little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第149章

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Meagles；　'may　misrepresent　us；　we　are　afraid。　We　could　bear　a　great
deal；　Arthur；　for　her　sake；　but　we　think　we　would　rather　not　bear　that；
if　it　was　all　the　same　to　her。'

'Good；'　said　Arthur。　'Go　on。'

'You　see；'　proceeded　Mr　Meagles　'it　might　put　us　wrong　with　our
son…in…law；　it　might　even　put　us　wrong　with　our　daughter；　and　it　might
lead　to　a　great　deal　of　domestic　trouble。　You　see；　don't　you？'

'Yes；　indeed；'　returned　Arthur；　'there　is　much　reason　in　what　you　say。'
He　had　glanced　at　Mrs　Meagles；　who　was　always　on　the　good　and　sensible
side；　and　a　petition　had　shone　out　of　her　honest　face　that　he　would
support　Mr　Meagles　in　his　present　inclinings。

'So　we　are　very　much　disposed；　are　Mother　and　I；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'to
pack　up　bags　and　baggage　and　go　among　the　Allongers　and　Marshongers　once
more。　I　mean；　we　are　very　much　disposed　to　be　off；　strike　right　through
France　into　Italy；　and　see　our　Pet。'

'And　I　don't　think；'　replied　Arthur；　touched　by　the　motherly
anticipation　in　the　bright　face　of　Mrs　Meagles　（she　must　have　been　very
like　her　daughter；　once）；　'that　you　could　do　better。　And　if　you　ask　me
for　my　advice；　it　is　that　you　set　off　to…morrow。'

'Is　it　really；　though？'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'Mother；　this　is　being　backed
in　an　idea！'

Mother；　with　a　look　which　thanked　Clennam　in　a　manner　very　agreeable　to
him；　answered　that　it　was　indeed。

'The　fact　is；　besides；　Arthur；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　the　old　cloud　ing
over　his　face；　'that　my　son…in…law　is　already　in　debt　again；　and　that　I
suppose　I　must　clear　him　again。　It　may　be　as　well；　even　on　this　account；
that　I　should　step　over　there；　and　look　him　up　in　a　friendly　way。　Then
again；　here's　Mother　foolishly　anxious　（and　yet　naturally　too）　about
Pet's　state　of　health；　and　that　she　should　not　be　left　to　feel　lonesome
at　the　present　time。　It's　undeniably　a　long　way　off；　Arthur；　and　a
strange　place　for　the　poor　love　under　all　the　circumstances。　Let　her　be
as　well　cared　for　as　any　lady　in　that　land；　still　it　is　a　long　way　off。
just　as　Home　is　Home　though　it's　never　so　Homely；　why　you　see；'　said　Mr
Meagles；　adding　a　new　version　to　the　proverb；　'Rome　is　Rome；　though　it's
never　so　Romely。'

'All　perfectly　true；'　observed　Arthur；　'and　all　sufficient　reasons　for
going。'

'I　am　glad　you　think　so；　it　decides　me。　Mother；　my　dear；　you　may　get
ready。　We　have　lost　our　pleasant　interpreter　（she　spoke　three　foreign
languages　beautifully；　Arthur；　you　have　heard　her　many　a　time）；　and　you
must　pull　me　through　it；　Mother；　as　well　as　you　can。

I　require　a　deal　of　pulling　through；　Arthur；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　shaking
his　head；　'a　deal　of　pulling　through。　I　stick　at　everything　beyond　a
noun…substantive……and　I　stick　at　him；　if　he's　at　all　a　tight　one。'

'Now　I　think　of　it；'　returned　Clennam；　'there's　Cavalletto。　He　shall
go　with　you；　if　you　like。　I　could　not　afford　to　lose　him；　but　you　will
bring　him　safe　back。'

'Well！　I　am　much　obliged　to　you；　my　boy；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　turning　it
over；　'but　I　think　not。　No；　I　think　I'll　be　pulled　through　by　Mother。
Cavallooro　（I　stick　at　his　very　name　to　start　with；　and　it　sounds　like
the　chorus　to　a　ic　song）　is　so　necessary　to　you；　that　I　don't　like
the　thought　of　taking　him　away。　More　than　that；　there's　no　saying　when
we　may　e　home　again；　and　it　would　never　do　to　take　him　away　for
an　indefinite　time。　The　cottage　is　not　what　it　was。　It　only　holds　two
little　people　less　than　it　ever　did；　Pet；　and　her　poor　unfortunate　maid
Tattycoram；　but　it　seems　empty　now。　Once　out　of　it；　there's　no　knowing
when　we　may　e　back　to　it。　No；　Arthur；　I'll　be　pulled　through　by
Mother。'

They　would　do　best　by　themselves　perhaps；　after　all；　Clennam　thought；
therefore　did　not　press　his　proposal。

'If　you　would　e　down　and　stay　here　for　a　change；　when　it　wouldn't
trouble　you；'　Mr　Meagles　resumed；　'I　should　be　glad　to　think……and　so
would　Mother　too；　I　know……that　you　were　brightening　up　the　old　place
with　a　bit　of　life　it　was　used　to　when　it　was　full；　and　that　the　Babies
on　the　wall　there　had　a　kind　eye　upon　them　sometimes。　You　so　belong　to
the　spot；　and　to　them；　Arthur；　and　we　should　every　one　of　us　have　been
so　happy　if　it　had　fallen　out……but；　let　us　see……how's　the　weather　for
travelling　now？'　Mr　Meagles　broke　off；　cleared　his　throat；　and　got　up　to
look　out　of　the　window。

They　agreed　that　the　weather　was　of　high　promise；　and　Clennam　kept　the
talk　in　that　safe　direction　until　it　had　bee　easy　again；　when　he
gently　diverted　it　to　Henry　Gowan　and　his　quick　sense　and　agreeable
qualities　when　he　was　delicately　dealt　With；　he　likewise　dwelt　on　the
indisputable　affection　he　entertained　for　his　wife。　Clennam　did　not　fail
of　his　effect　upon　good　Mr　Meagles；　whom　these　mendations　greatly
cheered；　and　who　took　Mother　to　witness　that　the　single　and　cordial
desire　of　his　heart　in　reference　to　their　daughter's　husband；　was
harmoniously　to　exchange　friendship　for　friendship；　and　confidence　for
confidence。　Within　a　few　hours　the　cottage　furniture　began　to　be　wrapped
up　for　preservation　in　the　family　absence……or；　as　Mr　Meagles　expressed
it；　the　house　began　to　put　its　hair　in　papers……and　within　a　few　days
Father　and　Mother　were　gone；　Mrs　Tickit　and　Dr　Buchan　were　posted；　as　of
yore；　behind　the　parlour　blind；　and　Arthur's　solitary　feet　were　rustling
among　the　dry　fallen　leaves　in　the　garden　walks。

As　he　had　a　liking　for　the　spot；　he　seldom　let　a　week　pass　without
paying　a　visit。　Sometimes；　he　went　down　alone　from　Saturday　to　Monday；
sometimes　his　partner　acpanied　him；　sometimes；　he　merely　strolled　for
an　hour　or　two　about　the　house　and　garden；　saw　that　all　was　right；　and
returned　to　London　again。　At　all　times；　and　under　all　circumstances；　Mrs
Tickit；　with　her　dark　row　of　curls；　and　Dr　Buchan；　sat　in　the　parlour
window；　looking　out　for　the　family　return。

On　one　of　his　visits　Mrs　Tickit　received　him　with　the　words；　'I
have　something　to　tell　you；　Mr　Clennam；　that　will　surprise　you。'　So
surprising　was　the　something　in　question；　that　it　actually　brought　Mrs
Tickit　out　of　the　parlour　window　and　produced　her　in　the　garden　walk；
when　Clennam　went　in　at　the　gate　on　its　being　opened　for　him。

'What　is　it；　Mrs　Tickit？'　said　he。

'Sir；'　returned　that　faithful　housekeeper；　having　taken　him　into　the
parlour　and　closed　the　door；　'if　ever　I　saw　the　led　away　and　deluded
child　in　my　life；　I　saw　her　identically　in　the　dusk　of　yesterday
evening。'

'You　don't　mean　Tatty……'

'Coram　yes　I　do！'　quoth　Mrs　Tickit；　clearing　the　disclosure　at　a　leap。

'Where？'

'Mr　Clennam；'　returned　Mrs　Tickit；　'I　was　a　little　heavy　in　my　eyes；
being　that　I　was　waiting　longer　than　customary　for　my　cup　of　tea　which
was　then　preparing　by　Mary　Jane。　I　was　not　sleeping；　nor　what　a　person
would　term　correctly；　dozing。　I　was　more　what　a　person　would　strictly
call　watching　with　my　eyes　closed。'

Without　entering　upon　an　inquiry　into　this　curious　abnormal　condition；
Clennam　said；　'Exactly。　Well？'

'Well；　sir；'　proceeded　Mrs　Tickit；　'I　was　thinking　of　one　thing　and
thinking　of　another；　just　as　you　yourself　might。　Just　as　anybody　might。'
'Precisely　so；'　said　Clennam。　'Well？'

'And　when　I　do　think　of　one　thing　and　do　think　of　another；'　pursued
Mrs　Tickit；　'I　hardly　need　to　tell　you；　Mr　Clennam；　that　I　think　of　the
family。　Because；　dear　me！　a　person's　thoughts；'　Mrs　Tickit　said　this
with　an　argumentative　and　philosophic　air；　'however　they　may　stray；　will
go　more　or　less　on　what　is　uppermost　in　their　minds。　They　will　do　it；
sir；　and　a　person　can't　prevent　them。'

Arthur　subscribed　to　this　discovery　with　a　nod。

'You　find　it　so　yourself；　sir；　I'll　be　bold　to　say；'　said　Mrs　Tickit；
'and　we　all　find　it　so。　It　an't　our　stations　in　life　that　changes　us；　Mr
Clennam；　thoughts　is　free！……As　I　was　saying；　I　was　thinking　of　one　thing
and　thinking　of　another；　and　thinking　very　much　of　the　family。　Not　of
the　family　in　the　present　times　only；　but　in　the　past　times　too。　For
when　a　person　does　begin　thinking　of　one　thing　and　thinking　of　another
in　that　manner；　as　it's　getting　dark；　what　I　say　is；　that　all　times
seem　to　be　present；　and　a　person　must　get　out　of　that　state　and　consider
before　they　can　say　which　is　which。'

He　nodded　again；　afraid　to