bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第139节
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ten…pound note； which Mr Jellyby had found in the Docks I
suppose； but which he at all events gave her。 What my Guardian
would not have given her； if we had encouraged him； it would be
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difficult to say； but we thought it right to compound for no more
than her wedding…dress and bonnet。 He agreed to this
compromise； and if Caddy had ever been happy in her life； she
was happy when we sat down to work。
She was clumsy enough with her needle； poor girl； and pricked
her fingers as much as she had been used to ink them。 She could
not help reddening a little； now and then； partly with the smart；
and partly with vexation at being able to do no better： but she soon
got over that； and began to improve rapidly。 So； day after day； she；
and my darling； and my little maid Charley； and a milliner out of
the town； and I； sat hard at work； as pleasantly as possible。
Over and above this； Caddy was very anxious “to learn
housekeeping；” as she said。 Now； Mercy upon us！ the idea of her
learning housekeeping of a person of my vast experience was such
a joke； that I laughed； and coloured up； and fell into a comical
confusion when she proposed it。 However； I said； “Caddy； I am
sure you are very welcome to learn anything that you can learn of
me； my dear；” and I showed her all my books and methods； and all
my fidgety ways。 You would have supposed that I was showing her
some wonderful inventions by her study of them； and if you had
seen her； whenever I jingled my housekeeping keys； get up and
attend me； certainly you might have thought that there never was
a greater impostor than I； with a blinder follower than Caddy
Jellyby。
So； what with working and housekeeping； and lessons to
Charley； and backgammon in the evening with my Guardian； and
duets with Ada； the three weeks slipped fast away。 Then I went
home with Caddy； to see what could be done there； and Ada and
Charley remained behind； to take care of my Guardian。
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When I say I went home with Caddy； I mean to the furnished
lodging in Hatton Garden。 We went to Newman Street two or
three times； where preparations were in progress too； a good
many； I observed； for enchancing the comforts of old Mr
Turveydrop； and a few for putting the newly married couple away
cheaply at the top of the house； but our great point was to make
the furnished lodging decent for the wedding breakfast； and to
imbue Mrs Jellyby beforehand with some faint sense of the
occasion。
The latter was the more difficult thing of the two； because Mrs
Jellyby and an unwholesome boy occupied the front sitting…room
（the back one was a mere closet）； and it was littered down with
waste paper and Borrioboolan documents； as an untidy stable
might be littered with straw。 Mrs Jellyby sat there all day；
drinking strong coffee； dictating and holding Borrioboolan
interviews by appointment。 The unwholesome boy； who seemed to
me to be going into a decline； took his meals out of the house。
When Mr Jellyby came home； he usually groaned and went down
into the kitchen。 There he got something to eat； if the servant
would give him anything； and then feeling that he was in the way；
went out and walked about Hatton Garden in the wet。 The poor
children scrambled up and tumbled down the house； as they had
always been accustomed to do。
The production of these devoted little sacrifices； in any
presentable condition； being quite out of the question at a week’s
notice； I proposed to Caddy that we should make them as happy as
we could； on her marriage morning； in the attic where they all
slept； and should confine our greatest efforts to her mama and her
mama’s room； and a clean breakfast。 In truth； Mrs Jellyby
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required a good deal of attention； the lattice…work up her back
having widened considerably since I first knew her； and her hair
looking like the mane of a dustman’s horse。
Thinking that the display of Caddy’s wardrobe would be the
best means of approaching the subject； I invited Mrs Jellyby to
come and look at it spread out on Caddy’s bed； in the evening；
after the unwholesome boy was gone。
“My dear Miss Summerson；” said she； rising from her desk；
with her usual sweetness of temper； “these are really ridiculous
preparations； though your assisting them is a proof of your
kindness。 There is something so inexpressibly absurd to me； in the
idea of Caddy being married！ O Caddy； you silly； silly； silly puss！”
She came upstairs with us notwithstanding； and looked at the
clothes in her customary far…off manner。 They suggested one
distinct idea to her； for she said； with her placid smile； and shaking
her head； “My good Miss Summerson； at half the cost； this weak
child might have been equipped for Africa！”
On our going downstairs again； Mrs Jellyby asked me whether
this troublesome business was really to take place next
Wednesday？ And on my replying yes； she said； “Will my room be
required； my dear Miss Summerson？ For it’s quite impossible that
I can put my papers away。”
I took the liberty of saying that the room would certainly be
wanted； and that I thought we must put the papers away
somewhere。 “Well； my dear Miss Summerson；” said Mrs Jellyby；
“you know best； I dare say。 But by obliging me to employ a boy；
Caddy has embarrassed me to that extent； overwhelmed as I am
with public business； that I don’t know which way to turn。 We
have a Ramification meeting； too； on Wednesday afternoon； and
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the inconvenience is very serious。”
“It is not likely to occur again；” said I； smiling。 “Caddy will be
married but once； probably。”
“That’s true；” Mrs Jellyby replied； “that’s true； my dear。 I
suppose we must make the best of it！”
The next question was； how Mrs Jellyby should be dressed on
the occasion。 I thought it very curious to see her looking on
serenely from her writing…table； while Caddy and I discussed it；
occasionally shaking her head at us with a half…reproachful smile；
like a superior spirit who could just bear with our trifling。
The state in which her dresses were； and the extraordinary
confusion in which she kept them； added not a little to our
difficulty； but at length we devised something not very unlike what
a common…place mother might wear on such an occasion。 The
abstracted manner in which Mrs Jellyby would deliver herself up
to having this attire tried on by the dressmaker； and the sweetness
with which she would then observe to me how sorry she was that I
had not turned my thoughts to Africa； were consistent with the
rest of her behaviour。
The lodging was rather confined as to space； but I fancied that
if Mrs Jellyby’s household had been the only lodgers in Saint
Paul’s or Saint Peter’s； the sole advantage they would have found
in the size of the building would have been its affording a great
deal of room to be dirty in。 I believe that nothing belonging to
