bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第109节
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decidedly of that opinion； Prince； and has expressed it to me； and
always hints it when she writes those kind notes； which you are so
fond of hearing me read to you； I am prepared to disclose the truth
to Ma whenever you think proper。 And I think； Prince；’ said I； ‘that
Esther thinks that I should be in a better； and truer； and more
honourable position altogether； if you did the same to your Papa。’”
“Yes； my dear；” said I。 “Esther certainly does think so。”
“So I was right； you see！” exclaimed Caddy。 “Well！ this troubled
Prince a good deal； not because he had the least doubt about it；
but he is so considerate of the feelings of old Mr Turveydrop； and
he had his apprehensions that old Mr Turveydrop might break his
heart； or faint away； or be very much overcome in some affecting
manner or other； if he made such an announcement。 He feared old
Mr Turveydrop might consider it undutiful； and might receive too
great a shock。 For； old Mr Turveydrop’s deportment is very
beautiful you know； Esther；” added Caddy； “and his feelings are
extremely sensitive。”
“Are they； my dear？”
“O； extremely sensitive。 Prince says so。 Now； this has caused
my darling child—I didn’t mean to use the expression to you；
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Esther；” Caddy apologised； her face suffused with blushes； “but I
generally call Prince my darling child。”
I laughed； and Caddy laughed and blushed； and went on。
“This has caused him； Esther—”
“Caused whom； my dear？”
“O you tiresome thing！” said Caddy； laughing； with her pretty
face on fire。 “My darling child； if you insist upon it！—This has；
caused him weeks of uneasiness； and has made him delay； from
day to day； in a very anxious manner。 At last he said to me； ‘Caddy；
if Miss Summerson； who is a great favourite with my father； could
be prevailed upon to be present when I broke the subject； I think I
could do it。’ So I promised I would ask you。 And I made up my
mind； besides；” said Caddy； looking at me hopefully but timidly；
“that if you consented； I would ask you afterwards to come with
me to Ma。 This is what I meant； when I said in my note that I had a
great favour and a great assistance to beg of you。 And if you
thought you could grant it； Esther； we should both be very
grateful。”
“Let me see； Caddy；” said I； pretending to consider。 “Really I
think I could do a greater thing than that； if the need were
pressing。 I am at your service and the darling child’s； my dear；
whenever you like。”
Caddy was quite transported by this reply of mine； being； I
believe； as susceptible to the least kindness or encouragement as
any tender heart that ever beat in this world； and after another
turn or two round the garden； during which she put on an entirely
new pair of gloves； and made herself as resplendent as possible
that she might do no avoidable discredit to the Master of
Deportment； we went to Newman Street direct。
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Prince was teaching； of course。 We found him engaged with a
not very hopeful pupil—a stubborn little girl with a sulky
forehead； a deep voice； and an inanimate dissatisfied mamma—
whose case was certainly not rendered more hopeful by the
confusion into which we threw her preceptor。 The lesson at last
came to an end； after proceeding as discordantly as possible； and
when the little girl had changed her shoes； and had had her white
muslin extinguished in shawls； she was taken away。 After a few
words of preparation； we then went in search of Mr Turveydrop；
whom we found； grouped with his hat and gloves； as a model of
Deportment； on the sofa in his private apartment—the only
comfortable room in the house。 He appeared to have dressed at his
leisure； in the intervals of a light collation； and his dressing…case；
brushes； and so forth； all of quiet and elegant kind； lay about。
“Father； Miss Summerson； Miss Jellyby。”
“Charmed！ Enchanted！” said Mr Turveydrop； rising with his
high…shouldered bow。 “Permit me！” handing chairs。 “Be seated！”
kissing the tips of his left fingers。 “Overjoyed！” shutting his eyes
and rolling。 “My little retreat is made a Paradise。” Recomposing
himself on the sofa； like the second gentleman in Europe。
“Again you find us； Miss Summerson；” said he； “using our little
arts to polish； polish！ Again the sex stimulates us； and rewards us；
by the condescension of its lovely presence。 It is much in these
times （and we have made an awfully degenerating business of it
since the days of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent—my
patron； if I may presume to say so） to experience that Deportment
is not wholly trodden under foot by mechanics。 That it can yet
bask in the smile of Beauty； my dear madam。”
I said nothing； which I thought a suitable reply； and he took a
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pinch of snuff。
“My dear son；” said Mr Turveydrop； “you have four schools this
afternoon。 I would recommend a hasty sandwich。”
“Thank you； father；” returned Prince； “I will be sure to be
punctual。 My dear father； may I beg you to prepare your mind for
what I am going to say？”
“Good Heaven！” exclaimed the model； pale and aghast； as
Prince and Caddy； hand in hand； bent down before him。
“What is this？ Is this lunacy！ Or what is this？”
“Father；” returned Prince； with great submission； “I love this
young lady； and we are engaged。”
“Engaged！” cried Mr Turveydrop； reclining on the sofa； and
shutting out the sight with his hand。 “An arrow launched at my
brain； by my own child！”
“We have been engaged for some time； father；” faltered Prince；
“and Miss Summerson； hearing of it； advised that we should
declare the fact to you； and was so very kind as to attend on the
present occasion。 Miss Jellyby is a young lady who deeply respects
you； father。”
Mr Turveydrop uttered a groan。
“No； pray don’t！ Pray don’t； father；” urged his son。 “Miss
Jellyby is a young lady who deeply respects you； and our first
desire is to consider your comfort。”
Mr Turveydrop sobbed。
“No； pray don’t； father！” cried his son。
“Boy；” said Mr Turveydrop； “it is well that your sainted mother
is spared this pang。 Strike deep； and spare not。 Strike home； sir；
strike home！”
“Pray； don’t say so； father；” implored Prince； in tears。 “It goes
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to my heart。 I do assure you； father； that our first wish and
intention is to consider your comfort。 Caroline and I do not forget
our duty—what is my duty is Caroline’s； as we have often said
together—and； with your approval and consent； father； we will
devote ourselves to making your life agreeable。”
“Strike home；” murmured Mr Turveydrop。 “Strike home！”
But he seemed to listen； I thought； too。
“My dear father；” returned Prince； “we well know what little
comforts you are accustomed to； and have a right to； and it will
always be our study； and our pride； to provide those before
anything。 If you will bless us with your a
