bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第37节
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farthest corner； the ground…floor room of which we nearly filled。
Besides ourselves； there were in this damp offensive room—a
woman with a black eye； nursing a poor little gasping baby by the
fire； a man； all stained with clay and mud； and looking very
dissipated； lying at full length on the ground； smoking a pipe； a
powerful young man； fastening a collar on a dog； and a bold girl；
doing some kind of washing in very dirty water。 They all looked up
at us as we came in； and the woman seemed to turn her face
towards the fire； as if to hide her bruised eye； nobody gave us any
welcome； “Well； my friends；” said Mrs Pardiggle； but her voice
had not a friendly sound； I thought； it was much too business…like
and systematic。 “How do you do； all of you？ I am here again。 I told
you； you couldn’t tire me； you know。 I am fond of hard work； and
am true to my word。”
“There an’t；” growled the man on the floor； whose head rested
on his hand as he stared at us； “any more on you to come in； is
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there？”
“No； my friend；” said Mrs Pardiggle； seating herself on one
stool； and knocking down another。 “We are all here。”
“Because I thought there warn’t enough of you； perhaps？” said
the man； with his pipe between his lips as he looked round upon
us。
The young man and the girl both laughed。 Two friends of the
young man whom we had attracted to the doorway； and who stood
there with their hands in their pockets； echoed the laugh noisily。
“You can’t tire me； good people；” said Mrs Pardiggle to these
latter。 “I enjoy hard work； and the harder you make mine； the
better I like it。”
“Then make it easy for her！” growled the man upon the floor。 “I
wants it done； and over。 I wants a end of these liberties took with
my place。 I wants an end of being drawed like a badger。 Now
you’re a…going to poll…pry and question according to custom—I
know what you’re a going to be up to。 Well！ You haven’t got no
occasion； to be up to it。 I’ll save you the trouble。 Is my daughter a
washing？ Yes； she is a…washing。 Look at the water。 Smell it！ That’s
what we drinks。 How do you like it； and what do you think of gin；
instead！ An’t my place dirty？ Yes； it is dirty—it’s nat’rally dirty
and it’s nat’rally unwholesome； and we’ve had five dirty； and
unwholesome children； as is all dead infants； and so much the
better for them； and for us besides。 Have I read the little book wot
you left？ No； I an’t read the little book wot you left。 There an’t
anybody here as knows how to read it； and if there wos； it wouldn’t
be suitable to me。 It’s a book fit for a babby； and I’m not a babby。 If
you was to leave me a doll； I shouldn’t nuss it。 How have I been
conducting of myself？ Why； I’ve been drunk for three days； and I’d
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a been drunk four； if I’d a had the money。 Don’t I never mean for
to go to church？ No； I don’t never mean for to go to church。 I
shouldn’t be expected there； if I did； the beadle’s too gen…teel for
me。 And how did my wife get that black eye？ Why； I giv’ it her； and
if she says I didn’t； she’s a Lie！”
He had pulled his pipe out of his mouth to say all this； and he
now turned over on his other side； and smoked again。 Mrs
Pardiggle； who had been regarding him through her spectacles
with a forcible composure； calculated； I could not help thinking； to
increase his antagonism； pulled out a good book； as it were a
constable’s staff； and took the whole family into custody。 I mean
into religious custody； of course； but she really did it； as if she were
an inexorable moral Policeman carrying them all off to a station…
house。
Ada and I were very uncomfortable。 We both felt intrusive and
out of place； and we both thought that Mrs Pardiggle would have
got on infinitely better； if she had not had such a mechanical way
of taking possession of people。 The children sulked and stared； the
family took no notice of us whatever； except when the young man
made the dog bark： which he usually did when Mrs Pardiggle was
most emphatic。 We both felt painfully sensible that between us
and these people there was an iron barrier； which could not be
removed by our new friend。 By whom； or how； it could be
removed； we did not know； but we knew that。 Even what she read
and said； seemed to us to be ill chosen for such auditors； if it had
been imparted ever so modestly and with ever so much tact。 As to
the little book to which the man on the floor had referred； we
acquired a knowledge of it afterwards； and Mr Jarndyce said he
doubted if Robinson Crusoe could have read it； though he had had
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no other on his desolate island。
We were much relieved； under these circumstances； when Mrs
Pardiggle left off。 The man on the floor then turning his head
round again； said morosely；—
“Well！ You’ve done； have you？”
“For today； I have； my friend。 But I am never fatigued。 I shall
come to you again； in your regular order；” returned Mrs Pardiggle
with demonstrative cheerfulness。
“So long as you goes now；” said he； folding his arms and
shutting his eyes with an oath； “you may do wot you like！”
Mrs Pardiggle accordingly rose； and made a little vortex in the
confined room from which the pipe itself very narrowly escaped。
Taking one of her young family in each hand； and telling the
others to follow closely； and expressing her hope that the
brickmaker and all his house would be improved when she saw
them next； she then proceeded to another cottage。 I hope it is not
unkind in me to say that she certainly did make； in this； as in
everything else； a show that was not conciliatory； of doing charity
by wholesale； and of dealing in it to a large extent。
She supposed that we were following her； but as soon as the
space was left clear； we approached the woman sitting by the fire；
to ask if the baby were ill。
She only looked at it as it lay on her lap。 We had observed
before； that when she looked at it she covered her discoloured eye
with her hand； as though she wished to separate any association
with noise and violence and ill…treatment； from the poor little
child。
Ada； whose gentle heart was moved by its appearance； bent
down to touch its little face。 As she did so； I saw what happened
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and drew her back。 The child died。
“O Esther！” cried Ada； sinking on her knees beside it。 “Look
here！ O Esther； my love； the little thing！ The suffering； quiet；
pretty little thing！ I am so sorry for it。 I am so sorry for the mother。
I never saw a sight so pitiful as this before！ O baby； baby！”
Such compassion； such gentleness； as that with which she bent
down weeping； and put her hand upon the mother’s； might have
softened any mother’s heart that ever beat。 The woman at first
gazed at her in astonishment； and then burst into tears。
Presently I took the light burden from her lap； did what I could
to make the baby’s rest the prettier and gentler； laid it on a shelf；
and covered it with my own handkerchief。 We tried to comfort the
mother； and we whispered to her what our Saviour said of
