little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第76章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


individual　characters　and　histories　upon　which　it　was　turned。

That　Mr　Pancks　should　be　moved　to　invite　any　one　to　dinner　at
Pentonville；　was　an　unprecedented　fact　in　his　calendar。　But　he　invited
Young　John　to　dinner；　and　even　brought　him　within　range　of　the　dangerous
（because　expensive）　fascinations　of　Miss　Rugg。　The　banquet　was　appointed
for　a　Sunday；　and　Miss　Rugg　with　her　own　hands　stuffed　a　leg　of　mutton
with　oysters　on　the　occasion；　and　sent　it　to　the　baker's……not　THE
baker's　but　an　opposition　establishment。　Provision　of　oranges；　apples；
and　nuts　was　also　made。　And　rum　was　brought　home　by　Mr　Pancks　on
Saturday　night；　to　gladden　the　visitor's　heart。　The　store　of　creature
forts　was　not　the　chief　part　of　the　visitor's　reception。　Its　special
feature　was　a　foregone　family　confidence　and　sympathy。　When　Young　John
appeared　at　half…past　one　without　the　ivory　hand　and　waistcoat　of　golden
sprigs；　the　sun　shorn　of　his　beams　by　disastrous　clouds；　Mr　Pancks
presented　him　to　the　yellow…haired　Ruggs　as　the　young　man　he　had　so
often　mentioned　who　loved　Miss　Dorrit。　'I　am　glad；'　said　Mr　Rugg；
challenging　him　specially　in　that　character；　'to　have　the　distinguished
gratification　of　making　your　acquaintance；　sir。　Your　feelings　do　you
honour。　You　are　young；　may　you　never　outlive　your　feelings！　If　I　was
to　outlive　my　own　feelings；　sir；'　said　Mr　Rugg；　who　was　a　man　of　many
words；　and　was　considered　to　possess　a　remarkably　good　address；　'if　I
was　to　outlive　my　own　feelings；　I'd　leave　fifty　pound　in　my　will　to　the
man　who　would　put　me　out　of　existence。'

Miss　Rugg　heaved　a　sigh。

'My　daughter；　sir；'　said　Mr　Rugg。　'Anastatia；　you　are　no　stranger　to　the
state　of　this　young　man's　affections。　My　daughter　has　had　her　trials；
sir'……Mr　Rugg　might　have　used　the　word　more　pointedly　in　the　singular
number……'and　she　can　feel　for　you。'

Young　John；　almost　overwhelmed　by　the　touching　nature　of　this　greeting；
professed　himself　to　that　effect。

'What　I　envy　you；　sir；　is；'　said　Mr　Rugg；　'allow　me　to　take　your　hat……we
are　rather　short　of　pegs……I'll　put　it　in　the　corner；　nobody　will　tread
on　it　there……What　I　envy　you；　sir；　is　the　luxury　of　your　own　feelings。　I
belong　to　a　profession　in　which　that　luxury　is　sometimes　denied　us。'

Young　John　replied；　with　acknowledgments；　that　he　only　hoped　he　did　what
was　right；　and　what　showed　how　entirely　he　was　devoted　to　Miss　Dorrit。
He　wished　to　be　unselfish；　and　he　hoped　he　was。　He　wished　to　do　anything
as　laid　in　his　power　to　serve　Miss　Dorrit；　altogether　putting　himself
out　of　sight；　and　he　hoped　he　did。　It　was　but　little　that　he　could　do；
but　he　hoped　he　did　it。

'Sir；'　said　Mr　Rugg；　taking　him　by　the　hand；　'you　are　a　young　man　that
it　does　one　good　to　e　across。　You　are　a　young　man　that　I　should
like　to　put　in　the　witness…box；　to　humanise　the　minds　of　the　legal
profession。　I　hope　you　have　brought　your　appetite　with　you；　and　intend
to　play　a　good　knife　and　fork？'

'Thank　you；　sir；'　returned　Young　John；　'I　don't　eat　much　at　present。'

Mr　Rugg　drew　him　a　little　apart。　'My　daughter's　case；　sir；'　said　he；　'at
the　time　when；　in　vindication　of　her　outraged　feelings　and　her　sex；　she
became　the　plaintiff　in　Rugg　and　Bawkins。　I　suppose　I　could　have　put　it
in　evidence；　Mr　Chivery；　if　I　had　thought　it　worth　my　while；　that　the
amount　of　solid　sustenance　my　daughter　consumed　at　that　period　did　not
exceed　ten　ounces　per　week。'　'I　think　I　go　a　little　beyond　that；　sir；'
returned　the　other；　hesitating；　as　if　he　confessed　it　with　some　shame。

'But　in　your　case　there's　no　fiend　in　human　form；'　said　Mr　Rugg；　with
argumentative　smile　and　action　of　hand。　'Observe；　Mr　Chivery！

No　fiend　in　human　form！'　'No；　sir；　certainly；'　Young　John　added　with
simplicity；　'I　should　be　very　sorry　if　there　was。'

'The　sentiment；'　said　Mr　Rugg；　'is　what　I　should　have　expected　from　your
known　principles。　It　would　affect　my　daughter　greatly；　sir；　if　she　heard
it。　As　I　perceive　the　mutton；　I　am　glad　she　didn't　hear　it。　Mr　Pancks；
on　this　occasion；　pray　face　me。　My　dear；　face　Mr　Chivery。　For　what　we
are　going　to　receive；　may　we　（and　Miss　Dorrit）　be　truly　thankful！'

But　for　a　grave　waggishness　in　Mr　Rugg's　manner　of　delivering　this
introduction　to　the　feast；　it　might　have　appeared　that　Miss　Dorrit　was
expected　to　be　one　of　the　pany。　Pancks　recognised　the　sally　in
his　usual　way；　and　took　in　his　provender　in　his　usual　way。　Miss　Rugg；
perhaps　making　up　some　of　her　arrears；　likewise　took　very　kindly　to
the　mutton；　and　it　rapidly　diminished　to　the　bone。　A　bread…and…butter
pudding　entirely　disappeared；　and　a　considerable　amount　of　cheese　and
radishes　vanished　by　the　same　means。　Then　came　the　dessert。

Then　also；　and　before　the　broaching　of　the　rum　and　water；　came　Mr
Pancks's　note…book。　The　ensuing　business　proceedings　were　brief　but
curious；　and　rather　in　the　nature　of　a　conspiracy。　Mr　Pancks　looked　over
his　note…book；　which　was　now　getting　full；　studiously；　and　picked　out
little　extracts；　which　he　wrote　on　separate　slips　of　paper　on　the　table；
Mr　Rugg；　in　the　meanwhile；　looking　at　him　with　close　attention；　and
Young　John　losing　his　uncollected　eye　in　mists　of　meditation。　When　Mr
Pancks；　who　supported　the　character　of　chief　conspirator；　had　pleted
his　extracts；　he　looked　them　over；　corrected　them；　put　up　his　note…book；
and　held　them　like　a　hand　at　cards。

'Now；　there's　a　churchyard　in　Bedfordshire；'　said　Pancks。　'Who　takes
it？'

'I'll　take　it；　sir；'　returned　Mr　Rugg；　'if　no　one　bids。'

Mr　Pancks　dealt　him　his　card；　and　looked　at　his　hand　again。

'Now；　there's　an　Enquiry　in　York；'　said　Pancks。　'Who　takes　it？'

'I'm　not　good　for　York；'　said　Mr　Rugg。

'Then　perhaps；'　pursued　Pancks；　'you'll　be　so　obliging；　John　Chivery？'
Young　John　assenting；　Pancks　dealt　him　his　card；　and　consulted　his　hand
again。

'There's　a　Church　in　London；　I　may　as　well　take　that。　And　a　Family
Bible；　I　may　as　well　take　that；　too。　That's　two　to　me。　Two　to　me；'
repeated　Pancks；　breathing　hard　over　his　cards。　'Here's　a　Clerk　at
Durham　for　you；　John；　and　an　old　seafaring　gentleman　at　Dunstable　for
you；　Mr　Rugg。　Two　to　me；　was　it？　Yes；　two　to　me。　Here's　a　Stone；　three
to　me。　And　a　Still…born　Baby；　four　to　me。　And　all；　for　the　present；
told。'　When　he　had　thus　disposed　of　his　cards；　all　being　done　very
quietly　and　in　a　suppressed　tone；　Mr　Pancks　puffed　his　way　into　his　own
breast…pocket　and　tugged　out　a　canvas　bag；　from　which；　with　a　sparing
hand；　he　told　forth　money　for　travelling　expenses　in　two　little
portions。　'Cash　goes　out　fast；'　he　said　anxiously；　as　he　pushed　a
portion　to　each　of　his　male　panions；　'very　fast。'

'I　can　only　assure　you；　Mr　Pancks；'　said　Young　John；　'that　I　deeply
regret　my　circumstances　being　such　that　I　can't　afford　to　pay　my　own
charges；　or　that　it's　not　advisable　to　allow　me　the　time　necessary　for
my　doing　the　distances　on　foot；　because　nothing　would　give　me　greater
satisfaction　than　to　walk　myself　off　my　legs　without　fee　or　reward。'

This　young　man's　disinterestedness　appeared　so　very　ludicrous　in
the　eyes　of　Miss　Rugg；　that　she　was　obliged　to　effect　a　precipitate
retirement　from　the　pany；　and　to　sit　upon　the　stairs　until　she　had
had　her　laugh　out。　Meanwhile　Mr　Pancks；　looking；　not　without　some　pity；
at　Young　John；　slowly　and　thoughtfully　twisted　up　his　canvas　bag　as　if
he　were　wringing　its　neck。　The　lady；　returning　as　he　restored　it　to　his
pocket；　mixed　rum　and　water　for　the　party；　not　forgetting　her　fair　self；
and　handed　to　every　one　his　glass。　When　all　were　supplied；　Mr　Rugg　rose；
and　silently　holding　out　his　glass　at　arm's　length　above　the　centre　of
the　table；　by　that　gesture　invited　the　other　three　to　add　theirs；　and　to
unite　in　a　general　conspiratorial　clink。　The　ceremony　was　effective　up
to　a　certain　point；　and　would　have　been　wholly　so　throughout；　if　Miss
Rugg；　as　she　raised　her　glass　to　her　lips　in　pletion　of　it；　had　not
happened　to　look　at　Young　John；　when　she　was　again　so　overe　by　the
contemptible　icality　of　his　disinterestedness　as　to　splutter　some
ambrosial　drops　of　rum　and　water　around；　and　withdraw　in　confusion。

Such　was　the　dinner　without　precedent；　given　by　Pancks　at　Pentonville；
and　such　was　the　busy　and　strange　life　Pancks　led。　The　only　waking
moments　at　which　he　appeared　to　relax　from　his　cares；　and　to　recreate
himself　by　going　anywhere　or　saying　anything　without　a　pervading　object；
were　when　he　showed　a　dawning　interest　in　the　lame　foreigner　with　the
stick；　down　Bleeding　Heart　Yard。

The　foreigner；　by　name　John　Baptist　Cavalletto……they　called　him　Mr
Baptist　in　the　Yard……was　such　a　chirping；　easy；　hopeful　little　fellow；
that　his　attraction　for　Pancks　was　probably　in　the　force　of　contrast。
Solitary；　ost　necessary　words
of　the　only　language　in　which　he　could　municate　with　the　people　about
him；　he　went　with　the　stream　of　his　fortunes；　in　a　brisk　way　that　was
new　in　those　parts。　With　little　to　eat；　and　less　to　drink；　and　nothing
to　wear　but　what　he　wore　upon　him；　or　had　brought　tied　up　in　one　of　the
smallest　bundles　that　ever　were　seen；　he　put　as　bright　a　face　upon　it　as
if　he　were　in　the　most　flourishing　circumstances　when　he　first　hobbled
up　and　down　the　Yard；　humbly　propitiating　the　general　good…will　with　his
white