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！
entertainments。 “Sooner than which； myself；” says Mrs Perkins； “I
would get my living by selling lucifers。” Mrs Piper； as in duty
bound； is of the same opinion； holding that a private station is
better than public applause； and thanking Heaven for her own
（and； by implication； Mrs Perkins’s） respectability。 By this time；
the pot…boy of the Sol’s Arms appearing with her supper…pint well
frothed； Mrs Piper accepts that tankard and retires indoors； first
giving a fair good night to Mrs Perkins； who has had her own pint
in her hand ever since it was fetched from the same hostelry by
young Perkins before he was sent to bed。 Now； there is a sound of
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 614…
Bleak House 614
putting up shop…shutters in the court； and a smell as of the
smoking of pipes； and shooting stars are seen in upper windows；
further indicating retirement to rest。 Now； too； the policeman
begins to push at doors； to try fastenings； to be suspicious of
bundles； and to administer his beat； on the hypothesis that
everyone is either robbing or being robbed。
It is a close night； though the damp cold is searching too； and
there is a laggard mist a little way up in the air。 It is a fine
steaming night to turn the slaughterhouses； the unwholesome
trades； the sewerage； bad water； and burial grounds to account；
and give the Registrar of Deaths some extra business。 It may be
something in the air—there is plenty in it—or it may be something
in himself； that is in fault； but Mr Weevle； otherwise Jobling； is
very ill at ease。 He comes and goes； between his own room and the
open street door； twenty times an hour。 He has been doing so； ever
since it fell dark。 Since the Chancellor shut up his shop； which he
did very early tonight； Mr Weevle has been down and up； and
down and up （with a cheap tight velvet skull…cap on his head；
making his whiskers look out of all proportion）； oftener than
before。
It is no phenomenon that Mr Snagsby should be ill at ease too；
for he always is so； more or less； under the oppressive influence of
the secret that is upon him。 Impelled by the mystery； of which he
is a partaker； and yet in which he is not a sharer； Mr Snagsby
haunts what seems to be its fountain…head—the rag and bottle
shop in the court。 It has an irresistible attraction for him。 Even
now； coming round by the Sol’s Arms with the intention of passing
down the court； and out at the Chancery Lane end； and so
terminating his unpremeditated after…supper stroll of ten minutes
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 615…
Bleak House 615
long from his own door and back again； Mr Snagsby approaches。
“What； Mr Weevle？” says the stationer； stopping to speak。 “Are
you there？”
“Ay！” says Weevle。 “Here I am； Mr Snagsby。”
“Airing yourself； as I am doing； before you go to bed？” the
stationer inquires。
“Why； there’s not much air to be got here； and what there is； is
not very freshening；” Weevle answers； glancing up and down the
court。
“Very true； sir。 Don’t you observe；” says Mr Snagsby； pausing
to sniff and taste the air a little； “don’t you observe； Mr Weevle；
that you’re—not to put too fine a point upon it—that you’re rather
greasy here； sir？”
“Why； I have noticed myself that there is a queer kind of flavour
in the place tonight；” Mr Weevle rejoins。 “I suppose it’s chops at
the Sol’s Arms。”
“Chops； do you think？ Oh！—Chops； eh？” Mr Snagsby sniffs and
tastes again。 “Well； sir； I suppose it is。 But I should say their cook
at the Sol wanted a little looking after。 She has been burning ’em；
sir！ And I don’t think；” Mr Snagsby sniffs and tastes again； and
then spits and wipes his mouth； “I don’t think—not to put too fine
a point upon it—that they were quite fresh； when they were shown
the gridiron。”
“That’s very likely。 It’s a tainting sort of weather。”
“It is a tainting sort of weather；” says Mr Snagsby； “and I find it
sinking to the spirits。”
“By George！ I find it gives me the horrors；” returns Mr Weevle。
“Then； you see； you live in a lonesome way； and in a lonesome
room； with a black circumstance hanging over it；” says Mr
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 616…
Bleak House 616
Snagsby； looking in past the other’s shoulder along the dark
passage； and then falling back a step to look up at the house。 “I
couldn’t live in that room alone； as you do； sir。 I should get so
fidgetty and worried of an evening； sometimes； that I should be
driven to come to the door； and stand here； sooner than sit there。
But then it’s very true that you didn’t see； in your room； what I
saw there。 That makes a difference。”
“I know quite enough about it；” returns Tony。
“It’s not agreeable； is it？” pursues Mr Snagsby； coughing his
cough of mild persuasion behind his hand。 “Mr Krook ought to
consider it in the rent。 I hope he does； I am sure。”
“I hope he does；” says Tony。 “But I doubt it！”
“You find the rent high； do you； sir；” returns the stationer。
“Rents are high about here。 I don’t know how it is exactly； but the
law seems to put things up in price。 Not；” adds Mr Snagsby； with
his apologetic cough； “that I mean to say a word against the
profession I get my living by。”
Mr Weevle again glances up and down the court； and then looks
at the stationer。 Mr Snagsby； blankly catching his eye； looks
upward for a star or so； and coughs a cough expressive of not
exactly seeing his way out of this conversation。
“It’s a curious fact； sir；” he observes； slowly rubbing his hands；
“that he should have been—”
“Who’s he？” interrupts Mr Weevle。
“The deceased； you know；” says Mr Snagsby； twitching his
head and right eyebrow towards the staircase； and tapping his
acquaintance on the button。
“Ah to be sure！” returns the other； as if he were not overfond of
the subject。 “I thought we had done with him。”
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 617…
Bleak House 617
“I was only going to say； it’s a curious fact； sir； that he should
have come and lived here； and been one of my writers； and then
that you should come and live here； and be one of my writers； too。
Which there is nothing derogatory； but far from it in the
appellation；” says Mr Snagsby； breaking off with a mistrust that he
may have unpolitely asserted a kind of pr