little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第75章

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false　friend　and　the　present　high　price　of　provisions；　had　reduced
him　to　the　verge　of　ruin；　unless　he　could　by　a　quarter　before　six　that
evening　raise　the　sum　of　eight　pounds。　This　sum；　Mr　Clennam　would　be
happy　to　learn；　he　had；　through　the　promptitude　of　several　friends
who　had　a　lively　confidence　in　his　probity；　already　raised；　with　the
exception　of　a　trifling　balance　of　one　pound　seventeen　and　fourpence；
the　loan　of　which　balance；　for　the　period　of　one　month；　would　be　fraught
with　the　usual　beneficent　consequences。

These　letters　Clennam　answered　with　the　aid　of　his　pencil　and
pocket…book；　on　the　spot；　sending　the　father　what　he　asked　for；　and
excusing　himself　from　pliance　with　the　demand　of　the　son。　He　then
missioned　Maggy　to　return　with　his　replies；　and　gave　her　the
shilling　of　which　the　failure　of　her　supplemental　enterprise　would　have
disappointed　her　otherwise。

When　he　rejoined　Little　Dorrit；　and　they　had　begun　walking　as　before；
she　said　all　at　once：

'I　think　I　had　better　go。　I　had　better　go　home。'

'Don't　be　distressed；'　said　Clennam；　'I　have　answered　the　letters。　They
were　nothing。　You　know　what　they　were。　They　were　nothing。'

'But　I　am　afraid；'　she　returned；　'to　leave　him；　I　am　afraid　to　leave
any　of　them。　When　I　am　gone；　they　pervert……but　they　don't　mean　it……even
Maggy。'

'It　was　a　very　innocent　mission　that　she　undertook；　poor　thing。　And
in　keeping　it　secret　from　you；　she　supposed；　no　doubt；　that　she　was　only
saving　you　uneasiness。'

'Yes；　I　hope　so；　I　hope　so。　But　I　had　better　go　home！　It　was　but　the
other　day　that　my　sister　told　me　I　had　bee　so　used　to　the　prison　that
I　had　its　tone　and　character。　It　must　be　so。　I　am　sure　it　must　be　when　I
see　these　things。　My　place　is　there。　I　am　better　there；　it　is　unfeeling
in　me　to　be　here；　when　I　can　do　the　least　thing　there。　Good…bye。　I　had
far　better　stay　at　home！'

The　agonised　way　in　which　she　poured　this　out；　as　if　it　burst　of　itself
from　her　suppressed　heart；　made　it　difficult　for　Clennam　to　keep　the
tears　from　his　eyes　as　he　saw　and　heard　her。

'Don't　call　it　home；　my　child！'　he　entreated。　'It　is　always　painful　to
me　to　hear　you　call　it　home。'

'But　it　is　home！　What　else　can　I　call　home？　Why　should　I　ever　forget　it
for　a　single　moment？'

'You　never　do；　dear　Little　Dorrit；　in　any　good　and　true　service。'

'I　hope　not；　O　I　hope　not！　But　it　is　better　for　me　to　stay　there；　much
better；　much　more　dutiful；　much　happier。　Please　don't　go　with　me；　let　me
go　by　myself。　Good…bye；　God　bless　you。　Thank　you；　thank　you。'

He　felt　that　it　was　better　to　respect　her　entreaty；　and　did　not　move
while　her　slight　form　。　When　it　had　fluttered
out　of　sight；　he　turned　his　face　towards　the　water　and　stood　thinking。

She　would　have　been　distressed　at　any　time　by　this　discovery　of　the
letters；　but　so　much　so；　and　in　that　unrestrainable　way？

No。

When　she　had　seen　her　father　begging　with　his　threadbare　disguise　on；
when　she　had　entreated　him　not　to　give　her　father　money；　she　had
been　distressed；　but　not　like　this。　Something　had　made　her　keenly　and
additionally　sensitive　just　now。　Now；　was　there　some　one　in　the　hopeless
unattainable　distance？　Or　had　the　suspicion　been　brought　into　his　mind；
by　his　own　associations　of　the　troubled　river　running　beneath　the　bridge
with　the　same　river　higher　up；　its　changeless　tune　upon　the　prow　of　the
ferry…boat；　so　many　miles　an　hour　the　peaceful　flowing　of　the　stream；
here　the　rushes；　there　the　lilies；　nothing　uncertain　or　unquiet？

He　thought　of　his　poor　child；　Little　Dorrit；　for　a　long　time　there；　he
thought　of　her　going　home；　he　thought　of　her　in　the　night；　he　thought
of　her　when　the　day　came　round　again。　And　the　poor　child　Little　Dorrit
thought　of　him……too　faithfully；　ah；　too　faithfully！……in　the　shadow　of
the　Marshalsea　wall。




CHAPTER　23。　Machinery　in　Motion


Mr　Meagles　bestirred　himself　with　such　prompt　activity　in　the　matter　of
the　negotiation　with　Daniel　Doyce　which　Clennam　had　entrusted　to　him；
that　he　soon　brought　it　into　business　train；　and　called　on　Clennam　at
nine　o'clock　one　morning　to　make　his　report。　'Doyce　is　highly　gratified
by　your　good　opinion；'　he　opened　the　business　by　saying；　'and　desires
nothing　so　much　as　that　you　should　examine　the　affairs　of　the　Works　for
yourself；　and　entirely　understand　them。　He　has　handed　me　the　keys　of
all　his　books　and　papers……here　they　are　jingling　in　this　pocket……and　the
only　charge　he　has　given　me　is　〃Let　Mr　Clennam　have　the　means　of　putting
himself　on　a　perfect　equality　with　me　as　to　knowing　whatever　I　know。
If　it　should　e　to　nothing　after　all；　he　will　respect　my　confidence。
Unless　I　was　sure　of　that　to　begin　with；　I　should　have　nothing　to　do
with　him。〃　And　there；　you　see；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'you　have　Daniel　Doyce
all　over。'

'A　very　honourable　character。'

'Oh；　yes；　to　be　sure。　Not　a　doubt　of　it。　Odd；　but　very　honourable。　Very
odd　though。　Now；　would　you　believe；　Clennam；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　with
a　hearty　enjoyment　of　his　friend's　eccentricity；　'that　I　had　a　whole
morning　in　What's…his…name　Yard……'

'Bleeding　Heart？'

'A　whole　morning　in　Bleeding　Heart　Yard；　before　I　could　induce　him　to
pursue　the　subject　at　all？'

'How　was　that？'

'How　was　that；　my　friend？　I　no　sooner　mentioned　your　name　in　connection
with　it　than　he　declared　off。'

'Declared　off　on　my　account？'

'I　no　sooner　mentioned　your　name；　Clennam；　than　he　said；　〃That　will
never　do！〃　What　did　he　mean　by　that？　I　asked　him。　No　matter；　Meagles；
that　would　never　do。　Why　would　it　never　do？　You'll　hardly　believe　it；
Clennam；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　laughing　within　himself；　'but　it　came　out
that　it　would　never　do；　because　you　and　he；　walking　down　to　Twickenham
together；　had　glided　into　a　friendly　conversation　in　the　course　of　which
he　had　referred　to　his　intention　of　taking　a　partner；　supposing　at　the
time　that　you　were　as　firmly　and　finally　settled　as　St　Paul's　Cathedral。
〃Whereas；〃　says　he；　〃Mr　Clennam　might　now　believe；　if　I　entertained　his
proposition；　that　I　had　a　sinister　and　designing　motive　in　what　was　open
free　speech。　Which　I　can't　bear；〃　says　he；　〃which　I　really　am　too　proud
to　bear。〃'

'I　should　as　soon　suspect……'

'Of　course　you　would；'　interrupted　Mr　Meagles；　'and　so　I　told　him。　But
it　took　a　morning　to　scale　that　wall；　and　I　doubt　if　any　other　man
than　myself　（he　likes　me　of　old）　could　have　got　his　leg　over　it。　Well；
Clennam。　This　business…like　obstacle　surmounted；　he　then　stipulated　that
before　resuming　with　you　I　should　look　over　the　books　and　form　my　own
opinion。　I　looked　over　the　books；　and　formed　my　own　opinion。　〃Is　it；　on
the　whole；　for；　or　against？〃　says　he。　〃For；〃　says　I。　〃Then；〃　says　he；
〃you　may　now；　my　good　friend；　give　Mr　Clennam　the　means　of　forming
his　opinion。　To　enable　him　to　do　which；　without　bias　and　with　perfect
freedom；　I　shall　go　out　of　town　for　a　week。〃　And　he's　gone；'　said　Mr
Meagles；　that's　the　rich　conclusion　of　the　thing。'

'Leaving　me；'　said　Clennam；　'with　a　high　sense；　I　must　say；　of　his
candour　and　his……'

'Oddity；'　Mr　Meagles　struck　in。　'I　should　think　so！'

It　was　not　exactly　the　word　on　Clennam's　lips；　but　he　forbore　to
interrupt　his　good…humoured　friend。

'And　now；'　added　Mr　Meagles；　'you　can　begin　to　look　into　matters　as　soon
as　you　think　proper。　I　have　undertaken　to　explain　where　you　may　want
explanation；　but　to　be　strictly　impartial；　and　to　do　nothing　more。'

They　began　their　perquisitions　in　Bleeding　Heart　Yard　that　same
forenoon。　Little　peculiarities　were　easily　to　be　detected　by　experienced
eyes　in　Mr　Doyce's　way　of　managing　his　affairs；　but　they　almost　always
involved　some　ingenious　simplification　of　a　difficulty；　and　some　plain
road　to　the　desired　end。　That　his　papers　were　in　arrear；　and　that　he
stood　in　need　of　assistance　to　develop　the　capacity　of　his　business；　was
clear　enough；　but　all　the　results　of　his　undertakings　during　many　years
were　distinctly　set　forth；　and　were　ascertainable　with　ease。　Nothing　had
been　done　for　the　purposes　of　the　pending　investigation；　everything　was
in　its　genuine　working　dress；　and　in　a　certain　honest　rugged　order。　The
calculations　and　entries；　in　his　own　hand；　of　which　there　were　many；
were　bluntly　written；　and　wit