little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


gone。

The　affairs　of　this　debtor　were　perplexed　by　a　partnership；　of　which　he
knew　no　more　than　that　he　had　invested　money　in　it；　by　legal　matters
of　assignment　and　settlement；　conveyance　here　and　conveyance　there；
suspicion　of　unlawful　preference　of　creditors　in　this　direction；　and　of
mysterious　spiriting　away　of　property　in　that；　and　as　nobody　on　the　face
of　the　earth　could　be　more　incapable　of　explaining　any　single　item　in
the　heap　of　confusion　than　the　debtor　himself；　nothing　prehensible
could　be　made　of　his　case。　To　question　him　in　detail；　and　endeavour
to　reconcile　his　answers；　to　closet　him　with　accountants　and　sharp
practitioners；　learned　in　the　wiles　of　insolvency　and　bankruptcy；　was
only　to　put　the　case　out　at　pound　interest　and　inprehensibility。
The　irresolute　fingers　fluttered　more　and　more　ineffectually　about　the
trembling　lip　on　every　such　occasion；　and　the　sharpest　practitioners
gave　him　up　as　a　hopeless　job。

'Out？'　said　the　turnkey；　'he'll　never　get　out；　unless　his　creditors　take
him　by　the　shoulders　and　shove　him　out。'

He　had　been　there　five　or　six　months；　when　he　came　running　to　this
turnkey　one　forenoon　to　tell　him；　breathless　and　pale；　that　his　wife　was
ill。

'As　anybody　might　a　known　she　would　be；'　said　the　turnkey。

'We　intended；'　he　returned；　'that　she　should　go　to　a　country　lodging
only　to…morrow。　What　am　I　to　do！　Oh；　good　heaven；　what　am　I　to　do！'

'Don't　waste　your　time　in　clasping　your　hands　and　biting　your　fingers；'
responded　the　practical　turnkey；　taking　him　by　the　elbow；　'but　e
along　with　me。'

The　turnkey　conducted　him……trembling　from　head　to　foot；　and　constantly
crying　under　his　breath；　What　was　he　to　do！　while　his　irresolute　fingers
bedabbled　the　tears　upon　his　face……up　one　of　the　mon　staircases　in
the　prison　to　a　door　on　the　garret　story。　Upon　which　door　the　turnkey
knocked　with　the　handle　of　his　key。

'e　in！'　cried　a　voice　inside。

The　turnkey；　opening　the　door；　disclosed　in　a　wretched；　ill…smelling
little　room；　two　hoarse；　puffy；　red…faced　personages　seated　at　a
rickety　table；　playing　at　all…fours；　smoking　pipes；　and　drinking　brandy。
'Doctor；'　said　the　turnkey；　'here's　a　gentleman's　wife　in　want　of　you
without　a　minute's　loss　of　time！'

The　doctor's　friend　was　in　the　positive　degree　of　hoarseness；　puffiness；
red…facedness；　all…fours；　tobacco；　dirt；　and　brandy；　the　doctor　in
the　parative……hoarser；　puffier；　more　red…faced；　more　all…fourey；
tobaccoer；　dirtier；　and　brandier。　The　doctor　was　amazingly　shabby；　in
a　torn　and　darned　rough…weather　sea…jacket；　out　at　elbows　and　eminently
short　of　buttons　（he　had　been　in　his　time　the　experienced　surgeon
carried　by　a　passenger　ship）；　the　dirtiest　white　trousers　conceivable　by
mortal　man；　carpet　slippers；　and　no　visible　linen。　'Childbed？'　said
the　doctor。　'I'm　the　boy！'　With　that　the　doctor　took　a　b　from　the
chimney…piece　and　stuck　his　hair　upright……which　appeared　to　be　his
way　of　washing　himself……produced　a　professional　chest　or　case；　of　most
abject　appearance；　from　the　cupboard　where　his　cup　and　saucer　and　coals
were；　settled　his　chin　in　the　frowsy　wrapper　round　his　neck；　and　became
a　ghastly　medical　scarecrow。

The　doctor　and　the　debtor　ran　down…stairs；　leaving　the　turnkey　to　return
to　the　lock；　and　made　for　the　debtor's　room。　All　the　ladies　in　the
prison　had　got　hold　of　the　news；　and　were　in　the　yard。　Some　of　them
had　already　taken　possession　of　the　two　children；　and　were　hospitably
carrying　them　off；　others　were　offering　loans　of　little　forts　from
their　own　scanty　store；　others　were　sympathising　with　the　greatest
volubility。　The　gentlemen　prisoners；　feeling　themselves　at　a
disadvantage；　had　for　the　most　part　retired；　not　to　say　sneaked；
to　their　rooms；　from　the　open　windows　of　which　some　of　them　now
plimented　the　doctor　with　whistles　as　he　passed　below；　while　others；
with　several　stories　between　them；　interchanged　sarcastic　references　to
the　prevalent　excitement。

It　was　a　hot　summer　day；　and　the　prison　rooms　were　baking　between　the
high　walls。　In　the　debtor's　confined　chamber；　Mrs　Bangham；　charwoman　and
messenger；　who　was　not　a　prisoner　（though　she　had　been　once）；　but
was　the　popular　medium　of　munication　with　the　outer　world；　had
volunteered　her　services　as　fly…catcher　and　general　attendant。　The　walls
and　ceiling　were　blackened　with　flies。　Mrs　Bangham；　expert　in　sudden
device；　with　one　hand　fanned　the　patient　with　a　cabbage　leaf；　and　with
the　other　set　traps　of　vinegar　and　sugar　in　gallipots；　at　the　same　time
enunciating　sentiments　of　an　encouraging　and　congratulatory　nature；
adapted　to　the　occasion。

'The　flies　trouble　you；　don't　they；　my　dear？'　said　Mrs　Bangham。　'But
p'raps　they'll　take　your　mind　off　of　it；　and　do　you　good。　What　between
the　buryin　ground；　the　grocer's；　the　waggon…stables；　and　the　paunch
trade；　the　Marshalsea　flies　gets　very　large。　P'raps　they're　sent　as　a
consolation；　if　we　only　know'd　it。　How　are　you　now；　my　dear？　No　better？
No；　my　dear；　it　ain't　to　be　expected；　you'll　be　worse　before　you're
better；　and　you　know　it；　don't　you？　Yes。　That's　right！　And　to　think　of
a　sweet　little　cherub　being　born　inside　the　lock！　Now　ain't　it　pretty；
ain't　THAT　something　to　carry　you　through　it　pleasant？　Why；　we　ain't
had　such　a　thing　happen　here；　my　dear；　not　for　I　couldn't　name　the　time
when。　And　you　a　crying　too？'　said　Mrs　Bangham；　to　rally　the　patient　more
and　more。　'You！　Making　yourself　so　famous！　With　the　flies　a　falling　into
the　gallipots　by　fifties！　And　everything　a　going　on　so　well！　And　here　if
there　ain't；'　said　Mrs　Bangham　as　the　door　opened；　'if　there　ain't　your
dear　gentleman　along　with　Dr　Haggage！　And　now　indeed　we　ARE　plete；　I
THINK！'

The　doctor　was　scarcely　the　kind　of　apparition　to　inspire　a　patient
with　a　sense　of　absolute　pleteness；　but　as　he　presently　delivered　the
opinion；　'We　are　as　right　as　we　can　be；　Mrs　Bangham；　and　we　shall
e　out　of　this　like　a　house　afire；'　and　as　he　and　Mrs　Bangham　took
possession　of　the　poor　helpless　pair；　as　everybody　else　and　anybody　else
had　always　done；　the　means　at　hand　were　as　good　on　the　whole　as　better
would　have　been。　The　special　feature　in　Dr　Haggage's　treatment　of　the
case；　was　his　determination　to　keep　Mrs　Bangham　up　to　the　mark。　As　thus：

'Mrs　Bangham；'　said　the　doctor；　before　he　had　been　there　twenty　minutes；
'go　outside　and　fetch　a　little　brandy；　or　we　shall　have　you　giving　in。'

'Thank　you；　sir。　But　none　on　my　accounts；'　said　Mrs　Bangham。

'Mrs　Bangham；'　returned　the　doctor；　'I　am　in　professional　attendance
on　this　lady；　and　don't　choose　to　allow　any　discussion　on　your　part。　Go
outside　and　fetch　a　little　brandy；　or　I　foresee　that　you'll　break　down。'

'You're　to　be　obeyed；　sir；'　said　Mrs　Bangham；　rising。　'If　you　was　to　put
your　own　lips　to　it；　I　think　you　wouldn't　be　the　worse；　for　you　look　but
poorly；　sir。'

'Mrs　Bangham；'　returned　the　doctor；　'I　am　not　your　business；　thank　you；
but　you　are　mine。　Never　you　mind　ME；　if　you　please。　What　you　have　got　to
do；　is；　to　do　as　you　are　told；　and　to　go　and　get　what　I　bid　you。'

Mrs　Bangham　submitted；　and　the　doctor；　having　administered　her
potion；　took　his　own。　He　repeated　the　treatment　every　hour；　being　very
determined　with　Mrs　Bangham。　Three　or　four　hours　passed；　the　flies
fell　into　the　traps　by　hundreds；　and　at　length　one　little　life；　hardly
stronger　than　theirs；　appeared　among　the　multitude　of　lesser　deaths。

'A　very　nice　little　girl　indeed；'　said　the　doctor；　'little；　but
well…formed。　Halloa；　Mrs　Bangham！　You're　looking　queer！　You　be　off；
ma'am；　this　minute；　and　fetch　a　little　more　brandy；　or　we　shall　have　you
in　hysterics。'

By　this　time；　the　rings　had　begun　to　fall　from　the　debtor's　irresolute
hands；　like　leaves　from　a　wintry　tree。　Not　one　was　left　upon　them　that
night；　when　he　put　something　that　chinked　into　the　doctor's　greasy　palm。
In　the　meantime　Mrs　Bangham　had　been　out　on　an　errand　to　a　neighbouring
establishment　decorated　with　three　golden　balls；　where　she　was　very　well
known。

'Thank　you；'　said　the　doctor；　'thank　you。　Your　good　lady　is　quite
posed。　Doing　charmingly。'

'I　am　very　happy　and　very　thankful　to　know　it；'　said　the　debtor；　'though
I　little　thought　once；　that……'

'That　a　child　would　be　born　to　you　in　a　place　like　this？'　said　the
doctor。　'Bah；　bah；　sir；　what　does　it　signify？　A　little　more　elbow…room
is　all　we　want　here。　We　are　quiet　here；　we　don't　get　badgered　here；
there's　no　knocker　here；　sir；　to　be　hammered　at　by　creditors　and　bring　a
man's　heart　into　his　mouth。　Nobody　es　here　to　ask　if　a　man's　at
home；　and　to　say　he'll　stand　on　the　door　mat　till　he　is。　Nobody　writes
threatening　letters　about　money　to　this　place。　It's　freedom；　sir；　it's
freedom！　I　have　had　to…day's　practice　at　home　and　abroad；　on　a　march；
and　aboard　ship；　and　I'll　tell　you　this：　I　don't　know　that　I　have　ever
pursued　it　under　such　quiet　circumstances　as　here　this　day。　Elsewhere；
people　are　restless；　worried；　hurried　about；　anxious　respecting　one
thing；　anxious　respecting　another。　Nothing　of　the　kind　here；　sir。　We
have　done　all　that……we　know　the　worst　of　it；　we　have　got　to　the　bottom；
we　can't　fall；　and　what　have　we　found？　Peace。　That's　the　word　for
it。　Peace。'　With　this　profession　of　faith；　the　doctor；　wh