bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第135节
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down。”
“Thank you ladyship。” Mr Guppy does so。 “Now； your
ladyship；” Mr Guppy refers to a slip of paper on which he has
made small notes of his line of argument； and which seems to
involve him in the densest obscurity whenever he looks at it： “I—O
yes！—I place myself entirely in your ladyship’s hands。 If your
ladyship were to make any complaint to Kenge and Carboy； or to
Mr Tulkinghorn； of the present visit； I should be placed in a very
disagreeable situation。 That I openly admit。 Consequently； I rely
upon your ladyship’s honour。”
My Lady； with a disdainful gesture of the hand that holds the
screen； assures him of his being worth no complaint from her。
“Thank； your ladyship；” says Mr Guppy； “quite satisfactory。
Now—I—dash it！—The fact is； that I put down a head or two here
of the order of the points I thought of touching upon； and they’re
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written short； and I can’t quite make out what they mean。 If your
ladyship will excuse me taking it to the window half a moment； I—
”
Mr Guppy going to the window tumbles into a pair of love…
birds； to whom he says in his confusion； “I beg your pardon； I am
sure。” This does not tend to the greater legibility of his notes。 He
murmurs； growing warm and red； and holding a slip of paper now
close to eyes； now a long way off。 “C。S。 What’s C。S。 for？ O！ ‘E。S！’ O；
I know！ Yes； to be sure！” And comes back enlightened。
“I am not aware；” says Mr Guppy； standing midway between
my Lady and his chair； “whether your ladyship ever happened to
hear of； or to see； a young lady of the name of Miss Esther
Summerson。”
My Lady’s eyes look at him full。 “I saw a young lady of that
name not long ago。 This past autumn。”
“Now； did it strike your ladyship that she was like anybody？”
asks Mr Guppy； crossing his arms； holding his head on one side；
and scratching the corner of his mouth with his memoranda。
My Lady removes her eyes from him no more。
“No。”
“Not like your ladyship’s family？”
“No。”
“I think your ladyship；” said Mr Guppy； “can hardly remember
Miss Summerson’s face？”
“I remember the young lady very well。 What has this to do with
me？”
“Your ladyship； I do assure you； that having Miss Summerson’s
image imprinted on my art—which I mention in confidence—I
found； when I had the honour of going over your ladyship’s
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Bleak House 563
mansion of Chesney Wold； while on a short out in the county of
Lincolnshire with a friend； such a resemblance between Miss
Esther Summerson and your ladyship’s own portrait； that it
completely knocked me over； so much so； that I didn’t at the
moment even know what it was that knocked me over。 And now I
have the honour of beholding your ladyship near （I have often；
since that； taken the liberty of looking at your ladyship in your
carriage in the park； when I dare say you was not aware of me； but
I never saw your ladyship so near）； it’s really more surprising than
I thought it。”
Young man of the name of Guppy！ There have been times when
ladies lived in strongholds； and had unscrupulous attendants
within call； when that poor life of yours would not have been
worth a minute’s purchase； with those beautiful eyes looking at
you as they look at this moment。
My Lady； slowly using her little hand…screen as a fan； asks him
again； what he supposes that his taste for likenesses has to do with
her？
“Your ladyship；” replies Mr Guppy； again referring to his
paper； “I am coming to that。 Dash these notes。 O！ ‘Mrs Chadband。’
Yes。” Mr Guppy draws his chair a little forward； and seats himself
again。 My Lady reclines in her chair composedly； though with a
trifle less of graceful ease than usual； perhaps； and never falters in
her steady gaze。 “A—stop a minute； though！” Mr Guppy refers
again。 “E。 S。 twice？ O yes！ yes； I see my way now； right on。”
Rolling up the slip of paper as an instrument to point his speech
with； Mr Guppy proceeds。
“Your ladyship； there is a mystery about Miss Esther
Summerson’s birth and bringing up。 I am informed of that fact；
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because—which I mention in confidence—I know it in the way of
my profession at Kenge and Carboy’s。 Now； as I have already
mentioned to your ladyship； Miss Summerson’s image is
imprinted on my art。 If I could clear this mystery for her； or prove
her to be well related； or find that having the honour to be a
remote branch of your ladyship’s family she had a right to be
made a party in Jarndyce and Jarndyce； why； I might make a sort
of a claim upon Miss Summerson to look with an eye of more
decided favour on my proposals than she has exactly done as yet。
In fact； as yet she hasn’t favoured them at all。”
A kind of angry smile just dawns upon my Lady’s face。
“Now； it’s a very singular circumstance； your ladyship；” says Mr
Guppy； “though one of those circumstances that do fall in the way
of us professional men—which I may call myself； for though not
admitted； yet I have had a present of my articles made to me by
Kenge and Carboy； on my mother’s advancing from the principal
of her little income the money for the stamp； which comes heavy—
that I have encountered the person； who lived as servant with the
lady who brought Miss Summerson up； before Mr Jarndyce took
charge of her。 That lady was a Miss Barbary； your ladyship。”
Is the dead colour on my Lady’s face； reflected from the screen
which has a green silk ground； and which she holds in her raised
hands as if she had forgotten it； or is it a dreadful paleness that has
fallen on her？
“Did your ladyship；” says Mr Guppy； “ever happen to hear of
Miss Barbary？”
“I don’t know。 I think so。 Yes。”
“Was Miss Barbary at all connected with your ladyship’s
family？”
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My Lady’s lips move； but they utter nothing。 She shakes her
head。
“Not connected？” says Mr Guppy。 “O！ Not to your ladyship’s
knowledge； perhaps？ Ah！ But might be？ Yes。” After each of these
interrogatories； she has inclined her head。 “Very good！ Now； this
Miss Barbary was extremely close—seems to have been
extraordinarily close for a female； females being generally （in
common life at least） rather given to conversation—and my
witness never had an idea whether she possessed a single relative。
On one occasion； and only one； she seems to have been
confidential to my witness on a single point； and she then told her
that the little girl’s real name was not Esther Summerson； but
Esther Hawdon。”
“My God！”
Mr Guppy stares。 Lady Dedlock sits before him； looking him
through； with the same dark shade upon her face； in the same
attitude even to the holding of the screen； with her lips a little
apart； her brow a little contracted； but for the moment dead。 He
sees her consciousness return； sees a tremour pass across her
frame like a ripple over water； sees her lips shake； sees her
compose them by a great effort； sees her f
