Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-05-11
TPRTCE ONE CENT.
1Dorfester l)aiIp 5pp.
BLEAK EEO Us e.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.
PART TWO.
CHI APTER vi.
QUITE AT HOME.


[Continaedl
Il coyet nothing, said Mr.. Skimpoe, in the
same light way. Possession is nothing to me.
Here is my friend Jarndyce's excellent house. l
feel obliged to him for possessing it. can sketch
it, and alter it. can set it to music When |
am here, have sufficient possession Of it, and
have neither trouble, cost, nor responsibility. My
stewards name, in short is Jarndyce, and be
can't cheat me. We have been mentioning Mrs.
Jellyby. There is bright-eyed woman, of
strong will and immense power ofbussines detail,
who throws herself into objects with surprising
ardor don't regret that have not a strong
will and an immense power of business detail.
can admire her without envy. can
sympathise with the objects. | dream of
them. | can lie dawn the grass-n fine
weather-and float along an African rivei, EN-
bracing all the natives meet, as sensible of the
deep silence, and skeching the dense oyerhang-
ing tropical growth as accurately, as if were
there. don't knew that it's Of any direct use
my doing so, but it's all can do, and do it
thoroughly Then, for heavens sake, having
Harold SlIimnoIe, a confding child, petitoning
you, the word,an aggomeration of practical peo-
pie of business habits, to let him live and admire
the human family do it somehow or other, like
good souls, and suffer him TO ride his rocking
horse = eeo
1t was plain enough that Mr. Jarndyce had not
| ueou VI lile MI ChiupOiS
general position there would have rendered it so,
without the addition of what he presently said.
It's only you, the generous creatures, whom
envy said Mr.. Skimpole, addressing US, his new
friends, in an impersonal manner. Il envy you
your power of doing what YOU do. 1t is what 1
should revel in, myself DON'T feel any vulgar
gratitude to you. almost feel, as if YOU ought
to be grateful to NE, for giving you The opportu-
nifty of enjoying the luxury ofgenerosity. Iknow
II Eo 7
come into the world expressly for the purpose of
increasing your stock of happiness may have
been born to be d benefactor TO you, by sometimes
giving you opportunity ofassisBg me in my
little perpexities. Why should regret my inca
pacity for details and worldly affairs, when it
leads TO such pleasant consequences? / don't re-
greet it therefore. M tsste ai
! Of all his playful speeches (playful, yet always
fully meaning what they expressed) none seemed
to be 10 the taste of Mr.. Jarndyce than this.
| had often new temptations, afterwards, TO won
der whether it was really singular, or only singu-
lar to me, that he who probably the most
grateful of mankind upon the least occasion,
should so desire to escape the gratitude of others.
We were all enchanted. / felt IL a merited
tribute to the engaging qualities of Ada and
Richard, that MIR. SkinIpoe, seeing them for the
first time, should be so unreserved, and should
| lay himself out 10 be exquisiiely agreeable. p
They (and especially Richard) were naturally
pleased for similar reasons, and considered it no
common privilege to be so freely confded in by
such an attractive man. The more we listened,
the more galy Mr.. Skimpole talked And what
with his fine hilarious manner, and his engaging
candor, and his genial way Of lightly tossing his
own weaknesses about, as if he had said, Il am
a child YOU know! You are designing people
compared with me, Che really made me consider
myselfin the same lightly but am gay and
innocent forget your worldly arts and play with
mel'-the effect was absolutely dazzling
He was so full of feeling too, and had such
delicate sentiment for what was beautiful or ten
der, that he could have wen heart by that alone.
In the evening when | was preparing to make
tea and Ada was touching the piano in the ad-
joining room aud softly humming tune to her
cousin Richard, which they had happened 10 men
ton, he came and sat down on the soft near me,
and so spoke of Ada that almost loved him
| 'She is like the morning. he said. with that
golden hair, those blue eyes, and that fresh bloom
on her cheek, she is like the summer morning
! The birds here will mistake her for IT, We
will not call such lovely young creature as that,
who is a Joy to all mankind, an orphan. She is
The child ofthe universe
Mr. Jarndyce, | found was standing near us,
with his hands behind him, and an attentive smile
upon his face.
'The universe, he observed, makes rather an
indifferent parent, ! am afraid
'o!I don't know ? cried Mr. Skimpole buoy
anty.
4 think do know said Mr. Jarndyce.
SWELL cried Mr.. Skimpoe, you know the
world (Which in your sense is the universe), and
| know nothing of it, SO you shall have your way.
But if had mine,' glancing at the cousins, there
should be no brambles of sordd realities in such
path as that. 1t should be strewn with roses it
should lie through bowers, where there was no
! spring, autumn, nor winter, but perpetual sum-
mer Age or change should never wither it.
The base word money should never be breathed
near it,
Mr.. Jarndyce patted him on the head with
smile, as if he had been really child; and pass
ing step or two on, and stopping moment,
glanced at the young cousins. His look was
thoughtful, but had benlgnant expression in it
which often Chow often) saw again; which has
| long been engraven my heart. The room in
which they were, communicating with that in
which he stood, was only lighted by the fire. Ada
sat at the piano; Richard stood beside her bending
down. Upon the wall, their shadows blended
together. surrounded by strange forms, not with
out ghosty motion caught from the unsteady
fire, though reflected from motionless objects.
Ada touched the notes SO softly, and sang so low,
that the wind, signing away to the distant hills,
was audible as the music. The mystery Of
the future, and the little clue afforded to it, by
the voice ofthe present, seemed expressed in the
whole picture.
But it is not to recall this fancy, well as l re-
member it, that recall the scene. First. | was
not quite unconscious of the contrast in respect s
of meaning and intention between the silent look
directed that way, and the flow Of words that had
preceded 1t. Secondly, though Mr. Jarndyce's
glance, as ne Withdrew It, rested for but NOM
~. IL