bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第198节
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Bleak House 822
“This；” said Mr Skimpole； “is my Beauty daughter； Arethusa—
plays and sings odds and ends like her father。 This is my
Sentiment daughter； Laura—plays a little but don’t sing。 This is
my Comedy daughter； Kitty—sings a little but don’t play。 We all
draw a little； and compose a little； and none of us have any idea of
time or money。”
Mrs Skimpole sighed； I thought； as if she would have been glad
to strike out this item in the family attainments。 I also thought that
she rather impressed her sigh upon my Guardian； and that she
took every opportunity of throwing in another。
“It is pleasant；” said Mr Skimpole； turning his sprightly eyes
from one to the other of us； “and it is whimsically interesting； to
trace peculiarities in families。 In this family we are all children；
and I am the youngest。”
The daughters； who appeared to be very fond of him； were
amused by this droll fact； particularly the Comedy daughter。
“My dears； it is true；” said Mr Skimpole； “is it not？ So it is； and
so it must be； because； like the dogs in the hymn； ‘it is our nature
to。’ Now； here is Miss Summerson with a fine administrative
capacity； and a knowledge of details perfectly surprising。 It will
sound very strange in Miss Summerson’s ears； I dare say； that we
know nothing about chops in this house。 But we don’t； not the
least。 We can’t cook anything whatever。 A needle and thread we
don’t know how to use。 We admire the people who possess the
practical wisdom we want； but we don’t quarrel with them。 Then
why should they quarrel with us？ Live； and let live； we say to
them。 Live upon your practical wisdom； and let us live upon you！”
He laughed； but； as usual； seemed quite candid； and really to
mean what he said。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
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Bleak House 823
“We have sympathy； my roses；” said Mr Skimpole； “sympathy
for everything。 Have we not？”
“O yes； papa；” cried the three daughters。
“In fact； that is our family department；” said Mr Skimpole； “in
this hurly…burly of life。 We are capable of looking on and of being
interested； and we do look on； and we are interested。 What more
can we do！ Here is my Beauty daughter； married these three
years。 Now； I dare say her marrying another child； and having two
more； was all wrong in point of political economy： but it was very
agreeable。 We had our little festivities on those occasions； and
exchanged social ideas。 She brought her young husband home one
day； and they and their young fledglings have their nest upstairs。 I
dare say； at some time or other； Sentiment and Comedy will bring
their husbands home； and have their nests upstairs； too。 So we get
on； we don’t know how； but somehow。”
She looked very young indeed； to be the mother of two
children； and I could not help pitying both her and them。 It was
evident that the three daughters had grown up as they could； and
had had just as little hap…hazard instruction as qualified them to
be their father’s playthings in his idlest hours。 His pictorial tastes
were consulted； I observed； in their respective styles of wearing
their hair； the Beauty daughter being in the classic manner； the
Sentiment daughter luxuriant and flowing； and the Comedy
daughter in the arch style； with a good deal of sprightly forehead；
and vivacious little curls dotted about the corners of her eyes。
They were dressed to correspond； though in a most untidy and
negligent way。
Ada and I conversed with these young ladies； and found them
wonderfully like their father。 In the meanwhile Mr Jarndyce （who
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Bleak House 824
had been rubbing his head to a great extent； and hinting at a
change in the wind） talked with Mrs Skimpole in a corner； where
we could not help hearing the chink of money。 Mr Skimpole had
previously volunteered to go home with us； and had withdrawn to
dress himself for the purpose。
“My roses；” he said； when he came back； “take care of mamma。
She is poorly today。 By going home with Mr Jarndyce for a day or
two； I shall hear the larks sing； and preserve my amiability。 It has
been tried； you know； and would be tried again if I remained at
home。
“That bad man！” said the Comedy daughter。
“At the very time when he knew papa was lying down by his
wallflowers； looking at the blue sky；” Laura complained。
“And when the smell of hay was in the air！” said Arethusa。
“It showed a want of poetry in the man；” Mr Skimpole
assented； but with perfect good…humour。 “It was coarse。 There
was an absence of the finer touches of humanity in it！ My
daughters have taken great offence；” he explained to us； “at an
honest man—”
“Not honest； papa。 Impossible！” they all three protested。
“At a rough kind of fellow—a sort of human hedgehog rolled
up；” said Mr Skimpole； “who is a baker in this neighbourhood； and
from whom we borrowed a couple of armchairs。 We wanted a
couple of armchairs； and we hadn’t got them； and therefore of
course we looked to a man who had got them； to lend them out。
When they were worn out； he wanted them back。 He had them
back。 He was contented； you will say。 Not at all。 He objected to
their being worn。 I reasoned with him； and pointed out his
mistake。 I said； ‘Can you； at your time of life； be so headstrong； my
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Bleak House 825
friend； as to persist that an armchair is a thing to put upon a shelf
and look at？ That it is an object to contemplate； to survey from a
distance； to consider from a point of sight？ Don’t you know that
these armchairs were borrowed to be sat upon？’ He was
unreasonable and unpersuadable； and used intemperate language。
Being as patient as I am at this minute； I addressed another
appeal to him。 I said； ‘Now； my good man； however our business
capacities may vary； we are all children of one great mother；
Nature。 On this blooming summer morning here you see me’ （I
was on the sofa） ‘with flowers before me； fruit upon the table； the
cloudless sky above me； the air full of fragrance； contemplating
Nature。 I entreat you； by our common brotherhood； not to
interpose between me and a subject so sublime； the absurd figure
of an angry baker！’ But he did；” said Mr Skimpole； raising his
laughing eyebrows in playful astonishment； “he did interpose that
ridiculous figure； and he does and he will again。 And therefore I
am very glad to get out of his way； and to go home with my friend
Jarndyce。”
It seemed to escape his consideration that Mrs Skimpole and
the daughters remained behind to encounter the baker； but this
was so old a story to all of them that it had become a matter of
course。 He took leave of his family with a tenderness as airy and
graceful as any other aspect in which he showed himself； and rode
away with us in perfect harmony of mind。 We had an opportunity
of seeing through some open doors； as we went downstairs； that
his own apartment was a palace to the rest of the house。
I could have no anticipation； and I had none； that something
very startling to me at the moment； and ever memorable to me in
what ensued from it； was to happe
