little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第177章

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half　a　grain　of　reality；　like　the　smallest　portion　of　some　other　scarce
natural　productions；　will　flavour　an　enormous　quantity　of　diluent。

It　came　to　pass；　therefore；　that　Physician's　little　dinners　always
presented　people　in　their　least　conventional　lights。　The　guests　said　to
themselves；　whether　they　were　conscious　of　it　or　no；　'Here　is　a　man　who
really　has　an　acquaintance　with　us　as　we　are；　who　is　admitted　to　some
of　us　every　day　with　our　wigs　and　paint　off；　who　hears　the　wanderings　of
our　minds；　and　sees　the　undisguised　expression　of　our　faces；　when　both
are　past　our　control；　we　may　as　well　make　an　approach　to　reality　with
him；　for　the　man　has　got　the　better　of　us　and　is　too　strong　for　us。'
Therefore；　Physician's　guests　came　out　so　surprisingly　at　his　round
table　that　they　were　almost　natural。

Bar's　knowledge　of　that　agglomeration　of　jurymen　which　is　called
humanity　was　as　sharp　as　a　razor；　yet　a　razor　is　not　a　generally
convenient　instrument；　and　Physician's　plain　bright　scalpel；　though　far
less　keen；　was　adaptable　to　far　wider　purposes。　Bar　knew　all　about　the
gullibility　and　knavery　of　people；　but　Physician　could　have　given　him
a　better　insight　into　their　tendernesses　and　affections；　in　one　week　of
his　rounds；　than　Westminster　Hall　and　all　the　circuits　put　together；
in　threescore　years　and　ten。　Bar　always　had　a　suspicion　of　this；　and
perhaps　was　glad　to　encourage　it　（for；　if　the　world　were　really　a　great
Law　Court；　one　would　think　that　the　last　day　of　Term　could　not　too　soon
arrive）；　and　so　he　liked　and　respected　Physician　quite　as　much　as　any
other　kind　of　man　did。

Mr　Merdle's　default　left　a　Banquo's　chair　at　the　table；　but；　if　he　had
been　there；　he　would　have　merely　made　the　difference　of　Banquo　in　it；
and　consequently　he　was　no　loss。　Bar；　who　picked　up　all　sorts　of　odds
and　ends　about　Westminster　Hall；　much　as　a　raven　would　have　done　if　he
had　passed　as　much　of　his　time　there；　had　been　picking　up　a　great　many
straws　lately　and　tossing　them　about；　to　try　which　way　the　Merdle　wind
blew。　He　now　had　a　little　talk　on　the　subject　with　Mrs　Merdle　herself；
sidling　up　to　that　lady；　of　course；　with　his　double　eye…glass　and　his
jury　droop。

'A　certain　bird；'　said　Bar；　and　he　looked　as　if　it　could　have　been　no
other　bird　than　a　magpie；　'has　been　whispering　among　us　lawyers　lately；
that　there　is　to　be　an　addition　to　the　titled　personages　of　this　realm。'

'Really？'　said　Mrs　Merdle。

'Yes；'　said　Bar。　'Has　not　the　bird　been　whispering　in　very　different
ears　from　ours……in　lovely　ears？'　He　looked　expressively　at　Mrs　Merdle's
nearest　ear…ring。

'Do　you　mean　mine？'　asked　Mrs　Merdle。

'When　I　say　lovely；'　said　Bar；　'I　always　mean　you。'

'You　never　mean　anything；　I　think；'　returned　Mrs　Merdle　（not
displeased）。

'Oh；　cruelly　unjust！'　said　Bar。　'But；　the　bird。'

'I　am　the　last　person　in　the　world　to　hear　news；'　observed　Mrs　Merdle；
carelessly　arranging　her　stronghold。　'Who　is　it？'


'What　an　admirable　witness　you　would　make！'　said　Bar。　'No　jury　（unless
we　could　empanel　one　of　blind　men）　could　resist　you；　if　you　were　ever　so
bad　a　one；　but　you　would　be　such　a　good　one！'

'Why；　you　ridiculous　man？'　asked　Mrs　Merdle；　laughing。

Bar　waved　his　double　eye…glass　three　or　four　times　between　himself　and
the　Bosom；　as　a　rallying　ansost　insinuating
accents：

'What　am　I　to　call　the　most　elegant；　acplished　and　charming　of　women；
a　few　weeks；　or　it　may　be　a　few　days；　hence？'

'Didn't　your　bird　tell　you　what　to　call　her？'　answered　Mrs　Merdle。　'Do
ask　it　to…morrow；　and　tell　me　the　next　time　you　see　me　what　it　says。'

This　led　to　further　passages　of　similar　pleasantry　between　the　two；　but
Bar；　with　all　his　sharpness；　got　nothing　out　of　them。　Physician；　on　the
other　hand；　taking　Mrs　Merdle　down　to　her　carriage　and　attending　on　her
as　she　put　on　her　cloak；　inquired　into　the　symptoms　with　his　usual　calm
directness。

'May　I　ask；'　he　said；　'is　this　true　about　Merdle？'

'My　dear　doctor；'　she　returned；　'you　ask　me　the　very　question　that　I　was
half　disposed　to　ask　you。'　'To　ask　me！　Why　me？'

'Upon　my　honour；　I　think　Mr　Merdle　reposes　greater　confidence　in　you
than　in　any　one。'

'On　the　contrary；　he　tells　me　absolutely　nothing；　even　professionally。
You　have　heard　the　talk；　of　course？'

'Of　course　I　have。　But　you　know　what　Mr　Merdle　is；　you　know　how
taciturn　and　reserved　he　is。　I　assure　you　I　have　no　idea　what　foundation
for　it　there　may　be。　I　should　like　it　to　be　true；　why　should　I　deny　that
to　you？　You　would　know　better；　if　I　did！'

'Just　so；'　said　Physician。

'But　whether　it　is　all　true；　or　partly　true；　or　entirely　false；　I　am
wholly　unable　to　say。　It　is　a　most　provoking　situation；　a　most　absurd
situation；　but　you　know　Mr　Merdle；　and　are　not　surprised。'

Physician　was　not　surprised；　handed　her　into　her　carriage；　and　bade　her
Good　Night。　He　stood　for　a　moment　at　his　own　hall　door；　looking　sedately
at　the　elegant　equipage　as　it　rattled　away。　On　his　return　up…stairs；　the
rest　of　the　guests　soon　dispersed；　and　he　was　left　alone。　Being　a　great
reader　of　all　kinds　of　literature　（and　never　at　all　apologetic　for　that
weakness）；　he　sat　down　fortably　to　read。

The　clock　upon　his　study　table　pointed　to　a　few　minutes　short　of　twelve；
when　his　attention　was　called　to　it　by　a　ringing　at　the　door　bell。　A　man
of　plain　habits；　he　had　sent　his　servants　to　bed　and　must　needs　go　down
to　open　the　door。　He　went　down；　and　there　found　a　man　without　hat　or
coat；　whose　shirt　sleeves　were　rolled　up　tight　to　his　shoulders。　For　a
moment；　he　thought　the　man　had　been　fighting：　the　rather；　as　he　was　much
agitated　and　out　of　breath。　A　second　look；　however；　showed　him　that
the　man　was　particularly　clean；　and　not　otherwise　disposed　as　to　his
dress　than　as　it　answered　this　description。

'I　e　from　the　warm…baths；　sir；　round　in　the　neighbouring　street。'

'And　what　is　the　matter　at　the　warm…baths？'

'Would　you　please　to　e　directly；　sir。　We　found　that；　lying　on　the
table。'

He　put　into　the　physician's　hand　a　scrap　of　paper。　Physician　looked　at
it；　and　read　his　own　name　and　address　written　in　pencil；　nothing　more。
He　looked　closer　at　the　writing；　looked　at　the　man；　took　his　hat　from
its　peg；　put　the　key　of　his　door　in　his　pocket；　and　they　hurried　away
together。

When　they　came　to　the　warm…baths；　all　the　other　people　belonging　to　that
establishment　were　looking　out　for　them　at　the　door；　and　running　up　and
down　the　passages。　'Request　everybody　else　to　keep　back；　if　you　please；'
said　the　physician　aloud　to　the　master；　'and　do　you　take　me　straight　to
the　place；　my　friend；'　to　the　messenger。

The　messenger　hurried　before　him；　along　a　grove　of　little　rooms；
and　turning　into　one　at　the　end　of　the　grove；　looked　round　the　door。
Physician　was　close　upon　him；　and　looked　round　the　door　too。

There　was　a　bath　in　that　corner；　from　which　the　water　had　been　hastily
drained　off。　Lying　in　it；　as　in　a　grave　or　sarcophagus；　with　a　hurried
drapery　of　sheet　and　blanket　thrown　across　it；　was　the　body　of　a
heavily…made　man；　with　an　obtuse　head；　and　coarse；　mean；　mon
features。　A　sky…light　had　been　opened　to　release　the　steam　with　which
the　room　had　been　filled；　but　it　hung；　condensed　into　water…drops；
heavily　upon　the　walls；　and　heavily　upon　the　face　and　figure　in　the
bath。　The　room　was　still　hot；　and　the　marble　of　the　bath　still　warm；　but
the　face　and　figure　were　clammy　to　the　touch。　The　white　marble　at　the
bottom　of　the　bath　was　veined　with　a　dreadful　red。　On　the　ledge　at
the　side；　were　an　empty　laudanum…bottle　and　a　tortoise…shell　handled
penknife……soiled；　but　not　with　ink。

'Separation　of　jugular　vein……death　rapid……been　dead　at　least　half　an
hour。'　This　echo　of　the　physician's　words　ran　through　the　passages
and　little　rooms；　and　through　the　house　while　he　was　yet　straightening
himself　from　having　bent　down　to　reach　to　the　bottom　of　the　bath；　and
while　he　was　yet　dabbling　his　hands　in　water；　redly　veining　it　as　the
marble　was　veined；　before　it　mingled　into　one　tint。

He　turned　his　eyes　to　the　dress　upon　the　sofa；　and　to　the　watch；　money；
and　pocket…book　on　the　table。　A　folded　note　half　buckled　up　in　the
pocket…book；　and　half　protruding　from　it；　caught　his　observant　glance。
He　looked　at　it；　touched　it；　pulled　it　a　little　further　out　from　among
the　leaves；　said　quietly；　'This　is　addressed　to　me；'　and　opened　and　read
it。

There　were　no　directions　for　him　to　give。　The　people　of　the　house　knew
what　to　do；　the　proper　authorities　were　soon　brought；　and　they　took　an
equable　business…like　possession　of　the　deceased；　and　of　what　had　been
his　property；　with　no　greater　disturbance　of　manner　or　countenance　than
usually　attends　the　winding…up　of　a　clock。　Physician　was　glad　to　walk
out　into　the　night　air……was　even　glad；　in　spite　of　his　great　experience；
to　sit　down　upon　a　door…step　for　a　little　while：　feeling　sick　and　faint。

Bar　was　a　near　neighbour　of　his；　and；　when　he　came　to　the　house；　he　saw
a　light　in　the　room　where　he　knew　his　friend　often　sat　late　getting　up
his　work。　As　the　light　was　never　there　when　Bar　was　not；　it　gave　him
assurance　that　Bar　was　not　yet　in　bed。　In　fact；　this　busy　bee　had
a　verdict　to　get　to…morrow；　against　evidence；　and　was　improving　the
shini