bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第62节
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events； it won’t declare anything at once。 It hasn’t declared
anything in Heaven knows how many years。”
“Too true；” said Ada。
“Yes； but；” urged Richard； answering what her look suggested
rather than her words； “the longer it goes on； dear cousin； the
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nearer it must be to a settlement one way or other。 Now； is not
that reasonable？”
“You know best； Richard。 But I am afraid if we trust to it； it will
make us unhappy。”
“But； my Ada； we are not going to trust to it！” cried Richard。
“We know it better than to trust to it。 We only say that if it should
make us rich； we have no constitutional objection to being rich。
The Court is； by solemn settlement of law； our grim old guardian；
and we are to suppose that what it gives us （when it gives us
anything） is our right。 It is not necessary to quarrel with our
right。”
“No；” said Ada； “but it may be better to forget all about it。”
“Well； well！” cried Richard； “then we will forget all about it！ We
consign the whole thing to oblivion。 Dame Durden puts on her
approving face； and it’s done！”
“Dame Durden’s approving face；” said I； looking out of the box
in which I was packing his books； “was not very visible when you
called it by that name； but it does approve； and she thinks you
can’t do better。”
So； Richard said there was an end of it；—and immediately
began； on no other foundation； to build as many castles in the air
as would man the great wall of China。 He went away in high
spirits。 Ada and I； prepared to miss him very much； commenced
our quieter career。
On our arrival in London； we had called with Mr Jarndyce at
Mrs Jellyby’s； but had not been so fortunate as to find her at home。
It appeared that she had gone somewhere； to a tea…drinking； and
had taken Miss Jellyby with her。 Besides the tea…drinking； there
was to be some considerable speech…making and letter…writing on
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the general merits of the cultivation of coffee； conjointly with
natives； at the Settlement of Borrioboola…Gha。 All this involved； no
doubt； sufficient active exercise of pen and ink； to make her
daughter’s part in the proceedings； anything but a holiday。
It being； now； beyond the time appointed for Mrs Jellyby’s
return； we called again。 She was in town； but not at home； having
gone to Mile End； directly after breakfast； on some Borrioboolan
business； arising out of a Society called the East London Branch
Aid Ramification。 As I had not seen Peepy on the occasion of our
last call （when he was not to be found anywhere； and when the
cook rather thought he must have strolled away with the
dustman’s cart）； I now inquired for him again。 The oyster shells he
had been building a house with were still in the passage； but he
was nowhere discoverable； and the cook supposed that he had
“gone after the sheep。” When we repeated； with some surprise；
“The sheep？” she said； O yes； on market days he sometimes
followed them quite out of town； and came back in such a state as
never was！
I was sitting at the window with my Guardian； on the following
morning； and Ada was busy writing—of course to Richard—when
Miss Jellyby was announced； and entered； leading the identical
Peepy； whom she had made some endeavours to render
presentable； by wiping the dirt into corners of his face and hands；
and making his hair very wet and then violently frizzling it with
her fingers。 Everything the dear child wore； was either too large
for him or too small。 Among his other contradictory decorations he
had the hat of a Bishop； and the little gloves of a baby。 His boots
were； on a small scale； the boots of a ploughman： while his legs； so
crossed and recrossed with scratches that they looked like maps；
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were bare； below a very short pair of plaid drawers finished off
with two frills of perfectly different patterns。 The deficient buttons
on his plaid frock had evidently been supplied from one of Mr
Jellyby’s coats； they were so extremely brazen and so much too
large。 Most extraordinary specimens of needlework appeared on
several parts of his dress； where it had been hastily mended； and I
recognised the same hand on Miss Jellyby’s。 She was； however；
unaccountably improved in her appearance； and looked very
pretty。 She was conscious of poor little Peepy being but a failure
after all her trouble； and she showed it as she came in； by the way
in which she glanced； first at him and then at us。
“O dear me！” said my Guardian； “Due East！”
Ada and I gave her a cordial welcome； and presented her to Mr
Jarndyce； to whom she said； as she sat down：
“Ma’s compliments； and she hopes you’ll excuse her； because
she’s correcting proofs of the plan。 She’s going to put out five
thousand new circulars； and she knows you’ll be interested to hear
that。 I have brought one of them with me。 Ma’s compliments。”
With which she presented it sulkily enough。
“Thank you；” said my Guardian。 “I am much obliged to Mrs
Jellyby。 O dear me！ This is a very wind！”
We were busy with Peepy； taking off his clerical hat； asking him
if he remembered us； and so on。 Peepy retired behind his elbow at
first； but relented at the sight of sponge…cake； and allowed me to
take him on my lap； where he sat munching quietly。 Mr Jarndyce
then withdrawing into the temporary Growlery； Miss Jellyby
opened a conversation with her usual abruptness。
“We are going on just as bad as ever in Thavies Inn；” said she。
“I have no peace of my life。 Talk of Africa！ I couldn’t be worse off if
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I was a what’s…his…name…man and a brother！”
I tried to say something soothing。
“O； it’s of no use； Miss Summerson；” exclaimed Miss Jellyby；
“though I thank you for the kind intention all the same。 I know
how I am used； and I am not to be talked over。 You wouldn’t be
talked over； if you were used so。 Peepy； go and play at Wild Beasts
under the piano！”
“I shan’t！” said Peepy。
“Very well； you ungrateful； naughty； hard…hearted boy！”
returned Miss Jellyby； with tears in her eyes。 “I’ll never take pains
to dress you any more。”
“Yes； I will go； Caddy！” cried Peepy； who was really a good
child； and who was so moved by his sister’s vexation that he went
at once。
“It seems a little thing to cry about；” said poor Miss Jellyby；
apologetically； “but I am quite worn out。 I was directing the new
circulars till two this morning。 I detest the whole thing so； that that
alone makes my head ache till I can’t see out of my eyes。 And look
at that poor unfortunate child。 Was there ever such a fright as he
is！”
Peepy； happily unconscious of the defects in his appearance； sat
on the carpet behind one of the legs of the piano； looking calmly
out of his den at us； while he ate his cake。
“I have sent him to the other end of the room；” observed Miss
Jellyby； drawing her chair nearer ours； “because I don’t want him
to hear the conversation。 Those little things are so sharp！ I was
going to say； we really are going on worse than ever。 Pa will be a
bankrupt
