bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第165节
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impression that it might be Caddy。 Besides； my attention was
diverted by my visitor； who was cold after her ride； and looked
hungry； and who； our dinner being brought in； required some
little assistance in arraying herself with great satisfaction in a
pitiable old scarf and a much…worn and often…mended pair of
gloves； which she had brought down in a paper parcel。 I had to
preside； too； over the entertainment； consisting of a dish of fish； a
roast…fowl； a sweetbread； vegetables； pudding； and Madeira； and it
was so pleasant to see how she enjoyed it； and with what state and
ceremony she did honour to it； that I was soon thinking of nothing
else。
When we had finished； and had our little dessert before us；
embellished by the hands of my dear； who would yield the
superintendence of everything prepared for me to no one； Miss
Flite was so very chatty and happy； that I though I would lead her
to her own history； as she was always pleased to talk about herself。
I began by saying “You have attended on the Lord Chancellor
many years； Miss Flite？”
“O many； many； many years； my dear。 But I expect a
Judgement。 Shortly。”
There was an anxiety even in her hopefulness； that made me
doubtful if I had done right in approaching the subject。 I thought I
would say no more about it。
“My father expected a Judgement；” says Miss Flite。 “My
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brother。 My sister。 They all expected a Judgement。 The same that
I expect。”
“They are all—”
“Ye…es。 Dead of course； my dear；” said she。
As I saw she would go on； I thought it best to try to be
serviceable to her by meeting the theme； rather than avoiding it。
“Would it not be wiser；” said I； “to expect this Judgement no
more？”
“Why； my dear；” she answered promptly； “of course it would！”
“And to attend the court no more？”
“Equally of course；” said she。 “Very wearing to be always in
expectation of what never comes； my dear Fitz…Jarndyce！
Wearing； I assure you； to the bone！”
She slightly showed me her arm； and it was fearfully thin
indeed。
“But； my dear；” she went on in her mysterious way； “there’s a
dreadful attraction in the place。 Hush！ Don’t mention it to our
diminutive friend when she comes in。 Or it may frighten her。 With
good reason。 There’s a cruel attraction in the place； you can’t leave
it。 And you must expect。”
I tried to assure her that this was not so。 She heard me
patiently and smilingly； but was ready with her own answer。
“Ay； ay； ay！ You think so； because I am a little rambling。 Ve…ry
absurd； to be a little rambling； is it not？ Ve…ry confusing； too。 To
the head。 I find it so。 But； my dear； I have been there many years；
and I have noticed。 It’s the Mace and Seal upon the table。”
What could they do； did she think？ I mildly asked her。
“Draw；” returned Miss Flite。 “Draw people on； my dear。 Draw
peace out of them。 Sense out of them。 Good looks out of them。
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Good qualities out of them。 I have felt them even drawing my rest
away in the night。 Cold and glittering devils！”
She tapped me several times upon the arm； and nodded good…
humouredly； as if she were anxious I should understand that I had
no cause to fear her； though she spoke so gloomily； and confided
these awful secrets to me。
“Let me see；” said she。 “I’ll tell you my own case。 Before they
ever drew me—before I had ever seen them—what was it I used to
do？ Tambourine playing？ No。 Tambour work。 I and my sister
worked at tambour work。 Our father and our brother had a
builder’s business。 We all lived together。 Ve…ry respectably； my
dear！ First； our father was drawn—slowly。 Home was drawn with
him。 In a few years； he was a fierce； sour； angry bankrupt； without
a kind word or a kind look for any one。 He had been so different；
Fitz…Jarndyce。 He was drawn to a debtor’s prison。 There he died。
Then our brother was drawn—swiftly—to drunkenness。 And rags。
And death。 Then my sister was drawn。 Hush！ Never ask to what！
Then I was ill； and in misery； and heard； as I had often heard
before； that this was all the work of Chancery。 When I got better； I
went to look at the monster。 And then I found out how it was； and
I was drawn to stay there。”
Having got over her own short narrative； in the delivery of
which she had spoken in a low； strained voice； as if the shock were
fresh upon her； she gradually resumed her usual air of amiable
importance。
“You don’t quite credit me； my dear！ Well； well！ You will； some
day。 I am a little rambling。 But I have noticed。 I have seen many
new faces come； unsuspicious； within the influence of the Mace
and Seal； in these many years。 As my father’s came there。 As my
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brother’s。 As my sister’s。 As my own。 I hear Conversation Kenge；
and the rest of them； say to the new faces； ‘Here’s little Miss Flite。
O you are new here； and you must come and be presented to little
Miss Flite！’ Ve…ry good。 Proud I am sure to have the honour！ And
we all laugh。 But； Fitz…Jarndyce； I know what will happen。 I know；
far better than they do； when the attraction has begun。 I know the
signs； my dear。 I saw them begin in Gridley。 And I saw them end。
Fitz…Jarndyce； my love；” speaking low again； “I saw them
beginning in our friend the Ward in Jarndyce。 Let some one hold
him back。 Or he’ll be drawn to ruin。”
She looked at me in silence for some moments； with her face
gradually softening into a smile。 Seeming to fear that she had been
too gloomy； and seeming also to lose the connection in her mind；
she said； politely； as she sipped her glass of wine； “Yes； my dear； as
I was saying； I expect a Judgment。 Shortly。 Then I shall release my
birds； you know； and confer estates。”
I was much impressed by her allusion to Richard； and by the
sad meaning； so sadly illustrated in her poor pinched form； that
made its way through all her incoherence。 But happily for her； she
was quite complacent again now； and beamed with nods and
smiles。
“But； my dear；” she said； gaily； reaching another hand to put it
upon mine。 “You have not congratulated me on my physician。
Positively not once； yet！”
I was obliged to confess that I did not quite know what she
meant。
“My physician； Mr Woodcourt； my dear； who was so
exceedingly attentive to me。 Though his services were rendered
quite gratuitously。 Until the Day of Judgment。 I mean the
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judgment that will dissolve the spell upon me of the Mace and
Seal。”
“Mr Woodcourt is so far away now；” said I； “that I thought the
time for such congratulation was past； Miss Flite。”
“But； my child；” she returned； “is it possible that you don’t
know what has happened？”
“No；” said I。
“Not what everybody has been talking of； my beloved Fitz…
Jarndyce！”
“No；” said I。 “You forget how long I have been here。”
“True！ My dear； for the moment—true。 I blame myself。 But my
memory has been drawn out of me； with everything else； by what I
mentioned。 Ve…ry strong influence； is it not？ Well； my dear； there
has been a terrible shipwreck over in those East…In
