little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第132章

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It's　as　much　as　to　state；　you　begin。　If　you　please；　I　will　finish　the
sentence。　It　is　as　much　as　to　state……not　that　I　wish　to　press　it　or　even
recall　it；　for　it　is　of　no　use　now；　and　my　only　wish　is　to　make　the
best　of　existing　circumstances……that　from　the　first　to　the　last　I　always
objected　to　this　match　of　yours；　and　at　a　very　late　period　yielded　a
most　unwilling　consent　to　it。'

'Mother！'　cried　Mr　Meagles。　'Do　you　hear　this！　Arthur！　Do　you　hear
this！'

'The　room　being　of　a　convenient　size；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　looking　about
as　she　fanned　herself；　'and　quite　charmingly　adapted　in　all　respects　to
conversation；　I　should　imagine　I　am　audible　in　any　part　of　it。'

Some　moments　passed　in　silence；　before　Mr　Meagles　could　hold　himself　in
his　chair　with　sufficient　security　to　prevent　his　breaking　out　of　it　at
the　next　word　he　spoke。　At　last　he　said：　'Ma'am；　I　am　very　unwilling　to
revive　them；　but　I　must　remind　you　what　my　opinions　and　my　course　were；
all　along；　on　that　unfortunate　subject。'

'O；　my　dear　sir！'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　smiling　and　shaking　her　head　with
accusatory　intelligence；　'they　were　well　understood　by　me；　I　assure
you。'

'I　never；　ma'am；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'knew　unhappiness　before　that　time；
I　never　knew　anxiety　before　that　time。　It　was　a　time　of　such　distress　to
me　that……'　That　Mr　Meagles　could　really　say　no　more　about　it；　in　short；
but　passed　his　handkerchief　before　his　Face。

'I　understood　the　whole　affair；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　posedly　looking
over　her　fan。　'As　you　have　appealed　to　Mr　Clennam；　I　may　appeal　to　Mr
Clennam；　too。　He　knows　whether　I　did　or　not。'

'I　am　very　unwilling；'　said　Clennam；　looked　to　by　all　parties；　'to　take
any　share　in　this　discussion；　more　especially　because　I　wish　to　preserve
the　best　understanding　and　the　clearest　relations　with　Mr　Henry　Gowan。
I　have　very　strong　reasons　indeed；　for　entertaining　that　wish。　Mrs　Gowan
attributed　certain　views　of　furthering　the　marriage　to　my　friend　here；
in　conversation　with　me　before　it　took　place；　and　I　endeavoured　to
undeceive　her。　I　represented　that　I　knew　him　（as　I　did　and　do）　to　be
strenuously　opposed　to　it；　both　in　opinion　and　action。'

'You　see？'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　turning　the　palms　of　her　hands　towards　Mr
Meagles；　as　if　she　were　Justice　herself；　representing　to　him　that　he　had
better　confess；　for　he　had　not　a　leg　to　stand　on。　'You　see？　Very　good！
Now　Papa　and　Mama　Meagles　both！'　here　she　rose；　'allow　me　to　take　the
liberty　of　putting　an　end　to　this　rather　formidable　controversy。　I　will
not　say　another　word　upon　its　merits。　I　will　only　say　that　it　is　an
additional　proof　of　what　one　knows　from　all　experience；　that　this　kind
of　thing　never　answers……as　my　poor　fellow　himself　would　say；　that　it
never　pays……in　one　word；　that　it　never　does。'

Mr　Meagles　asked；　What　kind　of　thing？

'It　is　in　vain；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　'for　people　to　attempt　to　get　on
together　who　have　such　extremely　different　antecedents；　who　are　jumbled
against　each　other　in　this　accidental；　matrimonial　sort　of　way；　and　who
cannot　look　at　the　untoward　circumstance　which　has　shaken　them　together
in　the　same　light。　It　never　does。'

Mr　Meagles　was　beginning；　'Permit　me　to　say；　ma'am……'

'No；　don't；'　returned　Mrs　Gowan。　'Why　should　you！　It　is　an　ascertained
fact。　It　never　does。　I　will　therefore；　if　you　please；　go　my　way；　leaving
you　to　yours。　I　shall　at　all　times　be　happy　to　receive　my　poor　fellow's
pretty　wife；　and　I　shall　always　make　a　point　of　being　on　the　most
affectionate　terms　with　her。　But　as　to　these　terms；　semi…family　and
semi…stranger；　semi…goring　and　semi…boring；　they　form　a　state　of　things
quite　amusing　in　its　impracticability。　I　assure　you　it　never　does。'

The　Dowager　here　made　a　smiling　obeisance；　rather　to　the　room　than　to
any　one　in　it；　and　therewith　took　a　final　farewell　of　Papa　and　Mama
Meagles。　Clennam　stepped　forward　to　hand　her　to　the　Pill…Box　which　was
at　the　service　of　all　the　Pills　in　Hampton　Court　Palace；　and　she　got
into　that　vehicle　with　distinguished　serenity；　and　was　driven　away。

Thenceforth　the　Dowager；　with　a　light　and　careless　humour；　often
recounted　to　her　particular　acquaintance　how；　after　a　hard　trial；　she
had　found　it　impossible　to　know　those　people　who　belonged　to　Henry's
wife；　and　who　had　made　that　desperate　set　to　catch　him。　Whether　she　had
e　to　the　conclusion　beforehand；　that　to　get　rid　of　them　would　give
her　favourite　pretence　a　better　air；　might　save　her　some　occasional
inconvenience；　and　could　risk　no　loss　（the　pretty　creature　being　fast
married；　and　her　father　devoted　to　her）；　was　best　known　to　herself。
Though　this　history　has　its　opinion　on　that　point　too；　and　decidedly　in
the　affirmative。




CHAPTER　9。　Appearance　and　Disappearance


'Arthur；　my　dear　boy；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　on　the　evening　of　the　following
day；　'Mother　and　I　have　been　talking　this　over；　and　we　don't　feel
fortable　in　remaining　as　we　are。　That　elegant　connection　of
ours……that　dear　lady　who　was　here　yesterday……'

'I　understand；'　said　Arthur。

'Even　that　affable　and　condescending　ornament　of　society；'　pursued　Mr
Meagles；　'may　misrepresent　us；　we　are　afraid。　We　could　bear　a　great
deal；　Arthur；　for　her　sake；　but　we　think　we　would　rather　not　bear　that；
if　it　was　all　the　same　to　her。'

'Good；'　said　Arthur。　'Go　on。'

'You　see；'　proceeded　Mr　Meagles　'it　might　put　us　wrong　with　our
son…in…law；　it　might　even　put　us　wrong　with　our　daughter；　and　it　might
lead　to　a　great　deal　of　domestic　trouble。　You　see；　don't　you？'

'Yes；　indeed；'　returned　Arthur；　'there　is　much　reason　in　what　you　say。'
He　had　glanced　at　Mrs　Meagles；　who　was　always　on　the　good　and　sensible
side；　and　a　petition　had　shone　out　of　her　honest　face　that　he　would
support　Mr　Meagles　in　his　present　inclinings。

'So　we　are　very　much　disposed；　are　Mother　and　I；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'to
pack　up　bags　and　baggage　and　go　among　the　Allongers　and　Marshongers　once
more。　I　mean；　we　are　very　much　disposed　to　be　off；　strike　right　through
France　into　Italy；　and　see　our　Pet。'

'And　I　don't　think；'　replied　Arthur；　touched　by　the　motherly
anticipation　in　the　bright　face　of　Mrs　Meagles　（she　must　have　been　very
like　her　daughter；　once）；　'that　you　could　do　better。　And　if　you　ask　me
for　my　advice；　it　is　that　you　set　off　to…morrow。'

'Is　it　really；　though？'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'Mother；　this　is　being　backed
in　an　idea！'

Mother；　with　a　look　which　thanked　Clennam　in　a　manner　very　agreeable　to
him；　answered　that　it　was　indeed。

'The　fact　is；　besides；　Arthur；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　the　old　cloud　ing
over　his　face；　'that　my　son…in…law　is　already　in　debt　again；　and　that　I
suppose　I　must　clear　him　again。　It　may　be　as　well；　even　on　this　account；
that　I　should　step　over　there；　and　look　him　up　in　a　friendly　way。　Then
again；　here's　Mother　foolishly　anxious　（and　yet　naturally　too）　about
Pet's　state　of　health；　and　that　she　should　not　be　left　to　feel　lonesome
at　the　present　time。　It's　undeniably　a　long　way　off；　Arthur；　and　a
strange　place　for　the　poor　love　under　all　the　circumstances。　Let　her　be
as　well　cared　for　as　any　lady　in　that　land；　still　it　is　a　long　way　off。
just　as　Home　is　Home　though　it's　never　so　Homely；　why　you　see；'　said　Mr
Meagles；　adding　a　new　version　to　the　proverb；　'Rome　is　Rome；　though　it's
never　so　Romely。'

'All　perfectly　true；'　observed　Arthur；　'and　all　sufficient　reasons　for
going。'

'I　am　glad　you　think　so；　it　decides　me。　Mother；　my　dear；　you　may　get
ready。　We　have　lost　our　pleasant　interpreter　（she　spoke　three　foreign
languages　beautifully；　Arthur；　you　have　heard　her　many　a　time）；　and　you
must　pull　me　through　it；　Mother；　as　well　as　you　can。

I　require　a　deal　of　pulling　through；　Arthur；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　shaking
his　head；　'a　deal　of　pulling　through。　I　stick　at　everything　beyond　a
noun…substantive……and　I　stick　at　him；　if　he's　at　all　a　tight　one。'

'Now　I　think　of　it；'　returned　Clennam；　'there's　Cavalletto。　He　shall
go　with　you；　if　you　like。　I　could　not　afford　to　lose　him；　but　you　will
bring　him　safe　back。'

'Well！　I　am　much　obliged　to　you；　my　boy；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　turning　it
over；　'but　I　think　not。　No；　I　think　I'll　be　pulled　through　by　Mother。
Cavallooro　（I　stick　at　his　very　name　to　start　with；　and　it　sounds　like
the　chorus　to　a　ic　song）　is　so　necessary　to　you；　that　I　don't　like
the　thought　of　taking　him　away。　More　than　that；　there's　no　saying　when
we　may　e　home　again；　and　it　would　never　do　to　take　him　away　for
an　indefinite　time。　The　cottage　is　not　what　it　was。　It　only　holds　two
little　people　less　than　it　ever　did；　Pet；　and　her　poor　unfortunate　maid
Tattycoram；　but　it　seems　empty　now。　Once　out　of　it；　there's　no　knowing
when　we　may　e　back　to　it。　No；　Arthur；　I'll　be　pulled　through　by
Mother。'

They　would　do　best　by　themselves　perhaps；　after　all；　Clennam　thought；
therefore　did　not　press　his　proposal。

'If　you　would　e　down　and　stay　here　for　a　change；　when　it　wouldn't
trouble　you；'　Mr　Meagles　resumed；　'I　should　be　glad　to　think……and　so
would　Mother　too；　I　know……that　you　were　brightening　up　the　old　place
with　a　bit　of　life　it　was　used　to　when　it　was　full；　and　that　the　Babies
on　the　wall　there　had　a　kind　eye　upon　them　sometimes。　You　so　belong　to
the　spot；　and　to　them；　Arthur；　and　we　should　every　one　of　us　have　been
so