little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第95章

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very　close；　the　window　was　as　wide　open　as　it　could　be　pushed。　'If　Maggy
will　spread　that　newspaper　on　the　window…sill；　my　dear；'　remarked　the
Father　placently　and　in　a　half　whisper　to　Little　Dorrit；　'my　old
pensioner　can　have　his　tea　there；　while　we　are　having　ours。'

So；　with　a　gulf　between　him　and　the　good　pany　of　about　a　foot　in
width；　standard　measure；　Mrs　Plornish's　father　was　handsomely　regaled。
Clennam　had　never　seen　anything　like　his　magnanimous　protection　by　that
other　Father；　he　of　the　Marshalsea；　and　was　lost　in　the　contemplation　of
its　many　wonders。

The　most　striking　of　these　was　perhaps　the　relishing　manner　in　which　he
remarked　on　the　pensioner's　infirmities　and　failings；　as　if　he　were
a　gracious　Keeper　making　a　running　mentary　on　the　decline　of　the
harmless　animal　he　exhibited。

'Not　ready　for　more　ham　yet；　Nandy？　Why；　how　slow　you　are！　（His　last
teeth；'　he　explained　to　the　pany；　'are　going；　poor　old　boy。'）

At　another　time；　he　said；　'No　shrimps；　Nandy？'　and　on　his　not　instantly
replying；　observed；　（'His　hearing　is　being　very　defective。　He'll　be
deaf　directly。'）

At　another　time　he　asked　him；　'Do　you　walk　much；　Nandy；　about　the　yard
within　the　walls　of　that　place　of　yours？'

'No；　sir；　no。　I　haven't　any　great　liking　for　that。'

'No；　to　be　sure；'　he　assented。　'Very　natural。'　Then　he　privately
informed　the　circle　（'Legs　going。'）

Once　he　asked　the　pensioner；　in　that　general　clemency　which　asked　him
anything　to　keep　him　afloat；　how　old　his　younger　grandchild　was？

'John　Edward；'　said　the　pensioner；　slowly　laying　down　his　knife　and　fork
to　consider。　'How　old；　sir？　Let　me　think　now。'

The　Father　of　the　Marshalsea　tapped　his　forehead　（'Memory　weak。'）

'John　Edward；　sir？　Well；　I　really　forget。　I　couldn't　say　at　this　minute；
sir；　whether　it's　two　and　two　months；　or　whether　it's　two　and　five
months。　It's　one　or　the　other。'

'Don't　distress　yourself　by　worrying　your　mind　about　it；'　he　returned；
with　infinite　forbearance。　（'Faculties　evidently　decaying……old　man　rusts
in　the　life　he　leads！'）

The　more　of　these　discoveries　that　he　persuaded　himself　he　made　in　the
pensioner；　the　better　he　appeared　to　like　him；　and　when　he　got　out　of
his　chair　after　tea　to　bid　the　pensioner　good…bye；　on　his　intimating
that　he　feared；　honoured　sir；　his　time　was　running　out；　he　made　himself
look　as　erect　and　strong　as　possible。

'We　don't　call　this　a　shilling；　Nandy；　you　know；'　he　said；　putting　one
in　his　hand。　'We　call　it　tobacco。'

'Honoured　sir；　I　thank　you。　It　shall　buy　tobacco。　My　thanks　and　duty　to
Miss　Amy　and　Miss　Fanny。　I　wish　you　good　night；　Mr　Clennam。'

'And　mind　you　don't　forget　us；　you　know；　Nandy；'　said　the　Father。　'You
must　e　again；　mind；　whenever　you　have　an　afternoon。　You　must　not　e
out　without　seeing　us；　or　we　shall　be　jealous。　Good　night；　Nandy。　Be
very　careful　how　you　descend　the　stairs；　Nandy；　they　are　rather　uneven
and　worn。'　With　that　he　stood　on　the　landing；　watching　the　old　man　down：
and　when　he　came　into　the　room　again；　said；　with　a　solemn　satisfaction
on　him；　'A　melancholy　sight　that；　Mr　Clennam；　though　one　has　the
consolation　of　knowing　that　he　doesn't　feel　it　himself。　The　poor　old
fellow　is　a　dismal　wreck。　Spirit　broken　and　gone……pulverised……crushed
out　of　him；　sir；　pletely！'

As　Clennam　had　a　purpose　in　remaining；　he　said　what　he　could　responsive
to　these　sentiments；　and　stood　at　the　window　with　their　enunciator；
while　Maggy　and　her　Little　Mother　washed　the　tea…service　and　cleared　it
away。　He　noticed　that　his　panion　stood　at　the　window　with　the　air　of
an　affable　and　accessible　Sovereign；　and　that；　when　any　of　his　people　in
the　yard　below　looked　up；　his　recognition　of　their　salutes　just　stopped
short　of　a　blessing。

When　Little　Dorrit　had　her　work　on　the　table；　and　Maggy　hers　on　the
bedstead；　Fanny　fell　to　tying　her　bon　as　a　preliminary　to　her
departure。　Arthur；　still　having　his　purpose；　still　remained。　At　this
time　the　door　opened；　without　any　notice；　and　Mr　Tip　came　in。　He　kissed
Amy　as　she　started　up　to　meet　him；　nodded　to　Fanny；　nodded　to　his
father；　gloomed　on　the　visitor　without　further　recognition；　and　sat
down。

'Tip；　dear；'　said　Little　Dorrit；　mildly；　shocked　by　this；　'don't　you
see……'


'Yes；　I　see；　Amy。　If　you　refer　to　the　presence　of　any　visitor　you　have
here……I　say；　if　you　refer　to　that；'　answered　Tip；　jerking　his　head　with
emphasis　towards　his　shoulder　nearest　Clennam；　'I　see！'

'Is　that　all　you　say？'

'That's　all　I　say。　And　I　suppose；'　added　the　lofty　young　man；　after　a
moment's　pause；　'that　visitor　will　understand　me；　when　I　say　that's　all
I　say。　In　short；　I　suppose　the　visitor　will　understand　that　he　hasn't
used　me　like　a　gentleman。'

'I　do　not　understand　that；'　observed　the　obnoxious　personage　referred　to
with　tranquillity。

'No？　Why；　then；　to　make　it　clearer　to　you；　sir；　I　beg　to　let　you　know
that　when　I　address　what　I　call　a　properly…worded　appeal；　and　an　urgent
appeal；　and　a　delicate　appeal；　to　an　individual；　for　a　small　temporary
acmodation；　easily　within　his　power……easily　within　his　power；
mind！……and　when　that　individual　writes　back　word　to　me　that　he　begs　to
be　excused；　I　consider　that　he　doesn't　treat　me　like　a　gentleman。'

The　Father　of　the　Marshalsea；　who　had　surveyed　his　son　in　silence；　no
sooner　heard　this　sentiment；　than　he　began　in　angry　voice：……

'How　dare　you……'　But　his　son　stopped　him。

'Now；　don't　ask　me　how　I　dare；　father；　because　that's　bosh。　As　to　the
fact　of　the　line　of　conduct　I　choose　to　adopt　towards　the　individual
present；　you　ought　to　be　proud　of　my　showing　a　proper　spirit。'

'I　should　think　so！'　cried　Fanny。

'A　proper　spirit？'　said　the　Father。　'Yes；　a　proper　spirit；　a　being
spirit。　Is　it　e　to　this　that　my　son　teaches　me……ME……spirit！'

'Now；　don't　let　us　bother　about　it；　father；　or　have　any　row　on　the
subject。　I　have　fully　made　up　my　mind　that　the　individual　present　has
not　treated　me　like　a　gentleman。　And　there's　an　end　of　it。'

'But　there　is　not　an　end　of　it；　sir；'　returned　the　Father。　'But　there
shall　not　be　an　end　of　it。　You　have　made　up　your　mind？　You　have　made　up
your　mind？'

'Yes；　I　have。　What's　the　good　of　keeping　on　like　that？'

'Because；'　returned　the　Father；　in　a　great　heat；　'you　had　no　right　to
make　up　your　mind　to　what　is　monstrous；　to　what　is……ha……immoral；　to　what
is……hum……parricidal。　No；　Mr　Clennam；　I　beg；　sir。　Don't　ask　me　to　desist；
there　is　a……hum……a　general　principle　involved　here；　which　rises　even
above　considerations　of……ha……hospitality。　I　object　to　the　assertion　made
by　my　son。　I……ha……I　personally　repel　it。'

'Why；　what　is　it　to　you；　father？'　returned　the　son；　over　his　shoulder。

'What　is　it　to　me；　sir？　I　have　a……hum……a　spirit；　sir；　that　will　not
endure　it。　I；'　he　took　out　his　pocket…handkerchief　again　and　dabbed　his
face。　'I　am　outraged　and　insulted　by　it。　Let　me　suppose　the　case　that　I
myself　may　at　a　certain　time……ha……or　times；　have　made　a……hum……an　appeal；
and　a　properly…worded　appeal；　and　a　delicate　appeal；　and　an　urgent
appeal　to　some　individual　for　a　small　temporary　acmodation。　Let　me
suppose　that　that　acmodation　could　have　been　easily　extended；　and　was
not　extended；　and　that　that　individual　informed　me　that　he　begged　to
be　excused。　Am　I　to　be　told　by　my　own　son；　that　I　therefore　received
treatment　not　due　to　a　gentleman；　and　that　I……ha……I　submitted　to　it？'

His　daughter　Amy　gently　tried　to　calm　him；　but　he　would　not　on　any
account　be　calmed。　He　said　his　spirit　was　up；　and　wouldn't　endure　this。

Was　he　to　be　told　that；　he　wished　to　know　again；　by　his　own　son　on　his
own　hearth；　to　his　own　face？　Was　that　humiliation　to　be　put　upon　him　by
his　own　blood？

'You　are　putting　it　on　yourself；　father；　and　getting　into　all　this
injury　of　your　own　accord！'　said　the　young　gentleman　morosely。　'What　I
have　made　up　my　mind　about　has　nothing　to　do　with　you。　What　I　said　had
nothing　to　do　with　you。　Why　need　you　go　trying　on　other　people's　hats？'

'I　reply　it　has　everything　to　do　with　me；'　returned　the　Father。　'I　point
out　to　you；　sir；　with　indignation；　that……hum……the……ha……delicacy　and
peculiarity　of　your　father's　position　should　strike　you　dumb；　sir；　if
nothing　else　should；　in　laying　down　such……ha……such　unnatural　principles。
Besides；　if　you　are　not　filial；　sir；　if　you　discard　that　duty；　you
are　at　least……hum……not　a　Christian？　Are　you……ha……an　Atheist？　And　is　it
Christian；　let　me　ask　you；　to　stigmatise　and　denounce　an　individual
for　begging　to　be　excused　this　time；　when　the　same　individual
may……ha……respond　odation　next　time？　Is　it　the
part　of　a　Christian　not　to……hum……not　to　try　him　again？'　He　had　worked
himself　into　quite　a　religious　glow　and　fervour。

'I　see　precious　well；'　said　Mr　Tip；　rising；　'that　I　shall　get　no
sensible　or　fair　argument　here　to…night；　and　so　the　best　thing　I　can　do
is　to　cut。　Good　night；　Amy。　Don't　be　vexed。　I　am　very　sorry　it　happens
here；　and　you　here；　upon　my　soul　I　am；　but　I　can't　altogether　part　with
my　spirit；　even　for　your　sake；　old　girl。'

With　those　words　he　put　on　his　hat　and　went　out；　acpanied　by　Miss
Fanny；　who　did　not　consider　it　spirited　on　her　part　to　take　leave　of
Clennam　with　any　less　opposing　demonstration　than　a　stare；　importing
that　she　had　always　kno