little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第98章

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'em　a　treat　here。　Tables　laid　in　the　yard。　Bread　in　stacks。　Pipes　in
faggots。　Tobacco　in　hayloads。　Roast　beef　and　plum…pudding　for　every　one。
Quart　of　double　stout　a　head。　Pint　of　wine　too；　if　they　like　it；　and　the
authorities　give　permission。……Eh；　Miss　Dorrit？'

She　was　thrown　into　such　a　confusion　by　his　manner；　or　rather　by
Clennam's　growing　understanding　of　his　manner　（for　she　looked　to　him
after　every　fresh　appeal　and　cockatoo　demonstration　on　the　part　of　Mr
Pancks）；　that　she　only　moved　her　lips　in　answer；　without　forming　any
word。

'And　oh；　by…the…bye！'　said　Pancks；　'you　were　to　live　to　know　what　was
behind　us　on　that　little　hand　of　yours。　And　so　you　shall；　you　shall；　my
darling。……Eh；　Miss　Dorrit？'

He　had　suddenly　checked　himself。　Where　he　got　all　the　additional　black
prongs　from；　that　now　flew　up　all　over　his　head　like　the　myriads　of
points　that　break　out　in　the　large　change　of　a　great　firework；　was　a
wonderful　mystery。

'But　I　shall　be　missed；'　he　came　back　to　that；　'and　I　don't　want　'em　to
miss　me。　Mr　Clennam；　you　and　I　made　a　bargain。　I　said　you　should　find　me
stick　to　it。　You　shall　find　me　stick　to　it　now；　sir；　if　you'll　step　out
of　the　room　a　moment。　Miss　Dorrit；　I　wish　you　good　night。　Miss　Dorrit；　I
wish　you　good　fortune。'

He　rapidly　shook　her　by　both　hands；　and　puffed　down　stairs。　Arthur
followed　him　with　such　a　hurried　step；　that　he　had　very　nearly　tumbled
over　him　on　the　last　landing；　and　rolled　him　down　into　the　yard。

'What　is　it；　for　Heaven's　sake！'　Arthur　demanded；　when　they　burst　out
there　both　together。

'Stop　a　moment；　sir。　Mr　Rugg。　Let　me　introduce　him。'　With　those　words
he　presented　another　man　without　a　hat；　and　also　with　a　cigar；　and　also
surrounded　with　a　halo　of　ale　and　tobacco　smoke；　which　man；　though　not
so　excited　as　himself；　was　in　a　state　which　would　have　been　akin　to
lunacy　but　for　its　fading　into　sober　method　when　pared　with　the
rampancy　of　Mr　Pancks。　'Mr　Clennam；　Mr　Rugg；'　said　Pancks。　'Stop　a
moment。　e　to　the　pump。'

They　adjourned　to　the　pump。　Mr　Pancks；　instantly　putting　his　head　under
the　spout；　requested　Mr　Rugg　to　take　a　good　strong　turn　at　the　handle。
Mr　Rugg　plying　to　the　letter；　Mr　Pancks　came　forth　snorting　and
blowing　to　some　purpose；　and　dried　himself　on　his　handkerchief。

'I　am　the　clearer　for　that；'　he　gasped　to　Clennam　standing　astonished。
'But　upon　my　soul；　to　hear　her　father　making　speeches　in　that　chair；
knowing　what　we　know；　and　to　see　her　up　in　that　room　in　that　dress；
knowing　what　we　know；　is　enough　to……give　me　a　back；　Mr　Rugg……a　little
higher；　sir；……that'll　do！'

Then　and　there；　on　that　Marshalsea　pavement；　in　the　shades　of　evening；
did　Mr　Pancks；　of　all　mankind；　fly　over　the　head　and　shoulders　of　Mr
Rugg　of　Pentonville；　General　Agent；　Accountant；　and　Recoverer　of　Debts。
Alighting　on　his　feet；　he　took　Clennam　by　the　button…hole；　led　him
behind　the　pump；　and　pantingly　produced　from　his　pocket　a　bundle　of
papers。　Mr　Rugg；　also；　pantingly　produced　from　his　pocket　a　bundle　of
papers。

'Stay！'　said　Clennam　in　a　whisper。'You　have　made　a　discovery。'

Mr　Pancks　answered；　with　an　unction　which　there　is　no　language　to
convey；　'We　rather　think　so。'

'Does　it　implicate　any　one？'

'How　implicate；　sir？'

'In　any　suppression　or　wrong　dealing　of　any　kind？'

'Not　a　bit　of　it。'

'Thank　God！'　said　Clennam　to　himself。　'Now　show　me。'　'You　are　to
understand'……snorted　Pancks；　feverishly　unfolding　papers；　and　speaking
in　short　high…pressure　blasts　of　sentences；　'Where's　the　Pedigree？
Where's　Schedule　number　four；　Mr　Rugg？　Oh！　all　right！　Here　we　are。……You
are　to　understand　that　we　are　this　very　day　virtually　plete。　We
shan't　be　legally　for　a　day　or　two。　Call　it　at　the　outside　a　week。　We've
been　at　it　night　and　day　for　I　don't　know　how　long。　Mr　Rugg；　you　know
how　long？　Never　mind。　Don't　say。　You'll　only　confuse　me。　You　shall　tell
her；　Mr　Clennam。　Not　till　we　give　you　leave。　Where's　that　rough　total；
Mr　Rugg？　Oh！　Here　we　are！　There　sir！　That's　what　you'll　have　to　break　to
her。　That　man's　your　Father　of　the　Marshalsea！'




CHAPTER　33。　Mrs　Merdle's　plaint

Resigning　herself　to　inevitable　fate　by　making　the　best　of　those　people；
the　Miggleses；　and　submitting　her　philosophy　to　the　draught　upon　it；　of
which　she　had　foreseen　the　likelihood　in　her　interview　with　Arthur；
Mrs　Gowan　handsomely　resolved　not　to　oppose　her　son's　marriage。　In　her
progress　to；　and　happy　arrival　at；　this　resolution；　she　was　possibly
influenced；　not　only　by　her　maternal　affections　but　by　three　politic
considerations。

Of　these；　the　first　may　have　been　that　her　son　had　never　signified　the
smallest　intention　to　ask　her　consent；　or　any　mistrust　of　his　ability
to　dispense　with　it；　the　second；　that　the　pension　bestowed　upon　her　by　a
grateful　country　（and　a　Barnacle）　would　be　freed　from　any　little　filial
inroads；　when　her　Henry　should　be　married　to　the　darling　only　child　of
a　man　in　very　easy　circumstances；　the　third；　that　Henry's　debts　must
clearly　be　paid　down　upon　the　altar…railing　by　his　father…in…law。　When；
to　these　three…fold　points　of　prudence　there　is　added　the　fact　that
Mrs　Gowan　yielded　her　consent　the　moment　she　knew　of　Mr　Meagles　having
yielded　his；　and　that　Mr　Meagles's　objection　to　the　marriage　had
been　the　sole　obstacle　in　its　way　all　along；　it　bees　the　height　of
probability　that　the　relict　of　the　deceased　missioner　of　nothing
particular；　turned　these　ideas　in　her　sagacious　mind。

Among　her　connections　and　acquaintances；　however；　she　maintained　her
individual　dignity　and　the　dignity　of　the　blood　of　the　Barnacles；　by
diligently　nursing　the　pretence　that　it　was　a　most　unfortunate　business；
that　she　was　sadly　cut　up　by　it；　that　this　was　a　perfect　fascination
under　which　Henry　laboured；　that　she　had　opposed　it　for　a　long　time；
but　what　could　a　mother　do；　and　the　like。　She　had　already　called　Arthur
Clennam　to　bear　witness　to　this　fable；　as　a　friend　of　the　Meagles
family；　and　she　followed　up　the　move　by　now　impounding　the　family　itself
for　the　same　purpose。　In　the　first　interview　she　accorded　to　Mr　Meagles；
she　slided　herself　into　the　position　of　disconsolately　but　gracefully
yielding　to　irresistible　pressure。　With　the　utmost　politeness　and
good…breeding；　she　feigned　that　it　was　she……not　he……who　had　made　the
difficulty；　and　who　at　length　gave　way；　and　that　the　sacrifice　was
hers……not　his。　The　same　feint；　with　the　same　polite　dexterity；　she
foisted　on　Mrs　Meagles；　as　a　conjuror　might　have　forced　a　card　on　that
innocent　lady；　and；　when　her　future　daughter…in…law　was　presented　to　her
by　her　son；　she　said　on　embracing　her；　'My　dear；　what　have　you　done　to
Henry　that　has　bewitched　him　so！'　at　the　same　time　allowing　a　few　tears
to　carry　before　them；　in　little　pills；　the　cosmetic　powder　on　her　nose；
as　a　delicate　but　touching　signal　that　she　suffered　much　inwardly　for
the　show　of　posure　with　which　she　bore　her　misfortune。

Among　the　friends　of　Mrs　Gowan　（who　piqued　herself　at　once　on　being
Society；　and　on　maintaining　intimate　and　easy　relations　with　that
Power）；　Mrs　Merdle　occupied　a　front　row。　True；　the　Hampton　Court
Bohemians；　without　exception；　turned　up　their　noses　at　Merdle　as　an
upstart；　but　they　turned　them　down　again；　by　falling　flat　on　their　faces
to　worship　his　wealth。　In　which　pensating　adjustment　of　their　noses；
they　were　pretty　much　like　Treasury；　Bar；　and　Bishop；　and　all　the　rest
of　them。

To　Mrs　Merdle；　Mrs　Gowan　repaired　on　a　visit　of　self…condolence；　after
having　given　the　gracious　consent　aforesaid。　She　drove　into　town　for　the
purpose　in　a　one…horse　carriage　irreverently　called　at　that　period　of
English　history；　a　pill…box。　It　belonged　to　a　job…master　in　a　small　way；
who　drove　it　himself；　and　who　jobbed　it　by　the　day；　or　hour；　to　most　of
the　old　ladies　in　Hampton　Court　Palace；　but　it　was　a　point　of　ceremony；
in　that　encampment；　that　the　whole　equipage　should　be　tacitly　regarded
as　the　private　property　of　the　jobber　for　the　time　being；　and　that　the
job…master　should　betray　personal　knowledge　of　nobody　but　the　jobber
in　possession。　So　the　Circumlocution　Barnacles；　who　were　the　largest
job…masters　in　the　universe；　always　pretended　to　know　of　no　other　job
but　the　job　immediately　in　hand。

Mrs　Merdle　was　at　home；　and　was　in　her　nest　of　crimson　and　gold；　with
the　parrot　on　a　neighbouring　stem　watching　her　with　his　head　on　one
side；　as　if　he　took　her　for　another　splendid　parrot　of　a　larger　species。
To　whom　entered　Mrs　Gowan；　with　her　favourite　green　fan；　which　softened
the　light　on　the　spots　of　bloom。

'My　dear　soul；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　tapping　the　back　of　her　friend's　hand
with　this　fan　after　a　little　indifferent　conversation；　'you　are　my　only
fort。　That　affair　of　Henry's　that　I　told　you　of；　is　to　take　place。
Now；　how　does　it　strike　you？　I　am　dying　to　know；　because　you　represent
and　express　Society　so　well。'

Mrs　Merdle　reviewed　the　bosom　which　Society　was　accustomed　to　review；
and　having　ascertained　that　show…window　of　Mr　Merdle's　and　the　London
jewellers'　to　be　in　good　order；　replied：

'As　to　marriage　on　the　part　of　a　man；　my　dear；　Society　requires　that
he　should　retrieve　his　fortunes　by　marriage。　Society　requires　that
he　should　gain　by　marriage。　Society　requir