little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第194章

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perhaps　he　was　guided　by　no　more　distinct　reason　than　that　he　had　taken
it　for　granted　that　his　mother　would　reserve　it　to　herself　and　her
partner。

'What　now？'　she　said　again；　impatiently。　'What　is　it？'

'I　did　not　mean；　mother；　that　you　should　repeat　what　I　have
municated。　I　think　you　had　better　not　repeat　it。'

'Do　you　make　that　a　condition　with　me？'

'Well！　Yes。'

'Observe；　then！　It　is　you　who　make　this　a　secret；'　said　she；　holding
up　her　hand；　'and　not　I。　It　is　you；　Arthur；　who　bring　here　doubts　and
suspicions　and　entreaties　for　explanations；　and　it　is　you；　Arthur；　who
bring　secrets　here。　What　is　it　to　me；　do　you　think；　where　the　man　has
been；　or　what　he　has　been？　What　can　it　be　to　me？　The　whole　world　may
know　it；　if　they　care　to　know　it；　it　is　nothing　to　me。　Now；　let　me　go。'

He　yielded　to　her　imperious　but　elated　look；　and　turned　her　chair　back
to　the　place　from　which　he　had　wheeled　it。　In　doing　so　he　saw　elation
in　the　face　of　Mr　Flintwinch；　which　most　assuredly　was　not　inspired　by
Flora。　This　turning　of　his　intelligence　and　of　his　whole　attempt　and
design　against　himself；　did　even　more　than　his　mother's　fixedness　and
firmness　to　convince　him　that　his　efforts　with　her　were　idle。　Nothing
remained　but　the　appeal　to　his　old　friend　Affery。

But　even　to　get　the　very　doubtful　and　preliminary　stage　of　making　the
appeal；　seemed　one　of　the　least　promising　of　human　undertakings。　She
was　so　pletely　under　the　thrall　of　the　two　clever　ones；　was　so
systematically　kept　in　sight　by　one　or　other　of　them；　and　was　so　afraid
to　go　about　the　house　besides；　that　every　opportunity　of　speaking　to　her
alone　appeared　to　be　forestalled。　Over　and　above　that；　Mistress　Affery；
by　some　means　（it　was　not　very　difficult　to　guess；　through　the　sharp
arguments　of　her　liege　lord）；　had　acquired　such　a　lively　conviction
of　the　hazard　of　saying　anything　under　any　circumstances；　that　she　had
remained　all　this　time　in　a　corner　guarding　herself　from　approach　with
that　symbolical　instrument　of　hers；　so　that；　when　a　word　or　two　had
been　addressed　to　her　by　Flora；　or　even　by　the　bottle…green　patriarch
himself；　she　had　warded　off　conversation　with　the　toasting…fork　like　a
dumb　woman。

After　several　abortive　attempts　to　get　Affery　to　look　at　him　while
she　cleared　the　table　and　washed　the　tea…service；　Arthur　thought　of　an
expedient　which　Flora　might　originate。　To　whom　he　therefore　whispered；
'Could　you　say　you　would　like　to　go　through　the　house？'

Now；　poor　Flora；　being　always　in　fluctuating　expectation　of　the　time
when　Clennam　would　renew　his　boyhood　and　be　madly　in　love　with　her
again；　received　the　whisper　with　the　utmost　delight；　not　only　as
rendered　precious　by　its　mysterious　character；　but　as　preparing　the
way　for　a　tender　interview　in　which　he　would　declare　the　state　of　his
affections。　She　immediately　began　to　work　out　the　hint。

'Ah　dear　me　the　poor　old　room；'　said　Flora；　glancing　round；　'looks　just
as　ever　Mrs　Clennam　I　am　touched　to　see　except　for　being　smokier　which
was　to　be　expected　with　time　and　which　we　must　all　expect　and　reconcile
ourselves　to　being　whether　we　like　it　or　not　as　I　am　sure　I　have　had　to
do　myself　if　not　exactly　smokier　dreadfully　stouter　which　is　the　same　or
worse；　to　think　of　the　days　when　papa　used　to　bring　me　here　the　least　of
girls　a　perfect　mass　of　chilblains　to　be　stuck　upon　a　chair　with　my　feet
on　the　rails　and　stare　at　Arthur……pray　excuse　me……Mr　Clennam……the
least　of　boys　in　the　frightfullest　of　frills　and　jackets　ere　yet　Mr
F。　appeared　a　misty　shadow　on　the　horizon　paying　attentions　like　the
well…known　spectre　of　some　place　in　Germany　beginning　with　a　B　is　a
moral　lesson　inculcating　that　all　the　paths　in　life　are　similar　to　the
paths　down　in　the　North　of　England　where　they　get　the　coals　and　make　the
iron　and　things　gravelled　with　ashes！'

Having　paid　the　tribute　of　a　sigh　to　the　instability　of　human　existence；
Flora　hurried　on　with　her　purpose。

'Not　that　at　any　time；'　she　proceeded；　'its　worst　enemy　could　have　said
it　was　a　cheerful　house　for　that　it　was　never　made　to　be　but　always
highly　impressive；　fond　memory　recalls　an　occasion　in　youth　ere　yet　the
judgment　was　mature　when　Arthur……confirmed　habit……Mr　Clennam……took
me　down　into　an　unused　kitchen　eminent　for　mouldiness　and　proposed　to
secrete　me　there　for　life　and　feed　me　on　what　he　could　hide　from　his
meals　when　he　was　not　at　home　for　the　holidays　and　on　dry　bread　in
disgrace　which　at　that　halcyon　period　too　frequently　occurred；　would
it　be　inconvenient　or　asking　too　much　to　beg　to　be　permitted　to　revive
those　scenes　and　walk　through　the　house？'

Mrs　Clennam；　who　responded　with　a　constrained　grace　to　Mrs　Finching's
good　nature　in　being　there　at　all；　though　her　visit　（before　Arthur's
unexpected　arrival）　was　undoubtedly　an　act　of　pure　good　nature　and　no
self…gratification；　intimated　that　all　the　house　was　open　to　her。　Flora
rose　and　looked　to　Arthur　for　his　escort。　'Certainly；'　said　he；　aloud；
'and　Affery　will　light　us；　I　dare　say。'

Affery　was　excusing　herself　with　'Don't　ask　nothing　of　me；　Arthur！'　when
Mr　Flintwinch　stopped　her　with　'Why　not？　Affery；　what's　the　matter　with
you；　woman？　Why　not；　jade！'　Thus　expostulated　with；　she　came　unwillingly
out　of　her　corner；　resigned　the　toasting…fork　into　one　of　her　husband's
hands；　and　took　the　candlestick　he　offered　from　the　other。

'Go　before；　you　fool！'　said　Jeremiah。　'Are　you　going　up；　or　down；　Mrs
Finching？'

Flora　answered；　'Down。'

'Then　go　before；　and　down；　you　Affery；'　said　Jeremiah。　'And　do　it
properly；　or　I'll　e　rolling　down　the　banisters；　and　tumbling　over
you！'

Affery　headed　the　exploring　party；　Jeremiah　closed　it。　He　had　no
intention　of　leaving　them。　Clennam　looking　back；　and　seeing　him
following　three　stairs　behind；　in　the　coolest　and　most　methodical
manner　exclaimed　in　a　low　voice；　'Is　there　no　getting　rid　of　him！'　Flora
reassured　his　mind　by　replying　promptly；　'Why　though　not　exactly
proper　Arthur　and　a　thing　I　couldn't　think　of　before　a　younger　man　or
a　stranger　still　I　don't　mind　him　if　you　so　particularly　wish　it　and
provided　you'll　have　the　goodness　not　to　take　me　too　tight。'

Wanting　the　heart　to　explain　that　this　was　not　at　all　what　he　meant；
Arthur　extended　his　supporting　arm　round　Flora's　figure。　'Oh　my　goodness
me；'　said　she。　'You　are　very　obedient　indeed　really　and　it's　extremely
honourable　and　gentlemanly　in　you　I　am　sure　but　still　at　the　same　time
if　you　would　like　to　be　a　little　tighter　than　that　I　shouldn't　consider
it　intruding。'

In　this　preposterous　attitude；　unspeakably　at　variance　with　his　anxious
mind；　Clennam　descended　to　the　basement　of　the　house；　finding　that
wherever　it　became　darker　than　elsewhere；　Flora　became　heavier；　and
that　when　the　house　was　lightest　she　was　too。　Returning　from　the　dismal
kitchen　regions；　which　were　as　dreary　as　they　could　be；　Mistress　Affery
passed　with　the　light　into　his　father's　old　room；　and　then　into　the　old
dining…room；　always　passing　on　before　like　a　phantom　that　was　not　to　be
overtaken；　and　neither　turning　nor　answering　when　he　whispered；　'Affery！
I　want　to　speak　to　you！'

In　the　dining…room；　a　sentimental　desire　came　over　Flora　to　look　into
the　dragon　closet　which　had　so　often　swallowed　Arthur　in　the　days　of　his
boyhood……not　improbably　because；　as　a　very　dark　closet；　it　was　a　likely
place　to　be　heavy　in。　Arthur；　fast　subsiding　into　despair；　had　opened
it；　when　a　knock　was　heard　at　the　outer　door。

Mistress　Affery；　with　a　suppressed　cry；　threw　her　apron　over　her　head。

'What？　You　want　another　dose！'　said　Mr　Flintwinch。　'You　shall　have　it；
my　woman；　you　shall　have　a　good　one！　Oh！　You　shall　have　a　sneezer；　you
shall　have　a　teaser！'

'In　the　meantime　is　anybody　going　to　the　door？'　said　Arthur。

'In　the　meantime；　I　am　going　to　the　door；　sir；'　returned　the　old　man　so
savagely；　as　to　render　it　clear　that　in　a　choice　of　difficulties　he　felt
he　must　go；　though　he　would　have　preferred　not　to　go。　'Stay　here　the
while；　all！　Affery；　my　woman；　move　an　inch；　or　speak　a　word　in　your
foolishness；　and　I'll　treble　your　dose！'

The　moment　he　was　gone；　Arthur　released　Mrs　Finching：　with　some
difficulty；　by　reason　of　that　lady　misundersta