bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第29节
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and lies down with a gloomy yawn。
So with the dogs in the kennel…buildings across the park； who
have their restless fits； and whose doleful voices； when the wind
has been very obstinate； have even made it known in the house
itself： upstairs； downstairs； and in my lady’s chamber。 They may
hunt the whole countryside； while the raindrops are pattering
round their inactivity。 So the rabbits； with their self…betraying
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tails； frisking in and out of holes at roots of trees； may be lively
with ideas of the breezy days when their ears are blown about； or
of those seasons of interest when there are sweet young plants to
gnaw。 The turkey in the poultry…yard； always troubled with a
class…grievance （probably Christmas）； may be reminiscent of that
summer…morning wrongfully taken from him； when he got into the
lane among the felled trees； where there was a barn and barley。
The discontented goose； who stoops to pass under the old
gateway； twenty feet high； may gabble out； if we only know it； a
waddling preference for weather when the gateway casts its
shadow on the ground。 Be this as it may； there is not much fancy
otherwise stirring at Chesney Wold。 If there be a little at any odd
moment； it goes； like a little noise in that old echoing place； a long
way； and usually leads off to ghosts and mystery。
It has rained so hard and rained so long； down in Lincolnshire；
that Mrs Rouncewell； the old housekeeper at Chesney Wold； has
several times taken off her spectacles and cleaned them； to make
certain that the drops were not upon the glasses。 Mrs Rouncewell
might have been sufficiently assured by hearing the rain； but that
she is rather deaf； which nothing will induce her to believe。 She is
a fine old lady； handsome； stately； wonderfully neat； and has such
a back； and such a stomacher； that if her stays should turn out
when she dies to have been a broad old…fashioned family fire…
grate； nobody who knows her would have cause to be surprised。
Weather affects Mrs Rouncewell little。 The house is there in all
weathers； and the house； as she expresses it； “is what she looks
at。” She sits in her room （in a side…passage on the ground floor；
with an arched window commanding a smooth quadrangle；
adorned at regular intervals with smooth round trees and smooth
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round blocks of stone； as if the trees were going to play at bowls
with the stones）； and the whole house reposes on her mind。 She
can open it on occasion； and be busy and fluttered； but it is shut…
up now； and lies on the breadth of Mrs Rouncewell’s iron…bound
bosom； in a majestic sleep。
It is the next difficult thing to an impossibility to imagine
Chesney Wold without Mrs Rouncewell； but she has only been
here fifty years。 Ask her how long； this rainy day； and she shall
answer “fifty year three months and a fortnight； by the blessing of
Heaven； if I live till Tuesday。” Mr Rouncewell died some time
before the decease of the pretty fashion of pig…tails； and modestly
hid his own （if he took it with him） in a corner of the churchyard in
the park； near the mouldy porch。 He was born in the market…
town； and so was his young widow。 Her progress in the family
began in the time of the last Sir Leicester； and originated in the
still…room。
The present representative of the Dedlocks is an excellent
master。 He supposes all his dependants to be utterly bereft of
individual characters； intentions； or opinions； and is persuaded
that he was born to supersede the necessity of their having any。 If
he were to make a discovery to the contrary； he would be simply
stunned—would never recover himself； most likely； except to gasp
and die。 But he is an excellent master still； holding it a part of his
state to be so。 He has a great liking for Mrs Rouncewell； he says
she is a most respectable； creditable woman。 He always shakes
hands with her； when he comes down to Chesney Wold； and when
he goes away； and if he were very ill； or if he were knocked down
by accident； or run over； or placed in any situation expressive of a
Dedlock at a disadvantage； he would say if he could speak； “Leave
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me and send Mrs Rouncewell here！” feeling his dignity； at such a
pass； safer with her than with anybody else。
Mrs Rouncewell has known trouble。 She has had two sons； of
whom the younger ran wild； and went for a soldier； and never
came back。 Even to this hour； Mrs Rouncewell’s calm hands lose
their composure when she speaks of him； and unfolding
themselves from her stomacher； hover about her in an agitated
manner； as she says； what a likely lad； what a fine lad； what a gay；
good…humoured； clever lad he was！ Her second son would have
been provided for at Chesney Wold； and would have been made
steward in due season； but he took； when he was a schoolboy； to
constructing steam…engines out of saucepans； and setting birds to
draw their own water； with the least possible amount of labour； so
assisting them with artful contrivance of hydraulic pressure； that a
thirsty canary had only； in a literal sense； to put his shoulder to the
wheel and the job was done。 This propensity gave Mrs Rouncewell
great uneasiness。 She felt it； with a mother’s anguish； to be a move
in the Wat Tyler direction： well knowing that Sir Leicester had
that general impression of an aptitude for any art to which smoke
and a tall chimney might be considered essential。 But the doomed
young rebel （otherwise a mild youth； and very persevering）；
showing no sign of grace as he got older； but； on the contrary；
constructing a model of a power…loom； she was fain； with many
tears； to mention his backslidings to the baronet。 “Mrs
Rouncewell；” said Sir Leicester； “I can never consent to argue； as
you know； with any one on any subject。 You had better get rid of
your boy； you had better get him into some Works。 The iron
country farther north is； I suppose； the congenial direction for a
boy with these tendencies。” Farther north he went； and farther
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north he grew up； and if Sir Leicester Dedlock ever saw him；
when he came to Chesney Wold to visit his mother； or ever
thought of him afterwards； it is certain that he only regarded him
as one of a body of some odd thousand conspirators； swarthy and
grim； who were in the habit of turning out by torchlight； two or
three nights in the week； for unlawful purposes。
Nevertheless Mrs Rouncewell’s son has； in the course of nature
and art； grown up； and established himself； and married； and
called unto him Mrs Rouncewell’s grandson； who； being out of his
apprenticeship； and home from a journey in far countries； whither
he was sent to enlarge his knowledge and complete his
preparations for the venture of this life； stands leaning against the
chimney…piece this very day； in Mrs Rouncewell’s room at
Chesney Wold。
“And； again and again； I am glad to see you； Watt！ And； once
again； I am glad to see you； Watt！” says Mrs Rouncewell。 “You are
a
