little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第59章

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seen　upon　his　face　before　that　morning；　frequently　overcast　it　again；
and　there　was　the　same　shadow　of　uneasy　observation　of　him　on　the　ely
face　of　his　wife。　More　than　once　or　twice　when　Pet　caressed　the　dog；
it　appeared　to　Clennam　that　her　father　was　unhappy　in　seeing　her　do　it；
and；　in　one　particular　instance　when　Gowan　stood　on　the　other　side　of
the　dog；　and　bent　his　head　at　the　same　time；　Arthur　fancied　that　he　saw
tears　rise　to　Mr　Meagles's　eyes　as　he　hurried　out　of　the　room。　It　was
either　the　fact　too；　or　he　fancied　further；　that　Pet　herself　was　not
insensible　to　these　little　incidents；　that　she　tried；　with　a　more
delicate　affection　than　usual；　to　express　to　her　good　father　how　much
she　loved　him；　that　it　was　on　this　account　that　she　fell　behind　the
rest；　both　as　they　went　to　church　and　as　they　returned　from　it；　and
took　his　arm。　He　could　not　have　sworn　but　that　as　he　walked　alone　in
the　garden　afterwards；　he　had　an　instantaneous　glimpse　of　her　in
her　father's　room；　clinging　to　both　her　parents　with　the　greatest
tenderness；　and　weeping　on　her　father's　shoulder。

The　latter　part　of　the　day　turning　out　wet；　they　were　fain　to　keep　the
house；　look　over　Mr　Meagles's　collection；　and　beguile　the　time　with
conversation。　This　Gowan　had　plenty　to　say　for　himself；　and　said　it
in　an　off…hand　and　amusing　manner。　He　appeared　to　be　an　artist　by
profession；　and　to　have　been　at　Rome　some　time；　yet　he　had　a　slight；
careless；　amateur　way　with　him……a　perceptible　limp；　both　in　his　devotion
to　art　and　his　attainments……which　Clennam　could　scarcely　understand。

He　applied　to　Daniel　Doyce　for　help；　as　they　stood　together；　looking　out
of　window。

'You　know　Mr　Gowan？'　he　said　in　a　low　voice。

'I　have　seen　him　here。　es　here　every　Sunday　when　they　are　at　home。'

'An　artist；　I　infer　from　what　he　says？'

'A　sort　of　a　one；'　said　Daniel　Doyce；　in　a　surly　tone。

'What　sort　of　a　one？'　asked　Clennam；　with　a　smile。

'Why；　he　has　sauntered　into　the　Arts　at　a　leisurely　Pall…Mall　pace；'
said　Doyce；　'and　I　doubt　if　they　care　to　be　taken　quite　so　coolly。'

Pursuing　his　inquiries；　Clennam　found　that　the　Gowan　family　were　a　very
distant　ramification　of　the　Barnacles；　and　that　the　paternal　Gowan；
originally　attached　to　a　legation　abroad；　had　been　pensioned　off　as　a
missioner　of　nothing　particular　somewhere　or　other；　and　had　died　at
his　post　with　his　drawn　salary　in　his　hand；　nobly　defending　it　to　the
last　extremity。　In　consideration　of　this　eminent　public　service；　the
Barnacle　then　in　power　had　remended　the　Crown　to　bestow　a　pension　of
two　or　three　hundred　a…year　on　his　widow；　to　which　the　next　Barnacle　in
power　had　added　certain　shady　and　sedate　apartments　in　the　Palaces　at
Hampton　Court；　where　the　old　lady　still　lived；　deploring　the　degeneracy
of　the　times　in　pany　with　several　other　old　ladies　of　both　sexes。　Her
son；　Mr　Henry　Gowan；　inheriting　from　his　father；　the　missioner；　that
very　questionable　help　in　life；　a　very　small　independence；　had　been
difficult　to　settle；　the　rather；　as　public　appointments　chanced　to
be　scarce；　and　his　genius；　during　his　earlier　manhood；　was　of　that
exclusively　agricultural　character　which　applies　itself　to　the
cultivation　of　wild　oats。　At　last　he　had　declared　that　he　would　bee
a　Painter；　partly　because　he　had　always　had　an　idle　knack　that　way；
and　partly　to　grieve　the　souls　of　the　Barnacles…in…chief　who　had　not
provided　for　him。　So　it　had　e　to　pass　successively；　first；　that
several　distinguished　ladies　had　been　frightfully　shocked；　then；　that
portfolios　of　his　performances　had　been　handed　about　o'　nights；　and
declared　with　ecstasy　to　be　perfect　Claudes；　perfect　Cuyps；　perfect
phaenomena；　then；　that　Lord　Decimus　had　bought　his　picture；　and　had
asked　the　President　and　Council　to　dinner　at　a　blow；　and　had　said；　with
his　own　magnificent　gravity；　'Do　you　know；　there　appears　to　me　to
be　really　immense　merit　in　that　work？'　and；　in　short；　that　people　of
condition　had　absolutely　taken　pains　to　bring　him　into　fashion。　But；
somehow；　it　had　all　failed。　The　prejudiced　public　had　stood　out　against
it　obstinately。　They　had　determined　not　to　admire　Lord　Decimus's
picture。　They　had　determined　to　believe　that　in　every　service；　except
their　oself；　by　striving　early　and　late；　and
by　working　heart　and　soul；　might　and　main。　So　now　Mr　Gowan；　like　that
worn…out　old　coffin　which　never　was　Mahomet's　nor　anybody　else's；　hung
midway　between　two　points：　jaundiced　and　jealous　as　to　the　one　he　had
left：　jaundiced　and　jealous　as　to　the　other　that　he　couldn't　reach。

Such　was　the　substance　of　Clennam's　discoveries　concerning　him；　made
that　rainy　Sunday　afternoon　and　afterwards。

About　an　hour　or　so　after　dinner　time；　Young　Barnacle　appeared；　attended
by　his　eye…glass；　in　honour　of　whose　family　connections；　Mr　Meagles　had
cashiered　the　pretty　parlour…maids　for　the　day；　and　had　placed　on　duty
in　their　stead　two　dingy　men。　Young　Barnacle　was　in　the　last
degree　amazed　and　disconcerted　at　sight　of　Arthur；　and　had　murmured
involuntarily；　'Look　here！　upon　my　soul；　you　know！'　before　his　presence
of　mind　returned。

Even　then；　he　was　obliged　to　embrace　the　earliest　opportunity　of　taking
his　friend　into　a　window；　and　saying；　in　a　nasal　way　that　was　a　part　of
his　general　debility：

'I　want　to　speak　to　you；　Gowan。　I　say。　Look　here。　Who　is　that　fellow？'

'A　friend　of　our　host's。　None　of　mine。'

'He's　a　most　ferocious　Radical；　you　know；'　said　Young　Barnacle。

'Is　he？　How　do　you　know？'

'Ecod；　sir；　he　was　Pitching　into　our　people　the　other　day　in　the　most
tremendous　manner。　Went　up　to　our　place　and　Pitched　into　my　father　to
that　extent　that　it　was　necessary　to　order　him　out。　Came　back　to
our　Department；　and　Pitched　into　me。　Look　here。　You　never　saw　such　a
fellow。'

'What　did　he　want？'

'Ecod；　sir；'　returned　Young　Barnacle；　'he　said　he　wanted　to　know；　you
know！　Pervaded　our　Department……without　an　appointment……and　said　he
wanted　to　know！'

The　stare　of　indignant　wonder　with　which　Young　Barnacle　acpanied
this　disclosure；　would　have　strained　his　eyes　injuriously　but　for
the　opportune　relief　of　dinner。　Mr　Meagles　（who　had　been　extremely
solicitous　to　know　how　his　uncle　and　aunt　were）　begged　him　to　conduct
Mrs　Meagles　to　the　dining…room。　And　when　he　sat　on　Mrs　Meagles's　right
hand；　Mr　Meagles　looked　as　gratified　as　if　his　whole　family　were　there。

All　the　natural　charm　of　the　previous　day　was　gone。　The　eaters　of　the
dinner；　like　the　dinner　itself；　were　lukewarm；　insipid；　overdone……and
all　owing　to　this　poor　little　dull　Young　Barnacle。　Conversationless　at
any　time；　he　was　now　the　victim　of　a　weakness　special　to　the　occasion；
and　solely　referable　to　Clennam。　He　was　under　a　pressing　and　continual
necessity　of　looking　at　that　gentleman；　which　occasioned　his　eye…glass
to　get　into　his　soup；　into　his　wine…glass；　into　Mrs　Meagles's　plate；　to
hang　down　his　back　like　a　bell…rope；　and　be　several　times　disgracefully
restored　to　his　bosom　by　one　of　the　dingy　men。　Weakened　in　mind　by　his
frequent　losses　of　this　instrument；　and　its　determination　not　to　stick
in　his　eye；　and　more　and　more　enfeebled　in　intellect　every　time　he
looked　at　the　mysterious　Clennam；　he　applied　spoons　to　his　eyes；
forks；　and　other　foreign　matters　connected　with　the　furniture　of　the
dinner…table。　His　discovery　of　these　mistakes　greatly　increased　his
difficulties；　but　never　released　him　from　the　necessity　of　looking　at
Clennam。　And　whenever　Clennam　spoke；　this　ill…starred　young　man　was
clearly　seized　with　a　dread　that　he　was　ing；　by　some　artful　device；
round　to　that　point　of　wanting　to　know；　you　know。

It　may　be　questioned；　therefore；　whether　any　one　but　Mr　Meagles　had　much
enjoyment　of　the　time。　Mr　Meagles；　however；　thoroughly　enjoyed　Young
Barnacle。　As　a　mere　flask　of　the　golden　water　in　the　tale　became　a　full
fountain　when　it　was　poured　out；　so　Mr　Meagles　seemed　to　feel　that　this
small　spice　of　Barnacle　imparted　to　his　table　the　flavour　of　the　whole
family…tree。　In　its　presence；　his　frank；　fine；　genuine　qualities
paled；　he　was　not　so　easy；　he　was　not　so　natural；　he　was　striving　after
something　that　did　not　belong　to　him；　he　was　not　himself。　What　a　strange
peculiarity　on　the　part　of　Mr　Meagle