bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第74章
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And she ses to me ‘do it’ and I dun it and she giv me a sov’ring and
hooked it。 And I an’t had much of the sov’ring neither；” says Jo；
with dirty tears； “fur I had to pay five bob； down in Tom…all…
Alone’s； afore they’d square it fur to give me change； and then a
young man he thieved another five while I was asleep and another
boy he thieved ninepence and the landlord he stood drains round
with a lot more on it。”
“You don’t expect anybody to believe this； about the lady and
the sovereign； do you？” says the constable； eyeing him aside with
ineffable disdain。
“I don’t know as I do； sir；” replies Jo。 “I don’t expect nothink at
all； sir； much； but that’s the true hist’ry on it。”
“You see what he is！” the constable observes to the audience。
“Well； Mr Snagsby； if I don’t lock him up this time； will you engage
for his moving on？”
“No！” cries Mrs Snagsby from the stairs。
“My little woman！” pleads her husband。 “Constable； I have no
doubt he’ll move on。 You know you really must do it；” says Mr
Snagsby。
“I’m everyways agreeable； sir；” says the hapless Jo。
“Do it； then；” observes the constable。 “You know what you have
got to do。 Do it！ And recollect you won’t get off so easy next time。
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Catch hold of your money。 Now； the sooner you’re five miles off；
the better for all parties。”
With this farewell hint； and pointing generally to the setting
sun； as a likely place to move on to； the constable bids his auditors
good afternoon； and makes the echoes of Cook’s Court perform
slow music for him as he walks away on the shady side； carrying
his iron…bound hat in his hand for a little ventilation。
Now； Jo’s improbable story concerning the lady and the
sovereign has awakened more or less the curiosity of all the
company。 Mr Guppy； who has an inquiring mind in matters of
evidence； and who has been suffering severely from the lassitude
of the long vacation； takes that interest in the case； that he enters
on a regular cross…examination of the witness； which is found so
interesting by the ladies that Mrs Snagsby politely invites him to
step upstairs； and drink a cup of tea； if he will excuse the
disarranged state of the tea…table； consequent on their previous
exertions。 Mr Guppy yielding his assent to this proposal； Jo is
requested to follow into the drawing…room doorway； where Mr
Guppy takes him in hand as a witness； patting him into this shape；
that shape； and the other shape； like a butterman dealing with so
much butter； and worrying him according to the best models。 Nor
is the examination unlike many such model displays； both in
respect of its eliciting nothing； and of its being lengthy； for； Mr
Guppy is sensible of his talent； and Mrs Snagsby feels； not only
that it gratifies her inquisitive disposition； but that it lifts her
husband’s establishment higher up in the law。 During the progress
of this keen encounter； the vessel Chadband； being merely
engaged in the oil trade； gets aground； and waits to be floated off。
“Well！” says Mr Guppy； “either this boy sticks to it like
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cobbler’s wax； or there is something out of the common here that
beats anything that ever came into my way at Kenge and
Carboy’s。”
Mrs Chadband whispers Mrs Snagsby； who exclaims； “You
don’t say so！”
“For years！” replies Mrs Chadband。
“Has known Kenge and Carboy’s office for years；” Mrs Snagsby
triumphantly explains to Mr Guppy。 “Mrs Chadband—this
gentleman’s wife—Reverend Mr Chadband。”
“Oh； indeed！” said Mr Guppy。
“Before I married my present husband；” says Mrs Chadband。
“Was you a party in anything； ma’am？” says Mr Guppy
transferring his cross…examination。
“No。”
“Not a party in anything； ma’am？” says Mr Guppy。
Mrs Chadband shakes her head。
“Perhaps you were acquainted with somebody who was a party
in something； ma’am？” says Mr Guppy； who likes nothing better
than to model his conversation on forensic principles。
“Not exactly that； either；” replies Mrs Chadband； humouring
the joke with a hard…favoured smile。
“Not exactly that； either！” repeats Mr Guppy。 “Very good。 Pray；
ma’am； was it a lady of your acquaintance who had some
transactions （we will not at present say what transactions） with
Kenge and Carboy’s office； or was it a gentleman of your
acquaintance？ Take time； ma’am。 We shall come to it presently。
Man or woman； ma’am？”
“Neither；” says Mrs Chadband； as before。
“Oh！ A child！” says Mr Guppy； throwing on the admiring Mrs
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Snagsby the regular acute professional eye which is thrown on
British jurymen。 “Now； ma’am； perhaps you’ll have the kindness
to tell us what child。”
“You have got it at last； sir；” says Mrs Chadband； with another
hard…favoured smile。 “Well； sir； it was before your time； most
likely； judging from your appearance。 I was left in charge of a child
named Esther Summerson； who was put out in life by Messrs。
Kenge and Carboy。”
“Miss Summerson； ma’am！” cries Mr Guppy； excited。
“I call her Esther Summerson；” says Mrs Chadband； with
austerity。 “There was no Miss…ing of the girl in my time。 It was
Esther。 ‘Esther； do this！ Esther； do that！’ and she was made to do
it。”
“My dear ma’am；” returns Mr Guppy； moving across the small
apartment； “the humble individual who now addresses you
received that young lady in London； when she first came here
from the establishment to which you have alluded。 Allow me to
have the pleasure of taking you by the hand。”
Mr Chadband； at last seeing his opportunity； makes his
accustomed signal； and rises with a smoking head； which he dabs
with his pocket…handkerchief。 Mrs Snagsby whispers “Hush！”
“My friends；” says Chadband； “we have partaken； in
moderation” （which was certainly not the case so far as he was
concerned）； “of the comforts which have been provided for us。
May this house live upon the fatness of the land； may corn and
wine be plentiful therein； may it grow； may it thrive； may it
prosper； may it advance； may it proceed； may it press forward！
But； my friends； have we partaken of anything else？ We have。 My
friends； of what else have we partaken？ Of spiritual profit？ Yes。
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From whence have we derived that spiritual profit？ My young
friend； stand forth！”
Jo； thus apostrophised； gives a slouch backward； and another
slouch forward； and another slouch to each side； and confronts the
eloquent Chadband； with evident doubts of his intentions。
“My dear friend；” says Chadband； “you are to us a pearl； you
are to us a diamond； you are to us a gem； you are to us a jewel。
And why； my young friend？”
“I don’t know；” replies Jo。 “I don’t know nothink。”
“My young friend；” says Chadband； “it is because you know
nothing that you are to us a gem and jewel。 For what are you； my
young friend？ Are you a beast of the field？ No。 A bird of the air？
No。 A fish of the sea or river？ No。 You are a human boy； my young
friend。 A human boy。 O glorious to be a human boy！ And why
glorious； my young friend？ Because you are capable of receiving
the lessons of wisdom； because you are capable of profiting by this
discourse which I now deliver for your good； because you are not a
stick； or a staff； or a stock； or a stone； or a post； or a pillar。
O running stream of sparkling joy
To be a soaring human boy！
And do you cool yourself in that stream now； my young friend？
No。 Why do you not cool yourself in that stream now？ Because you
are in a state of darkness； because you are in a state of obscurity；
because you are in a state of sinfulness； because you are in a state
of bondage。 My young friend； what is bondage？ Let us； in a spirit
of love； inquire。”
At this threatening stage of the discourse； Jo； who seems to
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have been gradually going out of his mind； smears his right arm
over his face； and gives a terrible yawn。 Mrs Snagsby indignantly
expresses her belief that he is a limb of the archfiend。
“My friends；” says Mr Chadband； with his persecuted chin
folding itself into its fat smile again； as he looks round； “it is right
that I should be humbled； it is right that I should be tired； it is
right that I should be mortified； it is right that I should be
corrected。 I stumbled； on Sabbath last； when I thought with pride
of my three hours’ improving。 The account is now favourably
b
