bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第19节
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us。 We both grub on in a muddle。 Hi； Lady Jane！”
A large grey cat leaped from some neighbouring shelf on his
shoulder； and startled us all。
“Hi！ show ’em how you scratch。 Hi！ Tear； my lady！” said her
master。
The cat leaped down； and ripped at a bundle of rags with her
tigerish claws； with a sound that it set my teeth on edge to hear。
“She’d do as much for any one I was to set her on；” said the old
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man。 “I deal in cat…skins among other general matters； and hers
was offered to me。 It’s a very fine skin； as you may see； but I didn’t
have it stripped off！ That warn’t like Chancery practice though；
says you！”
He had by this time led us across the shop； and now opened a
door in the back part of it； leading to the house…entry。 As he stood
with his hand upon the lock； the little old lady graciously observed
to him before passing out：
“That will do； Krook。 You mean well； but are tiresome。 My
young friends are pressed for time。 I have none to spare myself；
having to attend court very soon。 My young friends are the wards
in Jarndyce。”
“Jarndyce！” said the old man with a start。
“Jarndyce and Jarndyce。 The great suit； Krook；” returned his
lodger。
“Hi！” exclaimed the old man； in a tone of thoughtful
amazement； and with a wider stare than before； “Think of it！”
He seemed so rapt all in a moment； and looked so curiously at
us； that Richard said：
“Why you appear to trouble yourself a good deal about the
causes before your noble and learned brother； the other
Chancellor！”
“Yes；” said the old man； abstractedly； “Sure！ Your name now
will be—”
“Richard Carstone。”
“Carstone；” he repeated； slowly checking off that name upon
his forefinger； and each of the others he went on to mention； upon
a separate finger。 “Yes。 There was the name of Barbary； and the
name of Clare； and the name of Dedlock； too； I think。”
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“He knows as much of the cause as the real salaried
Chancellor！” said Richard； quite astonished； to Ada and me。
“Ay！” said the old man； coming slowly out of his abstraction。
“Yes！ Tom Jarndyce—you’ll excuse me； being related； but he was
never known about court by any other name； and was as well
known there； as—she is now” nodding slightly at his lodger； “Tom
Jarndyce was often in here。 He got into a restless habit of strolling
about when the cause was on； or expected； talking to the little
shop…keepers； and telling ’em to keep out of Chancery； whatever
they did。 ‘For；’ says he； ‘it’s being ground to bits in a slow mill； it’s
being roasted at a slow fire； it’s being stung to death by single
bees； it’s being drowned by drops； it’s going mad by grains。’ He
was as near making away with himself； just where the young lady
stands； as near could be。”
We listened with horror。
“He come in at the door；” said the old man； slowly pointing an
imaginary track along the shop； “on the day he did it—the whole
neighbourhood had said for months before； that he would do it； of
a certainty sooner or later—he come in at the door that day； and
walked along there； and sat himself on a bench that stood there；
and asked me （you’ll judge I was a mortal sight younger then） to
fetch him a pint of wine。 ‘For；’ says he； ‘Krook； I am much
depressed； my cause is on again； and I think I’m nearer judgment
than I ever was。’ I hadn’t a mind to leave him alone； and I
persuaded him to go to the tavern over the way there； t’other side
my lane （I mean Chancery Lane）； and I followed and looked in at
the window； and saw him； comfortable as I thought； in the
armchair by the fire； and company with him。 I hadn’t hardly got
back here； when I heard a shot go echoing and rattling right away
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into the inn。 I ran out—neighbours ran out—twenty of us cried at
once； Tom Jarndyce！’” The old man stopped； looked hard at us；
looked down into the lantern； blew the light out； and shut the
lantern up。
“We were right； I needn’t tell the present hearers。 Hi！ To be
sure； how the neighbourhood poured into court that afternoon
while the cause was on！ How my noble and learned brother； and
all the rest of ’em； grubbed and muddled away as usual； and tried
to look as if they hadn’t heard a word of the last fact in the case； or
as if they had—O dear me！ nothing at all to do with it； if they had
heard of it by any chance！”
Ada’s colour had entirely left her； and Richard was scarcely less
pale。 Nor could I wonder； judging even from my emotions； and I
was no party in the suit； that to hearts so untried and fresh； it was
a shock to come into the inheritance of a protracted misery；
attended in the minds of many people with such dreadful
recollections。 I had another uneasiness； in the application of the
painful story to the poor half…witted creature who had brought us
there； but； to my surprise； she seemed perfectly unconscious of
that； and only led the way upstairs again； informing us； with the
toleration of a superior creature for the infirmities of a common
mortal； that her landlord was “a little—M—； you know！”
She lived at the top of the house； in a pretty large room； from
which she had a glimpse of the roof of Lincoln’s Inn Hall。 This
seemed to have been her principal inducement； originally； for
taking up her residence there。 She could look at it； she said； in the
night； especially in the moonshine。 Her room was clean； but very；
very bare。 I noticed the scantiest necessaries in the way of
furniture； a few old prints from books； of Chancellors and
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barristers； wafered against the wall； and some half…dozen reticules
and work…bags； “containing documents；” as she informed us。
There were neither coals nor ashes in the grate； and I saw no
articles of clothing anywhere； nor any kind of food。 Upon a shelf in
an open cupboard were a plate or two； a cup or two； and so forth；
but all dry and empty。 There was a more affecting meaning in her
pinched appearance； I thought； as I looked round； than I had
understood before。
“Extremely honoured； I am sure；” said our poor hostess； with
the greatest suavity； “by this visit from the wards in Jarndyce。 And
very much indebted for the omen。 It is a retired situation。
Considering。 I am limited as to situation。 In consequence of the
necessity of attending on the Chancellor。 I have lived here many
years。 I pass my days in court； my evenings and my nights here。 I
find the nights long； for I sleep but little； and think much。 That is；
of course； unavoidable； being in Chancery。 I am sorry I cannot
offer chocolate。 I expect a judgment shortly； and shall then place
my establishment on a superior footing。 At present； I don’t mind
confessing to the wards in Jarndyce （in strict confidence）； that I
sometimes find it difficult to keep up a genteel appearance。 I have
felt the cold here。 I have felt something sharper than cold。 It
matters very little。 Pray excuse the introduction of such mean
topics。”
She partly
