bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第20节
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matters very little。 Pray excuse the introduction of such mean
topics。”
She partly drew aside the curtain of the long low garret…
window； and called our attention to a number of bird…cages
hanging there： some containing several birds。 There were larks；
linnets； and goldfinches—I should think at least twenty。
“I began to keep the little creatures；” she said； “with an object
that the wards will readily comprehend。 With the intention of
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Bleak House 83
restoring them to liberty。 When my judgment should be given。 Ye…
es！ They die in prison； though。 Their lives； poor silly things； are so
short in comparison with Chancery proceedings； that； one by one；
the whole collection has died over and over again。 I doubt； do you
know； whether one of these； though they are all young； will live to
be free！ Ve…ry mortifying； is it not？”
Although she sometimes asked a question； she never seemed to
expect a reply； but rambled on as if she were in the habit of doing
so； when no one but herself was present。
“Indeed；” she pursued； “I positively doubt sometimes； I do
assure you； whether while matters are still unsettled； and the sixth
or Great Seal prevails； I may not one day be found lying stark and
senseless here； as I have found so many birds！”
Richard； answering what he saw in Ada’s compassionate eyes；
took the opportunity of laying some money； softly and unobserved；
on the chimney…piece。 We all drew nearer to the cages； feigning to
examine the birds。
“I can’t allow them to sing much；” said the little old lady； “for
（you’ll think this curious） I find my mind confused by the idea that
they are singing； while I am following the arguments in court。 And
my mind requires to be so very clear； you know！ Another time； I’ll
tell you their names。 Not at present。 On a day of such good omen；
they shall sing as much as they like。 In honour of youth；” a smile
and curtsey； “hope；” a smile and curtsey； and “beauty；” a smile
and curtsey。 “There！ We’ll let in the full light。”
The birds began to stir and chirp。
“I cannot admit the air freely；” said the little old lady； the room
was close； and would have been the better for it； “because the cat
you saw downstairs—called Lady Jane—is greedy for their lives。
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She crouches on the parapet outside for hours and hours。 I have
discovered；” whispering mysteriously； “that her natural cruelty is
sharpened by a jealous fear of their regaining their liberty。 In
consequence of the judgement I expect being shortly given。 She is
sly； and full of malice。 I half believe； sometimes； that she is no cat；
but the wolf of the old saying。 It is so very difficult to keep her
from the door。”
Some neighbouring bells； reminding the poor soul that it was
half…past nine； did more for us in the way of bringing our visit to
an end； than we could easily have done for ourselves。 She
hurriedly took up her little bag of documents； which she had laid
upon the table on coming in； and asked if we were also going into
court？ On our answering no； and that we would on no account
detain her； she opened the door to attend us downstairs。
“With such an omen； it is even more necessary than usual that I
should be there before the Chancellor comes in；” said she； “for he
might mention my case the first thing。 I have a presentiment that
he will mention it the first thing this morning。”
She stopped to tell us； in a whisper； as we were going down；
that the whole house was filled with strange lumber which her
landlord had bought piecemeal； and had no wish to sell； in
consequence of being a little—M—。 This was on the first floor。 But
she had made a previous stoppage on the second floor； and had
silently pointed at a dark door there。
“The only other lodger—” she now whispered； in explanation—
“a law…writer。 The children in the lanes here； say he has sold
himself to the devil。 I don’t know what he can have done with the
money。 Hush！”
She appeared to mistrust that the lodger might hear her； even
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there； and repeating “Hush！” went before us on tiptoe； as though
even the sound of her footsteps might reveal to him what she had
said。
Passing through the shop on our way out； as we had passed
through it on our way in； we found the old man storing a quantity
of packets of waste paper； in a kind of well in the floor。 He seemed
to be working hard； with the perspiration standing on his
forehead； and had a piece of chalk by him； with which； as he put
each separate package or bundle down； he made a crooked mark
on the panelling of the wall。
Richard and Ada； and Miss Jellyby； and the little old lady； had
gone by him； and I was going； when he touched me on the arm to
stay me； and chalked the letter J upon the wall—in a very curious
manner； beginning with the end of the letter and shaping it
backward。 It was a capital letter； not a printed one； but just such a
letter as any clerk in Messrs。 Kenge and Carboy’s office would
have made。
“Can you read it？” he asked me with a keen glance。
“Surely；” said I。 “It’s very plain。”
“What is it？”
“J。”
With another glance at me； and a glance at the door； he rubbed
it out； and turned an a in its place （not a capital letter this time）；
and said； “What’s that？”
I told him。 He then rubbed that out； and turned the letter r； and
asked me the same question。 He went on quickly； until he had
formed； in the same curious and bottoms of the letters； the word
Jarndyce； without once leaving two letters on the wall together。
“What does that spell？” he asked me。
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When I told him； he laughed。 In the same odd way； yet with the
same rapidity； he then produced singly； and rubbed out singly； the
letters forming the words Bleak House。 These； in some
astonishment； I also read； and he laughed again。
“Hi！” said the old man； laying aside the chalk； “I have a turn for
copying from memory； you see； miss； though I can neither read
nor write。”
He looked so disagreeable； and his cat looked so wickedly at
me； as if I were a blood…relation of the birds upstairs； that I was
quite relieved by Richard’s appearing at the door and saying：
“Miss Summerson； I hope you are not bargaining for the sale of
your hair。 Don’t be tempted。 Three sacks below are quite enough
for Mr Krook！”
I lost no time in wishing Mr Krook good morning； and joining
my friends outside； where we parted with the little old lady； who
gave us her blessing with great ceremony； and renewed her
assurance of yesterday in reference to her intention of settling
estates on Ada and me。 Before we finally turned out of those lanes；
we looked back； and saw Mr Krook standing at his shop door； in
his spectacles； looking after us； with his cat upon his shoulder； and
her tail sticking up on one side of his hairy cap； like a tall feather。
“Quite an adventure for a morning in London！” said Richard；
with a sigh。 “Ah； cousin； cousin； it’s a weary word this Chancery！”
“It is to me； and has been ever since I can remember；” returned
Ada。 “I am grieved that I should be the enemy—as I suppose I
am—of a great number of relations and others； and that they
should be my enemies—as I suppose they are； and that we should
all be ruining one another； without knowing how or why； and be in
constant doubt and disco
