bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第274章
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Ladyship！ Eh； my faith； a pretty Ladyship！ Why； I r…r…r…ruin my
character by remaining with a Ladyship so infame！”
“Upon my soul I wonder at you！” Mr Bucket remonstrates。 “I
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thought the French were a polite nation； I did； really。 Yet to hear a
female going on like that； before Sir Leicester Dedlock； Baronet！”
“He is a poor abused！” cries Mademoiselle。 “I spit upon his
house； upon his name； upon his imbecility；” all of which she makes
the carpet represent。 “Oh； that he is a great man！ O yes； superb！ O
heaven！ Bah！”
“Well； Sir Leicester Dedlock；” proceeds Mr Bucket； “this
intemperate foreigner also angrily took it into her head that she
had established a claim upon Mr Tulkinghorn； deceased； by
attending on the occasion I told you of； at his chambers； though
she was liberally paid for her time and trouble。”
“Lie！” cries Mademoiselle。 “I ref…use his money altogezzer。”
（“If you will Parlay； you know；” says Mr Bucket；
parenthetically； “you must take the consequences。） Now； whether
she became my lodger； Sir Leicester Dedlock； with any deliberate
intention then of doing this deed and blinding me； I give no
opinion on； but she lived in my house； in that capacity； at the time
that she was hovering about the chambers of the deceased Mr
Tulkinghorn with a view to a wrangle； and likewise persecuting
and half frightening the life out of an unfortunate stationer。”
“Lie！” cries Mademoiselle。 “All lie！”
“The murder was committed； Sir Leicester Dedlock； Baronet；
and you know under what circumstances。 Now； I beg of you to
follow me close with your attention for a minute or two。 I was sent
for； and the case was entrusted to me。 I examined the place； and
the body； and the papers； and everything。 From information I
received （from a clerk in the same house） I took George into
custody； as having been seen hanging about there； on the night；
and at very nigh the time； of the murder； also； as having been
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overheard in high words with the deceased on former occasions—
even threatening him； as the witness made out。 If you ask me； Sir
Leicester Dedlock； whether from the first I believed George to be
the murderer； I tell you candidly No； but he might be；
notwithstanding； and there was enough against him to make it my
duty to take him； and get him kept under remand。 Now； observe！”
As Mr Bucket bends forward in some excitement—for him—
and inaugurates what he is going to say with one ghostly beat of
his forefinger in the air； Mademoiselle Hortense fixes her black
eyes upon him with a dark frown； and sets her dry lips closely and
firmly together。
“I went home； Sir Leicester Dedlock； Baronet； at night； and
found this young woman having supper with my wife； Mrs Bucket。
She had made a mighty show of being fond of Mrs Bucket from
her first offering herself as our lodger； but that night she made
more than ever—in fact overdid it。 Likewise she overdid her
respect； and all that； for the lamented memory of the deceased Mr
Tulkinghorn。 By the living Lord it flashed upon me； as I sat
opposite to her at the table and saw her with a knife in her hand；
that she had done it！”
Mademoiselle is hardly audible； in straining through her teeth
and lips the words “You are a Devil。”
“Now where；” pursues Mr Bucket； had she been on the night of
the murder？ She had been to the theayter。 （She really was there； I
have since found； both before the deed and after it。） I knew I had
an artful customer to deal with； and that proof would be very
difficult； and I laid a trap for her—such a trap as I never laid yet；
and such a venture as I never made yet。 I worked it out in my
mind while I was talking to her at supper。 When I went upstairs to
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bed； our house being small and this young woman’s ears sharp； I
stuffed the sheet into Mrs Bucket’s mouth that she shouldn’t say a
word of surprise； and told her all about it。—My dear； don’t you
give your mind to that again； or I shall link your feet together at
the ankles。” Mr Bucket； breaking off； has made a noiseless descent
upon Mademoiselle； and laid his heavy hand upon her shoulder。
“What is the matter with you now？” she asks him。
“Don’t you think any more；” returns Mr Bucket； with
admonitory finger； “of throwing yourself out of window。 That’s
what’s the matter with me。 Come！ Just take my arm。 You needn’t
get up； I’ll sit down by you。 Now； take my arm； will you。 I’m a
married man； you know； you’re acquainted with my wife。 Just take
my arm。”
Vainly endeavouring to moisten those dry lips； with a painful
sound； she struggles with herself and complies。
“Now we’re all right again。 Sir Leicester Dedlock； Baronet； this
case could never have been the case it is； but for Mrs Bucket； who
is a woman in fifty thousand—in a hundred and fifty thousand！ To
throw this young woman off her guard； I have never set foot in our
house since； though I’ve communicated with Mrs Bucket； in the
baker’s loaves and in the milk； as often as required。 My whispered
words to Mrs Bucket； when she had the sheet in her mouth were；
‘My dear； can you throw her off continually with natural accounts
of my suspicions against George； and this； and that； and t’other？
Can you do without rest； and keep watch upon her night and day？
Can you undertake to say； She shall do nothing without my
knowledge； she shall be my prisoner without suspecting it； she
shall no more escape from me than from death； and her life shall
be my life； and her soul my soul； till I have got her； if she did this
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murder？’ Mrs Bucket says to me； as well as she could speak； on
account of the sheet； ‘Bucket； I can！’ And she has acted up to it
glorious！”
“Lies！” Mademoiselle interposes。 “All lies； my friend！”
“Sir Leicester Dedlock； Baronet； how did my calculations come
out under these circumstances？ When I calculated that this
impetuous young woman would overdo it in new directions； was I
wrong or right？ I was right。 What does she try to do？ Don’t let it
give you a turn？ To throw the murder on her Ladyship。”
Sir Leicester rises from his chair； and staggers down again。
“And she got encouragement in it from he
