little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第64章

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a　duty。　In　fact；　as　a　duty　that　he　owed　to　Society。'

Mr　Merdle　intimated　that　Society　was　the　apple　of　his　eye；　and　that　its
claims　were　paramount　to　every　other　consideration。　Treasury　moved
on；　and　Bar　came　up。　Bar；　with　his　little　insinuating　jury　droop；　and
fingering　his　persuasive　double　eye…glass；　hoped　he　might　be　excused　if
he　mentioned　to　one　of　the　greatest　converters　of　the　root　of　all　evil
into　the　root　of　all　good；　who　had　for　a　long　time　reflected　a　shining
lustre　on　the　annals　even　of　our　mercial　country……if　he　mentioned；
disinterestedly；　and　as；　what　we　lawyers　called　in　our　pedantic　way；
amicus　curiae；　a　fact　that　had　e　by　accident　within　his　knowledge。　He
had　been　required　to　look　over　the　title　of　a　very　considerable　estate
in　one　of　the　eastern　counties……lying；　in　fact；　for　Mr　Merdle　knew　we
lawyers　loved　to　be　particular；　on　the　borders　of　two　of　the　eastern
counties。　Now；　the　title　was　perfectly　sound；　and　the　estate　was　to
be　purchased　by　one　who　had　the　mand　of……Money　（jury　droop　and
persuasive　eye…glass）；　on　remarkably　advantageous　terms。　This　had　e
to　Bar's　knowledge　only　that　day；　and　it　had　occurred　to　him；　'I
shall　have　the　honour　of　dining　with　my　esteemed　friend　Mr　Merdle
this　evening；　and；　strictly　between　ourselves；　I　will　mention　the
opportunity。'　Such　a　purchase　would　involve　not　only　a　great　legitimate
political　influence；　but　some　half…dozen　church　presentations　of
considerable　annual　value。　Now；　that　Mr　Merdle　was　already　at　no　loss
to　discover　means　of　occupying　even　his　capital；　and　of　fully　employing
even　his　active　and　vigorous　intellect；　Bar　well　knew：　but　he　would
venture　to　suggest　that　the　question　arose　in　his　mind；　whether　one　who
had　deservedly　gained　so　high　a　position　and　so　European　a　reputation
did　not　owe　it……we　would　not　say　to　himself；　but　we　would　say　to
Society；　to　possess　himself　of　such　influences　as　these；　and　to　exercise
them……we　would　not　say　for　his　own；　or　for　his　party's；　but　we　would　say
for　Society's……benefit。

Mr　Merdle　again　expressed　himself　as　wholly　devoted　to　that　object　of
his　constant　consideration；　and　Bar　took　his　persuasive　eye…glass　up　the
grand　staircase。　Bishop　then　came　undesignedly　sidling　in　the　direction
of　the　sideboard。

Surely　the　goods　of　this　world；　it　occurred　in　an　accidental　way　to
Bishop　to　remark；　could　scarcely　be　directed　into　happier　channels　than
when　they　accumulated　under　the　magic　touch　of　the　wise　and　sagacious；
who；　while　they　knew　the　just　value　of　riches　（Bishop　tried　here　to
look　as　if　he　were　rather　poor　himself）；　were　aware　of　their　importance；
judiciously　governed　and　rightly　distributed；　to　the　welfare　of　our
brethren　at　large。

Mr　Merdle　with　humility　expressed　his　conviction　that　Bishop　couldn't
mean　him；　and　with　inconsistency　expressed　his　high　gratification　in
Bishop's　good　opinion。

Bishop　then……jauntily　stepping　out　a　little　with　his　well…shaped　right
leg；　as　though　he　said　to　Mr　Merdle　'don't　mind　the　apron；　a　mere　form！'
put　this　case　to　his　good　friend：

Whether　it　had　occurred　to　his　good　friend；　that　Society　might　not
unreasonably　hope　that　one　so　blest　in　his　undertakings；　and　whose
example　on　his　pedestal　was　so　influential　with　it；　would　shed　a　little
money　in　the　direction　of　a　mission　or　so　to　Africa？

Mr　Merdle　signifying　that　the　idea　should　have　his　best　attention；
Bishop　put　another　case：

Whether　his　good　friend　had　at　all　interested　himself　in　the　proceedings
of　our　bined　Additional　Endowed　Dignitaries　mittee；　and　whether　it
had　occurred　to　him　that　to　shed　a　little　money　in　that　direction　might
be　a　great　conception　finely　executed？

Mr　Merdle　made　a　similar　reply；　and　Bishop　explained　his　reason　for
inquiring。

Society　looked　to　such　men　as　his　good　friend　to　do　such　things。　It　was
not　that　HE　looked　to　them；　but　that　Society　looked　to　them。

Just　as　it　was　not　Our　mittee　who　wanted　the　Additional　Endowed
Dignitaries；　but　it　was　Society　that　was　in　a　state　of　the　most
agonising　uneasiness　of　mind　until　it　got　them。　He　begged　to　assure　his
good　friend　that　he　was　extremely　sensible　of　his　good　friend's　regard
on　all　occasions　for　the　best　interests　of　Society；　and　he　considered
that　he　was　at　once　consulting　those　interests　and　expressing　the
feeling　of　Society；　when　he　wished　him　continued　prosperity；　continued
increase　of　riches；　and　continued　things　in　general。

Bishop　then　betook　himself　up…stairs；　and　the　other　magnates　gradually
floated　up　after　him　until　there　was　no　one　left　below　but　Mr　Merdle。
That　gentleman；　after　looking　at　the　table…cloth　until　the　soul　of　the
chief　butler　glowed　with　a　noble　resentment；　went　slowly　up　after　the
rest；　and　became　of　no　account　in　the　stream　of　people　on　the　grand
staircase。　Mrs　Merdle　was　at　home；　the　best　of　the　jewels　were　hung　out
to　be　seen；　Society　got　what　it　came　for；　Mr　Merdle　drank　twopennyworth
of　tea　in　a　corner　and　got　more　than　he　wanted。

Among　the　evening　magnates　was　a　famous　physician；　who　knew　everybody；
and　whom　everybody　knew。　On　entering　at　the　door；　he　came　upon　Mr　Merdle
drinking　his　tea　in　a　corner；　and　touched　him　on　the　arm。

Mr　Merdle　started。　'Oh！　It's　you！'

'Any　better　to…day？'

'No；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'I　am　no　better。'

'A　pity　I　didn't　see　you　this　morning。　Pray　e　to　me　to…morrow；　or　let
me　e　to　you。'

'Well！'　he　replied。　'I　will　e　to…morrow　as　I　drive　by。'　Bar　and
Bishop　had　both　been　bystanders　during　this　short　dialogue；　and　as　Mr
Merdle　was　swept　away　by　the　crowd；　they　made　their　remarks　upon　it
to　the　Physician。　Bar　said；　there　was　a　certain　point　of　mental　strain
beyond　which　no　man　could　go；　that　the　point　varied　with　various
textures　of　brain　and　peculiarities　of　constitution；　as　he　had　had
occasion　to　notice　in　several　of　his　learned　brothers；　but　the　point　of
endurance　passed　by　a　line's　breadth；　depression　and　dyspepsia　ensued。
Not　to　intrude　on　the　sacred　mysteries　of　medicine；　he　took　it；　now
（with　the　jury　droop　and　persuasive　eye…glass）；　that　this　was　Merdle's
case？　Bishop　said　that　when　he　was　a　young　man；　and　had　fallen　for　a
brief　space　into　the　habit　of　writing　sermons　on　Saturdays；　a　habit
which　all　young　sons　of　the　church　should　sedulously　avoid；　he　had
frequently　been　sensible　of　a　depression；　arising　as　he　supposed　from　an
over…taxed　intellect；　upon　which　the　yolk　of　a　new…laid　egg；　beaten　up
by　the　good　woman　in　whose　house　he　at　that　time　lodged；　with　a　glass
of　sound　sherry；　nutmeg；　and　powdered　sugar　acted　like　a　charm。　Without
presuming　to　offer　so　simple　a　remedy　to　the　consideration　of　so
profound　a　professor　of　the　great　healing　art；　he　would　venture　to
inquire　whether　the　strain；　being　by　way　of　intricate　calculations；
the　spirits　might　not　（humanly　speaking）　be　restored　to　their　tone　by　a
gentle　and　yet　generous　stimulant？

'Yes；'　said　the　physician；　'yes；　you　are　both　right。　But　I　may　as　well
tell　you　that　I　can　find　nothing　the　matter　with　Mr　Merdle。　He　has
the　constitution　of　a　rhinoceros；　the　digestion　of　an　ostrich；　and
the　concentration　of　an　oyster。　As　to　nerves；　Mr　Merdle　is　of　a　cool
temperament；　and　not　a　sensitive　man：　is　about　as　invulnerable；　I　should
say；　as　Achilles。　How　such　a　man　should　suppose　himself　unwell　without
reason；　you　may　think　strange。　But　I　have　found　nothing　the　matter　with
him。　He　may　have　some　deep…seated　recondite　plaint。　I　can't　say。　I
only　say；　that　at　present　I　have　not　found　it　out。'

There　was　no　shadow　of　Mr　Merdle's　plaint　on　the　bosom　now　displaying
precious　stones　in　rivalry　with　many　similar　superb　jewel…stands；　there
was　no　shadow　of　Mr　Merdle's　plaint　on　young　Sparkler　hovering　about
the　rooms；　monomaniacally　seeking　any　sufficiently　ineligible　young　lady
with　no　nonsense　about　her；　there　was　no　shadow　of　Mr　Merdle's　plaint
on　the　Barnacles　and　Stiltstalkings；　of　whom　whole　colonies　were
present；　or　on　any　of　the　pany。　Even　on　himself；　its　shadow　was　faint
enough　as　he　moved　about　among　the　throng；　receiving　homage。

Mr　Merdle's　plaint。　Society　and　he　had　so　much　to　do　with　one　another
in　all　things　else；　that　it　is　hard　to　imagine　his　plaint；　if　he
had　one；　being　solely　his　own　affair。　Had　he　that　deep…seated　recondite
plaint；　and　did　any　doctor　find　it　out？　Patience；　in　the　meantime；
the　shadow　of　the　Marshalsea　wall　was　a　real　darkening　influence；　and
could　be　seen　on　the　Dorrit　Family　at　any　stage　of　the　sun's　course。




CHAPTER　22。　A　Puzzle


Mr　Clennam　did　not　increase　in　favour　with　the　Father　of　the　Marshalsea
in　the　ratio　of　his　increasing　visits。　His　obtuseness　on　the　great
Testimonial　question　was　not　calculated　to　awaken　admiration　in　the
paternal　breast；　but　had　rather　a　tendency　to　give　offence　in　that
sensitive　quarter；　and　to　be　regarded　as　a　positive　shorting　in　point
of　gentlemanly　feeling。　An　impression　of　disappointment；　occasioned
by　the　discovery　that　Mr　Clennam　scarcely　possessed　that　delicacy　for
which；　in　the　confidence　of　his　nature；　he　had　been　inclined　to　give
him　credit；　began　to　darken　the　fatherly　mind　in　connection　with　that
gentleman。　The　father　went　so　far　as　to　say；　in　his　private　family
circle；　that　he　feared　Mr　Clennam　was　not　a　man　of　high　instinc