little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第14章

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my　mother　only。'　'Oh！'　returned　the　old　man。　'From　your　mother？　Take
it　from　your　mother？　Well！　But　your　mother　mentioned　that　you　had　been
suspecting　your　father。　That's　not　dutiful；　Mr　Arthur。　Who　will　you　be
suspecting　next？'

'Enough；'　said　Mrs　Clennam；　turning　her　face　so　that　it　was　addressed
for　the　moment　to　the　old　man　only。　'Let　no　more　be　said　about　this。'

'Yes；　but　stop　a　bit；　stop　a　bit；'　the　old　man　persisted。　'Let　us　see
how　we　stand。　Have　you　told　Mr　Arthur　that　he　mustn't　lay　offences　at
his　father's　door？　That　he　has　no　right　to　do　it？　That　he　has　no　ground
to　go　upon？'

'I　tell　him　so　now。'

'Ah！　Exactly；'　said　the　old　man。　'You　tell　him　so　now。　You　hadn't　told
him　so　before；　and　you　tell　him　so　now。　Ay；　ay！　That's　right！　You　know　I
stood　between　you　and　his　father　so　long；　that　it　seems　as　if　death　had
made　no　difference；　and　I　was　still　standing　between　you。　So　I　will；　and
so　in　fairness　I　require　to　have　that　plainly　put　forward。　Arthur；　you
please　to　hear　that　you　have　no　right　to　mistrust　your　father；　and　have
no　ground　to　go　upon。'

He　put　his　hands　to　the　back　of　the　wheeled　chair；　and　muttering　to
himself；　slowly　wheeled　his　mistress　back　to　her　cabi。　'Now；'　he
resumed；　standing　behind　her：　'in　case　I　should　go　away　leaving　things
half　done；　and　so　should　be　wanted　again　when　you　e　to　the　other　half
and　get　into　one　of　your　flights；　has　Arthur　told　you　what　he　means　to
do　about　the　business？'

'He　has　relinquished　it。'

'In　favour　of　nobody；　I　suppose？'

Mrs　Clennam　glanced　at　her　son；　leaning　against　one　of　the　windows。

He　observed　the　look　and　said；　'To　my　mother；　of　course。　She　does　what
she　pleases。'

'And　if　any　pleasure；'　she　said　after　a　short　pause；　'could　arise　for　me
out　of　the　disappointment　of　my　expectations　that　my　son；　in　the　prime
of　his　life；　would　infuse　new　youth　and　strength　into　it；　and　make　it
of　great　profit　and　power；　it　would　be　in　advancing　an　old　and　faithful
servant。　Jeremiah；　the　captain　deserts　the　ship；　but　you　and　I　will　sink
or　float　with　it。'

Jeremiah；　whose　eyes　glistened　as　if　they　saw　money；　darted　a　sudden
look　at　the　son；　which　seemed　to　say；　'I　owe　YOU　no　thanks　for　this；　YOU
have　done　nothing　towards　it！'　and　then　told　the　mother　that　he　thanked
her；　and　that　Affery　thanked　her；　and　that　he　would　never　desert　her；
and　that　Affery　would　never　desert　her。　Finally；　he　hauled　up　his　watch
from　its　depths；　and　said；　'Eleven。　Time　for　your　oysters！'　and　with
that　change　of　subject；　which　involved　no　change　of　expression　or
manner；　rang　the　bell。

But　Mrs　Clennam；　resolved　to　treat　herself　with　the　greater　rigour　for
having　been　supposed　to　be　unacquainted　with　reparation；　refused　to
eat　her　oysters　when　they　were　brought。　They　looked　tempting；　eight　in
number；　circularly　set　out　on　a　white　plate　on　a　tray　covered　with　a
white　napkin；　flanked　by　a　slice　of　buttered　French　roll；　and　a　little
pact　glass　of　cool　wine　and　water；　but　she　resisted　all　persuasions；
and　sent　them　down　again……placing　the　act　to　her　credit；　no　doubt；　in
her　Eternal　Day…Book。

This　refection　of　oysters　was　not　presided　over　by　Affery；　but　by　the
girl　who　had　appeared　when　the　bell　was　rung；　the　same　who　had　been　in
the　dimly…lighted　room　last　night。　Now　that　he　had　an　opportunity　of
observing　her；　Arthur　found　that　her　diminutive　figure；　small　features；
and　slight　spare　dress；　gave　her　the　appearance　of　being　much　younger
than　she　was。　A　woman；　probably　of　not　less　than　two…and…twenty；　she
might　have　been　passed　in　the　street　for　little　more　than　half　that
age。　Not　that　her　face　was　very　youthful；　for　in　truth　there　was　more
consideration　and　care　in　it　than　naturally　belonged　to　her　utmost
years；　but　she　was　so　little　and　light；　so　noiseless　and　shy；　and
appeared　so　conscious　of　being　out　of　place　among　the　three　hard　elders；
that　she　had　all　the　manner　and　much　of　the　appearance　of　a　subdued
child。

In　a　hard　way；　and　in　an　uncertain　way　that　fluctuated　between　patronage
and　putting　down；　the　sprinkling　from　a　watering…pot　and　hydraulic
pressure；　Mrs　Clennam　showed　an　interest　in　this　dependent。　Even　in　the
moment　of　her　entrance；　upon　the　violent　ringing　of　the　bell；　when　the
mother　shielded　herself　with　that　singular　action　from　the　son；　Mrs
Clennam's　eyes　had　had　some　individual　recognition　in　them；　which　seemed
reserved　for　her。　As　there　are　degrees　of　hardness　in　the　hardest　metal；
and　shades　of　colour　in　black　itself；　so；　even　in　the　asperity　of　Mrs
Clennam's　demeanour　towards　all　the　rest　of　humanity　and　towards　Little
Dorrit；　there　was　a　fine　gradation。

Little　Dorrit　let　herself　out　to　do　needlework。　At　so　much　a　day……or　at
so　little……from　eight　to　eight；　Little　Dorrit　was　to　be　hired。　Punctual
to　the　moment；　Little　Dorrit　appeared；　punctual　to　the　moment；　Little
Dorrit　vanished。　What　became　of　Little　Dorrit　between　the　two　eights　was
a　mystery。

Another　of　the　moral　phenomena　of　Little　Dorrit。　Besides　her
consideration　money；　her　daily　contract　included　meals。　She　had　an
extraordinary　repugnance　to　dining　in　pany；　would　never　do　so；　if
it　were　possible　to　escape。　Would　always　plead　that　she　had　this　bit　of
work　to　begin　first；　or　that　bit　of　work　to　finish　first；　and　would；　of
a　certainty；　scheme　and　plan……not　very　cunningly；　it　would　seem；　for　she
deceived　no　one……to　dine　alone。　Successful　in　this；　happy　in　carrying
off　her　plate　anywhere；　to　make　a　table　of　her　lap；　or　a　box；　or　the
ground；　or　even　as　was　supposed；　to　stand　on　tip…toe；　dining　moderately
at　a　mantel…shelf；　the　great　anxiety　of　Little　Dorrit's　day　was　set　at
rest。

It　was　not　easy　to　make　out　Little　Dorrit's　face；　she　was　so　retiring；
plied　her　needle　in　such　removed　corners；　and　started　away　so　scared　if
encountered　on　the　stairs。　But　it　seemed　to　be　a　pale　transparent　face；
quick　in　expression；　though　not　beautiful　in　feature；　its　soft　hazel
eyes　excepted。　A　delicately　bent　head；　a　tiny　form；　a　quick　little　pair
of　busy　hands；　and　a　shabby　dress……it　must　needs　have　been　very　shabby
to　look　at　all　so；　being　so　neat……were　Little　Dorrit　as　she　sat　at　work。

For　these　particulars　or　generalities　concerning　Little　Dorrit；　Mr
Arthur　was　indebted　in　the　course　of　the　day　to　his　own　eyes　and　to　Mrs
Affery's　tongue。　If　Mrs　Affery　had　had　any　will　or　way　of　her　own；　it
would　probably　have　been　unfavourable　to　Little　Dorrit。　But　as　'them　two
clever　ones'……Mrs　Affery's　perpetual　reference；　in　whom　her　personality
was　swallowed　up……were　agreed　to　accept　Little　Dorrit　as　a　matter　of
course；　she　had　nothing　for　it　but　to　follow　suit。　Similarly；　if　the
two　clever　ones　had　agreed　to　murder　Little　Dorrit　by　candlelight；　Mrs
Affery；　being　required　to　hold　the　candle；　would　no　doubt　have　done　it。

In　the　intervals　of　roasting　the　partridge　for　the　invalid　chamber；　and
preparing　a　baking…dish　of　beef　and　pudding　for　the　dining…room；　Mrs
Affery　made　the　munications　above　set　forth；　invariably　putting
her　head　in　at　the　door　again　after　she　had　taken　it　out；　to　enforce
resistance　to　the　two　clever　ones。　It　appeared　to　have　bee　a　perfect
passion　with　Mrs　Flintwinch；　that　the　only　son　should　be　pitted　against
them。

In　the　course　of　the　day；　too；　Arthur　looked　through　the　whole　house。
Dull　and　dark　he　found　it。　The　gaunt　rooms；　deserted　for　years　upon
years；　seemed　to　have　settled　down　into　a　gloomy　lethargy　from　which
nothing　could　rouse　them　again。　The　furniture；　at　once　spare　and
lumbering；　hid　in　the　rooms　rather　than　furnished　them；　and　there　was
no　colour　in　all　the　house；　such　colour　as　had　ever　been　there；　had　long
ago　started　away　on　lost　sunbeams……got　itself　absorbed；　perhaps；　into
flowers；　butterflies；　plumage　of　birds；　precious　stones；　what　not。　There
was　not　one　straight　floor　from　the　foundation　to　the　roof；　the　ceilings
were　so　fantastically　clouded　by　smoke　and　dust；　that　old　women　might
have　told　fortunes　in　them　better　than　in　grouts　of　tea；　the　dead…cold
hearths　showed　no　traces　of　having　ever　been　warmed　but　in　heaps　of　soot
that　had　tumbled　down　the　chimneys；　and　eddied　about　in　little
dusky　whirlwinds　when　the　doors　were　opened。　In　what　had　once　been
a　drawing…room；　there　were　a　pair　of　meagre　mirrors；　with　dismal
processions　of　black　figures　carrying　black　garlands；　walking　round
the　frames；　but　even　these　were　short　of　heads　and　legs；　and　one
undertaker…like　Cupid　had　swung　round　on　its　own　axis　and　got　upside
down；　and　another　had　fallen　off　altogether。　The　room　Arthur　Clennam's
deceased　father　had　occupied　for　business　purposes；　when　he　first
remembered　him；　was　so　unaltered　that　he　might　have　been　imagined　still
to　keep　it　invisibly；　as　his　visible　relict　kept　her　room　up…stairs；
Jeremiah　Flintwinch　still　going　between　them　negotiating。　His　picture；
dark　and　gloomy；　earnestly　speechless　on　the　wall；　with　the　eyes
intently　looking　at　his　son　as　they　had　looked　when　life　departed　from
them；　seemed　to　urge　him　awfully　to　the　task　he　had　attempted；　but　as
to　any　yielding　on　the　part　of　his　mother；　he　had　now　no　hope；　and　as　to
any　other　means　of　setting　his　distrust　at　rest；　he　had　abandoned　hope　a
long　time。

Down　in　the　cellars；　as　up　in　the　bed…chambers；　old　obj