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第186章

little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第186章

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genuine a taste for swindling; will succeed as well。 Pardon me; but
I think you really have no idea how the human bees will swarm to the
beating of any old tin kettle; in that fact lies the plete manual of
governing them。 When they can be got to believe that the kettle is made
of the precious metals; in that fact lies the whole power of men like
our late lamented。 No doubt there are here and there;' said Ferdinand
politely; 'exceptional cases; where people have been taken in for what
appeared to them to be much better reasons; and I need not go far to
find such a case; but they don't invalidate the rule。 Good day! I hope
that when I have the pleasure of seeing you; next; this passing cloud
will have given place to sunshine。 Don't e a step beyond the door。 I
know the way out perfectly。 Good day!'

With those words; the best and brightest of the Barnacles went
down…stairs; hummed his way through the Lodge; mounted his horse in the
front court…yard; and rode off to keep an appointment with his noble
kinsman; who wanted a little coaching before he could triumphantly
answer certain infidel Snobs who were going to question the Nobs about
their statesmanship。

He must have passed Mr Rugg on his way out; for; a minute or two
afterwards; that ruddy…headed gentleman shone in at the door; like an
elderly Phoebus。

'How do you do to…day; sir?' said Mr Rugg。 'Is there any little thing I
can do for you to…day; sir?'

'No; I thank you。'

Mr Rugg's enjoyment of embarrassed affairs was like a housekeeper's
enjoyment in pickling and preserving; or a washerwoman's enjoyment of a
heavy wash; or a dustman's enjoyment of an overflowing dust…bin; or any
other professional enjoyment of a mess in the way of business。

'I still look round; from time to time; sir;' said Mr Rugg; cheerfully;
'to see whether any lingering Detainers are accumulating at the gate。
They have fallen in pretty thick; sir; as thick as we could have
expected。'

He remarked upon the circumstance as if it were matter of
congratulation: rubbing his hands briskly; and rolling his head a
little。

'As thick;' repeated Mr Rugg; 'as we could reasonably have expected。
Quite a shower…bath of 'em。 I don't often intrude upon you now; when I
look round; because I know you are not inclined for pany; and that if
you wished to see me; you would leave word in the Lodge。 But I am here
pretty well every day; sir。 Would this be an unseasonable time; sir;'
asked Mr Rugg; coaxingly; 'for me to offer an observation?'

'As seasonable a time as any other。'

'Hum! Public opinion; sir;' said Mr Rugg; 'has been busy with you。'

'I don't doubt it。'

'Might it not be advisable; sir;' said Mr Rugg; more coaxingly yet; 'now
to make; at last and after all; a trifling concession to public opinion?
We all do it in one way or another。 The fact is; we must do it。'

'I cannot set myself right with it; Mr Rugg; and have no business to
expect that I ever shall。'

'Don't say that; sir; don't say that。 The cost of being moved to the
Bench is almost insignificant; and if the general feeling is strong that
you ought to be there; why……really……'

'I thought you had settled; Mr Rugg;' said Arthur; 'that my
determination to remain here was a matter of taste。'

'Well; sir; well! But is it good taste; is it good taste? That's the
Question。' Mr Rugg was so soothingly persuasive as to be quite pathetic。
'I was almost going to say; is it good feeling? This is an extensive
affair of yours; and your remaining here where a man can e for a
pound or two; is remarked upon as not in keeping。 It is not in keeping。
I can't tell you; sir; in hoentioned。 I
heard ments made upon it last night in a Parlour frequented by what
I should call; if I did not look in there now and then myself; the best
legal pany……I heard; there; ments on it that I was sorry to hear。
They hurt me on your account。 Again; only this morning at breakfast。 My
daughter (but a woman; you'll say: yet still with a feeling for these
things; and even with some little personal experience; as the plaintiff
in Rugg and Bawkins) was expressing her great surprise; her great
surprise。

Now under these circumstances; and considering that none of us can quite
set ourselves above public opinion; wouldn't a trifling concession to
that opinion be……e; sir;' said Rugg; 'I will put it on the lowest
ground of argument; and say; amiable?'

Arthur's thoughts had once more wandered away to Little Dorrit; and the
question remained unanswered。

'As to myself; sir;' said Mr Rugg; hoping that his eloquence had reduced
him to a state of indecision; 'it is a principle of mine not to consider
myself when a client's inclinations are in the scale。 But; knowing your
considerate character and general wish to oblige; I will repeat that I
should prefer your being in the Bench。

Your case has made a noise; it is a creditable case to be professionally
concerned in; I should feel on a better standing with my connection; if
you went to the Bench。 Don't let that influence you; sir。 I merely state
the fact。'

So errant had the prisoner's attention already grown in solitude and
dejection; and so accustomed had it bee to mune with only one
silent figure within the ever…frowning walls; that Clennam had to shake
off a kind of stupor before he could look at Mr Rugg; recall the thread
of his talk; and hurriedly say; 'I am unchanged; and unchangeable; in my
decision。 Pray; let it be; let it be!' Mr Rugg; without concealing that
he was tled and mortified; replied:

'Oh! Beyond a doubt; sir。 I have travelled out of the record; sir; I am
aware; in putting the point to you。 But really; when I herd it remarked
in several panies; and in very good pany; that however worthy of a
foreigner; it is not worthy of the spirit of an Englishman to remain in
the Marshalsea when the glorious liberties of his island home admit
of his removal to the Bench; I thought I would depart from the narrow
professional line marked out to me; and mention it。 Personally;' said Mr
Rugg; 'I have no opinion on the topic。'

'That's well;' returned Arthur。

'Oh! None at all; sir!' said Mr Rugg。 'If I had; I should have been
unwilling; some minutes ago; to see a client of mine visited in this
place by a gentleman of a high family riding a saddle…horse。 But it was
not my business。 If I had; I might have wished to be now empowered to
mention to another gentleman; a gentleman of military exterior at
present waiting in the Lodge; that my client had never intended to
remain here; and was on the eve of removal to a superior abode。 But my
course as a professional machine is clear; I have nothing to do with it。
Is it your good pleasure to see the gentleman; sir?'

'Who is waiting to see me; did you say?'

'I did take that unprofessional liberty; sir。 Hearing that I was your
professional adviser; he declined to interpose before my very limited
function was performed。 Happily;' said Mr Rugg; with sarcasm; 'I did not
so far travel out of the record as to ask the gentleman for his name。'

'I suppose I have no resource but to see him;' sighed Clennam; wearily。

'Then it IS your good pleasure; sir?' retorted Rugg。 'Am I honoured by
your instructions to mention as much to the gentleman; as I pass out? I
am? Thank you; sir。 I take my leave。' His leave he took accordingly; in
dudgeon。

The gentleman of military exterior had so imperfectly awakened Clennam's
curiosity; in the existing state of his mind; that a half…forgetfulness
of such a visitor's having been referred to; was already creeping over
it as a part of the sombre veil which almost always dimmed it now; when
a heavy footstep on the stairs aroused him。 It appeared to ascend them;
not very promptly or spontaneously; yet with a display of stride and
clatter meant to be insulting。 As it paused for a moment on the
landing outside his door; he could not recall his association with the
peculiarity of its sound; though he thought he had one。 Only a moment
was given him for consideration。 His door was immediately swung open
by a thump; and in the doorway stood the missing Blandois; the cause of
many anxieties。

'Salve; fellow jail…bird!' said he。 'You want me; it seems。 Here I am!'

Before Arthur could speak to him in his indignant wonder; Cavalletto
followed him into the room。 Mr Pancks followed Cavalletto。 Neither of
the two had been there since its present occupant had had possession of
it。 Mr Pancks; breathing hard; sidled near the window; put his hat on
the ground; stirred his hair up with both hands; and folded his arms;
like a man who had e to a pause in a hard day's work。 Mr Baptist;
never taking his eyes from his dreaded chum of old; softly sat down on
the floor with his back against the door and one of his ankles in
each hand: resuming the attitude (except that it was now expressive of
unwinking watchfulness) in which he had sat before the same man in the
deeper shade of another prison; one hot morning at Marseilles。 'I have
it on the witnessing of these two madmen;' said Monsieur Blandois;
otherwise Lagnier; otherwise Rigaud; 'that you want me; brother…bird。
Here I am!' Glancing round contemptuously at the bedstead; which was
turned up by day; he leaned

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