bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第204节
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good name behind me。 If I consulted merely my own interests with
Mr C。； I should not be here。 So insurmountable； as you must well
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know； would be his objections。 This is not a professional
attendance。 This can be charged to nobody。 I have no interest in it；
except as a member of society and a father—and a son；” said Mr
Vholes； who had nearly forgotten that point。
It appeared to us that Mr Vholes said neither more nor less
than the truth； in intimating that he sought to divide the
responsibility； such as it was； of knowing Richard’s situation。 I
could only suggest that I should go down to Deal； where Richard
was then stationed； and see him； and try if it were possible to avert
the worst。 Without consulting Mr Vholes on this point； I took my
Guardian aside to propose it； while Mr Vholes gauntly stalked to
the fire； and warmed his funeral gloves。
The fatigue of the journey formed an immediate objection on
my Guardian’s part； but as I saw he had no other； and as I was
only too happy to go； I got his consent。 We had then merely to
dispose of Mr Vholes。
“Well； sir；” said Mr Jarndyce； “Miss Summerson will
communicate with Mr Carstone； and we can only hope that his
position may be yet retrievable。 You will allow me to order you
lunch after your journey； sir。”
“I thank you； Mr Jarndyce；” said Mr Vholes； putting out his
long black sleeve； to check the ringing of the bell； “not any。 I thank
you； no； not a morsel。 My digestion is much impaired； and I am but
a poor knife and fork at any time。 If I was to partake of solid food
at this period of the day； I don’t know what the consequences
might be。 Everything having been openly carried on； sir； I will now
with your permission take my leave。”
“And I would that you could take your leave； and we could all
take our leave； Mr Vholes；” returned my Guardian； bitterly； “of a
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Cause you know of。”
Mr Vholes； whose black dye was so deep from head to foot that
it had quite steamed before the fire； diffusing a very unpleasant
perfume； made a short one…sided inclination of his head from the
neck； and slowly shook it。
“We whose ambition it is to be looked upon in the light of
respectable practitioners； sir； can but put our shoulders to the
wheel。 We do it； sir。 At least； I do it myself； and I wish to think well
of my professional brethren； one and all。 You are sensible of an
obligation not to refer to me； miss； in communicating with Mr C。？”
I said I would be careful not to do it。
“Just so； miss。 Good morning。 Mr Jarndyce； good morning； sir。”
Mr Vholes put his dead glove； which scarcely seemed to have any
hand in it； on my fingers； and then on my Guardian’s fingers； and
took his long thin shadow away。 I thought of it on the outside of
the coach； passing over all the sunny landscape between us and
London； chilling the seed in the ground as it glided along。
Of course it became necessary to tell Ada where I was going；
and why I was going； and of course she was anxious and
distressed。 But she was too true to Richard to say anything but
words of pity and words of excuse； and in a more loving spirit
still—my dear； devoted girl！—she wrote him a long letter of which
I took charge。
Charley was to be my travelling companion； though I am sure I
wanted none； and would willingly have left her at home。 We all
went to London that afternoon； and finding two places in the mail；
secured them。 At our usual bedtime； Charley and I were rolling
away seaward； with the Kentish letters。
It was a night’s journey in those coach times； but we had the
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mail to ourselves； and did not find the night very tedious。 It passed
with me as I suppose it would with most people under such
circumstances。 At one while my journey looked hopeful； and at
another hopeless。 Now I thought that I should do some good； and
now I wondered how I could ever have supposed so。 Now it
seemed one of the most reasonable things in the world that I
should have come； and now one of the most unreasonable。 In what
state I should find Richard； what I should say to him； and what he
would say to me； occupied my mind by turns with these two states
of feeling； and the wheels seemed to play one tune （to which the
burden of my Guardian’s letter set itself） over and over again all
night。
At last we came into the narrow streets of Deal； and very
gloomy they were； upon a raw misty morning。 The long flat beach；
with its little irregular houses； wooden and brick； and its litter of
capstans； and great boats； and sheds； and bare upright poles with
tackle and blocks； and loose gravelly waste places overgrown with
grass and weeds； wore as dull an appearance as any place I ever
saw。 The sea was heaving under a thick white fog； and nothing
else was moving but a few early ropemakers； who； with the yarn
twisted round their bodies； looked as if； tired of their present state
of existence； they were spinning themselves into cordage。
But when we got into a warm room in an excellent hotel； and
sat down； comfortably washed and dressed； to an early breakfast
（for it was too late to think of going to bed）； Deal began to look
more cheerful。 Our little room was like a ship’s cabin； and that
delighted Charley very much。 Then the fog began to rise like a
curtain； and numbers of ships that we had had no idea were near；
appeared。 I don’t know how many sail the waiter told us were then
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lying in the Downs。 Some of these vessels were of grand size： one
was a large Indiaman just come home： and when the sun shone
through the clouds； making silvery pools in the dark sea； the way
in which these ships brightened； and shadowed； and changed；
amid a bustle of boats putting off from the shore to them and from
them to the shore； and a general life and motion in themselves；
and everything around them； was most beautiful。
The large Indiaman was our great attraction； because she had
come into the Downs in the night。 She was surrounded by boats；
and we said how glad the people on board of her must be to come
ashore。 Charley was curious too； about the voyage； and about the
heat in India； and the serpents and the tigers； and as she picked
up such information much faster than grammar； I told her what I
knew on those points。 I told her； too； how people in such voyages
were sometimes wrecked and cast on rocks； where they were
saved by the intrepidity and humanity of one man。 And Charley
asking how that could be； I told her how we knew at home of such
a case。
I had thought of sending Richard a note； saying I was there； but
it seemed so much better to go to him without preparation。 As he
lived in barracks； I was a little doubtful whether this was feasible；
but we went out to reconnoitre。 Peeping in at the gate of the
barrack…yard； we found everything very quiet at that time in the
morning； and I asked a serjeant standing on the guardhouse steps；
where he lived。 He sent a man before to show me； who went up
some bare stairs； and knocked with his knuckles at a door and left
us。
“Now then！” crie
