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第20章 法官的房子5（第1页）

第20章法官的房子（5）

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Whenhehadfinishedhissupper，araytotheothereoakdiouthisbooksagain，putfreshwoodorimmedhislamp，ahimselfdoellofrealhardithoutpausetillabouteleveno'cloheknockedoffforabittofixhisfireandlamp，andtomakehimselfacupoftea.Hehadalwaysbeenatea-drinker，andduringhiscollegelifehadsatlateatworkandhadtakewasagreatluxurytohim，awithasenseofdelicious，voluptuousease.Therenewedfireleapedahrewquaintshadhthegreatoldroom;andashesippedhishotteaherevelledinthesenseofisolationfromhiskiwasthathebegantohefirsttimewhatas>

"Surely，"hethought，"theyothavebeenatitallthetimeIwasreading.Hadtheybeen，Imusthave!"Presehenoiseiisfiedhimselfthatitwasreallywasevidentthatatfirsttheratshadbeehepreserahelightoffireandlamp;butthatasthetimewentontheyhadgrownbolderandwerenthemselvesaswastheirwont.

Howbusytheywere!Andharktenoises!Upaheoldwaiheduheyradgnawed，andscratiledtohimselfashereindthesayingofMrs.Dempster，"Bogiesisrats，andratsisbogies!"Theteabegaseffetelledimulus，hesawwithjspellofworktobedhtast，andintheseywhichitgavehim，heallowedhimselftheluxuryofagoodlookroundtheroom.Hetookhislampinonehaallarousoquaiifulanoldhousehadbeensolohegoftheoakohewainscotwasfine，andonandroundthedoorsandasbeautifulahereweresomeoldpithewalls，buttheywerecoatedsothickwithdustanddirtthatheotdistinguishahem，thoughheheldhislampashighashecouldoverhishead.Hereandthereashewentroundhesawsomecrackorholebloentbythefaceofaratwithitsbrighteyesglitteri，butinaninstantitwasgone，andasqueakandascamperfollowed.Thethingthatmoststruckhim，hoeofthegreatalarmbellontheroof，whigdowniheroomht-hahefireplace.Hepulledupclosetreathigh-backedcarvedoakdsatdowntohislastcupoftea.Whenthiswasdohefire，aohiswork，sittingattheerofthetable，haviohisleft.Foralittlewhiletheratsdisturbedhimsomewhatwiththeirperpetualsg，buthegotaedtothenoiseasohetigofaclockortotheroarofmovingwater，andhebeersedinhisworkthateverythingintheworld，excepttheproblemwhichhewastryingtosolve，passedawayfromhim.

Hesuddenlylookedup，hisproblemwasstilluherewasisehehourbeforethedawn，whichissodreadtodoubtfullife.Theheratshaddeeditseemedtohimthatitmusthaveceasedbutlatelyandthatitwasthesuddeionwhichhaddisturbedhim.Thefirehadfallenlow，butstillitthreredglow.Ashelookedhestartedinspiteofhissangfroid.

&hegreathigh-backedcarvedoakchairbytherightsideofthefireplaenormousrat，steadilyglaringathimwithbalefuleyes.Hemadeamotiontoitasthoughtohuntitaway，butitdidnotstir.Theisomething.Stillitdidnotstir，butshoweditsgreatwhiteteethangrily，anditscrueleyesshohelamplightwithaiveness.

Malazed，ahepokerfromthehearthranatittokillit.Before，however，hecouldstrikeit，therat，withasqueakthatsouhetrationofhate，jumpedupontheflouptheropeofthealarmbell，disappearedinthedarkherahegreen-shadedlamp.Instantly，straosay，thenoisysgoftheratsibeganagain.

BythistimeMalindwasquiteofftheproblem;andasashrillcock-crowoutsidetoldhimoftheapproa，heweosleep.

&sosouevenwakedbyMrs.Dempsteringintomakeuphisroom.Itwasonlywheidiedupthepladgothisbreakfastreadyaheswhichhisbedthathewoke.Hewasalittletiredstillafterhisnight'shardwork，butastrongcupofteasoonfreshenedhimupand，takinghisbook，hewentoutfwalk，bringingwithhimafewsaheshouldurntilldiime.Hefouwalkbetweenhighelmssomewayoutsidethetown，ahegreaterpartofthedaystudyinghisLaplahisreturoseeMrs.Withamandtothankherforherkindness.Whenshesawhimingthroughthediamond-panedbaywiumsheeethimandaskedhimin.Shelookedathimseardshookherheadasshesaid:

"Youmust，sir.Youarepalerthismthanyoushouldbe.Toolatehoursandtoohardworkonthebrainisn'tgoodforanyman!Buttellme，sir，howdidyoupassthenight?Well，Ihope?Butmyheart!Sir，Iwasgladwheoldmethismthatyhtandsleepingsoundwhein."