little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第9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！


before　him。　'Beg　pardon；　sir；'　said　a　brisk　waiter；　rubbing　the　table。
'Wish　see　bed…room？'

'Yes。　I　have　just　made　up　my　mind　to　do　it。'

'Chaymaid！'　cried　the　waiter。　'Gelen　box　num　seven　wish　see　room！'

'Stay！'　said　Clennam；　rousing　himself。　'I　was　not　thinking　of　what　I
said；　I　answered　mechanically。　I　am　not　going　to　sleep　here。　I　am　going
home。'

'Deed；　sir？　Chaymaid！　Gelen　box　num　seven；　not　go　sleep　here；　gome。'

He　sat　in　the　same　place　as　the　day　died；　looking　at　the　dull　houses
opposite；　and　thinking；　if　the　disembodied　spirits　of　former　inhabitants
were　ever　conscious　of　them；　how　they　must　pity　themselves　for　their　old
places　of　imprisonment。　Sometimes　a　face　would　appear　behind　the　dingy
glass　of　a　window；　and　would　fade　away　into　the　gloom　as　if　it　had　seen
enough　of　life　and　had　vanished　out　of　it。　Presently　the　rain　began　to
fall　in　slanting　lines　between　him　and　those　houses；　and　people　began
to　collect　under　cover　of　the　public　passage　opposite；　and　to　look　out
hopelessly　at　the　sky　as　the　rain　dropped　thicker　and　faster。　Then　wet
umbrellas　began　to　appear；　draggled　skirts；　and　mud。　What　the　mud　had
been　doing　with　itself；　or　where　it　came　from；　who　could　say？　But　it
seemed　to　collect　in　a　moment；　as　a　crowd　will；　and　in　five　minutes　to
have　splashed　all　the　sons　and　daughters　of　Adam。　The　lamplighter　was
going　his　rounds　now；　and　as　the　fiery　jets　sprang　up　under　his　touch；
one　might　have　fancied　them　astonished　at　being　suffered　to　introduce
any　show　of　brightness　into　such　a　dismal　scene。

Mr　Arthur　Clennam　took　up　his　hat　and　buttoned　his　coat；　and　walked　out。
In　the　country；　the　rain　would　have　developed　a　thousand　fresh　scents；
and　every　drop　would　have　had　its　bright　association　with　some　beautiful
form　of　growth　or　life。　In　the　city；　it　developed　only　foul　stale
smells；　and　was　a　sickly；　lukewarm；　dirt…stained；　wretched　addition　to
the　gutters。

He　crossed　by　St　Paul's　and　went　down；　at　a　long　angle；　almost　to　the
water's　edge；　through　some　of　the　crooked　and　descending　streets　which
lie　（and　lay　more　crookedly　and　closely　then）　between　the　river　and
Cheapside。　Passing；　now　the　mouldy　hall　of　some　obsolete　Worshipful
pany；　now　the　illuminated　windows　of　a　Congregationless　Church　that
seemed　to　be　waiting　for　some　adventurous　Belzoni　to　dig　it　out　and
discover　its　history；　passing　silent　warehouses　and　wharves；　and　here
and　there　a　narrow　alley　leading　to　the　river；　where　a　wretched　little
bill；　FOUND　DROWNED；　was　weeping　on　the　wet　wall；　he　came　at　last　to　the
house　he　sought。　An　old　brick　house；　so　dingy　as　to　be　all　but　black；
standing　by　itself　within　a　gateway。　Before　it；　a　square　court…yard
where　a　shrub　or　two　and　a　patch　of　grass　were　as　rank　（which　is　saying
much）　as　the　iron　railings　enclosing　them　were　rusty；　behind　it；
a　jumble　of　roots。　It　was　a　double　house；　with　long；　narrow；
heavily…framed　windows。　Many　years　ago；　it　had　had　it　in　its　mind　to
slide　down　sideways；　it　had　been　propped　up；　however；　and　was　leaning　on
some　half…dozen　gigantic　crutches：　which　gymnasium　for　the　neighbouring
cats；　weather…stained；　smoke…blackened；　and　overgrown　with　weeds；
appeared　in　these　latter　days　to　be　no　very　sure　reliance。

'Nothing　changed；'　said　the　traveller；　stopping　to　look　round。　'Dark　and
miserable　as　ever。　A　light　in　my　mother's　window；　which　seems　never　to
have　been　extinguished　since　I　came　home　twice　a　year　from　school；　and
dragged　my　box　over　this　pavement。　Well；　well；　well！'

He　went　up　to　the　door；　which　had　a　projecting　canopy　in　carved　work
of　festooned　jack…towels　and　children's　heads　with　water　on　the　brain；
designed　after　a　once…popular　monumental　pattern；　and　knocked。　A
shuffling　step　was　soon　heard　on　the　stone　floor　of　the　hall；　and　the
door　was　opened　by　an　old　man；　bent　and　dried；　but　with　keen　eyes。

He　had　a　candle　in　his　hand；　and　he　held　it　up　for　a　moment　to　assist
his　keen　eyes。　'Ah；　Mr　Arthur？'　he　said；　without　any　emotion；　'you　are
e　at　last？　Step　in。'

Mr　Arthur　stepped　in　and　shut　the　door。

'Your　figure　is　filled　out；　and　set；'　said　the　old　man；　turning　to　look
at　him　with　the　light　raised　again；　and　shaking　his　head；　'but　you　don't
e　up　to　your　father　in　my　opinion。　Nor　yet　your　mother。'

'How　is　my　mother？'

'She　is　as　she　always　is　now。　Keeps　her　room　when　not　actually
bedridden；　and　hasn't　been　out　of　it　fifteen　times　in　as　many　years；
Arthur。'　They　had　walked　into　a　spare；　meagre　dining…room。　The　old　man
had　put　the　candlestick　upon　the　table；　and；　supporting　his　right　elbow
with　his　left　hand；　was　smoothing　his　leathern　jaws　while　he　looked　at
the　visitor。　The　visitor　offered　his　hand。　The　old　man　took　it　coldly
enough；　and　seemed　to　prefer　his　jaws；　to　which　he　returned　as　soon　as
he　could。

'I　doubt　if　your　mother　will　approve　of　your　ing　home　on　the　Sabbath；
Arthur；'　he　said；　shaking　his　head　warily。

'You　wouldn't　have　me　go　away　again？'

'Oh！　I？　I？　I　am　not　the　master。　It's　not　what　_I_　would　have。　I　have
stood　between　your　father　and　mother　for　a　number　of　years。　I　don't
pretend　to　stand　between　your　mother　and　you。'

'Will　you　tell　her　that　I　have　e　home？'

'Yes；　Arthur；　yes。　Oh；　to　be　sure！　I'll　tell　her　that　you　have　e
home。　Please　to　wait　here。　You　won't　find　the　room　changed。'

He　took　another　candle　from　a　cupboard；　lighted　it；　left　the　first　on
the　table；　and　went　upon　his　errand。　He　was　a　short；　bald　old　man；　in　a
high…shouldered　black　coat　and　waistcoat；　drab　breeches；　and　long　drab
gaiters。　He　might；　from　his　dress；　have　been　either　clerk　or　servant；
and　in　fact　had　long　been　both。　There　was　nothing　about　him　in　the　way
of　decoration　but　a　watch；　which　was　lowered　into　the　depths　of　its
proper　pocket　by　an　old　black　ribbon；　and　had　a　tarnished　copper　key
moored　above　it；　to　show　where　it　was　sunk。　His　head　was　awry；　and
he　had　a　one…sided；　crab…like　way　with　him；　as　if　his　foundations　had
yielded　at　about　the　same　time　as　those　of　the　house；　and　he　ought　to
have　been　propped　up　in　a　similar　manner。

'How　weak　am　I；'　said　Arthur　Clennam；　when　he　was　gone；　'that　I　could
shed　tears　at　this　reception！　I；　who　have　never　experienced　anything
else；　who　have　never　expected　anything　else。'　He　not　only　could；
but　did。　It　was　the　momentary　yielding　of　a　nature　that　had　been
disappointed　from　the　dawn　of　its　perceptions；　but　had　not　quite　given
up　all　its　hopeful　yearnings　yet。　He　subdued　it；　took　up　the　candle；
and　examined　the　room。　The　old　articles　of　furniture　were　in　their　old
places；　the　Plagues　of　Egypt；　much　the　dimmer　for　the　fly　and　smoke
plagues　of　London；　were　framed　and　glazed　upon　the　walls。　There　was　the
old　cellaret　with　nothing　in　it；　lined　with　lead；　like　a　sort　of　coffin
in　partments；　there　was　the　old　dark　closet；　also　with　nothing　in
it；　of　which　he　had　been　many　a　time　the　sole　contents；　in　days　of
punishment；　when　he　had　regarded　it　as　the　veritable　entrance　to　that
bourne　to　which　the　tract　had　found　him　galloping。　There　was　the　large；
hard…featured　clock　on　the　sideboard；　which　he　used　to　see　bending　its
figured　brows　upon　him　with　a　savage　joy　when　he　was　behind…hand　with
his　lessons；　and　which；　when　it　was　wound　up　once　a　week　with　an　iron
handle；　used　to　sound　as　if　it　were　growling　in　ferocious　anticipation
of　the　miseries　into　which　it　would　bring　him。　But　here　was　the　old　man
e　back；　saying；　'Arthur；　I'll　go　before　and　light　you。'

Arthur　followed　him　up　the　staircase；　which　was　panelled　off　into　spaces
like　so　many　mourning　tablets；　into　a　dim　bed…chamber；　the　floor　of
which　had　gradually　so　sunk　and　settled；　that　the　fire…place　was　in　a
dell。　On　a　black　bier…like　sofa　in　this　hollow；　propped　up　behind　with
one　great　angular　black　bolster　like　the　block　at　a　state　execution　in
the　good　old　times；　sat　his　mother　in　a　widow's　dress。

She　and　his　father　had　been　at　variance　from　his　earliest　remembrance。
To　sit　speechless　himself　in　the　midst　of　rigid　silence；　glancing　in
dread　from　the　one　averted　face　to　the　other；　had　been　the　peacefullest
occupation　of　his　childhood。　She　gave　him　one　glassy　kiss；　and　four
stiff　fingers　muffled　in　worsted。　This　embrace　concluded；　he　sat　down　on
the　opposite　side　of　her　little　table。　There　was　a　fire　in　the　grate；
as　there　had　been　night　and　day　for　fifteen　years。　There　was　a　kettle　on
the　hob；　as　there　had　been　night　and　day　for　fifteen　years。　There　was　a
little　mound　of　damped　ashes　on　the　top　of　the　fire；　and　another　little
mound　swept　together　under　the　grate；　as　there　had　been　night　and　day
for　fifteen　years。　There　was　a　smell　of　black　dye　in　the　airless　room；
which　the　fire　had　been　drawing　out　of　the　crape　and　stuff　of　the
widow's　dress　for　fifteen　months；　and　out　of　the　bier…like　sofa　for
fifteen　years。

'Mother；　this　is　a　change　from　your　old　active　habits。'

'The　world　has　narrowed　to　these　dimensions；　Arthur；'　she　rep　lied；
glancing　round　the　room。　'It　is　well　for　me　that　I　never　set　my　heart
upon　its　hollow　vanities。'

The　old　influence　of　her　presence　and　her　stern　strong　voice；　so
gathered　about　her　son；　that　he　felt　conscious　of　a　renewal　of　the　timid
chill　and　reserve　of　his　childhood。

'Do　you　never　leave　your　room；　mother