Bartleby the Scrivener文档格式.docx
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Bartleby the Scrivener文档格式.docx
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Chapter1
Iamaratherelderlyman.Thenatureofmyavocationsforthelastthirtyyearshasbroughtmeintomorethanordinarycontactwithwhatwouldseemaninterestingandsomewhatsingularsetofmen,ofwhom,asyet,nothingthatIknowofhaseverbeenwritten--Imeanthelaw-copyists,orscriveners.Ihaveknownverymanyofthem,professionallyandprivately,and,ifIpleased,couldrelatedivershistoriesatwhichgood-naturedgentlemenmightsmileandsentimentalsoulsmightweep.ButIwaivethebiographiesofallotherscrivenersforafewpassagesinthelifeofBartleby,whowasascrivener,thestrangestIeversaworheardof.Whileofotherlaw-copyistsImightwritethecompletelife,ofBartlebynothingofthatsortcanbedone.Ibelievethatnomaterialsexistforafullandsatisfactorybiographyofthisman.Itisanirreparablelosstoliterature.Bartlebywasoneofthosebeingsofwhomnothingisascertainableexceptfromtheoriginalsources,and,inhiscase,thoseareverysmall.WhatmyownastonishedeyessawofBartleby,thatisallIknowofhim,except,indeed,onevaguereport,whichwillappearinthesequel.
Ereintroducingthescrivenerashefirstappearedtome,itisfitImakesomementionofmyself,myemployees,mybusiness,mychambersandgeneralsurroundings,becausesomesuchdescriptionisindispensabletoanadequateunderstandingofthechiefcharacterabouttobepresented.Imprimis:
Iamamanwho,fromhisyouthupwards,hasbeenfilledwithaprofoundconvictionthattheeasiestwayoflifeisthebest.Hence,thoughIbelongtoaprofessionproverbiallyenergeticandnervouseventoturbulenceattimes,yetnothingofthatsorthaveIeversufferedtoinvademypeace.Iamoneofthoseunambitiouslawyerswhoneveraddressesajuryorinanywaydrawsdownpublicapplause,but,inthecooltranquillityofasnugretreat,doasnugbusinessamongrichmen'
sbonds,andmortgages,andtitledeeds.Allwhoknowmeconsidermeaneminentlysafeman.ThelateJohnJacobAstor,apersonagelittlegiventopoeticenthusiasm,hadnohesitationinpronouncingmyfirstgrandpointtobeprudence,mynext,method.Idonotspeakitinvanity,butsimplyrecordthefactthatIwasnotunemployedinmyprofessionbythelateJohnJacobAstor,anamewhich,Iadmit,Ilovetorepeat,forithatharoundedandorbicularsoundtoit,andringslikeuntobullion.IwillfreelyaddthatIwasnotinsensibletothelateJohnJacobAstor'
sgoodopinion.
Sometimepriortotheperiodatwhichthislittlehistorybeginsmyavocationshadbeenlargelyincreased.Thegoodoldoffice,nowextinctintheStateofNewYork,ofaMasterinChancery,hadbeenconferreduponme.Itwasnotaveryarduousoffice,butverypleasantlyremunerative.Iseldomlosemytemper,muchmoreseldomindulgeindangerousindignationatwrongsandoutrages,butImustbepermittedtoberashhereanddeclarethatIconsiderthesuddenandviolentabrogationoftheofficeofMasterinChancery,bythenewConstitution,asaprematureact,inasmuchasIhadcounteduponalifeleaseoftheprofits,whereasIonlyreceivedthoseofafewshortyears.Butthisisbytheway.
MychamberswereupstairsatNo.___WallStreet.Atoneendtheylookeduponthewhitewalloftheinteriorofaspaciousskylightshaft,penetratingthebuildingfromtoptobottom.
Thisviewmighthavebeenconsideredrathertamethanotherwise,deficientinwhatlandscapepainterscall"
life."
But,ifso,theviewfromtheotherendofmychambersofferedatleastacontrast,ifnothingmore.Inthatdirection,mywindowscommandedanunobstructedviewofaloftybrickwall,blackbyageandeverlastingshade,whichwallrequirednospyglasstobringoutitslurkingbeauties,but,forthebenefitofallnearsightedspectators,waspusheduptowithintenfeetofmywindowpanes.Owingtothegreatheightofthesurroundingbuildings,andmychambers'
beingonthesecondfloor,theintervalbetweenthiswallandminenotalittleresembledahugesquarecistern.
AttheperiodjustprecedingtheadventofBartleby,Ihadtwopersonsascopyistsinmyemployment,andapromisingladasanofficeboy.First,Turkey;
second,Nippers;
thirdGingerNut.ThesemayseemnamesthelikeofwhicharenotusuallyfoundintheDirectory.Intruth,theywerenicknames,mutuallyconferreduponeachotherbymythreeclerks,andweredeemedexpressiveoftheirrespectivepersonsorcharacters.Turkeywasashort,pursyEnglishman,ofaboutmyownage--thatis,somewherenotfarfromsixty.Inthemorning,onemightsay,hisfacewasofafinefloridhue,butaftertwelveo'
clock,meridian--hisdinnerhour--itblazedlikeagratefullofChristmascoals;
andcontinuedblazing--but,asitwere,withagradualwane--tillsixo'
clock,P.M.,
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