little dorrit-信丽(英文版)- 第18部分

'As　many　as　forty　or　fifty　in　a　day　have　been　introduced　to　my　brother；'
said　Frederick；　faintly　lighting　up　with　a　ray　of　pride。

'Yes！'　the　Father　of　the　Marshalsea　assented。　'We　have　even　exceeded
that　number。　On　a　fine　Sunday　in　term　time；　it　is　quite　a　Levee……quite
a　Levee。　Amy；　my　dear；　I　have　been　trying　half　the　day　to　remember　the
name　of　the　gentleman　from　Camberwell　who　was　introduced　to　me　last
Christmas　week　by　that　agreeable　coal…merchant　who　was　remanded　for　six
months。'

'I　don't　remember　his　name；　father。'

'Frederick；　do　you　remember　his　name？'　Frederick　doubted　if　he　had　ever
heard　it。　No　one　could　doubt　that　Frederick　was　the　last　person　upon
earth　to　put　such　a　question　to；　with　any　hope　of　information。

'I　mean；'　said　his　brother；　'the　gentleman　who　did　that　handsome　action
with　so　much　delicacy。　Ha！　Tush！　The　name　has　quite　escaped　me。　Mr
Clennam；　as　I　have　happened　to　mention　handsome　and　delicate　action；　you
may　like；　perhaps；　to　know　what　it　was。'

'Very　much；'　said　Arthur；　withdrawing　his　eyes　from　the　delicate　head
beginning　to　droop　and　the　pale　face　with　a　new　solicitude　stealing　over
it。

'It　is　so　generous；　and　shows　so　much　fine　feeling；　that　it　is　almost　a
duty　to　mention　it。　I　said　at　the　time　that　I　always　would　mention　it
on　every　suitable　occasion；　without　regard　to　personal　sensitiveness。
A……well……a……it's　of　no　use　to　disguise　the　fact……you　must　know；　Mr
Clennam；　that　it　does　sometimes　occur　that　people　who　e　here　desire
to　offer　some　little……Testimonial……to　the　Father　of　the　place。'

To　see　her　hand　upon　his　arm　in　mute　entreaty　half…repressed；　and　her
timid　little　shrinking　figure　turning　away；　was　to　see　a　sad；　sad　sight。

'Sometimes；'　he　went　on　in　a　low；　soft　voice；　agitated；　and　clearing
his　throat　every　now　and　then；　'sometimes……hem……it　takes　one　shape　and
sometimes　another；　but　it　is　generally……ha……Money。　And　it　is；　I　cannot
but　confess　it；　it　is　too　often……hem……acceptable。　This　gentleman　that　I
refer　to；　was　presented　to　me；　Mr　Clennam；　in　a　manner　highly　gratifying
to　my　feelings；　and　conversed　not　only　with　great　politeness；　but　with
great……ahem……information。'　All　this　time；　though　he　had　finished　his
supper；　he　was　nervously　going　about　his　plate　with　his　knife　and
fork；　as　if　some　of　it　were　still　before　him。　'It　appeared　from　his
conversation　that　he　had　a　garden；　though　he　was　delicate　of　mentioning
it　at　first；　as　gardens　are……hem……are　not　accessible　to　me。　But　it　came
out；　through　my　admiring　a　very　fine　cluster　of　geranium……beautiful
cluster　of　geranium　to　be　sure……which　he　had　brought　from　his
conservatory。　On　my　taking　notice　of　its　rich　colour；　he　showed　me　a
piece　of　paper　round　it；　on　which　was　written；　〃For　the　Father　of　the
Marshalsea；〃　and　presented　it　to　me。　But　this　was……hem……not　all。　He　made
a　particular　request；　on　taking　leave；　that　I　would　remove　the　paper　in
half　an　hour。　I……ha……I　did　so；　and　I　found　that　it　contained……ahem……two
guineas。　I　assure　you；　Mr　Clennam；　I　have　received……hem……Testimonials
in　many　ways；　and　of　many　degrees　of　value；　and　they　have　always
been……ha……unfortunately　acceptable；　but　I　never　was　more　pleased　than
with　this……ahem……this　particular　Testimonial。'　Arthur　was　in　the　act
of　saying　the　little　he　could　say　on　such　a　theme；　when　a　bell　began　to
ring；　and　footsteps　approached　the　door。　A　pretty　girl　of　a　far　better
figure　and　much　more　developed　than　Little　Dorrit；　though　looking　much
younger　in　the　face　when　the　two　were　observed　together；　stopped　in　the
doorway　on　seeing　a　stranger；　and　a　young　man　who　was　with　her；　stopped
too。

'Mr　Clennam；　Fanny。　My　eldest　daughter　and　my　son；　Mr　Clennam。　The　bell
is　a　signal　for　visitors　to　retire；　and　so　they　have　e　to　say　good
night；　but　there　is　plenty　of　time；　plenty　of　time。　Girls；　Mr　Clennam
will　excuse　any　household　business　you　may　have　together。　He　knows；　I
dare　say；　that　I　have　but　one　room　here。'

'I　only　want　my　clean　dress　from　Amy；　father；'　said　the　second　girl。

'And　I　my　clothes；'　said　Tip。

Amy　opened　a　drawer　in　an　old　piece　of　furniture　that　was　a　chest　of
drawers　above　and　a　bedstead　below；　and　produced　two　little　bundles；
which　she　handed　to　her　brother　and　sister。　'Mended　and　made　up？'
Clennam　heard　the　sister　ask　in　a　whisper。　To　which　Amy　answered　'Yes。'
He　had　risen　now；　and　took　the　opportunity　of　glancing　round　the　room。
The　bare　walls　had　been　coloured　green；　evidently　by　an　unskilled　hand；
and　were　poorly　decorated　with　a　few　prints。　The　window　was　curtained；
and　the　floor　carpeted；　and　there　were　shelves　and　pegs；　and　other　such
conveniences；　that　had　accumulated　in　the　course　of　years。　It　was　a
close；　confined　room；　poorly　furnished；　and　the　chimney　smoked　to　boot；
or　the　tin　screen　at　the　top　of　the　fireplace　was　superfluous；　but
constant　pains　and　care　had　made　it　neat；　and　even；　after　its　kind；
fortable。　All　the　while　the　bell　was　ringing；　and　the　uncle　was
anxious　to　go。　'e；　Fanny；　e；　Fanny；'　he　said；　with　his　ragged
clario　case　under　his　arm；　'the　lock；　child；　the　lock！'

Fanny　bade　her　father　good　night；　and　whisked　off　airily。　Tip　had
already　clattered　down…stairs。　'Now；　Mr　Clennam；'　said　the　uncle；
looking　back　as　he　shuffled　out　after　them；　'the　lock；　sir；　the　lock。'

Mr　Clennam　had　two　things　to　do　before　he　followed；　one；　to　offer　his
testimonial　to　the　Father　of　the　Marshalsea；　without　giving　pain　to　his
child；　the　other　to　say　something　to　that　child；　though　it　were　but　a
word；　in　explanation　of　his　having　e　there。

'Allow　me；'　said　the　Father；　'to　see　you　down…stairs。'

She　had　slipped　out　after　the　rest；　and　they　were　alone。　'Not　on　any
account；'　said　the　visitor；　hurriedly。　'Pray　allow　me　to……'　chink；
chink；　chink。

'Mr　Clennam；'　said　the　Father；　'I　am　deeply；　deeply……'　But　his　visitor
had　shut　up　his　hand　to　stop　the　clinking；　and　had　gone　down…stairs　with
great　speed。

He　saw　no　Little　Dorrit　on　his　way　down；　or　in　the　yard。　The　last　two　or
three　stragglers　were　hurrying　to　the　lodge；　and　he　was　following；
when　he　caught　sight　of　her　in　the　doorway　of　the　first　house　from　the
entrance。　He　turned　back　hastily。

'Pray　forgive　me；'　he　said；　'for　speaking　to　you　here；　pray　forgive　me
for　ing　here　at　all！　I　followed　you　to…night。　I　did　so；　that　I　might
endeavour　to　render　you　and　your　family　some　service。　You　know　the
terms　on　which　I　and　my　mother　are；　and　may　not　be　surprised　that　I
have　preserved　our　distant　relations　at　her　house；　lest　I　should
unintentionally　make　her　jealous；　or　resentful；　or　do　you　any　injury　in
her　estimation。　What　I　have　seen　here；　in　this　short　time；　has　greatly
increased　my　heartfelt　wish　to　be　a　friend　to　you。　It　would　repense
me　for　much　disappointment　if　I　could　hope　to　gain　your　confidence。'

She　was　scared　at　first；　but　seemed　to　take　courage　while　he　spoke　to
her。

'You　are　very　good；　sir。　You　speak　very　earnestly　to　me。　But　I……but　I
wish　you　had　not　watched　me。'

He　understood　the　emotion　with　which　she　said　it；　to　arise　in　her
father's　behalf；　and　he　respected　it；　and　was　silent。

'Mrs　Clennam　has　been　of　great　service　to　me；　I　don't　know　what　we
should　have　done　without　the　employment　she　has　given　me；　I　am　afraid
it　may　not　be　a　good　return　to　bee　secret　with　her；　I　can　say　no　more
to…night；　sir。　I　am　sure　you　mean　to　be　kind　to　us。　Thank　you；　thank
you。'　'Let　me　ask　you　one　question　before　I　leave。　Have　you　known　my
mother　long？'

'I　think　two　years；　sir；……The　bell　has　stopped。'

'How　did　you　know　her　first？　Did　she　send　here　for　you？'

'No。　She　does　not　even　know　that　I　live　here。　We　have　a　friend；　father
and　I……a　poor　labouring　man；　but　the　best　of　friends……and　I　wrote　out
that　I　wished　to　do　needlework；　and　gave　his　address。　And　he　got　what
I　wrote　out　displayed　at　a　few　places　where　it　cost　nothing；　and　Mrs
Clennam　found　me　that　way；　and　sent　for　me。　The　gate　will　be　locked；
sir！'

She　was　so　tremulous　and　agitated；　and　he　was　so　moved　by　passion　for
her；　and　by　deep　interest　in　her　story　as　it　dawned　upon　him；　that　he
could　scarcely　tear　himself　away。　But　the　stoppage　of　the　bell；　and　the
quiet　in　the　prison；　were　a　warning　to　depart；　and　with　a　few　hurried
words　of　kindness　he　left　her　gliding　back　to　her　father。

But　he　remained　too　late。　The　inner　gate　was　locked；　and　the　lodge
closed。　After　a　little　fruitless　knocking　with　his　hand；　he　was　standing
there　with　the　disagreeable　conviction　upon　him　that　he　had　got　to　get
through　the　night；　when　a　voice　accosted　him　from　behind。

'Caught；　eh？'　said　the　voice。　'You　won't　go　home　till　morning。　Oh！　It's
you；　is　it；　Mr　Clennam？'

The　voice　was　Tip's；　and　they　stood　looking　at　one　another　in　the
prison…yard；　as　it　began　to　rain。


'You've　done　it；'　observed　Tip；　'you　must　be　sharper　than　that　next
time。'

'But　you　are　locked　in　too；'　said　Arthur。

'I　believe　I　am！'　said　Tip；　sarcastically。　'About！　But　not　in　your　way。
I　belong　to　the　shop；　only　my　sister　has　a　theory　that　our　governor　must
never　know　it。　I　don't　see　why；　myself。'

'Can　I　get　any　shelter？'　asked　Arthur。　'What　had　I　better　do？'

'We　had　better　get　hold　of　Amy　first　of　all；'　said　Tip；　referring　any
difficulty　to　her　as　a　matter　of　course。

'I　would　rather　walk　about　all　night……it's　not　much　to　do……than　give
that　trouble。'

'You　needn't　do　that；　if　you　don't　mind　paying　for　a　bed。　If　you　don't
mind　paying；　they'll　make　you　up　one　on　the　Snuggery　table；　under　the
circumstances。　If　you'll　e　along；　I'll　introduce　you　there。'

As　they　passed　down　the　yard；　Arthur　looked　up　at　the　window　of　the　room
he　had　lately　left；　where　the　light　was　still　burning。　'Yes；　sir；'　said
Tip；　following　his　glance。　'That's　the　governor's。　She'll　sit　with　him
for　another　hour　reading　yesterday's　paper　to　him；　or　something　of　that
sort；　and　then　she'll　e　out　like　a　little　ghost；　and　vanish　away
without　a　sound。'

'I　don't　understand　you。'

'The　governor　sleeps　up　in　the　room；　and　she　has　a　lodging　at　the
turnkey's。　First　house　there；'　said　Tip；　pointing　out　the　doorway　into
which　she　had　retired。　'First　house；　sky　parlour。　She　pays　twice　as　much
for　it　as　she　would　for　one　twice　as　good　outside。　But　she　stands　by　the
governor；　poor　dear　girl；　day　and　night。'

This　brought　them　to　the　tavern…establishment　at　the　upper　end　of　the
prison；　where　the　collegians　had　just　vacated　their　social　evening　club。
The　apartment　on　the　ground…floor　in　which　it　was　held；　was　the　Snuggery
in　question；　the　presidential　tribune　of　the　chairman；　the　pewter…pots；
glasses；　pipes；　tobacco…ashes；　and　general　flavour　of　members；　were
still　as　that　convivial　institution　had　left　them　on　its　adjournment。
The　Snuggery　had　two　of　the　qualities　popularly　held　to　be　essential　to
grog　for　ladies；　in　respect　that　it　was　hot　and　strong；　but　in　the　third
point　of　analogy；　requiring　plenty　of　it；　the　Snuggery　was　defective；
being　but　a　cooped…up　apartment。

The　unaccustomed　visitor　from　outside；　naturally　assumed　everybody　here
to　be　prisoners……landlord；　waiter；　barmaid；　potboy；　and　all。　Whether
they　were　or　not；　did　not　appear；　but　they　all　had　a　weedy　look。　The
keeper　of　a　chandler's　shop　in　a　front　parlour；　who　took　in　gentlemen
boarders；　lent　his　assistance　in