little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第83章

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a　dejected　youth　stood　spiking　his　chin　on　the　summit　of　a　precipitous
little　shoot　of　wooden　steps；　but　could　gain　no　information。　They　walked
up　the　street　on　one　side　of　the　way；　and　down　it　on　the　other；　what
time　two　vociferous　news…sellers；　announcing　an　extraordinary　event　that
had　never　happened　and　never　would　happen；　pitched　their　hoarse　voices
into　the　secret　chambers；　but　nothing　came　of　it。　At　length　they　stood
at　the　corner　from　which　they　had　begun；　and　it　had　fallen　quite　dark；
and　they　were　no　wiser。

It　happened　that　in　the　street　they　had　several　times　passed　a　dingy
house；　apparently　empty；　with　bills　in　the　windows；　announcing　that　it
was　to　let。　The　bills；　as　a　variety　in　the　funeral　procession；　almost
amounted　to　a　decoration。　Perhaps　because　they　kept　the　house　separated
in　his　mind；　or　perhaps　because　Mr　Meagles　and　himself　had　twice　agreed
in　passing；　'It　is　clear　she　don't　live　there；'　Clennam　now　proposed
that　they　should　go　back　and　try　that　house　before　finally　going　away。
Mr　Meagles　agreed；　and　back　they　went。

They　knocked　once；　and　they　rang　once；　without　any　response。

'Empty；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　listening。　'Once　more；'　said　Clennam；　and
knocked　again。　After　that　knock　they　heard　a　movement　below；　and
somebody　shuffling　up　towards　the　door。

The　confined　entrance　was　so　dark　that　it　was　impossible　to　make　out
distinctly　what　kind　of　person　opened　the　door；　but　it　appeared　to　be　an
old　woman。　'Excuse　our　troubling　you；'　said　Clennam。　'Pray　can　you
tell　us　where　Miss　Wade　lives？'　The　voice　in　the　darkness　unexpectedly
replied；　'Lives　here。'

'Is　she　at　home？'

No　answer　ing；　Mr　Meagles　asked　again。　'Pray　is　she　at　home？'

After　another　delay；　'I　suppose　she　is；'　said　the　voice　abruptly；　'you
had　better　e　in；　and　I'll　ask。'

They　'were　summarily　shut　into　the　close　black　house；　and　the　figure
rustling　away；　and　speaking　from　a　higher　level；　said；　'e　up；　if　you
please；　you　can't　tumble　over　anything。'　They　groped　their　way　up…stairs
towards　a　faint　light；　which　proved　to　be　the　light　of　the　street
shining　through　a　window；　and　the　figure　left　them　shut　in　an　airless
room。

'This　is　odd；　Clennam；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　softly。

'Odd　enough；'　assented　Clennam　in　the　same　tone；　'but　we　have　succeeded；
that's　the　main　point。　Here's　a　light　ing！'

The　light　was　a　lamp；　and　the　bearer　was　an　old　woman：　very　dirty；　very
wrinkled　and　dry。　'She's　at　home；'　she　said　（and　the　voice　was　the　same
that　had　spoken　before）；　'she'll　e　directly。'　Having　set　the　lamp
down　on　the　table；　the　old　woman　dusted　her　hands　on　her　apron；　which
she　might　have　done　for　ever　without　cleaning　them；　looked　at　the
visitors　with　a　dim　pair　of　eyes；　and　backed　out。

The　lady　whom　they　had　e　to　see；　if　she　were　the　present　occupant
of　the　house；　appeared　to　have　taken　up　her　quarters　there　as　she　might
have　established　herself　in　an　Eastern　caravanserai。　A　small　square
of　carpet　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　a　few　articles　of　furniture　that
evidently　did　not　belong　to　the　room；　and　a　disorder　of　trunks　and
travelling　articles；　formed　the　whole　of　her　surroundings。　Under　some
former　regular　inhabitant；　the　stifling　little　apartment　had　broken　out
into　a　pier…glass　and　a　gilt　table；　but　the　gilding　was　as　faded　as　last
year's　flowers；　and　the　glass　was　so　clouded　that　it　seemed　to　hold　in
magic　preservation　all　the　fogs　and　bad　weather　it　had　ever　reflected。
The　visitors　had　had　a　minute　or　two　to　look　about　them；　when　the　door
opened　and　Miss　Wade　came　in。

She　was　exactly　the　same　as　when　they　had　parted；　just　as　handsome；　just
as　scornful；　just　as　repressed。　She　manifested　no　surprise　in　seeing
them；　nor　any　other　emotion。　She　requested　them　to　be　seated；　and
declining　to　take　a　seat　herself；　at　once　anticipated　any　introduction
of　their　business。

'I　apprehend；'　she　said；　'that　I　know　the　cause　of　your　favouring　me
with　this　visit。　We　may　e　to　it　at　once。'

'The　cause　then；　ma'am；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'is　Tattycoram。'

'So　I　supposed。'

'Miss　Wade；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'will　you　be　so　kind　as　to　say　whether　you
know　anything　of　her？'

'Surely。　I　know　she　is　here　with　me。'

'Then；　ma'am；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'allow　me　to　make　known　to　you　that　I
shall　be　happy　to　have　her　back；　and　that　my　wife　and　daughter　will
be　happy　to　have　her　back。　She　has　been　with　us　a　long　time：　we　don't
forget　her　claims　upon　us；　and　I　hope　we　know　how　to　make　allowances。'

'You　hope　to　know　how　to　make　allowances？'　she　returned；　in　a　level；
measured　voice。　'For　what？'

'I　think　my　friend　would　say；　Miss　Wade；'　Arthur　Clennam　interposed；
seeing　Mr　Meagles　rather　at　a　loss；　'for　the　passionate　sense　that
sometimes　es　upon　the　poor　girl；　of　being　at　a　disadvantage。　Which
occasionally　gets　the　better　of　better　remembrances。'

The　lady　broke　into　a　smile　as　she　turned　her　eyes　upon　him。　'Indeed？'
was　all　she　answered。

She　stood　by　the　table　so　perfectly　posed　and　still　after　this
acknowledgment　of　his　remark　that　Mr　Meagles　stared　at　her　under　a　sort
of　fascination；　and　could　not　even　look　to　Clennam　to　make　another　move。
After　waiting；　awkwardly　enough；　for　some　moments；　Arthur　said：　'Perhaps
it　would　be　well　if　Mr　Meagles　could　see　her；　Miss　Wade？'

'That　is　easily　done；'　said　she。　'e　here；　child。'　She　had　opened　a
door　while　saying　this；　and　now　led　the　girl　in　by　the　hand。　It　was
very　curious　to　see　them　standing　together：　the　girl　with　her　disengaged
fingers　plaiting　the　bosom　of　her　dress；　half　irresolutely；　half
passionately；　Miss　Wade　with　her　posed　face　attentively　regarding
her；　and　suggesting　to　an　observer；　with　extraordinary　force；　in　her
posure　itself　（as　a　veil　will　suggest　the　form　it　covers）；　the
unquenchable　passion　of　her　own　nature。

'See　here；'　she　said；　in　the　same　level　way　as　before。　'Here　is　your
patron；　your　master。　He　is　willing　to　take　you　back；　my　dear；　if　you　are
sensible　of　the　favour　and　choose　to　go。　You　can　be；　again；　a　foil　to
his　pretty　daughter；　a　slave　to　her　pleasant　wilfulness；　and　a　toy　in
the　house　showing　the　goodness　of　the　family。　You　can　have　your　droll
name　again；　playfully　pointing　you　out　and　setting　you　apart；　as　it　is
right　that　you　should　be　pointed　out　and　set　apart。　（Your　birth；　you
know；　you　must　not　forget　your　birth。）　You　can　again　be　shown　to　this
gentleman's　daughter；　Harriet；　and　kept　before　her；　as　a　living　reminder
of　her　own　superiority　and　her　gracious　condescension。　You　can　recover
all　these　advantages　and　many　more　of　the　same　kind　which　I　dare　say
start　up　in　your　memory　while　I　speak；　and　which　you　lose　in　taking
refuge　with　me……you　can　recover　them　all　by　telling　these　gentlemen　how
humbled　and　penitent　you　are；　and　by　going　back　to　them　to　be　forgiven。
What　do　you　say；　Harriet？　Will　you　go？'

The　girl　who；　under　the　influence　of　these　words；　had　gradually　risen
in　anger　and　heightened　in　colour；　answered；　raising　her　lustrous　black
eyes　for　the　moment；　and　clenching　her　hand　upon　the　folds　it　had　been
puckering　up；　'I'd　die　sooner！'

Miss　Wade；　still　standing　at　her　side　holding　her　hand；　looked　quietly
round　and　said　with　a　smile；　'Gentlemen！　What　do　you　do　upon　that？'

Poor　Mr　Meagles's　inexpressible　consternation　in　hearing　his　motives　and
actions　so　perverted；　had　prevented　him　from　interposing　any　word　until
now；　but　now　he　regained　the　power　of　speech。

'Tattycoram；'　said　he；　'for　I'll　call　you　by　that　name　still；　my　good
girl；　conscious　that　I　meant　nothing　but　kindness　when　I　gave　it　to　you；
and　conscious　that　you　know　it……'

'I　don't！'　said　she；　looking　up　again；　and　almost　rending　herself　with
the　same　busy　hand。

'No；　not　now；　perhaps；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'not　with　that　lady's　eyes　so
intent　upon　you；　Tattycoram；'　she　glanced　at　them　for　a　moment；　'and
that　power　over　you；　which　we　see　she　exercises；　not　now；　perhaps；　but
at　another　time。　Tattycoram；　I'll　not　ask　that　lady　whether　she　believes
what　she　has　said；　even　in　the　anger　and　ill　blood　in　which　I　and　my
friend　here　equally　know　she　has　spoken；　though　she　subdues　herself；
with　a　determination　that　any　one　who　has　once　seen　her　is　not　likely
to　forget。　I'll　not　ask　you；　with　your　remembrance　of　my　house　and　all
belonging　to　it；　whether　you　believe　it。　I'll　only　say　that　you　have
no　profession　to　make　to　me　or　mine；　and　no　forgiveness　to　entreat；
and　that　all　in　the　world　that　I　ask　you　to　do；　is；　to　count
five…and…twenty；　Tattycoram。'

She　looked　at　him　for　an　instant；　and　then　said　frowningly；　'I　won't。
Miss　Wade；　take　me　away；　please。'

The　contention　that　raged　within　her　had　no　softening　in　it　now；　it
was　wholly　between　passionate　defiance　and　stubborn　defiance。　Her　rich
colour；　her　quick　blood；　her　rapid　breath；　were　all　setting　themselves
against　the　opportunity　of　retracing　their　steps。　'I　won't。　I　won't。
I　won't！'　she　repeated　in　a　low；　thick　voice。　'I'd　be　torn　to　pieces
first。　I'd　tear　myself　to　pieces　first！'

Miss　Wade；　who　had　released　her　hold；　laid　her　hand　protectingly　on　the
girl's　neck　for　a　moment；　and　then　said；　looking　round　with　her　former
smile　and　speaking　exactly　in　her　former　tone；　'Gentlemen！　What　do　you
do　upon　that？'

'Oh；　Tattycoram；　Tattycoram！'