little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第205章

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precious　box　down…stairs　for　you。'

They　got　into　the　street　as　the　bell　began　to　ring；　Mr　Meagles　carrying
the　box。　Little　Dorrit　had　no　conveyance　there：　which　rather　surprised
him。　He　called　a　coach　for　her　and　she　got　into　it；　and　he　placed　the
box　beside　her　when　she　was　seated。　In　her　joy　and　gratitude　she　kissed
his　hand。

'I　don't　like　that；　my　dear；'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'It　goes　against　my
feeling　of　what's　right；　that　YOU　should　do　homage　to　ME……at　the
Marshalsea　Gate。'

She　bent　forward；　and　kissed　his　cheek。

'You　remind　me　of　the　days；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　suddenly　drooping……'but
she's　very　fond　of　him；　and　hides　his　faults；　and　thinks　that　no
one　sees　them……and　he　certainly　is　well　connected　and　of　a　very　good
family！'

It　was　the　only　fort　he　had　in　the　loss　of　his　daughter；　and　if　he
made　the　most　of　it；　who　could　blame　him？




CHAPTER　34。　Gone


On　a　healthy　autumn　day；　the　Marshalsea　prisoner；　weak　but　otherwise
restored；　sat　listening　to　a　voice　that　read　to　him。　On　a　healthy　autumn
day；　when　the　golden　fields　had　been　reaped　and　ploughed　again；　when　the
summer　fruits　had　ripened　and　waned；　when　the　green　perspectives　of　hops
had　been　laid　low　by　the　busy　pickers；　when　the　apples　clustering　in　the
orchards　were　russet；　and　the　berries　of　the　mountain　ash　were　crimson
among　the　yellowing　foliage。　Already　in　the　woods；　glimpses　of　the　hardy
winter　that　was　ing　were　to　be　caught　through　unaccustomed　openings
among　the　boughs　where　the　prospect　shone　defined　and　clear；　free　from
the　bloom　of　the　drowsy　summer　weather；　which　had　rested　on　it　as　the
bloom　lies　on　the　plum。　So；　from　the　seashore　the　ocean　was　no　longer　to
be　seen　lying　asleep　in　the　heat；　but　its　thousand　sparkling　eyes　were
open；　and　its　whole　breadth　was　in　joyful　animation；　from　the　cool　sand
on　the　beach　to　the　little　sails　on　the　horizon；　drifting　away　like
autumn…tinted　leaves　that　had　drifted　from　the　trees。　Changeless　and
barren；　looking　ignorantly　at　all　the　seasons　with　its　fixed；　pinched
face　of　poverty　and　care；　the　prison　had　not　a　touch　of　any　of　these
beauties　on　it。　Blossom　what　would；　its　bricks　and　bars　bore　uniformly
the　same　dead　crop。　Yet　Clennam；　listening　to　the　voice　as　it　read　to
him；　heard　in　it　all　that　great　Nature　was　doing；　heard　in　it　all　the
soothing　songs　she　sings　to　man。　At　no　Mother's　knee　but　hers　had　he
ever　dwelt　in　his　youth　on　hopeful　promises；　on　playful　fancies；　on
the　harvests　of　tenderness　and　humility　that　lie　hidden　in　the
early…fostered　seeds　of　the　imagination；　on　the　oaks　of　retreat　from
blighting　winds；　that　have　the　germs　of　their　strong　roots　in　nursery
acorns。

But；　in　the　tones　of　the　voice　that　read　to　him；　there　were　memories　of
an　old　feeling　of　such　things；　and　echoes　of　every　merciful　and　loving
whisper　that　had　ever　stolen　to　him　in　his　life。

When　the　voice　stopped；　he　put　his　hand　over　his　eyes；　murmuring　that
the　light　was　strong　upon　them。


Little　Dorrit　put　the　book　by；　and　presently　arose　quietly　to　shade
the　window。　Maggy　sat　at　her　needlework　in　her　old　place。　The　light
softened；　Little　Dorrit　brought　her　chair　closer　to　his　side。

'This　will　soon　be　over　now；　dear　Mr　Clennam。　Not　only　are　Mr　Doyce's
letters　to　you　so　full　of　friendship　and　encouragement；　but　Mr　Rugg　says
his　letters　to　him　are　so　full　of　help；　and　that　everybody　（now　a　little
anger　is　past）　is　so　considerate；　and　speaks　so　well　of　you；　that　it
will　soon　be　over　now。'

'Dear　girl。　Dear　heart。　Good　angel！'

'You　praise　me　far　too　much。　And　yet　it　is　such　an　exquisite　pleasure
to　me　to　hear　you　speak　so　feelingly；　and　to……and　to　see；'　said　Little
Dorrit；　raising　her　eyes　to　his；　'how　deeply　you　mean　it；　that　I　cannot
say　Don't。'

He　lifted　her　hand　to　his　lips。

'You　have　been　here　many；　many　times；　when　I　have　not　seen　you；　Little
Dorrit？'

'Yes；　I　have　been　here　sometimes　when　I　have　not　e　into　the　room。'

'Very　often？'

'Rather　often；'　said　Little　Dorrit；　timidly。

'Every　day？'

'I　think；'　said　Little　Dorrit；　after　hesitating；　'that　I　have　been　here
at　least　twice　every　day。'　He　might　have　released　the　little　light　hand
after　fervently　kissing　it　again；　but　that；　with　a　very　gentle　lingering
where　it　was；　it　seemed　to　court　being　retained。　He　took　it　in　both　of
his；　and　it　lay　softly　on　his　breast。

'Dear　Little　Dorrit；　it　is　not　my　imprisonment　only　that　will　soon　be
over。　This　sacrifice　of　you　must　be　ended。　We　must　learn　to　part　again；
and　to　take　our　different　ways　so　wide　asunder。　You　have　not　forgotten
what　we　said　together；　when　you　came　back？'

'O　no；　I　have　not　forgotten　it。　But　something　has　been……You　feel　quite
strong　to…day；　don't　you？'

'Quite　strong。'

The　hand　he　held　crept　up　a　little　nearer　his　face。

'Do　you　feel　quite　strong　enough　to　know　what　a　great　fortune　I　have
got？'


'I　shall　be　very　glad　to　be　told。　No　fortune　can　be　too　great　or　good
for　Little　Dorrit。'

'I　have　been　anxiously　waiting　to　tell　you。　I　have　been　longing　and
longing　to　tell　you。　You　are　sure　you　will　not　take　it？'

'Never！'

'You　are　quite　sure　you　will　not　take　half　of　it？'

'Never；　dear　Little　Dorrit！'

As　she　looked　at　him　silently；　there　was　something　in　her　affectionate
face　that　he　did　not　quite　prehend：　something　that　could　have　broken
into　tears　in　a　moment；　and　yet　that　was　happy　and　proud。

'You　will　be　sorry　to　hear　what　I　have　to　tell　you　about　Fanny。　Poor
Fanny　has　lost　everything。　She　has　nothing　left　but　her　husband's
ine。　All　that　papa　gave　her　when　she　married　was　lost　as　your　money
was　lost。　It　was　in　the　same　hands；　and　it　is　all　gone。'

Arthur　was　more　shocked　than　surprised　to　hear　it。　'I　had　hoped　it　might
not　be　so　bad；'　he　said：　'but　I　had　feared　a　heavy　loss　there；　knowing
the　connection　between　her　husband　and　the　defaulter。'

'Yes。　It　is　all　gone。　I　am　very　sorry　for　Fanny；　very；　very；　very　sorry
for　poor　Fanny。　My　poor　brother　too！'　'Had　he　property　in　the　same
hands？'

'Yes！　And　it's　all　gone。……How　much　do　you　think　my　own　great　fortune
is？'

As　Arthur　looked　at　her　inquiringly；　with　a　new　apprehension　on　him；
she　withdrew　her　hand；　and　laid　her　face　down　on　the　spot　where　it　had
rested。

'I　have　nothing　in　the　world。　I　am　as　poor　as　when　I　lived　here。　When
papa　came　over　to　England；　he　confided　everything　he　had　to　the　same
hands；　and　it　is　all　swept　away。　O　my　dearest　and　best；　are　you　quite
sure　you　will　not　share　my　fortune　with　me　now？'

Locked　in　his　arms；　held　to　his　heart；　with　his　manly　tears　upon　her　own
cheek；　she　drew　the　slight　hand　round　his　neck；　and　clasped　it　in　its
fellow…hand。

'Never　to　part；　my　dearest　Arthur；　never　any　more；　until　the　last！

I　never　was　rich　before；　I　never　was　proud　before；　I　never　was　happy
before；　I　am　rich　in　being　taken　by　you；　I　am　proud　in　having　been
resigned　by　you；　I　am　happy　in　being　with　you　in　this　prison；　as　I
should　be　happy　in　ing　back　to　it　with　you；　if　it　should　be　the　will
of　GOD；　and　forting　and　serving　you　with　all　my　love　and　truth。　I　am
yours　anywhere；　everywhere！　I　love　you　dearly！　I　would　rather　pass　my
life　here　with　you；　and　go　out　daily；　working　for　our　bread；　than　I
would　have　the　greatest　fortune　that　ever　was　told；　and　be　the　greatest
lady　that　ever　was　honoured。　O；　if　poor　papa　may　only　know　how　blest　at
last　my　heart　is；　in　this　room　where　he　suffered　for　so　many　years！'

Maggy　had　of　course　been　staring　from　the　first；　and　had　of　course　been
crying　her　eyes　out　long　before　this。　Maggy　was　now　so　overjoyed　that；
after　hugging　her　little　mother　with　all　her　might；　she　went　down…stairs
like　a　clog…hornpipe　to　find　somebody　or　other　to　whom　to　impart　her
gladness。　Whom　should　Maggy　meet　but　Flora　and　Mr　F。's　Aunt　opportunely
ing　in？　And　eeting；　should
Little　Dorrit　find　waiting　for　herself；　when；　a　good　two　or　three　hours
afterwards；　she　went　out？

Flora's　eyes　were　a　little　red；　and　she　seemed　rather　out　of　spirits。
Mr　F。's　Aunt　was　so　stiffened　that　she　had　the　appearance　of　being　past
bending　by　any　means　short　of　powerful　mechanical　pressure。　Her　bon
was　cocked　up　behind　in　a　terrific　manner；　and　her　stony　reticule　was　as
rigid　as　if　it　had　been　petrified　by　the　Gorgon's　head；　and　had　got　it
at　that　moment　inside。　With　these　imposing　attributes；　Mr　F。's　Aunt；
publicly　seated　on　the　steps　of　the　Marshal's　official　residence；　had
been　for　the　two　or　three　hours　in　question　a　great　boon　to　the　younger
inhabitants　of　the　Borough；　whose　sallies　of　humour　she　had　considerably
flushed　herself　by　resenting　at　the　point　of　her　umbrella；　from　time　to
time。

'Painfully　aware；　Miss　Dorrit；　I　am　sure；'　said　Flora；　'that　to　propose
an　adjournment　to　any　place　to　one　so　far　removed　by　fortune　and　so
courted　and　caressed　by　the　best　society　must　ever　appear　intruding
even　if　not　a　pie…shop　far　below　your　present　sphere　and　a　back…parlour
though　a　civil　man　but　if　for　the　sake　of　Arthur……cannot　overe　it
more　improper　now　than　ever　late　Doyce　and　Clennam……one　last　remark　I
might　wish　to　make　one　last　explanation　I　might　wish　to　offer　perhaps
your　good　nature　might　excuse　under　pretence　of　three　kidney　ones　the
humble　place　of　conversation。'

Rightly　inter