bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第93章
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freely in me； and I will confide freely in you。 I ask you wholly to
relinquish； for the present； any tie but your relationship。”
“Better to say at once； sir；” returned Richard； “that you
renounce all confidence in me； and that you advise Ada to do the
same。”
“Better to say nothing of the sort； Rick； because I don’t mean
it。”
“You think I have begun ill； sir；” retorted Richard。 “I have； I
know。”
“How I hoped you would begin； and how go on； I told you when
we spoke of these things last；” said Mr Jarndyce； in a cordial and
encouraging manner。 “You have not made that beginning yet； but
there is a time for all things； and yours is not gone by—rather； it is
just now fully come。 Make a clear beginning altogether。 You two
（very young； my dears）； are cousins。 As yet； you are nothing more。
What more may come； must come of being worked out； Rick； and
no sooner。”
“You are very hard with me； sir；” said Richard。 “Harder than I
could have supposed you would be。”
“My dear boy；” said Mr Jarndyce； “I am harder with myself
when I do anything that gives you pain。 You have your remedy in
your own hands。 Ada； it is better for him that he should be free；
and that there should be no youthful engagement between you。
Rick； it is better for her； much better； you owe it to her。 Come！
Each of you will do what is best for the other； if not what is best for
yourselves。”
“Why is it best； sir？” returned Richard； hastily。 “It was not；
when we opened our hearts to you。 You did not say so； then。”
“I have had experience since。 I don’t blame you； Rick—but I
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have had experience since。”
“You mean of me； sir。”
“Well！ Yes； of both of you；” said Mr Jarndyce； kindly。 “The time
is not come for your standing pledged to one another。 It is not
right； and I must not recognise it。 Come； come； my young cousins；
begin afresh！ Bygones shall be bygones； and a new page turned for
you to write your lives in。”
Richard gave an anxious glance at Ada； but said nothing。
“I have avoided saying one word to either of you； or to Esther；”
said Mr Jarndyce； “until now； in order that we might be open as
the day； and all on equal terms。 I now affectionately advise； I now
most earnestly entreat； you two； to part as you came here。 Leave
all else to time； truth； and steadfastness。 If you do otherwise； you
will do wrong； and you will have made me do wrong； in ever
bringing you together。”
A long silence succeeded。
“Cousin Richard；” said Ada； then； raising her blue eyes tenderly
to his face； “after what our cousin John has said； I think no choice
is left us。 Your mind may be quite at ease about me； for you will
leave me here under his care； and will be sure that I can have
nothing to wish for； quite sure； if I guide myself by his advice。 I—I
don’t doubt； cousin Richard；” said Ada； a little confused； “that you
were very fond of me； and I—I don’t think you will fall in love with
anybody else。 But I should like you to consider well about it； too；
as I should like you to be in all things very happy。 You may trust in
me； cousin Richard。 I am not at all changeable； but I am not
unreasonable； and should never blame you。 Even cousins may be
sorry to part； and in truth I am very； very sorry； Richard； though I
know it’s for your welfare。 I shall always think of you
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affectionately； and often talk of you with Esther； and—and
perhaps you will sometimes think a little of me； cousin Richard。 So
now；” said Ada； going up to him and giving him her trembling
hand； “we are only cousins again； Richard—for the time perhaps—
and I pray for a blessing on my dear cousin whereever he goes！”
It was strange to me that Richard should not be able to forgive
my Guardian； for entertaining the very same opinion of him which
he himself had expressed of himself in much stronger terms to me。
But； it was certainly the case。 I observed； with great regret； that
from this hour he never was as free and open with Mr Jarndyce as
he had been before。 He had every reason given him to be so； but
he was not； and； solely on his side； an estrangement began to arise
between them。
In the business of preparation and equipment he soon lost
himself； and even his grief at parting from Ada； who remained in
Hertfordshire； while he； Mr Jarndyce； and I went up to London for
a week。 He remembered her by fits and starts； even with bursts of
tears； and at such times would confide to me the heaviest self…
reproaches。 But； in a few minutes he would recklessly conjure up
some undefinable means by which they were both to be made rich
and happy for ever； and would become as gay as possible。
It was a busy time； and I trotted about with him all day long；
buying a variety of things； of which he stood in need。 Of the things
he would have bought； if he had been left to his own ways； I say
nothing。 He was perfectly confidential with me； and often talked so
sensibly and feelingly about his faults and his vigorous resolutions；
and dwelt so much upon the encouragement he derived from
these conversations； that I could never have been tired if I had
tried。
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There used； in that week； to come backward and forward to our
lodging； to fence with Richard； a person who had formerly been a
cavalry soldier； he was a fine bluff…looking man； of a frank free
bearing； with whom Richard had practised for some months。 I
heard so much about him； not only from Richard； but from my
Guardian too； that I was purposely in the room； with my work； one
morning after breakfast when he came。
“Good morning； Mr George；” said my Guardian； who happened
to be alone with me。 “Mr Carstone will be here directly。
Meanwhile； Miss Summerson is very happy to see you； I know。 Sit
down。”
He sat down； a little disconcerted by my presence； I thought；
and； without looking at me； drew his heavy sunburnt hand across
and across his upper lip。
“You are as punctual as the sun；” said Mr Jarndyce。
“Military time； sir；” he replied。 “Force of habit。 A mere habit in
me； sir。 I am not at all business…like。”
“Yet you have a large establishment； too； I am told？” said Mr
Jarndyce。
“Not much of a one； sir。 I keep a shooting gallery； but not much
of a one。”
“And what kind of a shot； and what kind of a swordsman； do
you make of Mr Carstone？” said my Guardian。
“Pretty good； sir；” he replied； folding his arms upon his broad
chest； and looking very large。 “If Mr Carstone was to give his full
mind to it； he would come out very good。”
“But he don’t； I suppose？” said my Guardian。
“He did at first； sir； but not afterwards。 Not his full mind。
Perhaps he has something else upon it—some young lady；
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perhaps。” His bright dark eyes glanced at me for the first time。
“He has not me upon his mind； I assure you； Mr George；” said I；
laughing； “though you seem to suspect me。”
He reddened a little through his brown； and made me a
trooper’s bow。 “No offence； I hope； miss。 I am one of the Roughs。”
“Not at all；” said I。 “I take it as a compliment。”
If he had not looked at me before； he looked at me now； in three
or four quick successive glances。 “I beg your pardon； sir；” he said
to my Guardian； with a manly kind of diffidence； “but you did me
the honour to mention the young lady’s name—”
“Miss Summerson。”
“Miss Summerson；” he repeated； and looked at me again。
“Do you know the name？” I asked。
“No； miss。 To my knowledge； I never heard it。 I thought I had
seen you somewhere。”
“I think not；” I returned； raising my head from my work to look
at him； and there was something so genuine in his speech and
manner； that I was glad of the opportunity。 “I remember faces
very well。”
“So do I； miss！” he returned； meeting my look with the fulness
of his dark eyes and broad forehead。 “Humph！ What set me off；
now； upon that！”
His once more reddening through his brown； and being
disconcerted by his efforts to remember the association； brought
my Guardian to his relief。
“Have you many pupils； Mr George？”
“They vary in their number； sir。 Mostly； they’re but a small lot
to live by。”
“And what classes of chance people come to practise at your
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gallery？”
“All sorts； sir。 Natives and foreigners。 From gentlemen to
’prentices。 I have had French women come； before now； and show
themselves dabs at pistol…shooting。 Mad people out of number； of
course—but they go everywhere； where the doors stand open。”
“People don’t come with grudges and schemes of finishing their
practice with live targets； I hope？” said my Guardian； smiling。
“Not much of that； sir； though that has happened。 Mostly they
come for skill—or idleness。 Six of one； and half a dozen of the
other。 I beg your pardon；” said Mr George； sitting st
