little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第97章

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Pictures　of　demolished　streets　and　altered　houses；　as　they　formerly　were
when　the　occupant　of　the　chair　was　familiar　with　them；　images　of　people
as　they　too　used　to　be；　with　little　or　no　allowance　made　for　the　lapse
of　time　since　they　were　seen；　of　these；　there　must　have　been　many　in　the
long　routine　of　gloomy　days。　To　stop　the　clock　of　busy　existence　at　the
hour　when　　it；　to　suppose　mankind
stricken　motionless　when　we　were　brought　to　a　stand…still；　to　be　unable
to　measure　the　changes　beyond　our　view　by　any　larger　standard　than
the　shrunken　one　of　our　own　uniform　and　contracted　existence；　is　the
infirmity　of　many　invalids；　and　the　mental　unhealthiness　of　almost　all
recluses。

What　scenes　and　actors　the　stern　woman　most　reviewed；　as　she　sat
from　season　to　season　in　her　one　dark　room；　none　knew　but　herself。　Mr
Flintwinch；　with　his　wry　presence　brought　to　bear　upon　her　daily　like
some　eccentric　mechanical　force；　would　perhaps　have　screwed　it　out　of
her；　if　there　had　been　less　resistance　in　her；　but　she　was　too　strong
for　him。　So　far　as　Mistress　Affery　was　concerned；　to　regard　her
liege…lord　and　her　disabled　mistress　with　a　face　of　blank　wonder；　to
go　about　the　house　after　dark　with　her　apron　over　her　head；　always　to
listen　for　the　strange　noises　and　sometimes　to　hear　them；　and　never
to　emerge　from　her　ghostly；　dreamy；　sleep…waking　state；　was　occupation
enough　for　her。

There　was　a　fair　stroke　of　business　doing；　as　Mistress　Affery　made　out；
for　her　husband　had　abundant　occupation　in　his　little　office；　and　saw
more　people　than　had　been　used　to　e　there　for　some　years。　This　might
easily　be；　the　house　having　been　long　deserted；　but　he　did　receive
letters；　and　ers；　and　keep　books；　and　correspond。　Moreover；　he　went
about　to　other　counting…houses；　and　to　wharves；　and　docks；　and　to　the
Custom　House；'　and　to　Garraway's　Coffee　House；　and　the　Jerusalem　Coffee
House；　and　on　'Change；　so　that　he　was　much　in　and　out。　He　began；　too；
sometimes　of　an　evening；　when　Mrs　Clennam　expressed　no　particular　wish
for　his　society；　to　resort　to　a　tavern　in　the　neighbourhood　to　look　at
the　shipping　news　and　closing　prices　in　the　evening　paper；　and　even　to
exchange　Small　socialities　with　mercantile　Sea　Captains　who　frequented
that　establishment。　At　some　period　of　every　day；　he　and　Mrs　Clennam　held
a　council　on　matters　of　business；　and　it　appeared　to　Affery；　who　was
always　groping　about；　listening　and　watching；　that　the　two　clever　ones
were　making　money。

The　state　of　mind　into　which　Mr　Flintwinch's　dazed　lady　had　fallen；　had
now　begun　to　be　so　expressed　in　all　her　looks　and　actions　that　she　was
held　in　very　low　account　by　the　two　clever　ones；　as　a　person；　never
of　strong　intellect；　who　was　being　foolish。　Perhaps　because　her
appearance　was　not　of　a　mercial　cast；　or　perhaps　because　it　occurred
to　him　that　his　having　taken　her　to　wife　might　expose　his　judgment　to
doubt　in　the　minds　of　customers；　Mr　Flintwinch　laid　his　mands　upon
her　that　she　should　hold　her　peace　on　the　subject　of　her　conjugal
relations；　and　should　no　longer　call　him　Jeremiah　out　of　the　domestic
trio。　Her　frequent　forgetfulness　of　this　admonition　intensified　her
startled　manner；　since　Mr　Flintwinch's　habit　of　avenging　himself　on　her
remissness　by　making　springs　after　her　on　the　staircase；　and　shaking
her；　occasioned　her　to　be　always　nervously　uncertain　when　she　might　be
thus　waylaid　next。

Little　Dorrit　had　finished　a　long　day's　work　in　Mrs　Clennam's　room；　and
was　neatly　gathering　up　her　shreds　and　odds　and　ends　before　going　home。
Mr　Pancks；　whom　Affery　had　just　shown　in；　was　addressing　an　inquiry　to
Mrs　Clennam　on　the　subject　of　her　health；　coupled　with　the　remark　that；
'happening　to　find　himself　in　that　direction；'　he　had　looked　in　to
inquire；　on　behalf　of　his　proprietor；　how　she　found　herself。　Mrs
Clennam；　with　a　deep　contraction　of　her　brows；　was　looking　at　him。

'Mr　Casby　knows；'　said　she；　'that　I　am　not　subject　to　changes。　The
change　that　I　await　here　is　the　great　change。'

'Indeed；　ma'am？'　returned　Mr　Pancks；　with　a　wandering　eye　towards　the
figure　of　the　little　seamstress　on　her　knee　picking　threads　and　fraying
of　her　work　from　the　carpet。　'You　look　nicely；　ma'am。'

'I　bear　what　I　have　to　bear；'　she　answered。　'Do　you　what　you　have　to
do。'　'Thank　you；　ma'am；'　said　Mr　Pancks；　'such　is　my　endeavour。'

'You　are　often　in　this　direction；　are　you　not？'　asked　Mrs　Clennam。

'Why；　yes；　ma'am；'　said　Pancks；　'rather　so　lately；　I　have　lately　been
round　this　way　a　good　deal；　owing　to　one　thing　and　another。'　'Beg　Mr
Casby　and　his　daughter　not　to　trouble　themselves；　by　deputy；　about　me。
When　they　wish　to　see　me；　they　know　I　am　here　to　see　them。　They　have　no
need　to　trouble　themselves　to　send。　You　have　no　need　to　trouble　yourself
to　e。'　'Not　the　least　trouble；　ma'am；'　said　Mr　Pancks。　'You　really
are　looking　unmonly　nicely；　ma'am。'

'Thank　you。　Good　evening。'

The　dismissal；　and　its　acpanying　finger　pointed　straight　at　the　door；
was　so　curt　and　direct　that　Mr　Pancks　did　not　see　his　way　to　prolong　his
visit。　He　stirred　up　his　hair　with　his　sprightliest　expression；　glanced
at　the　little　figure　again；　said　'Good　evening；　ma　'am；　don't　e　down；
Mrs　Affery；　I　know　the　road　to　the　door；'　and　steamed　out。　Mrs　Clennam；
her　chin　resting　on　her　hand；　followed　him　with　attentive　and　darkly
distrustful　eyes；　and　Affery　stood　looking　at　her　as　if　she　were
spell…bound。

Slowly　and　thoughtfully；　Mrs　Clennam's　eyes　turned　from　the　door　by
which　Pancks　had　gone　out；　to　Little　Dorrit；　rising　from　the　carpet。
With　her　chin　drooping　more　heavily　on　her　hand；　and　her　eyes　vigilant
and　lowering；　the　sick　woman　sat　looking　at　her　until　she　attracted　her
attention。　Little　Dorrit　coloured　under　such　a　gaze；　and　looked　down。
Mrs　Clennam　still　sat　intent。

'Little　Dorrit；'　she　said；　when　she　at　last　broke　silence；　'what　do　you
know　of　that　man？'

'I　don't　know　anything　of　him；　ma'am；　except　that　I　have　seen　him　about；
and　that　he　has　spoken　to　me。'

'What　has　he　said　to　you？'

'I　don't　understand　what　he　has　said；　he　is　so　strange。　But　nothing
rough　or　disagreeable。'

'Why　does　he　e　here　to　see　you？'

'I　don't　know；　ma'am；'　said　Little　Dorrit；　with　perfect　frankness。

'You　know　that　he　does　e　here　to　see　you？'

'I　have　fancied　so；'　said　Little　Dorrit。　'But　why　he　should　e　here　or
anywhere　for　that；　ma'am；　I　can't　think。'

Mrs　Clennam　cast　her　eyes　towards　the　ground；　and　with　her　strong；　set
face；　as　intent　upon　a　subject　in　her　mind　as　it　had　lately　been　upon
the　form　that　seemed　to　pass　out　of　her　view；　sat　absorbed。　Some　minutes
elapsed　before　she　came　out　of　this　thoughtfulness；　and　resumed　her　hard
posure。

Little　Dorrit　in　the　meanwhile　had　been　waiting　to　go；　but　afraid　to
disturb　her　by　moving。　She　now　ventured　to　leave　the　spot　where　she
had　been　standing　since　she　had　risen；　and　to　pass　gently　round　by　the
wheeled　chair。　She　stopped　at　its　side　to　say　'Good　night；　ma'am。'

Mrs　Clennam　put　out　her　hand；　and　laid　it　on　her　arm。　Little　Dorrit；
confused　under　the　touch；　stood　faltering。　Perhaps　some　momentary
recollection　of　the　story　of　the　Princess　may　have　been　in　her　mind。

'Tell　me；　Little　Dorrit；'　said　Mrs　Clennam；　'have　you　many　friends　now？'

'Very　few；　ma'am。　Besides　you；　only　Miss　Flora　and……one　more。'

'Meaning；'　said　Mrs　Clennam；　with　her　unbent　finger　again　pointing　to
the　door；　'that　man？'

'Oh　no；　ma'am！'

'Some　friend　of　his；　perhaps？'

'No　ma'am。'　Little　Dorrit　earnestly　shook　her　head。　'Oh　no！　No　one　at
all　like　him；　or　belonging　to　him。'

'Well！'　said　Mrs　Clennam；　almost　smiling。　'It　is　no　affair　of　mine。　I
ask；　because　I　take　an　interest　in　you；　and　because　I　believe　I　was　your
friend　when　you　had　no　other　who　could　serve　you。　Is　that　so？'

'Yes；　ma'am；　indeed　it　is。　I　have　been　here　many　a　time　when；　but　for
you　and　the　work　you　gave　me；　we　should　have　wanted　everything。'

'We；'　repeated　Mrs　Clennam；　looking　towards　the　watch；　once　her　dead
husband's；　which　always　lay　upon　her　table。　'Are　there　many　of　you？'

'Only　father　and　I；　now。　I　mean；　only　father　and　I　to　keep　regularly　out
of　what　we　get。'

'Have　you　undergone　many　privations？　You　and　your　father