little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第165章

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teeth；　'Ice…say！　Seer！　Who？'

Clennam；　replying　in　French；　said　the　English　lady；　he　wished　to　see
the　English　lady。　'Enter　then　and　ascend；　if　you　please；'　returned　the
peasant　woman；　in　French　likewise。　He　did　both；　and　followed　her　up　a
dark　bare　staircase　to　a　back　room　on　the　first…floor。　Hence；　there　was
a　gloomy　view　of　the　yard　that　was　dull；　and　of　the　shrubs　that　were
dead；　and　of　the　fountain　that　was　dry；　and　of　the　pedestal　of　the
statue　that　was　gone。

'Monsieur　Blandois；'　said　Clennam。

'With　pleasure；　Monsieur。'

Thereupon　the　woman　withdrew　and　left　him　to　look　at　the　room。　It　was
the　pattern　of　room　always　to　be　found　in　such　a　house。　Cool；　dull；　and
dark。　Waxed　floor　very　slippery。　A　room　not　large　enough　to　skate　in；
nor　adapted　to　the　easy　pursuit　of　any　other　occupation。　Red　and
white　curtained　windows；　little　straw　mat；　little　round　table　with　a
tumultuous　assemblage　of　legs　underneath；　clumsy　rush…bottomed　chairs；
two　great　red　velvet　arm…chairs　affording　plenty　of　space　to　be
unfortable　in；　bureau；　chimney…glass　in　several　pieces　pretending　to
be　in　one　piece；　pair　of　gaudy　vases　of　very　artificial　flowers；　between
them　a　Greek　warrior　with　his　helmet　off；　sacrificing　a　clock　to　the
Genius　of　France。

After　some　pause；　a　door　of　munication　with　another　room　was　opened；
and　a　lady　entered。　She　manifested　great　surprise　on　seeing　Clennam；　and
her　glance　went　round　the　room　in　search　of　some　one　else。

'Pardon　me；　Miss　Wade。　I　am　alone。'

'It　was　not　your　name　that　was　brought　to　me。'

'No；　I　know　that。　Excuse　me。　I　have　already　had　experience　that　my　name
does　not　predispose　you　to　an　interview；　and　I　ventured　to　mention　the
name　of　one　I　am　in　search　of。'

'Pray；'　she　returned；　motioning　him　to　a　chair　so　coldly　that　he
remained　standing；　'what　name　was　it　that　you　gave？'

'I　mentioned　the　name　of　Blandois。'

'Blandois？'

'A　name　you　are　acquainted　with。'

'It　is　strange；'　she　said；　frowning；　'that　you　should　still　press　an
undesired　interest　in　me　and　my　acquaintances；　in　me　and　my　affairs；　Mr
Clennam。　I　don't　know　what　you　mean。'

'Pardon　me。　You　know　the　name？'

'What　can　you　have　to　do　with　the　name？　What　can　I　have　to　do　with　the
name？　What　can　you　have　to　do　with　my　knowing　or　not　knowing　any　name？
I　know　many　names　and　I　have　forgotten　many　more。　This　may　be　in　the
one　class；　or　it　may　be　in　the　other；　or　I　may　never　have　heard　it。　I　am
acquainted　with　no　reason　for　examining　myself；　or　for　being　examined；
about　it。'

'If　you　will　allow　me；'　said　Clennam；　'I　will　tell　you　my　reason　for
pressing　the　subject。　I　admit　that　I　do　press　it；　and　I　must　beg　you　to
forgive　me　if　I　do　so；　very　earnestly。　The　reason　is　all　mine；　I　do　not
insinuate　that　it　is　in　any　way　yours。'

'Well；　sir；'　she　returned；　repeating　a　little　less　haughtily　than　before
her　former　invitation　to　him　to　be　seated：　to　which　he　now　deferred；　as
she　seated　herself。　'I　am　at　least　glad　to　know　that　this　is　not　another
bondswoman　of　some　friend　of　yours；　who　is　bereft　of　free　choice；　and
whom　I　have　spirited　away。　I　will　hear　your　reason；　if　you　please。'

'First；　to　identify　the　person　of　whom　we　speak；'　said　Clennam；　'let　me
observe　that　it　is　the　person　you　met　in　London　some　time　back。　You　will
remember　meeting　him　near　the　river……in　the　Adelphi！'

'You　mix　yourself　most　unaccountably　with　my　business；'　she　replied；
looking　full　at　him　with　stern　displeasure。　'How　do　you　know　that？'

'I　entreat　you　not　to　take　it　ill。　By　mere　accident。'　'What　accident？'

'Solely　the　accident　of　ing　upon　you　in　the　street　and　seeing　the
meeting。'

'Do　you　speak　of　yourself；　or　of　some　one　else？'

'Of　myself。　I　saw　it。'

'To　be　sure　it　was　in　the　open　street；'　she　observed；　after　a　few
moments　of　less　and　less　angry　reflection。　'Fifty　people　might　have　seen
it。　It　would　have　signified　nothing　if　they　had。'

'Nor　do　I　make　my　having　seen　it　of　any　moment；　nor　（otherwise　than　as
an　explanation　of　my　ing　here）　do　I　connect　my　visit　with　it　or　the
favour　that　I　have　to　ask。'

'Oh！　You　have　to　ask　a　favour！　It　occurred　to　me；'　and　the　handsome　face
looked　bitterly　at　him；　'that　your　manner　was　softened；　Mr　Clennam。'

He　was　content　to　protest　against　this　by　a　slight　action　without
contesting　it　in　words。　He　then　referred　to　Blandois'　disappearance；　of
which　it　was　probable　she　had　heard？　However　probable　it　was　to　him；　she
had　heard　of　no　such　thing。　Let　him　look　round　him　（she　said）　and　judge
for　himself　what　general　intelligence　was　likely　to　reach　the　ears　of
a　woman　who　had　been　shut　up　there　while　it　was　rife；　devouring　her　own
heart。　When　she　had　uttered　this　denial；　which　he　believed　to　be　true；
she　asked　him　what　he　meant　by　disappearance？　That　led　to　his　narrating
the　circumstances　in　detail；　and　expressing　something　of　his　anxiety
to　discover　what　had　really　bee　of　the　man；　and　to　repel　the　dark
suspicions　that　clouded　about　his　mother's　house。　She　heard　him　with
evident　surprise；　and　with　more　marks　of　suppressed　interest　than　he
had　seen　in　her；　still　they　did　not　overe　her　distant；　proud；　and
self…secluded　manner。　When　he　had　finished；　she　said　nothing　but　these
words：

'You　have　not　yet　told　me；　sir；　what　I　have　to　do　with　it；　or　what　the
favour　is？　Will　you　be　so　good　as　e　to　that？'

'I　assume；'　said　Arthur；　persevering；　in　his　endeavour　to　soften
her　scornful　demeanour；　'that　being　in　munication……may　I　say；
confidential　munication？……with　this　person……'

'You　may　say；　of　course；　whatever　you　like；'　she　remarked；　'but　I　do　not
subscribe　to　your　assumptions；　Mr　Clennam；　or　to　any　one's。'

'……that　being；　at　least　in　personal　munication　with　him；'　said
Clennam；　changing　the　form　of　his　position　in　the　hope　of　making
it　unobjectionable；　'you　can　tell　me　something　of　his　antecedents；
pursuits；　habits；　usual　place　of　residence。　Can　give　me　some　little　clue
by　which　to　seek　him　out　in　the　likeliest　manner；　and　either　produce
him；　or　establish　what　has　bee　of　him。　This　is　the　favour　I　ask；
and　I　ask　it　in　a　distress　of　mind　for　which　I　hope　you　will　feel　some
consideration。　If　you　should　have　any　reason　for　imposing　conditions
upon　me；　I　will　respect　it　without　asking　what　it　is。'

'You　chanced　to　see　me　in　the　street　with　the　man；'　she　observed；
after　being；　to　his　mortification；　evidently　more　occupied　with　her　own
reflections　on　the　matter　than　with　his　appeal。　'Then　you　knew　the　man
before？'

'Not　before；　afterwards。　I　never　saw　him　before；　but　I　saw　him　again　on
this　very　night　of　his　disappearance。　In　my　mother's　room；　in　fact。　I
left　him　there。　You　will　read　in　this　paper　all　that　is　known　of　him。'

He　handed　her　one　of　the　printed　bills；　which　she　read　with　a　steady　and
attentive　face。

'This　is　more　than　I　knew　of　him；'　she　said；　giving　it　back。

Clennam's　looks　expressed　his　heavy　disappointment；　perhaps　his
incredulity；　for　she　added　in　the　same　unsympathetic　tone：　'You　don't
believe　it。　Still；　it　is　so。　As　to　personal　munication：　it　seems　that
there　was　personal　munication　between　him　and　your　mother。　And　yet
you　say　you　believe　her　declaration　that　she　knows　no　more　of　him！'

A　sufficiently　expressive　hint　of　suspicion　was　conveyed　in　these　words；
and　in　the　smile　by　which　they　were　acpanied；　to　bring　the　blood　into
Clennam's　cheeks。

'e；　sir；'　she　said；　with　a　cruel　pleasure　in　repeating　the　stab；　'I
will　be　as　open　with　you　as　you　can　desire。　I　will　confess　that　if　I
cared　for　my　credit　（which　I　do　not）；　or　had　a　good　name　to　preserve
（which　I　have　not；　for　I　am　utterly　indifferent　to　its　being　considered
good　or　bad）；　I　should　regard　myself　as　heavily　promised　by　having
had　anything　to　do　with　this　fellow。　Yet　he　never　passed　in　at　MY
door……never　sat　in　colloquy　with　ME　until　midnight。'

She　took　her　revenge　for　her　old　grudge　in　thus　turning　his　subject
against　him。　Hers　was　not　the　nature　to　spare　him；　and　she　had　no
punction。

'That　he　is　a　low；　mercenary　wretch；　that　I　first　saw　him　prowling　about
Italy　（where　I　was；　not　long　ago）；　and　that　I　hired　him　there；　as　the
suitable　instrument　of　a　purpose　I　happened　to　have；　I　have　no　objection
to　tell　you。　In　short；　it　was　worth　my　while；　for　my　own　pleasure……the
gratification　of　a　strong　feeling……to　pay　a　spy　who　would　fetch　and
carry　for　money。　I　paid　this　creature。　And　I　dare　say　that　if　I　had
wanted　to　make　such　a　bargain；　and　if　I　could　have　paid　him　enough；　and
if　he　could　have　done　it　in　the　dark；　free　from　all　risk；　he　would　have
taken　any　life　with　as　little　scruple　as　he　took　my　money。　That；　at
least；　is　my　opinion　of　him；　and　I　see　it　is　not　very　far　removed　from
yours。　Your　mother's　opinion　of　him；　I　am　to　assume　（following　your
example　of　assuming　this　and　that）；　was　vastly　different。'

'My　mother；　let　me　remind　you；'　said　Clennam；　'was　first　brought　into
munication　with　him　in　the　unlucky　course　of　business。'

'It　appears　to　have　been　an　unlucky　course　of　business　that　last　brought
her　into　munication　with　him；'　returned　Miss　Wade；　'and　business
hours　on　that　occasion　were　late。'

'You　imply；'　said　Arthur；　smarting　under　these　cool…handed　thrusts；　of
which　he　had　deeply　felt　the　force　already；　'