bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第8节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
upstairs； Esther！” and I made him my curtsey and left him。
It must have been two years afterwards； and I was almost
fourteen； when one dreadful night my godmother and I sat at the
fireside。 I was reading aloud； and she was listening。 I had come
down at nine o’clock； as I always did； to read the Bible to her； and
was reading； from St。 John； how our Saviour stooped down；
writing with his finger in the dust； when they brought the sinful
woman to him。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 33…
Bleak House 33
“‘So； when they continued asking him； he lifted up himself and
said unto them； He that is without sin among you； let him first cast
a stone at her！’”
I was stopped by my godmother’s rising； putting her hand to
her head； and crying out； in an awful voice； from quite another
part of the book：
“‘Watch ye therefore！ lest coming suddenly he find you
sleeping。 And what I say unto you； I say unto all； Watch！’” In an
instant； while she stood before me repeating these words； she fell
down on the floor。 I had no need to cry out； her voice had sounded
through the house； and been heard in the street。
She was laid upon her bed。 For more than a week she lay there；
little altered outwardly； with her old handsome resolute frown that
I so well knew； carved upon her face。 Many and many a time； in
the day and in the night； with my head upon the pillow by her that
my whispers might be plainer to her； I kissed her； thanked her；
prayed for her； asked her for her blessing and forgiveness；
entreated her to give me the least sign that she knew or heard me。
No； no； no。 Her face was immoveable。 To the very last； and even
afterwards； her frown remained unsoftened。
On the day after my poor good godmother was buried； the
gentleman in black with the white neckcloth reappeared。 I was
sent for by Mrs Rachael； and found him in the same place； as if he
had never gone away。
“My name is Kenge；” he said； “you may remember it； my child；
Kenge and Carboy； Lincoln’s Inn。”
I replied that I remembered to have seen him once before。
“Pray be seated—here near me。 Don’t distress yourself； it’s of
no use。 Mrs Rachael； I needn’t inform you who were acquainted
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 34…
Bleak House 34
with the late Miss Barbary’s affairs； that her means die with her；
and that this young lady； now her aunt is dead—”
“My aunt； sir！”
“It really is of no use carrying on a deception； when no object is
to be gained by it；” said Mr Kenge； smoothly。 “Aunt in fact； though
not in law。 Don’t distress yourself！ Don’t weep！ Don’t tremble！ Mrs
Rachael； our young friend has no doubt heard of—the—a—
Jarndyce and Jarndyce。”
“Never；” said Mrs Rachael。
“Is it possible；” pursued Mr Kenge； putting up his eyeglasses；
“that our young friend—I beg you won’t distress yourself！—never
heard of Jarndyce and Jarndyce！”
I shook my head； wondering even what it was。
“Not of Jarndyce and Jarndyce！” said Mr Kenge； looking over
his glasses； at me； and softly turning the case about and about； as
if he were petting something。 “Not of one of the greatest Chancery
suits known？ Not of Jarndyce and Jarndyce—the—a—in itself a
monument of Chancery practice？ In which （I would say） every
difficulty； every contingency； every masterly fiction； every form of
procedure known in that court； is represented over and over
again？ It is a cause that could not exist； out of this free and great
country。 I should say that the aggregate of costs in Jarndyce and
Jarndyce； Mrs Rachael；” I was afraid he addressed himself to her；
because I appeared inattentive； “amounts at the present hour to
from SIX…TY TO SEVEN…TY THOUSAND POUNDS！” said Mr
Kenge； leaning back in his chair。
I felt very ignorant； but what could I do？ I was so entirely
unacquainted with the subject； that I understood nothing about it
even then。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 35…
Bleak House 35
“And she really never heard of the cause！” said Mr Kenge。
“Surprising！”
“Miss Barbary； sir；” returned Mrs Rachael； “who is now among
the seraphim—“
（“I hope so； I am sure；” said Mr Kenge politely。）
“—Wished Esther only to know what would be serviceable to
her。 And she knows； from any teaching she has had here； nothing
more。”
“Well！” said Mr Kenge。 “Upon the whole very proper。 Now to
the point；” addressing me。 “Miss Barbary； your sole relation （in
fact； that is； for I am bound to observe that in law you had none）；
being deceased； and it naturally not being to be expected that Mrs
Rachael—”
“Oh dear no！” said Mrs Rachael； quickly。
“Quite so；” assented Mr Kenge；—“that Mrs Rachael should
charge herself with your maintenance and support （I beg you
won’t distress yourself）； you are in a position to receive the
renewal of an offer which I was instructed to make to Miss
Barbary some two years ago； and which； though rejected then； was
understood to be renewable under the lamentable circumstances
that have since occurred。 Now； if I avow； that I represent； in
Jarndyce and Jarndyce； and otherwise； a highly humane； but at
the same time singular man； shall I compromise myself by any
stretch of my professional caution？” said Mr Kenge； leaning back
in his chair again； and looking calmly at us both。
He appeared to enjoy beyond everything the sound of his own
voice。 I couldn’t wonder at that； for it was mellow and full； and
gave great importance to every word he uttered。 He listened to
himself with obvious satisfaction； and sometimes gently beat time
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 36…
Bleak House 36
to his own music with his head； or rounded a sentence with his
hand。 I was very much impressed by him—even then； before I
knew that he formed himself on the model of a great lord who was
his client； and that he was generally called Conversation Kenge。
“Mr Jarndyce；” he pursued； “being aware of the—I would say；
desolate—position of our young friend； offers to place her at a
first…rate establishment； where her education shall be completed；
where her comfort shall be secured； where her reasonable wants
shall be anticipated； where she shall be eminently qualified to
discharge her duty in that station of life unto which it has
pleased—shall I say Providence？—to call her。”
My heart was filled so full； both by what he said； and by his
affecting manner of saying it； that I was not able to speak； though I
tried。
“Mr Jarndyce；” he went on； “makes no condition； beyond
expressing his expectation； that our young friend will not at any
time remove herself from the establishment in question without
his knowledge and concurrence。 That she will faithfully apply
herself to the acquisition of those accomplishments； upon the
exercise of which she will be ultimately dependent。 That she will
tread in the paths of virtue and honour； and—the—a—so forth。”
I was still less able to speak； than before。
“Now； what does our young friend say？” proceeded Mr Kenge。
“Take time； take time！ I pause for her reply。 But take time。”
What the destitute subject of such an offer tried to say； I need
not repeat。 What she did say； I could more easily tell； if it were
worth the telling
