little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第197章

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express　image　of　irascible　doggedness；　'I　have　been　rasped……rasped　these
forty　years……by　your　taking　such　high　ground　even　with　me；　who　knows
better；　the　effect　of　it　being　coolly　to　put　me　on　low　ground。　I　admire
you　very　much；　you　are　a　woman　of　strong　head　and　great　talent；　but
the　strongest　head；　and　the　greatest　talent；　can't　rasp　a　man　for　forty
years　without　making　him　sore。　So　I　don't　care　for　your　present　eyes。
Now；　I　am　ing　to　the　paper；　and　mark　what　I　say。　You　put　it　away
somewhere；　and　you　kept　your　own　counsel　where。　You're　an　active　woman
at　that　time；　and　if　you　want　to　get　that　paper；　you　can　get　it。　But；
mark。　There　es　a　time　when　you　are　struck　into　what　you　are　now；　and
then　if　you　want　to　get　that　paper；　you　can't　get　it。　So　it　lies；　long
years；　in　its　hiding…place。　At　last；　when　we　are　expecting　Arthur　home
every　day；　and　when　any　day　may　bring　him　home；　and　it's　impossible　to
say　what　rummaging　he　may　make　about　the　house；　I　remend　you　five
thousand　times；　if　you　can't　get　at　it；　to　let　me　get　at　it；　that　it　may
be　put　in　the　fire。　But　no……no　one　but　you　knows　where　it　is；　and　that's
power；　and；　call　yourself　whatever　humble　names　you　will；　I　call　you　a
female　Lucifer　in　appetite　for　power！　On　a　Sunday　night；　Arthur　es
home。　He　has　not　been　in　this　room　ten　minutes；　when　he　speaks　of　his
father's　watch。　You　know　very　well　that　the　Do　Not　Forget；　at　the　time
when　his　father　sent　that　watch　to　you；　could　only　mean；　the　rest　of　the
story　being　then　all　dead　and　over；　Do　Not　Forget　the　suppression。　Make
restitution！　Arthur's　ways　have　frightened　you　a　bit；　and　the　paper
shall　be　burnt　after　all。　So；　before　that　jumping　jade　and　Jezebel；'　Mr
Flintwinch　grinned　at　his　wife；　'has　got　you　into　bed；　you　at　last　tell
me　where　you　have　put　the　paper；　among　the　old　ledgers　in　the　cellars；
where　Arthur　himself　went　prowling　the　very　next　morning。　But　it's　not
to　be　burnt　on　a　Sunday　night。　No；　you　are　strict；　you　are；　we　must　wait
over　twelve　o'clock；　and　get　into　Monday。　Now；　all　this　is　a　swallowing
of　me　up　alive　that　rasps　me；　so；　feeling　a　little　out　of　temper；　and
not　being　as　strict　as　yourself；　I　take　a　look　at　the　document　before
twelve　o'clock　to　refresh　my　memory　as　to　its　appearance……fold　up　one　of
the　many　yellow　old　papers　in　the　cellars　like　it……and　afterwards；　when
we　have　got　into　Monday　morning；　and　I　have；　by　the　light　of　your
lamp；　to　walk　from　you；　lying　on　that　bed；　to　this　grate；　make　a　little
exchange　like　the　conjuror；　and　burn　accordingly。　My　brother
Ephraim；　the　lunatic…keeper　（I　wish　he　had　had　himself　to　keep　in　a
strait…waistcoat）；　had　had　many　jobs　since　the　close　of　the　long　job　he
got　from　you；　but　had　not　done　well。　His　wife　died　（not　that　that
was　much；　mine　might　have　died　instead；　and　wele）；　he　speculated
unsuccessfully　in　lunatics；　he　got　into　difficulty　about　over…roasting
a　patient　to　bring　him　to　reason；　and　he　got　into　debt。　He　was　going　out
of　the　way；　on　what　he　had　been　able　to　scrape　up；　and　a　trifle　from　me。
He　was　here　that　early　Monday　morning；　waiting　for　the　tide；　in　short；
he　was　going　to　Antwerp；　where　（I　am　afraid　you'll　be　shocked　at
my　saying；　And　be　damned　to　him！）　he　made　the　acquaintance　of　this
gentleman。　He　had　e　a　long　way；　and；　I　thought　then；　was　only　sleepy；
but；　I　suppose　now；　was　drunk。　When　Arthur's　mother　had　been　under
the　care　of　him　and　his　wife；　she　had　been　always　writing；　incessantly
writing；……mostly　letters　of　confession　to　you；　and　Prayers　for
forgiveness。　My　brother　had　handed；　from　time　to　time；　lots　of　these
sheets　to　me。　I　thought　I　might　as　well　keep　them　to　myself　as　have　them
swallowed　up　alive　too；　so　I　kept　them　in　a　box；　looking　over　them　when
I　felt　in　the　humour。　Convinced　that　it　was　advisable　to　get　the　paper
out　of　the　place；　with　Arthur　ing　about　it；　I　put　it　into　this　same
box；　and　I　locked　the　whole　up　with　two　locks；　and　I　trusted　it　to　my
brother　to　take　away　and　keep；　till　I　should　write　about　it。　I　did　write
about　it；　and　never　got　an　answer。　I　didn't　know　what　to　make　of　it；
till　this　gentleman　favoured　us　with　his　first　visit。　Of　course；　I　began
to　suspect　how　it　was；　then；　and　I　don't　want　his　word　for　it　now　to
understand　how　he　gets　his　knowledge　from　my　papers；　and　your　paper；　and
my　brother's　cognac　and　tobacco　talk　（I　wish　he'd　had　to　gag　himself）。
Now；　I　have　only　one　thing　more　to　say；　you　hammer…headed　woman；　and
that　is；　that　I　haven't　altogether　made　up　my　mind　whether　I　might；　or
might　not；　have　ever　given　you　any　trouble　about　the　codicil。　I　think
not；　and　that　I　should　have　been　quite　satisfied　with　knowing　I　had　got
the　better　of　you；　and　that　I　held　the　power　over　you。　In　the　present
state　of　circumstances；　I　have　no　more　explanation　to　give　you　till
this　time　to…morrow　night。　So　you　may　as　well；'　said　Mr　Flintwinch；
terminating　his　oration　with　a　screw；　'keep　your　eyes　open　at　somebody
else；　for　it's　no　use　keeping　'em　open　at　me。'

She　slowly　withdrew　them　when　he　had　ceased；　and　dropped　her　forehead
on　her　hand。　Her　other　hand　pressed　hard　upon　the　table；　and　again　the
curious　stir　was　observable　in　her；　as　if　she　were　going　to　rise。

'This　box　can　never　bring；　elsewhere；　the　price　it　will　bring　here。

This　knowledge　can　never　be　of　the　same　profit　to　you；　sold　to　any　other
person；　as　sold　to　me。　But　I　have　not　the　present　means　of　raising　the
sum　you　have　demanded。　I　have　not　prospered。　What　will　you　take　now；　and
what　at　another　time；　and　how　am　I　to　be　assured　of　your　silence？'

'My　angel；'　said　Rigaud；　'I　have　said　what　I　will　take；　and　time
presses。　Before　ing　here；　I　placed　copies　of　the　most　important　of
these　papers　in　another　hand。　Put　off　the　time　till　the　Marshalsea
gate　shall　be　shut　for　the　night；　and　it　will　be　too　late　to　treat。　The
prisoner　will　have　read　them。'

She　put　her　two　hands　to　her　head　again；　uttered　a　loud　exclamation；　and
started　to　her　feet。　She　staggered　for　a　moment；　as　if　she　would　have
fallen；　then　stood　firm。

'Say　what　you　mean。　Say　what　you　mean；　man！'

Before　her　ghostly　figure；　so　long　unused　to　its　erect　attitude；　and　so
stiffened　in　it；　Rigaud　fell　back　and　dropped　his　voice。　It　was；　to　all
the　three；　almost　as　if　a　dead　woman　had　risen。

'Miss　Dorrit；'　answered　Rigaud；　'the　little　niece　of　Monsieur　Frederick；
whom　I　have　known　across　the　water；　is　attached　to　the　prisoner。　Miss
Dorrit；　little　niece　of　Monsieur　Frederick；　watches　at　this　moment　over
the　prisoner；　who　is　ill。　For　her　I　with　my　own　hands　left　a　packet
at　the　prison；　on　my　way　here；　with　a　letter　of　instructions；　〃FOR　HIS
SAKE〃……she　will　do　anything　for　his　sake……to　keep　it　without　breaking
the　seal；　in　case　of　its　being　reclaimed　before　the　hour　of　shutting　up
to…night……if　it　should　not　be　reclaimed　before　the　ringing　of　the　prison
bell；　to　give　it　to　him；　and　it　encloses　a　second　copy　for　herself；
which　he　must　give　to　her。　What！　I　don't　trust　myself　among　you；　now　we
have　got　so　far；　without　giving　my　secret　a　second　life。　And　as　to　its
not　bringing　me；　elsewhere；　the　price　it　will　bring　here；　say　then；
madame；　have　you　limited　and　settled　the　price　the　little　niece　will
give……for　his　sake……to　hush　it　up？　Once　more　I　say；　time　presses。　The
packet　not　reclaimed　before　the　ringing　of　the　bell　to…night；　you　cannot
buy。　I　sell；　then；　to　the　little　girl！'

Once　more　the　stir　and　struggle　in　her；　and　she　ran　to　a　closet；　tore
the　door　open；　took　down　a　hood　or　shawl；　and　wrapped　it　over　her　head。
Affery；　who　had　watched　her　in　terror；　darted　to　her　in　the　middle　of
the　room；　caught　hold　of　her　dress；　and　went　on　her　knees　to　her。

'Don't；　don't；　don't！　What　are　you　doing？　Where　are　you　going？　You're　a
fearful　woman；　but　I　don't　bear　you　no　ill…will。　I　can　do　poor　Arthur
no　good　now；　that　I　see；　and　you　needn't　be　afraid　of　me。　I'll　keep　your
secret。　Don't　go　out；　you'll　fall　dead　in　the　street。　Only　promise　me；
that；　if　it's　the　poor　thing　that's　kept　here　secretly；　you'll　let　me
take　charge　of　her　and　be　her　nurse。　Only　promise　me　that；　and　never　be
afraid　of　me。'

Mrs　Clennam　stood　still　for　an　instant；　at　the　height　of　her　rapid
haste；　saying　in　stern　amazement：

'Kept　here？　She　has　been　dead　a　score　of　years　or　more。　Ask
Flintwinch……ask　HIM。　They　can　both　tell　you　that　she　died　when　Arthur
went　abroad。'

'So　much　the　worse；'　said　Affery；　with　a　shiver；　'for　she　haunts　the
house；　then。　Who　else　rustles　about　it；　making　signals　by　dropping
dust　so　softly？　Who　else　es　and　goes；　and　marks　the　walls　with
long　crooked　touches　when　we　are　all　a…bed？　Who　else　holds　the　door
sometimes？　But　don't　go　out……don't　go　out！　Mistress；　you'll　die　in　the
street！'

Her　mistress　only　disengaged　her　dress　from　the　beseeching　hands；　said
to　Rigaud；　'Wait　here　till　I　e　back！'　and　ran　out　of　the　room。　They
saw　her；　from　the　window；　run　wildly　through　the　court…yard　and　out　at
the　gateway。

For　a　few　moments　they　stood　motionless。　Affery　was　the　first　to　move；
and　she；　wringing　her　hands；　pursued　her　mistress。　Next；　Jeremiah
Flintwinch；　slowly　backing　to　the　door；　with　one　hand　in　a　pocket；　and
the　other　rubbing　his　chin；　twisted　himself　out　in　his　reticent　way；
speechlessly。　Rigaud