THE SEVEN POOR TRAVELLERS(七个可怜的旅行者).docx

THE SEVEN POOR TRAVELLERS THE SEVEN POOR TRAVELLERS by Charles Dickens 1 THE SEVEN POOR TRAVELLERS CHAPTER I--IN THE OLD CITY OF ROCHESTER Strictly speaking, there were only six Poor Travellers; but, being a Traveller myself, though an idle one, and being withal as poor as I hope to be, I brought the number up to seven. This word of explanation is due at once, for what says the inscription over the quaint old door? RICHARD WATTS, Esq. by his Will, dated 22 Aug. 1579, founded this Charity for Six poor Travellers, who not being ROGUES, or PROCTORS, May receive gratis for one Night, Lodging, Entertainment, and Fourpence each. It was in the ancient little city of Rochester in Kent, of all the good days in the year upon a Christmas-eve, that I stood reading this inscription over the quaint old door in question. I had been wandering about the neighbouring Cathedral, and had seen the tomb of Richard Watts, with the effigy of worthy Master Richard starting out of it like a ships figure-head; and I had felt that I could do no less, as I gave the Verger his fee, than inquire the way to Wattss Charity. The way being very short and very plain, I had come prosperously to the inscription and the quaint old door. Now, said I to myself, as I looked at the knocker, I know I am not a Proctor; I wonder whether I am a Rogue! Upon the whole, though Conscience reproduced two or three pretty faces which might have had smaller attraction for a moral Goliath than they had had for me, who am but a Tom Thumb in that way, I came to the conclusion that I was not a Rogue. So, beginning to regard the establishment as in some sort my property, bequeathed to me and divers co-legatees, share and share alike, by the Worshipful Master Richard Watts, I stepped backward into the road to survey my inheritance. I found it to be a clean wh