little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第47章

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'You　are　a　traveller！　Stay！　See；　the　water！　Let　me　give　you　some。'　They
had　rested　the　litter　on　a　pile　of　paving　stones。　It　was　at　a　convenient
height　from　the　ground；　and　by　stooping　he　could　lightly　raise　the　head
with　one　hand　and　hold　the　glass　to　his　lips　with　the　other。　A　little；
muscular；　brown　man；　with　black　hair　and　white　teeth。　A　lively　face；
apparently。　Earrings　in　his　ears。

'That's　well。　You　are　a　traveller？'

'Surely；　sir。'

'A　stranger　in　this　city？'

'Surely；　surely；　altogether。　I　am　arrived　this　unhappy　evening。'

'From　what　country？'　'Marseilles。'

'Why；　see　there！　I　also！　Almost　as　much　a　stranger　here　as　you；　though
born　here；　I　came　from　Marseilles　a　little　while　ago。　Don't　be　cast
down。'　The　face　looked　up　at　him　imploringly；　as　he　rose　from　wiping　it；
and　gently　replaced　the　coat　that　covered　the　writhing　figure。　'I　won't
leave　you　till　you　shall　be　well　taken　care　of。　Courage！　You　will　be
very　much　better　half　an　hour　hence。'

'Ah！　Altro；　Altro！'　cried　the　poor　little　man；　in　a　faintly　incredulous
tone；　and　as　they　took　him　up；　hung　out　his　right　hand　to　give　the
forefinger　a　back…handed　shake　in　the　air。

Arthur　Clennam　turned；　and　walking　beside　the　litter；　and　saying　an
encouraging　word　now　and　then；　acpanied　it　to　the　neighbouring
hospital　of　Saint　Bartholomew。　None　of　the　crowd　but　the　bearers　and
he　being　admitted；　the　disabled　man　was　soon　laid　on　a　table　in　a　cool；
methodical　way；　and　carefully　examined　by　a　surgeon　who　was　as　near　at
hand；　and　as　ready　to　appear　as　Calamity　herself。　'He　hardly　knows　an
English　word；'　said　Clennam；　'is　he　badly　hurt？'

'Let　us　know　all　about　it　first；'　said　the　surgeon；　continuing　his
examination　with　a　businesslike　delight　in　it；　'before　we　pronounce。'

After　trying　the　leg　with　a　finger；　and　two　fingers；　and　one　hand　and
two　hands；　and　over　and　under；　and　up　and　down；　and　in　this　direction
and　in　that；　and　approvingly　remarking　on　the　points　of　interest　to
another　gentleman　who　joined　him；　the　surgeon　at　last　clapped　the
patient　on　the　shoulder；　and　said；　'He　won't　hurt。　He'll　do　very　well。
It's　difficult　enough；　but　we　shall　not　want　him　to　part　with　his　leg
this　time。'　Which　Clennam　interpreted　to　the　patient；　who　was　full　of
gratitude；　and；　in　his　demonstrative　way；　kissed　both　the　interpreter's
hand　and　the　surgeon's　several　times。

'It's　a　serious　injury；　I　suppose？'　said　Clennam。

'Ye…es；'　replied　the　surgeon；　with　the　thoughtful　pleasure　of　an　artist
contemplating　the　work　upon　his　easel。　'Yes；　it's　enough。　There's　a
pound　fracture　above　the　knee；　and　a　dislocation　below。　They　are
both　of　a　beautiful　kind。'　He　gave　the　patient　a　friendly　clap　on　the
shoulder　again；　as　if　he　really　felt　that　he　was　a　very　good　fellow
indeed；　and　worthy　of　all　mendation　for　having　broken　his　leg　in　a
manner　interesting　to　science。

'He　speaks　French？'　said　the　surgeon。

'Oh　yes；　he　speaks　French。'

'He'll　be　at　no　loss　here；　then。……You　have　only　to　bear　a　little　pain
like　a　brave　fellow；　my　friend；　and　to　be　thankful　that　all　goes　as
well　as　it　does；'　he　added；　in　that　tongue；　'and　you'll　walk　again　to
a　marvel。　Now；　let　us　see　whether　there's　anything　else　the　matter；　and
how　our　ribs　are？'

There　was　nothing　else　the　matter；　and　our　ribs　were　sound。　Clennam
remained　until　everything　possible　to　be　done　had　been　skilfully　and
promptly　done……the　poor　belated　wanderer　in　a　strange　land　movingly
besought　that　favour　of　him……and　lingered　by　the　bed　to　which　he　was　in
due　time　removed；　until　he　had　fallen　into　a　doze。　Even　then　he　wrote　a
few　words　for　him　on　his　card；　with　a　promise　to　return　to…morrow；　and
left　it　to　be　given　to　him　when　he　should　awake。　All　these　proceedings
occupied　so　long　that　it　struck　eleven　o'clock　at　night　as　he　came　out
at　the　Hospital　Gate。　He　had　hired　a　lodging　for　the　present　in　Covent
Garden；　and　he　took　the　nearest　way　to　that　quarter；　by　Snow　Hill　and
Holborn。

Left　to　himself　again；　after　the　solicitude　and　passion　of　his　last
adventure；　he　was　naturally　in　a　thoughtful　mood。　As　naturally；　he
could　not　walk　on　thinking　for　ten　minutes　without　recalling　Flora。
She　necessarily　recalled　to　him　his　life；　with　all　its　misdirection　and
little　happiness。

When　he　got　to　his　lodging；　he　sat　down　before　the　dying　fire；　as　he
had　stood　at　the　window　of　his　old　room　looking　out　upon　the　blackened
forest　of　chimneys；　and　turned　his　gaze　back　upon　the　gloomy　vista　by
which　he　had　e　to　that　stage　in　his　existence。　So　long；　so　bare；
so　blank。　No　childhood；　no　youth；　except　for　one　remembrance；　that　one
remembrance　proved；　only　that　day；　to　be　a　piece　of　folly。

It　was　a　misfortune　to　him；　trifle　as　it　might　have　been　to　another。
For；　while　all　that　was　hard　and　stern　in　his　recollection；　remained
Reality　on　being　proved……was　obdurate　to　the　sight　and　touch；　and
relaxed　nothing　of　its　old　indomitable　grimness……the　one　tender
recollection　of　his　experience　would　not　bear　the　same　test；　and　melted
away。　He　had　foreseen　this；　on　the　former　night；　when　he　had　dreamed
with　waking　eyes；　but　he　had　not　felt　it　then；　and　he　had　now。

He　was　a　dreamer　in　such　wise；　because　he　was　a　man　who　had；　deep…rooted
in　his　nature；　a　belief　in　all　the　gentle　and　good　things　his　life　had
been　without。　Bred　in　meanness　and　hard　dealing；　this　had　rescued　him
to　be　a　man　of　honourable　mind　and　open　hand。　Bred　in　coldness　and
severity；　this　had　rescued　him　to　have　a　warm　and　sympathetic　heart。
Bred　in　a　creed　too　darkly　audacious　to　pursue；　through　its　process　of
reserving　the　making　of　man　in　the　image　of　his　Creator　to　the　making　of
his　Creator　in　the　image　of　an　erring　man；　this　had　rescued　him　to　judge
not；　and　in　humility　to　be　merciful；　and　have　hope　and　charity。

And　this　saved　him　still　from　the　whimpering　weakness　and　cruel
selfishness　of　holding　that　because　such　a　happiness　or　such　a　virtue
had　not　e　into　his　little　path；　or　worked　well　for　him；　therefore
it　was　not　in　the　great　scheme；　but　was　reducible；　when　found　in
appearance；　to　the　basest　elements。　A　disappointed　mind　he　had；　but　a
mind　too　firm　and　healthy　for　such　unwholesome　air。　Leaving　himself　in
the　dark；　it　could　rise　into　the　light；　seeing　it　shine　on　others　and
hailing　it。

Therefore；　he　sat　before　his　dying　fire；　sorrowful　to　think　upon　the　way
by　which　he　had　e　to　that　night；　yet　not　strewing　poison　on　the　way
by　which　other　men　had　e　to　it。　That　he　should　have　missed　so　much；
and　at　his　time　of　life　should　look　so　far　about　him　for　any　staff　to
bear　him　pany　upon　his　downward　journey　and　cheer　it；　was　a　just
regret。　He　looked　at　the　fire　from　which　the　blaze　departed；　from　which
the　afterglow　subsided；　in　which　the　ashes　turned　grey；　from　which　they
dropped　to　dust；　and　thought；　'How　soon　I　too　shall　pass　through　such
changes；　and　be　gone！'

To　review　his　life　was　like　descending　a　green　tree　in　fruit　and　flower；
and　seeing　all　the　branches　wither　and　drop　off；　one　by　one；　as　he　came
down　towards　them。

'From　the　unhappy　suppression　of　my　youngest　days；　through　the　rigid　and
unloving　home　that　followed　them；　through　my　departure；　my　long　exile；
my　return；　my　mother's　wele；　my　intercourse　with　her　since；　down　to
the　afternoon　of　this　day　with　poor　Flora；'　said　Arthur　Clennam；　'what
have　I　found！'

His　door　was　softly　opened；　and　these　spoken　words　startled　him；　and
came　as　if　they　were　an　answer：

'Little　Dorrit。'




CHAPTER　14。　Little　Dorrit's　Party


Arthur　Clennam　rose　hastily；　and　saw　her　standing　at　the　door。　This
history　must　sometimes　see　with　Little　Dorrit's　eyes；　and　shall　begin
that　course　by　seeing　him。

Little　Dorrit　looked　into　a　dim　room；　which　seemed　a　spacious　one　to
her；　and　grandly　furnished。　Courtly　ideas　of　Covent　Garden；　as　a　place
with　famous　coffee…houses；　where　gentlemen　wearing　gold…laced　coats　and
swords　had　quarrelled　and　fought　duels；　costly　ideas　of　Covent　Garden；
as　a　place　where　there　were　flowers　in　winter　at　guineas　a…piece；
pine…apples　at　guineas　a　pound；　and　peas　at　guineas　a　pint；　picturesque
ideas　of　Covent　Garden；　as　a　place　where　there　was　a　mighty　theatre；
showing　wonderful　and　beautiful　sights　to　richly…dr