bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第87节
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“O no； sir！” said the keeper； who； with his wife； was looking
after her。 “Hortense is not one of that sort。 She has as good a
head…piece as the best。 But she’s mortal high and passionate—
powerful high and passionate； and what with having notice to
leave； and having others put above her； she don’t take kindly to it。”
“But why should she walk shoeless； through all that water？”
said my Guardian。
“Why； indeed； sir； unless it is to cool her down！” said the man。
“Or unless she fancies it’s blood；” said the woman。 “She’d as
soon walk through that as anything else； I think； when her own’s
up！”
We passed not far from the House； a few minutes afterwards。
Peaceful as it had looked when we first saw it； it looked even more
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so now； with a diamond spray glittering all about it； a light wind
blowing； the birds no longer hushed but singing strongly；
everything refreshed by the late rain； and the little carriage
shining at the doorway like a fairy carriage made of silver。 Still；
very steadfastly and quietly walking towards it； a peaceful figure
too in the landscape； went Mademoiselle Hortense； shoeless；
through the wet grass。
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Chapter 19
Moving On
t is the long vacation in the regions of Chancery Lane。 The
good ships Law and Equity； those teak…built； copper…
I
bottomed； iron…fastened； brazen…faced； and not by any means
fast…sailing Clippers； are laid up in ordinary。 The Flying
Dutchman； with a crew of ghostly clients imploring all whom they
may encounter to peruse their papers； has drifted； for the time
being； Heaven knows where。 The Courts are all shut up； the public
offices lie in a hot sleep； Westminster Hall itself is a shady solitude
where nightingales might sing； and a tenderer class of suitors than
is usually found there； walk。
The Temple； Chancery Lane； Serjeants’ Inn； and Lincoln’s Inn
even unto the Fields； are like tidal harbours at low water； where
stranded proceedings； offices at anchor； idle clerks lounging on
lopsided stools that will not recover their perpendicular until the
current of Term sets in； lie high and dry upon the ooze of the long
vacation。 Outer doors of chambers are shut up by the score；
messages and parcels are to be left at the Porter’s Lodge by the
bushel。 A crop of grass would grow in the chinks of the stone
pavement outside Lincoln’s Inn Hall； but that the ticket…porters；
who have nothing to do beyond sitting in the shade there； with
their white aprons over their heads to keep the flies off； grub it up
and eat it thoughtfully。
There is only one Judge in town。 Even he only comes twice a…
week to sit in chambers。 If the country folks of those assize towns
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on his circuit could see him now！ No full…bottomed wig； no red
petticoats； no fur； no javelin…men； no white wands。 Merely a close…
shaved gentleman in white trousers and a white hat； with sea…
bronze on the judicial countenance； and a strip of bark peeled by
the solar rays from the judicial nose； who calls in at the shell…fish
shop as he comes along； and drinks iced ginger…beer！
The bar of England is scattered over the face of the earth。 How
England can get on through four long summer months without its
bar—which is its acknowledged refuge in adversity； and its only
legitimate triumph in prosperity—is beside the question； assuredly
that shield and buckler of Britannia are not in present wear。 The
learned gentleman who is always so tremendously indignant at the
unprecedented outrage committed on the feelings of his client by
the opposite party； that he never seems likely to recover it； is doing
infinitely better than might be expected； in Switzerland。 The
learned gentleman who does the withering business； and who
blights all opponents with his gloomy sarcasm； is as merry as a
grig at a French watering…place。 The learned gentleman who
weeps by the pint on the smallest provocation； has not shed a tear
these six weeks。 The very learned gentleman who has cooled the
natural heat of his gingery complexion in pools and fountains of
law； until he has become great in knotty arguments for Term…time；
when he poses the drowsy Bench with legal “chaff；” inexplicable
to the uninitiated and to most of the initiated too； is roaming； with
a characteristic delight in aridity and dust； about Constantinople。
Other dispersed fragments of the same great Palladium are to be
found on the canal of Venice； at the second cataract on the Nile； in
the baths of Germany； and sprinkled on the sea…sand all over the
English coast。 Scarcely one is to be encountered in the deserted
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region of Chancery Lane。 If such a lonely member of the bar do flit
across the waste； and come upon a prowling suitor who is unable
to leave off haunting the scenes of his anxiety； they frighten one
another； and retreat into opposite shades。
It is the hottest long vacation known for many years。 All the
young clerks are madly in love； and； according to their various
degrees； pine for bliss with the beloved object； at Margate；
Ramsgate； or Gravesend。 All the middle…aged clerks think their
families too large。 All the unowned dogs who stray into the Inns of
Court； and pant about staircases and other dry places； seeking
water； give short howls of aggravation。 All the blind men’s dogs in
the streets draw their masters against pumps； or trip them over
buckets。 A shop with a sun…blind； and a watered pavement； and a
bowl of gold and silver fish in the window； is a sanctuary。 Temple
Bar gets so hot； that it is； to the adjacent Strand and Fleet Street；
what a heater is in an urn； and keeps them simmering all night。
There are offices about the Inns of Court in which a man might
be cool； if any coolness were worth purchasing at such a price in
dullness； but； the little thoroughfares immediately outside those
retirements seem to blaze。 In Mr Krook’s court； it is so hot that the
people turn their houses inside out； and sit in chairs upon the
pavement—Mr Krook included； who there pursues his studies；
with his cat （who never is too hot） by his side。 The Sol’s Arms has
discontinued the harmonic meetings for the season； and Little
Swills is engaged at the Pastoral Gardens down the river； where
he comes out in quite an innocent manner； and sings comic ditties
of a juvenile complexion； calculated （as the bill says） not to wound
the feelings of the most fastidious mind。
Over all the legal neighbourhood； there hangs； like some great
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veil of rust； or gigantic cobweb； the idleness and pensiveness of
the long vacation。 Mr Snagsby； law…stationer of Crook’s Court；
Cursitor Street； is sensible of the influence； not only in his mind as
a sympathetic and contemplative man； but also in his business as a
law…stationer aforesaid。 He has more leisure for musing in Staple
Inn； and in the Rolls Yard； during the long vacation； t
