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第24章

bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第24章

小说: bleak house(凄凉的房子) 字数: 每页4000字

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          we    went    westward。      We    went    our   way    through     the 

T 

          sunshine and the   fresh  air;   wondering more   and more   at 

the   extent   of  the  streets;  the   brilliancy   of  the  shops;  the   great 

traffic;   and   the   crowds   of   people   whom   the   pleasanter   weather 

seemed to have brought  out  like   many…coloured   flowers。   By…and… 

by we began to leave the wonderful city; and to proceed   through 

suburbs   which;   of   themselves;   would   have   made   a   pretty   large 

town; in my eyes; and at last we got into a real country road again; 

with windmills; rickyards; milestones; farmers’ waggons; scents of 

old    hay;  swinging     signs   and   horse   troughs:    trees;  fields;  and 

hedgerows。 It was delightful to see the green landscape before us; 

and the immense metropolis behind; and when a waggon; with a 

train of beautiful horses;   furnished   with  red   trappings  and   clear… 

sounding  bells;   came  by  us   with  its music;   I believe   we   could   all 

three    have   sung    to  the  bells;  so  cheerful    were   the  influences 

around。 

   “The     whole    road   has   been   reminding     me    of  my   namesake 

Whittington;”      said   Richard;    “and   that  waggon     is  the  finishing 

touch。 Halloa! what’s the matter?” 

   We   had   stopped;   and   the   waggon   had   stopped   too。   Its   music 

changed as the horses came   to  a   stand;   and subsided   to  a   gentle 

tinkling;   except   when   a   horse   tossed   his   head   or   shook   himself; 

and sprinkled off a little shower of bell…ringing。 



Charles Dickens                                                  ElecBook Classics 


… Page 90…

                                   Bleak House                                      90 



    “Our   postilion   is   looking   after   the    waggoner;”      said   Richard; 

“and the waggoner is coming back after us。 Good day; friend!” The 

waggoner   was   at   our   coach…door。   “Why;   here’s   an   extraordinary 

thing!” added Richard; looking closely at the man。 “He’s got your 

name; Ada; in his hat!” He  had all   our  names   in   his   hat。   Tucked 

within   the   band;   were   three   small   notes;   one;   addressed   to   Ada; 

one; to Richard; one; to me。 These the waggoner delivered to each 

of   us  respectively;     reading     the  name     aloud    first。  In  answer    to 

Richard’s      inquiry    from    whom     they   came;    he   briefly   answered; 

“Master;   sir;   if  you  please;” and;   putting  on   his   hat   again   (which 

was like a soft bowl); cracked his whip; reawakened his music; and 

went melodiously away。 

    “Is   that   Mr   Jarndyce’s   waggon?”   said   Richard;   calling   to   our 

postboy。 

    “Yes; sir;” he replied。 “Going to London。” 

    We opened the notes。 Each was a counterpart of the other; and 

contained these words; in a solid; plain hand。 



    I   look   forward;   my   dear;   to   our   meeting   easily;   and    without 

constraint on either side。 I therefore have to propose that we meet 

as old friends; and take the past for granted。 It will be   a  relief  to 

you possibly; and to me certainly; and so my love to you。 

                                                                  John Jarndyce。 



    I   had   perhaps   less   reason   to   be   surprised   than   either   of   my 

companions; having never yet enjoyed an opportunity of thanking 

one   who   had   been   my   benefactor   and   sole   earthly   dependence 

through  so   many   years。   I   had   not   considered   how   I   could   thank 

him; my gratitude lying too deep  in  my  heart  for  that;   but  I   now 



Charles Dickens                                                      ElecBook Classics 


… Page 91…

                                    Bleak House                                      91 



began   to   consider   how   I   could   meet   him   without   thanking   him; 

and felt it would be very difficult indeed。 

    The   notes   revived;   in   Richard   and   Ada;   a   general   impression 

that  they  both   had;   without   quite   knowing   how   they   came   by   it; 

that their cousin Jarndyce could never bear acknowledgments for 

any kindness he performed; and that; sooner than receive any; he 

would      resort   to  the   most    singular    expedients     and    evasions;    or 

would even run away。 Ada dimly remembered to have heard   her 

mother tell; when she was a very little child; that he had once done 

her an act of uncommon generosity; and that on her going to his 

house   to   thank   him;   he   happened   to   see   her   through   a   window 

coming   to   the   door;   and   immediately   escaped   by   the   back   gate; 

and   was   not   heard   of   for   three   months。   This   discourse   led   to   a 

great deal more on the same theme; and indeed it lasted us all day; 

and we talked of scarcely anything else。 If we did; by any chance; 

diverge      into   another     subject;    we    soon    returned     to  this;   and 

wondered what the house would be like; and when we should get 

there;   and   whether   we   should   see   Mr   Jarndyce          as   soon   as  we 

arrived; or after a delay; and what he would say to us; and what we 

should say to him; All of which we wondered about; over and over 

again。 

    The roads were very heavy for the horses; but the pathway was 

generally   good;   so   we   alighted   and   walked   up   all   the   hills;   and 

liked   it   so   well   that   we   prolonged   our   walk   on   the   level   ground 

when we got to the top。 At Barnet there were other horses waiting 

for us; but as they had only just been fed; we had to wait for them 

too; and got a long fresh walk over a common and old battle field; 

before     the   carriage     came    up。   These     delays    so  protracted      the 

journey;   that   the   short   day   was     spent;   and    the  long   night   had 



Charles Dickens                                                       ElecBook Classics 


… Page 92…

                                   Bleak House                                     92 



closed in; before we came to St。 Albans; near to which town Bleak 

House was; we knew。 

    By    that   time   we   were    so   anxious     and   nervous;     that   even 

Richard confessed; as we rattled over the stones of the old street; 

to feeling an irrational desire to drive   back   again。   As   to  Ada and 

me;   whom   he   had   wrapped   up   with   great   care;   the   night   being 

sharp and frosty; we trembled from head to foot。 When we turned 

out of the town; round a corner; and Richard told us that the post… 

boy;   who   had   for   a   long   time   sympathised   with   our   heightened 

expectation;  was looking  back   and nodding;   we   both  stood   up   in 

the carriage (Richard holding Ada; lest she should be jolted down); 

and  gazed   round   upon   the   open   country   and   the   starlight   night; 

for our destination。 There was a light sparkling on the top of a hill 

before us; and the driver; pointing to it with his whip and  crying 

“That’s   Bleak   House!”   put   his   horses   into   a   canter;   and   took   us 

forward at such a rate; uphill though it was; that the wheels sent 

the road…drift flying about our heads like spray from a water…mill。 

Presently      we   lost  the   light;  presently    saw    it;  presently   lost  it; 

presently saw it; and turned into an avenue of trees; and cantered 

up towards where it was beaming brightly。 It was in a window of 

what seemed to be an old…fashioned house; with three peaks in the 

roof in front; and a circular sweep leading to the porch。 A bell was 

rung as we drew up; and amidst the sound of its deep voice in the 

still air; and the distant barking of some dogs; 

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