bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第223章
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Mr Skimpole； lying on the sofa in his room； playing the flute a
little； was enchanted to see me。 Now； who should receive me； he
asked？ Who would I prefer for mistress of the ceremonies？ Would
I have his Comedy daughter； his Beauty daughter； or his
Sentiment daughter？ Or would I have all the daughters at once； in
a perfect nosegay？
I replied； half defeated already； that I wished to speak to
himself only； if he would give me leave。
“My dear Miss Summerson； most joyfully！ Of course；” he said；
bringing his chair near mine； and breaking into his fascinating
smile； “of course it’s not business。 Then it’s pleasure！”
I said it certainly was not business that I came upon； but it was
not quite a pleasant matter。
“Then； my dear Miss Summerson；” said he； with the frankest
gaiety； “don’t allude to it。 Why should you allude to anything that
is not a pleasant matter？ I never do。 And you are a much
pleasanter creature； in every point of view； than I。 You are
perfectly pleasant； I am imperfectly pleasant； then； if I never
allude to an unpleasant matter； how much less should you！ So；
that’s disposed of； and we will talk of something else。”
Although I was embarrassed； I took courage to intimate that I
still wished to pursue the subject。
“I should think it a mistake；” said Mr Skimpole； with his airy
laugh； “if I thought Miss Summerson capable of making one。 But I
don’t！”
“Mr Skimpole；” said I； raising my eyes to his； “I have so often
heard you say that you are unacquainted with the common affairs
of life—”
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“Meaning our three banking…house friends； L； S； and who’s the
junior partner？ D？” said Mr Skimpole； brightly。 “Not an idea of
them！”
“—That； perhaps；” I went on； “you will excuse my boldness on
that account。 I think you ought most seriously to know that
Richard is poorer than he was。”
“Dear me！” said Mr Skimpole。 “So am I； they tell me。”
“And in very embarrassed circumstances。”
“Parallel case exactly！” said Mr Skimpole； with a delighted
countenance。
“This at present naturally causes Ada much secret anxiety； and
as I think she is less anxious when no claims are made upon her
by visitors； and as Richard has one uneasiness always heavy on his
mind； it has occurred to me to take the liberty of saying that—if
you would—not—” I was coming to the point with great difficulty；
when he took me by both hands； and； with a radiant face and in
the liveliest way； anticipated it。
“Not go there？ Certainly not； my dear Miss Summerson； most
assuredly not。 Why should I go there？ When I go anywhere； I go
for pleasure。 I don’t go anywhere for pain； because I was made for
pleasure。 Pain comes to me when it wants me。 Now I have had
very little pleasure at our dear Richard’s； lately； and your practical
sagacity demonstrates why。 Our young friends； losing the youthful
poetry which was once so captivating in them； begin to think； ‘this
is a man who wants pounds。’ So I am； I always want pounds； not
for myself； but because tradespeople always want them of me。
Next； our young friends begin to think； becoming mercenary； ‘this
is the man who had pounds；—who borrowed them；’ which I did。 I
always borrow pounds。 So our young friends； reduced to prose
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（which is much to be regretted）； degenerate in their power of
imparting pleasure to me。 Why should I go to see them therefore？
Absurd！”
Through the beaming smile with which he regarded me； as he
reasoned thus； there now broke forth a look of disinterested
benevolence quite astonishing。
“Besides；” he said； pursuing his argument； in his tone of light…
hearted conviction； “if I don’t go anywhere for pain—which would
be a perversion of the intention of my being； and a monstrous
thing to do—why should I go anywhere to be the cause of pain？ If
I went to see our young friends in their present ill…regulated state
of mind； I should give them pain。 The associations with me would
be disagreeable。 They might say； ‘this is the man who had pounds；
and who can’t pay pounds；’ which I can’t； of course； nothing could
be more out of the question！ Then； kindness requires that I
shouldn’t go near them—and I won’t。”
He finished by genially kissing my hand； and thanking me。
Nothing but Miss Summerson’s fine tact； he said； would have
found this out for him。
I was much disconcerted； but I reflected that if the main point
were gained； it mattered little how strangely he perverted
everything leading to it。 I had determined to mention something
else； however； and I thought I was not to be put off in that。
“Mr Skimpole；” said I； “I must take the liberty of saying； before
I conclude my visit； that I was much surprised to learn； on the best
authority； some little time ago； that you knew with whom that poor
boy left Bleak House； and that you accepted a present on that
occasion。 I have not mentioned it to my Guardian； for I fear it
would hurt him unnecessarily； but I may say to you that I was
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much surprised。”
“No？ Really surprised； my dear Miss Summerson？” he
returned； inquiringly； raising his pleasant eyebrows。
“Greatly surprised。”
He thought about it for a little while； with a highly agreeable
and whimsical expression of face； then quite gave it up； and said；
in his most engaging manner：
“You know what a child I am。 Why surprised？”
I was reluctant to enter minutely into that question； but as he
begged I would； for he was really curious to know； I gave him to
understand； in the gentlest words I could use； that his conduct
seemed to involve a disregard of several moral obligations。 He was
much amused and interested when he heard this； and said； “No；
really？” with ingenuous simplicity。 “You know I don’t pretend to
be responsible。 I never could do it。 Responsibility is a thing that
has always been above me—or below me；” said Mr Skimpole； “I
don’t even know which； but； as I understand the way in which my
dear Miss Summerson （always remarkable for her practical good
sense and clearness） puts this case； I should imagine it was chiefly
a question of money； do you know？”
I incautiously gave a qualified assent to this。
“Ah！ Then you see；” said Mr Skimpole； shaking his head； “I am
hopeless of understanding it。”
I suggested； as I rose to go； that it was not right to betray my
Guardian’s confidence for a bribe。
“My dear Miss Summerson；” he returned； with a candid hilarity
that was all his own； “I can’t be bribed。”
“Not by Mr Bucket？” said I。
“No；” said he。 “Not by anybody。 I don’t attach any value to
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money。 I don’t care about it； I don’t know about it； I don’t want it； I
don’t keep it—it goes away from me directly。 How can I be
bribed？”
I showed that I was of a different opinion； though I had not the
capacity for arguing the question。
“On the contrary；” said Mr Skimpole； “I am exactly the man to
be placed in a superior position； in such a case as that。 I am above
the rest of mankind； in such a case as that。 I can act with
philosophy； in such a case as that。 I am not warped by prejudices；
as an Italian baby is by bandages。 I am as free as the air。 I feel
myself as far above suspicion as Caesar’s wife。”
Anything to equal the lightness of his manner； and the playful
impartiality with which he seemed to convince himself； as he
tossed the matter about like a ball of feathers； was surely never
seen in anybody else！
“Observe the case； my dear Miss Summerson。 Here is a boy
received into the house and put to bed； in a state that I strongly
object to。 The boy being in bed； a man arrives—like the house that
Jack built。 Here is the man who demands the boy who is received
into the house and put to bed in a state that I strongly object to。
Here is a banknote produced by the man who demands the boy
who is received into the house and put to bed in a state that I
strongly object to。 Here is the Skimpole who accepts the banknote
produced by the man who demands the boy who is received into
the house and put to bed in a state that I strongly object to。 Those
are the facts。 Very well。 Should the Skimpole have refused the
note？ Why should the Skimpole have refused the note？ Skimpole
protests to Bucket； ‘what’s this for？ I don’t understand it； it is of
no use to me； take it away。’ Bucket still entreats Skimpole to
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accept it。 Are there reasons why Skimpole； not being warped by
prejudices； should accept it？ Yes。 Skimpole； perceives them。 What
are they？ Skimpole reasons with himself； this is a tamed； lynx； an
active police officer； an intelligent man； a person of a peculi
