bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第15节
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I must say； a great relief to me； for Richard told us that he had
washed his hands in a pie…dish； and that they had found the kettle
on his dressing…table； and he made Ada laugh so； that they made
me laugh in the most ridiculous manner。
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Soon after seven o’clock we went down to dinner： carefully； by
Mrs Jellyby’s advice； for the stair…carpets； besides being very
deficient in stair…wires； were so torn as to be absolute traps。 We
had a fine cod…fish； a piece of roast beef； a dish of cutlets； and a
pudding； an excellent dinner； if it had had any cooking to speak of；
but it was almost raw。 The young woman with the flannel bandage
waited； and dropped everything on the table wherever it
happened to go； and never moved it again until she put it on the
stairs。 The person I had seen in pattens （who I suppose to have
been the cook）； frequently came and skirmished with her at the
door； and there appeared to be ill…will between them。
All through dinner； which was long； in consequence of such
accidents as the dish of potatoes being mislaid in the coal scuttle；
and the handle of the corkscrew coming off； and striking the
young woman in the chin； Mrs Jellyby preserved the evenness of
her disposition。 She told us a great deal that was interesting about
Borrioboola…Gha and the natives； and received so many letters
that Richard； who sat by her； saw four envelopes in the gravy at
once。 Some of the letters were proceedings of ladies’ committees；
or resolutions of ladies’ meetings； which she read to us； others
were applications from people excited in various ways about the
cultivation of coffee； and natives； others required answers； and
these she sent her eldest daughter from the table three or four
times to write。 She was full of business； and undoubtedly was； as
she had told us； devoted to the cause。
I was a little curious to know who a mild bald gentleman in
spectacles was； who dropped into a vacant chair （there was no top
or bottom； in particular） after the fish was taken away； and seemed
passively to submit himself to Borrioboola…Gha； but not to be
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actively interested in that settlement。 As he never spoke a word；
he might have been a native； but for his complexion。 It was not
until we left the table； and he remained alone with Richard； that
the possibility of his being Mr Jellyby ever entered my head。 But
he was Mr Jellyby； and a loquacious young man called Mr Quale；
with large shining knobs for temples； and his hair all brushed to
the back of his head； who came in the evening； and told Ada he
was a philanthropist； also informed her that he called the
matrimonial alliance of Mrs Jellyby with Mr Jellyby the union of
mind and matter。
This young man； besides having a great deal to say for himself
about Africa； and a project of his for teaching the coffee colonists
to teach the natives to turn piano…forte legs and establish an
export trade； delighted in drawing Mrs Jellyby out by saying； “I
believe now； Mrs Jellyby； you have received as many as from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred letters respecting Africa in a
single day； have you not？” or； “If my memory does not deceive me；
Mrs Jellyby； you once mentioned that you had sent off five
thousand circulars from one post…office at one time？”—always
repeating Mrs Jellyby’s answer to us like an interpreter。 During
the whole evening； Mr Jellyby sat in a corner with his head against
the wall； as if he were subject to low spirits。 It seemed that he had
several times opened his mouth when alone with Richard； after
dinner； as if he had something on his mind； but had always shut it
again； to Richard’s extreme confusion； without saying anything。
Mrs Jellyby； sitting in quite a nest of waste paper； drank coffee
all the evening； and dictated at intervals to her eldest daughter。
She also held a discussion with Mr Quale； of which the subject
seemed to be—if I understood it—the Brotherhood of Humanity；
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and gave utterance to some beautiful sentiments。 I was not so
attentive an auditor as I might have wished to be； however； for
Peepy and the other children came flocking about Ada and me in a
corner of the drawing…room to ask for another story； so we sat
down among them； and told them in whispers Puss in Boots and I
don’t know what else； until Mrs Jellyby； accidentally remembering
them； sent them to bed。 As Peepy cried for me to take him to bed； I
carried him upstairs； where the young woman with the flannel
bandage charged into the midst of the little family like a dragoon；
and overturned them into cribs。
After that； I occupied myself in making our room a little tidy；
and in coaxing a very cross fire that had been lighted； to burn；
which at last it did； quite brightly。 On my return downstairs； I felt
that Mrs Jellyby looked down upon me rather； for being so
frivolous； and I was sorry for it； though at the same time I knew
that I had no higher pretensions。
It was nearly midnight before we found an opportunity of going
to bed； and even then we left Mrs Jellyby among her papers
drinking coffee； and Miss Jellyby biting the feather of her pen。
“What a strange house！” said Ada； when we got upstairs。 “How
curious of my cousin Jarndyce to send us here！”
“My love；” said I； “it quite confuses me。 I want to understand it；
and I can’t understand it at all。”
“What？” asked Ada； with her pretty smile。
“All this； my dear；” said I。 “It must be very good of Mrs Jellyby
to take such pains about a scheme for the benefit of Natives—and
yet—Peepy and the housekeeping！”
Ada laughed； and put her arm about my neck； as I stood looking
at the fire； and told me I was a quiet； dear； good creature； and had
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won her heart。 “You are so thoughtful； Esther；” she said； “and yet
so cheerful！ and you do so much； so unpretendingly！ You would
make a home out of even this house。”
My simple darling！ She was quite unconscious that she only
praised herself； and that it was in the goodness of her own heart
that she made so much of me！
“May I ask you a question？” said I； when we had sat before the
fire a little while。
“Five hundred；” said Ada。
“Your cousin； Mr Jarndyce。 I owe so much to him。 Would you
mind describing him to me？”
Shaking back her golden hair； Ada turned her eyes upon me
with such laughing wonder； that I was full of wonder too—partly
at her beauty； partly at her surprise。
“Esther！” she cried。
“My dear！”
“You want a description of my cousin Jarndyce？”
“My dear； I never saw him。”
“And I never saw him！” returned Ada。
Well； to be sure！
No； she had never seen him。 Young as she was when her mama
died； she remembered how the tears would come into her eyes
when she spoke of him； and of the noble generosity of his
character； which she had said was to be trusted above all earthly
things； and Ada trusted it。 Her cousin Jarndyce had written to her
a few months ago；—“a plain； honest letter；” Ada said—proposing
the arrangement we were now to enter on； and telling her that； “in
ti
