bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第224章
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giddiness； to retire to Ada in the window； or to see the window； or
to know where it was。 I heard my name； and found that my
Guardian was presenting me； before I could move to a chair。
“Pray be seated； Sir Leicester。”
“Mr Jarndyce；” said Sir Leicester in reply； as he bowed and
seated himself； “I do myself the honour of calling here—”
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“You do me the honour； Sir Leicester。”
“Thank you—of calling here on my road from Lincolnshire； to
express my regret that any cause of complaint； however strong；
that I may have against a gentleman who—who is known to you
and has been your host； and to whom therefore I will make no
further reference； should have prevented you； still more ladies
under your escort and charge； from seeing whatever little there
may be to gratify a polite and refined taste； at my house； Chesney
Wold。”
“You are exceedingly obliging； Sir Leicester； and on behalf of
those ladies （who are present） and for myself； I thank you very
much。”
“It is possible； Mr Jarndyce； that the gentleman to whom； for
the reasons I have mentioned I refrain from making further
allusion—it is possible； Mr Jarndyce； that the gentleman may have
done me the honour so far to misapprehend my character； as to
induce you to believe that you would not have been received by
my local establishment in Lincolnshire with that urbanity； that
courtesy； which its members are instructed to show to all ladies
and gentlemen who present themselves at that house。 I merely beg
to observe； sir； that the fact is the reverse。”
My Guardian delicately dismissed this remark without making
any verbal answer。
“It has given me pain； Mr Jarndyce；” Sir Leicester weightily
proceeded。 “I assure you； sir； it has given—Me—pain—to learn
from the housekeeper at Chesney Wold； that a gentleman who was
in your company in that part of the county； and who would appear
to possess a cultivated taste for the Fine Arts； was likewise
deterred； by some such cause； from examining the family pictures
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with that leisure； that attention； that care； which he might have
desired to bestow upon them； and which some of them might
possibly have repaid。” Here he produced a card； and read； with
much gravity and a little trouble； through his eyeglass； “Mr
Hirrold；—Herald—Harold—Skampling—Skumpling—I beg your
pardon；—Skimpole。”
“This is Mr Harold Skimpole；” said my Guardian； evidently
surprised。
“Oh！” exclaimed Sir Leicester； “I am happy to meet Mr
Skimpole； and to have the opportunity of tendering my personal
regrets。 I hope； sir； that when you again find yourself in my part of
the county； you will be under no similar sense of restraint。”
“You are very obliging； Sir Leicester Dedlock。 So encouraged； I
shall certainly give myself the pleasure and advantage of another
visit to your beautiful house。 The owners of such places as
Chesney Wold；” said Mr Skimpole； with his usual happy and easy
air； “are public benefactors。 They are good enough to maintain a
number of delightful objects for the admiration and pleasure of us
poor men； and not to reap all the admiration and pleasure that
they yield； is to be ungrateful to our benefactors。”
Sir Leicester seemed to approve of this sentiment highly。 “An
artist； sir？”
“No；” returned Mr Skimpole。 “A perfectly idle man。 A mere
amateur。”
Sir Leicester seemed to approve of this even more。 He hoped he
might have the good fortune to be at Chesney Wold when Mr
Skimpole next came down into Lincolnshire。 Mr Skimpole
professed himself much flattered and honoured。
“Mr Skimpole mentioned；” pursued Sir Leicester； addressing
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himself again to my Guardian： “mentioned to the housekeeper；
who； as he may have observed； is an old and attached retainer of
the family—”
（“That is； when I walked through the house the other day； on
the occasion of my going down to visit Miss Summerson and Miss
Clare；” Mr Skimpole airily explained to us。）
“That the friend with whom he had formerly been staying
there； was Mr Jarndyce。” Sir Leicester bowed to the bearer of the
name。 “And hence I became aware of the circumstance for which I
have professed my regret。 That this should have occurred to any
gentleman； Mr Jarndyce； but especially a gentleman formerly
known to Lady Dedlock； and indeed claiming some distant
connection with her； and for whom （as I learn from my Lady
herself） she entertains a high respect； does； I assure you； give—
Me—pain。”
“Pray say no more about it； Sir Leicester；” returned my
Guardian。 “I am very sensible； as I am sure we all are； of your
consideration。 Indeed the mistake was mine； and I ought to
apologise for it。”
I had not once looked up。 I had not seen the visitor； and had not
even appeared to myself to hear the conversation。 It surprises me
to find that I can recall it； for it seemed to make no impression on
me as it passed。 I heard them speaking； but my mind was so
confused； and my instinctive avoidance of this gentleman made his
presence so distressing to me； that I thought I understood nothing；
through the rushing in my head and the beating of my heart。
“I mentioned the subject to Lady Dedlock；” said Sir Leicester；
rising； “and my Lady informed me that she had had the pleasure
of exchanging a few words with Mr Jarndyce and his wards； on the
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occasion of an accidental meeting during their sojourn in the
vicinity。 Permit me； Mr Jarndyce； to repeat to yourself； and to
these ladies； the assurance I have already tendered to Mr
Skimpole。 Circumstances undoubtedly prevent my saying that it
would afford me any gratification to hear that Mr Boythorn had
favoured my house with his presence； but those circumstances are
confined to that gentleman himself； and do not extend beyond
him。”
“You know my old opinion of him；” said Mr Skimpole； lightly
appealing to us。 “An amiable bull； who is determined to make
every colour scarlet！”
Sir Leicester Dedlock cough
