little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第97章

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of　the　truth　never　dawned　upon　his　mind。　No。　He　saw　the　devoted　little
creature　with　her　worn　shoes；　in　her　mon　dress；　in　her　jail…home；　a
slender　child　in　body；　a　strong　heroine　in　soul；　and　the　light　of　her
domestic　story　made　all　else　dark　to　him。

'For　those　reasons　assuredly；　Little　Dorrit；　but　for　another　too。　So
far　removed；　so　different；　and　so　much　older；　I　am　the　better　fitted　for
your　friend　and　adviser。　I　mean；　I　am　the　more　easily　to　be　trusted；
and　any　little　constraint　that　you　might　feel　with　another；　may　vanish
before　me。　Why　have　you　kept　so　retired　from　me？　Tell　me。'

'I　am　better　here。　My　place　and　use　are　here。　I　am　much　better　here；'
said　Little　Dorrit；　faintly。

'So　you　said　that　day　upon　the　bridge。　I　thought　of　it　much　afterwards。
Have　you　no　secret　you　could　entrust　to　me；　with　hope　and　fort；　if
you　would！'

'Secret？　No；　I　have　no　secret；'　said　Little　Dorrit　in　some　trouble。

They　had　been　speaking　in　low　voices；　more　because　it　was　natural　to
what　they　said　to　adopt　that　tone；　than　with　any　care　to　reserve　it　from
Maggy　at　her　work。　All　of　a　sudden　Maggy　stared　again；　and　this　time
spoke：

'I　say！　Little　Mother！'

'Yes；　Maggy。'

'If　you　an't　got　no　secret　of　your　own　to　tell　him；　tell　him　that　about
the　Princess。　She　had　a　secret；　you　know。'

'The　Princess　had　a　secret？'　said　Clennam；　in　some　surprise。　'What
Princess　was　that；　Maggy？'

'Lor！　How　you　do　go　and　bother　a　gal　of　ten；'　said　Maggy；　'catching　the
poor　thing　up　in　that　way。　Whoever　said　the　Princess　had　a　secret？　_I_
never　said　so。'

'I　beg　your　pardon。　I　thought　you　did。'

'No；　I　didn't。　How　could　I；　when　it　was　her　as　wanted　to　find　it　out？　It
was　the　little　woman　as　had　the　secret；　and　she　was　always　a　spinning　at
her　wheel。　And　so　she　says　to　her；　why　do　you　keep　it　there？　And　so　the
t'other　one　says　to　her；　no　I　don't；　and　so　the　t'other　one　says　to　her；
yes　you　do；　and　then　they　both　goes　to　the　cupboard；　and　there　it　is。
And　she　wouldn't　go　into　the　Hospital；　and　so　she　died。　You　know；　Little
Mother；　tell　him　that。

For　it　was　a　reg'lar　good　secret；　that　was！'　cried　Maggy；　hugging
herself。

Arthur　looked　at　Little　Dorrit　for　help　to　prehend　this；　and　was
struck　by　seeing　her　so　timid　and　red。　But；　when　she　told　him　that　it
was　only　a　Fairy　Tale　she　had　one　day　made　up　for　Maggy；　and　that　there
was　nothing　in　it　which　she　wouldn't　be　ashamed　to　tell　again　to　anybody
else；　even　if　she　could　remember　it；　he　left　the　subject　where　it　was。

However；　he　returned　to　his　own　subject　by　first　entreating　her　to　see
him　oftener；　and　to　remember　that　it　was　impossible　to　have　a　stronger
interest　in　her　welfare　than　he　had；　or　to　be　more　set　upon　promoting　it
than　he　was。　When　she　answered　fervently；　she　well　knew　that；　she　never
forgot　it；　he　touched　upon　his　second　and　more　delicate　point……the
suspicion　he　had　formed。

'Little　Dorrit；'　he　said；　taking　her　hand　again；　and　speaking　lower　than
he　had　spoken　yet；　so　that　even　Maggy　in　the　small　room　could　not　hear
him；　'another　word。　I　have　wanted　very　much　to　say　this　to　you；　I　have
tried　for　opportunities。　Don't　mind　me；　who；　for　the　matter　of　years；
might　be　your　father　or　your　uncle。　Always　think　of　me　as　quite　an
old　man。　I　know　that　all　your　devotion　centres　in　this　room；　and
that　nothing　to　the　last　will　ever　tempt　you　away　from　the　duties　you
discharge　here。　If　I　were　not　sure　of　it；　I　should；　before　now；　have
implored　you；　and　implored　your　father；　to　let　me　make　some　provision
for　you　in　a　more　suitable　place。　But　you　may　have　an　interest……I　will
not　say；　now；　though　even　that　might　be……may　have；　at　another　time；
an　interest　in　some　one　else；　an　interest　not　inpatible　with　your
affection　here。'

She　was　very；　very　pale；　and　silently　shook　her　head。

'It　may　be；　dear　Little　Dorrit。'

'No。　No。　No。'　She　shook　her　head；　after　each　slow　repetition　of
the　word；　with　an　air　of　quiet　desolation　that　he　remembered　long
afterwards。　The　time　came　when　he　remembered　it　well；　long　afterwards；
within　those　prison　walls；　within　that　very　room。

'But；　if　it　ever　should　be；　tell　me　so；　my　dear　child。　Entrust　the　truth
to　me；　point　out　the　object　of　such　an　interest　to　me；　and　I　will　try
with　all　the　zeal；　and　honour；　and　friendship　and　respect　that　I　feel
for　you；　good　Little　Dorrit　of　my　heart；　to　do　you　a　lasting　service。'

'O　thank　you；　thank　you！　But；　O　no；　O　no；　O　no！'　She　said　this；　looking
at　him　with　her　work…worn　hands　folded　together；　and　in　the　same
resigned　accents　as　before。

'I　press　for　no　confidence　now。　I　only　ask　you　to　repose　unhesitating
trust　in　me。'

'Can　I　do　less　than　that；　when　you　are　so　good！'

'Then　you　will　trust　me　fully？　Will　have　no　secret　unhappiness；　or
anxiety；　concealed　from　me？'

'Almost　none。'

'And　you　have　none　now？'

She　shook　her　head。　But　she　was　very　pale。

'When　I　lie　down　to…night；　and　my　thoughts　e　back……as　they　will；　for
they　do　every　night；　even　when　I　have　not　seen　you……to　this　sad　place；　I
may　believe　that　there　is　no　grief　beyond　this　room；　now；　and　its　usual
occupants；　which　preys　on　Little　Dorrit's　mind？'

She　seemed　to　catch　at　these　words……that　he　remembered；　too；　long
afterwards……and　said；　more　brightly；　'Yes；　Mr　Clennam；　yes；　you　may！'

The　crazy　staircase；　usually　not　slow　to　give　notice　when　any　one　was
ing　up　or　down；　here　creaked　under　a　quick　tread；　and　a　further　sound
was　heard　upon　it；　as　if　a　little　steam…engine　with　more　steam　than　it
knew　what　to　do　with；　were　working　towards　the　room。　As　it　approached；
which　it　did　very　rapidly；　it　laboured　with　increased　energy；　and；
after　knocking　at　the　door；　it　sounded　as　if　it　were　stooping　down　and
snorting　in　at　the　keyhole。

Before　Maggy　could　open　the　door；　Mr　Pancks；　opening　it　from　without；
stood　without　a　hat　and　with　his　bare　head　in　the　wildest　condition；
looking　at　Clennam　and　Little　Dorrit；　over　her　shoulder。

He　had　a　lighted　cigar　in　his　hand；　and　brought　with　him　airs　of　ale　and
tobacco　smoke。

'Pancks　the　gipsy；'　he　observed　out　of　breath；　'fortune…telling。'　He
stood　dingily　smiling；　and　breathing　hard　at　them；　with　a　most　curious
air；　as　if；　instead　of　being　his　proprietor's　grubber；　he　were　the
triumphant　proprietor　of　the　Marshalsea；　the　Marshal；　all　the　turnkeys；
and　all　the　Collegians。　In　his　great　self…satisfaction　he　put　his　cigar
to　his　lips　（being　evidently　no　smoker）；　and　took　such　a　pull　at　it；
with　his　right　eye　shut　up　tight　for　the　purpose；　that　he　underwent
a　convulsion　of　shuddering　and　choking。　But　even　in　the　midst　of　that
paroxysm；　he　still　essayed　to　repeat　his　favourite　introduction　of
himself；　'Pa…ancks　the　gi…ipsy；　fortune…telling。'

'I　am　spending　the　evening　with　the　rest　of　'em；'　said　Pancks。　'I've
been　singing。　I've　been　taking　a　part　in　White　sand　and　grey　sand。
I　don't　know　anything　about　it。　Never　mind。　I'll　take　any　part　in
anything。　It's　all　the　same；　if　you're　loud　enough。'

At　first　Clennam　supposed　him　to　be　intoxicated。　But　he　soon　perceived
that　though　he　might　be　a　little　the　worse　（or　better）　for　ale；　the
staple　of　his　excitement　was　not　brewed　from　malt；　or　distilled　from　any
grain　or　berry。

'How　d'ye　do；　Miss　Dorrit？'　said　Pancks。　'I　thought　you　wouldn't　mind　my
running　round；　and　looking　in　for　a　moment。　Mr　Clennam　I　heard　was　here；
from　Mr　Dorrit。　How　are　you；　Sir？'

Clennam　thanked　him；　and　said　he　was　glad　to　see　him　so　gay。

'Gay！'　said　Pancks。　'I'm　in　wonderful　feather；　sir。　I　can't　stop　a
minute；　or　I　shall　be　missed；　and　I　don't　want　'em　to　miss　me。……Eh；　Miss
Dorrit？'

He　seemed　to　have　an　insatiate　delight　in　appealing　to　her　and　looking
at　her；　excitedly　sticking　his　hair　up　at　the　same　moment；　like　a　dark
species　of　cockatoo。

'I　haven't　been　here　half　an　hour。　I　knew　Mr　Dorrit　was　in　the　chair；
and　I　said；　〃I'll　go　and　support　him！〃　I　ought　to　be　down　in　Bleeding
Heart　Yard　by　rights；　but　I　can　worry　them　to…morrow。……Eh；　Miss　Dorrit？'

His　little　black　eyes　sparkled　electrically。　His　very　hair　seemed　to
sparkle　as　he　roughened　it。　He　was　in　that　highly…charged　state　that　one
might　have　expected　to　draw　sparks　and　snaps　from　him　by　presenting　a
knuckle　to　any　part　of　his　figure。

'Capital　pany　here；'　said　Pancks。……'Eh；　Miss　Dorrit？'


She　was　half　afraid　of　him；　and　irresolute　what　to　say。　He　laughed；　with
a　nod　towards　Clennam。

'Don't　mind　him；　Miss　Dorrit。　He's　one　of　us。　We　agreed　that　you
shouldn't　take　on　to　mind　me　before　people；　but　we　didn't　mean　Mr
Clennam。　He's　one　of　us。　He's　in　it。　An't　you；　Mr　Clennam？……Eh；　Miss
Dorrit？'　The　excitement　of　this　strange　creature　was　fast　municating
itself　to　Clennam。　Little　Dorrit　with　amazement；　saw　this；　and　observed
that　they　exchanged　quick　looks。

'I　was　making　a　remark；'　said　Pancks；　'but　I　declare　I　forget　what
it　was。　Oh；　I　know！　Capital　pany　here。　I've　been　treating　'em　all
round。……Eh；　Miss　Dorrit？'

'Very　generous　of　you；'　she　returned；　noticing　another　of　the　quick
looks　between　the　two。

'Not　at　all；'　said　Pancks。　'Don't　mention　it。　I'm　ing　into　my
property；　that's　the　fact。　I　can　afford　to　be　liberal。　I　think　I'll　give
'em　a　treat　here。　Tables　laid　in　the　yard。　Bread　in　stacks。　Pipes　in
fag