bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第270节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
caged up with all the others。 With Hope； Joy； Youth； Peace； Rest；
Life； Dust； Ashes； Waste； Want； Ruin； Despair； Madness； Death；
Cunning； Folly； Words； Wigs； Rags； Sheepskin； Plunder；
Precedent； Jargon； Gammon； and Spinach！”
The poor soul kissed me； with the most troubled look I had ever
seen in her； and went her way。 Her manner of running over the
names of her birds； as if she were afraid of hearing them even
from her own lips； quite chilled me。
This was not a cheering preparation for my visit； and I could
have dispensed with the company of Mr Vholes； when Richard
（who arrived within a minute or two after me） brought him to
share our dinner。 Although it was a very plain one； Ada and
Richard were for some minutes both out of the room together；
helping to get ready what we were to eat and drink。 Mr Vholes
took that opportunity of holding a little conversation in a low voice
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 1125…
Bleak House 1125
with me。 He came to the window where I was sitting； and began
upon Symond’s Inn。
“A dull place； Miss Summerson； for a life that is not an official
one；” said Mr Vholes； smearing the glass with his black glove； to
make it clearer for me。
“There is not much to see here；” said I。
“Nor to hear； miss；” returned Mr Vholes。 “A little music does
occasionally stray in； but we are not musical in the law； and soon
eject it。 I hope Mr Jarndyce is as well as his friends could wish
him？”
I thanked Mr Vholes； and said he was quite well。
“I have not the pleasure to be admitted among the number of
his friends myself；” said Mr Vholes； “and I am aware that the
gentlemen of our profession are sometimes regarded in such
quarters with an unfavourable eye。 Our plain course； however；
under good report and evil report； and all kinds of prejudice； （we
are the victims of prejudice） is to have everything openly carried
on。 How do you find Mr C looking； Miss Summerson？”
“He looks very ill。 Dreadfully anxious。”
“Just so；” said Mr Vholes。
He stood behind me； with his long black figure reaching nearly
to the ceiling of those low rooms； feeling the pimples on his face as
if they were ornaments； and speaking inwardly and evenly as
though there were not a human passion or emotion in his nature。
“Mr Woodcourt is in attendance upon Mr C； I believe？” he
resumed。
“Mr Woodcourt is his disinterested friend；” I answered。
“But I mean in professional attendance； medical attendance。”
“That can do little for an unhappy mind；” said I。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 1126…
Bleak House 1126
“Just so；” said Mr Vholes。
So slow； so eager； so bloodless and gaunt； I felt as if Richard
were wasting away beneath the eyes of this adviser； and there
were something of the Vampire in him。
“Miss Summerson；” said Mr Vholes； very slowly rubbing his
gloved hands； as if； to his cold sense of touch； they were much the
same in black kid or out of it； “this was an ill…advised marriage of
Mr C’s。”
I begged he would excuse me for discussing it。 They had been
engaged when they were both very young； I told him （a little
indignantly）； and when the prospect before them was much fairer
and brighter。 When Richard had not yielded himself to the
unhappy influence which now darkened his life。
“Just so；” assented Mr Vholes again。 “Still； with a view to
everything being openly carried on； I will； with your permission；
Miss Summerson； observe to you that I consider this a very ill…
advised marriage； indeed。 I owe the opinion； not only to Mr C’s
connections； against whom I should naturally wish to protect
myself； but also to my own reputation—dear to myself； as a
professional man aiming to keep respectable； dear to my three
girls at home； for whom I am striving to realise some little
independence； dear； I will even say； to my aged father； whom it is
my privilege to support。”
“It would become a very different marriage； a much happier
and better marriage； another marriage altogether； Mr Vholes；”
said I； “if Richard were persuaded to turn his back on the fatal
pursuit in which you are engaged with him。”
Mr Vholes； with a noiseless cough—or rather gasp—into one of
his black gloves； inclined his head as if he did not wholly dispute
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 1127…
Bleak House 1127
even that。
“Miss Summerson；” he said； “it may be so； and I freely admit
that the young lady who has taken Mr C’s name upon herself in so
ill…advised a manner—you will I am sure not quarrel with me for
throwing out that remark again； as a duty I owe to Mr C’s
connections—is a highly genteel young lady。 Business has
prevented me from mixing much with general society； in any but a
professional character； still I trust I am competent to perceive that
she is a highly genteel young lady。 As to beauty； I am not a judge
of that myself； and I never did give much attention to it from a boy；
but I dare say the young lady is equally eligible； in that point of
view。 She is considered so （I have heard） among the clerks in the
Inn； and it is a point more in their way than in mine。 In reference
to Mr C。’s pursuit of his interests—”
“O！ His interests； Mr Vholes！”
“Pardon me；” returned Mr Vholes； going on in exactly the same
inward and dispassionate manner。 “Mr C takes certain interests
under certain wills disputed in the suit。 It is a term we use。 In
reference to Mr C’s pursuit of his interests； I mentioned to you；
Miss Summerson； the first time I had the pleasure of seeing you； in
my desire that everything should be openly carried on—I used
those words； for I happened afterwards to note them in my diary；
which is producible at any time—I mentioned to you that Mr C
had laid down the principle of watching his own interests； and that
when a client of mine laid down a principle which was not of an
immoral （that is to say； unlawful） nature； it devolved upon me to
carry it out。 I have carried it out； I do carry it out。 But I will not
smooth things over； to any connection of Mr C’s； on any account。
As open as I was to Mr Jarndyce； I am to you。 I regard it in the
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 1128…
Bleak House 1128
light of a professional duty to be so； though it can be charged to no
one。 I openly say； unpalatable as it may be； that I consider Mr； C’s
affairs in a very bad way； that I consider Mr C himself in a very
bad way； and that I regard this as an exceedingly ill…advised
marriage。—Am I here； sir？ Yes； I thank you； I am here； Mr C； and
enjoying the pleasure of some agreeable conversation with Miss
Summerson； for which I have to thank you very much； sir！”
He broke off thus； in answer to Richard； who addressed him as
he came into the room。 By this time I too well understood Mr
Vholes’s scrupulous way of saving himself and his respectability；
not to feel that our worst fears did but keep pace with his client’s
progress。
We sat down to dinner； and I had an opportunity of observing
Richard； anxiously。 I was not disturbed by Mr Vholes （who took off
his gloves to dine）； though he sat opposite to me at the small table；
for I doubt if； l
