little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第203章

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as　they　were：　and　those　who　had　been　deluded　being　certain　to　find
excuses　and　reasons　for　themselves；　of　which　they　were　equally　certain
to　see　that　other　sufferers　were　wholly　devoid：　not　to　mention　the　great
probability　of　every　individual　sufferer　persuading　himself；　to　his
violent　indignation；　that　but　for　the　example　of　all　the　other　sufferers
he　never　would　have　put　himself　in　the　way　of　suffering。　Because　such　a
declaration　as　Clennam's；　made　at　such　a　time；　would　certainly　draw　down
upon　him　a　storm　of　animosity；　rendering　it　impossible　to　calculate　on
forbearance　in　the　creditors；　or　on　unanimity　among　them；　and　exposing
him　a　solitary　target　to　a　straggling　cross…fire；　which　might　bring　him
down　from　half…a…dozen　quarters　at　once。

To　all　this　Clennam　merely　replied　that；　granting　the　whole　protest；
nothing　in　it　lessened　the　force；　or　could　lessen　the　force；　of　the
voluntary　and　public　exoneration　of　his　partner。　He　therefore；　once
and　for　all；　requested　Mr　Rugg's　immediate　aid　in　getting　the　business
despatched。　Upon　that；　Mr　Rugg　fell　to　work；　and　Arthur；　retaining　no
property　to　himself　but　his　clothes　and　books；　and　a　little　loose
money；　placed　his　small　private　banker's…account　with　the　papers　of　the
business。

The　disclosure　was　made；　and　the　storm　raged　fearfully。　Thousands　of
people　were　wildly　staring　about　for　somebody　alive　to　heap　reproaches
on；　and　this　notable　case；　courting　publicity；　set　the　living　somebody
so　much　wanted；　on　a　scaffold。　When　people　who　had　nothing　to　do　with
the　case　were　so　sensible　of　its　flagrancy；　people　who　lost　money　by　it
could　scarcely　be　expected　to　deal　mildly　with　it。　Letters　of　reproach
and　invective　showered　in　from　the　creditors；　and　Mr　Rugg；　who　sat　upon
the　high　stool　every　day　and　read　them　all；　informed　his　client　within　a
week　that　he　feared　there　were　writs　out。

'I　must　take　the　consequences　of　what　I　have　done；'　said　Clennam。　'The
writs　will　find　me　here。'

On　the　very　next　morning；　as　he　was　turning　in　Bleeding　Heart　Yard　by
Mrs　Plornish's　corner；　Mrs　Plornish　stood　at　the　door　waiting　for　him；
and　mysteriously　besought　him　to　step　into　Happy　Cottage。　There　he　found
Mr　Rugg。

'I　thought　I'd　wait　for　you　here。　I　wouldn't　go　on　to　the　Counting…house
this　morning　if　I　was　you；　sir。'

'Why　not；　Mr　Rugg？'

'There　are　as　many　as　five　out；　to　my　knowledge。'

'It　cannot　be　too　soon　over；'　said　Clennam。　'Let　them　take　me　at　once。'

'Yes；　but；'　said　Mr　Rugg；　getting　between　him　and　the　door；　'hear
reason；　hear　reason。　They'll　take　you　soon　enough；　Mr　Clennam；　I　don't
doubt；　but；　hear　reason。　It　almost　always　happens；　in　these　cases；
that　some　insignificant　matter　pushes　itself　in　front　and　makes　much
of　itself。　Now；　I　find　there's　a　little　one　out……a　mere　Palace　Court
jurisdiction……and　I　have　reason　to　believe　that　a　caption　may　be　made
upon　that。　I　wouldn't　be　taken　upon　that。'

'Why　not？'　asked　Clennam。

'I'd　be　taken　on　a　full…grown　one；　sir；'　said　Mr　Rugg。　'It's　as　well　to
keep　up　appearances。　As　your　professional　adviser；　I　should　prefer　your
being　taken　on　a　writ　from　one　of　the　Superior　Courts；　if　you　have　no
objection　to　do　me　that　favour。　It　looks　better。'

'Mr　Rugg；'　said　Arthur；　in　his　dejection；　'my　only　wish　is；　that　it
should　be　over。　I　will　go　on；　and　take　my　chance。'

'Another　word　of　reason；　sir！'　cried　Mr　Rugg。　'Now；　this　is　reason。
The　other　may　be　taste；　but　this　is　reason。　If　you　should　be　taken　on　a
little　one；　sir；　you　would　go　to　the　Marshalsea。　Now；　you　know　what　the
Marshalsea　is。　Very　close。　Excessively　confined。　Whereas　in　the　King's
Bench……'　Mr　Rugg　waved　his　right　hand　freely；　as　expressing　abundance　of
space。　'I　would　rather；'　said　Clennam；　'be　taken　to　the　Marshalsea　than
to　any　other　prison。'

'Do　you　say　so　indeed；　sir？'　returned　Mr　Rugg。　'Then　this　is　taste；　too；
and　we　may　be　walking。'

He　was　a　little　offended　at　first；　but　he　soon　overlooked　it。　They
walked　through　the　Yard　to　the　other　end。　The　Bleeding　Hearts　were　more
interested　in　Arthur　since　his　reverses　than　formerly；　now　regarding　him
as　one　who　was　true　to　the　place　and　had　taken　up　his　freedom。　Many　of
them　came　out　to　look　after　him；　and　to　observe　to　one　another；　with
great　unctuousness；　that　he　was　'pulled　down　by　it。'　Mrs　Plornish
and　her　father　stood　at　the　top　of　the　steps　at　their　own　end；　much
depressed　and　shaking　their　heads。

There　was　nobody　visibly　in　waiting　when　Arthur　and　Mr　Rugg　arrived
at　the　Counting…house。　But　an　elderly　member　of　the　Jewish　persuasion；
preserved　in　rum；　followed　them　close；　and　looked　in　at　the　glass　before
Mr　Rugg　had　opened　one　of　the　day's　letters。

'Oh！'　said　Mr　Rugg；　looking　up。　'How　do　you　do？　Step　in……Mr　Clennam；　I
think　this　is　the　gentleman　I　was　mentioning。'

This　gentleman　explained　the　object　of　his　visit　to　be　'a　tyfling　madder
ob　bithznithz；'　and　executed　his　legal　function。

'Shall　I　acpany　you；　Mr　Clennam？'　asked　Mr　Rugg　politely；　rubbing　his
hands。

'I　would　rather　go　alone；　thank　you。　Be　so　good　as　send　me　my　clothes。'
Mr　Rugg　in　a　light　airy　way　replied　in　the　affirmative；　and　shook　hands
with　him。　He　and　his　attendant　then　went　down…stairs；　got　into　the　first
conveyance　they　found；　and　drove　to　the　old　gates。

'Where　I　little　thought；　Heaven　forgive　me；'　said　Clennam　to　himself；
'that　I　should　ever　enter　thus！'

Mr　Chivery　was　on　the　Lock；　and　Young　John　was　in　the　Lodge：　either
newly　released　from　it；　or　waiting　to　take　his　own　spell　of　duty。　Both
were　more　astonished　on　seeing　who　the　prisoner　was；　than　one　might　have
thought　turnkeys　would　have　been。　The　elder　Mr　Chivery　shook　hands　with
him　in　a　shame…faced　kind　of　way；　and　said；　'I　don't　call　to　mind；
sir；　as　I　was　ever　less　glad　to　see　you。'　The　younger　Mr　Chivery；　more
distant；　did　not　shake　hands　with　him　at　all；　he　stood　looking　at　him
in　a　state　of　indecision　so　observable　that　it　even　came　within　the
observation　of　Clennam　with　his　heavy　eyes　and　heavy　heart。　Presently
afterwards；　Young　John　disappeared　into　the　jail。

As　Clennam　knew　enough　of　the　place　to　know　that　he　was　required　to
remain　in　the　Lodge　a　certain　time；　he　took　a　seat　in　a　corner；　and
feigned　to　be　occupied　with　the　perusal　of　letters　from　his　pocket。

They　did　not　so　engross　his　attention；　but　that　he　saw；　with　gratitude；
how　the　elder　Mr　Chivery　kept　the　Lodge　clear　of　prisoners；　how　he
signed　to　some；　with　his　keys；　not　to　e　in；　how　he　nudged　others　with
his　elbows　to　go　out；　and　how　he　made　his　misery　as　easy　to　him　as　he
could。

Arthur　was　sitting　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　floor；　recalling　the　past；
brooding　over　the　present；　and　not　attending　to　either；　when　he　felt
himself　touched　upon　the　shoulder。　It　was　by　Young　John；　and　he　said；
'You　can　e　now。'

He　got　up　and　followed　Young　John。　When　they　had　gone　a　step　or　two
within　the　inner　iron…gate；　Young　John　turned　and　said　to　him：

'You　want　a　room。　I　have　got　you　one。'

'I　thank　you　heartily。'

Young　John　turned　again；　and　took　him　in　at　the　old　doorway；　up　the　old
staircase；　into　the　old　room。　Arthur　stretched　out　his　hand。　Young　John
looked　at　it；　looked　at　him……sternly……swelled；　choked；　and　said：

'I　don't　know　as　I　can。　No；　I　find　I　can't。　But　I　thought　you'd　like　the
room；　and　here　it　is　for　you。'

Surprise　at　this　inconsistent　behaviour　yielded　when　he　was　gone　（he
went　away　directly）　to　the　feelings　which　the　empty　room　awakened　in
Clennam's　wounded　breast；　and　to　the　crowding　associations　with　the
one　good　and　gentle　creature　who　had　sanctified　it。　Her　absence　in　his
altered　fortunes　made　it；　and　him　in　it；　so　very　desolate　and　so　much　in
need　of　such　a　face　of　love　and　truth；　that　he　turned　against　the
wall　to　weep；　sobbing　out；　as　his　heart　relieved　itself；　'O　my　Little
Dorrit！'




CHAPTER　27。　The　Pupil　of　the　Marshalsea


The　day　was　sunny；　and　the　Marshalsea；　with　the　hot　noon　striking
upon　it；　　dropped　into　a　solitary
arm…chair；　itself　as　faded　as　any　debtor　in　the　jail；　and　yielded
himself　to　his　thoughts。

In　the　unnatural　peace　of　having　gone　through　the　dreaded　arrest；　and
got　there；……the　first　change　of　feeling　which　the　prison　most　monly
induced；　and