法官的房子 The Judges House (第2/6頁)

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Thegoodcreaturewassomanifestlyinearnest,andwassokindlyinherintentions,thatMalcolmson,althoughamused,wastouched.Hetoldherkindlyhowmuchheareciatedherinterestinhim,andadded：“But,mydearMrs.Witham,indeedyouneednotbeconcernedaboutme！AmanwhoisreadingfortheMathematicalTrioshastoomuchtothinkoftobedisturbedanyanyofthesemysterioussomething,andhisworkisoftooexactandrosaicakindtoallowofhishavinganycornerinhismindformysteriesofanykind.HarmonicalProgression,PermutationsandCombinations,andElliticFunctionshavesuffcientmysteriesforme！”Mrs.Withamkindlyundertooktoseeafterhiscommissions,andhewenthimselftolookfortheoldwomanwhohadbeenrecommendedtohim.WhenhereturnedtotheJudge‘sHousewithher,afteranintervalofacouleofhours,hefoundMrs.Withamherselfwaitingwithseveralmenandboyscarryingarcels,andanuholsterer’smanwithabedinacar,forshesaid,thoughtablesandchairsmightbeallverywell,abedthathadntbeenairedformayhafftyyearswasnotroerforyoungbonestolieon.Shewasevidentlycurioustoseetheinsideofthehouse；andthoughmanifestlysoafraidofthe“something”thatattheslightestsoundsheclutchedontoMalcolmson,whomsheneverleftforamoment,wentoverthewholelace.

Afterhisexaminationofthehouse,Malcolmsondecidedtotakeuhisabodeinthegreatdining-room,whichwasbigenoughtoserveforallhisrequirements；andMrs.Witham,withtheaidofthecharwoman,Mrs.Demster,roceededtoarrangematters.Whenthehamerswerebroughtinandunacked,Malcolmsonsawthatwithmuchkindforethoughtshehadsentfromherownkitchensuffcientrovisionstolastforafewdays.Beforegoingsheexressedallsortsofkindwishes；andatthedoorturnedandsaid：“Anderhas,sir,astheroomisbiganddraughtyitmightbewelltohaveoneofthosebigscreensutroundyourbedatnight-though,truthtotell,IwoulddiemyselfifIweretobesoshutinwithallkindsof-of‘things’，thatuttheirheadsroundthesides,orovertheto,andlookonme！”Theimagewhichshehadcalleduwastoomuchforhernerves,andshefedincontinently.

Mrs.Demstersniffedinasueriormannerasthelandladydisaeared,andremarkedthatforherownartshewasntafraidofallthebogiesinthekingdom.

“Illtellyouwhatitis,sir，”shesaid；“bogiesisallkindsandsortsofthings-excetbogies！Ratsandmice,andbeetles,andcreakydoors,andlooseslates,andbrokenanes,andstiffdrawerhandles,thatstayoutwhenyouullthemandthenfalldowninthemiddleofthenight.Lookatthewainscotoftheroom！Itisold-hundredsofyearsold！Doyouthinkthere‘snoratsandbeetlesthere！Anddoyouimagine,sir,thatyouwon’tseenoneofthem?Ratsisbogies,Itellyou,andbogiesisrats；anddontyougettothinkanythingelse！”

“Mrs.Demster，”saidMalcolmsongravely,makingheraolitebow，“youknowmorethanaSeniorWrangler！Andletmesay,that,asamarkofesteemforyourindubitablesoundnessofheadandheart,Ishall,whenIgo,giveyouossessionofthishouse,andletyoustayherebyyourselfforthelasttwomonthsofmytenancy,forfourweekswillservemyurose.”

“Thankyoukindly,sir！”sheanswered，“butIcouldn‘tsleeawayfromhomeanight.IaminGreenhow’sCharity,andifIsletanightawayfrommyroomsIshouldloseallIhavegottoliveon.Therulesisverystrict；andthere‘stoomanywatchingforavacancyformetorunanyrisksinthematter.Onlyforthat,sir,I’dgladlycomehereandattendonyoualtogetherduringyourstay.”

“Mygoodwoman，”saidMalcolmsonhastily，“Ihavecomehereonurosetoobtainsolitude；andbelievemethatIamgratefultothelateGreenhowforhavingsoorganisedhisadmirablecharity-whateveritis-thatIamerforcedeniedtheoortunityofsufferingfromsuchaformoftemtation！SaintAnthonyhimselfcouldnotbemorerigidontheoint！”

Theoldwomanlaughedharshly.“Ah,youyounggentlemen，”shesaid，“youdon‘tfearfornaught；andbelikeyou’llgetallthesolitudeyouwanthere.”Shesettoworkwithhercleaning；andbynightfall,whenMalcolmsonreturnedfromhiswalk-healwayshadoneofhisbookstostudyashewalked-hefoundtheroomswetandtidied,afreburningintheoldhearth,thelamlit,andthetablesreadforsuerwithMrs.Withamsexcellentfare.“Thisiscomfort,indeed，”hesaid,asherubbedhishands.

Whenhehadfnishedhissuer,andliftedthetraytotheotherendofthegreatoakdining-table,hegotouthisbooksagain,utfreshwoodonthefre,trimmedhislam,andsethimselfdowntoasellofrealhardwork.Hewentonwithoutausetillaboutelevenoclock,whenheknockedoffforabittofixhisfireandlam,andtomakehimselfacuoftea.Hehadalwaysbeenatea-drinker,andduringhiscollegelifehadsatlateatworkandhadtakentealate.Therestwasagreatluxurytohim,andheenjoyeditwithasenseofdelicious,volutuousease.Therenewedfireleaedandsarkled,andthrewquaintshadowsthroughthegreatoldroom；andashesiedhishotteaherevelledinthesenseofisolationfromhiskind.Thenitwasthathebegantonoticeforthefrsttimewhatanoisetheratsweremaking.