bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第56章
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inclination to enter upon some secret subject； which he could not
make up his mind to approach。 I cannot imagine a countenance
and manner more singularly expressive of caution and indecision；
and a perpetual impulse to do something he could not resolve to
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venture on； than Mr Krook was； that day。 His watchfulness of my
Guardian was incessant。 He rarely removed his eyes from his face。
If he went on beside him； he observed him with the slyness of an
old white fox。 If he went before he looked back。 When we stood
still； he got opposite to him； and drawing his hand across and
across his open mouth with a curious expression of a sense of
power； and turning up his eyes； and lowering his grey eyebrows
until they appeared to be shut； seemed to scan every lineament of
his face。
At last； having been （always attended by the cat） all over the
house； and having seen the whole stock of miscellaneous lumber；
which was certainly curious； we came into the back part of the
shop。 Here； on the head of an empty barrel stood on end； were an
ink…bottle； some old stumps of pens； and some dirty playbills； and；
against the wall； were pasted several large printed alphabets in
several plain hands。
“What are you doing here？” asked my Guardian。
“Trying to learn myself to read and write；” said Krook。
“And how do you get on？”
“Slow。 Bad；” returned the old man； impatiently。 “It’s hard at
my time of life。”
“It would be easier to be taught by some one；” said my
Guardian。
“Ay； but they might teach me wrong！” returned the old man；
with a wonderfully suspicious flash of his eye。 “I don’t know what I
may have lost； by not being learnd afore。 I wouldn’t like to lose
anything by being learnd wrong now。”
“Wrong？” said my Guardian； with his good…humoured smile。
“Who do you suppose would teach you wrong？”
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“I don’t know； Mr Jarndyce of Bleak House！” replied the old
man； turning up his spectacles on his forehead； and rubbing his
hands。 “I don’t suppose as anybody would—but I’d rather trust my
own self than another！”
These answers； and his manner； were strange enough to cause
my Guardian to inquire of Mr Woodcourt； as we all walked across
Lincoln’s Inn together； whether Mr Krook were really； as his
lodger represented him； deranged？ The young surgeon replied；
no； he had seen no reason to think so。 He was exceedingly
distrustful； as ignorance usually was； and he was always more or
less under the influence of raw gin； of which he drank great
quantities； and of which he and his back…shop； as we might have
observed； smelt strongly； but he did not think him mad； as yet。
On our way home； I so conciliated Peepy’s affections by buying
him a windmill and two flour…sacks； that he would suffer nobody
else to take off his hat and gloves； and would sit nowhere but at my
side。 Caddy sat upon the other side of me； next to Ada； to whom
we imparted the whole history of the engagement as soon as we
got back。 We made much of Caddy； and Peepy too； and Caddy
brightened exceedingly； and my Guardian was as merry as we
were； and we were all very happy indeed； until Caddy went home
at night in a hackney…coach； with Peepy fast asleep； but holding
tight to the windmill。
I have forgotten to mention—at least I have not mentioned—
that Mr Woodcourt was the same dark young surgeon whom we
had met at Mr Badger’s。 Or； that Mr Jarndyce invited him to
dinner that day。 Or； that he came。 Or； that when they were all
gone； and I said to Ada； “Now； my darling； let us have a little talk
about Richard！” Ada laughed and said—
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But； I don’t think it matters what my darling said。 She was
always merry。
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Chapter 15
Bell Yard
hile we were in London； Mr Jarndyce was constantly
Wbeset by the crowd of excitable ladies and gentlemen
whose proceedings had so much astonished us。 Mr
Quale； who presented himself soon after our arrival； was in all
such excitements。 He seemed to project those two shining knobs of
temples of his into everything that went on； and to brush his hair
farther and farther back； until the very roots were almost ready to
fly out of his head in inappeasable philanthropy。 All objects were
alike to him； but he was always particularly ready for anything in
the way of a testimonial to any one。 His great power seemed to be
his power of indiscriminate admiration。 He would sit； for any
length of time； with the utmost enjoyment； bathing his temples in
the light of any order of luminary。 Having first seen him perfectly
swallowed up in admiration of Mrs Jellyby； I had supposed her to
be the absorbing object of his devotion。 I soon discovered my
mistake； and found him to be train…bearer and organ…blower to a
whole procession of people。
Mrs Pardiggle came one day for a subscription to something—
and with her； Mr Quale。 Whatever Mrs Pardiggle said； Mr Quale
repeated to us； and just as he had drawn Mrs Jellyby out； he drew
Mrs Pardiggle out。 Mrs Pardiggle wrote a letter of introduction to
my Guardian； in behalf of her eloquent friend； Mr Gusher。 With
Mr Gusher； appeared Mr Quale again。 Mr Gusher； being a flabby
gentleman with a moist surface； and eyes so much too small for his
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moon of a face that they seemed to have been originally made for
somebody else； was not at first sight prepossessing； yet； he was
scarcely seated； before Mr Quale asked Ada and me； not inaudibly；
whether he was not a great creature—which he certainly was；
flabbily speaking； though Mr Quale meant in intellectual beauty—
and whether we were not struck by his massive configuration of
brow？ In short； we heard of a great many Missions of various
sorts； among this set of people； but； nothing respecting them was
half so clear to us； as that it was Mr Quale’s mission to be in
ecstasies with everybody else’s mission； and that it was the most
popular mission of all。
Mr Jarndyce had fallen into this company； in the tenderness of
his heart and his earnest desire to do all the good in his power； but
that he felt it to be too often an unsatisfactory company； where
benevolence took spasmodic forms； where charity was assumed；
as a regular uniform； by loud professors and speculators in cheap
notoriety； vehement in profession； restless and vain in action；
servile in the last degree of meanness to the great； adulatory of
one another； and intolerable to those who were anxious quietly to
help the weak from falling； rather than with a great deal of bluster
and self…laudation to raise them up a little way when they were
down； he plainly told us。 When a testimonial was originated to Mr
Quale； by Mr Gusher （who had already got one； originated by Mr
Quale）； and when Mr Gusher spoke for an hour and a half on the
subject to a meeting； including two charity schools of small boys
and girls； who were specially reminded of the widow’s mite； and
requested to come forward with half…pence and be acceptable
sacrifices； I think the wind was in the east for three whole weeks。
I mention this； because I am coming to Mr Skimpole again。 It
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seemed to me； that his offhand professions of childishness and
carelessness were a great relief to my Guardian； by contrast with
such things； and were the more readily believed in； since； to find
one perfectly undesigning and candid man； among many
opposites； could not fail to give him pleasure。 I should be sorry to
imply that Mr Skimpole divined this； and was politic： I really never
understood him well enough to know。 What he was to my
Guardian； he certainly was to the rest of the world。
He had not been very well； and thus； though he lived in
London； we had seen nothing of him until now。 He appeared one
morning； in his usual agreeable way； and as full of pleasant spirits
as ever。
Well； he said； here he was！ He had been bilious； but rich men
were often bilious； and therefore he had been persuading himself
that he was a man of property。 So he was； in a certain point of
view—in his expansive intentions。 He had been enriching his
medical attendant in the most lavish manner。 He had always
doubled； and sometimes quadrupled his fees。 He had said to the
doctor； “Now； my dear doctor； it is quite a delusion on your part to
suppose that you attend me for nothing。 I am overwhelming you
