bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第232节
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liked the retired soldier very much； and that he liked me； I had
that secret interest in what had happened； which was only known
to my Guardian。 I felt as if it came close and near to me。 It seemed
to become personally important to myself that the truth should be
discovered； and that no innocent people should be suspected； for
suspicion； once run wild； might run wilder。
In a word； I felt as if it were my duty and obligation to go with
them。 My Guardian did not seek to dissuade me； and I went。
It was a large prison； with many courts and passages so like one
another； and so uniformly paved； that I seemed to gain a new
comprehension； as I passed along； of the fondness that solitary
prisoners； shut up among the same staring walls from year to year；
have had—as I have read—for a weed； or a stray blade of grass。 In
an arched room by himself； like a cellar upstairs； with walls so
glaringly white； that they made the massive iron window…bars and
iron…bound door even more profoundly black than they were： we
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found the trooper standing in a corner。 He had been sitting on a
bench there； and had risen when he heard the locks and bolts
turn。
When he saw us； he came forward a step with his usual heavy
tread； and there stopped and made a slight bow。 But as I still
advanced； putting out my hand to him； he understood us in a
moment。
“This is a load off my mind； I do assure you； miss and
gentlemen；” said he； saluting us with great heartiness and drawing
a long breath。 “And now I don’t so much care how it ends。”
He scarcely seemed to be the prisoner。 What with his coolness
and his soldierly bearing； he looked far more like the prison guard。
“This is even a rougher place than my gallery to receive a lady
in；” said Mr George； “but I know Miss Summerson will make the
best of it。” As he handed me to the bench on which he had been
sitting； I sat down； which seemed to give him great satisfaction。
“I thank you； miss；” said he。
“Now； George；” observed my Guardian； “as we require no new
assurances on your part； so I believe we need give you none on
ours。”
“Not at all； sir。 I thank you with all my heart。 If I was not
innocent of this crime； I couldn’t look at you and keep my secret to
myself； under the condescension of the present visit。 I feel the
present visit very much。 I am not one of the eloquent sort； but I
feel it； Miss Summerson and gentlemen； deeply。”
He laid his hand for a moment on his broad chest； and bent his
head to us。 Although he squared himself again directly； he
expressed a great amount of natural emotion by these simple
means。
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Bleak House 967
“First；” said my Guardian； “can we do anything for your
personal comfort； George？”
“For which； sir？” he inquired； clearing his throat。
“For your personal comfort。 Is there anything you want； that
would lessen the hardship of this confinement？”
“Well； sir；” replied Mr George； after a little cogitation； “I am
equally obliged to you； but tobacco being against the rules； I can’t
say that there is。”
“You will think of many little things perhaps； by…and…by。
Whenever you do； George； let us know。”
“Thank you； sir。 Howsoever；” observed Mr George； with one of
his sunburnt smiles； “a man who has been knocking about the
world in a vagabond kind of way as long as I have； gets on well
enough in a place like the present； so far as that goes。”
“Next； as to your case；” observed my Guardian。
“Exactly so； sir；” returned Mr George； folding his arms upon his
breast with perfect self…possession and a little curiosity。
“How does it stand now？”
“Why； sir； it is under remand at present。 Bucket gives me to
understand that he will probably apply for a series of remands
from time to time until the case is more complete。 How it is to be
made more complete； I don’t myself see； but I dare say Bucket will
manage it somehow。”
“Why； Heaven save us； man！” exclaimed my Guardian；
surprised into his old oddity and vehemence； “you talk of yourself
as if you were somebody else！”
“No offence； sir；” said Mr George。 “I am very sensible of your
kindness。 But I don’t see how an innocent man is to make up his
mind to this kind of thing without knocking his head against the
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Bleak House 968
walls； unless he takes it in that point of view。”
“That is true enough to a certain extent；” returned my
Guardian； softened。 “But my good fellow； even an innocent man
must take ordinary precautions to defend himself。”
“Certainly； sir。 And I have done so。 I have stated to the
magistrates； ‘Gentlemen； I am as innocent of this charge as
yourselves； what has been stated against me in the way of facts； is
perfectly true； I know no more about it。’ I intend to continue
stating that； sir。 What more can I do？ It’s the truth。”
“But the mere truth won’t do；” rejoined my Guardian。
“Won’t it； indeed； sir？ Rather a bad look…out for me！” Mr
George good…humouredly observed。
“You must have a lawyer；” pursued my Guardian。 “We must！
engage a good one for you。”
“I ask your pardon； sir；” said Mr George； with a step backward。
“I am equally obliged。 But I must decidedly beg to be excused
from anything of that sort。”
“You won’t have a lawyer？”
“No； sir。” Mr George shook his head in the most emphatic
manner。 “I thank you all the same； sir； but—no lawyer！”
“Why not？”
“I don’t take kindly to the breed；” said Mr George。 “Gridley
didn’t。 And—if you’ll excuse my saying so much—I should hardly
have thought you did yourself； sir。”
“That’s Equity；” my Guardian explained； a little at a loss；
“that’s Equity； George。”
“Is it； indeed； sir？” returned the trooper； in his offhand manner。
“I am not acquainted with those shades of names myself； but in a
general way I object to the breed。”
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Unfolding his arms； and changing his position； he stood with
one massive hand upon the table； and the other on his hip； as
complete a picture of a man who was not to be moved from a fixed
purpose as ever I saw。 It was in vain that we all three talked to
him； and endeavoured to persuade him； he listened with that
gentleness which went so well with his bluff bearing； but was
evidently no more shaken by our representations than his place of
confinement was。
“Pray think； once more； Mr George；” said I。 “Have you no wish
in reference to your case？”
“I certainly could wish it to be tried； miss；” he returned； “by
court…martial； but that is out of the question； as I am well aware。 If
you will be so good as to favour me with your attention for a
couple of minutes； miss； not more； I’ll endeavour to explain myself
as clearly as I can。”
He looked at us all three in turn； shook his head a little as if he
were adjusting it in the stock and collar of a tight uniform； and
after a moment’s reflection went on。
“You see； miss； I have been handcuffed and taken into custody；
and brought here。 I am a marked and disgraced man； and here I
am。 My shooting…galle
