bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第140节
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deal of room to be dirty in。 I believe that nothing belonging to the
family； which it had been possible to break； was unbroken at the
time of those preparations for Caddy’s marriage； that nothing
which it had been possible to spoil in any way； was unspoilt； and
that no domestic object which was capable of collecting dirt； form
a dear child’s knee to the door…plate； was without as much dirt as
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could well accumulate upon it。
Poor Mr Jellyby； who very seldom spoke； and almost always sat
when he was at home with his head against the wall； became
interested when he saw that Caddy and I were attempting to
establish some order among all this waste and ruin； and took off
his coat to help。 But such wonderful things came tumbling out of
the closets when they were opened—bits of mouldy pie； sour
bottles； Mrs Jellyby’s caps； letters； tea； forks； odd boots and shoes
of children； firewood； wafers； saucepan…lids； damp sugar in odds
and ends of paper bags； footstools； black…lead brushes； bread； Mrs
Jellyby’s bonnets； books with butter sticking to the binding；
guttered candle…ends put out by being turned upside down in
broken candlesticks； nutshells； heads and tails of shrimps； dinner…
mats； gloves； coffee…grounds； umbrellas—that he looked
frightened； and left off again。 But he came in regularly every
evening； and sat without his coat； with his head against the wall；
as though he would have helped us； if he had known how。
“Poor Pa！” said Caddy to me； on the night before the great day；
when we really had got things a little to rights。 “It seems unkind to
leave him； Esther； but what could I do if I stayed！ Since I first
knew you； I have tidied and tidied over and over again； but it’s
useless。 Ma and Africa； together； upset the whole house directly。
We never have a servant who don’t drink。 Ma’s ruinous to
everything。”
Mr Jellyby could not hear what she said； but he seemed very
low indeed； and shed tears； I thought。
“My heart aches for him； that it does！” sobbed Caddy。 “I can’t
help thinking； tonight； Esther； how dearly I hope to be happy with
Prince； and how dearly Pa hoped； I dare say； to be happy with Ma。
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What a disappointed life！”
“My dear Caddy！” said Mr Jellyby； looking slowly round from
the wall。 It was the first time； I think； I ever heard him say three
words together。
“Yes； Pa；” cried Caddy； going to him and embracing him
affectionately。
“My dear Caddy；” said Mr Jellyby。 “Never have—”
“Not Prince； Pa？” faltered Caddy。 “Not have Prince？”
“Yes； my dear；” said Mr Jellyby。 “Have him； certainly。 But；
never have—”
I mentioned； in my account of our first visit in Thavies Inn； that
Richard described Mr Jellyby as frequently opening his mouth
after dinner without saying anything。 It was a habit of his。 He
opened his mouth now； a great many times； and shook his head in
a melancholy manner。
“What do you wish me not to have？ Don’t have what； dear Pa？”
asked Caddy； coaxing him； with her arms round his neck。
“Never have a mission； my dear child。”
Mr Jellyby groaned； and laid his head against the wall again；
and this was the only time I ever heard him make any approach to
expressing his sentiments on the Borrioboolan question。 I suppose
he had been more talkative and lively； once； but he seemed to
have been completely exhausted long before I knew him。
I thought Mrs Jellyby never would have left off serenely looking
over her papers； and drinking coffee； that night。 It was twelve
o’clock before we could obtain possession of the room； and the
clearance it required then； was so discouraging； that Caddy； who
was almost tired out； sat down in the middle of the dust and cried。
But she soon cheered up； and we did wonders with it before we
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went to bed。
In the morning it looked； by the aid of a few flowers and a
quantity of soap and water； and a little arrangement； quite gay。
The plain breakfast made a cheerful show； and Caddy was
perfectly charming。 But when my darling came； I thought—and I
think now—that I never had seen such a dear face as my beautiful
pet’s。
We made a little feast for the children upstairs； and we put
Peepy at the head of the table； and we showed them Caddy in her
bridal dress； and they clapped their hands and hurrahed； and
Caddy cried to think that she was going away from them； and
hugged them over and over again； until we brought Prince up to
fetch her away—when； I am sorry to say； Peepy bit him。 Then；
there was old Mr Turveydrop downstairs； in a state of Deportment
not to be expressed； benignly blessing Caddy； and giving my
Guardian to understand； that his son’s happiness was his own
parental work； and that he sacrificed personal considerations to
insure it。 “My dear sir；” said Mr Turveydrop； “these young people
will live with me； my house is large enough for their
accommodation； and they shall not want the shelter of my roof。 I
could have wished； you will understand the allusion； Mr Jarndyce；
for you remember my illustrious patron the Prince Regent—I
could have wished that my son had married into a family where
there was more Deportment； but the will of Heaven be done！”
Mr and Mrs Pardiggle were of the party—Mr Pardiggle； an
obstinate…looking man with a large waistcoat and stubbly hair；
who was always talking in a loud bass voice about his mite； or Mrs
Pardiggle’s mite； or their five boys’ mites。 Mr Quale； with his hair
brushed back as usual； and his knobs of temples shining very
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much； was also there； not in the character of a disappointed lover；
but as the Accepted of a young—at least； an unmarried—lady； a
Miss Wisk； who was also there。 Miss Wisk’s mission； my Guardian
said； was to show the world that woman’s mission was man’s
mission； and that the only genuine mission； of both man and
woman； was to be always moving declaratory resolutions about
things in general at public meetings。 The guests were few； but
were； as one might expect at Mrs Jellyby’s； all devoted to public
objects only。 Besides those I have mentioned； there was an
extremely dirty lady； with her bonnet all awry； and the ticketed
price of her dress still sticking on it； whose neglected home； Caddy
told me； was like a filthy wilderness； but whose church was like a
fancy fair。 A very contentious gentleman； who said it was his
mission to be everybody’s brother； but who appeared to be on
terms of coolness with the whole of his large family； completed the
party。
A party having less in common with such an occasion； could
hardly have been got together by any ingenuity。 Such a mean
mission as the domestic mission； was the very last thing to be
endured among them； indeed； Miss Wisk informed us； with great
indignation； before we sat down to breakfast； that the idea
