little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第74章

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him。　He　could　only　stare；　and　sometimes　weakly　mutter　that　it　wouldn't
be　believed　down　Bleeding　Heart　Yard　that　this　was　Pancks；　but　he　never
said　a　word　more；　or　made　a　sign　more；　even　to　Little　Dorrit。

Mr　Pancks　crowned　his　mysteries　by　making　himself　acquainted　with　Tip
in　some　unknown　manner；　and　taking　a　Sunday　saunter　into　the　College
on　that　gentleman's　arm。　Throughout　he　never　took　any　notice　of　Little
Dorrit；　save　once　or　twice　when　he　happened　to　e　close　to　her　and
there　was　no　one　very　near；　on　which　occasions；　he　said　in　passing；
with　a　friendly　look　and　a　puff　of　encouragement；　'Pancks　the
gipsy……fortune…telling。'

Little　Dorrit　worked　and　strove　as　usual；　wondering　at　all　this；　but
keeping　her　wonder；　as　she　had　from　her　earliest　years　kept　many　heavier
loads；　in　her　own　breast。　A　change　had　stolen；　and　was　stealing　yet；
over　the　patient　heart。　Every　day　found　her　something　more　retiring
than　the　day　before。　To　pass　in　and　out　of　the　prison　unnoticed；　and
elsewhere　to　be　overlooked　and　forgotten；　were；　for　herself；　her　chief
desires。

To　her　own　room　too；　strangely　assorted　room　for　her　delicate　youth
and　character；　she　was　glad　to　retreat　as　often　as　she　could　without
desertion　of　any　duty。　There　were　afternoon　times　when　she　was
unemployed；　when　visitors　dropped　in　to　play　a　hand　at　cards　with　her
father；　when　she　could　be　spared　and　was　better　away。　Then　she　would
flit　along　the　yard；　climb　the　scores　of　stairs　that　led　to　her　room；
and　take　her　seat　at　the　window。　Many　binations　did　those　spikes
upon　the　wall　assume；　many　light　shapes　did　the　strong　iron　weave　itself
into；　many　golden　touches　fell　upon　the　rust；　while　Little　Dorrit　sat
there　musing。　New　zig…zags　sprung　into　the　cruel　pattern　sometimes；　when
she　saw　it　through　a　burst　of　tears；　but　beautified　or　hardened　still；
always　over　it　and　under　it　and　through　it；　she　was　fain　to　look　in　her
solitude；　seeing　everything　with　that　ineffaceable　brand。

A　garret；　and　a　Marshalsea　garret　without　promise；　was　Little
Dorrit's　room。　Beautifully　kept；　it　was　ugly　in　itself；　and　had　little
but　cleanliness　and　air　to　set　it　off；　for　what　embellishment　she　had
ever　been　able　to　buy；　had　gone　to　her　father's　room。　Howbeit；　for　this
poor　place　she　showed　an　increasing　love；　and　to　sit　in　it　alone　became
her　favourite　rest。

Insomuch；　that　on　a　certain　afternoon　during　the　Pancks　mysteries；　when
she　was　seated　at　her　window；　and　heard　Maggy's　well…known　step　ing
up　the　stairs；　she　was　very　much　disturbed　by　the　apprehension　of　being
summoned　away。　As　Maggy's　step　came　higher　up　and　nearer；　she　trembled
and　faltered；　and　it　was　as　much　as　she　could　do　to　speak；　when　Maggy　at
length　appeared。

'Please；　Little　Mother；'　said　Maggy；　panting　for　breath；　'you　must　e
down　and　see　him。　He's　here。'

'Who；　Maggy？'

'Who；　o'　course　Mr　Clennam。　He's　in　your　father's　room；　and　he　says　to
me；　Maggy；　will　you　be　so　kind　and　go　and　say　it's　only　me。'

'I　am　not　very　well；　Maggy。　I　had　better　not　go。　I　am　going　to　lie　down。
See！　I　lie　down　now；　to　ease　my　head。　Say；　with　my　grateful　regard；　that
you　left　me　so；　or　I　would　have　e。'

'Well；　it　an't　very　polite　though；　Little　Mother；'　said　the　staring
Maggy；　'to　turn　your　face　away；　neither！'

Maggy　was　very　susceptible　to　personal　slights；　and　very　ingenious　in
inventing　them。　'Putting　both　your　hands　afore　your　face　too！'　she　went
on。　'If　you　can't　bear　the　looks　of　a　poor　thing；　it　would　be　better　to
tell　her　so　at　once；　and　not　go　and　shut　her　out　like　that；　hurting　her
feelings　and　breaking　her　heart　at　ten　year　old；　poor　thing！'

'It's　to　ease　my　head；　Maggy。'

'Well；　and　if　you　cry　to　ease　your　head；　Little　Mother；　let　me　cry　too。
Don't　go　and　have　all　the　crying　to　yourself；'　expostulated　Maggy；　'that
an't　not　being　greedy。'　And　immediately　began　to　blubber。

It　was　with　some　difficulty　that　she　could　be　induced　to　go　back　with
the　excuse；　but　the　promise　of　being　told　a　story……of　old　her　great
delight……on　condition　that　she　concentrated　her　faculties　upon　the
errand　and　left　her　little　mistress　to　herself　for　an　hour　longer；
bined　with　a　misgiving　on　Maggy's　part　that　she　had　left　her　good
temper　at　the　bottom　of　the　staircase；　prevailed。　So　away　she　went；
muttering　her　message　all　the　way　to　keep　it　in　her　mind；　and；　at　the
appointed　time；　came　back。

'He　was　very　sorry；　I　can　tell　you；'　she　announced；　'and　wanted　to　send
a　doctor。　And　he's　ing　again　to…morrow　he　is　and　I　don't　think　he'll
have　a　good　sleep　to…night　along　o'　hearing　about　your　head；　Little
Mother。　Oh　my！　Ain't　you　been　a…crying！'

'I　think　I　have；　a　little；　Maggy。'

'A　little！　Oh！'

'But　it's　all　over　now……all　over　for　good；　Maggy。　And　my　head　is　much
better　and　cooler；　and　I　am　quite　fortable。　I　am　very　glad　I　did　not
go　down。'

Her　great　staring　child　tenderly　embraced　her；　and　having　smoothed　her
hair；　and　bathed　her　forehead　and　eyes　with　cold　water　（offices　in　which
her　awkward　hands　became　skilful）；　hugged　her　again；　exulted　in　her
brighter　looks；　and　stationed　her　in　her　chair　by　the　window。　Over
against　this　chair；　Maggy；　with　apoplectic　exertions　that　were　not
at　all　required；　dragged　the　box　which　was　her　seat　on　story…telling
occasions；　sat　down　upon　it；　hugged　her　own　knees；　and　said；　with　a
voracious　appetite　for　stories；　and　with　widely…opened　eyes：

'Now；　Little　Mother；　let's　have　a　good　'un！'

'What　shall　it　be　about；　Maggy？'

'Oh；　let's　have　a　princess；'　said　Maggy；　'and　let　her　be　a　reg'lar　one。
Beyond　all　belief；　you　know！'

Little　Dorrit　considered　for　a　moment；　and　with　a　rather　sad　smile　upon
her　face；　which　was　flushed　by　the　sunset；　began：

'Maggy；　there　was　once　upon　a　time　a　fine　King；　and　he　had　everything　he
could　wish　for；　and　a　great　deal　more。　He　had　gold　and　silver；　diamonds
and　rubies；　riches　of　every　kind。　He　had　palaces；　and　he　had……'

'Hospitals；'　interposed　Maggy；　still　nursing　her　knees。　'Let　him　have
hospitals；　because　they're　so　fortable。　Hospitals　with　lots　of
Chicking。'

'Yes；　he　had　plenty　of　them；　and　he　had　plenty　of　everything。'

'Plenty　of　baked　potatoes；　for　instance？'　said　Maggy。

'Plenty　of　everything。'

'Lor！'　chuckled　Maggy；　giving　her　knees　a　hug。　'Wasn't　it　prime！'

'This　King　had　a　daughter；　who　was　the　wisest　and　most　beautiful
Princess　that　ever　was　seen。　When　she　was　a　child　she　understood　all　her
lessons　before　her　masters　taught　them　to　her；　and　when　she　was　grown
up；　she　was　the　wonder　of　the　world。　Now；　near　the　Palace　where　this
Princess　lived；　there　was　a　cottage　in　which　there　was　a　poor　little
tiny　woman；　who　lived　all　alone　by　herself。'

'An　old　woman；'　said　Maggy；　with　an　unctuous　smack　of　her　lips。

'No；　not　an　old　woman。　Quite　a　young　one。'

'I　wonder　she　warn't　afraid；'　said　Maggy。　'Go　on；　please。'

'The　Princess　passed　the　cottage　nearly　every　day；　and　whenever　she　went
by　in　her　beautiful　carriage；　she　saw　the　poor　tiny　woman　spinning　at
her　wheel；　and　she　looked　at　the　tiny　woman；　and　the　tiny　woman　looked
at　her。　So；　one　day　she　stopped　the　coachman　a　little　way　from　the
cottage；　and　got　out　and　walked　on　and　peeped　in　at　the　door；　and　there；
as　usual；　was　the　tiny　woman　spinning　at　her　wheel；　and　she　looked　at
the　Princess；　and　the　Princess　looked　at　her。'

'Like　trying　to　stare　one　another　out；'　said　Maggy。　'Please　go　on；
Little　Mother。'

'The　Princess　was　such　a　wonderful　Princess　that　she　had　the　power　of
knowing　secrets；　and　she　said　to　the　tiny　woman；　Why　do　you　keep　it
there？　This　showed　her　directly　that　the　Princess　knew　why　she　lived
all　alone　by　herself　spinning　at　her　wheel；　and　she　kneeled　down　at
the　Princess's　feet；　and　asked　her　never　to　betray　her。　So　the　Princess
said；　I　never　will　betray　you。　Let　me　see　it。　So　the　tiny　woman　closed
the　shutter　of　the　cottage　window　and　fastened　the　door；　and　trembling
from　head　to　foot　for　fear　that　any　one　should　suspect　her；　opened　a
very　secret　place　and　showed　the　Princess　a　shadow。'

'Lor！'　said　Maggy。　'It　was　the　shadow　of　Some　one　who　had　gone　by　long
before：　of　Some　one　who　had　gone　on　far　away　quite　out　of　reach；　never；
never　to　e　back。　It　was　bright　to　look　at；　and　when　the　tiny　woman
showed　it　to　the　Princess；　she　was　proud　of　it　with　all　her　heart；　as
a　great；　great　treasure。　When　the　Princess　had　considered　it　a　little
while；　she　said　to　the　tiny　woman；　And　you　keep　watch　over　this　every
day？　And　she　cast　down　her　eyes；　and　whispered；　Yes。　Then　the　Princess
said；　Remind　me　why。　To　which　the　other　replied；　that　no　one　so　good　and
kind　had　ever　passed　that　way；　and　that　was　why　in　the　beginning。　She
said；　too；　that　nobody　missed　it；　that　nobody　was　the　worse　for　it；　that
Some　one　had　gone　on；　to　those　who　were　expecting　him……'

'Some　one　was　a　man　then？'　interposed　Maggy。

Little　Dorrit　timidly　said　Yes；　she　believed　so；　and　resumed：

'……Had　gone　on　to　those　who　were　expecting　him；　and　that　this
remembrance　was　stolen　or　kept　back　from　nobody。　The　Princess　made
answer；　Ah！　But　when　the　cottager　died　it　would　be　discovered　there。　The
tiny　woman　told　her　No；　when　that　time　came；　it　would　sink　quietly　into
her　own　grave；　and　would　never　be　found。'

'Well