bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第30节
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again； I am glad to see you； Watt！” says Mrs Rouncewell。 “You are
a fine young fellow。 You are like your poor uncle George。 Ah！” Mrs
Rouncewell’s hands unquiet； as usual； on this reference。
“They say I am like my father； grandmother。”
“Like him； also； my dear；—but most like your poor uncle
George！ And your dear father。” Mrs Rouncewell folds her hands
again。 “He is well？”
“Thriving； grandmother； in every way。”
“I am thankful！” Mrs Rouncewell is fond of her son； but has a
plaintive feeling towards him—much as if he were a very
honourable soldier； who had gone over to the enemy。
“He is quite happy？” says she。
“Quite。”
“I am thankful！ So； he has brought you up to follow in his ways；
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and has sent you into foreign countries and the like？ Well； he
knows best。 There may be a world beyond Chesney Wold that I
don’t understand。 Though I am not young； either。 And I have seen
a quantity of good company too！”
“Grandmother；” says the young man； changing the subject；
“what a very pretty girl that was； I found with you just now。 You
called her Rosa？”
“Yes； child。 She is daughter of a widow in the village。 Maids are
so hard to teach； now…a…days； that I have put her about me young。
She’s an apt scholar； and will do well。 She shows the house
already； very pretty。 She lives with me； at my table here。”
“I hope I have not driven her away？”
“She supposes we have family affairs to speak about； I dare say。
She is very modest。 It is a fine quality in a young woman。 And
scarcer；” says Mrs Rouncewell； expanding her stomacher to its
utmost limits； “than it formerly was！”
The young man inclines his head； in acknowledgment of the
precepts of experience。 Mrs Rouncewell listens。
“Wheels！” says she。 They have long been audible to the younger
ears of her companion。 “What wheels on such a day as this； for
gracious sake？”
After a short interval a tap at the door。 “Come in！” A dark…eyed；
dark…haired； shy village beauty comes in—so fresh in her rosy and
yet delicate bloom； that the drops of rain； which have beaten on
her hair； look like the dew upon a flower fresh gathered。
“What company is this； Rosa？” says Mrs Rouncewell。
“It’s two young men in a gig； ma’am； who want to see the
house—yes； and if you please； I told them so！” in quick reply to a
gesture of dissent from the housekeeper。 “I went to the hall door；
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and told them it was the wrong day； and the wrong hour； but the
young man who was driving took off his hat in the wet； and begged
me to bring this card to you。”
“Read it； my dear Watt；” says the housekeeper。
Rosa is so shy as she gives it to him； that they drop it between
them； and almost knock their foreheads together as they pick it
up。 Rosa is shyer than before。
“Mr Guppy” is all the information the card yields。
“Guppy！” repeats Mrs Rouncewell。 “Mr Guppy！ Nonsense； I
never heard of him！”
“If you please； he told me that！” says Rosa。 “But he said that he
and the other young gentleman came from London only last night
by the mail； on business at the magistrates’ meeting ten miles off；
this morning； and that as their business was soon over； and they
had heard a great deal said of Chesney Wold； and really didn’t
know what to do with themselves； they had come through the wet
to see it。 They are lawyers。 He says he is not in Mr Tulkinghorn’s
office； but is sure he may make use of Mr Tulkinghorn’s name if
necessary。” Finding； now she leaves off； that she has been making
quite a long speech； Rosa is shyer than ever。
Now； Mr Tulkinghorn is； in a manner； part and parcel of the
place； and； besides； is supposed to have made Mrs Rouncewell’s
will。 The old lady relaxes； consents to the admission of the visitors
as a favour； and dismisses Rosa。 The grandson； however； being
smitten by a sudden wish to see the house himself； proposes to
join the party。 The grandmother； who is pleased that he should
have that interest； accompanies him—though to do him justice； he
is exceedingly unwilling to trouble her。
“Much obliged to you； ma’am！” says Mr Guppy； divesting
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himself of his wet dreadnought in the hall。 “Us London lawyers
don’t often get an out； and when we do； we like to make the most
of it； you know。”
The old housekeeper； with a gracious severity of deportment；
waves her hand towards the great staircase。 Mr Guppy and his
friend follow Rosa； Mrs Rouncewell and her grandson follow them；
a young gardener goes before to open the shutters。
As is usually the case with people who go over houses； Mr
Guppy and his friends are dead beat before they have well begun。
They struggle about in wrong places； look at wrong things； don’t
care for the right things； gape when more rooms are opened；
exhibit profound depression of spirits； and are clearly knocked up。
In each successive chamber that they enter； Mrs Rouncewell； who
is as upright as the house itself； rests apart in a window seat； or
other such nook； and listens with stately approval to Rosa’s
exposition。 Her grandson is so attentive to it； that Rosa is shyer
than ever—and prettier。 Thus they pass on from room to room；
raising the pictured Dedlocks for a few brief minutes as the young
gardener admits the light； and reconsigning them to their graves
as he shuts it out again。 It appears to the afflicted Mr Guppy and
his inconsolable friend； that there is no end to the Dedlocks； whose
family greatness seems to consist in their never having done
anything to distinguish themselves； for seven hundred years。
Even the long drawing…room of Chesney Wold cannot revive Mr
Guppy’s spirits。 He is so low that he droops on the threshold； and
has hardly strength of mind to enter。 But a portrait over the
chimney…piece； painted by the fashionable artist of the day； acts
upon him like a charm。 He recovers in a moment。 He stares at it
with uncommon interest； he seems to be fixed and fascinated by it。
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“Dear me！” says Mr Guppy。 “Who’s that？”
“The picture over the fireplace；” says Rosa； “is the portrait of
the present Lady Dedlock。 It is considered a perfect likeness； and
the best work of the master。”
“‘Blest！” says Mr Guppy； staring in a kind of dismay at his
friend； “if I can ever have seen her。 Yet I know her！ Has the
picture been engraved； miss？”
“The picture has never been engraved。 Sir Leicester has always
refused permission。”
“Well！” says Mr Guppy in a low voice； “I’ll be shot if it ain’t very
curious how well I know that picture！ So that’s Lady Dedlock； is
it！”
“The picture on the right is the present Sir Leicester Dedlock。
The picture on the left is his father； the late Sir Leicester。”
Mr Guppy has no eyes for either of these magnates。 “It’s
unaccountable to me；” he says； still staring at the portrait； “how
well I know that picture！ I’m dashed！” adds Mr Guppy looking
round； “If I don’t think I must have had a dream of that picture；
you know！”
As no one present takes any especial interest in Mr Guppy’s
dreams； the probability is no
