第296章

`I have been travelling day and night, and am tired. I have lost some money, and that don't improve me. Put my supper in the little off-room below, and have the truckle-bed made. I shall sleep there to-night, and maybe to-morrow night; and if I can sleep all day to-morrow, so much the better, for I've got trouble to sleep off, if I can. Keep the house quiet, and don't call me. Mind! Don't call me. Don't let anybody call me. Let me lie there.'

She said it should be done. Was that all?

`All what? You must be prying and questioning!' he angrily retorted.

`What more do you want to know?'

`I want to know nothing, Jonas, but what you tell me. All hope of confidence between us has long deserted me!'

`Ecod, I should hope so!' he muttered.

`But if you will tell me what you wish, I will be obedient and will try to please you. I make no merit of that, for I have no friend in my father or my sister, but am quite alone. I am very humble and submissive.

You told me you would break my spirit, and you have done so. Do not break my heart too!'

She ventured, as she said these words, to lay her hand upon his shoulder.

He suffered it to rest there, in his exultation; and the whole mean, abject, sordid, pitiful soul of the man, looked at her, for the moment, through his wicked eyes.

For the moment only: for, with the same hurried return to something within himself, he bade her, in a surly tone, show her obedience by executing his commands without delay. When she had withdrawn he paced up and down the room several times; but always with his right hand clenched, as if it held something; which it did not, being empty. When he was tired of this, he threw himself into a chair, and thoughtfully turned up the sleeve of his right arm, as if he were rather musing about its strength than examining it; but, even then, he kept the hand clenched.

He was brooding in this chair, with his eyes cast down upon the ground, when Mrs. Gamp came in to tell him that the little room was ready. Not being quite sure of her reception after interfering in the quarrel, Mrs.

Gamp, as a means of interesting and propitiating her patron, affected a deep solicitude in Mr. Chuffey.

`How is he now, sir?' she said.

`Who?' cried Jonas, raising his head, and staring at her.

`To be sure!' returned the matron with a smile and a curtsey. `What am I thinking of! You wasn't here, sir, when he was took so strange. I never see a poor dear creetur took so strange in all my life, except a patient much about the same age, as I once nussed, which his calling was the custom-'us, and his name was Mrs. Harris's own father, as pleasant a singer, Mr. Chuzzlewit, as ever you heerd, with a voice like a Jew's-harp in the bass notes, that it took six men to hold at sech times, foaming frightful.'

`Chuffey, eh?' said Jonas carelessly, seeing that she went up to the old, clerk, and looked at him. `Ha!'

`The creetur's head's so hot,' said Mrs. Gamp, `that you might heat a flat-iron at it. And no wonder I am sure considerin' the things he said!'

`Said!' cried Jonas. `What did he say?'

Mrs. Gamp laid her hand upon her heart, to put some check upon its palpitations, and turning up her eyes replied in a faint voice:

`The awfullest things, Mr. Chuzzlewit, as ever I heerd! Which Mrs. Harris's father never spoke a word when took so, some does and some don't, except sayin' when he come round, "Where is Sairey Gamp?" But raly, sir, when Mr. Chuffey comes to ask who's lyin' dead upstairs, and--'

`Who's lying dead up-stairs!' repeated Jonas, standing aghast.

Mrs. Gamp nodded, made as if she were swallowing, and went on.

`Who's lying dead up-stairs; such was his Bible language; and where was Mr. Chuzzlewit as had the only son; and when he goes upstairs a-looking in the beds and wandering about the rooms, and comes down again a-whisperin' softly to hisself about foul play and that; it gives me sech a turn, I don't deny it, Mr. Chuzzlewit, that I never could have kep myself up but for a little drain of spirits, which I seldom touches, but could always wish to know where to find, if so dispoged, never knowin' wot may happen next, the world bein' so uncertain.'

`Why, the old fool's mad!' cried Jonas, much disturbed.

`That's my opinion, sir,' said Mrs. Gamp, `and I will not deceive you.

I believe as Mr. Chuffey, sir, rekwires attention (if I may make so bold), and should not have his liberty to wex and worrit your sweet lady as he does.'

`Why, who minds what he says?' retorted Jonas.

`Still he is worritin' sir,' said Mrs. Gamp. `No one don't mind him, but he is a ill conwenience.'

`Ecod you're right,' said Jonas, looking doubtfully at the subject of this conversation. `I have half a mind to shut him up.'

Mrs. Gamp rubbed her hands, and smiled, and shook her head, and sniffed expressively, as scenting a job.

`Could you--could you take care of such an idiot, now, in some spare room up-stairs?' asked Jonas.

`Me and a friend of mine, one off, one on, could do it, Mr. Chuzzlewit,' replied the nurse; `our charges not bein' high, but wishin' they was lower, and allowance made considerin' not strangers. Me and Betsey Prig, sir, would undertake Mr. Chuffey reasonable,' said Mrs. Gamp, looking at him with her head on one side, as if he had been a piece of goods, for which she was driving a bargain; `and give every satigefaction. Betsey Prig has nussed a many lunacies, and well she knows their ways, which puttin' 'em right close afore the fire, when fractious, is the certainest and most compoging.'

While Mrs. Gamp discoursed to this effect, Jonas was walking up and down the room again: glancing covertly at the old clerk, as he did so.

He now made a stop, and said:

`I must look after him, I suppose, or I may have him doing some mischief.

What say you?'