bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第204章
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not familiar with your friends； and all who admire you—and all
do—as a beautiful and elegant lady； know you to be one far away
from themselves； who can’t be approached close。 My Lady； you
may have some proud or angry reasons for disdaining to utter
something that you know； if so； pray； O pray； think of a faithful
servant whose whole life has been passed in this family which she
dearly loves； and relent； and help to clear my son！ My Lady； my
good Lady；” the old housekeeper pleads with genuine simplicity；
“I am so humble in my place； and you are by nature so high and
distant； that you may not think what I feel for my child； but I feel
so much； that I have come here to make so bold as to beg and pray
you not to be scornful of us； if you can do us any right or justice at
this fearful time！”
Lady Dedlock raises her without one word； until she takes the
letter from her hand。
“Am I to read this？”
“When I am gone； my Lady； if you please； and then
remembering the most that I consider possible。”
“I know of nothing I can do。 I know of nothing I reserve； that
can affect your son。 I have never accused him。”
“My Lady； you may pity him the more； under a false accusation；
after reading the letter。”
The old housekeeper leaves her with the letter in her hand。 In
truth she is not a hard lady naturally； and the time has been when
the sight of the venerable figure suing to her with such strong
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earnestness would have moved her to great compassion。 But； so
long accustomed to suppress emotion； and keep down reality； so
long schooled for her own purposes； in that destructive school
which shuts up the natural feelings of the heart； like flies in amber；
and spreads one uniform and dreary gloss over the good and bad；
the feeling and the unfeeling； the sensible and the senseless； she
had subdued even her wonder until now。
She opens the letter。 Spread out upon the paper is a printed
account of the discovery of the body； as it lay face downward on
the floor； shot through the heart； and underneath is written her
own name； with the word Murderess attached。
It falls out of her hand。 How long it may have lain upon the
ground； she knows not； but it lies where it fell； when a servant
stands before her announcing a young man of the name of Guppy。
The words have probably been repeated several times； for they are
ringing in her head before she begins to understand them。
“Let him come in！”
He comes in。 Holding the letter in her hand； which she has
taken from the floor； she tries to collect her thoughts。 In the eyes
of Mr Guppy she is the same Lady Dedlock； holding the same
prepared； proud； chilling state。
“Your Ladyship may not be at first disposed to excuse this visit
from one who has never been very welcome to your Ladyship—
which he don’t complain of； for he is bound to confess that there
never has been any particular reason on the face of things； why he
should be； but I hope when I mention my motives to your
Ladyship； you will not find fault with me；” says Mr Guppy。
“Do so。”
“Thank your Ladyship。 I ought first to explain to your
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Ladyship；” Mr Guppy sits on the edge of a chair； and puts his hat
on the carpet at his feet； “that Miss Summerson； whose image as I
formerly mentioned to your Ladyship was at one period of my life
imprinted on my art until erased by circumstances over which I
had no control； communicated to me； after I had the pleasure of
waiting on your Ladyship last； that she particularly wished me to
take no steps whatever in any matter at all relating to her。 And
Miss Summerson’s wishes being to me a law （except as connected
with circumstances over which I have no control）； I consequently
never expected to have the distinguished honour of waiting on
your Ladyship again。”
And yet he is here now； Lady Dedlock moodily reminds him。
“And yet I am here now；” Mr Guppy admits。 “My object being
to communicate to your Ladyship； under the seal of confidence；
why I am here。”
He cannot do so； she tells him； too plainly or too briefly。
“Nor can I；” Mr Guppy returns； with a sense of injury upon
him； “too particularly request your Ladyship to take particular
notice that it’s no personal affair of mine that brings me here。 I
have no interested views of my own to serve in coming here。 If it
was not for my promise to Miss Summerson； and my keeping of it
sacred；—I； in point of fact； shouldn’t have darkened these doors
again； but should have seen ’em further first。”
Mr Guppy considers this a favourable moment for sticking up
his hair with both hands。
“Your Ladyship will remember when I mention it； that the last
time I was here； I run against a party very eminent in our
profession； and whose loss we all deplore。 That party certainly did
from that time apply himself to cutting in against me in a way that
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I will call sharp practice； and did make it； at every turn and point；
extremely difficult for me to be sure that I hadn’t inadvertently led
up to something contrary to Miss Summerson’s wishes。 Self…praise
is no recommendation； but I may say for myself that I am not so
bad a man of business neither。”
Lady Dedlock looks at him in stern inquiry。 Mr Guppy
immediately withdraws his eyes from her face； and looks
anywhere else。
“Indeed； it has been made so hard；” he goes on； “to have any
idea what that party was up to in combination with others； that
until the loss which we all deplore； I was gravelled—an expression
which your Ladyship； moving in the higher circles； will be so good
as to consider tantamount to knocked over。 Small likewise—a
name by which I refer to another party； a friend of mine that your
Ladyship is not acquainted with—got to be so close and double…
faced that at times it wasn’t easy to keep one’s hands off his ed。
However； what with the exertion of my humble abilities； and what
with the help of a mutual friend by the name of Mr Tony Weevle
（who is of a high aristocratic turn； and has your Ladyship’s
portrait always hanging up in his room）； I have now reasons for an
apprehension； as to which I come to put your Ladyship upon your
guard。 First； will your Ladyship allow me to ask you whether you
have had any strange visitors this morning？ I don’t mean
fashionable visitors； but such visitors； for instance； as Miss
Barbary’s old servant； or as a person without the use of his lower
extremities； carried upstairs similarly to a Guy？”
“No！”
“Then I assure your Ladyship that such visitors have been here
and have been received here。 Because I saw them at the door； and
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waited at the corner of the square till they came out； and took half…
an…hour’s turn afterwards to avoid them。”
“What have I to do with that； or what have you？ I do not
understand you。 What do you mean？”
“Your Ladyship； I come to put you on your guard。 There may
be no occasion for it。 Very well。 Then I have only done my best to
keep my promise to Miss Summerson。 I strongly suspect （from
what Small has dropped； and from what we have corkscrewed out
of him） that those letters I was to have brought to your Ladyship
were not destroyed when I supposed they were。 That if there was
anything to be blown upon； it is blown upon。 That the visitors I
have alluded to have been here this morning to make money of it。
And that the money is made； or making。”
Mr Guppy picks up his hat and rises。
“Your Ladyship； you know best； whether there’s anything in
what I say； or whether there’s nothing。 Something or nothing； I
have acted up to Miss Summerson’s wishes in letting things alone；
and in undoing what I had begun to do； as far as possible； that’s
sufficient for me。 In case I should be taking a liberty in putting
your Ladyship on your guard when there’s no necessity for it； you
will endeavour； I should hope； to outlive my presumption； and I
shall endeavour to outlive your disapprobation。 I now take my
farewell of your Ladyship； and assure you that there’s no danger
of your ever being waited on by me again。”
She scarcely acknowledges these parting words by any look；
but when he has been gone a little while she rings her bell。
“Where is Sir Leicester？”
Mercury reports that he is at present shut up in the library；
alone。
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“Has Sir Leicester had any visitors this morning？”
Several on business。 Mercury proceeds to a description of them；
which has been anticipated by Mr Guppy。 Enough： he may go。
So！ All is broken down。 Her name is in these many mouths； her
husband knows his wrongs； her shame will be published—may be
spreading while she thinks about it—and
