bleak house(凄凉的房子)-第105章
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Bleak House 387
about pastry？”
“Marrow puddings；” says Mr Smallweed； instantly。
“Ay； ay！” cries Mr Jobling； with an arch look。 “You’re there； are
you？ Thank you； Guppy； I don’t know but what I will take a
marrow pudding。”
Three marrow puddings being produced； Mr Jobling adds； in a
pleasant humour； that he is coming of age fast。 To these succeed；
by command of Mr Smallweed； “three Cheshires；” and to those；
“three small rums。” This apex of the entertainment happily
reached； Mr Jobling puts up his legs on the carpeted seat （having
his own side of the box to himself）； leans against the wall； and says；
“I am grown up； now； Guppy。 I have arrived at maturity。”
“What do you think； now；” says Mr Guppy； “about—you don’t
mind Smallweed？”
“Not the least in the world。 I have the pleasure of drinking his
good health。”
“Sir； to you！” says Mr Smallweed。
“I was saying； what do you think now；” pursues Mr Guppy； “of
enlisting？”
“Why； what I may think after dinner；” returns Mr Jobling； “is
one thing； my dear Guppy； and what I may think before dinner is
another thing。 Still； even after dinner； I ask myself the question；
What am I to do？ How am I to live？ Ill fo manger； you know；” says
Mr Jobling； pronouncing that word as if he meant a necessary
fixture in an English stable。 “Ill fo manger。 That’s the French
saying； and mangering is as necessary to me as it is to a
Frenchman。 Or more so。”
Mr Smallweed is decidedly of opinion “much more so。”
“If any man had told me；” pursues Jobling； “even so lately as
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when you and I had the frisk down in Lincolnshire； Guppy； and
drove over to see that house at Castle Wold—”
Mr Smallweed corrects him—Chesney Wold。
“Chesney Wold。 （I thank my honourable friend for that cheer。）
If any man had told me； then； that I should be as hard up at the
present time as I literally find myself； I should have—well； I should
have pitched into him；” says Mr Jobling； taking a little rum…and…
water with an air of desperate resignation； “I should have let fly at
his head。”
“Still； Tony； you were on the wrong side of the post then；”
remonstrates Mr Guppy。 “You were talking about nothing else in
the gig。”
“Guppy；” says Mr Jobling； “I will not deny it。 I was on the
wrong side of the post。 But I trusted to things coming round。”
That very popular trust in flat things coming round！ Not in
their being beaten round； or worked round； but in their “coming”
round！ As though a lunatic should trust in the world’s “coming”
triangular！
“I had confident expectations that things would come round
and be all square；” says Mr Jobling； with some vagueness of
expression； and perhaps of meaning； too。 “But I was disappointed。
They never did。 And when it came to creditors making rows at the
office； and to people that the office dealt with making complaints
about dirty trifles of borrowed money； why there was an end of
that connection。 And of any new professional connection； too； for
if I was to give a reference tomorrow； it would be mentioned； and
would sew me up。 Then； what’s a fellow to do？ I have been
keeping out of the way； and living cheap； down about the market…
gardens； but what’s the use of living cheap when you have got no
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money？ You might as well live dear。”
“Better；” Mr Smallweed thinks。
“Certainly。 It’s the fashionable way； and fashion and whiskers
have been my weaknesses； and I don’t care who knows it；” says Mr
Jobling。 “They are great weaknesses—Damme； sir； they are great。
Well！” proceeds Mr Jobling； after a defiant visit to his rum…and…
water； “what can a fellow do； I ask you； but enlist？”
Mr Guppy comes more fully into the conversation； to state
what； in his opinion； a fellow can do。 His manner is the gravely
impressive manner of a man who has not committed himself in
life； otherwise than as he has become the victim of a tender sorrow
of the heart。
“Jobling；” says Mr Guppy； “myself and our mutual friend
Smallweed—”
（Mr Smallweed modestly observes “Gentlemen both！” and
drinks。）
“Have had a little conversation on this matter more than once；
since you—”
“Say； got the sack！” cries Mr Jobling； bitterly。 “Say it； Guppy。
You mean it。”
“N…o…o！ Left the Inn；” Mr Smallweed delicately suggests。
“Since you left the Inn； Jobling；” says Mr Guppy； “and I have
mentioned； to our mutual friend Smallweed； a plan I have lately
thought of proposing。 You know Snagsby the stationer？”
“I know there is such a stationer；” returns Mr Jobling。 “He was
not ours； and I am not acquainted with him。”
“He is ours； Jobling； and I am acquainted with him；” Mr Guppy
retorts。 “Well； sir！ I have lately become better acquainted with
him； through some accidental circumstances that have made me a
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visitor of his in private life。 Those circumstances it is not necessary
to offer in argument。 They may—or they may not—have some
reference to a subject； which may—or may not—have cast its
shadow on my existence。”
As it is Mr Guppy’s perplexing way； with boastful misery to
tempt his particular friends into this subject； and the moment they
touch it； to turn on them with that trenchant severity about the
chords in the human mind； both Mr Jobling and Mr Smallweed
decline the pitfall； by remaining silent。
“Such things may be；” repeats Mr Guppy； “or they may not be。
They are no part of the case。 It is enough to mention； that both Mr
and Mrs Snagsby are very willing to oblige me； and that Snagsby
has； in busy times； a good deal of copying work to give out。 He has
all Tulkinghorn’s； and an excellent business besides。 I believe； if
our mutual friend Smallweed were put into the box； he could
prove this？”
Mr Smallweed nods； and appears greedy to be sworn。
“Now； gentlemen of the jury；” says Mr Guppy； “—I mean； now
Jobling—you may say this is a poor prospect of a living。 Granted。
But it’s better than nothing； and better than enlistment。 You want
time。 There must be time for these late affairs to blow over。 You
might live through it on much worse terms than by writing for
Snagsby。”
Mr Jobling is about to interrupt； when the sagacious Smallweed
checks him with a dry cough； and the words； “Hem！
Shakespeare！”
“There are two branches
