It was not so easy as it had appeared at first to arrange forRichard's making a trial of Mr. Kenge's office. Richard himselfwas the chief impediment. As soon as he had it in his power toleave Mr. Badger1 at any moment, he began to doubt whether he wantedto leave him at all. He didn't know, he said, really. It wasn't abad profession; he couldn't assert that he disliked it; perhaps heliked it as well as he liked any other--suppose he gave it one morechance! Upon that, he shut himself up for a few weeks with somebooks and some bones and seemed to acquire a considerable fund ofinformation with great rapidity. His fervour, after lasting3 abouta month, began to cool, and when it was quite cooled, began to growwarm again. His vacillations between law and medicine lasted solong that midsummer arrived before he finally separated from Mr.
Badger and entered on an experimental course of Messrs. Kenge andCarboy. For all his waywardness, he took great credit to himselfas being determined5 to be in earnest "this time." And he was sogood-natured throughout, and in such high spirits, and so fond ofAda, that it was very difficult indeed to be otherwise than pleasedwith him.
"As to Mr. Jarndyce," who, I may mention, found the wind muchgiven, during this period, to stick in the east; "As to Mr.
Jarndyce," Richard would say to me, "he is the finest fellow in theworld, Esther! I must be particularly careful, if it were only forhis satisfaction, to take myself well to task and have a regularwind-up of this business now."The idea of his taking himself well to task, with that laughingface and heedless manner and with a fancy that everything couldcatch and nothing could hold, was ludicrously anomalous7. However,he told us between-whiles that he was doing it to such an extentthat he wondered his hair didn't turn grey. His regular wind-up ofthe business was (as I have said) that he went to Mr. Kenge's aboutmidsummer to try how he liked it.
All this time he was, in money affairs, what I have described himin a former illustration--generous, profuse8, wildly careless, butfully persuaded that he was rather calculating and prudent9. Ihappened to say to Ada, in his presence, half jestingly, halfseriously, about the time of his going to Mr. Kenge's, that heneeded to have Fortunatus' purse, he made so light of money, whichhe answered in this way, "My jewel of a dear cousin, you hear thisold woman! Why does she say that? Because I gave eight pounds odd(or whatever it was) for a certain neat waistcoat and buttons a fewdays ago. Now, if I had stayed at Badger's I should have beenobliged to spend twelve pounds at a blow for some heart-breakinglecture-fees. So I make four pounds--in a lump--by thetransaction!"It was a question much discussed between him and my guardian10 whatarrangements should be made for his living in London while heexperimented on the law, for we had long since gone back to BleakHouse, and it was too far off to admit of his coming there oftenerthan once a week. My guardian told me that if Richard were tosettle down at Mr. Kenge's he would take some apartments orchambers where we too could occasionally stay for a few days at atime; "but, little woman," he added, rubbing his head verysignificantly, "he hasn't settled down there yet!" The discussionsended in our hiring for him, by the month, a neat little furnishedlodging in a quiet old house near Queen Square. He immediatelybegan to spend all the money he had in buying the oddest littleornaments and luxuries for this lodging11; and so often as Ada and Idissuaded him from making any purchase that he had in contemplationwhich was particularly unnecessary and expensive, he took creditfor what it would have cost and made out that to spend anythingless on something else was to save the difference.
While these affairs were in abeyance12, our visit to Mr. Boythorn'swas postponed13. At length, Richard having taken possession of hislodging, there was nothing to prevent our departure. He could havegone with us at that time of the year very well, but he was in thefull novelty of his new position and was making most energeticattempts to unravel14 the mysteries of the fatal suit. Consequentlywe went without him, and my darling was delighted to praise him forbeing so busy.
We made a pleasant journey down into Lincolnshire by the coach andhad an entertaining companion in Mr. Skimpole. His furniture hadbeen all cleared off, it appeared, by the person who tookpossession of it on his blue-eyed daughter's birthday, but heseemed quite relieved to think that it was gone. Chairs and table,he said, were wearisome objects; they were monotonous15 ideas, theyhad no variety of expression, they looked you out of countenance16,and you looked them out of countenance. How pleasant, then, to bebound to no particular chairs and tables, but to sport like abutterfly among all the furniture on hire, and to flit fromrosewood to mahogany, and from mahogany to walnut17, and from thisshape to that, as the humour took one!
"The oddity of the thing is," said Mr. Skimpole with a quickenedsense of the ludicrous, "that my chairs and tables were not paidfor, and yet my landlord walks off with them as composedly aspossible. Now, that seems droll18! There is something grotesque19 init. The chair and table merchant never engaged to pay my landlordmy rent. Why should my landlord quarrel with HIM? If I have apimple on my nose which is disagreeable to my landlord's peculiarideas of beauty, my landlord has no business to scratch my chairand table merchant's nose, which has no pimple20 on it. Hisreasoning seems defective21!""Well," said my guardian good-humouredly, "it's pretty clear thatwhoever became security for those chairs and tables will have topay for them.""Exactly!" returned Mr. Skimpole. "That's the crowning point ofunreason in the business! I said to my landlord, 'My good man, youare not aware that my excellent friend Jarndyce will have to payfor those things that you are sweeping22 off in that indelicatemanner. Have you no consideration for HIS property?' He hadn't theleast.""And refused all proposals," said my guardian.
"Refused all proposals," returned Mr. Skimpole. "I made himbusiness proposals. I had him into my room. I said, 'You are aman of business, I believe?' He replied, 'I am,' 'Very well,'
said I, 'now let us be business-like. Here is an inkstand, hereare pens and paper, here are wafers. What do you want? I haveoccupied your house for a considerable period, I believe to ourmutual satisfaction until this unpleasant misunderstanding arose;let us be at once friendly and business-like. What do you want?'
In reply to this, he made use of the figurative expression--whichhas something Eastern about it--that he had never seen the colourof my money. 'My amiable24 friend,' said I, 'I never have any money.
I never know anything about money.' 'Well, sir,' said he, 'what doyou offer if I give you time?' 'My good fellow,' said I, 'I haveno idea of time; but you say you are a man of business, andwhatever you can suggest to be done in a business-like way withpen, and ink, and paper--and wafers--I am ready to do. Don't payyourself at another man's expense (which is foolish), but bebusiness-like!' However, he wouldn't be, and there was an end ofit."If these were some of the inconveniences of Mr. Skimpole'schildhood, it assuredly possessed26 its advantages too. On thejourney he had a very good appetite for such refreshment27 as came inour way (including a basket of choice hothouse peaches), but neverthought of paying for anything. So when the coachman came roundfor his fee, he pleasantly asked him what he considered a very goodfee indeed, now--a liberal one--and on his replying half a crownfor a single passenger, said it was little enough too, all thingsconsidered, and left Mr. Jarndyce to give it him.
It was delightful28 weather. The green corn waved so beautifully,the larks29 sang so joyfully30, the hedges were so full of wildflowers, the trees were so thickly out in leaf, the bean-fields,with a light wind blowing over them, filled the air with such adelicious fragrance31! Late in the afternoon we came to the market-town where we were to alight from the coach--a dull little townwith a church-spire, and a marketplace, and a market-cross, and oneintensely sunny street, and a pond with an old horse cooling hislegs in it, and a very few men sleepily lying and standing23 about innarrow little bits of shade. After the rustling32 of the leaves andthe waving of the corn all along the road, it looked as still, ashot, as motionless a little town as England could produce.
At the inn we found Mr. Boythorn on horseback, waiting with an opencarriage to take us to his house, which was a few miles off. Hewas over-joyed to see us and dismounted with great alacrity33.
"By heaven!" said he after giving us a courteous34 greeting. This amost infamous35 coach. It is the most flagrant example of anabominable public vehicle that ever encumbered36 the face of theearth. It is twenty-five minutes after its time this afternoon.
The coachman ought to be put to death!""IS he after his time?" said Mr. Skimpole, to whom he happened toaddress himself. "You know my infirmity.""Twenty-five minutes! Twenty-six minutes!" replied Mr. Boythorn,referring to his watch. "With two ladies in the coach, thisscoundrel has deliberately37 delayed his arrival six and twentyminutes. Deliberately! It is impossible that it can beaccidental! But his father--and his uncle--were the mostprofligate coachmen that ever sat upon a box."While he said this in tones of the greatest indignation, he handedus into the little phaeton with the utmost gentleness and was allsmiles and pleasure.
"I am sorry, ladies," he said, standing bare-headed at thecarriage-door when all was ready, "that I am obliged to conduct younearly two miles out of the way. But our direct road lies throughSir Leicester Dedlock's park, and in that fellow's property I havesworn never to set foot of mine, or horse's foot of mine, pendingthe present relations between us, while I breathe the breath oflife!" And here, catching38 my guardian's eye, he broke into one ofhis tremendous laughs, which seemed to shake even the motionlesslittle market-town.
"Are the Dedlocks down here, Lawrence?" said my guardian as wedrove along and Mr. Boythorn trotted39 on the green turf by theroadside.
"Sir Arrogant40 Numskull is here," replied Mr. Boythorn. "Ha ha ha!
Sir Arrogant is here, and I am glad to say, has been laid by theheels here. My Lady," in naming whom he always made a courtlygesture as if particularly to exclude her from any part in thequarrel, "is expected, I believe, daily. I am not in the leastsurprised that she postpones41 her appearance as long as possible.
Whatever can have induced that transcendent woman to marry thateffigy and figure-head of a baronet is one of the most impenetrablemysteries that ever baffled human inquiry42. Ha ha ha ha!""I suppose, said my guardian, laughing, "WE may set foot in thepark while we are here? The prohibition43 does not extend to us,does it?""I can lay no prohibition on my guests," he said, bending his headto Ada and me with the smiling politeness which sat so gracefullyupon him, "except in the matter of their departure. I am onlysorry that I cannot have the happiness of being their escort aboutChesney Wold, which is a very fine place! But by the light of thissummer day, Jarndyce, if you call upon the owner while you staywith me, you are likely to have but a cool reception. He carrieshimself like an eight-day clock at all times, like one of a race ofeight-day clocks in gorgeous cases that never go and never went--Haha ha!--but he will have some extra stiffness, I can promise you,for the friends of his friend and neighbour Boythorn!""I shall not put him to the proof," said my guardian. "He is asindifferent to the honour of knowing me, I dare say, as I am to thehonour of knowing him. The air of the grounds and perhaps such aview of the house as any other sightseer might get are quite enoughfor me.""Well!" said Mr. Boythorn. "I am glad of it on the whole. It's inbetter keeping. I am looked upon about here as a second Ajaxdefying the lightning. Ha ha ha ha! When I go into our littlechurch on a Sunday, a considerable part of the inconsiderablecongregation expect to see me drop, scorched45 and withered46, on thepavement under the Dedlock displeasure. Ha ha ha ha! I have nodoubt he is surprised that I don't. For he is, by heaven, the mostself-satisfied, and the shallowest, and the most coxcombical andutterly brainless ass2!"Our coming to the ridge47 of a hill we had been ascending48 enabled ourfriend to point out Chesney Wold itself to us and diverted hisattention from its master.
It was a picturesque49 old house in a fine park richly wooded. Amongthe trees and not far from the residence he pointed50 out the spireof the little church of which he had spoken. Oh, the solemn woodsover which the light and shadow travelled swiftly, as if heavenlywings were sweeping on benignant errands through the summer air;the smooth green slopes, the glittering water, the garden where theflowers were so symmetrically arranged in clusters of the richestcolours, how beautiful they looked! The house, with gable andchimney, and tower, and turret52, and dark doorway53, and broadterrace-walk, twining among the balustrades of which, and lyingheaped upon the vases, there was one great flush of roses, seemedscarcely real in its light solidity and in the serene54 and peacefulhush that rested on all around it. To Ada and to me, that aboveall appeared the pervading55 influence. On everything, house,garden, terrace, green slopes, water, old oaks, fern, moss56, woodsagain, and far away across the openings in the prospect57 to thedistance lying wide before us with a purple bloom upon it, thereseemed to be such undisturbed repose58.
When we came into the little village and passed a small inn withthe sign of the Dedlock Arms swinging over the road in front, Mr.
Boythorn interchanged greetings with a young gentleman sitting on abench outside the inn-door who had some fishing-tackle lying besidehim.
"That's the housekeeper59's grandson, Mr. Rouncewell by name," said,he, "and he is in love with a pretty girl up at the house. LadyDedlock has taken a fancy to the pretty girl and is going to keepher about her own fair person--an honour which my young friendhimself does not at all appreciate. However, he can't marry justyet, even if his Rosebud60 were willing; so he is fain to make thebest of it. In the meanwhile, he comes here pretty often for a dayor two at a time to--fish. Ha ha ha ha!""Are he and the pretty girl engaged, Mr. Boythorn?" asked Ada.
"Why, my dear Miss Clare," he returned, "I think they may perhapsunderstand each other; but you will see them soon, I dare say, andI must learn from you on such a point--not you from me."Ada blushed, and Mr. Boythorn, trotting61 forward on his comely62 greyhorse, dismounted at his own door and stood ready with extended armand uncovered head to welcome us when we arrived.
He lived in a pretty house, formerly63 the parsonage house, with alawn in front, a bright flower-garden at the side, and a well-stocked orchard64 and kitchen-garden in the rear, enclosed with avenerable wall that had of itself a ripened65 ruddy look. But,indeed, everything about the place wore an aspect of maturity66 andabundance. The old lime-tree walk was like green cloisters67, thevery shadows of the cherry-trees and apple-trees were heavy withfruit, the gooseberry-bushes were so laden68 that their branchesarched and rested on the earth, the strawberries and raspberriesgrew in like profusion69, and the peaches basked70 by the hundred onthe wall. Tumbled about among the spread nets and the glass framessparkling and winking71 in the sun there were such heaps of droopingpods, and marrows72, and cucumbers, that every foot of groundappeared a vegetable treasury73, while the smell of sweet herbs andall kinds of wholesome74 growth (to say nothing of the neighbouringmeadows where the hay was carrying) made the whole air a greatnosegay. Such stillness and composure reigned75 within the orderlyprecincts of the old red wall that even the feathers hung ingarlands to scare the birds hardly stirred; and the wall had such aripening influence that where, here and there high up, a disusednail and scrap76 of list still clung to it, it was easy to fancy thatthey had mellowed77 with the changing seasons and that they hadrusted and decayed according to the common fate.
The house, though a little disorderly in comparison with thegarden, was a real old house with settles in the chimney of thebrick-floored kitchen and great beams across the ceilings. On oneside of it was the terrible piece of ground in dispute, where Mr.
Boythorn maintained a sentry78 in a smock-frock day and night, whoseduty was supposed to be, in cases of aggression79, immediately toring a large bell hung up there for the purpose, to unchain a greatbull-dog established in a kennel80 as his ally, and generally to dealdestruction on the enemy. Not content with these precautions, Mr.
Boythorn had himself composed and posted there, on painted boardsto which his name was attached in large letters, the followingsolemn warnings: "Beware of the bull-dog. He is most ferocious81.
Lawrence Boythorn." "The blunderbus is loaded with slugs.
Lawrence Boythorn." "Man-traps and spring-guns are set here at alltimes of the day and night. Lawrence Boythorn." "Take notice.
That any person or persons audaciously presuming to trespass82 onthis property will be punished with the utmost severity of privatechastisement and prosecuted83 with the utmost rigour of the law.
Lawrence Boythorn." These he showed us from the drawing-roomwindow, while his bird was hopping84 about his head, and he laughed,"Ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha!" to that extent as he pointed them outthat I really thought he would have hurt himself.
"But this is taking a good deal of trouble," said Mr. Skimpole inhis light way, "when you are not in earnest after all.""Not in earnest!" returned Mr. Boythorn with unspeakable warmth.
"Not in earnest! If I could have hoped to train him, I would havebought a lion instead of that dog and would have turned him looseupon the first intolerable robber who should dare to make anencroachment on my rights. Let Sir Leicester Dedlock consent tocome out and decide this question by single combat, and I will meethim with any weapon known to mankind in any age or country. I amthat much in earnest. Not more!"We arrived at his house on a Saturday. On the Sunday morning weall set forth85 to walk to the little church in the park. Enteringthe park, almost immediately by the disputed ground, we pursued apleasant footpath86 winding87 among the verdant88 turf and the beautifultrees until it brought us to the church-porch.
The congregation was extremely small and quite a rustic89 one withthe exception of a large muster90 of servants from the house, some ofwhom were already in their seats, while others were yet droppingin. There were some stately footmen, and there was a perfectpicture of an old coachman, who looked as if he were the officialrepresentative of all the pomps and vanities that had ever been putinto his coach. There was a very pretty show of young women, andabove them, the handsome old face and fine responsible portlyfigure of the housekeeper towered pre-eminent. The pretty girl ofwhom Mr. Boythorn had told us was close by her. She was so verypretty that I might have known her by her beauty even if I had notseen how blushingly conscious she was of the eyes of the youngfisherman, whom I discovered not far off. One face, and not anagreeable one, though it was handsome, seemed maliciously91 watchfulof this pretty girl, and indeed of every one and everything there.
It was a Frenchwoman's.
As the bell was yet ringing and the great people were not yet come,I had leisure to glance over the church, which smelt92 as earthy as agrave, and to think what a shady, ancient, solemn little church itwas. The windows, heavily shaded by trees, admitted a subduedlight that made the faces around me pale, and darkened the oldbrasses in the pavement and the time and damp-worn monuments, andrendered the sunshine in the little porch, where a monotonousringer was working at the bell, inestimably bright. But a stir inthat direction, a gathering93 of reverential awe94 in the rustic faces,and a blandly95 ferocious assumption on the part of Mr. Boythorn ofbeing resolutely96 unconscious of somebody's existence forewarned methat the great people were come and that the service was going tobegin.
"'Enter not into judgment97 with thy servant, O Lord, for in thysight--'"Shall I ever forget the rapid beating at my heart, occasioned bythe look I met as I stood up! Shall I ever forget the manner inwhich those handsome proud eyes seemed to spring out of theirlanguor and to hold mine! It was only a moment before I cast minedown--released again, if I may say so--on my book; but I knew thebeautiful face quite well in that short space of time.
And, very strangely, there was something quickened within me,associated with the lonely days at my godmother's; yes, away evento the days when I had stood on tiptoe to dress myself at my littleglass after dressing98 my doll. And this, although I had never seenthis lady's face before in all my life--I was quite sure of it--absolutely certain.
It was easy to know that the ceremonious, gouty, grey-hairedgentleman, the only other occupant of the great pew, was SirLeicester Dedlock, and that the lady was Lady Dedlock. But why herface should be, in a confused way, like a broken glass to me, inwhich I saw scraps99 of old remembrances, and why I should be sofluttered and troubled (for I was still) by having casually100 met hereyes, I could not think.
I felt it to be an unmeaning weakness in me and tried to overcomeit by attending to the words I heard. Then, very strangely, Iseemed to hear them, not in the reader's voice, but in the well-remembered voice of my godmother. This made me think, did LadyDedlock's face accidentally resemble my godmother's? It might bethat it did, a little; but the expression was so different, and thestern decision which had worn into my godmother's face, likeweather into rocks, was so completely wanting in the face before methat it could not be that resemblance which had struck me. Neitherdid I know the loftiness and haughtiness101 of Lady Dedlock's face, atall, in any one. And yet I--I, little Esther Summerson, the childwho lived a life apart and on whose birthday there was norejoicing--seemed to arise before my own eyes, evoked102 out of thepast by some power in this fashionable lady, whom I not onlyentertained no fancy that I had ever seen, but whom I perfectlywell knew I had never seen until that hour.
It made me tremble so to be thrown into this unaccountableagitation that I was conscious of being distressed104 even by theobservation of the French maid, though I knew she had been lookingwatchfully here, and there, and everywhere, from the moment of hercoming into the church. By degrees, though very slowly, I at lastovercame my strange emotion. After a long time, I looked towardsLady Dedlock again. It was while they were preparing to sing,before the sermon. She took no heed6 of me, and the beating at myheart was gone. Neither did it revive for more than a few momentswhen she once or twice afterwards glanced at Ada or at me throughher glass.
The service being concluded, Sir Leicester gave his arm with muchtaste and gallantry to Lady Dedlock--though he was obliged to walkby the help of a thick stick--and escorted her out of church to thepony carriage in which they had come. The servants then dispersed,and so did the congregation, whom Sir Leicester had contemplatedall along (Mr. Skimpole said to Mr. Boythorn's infinite delight) asif he were a considerable landed proprietor107 in heaven.
"He believes he is!" said Mr. Boythorn. "He firmly believes it.
So did his father, and his grandfather, and his great-grandfather!""Do you know," pursued Mr. Skimpole very unexpectedly to Mr.
Boythorn, "it's agreeable to me to see a man of that sort.""IS it!" said Mr. Boytborn.
"Say that he wants to patronize me," pursued Mr. Skimpole. "Verywell! I don't object.""I do," said Mr. Boythorn with great vigour108.
"Do you really?" returned Mr. Skimpole in his easy light vein109.
"But that's taking trouble, surely. And why should you taketrouble? Here am I, content to receive things childishly as theyfall out, and I never take trouble! I come down here, forinstance, and I find a mighty110 potentate111 exacting112 homage113. Verywell! I say 'Mighty potentate, here IS my homage! It's easier togive it than to withhold114 it. Here it is. If you have anything ofan agreeable nature to show me, I shall be happy to see it; if youhave anything of an agreeable nature to give me, I shall be happyto accept it.' Mighty potentate replies in effect, 'This is asensible fellow. I find him accord with my digestion115 and mybilious system. He doesn't impose upon me the necessity of rollingmyself up like a hedgehog with my points outward. I expand, Iopen, I turn my silver lining116 outward like Milton's cloud, and it'smore agreeable to both of us.' That's my view of such things,speaking as a child!""But suppose you went down somewhere else to-morrow," said Mr.
Boythorn, "where there was the opposite of that fellow--or of thisfellow. How then?""How then?" said Mr. Skimpole with an appearance of the utmostsimplicity and candour. "Just the same then! I should say, 'Myesteemed Boythorn'--to make you the personification of ourimaginary friend--'my esteemed117 Boythorn, you object to the mightypotentate? Very good. So do I. I take it that my business in thesocial system is to be agreeable; I take it that everybody'sbusiness in the social system is to be agreeable. It's a system ofharmony, in short. Therefore if you object, I object. Now,excellent Boythorn, let us go to dinner!'""But excellent Boythorn might say," returned our host, swelling118 andgrowing very red, "I'll be--""I understand," said Mr. Skimpole. "Very likely he would.""--if I WILL go to dinner!" cried Mr. Boythorn in a violent burstand stopping to strike his stick upon the ground. "And he wouldprobably add, 'Is there such a thing as principle, Mr. HaroldSkimpole?'""To which Harold Skimpole would reply, you know," he returned inhis gayest manner and with his most ingenuous119 smile, "'Upon my lifeI have not the least idea! I don't know what it is you call bythat name, or where it is, or who possesses it. If you possess itand find it comfortable, I am quite delighted and congratulate youheartily. But I know nothing about it, I assure you; for I am amere child, and I lay no claim to it, and I don't want it!' So,you see, excellent Boythorn and I would go to dinner after all!"This was one of many little dialogues between them which I alwaysexpected to end, and which I dare say would have ended under othercircumstances, in some violent explosion on the part of our host.
But he had so high a sense of his hospitable120 and responsibleposition as our entertainer, and my guardian laughed so sincerelyat and with Mr. Skimpole, as a child who blew bubbles and brokethem all day long, that matters never went beyond this point. Mr.
Skimpole, who always seemed quite unconscious of having been ondelicate ground, then betook himself to beginning some sketch121 inthe park which be never finished, or to playing fragments of airson the piano, or to singing scraps of songs, or to lying down onhis back under a tree and looking at the sky--which he couldn'thelp thinking, he said, was what he was meant for; it suited him soexactly.
"Enterprise and effort," he would say to us (on his back), aredelightful to me. I believe I am truly cosmopolitan122. I have thedeepest sympathy with them. I lie in a shady place like this andthink of adventurous123 spirits going to the North Pole or penetratingto the heart of the Torrid Zone with admiration124. Mercenarycreatures ask, 'What is the use of a man's going to the North Pole?
What good does it do?' I can't say; but, for anything I CAN say,he may go for the purpose--though he don't know it--of employing mythoughts as I lie here. Take an extreme case. Take the case ofthe slaves on American plantations125. I dare say they are workedhard, I dare say they don't altogether like it. I dare say theirsis an unpleasant experience on the whole; but they people thelandscape for me, they give it a poetry for me, and perhaps that isone of the pleasanter objects of their existence. I am verysensible of it, if it be, and I shouldn't wonder if it were!"I always wondered on these occasions whether he ever thought ofMrs. Skimpole and the children, and in what point of view theypresented themselves to his cosmopolitan mind. So far as I couldunderstand, they rarely presented themselves at all.
The week had gone round to the Saturday following that beating ofmy heart in the church; and every day had been so bright and bluethat to ramble126 in the woods, and to see the light striking downamong the transparent127 leaves and sparkling in the beautifulinterlacings of the shadows of the trees, while the birds pouredout their songs and the air was drowsy128 with the hum of insects, hadbeen most delightful. We had one favourite spot, deep in moss andlast year's leaves, where there were some felled trees from whichthe bark was all stripped off. Seated among these, we lookedthrough a green vista129 supported by thousands of natural columns,the whitened stems of trees, upon a distant prospect made soradiant by its contrast with the shade in which we sat and made soprecious by the arched perspective through which we saw it that itwas like a glimpse of the better land. Upon the Saturday we sathere, Mr. Jarndyce, Ada, and I, until we heard thunder muttering inthe distance and felt the large raindrops rattle130 through theleaves.
The weather had been all the week extremely sultry, but the stormbroke so suddenly--upon us, at least, in that sheltered spot--thatbefore we reached the outskirts131 of the wood the thunder andlightning were frequent and the rain came plunging132 through theleaves as if every drop were a great leaden bead133. As it was not atime for standing among trees, we ran out of the wood, and up anddown the moss-grown steps which crossed the plantation-fence liketwo broad-staved ladders placed back to back, and made for akeeper's lodge134 which was close at hand. We had often noticed thedark beauty of this lodge standing in a deep twilight135 of trees, andhow the ivy136 clustered over it, and how there was a steep hollownear, where we had once seen the keeper's dog dive down into thefern as if it were water.
The lodge was so dark within, now the sky was overcast137, that weonly clearly saw the man who came to the door when we took shelterthere and put two chairs for Ada and me. The lattice-windows wereall thrown open, and we sat just within the doorway watching thestorm. It was grand to see how the wind awoke, and bent138 the trees,and drove the rain before it like a cloud of smoke; and to hear thesolemn thunder and to see the lightning; and while thinking withawe of the tremendous powers by which our little lives areencompassed, to consider how beneficent they are and how upon thesmallest flower and leaf there was already a freshness poured fromall this seeming rage which seemed to make creation new again.
"Is it not dangerous to sit in so exposed a place?""Oh, no, Esther dear!" said Ada quietly.
Ada said it to me, but I had not spoken.
The beating of my heart came back again. I had never heard thevoice, as I had never seen the face, but it affected139 me in the samestrange way. Again, in a moment, there arose before my mindinnumerable pictures of myself.
Lady Dedlock had taken shelter in the lodge before our arrivalthere and had come out of the gloom within. She stood behind mychair with her hand upon it. I saw her with her hand close to myshoulder when I turned my head.
"I have frightened you?" she said.
No. It was not fright. Why should I be frightened!
"I believe," said Lady Dedlock to my guardian, "I have the pleasureof speaking to Mr. Jarndyce.""Your remembrance does me more honour than I had supposed it would,Lady Dedlock," he returned.
"I recognized you in church on Sunday. I am sorry that any localdisputes of Sir Leicester's--they are not of his seeking, however,I believe--should render it a matter of some absurd difficulty toshow you any attention here.""I am aware of the circumstances," returned my guardian with asmile, "and am sufficiently140 obliged."She had given him her hand in an indifferent way that seemedhabitual to her and spoke51 in a correspondingly indifferent manner,though in a very pleasant voice. She was as graceful44 as she wasbeautiful, perfectly103 self-possessed, and had the air, I thought, ofbeing able to attract and interest any one if she had thought itworth her while. The keeper had brought her a chair on which shesat in the middle of the porch between us.
"Is the young gentleman disposed of whom you wrote to Sir Leicesterabout and whose wishes Sir Leicester was sorry not to have it inhis power to advance in any way?" she said over her shoulder to myguardian.
"I hope so," said he.
She seemed to respect him and even to wish to conciliate him.
There was something very winning in her haughty141 manner, and itbecame more familiar--I was going to say more easy, but that couldhardly be--as she spoke to him over her shoulder.
"I presume this is your other ward4, Miss Clare?"He presented Ada, in form.
"You will lose the disinterested142 part of your Don Quixotecharacter," said Lady Dedlock to Mr. Jarndyce over her shoulderagain, "if you only redress143 the wrongs of beauty like this. Butpresent me," and she turned full upon me, "to this young lady too!""Miss Summerson really is my ward," said Mr. Jarndyce. "I amresponsible to no Lord Chancellor144 in her case.""Has Miss Summerson lost both her parents?" said my Lady.
"Yes.""She is very fortunate in her guardian."Lady Dedlock looked at me, and I looked at her and said I wasindeed. All at once she turned from me with a hasty air, almostexpressive of displeasure or dislike, and spoke to him over hershoulder again.
"Ages have passed since we were in the habit of meeting, Mr.
Jarndyce.""A long time. At least I thought it was a long time, until I sawyou last Sunday," he returned.
"What! Even you are a courtier, or think it necessary to becomeone to me!" she said with some disdain145. "I have achieved thatreputation, I suppose.""You have achieved so much, Lady Dedlock," said my guardian, "thatyou pay some little penalty, I dare say. But none to me.""So much!" she repeated, slightly laughing. "Yes!"With her air of superiority, and power, and fascination146, and I knownot what, she seemed to regard Ada and me as little more thanchildren. So, as she slightly laughed and afterwards sat lookingat the rain, she was as self-possessed and as free to occupyherself with her own thoughts as if she had been alone.
"I think you knew my sister when we were abroad together betterthan you know me?" she said, looking at him again.
"Yes, we happened to meet oftener," he returned.
"We went our several ways," said Lady Dedlock, "and had little incommon even before we agreed to differ. It is to be regretted, Isuppose, but it could not be helped."Lady Dedlock again sat looking at the rain. The storm soon beganto pass upon its way. The shower greatly abated147, the lightningceased, the thunder rolled among the distant hills, and the sunbegan to glisten148 on the wet leaves and the falling rain. As we satthere, silently, we saw a little pony106 phaeton coming towards us ata merry pace.
"The messenger is coming back, my Lady," said the keeper, "with thecarriage."As it drove up, we saw that there were two people inside. Therealighted from it, with some cloaks and wrappers, first theFrenchwoman whom I had seen in church, and secondly149 the prettygirl, the Frenchwoman with a defiant150 confidence, the pretty girlconfused and hesitating.
"What now?" said Lady Dedlock. "Two!""I am your maid, my Lady, at the present," said the Frenchwoman.
"The message was for the attendant.""I was afraid you might mean me, my Lady," said the pretty girl.
"I did mean you, child," replied her mistress calmly. "Put thatshawl on me."She slightly stooped her shoulders to receive it, and the prettygirl lightly dropped it in its place. The Frenchwoman stoodunnoticed, looking on with her lips very tightly set.
"I am sorry," said Lady Dedlock to Mr. Jarndyce, "that we are notlikely to renew our former acquaintance. You will allow me to sendthe carriage back for your two wards105. It shall be here directly."But as he would on no account accept this offer, she took agraceful leave of Ada--none of me--and put her hand upon hisproffered arm, and got into the carriage, which was a little, low,park carriage with a hood25.
"Come in, child," she said to the pretty girl; "I shall want you.
Go on!"The carriage rolled away, and the Frenchwoman, with the wrappersshe had brought hanging over her arm, remained standing where shehad alighted.
I suppose there is nothing pride can so little bear with as prideitself, and that she was punished for her imperious manner. Herretaliation was the most singular I could have imagined. Sheremained perfectly still until the carriage had turned into thedrive, and then, without the least discomposure of countenance,slipped off her shoes, left them on the ground, and walkeddeliberately in the same direction through the wettest of the wetgrass.
"Is that young woman mad?" said my guardian.
"Oh, no, sir!" said the keeper, who, with his wife, was lookingafter her. "Hortense is not one of that sort. She has as good ahead-piece as the best. But she's mortal high and passionate151--powerful high and passionate; and what with having notice to leave,and having others put above her, she don't take kindly152 to it.""But why should she walk shoeless through all that water?" said myguardian.
"Why, indeed, sir, unless it is to cool her down!" said the man.
"Or unless she fancies it's blood," said the woman. "She'd as soonwalk through that as anything else, I think, when her own's up!"We passed not far from the house a few minutes afterwards.
Peaceful as it had looked when we first saw it, it looked even moreso now, with a diamond spray glittering all about it, a light windblowing, the birds no longer hushed but singing strongly,everything refreshed by the late rain, and the little carriageshining at the doorway like a fairy carriage made of silver.
Still, very steadfastly153 and quietly walking towards it, a peacefulfigure too in the landscape, went Mademoiselle Hortense, shoeless,through the wet grass.
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badger
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| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
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ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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anomalous
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| adj.反常的；不规则的 | |
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profuse
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| adj.很多的，大量的，极其丰富的 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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abeyance
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| n.搁置，缓办，中止，产权未定 | |
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postponed
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| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
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unravel
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| v.弄清楚（秘密）；拆开，解开，松开 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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walnut
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| n.胡桃，胡桃木，胡桃色，茶色 | |
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droll
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| adj.古怪的，好笑的 | |
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grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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pimple
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| n.丘疹，面泡，青春豆 | |
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defective
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| adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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larks
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| n.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的名词复数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了v.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的第三人称单数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了 | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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34
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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encumbered
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| v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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arrogant
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的 | |
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postpones
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| v.延期，推迟( postpone的第三人称单数 ) | |
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42
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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43
prohibition
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| n.禁止；禁令，禁律 | |
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44
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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45
scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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46
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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47
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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48
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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49
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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50
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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51
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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52
turret
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| n.塔楼，角塔 | |
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53
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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54
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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55
pervading
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的现在分词 ) | |
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56
moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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57
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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58
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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59
housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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60
rosebud
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| n.蔷薇花蕾，妙龄少女 | |
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61
trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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62
comely
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| adj.漂亮的，合宜的 | |
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63
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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64
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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65
ripened
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| v.成熟，使熟( ripen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
maturity
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| n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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67
cloisters
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| n.（学院、修道院、教堂等建筑的）走廊( cloister的名词复数 )；回廊；修道院的生活；隐居v.隐退，使与世隔绝( cloister的第三人称单数 ) | |
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68
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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70
basked
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| v.晒太阳，取暖( bask的过去式和过去分词 )；对…感到乐趣；因他人的功绩而出名；仰仗…的余泽 | |
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71
winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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72
marrows
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| n.骨髓（marrow的复数形式） | |
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treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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74
wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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75
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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76
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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mellowed
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| （使）成熟( mellow的过去式和过去分词 )； 使色彩更加柔和，使酒更加醇香 | |
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78
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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aggression
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| n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害 | |
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kennel
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| n.狗舍，狗窝 | |
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81
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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82
trespass
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| n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地 | |
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83
prosecuted
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| a.被起诉的 | |
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84
hopping
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| n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
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85
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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footpath
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| n.小路，人行道 | |
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87
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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verdant
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| adj.翠绿的，青翠的，生疏的，不老练的 | |
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rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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maliciously
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| adv.有敌意地 | |
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92
smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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93
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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95
blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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96
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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98
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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99
scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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100
casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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101
haughtiness
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| n.傲慢；傲气 | |
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102
evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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103
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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104
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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105
wards
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| 区( ward的名词复数 )； 病房； 受监护的未成年者； 被人照顾或控制的状态 | |
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106
pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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108
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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109
vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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potentate
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| n.统治者；君主 | |
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exacting
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| adj.苛求的，要求严格的 | |
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113
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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114
withhold
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| v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡 | |
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digestion
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| n.消化，吸收 | |
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lining
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| n.衬里，衬料 | |
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esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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118
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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119
ingenuous
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| adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的 | |
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hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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121
sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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122
cosmopolitan
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| adj.世界性的，全世界的，四海为家的，全球的 | |
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adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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125
plantations
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| n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 ) | |
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ramble
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| v.漫步，漫谈，漫游；n.漫步，闲谈，蔓延 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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vista
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| n.远景，深景，展望，回想 | |
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130
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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133
bead
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| n.念珠；(pl.)珠子项链；水珠 | |
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134
lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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ivy
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| n.常青藤，常春藤 | |
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overcast
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| adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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141
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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142
disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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143
redress
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| n.赔偿，救济，矫正；v.纠正，匡正，革除 | |
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chancellor
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| n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长 | |
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disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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148
glisten
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| vi.（光洁或湿润表面等）闪闪发光，闪闪发亮 | |
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149
secondly
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| adv.第二，其次 | |
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150
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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151
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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152
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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153
steadfastly
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| adv.踏实地，不变地；岿然；坚定不渝 | |
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