little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第218章

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bridge　of　his　hooked　nose　crooked。　After　a　long　survey；　he　said；　with
the　further　setting　off　of　his　internal　smile：

'You　are　a　bold　woman！'

'I　am　a　resolved　woman。'

'You　always　were。　What？　She　always　was；　is　it　not　so；　my　little
Flintwinch？'

'Flintwinch；　say　nothing　to　him。　It　is　for　him　to　say；　here　and　now；
all　he　can；　or　to　go　hence；　and　do　all　he　can。　You　know　this　to　be　our
determination。　Leave　him　to　his　action　on　it。'

She　did　not　shrink　under　his　evil　leer；　or　avoid　it。　He　turned　it　upon
her　again；　but　she　remained　steady　at　the　point　to　which　she　had　fixed
herself。　He　got　off　the　table；　placed　a　chair　near　the　sofa；　sat　down　in
it；　and　leaned　an　arm　upon　the　sofa　close　to　her　own；　which　he　touched
with　his　hand。　Her　face　was　ever　frowning；　attentive；　and　settled。

'It　is　your　pleasure　then；　madame；　that　I　shall　relate　a　morsel　of
family　history　in　this　little　family　society；'　said　Rigaud；　with　a
warning　play　of　his　lithe　fingers　on　her　arm。　'I　am　something　of　a
doctor。　Let　me　touch　your　pulse。'

She　suffered　him　to　take　her　wrist　in　his　hand。　Holding　it；　he　proceeded
to　say：

'A　history　of　a　strange　marriage；　and　a　strange　mother；　and　a　revenge；
and　a　suppression。……Aye；　aye；　aye？　this　pulse　is　beating　curiously！
It　appears　to　me　that　it　doubles　while　I　touch　it。　Are　these　the　usual
changes　of　your　malady；　madame？'

There　was　a　struggle　in　her　maimed　arm　as　she　twisted　it　away；　but　there
was　none　in　her　face。　On　his　face　there　was　his　own　smile。

'I　have　lived　an　adventurous　life。　I　am　an　adventurous　character。　I　have
known　many　adventurers；　interesting　spirits……amiable　society！　To　one
of　them　I　owe　my　knowledge　and　my　proofs……I　repeat　it；　estimable
lady……proofs……of　the　ravishing　little　family　history　I　go　to　mence。
You　will　be　charmed　with　it。　But；　bah！　I　forget。　One　should　name　a
history。　Shall　I　name　it　the　history　of　a　house？　But；　bah；　again。　There
are　so　many　houses。　Shall　I　name　it　the　history　of　this　house？'

Leaning　over　the　sofa；　poised　on　two　legs　of　his　chair　and　his　left
elbow；　that　hand　often　tapping　her　arm　to　beat　his　words　home；　his
legs　crossed；　his　right　hand　sometimes　arranging　his　hair；　sometimes
smoothing　his　moustache；　sometimes　striking　his　nose；　always　threatening
her　whatever　it　did；　coarse；　insolent；　rapacious；　cruel；　and　powerful；
he　pursued　his　narrative　at　his　ease。

'In　fine；　then；　I　name　it　the　history　of　this　house。　I　mence　it。
There　live　here；　let　us　suppose；　an　uncle　and　nephew。　The　uncle；　a
rigid　old　gentleman　of　strong　force　of　character；　the　nephew；　habitually
timid；　repressed；　and　under　constraint。'

Mistress　Affery；　fixedly　attentive　in　the　window…seat；　biting　the
rolled　up　end　of　her　apron；　and　trembling　from　head　to　foot；　here　cried
out；'Jeremiah；　keep　off　from　me！　I've　heerd；　in　my　dreams；　of　Arthur's
father　and　his　uncle。　He's　a　talking　of　them。　It　was　before　my　time
here；　but　I've　heerd　in　my　dreams　that　Arthur's　father　was　a　poor；
irresolute；　frightened　chap；　who　had　had　everything　but　his　orphan　life
scared　out　of　him　when　he　was　young；　and　that　he　had　no　voice　in　the
choice　of　his　wife　even；　but　his　uncle　chose　her。　There　she　sits！　I
heerd　it　in　my　dreams；　and　you　said　it　to　her　own　self。'

As　Mr　Flintwinch　shook　his　fist　at　her；　and　as　Mrs　Clennam　gazed　upon
her；　Rigaud　kissed　his　hand　to　her。　'Perfectly　right；　dear　Madame
Flintwinch。　You　have　a　genius　for　dreaming。'


'I　don't　want　none　of　your　praises；'　returned　Affery。　'I　don't　want　to
have　nothing　at　all　to　say　to　you。　But　Jeremiah　said　they　was　dreams；
and　I'll　tell　'em　as　such！'　Here　she　put　her　apron　in　her　mouth　again；
as　if　she　were　stopping　somebody　else's　mouth……perhaps　jeremiah's；　which
was　chattering　with　threats　as　if　he　were　grimly　cold。

'Our　beloved　Madame　Flintwinch；'　said　Rigaud；　'developing　all　of　a
sudden　a　fine　susceptibility　and　spirituality；　is　right　to　a　marvel。
Yes。　So　runs　the　history。　Monsieur；　the　uncle；　mands　the　nephew　to
marry。　Monsieur　says　to　him　in　effect；　〃My　nephew；　I　introduce　to　you　a
lady　of　strong　force　of　character；　like　myself……a　resolved　lady；　a　stern
lady；　a　lady　who　has　a　will　that　can　break　the　weak　to　powder：　a　lady
without　pity；　without　love；　implacable；　revengeful；　cold　as　the　stone；
but　raging　as　the　fire。〃

Ah！　what　fortitude！　Ah；　what　superiority　of　intellectual　strength！
Truly；　a　proud　and　noble　character　that　I　describe　in　the　supposed　words
of　Monsieur；　the　uncle。　Ha；　ha；　ha！　Death　of　my　soul；　I　love　the　sweet
lady！'

Mrs　Clennam's　face　had　changed。　There　was　a　remarkable　darkness　of
colour　on　it；　and　the　brow　was　more　contracted。　'Madame；　madame；'　said
Rigaud；　tapping　her　on　the　arm；　as　if　his　cruel　hand　were　sounding　a
musical　instrument；　'I　perceive　I　interest　you。　I　perceive　I　awaken　your
sympathy。　Let　us　go　on。'

The　drooping　nose　and　the　ascending　moustache　had；　however；　to　be　hidden
for　a　moment　with　the　white　hand；　before　he　could　go　on；　he　enjoyed　the
effect　he　made　so　much。

'The　nephew；　being；　as　the　lucid　Madame　Flintwinch　has　remarked；　a　poor
devil　who　has　had　everything　but　his　orphan　life　frightened　and　famished
out　of　him……the　nephew　abases　his　head；　and　makes　response：　〃My　uncle；
it　is　to　you　to　mand。　Do　as　you　will！〃　Monsieur；　the　uncle；　does　as
he　will。　It　is　what　he　always　does。　The　auspicious　nuptials　take　place；
the　newly　married　e　home　to　this　charming　mansion；　the　lady　is
received；　let　us　suppose；　by　Flintwinch。　Hey；　old　intriguer？'

Jeremiah；　with　his　eyes　upon　his　mistress；　made　no　reply。　Rigaud　looked
from　one　to　the　other；　struck　his　ugly　nose；　and　made　a　clucking　with
his　tongue。

'Soon　the　lady　makes　a　singular　and　exciting　discovery。　Thereupon；
full　of　anger；　full　of　jealousy；　full　of　vengeance；　she　forms……see　you；
madame！……a　scheme　of　retribution；　the　weight　of　which　she　ingeniously
forces　her　crushed　husband　to　bear　himself；　as　well　as　execute　upon　her
enemy。　What　superior　intelligence！'

'Keep　off；　Jeremiah！'　cried　the　palpitating　Affery；　taking　her　apron
from　her　mouth　again。　'But　it　was　one　of　my　dreams；　that　you　told　her；
when　you　quarrelled　with　her　one　winter　evening　at　dusk……there　she　sits
and　you　looking　at　her……that　she　oughtn't　to　have　let　Arthur　when　he
e　home；　suspect　his　father　only；　that　she　had　always　had　the　strength
and　the　power；　and　that　she　ought　to　have　stood　up　more　to　Arthur；　for
his　father。　It　was　in　the　same　dream　where　you　said　to　her　that　she　was
not……not　something；　but　I　don't　know　what；　for　she　burst　out　tremendous
and　stopped　you。　You　know　the　dream　as　well　as　I　do。　When　you　e
down…stairs　into　the　kitchen　with　the　candle　in　your　hand；　and　hitched
my　apron　off　my　head。　When　you　told　me　I　had　been　dreaming。　When　you
wouldn't　believe　the　noises。'　After　this　explosion　Affery　put　her　apron
into　her　mouth　again；　always　keeping　her　hand　on　the　window…sill　and　her
knee　on　the　window…seat；　ready　to　cry　out　or　jump　out　if　her　lord　and
master　approached。

Rigaud　had　not　lost　a　word　of　this。

'Haha！'　he　cried；　lifting　his　eyebrows；　folding　his　arms；　and　leaning
back　in　his　chair。　'Assuredly；　Madame　Flintwinch　is　an　oracle！　How　shall
we　interpret　the　oracle；　you　and　I　and　the　old　intriguer？　He　said　that
you　were　not……？　And　you　burst　out　and　stopped　him！　What　was　it　you　were
not？　What　is　it　you　are　not？　Say　then；　madame！'

Under　this　ferocious　banter；　she　sat　breathing　harder；　and　her　mouth　was
disturbed。　Her　lips　quivered　and　opened；　in　spite　of　her　utmost　efforts
to　keep　them　still。

'e　then；　madame！　Speak；　then！　Our　old　intriguer　said　that　you　were
not……and　you　stopped　him。　He　was　going　to　say　that　you　were　not……what？
I　know　already；　but　I　want　a　little　confidence　from　you。　How；　then？　You
are　not　what？'

She　tried　again　to　repress　herself；　but　broke　out　vehemently；　'Not
Arthur's　mother！'

'Good；'　said　Rigaud。　'You　are　amenable。'

With　the　set　expression　of　her　face　all　torn　away　by　the　explosion
of　her　passion；　and　with　a　bursting；　from　every　rent　feature；　of　the
smouldering　fire　so　long　pent　up；　she　cried　out：　'I　will　tell　it　myself！
I　will　not　hear　it　from　your　lips；　and　with　the　taint　of　your　wickedness
upon　it。　Since　it　must　be　seen；　I　will　have　it　seen　by