bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第36章
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Snagsby； Law Stationer； pursues his lawful calling。 In the
shade of Cook’s Court； at most times a shady place； Mr Snagsby
has dealt in all sorts of blank forms of legal process； in skins and
rolls of parchment； in paper—foolscap； brief； draft； brown； white；
whitey…brown； and blotting； in stamps； in office…quills； pens； ink；
India…rubber； pounce； pins； pencils； sealing…wax； and wafers； in
red tape； and green ferret； in pocket…books； almanacks； diaries；
and law lists； in string boxes； rulers； inkstands—glass and leaden；
penknives； scissors； bodkins； and other small office cutlery； in
short； in articles too numerous to mention； ever since he was out
of his time； and went into partnership with Peffer。 On that
occasion； Cook’s Court was in a manner revolutionised by the new
inscription in fresh paint； PEFFER and SNAGSBY； displacing the
time… honoured and not easily to be deciphered legend； PEFFER
only。 For smoke； which is the London ivy； had so wreathed itself
round Peffer’s name； and clung to his dwelling…place； that the
affectionate parasite quite overpowered the parent tree。
Peffer is never seen in Cook’s Court now。 He is not expected
there； for he has been recumbent this quarter of a century in the
churchyard of St。 Andrew’s； Holborn； with the wagons and
hackney…coaches roaring past him； all the day and half the night；
like one great dragon。 If he ever steal forth when the dragon is at
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rest； to air himself again in Cook’s Court； until admonished to
return by the crowning of the sanguine cock in the cellar at the
little dairy in Cursitor Street； whose ideas of daylight it would be
curious to ascertain； since he knows from his personal observation
next to nothing about it—if Peffer ever do revisit the pale glimpses
of Cook’s Court； which no law…stationer in the trade can positively
deny； he comes invisibly； and no one is the worse or wiser。
In his lifetime； and likewise in the period of Snagsby’s “time” of
seven long years； there dwelt with Peffer； in the same law…
stationering premises； a niece—a short； shrewd niece； something
too violently compressed about the waist； and with a sharp nose
like a sharp autumn evening； inclining to be frosty towards the
end。 The Cook’s…Courtiers had a rumour flying among them； that
the mother of this niece did； in her daughter’s childhood； moved
by too jealous a solicitude that her figure should approach
perfection； lace her up every morning with her maternal foot；
against the bed…post for a stronger hold and purchase； and further；
that she exhibited internally pints of vinegar and lemon…juice：
which acids； they held； had mounted to the nose and temper of the
patient。 With whichsoever of the many tongues of Rumour this
frothy report originated； it either never reached； or never
influenced； the ears of young Snagsby； who； having wooed and
won its fair subject on his arrival at man’s estate； entered into two
partnerships at once。 So now； in Cook’s Court； Cursitor Street； Mr
Snagsby and the niece are one； and the niece still cherishes her
figure—which； however tastes may differ； is unquestionably so far
precious； that there is mighty little of it。
Mr and Mrs Snagsby are not only one bone and one flesh； but；
to the neighbours’ thinking； one voice too。 That voice； appearing
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to proceed from Mrs Snagsby alone； is heard in Cook’s Court very
often。 Mr Snagsby； otherwise than as he finds expression through
these dulcet tones； is rarely heard。 He is a mild； bald； timid man；
with a shining head； and a scrubby clump of black hair sticking
out at the back。 He tends to meekness and obesity。 As he stands at
his door in Cook’s Court； in his grey shop…coat and black calico
sleeves； looking up at the clouds； or stands behind a desk in his
dark shop； with a heavy flat ruler； snipping and slicing at
sheepskin； in company with his two ’prentices； he is emphatically
a retiring and unassuming man。 From beneath his feet； at such
times； as from a shrill ghost unquiet in its grave； there frequently
arise complainings and lamentations in the voice already
mentioned； and haply； on some occasions； when these reach a
sharper pitch than usual； Mr Snagsby mentions to the ’prentices；
“I think my little woman is a…giving it to Guster！”
This proper name； so used by Mr Snagsby； has before now
sharpened the wit of the Cook’s…Courtiers to remark that it ought
to be the name of Mrs Snagsby； seeing that she might with great
force and expression be termed a Guster； in compliment to her
stormy character。 It is； however； the possession； and the only
possession； except fifty shillings per annum and a very small box
indifferently filled with clothing； of a lean young woman from a
workhouse （by some supposed to have been christened Augusta）；
who； although she was farmed or contracted for； during her
growing time； by an amiable benefactor of his species resident at
Tooting； and cannot fail to have been developed under the most
favourable circumstances； “has fits”—which the parish can’t
account for。
Guster； really aged three or four and twenty； but looking a
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round ten years older； goes cheap with this unaccountable
drawback of fits； and is so apprehensive of being returned on the
hands of her patron Saint； that except when she is found with her
head in the pail； or the sink； or the copper； or the dinner； or
anything else that happens to be near her at the time of her
seizure； she is always at work。 She is a satisfaction to the parents
and guardians of the ’prentices； who feel that there is little danger
of her inspiring tender emotions in the breast of youth； she is a
satisfaction to Mrs Snagsby； who can always find fault with her；
she is a satisfaction to Mr Snagsby； who thinks it a charity to keep
her。 The Law…stationer’s establishment is； in Guster’s eyes； a
Temple of plenty and splendour。 She believes the little drawing…
room upstairs； always kept； as one may say； with its hair in papers
and its pinafore on； to be the most elegant apartment in
Christendom。 The view it commands of Cook’s Court at one end
（not to mention a squint into Cursitor…street） and of Coavins’s the
sheriff’s officer’s back…yard at the other； she regards as a prospect
of unequalled beauty。 The portraits it displays in oil—and plenty
of it too—of Mr Snagsby looking at Mrs Snagsby； are in her eyes as
achievements of Raphael or Titian。 Guster has some recompenses
for her many privations。
Mr Snagsby refers everything not in the practical mysteries of
the business to Mrs Snagsby。 She manages the money； reproaches
the Tax…gatherers； appoints the times and places of devotion on
Sundays； licenses Mr Snagsby’s entertainments； and
acknowledges no responsibility as to what she thinks fit to provide
for dinner； insomuch that she is the high standard of comparison
among the neighbouring wives； a long way down Chancery Lane
on both sides； and even out in Holborn； who； in any domestic
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passages of arms； habitually call upon their husbands to look at
the difference between their （the wives’） position and Mrs
Snagsby’s； and their （the husbands’） behaviour and Mrs
Snagsby’s。 Rumour； always flying； bat…like； about Cook’s Court；
and skimming in and out at everybody’s windows； does say that
Mrs Snagsby is jealous and inquisitive； and that Mr Snagsby is
sometimes worried out of house and home； and that if he had the
spirit of a mouse he wouldn’t stand it。 It is even observed； that the
wives who quote him to their self…willed husbands as a shining
example； in reality look down upon look down upon him； and that
nobody does so with greater superciliousness than one particular
lady whose lord is more than suspected of laying his umbrella on
her as an instrument of correction。 But these vague whisperings
may arise from Mr Snagsby’s being； in his way； rather a meditative
and poetical man； loving to walk in Staple Inn in the summer time；
and to observe how countrified the sparrows and the leaves are；
also to lounge about the Rolls Yard of a Sunday afternoon； and to
remark （if in good spirits） that there were old times once； and that
you’d find a stone coffin or two； now； under that chapel； he’ll be
bound； if you was to dig for it。 He solaces his imagination； too； by
thinking of the many Chancellors and Vices； and Masters of the
Rolls； who are deceased； and he gets such a flavour of the country
out of telling the two ’prentices how he has heard say that a brook
“as clear as crystal” once ran right down the middle of Holborn；
when Turnstile really was a turnstile leading slap away into the
meadows—gets such a flavour of the country out of this； that he
never w
