bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第243节
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presence。 Sir Leicester Dedlock； Baronet； don’t you say a word；
nor yet stir。 There’ll be no noise； and no disturbance at all。 I’ll
come back in the course of the evening if agreeable to you； and
endeavour to meet your wishes respecting this unfortunate family
matter； and the nobbiest way of keeping it quiet。 Now Sir
Leicester Dedlock； Baronet； don’t you be nervous on account of
the apprehension at present coming off。 You shall see the whole
case clear； from first to last。”
Mr Bucket rings； goes to the door； briefly whispers Mercury；
shuts the door； and stands behind it with his arms folded。 After a
suspense of a minute or two； the door slowly opens； and a French
woman enters。 Mademoiselle Hortense。
The moment she is in the room； Mr Bucket claps the door to；
and puts his back against it。 The suddenness of the noise
occasions her to turn； and then； for the first time； she sees Sir
Leicester Dedlock in his chair。
“I ask your pardon；” she mutters hurriedly。 “They tell me there
was no one here。”
Her step towards the door brings her front to front with Mr
Bucket。 Suddenly a spasm shoots across her face； and she turns
deadly pale。
“This is my lodger； Sir Leicester Dedlock；” says Mr Bucket；
nodding at her。 “This foreign young woman has been my lodger
for some weeks back。”
“What do Sir Leicester care for that； you think； my angel？”
returns Mademoiselle； in a jocular strain。
“Why； my angel；” returns Mr Bucket； “we shall see。”
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Mademoiselle Hortense eyes him with a scowl upon her tight
face； which gradually changes into a smile of scorn。 “You are very
mysterieuse。 Are you drunk？”
“Tolerable sober； my angel；” returns Mr Bucket。
“I come from arriving at this so detestable house with your wife。
Your wife have left me； since some minutes。 They tell me
downstairs that your wife is here。 I come here； and your wife is not
here。 What is the intention of this fool’s play； say then？”
Mademoiselle demands； with her arms composedly crossed； but
with something in her dark cheek beating like a clock。
Mr Bucket merely shakes the finger at her。
“Ah； my God； you are an unhappy idiot！” cries Mademoiselle；
with a toss of her head and a laugh。—“Leave me to pass
downstairs； great pig。” With a stamp of her foot； and a menace。
“Now； Mademoiselle；” says Mr Bucket； in a cool determined
way； “you go and sit down upon that sofy。”
“I will not sit down upon nothing；” she replies； with a shower of
nods。
“Now； Mademoiselle；” repeats Mr Bucket； making no
demonstration； except with the finger； “you sit down upon that
sofy。”
“Why？”
“Because I take you into custody on a charge of murder； and
you don’t need to be told it。 Now； I want to be polite to one of your
sex and a foreigner； if I can。 If I can’t； I must be rough； and there’s
rougher ones outside。 What I am to be； depends on you。 So I
recommend you； as a friend； afore another half a blessed moment
has passed over your head； to go and sit down upon that sofy。”
Mademoiselle complies； saying in a concentrated voice； while
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Bleak House 1013
that something in her cheek beats fast and hard； “You are a
Devil。”
“Now； you see；” Mr Bucket proceeds approvingly “you’re
comfortable； and conducting yourself as I should expect a foreign
young woman of your sense to do。 So I’ll give you a piece of advice；
and it’s this； Don’t you talk too much。 You’re not expected to say
anything here； and you can’t keep too quiet a tongue in your head。
In short； the less you Parlay； the better； you know。” Mr Bucket is
very complacent over this French explanation。
Mademoiselle； with that tigerish expansion of the mouth； and
her black eyes darting fire upon him； sits upright on the sofa in a
rigid state； with her hands clenched—and her feet too； one might
suppose—muttering； “O； you Bucket； you are a Devil！”
“Now； Sir Leicester Dedlock； Baronet；” says Mr Bucket； and
from this time forth the finger never rests； “this young woman； my
lodger； was her Ladyship’s maid at the time I have mentioned to
you； and this young woman； besides being extraordinary
vehement and passionate against her Ladyship after being
discharged—”
“Lie！” cries Mademoiselle。 “I discharge myself。”
“Now； why don’t you take my advice？” returns Mr Bucket； in
an impressive； almost in an imploring tone。 “I’m surprised at the
indiscreetness you commit。 You’ll say something that’ll be used
against you； you know。 You’re sure to come to it。 Never you mind
what I say； till it’s given in evidence。 It’s not addressed to you。”
“Discharge； too！” cries Mademoiselle； furiously； “by her
Ladyship！ Eh； my faith； a pretty Ladyship！ Why； I r…r…r…ruin my
character by remaining with a Ladyship so infame！”
“Upon my soul I wonder at you！” Mr Bucket remonstrates。 “I
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thought the French were a polite nation； I did； really。 Yet to hear a
female going on like that； before Sir Leicester Dedlock； Baronet！”
“He is a poor abused！” cries Mademoiselle。 “I spit upon his
house； upon his name； upon his imbecility；” all of which she makes
the carpet represent。 “Oh； that he is a great man！ O yes； superb！ O
heaven！ Bah！”
“Well； Sir Leicester Dedlock；” proceeds Mr Bucket； “this
intemperate foreigner also angrily took it into her head that she
had established a claim upon Mr Tulkinghorn； deceased； by
attending on the occasion I told you of； at his chambers； though
she was liberally paid for her time and trouble。”
“Lie！” cries Mademoiselle。 “I ref…use his money altogezzer。”
（“If you will Parlay； you know；” says Mr Bucket；
parenthetically； “you must take the consequences。） Now； whether
she became my lodger； Sir Leicester Dedlock； with any deliberate
intention then of doing this deed and blinding me； I give no
opinion on； but she lived in my house； in that capacity； at the time
that she was hovering about the chambers of the deceased Mr
Tulkinghorn with a view to a wrangle； and likewise persecuting
and half frightening the life out of an unfortunate stationer。”
“Lie！” cries Mademoiselle。 “All lie！”
“The murder was committed； Sir Leicester Dedlock； Baronet；
and you know under what circumstances。 Now； I beg of you to
follow me close with your attention for a minute or two。 I was sent
for； and the case was entrusted to me。 I examined the place； and
the body； and the papers； and everything。 From information I
received （from a clerk in the same house） I took George into
custody； as having been seen hanging about there； on the night；
and at very nigh the time； of the murder； also； as having been
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overheard in high words with the deceased on former occasions—
even threatening him； as the witness made out。 If you ask me； Sir
Leicester Dedlock； whether from the first I believed George to be
the murderer； I tell you candidly No； but he
