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！
“With a couple of sticks。 When—”
“When you stops； you know；” cries Phil； putting down his cup
and saucer； and hastily removing his plate from his knees； “and
says to me； ‘What； comrade！ You have been in the wars！’ I didn’t
say much to you； commander； then； for I was took by surprise； that
a person so strong and healthy and bold as you was； should stop to
speak to such a limping bag of bones as I was。 But you says to me；
says you； delivering it out of your chest as hearty as possible； so
that it was like a glass of something hot； ‘What accident have you
met with？ You have been badly hurt。 What’s amiss； old boy？
Cheer up； and tell us about it！’ Cheer up！ I was cheered already！ I
says as much to you； you says more to me； I says more to you； you
says more to me； and here I am； commander！ Here I am；
commander！” cries Phil； who has started from his chair and
unaccountably begun to sidle away。 “If a mark’s wanted； or if it
will improve the business； let the customers take aim at me。 They
can’t spoil my beauty。 I’m all right。 Come on！ If they want a man to
box at； let ’em box at me。 Let ’em knock me well about the head。 I
don’t mind！ If they want a light…weight； to be throwed for practice；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 511…
Bleak House 511
Cornwall； Devonshire； or Lancashire； let ’em throw me。 They
won’t hurt me。 I have been throwed； all sorts of styles； all my life！”
With this unexpected speech； energetically delivered； and
accompanied by action illustrative of the various exercises
referred to； Phil Squod shoulders his way round three sides of the
gallery； and abruptly tacking off at his commander； makes a butt
at him with his head； intended to express devotion to his service。
He then begins to clear away the breakfast。
Mr George； after laughing cheerfully； and clapping him on the
shoulder； assists in these arrangements； and helps to get the
gallery into business order。 That done； he takes a turn at the
dumbbells； and afterwards weighing himself； and opining that he
is getting “too fleshy；” engages with great gravity in solitary
broadsword practice。 Meanwhile； Phil has fallen to work at his
usual table； where he screws and unscrews； and cleans； and files；
and whistles into small apertures； and blackens himself more and
more； and seems to do and undo everything that can be done and
undone about a gun。
Master and man are at length disturbed by footsteps in the
passage； where they make an unusual sound； denoting the arrival
of unusual company。 These steps； advancing nearer and nearer to
the gallery； bring into it a group； at first sight scarcely reconcilable
with any day in the year but the fifth of November。
It consists of a limp and ugly figure carried in a chair by two
bearers； and attended by a lean female with a face like a pinched
mask； who might be expected immediately to recite the popular
verses； commemorative of the time when they did contrive to blow
Old England up alive； but for keeping her lips tightly and defiantly
closed as the chair is put down。 At which point； the figure in it
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 512…
Bleak House 512
gasping； “O Lord！ O dear me！ I am shaken！” adds； “How de do； my
dear friend； how de do？” Mr George then descries； in the
procession； the venerable Mr Smallweed out for an airing；
attended by his grand…daughter Judy as bodyguard。
“Mr George； my dear friend；” says Grandfather Smallweed；
removing his right arm from the neck of one his bearers； whom he
has nearly throttled coming along； “how de do？ You’re surprised
to see me； my dear friend。”
“I should hardly have been more surprised to have seen your
friend in the city；” returns Mr George。
“I am very seldom out；” pants Mr Smallweed。 “I haven’t been
out for many months。 It’s inconvenient—and it comes expensive。
But I longed so much to see you； my dear Mr George。 How de do；
sir？”
“I am well enough；” says Mr George。 “I hope you are the same。”
“You can’t be too well； my dear friend。” Mr Smallweed takes
him by both hands。 “I have brought my grand…daughter Judy。 I
couldn’t keep her away。 She longed so much to see you。”
“Humph！ She bears it calmly！” mutters Mr George。
“So we got a hackney cab； and put a chair in it； and just round
the corner they lifted me out of the cab and into the chair； and
carried me here； that I might see my dear friend in his own
establishment！ This；” says Grandfather Smallweed； alluding to the
bearer； who has been in danger of strangulation； and who
withdraws adjusting his windpipe； “is the driver of the cab。 He has
nothing extra。 It is by agreement included in his fare。 This
person；” the other bearer； “we engaged in the street outside for a
pint of beer。 Which is twopence。 Judy； give the person twopence。 I
was not sure you had a workman of your own here； my dear
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 513…
Bleak House 513
friend； or we needn’t have employed this person。”
Grandfather Smallweed refers to Phil； with a glance of
considerable terror； and a half…subdued “O Lord！ O dear me！” Nor
is his apprehension； on the surface of things； without some reason；
for Phil； who has never beheld the apparition in the black velvet
cap before； has stopped short with a gun in his hand； with much of
the air of a dead shot； intent on picking Mr Smallweed off as an
ugly old bird of the crow species。
“Judy； my child；” says Grandfather Smallweed； “give the
person his twopence。 It’s a great deal for what he has done。”
The person； who is one of those extraordinary specimens； of
human fungus that spring up spontaneously in the western streets
of London； ready dressed in an old red jacket； with a “Mission” for
holding horses and calling coaches； receives his twopence with
anything but transport； tosses the money into the air； catches it
overhanded； and retires。
“My dear Mr George；” says Grandfather Smallweed； “would
you be so kind as to help to carry me to the fire？ I am accustomed
to a fire； and I am an old man； and I soon chill。 O dear me！”
His closing exclamation is jerked out of the venerable
gentleman by the suddenness with which Mr Squod； like a genie；
catches him up； chair and all； and deposits him on the hearth…
stone。
“O Lord！” says Mr Smallweed； panting。 “O dear me！ O my
stars！ My dear friend； your workman is very strong—and very
prompt。 O Lord； he is very prompt！ Judy； draw me back a little。
I’m being scorched in the legs；” which indeed is