bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第7章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and that this young lady； now her aunt is dead—”
“My aunt； sir！”
“It really is of no use carrying on a deception； when no object is
to be gained by it；” said Mr Kenge； smoothly。 “Aunt in fact； though
not in law。 Don’t distress yourself！ Don’t weep！ Don’t tremble！ Mrs
Rachael； our young friend has no doubt heard of—the—a—
Jarndyce and Jarndyce。”
“Never；” said Mrs Rachael。
“Is it possible；” pursued Mr Kenge； putting up his eyeglasses；
“that our young friend—I beg you won’t distress yourself！—never
heard of Jarndyce and Jarndyce！”
I shook my head； wondering even what it was。
“Not of Jarndyce and Jarndyce！” said Mr Kenge； looking over
his glasses； at me； and softly turning the case about and about； as
if he were petting something。 “Not of one of the greatest Chancery
suits known？ Not of Jarndyce and Jarndyce—the—a—in itself a
monument of Chancery practice？ In which （I would say） every
difficulty； every contingency； every masterly fiction； every form of
procedure known in that court； is represented over and over
again？ It is a cause that could not exist； out of this free and great
country。 I should say that the aggregate of costs in Jarndyce and
Jarndyce； Mrs Rachael；” I was afraid he addressed himself to her；
because I appeared inattentive； “amounts at the present hour to
from SIX…TY TO SEVEN…TY THOUSAND POUNDS！” said Mr
Kenge； leaning back in his chair。
I felt very ignorant； but what could I do？ I was so entirely
unacquainted with the subject； that I understood nothing about it
even then。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 35…
Bleak House 35
“And she really never heard of the cause！” said Mr Kenge。
“Surprising！”
“Miss Barbary； sir；” returned Mrs Rachael； “who is now among
the seraphim—“
（“I hope so； I am sure；” said Mr Kenge politely。）
“—Wished Esther only to know what would be serviceable to
her。 And she knows； from any teaching she has had here； nothing
more。”
“Well！” said Mr Kenge。 “Upon the whole very proper。 Now to
the point；” addressing me。 “Miss Barbary； your sole relation （in
fact； that is； for I am bound to observe that in law you had none）；
being deceased； and it naturally not being to be expected that Mrs
Rachael—”
“Oh dear no！” said Mrs Rachael； quickly。
“Quite so；” assented Mr Kenge；—“that Mrs Rachael should
charge herself with your maintenance and support （I beg you
won’t distress yourself）； you are in a position to receive the
renewal of an offer which I was instructed to make to Miss
Barbary some two years ago； and which； though rejected then； was
understood to be renewable under the lamentable circumstances
that have since occurred。 Now； if I avow； that I represent； in
Jarndyce and Jarndyce； and otherwise； a highly humane； but at
the same time singular man； shall I compromise myself by any
stretch of my professional caution？” said Mr Kenge； leaning back
in his chair again； and looking calmly at us both。
He appeared to enjoy beyond everything the sound of his own
voice。 I couldn’t wonder at that； for it was mellow and full； and
gave great importance to every word he uttered。 He listened to
himself with obvious satisfaction； and sometimes gently beat time
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 36…
Bleak House 36
to his own music with his head； or rounded a sentence with his
hand。 I was very much impressed by him—even then； before I
knew that he formed himself on the model of a great lord who was
his client； and that he was generally called Conversation Kenge。
“Mr Jarndyce；” he pursued； “being aware of the—I would say；
desolate—position of our young friend； offers to place her at a
first…rate establishment； where her education shall be completed；
where her comfort shall be secured； where her reasonable wants
shall be anticipated； where she shall be eminently qualified to
discharge her duty in that station of life unto which it has
pleased—shall I say Providence？—to call her。”
My heart was filled so full； both by what he said； and by his
affecting manner of saying it； that I was not able to speak； though I
tried。
“Mr Jarndyce；” he went on； “makes no condition； beyond
expressing his expectation； that our young friend will not at any
time remove herself from the establishment in question without
his knowledge and concurrence。 That she will faithfully apply
herself to the acquisition of those accomplishments； upon the
exercise of which she will be ultimately dependent。 That she will
tread in the paths of virtue and honour； and—the—a—so forth。”
I was still less able to speak； than before。
“Now； what does our young friend say？” proceeded Mr Kenge。
“Take time； take time！ I pause for her reply。 But take time。”
What the destitute subject of such an offer tried to say； I need
not repeat。 What she did say； I could more easily tell； if it were
worth the telling。 What she felt； and will feel to her dying hour； I
could never relate。
This interview took place at Windsor； where I had passed （as
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 37…
Bleak House 37
far as I knew）； my whole life。 On that day week； amply provided
with all necessaries； I left it； inside the stage…coach； for Reading。
Mrs Rachael was too good to feel any emotion at parting； but I
was not so good； and wept bitterly。 I thought that I ought to have
known her better after so many years； and ought to have made
myself enough of a favourite with her to make her sorry then。
When she gave me one cold parting kiss upon my forehead； like a
thaw…drop from the stone porch—it was a very frosty day—I felt so
miserable and self…reproachful； that I clung to her and told her it
was my fault； I knew； that she could say good…bye so easily！
“No Esther！” she returned。 “It is your misfortune！”
The coach was at the little lawn gate—we had not come out
until we heard the wheels—and thus I left her； with a sorrowful
heart。 She went in before my boxes were lifted to the coach…roof；
and shut the door。 As long as I could see the house； I looked back
at it from the window； through my tears。 My godmother had left
Mrs Rachael all the little property she possessed； and there was to
be a sale； and an old hearthrug with roses on it； which always
seemed to me the first thing in the world I had ever seen； was
hanging outside in the frost and snow。 A day or two before； I had
wrapped the dear old doll in her own shawl； and quietly laid her—
I am half ashamed to tell it—in the garden…earth； under the tree
that shaded my old window。 I had no companion left but my bird；
and him I carried with me in his cage。
When the house was out of sight； I sat with my bird…cage in the
straw at my feet； forward on the low seat； to look out of the high
window； watching the frosty trees； that were like beautiful pieces
of spar； and the fields all smooth and white with last night’s snow；
and the sun； so red but yielding so little heat； and the ice； dark like
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 38…
Bleak House 38
metal； where the skaters and sliders had brushed the snow away。
There was a gentleman in the coach who sat on the opposite seat；
and looked very large in a quantity of wrappings； but he sat gazing
out of the other window； and took no notice of me。
I thought of my dead godmother； of the night when I read to
her； of her frowning so fixedly and sternly in her bed； of the
strange place I was going to； of the people I should find there； and
what they would be like； and what they would say to me； when a
voice in the coach gave me a terrible start。
It said； “What the devil are you crying for？”
I was so frightened that I lost my voice； and could only answer
in a whisper。 “Me； sir？” For of course I knew it must have been
the gentleman in the quantity of wrappings； though he was still
looking out of his window。
“Yes you；” he said； turning round。
“I didn’t know I was crying； sir；” I faltered。
“But you are！” said the gentleman。 “Look here！” He came quite
opposite to me from the other corner of the coach； brushed one of
his large furry cuffs across my eyes （but without hurting me）； and
showed me that it was wet。
“There！” Now you know you are；” he said。 “Don’t you？”
“Yes； sir；” I said。
“And what are you crying for？” said the gentleman。 “Don’t you
want to go there？”
“Where； sir？”
“Where？ Why； wherever you are going；” said the gentleman。
“I am very glad to go there； sir；” I answered。
“Well； then！ Look glad！” said the gentleman。
I thought he was very strange； or at least that what I could see
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 39…
Bleak House 39
of him was very strange； for he was wrapped up to the chin； and
his face was almost hidden in a fur cap； with broad fur straps at
the side of his head； fastened under his chin； but I was composed
again； and not afraid of him。 So I told him that I thought I must
have been crying； because of my godmother’s death； and because
of Mrs Rachael�
