ThepackedhousesgavenoanswerDicklookeddownthelonglightlessstreetsandattheappallingrushoftraffic’Oh，yourabbit-hutches！’
saidhe，addressingarowofhighlyrespectablesemi-detachedresidences’Doyouknowwhatyou’vegottodolateron？Youhavetosupplymewithmen-servantsandmaid-servants，’——herehesmackedhislips，——’andthepeculiartreasureofkingsMeantimeI’llclothesandboots，andpresentlyIwillreturnandtrampleonyou。’Hesteppedforwardenergetically；hesawthatoneofhisshoeswasburstatthesideAshestoopedtomakeinvestigations，amanjostledhimintothegutter’Allright，’hesaid。
’That’sanothernickinthescoreI’lljostleyoulateron。’
Goodclothesandbootsarenotcheap，andDicklefthislastshopwiththecertaintythathewouldberespectablyarrayedforatime，butwithonlyfiftyshillingsinhispocketHereturnedtostreetsbytheDocks，andlodgedhimselfinoneroom，wherethesheetsonthebedwerealmostaudiblymarkedincaseoftheft，andwherenobodyseemedtogotobedatallWhenhisclothesarrivedhesoughttheCentralSouthernSyndicateforTorpenhow’saddress，andgotit，withtheintimationthattherewasstillsomemoneywaitingforhim。
’Howmuch？’saidDick，asonewhohabituallydealtinmillions。
’BetweenthirtyandfortypoundsIfitwouldbeanyconveniencetoyou，ofcoursewecouldletyouhaveitatonce；butweusuallysettleaccountsmonthly。’
’IfIshowthatIwantanythingnow，I’mlost，’hesaidtohimself。
’AllI
needI’lltakelateron。’Then，aloud，’It’shardlyworthwhile；andI’mgoingtothecountryforamonth，tooWaittillIcomeback，andI’llseeaboutit。’
’Butwetrust，MrHeldar，thatyoudonotintendtoseveryourconnectionwithus？’
Dick’sbusinessinlifewasthestudyoffaces，andhewatchedthespeakerkeenly’Thatmanmeanssomething，’hesaid’I’lldonobusinesstillI’veseenTorpenhowThere’sabigdealcoming。’Sohedeparted，makingnopromises，tohisonelittleroombytheDocksAndthatdaywastheseventhofthemonth，andthatmonth，hereckonedwithawfuldistinctness，hadthirty-onedaysinit！
Itisnoteasyforamanofcatholictastesandhealthyappetitestoexistfortwenty-fourdaysonfiftyshillingsNorisitcheeringtobegintheexperimentaloneinallthelonelinessofLondonDickpaidsevenshillingsaweekforhislodging，whichlefthimratherlessthanashillingadayforfoodanddrinkNaturally，hisfirstpurchasewasofthematerialsofhiscraft；hehadbeenwithoutthemtoolongHalfaday’sinvestigationsandcomparisonbroughthimtotheconclusionthatsausagesandmashedpotatoes，twopenceaplate，werethebestfoodNow，sausagesonceortwiceaweekforbreakfastarenotunpleasantAslunch，even，withmashedpotatoes，theybecomemonotonousAtdinnertheyareimpertinentAttheendofthreedaysDickloathedsausages，and，going，forth，pawnedhiswatchtorevelonsheep’shead，whichisnotascheapasitlooks，owingtothebonesandthegravyThenhereturnedtosausagesandmashedpotatoesThenheconfinedhimselfentirelytomashedpotatoesforaday，andwasunhappybecauseofpaininhisinsideThenhepawnedhiswaistcoatandhistie，andthoughtregretfullyofmoneythrownawayintimespastTherearefewthingsmoreedifyinguntoArtthantheactualbelly-pinchofhunger，andDickinhisfewwalksabroad，——hedidnotcareforexercise；itraiseddesiresthatcouldnotbesatisfied——foundhimselfdividingmankindintotwoclasses，——thosewholookedasiftheymightgivehimsomethingtoeat，andthosewholookedotherwise’IneverknewwhatIhadtolearnaboutthehumanfacebefore，’hethought；and，asarewardforhishumility，Providencecausedacab-driveratasausage-shopwhereDickfedthatnighttoleavehalfeatenagreatchunkofbreadDicktookit，——wouldhavefoughtalltheworldforitspossession，——anditcheeredhim。
Themonthdraggedthroughatlast，and，nearlyprancingwithimpatience，hewenttodrawhismoneyThenhehastenedtoTorpenhow’saddressandsmeltthesmellofcookingmeatsallalongthecorridorsofthechambersTorpenhowwasonthetopfloor，andDickburstintohisroom，tobereceiv...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：