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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。