bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第53章
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Bleak House 194
shutters staring down upon the bed。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
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Bleak House 195
Chapter 11
Our Dear Brother
touch on the lawyer’s wrinkled hand； as he stands in the
Adark room； irresolute； makes him start and say； “What’s
that？”
“It’s me；” returns the old man of the house； whose breath is in
his ear。 “Can’t you wake him？”
“No。”
“What have you done with your candle？”
“It’s gone out。 Here it is。”
Krook takes it； goes to the fire； stoops over the red embers； and
tries to get a light。 The dying ashes have no light to spare； and his
endeavours are vain。 Muttering after an ineffectual call to his
lodger； that he will go downstairs and bring a lighted candle from
the shop； the old man departs。 Mr Tulkinghorn； for some new
reason that he has； does not await his return in the room； but on
the stairs outside。
The welcome light soon shines upon the wall； as Krook comes
slowly up； with his green…eyed cat following at his heels。 “Does the
man generally sleep like this？” inquires the lawyer； in a low voice。
“Hi！ I don’t know；” says Krook； shaking his head and lifting his
eyebrows。 “I know next to nothing of his habits； except that he
keeps himself very close。”
Thus whispering； they both go in together。 As the light goes in；
the great eyes in the shutters； darkening； seem to close。 Not so the
eyes upon the bed。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
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Bleak House 196
“God save us！” exclaims Mr Tulkinghorn。 “He is dead！”
Krook drops the heavy hand he has taken up； so suddenly that
the arm swings over the bedside。
They look at one another for a moment。
“Send for some doctor！ Call for Miss Flite up the stairs； sir。
Here’s poison by the bed！ Call out for Flite； will you？” says Krook；
with his lean hands spread out above the body like a vampire’s
wings。
Mr Tulkinghorn hurries to the landing； and calls “Miss Flite！
Flite！ Make haste； here； whoever you are！ Flite！” Krook follows
him with his eyes； and； while he is calling； finds opportunity to
steal to the old portmanteau and steal back again。
“Run； Flite； run！ The nearest doctor！ Run！” So Mr Krook
addresses a crazy little woman； who is his female lodger： who
appears and vanishes in a breath： who soon returns； accompanied
by a testy medical man； brought from his dinner—with a broad
snuffy upper lip； and a broad Scotch tongue。
“Ey！ Bless the hearts o’ ye；” says the medical man； looking up
at them after a moment’s examination。 “He’s just as dead as
Phairy！”
Mr Tulkinghorn （standing by the old portmanteau） inquires if
he has been dead any time？
“Any time； sir？” says the medical gentleman。 “It’s probable he
wull have been dead aboot three hours。”
“About that time； I should say；” observes a dark young man； on
the other side of the bed。
“Air you in the maydickle prayfession yourself； sir？” inquires
the first。
The dark young man says yes。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
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Bleak House 197
“Then I’ll just tak’ my depairture；” replies the other； “for I’m
nae gude here！” With which remark； he finishes his brief
attendance； and returns to finish his dinner。
The dark young surgeon passes the candle across and across
the face； and carefully examines the Law…writer； who has
established his pretensions to his name by becoming indeed No
one。
“I knew this person by sight； very well；” says he。 “He has
purchased opium of me； for the last year and a half。 Was anybody
present related to him？” glancing round upon the three
bystanders。
“I was his landlord；” grimly answers Krook； taking the candle
from the surgeon’s outstretched hand。 “He told me once； I was the
nearest relation he had。”
“He has died；” says the surgeon； “of an overdose of opium；
there is no doubt。 The room is strongly flavoured with it。 There is
enough here now；” taking an old teapot from Mr Krook； “to kill a
dozen people。”
“Do you think he did it on purpose？” asks Krook。
“Took the overdose？”
“Yes！” Krook almost smacks his lips with the unction of a
horrible interest。
“I can’t say。 I should think it unlikely； as he has been in the
habit of taking so much。 But nobody can tell。 He was very poor； I
suppose？”
“I suppose he was。 His room—don’t look rich；” says Krook； who
might have changed eyes with his cat； as he casts his sharp glance
around。 “But I have never been in it since he had it； and he was
too close to name the circumstances to me。”
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
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Bleak House 198
“Did he owe you any rent？”
“Six weeks。”
“He will never pay it！” says the young man； resuming his
examination。 “It is beyond a doubt that he is indeed as dead as
Pharaoh； and to judge from his appearance and condition； I
should think it a happy release。 Yet he must have been a good
figure when a youth； and I dare say good…looking。” He says this；
not unfeelingly； while sitting on the bedstead’s edge； with his face
towards that other face； and his hand upon the region of the heart。
“I recollect once thinking there was something in his manner；
uncouth as it was； that denoted a fall in life。 Was that so？ he
continues； looking round。
Krook replies； “You might as well ask me to describe the ladies
whose heads of hair I have got in sacks downstairs。 Than that he
was my lodger for a year and a half； and lived—or didn’t live—by
law…writing； I know no more of him。”
During this dialogue； Mr Tulkinghorn has stood aloof by the old
portmanteau； with his hands behind him； equally removed； to all
appearance； from all three kinds of interest exhibited near the
bed—from the young surgeon’s professional interest in death；
noticeable as being quite apart from his remarks on the deceased
as an individual； from the old man’s unction； and the little crazy
woman’s awe。 His imperturbable face has been as inexpressive as
his rusty clothes。 One could not even say he has been thinking all
this while。 He has shown neither patience nor impatience； nor
attention nor abstraction。 He has shown nothing but his shell。 As
easily might the tone of a delicate musical instrument be inferred
from its case； as the tone of Mr Tulkinghorn from his case。
He
