bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第3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！
desolate for a quarter of a century； plants himself in a good place
and keeps an eye on the Judge； ready to call out “My Lord！” in a
voice of sonorous complaint； on the instant of his rising。 A few
lawyers’ clerks and others who know this suitor by sight； linger； on
the chance of his furnishing some fun； and enlivening the dismal
weather a little。
Jarndyce and Jarndyce drones on。 This scarecrow of a suit has；
in course of time； become so complicated； that no man alive knows
what it means。 The parties to it understand it least； but it has been
observed that no two Chancery lawyers can talk about it for five
minutes； without coming to a total disagreement as to all the
premises。 Innumerable children have been born into the cause；
innumerable young people have married into it； innumerable old
people have died out of it。 Scores of persons have deliriously found
themselves made parties in Jarndyce and Jarndyce； without
knowing how or why； whole families have inherited legendary
hatreds with the suit。 The little plaintiff or defendant； who was
promised a new rocking…horse when Jarndyce and Jarndyce
should be settled； has grown up； possessed himself of a real horse；
and trotted away into the other world。 Fair wards of court have
faded into mothers and grandmothers； a long procession of
Chancellors has come in and gone out； the legion of bills in the suit
have been transformed into mere bills of mortality； there are not
three Jarndyces left upon the earth perhaps； since old Tom
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 13…
Bleak House 13
Jarndyce in despair blew his brains out at a coffee…house in
Chancery Lane； but Jarndyce and Jarndyce still drags its weary
length before the Court； perennially hopeless。
Jarndyce and Jarndyce has passed into a joke。 That is the only
good that has ever come of it。 It has been death to many； but it is a
joke in the profession。 Every master in Chancery has had a
reference out of it。 Every master in Chancery has had a reference
out of it。 Every Chancellor was “in it；” for somebody or other；
when he was counsel at the bar。 Good things have been said about
it by blue…nosed； bulbous…shoed old benchers； in select port…wine
committee after dinner in hall。 Articled clerks have been in the
habit of fleshing their legal wit upon it。 The last Lord Chancellor
handled it neatly when； correcting Mr Blowers the eminent silk
gown who said that such a thing might happen when the sky
rained potatoes； he observed “or when we get through Jarndyce
and Jarndyce； Mr Blowers；”—a pleasantry that particularly tickled
the maces； bags； and purses。
How many people out of the suit； Jarndyce and Jarndyce has
stretched forth its unwholesome hand to spoil and corrupt； would
be a very wide question。 From the master； upon whose impaling
files reams of dusty warrants in Jarndyce and Jarndyce have
grimly writhed into many shapes； down to the copying clerk in the
Six Clerks’ Office； who has copied his tens of thousands of
Chancery…folio…pages under that eternal heading； no man’s nature
has been made better by it。 In trickery； evasion； procrastination；
spoliation； botheration； under false pretences of all sorts； there are
influences that can never come to good。 The very solicitors’ boys
who have kept the wretched suitors at bay； by protesting time out
of mind that Mr Chizzle； Mizzle； or otherwise； was particularly
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 14…
Bleak House 14
engaged and had appointments until dinner； may have got an
extra moral twist and shuffle into themselves out of Jarndyce and
Jarndyce。 The receiver in the cause has acquired a goodly sum of
money by it； but has acquired too a distrust of his own mother；
and a contempt for his own kind。 Chizzle； Mizzle； and otherwise；
have lapsed into a habit of vaguely promising themselves that they
will look into that outstanding little matter； and see what can be
done for Drizzle—who was not well used—when Jarndyce and
Jarndyce shall be got out of the office。 Shirking and sharking； in
all their many varieties； have been sown broadcast by the ill…fated
cause； and even those who have contemplated its history from the
outermost circle of such evil； have been insensibly tempted into a
loose way of letting bad things alone to take their own bad course；
and a loose belief that if the world go wrong； it was； in some
offhand manner； never meant to go right。
Thus； in the midst of the mud and at the heart of the fog； sits
the Lord High Chancellor in his High Court of Chancery。
“Mr Tangle；” says the Lord High Chancellor； latterly something
restless under the eloquence of that learned gentleman。
“Mlud；” says Mr Tangle。 Mr Tangle knows more of Jarndyce
and Jarndyce than anybody。 He is famous for it—supposed never
to have read anything else since he left school。
“Have you nearly concluded your argument？”
“Mlud； no—variety of points—feel it my duty tsubmit—
ludship；” is the reply that slides out of Mr Tangle。
“Several members of the bar are still to be heard； I believe？”
says the Chancellor； with a slight smile。
Eighteen of Mr Tangle’s learned friends； each armed with a
little summary of eighteen hundred sheets； bob up like eighteen
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 15…
Bleak House 15
hammers in a pianoforte； make eighteen bows； and drop into their
eighteen places of obscurity。
“We will proceed with the hearing on Wednesday fortnight；”
says the Chancellor。 For； the question at issue is only a question of
costs； a mere bud on the forest tree of the parent suit； and really
will come to a settlement one of these days。
The Chancellor rises； the bar rises； the prisoner is brought
forward in a hurry； the man from Shropshire cries； “My lord！”
Maces； bags； and purses； indignantly proclaim silence； and frown
at the man from Shropshire。
“In reference；” proceeds the Chancellor； still on Jarndyce and
Jarndyce； “to the young girl—”
“Begludship’s pardon—boy；” says Mr Tangle； prematurely。
“In reference；” proceeds the Chancellor； with extra
distinctness； “to the young girl and boy； the two young people。”
（Mr Tangle crushed。） “Whom I directed to be in attendance
today； and who are now in my private room； I will see them and
satisfy myself as to the expediency of making the order for their
residing with their uncle。”
Mr Tangle on his legs again。
“Begludship’s pardon—dead。”
“With their；” Chancellor looking through his double eyeglass at
the papers on his desk； “grandfather。”
“Begludship’s pardon—victim of rash action—brains。”
Suddenly a very little counsel； with a terrific bass voice； arises；
fully inflated； in the back settlements of the fog； and says； “Will
your lordship allow me？ I appear for him。 He is a cousin； several
times removed。 I am not at the moment prepared to inform the
Court in what exact remove he is a cousin； but he is a cousin。”
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 16…
Bleak House 16
Leaving this address （delivered like a sepulchral message）
ringing in the rafters of the roof； the very little counsel drops； and
the fog knows him no more。 Everybody looks for him。 Nobody can
see him。
“I will speak with both the young people；” says the Chancellor
anew； “and sat
