bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第77节
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“Why； Mr Carstone；” said Mrs Badger； “is very well； and is； I
assure you； a great acquisition to our society。 Captain Swosser
used to say of me that I was always better than land a…head and a
breeze a…starn to the midshipmen’s mess when the purser’s junk
had become as tough as the fore…topsel weather earrings。 It was
his naval way of mentioning generally that I was an acquisition to
any society。 I may render the same tribute； I am sure； to Mr
Carstone。 But I—you won’t think me premature if I mention it？”
I said no； as Mrs Badger’s insinuating tone seemed to require
such an answer。
“Nor Miss Clare？” said Mrs Bayham Badger； sweetly。 Ada said
no； too； and looked uneasy。
“Why； you see； my dears；” said Mrs Badger—“you’ll excuse me
calling you my dears？”
We entreated Mrs Badger not to mention it。
“Because you really are； if I may take the liberty of saying so；”
pursued Mrs Badger； “so perfectly charming。 You see； my dears；
that although I am still young—or Mr Bayham Badger pays me the
compliment of saying so—”
“No；” Mr Badger called out； like some one contradicting at a
public meeting。 “Not at all！”
“Very well；” smiled Mrs Badger； “we will say still young。”
（“Undoubtedly；” said Mr Badger。）
“My dears； though still young； I have had many opportunities of
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observing young men。 There were many such on board the dear
old Crippler； I assure you。 After that； when I was with Captain
Swosser in the Mediterranean； I embraced every opportunity of
knowing and befriending the midshipmen under Captain
Swosser’s command。 You never heard them called the young
gentlemen； my dears； and probably would not understand
allusions to their pipe…claying their weekly accounts； but it is
otherwise with me； for blue water has been a second home to me；
and I have been quite a sailor。 Again； with Professor Dingo。”
（“A man of European reputation。” murmured Mr Badger。）
“When I lost my dear first； and became the wife of my dear
second；” said Mrs Badger； speaking of her former husbands as if
they were parts of a charade； “I still enjoyed opportunities of
observing youth。 The class attendant on Professor Dingo’s lectures
was a large one； and it became my pride； as the wife of an eminent
scientific man seeking herself in science the utmost consolation it
could impart； to throw our house open to the students； as a kind of
Scientific Exchange。 Every Tuesday evening there was lemonade
and a mixed biscuit； for all who chose to partake of those
refreshments。 And there was science to an unlimited extent。”
（“Remarkable assemblies those； Miss Summerson；” said Mr
Badger； reverentially。 “There must have been great intellectual
friction going on there； under the auspices of such a man！”）
“And now；” pursued Mrs Badger； “now that I am the wife of my
dear third； Mr Badger； I still pursue those habits of observation
which were formed during the lifetime of Captain Swosser； and
adapted to new and unexpected purposes during the lifetime of
Professor Dingo。 I therefore have not come to the consideration of
Mr Carstone as a Neophyte。 And yet I am very much of the
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opinion； my dears； that he has not chosen his profession
advisedly。”
Ada looked so very anxious now； that I asked Mrs Badger on
what she founded her supposition？
“My dear Miss Summerson；” she replied； “on Mr Carstone’s
character and conduct。 He is of such a very easy disposition； that
probably he would never think it worth while to mention how he
really feels； but； he feels languid about the profession。 He has not
that positive interest in it which makes it his vocation。 If he has
any decided impression in reference to it； I should say it was that
it is a tiresome pursuit。 Now； this is not promising。 Young men；
like Mr Allan Woodcourt； who take it from a strong interest in all
that it can do； will find some reward in it through a great deal of
work for a very little money； and through years of considerable
endurance and disappointment。 But I am quite convinced that this
would never be the case with Mr Carstone。”
“Does Mr Badger think so too？” asked Ada timidly。
“Why；” said Mr Badger； “to tell the truth； Miss Clare； this view
of the matter had not occurred to me until Mrs Badger mentioned
it。 But； when Mrs Badger put it in that light； I naturally gave great
consideration to it； knowing that Mrs Badger’s mind； in addition to
its natural advantages； has had the rare advantage of being
formed by two such very distinguished （I will even say
illustrations） public men as Captain Swosser of the Royal Navy
and Professor Dingo。 The conclusion at which I have arrived is—
in short； is Mrs Badger’s conclusion。”
“It was a maxim of Captain Swosser’s；” said Mrs Badger；
“speaking in his figurative naval manner； that when you make
pitch hot； you cannot make it too hot； and that if you only have to
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swab a plank； you should swab it as if Davy Jones were after you。
It appears to me that this maxim is applicable to the medical； as
well as to the nautical profession。”
“To all professions；” observed Mr Badger。 “It was admirably
said by Captain Swosser。 Beautifully said。”
“People objected to Professor Dingo； when we were staying in
the North of Devon； after our marriage；” said Mrs Badger； “that he
disfigured some of the houses and other buildings； by chipping off
fragments of those edifices with his little geological hammer。 But
the Professor replied； that he knew of no building； save the
Temple of Science。 The principle is the same； I think？”
“Precisely the same；” said Mr Badger。 “Finely expressed。 The
Professor made the same remark； Miss Summerson； in his last
illness； when （his mind wandering） he insisted on keeping his little
hammer under the pillow； and chipping at the countenances of the
attendants。 The ruling passion！”
Although we could have dispensed with the length at which Mr
and Mrs Badger pursued the conversation； we both felt that it was
disinterested in them to express the opinion they had
communicated to us； and that there was a great probability of its
being sound。 We agreed to say nothing to Mr Jarndyce until we
had spoken to Richard； and； as he was coming next evening； we
resolved to have a very serious talk with him。
So； after he had been a little while with Ada； I went in and
found my darling （as I knew she would be） prepared to consider
him thoroughly right in whatever he said。
“And how do you get on； Richard？” said I。 I always sat down on
the other side of him。 He made quite a sister of me。
“O！ well enough！” said Richard。
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“He can’t say better than that； Esther； can he？” cried my pet；
triumphantly。
I tried to look at my pet in the wisest manner； but of course I
couldn’t。
“Well enough？” I repeated。
“Yes；” said Richard； “well enough。 It’s rather jog…trotty and
humdrum。 But it’ll do as well as any thing else！”
“O！ my dear Richard！” I remonstrated。
“What’s the matter？” said Richard。
“Do as well as anything else！”
