bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第257节
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After another silence； the husband of the absent woman；
turning to me again； answered me with his usual grumbling
unwillingness。
“Wos Jenny here when the lady come？ Yes； she wos here when
the lady come。 Wot did the lady say to her？ Well； I’ll tell you wot
the lady said to her。 She said； ‘You remember me as come one
time to talk to you about the young lady as had been a wisiting of
you？ You remember me as give you somethink handsome for a
handkercher wot she had left？’ Ah； she remembered。 So we all
did。 Well； then； wos that young lady up at the house now？ No； she
warn’t up at the house now。 Well； then； lookee here。 The lady was
upon a journey all alone； strange as we might think it； and could
she rest herself where you’re a…setten； for a hour or so。 Yes she
could； and so she did。 Then she went—it might be at twenty
minutes past eleven； and it might be at twenty minutes past
twelve； we ain’t got no watches here to know the time by； nor yet
clocks。 Where did she go？ I don’t know where she go’d。 She went
one way； and Jenny went another； one went right to Lunnun； and
t’other went right from it。 That’s all about it。 Ask this man。 He
heerd it all； and see it all。 He knows。”
The other man repeated； “That’s all about it。”
“Was the lady crying？” I inquired。
“Devil a bit；” returned the first man。 “Her shoes was the worse；
and her clothes was the worse； but she warn’t—not as I see。”
The woman sat with her arms crossed； and her eyes upon the
ground。 Her husband had turned his seat a little； so as to face her；
and kept his hammer…like hand upon the table； as if it were in
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readiness to execute his threat if she disobeyed him。
“I hope you will not object to my asking your wife；” said I； “how
the lady looked？”
“Come； then！” he gruffly cried to her。 “You hear what she says。
Cut it short； and tell her。”
“Bad；” replied the woman。 “Pale and exhausted。 Very bad。”
“Did she speak much？”
“Not much； but her voice was hoarse。”
She answered； looking all the while at her husband for leave。
“Was she faint？” said I。 “Did she eat or drink here？”
“Go on！” said the husband； in answer to her look。 “Tell her and
cut it short。”
“She had a little water； Miss； and Jenny fetched her some bread
and tea。 But she hardly touched it。”
“And when she went from here”—I was proceeding； when
Jenny’s husband impatiently took me up。
“When she went from here； she went right away Nor’ard by the
high road。 Ask on the road if you doubt me； and see if it warn’t so。
Now； there’s the end。 That’s all about it。”
I glanced at my companion； and finding that he had already
risen and was ready to depart； thanked them for what they had
told me； and took my leave。 The woman looked full at Mr Bucket
as he went out； and he looked full at her。
“Now； Miss Summerson；” he said to me； as we walked quickly
away。 “They’ve got her ladyship’s watch among ’em。 That’s a
positive fact。”
“You saw it？” I exclaimed。
“Just as good as saw it；” he returned。 “Else why should he talk
about his ‘twenty minutes past；’ and about his having no watch to
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tell the time by？ Twenty minutes！ He don’t usually cut his time so
fine as that。 If he comes to half hours； it’s as much as he does。 Now；
you see； either her ladyship gave him that watch； or he took it。 I
think she gave it him。 Now； what should she give it him for？ What
should she give it him for？”
He repeated this question to himself several times as we
hurried on； appearing to balance between a variety of answers
that arose in his mind。
“If time could be spared；” said Mr Bucket—“which is the only
thing that can’t be spared in this case—I might get it out of that
woman； but it’s too doubtful a chance to trust to； under present
circumstances。 They are up to keeping a close eye upon her； and
any fool knows that a poor creetur like her； beaten and kicked and
scarred and bruised from head to foot； will stand by the husband
that ill uses her； through thick and thin。 There’s something kept
back。 It’s a pity but what we had seen the other woman。”
I regretted it exceedingly； for she was very grateful； and I felt
sure would have resisted no entreaty of mine。
“It’s possible； Miss Summerson；” said Mr Bucket； pondering on
it； “that her ladyship sent her up to London with some word for
you； and it’s possible that her husband got the watch to let her go。
It don’t come out altogether so plain as to please me； but it’s on the
cards。 Now； I don’t take kindly to laying out the money of Sir
Leicester Dedlock； Baronet； on these Roughs； and I don’t see my
way to the usefulness of it at present。 No！ So far； our road； Miss
Summerson； is for’ard—straight ahead—and keeping everything
quiet！”
We called at home once more； that I might send a hasty note to
my Guardian； and then we hurried back to where we had left the
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carriage。 The horses were brought out as soon as we were seen
coming； and we were on the road again in a few minutes。
It had set in snowing at daybreak； and it now snowed hard。 The
air was so thick with the darkness of the day and the density of the
fall； that we could see but a very little way in any direction。
Although it was extremely cold； the snow was but partially frozen；
and it churned—with a sound as if it were a beach of small shells—
under the hoofs of the horses； into mire and water。 They
sometimes slipped and floundered for a mile together； and we
were obliged to come to a standstill to rest them。 One horse fell
three times in this first stage； and trembled so； and was so shaken；
that the driver had to dismount from his saddle and lead him at
last。
I could eat nothing； and could not sleep； and I grew so nervous
under those delays； and the slow pace at which we travelled； that I
had an unreasonable desire upon me to get out and walk。 Yielding
to my companion’s better sense； however； I remained where I was。
All this time； kept fresh by a certain enjoyment of the work in
which he was engaged； he was up and down at every house we
came to； addressing people whom he had never beheld before； as
old acquaintances； running in to warm himself at every fire he
saw； talking and drinking and shaking hands at every bar and tap；
friendly with every waggoner； wheelwright； blacksmith； and toll…
taker； yet never seeming to lose time； and always mounting to the
box again with his watchful； steady face； and his business…like
“Get on； my lad！”
When we were changing horses the next time； he came from the
stable yard； and with the wet snow encrusted upon him； and
dropping off him—plashing and crashing through it to his wet
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knees； as he had been doing frequently since we left Saint
Albans—and spoke to me at the carriage side。
“Keep up your spirits。 It’s certainly true that she came on here；
Miss Summerson。 There’s not a doubt of the dress by this time；
and the dress has been seen here。”
“Still on foot？” said I。
“Still on foot。 I think the gentleman you mentioned must be the
point she’s aiming at； and yet I don’t like his living down in
