bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第295章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the manner of their acceptance； the trooper has become installed
as necessary to him。 Nothing has been said； but it is quite
understood。 He falls a step or two backward to be out of sight； and
mounts guard a little behind his mother’s chair。
The day is now beginning to decline。 The mist； and the sleet
into which the snow has all resolved itself； are darker； and the
blaze begins to tell more vividly upon the room walls and
furniture。 The gloom augments； the bright gas springs up in the
streets； and the pertinacious oil lamps which yet hold their ground
there； with their source of life half frozen and half thawed； twinkle
gaspingly； like fiery fish out of water—as they are。 The world；
which has been rumbling over the straw and pulling at the bell “to
inquire；” begins to go home； begins to dress； to dine； to discuss its
dear friend； with all the last new modes； as already mentioned。
Now； does Sir Leicester become worse； restless； uneasy； and in
great pain。 Volumnia lighting a candle （with a predestined
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 1092…
Bleak House 1092
aptitude for doing something objectionable） is bidden to put it out
again； for it is not yet dark enough。 Yet it is very dark too； as dark
as it will be all night。 By…and…by she tries again。 No！ Put it out。 It is
not dark enough yet。
His old housekeeper is the first to understand that he is striving
to uphold the fiction with himself that it is not growing late。
“Dear Sir Leicester； my honoured master；” she softly whispers；
“I must； for your own good； and my duty； take the freedom of
begging and praying that you will not lie here in the lone darkness；
watching and waiting； and dragging through the time。 Let me
draw the curtains and light the candles； and make things more
comfortable about you。 The church…clocks will strike the hours
just the same； Sir Leicester； and the night will pass away just the
same。 My Lady will come back just the same。”
“I know it； Mrs Rouncewell； but I am weak—and he has been so
long gone。”
“Not so very long； Sir Leicester。 Not twenty…four hours yet。”
“But that is a long time。 O it is a long time！”
He says it with a groan that wrings her heart。
She knows that this is not a period for bringing the rough light
upon him； she thinks his tears too sacred to be seen； even by her。
Therefore； she sits in the darkness for a while； without a word；
then gently begins to move about； now stirring the fire； now
standing at the dark window looking out。 Finally he tells her； with
recovered self…command； “As you say； Mrs Rouncewell； it is no
worse for being confessed。 It is getting late； and they are not come。
Light the room！” When it is lighted； and the weather shut out； it is
only left to him to listen。
But they find that； however dejected and ill he is； he brightens
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 1093…
Bleak House 1093
when a quiet pretence is made of looking at the fires in her rooms；
and being sure that everything is ready to receive her。 Poor
pretence as it is； these allusions to her being expected keep up
hope within him。
Midnight comes； and with it the same blank。 The carriages in
the streets are few； and other late sounds in that neighbourhood
there are none； unless a man so very nomadically drunk as to stray
into the frigid zone goes brawling and bellowing along the
pavement。 Upon this wintry night it is so still； that listening to the
intense silence is like looking at intense darkness。 If any distant
sound be audible in this case； it departs through the gloom like a
feeble light in that； and all is heavier than before。
The corporation of servants are dismissed to bed （not unwilling
to go； for they were up all last night）； and only Mrs Rouncewell
and George keep watch in Sir Leicester’s room。 As the night lags
tardily on—or rather when it seems to stop altogether； at between
two and three o’clock—they find a restless craving on him to know
more about the weather； now he cannot see it。 Hence George；
patrolling regularly every half hour to the rooms so carefully
looked after； extends his march to the hall…door； looks about him；
and brings back the best report he can make of the worst of nights；
the sleet still falling； and even the stone footways lying ankle…deep
in icy sludge。
Volumnia in her room up a retired landing on the staircase—
the second turning past the end of the carving and gilding—a
cousinly room containing a fearful abortion of a portrait of Sir
Leicester； banished for its crimes； and commanding in the day a
solemn yard； planted with dried…up shrubs like antediluvian
specimens of black tea—is a prey to horrors of many kinds。 Not
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 1094…
Bleak House 1094
last nor least among them； possibly； is a horror of what may befall
her little income； in the event； as she expresses it； “of anything
happening” to Sir Leicester。 Anything； in this sense； meaning one
thing only； and that the last thing that can happen to the
consciousness of any baronet in the known world。
An effect of these horrors is； that Volumnia finds she cannot go
to bed in her own room； or sit by the fire in her own room； but
must come forth with her fair head tied up in a profusion of shawl；
and her fair form enrobed in drapery； and parade the mansion like
a ghost： particularly haunting the rooms； warm and luxurious；
prepared for one who still does not return。 Solitude under such
circumstances being not to be thought of； Volumnia is attended by
her maid； who； impressed from her own bed for that purpose；
extremely cold； very sleepy； and generally an injured maid as
condemned by circumstances to take office with a cousin； when
she had resolved to be maid to nothing less than ten thousand a
year； has not a sweet expression of countenance。
The periodical visits of the trooper to these rooms； however； in
the course of his patrolling； is an assurance of protection and
company； both to mistress and maid； which renders them very
acceptable in the small hours of the night。 Whenever he is heard
advancing； they both make some little decorative preparation to
receive him； at other times； they divide their watches into short
scraps of oblivion； and dialogues； not wholly free from acerbity； as
to whether Miss Dedlock； sitting with her feet upon the fender；
was or was not falling into the fire when rescued （to her great
displeasure） by her guardian genius the maid。
“How is Sir Leicester；
