bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第36节
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mention for hours and hours！ By this time； young ladies；” said Mrs
Pardiggle； moving back to her chair； and overturning； as if by
invisible agency； a little round table at a considerable distance
with my work…basket on it； “by this time you have found me out； I
dare say？”
“This was really such a confusing question that Ada looked at
me in perfect dismay。 As to the guilty nature of my own
consciousness； after what I had been thinking； it must have been
expressed in the colour of my cheeks。
“Found out； I mean；” said Mrs Pardiggle； “the prominent point
in my character。 I am aware that it is so prominent as to be
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discoverable immediately。 I lay myself open to detection； I know。
Well！ I freely admit； I am a woman of business。 I love hard work； I
enjoy hard work。 The excitement does me good。 I am so
accustomed and inured to hard work that I don’t know what
fatigue is。”
We murmured that it was very astonishing and very gratifying；
or something to that effect。 I don’t think we knew why it was
either； but this was what our politeness expressed。
“I do not understand what it is to be tired； you cannot tire me if
you try！” said Mrs Pardiggle。 “The quantity of exertion （which is
no exertion to me）； the amount of business （which I regard as
nothing）； that I go through； sometimes astonishes myself。 I have
seen my young family； and Mr Pardiggle； quite worn out with
witnessing it； when I may truly say I have been as fresh as a lark！”
If that dark…visaged eldest boy could look more malicious than
he had already looked； this was the time when he did it。 I observed
that he doubled his right fist； and delivered a secret blow into the
crown of his cap； which was under his left arm。
“This gives me a great advantage when I am making my
rounds；” said Mrs Pardiggle。 “If I find a person unwilling to hear
what I have to say； I tell that person directly； ‘I am incapable of
fatigue； my good friend； I am never tired； and I mean to go on until
I have done。’ It answers admirably！ Miss Summerson； I hope I
shall have your assistance in my visiting rounds immediately； and
Miss Clare’s very soon？”
At first I tried to excuse myself； for the present； on the general
ground of having occupations to attend to； which I must not
neglect。 But as this was an ineffectual protest； I then said； more
particularly； that I was not sure of my qualifications。 That I was
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inexperienced in the art of adapting my mind to minds very
differently situated； and addressing them from suitable points of
view。 That I had not that delicate knowledge of the heart which
must be essential to such a work。 That I had much to learn； myself；
before I could teach others； and that I could not confide in my
good intentions alone。 For these reasons； I thought it best to be as
useful as I could； and to render what kind services I could； to those
immediately about me； and to try to let that circle of duty
gradually and naturally expand itself。 All this I said； with anything
but confidence； because Mrs Pardiggle was much older than I； and
had great experience； and was so very military in her manners。
“You are wrong； Miss Summerson；” said she： “but perhaps you
are not equal to hard work； or the excitement of it； and that makes
a vast difference。 If you would like to see how I go through my
work； I am now about—with my young family—to visit a
brickmaker in the neighbourhood （a very bad character）； and shall
be glad to take you with me。 Miss Clare also； if she will do me the
favour。”
Ada and I interchanged looks； and； as we were going out in any
case； accepted the offer。 When we hastily returned from putting on
our bonnets； we found the young family languishing in a corner；
and Mrs Pardiggle sweeping about the room； knocking down
nearly all the light objects it contained。 Mrs Pardiggle took
possession of Ada； and I followed with the family。
Ada told me afterwards that Mrs Pardiggle talked in the same
loud tone （that indeed I overheard）； all the way to the
brickmaker’s； about an exciting contest which she had for two or
three years； waged against another lady； relative to the bringing in
of their rival candidates for a pension somewhere。 There had been
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a quantity of printing； and promising； and proxying； and polling；
and it appeared to have imparted great liveliness to all concerned；
except the pensioners—who were not elected yet。
I am very fond of being confided in by children； and am happy
in being usually favoured in that respect； but on this occasion it
gave me great uneasiness。 As soon as we were out of doors；
Egbert； with the manner of a little footpad； demanded a shilling of
me； on the ground that his pocket…money was “boned” from him。
On my pointing out the great impropriety of the word； especially
in connection with his parent （for he added sulkily “by her！”）； he
pinched me and said “O then！ Now！ Who are you！ You wouldn’t
like it； I think？ What does she make a sham for； and pretend to
give me money； and take it away again？ Why do you call it my
allowance； and never let me spend it？” These exasperating
questions so inflamed his mind； and the minds of Oswald and
Francis； that they all pinched me at once； and in a dreadfully
expert way： screwing up such little pieces of my arms that I could
hardly forbear crying out。 Felix； at the same time； stamped upon
my toes。 And the Bond of Joy； who； on account of always having
the whole of his little income anticipated； stood in fact pledged to
abstain from cakes as well as tobacco； so swelled with grief and
rage when we passed a pastry…cook’s shop； that he terrified me by
becoming purple。 I never underwent so much； both in body and
mind； in the course of a walk with young people； as from these
unnaturally constrained children； when they paid me the
compliment of being natural。
I was glad when we came to the brickmaker’s house； though it
was one of a cluster of wretched hovels in a brickfield； with
pigsties close to the broken windows； and miserable little gardens
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before the doors； growing nothing but stagnant pools。 Here and
there； an old tub was put to catch the droppings of rainwater from
a roof； or they were banked up with mud into a little pond like a
large dirt…pie。 At the doors and windows； some men and women
lounged or prowled about； and took little notice of us； except to
laugh to one another； or to say something as we passed； about
gentle folks minding their own business； and not troubling their
heads and muddying their shoes with coming to look after other
people’s。
Mrs Pardiggle； leading the way with a great show of moral
determination； and talking with much volubility about the untidy
habits of the people （though I doubted if the best of us could have
been tidy in such a place）； conducted us into a cottage at the
farthest corner； the ground…floor room of which we nearly filled。
Besides ourselves；
