bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第106章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
godson； with felicitations on his success in life； it is dark when Mr
George again turns his face towards Lincoln’s Inn Fields。
“A family home；” he ruminates； as he marches along； “however
small it is； makes a man like me look lonely。 But it’s well I never
made that evolution of matrimony。 I shouldn’t have been fit for it。
I’m such a vagabond still； even at my present time of life； that I
couldn’t hold to the gallery a month together； if it was a regular
pursuit； or if I didn’t camp there； gypsy fashion。 Come！ I disgrace
nobody and cumber nobody： that’s something。 I have not done
that； for many a long year！”
So he whistles it off； and marches on。
Arrived in Lincoln’s Inn Fields； and mounting Mr
Tulkinghorn’s stair； he finds the outer door closed； and the
chambers shut； but the trooper not knowing much about outer
doors； and the staircase being dark besides； he is yet fumbling and
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 538…
Bleak House 538
groping about； hoping to discover a bell handle or to open the door
for himself； when Mr Tulkinghorn comes up the stairs （quietly； of
course）； and angrily asks：
“Who is that？ What are you doing there？”
“I ask your pardon； sir。 It’s George。 The serjeant。”
“And couldn’t George； the serjeant； see that my door was
locked？”
“Why； no； sir； I couldn’t。 At any rate； I didn’t；” says the trooper；
rather nettled。
“Have you changed your mind？ or are you in the same mind？”
Mr Tulkinghorn demands。 But he knows well enough at a glance。
“In the same mind； sir。”
“I thought so。 That’s sufficient。 You can go。 So； you are the
man；” says Mr Tulkinghorn； opening his door with the key； “in
whose hiding…place Mr Gridley was found？”
“Yes； I am the man；” says the trooper； stopping two or three
stairs down。 “What then； sir？”
“What then？ I don’t like your associates。 You should not have
seen the inside of my door this morning； if I had thought of your
being that man。 Gridley？ A threatening； murderous； dangerous
fellow。”
With these words； spoken in an unusually high tone for him； the
lawyer goes into his rooms； and shuts the door with a thundering
noise。
Mr George takes this dismissal in great dudgeon； the greater；
because a clerk coming up the stairs has heard the last words of
all； and evidently applies them to him。 “A pretty character to
bear；” the trooper growls with a hasty oath； as he strides upstairs。
“A threatening； murderous； dangerous fellow！” and looking up； he
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 539…
Bleak House 539
sees the clerk looking down at him； and marking him as he passes
a lamp。 This so intensifies his dudgeon； that for five minutes he is
in an ill…humour。 But he whistles that off； like the rest of it； and
marches home to the Shooting Gallery。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 540…
Bleak House 540
Chapter 28
The Ironmaster
ir Leicester Dedlock has got the better for the time being；
of the family gout； and is once more； in a literal no less than
S
in a figurative point of view； upon his legs。 He is at his
place in Lincolnshire； but the waters are out again on the low…
lying grounds； and the cold and damp steal into Chesney Wold；
though well defended； and eke into Sir Leicester’s bones。 The
blazing fires of faggot and coal—Dedlock timber and antediluvian
forest—that blaze upon the broad wide hearths； and wink in the
twilight on the frowning woods； sullen to see how trees are
sacrificed； do not exclude the enemy。 The hot water pipes that
trail themselves all over the house； the cushioned doors and
windows； and the screens and curtains； fail to supply the fires’
deficiencies； and to satisfy Sir Leicester’s need。 Hence the
fashionable intelligence proclaims one morning to the listening
earth； that Lady Dedlock is expected shortly to return to town for
a few weeks。
It is a melancholy truth； that even great men have their poor
relations。 Indeed； great men have often more than their fair share
of poor relations； inasmuch as very red blood of the superior
quality； like inferior blood unlawfully shed； will cry aloud； and will
be heard。 Sir Leicester’s cousins； in the remotest degree； are so
many Murders； in the respect that they “will out。” Among whom
there are cousins who are so poor； that one might almost dare to
think it would have been the happier for them never to have been
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 541…
Bleak House 541
plated links upon the Dedlock chain of gold； but to have been
made of common iron at first； and done base service。
Service； however （with a few limited reservations： genteel but
not profitable）； they may not do； being of the Dedlock dignity。 So
they visit their richer cousins； and get into debt when they can；
and live but shabbily when they can’t； and find—the women no
husbands； and the men no wives—and ride in borrowed carriages；
and sit at feasts that are never of their own making； and so go
through high life。 The rich family sum has been divided by so
many figures； and they are the something over that nobody knows
what to do with。
Everybody on Sir Leicester Dedlock’s side of the question； and
of his way of thinking； would appear to be his cousin more or less。
From my Lord Boodle； through the Duke of Foodle； down to
Noodle； Sir Leicester； like a glorious spider； stretches his threads
of relationship。 But while he is stately in the cousinship of the
Everybodys； he is a kind and generous man； according to his
dignified way； in the cousinship of the Nobodys； and at the present
time； in despite of the damp； he stays out the visit of several such
cousins at Chesney Wold； with the constancy of a martyr。
Of these； foremost in the first rank stands Volumnia Dedlock； a
young lady （of sixty）； who is doubly highly related； having the
honour to be a poor relation； by the mother’s side； to another great
family。 Miss Volumnia； displaying in early life a pretty talent for
cutting ornaments out of coloured paper； and also for singing to
the guitar in the Spanish tongue； and propounding French
conundrums in country houses； passed the twenty years of her
existence between twenty and forty in a sufficiently agreeable
manner。 Lapsing then out of date； and being considered to bore
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 542…
Bleak House 542
mankind by her vocal performances in the Spanish language； she
retired to Bath； where she lives slenderly on an annual present
from Sir Leicester； and whence she makes occasional
resurrections in the country houses of her cousins。 She has an
extensive acquaintance at Bath among appalling old gentlemen
with thin legs and nankeen trousers； and is of high standing in
that dreary city。 But she is a little dreaded elsewhere； in
consequence of an indiscreet profusion in the article of rouge； and
persistency in an obsolete pearl necklace like a rosary of little
bird’s…eggs。
In any country in a wholesome state； Volumnia would be a clear
case for the pension list。 Efforts have been made to get her on it；
and when William Buffy came in it was fully expected that her
name would be put down for a couple of hundred a…year。 But
William Buffy somehow discovered； contrary to all expectation；
that these were not times when it could be done； and this was the
first clear indication Sir Leicester Dedlock had conveyed to him；
that the country was going to pieces。
There is likewise the Honourable Bob Stables； who can make
warm mashes with the skill of a veterinary surgeon； and is a better
shot than most gamekeepers。 He has been for some time
particularly desirous to serve his country in a post of good
emoluments； unaccompanied by any trouble or responsibility。 In a
well regulated body politic； this natural desire on the part of a
spirited young gentleman so highly connected； would be speedily
recognised； but somehow William Buffy found when he came in；
that these were not times in which he could manage that little
matter； either； and this was the second indication Sir Leicester
Dedlock had conveyed to him； that the country was going to
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 543…
Bleak House 543
pieces。
The rest of the cousins are ladies and gentleman of various ages
and capacities； the major part； amiable and sensible； and likely to
have done well enough in life if they could have overcome their
cousinship； as it is； they are almost all a little
