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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. |
卫黛菠大妈返回到主人的卧室时，主人告知她发现了这个小婴儿，她的惊悚程度比他要大得多；她的神情和声音令人感到非常恐怖，她忍不住大声喊道：“好我的老爷啊！这可咋办呀？”万德全先生答道，她必须在当天晚上照顾这孩子，明天早上他会吩咐人替这孩子找个奶妈。“遵命，老爷，”她说道，“我希望您能发个火签，把这小崽子的娘，就是那个婊子给抓起来，她一准就住在附近；要是我能看到她被送进监狱，并且在车尾被人用鞭子抽打，我就心满意足了。的确，对付这种骚货，不管多严厉的惩罚都不过分。我敢保证她这不是头一回，她竟敢厚颜无耻地把这个小东西赖到您头上。”“赖到我头上，黛菠！”万德全答道，“我倒没看出她会有任何这样的企图。我想她采取这种方式只是为了有人能养活她的孩子；还好她没干出更糟的事来。”黛菠大声说道：“这种可恶的淫妇把自己的罪孽推到老实人的家门口，我不知道还有什么比这更糟的事。虽然老爷您自知一世清白，但世人会说三道四啊；以前就有过许多本本分分的男人，孩子根本就不是他们亲生的，机缘巧合却充当了孩子的爹；如果您来抚养这孩子，可能会让人们更容易相信您就属于这种男人；此外，抚养这孩子本该是教区的义务，老爷您为啥要把这事往自己身上揽啊？就我而言，这要真是正经人家的孩子，咱另当别论。但对这种下流坯子，我连碰都不会碰一下，他根本不能算是我的同类。呸！这家伙真臭！一丁点基督徒的味道都没有。请容我斗胆提个建议，我看把这孩子放到篮子里，安排人送出门去，放在教堂管理员的门口。今晚天气不错，只是刮了点风，下了点雨；如果把他包裹严实，篮子里铺得暖和些，他就有可能活到明天早上，直到被人发现。但如果他没有活过来，我们也已经做到仁至义尽了；而且，对于这样的小东西来说，最好在什么都还不懂时死掉，也比长大后学他们母亲的样子要强，甭想指望在他们身上将来会有什么好来。”
卫黛菠大妈的这番话中有些地方比较刺耳，要是万德全先生当时认真听的话，他也许会很生气。但现在他已经把一根手指伸进了婴儿的手里，那只小手轻柔地按着他的手指，似乎在向他求救，即便卫黛菠大妈的如簧之舌再巧上十倍，还是肯定盖不过婴儿的这个举动。万德全先生立刻给卫黛菠大妈下了明确指示，让她把孩子抱到她自己的床上，并叫来一个女仆给孩子准备一些奶糊之类的东西，等孩子醒来后再吃。他还吩咐仆人天一亮就为孩子购置些合适的衣服，他睡醒后要立即把孩子抱到他跟前。
卫黛菠大妈察言观色，而且对主人总是毕恭毕敬，所以她在主人心目中享有很高的地位，她刚才的那些顾虑终于让位给了主人的强制命令；她把孩子抱在自己怀里，对这个来路不明的私生子没有表示出任何明显的反感。而且她嘴里还念叨着说这孩子真招人待见，抱着这孩子回到了自己的卧室。
万德全先生一上床倒头便酣然入睡了。一个人渴求行善的愿望一旦得到彻底满足后，就很容易享受这份酣眠。既然这种酣眠很可能比任何一顿盛宴带来更甜美的感受，要是我知道有可以满足这种愿望的任何风清气爽的地方推荐给各位读者，我就该多费些心思形容一下这种酣眠。 |
