bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第96章
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don’t say it wasn’t handsome in you to keep my man so close； do I？
Be equally good…tempered to me； old boy！ Old William Tell！ Old
Shaw； the Life Guardsman！ Why； he’s a model of the whole British
Army in himself； ladies and gentlemen。 I’d give a fifty…pun’ note to
be such a figure of a man。”
The affair being brought to this head； Mr George； after a little
consideration； proposed to go in first to his comrade （as he called
him）； taking Miss Flite with him。 Mr Bucket agreeing； they went
away to the further end of the gallery； leaving us sitting and
standing by a table covered with guns。 Mr Bucket took this
opportunity of entering into a light conversation： asking me if I
were afraid of firearms； as most young ladies were； asking Richard
if he were a good shot； asking Phil Squod which he considered the
best of those rifles； and what it might be worth first…hand； telling
him； in return； that it was a pity he ever gave way to his temper；
for he was naturally so amiable that he might have been a young
woman； and making himself generally agreeable。
After a time he followed us to the further end of the gallery； and
Richard and I were going quietly away； when Mr George came
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after us。 He said that if we had no objection to see his comrade； he
would take a visit from us very kindly。 The words had hardly
passed his lips； when the bell was rung； and my Guardian
appeared； “on the chance；” he slightly observed； “of being able to
do any little thing for a poor fellow involved in the same
misfortune as himself。” We all four went back together； and went
into the place where Gridley was。
It was a bare room partitioned off from the gallery with
unpainted wood。 As the screening was not more than eight or ten
feet high； and only enclosed the sides； not the top； the rafters of
the high gallery roof were overhead； and the skylight； through
which Mr Bucket had looked down。 The sun was low—near
setting—and its light came redly in above； without descending to
the ground。 Upon a plain canvas…covered sofa lay the man from
Shropshire—dressed much as we had seen him last； but so
changed； that at first I recognised no likeness in his colourless face
to what I recollected。
He had been still writing in his hiding…place； and still dwelling
on his grievances； hour after hour。 A table and some shelves were
covered with manuscript papers； and with worn pens； and a
medley of such tokens。 Touchingly and awfully drawn together； he
and the little mad woman were side by side； and； as it were； alone。
She sat on a chair holding his hand； and none of us went close to
them。
His voice had faded； with the old expression of his face； with his
strength； with his anger； with his resistance to the wrongs that had
at last subdued him。 The faintest shadow of an object full of form
and colour； is such a picture of it； as he was of the man from
Shropshire whom we had spoken with before。
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He inclined his head to Richard and me； and spoke to my
Guardian。
“Mr Jarndyce； it is very kind of you to come to see me。 I am not
long to be seen； I think。 I am very glad to take your hand； sir。 You
are a good man； superior to injustice； and God knows I honour
you。”
They shook hands earnestly； and my Guardian said some words
of comfort to him。
“It may seem strange to you； sir；” returned Gridley； “I should
not have liked to see you； if this had been the first time of our
meeting。 But； you know； I made a fight for it； you know I stood up
with my single hand against them all； you know I told them the
truth to the last； and told them what they were； and what they had
done to me； so I don’t mind your seeing me； this wreck。”
“You have been courageous with them； many and many a
time；” returned my Guardian。
“Sir； I have been；” with a faint smile。 “I told you what would
come of it； when I ceased to be so； and； see here！ Look at us！—look
at us！” He drew the hand Miss Flite held； through her arm； and
brought her something nearer to him。
“This ends it。 Of all my old associations； of all my old pursuits
and hopes； of all the living and the dead world； this one poor soul
alone comes natural to me； and I am fit for。 There is a tie of many
suffering years； between us two； and it is the only tie I ever had on
earth that Chancery has not broken。”
“Accept my blessing； Gridley；” said Miss Flite； in tears。 “Accept
my blessing！”
“I thought； boastfully； that they never could break my heart； Mr
Jarndyce。 I was resolved that they should not。 I did believe that I
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could； and would； charge them with being the mockery they were；
until I died of some bodily disorder。 But I am worn out。 How long I
have been wearing out； I don’t know； I seemed to break down in
an hour。 I hope they may never come to hear of it。 I hope
everybody here will lead them to believe that I died defying them；
consistently and perseveringly； as I did through so many years。”
Here Mr Bucket； who was sitting in a corner； by the door； good…
naturedly offered such consolation as he could administer。
“Come； come！” he said； from his corner。 “Don’t go on in that
way； Mr Gridley。 You are only a little low。 We are all of us a little
low； sometimes。 I am。 Hold up； hold up！ You’ll lose your temper
with the whole round of ’em； again and again； and I shall take you
on a score of warrants yet； if I have luck。”
He only shook his head。
“Don’t shake your head；” said Mr Bucket。 “Nod it； that’s what I
want to see you do。 Why； Lord bless your soul； what times we have
had together！ Haven’t I seen you in the Fleet over and over again；
for contempt？ Haven’t I came into Court twen…ty afternoons； for
no other purpose than to see you pin the Chancellor like a
bulldog？ Don’t you remember； when you first began to threaten
the lawyers； and the peace was sworn against you two or three
times a week？ Ask the little old lady there； she has been always
present。 Hold up； Mr Gridley； hold up； sir！”
“What are you going to do about him？” asked George in a low
voice。
“I don’t know yet；” said Bucket in the same tone。 Then
resuming his encouragement； he pursued aloud：—
“Worn out； Mr Gridley？ After dodging me for all these weeks；
and forcing me to climb the roof here like a Tom Cat； and to come
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to see you as a Doctor？ That ain’t like being worn out。 I should
think not！ Now I tell you what you want。 You want excitement；
you know； to keep you up； that’s what you want。 You’re used to it；
and you can’t do without it。 I couldn’t myself。 Very well； then；
here’s this warrant got by Mr Tulkinghorn of Lincoln’s Inn Fields；
and backed into half…a…dozen counties since。 What do you say to
coming along with me； upon this warrant； and having a good
angry argument before the magistrates？ It’ll do you good； it’ll
freshen you up； and get you into training for another turn at the
Chancellor。 Give in？ Why I am surprised to hear a man of your
energy talk of giving in。 You mustn’t do that。 You’re half the fun of
the fair； in the Court of Chancery。 George； you lend Mr Gridley a
hand； and let’s see now whether he won’t be better up than
down。”
“He is very weak；” said the trooper； in a low voice。
“Is he？” returned Bucket； anxiously。 “I only want to rouse him。
I don’t like to see an old acquaintance giving in like this。 It would
cheer him up more than anything if I could make him a little waxy
with me。 He’s welcome to drop into me； right and left； if he likes。 I
shall never take advantage of it。”
The roof rang with a scream from Miss Flite； which still rings in
my ears。
“O no； Gridley！” she cried； as he fell heavily and calmly back
from before her。 “Not without my blessing。 After so many years！”
Then the sun was down； the light had gradually stolen from the
roof； and the shadow had crept upward。 But； to me； the shadow of
that pair； one living and one dead； fell heavier on Richard’s
departure； than the darkness of the darkest night。 And through
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Richard’s farewell words I heard it echoed。
“Of all my old associations； of all my old pursuits and hopes； of
all the living and the dead world； this one poor soul alone comes
natural to me； and I am fit for。 There is a tie of many suffering
years between us two； and it is the only tie I ever had on earth that
Chancery has not broken！”
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Chapter 25
Mrs Snagsby Sees It All
here is disquietude in Cook’s Court； Cursitor Street。 Black
