little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第211章
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character to be waited on!'
He half filled the tumbler as he said it; and drank off the contents
when he had done saying it。
'Hah!' smacking his lips。 'Not a very old prisoner that! I judge by your
looks; brave sir; that imprisonment will subdue your blood much sooner
than it softens this hot wine。 You are mellowing……losing body and colour
already。 I salute you!'
He tossed off another half glass: holding it up both before and
afterwards; so as to display his small; white hand。
'To business;' he then continued。 'To conversation。 You have shown
yourself more free of speech than body; sir。'
'I have used the freedom of telling you what you know yourself to be。
You know yourself; as we all know you; to be far worse than that。'
'Add; always a gentleman; and it's no matter。 Except in that regard; we
are all alike。 For example: you couldn't for your life be a gentleman;
I couldn't for my life be otherwise。 How great the difference! Let us go
on。 Words; sir; never influence the course of the cards; or the course
of the dice。 Do you know that? You do? I also play a game; and words are
without power over it。'
Now that he was confronted with Cavalletto; and knew that his story was
known……whatever thin disguise he had worn; he dropped; and faced it out;
with a bare face; as the infamous wretch he was。
'No; my son;' he resumed; with a snap of his fingers。 'I play my game
to the end in spite of words; and Death of my Body and Death of my Soul!
I'll win it。 You want to know why I played this little trick that
you have interrupted? Know then that I had; and that I have……do you
understand me? have……a modity to sell to my lady your respectable
mother。 I described my precious modity; and fixed my price。 Touching
the bargain; your admirable mother was a little too calm; too stolid;
too immovable and statue…like。 In fine; your admirable mother vexed me。
To make variety in my position; and to amuse myself……what! a gentleman
must be amused at somebody's expense!……I conceived the happy idea of
disappearing。 An idea; see you; that your characteristic mother and my
Flintwinch would have been well enough pleased to execute。 Ah! Bah;
bah; bah; don't look as from high to low at me! I repeat it。 Well enough
pleased; excessively enchanted; and with all their hearts ravished。 How
strongly will you have it?'
He threw out the lees of his glass on the ground; so that they nearly
spattered Cavalletto。 This seemed to draw his attention to him anew。 He
set down his glass and said:
'I'll not fill it。 What! I am born to be served。 e then; you
Cavalletto; and fill!'
The little man looked at Clennam; whose eyes were occupied with Rigaud;
and; seeing no prohibition; got up from the ground; and poured out
from the bottle into the glass。 The blending; as he did so; of his old
submission with a sense of something humorous; the striving of that
with a certain smouldering ferocity; which might have flashed fire in
an instant (as the born gentleman seemed to think; for he had a wary
eye upon him); and the easy yielding of all to a good…natured; careless;
predominant propensity to sit down on the ground again: formed a very
remarkable bination of character。
'This happy idea; brave sir;' Rigaud resumed after drinking; 'was a
happy idea for several reasons。 It amused me; it worried your dear
mama and my Flintwinch; it caused you agonies (my terms for a lesson
in politeness towards a gentleman); and it suggested to all the amiable
persons interested that your entirely devoted is a man to fear。 By
Heaven; he is a man to fear! Beyond this; it might have restored her wit
to my lady your mother……might; under the pressing little suspicion your
wisdom has recognised; have persuaded her at last to announce; covertly;
in the journals; that the difficulties of a certain contract would be
removed by the appearance of a certain important party to it。 Perhaps
yes; perhaps no。 But that; you have interrupted。 Now; what is it you
say? What is it you want?'
Never had Clennam felt more acutely that he was a prisoner in bonds;
than when he saw this man before him; and could not acpany him to his
mother's house。 All the undiscernible difficulties and dangers he had
ever feared were closing in; when he could not stir hand or foot。
'Perhaps; my friend; philosopher; man of virtue; Imbecile; what you
will; perhaps;' said Rigaud; pausing in his drink to look out of his
glass with his horrible smile; 'you would have done better to leave me
alone?'
'No! At least;' said Clennam; 'you are known to be alive and unharmed。
At least you cannot escape from these two witnesses; and they can
produce you before any public authorities; or before hundreds of
people!'
'But will not produce me before one;' said Rigaud; snapping his
fingers again with an air of triumphant menace。 'To the Devil with your
witnesses! To the Devil with your produced! To the Devil with yourself!
What! Do I know what I know; for that? Have I my modity on sale; for
that? Bah; poor debtor! You have interrupted my little project。 Let it
pass。 How then? What remains? To you; nothing; to me; all。 Produce
me! Is that what you want? I will produce myself; only too quickly。
Contrabandist!
Give me pen; ink; and paper。'
Cavalletto got up again as before; and laid them before him in his
former manner。 Rigaud; after some villainous thinking and smiling;
wrote; and read aloud; as follows:
'To MRS CLENNAM。
'Wait answer。
'Prison of the Marshalsea。 'At the apartment of your son。
'Dear Madam;……I am in despair to be informed to…day by our prisoner here
(who has had the goodness to employ spies to seek me; living for politic
reasons in retirement); that you have had fears for my safety。
'Reassure yourself; dear madam。 I am well; I am strong and constant。
'With the greatest impatience I should fly to your house; but that I
foresee it to be possible; under the circumstances; that you will not
yet have quite definitively arranged the little proposition I have had
the honour to submit to you。 I name one week from this day; for a last
final visit on my part; when you will unconditionally accept it or
reject it; with its train of consequences。
'I suppress my ardour to embrace you and achieve this interesting
business; in order that you may have leisure to adjust its details to
our perfect mutual satisfaction。
'In the meanwhile; it is not too much to propose (our prisoner having
deranged my housekeeping); that my expenses of lodging and nourishment
at an hotel shall be paid by you。 'Receive; dear madam; the assurance of
my highest and most distinguished consideration;
'RIGAUD BLANDOIS。
'A thousand friendships to that dear Flintwinch。
'I kiss the hands of Madame F。'
When he had finished this epistle; Rigaud folded it and tossed it with
a flourish at Clennam's feet。 'Hola you! Apropos of producing; let
somebody produce that at its address; and produce the answer here。'
'Cavalletto;' said Arthur。 'Will you take this fellow's letter?'
But; Cavalletto's significant finger again expressing that his post was
at the door to keep watch over Rigaud; now he had found him with so much
trouble; and that the duty of his post was to sit on the floor backed up
by the door; looking at Rigaud and holding his own ankles;……Signor Panco
once more volunteered。 His services being accepted; Cavalletto suffered
the door to open barely wide enough to admit of his squeezing himself
out; and immediately shut it on him。
'Touch me with a finger; touch me y
superiority as I sit here drinking my wine at my pleasure;' said Rigaud;
'and I follow the letter and cancel my week's grace。 You wanted me? You
have got me! How do you like me?'
'You know;' returned Clennam; with a bitter sense of his helplessness;
'that when I sought you; I was not a prisoner。'
'To the Devil with you and your prison;' retorted Rigaud; leisurely;
as he took from his pocket a case containing the materials for making
cigarettes; and employed his facile hands in folding a few for present
use; 'I care for neither of you。 Contrabandist! A light。'
Again Cavalletto got up; and gave him what he wanted。 There had been
somet