Bleak House. Charles Dickens
me comfortable – at least I – not comfortable – I'm never that:' he drank off two more glasses of wine, one after another.
I thought I had better go.
'I beg your pardon, miss!' said Mr. Guppy, rising, when he saw me rise. 'But would you allow me the favour of a minute's private conversation?'
Not knowing what to say, I sat down again.
'What follows is without prejudice, miss?' said Mr. Guppy, anxiously bringing a chair towards my table.
'I don't understand what you mean,' said I, wondering.
'It's one of our law terms, miss. You won't make any use of it to my detriment, at Kenge and Carboy's, or elsewhere. If our conversation shouldn't lead to anything, I am to be as I was, and am not to be prejudiced in my situation or worldly prospects. In short, it's in total confidence.'
'I am at a loss, sir,' said I, 'to imagine what you can have to communicate in total confidence to me, whom you have never seen but once; but I should be very sorry to do you any injury.'
'Thank you, miss. I'm sure of it – that's quite sufficient.' All this time Mr. Guppy was either planing his forehead with his handkerchief, or tightly rubbing the palm of his left hand with the palm of his right. 'If you would excuse my taking another glass of wine, miss, I think it might assist me in getting on, without a continual choke that cannot fail to be mutually unpleasant.'
He did so, and came back again. I took the opportunity of moving well behind my table.
'You wouldn't allow me to offer you one, would you, miss?' said Mr. Guppy, apparently refreshed.
'Not any,' said I.
'Not half a glass?' said Mr. Guppy; 'quarter? No! Then, to proceed. My present salary, Miss Summerson, at Kenge and Carboy's, is two pound a week. When I first had the happiness of looking upon you, it was one-fifteen, and had stood at that figure for a lengthened period. A rise of five has since taken place, and a further rise of five is guaranteed at the expiration of a term not exceeding twelve months from the present date. My mother has a little property, which takes the form of a small life annuity; upon which she lives in an independent though unassuming manner, in the Old Street Road. She is eminently calculated for a mother-in-law. She never interferes, is all for peace, and her disposition easy. She has her failings – as who has not? – but I never knew her do it when company was present; at which time you may freely trust her with wines, spirits, or malt liquors. My own abode is lodgings at Penton Place, Pentonville. It is lowly, but airy, open at the back, and considered one of the 'ealthiest outlets. Miss Summerson! In the mildest language, I adore you. Would you be so kind as to allow me (as I may say) to file a declaration – to make an offer!'
Mr. Guppy went down on his knees. I was well behind my table, and not much frightened. I said, 'Get up from that ridiculous position immediately, sir, or you will oblige me to break my implied promise and ring the bell!'
'Hear me out, miss!' said Mr. Guppy, folding his hands.
'I cannot consent to hear another word, sir,' I returned, 'unless you get up from the carpet directly, and go and sit down at the table, as you ought to do if you have any sense at all.'
He looked piteously, but slowly rose and did so.
'Yet what a mockery it is, miss,' he said, with his hand upon his heart, and shaking his head at me in a melancholy manner over the tray, 'to be stationed behind food at such a moment. The soul recoils from food at such a moment, miss.'
'I beg you to conclude,' said I; 'you have asked me to hear you out, and I beg you to conclude.'
'I will, miss,' said Mr. Guppy. 'As I love and honour, so likewise I obey. Would that I could make Thee the subject of that vow, before the shrine!'
'That is quite impossible,' said I, 'and entirely out of the question.'
'I am aware,' said Mr. Guppy, leaning forward over the tray, and regarding me, as I again strangely felt, though my eyes were not directed to him, with his late intent look, 'I am aware that in a worldly point of view, according to all appearances, my offer is a poor one. But, Miss Summerson! Angel! – No, don't ring – I have been brought up in a sharp school, and am accustomed to a variety of general practice. Though a young man, I have ferreted out evidence, got up cases, and seen lots of life. Blest with your hand, what means might I not find of advancing your interests, and pushing your fortunes! What might I not get to know, nearly concerning you? I know nothing now, certainly; but what might I not, if I had your confidence, and you set me on?'
I told him that he addressed my interest, or what he supposed to be my interest, quite as unsuccessfully as he addressed my inclination; and he would now understand that I requested him, if he pleased, to go away immediately.
'Cruel miss,' said Mr. Guppy, 'hear but another word! I think you must have seen that I was struck with those charms, on the day when I waited at the Whytorseller. I think you must have remarked that I could not forbear a tribute to those charms when I put up the steps of the 'ackney-coach. It was a feeble tribute to Thee, but it was well meant. Thy image has ever since been fixed in my breast. I have walked up and down, of an evening, opposite Jellyby's house, only to look upon the bricks that once contained Thee. This out of to-day, quite an unnecessary out so far as the attendance, which was its pretended object, went, was planned by me alone for Thee alone. If I speak of interest, it is only to recommend myself and my respectful wretchedness. Love was before it, and is before it.'
'I should be pained, Mr. Guppy,' said I, rising and putting my hand upon the bell-rope, 'to do you, or any one who was sincere, the injustice of slighting any honest feeling, however disagreeably expressed. If you have really meant to give me a proof of your good opinion, though ill-timed and misplaced, I feel that I ought to thank you. I have very little reason to be proud, and I am not proud. I hope,' I think I added, without very well knowing what I said, 'that you will now go away as if you had never been so exceedingly foolish, and attend to Messrs. Kenge and Carboy's business.'
'Half a minute, miss!' cried Mr. Guppy, checking me as I was about to ring. 'This has been without prejudice?'
'I will never mention it,' said I, 'unless you should give me future occasion to do so.'
'A quarter of a minute, miss! In case you should think better – at any time, however distant, that's no consequence, for my feelings can never alter – of anything I have said, particularly what might I not do – Mr. William Guppy, eighty-seven, Penton Place, or if removed, or dead (of blighted hopes or anything of that sort), care of Mrs. Guppy, three hundred and two, Old Street Road, will be sufficient.'
I rang the bell, the servant came, and Mr. Guppy, laying his written card upon the table, and making a dejected bow, departed. Raising my eyes as he went out, I once more saw him looking at me after he had passed the door.
I sat there for another hour or more, finishing my books and payments, and getting through plenty of business. Then, I arranged my desk, and put everything away, and was so composed and cheerful that I thought I had quite dismissed this unexpected incident. But, when I went up-stairs to my own room, I surprised myself by beginning to laugh about it, and then surprised myself still more by beginning to cry about it. In short, I was in a flutter for a little while; and felt as if an old chord had been more coarsely touched than it ever had been since the days of the dear old doll, long buried in the garden.
Chapter X
The law-writer
On the eastern borders of Chancery Lane, that is to say, more particularly in Cook's Court, Cursitor Street, Mr. Snagsby, Law-Stationer, pursues his lawful calling. In the shade of Cook's Court, at most times a shady place, Mr. Snagsby has dealt in all sorts of blank forms of legal process; in skins and rolls of parchment; in paper – foolscap, brief, draft, brown, white, whitey-brown, and blotting; in stamps; in office-quills, pens, ink, India-rubber, pounce, pins, pencils, sealing-wax, and wafers; in red tape and green ferret; in pocket-books, almanacks, diaries, and law lists; in string boxes, rulers, inkstands – glass and leaden, penknives, scissors, bodkins, and other small office-cutlery; in short, in articles too numerous to mention; ever since he was out of his time, and went into partnership with Peffer. On that occasion, Cook's Court was in a manner revolutionised