooneanother，heldhishonouredparentinview.thehonouredparentsteeringnorthward，hadnotgonefar，whenhewasjoinedbyanotherdiscipleofizaakwalton，andthetwotrudgedontogether.