bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第234节
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Bagnet looked at me； and I understood； from the play of her eyes；
that she wished me to do something； though I did not comprehend
what。
“But I have given up talking to you； old fellow； years and
years；” said Mrs Bagnet； as she blew a little dust off the pickled
pork； looking at me again； “and when ladies and gentlemen know
you as well as I do； they’ll give up talking to you too。 If you are not
too headstrong to accept of a bit of dinner； here it is。”
“I accept it with many thanks；” returned the trooper。
“Do you though indeed？” said Mrs Bagnet； continuing to
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grumble on good…humouredly。 “I’m sure I’m surprised at that。 I
wonder you don’t starve in your own way also。 It would only be
like you。 Perhaps you’ll set your mind upon that； next。” Here she
again looked at me； and I now perceived； from her glances at the
door and at me； by turns； that she wished us to retire； and to await
her following us； outside the prison。 Communicating this by
similar means to my Guardian； and Mr Woodcourt； I rose。
“We hope you will think better of it； Mr George；” said I； “and
we shall come to see you again； trusting to find you more
reasonable。”
“More grateful； Miss Summerson； you can’t find me；” he
returned。
“But more persuadable we can； I hope；” said I。 “And let me
entreat you to consider that the clearing up of this mystery； and
the discovery of the real perpetrator of this deed； may be of the
last importance to others besides yourself。”
He heard me respectfully； but without much heeding these
words； which I spoke； a little turned from him； already on my way
to the door； he was observing （this they afterwards told me） my
height and figure； which seemed to catch his attention all at once。
“‘Tis curious；” said he。 “And yet I thought so at the time！”
My Guardian asked him what he meant。
“Why； sir；” he answered； “when my ill…fortune took me to the
dead man’s staircase on the night of his murder； I saw a shape so
like Miss Summerson’s go by me in the dark； that I had half a
mind to speak to it。”
For an instant； I felt such a shudder as I never felt before or
since； and hope I shall never feel again。”
“It came downstairs as I went up；” said the trooper； “and
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crossed the moonlighted window with a loose black mantle on； I
noticed a deep fringe to it。 However； it has nothing to do with the
present subject； excepting that Miss Summerson looked so like it
at the moment； that it came into my head。”
I cannot separate and define the feelings that arose in me after
this： it is enough that the vague duty and obligation I had felt upon
me from the first of following the investigation； was； without my
distinctly daring to ask myself any question； increased； and that I
was indignantly sure of there being no possibility of a reason for
my being afraid。
We three went out of the prison； and walked up and down at
some short distance from the gate； which was in a retired place。
We had not waited long； when Mr and Mrs Bagnet came out too；
and quickly joined us。
There was a tear in each of Mrs Bagnet’s eyes； and her face was
flushed and hurried。 “I didn’t let George see what I thought about
it； you know； miss；” was her first remark when she came up； “but
he’s in a bad way； poor old fellow！”
“Not with care and prudence； and good help；” said my
Guardian。
“A gentleman like you ought to know best； sir；” returned Mrs
Bagnet； hurriedly drying her eyes on the hem of her grey cloak；
“but I am uneasy for him。 He has been so careless； and said so
much that he never meant。 The gentlemen of the juries might not
understand him as Lignum and me do。 And then such a number of
circumstances have happened bad for him； and such a number of
people will be brought forward to speak against him； and Bucket
is so deep。”
“With a second…hand wiolinceller。 And said he played the fife。
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When a boy。” Mr Bagnet added； with great solemnity。
“Now； I tell you； miss；” said Mrs Bagnet； “and when I say miss；
I mean all！ Just come into the corner of the wall； and I’ll tell you！”
Mrs Bagnet hurried us into a more secluded place； and was at
first too breathless to proceed； occasioning Mr Bagnet to say； “Old
girl！ Tell ’em！”
“Why then； miss；” the old girl proceeded； untying the strings of
her bonnet for more air； “you could as soon move Dover Castle as
move George on this point； unless you had got a new power to
move him with。 And I have got it！”
“You are a jewel of a woman；” said my Guardian。 “Go on！”
“Now； I tell you miss；” she proceeded； clapping her hands in
her hurry and agitation a dozen times in every sentence； “that
what he says concerning no relations is all bosh。 They don’t know
of him； but he does know of them。 He has said more to me at odd
times than to anybody else； and it warn’t for nothing that he once
spoke to my Woolwich about whitening and wrinkling mothers’
heads。 For fifty pounds he had seen his mother that day。 She’s
alive； and must be brought here straight！”
Instantly Mrs Bagnet put some pins into her mouth； and began
pinning up her skirts all round； a little higher than the level of her
grey cloak； which she accomplished with surprising dispatch and
dexterity。
“Lignum；” said Mrs Bagnet； “you take care of the children； old
man； and give me the umbrella！ I’m away to Lincolnshire； to bring
that old lady here。”
“But； bless the woman！” cried my Guardian； with his hand in
his pocket； “how is she going？ What money has she got？”
Mrs Bagnet made another application to her skirts； and
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brought forth a leathern purse in which she hastily counted over a
few shillings； and which she then shut up with perfect satisfaction。
“Never you mind for me； miss； I’m a soldier’s wife； and
accustomed to travelling in my own way。 Lignum； old boy；”
kissing him； “one for yourself； three for the children。 Now； I’m
away into Lincolnshire after George’s mother！”
And she actually set off while we three stood looking at one
another lost in amazement。 She actually trudged away in her grey
cloak at a sturdy pace； and turned the corner； and was gone。
“Mr Bagnet；” said my Guardian。 “Do you mean to let her go in
that way？”
“Can’t help it；” he returned。 “Made her way home once。 From
another quarter of the world。 With the same grey cloak。 And same
umbrella。 Whatever the old girl says； do。 Do it！ Whenever the old
girl says； I’ll do it。 She does it。”
“Then she is as honest and genuine as she looks；” rejoined my
Guardian； “and it is impossible to say more for her。”
“She’s Colour…Serjeant of the Nonpareil Battalion；” said Mr
Bagnet； looking at us over his shoulder； as he went his way also。
“And there’s not such another。 But I never own to it before her。
Discipline must be maintained。”
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Chapter 53
The Track
