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！
I’m being scorched in the legs；” which indeed is testified to the
noses of all present by the smell of his worsted stockings。
The gentle Judy； having backed her grandfather a little way
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 514…
Bleak House 514
from the fire； and having shaken him up as usual； and having
released his overshadowed eye from its black velvet extinguisher；
Mr Smallweed again says； “O dear me！ O Lord！” and looking
about； and meeting Mr George’s glance； again stretches out both
hands。
“My dear friend！ So happy in this meeting！ And this is your
establishment？ It’s a delightful place。 It’s a picture！ You never find
that anything goes off here； accidentally； do you； my dear friend？”
adds Grandfather Smallweed； very ill at ease。
“No； no。 No fear of that。”
“And your workman。 He—O dear me！—he never lets anything
off without meaning it； does he； my dear friend？”
“He has never hurt anybody but himself；” says Mr George；
smiling。
“But he might； you know。 He seems to have hurt himself a good
deal； and he might hurt somebody else；” the good old gentleman
returns。 “He mightn’t mean it—or he even might。 Mr George； will
you order him to leave his infernal firearms alone； and go away？”
Obedient to a nod from the trooper； Phil retires； empty…handed；
to the other end of the gallery。 Mr Smallweed； reassured； falls to
rubbing his legs。
“And you’re doing well； Mr George？” he says to the trooper；
squarely standing faced about towards him with his broadsword in
his hand。 “You are prospering； please the Powers？”
Mr George answers with a cool nod； adding； “Go on。 You have
not come to say that； I know。”
“You are so sprightly； Mr George；” returns the venerable
grandfather。 “You are such good company。”
“Ha ha！ Go on！” says Mr George。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 515…
Bleak House 515
“My dear friend！—but that sword looks awful gleaming and
sharp。 It might cut somebody； by accident。 It makes me shiver； Mr
George—Curse him！” says the excellent old gentleman apart to
Judy； as the trooper takes a step or two away to lay it aside。 “He
owes me money； and might think of paying off all scores in this
murdering place。 I wish your brimstone grandmother was here；
and he’d shave her head off。”
Mr George； returning； folds his arms； and looking down at the
old man； sliding every moment lower and lower in his chair； says
quietly； “Now for it！”
“Ho！” cries Mr Smallweed； rubbing his hands with an artful
chuckle。 “Yes。 Now for it。 Now for what； my dear friend？”
“For a pipe；” says Mr George； who with great composure sets
his chair in the chimney…corner； takes his pipe from the grate； fills
it and lights it； and falls to smoking peacefully。
This tends to the discomfiture of Mr Smallweed； who finds it so
difficult to resume his object； whatever it may be； that he becomes
exasperated； and secretly claws the air with an impotent
vindictiveness expressive of an intense desire to tear and rend the
visage of Mr George。 As the excellent old gentleman’s nails are
long and leaden； and his hands lean and veinous； and his eyes
green and watery； and； over and above this； as he continues； while
he claws； to slide down in his chair and to collapse into a shapeless
bundle； he becomes such a ghastly spectacle； even in the
accustomed eyes of Judy； that that young virgin pounces at him
with something more than the ardour of affection； and so shakes
him up； and pats and pokes him in divers parts of his body； but
particularly in that part which the science of self…defence would
call his wind； that in his grievous distress he utters enforced
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 516…
Bleak House 516
sounds like a paviour’s rammer。
When Judy has by these means set him up again in his chair；
with a white face and frosty nose （but still clawing）； she stretches
out her weazen forefinger； and gives Mr George one poke in the
back。 The trooper raising his head； she makes another poke at her
esteemed grandfather； and； having thus brought them together；
stares rigidly at the fire。
“Aye； aye！ Ho； ho！ U—u—u—ugh！” chatters Grandfather
Smallweed； swallowing his rage。 “My dear friend！” （still clawing）。
“I tell you what；” says Mr George。 “If you want to converse with
me； you must speak out。 I am one of the Roughs； and I can’t go
about and about。 I haven’t the art to do it。 I am not clever enough。
It don’t suit me。 When you go winding round and round me；” says
the trooper； putting his pipe between his lips again； “damme； if I
don’t feel as if I was being smothered！”
And he inflates his broad chest to its utmost extent； as if to
assure himself that he is not smothered yet。
“If you have come to give me a friendly call；” continues Mr
George； “I am obliged to you； how are you？ If you have come to
see whether there’s any property on the premises； look about you；
you are welcome。 If you want to out with something； out with it！”
The blooming Judy； without removing her gaze from the fire；
gives her grandfather one ghostly poke。
“You see！ It’s her opinion； too。 And why the devil that young
woman won’t sit down like a Christian；” says Mr George； with his
eyes musingly fixed on Judy； “I can’t comprehend。”
“She keeps at my side to attend to me； sir；” says Grandfather
Smallweed。 “I am an old man； my dear Mr George； and I need
some attention。 I can carry my years； I am not a Brimstone poll…
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 517…
Bleak House 517
parrot；” （snarling and looking unconsciously for the cushion；） “but
I need attention； my dear friend。”
“Well！” returns the trooper； wheeling his chair to face the old
man。 “Now then？”
“My friend in the city； Mr George； has done a little business
with a pupil of yours。”
“Has he？” says Mr George。 “I am sorry to hear it。”
“Yes； sir。” Grandfather Smallweed rubs his legs。 “He is a fine
young soldier now； Mr George； by the name of Carstone。 Friends
came forward； and paid it all up； honourable。”
“Did they？” returns Mr George。 “Do you think your friend in
the city would like a piece of advice？”
“I think he would； my dear friend。 From you。”
“I advise him； then； to do no more business in that quarter。
There’s no more to be got by it。 The young gentleman； to my
knowledge； is brought to a dead halt。”
“No； no； my dear friend。 No；