bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第115章
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What a disappointed life！”
“My dear Caddy！” said Mr Jellyby； looking slowly round from
the wall。 It was the first time； I think； I ever heard him say three
words together。
“Yes； Pa；” cried Caddy； going to him and embracing him
affectionately。
“My dear Caddy；” said Mr Jellyby。 “Never have—”
“Not Prince； Pa？” faltered Caddy。 “Not have Prince？”
“Yes； my dear；” said Mr Jellyby。 “Have him； certainly。 But；
never have—”
I mentioned； in my account of our first visit in Thavies Inn； that
Richard described Mr Jellyby as frequently opening his mouth
after dinner without saying anything。 It was a habit of his。 He
opened his mouth now； a great many times； and shook his head in
a melancholy manner。
“What do you wish me not to have？ Don’t have what； dear Pa？”
asked Caddy； coaxing him； with her arms round his neck。
“Never have a mission； my dear child。”
Mr Jellyby groaned； and laid his head against the wall again；
and this was the only time I ever heard him make any approach to
expressing his sentiments on the Borrioboolan question。 I suppose
he had been more talkative and lively； once； but he seemed to
have been completely exhausted long before I knew him。
I thought Mrs Jellyby never would have left off serenely looking
over her papers； and drinking coffee； that night。 It was twelve
o’clock before we could obtain possession of the room； and the
clearance it required then； was so discouraging； that Caddy； who
was almost tired out； sat down in the middle of the dust and cried。
But she soon cheered up； and we did wonders with it before we
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went to bed。
In the morning it looked； by the aid of a few flowers and a
quantity of soap and water； and a little arrangement； quite gay。
The plain breakfast made a cheerful show； and Caddy was
perfectly charming。 But when my darling came； I thought—and I
think now—that I never had seen such a dear face as my beautiful
pet’s。
We made a little feast for the children upstairs； and we put
Peepy at the head of the table； and we showed them Caddy in her
bridal dress； and they clapped their hands and hurrahed； and
Caddy cried to think that she was going away from them； and
hugged them over and over again； until we brought Prince up to
fetch her away—when； I am sorry to say； Peepy bit him。 Then；
there was old Mr Turveydrop downstairs； in a state of Deportment
not to be expressed； benignly blessing Caddy； and giving my
Guardian to understand； that his son’s happiness was his own
parental work； and that he sacrificed personal considerations to
insure it。 “My dear sir；” said Mr Turveydrop； “these young people
will live with me； my house is large enough for their
accommodation； and they shall not want the shelter of my roof。 I
could have wished； you will understand the allusion； Mr Jarndyce；
for you remember my illustrious patron the Prince Regent—I
could have wished that my son had married into a family where
there was more Deportment； but the will of Heaven be done！”
Mr and Mrs Pardiggle were of the party—Mr Pardiggle； an
obstinate…looking man with a large waistcoat and stubbly hair；
who was always talking in a loud bass voice about his mite； or Mrs
Pardiggle’s mite； or their five boys’ mites。 Mr Quale； with his hair
brushed back as usual； and his knobs of temples shining very
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much； was also there； not in the character of a disappointed lover；
but as the Accepted of a young—at least； an unmarried—lady； a
Miss Wisk； who was also there。 Miss Wisk’s mission； my Guardian
said； was to show the world that woman’s mission was man’s
mission； and that the only genuine mission； of both man and
woman； was to be always moving declaratory resolutions about
things in general at public meetings。 The guests were few； but
were； as one might expect at Mrs Jellyby’s； all devoted to public
objects only。 Besides those I have mentioned； there was an
extremely dirty lady； with her bonnet all awry； and the ticketed
price of her dress still sticking on it； whose neglected home； Caddy
told me； was like a filthy wilderness； but whose church was like a
fancy fair。 A very contentious gentleman； who said it was his
mission to be everybody’s brother； but who appeared to be on
terms of coolness with the whole of his large family； completed the
party。
A party having less in common with such an occasion； could
hardly have been got together by any ingenuity。 Such a mean
mission as the domestic mission； was the very last thing to be
endured among them； indeed； Miss Wisk informed us； with great
indignation； before we sat down to breakfast； that the idea of
woman’s mission lying chiefly in the narrow sphere of home was
an outrageous slander on the part of her Tyrant； Man。 One other
singularity was； that nobody with a mission—except Mr Quale；
whose mission； as I think I have formerly said； was to be in
ecstasies with everybody’s mission—cared at all for anybody’s
mission。 Mrs Pardiggle being as clear that the only one infallible
course was her course of pouncing upon the poor； and applying
benevolence to them like a strait waistcoat； as Miss Wisk was that
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the only practical thing for the world was the emancipation of
Woman from the thraldom of her Tyrant； Man。 Mrs Jellyby； all the
while； sat smiling at the limited vision that could see anything but
Borrioboola…Gha。
But I am anticipating now the purport of our conversation on
the ride home； instead of first marrying Caddy。 We all went to
church； and Mr Jellyby gave her away。 Of the air with which old
Mr Turveydrop； with his hat under his left arm； （the inside
presented at the clergyman like a cannon；） and his eyes creasing
themselves up into his wig； stood； stiff and high…shouldered；
behind us bridesmaids during the ceremony； and afterwards
saluted us； I could never say enough to do it justice。 Miss Wisk；
whom I cannot report as prepossessing in appearance； and whose
manner was grim； listened to the proceedings； as part of Woman’s
wrongs； with a disdainful face。 Mrs Jellyby； with her calm smile
and her bright eyes； looked the least concerned of all the company。
We duly came back to breakfast； and Mrs Jellyby sat at the
head of the table； and Mr Jellyby at the foot。 Caddy had previously
stolen upstairs； to hug the children again； and tell them that her
name was Turveydrop。 But this piece of information； instead of
being an agreeable surprise to Peepy； threw him on his back in
such transports of kicking grief； that I could do nothing on being
sent for； but accede to the proposal that he should be admitted to
the breakfast table。 So he came down； and sat in my lap； and Mrs
Jellyby； after saying； in reference to the state of his pinafore； “O
you naughty Peepy； what a shocking little pig you are！” was not at
all discomposed。 He was very good； except that he brought down
Noah with him （out of an ark I had given him before we went to
church）； and would dip him head first into the wine…glasses； and
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then put him in his mouth。
My Guardian； with his sweet temper and his quick perception
and his amiable face； made something agreeable even out of the
ungenial company。 None of them seemed able to talk about
anything but his or her； own one subject； and none of them
seemed able to talk about even that； as part of a world in which
there was anything else； but my Guardian turned it all to the
merry encouragement of Caddy； and the honour of the occasion；
and brought us through the breakfast nobly。 What we should have
done without him； I am afraid to think； for； all the company
despising the bride and bridegroom； and old Mr Turveydrop—and
old Mr Turveydrop； in virtue of his Deportment； considering
himself vastly superior to all the company—it was a very
unpromising case。
At last the time came when poor Caddy was to go； and when all
her property was packed on the hired coach and pair that was to
take her and her husband to Gravesend。 It affected us to see
Caddy clinging； then； to her deplorable home； and hanging on her
mother’s neck with the greatest tenderness。
“I am very sorry I couldn’t go on writing from dictation； Ma；”
sobbed Caddy。 “I hope you forgive me now？”
“O Caddy； Caddy！” said Mrs Jellyby； “I have told you over and
over again that I have engaged a boy； and there’s an end of it。”
“You are sure you are not the least angry with me； Ma？ Say you
are sure before I go away； Ma？”
“You foolish Caddy；” returned Mrs Jellyby； “do I look angr
