bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第229章
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connection with Mr Vholes。
I sat down between them； Mr Vholes remained immovable；
except that he secretly picked at one of the red pimples on his
yellow face with his black glove。
“And as Rick and you are happily good friends； I should like to
know；” said my Guardian； “what you think； my dear。 Would you
be so good as to—as to speak up； Mr Vholes？”
Doing anything but that； Mr Vholes observed：
“I have been saying that I have reason to know； Miss
Summerson； as Mr C。’s professional adviser； that Mr C。’s
circumstances are at the present moment in an embarrassed state。
Not so much in point of amount； as owing to the peculiar and
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pressing nature of liabilities Mr C。 has incurred； and the means he
has of liquidating or meeting the same。 I have staved off many
little matters for Mr C。； but there is a limit to staving off； and we
have reached it。 I have made some advances out of pocket to
accommodate these unpleasantnesses； but I necessarily look to
being repaid； for I do not pretend to be a man of capital； and I
have a father to support in the Vale of Taunton； besides striving to
realise some little independence for three dear girls at home。 My
apprehension is； Mr C。’s circumstances being such； lest it should
end in his obtaining leave to part with his commission； which at all
events is desirable to be made known to his connections。”
Mr Vholes； who had looked at me while speaking； here merged
into the silence he could hardly be said to have broken； so stifled
was his tone； and looked before him again。
“Imagine the poor fellow without even his present resource；”
said my Guardian to me。 “Yet what can I do？ You know him；
Esther。 He would never accept of help from me； now。 To offer it； or
hint at it； would be to drive him to an extremity； if nothing else
did。”
Mr Vholes hereupon addressed me again。
“What Mr Jarndyce remarks； miss； is no doubt the case； and is
the difficulty。 I do not see that anything is to be done。 I do not say
that anything is to be done。 Far from it。 I merely come down here
under the seal of confidence and mention it； in order that
everything may be openly carried on； and that it may not be said
afterwards that everything was not openly carried on。 My wish is
that everything should be openly carried on。 I desire to leave a
good name behind me。 If I consulted merely my own interests with
Mr C。； I should not be here。 So insurmountable； as you must well
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know； would be his objections。 This is not a professional
attendance。 This can be charged to nobody。 I have no interest in it；
except as a member of society and a father—and a son；” said Mr
Vholes； who had nearly forgotten that point。
It appeared to us that Mr Vholes said neither more nor less
than the truth； in intimating that he sought to divide the
responsibility； such as it was； of knowing Richard’s situation。 I
could only suggest that I should go down to Deal； where Richard
was then stationed； and see him； and try if it were possible to avert
the worst。 Without consulting Mr Vholes on this point； I took my
Guardian aside to propose it； while Mr Vholes gauntly stalked to
the fire； and warmed his funeral gloves。
The fatigue of the journey formed an immediate objection on
my Guardian’s part； but as I saw he had no other； and as I was
only too happy to go； I got his consent。 We had then merely to
dispose of Mr Vholes。
“Well； sir；” said Mr Jarndyce； “Miss Summerson will
communicate with Mr Carstone； and we can only hope that his
position may be yet retrievable。 You will allow me to order you
lunch after your journey； sir。”
“I thank you； Mr Jarndyce；” said Mr Vholes； putting out his
long black sleeve； to check the ringing of the bell； “not any。 I thank
you； no； not a morsel。 My digestion is much impaired； and I am but
a poor knife and fork at any time。 If I was to partake of solid food
at this period of the day； I don’t know what the consequences
might be。 Everything having been openly carried on； sir； I will now
with your permission take my leave。”
“And I would that you could take your leave； and we could all
take our leave； Mr Vholes；” returned my Guardian； bitterly； “of a
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Cause you know of。”
Mr Vholes； whose black dye was so deep from head to foot that
it had quite steamed before the fire； diffusing a very unpleasant
perfume； made a short one…sided inclination of his head from the
neck； and slowly shook it。
“We whose ambition it is to be looked upon in the light of
respectable practitioners； sir； can but put our shoulders to the
wheel。 We do it； sir。 At least； I do it myself； and I wish to think well
of my professional brethren； one and all。 You are sensible of an
obligation not to refer to me； miss； in communicating with Mr C。？”
I said I would be careful not to do it。
“Just so； miss。 Good morning。 Mr Jarndyce； good morning； sir。”
Mr Vholes put his dead glove； which scarcely seemed to have any
hand in it； on my fingers； and then on my Guardian’s fingers； and
took his long thin shadow away。 I thought of it on the outside of
the coach； passing over all the sunny landscape between us and
London； chilling the seed in the ground as it glided along。
Of course it became necessary to tell Ada where I was going；
and why I was going； and of course she was anxious and
distressed。 But she was too true to Richard to say anything but
words of pity and words of excuse； and in a more loving spirit
still—my dear； devoted girl！—she wrote him a long letter of which
I took charge。
Charley was to be my travelling companion； though I am sure I
wanted none； and would willingly have left her at home。 We all
went to London that afternoon； and finding two places in the mail；
secured them。 At our usual bedtime； Charley and I were rolling
away seaward； with the Kentish letters。
It was a night’s journey in those coach times； but we had the
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mail to ourselves； and did not find the night very tedious。 It passed
with me as I suppose it would with most people under such
circumstances。 At one while my journey looked hopeful；
