bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第98章
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Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 497…
Bleak House 497
and are become as a precious instrument in my hands。 My friends；
may I so employ this instrument as to use it toe your advantage；
toe your profit； toe your gain； toe your welfare； toe your
enrichment！ My young friend； sit upon this stool。”
Jo； apparently possessed by an impression that the reverend
gentleman wants to cut his hair； shields his head with both arms；
and is got into the required position with great difficulty； and
every possible manifestation of reluctance。
When he is at last adjusted like a lay…figure； Mr Chadband；
retiring behind the table； holds up his bear’s…paw； and says； “My
friends！” This is the signal for a general settlement of the
audience。 The ’prentices giggle internally； and nudge each other。
Guster falls into a staring and vacant state； compounded of a
stunned admiration of Mr Chadband and pity for the friendless
outcast whose condition touches her nearly。 Mrs Snagsby silently
lays trains of gunpowder。 Mrs Chadband composes herself grimly
by the fire； and warms her knees： finding that sensation
favourable to the reception of eloquence。
It happens that Mr Chadband has a pulpit habit of fixing some
member of his congregation with his eye； and fatly arguing his
points with that particular person； who is understood to be
expected to be moved to an occasional grunt； groan； gasp； or other
audible expression of inward working； which expression of inward
working； being echoed by some elderly lady in the next pew； and
so communicated； like a game of forfeits； through a circle of the
more fermentable sinners present； serves the purpose of
parliamentary cheering； and gets Mr Chadband’s steam up。 From
mere force of habit； Mr Chadband in saying “my friends！” has
rested his eye on Mr Snagsby； and proceeds to make that ill…
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 498…
Bleak House 498
starred stationer； already sufficiently confused； the immediate
recipient of his discourse。
“We have here among us； my friends；” says Chadband； “a
Gentile and a Heathen； a dweller in the tents of Tom…all…Alone’s；
and a mover…on upon the surface of the earth。 We have here
among us； my friends；” and Mr Chadband； untwisting the point
with his dirty thumbnail； bestows an oily smile on Mr Snagsby；
signifying that he will throw him an argumentative back—fall
presently if he be not already down； “a brother and a boy。 Devoid
of parents； devoid of relations； devoid of flocks and herds； devoid
of gold and silver； and of precious stones。 Now； my friends； why do
I say he is devoid of these possessions？ Why？ Why is he？” Mr
Chadband states the question as if he were propounding an
entirely new riddle； of much ingenuity and merit； to Mr Snagsby；
and entreating him not to give it up。 Mr Snagsby； greatly
perplexed by the mysterious look he received just now from his
little woman—at about the period when Mr Chadband mentioned
the word parents—is tempted into modestly remarking； “I don’t
know； I’m sure； sir。” On which interruption； Mrs Chadband glares；
and Mrs Snagsby says； “For shame！”
“I hear a voice；” says Chadband； “is it a still small voice； my
friends？ I fear not； though I fain would hope so—”
（“Ah…h！” from Mrs Snagsby。）
“Which says； I don’t know。 Then I will tell you why。 I say this
brother； present here among us； is devoid of parents； devoid of
relations； devoid of flocks and herds； devoid of gold； of silver； and
of precious stones； because he is devoid of the light that shines in
upon some of us。 What is that light？ What is it？ I ask you what is
that light？”
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 499…
Bleak House 499
Mr Chadband draws back his head and pauses； but Mr Snagsby
is not to be lured on to his destruction again。 Mr Chadband；
leaning forward over the table； pierces what he has got to follow；
directly into Mr Snagsby； with the thumbnail already mentioned。
“It is；” says Chadband； “the ray of rays； the sun of suns； the
moon of moons； the star of stars。 It is the light of Terewth。”
Mr Chadband draws himself up again； and looks triumphantly
at Mr Snagsby； as if he would be glad to know how he feels after
that。
“Of Terewth；” says Mr Chadband； hitting him again。 “Say not
to me that it is not the lamp of lamps。 I say to you； it is。 I say to you；
a million of times over； it is。 It is！ I say to you that I will proclaim it
to you； whether you like it or not； nay； that the less you like it； the
more I will proclaim it to you。 With a speaking…trumpet！ I say to
you that if you rear yourself against it； you shall fall； you shall be
bruised； you shall be battered； you shall be flawed； you shall be
smashed。”
The present effect of this flight of oratory—much admired for
its general power by Mr Chadband’s followers—being not only to
make Mr Chadband unpleasantly warm； but to represent the
innocent Mr Snagsby in the light of a determined enemy to virtue；
with a forehead of brass and a heart of adamant； that unfortunate
tradesman becomes yet more disconcerted； and is in a very
advanced state of low spirits and false position； when Mr
Chadband accidentally finishes him。
“My friends；” he resumes； after dabbing his fat head for some
time—and it smokes to such an extent that he seems to light his
pocket…handkerchief at it； which smokes； too； after every dab—“to
pursue the subject we are endeavouring with our lowly gifts to
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 500…
Bleak House 500
improve； let us in a spirit of love inquire what is that Terewth to
which I have alluded。 For； my young friends；” suddenly
addressing the ’prentices and Guster； to their consternation； “if I
am told by the doctor that calomel or castor…oil is good for me； I
may naturally ask what is calomel； and what is castor…oil。 I may
wish to be informed of that； before I dose myself with either or
with both。 Now； my young friends； what is this Terewth； then？
Firstly （in a spirit of love）； what is the common sort of Terewth—
the working clothes—the every…day wear； my young friends？ Is it
deception？”
（“Ah…h！” from Mrs Snagsby。）
“Is it suppression？”
（A shiver in the negative from Mrs Snagsby。）
“Is it reservation？”
（A shake of the head from Mrs Snagsby—very long and very
tight。）
“No； my friends； it is neither of these。 Neither of these names
belongs to it。 When this young Heathen now among us—who is
now； my friends； asleep； the seal of indifference and perdition
being set upon his eyelids； but do not wake him； for it is right that
I should have to wrestle； and to combat and to struggle； and to
conquer； for his sake—when this young hardened Heathen told us
a story of a Cock； and of a Bull； and of a lady； and of a sovereign；
was that the Terewth？ No。 Or； if it was partly； was it wholly； and
entirely？ No； my friends； no！”
If Mr Snagsby could withstand his little woman’s look； as it
enters at his eyes； the windows of his soul； and searches the whole
tenement； he were other than the man he is。 He cowers and
droops。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 501…
Bleak House 501
“Or； my juvenile friends；” says Chadband； descending to the
level of their comprehension； with a very obtrusive demonstration；
in his greasily meek smile； of coming a long way downstairs for the
purpose； “if the master of this house was to go forth into the city
and there see an eel； and was to come back； and was to call untoe
him the mistress of this house； and was to say； ‘Sarah； rejoice with
me； for I have seen an elephant！’ would that be Terewth？”
Mrs Snagsby in tears。
“Or put it； my juvenile friends； that he saw an elephant； and
returning said ‘Lo； the city is barren； I have seen but an eel；’ would
that be Terewth？”
Mrs Snagsby sobbing loudly。
“Or put it； my juvenile friends；” says Chadband； stimulated by
the sound； “that the unnatural parents of this slumbering
Heathen—for parents he had； my juvenile friends； beyond a
doubt—after casting him forth to the wolves and the vultures； and
the wild dogs and the young gazelles； and the serpents； went back
to their dwellings and had their pipes； and their pots； and their
flutings and their dancings； and their malt liquors； and their
butcher’s meat and poultry； would that be Terewth！”
Mrs Snagsby replies by delivering herself a prey to spasms； not
an unresisting prey； but a crying and a tearing one； so that Cook’s
Court re…echoes with her shrieks。 Finally； becoming cataleptic； she
has to be carried up the narrow staircase like a grand piano。 After
unspeakable suffering； productive of the utmost consternation；
she is pronounced； by expresses from the bedroom； free from pain；
though much exhausted； in which state
