OLD JACOB STOCK
1.OLD Jacob Stock！The chimes of the clock were not more punctual in proclaiming the progress of time，than in marking the regularity of his visits at the temples of Plutus in Threadneedle-street and Bartholomew-lane.His devotion to them was exemplary.In vain the wind and the rain，the hail and the sleet，battled against his rugged front.Not the slippery ice，nor the thick-falling snow，nor the whole artillery of elementary warfare，could check the plodding perseverance of the man of the world，or tempt him to lose the chance，which the morning，however unpropitious it seemed，in its external aspect，might yield him of profiting by the turn of a fraction.
2.He was a stout-built，round-shouldered，squab-looking man，of a bearish aspect.His features were hard，and his heart was harder.You could read the interest-table in the wrinkles of his brow，trace the rise and fall of stocks by the look of his countenance；while avarice，selfishness，and money-getting，glared from his gray，glassy eye.Nature had poured no balm into his breast；nor was his “gross and earthly mold”susceptible of pity.A single look of his would daunt the most importunate petitioner，that ever attempted to extract hard coin by the soft rhetoric of a heart-moving tale.
3.The wife of one，whom he had known in better days，pleaded before him for her sick husband and famishing infants.Jacob，on occasions like these，was a man of few words.He was as chary of them as of his money，and he let her come to the end of her tale without interruption.She paused for a reply；but he gave none.“Indeed，he isvery ill，sir.”“Can’t help it.”“We are very distressed.”“Can‘t help it.”“Our poor children，too-”“Can’t help that，neither.”
4.The petitioner‘s eye looked a mournful reproach，which would have interpreted itself to any other heart but his，“Indeed，you can；”but she was silent.Jacob felt more awkwardly than he had ever done in his life.His hand involuntarily scrambled about in his breeches’pocket.There was something like the weakness of human nature stirring within him.Some coin had unconsciously worked its way into his hand；his fingers insensibly closed；but the effort to draw them forth，and the impossibility of effecting it without unclosing them，roused the dormant selfishness of his nature，and restored his self-possession.
5.“He has been very extravagant.”“Ah，sir，he has been very unfortunate，not extravagant.”“Unfortunate！Ah，‘tis the very same thing.Little odds，I fancy.For my part，I wonder how folks can be unfortunate.I was never unfortunate.Nobody need be unfortunate，if they look after the main chance.I always looked after the main chance.”“He has had a large family to maintain.”“Ah！married foolishly；no offense to you，ma’am.But when poor folks marry poor folks，what are they to look for？you know.Besides，he was so foolishly fond of assisting others.If a friend was sick，or in jail，out came his purse，and then his creditors might go whistle.Now if he had married a woman with money，you know，why then-.”
6.The supplicant turned pale，and would have fainted.Jacob was alarmed；not that he sympathized，but a woman‘s fainting was a scene that he had not been used to：besides，there was an awkwardness about it；for Jacob was a bachelor.
7.Sixty summers had passed over his head without imparting a ray of warmth to his heart；without exciting one tender feeling for the sex，deprived of whose cheering presence，the paradise of the world were a wilderness of weeds.So he desperately extracted a crown piece from the depth profound，and thrust it hastily into her hand.The actionrecalled her wandering senses.She blushed；it was the honest blush of pride at the meanness of the gift.She courtesied；staggered toward the door；opened it；closed it；raised her hand to her forehead，and burst into tears.
中文阅读
1.老雅各布·斯托克！时钟已经不能准确地报时了，可是他却能准时地到针线街和巴塞洛缪街上的财神庙里做例行参拜。他的精神值得学习。无论狂风暴雨、冰雹冻雨怎样拍打着他粗糙的衣衫，都不能阻挡他前进的步伐。光滑的冰面、厚厚的积雪，甚至小规模战事的炮火，都不能让他停下沉重缓慢的脚步去承受凡人的持续承恩。也不会诱使他失去机会，不论表面上看起来多么不吉利，早晨他放弃的是利润。
2.他体格强壮，肩膀宽阔，身材有些矮胖，面相粗鲁。他的长相生硬，内心更是铁石心肠。你可以从他额头的皱纹里读出利润表来，你看他的表情就知道今天股市的升降。从他那双玻璃似的灰眼睛里可以读出贪婪、自私和敛财。他的本性里就没有被灌注过同情和怜悯这种“世俗大众的性格”。只是看他一眼，就能让那最纠缠不休的前来求助的人胆寒。这些求他帮忙的请愿人试图用措辞娓娓动听的让人感动的故事来讨点硬币。
3.一个他认识的、原来家境还可以的女人来恳请他救助她生病的丈夫和忍饥挨饿的婴儿。通常这种情况下，雅各布很少说话。此时的他惜钱惜字如金，让她把事情讲完，中间没插一句话。讲完以后，这个女人略停了一下，等待他回答，可他却一声没吭。“他确实病得很重，先生。”“没办法。”“我们现在真的很苦。”“没办法。”“我们可怜的孩子，也……”“没办法。”
4.这个请愿者的眼睛里充满了哀怨和责备，这眼神本身就能打动任何人的心，然而他却是个例外。“你确实会有办法的”，但是这个女人没有说话。雅各布感到这辈子都没有这么尴尬过。他的手不自觉地插进裤袋摸索起来，人类的脆弱本性在他体内苏醒，他的手指下意识地合拢起来抓了几个硬币。但是，把硬币掏出来递过去、张开手，这都是不可能完成的动作。他暂时休眠的自私的本性就这样被唤醒了，他把钱又放了回去，恢复了原来的样子。
5.“他一直是那么奢侈。”“哦，先生，一直以来，他并不奢侈，而是不幸。”“不幸！啊，这是一回事吧。这还真好笑。在我看来，我很奇怪人们为什么会遭遇不幸呢。我就从来没有遭遇过不幸。如果每个人都能抓住大机会，他们就不会不幸。我就能很好地抓住机会。”“他有一个大家庭需要让他来支撑呢。”“啊！愚蠢的婚姻。我不是要冒犯你，女士，但是一个穷人和另一个穷人结婚，他还能指望什么呢？除此之外，他又是那么愚蠢，总是乐意去帮助别人。如果一个朋友生病了，或者有人入狱了，他的钱包前脚掏出来，他的负债人后脚就让他大失所望了。现在想想，如果他和一个有钱的女人结婚的话，那可就……”
6.听到这些话，这个求助的女人脸色变得惨白，就像要晕倒似的。这让雅各布吓得不轻，并不是因为他良心发现了，而是他从来没见过女人脸色惨白的阵势。此外，这其中还包含着尴尬的成分，因为他自己还没结过婚。
7.距离上一次一束阳光温暖他的心房，已经过去六十个夏天了。期间，他对女性没有产生过温柔的感情，没有了这种令人慰藉的存在，世界的天堂杂草丛生。就这样，他绝望地从自己的财富堆里拿出一克朗，急急忙忙扔进了她的手里。他的这一行为让她从精神恍惚中恢复了知觉。她脸红了，这是一种面对吝啬的赠予的脸红。她给他行了个礼，然后步履蹒跚地走向门口，打开门，然后关上，把手举到前额处，痛哭失声。
THE QUARREL
