bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第90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！
with the chivalry of clerkship to the ladies on the stairs。
“I was strolling away from the office just now； when I found this
row going on；” says Mr Guppy to the law…stationer； “and as your
name was mentioned； I thought it was right the thing should be
looked into。”
“It was very good…natured of you； sir；” says Mr Snagsby； “and I
am obliged to you。” And Mr Snagsby again relates his experience；
again suppressing the half…crown fact。
“Now； I know where you live；” says the constable； then； to Jo。
“You live down in Tom…all…Alone’s。 That’s a nice innocent place to
live in； ain’t it？”
“I can’t go and live in no nicer place； sir；” replies Jo。 “They
wouldn’t have nothink to say to me if I was to go to a nice innocent
place fur to live。 Who ud go and let a nice innocent lodging to such
a reg’lar one as me！”
“You are very poor； ain’t you？” says the constable。
“Yes； I am indeed； sir； wery poor in gin’ral；” replies Jo。
“I leave you to judge now！ I shook these two half…crowns out of
him；” says the constable； producing them to the company； “in only
putting my hand upon him！”
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 373…
Bleak House 373
“They’re wot’s left； Mr Snagsby；” said Jo； “out of a sov’ring as
wos give me by a lady in a wale as said she wos a servant and as
come to my crossin one night and asked to be showd this ’ere ouse
and the ouse wot him as you giv the writin to died at； and the
berrin ground wot he’s berrid in。 She ses to me she ses ‘are you
the boy at the Inkwhich？’ she ses。 I ses ‘yes’ I ses。 She ses to me
she ses ‘can you show me all them places？’ I ses ‘yes I can’ I ses。
And she ses to me ‘do it’ and I dun it and she giv me a sov’ring and
hooked it。 And I an’t had much of the sov’ring neither；” says Jo；
with dirty tears； “fur I had to pay five bob； down in Tom…all…
Alone’s； afore they’d square it fur to give me change； and then a
young man he thieved another five while I was asleep and another
boy he thieved ninepence and the landlord he stood drains round
with a lot more on it。”
“You don’t expect anybody to believe this； about the lady and
the sovereign； do you？” says the constable； eyeing him aside with
ineffable disdain。
“I don’t know as I do； sir；” replies Jo。 “I don’t expect nothink at
all； sir； much； but that’s the true hist’ry on it。”
“You see what he is！” the constable observes to the audience。
“Well； Mr Snagsby； if I don’t lock him up this time； will you engage
for his moving on？”
“No！” cries Mrs Snagsby from the stairs。
“My little woman！” pleads her husband。 “Constable； I have no
doubt he’ll move on。 You know you really must do it；” says Mr
Snagsby。
“I’m everyways agreeable； sir；” says the hapless Jo。
“Do it； then；” observes the constable。 “You know what you have
got to do。 Do it！ And recollect you won’t get off so easy next time。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 374…
Bleak House 374
Catch hold of your money。 Now； the sooner you’re five miles off；
the better for all parties。”
With this farewell hint； and pointing generally to the setting
sun； as a likely place to move on to； the constable bids his auditors
good afternoon； and makes the echoes of Cook’s Court perform
slow music for him as he walks away on the shady side； carrying
his iron…bound hat in his hand for a little ventilation。
Now； Jo’s improbable story concerning the lady and the
sovereign has awakened more or less the curiosity of all the
company。 Mr Guppy； who has an inquiring mind in matters of
evidence； and who has been suffering severely from the lassitude
of the long vacation； takes that interest in the case； that he enters
on a regular cross…examination of the witness； which is found so
interesting by the ladies that Mrs Snagsby politely invites him to
step upstairs； and drink a cup of tea； if he will excuse the
disarranged state of the tea…table； consequent on their previous
exertions。 Mr Guppy yielding his assent to this proposal； Jo is
requested to follow into the drawing…room doorway； where Mr
Guppy takes him in hand as a witness； patting him into this shape；
that shape； and the other shape； like a butterman dealing with so
much butter； and worrying him according to the best models。 Nor
is the examination unlike many such model displays； both in
respect of its eliciting nothing； and of its being lengthy； for； Mr
Guppy is sensible of his talent； and Mrs Snagsby feels； not only
that it gratifies her inquisitive disposition； but that it lifts her
husband’s establishment higher up in the law。 During the progress
of this keen encounter； the vessel Chadband； being merely
engaged in the oil trade； gets aground； and waits to be floated off。
“Well！” says Mr Guppy； “either this boy sticks to it like
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 375…
Bleak House 375
cobbler’s wax； or there is something out of the common here that
beats anything that ever came into my way at Kenge and
Carboy’s。”
Mrs Chadband whispers Mrs Snagsby； who exclaims； “You
don’t say so！”
“For years！” replies Mrs Chadband。
“Has known Kenge and Carboy’s office for years；” Mrs Snagsby
triumphantly explains to Mr Guppy。 “Mrs Chadband—this
gentleman’s wife—Reverend Mr Chadband。”
“Oh； indeed！” said Mr Guppy。
“Before I married my present husband；” says Mrs Chadband。
“Was you a party in anything； ma’am？” says Mr Guppy
transferring his cross…examination。
“No。”
“Not a party in anything； ma’am？” says Mr Guppy。
Mrs Chadband shakes her head。
“Perhaps you were acquainted with somebody who was a party
in something； ma’am？” says Mr Guppy； who likes nothing better
than to model his conversation on forensic principles。
“Not exactly that； either；” replies Mrs Chadband； humouring
the joke with a hard…favoured smile。
“Not exactly that； either！” repeats Mr Guppy。 “Very good。 Pray；
ma’am； was it a lady of your acquaintance who had some
transactions （we will not at present say what transactions） with
Kenge and Carboy’s office； or was it a gentleman of your
acquaintance？ Take time； ma’am。 We shall come to it presently。
Man or woman； ma’am？”
“Neither；” says Mrs Chadband； as before。
“Oh！ A child！” says Mr Guppy； throwing on the admiring Mrs
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 376…
Bleak House 376
Snagsby the regular acute professional eye which is thrown on
British jurymen。 “Now； ma’am； perhaps you’ll have the kindness
to tell us what child。”
“You have got it at last； sir；” says Mrs Chadband； with another
hard…favoured smile。 “Well； sir； it was before your time； most
likely； judging from your appearance。 I was left in charge of a child
named Esther Summerson； who was put out in life by Messrs。
Kenge and Carboy。”
“Miss Summerson； ma’am！” cries Mr Guppy； excited。
“I call her Esther Summerson；” says Mrs Chadband； with
austerity。 “There was no Miss…ing of the girl in my time。 It was
Esther。 ‘Esther； do this！ Esther； do that！’ and she was made to do
it。”
“My dear ma’am；” returns Mr Guppy； moving across the small
apartment； “the humble individual who now addresses you
received that young lady in London； when she first came here
from the establish
