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第19章 法官的房子4(第1页)

tintheJudgesHouse!

"shesaid,andgrewaleasshesoke。Heexlainedthelocalityofthehouse,sayingthathedidnotknowitsname。Whenhehadfinishedsheanswered:

"Aye,sureenough—sureenoughtheverylace!ItistheJudgesHousesureenough。

"Heaskedhertotellhimaboutthelace,whysocalled,andwhattherewasagainstit。Shetoldhimthatitwassocalledlocallybecauseithadbeenmanyyearsbefore—howlongshecouldnotsay,asshewasherselffromanotherartofthecountry,butshethoughtitmusthavebeenahundredyearsormore—theabodeofajudgewhowasheldingreatterroronaccountofhisharshsentencesandhishostilitytorisonersatAssizes。Astowhattherewasagainstthehouse,itselfshecouldnottell。Shehadoftenasked,butnoonecouldinformher;buttherewasageneralfeelingthattherewassomething,andforherownartshewouldnottakeallthemoneyinDrinkwatersBankandstayinthehouseanhourbyherself。ThensheaologizedtoMalcolmsonforherdisturbingtalk。

"Itistoobadofme,sir,andyou—andayounggentleman,too—ifyouwillardonmesayingit,goingtolivethereallalone。Ifyouweremyboy—andyoullexcusemeforsayingit—youwouldntsleethereanight,notifIhadtogotheremyselfandullthebigalarmbellthatsonthatroof!

"

Thegoodcreaturewassomanifestlyinearnest,andwassokindlyinherintentions,thatMalcolmson,althoughamused,wastouched。Hetoldherkindlyhowmuchheareciatedherinterestinhim,andadded:

"But,mydearMrs。Witham,indeedyouneednotbeconcernedaboutme!AmanwhoisreadingfortheMathematicalTrioshastoomuchtothinkoftobedisturbedanyanyofthesemysterioussomething,andhisworkisoftooexactandrosaicakindtoallowofhishavinganycornerinhismindformysteriesofanykind。HarmonicalProgression,PermutationsandCombinations,andElliticFunctionshavesufficientmysteriesforme!

"Mrs。Withamkindlyundertooktoseeafterhiscommissions,andhewenthimselftolookfortheoldwomanwhohadbeenrecommendedtohim。WhenhereturnedtotheJudgesHousewithher,afteranintervalofacouleofhours,hefoundMrs。Withamherselfwaitingwithseveralmenandboyscarryingarcels,andanuholsterersmanwithabedinacar,forshesaid,thoughtablesandchairsmightbeallverywell,abedthathadntbeenairedformayhafiftyyearswasnotroerforyoungbonestolieon。Shewasevidentlycurioustoseetheinsideofthehouse;andthoughmanifestlysoafraidofthe

"something

"thatattheslightestsoundsheclutchedontoMalcolmson,whomsheneverleftforamoment,wentoverthewholelace。

Afterhisexaminationofthehouse,Malcolmsondecidedtotakeuhisabodeinthegreatdining-room,whichwasbigenoughtoserveforallhisrequirements;andMrs。Witham,withtheaidofthecharwoman,Mrs。Demster,roceededtoarrangematters。Whenthehamerswerebroughtinandunacked,Malcolmsonsawthatwithmuchkindforethoughtshehadsentfromherownkitchensufficientrovisionstolastforafewdays。Beforegoingsheexressedallsortsofkindwishes;andatthedoorturnedandsaid:

"Anderhas,sir,astheroomisbiganddraughtyitmightbewelltohaveoneofthosebigscreensutroundyourbedatnight-though,truthtotell,IwoulddiemyselfifIweretobesoshutinwithallkindsof-ofthings,thatuttheirheadsroundthesides,orovertheto,andlookonme!

"Theimagewhichshehadcalleduwastoomuchforhernerves,andshefledincontinently。

Mrs。Demstersniffedinasueriormannerasthelandladydisaeared,andremarkedthatforherownartshewasntafraidofallthebogiesinthekingdom。

"Illtellyouwhatitis,sir,

"shesaid;

"bogiesisallkindsandsortsofthings—excetbogies!Ratsandmice,andbeetles,andcreakydoors,andlooseslates,andbrokenanes,andstiffdrawerhandles,thatstayoutwhenyouullthemandthenfalldowninthemiddleofthenight。Lookatthewainscotoftheroom!Itisold—hundredsofyearsold!Doyouthinktheresnoratsandbeetlesthere!Anddoyouimagine,sir,thatyouwontseenoneofthem?Ratsisbogies,Itellyou,andbogiesisrats;anddontyougettothinkanythingelse!

"

"Mrs。Demster,

"saidMalcolmsongravely,makingheraolitebow,

"youknowmorethanaSeniorWrangler!Andletmesay,that,asamarkofesteemforyourindubitablesoundnessofheadandheart,Ishall,whenIgo,giveyouossessionofthishouse,andletyoustayherebyyourselfforthelasttwomonthsofmytenancy,forfourweekswillservemyurose。

"

"Thankyoukindly,sir!

"sheanswered,

"butIcouldntsleeawayfromhomeanight。IaminGreenhowsCharity,andifIsletanightawayfrommyroomsIshouldloseallIhavegottoliveon。Therulesisverystrict;andtherestoomanywatchingforavacancyformetorunanyrisksinthematter。Onlyforthat,sir,Idgladlycomehereandattendonyoualtogetherduringyourstay。

"

"Mygoodwoman,

"saidMalcolmsonhastily,

"Ihavecomehereonurosetoobtainsolitude;andbelievemethatIamgratefultothelateGreenhowforhavingsoorganisedhisadmirablecharity—whateveritis—thatIamerforcedeniedtheoortunityofsufferingfromsuchaformoftemtation!SaintAnthonyhimselfcouldnotbemorerigidontheoint!

"

Theoldwomanlaughedharshly。

"Ah,youyounggentlemen,

"shesaid,

"youdontfearfornaught;andbelikeyoullgetallthesolitudeyouwanthere。

"Shesettoworkwithhercleaning;andbynightfall,whenMalcolmsonreturnedfromhiswalk—healwayshadoneofhisbookstostudyashewalked—hefoundtheroomswetandtidied,afireburningintheoldhearth,thelamlit,andthetablesreadforsuerwithMrs。Withamsexcellentfare。

"Thisiscomfort,indeed,

"hesaid,asherubbedhishands。

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