catherine-a story(凯瑟琳的故事)-第25部分
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any man： such； at least； has been MY experience in the matter。
The Count then married； and it was curious to see how hewho； as we
have seen in the case of Mrs。 Cat； had been as great a tiger and domestic
bully as any extantnow； by degrees； fell into a quiet submission towards
his enormous Countess； who ordered him up and down as a lady orders
her footman； who permitted him speedily not to have a will of his own；
and who did not allow him a shilling of her money without receiving for
the same an accurate account。
How was it that he； the abject slave of Madam Silverkoop； had been
victorious over Mrs。 Cat？ The first blow is； I believe； the decisive one in
these cases； and the Countess had stricken it a week after their marriage；
establishing a supremacy which the Count never afterwards attempted to
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question。
We have alluded to his Excellency's marriage； as in duty bound；
because it will be necessary to account for his appearance hereafter in a
more splendid fashion than that under which he has hitherto been known
to us； and just comforting the reader by the knowledge that the union；
though prosperous in a worldly point of view； was； in reality； extremely
unhappy； we must say no more from this time forth of the fat and
legitimate Madam de Galgenstein。 Our darling is Mrs。 Catherine； who had
formerly acted in her stead； and only in so much as the fat Countess did
influence in any way the destinies of our heroine； or those wise and
virtuous persons who have appeared and are to follow her to her end； shall
we in any degree allow her name to figure here。 It is an awful thing to get
a glimpse； as one sometimes does； when the time is past； of some little
little wheel which works the whole mighty machinery of FATE； and see
how our destinies turn on a minute's delay or advance； or on the turning of
a street； or on somebody else's turning of a street； or on somebody else's
doing of something else in Downing Street or in Timbuctoo； now or a
thousand years ago。 Thus； for instance； if Miss Poots； in the year 1695；
had never been the lovely inmate of a Spielhaus at Amsterdam； Mr。 Van
Silverkoop would never have seen her； if the day had not been
extraordinarily hot； the worthy merchant would never have gone thither； if
he had not been fond of Rhenish wine and sugar； he never would have
called for any such delicacies； if he had not called for them； Miss Ottilia
Poots would never have brought them； and partaken of them； if he had not
been rich； she would certainly have rejected all the advances made to her
by Silverkoop； if he had not been so fond of Rhenish and sugar； he never
would have died； and Mrs。 Silverkoop would have been neither rich nor a
widow； nor a wife to Count von Galgenstein。 Nay； nor would this history
have ever been written； for if Count Galgenstein had not married the rich
widow； Mrs。 Catherine would never have
Oh； my dear madam！ you thought we were going to tell you。 Pooh！
nonsense！no such thing！ not for two or three and seventy pages or so；
when； perhaps； you MAY know what Mrs。 Catherine never would have
done。
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The reader will remember； in the second chapter of these Memoirs； the
announcement that Mrs。 Catherine had given to the world a child； who
might bear； if he chose； the arms of Galgenstein； with the further
adornment of a bar…sinister。 This child had been put out to nurse some time
before its mother's elopement from the Count； and as that nobleman was
in funds at the time （having had that success at play which we duly
chronicled）； he paid a sum of no less than twenty guineas； which was to be
the yearly reward of the nurse into whose charge the boy was put。 The
woman grew fond of the brat； and when； after the first year； she had no
further news or remittances from father or mother； she determined； for a
while at least； to maintain the infant at her own expense； for； when
rebuked by her neighbours on this score； she stoutly swore that no parents
could ever desert their children； and that some day or other she should not
fail to be rewarded for her trouble with this one。
Under this strange mental hallucination poor Goody Billings； who had
five children and a husband of her own； continued to give food and shelter
to little Tom for a period of no less than seven years； and though it must be
acknowledged that the young gentleman did not in the slightest degree
merit the kindnesses shown to him； Goody Billings； who was of a very
soft and pitiful disposition； continued to bestow them upon him： because；
she said； he was lonely and unprotected； and deserved them more than
other children who had fathers and mothers to look after them。 If； then；
any difference was made between Tom's treatment and that of her own
brood； it was considerably in favour of the former； to whom the largest
proportions of treacle were allotted for his bread； and the handsomest
supplies of hasty pudding。 Besides； to do Mrs。 Billings justice； there WAS
a party against him； and that consisted not only of her husband and her
five children； but of every single person in the neighbourhood who had an
opportunity of seeing and becoming acquainted with Master Tom。
A celebrated philosopherI think Miss Edgeworthhas broached the
consolatory doctrine； that in intellect and disposition all human beings are
entirely equal； and that circumstance and education are the causes of the
distinctions and divisions which afterwards unhappily take place among
them。 Not to argue this question； which places Jack Howard and Jack
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Thurtell on an exact level；which would have us to believe that Lord
Melbourne is by natural gifts and excellences a man as honest； brave； and
far…sighted as the Duke of Wellington；which would make out that Lord
Lyndhurst is； in point of principle； eloquence； and political honesty； no
better than Mr。 O'Connell；not； I say； arguing this doctrine； let us simply
state that Master Thomas Billings （for； having no other； he took the name
of the worthy people who adopted him） was in his long…coats fearfully
passionate； screaming and roaring perpetually； and showing all the ill that
he COULD show。 At the age of two； when his strength enabled him to
toddle abroad； his favourite resort was the coal…hole or the dung…heap： his
roarings had not diminished in the least； and he had added to his former
virtues two new ones；a love of fighting and stealing； both which amiable
qualities he had many opportunities of exercising every day。 He fought his
little adoptive brothers and sisters； he kicked and cuffed his father and
mother； he fought the cat； stamped upon the kittens； was worsted in a
severe battle with the hen in the backyard； but； in revenge； nearly beat a
little sucking…pig to death； whom he caught alone and rambling near his
favourite haunt； the dung…hill。 As for stealing； he stole the eggs； which he
perforated and emptied； the butter； which he ate with or without bread； as
he could find it； the sugar； which he cunningly secreted in the leaves of a
〃Baker's Chronicle；〃 that nobody in the establishment could read； and thus
from the pages of history he used to suck in all he knewthieving and
lying namely； in which； for his years； he made wonderful progress。 If any
followers of Miss Edgeworth and the philosophers are inclined to
disbelieve this statement； or to set it down as overcharged and distorted；
let them be assured that just this very picture was； of all the pictures in the
world； taken from nature。 I； Ikey Solomons； once had a dear little brother
who could steal before he could walk （and this not from encouragement；
for； if you know the world； you must know that in families of our
profession the point of honour is sacred at home；but from pure nature）
who could steal； I say； before he could walk； and lie before he could speak；
and who； at four and a half years of age； having attacked my sister
Rebecca on some question of lollipops； had smitten her on the elbow with
a fire…shovel； apologising to us by saying simply； 〃 her； I wish it had
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been her head！〃 Dear； dear Aminadab！ I think of you； and laugh these
philosophers to scorn。 Nature made you for that career which you fulfilled：
you were from your birth to your dying a scoundrel； you COULDN'T have
been anything else； however your lot was cast； and blessed it was that you
were born among the prigs；… …for had you been of any other profession；
alas！ alas！ what il
