第 5 节
作者:莫再讲      更新:2021-04-30 17:12      字数:3069
  big one; as stiff as a wire…fence; and it 〃set〃 beautifully。
  They   were   standing   in   front   of   Jenkins';   the   draper's;   and   my   aunt
  thinks that itthe crinolinemust have got caught up in something; and an
  opening   thus     left  between    it  and  the   ground。    However       this  may   be;
  certain it is that an absurdly large and powerful bull…dog; who was fooling
  round about there at the time; managed; somehow or other; to squirm in
  under my aunt's crinoline; and effectually imprison himself beneath it。
  Finding   himself   suddenly   in   a   dark   and   gloomy   chamber;   the   dog;
  naturally enough; got frightened; and made frantic rushes to get out。 But
  whichever way he charged; there was the crinoline in front of him。 As he
  flew; he; of course; carried it before him; and with the crinoline; of course;
  went my aunt。
  But   nobody   knew   the   explanation。       My   aunt   herself   did   not   know
  what had happened。         Nobody had seen the dog creep inside the crinoline。
  All that the people did see was a staid and eminently respectable middle…
  aged lady suddenly; and without any apparent reason; throw her umbrella
  down in the road; fly up the High Street at the rate of ten miles an hour;
  rush across it at the imminent risk of her life; dart down it again on the
  other side;  rush   sideways;  like   an   excited   crab; into   a   grocer's   shop;  run
  three times round the shop; upsetting the whole stock…in…trade; come out
  of the shop backward and knock down a postman; dash into the roadway
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  and   spin   round   twice;   hover   for   a   moment;   undecided;   on   the   curb;   and
  then away up the hill again; as if she had only just started; all the while
  screaming out at the top of her voice for somebody to stop her!
  Of course; everybody thought she was mad。                 The people flew before
  her like chaff before the wind。          In less than five seconds the High Street
  was a desert。      The townsfolk scampered into their shops and houses and
  barricaded the doors。        Brave men dashed out and caught up little children
  and bore them to places of safety amid cheers。               Carts and carriages were
  abandoned; while the drivers climbed up lamp…posts!
  What   would   have   happened   had   the   affair   gone   on   much   longer
  whether   my   aunt   would   have   been   shot;   or   the   fire…engine   brought   into
  requisition against herit is impossible; having regard to the terrified state
  of the crowd; to say。        Fortunately for her; she became exhausted。               With
  one despairing shriek she gave way; and sat down on the dog; and peace
  reigned once again in that sweet rural town。
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