little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第30章

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loss　how　to　receive　it。

'You　can　if　you　like。　I　can　give　you　plenty　of　forms　to　fill　up。　Lots　of
'em　here。　You　can　have　a　dozen　if　you　like。　But　you'll　never　go　on　with
it；'　said　number　four。

'Would　it　be　such　hopeless　work？　Excuse　me；　I　am　a　stranger　in　England。'
'I　don't　say　it　would　be　hopeless；'　returned　number　four；　with　a　frank
smile。　'I　don't　express　an　opinion　about　that；　I　only　express　an　opinion
about　you。　I　don't　think　you'd　go　on　with　it。　However；　of　course；　you
can　do　as　you　like。　I　suppose　there　was　a　failure　in　the　performance　of
a　contract；　or　something　of　that　kind；　was　there？'

'I　really　don't　know。'

'Well！　That　you　can　find　out。　Then　you'll　find　out　what　Department　the
contract　was　in；　and　then　you'll　find　out　all　about　it　there。'

'I　beg　your　pardon。　How　shall　I　find　out？'

'Why；　you'll……you'll　ask　till　they　tell　you。　Then　you'll　memorialise
that　Department　（according　to　regular　forms　which　you'll　find　out）　for
leave　to　memorialise　this　Department。　If　you　get　it　（which　you　may　after
a　time）；　that　memorial　must　be　entered　in　that　Department；　sent　to
be　registered　in　this　Department；　sent　back　to　be　signed　by　that
Department；　sent　back　to　be　countersigned　by　this　Department；　and　then
it　will　begin　to　be　regularly　before　that　Department。　You'll　find　out
when　the　business　passes　through　each　of　these　stages　by　asking　at　both
Departments　till　they　tell　you。'

'But　surely　this　is　not　the　way　to　do　the　business；'　Arthur　Clennam
could　not　help　saying。

This　airy　young　Barnacle　was　quite　entertained　by　his　simplicity　in
supposing　for　a　moment　that　it　was。　This　light　in　hand　young　Barnacle
knew　perfectly　that　it　was　not。　This　touch　and　go　young　Barnacle　had
'got　up'　the　Department　in　a　private　secretaryship；　that　he　might
be　ready　for　any　little　bit　of　fat　that　came　to　hand；　and　he　fully
understood　the　Department　to　be　a　politico…diplomatic　hocus　pocus　piece
of　machinery　for　the　assistance　of　the　nobs　in　keeping　off　the
snobs。　This　dashing　young　Barnacle；　in　a　word；　was　likely　to　bee　a
statesman；　and　to　make　a　figure。

'When　the　business　is　regularly　before　that　Department；　whatever　it　is；'
pursued　this　bright　young　Barnacle；　'then　you　can　watch　it　from　time
to　time　through　that　Department。　When　it　es　regularly　before　this
Department；　then　you　must　watch　it　from　time　to　time　through　this
Department。　We　shall　have　to　refer　it　right　and　left；　and　when　we　refer
it　anywhere；　then　you'll　have　to　look　it　up。　When　it　es　back　to　us
at　any　time；　then　you　had　better　look　US　up。　When　it　sticks　anywhere；
you'll　have　to　try　to　give　it　a　jog。　When　you　write　to　another
Department　about　it；　and　then　to　this　Department　about　it；　and　don't
hear　anything　satisfactory　about　it；　why　then　you　had　better……keep　on
writing。'

Arthur　Clennam　looked　very　doubtful　indeed。　'But　I　am　obliged　to　you　at
any　rate；'　said　he；　'for　your　politeness。'

'Not　at　all；'　replied　this　engaging　young　Barnacle。　'Try　the　thing；　and
see　how　you　like　it。　It　will　be　in　your　power　to　give　it　up　at　any　time；
if　you　don't　like　it。　You　had　better　take　a　lot　of　forms　away　with　you。
Give　him　a　lot　of　forms！'　With　which　instruction　to　number　two；　this
sparkling　young　Barnacle　took　a　fresh　handful　of　papers　from　numbers　one
and　three；　and　carried　them　into　the　sanctuary　to　offer　to　the　presiding
Idol　of　the　Circumlocution　Office。

Arthur　Clennam　put　his　forms　in　his　pocket　gloomily　enough；　and　went
his　way　down　the　long　stone　passage　and　the　long　stone　staircase。　He　had
e　to　the　swing　doors　leading　into　the　street；　and　was　waiting；　not
over　patiently；　for　two　people　who　were　between　him　and　them　to　pass　out
and　let　him　follow；　when　the　voice　of　one　of　them　struck　familiarly　on
his　ear。　He　looked　at　the　speaker　and　recognised　Mr　Meagles。　Mr　Meagles
was　very　red　in　the　face……redder　than　travel　could　have　made　him……and
collaring　a　short　man　who　was　with　him；　said；　'e　out；　you　rascal；
e　Out！'

It　was　such　an　unexpected　hearing；　and　it　was　also　such　an　unexpected
sight　to　see　Mr　Meagles　burst　the　swing　doors　open；　and　emerge　into　the
street　with　the　short　man；　who　was　of　an　unoffending　appearance；　that
Clennam　stood　still　for　the　moment　exchanging　looks　of　surprise　with　the
porter。　He　folloeagles　going　down
the　street　with　his　enemy　at　his　side。　He　soon　came　up　with　his　old
travelling　panion；　and　touched　him　on　the　back。　The　choleric　face
which　Mr　Meagles　turned　upon　him　smoothed　when　he　saw　who　it　was；　and　he
put　out　his　friendly　hand。

'How　are　you？'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'How　d'ye　do？　I　have　only　just　e　over
from　abroad。　I　am　glad　to　see　you。'

'And　I　am　rejoiced　to　see　you。'

'Thank'ee。　Thank'ee！'

'Mrs　Meagles　and　your　daughter……？'

'Are　as　well　as　possible；'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'I　only　wish　you　had　e
upon　me　in　a　more　prepossessing　condition　as　to　coolness。'

Though　it　was　anything　but　a　hot　day；　Mr　Meagles　was　in　a　heated　state
that　attracted　the　attention　of　the　passersby；　more　particularly　as
he　leaned　his　back　against　a　railing；　took　off　his　hat　and　cravat；　and
heartily　rubbed　his　steaming　head　and　face；　and　his　reddened　ears　and
neck；　without　the　least　regard　for　public　opinion。

'Whew！'　said　Mr　Meagles；　dressing　again。　'That's　fortable。　Now　I　am
cooler。'

'You　have　been　ruffled；　Mr　Meagles。　What　is　the　matter？'

'Wait　a　bit；　and　I'll　tell　you。　Have　you　leisure　for　a　turn　in　the
Park？'

'As　much　as　you　please。'

'e　along　then。　Ah！　you　may　well　look　at　him。'　He　happened　to　have
turned　his　eyes　towards　the　offender　whom　Mr　Meagles　had　so　angrily
collared。　'He's　something　to　look　at；　that　fellow　is。'

He　was　not　much　to　look　at；　either　in　point　of　size　or　in　point　of
dress；　being　merely　a　short；　square；　practical　looking　man；　whose　hair
had　turned　grey；　and　in　whose　face　and　forehead　there　were　deep　lines　of
cogitation；　which　looked　as　though　they　were　carved　in　hard　wood。　He
was　dressed　in　decent　black；　a　little　rusty；　and　had　the　appearance　of
a　sagacious　master　in　some　handicraft。　He　had　a　spectacle…case　in　his
hand；　which　he　turned　over　and　over　while　he　was　thus　in　question；
with　a　certain　free　use　of　the　thumb　that　is　never　seen　but　in　a　hand
accustomed　to　tools。

'You　keep　with　us；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　in　a　threatening　kind　of　Way；　'and
I'll　introduce　you　presently。　Now　then！'

Clennam　wondered　within　himself；　as　they　took　the　nearest　way　to　the
Park；　what　this　unknown　（who　plied　in　the　gentlest　manner）　could　have
been　doing。　His　appearance　did　not　at　all　justify　the　suspicion　that　he
had　been　detected　in　designs　on　Mr　Meagles's　pocket…handkerchief；　nor
had　he　any　appearance　of　being　quarrelsome　or　violent。　He　was　a　quiet；
plain；　steady　man；　made　no　attempt　to　escape；　and　seemed　a　little
depressed；　but　neither　ashamed　nor　repentant。　If　he　were　a　criminal
offender；　he　must　surely　be　an　incorrigible　hypocrite；　and　if　he　were　no
offender；　why　should　Mr　Meagles　have　collared　him　in　the　Circumlocution
Office？　He　perceived　that　the　man　was　not　a　difficulty　in　his　own
mind　alone；　but　in　Mr　Meagles's　too；　for　such　conversation　as　they　had
together　on　the　short　way　to　the　Park　was　by　no　means　well　sustained；
and　Mr　Meagles's　eye　always　wandered　back　to　the　man；　even　when　he　spoke
of　something　very　different。

At　length　they　being　among　the　trees；　Mr　Meagles　stopped　short；　and
said：

'Mr　Clennam；　will　you　do　me　the　favour　to　look　at　this　man？　His　name
is　Doyce；　Daniel　Doyce。　You　wouldn't　suppose　this　man　to　be　a　notorious
rascal；　would　you？'

'I　certainly　should　not。'　It　was　really　a　disconcerting　question；　with
the　man　there。

'No。　You　would　not。　I　know　you　would　not。　You　wouldn't　suppose　him　to　be
a　public　offender；　would　you？'

'No。'

'No。　But　he　is。　He　is　a　public　offender。　What　has　he　been　guilty　of？
Murder；　manslaughter；　arson；　forgery；　swindling；　house…breaking；　highway
robbery；　larceny；　conspiracy；　fraud？　Which　should　you　say；　now？'

'I　should　say；'　returned　Arthur　Clennam；　observing　a　faint　smile　in
Daniel　Doyce's　face；　'not　one　of　them。'

'You　are　right；'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'But　he　has　been　ingenious；　and　he　has
been　trying　to　turn　his　ingenuity　to　his　country's　service。　That　makes
him　a　public　offender　directly；　sir。'

Arthur　looked　at　the　man　himself；　who　only　shook　his　head。

'This　Doyce；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'is　a　smith　and　engineer。　He　is　not　in　a
large　way；　but　he　is　well　known　as　a　very　ingenious　man。　A　dozen　years
ago；　he　perfects　an　invention　（involving　a　very　curious　secret　process）
of　great　importance　to　his　country　and　his　fellow…creatures。　I　won't　say
how　much　money　it　cost　him；　or　how　many　years　of　his　life　he　had　been
about　it；　but　he　brought　it　to　perfection　a　dozen　years　ago。　Wasn't　it　a
dozen？'　said　Mr　Meagles；　addressing　Doyce。　'He　is　the　most　exasperating
man　in　the　world；　he　never　plains！'

'Yes。　Rather　better　than　twelve　years　ago。'

'Rather　better？'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'you　mean　rather　worse。　Well；　Mr
Clennam；　he　addresses　himself　to　the　Government。　The　moment　he　addresses
himself　to　the　Government；　he　bees　a　public　offender！　Sir；'　said　Mr
Meagles；　in　danger　of　making　himself　excessively　hot　again；　'he　ceases
to　be　an　innocent　citizen；　and　bees　a　culprit。

He　is　treated　from　that　i