little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第88章

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face；　the　nearer　he　draws　to；　and　the　oftener　he　looks　at；　the　face
of　his　daughter。　In　short；　I　see　him　with　a　　about　the　pretty　and
affectionate　creature　whom　he　will　never　make　happy。'　'We　don't　know；'
said　Clennam；　almost　in　the　tone　of　a　man　in　pain；　'that　he　will　not
make　her　happy。'

'We　don't　know；'　returned　his　partner；　'that　the　earth　will　last　another
hundred　years；　but　we　think　it　highly　probable。'

'Well；　well！'　said　Clennam；　'we　must　be　hopeful；　and　we　must　at　least
try　to　be；　if　not　generous　（which；　in　this　case；　we　have　no　opportunity
of　being）；　just。　We　will　not　disparage　this　gentleman；　because　he　is
successful　in　his　addresses　to　the　beautiful　object　of　his　ambition；　and
we　will　not　question　her　natural　right　to　bestow　her　love　on　one　whom
she　finds　worthy　of　it。'

'Maybe；　my　friend；'　said　Doyce。　'Maybe　also；　that　she　is　too　young　and
petted；　too　confiding　and　inexperienced；　to　discriminate　well。'

'That；'　said　Clennam；　'would　be　far　beyond　our　power　of　correction。'

Daniel　Doyce　shook　his　head　gravely；　and　rejoined；　'I　fear　so。'

'Therefore；　in　a　word；'　said　Clennam；　'we　should　make　up　our　minds　that
it　is　not　worthy　of　us　to　say　any　ill　of　Mr　Gowan。　It　would　be　a　poor
thing　to　gratify　a　prejudice　against　him。　And　I　resolve；　for　my　part；
not　to　depreciate　him。'

'I　am　not　quite　so　sure　of　myself；　and　therefore　I　reserve　my　privilege
of　objecting　to　him；'　returned　the　other。　'But；　if　I　am　not　sure　of
myself；　I　am　sure　of　you；　Clennam；　and　I　know　what　an　upright　man　you
are；　and　how　much　to　be　respected。　Good　night；　MY　friend　and　partner！'
He　shook　his　hand　in　saying　this；　as　if　there　had　been　something　serious
at　the　bottom　of　their　conversation；　and　they　separated。

By　this　time　they　had　visited　the　family　on　several　occasions；　and　had
always　observed　that　even　a　passing　allusion　to　Mr　Henry　Gowan　when
he　was　not　among　them；　brought　back　the　cloud　which　had　obscured　Mr
Meagles's　sunshine　on　the　morning　of　the　chance　encounter　at　the　Ferry。
If　Clennam　had　ever　admitted　the　forbidden　passion　into　his　breast；
this　period　might　have　been　a　period　of　real　trial；　under　the　actual
circumstances；　doubtless　it　was　nothing……nothing。

Equally；　if　his　heart　had　given　entertainment　to　that　prohibited　guest；
his　silent　fighting　of　his　way　through　the　mental　condition　of　this
period　might　have　been　a　little　meritorious。　In　the　constant　effort　not
to　be　betrayed　into　a　new　phase　of　the　besetting　sin　of　his　experience；
the　pursuit　of　selfish　objects　by　low　and　small　means；　and　to　hold
instead　to　some　high　principle　of　honour　and　generosity；　there　might
have　been　a　little　merit。　In　the　resolution　not　even　to　avoid　Mr
Meagles's　house；　lest；　in　the　selfish　sparing　of　himself；　he　should
bring　any　slight　distress　upon　the　daughter　through　making　her　the　cause
of　an　estrangement　which　he　believed　the　father　would　regret；　there
might　have　been　a　little　merit。　In　the　modest　truthfulness　of　always
keeping　in　vier　Gowan's　years　and　the　greater
attractions　of　his　person　and　manner；　there　might　have　been　a　little
merit。　In　doing　all　this　and　much　more；　in　a　perfectly　unaffected　way
and　with　a　manful　and　posed　constancy；　while　the　pain　within　him
（peculiar　as　his　life　and　history）　was　very　sharp；　there　might　have　been
some　quiet　strength　of　character。　But；　after　the　resolution　he　had　made；
of　course　he　could　have　no　such　merits　as　these；　and　such　a　state　of
mind　was　nobody's……nobody's。

Mr　Gowan　made　it　no　concern　of　his　whether　it　was　nobody's　or
somebody's。　He　preserved　his　perfect　serenity　of　manner　on　all
occasions；　as　if　the　possibility　of　Clennam's　presuming　to　have　debated
the　great　question　were　too　distant　and　ridiculous　to　be　imagined。　He
had　always　an　affability　to　bestow　on　Clennam　and　an　ease　to　treat
him　with；　which　might　of　itself　（in　the　supposititious　case　of　his
not　having　taken　that　sagacious　course）　have　been　a　very　unfortable
element　in　his　state　of　mind。

'I　quite　regret　you　were　not　with　us　yesterday；'　said　Mr　Henry　Gowan；
calling　on　Clennam　the　next　morning。　'We　had　an　agreeable　day　up　the
river　there。'

So　he　had　heard；　Arthur　said。

'From　your　partner？'　returned　Henry　Gowan。　'What　a　dear　old　fellow　he
is！'

'I　have　a　great　regard　for　him。'

'By　Jove；　he　is　the　finest　creature！'　said　Gowan。　'So　fresh；　so　green；
trusts　in　such　wonderful　things！'

Here　was　one　of　the　many　little　rough　points　that　had　a　tendency　to
grate　on　Clennam's　hearing。　He　put　it　aside　by　merely　repeating　that　he
had　a　high　regard　for　Mr　Doyce。

'He　is　charming！　To　see　him　mooning　along　to　that　time　of　life；
laying　down　nothing　by　the　way　and　picking　up　nothing　by　the　way；　is
delightful。　It　warms　a　man。　So　unspoilt；　so　simple；　such　a　good　soul！
Upon　my　life　Mr　Clennam；　one　feels　desperately　worldly　and　wicked　in
parison　with　such　an　innocent　creature。　I　speak　for　myself；　let　me
add；　without　including　you。　You　are　genuine　also。'

'Thank　you　for　the　pliment；'　said　Clennam；　ill　at　ease；　'you　are　too；
I　hope？'

'So　so；'　rejoined　the　other。　'To　be　candid　with　you；　tolerably。　I　am
not　a　great　impostor。　Buy　one　of　my　pictures；　and　I　assure　you；
in　confidence；　it　will　not　be　worth　the　money。　Buy　one　of　another
man's……any　great　professor　who　beats　me　hollow……and　the　chances　are　that
the　more　you　give　him；　the　more　he'll　impose　upon　you。　They　all　do　it。'
'All　painters？'

'Painters；　writers；　patriots；　all　the　rest　who　have　stands　in　the
market。　Give　almost　any　man　I　know　ten　pounds；　and　he　will　impose　upon
you　to　a　corresponding　extent；　a　thousand　pounds……to　a　corresponding
extent；　ten　thousand　pounds……to　a　corresponding　extent。　So　great　the
success；　so　great　the　imposition。　But　what　a　capital　world　it　is！'　cried
Gowan　with　warm　enthusiasm。　'What　a　jolly；　excellent；　lovable　world　it
is！'

'I　had　rather　thought；'　said　Clennam；　'that　the　principle　you　mention
was　chiefly　acted　on　by……'

'By　the　Barnacles？'　interrupted　Gowan；　laughing。

'By　the　political　gentlemen　who　condescend　to　keep　the　Circumlocution
Office。'

'Ah！　Don't　be　hard　upon　the　Barnacles；'　said　Gowan；　laughing　afresh；
'they　are　darling　fellows！　Even　poor　little　Clarence；　the　born　idiot　of
the　family；　is　the　most　agreeable　and　most　endearing　blockhead！　And　by
Jupiter；　with　a　kind　of　cleverness　in　him　too　that　would　astonish　you！'

'It　would。　Very　much；'　said　Clennam；　drily。

'And　after　all；'　cried　Gowan；　with　that　characteristic　balancing　of　his
which　reduced　everything　in　the　wide　world　to　the　same　light　weight；
'though　I　can't　deny　that　the　Circumlocution　Office　may　ultimately
shipwreck　everybody　and　everything；　still；　that　will　probably　not　be　in
our　time……and　it's　a　school　for　gentlemen。'

'It's　a　very　dangerous；　unsatisfactory；　and　expensive　school　to　the
people　who　pay　to　keep　the　pupils　there；　I　am　afraid；'　said　Clennam；
shaking　his　head。

'Ah！　You　are　a　terrible　fellow；'　returned　Gowan；　airily。　'I　can
understand　how　you　have　frightened　that　little　donkey；　Clarence；　the
most　estimable　of　moon…calves　（I　really　love　him）　nearly　out　of　his
wits。　But　enough　of　him；　and　of　all　the　rest　of　them。　I　want　to　present
you　to　my　mother；　Mr　Clennam。　Pray　do　me　the　favour　to　give　me　the
opportunity。'

In　nobody's　state　of　mind；　there　was　nothing　Clennam　would　have　desired
less；　or　would　have　been　more　at　a　loss　how　to　avoid。

'My　mother　lives　in　a　most　primitive　manner　down　in　that　dreary
red…brick　dungeon　at　Hampton　Court；'　said　Gowan。　'If　you　would　make
your　own　appointment；　suggest　your　own　day　for　permitting　me　to　take
you　there　to　dinner；　you　would　be　bored　and　she　would　be　charmed。　Really
that's　the　state　of　the　case。'

What　could　Clennam　say　after　this？　His　retiring　character　included　a
great　deal　that　was　simple　in　the　best　sense；　because　unpractised　and
unused；　and　in　his　simplicity　and　modesty；　he　could　only　say　that　he　was
happy　to　place　himself　at　Mr　Gowan's　disposal。　Accordingly　he　said　it；
and　the　day　was　fixed。　And　a　dreaded　day　it　was　on　his　part；　and　a　very
unwele　day　when　it　came　and　they　went　down　to　Hampton　Court　together。

The　venerable　inhabitants　of　that　venerable　pile　seemed；　in　those　times；
to　be　encamped　there　like　a　sor