little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第116部分

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always　is　told；　though　who　tells　them；　and　why；　will　ever　remain　a
mystery）；　that　there　was　to　be　no　wall…fruit　this　year。　Lord　Decimus
had　not　heard　anything　amiss　of　his　peaches；　but　rather　believed；　if　his
people　were　correct；　he　was　to　have　no　apples。　No　apples？　Bar　was　lost
in　astonishment　and　concern。　It　would　have　been　all　one　to　him；　in
reality；　if　there　had　not　been　a　pippin　on　the　surface　of　the　earth；　but
his　show　of　interest　in　this　apple　question　was　positively　painful。
Now；　to　what；　Lord　Decimus……for　we　troublesome　lawyers　loved　to　gather
information；　and　could　never　tell　how　useful　it　might　prove　to　us……to
what；　Lord　Decimus；　was　this　to　be　attributed？　Lord　Decimus　could　not
undertake　to　propound　any　theory　about　it。　This　might　have　stopped
another　man；　but　Bar；　sticking　to　him　fresh　as　ever；　said；　'As　to　pears；
now？'

Long　after　Bar　got　made　Attorney…General；　this　was　told　of　him　as
a　master…stroke。　Lord　Decimus　had　a　reminiscence　about　a　pear…tree
formerly　growing　in　a　garden　near　the　back　of　his　dame's　house　at　Eton；
upon　which　pear…tree　the　only　joke　of　his　life　perennially　bloomed。　It
was　a　joke　of　a　pact　and　portable　nature；　turning　on　the　difference
between　Eton　pears　and　Parliamentary　pairs；　but　it　was　a　joke；　a　refined
relish　of　which　would　seem　to　have　appeared　to　Lord　Decimus　impossible
to　be　had　without　a　thorough　and　intimate　acquaintance　with　the　tree。
Therefore；　the　story　at　first　had　no　idea　of　such　a　tree；　sir；　then
gradually　found　it　in　winter；　carried　it　through　the　changing　season；
saw　it　bud；　saw　it　blossom；　saw　it　bear　fruit；　saw　the　fruit　ripen；　in
short；　cultivated　the　tree　in　that　diligent　and　minute　manner　before　it
got　out　of　the　bed…room　window　to　steal　the　fruit；　that　many　thanks　had
been　offered　up　by　belated　listeners　for　the　trees　having　been　planted
and　grafted　prior　to　Lord　Decimus's　time。　Bar's　interest　in　apples　was
so　overtopped　by　the　wrapt　suspense　in　which　he　pursued　the　changes
of　these　pears；　from　the　moment　when　Lord　Decimus　solemnly　opened　with
'Your　mentioning　pears　recalls　to　my　remembrance　a　pear…tree；'　down　to
the　rich　conclusion；　'And　so　we　pass；　through　the　various　changes
of　life；　from　Eton　pears　to　Parliamentary　pairs；'　that　he　had　to　go
down…stairs　with　Lord　Decimus；　and　even　then　to　be　seated　next　to　him
at　table　in　order　that　he　might　hear　the　anecdote　out。　By　that　time；　Bar
felt　that　he　had　secured　the　Foreman；　and　might　go　to　dinner　with　a　good
appetite。

It　was　a　dinner　to　provoke　an　appetite；　though　he　had　not　had　one。　The
rarest　dishes；　sumptuously　cooked　and　sumptuously　served；　the　choicest
fruits；　the　most　exquisite　wines；　marvels　of　workmanship　in　gold　and
silver；　china　and　glass；　innumerable　things　delicious　to　the　senses　of
taste；　smell；　and　sight；　were　insinuated　into　its　position。　O；　what
a　wonderful　man　this　Merdle；　what　a　great　man；　what　a　master　man；　how
blessedly　and　enviably　endowed……in　one　word；　what　a　rich　man！

He　took　his　usual　poor　eighteenpennyworth　of　food　in　his　usual
indigestive　way；　and　had　as　little　to　say　for　himself　as　ever　a
wonderful　man　had。　Fortunately　Lord　Decimus　was　one　of　those　sublimities
who　have　no　occasion　to　be　talked　to；　for　they　can　be　at　any　time
sufficiently　occupied　with　the　contemplation　of　their　own　greatness。
This　enabled　the　bashful　young　Member　to　keep　his　eyes　open　long　enough
at　a　time　to　see　his　dinner。　But；　whenever　Lord　Decimus　spoke；　he　shut
them　again。

The　agreeable　young　Barnacle；　and　Bar；　were　the　talkers　of　the　party。
Bishop　would　have　been　exceedingly　agreeable　also；　but　that　his
innocence　stood　in　his　way。　He　was　so　soon　left　behind。　When　there　was
any　little　hint　of　anything　being　in　the　wind；　he　got　lost　directly。
Worldly　affairs　were　too　much　for　him；　he　couldn't　make　them　out　at　all。

This　was　observable　when　Bar　said；　incidentally；　that　he　was　happy　to
have　heard　that　we　were　soon　to　have　the　advantage　of　enlisting　on
the　good　side；　the　sound　and　plain　sagacity……not　demonstrative　or
ostentatious；　but　thoroughly　sound　and　practical……of　our　friend　Mr
Sparkler。

Ferdinand　Barnacle　laughed；　and　said　oh　yes；　he　believed　so。　A　vote　was
a　vote；　and　always　acceptable。

Bar　was　sorry　to　miss　our　good　friend　Mr　Sparkler　to…day；　Mr　Merdle。

'He　is　away　with　Mrs　Merdle；'　returned　that　gentleman；　slowly　ing
out　of　a　long　abstraction；　in　the　course　of　which　he　had　been　fitting　a
tablespoon　up　his　sleeve。　'It　is　not　indispensable　for　him　to　be　on　the
spot。'

'The　magic　name　of　Merdle；'　said　Bar；　with　the　jury　droop；　'no　doubt
will　suffice　for　all。'

'Why……yes……I　believe　so；'　assented　Mr　Merdle；　putting　the　spoon　aside；
and　clumsily　hiding　each　of　his　hands　in　the　coat…cuff　of　the　other
hand。　'I　believe　the　people　in　my　interest　down　there　will　not　make　any
difficulty。'

'Model　people！'　said　Bar。　'I　am　glad　you　approve　of　them；'　said　Mr
Merdle。

'And　the　people　of　those　other　two　places；　now；'　pursued　Bar；　with　a
bright　twinkle　in　his　keen　eye；　as　it　slightly　turned　in　the　direction
of　his　magnificent　neighbour；　'we　lawyers　are　always　curious；　always
inquisitive；　always　picking　up　odds　and　ends　for　our　patchwork　minds；
since　there　is　no　knowing　when　and　where　they　may　fit　into　some
corner；……the　people　of　those　other　two　places　now？　Do　they　yield　so
laudably　to　the　vast　and　cumulative　influence　of　such　enterprise　and
such　renown；　do　those　little　rills　bee　absorbed　so　quietly
and　easily；　and；　as　it　were　by　the　influence　of　natural　laws；　so
beautifully；　in　the　swoop　of　the　majestic　stream　as　it　flows　upon　its
wondrous　way　enriching　the　surrounding　lands；　that　their　course　is
perfectly　to　be　calculated；　and　distinctly　to　be　predicated？'

Mr　Merdle；　a　little　troubled　by　Bar's　eloquence；　looked　fitfully　about
the　nearest　salt…cellar　for　some　moments；　and　then　said　hesitating：

'They　are　perfectly　aware；　sir；　of　their　duty　to　Society。　They　will
return　anybody　I　send　to　them　for　that　purpose。'

'Cheering　to　know；'　said　Bar。　'Cheering　to　know。'

The　three　places　in　question　were　three　little　rotten　holes　in　this
Island；　containing　three　little　ignorant；　drunken；　guzzling；　dirty；
out…of…the…way　constituencies；　that　had　reeled　into　Mr　Merdle's　pocket。
Ferdinand　Barnacle　laughed　in　his　easy　way；　and　airily　said　they　were
a　nice　set　of　fellows。　Bishop；　mentally　perambulating　among　paths　of
peace；　was　altogether　swallowed　up　in　absence　of　mind。

'Pray；'　asked　Lord　Decimus；　casting　his　eyes　around　the　table；　'what
is　this　story　I　have　heard　of　a　gentleman　long　confined　in　a　debtors'
prison　proving　to　be　of　a　wealthy　family；　and　having　e　into　the
inheritance　of　a　large　sum　of　money？　I　have　met　with　a　variety　of
allusions　to　it。　Do　you　know　anything　of　it；　Ferdinand？'

'I　only　know　this　much；'　said　Ferdinand；　'that　he　has　given　the
Department　with　which　I　have　the　honour　to　be　associated；'　this
sparkling　young　Barnacle　threw　off　the　phrase　sportively；　as　who　should
say；　We　know　all　about　these　forms　of　speech；　but　we　must　keep　it　up；
we　must　keep　the　game　alive；　'no　end　of　trouble；　and　has　put　us　into
innumerable　fixes。'

'Fixes？'　repeated　Lord　Decimus；　with　a　majestic　pausing　and　pondering
on　the　word　that　made　the　bashful　Member　shut　his　eyes　quite　tight。
'Fixes？'

'A　very　perplexing　business　indeed；'　observed　Mr　Tite　Barnacle；　with　an
air　of　grave　resentment。

'What；'　said　Lord　Decimus；　'was　the　character　of　his　business；　what　was
the　nature　of　these……a……Fixes；　Ferdinand？'

'Oh；　it's　a　good　story；　as　a　story；'　returned　that　gentleman；　'as　good
a　thing　of　its　kind　as　need　be。　This　Mr　Dorrit　（his　name　is　Dorrit）　had
incurred　a　responsibility　to　us；　ages　before　the　fairy　came　out　of
the　Bank　and　gave　him　his　fortune；　under　a　bond　he　had　signed　for　the
performance　of　a　contract　which　was　not　at　all　performed。　He　was　a
partner　in　a　house　in　some　large　way……spirits；　or　buttons；　or　wine；　or
blacking；　or　oatmeal；　or　woollen；　or　pork；　or　hooks　and　eyes；　or　iron；
or　treacle；　or　shoes；　or　something　or　other　that　was　wanted　for　troops；
or　seamen；　or　somebody……and　the　house　burst；　and　we　being　among
the　creditors；　detainees　were　lodged　on　the　part　of　the　Crown　in　a
scientific　manner；　and　all　the　rest　Of　it。　When　the　fairy　had　appeared
and　he　wanted　to　pay　us　off；　Egad　we　had　got　into　such　an　exemplary
state　of　checking　and　counter…checking；　signing　and　counter…signing；
that　it　was　six　months　before　we　knew　how　to　take　the　money；　or　how　to
give　a　receipt　for　it。　It　was　a　triumph　of　public　business；'　said　this
handsome　young　Barnacle；　laughing　heartily；　'You　never　saw　such　a　lot　of
forms　in　your　life。　〃Why；〃　the　attorney　said　to　me　one　day；　〃if　I　wanted
this　office　to　give　me　two　or　three　thousand　pounds　instead　of　take　it；
I　couldn't　have　more　trouble　about　it。〃　〃You　are　right；　old　fellow；〃
I　told　him；　〃and　in　future　you'll　know　that　we　have　something　to　do
here。〃'　The　pleasant　young　Barnacle　finished　by　once　more　laughing
heartily。　He　was　a　very　easy；　pleasant　fellow　indeed；　and　his　manners
were　exceedingly　winning。

Mr　Tite　Barnacle's　view　of　the　business　was　of　a　less　airy　character。　He
took　it　ill　that　Mr　Dorrit　had　troubled　the　Department　by　wanting　to
pay　the　money；　and　considered　it　a　grossly　informal　thing　to　do　after　so
many　years。　But　Mr　Tite　Barnacle　was　a　buttoned…up　man；　and　consequently
a　weighty　one。　All　buttoned…up　men　are　weighty。　All　buttoned…up　men　are
believed　in。　Whether　or　no　the　reserved　and　never…exercised　power　of
unbuttoning；　fascinates　mankind；　whether　or　no　wisdom　is　supposed　to
condense　and　augment　when　buttoned　up；　and　to　evaporate　when　unbuttoned；
it　is　certain　that　the　man　to　whom　importance　is　accorded　is　the
buttoned…up　man。　Mr　Tite　Barnacle　never　would　have　passed　for　half　his
current　value；　unless　his　coat　had　been　always　buttoned…up　to　his　white
cravat。

'May　I　ask；'　said　Lord　Decimus；　'if　Mr　Darrit……or　Dorrit……has　any
family？'

Nobody　else　replying；　the　host　said；　'He　has　two　daughters；　my　lord。'

'Oh！　you　are　acquainted　with　him？'　asked　Lord　Decimus。

'Mrs　Merdle　is。　Mr　Sparkler　is；　too。　In　fact；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'I　rather
believe　that　one　of　the　young　ladies　has　made　an　impression　on　Edmund
Sparkler。　He　is　susceptible；　and……I……think……the　conquest……'　Here　Mr
Merdle　stopped；　and　looked　at　the　table…cloth；　as　he　usually　did　when　he
found　himself　observed　or　listened　to。

Bar　was　unmonly　pleased　to　find　that　the　Merdle　family；　and　this
family；　had　already　been　brought　into　contact。　He　submitted；　in　a　low
voice　across　the　table　to　Bishop；　that　it　was　a　kind　of　analogical
illustration　of　those　physical　laws；　in　virtue　of　which　Like　flies　to
Like。　He　regarded　this　power　of　attraction　in　wealth　to　draw　wealth
to　it；　as　something　remarkably　interesting　and　curious……something
indefinably　allied　to　the　loadstone　and　gravitation。　Bishop；　who
had　ambled　back　to　earth　again　when　the　present　theme　was　broached；
acquiesced。　He　said　it　was　indeed　highly　important　to　Society　that　one
in　the　trying　situation　of　unexpectedly　finding　himself　invested　with　a
power　for　good　or　for　evil　in　Society；　should　bee；　as　it　were；　merged
in　the　superior　power　of　a　more　legitimate　and　more　gigantic　growth；　the
influence　of　which　（as　in　the　case　of