bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第260节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
majestic crutches！
So goes the wintry day outside the Dedlock mansion。 How
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 1082…
Bleak House 1082
within it？
Sir Leicester lying in his bed can speak a little； though with
difficulty and indistinctness。 He is enjoined to silence and to rest；
and they have given him some opiate to lull his pain； for his old
enemy is very hard with him。 He is never asleep； though
sometimes he seems to fall into a dull waking doze。 He caused his
bedstead to be moved out nearer to the window； when he heard it
was such inclement weather； and his head to be so adjusted； that
he could see the driving snow and sleet。 He watches it as it falls；
throughout the whole wintry day。
Upon the least noise in the house； which is kept hushed； his
hand is at the pencil。 The old housekeeper； sitting by him； knows
what he would write； and whispers； “No； he has not come back
yet； Sir Leicester。 It was late last night when he went。 He has been
but a little time gone yet。”
He withdraws his hand； and falls to looking at the sleet and
snow again； until they seem； by being looked at； to fall so thick and
fast； that he is obliged to close his eyes for a minute on the giddy
whirl of white flakes and icy blots。
He began to look at them as soon as it was light。 The day is not
yet far spent； when he conceives it to be necessary that her rooms
should be prepared for her。 It is very cold and wet。 Let there be
good fires。 Let them know that she is expected。 Please see to it
yourself。 He writes to this purpose on his slate； and Mrs
Rouncewell with a heavy heart obeys。
“For I dread； George；” the old lady says to her son； who waits
below to keep her company when she has a little leisure； “I dread；
my dear； that my Lady will never more set foot within these
walls。”
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 1083…
Bleak House 1083
“That’s a bad presentiment； mother。”
“Nor yet within the walls of Chesney Wold； my dear。”
“That’s worse。 But why； mother！”
“When I saw my Lady yesterday； George； she looked to me—
and I may say at me too—as if the step on the Ghost’s Walk had
almost walked her down。”
“Come； come！ You alarm yourself with old…story fears； mother。”
“No I don’t； my dear。 No I don’t。 It’s going on for sixty year that
I have been in this family； and I never had any fears for it before。
But it’s breaking up； my dear； the great old Dedlock family is
breaking up。”
“I hope not； mother。”
“I am thankful I have lived long enough to be with Sir Leicester
in this illness and trouble； for I know I am not too old； nor too
useless； to be a welcomer sight to him than anybody else in my
place would be。 But the step on the Ghost’s Walk will walk my
Lady down； George； it has been many a day behind her； and now
it will pass her； and go on。”
“Well； mother dear； I say again； I hope not。”
“Ah； so do I； George；” the old lady returns； shaking her head；
and parting her folded hands。 “But if my fears come true； and he
has to know it； who will tell him！”
“Are these her rooms？”
“These are my Lady’s rooms； just as she left them。”
“Why now；” says the trooper； glancing round him； and speaking
in a lower voice； “I begin to understand how you come to think as
you do think； mother。 Rooms get an awful look about them when
they are fitted up； like these； for one person you are used to see in
them； and that person is away under any shadow： let alone being
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 1084…
Bleak House 1084
God knows where。”
He is not far out。 As all partings foreshadow the great final
one；—so； empty rooms； bereft of a familiar presence； mournfully
whisper what your room and what mine must one day be。 My
Lady’s state has a hollow look； thus gloomy and abandoned； and in
the inner apartment； where Mr Bucket last night made his secret
perquisition； the traces of her dresses and her ornaments； even
the mirrors accustomed to reflect them when they were a portion
of herself； have a desolate and vacant air。 Dark and cold as the
wintry day is； it is darker and colder in these deserted chambers
than in many a hut； that will barely exclude the weather； and
though the servants heap fires in the grates； and set the couches
and the chairs within the warm glass screens that let their ruddy
light shoot through to the furthest corners； there is a heavy cloud
upon the rooms which no light will dispel。
The old housekeeper and her son remain until the preparations
are complete； and then she returns upstairs。 Volumnia has taken
Mrs Rouncewell’s place in the meantime： though pearl necklaces
and rouge pots however calculated to embellish Bath； are but
indifferent comforts to the invalid under present circumstances。
Volumnia； not being supposed to know （and indeed not knowing）
what is the matter； has found it a ticklish task to offer appropriate
observations； and consequently has supplied their place with
distracting smoothings of the bed linen； elaborate locomotion on
tiptoe； vigilant peeping at her kinsman’s eyes； and one
exasperating whisper to herself of “He is asleep。” In disproof of
which superfluous remark； Sir Leicester has indignantly written
on the slate； “I am not。”
Yielding； therefore； the chair at the bedside to the quaint old
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 1085…
Bleak House 1085
housekeeper； Volumnia sits at a table a little removed；
sympathetically sighing。 Sir Leicester watches the sleet and snow；
and listens for the returning steps that he expects。 In the ears of
his old servant； looking as if she had stepped out of an old picture…
frame to attend a summoned Dedlock to another world； the silence
is fraught with echoes of her own words； “Who will tell him！”
He has been under his valet’s hands this morning； to be made
presentable； and is as well got up as the circumstances will allow。
He is propped with pillows； his grey hair is brushed in its usual
manner； his linen is arranged to a nicety； and he is wrapped in a
responsible dressing gown。 His eyeglass and his watch are ready
to his hand。 It is necessary—less to his own dignity now perhaps；
than for her sake—that he should be seen as little disturbed； and
as much himself； as may be。 Women will talk； and Volumnia；
though a Dedlock； is no exceptional case。 He keeps her here； there
is little doubt； to prevent her talking somewhere else。 He is very ill：
but he makes his present stand against distress of mind and body；
most courageously。
The fair Volumnia being one of those sprightly girls who cannot
long continue silent without imminent peril of seizure by the
dragon Boredom； soon indicates the approach of that monster
with a series of undisguisable yawns。 Finding it impossible to
suppress those yawns by any other process than conversation； she
compliments Mrs Rouncewell on her son； declaring that he
positively is one of the finest figures she ever saw； and as soldierly
a looking person she should think； as what’s his name； her
favourite Life Guardsman—the man she dotes on—the dearest of
creatures—who was killed at Waterloo。
Sir Leicester hears this tribute with so much surprise； and
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 1086…
Bleak House
