little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第212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！


use；　'I　care　for　neither　of　you。　Contrabandist！　A　light。'

Again　Cavalletto　got　up；　and　gave　him　what　he　wanted。　There　had　been
something　dreadful　in　the　noiseless　skill　of　his　cold；　white　hands；　with
the　fingers　lithely　twisting　about　and　twining　one　over　another　like
serpents。　Clennam　could　not　prevent　himself　from　shuddering　inwardly；　as
if　he　had　been　looking　on　at　a　nest　of　those　creatures。

'Hola；　Pig！'　cried　Rigaud；　with　a　noisy　stimulating　cry；　as　if
Cavalletto　were　an　Italian　horse　or　mule。　'What！　The　infernal　old　jail
was　a　respectable　one　to　this。　There　was　dignity　in　the　bars　and　stones
of　that　place。　It　was　a　prison　for　men。　But　this？　Bah！　A　hospital　for
imbeciles！'

He　smoked　his　cigarette　out；　with　his　ugly　smile　so　fixed　upon　his　face
that　he　looked　as　though　he　were　smoking　with　his　drooping　beak　of　a
nose；　rather　than　with　his　mouth；　like　a　fancy　in　a　weird　picture。　When
he　had　lighted　a　second　cigarette　at　the　still　burning　end　of　the　first；
he　said　to　Clennam：

'One　must　pass　the　time　in　the　madman's　absence。　One　must　talk。　One
can't　drink　strong　wine　all　day　long；　or　I　would　have　another　bottle。
She's　handsome；　sir。　Though　not　exactly　to　my　taste；　still；　by
the　Thunder　and　the　Lightning！　handsome。　I　felicitate　you　on　your
admiration。'

'I　neither　know　nor　ask；'　said　Clennam；　'of　whom　you　speak。'

'Della　bella　Gowana；　sir；　as　they　say　in　Italy。　Of　the　Gowan；　the　fair
Gowan。'

'Of　whose　husband　you　were　the……follower；　I　think？'

'Sir？　Follower？　You　are　insolent。　The　friend。'

'Do　you　sell　all　your　friends？'

Rigaud　took　his　cigarette　from　his　mouth；　and　eyed　him　with　a　momentary
revelation　of　surprise。　But　he　put　it　between　his　lips　again；　as　he
answered　with　coolness：

'I　sell　anything　that　mands　a　price。　How　do　your　lawyers　live；　your
politicians；　your　intriguers；　your　men　of　the　Exchange？　How　do　you　live？
How　do　you　e　here？　Have　you　sold　no　friend？　Lady　of　mine！　I　rather
think；　yes！'

Clennam　turned　away　from　him　towards　the　window；　and　sat　looking　out　at
the　wall。

'Effectively；　sir；'　said　Rigaud；　'Society　sells　itself　and　sells　me：　and
I　sell　Society。　I　perceive　you　have　acquaintance　with　another　lady。　Also
handsome。　A　strong　spirit。　Let　us　see。　How　do　they　call　her？　Wade。'

He　received　no　answer；　but　could　easily　discern　that　he　had　hit　the
mark。

'Yes；'　he　went　on；　'that　handsome　lady　and　strong　spirit　addresses　me　in
the　street；　and　I　am　not　insensible。　I　respond。　That　handsome　lady　and
strong　spirit　does　me　the　favour　to　remark；　in　full　confidence；　〃I　have
my　curiosity；　and　I　have　my　chagrins。　You　are　not　more　than　ordinarily
honourable；　perhaps？〃　I　announce　myself；　〃Madame；　a　gentleman　from
the　birth；　and　a　gentleman　to　the　death；　but　NOT　more　than　ordinarily
honourable。　I　despise　such　a　weak　fantasy。〃　Thereupon　she　is　pleased　to
pliment。　〃The　difference　between　you　and　the　rest　is；〃　she　answers；
〃that　you　say　so。〃　For　she　knows　Society。　I　accept　her　congratulations
with　gallantry　and　politeness。　Politeness　and　little　gallantries　are
inseparable　from　my　character。　She　then　makes　a　proposition；　which　is；
in　effect；　that　she　has　seen　us　much　together；　that　it　appears　to　her
that　I　am　for　the　passing　time　the　cat　of　the　house；　the　friend　of
the　family；　that　her　curiosity　and　her　chagrins　awaken　the　fancy　to　be
acquainted　with　their　movements；　to　know　the　manner　of　their　life；　how
the　fair　Gowana　is　beloved；　how　the　fair　Gowana　is　cherished；　and　so
on。　She　is　not　rich；　but　offers　such　and　such　little　repenses　for　the
little　cares　and　derangements　of　such　services；　and　I　graciously……to　do
everything　graciously　is　a　part　of　my　character……consent　to　accept　them。
O　yes！　So　goes　the　world。　It　is　the　mode。'

Though　Clennam's　back　was　turned　while　he　spoke；　and　thenceforth　to　the
end　of　the　interview；　he　kept　those　glittering　eyes　of　his　that　were　too
near　together；　upon　him；　and　evidently　saw　in　the　very　carriage　of　the
head；　as　he　passed　with　his　braggart　recklessness　from　clause　to　clause
of　what　he　said；　that　he　was　saying　nothing　which　Clennam　did　not
already　know。

'Whoof！　The　fair　Gowana！'　he　said；　lighting　a　third　cigarette　with　a
sound　as　if　his　lightest　breath　could　blow　her　away。　'Charming；　but
imprudent！　For　it　was　not　well　of　the　fair　Gowana　to　make　mysteries　of
letters　from　old　lovers；　in　her　bedchamber　on　the　mountain；　that　her
husband　might　not　see　them。　No；　no。　That　was　not　well。　Whoof！　The　Gowana
was　mistaken　there。'

'I　earnestly　hope；'　cried　Arthur　aloud；　'that　Pancks　may　not　be　long
gone；　for　this　man's　presence　pollutes　the　room。'

'Ah！　But　he'll　flourish　here；　and　everywhere；'　said　Rigaud；　with　an
exulting　look　and　snap　of　his　fingers。　'He　always　has；　he　always　will！'
Stretching　his　body　out　on　the　only　three　chairs　in　the　room　besides
that　on　which　Clennam　sat；　he　sang；　smiting　himself　on　the　breast　as　the
gallant　personage　of　the　song。


　　　　　'Who　passes　by　this　road　so　late？
　　　　　　　　　　pagnon　de　la　Majolaine！
　　　　　Who　passes　by　this　road　so　late？
　　　　　　　　　　Always　gay！


'Sing　the　Refrain；　pig！　You　could　sing　it　once；　in　another　jail。　Sing
it！　Or；　by　every　Saint　who　was　stoned　to　death；　I'll　be　affronted　and
promising；　and　then　some　people　who　are　not　dead　yet；　had　better　have
been　stoned　along　with　them！'


　　　　　'Of　all　the　king's　knights　'tis　the　flower；
　　　　　　　　　　pagnon　de　la　Majolaine！
　　　　　Of　all　the　king's　knights　'tis　the　flower；
　　　　　　　　　　Always　gay！'


Partly　in　his　old　habit　of　submission；　partly　because　his　not　doing　it
might　injure　his　benefactor；　and　partly　because　he　would　as　soon　do
it　as　anything　else；　Cavalletto　took　up　the　Refrain　this　time。　Rigaud
laughed；　and　fell　to　smoking　with　his　eyes　shut。

Possibly　another　quarter　of　an　hour　elapsed　before　Mr　Pancks's　step　was
heard　upon　the　stairs；　but　the　interval　seemed　to　Clennam　insupportably
long。　His　step　was　attended　by　another　step；　and　when　Cavalletto　opened
the　door；　he　admitted　Mr　Pancks　and　Mr　Flintwinch。　The　latter　was　no
sooner　visible；　than　Rigaud　rushed　at　him　and　embraced　him　boisterously。

'How　do　you　find　yourself；　sir？'　said　Mr　Flintwinch；　as　soon　as　he　could
disengage　himself；　which　he　struggled　to　do　with　very　little　ceremony。
'Thank　you；　no；　I　don't　want　any　more。'　This　was　in　reference　to　another
menace　of　attention　from　his　recovered　friend。

'Well；　Arthur。　You　remember　what　I　said　to　you　about　sleeping　dogs　and
missing　ones。　It's　e　true；　you　see。'

He　was　as　imperturbable　as　ever；　to　all　appearance；　and　nodded　his　head
in　a　moralising　way　as　he　looked　round　the　room。

'And　this　is　the　Marshalsea　prison　for　debt！'　said　Mr　Flintwinch。　'Hah！
you　have　brought　your　pigs　to　a　very　indifferent　market；　Arthur。'

If　Arthur　had　patience；　Rigaud　had　not。　He　took　his　little　Flintwinch；
with　fierce　playfulness；　by　the　two　lapels　of　his　coat；　and　cried：

'To　the　Devil　with　the　Market；　to　the　Devil　with　the　Pigs；　and　to　the
Devil　with　the　Pig…Driver！　Now！　Give　me　the　answer　to　my　letter。'

'If　you　can　make　it　convenient　to　let　go　a　moment；　sir；'　returned　Mr
Flintwinch；　'I'll　first　hand　Mr　Arthur　a　little　note　that　I　have　for
him。'

He　did　so。　It　was　in　his　mother's　maimed　writing；　on　a　slip　of　paper；
and　contained　only　these　words：

'I　hope　it　is　enough　that　you　have　ruined　yourself。　Rest　contented
without　more　ruin。　Jeremiah　Flintwinch　is　my　messenger　and
representative。　Your　affectionate　M。　C。'

Clennam　read　this　twice；　in　silence；　and　then　tore　it　to　pieces。　Rigaud
in　the　meanwhile　stepped　into　a　chair；　and　sat　himself　on　the　back　with
his　feet　upon　the　seat。

'Now；　Beau　Flintwinch；'　he　said；　when　he　had　closely　watched　the　note　to
its　destruction；　'the　answer　to　my　letter？'

'Mrs　Clennam　did　not　write；　Mr　Blandois；　her　hands　being　cramped；
and　she　thinking　it　as　well　to　send　it　verbally　by　me。'　Mr　Flintwinch
screwed　this　out　of　himself；　unwillingly　and　rustily。　'She　sends
her　pliments；　and　says　she　doesn't　on　the　whole　wish　to　term
you　unreasonable；　and　that　she　agrees。　But　without　prejudicing　the
appointment　that　stands　for　this　day　week。'

Monsieur　Rigaud；　after　indulging　in　a　fit　of　laughter；　descended　from
his　throne；　saying；　'Good！　I　go　to　s