登陆注册
14731900000003

第3章

AT MRS. ATTERSON'S

When you came into "Mother" Atterson's front hall (the young men boarders gave her that appellation in irony) the ghosts of many ancient boiled dinners met you with--if you were sensitive and unused to the odors of cheap boarding houses--a certain shock.

He was starting up the stairs, on which the ragged carpet threatened to send less agile persons than Mrs. Atterson's boarders headlong to the bottom at every downward trip, when the clang of the gong in the dining- room announced the usual cold spread which the landlady thought due to her household on the first day of the week.

Hiram hesitated, decided that he would skip the meal, and started up again. But just then Fred Crackit lounged out of the parlor, with Mr. Peebles following him. Dyspeptic as he was, Mr. Peebles never missed a meal himself, and Crackit said:

"Come on, Hi-Low-Jack! Aren't you coming down to the usual feast of reason and flow of soul?"Crackit thought he was a natural humorist, and he had to keep up his reputation at all times and seasons. He was rather a dissipated-looking man of thirty years or so, given to gay waistcoats and wonderfully knit ties. A brilliant as large as a hazel-nut--and which, in some lights, really sparkled like a diamond--adorned the tie he wore this evening.

"I don't believe I want any supper," responded Hiram, pleasantly. "What's the matter?Got some inside information as to what MotherAtterson has laid out for us?You're pretty thick with the old girl, Hi." "That's not a nice way to speak of her, Mr. Crackit," said Hi, in a lowvoice.

The other boarders--those who were in the house-straggled into the basement dining-room one after the other, and took their places at the long table, each in his customary manner.

That dining-room at Mother Atterson's never could have been a cheerful place. It was long, and low-ceiled, and the paper on the walls was a dingy red, so old that the figure on it had retired into the background--been absorbed by it, so to speak.

The two long, dusty, windows looked upon an area, and were grilled half way up by wrought-iron screens which, too, helped to shut out the light of day.

The long table was covered by a red figured table cloth. The "castors" at both ends and in the middle were the ugliest--Hiram was sure--to be found in all the city of Crawberry. The crockery was of the coarsest kind. The knives and forks were antediluvian. The napkins were as coarse as huck towels.

But Mrs. Atterson's food--considering the cost of provisions and the charge she made for her table--was very good. Only it had become a habit for certain of the boarders, led by the jester, Crackit, to criticise the viands.

Sometimes they succeeded in making Mrs. Atterson angry; and sometimes, Hiram knew, she wept, alone in the dining-room, after the harumscarum, thoughtless crowd had gone.

Old Lem Camp--nobody save Hiram thought to put "Mr." before the old gentleman's name--sidled in and sat down beside the country boy, as usual. He was a queer, colorless sort of person--a man who never looked into the face of another if he could help it. He would look all around Hiram when he spoke to him--at his shoulder, his shirtfront, his hands, even at his feet if they were visible, but never at his face.

And at the table he kept up a continual monologue. It was difficult sometimes for Hiram to know when he was being addressed, and when poor Mr. Camp was merely talking to himself.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 创世冥皇

    创世冥皇

    宦海沉浮,其实过眼云烟;一生戎马,消散旦夕之间;梓晨坎坷经年了却心中仇怨;运数恰似山峦起伏亦如置身林间前路漫漫;岁月如利剑闯世经年;吾命由我不由天;星辰见证天地混沌沧桑;历史年轮选就创始冥神;炎冥后世即是改世之尊
  • 甜恋——从游戏开始

    甜恋——从游戏开始

    因游戏结缘,携手走过一生,平平淡淡有何不好。
  • 单翼天使的故事

    单翼天使的故事

    夏芷寒是一位单翼天使,她的父亲早在她小时候离开了人世,和妈妈相依为命的夏芷寒,表面上是淑女的女学霸,但在背后却默默哭泣。
  • 重生之:影后大人,皇冠掉了

    重生之:影后大人,皇冠掉了

    上一世,某些人亏欠她太多了。这一世,老天既然让她重生,她就一定要把握住机会。重生.?复仇.?逆袭.?璀璨夺目的灯光,雷动轰鸣的掌声,众星捧月的待遇,还有...还有某些人嫉妒的目光......好久不见呵......
  • 仙侠志之幽靈剑

    仙侠志之幽靈剑

    一把剑,一场灾,是野心?还是情仇?千年后的转生只为替他阻止灭世的灾难,用尽各种办法只为他恨她,只为他手中幽靈剑刺入她心口时,他是冷血的,没有对她的怜悯,更没有爱,这样也许他便能无牵无挂的活下去。
  • tfboys之跟定你

    tfboys之跟定你

    她们臭味相同,是3个天才MM,是黑白双道灵魄宫的宫主。她们要智商有智商,要身手有身手。但自从遇到爱情这个词时,世界就全变了。她们是疯狂的酷公主,看3个MM演艺的传奇故事。希望大家喜欢了家q:1950693074、不喜欢请别说也的不(纯属虚构,请勿当真)
  • 山水诗情

    山水诗情

    又是一年春天,嫩绿在枝头展开笑靥,田野被五色斑斓的小花装点.夜来临之时,月光又撒落一地斑驳。远方的山隐在了陌生的夜色中。手上的玉扳指,发出淡绿的光芒。满腹惆怅,未知的世界,未知的大陆,未来茫茫。。。。。。
  • 网游之全息世界

    网游之全息世界

    主人公唐林得到了一款名为「苍穹逆」的游戏特别公测版本的光盘,他是这款游戏内测阶段时就已经在线的玩家。这一次,他重回新手村,这一次,他要谱写一段高手的传奇,从零开始!
  • 神木传说

    神木传说

    神秘的金丝楠木,复杂的人物情感,令人匪夷所思的奇幻场景,桃源、洞葬、汉墓、尸坑、木棺、异兽、苗蛊……一切皆因神木而起。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)