bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第182节
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Vholes？ Sir； that class of practitioners would be swept from the
face of the earth。 Now you cannot afford—I would say； the social
system cannot afford—to lose an order of men like Mr Vholes。
Diligent； persevering； steady； acute in business。 My dear sir； I
understand your present feelings against the existing state of
things； which I grant to be a little hard in your case； but I can
never raise my voice for the demolition of a class of men like Mr
Vholes。” The respectability of Mr Vholes has even been cited with
crushing effect before Parliamentary committees； as in the
following blue minutes of a distinguished attorney’s evidence。
“Question （number five hundred and seventeen thousand eight
hundred and sixty…nine）。 If I understand you； these forms of
practice indisputably occasion delay？ Answer。 Yes； some delay。
Question。 And great expense？ Answer。 Most assuredly they cannot
be gone through for nothing。 Question。 And unspeakable
vexation？ Answer。 I am not prepared to say that。 They have never
given me any vexation； quite the contrary。 Question。 But you think
that their abolition would damage a class of practitioners？
Answer。 I have no doubt of it。 Question。 Can you instance any type
of that class？ Answer。 Yes。 I would unhesitatingly mention Mr
Vholes。 He would be ruined。 Question。 Mr Vholes is considered； in
the profession； a respectable man？ Answer”—which proved fatal
to the inquiry for ten years—“Mr Vholes is considered； in the
profession； a most respectable man。”
So in familiar conversation； private authorities no less
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disinterested will remark that they don’t know what this age is
coming to； that we are plunging down precipices； that now here is
something else gone； that these changes are death to people like
Vholes： a man of undoubted respectability； with a father in the
Vale of Taunton； and three daughters at home。 Take a few steps
more in this direction； say they； and what is to become of Vholes’s
father？ Is he to perish？ And of Vholes’s daughters？ Are they to be
shirt…makers； or governesses？ As though Mr Vholes and his
relations being minor cannibal chiefs； and it being proposed to
abolish cannibalism； indignant champions were to put the case
thus： Make man…eating unlawful； and you starve the Vholeses！
In a word； Mr Vholes； with his three daughters and his father in
the Vale of Taunton； is continually doing duty； like a piece of
timber； to shore up some decayed foundation that has become a
pitfall and a nuisance。 And with a great many people； in a great
many instances； the question is never one of a change from Wrong
to Right （which is quite an extraneous consideration）； but is
always one of injury or advantage to that eminently respectable
legion； Vholes。
The Chancellor is； within these ten minutes； “up” for the long
vacation。 Mr Vholes； and his young client； and several blue bags
hastily stuffed out of all regularity of form； as the larger sort of
serpents are in their first gorged state； have returned to the official
den。 Mr Vholes； quiet and unmoved； as a man of so much
respectability ought to be； takes off his close black gloves as if he
were skinning his hands； lifts off his tight hat as if he were
scalping himself； and sits down at his desk。 The client throws his
hat and gloves upon the ground—tosses them anywhere； without
looking after them or caring where they go； flings himself； into a
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chair； half sighing and half groaning； rests his aching head upon
his hand； and looks the portrait of Young Despair。
“Again nothing done！” says Richard。 “Nothing； nothing done！”
“Don’t say nothing done； sir；” returns the placid Vholes。 “That
is scarcely fair； sir； scarcely fair！”
“Why； what is done？” says Richard； turning gloomily upon him。
“That may not be the whole question；” returns Vholes。 “The
question may branch off into what is doing； what is doing？”
“And what is doing？” asks the moody client。
Vholes； sitting with his arms on his desk； quietly bringing the
tips of his five right fingers to meet the tips of his five left fingers；
and quietly separating them again； and fixedly and slowly looking
at his client； replies：
“A good deal is doing； sir。 We have put our shoulders to the
wheel； Mr Carstone； and the wheel is going round。”
“Yes； with Ixion on it。 How am I to get through the next four or
five accursed months？” exclaims the young man； rising from his
chair and walking about the room。
“Mr C；” returns Vholes； following him close with his eyes
wherever he goes； “your spirits are hasty； and I am sorry for it on
your account。 Excuse me if I recommend you not to chafe so
much； not to be so impetuous； not to wear yourself out so。 You
should have more patience。 You should sustain yourself better。”
“I ought to imitate you； in fact； Mr Vholes？” says Richard；
sitting down again with an impatient laugh； and beating the
Devil’s Tattoo with his boot on the patternless carpet。
“Sir；” returns Vholes； always looking at the client； as if he were
making a lingering meal of him with his eyes as well as with his
professional appetite。 “Sir；” returns Vholes； with his inward
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manner of speech and his bloodless quietude； “I should not have
had the presumption to propose myself as a model； for your
imitation or any man’s。 Let me but leave the good name to my
three daughters； and that is enough for me； I am not a self…seeker。
But； since you mention me so pointedly； I will acknowledge that I
should like to impart to you a little of my—come sir； you are
disposed to call it insensibility； and I am sure I have no objection—
say insensibility—a little of my insensibility。”
“Mr Vholes；” explains the client； somewhat abashed； “I had no
intention to accuse you of insensibility。”
“I think you had； sir； without knowing it；” returns the equable
Vholes。 “Very naturally。 It is my duty to attend to your interests
with a cool head； and I can quite understand that to your excited
feelings I may appear； at such times as the present； insensible。 My
daughters may know me better； my aged father may know me
better。 But they have known me much longer than you have； and
the confiding eye of affection is not the distrustful eye of business。
Not that I complain； sir； of the eye of business being distrustful；
quite the contrary。 In attending to your interests； I wish to have all
possible checks upon me； it is right that I should have them； I
court inquiry。 But your interests demand that I should be cool and
methodical； Mr Carstone； and I cannot be otherwise—no； sir； not
even to please you。”
Mr Vholes； after glancing at the official cat who is patiently
watching a mouse’s hole； fixes his charmed gaze again on his
young client； and proceeds in his buttoned…up half…audible voice；
as if there were an unclean spirit in him that will neither come out
nor speak out：—
“What are you to do； sir； you inquire； during the vacation。 I
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