bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第116章
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are sure before I go away； Ma？”
“You foolish Caddy；” returned Mrs Jellyby； “do I look angry； or
have I inclination to be angry； or time to be angry？ How can you？”
“Take a little care of Pa while I am gone； mama！”
Mrs Jellyby positively laughed at the fancy。 “You romantic
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child；” said she； lightly patting Caddy’s back。 “Go along。 I am
excellent friends with you。 Now； good bye； Caddy； and be very
happy！”
Then Caddy hung upon her father； and nursed his cheek
against hers as if he were some poor dull child in pain。 All this
took place in the hall。 Her father released her； took out his pocket…
handkerchief； and sat down on the stairs with his head against the
walls。 I hope he found some consolation in walls。 I almost think he
did。
And then Prince took her arm in his； and turned with great
emotion and respect to his father； whose Deportment at that
moment was overwhelming。
“Thank you over and over again； father！” said Prince； kissing
his hand。 “I am very grateful for all your kindness and
consideration regarding our marriage； and so； I can assure you； is
Caddy。”
“Very；” sobbed Caddy。 “Ve…ry！”
“My dear son；” said Mr Turveydrop； “and dear daughter； I have
done my duty。 If the spirit of a sainted Wooman hovers above us；
and looks down on the occasion； that； and your constant affection；
will be my recompense。 You will not fail in your duty； my son and
daughter； I believe？”
“Dear father； never！” cried Prince。
“Never； never； dear Mr Turveydrop！” said Caddy。
“This；” returned Mr Turveydrop； “is as it should be。 My
children； my home is yours； my heart is yours； my all is yours。 I
will never leave you； nothing but Death shall part us。 My dear son；
you contemplate an absence of a week； I think？”
“A week； dear father。 We shall return home this day week。”
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“My dear child；” said Mr Turveydrop； “let me； even under the
present exceptional circumstances； recommend strict punctuality。
It is highly important to keep the connection together； and
schools； if at all neglected； are apt to take offence。”
“This day week； father； we shall be sure to be home to dinner。”
“Good！” said Mr Turveydrop。 “You will find fires； my dear
Caroline； in your own room； and dinner prepared in my
apartment。 Yes； yes； Prince！” anticipating some self…denying
objection on his son’s part with a great air。 “You and our Caroline
will be strange in the upper part of the premises； and will；
therefore； dine that day in my apartment。 Now； bless ye！”
They drove away； and whether I wondered most at Mrs Jellyby；
or at Mr Turveydrop； I did not know。 Ada and my Guardian were
in the same condition when we came to talk it over。 But before we
drove away； too； I received a most unexpected and eloquent
compliment from Mr Jellyby。 He came up to me in the hall； took
both my hands； pressed them earnestly； and opened his mouth
twice。 I was so sure of his meaning； that I said； quite flurried； “You
are very welcome； sir。 Pray don’t mention it！”
“I hope this marriage is for the best； Guardian？” said I； when
we three were on our road home。
“I hope it is； little woman。 Patience。 We shall see。”
“Is the wind in the East today？” I ventured to ask him。
He laughed heartily； and answered “No。”
“But it must have been this morning； I think；” said I。
He answered “No；” again； and this time my dear girl
confidently answered “No；” too； and shook the lovely head which；
with its blooming flowers against the golden hair； was like the very
Spring。 “Much you know of East winds； my ugly darling；” said I；
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kissing her in my admiration—I couldn’t help it。
Well！ It was only their love for me； I know very well； and it is a
long time ago。 I must write it； even if I rub it out again； because it
gives me so much pleasure。 They said there could be no East
winds where Somebody was； they said that wherever Dame
Durden went； there was sunshine and summer air。
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Chapter 31
Nurse And Patient
had not been at home again many days； when one evening I
went upstairs into my own room to take a peep over Charley’s
Ishoulder； and see how she was getting on with her copy…book。
Writing was a trying business to Charley； who seemed to have no
natural power over a pen； but in whose hand every pen appeared
to become perversely animated； and to go wrong and crooked； and
to stop； and splash； and sidle into corners； like a saddle…donkey。 It
was very odd； to see what old letters Charley’s young hand made；
they； so wrinkled； and shrivelled； and tottering； it； so plump and
round。 Yet Charley was uncommonly expert at other things； and
had as nimble little fingers as I ever watched。
“Well； Charley；” said I； looking over a copy of the letter O in
which it was represented as square； triangular； pear…shaped； and
collapsed in all kinds of ways； “we are improving。 If we only get to
make it round； we shall be perfect； Charley。”
Then I made one； and Charley made one； and the pen wouldn’t
join Charley’s neatly； but twisted it up into a knot。
“Never mind； Charley。 We shall do it in time。”
Charley laid down her pen； the copy being finished； opened and
shut her cramped little hand； looked gravely at the page； half in
pride and half in doubt； and got up； and dropped me a curtsey。
“Thank you； miss。 If you please； miss； did you know a poor
person of the name of Jenny？”
“A brickmaker’s wife； Charley？ Yes。”
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“She came and spoke to me when I was out a little while ago；
and said you knew her； miss。 She asked me if I wasn’t the young
lady’s little maid—meaning you for the young lady； miss—and I
said yes； miss。”
“I thought she had left this neighbourhood altogether；
Charley。”
“So she had； miss； but she’s come back again to where she used
to live—she and Liz。 Did you know another poor person of the
name of Liz； miss？”
“I think I do； Charley； though not by name。”
“That’s what she said！” returned Charley。 “They have both
come back； miss； and have been tramping high and low。”
“Tramping high and low； have they； Charley？”
“Yes； miss。” If Charley could only have made the letters in her
copy as round as the eyes with which she looked into my face； they
would have been excellent。 “And this poor person came about the
house three or four days； hoping to get a glimpse of you； miss—all
she wanted； she said—but you were away。 That was when she saw
me。 She saw me a going about； miss；” said Charley； with a short
laugh of the greatest delight and pride； “and she thought I looked
like your maid！”
“Did she though； really； Charley？”
“Yes； miss！” said Charley； “really and truly。” And Charley； with
another short laugh of the purest glee； made her eyes very round
again； and looked as serious as became my maid。 I was never tired
of seeing Charley in the full enjoyment of that great dignity；
standing before me with her youthful face and figure； and her
steady manner； and her childish exultation breaking through it
now and then in the pleasantest way。
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“And where did you see her； Charley？” said I。
My little maid’s countenance fell； as she replied； “By the
doctor’s shop； miss。” For Charley wore her black frock yet。
I asked if the brickmaker’s wife were ill； but Charley said No。 It
was some one else。 Some one in her cottage who had tramped
down to Saint Alban’s； and was tramping he didn’t know where。 A
poor boy； Charley said。 No father； no mother； no any one。 “Like as
Tom might have been； miss； if Emma and me had died after
father；” said Charley； her round eyes filling with tears。
“And she was getting medicine for him； Charley？”
“She said； miss；” returned Charley； “how that he had once done
as much for her。”
My little maid’s face was so eager； and her quiet hands were
folded so closely in one another as she stood looking at me； that I
had no great difficulty in reading her thoughts。 “Well； Charley；”
said I； “it appears to me that you and I can do no better than go
round to Jenny’s and see what’s the matter。”
The alacrity with which Charley brought my bonnet and veil；
and； having dressed me； quaintly pinned herself into her warm
shawl and made herself look like a little old woman； sufficiently
expressed her readiness。 So Charley and I； without saying
anything to any one； went out。
It was a cold； wild night； and the trees shuddered in the wind。
The rain had been thick and heavy all day； and with little
intermi
