little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第209章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


bearing；　or　adapted　with　a　more　gentlemanly　instinct　to　the
circumstances　of　his　visit。

'Is　it　fair　to　ask；'　he　said；　as　Clennam　gave　him　his　hand　with　a　real
feeling　of　thankfulness　for　his　candour　and　good…humour；　'whether　it
is　true　that　our　late　lamented　Merdle　is　the　cause　of　this　passing
inconvenience？'

'I　am　one　of　the　many　he　has　ruined。　Yes。'

'He　must　have　been　an　exceedingly　clever　fellow；'　said　Ferdinand
Barnacle。

Arthur；　not　being　in　the　mood　to　extol　the　memory　of　the　deceased；　was
silent。

'A　consummate　rascal；　of　course；'　said　Ferdinand；　'but　remarkably
clever！　One　cannot　help　admiring　the　fellow。　Must　have　been　such　a
master　of　humbug。　Knew　people　so　well……got　over　them　so　pletely……did
so　much　with　them！'　In　his　easy　way；　he　was　really　moved　to　genuine
admiration。

'I　hope；'　said　Arthur；　'that　he　and　his　dupes　may　be　a　warning　to　people
not　to　have　so　much　done　with　them　again。'

'My　dear　Mr　Clennam；'　returned　Ferdinand；　laughing；　'have　you　really
such　a　verdant　hope？　The　next　man　who　has　as　large　a　capacity　and　as
genuine　a　taste　for　swindling；　will　succeed　as　well。　Pardon　me；　but
I　think　you　really　have　no　idea　how　the　human　bees　will　swarm　to　the
beating　of　any　old　tin　kettle；　in　that　fact　lies　the　plete　manual　of
governing　them。　When　they　can　be　got　to　believe　that　the　kettle　is　made
of　the　precious　metals；　in　that　fact　lies　the　whole　power　of　men　like
our　late　lamented。　No　doubt　there　are　here　and　there；'　said　Ferdinand
politely；　'exceptional　cases；　where　people　have　been　taken　in　for　what
appeared　to　them　to　be　much　better　reasons；　and　I　need　not　go　far　to
find　such　a　case；　but　they　don't　invalidate　the　rule。　Good　day！　I　hope
that　when　I　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you；　next；　this　passing　cloud
will　have　given　place　to　sunshine。　Don't　e　a　step　beyond　the　door。　I
know　the　way　out　perfectly。　Good　day！'

With　those　words；　the　best　and　brightest　of　the　Barnacles　went
down…stairs；　hummed　his　way　through　the　Lodge；　mounted　his　horse　in　the
front　court…yard；　and　rode　off　to　keep　an　appointment　with　his　noble
kinsman；　who　wanted　a　little　coaching　before　he　could　triumphantly
answer　certain　infidel　Snobs　who　were　going　to　question　the　Nobs　about
their　statesmanship。

He　must　have　passed　Mr　Rugg　on　his　way　out；　for；　a　minute　or　two
afterwards；　that　ruddy…headed　gentleman　shone　in　at　the　door；　like　an
elderly　Phoebus。

'How　do　you　do　to…day；　sir？'　said　Mr　Rugg。　'Is　there　any　little　thing　I
can　do　for　you　to…day；　sir？'

'No；　I　thank　you。'

Mr　Rugg's　enjoyment　of　embarrassed　affairs　was　like　a　housekeeper's
enjoyment　in　pickling　and　preserving；　or　a　washerwoman's　enjoyment　of　a
heavy　wash；　or　a　dustman's　enjoyment　of　an　overflowing　dust…bin；　or　any
other　professional　enjoyment　of　a　mess　in　the　way　of　business。

'I　still　look　round；　from　time　to　time；　sir；'　said　Mr　Rugg；　cheerfully；
'to　see　whether　any　lingering　Detainers　are　accumulating　at　the　gate。
They　have　fallen　in　pretty　thick；　sir；　as　thick　as　we　could　have
expected。'

He　remarked　upon　the　circumstance　as　if　it　were　matter　of
congratulation：　rubbing　his　hands　briskly；　and　rolling　his　head　a
little。

'As　thick；'　repeated　Mr　Rugg；　'as　we　could　reasonably　have　expected。
Quite　a　shower…bath　of　'em。　I　don't　often　intrude　upon　you　now；　when　I
look　round；　because　I　know　you　are　not　inclined　for　pany；　and　that　if
you　wished　to　see　me；　you　would　leave　word　in　the　Lodge。　But　I　am　here
pretty　well　every　day；　sir。　Would　this　be　an　unseasonable　time；　sir；'
asked　Mr　Rugg；　coaxingly；　'for　me　to　offer　an　observation？'

'As　seasonable　a　time　as　any　other。'

'Hum！　Public　opinion；　sir；'　said　Mr　Rugg；　'has　been　busy　with　you。'

'I　don't　doubt　it。'

'Might　it　not　be　advisable；　sir；'　said　Mr　Rugg；　more　coaxingly　yet；　'now
to　make；　at　last　and　after　all；　a　trifling　concession　to　public　opinion？
We　all　do　it　in　one　way　or　another。　The　fact　is；　we　must　do　it。'

'I　cannot　set　myself　right　with　it；　Mr　Rugg；　and　have　no　business　to
expect　that　I　ever　shall。'

'Don't　say　that；　sir；　don't　say　that。　The　cost　of　being　moved　to　the
Bench　is　almost　insignificant；　and　if　the　general　feeling　is　strong　that
you　ought　to　be　there；　why……really……'

'I　thought　you　had　settled；　Mr　Rugg；'　said　Arthur；　'that　my
determination　to　remain　here　was　a　matter　of　taste。'

'Well；　sir；　well！　But　is　it　good　taste；　is　it　good　taste？　That's　the
Question。'　Mr　Rugg　was　so　soothingly　persuasive　as　to　be　quite　pathetic。
'I　was　almost　going　to　say；　is　it　good　feeling？　This　is　an　extensive
affair　of　yours；　and　your　remaining　here　where　a　man　can　e　for　a
pound　or　two；　is　remarked　upon　as　not　in　keeping。　It　is　not　in　keeping。
I　can't　tell　you；　sir；　in　hoentioned。　I
heard　ments　made　upon　it　last　night　in　a　Parlour　frequented　by　what
I　should　call；　if　I　did　not　look　in　there　now　and　then　myself；　the　best
legal　pany……I　heard；　there；　ments　on　it　that　I　was　sorry　to　hear。
They　hurt　me　on　your　account。　Again；　only　this　morning　at　breakfast。　My
daughter　（but　a　woman；　you'll　say：　yet　still　with　a　feeling　for　these
things；　and　even　with　some　little　personal　experience；　as　the　plaintiff
in　Rugg　and　Bawkins）　was　expressing　her　great　surprise；　her　great
surprise。

Now　under　these　circumstances；　and　considering　that　none　of　us　can　quite
set　ourselves　above　public　opinion；　wouldn't　a　trifling　concession　to
that　opinion　be……e；　sir；'　said　Rugg；　'I　will　put　it　on　the　lowest
ground　of　argument；　and　say；　amiable？'

Arthur's　thoughts　had　once　more　wandered　away　to　Little　Dorrit；　and　the
question　remained　unanswered。

'As　to　myself；　sir；'　said　Mr　Rugg；　hoping　that　his　eloquence　had　reduced
him　to　a　state　of　indecision；　'it　is　a　principle　of　mine　not　to　consider
myself　when　a　client's　inclinations　are　in　the　scale。　But；　knowing　your
considerate　character　and　general　wish　to　oblige；　I　will　repeat　that　I
should　prefer　your　being　in　the　Bench。

Your　case　has　made　a　noise；　it　is　a　creditable　case　to　be　professionally
concerned　in；　I　should　feel　on　a　better　standing　with　my　connection；　if
you　went　to　the　Bench。　Don't　let　that　influence　you；　sir。　I　merely　state
the　fact。'

So　errant　had　the　prisoner's　attention　already　grown　in　solitude　and
dejection；　and　so　accustomed　had　it　bee　to　mune　with　only　one
silent　figure　within　the　ever…frowning　walls；　that　Clennam　had　to　shake
off　a　kind　of　stupor　before　he　could　look　at　Mr　Rugg；　recall　the　thread
of　his　talk；　and　hurriedly　say；　'I　am　unchanged；　and　unchangeable；　in　my
decision。　Pray；　let　it　be；　let　it　be！'　Mr　Rugg；　without　concealing　that
he　was　tled　and　mortified；　replied：

'Oh！　Beyond　a　doubt；　sir。　I　have　travelled　out　of　the　record；　sir；　I　am
aware；　in　putting　the　point　to　you。　But　really；　when　I　herd　it　remarked
in　several　panies；　and　in　very　good　pany；　that　however　worthy　of　a
foreigner；　it　is　not　worthy　of　the　spirit　of　an　Englishman　to　remain　in
the　Marshalsea　when　the　glorious　liberties　of　his　island　home　admit
of　his　removal　to　the　Bench；　I　thought　I　would　depart　from　the　narrow
professional　line　marked　out　to　me；　and　mention　it。　Personally；'　said　Mr
Rugg；　'I　have　no　opinion　on　the　topic。'

'That's　well；'　returned　Arthur。

'Oh！　None　at　all；　sir！'　said　Mr　Rugg。　'If　I　had；　I　should　have　been
unwilling；　some　minutes　ago；　to　see　a　client　of　mine　visited　in　this
place　by　a　gentleman　of　a　high　family　riding　a　saddle…horse。　But　it　was
not　my　business。　If　I　had；　I　might　have　wished　to　be　now　empowered　to
mention　to　another　gentleman；　a　gentleman　of　military　exterior　at
present　waiting　in　the　Lodge；　that　my　client　had　never　intended　to
remain　here；　and　was　on　the　eve　of　removal　to　a　superior　abode。　But　my
course　as　a　professional　machine　is　clear；　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　it。
Is　it　your　good　pleasure　to　see　the　gentleman；　sir？'

'Who　is　waiting　to　see　me；　did　you　say？'

'I　did　take　that　unprofessional　liberty；　sir。　Hearing　that　I　was　your
professional　adviser；　he　declined　to　interpose　before　my　very　limited
function　was　performed。　Happily；'　said　Mr　Rugg；　with　sarcasm；　'I　did　not
so　far　travel　out　of　the　record　as　to　ask　the　gentleman　for　his　name。'

'I　suppose　I　have　no　resource　but　to　see　him；'　sighed　Clennam；　wearily。

'Then　it　IS　your　good