bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第66章
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that； every hour in every day！”
“And oftener still；” said I； “she blesses the Guardian who is a
Father to her！”
At the word Father； I saw his former trouble come into his face。
He subdued it as before； and it was gone in an instant； but； it had
been there； and it had come so swiftly upon my words that I felt as
if they had given him a shock。 I again inwardly repeated；
wondering； “That I could readily understand。 None that I could
readily understand！” No； it was true。 I did not understand it。 Not
for many and many a day。
“Take a fatherly good…night； my dear；” said he； kissing me on
the forehead； “and so to rest。 These are late hours for working and
thinking。 You do that for all of us； all day long； little housekeeper！”
I neither worked nor thought any more that night。 I opened my
grateful heart to Heaven in thankfulness for its providence to me
and its care of me； and fell asleep。
We had a visitor next day。 Mr Allan Woodcourt came。 He came
to take leave of us； he had settled to do so beforehand。 He was
going to China； and to India； as a surgeon on board ship。 He was to
be away a long； long time。
I believe—at least I know—that he was not rich。 All his
widowed mother could spare had been spent in qualifying him for
his profession。 It was not lucrative to a young practitioner； with
very little influence in London； and although he was； night and
day； at the service of numbers of poor people； and did wonders of
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gentleness and skill for them； he gained very little by it in money。
He was seven years older than I。 Not that I need mention it； for it
hardly seems to belong to anything。
I think—I mean； he told us—that he had been in practice three
or four years； and that if he could have hoped to contend through
three or four more he would not have made the voyage on which
he was bound。 But he had no fortune or private means； and so he
was going away。 He had been to see us several times altogether。
We thought it a pity he should go away。 Because he was
distinguished in his art among those who knew it best； and some
of the greatest men belonging to it had a high opinion of him。
When he came to bid us good…bye； he brought his mother with
him for the first time。 She was a pretty old lady； with bright black
eyes； but she seemed proud。 She came from Wales； and had had； a
long time ago； an eminent person for an ancestor； of the name of
Morgan ap…Kerrig—of some place that sounded like Gimlet—who
was the most illustrious person that ever was known； and all of
whose relations were a sort of Royal Family。 He appeared to have
passed his life in always getting up into mountains； and fighting
somebody； and a Bard whose name sounded like
Crumlinwallinwer had sung his praises； in a piece which was
called； as nearly as I could catch it； Mewlinnwillinwodd。
Mrs Woodcourt； after expatiating to us on the fame of her great
kinsman； said that； no doubt； wherever her son Allan went； he
would remember his pedigree； and would on no account from an
alliance below it。 She told him that there were many handsome
English ladies in India who went out on speculation； and that
there were some to be picked up with property； but； that neither
charms nor wealth would suffice for the descendant from such a
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line； without birth： which must ever be the first consideration。 She
talked so much about birth that； for a moment； I half fancied； and
with pain—but； what an idle fancy to suppose that she could think
or care what mine was！
Mr Woodcourt seemed a little distressed by her prolixity； but he
was too considerate to let her see it； and contrived delicately to
bring the conversation round to making his acknowledgments to
my Guardian for his hospitality； and for the very happy hours—he
called them the very happy hours—he had passed with us。 The
recollection of them； he said； would go with him wherever he
went； and would be always treasured。 And so we gave him our
hands； one after another—at least； they did—and I did； and so he
put his lips to Ada’s hand—and to mine； and so he went away
upon his long； long voyage！
I was very busy indeed； all day； and wrote directions home to
the servants； and wrote notes for my Guardian； and dusted his
books and papers； and jingled my housekeeping keys a good deal；
one way and another。 I was still busy between the lights； singing
and working by the window； when who should come in but Caddy；
whom I had no expectation of seeing！
“Why； Caddy； my dear；” said I； “what beautiful flowers！”
She had such an exquisite little nosegay in her hand。
“Indeed； I think so； Esther；” replied Caddy。 “They are the
loveliest I ever saw。”
“Prince； my dear？” said I； in a whisper。
“No；” answered Caddy； shaking her head； and holding them to
me to smell。 “Not Prince。”
“Well； to be sure； Caddy！” said I。 “You must have two lovers！”
“What？ Do they look like that sort of thing？” said Caddy。
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“Do they look like that sort of thing？” I repeated； pinching her
cheek。
Caddy only laughed in return； and telling me that she had come
for half…an…hour； at the expiration of which time Prince would be
waiting for her at the corner； sat chatting with me and Ada in the
window： every now and then handing me the flowers again； or
trying how they looked against my hair。 At last； when she was
going； she took me into my room and put them in my dress。
“For me？” said I； surprised。
“For you；” said Caddy； with a kiss。 “They were left behind by
Somebody。”
“Left behind？”
“At poor Miss Flite’s；” said Caddy。 “Somebody who has been
very good to her； was hurrying away an hour ago； to join a ship；
and left these flowers behind。 No； no！ Don’t take them out。 Let the
pretty little things lie here！” said Caddy； adjusting them with a
careful hand； “because I was present myself； and I shouldn’t
wonder if Somebody left them on purpose！”
“Do they look like that sort of thing？” said Ada； coming
laughingly behind me； and clasping me merrily round the waist。
“O； yes； indeed they do； Dame Durden！ They look very； very like
that sort of thing。 O； very like it indeed； my dear！”
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Chapter 18
Lady Dedlock
t was not so easy as it had appeared at first； to arrange for
Richard’s making a trial of Mr Kenge’s office。 Richard himself
I
was the chief impediment。 As soon as he had it in his power to
leave Mr Badger at any moment； he began to doubt whether he
wanted to leave him at all。 He didn’t know； he said； really。 It
wasn’t a bad profession； he couldn’t assert that he disliked it；
perhaps he liked it as well as he liked any other—suppose he gave
it one more chance！ Upon that； he shut himself up； for a few
weeks； with some books and some bones； and seemed to acquire a
considerable fund of information； with great rapidity。 His fervour；
after lasting about a month； began to cool； and when it was quite
cooled； began to grow warm again。 His vacillations between law
and medicine lasted so long； that Midsummer arrived before he
finally separated from Mr Badger； and entered on an experimental
course of Messrs。 Kenge and Carboy。 For all his waywardness； he
took great credit to himself as being determined to be in earnest
“this time。” And he was so good…natured throughout； and in such
high spirits； and so fond of Ada； that it was very difficult indeed to
be otherwise than pleased with him。
“As to Mr Jarndyce；” who I may mention； found the wind much
given； during this period； to stick in the east； “As to Mr Jarndyce；”
Richard would say to me； “he is the finest fellow in the world；
Esther！ I must be particularly careful； if it were only for his
satisfaction； to take myself well to task； and have a regular wind…
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up of this business now。”
The idea of his taking himself well to task； with that laughing
face and heedless manner； and with a fancy that everything could
catch and nothing could hold； was ludicrously anomalous。
However； he told us between…whiles； that he was doing it to such
an extent； that he wondered his hair didn’t turn grey。 His regular
wind…up of the business was （as I have said）； that he went to Mr
Kenge’s about Midsummer； to try how he liked it。
All this time he was； in money affairs； what I have described
him in a former illustration： generous； profuse； wildly careless； but
fully persuaded that he was rather calculating and prudent。 I
happened to say to Ada； in his presence； half jestingly； half
seriously； about the time of his going to Mr Kenge’s； that he
needed to have Fortunatus’s purse； he made so light of money；
which he
