little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第150章

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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　utter　a　word；　lest　it　should　present　any　new
opening　to　Mrs　Tickit's　conversational　powers。

'In　consequence　of　which；'　said　Mrs　Tickit；　'y　eyes　and
saw　her　actual　form　and　figure　looking　in　at　the　gate；　I　let　them　close
again　without　so　much　as　starting；　for　that　actual　form　and　figure　came
so　pat　to　the　time　when　it　belonged　to　the　house　as　much　as　mine　or　your
own；　that　I　never　thought　at　the　moment　of　its　having　gone　away。　But；
sir；　y　eyes　again；　and　saw　that　it　wasn't　there；　then
it　all　flooded　upon　me　with　a　fright；　and　I　jumped　up。'

'You　ran　out　directly？'　said　Clennam。

'I　ran　out；'　assented　Mrs　Tickit；　'as　fast　as　ever　my　feet　would　carry
me；　and　if　you'll　credit　it；　Mr　Clennam；　there　wasn't　in　the　whole
shining　Heavens；　no　not　so　much　as　a　finger　of　that　young　woman。'

Passing　over　the　absence　from　the　firmament　of　this　novel　constellation；
Arthur　inquired　of　Mrs　Tickit　if　she　herself　went　beyond　the　gate？

'Went　to　and　fro；　and　high　and　low；'　said　Mrs　Tickit；　'and　saw　no　sign
of　her！'


He　then　asked　Mrs　Tickit　how　long　a　space　of　time　she　supposed　there
might　have　been　between　the　two　sets　of　ocular　quiverings　she　had
experienced？　Mrs　Tickit；　though　minutely　circumstantial　in　her　reply；
had　no　settled　opinion　between　five　seconds　and　ten　minutes。

She　was　so　plainly　at　sea　on　this　part　of　the　case；　and　had　so　clearly
been　startled　out　of　slumber；　that　Clennam　was　much　disposed　to　regard
the　appearance　as　a　dream。　Without　hurting　Mrs　Tickit's　feelings　with
that　infidel　solution　of　her　mystery；　he　took　it　away　from　the　cottage
with　him；　and　probably　would　have　retained　it　ever　afterwards　if　a
circumstance　had　not　soon　happened　to　change　his　opinion。　He　was　passing
at　nightfall　along　the　Strand；　and　the　lamp…lighter　was　going　on　before
him；　under　whose　hand　the　street…lamps；　blurred　by　the　foggy　air；　burst
out　one　after　another；　like　so　many　blazing　sunflowers　ing　into
full…blow　all　at　once；……when　a　stoppage　on　the　pavement；　caused　by　a
train　of　coal…waggons　toiling　up　from　the　wharves　at　the　river…side；
brought　him　to　a　stand…still。　He　had　been　walking　quickly；　and　going
with　some　current　of　thought；　and　the　sudden　check　given　to　both
operations　caused　him　to　look　freshly　about　him；　as　people　under　such
circumstances　usually　do。

Immediately；　he　saw　in　advance……a　few　people　intervening；　but　still
so　near　to　him　that　he　could　have　touched　them　by　stretching　out
his　arm……Tattycoram　and　a　strange　man　of　a　remarkable　appearance：　a
swaggering　man；　with　a　high　nose；　and　a　black　moustache　as　false　in　its
colour　as　his　eyes　were　false　in　their　expression；　who　wore　his　heavy
cloak　with　the　air　of　a　foreigner。　His　dress　and　general　appearance　were
those　of　a　man　on　travel；　and　he　seemed　to　have　very　recently　joined
the　girl。　In　bending　down　（being　much　taller　than　she　was）；　listening
to　whatever　she　said　to　him；　he　looked　over　his　shoulder　with　the
suspicious　glance　of　one　who　was　not　unused　to　be　mistrustful　that　his
footsteps　might　be　dogged。　It　was　then　that　Clennam　saw　his　face；　as
his　eyes　lowered　on　the　people　behind　him　in　the　aggregate；　without
particularly　resting　upon　Clennam's　face　or　any　other。

He　had　scarcely　turned　his　head　about　again；　and　it　was　still　bent　down；
listening　to　the　girl；　when　the　stoppage　ceased；　and　the　obstructed
stream　of　people　flowed　on。　Still　bending　his　head　and　listening　to　the
girl；　he　went　on　at　her　side；　and　Clennam　followed　them；　resolved　to
play　this　unexpected　play　out；　and　see　where　they　went。

He　had　hardly　made　the　determination　（though　he　was　not　long　about　it）；
when　he　was　again　as　suddenly　brought　up　as　he　had　been　by　the　stoppage。
They　turned　short　into　the　Adelphi；……the　girl　evidently　leading；……and
went　straight　on；　as　if　they　were　going　to　the　Terrace　which　overhangs
the　river。

There　is　always；　to　this　day；　a　sudden　pause　in　that　place　to　the　roar
of　the　great　thoroughfare。　The　many　sounds　bee　so　deadened　that　the
change　is　like　putting　cotton　in　the　ears；　or　having　the　head　thickly
muffled。　At　that　time　the　contrast　was　far　greater；　there　being　no　small
steam…boats　on　the　river；　no　landing　places　but　slippery　wooden　stairs
and　foot…causeways；　no　railroad　on　the　opposite　bank；　no　hanging　bridge
or　fish…market　near　at　hand；　no　traffic　on　the　nearest　bridge　of　stone；
nothing　moving　on　the　stream　but　watermen's　wherries　and　coal…lighters。
Long　and　broad　black　tiers　of　the　latter；　moored　fast　in　the　mud　as　if
they　were　never　to　move　again；　made　the　shore　funereal　and　silent　after
dark；　and　kept　what　little　water…movement　there　was；　far　out　towards
mid…stream。　At　any　hour　later　than　sunset；　and　not　least　at　that　hour
when　most　of　the　people　who　have　anything　to　eat　at　home　are　going　home
to　eat　it；　and　when　most　of　those　who　have　nothing　have　hardly　yet　slunk
out　to　beg　or　steal；　it　was　a　deserted　place　and　looked　on　a　deserted
scene。

Such　was　the　hour　when　Clennam　stopped　at　the　corner；　observing　the　girl
and　the　strange　man　as　they　went　down　the　street。　The　man's　footsteps
were　so　noisy　on　the　echoing　stones　that　he　was　unwilling　to　add　the
sound　of　his　own。　But　when　they　had　passed　the　turning　and　were　in　the
darkness　of　the　dark　corner　leading　to　the　terrace；　he　made　after　them
with　such　indifferent　appearance　of　being　a　casual　passenger　on　his　way；
as　he　could　assume。

When　he　rounded　the　dark　corner；　they　were　walking　along　the　terrace
towards　a　figure　which　was　ing　towards　them。　If　he　had　seen　it　by
itself；　under　such　conditions　of　gas…lamp；　mist；　and　distance；　he　might
not　have　known　it　at　first　sight；　but　with　the　figure　of　the　girl　to
prompt　him；　he　at　once　recognised　Miss　Wade。

He　stopped　at　the　corner；　seeming　to　look　back　expectantly　up　the　street
as　if　he　had　made　an　appointment　with　some　one　to　meet　him　there；　but　he
kept　a　careful　eye　on　the　three。　When　they　came　together；　the　man　took
off　his　hat；　and　made　Miss　Wade　a　bow。　The　girl　appeared　to　say　a　few
words　as　though　she　presented　him；　or　accounted　for　his　being　late；　or
early；　or　what　not；　and　then　fell　a　pace　or　so　behind；　by　herself。　Miss
Wade　and　the　man　then　began　to　walk　up　and　down；　the　man　having　the
appearance　of　being　extremely　courteous　and　plimentary　in　manner；
Miss　Wade　having　the　appearance　of　being　extremely　haughty。

When　they　came　down　to　the　corner　and　turned；　she　was　saying；

'If　I　pinch　myself　for　it；　sir；　that　is　my　business。　Confine　yourself　to
yours；　and　ask　me　no　question。'

'By　Heaven；　ma'am！'　he　replied；　making　her　another　bow。　'It　was　my
profound　respect　for　the　strength　of　your　character；　and　my　admiration
of　your　beauty。'

'I　want　neither　the　one　nor　the　other　from　any　one；'　said　she；　'and
certainly　not　from　you　of　all　creatures。　Go　on　with　your　report。'

'Am　I　pardoned？'　he　asked；　with　an　air　of　half　abashed　gallantry。

'You　are　paid；'　she　said；　'and　that　is　all　you　want。'

Whether　the　girl　hung　behind　because　she　was　not　to　hear　the　business；
or　as　already　knowing　enough　about　it；　Clennam　could　not　determine。　They
turned　and　she　turned。　She　looked　away　at　the　river；　as　she　walked
with　her　hands　folded　before　her；　and　that　was　all　he　could　make　of
her　without　showing　his　face。　There　happened；　by　good　fortune；　to　be　a
lounger　really　waiting　for　some　one；　and　he　sometimes　looked　over　the
railing　at　the　water；　and　sometimes　came　to　the　dark　corner　and　looked
up　the　street；　rendering　Arthur　less　conspicuous。

When　Miss　Wade　and　the　man　came　back　again；　she　was　saying；　'You　must
wait　until　to…morrow。'

'A　thousand　pardons？'　he　returned。　'My　faith！　Then　it's　not　convenient
to…night？'

'No。　I　tell　you　I　must　get　it　before　I　can　give　it　to　you。'

She　stopped　in　the　roadway；　as　if　to　put　an　end　to　the　conference。　He　of
course　stopped　too。　And　the　girl　stopped。

'It's　a　little　inconvenient；'　said　the　man。　'A　little。　But；　Holy　Blue！
that's　nothing　in　such　a　service。　I　am　without　money　to…night；　by
chance。　I　have　a　good　banker　in　this　city；　but　I　would　not　wish　to　draw
upon　the　house　until　the　time　when　I　shal