little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第128部分

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lightly；　on　Mr　Dorrit's　mind。　It　was　the　Chief　Butler。　That　stupendous
character　looked　at　him；　in　the　course　of　his　official　looking　at　the
dinners；　in　a　manner　that　Mr　Dorrit　considered　questionable。　He　looked
at　him；　as　he　passed　through　the　hall　and　up　the　staircase；　going　to
dinner；　with　a　glazed　fixedness　that　Mr　Dorrit　did　not　like。　Seated
at　table　in　the　act　of　drinking；　Mr　Dorrit　still　saw　him　through　his
wine…glass；　regarding　him　with　a　cold　and　ghostly　eye。　It　misgave　him
that　the　Chief　Butler　must　have　known　a　Collegian；　and　must　have　seen
him　in　the　College……perhaps　had　been　presented　to　him。　He　looked　as
closely　at　the　Chief　Butler　as　such　a　man　could　be　looked　at；　and　yet
he　did　not　recall　that　he　had　ever　seen　him　elsewhere。　Ultimately　he　was
inclined　to　think　that　there　was　no　reverence　in　the　man；　no　sentiment
in　the　great　creature。　But　he　was　not　relieved　by　that；　for；　let　him
think　what　he　would；　the　Chief　Butler　had　him　in　his　supercilious　eye；
even　when　that　eye　was　on　the　plate　and　other　table…garniture；　and　he
never　let　him　out　of　it。　To　hint　to　him　that　this　confinement　in　his　eye
was　disagreeable；　or　to　ask　him　what　he　meant；　was　an　act　too　daring　to
venture　upon；　his　severity　with　his　employers　and　their　visitors　being
terrific；　and　he　never　permitting　himself　to　be　approached　with　the
slightest　liberty。




CHAPTER　17。　Missing


The　term　of　Mr　Dorrit's　visit　was　within　two　days　of　being　out；　and　he
was　about　to　dress　for　another　inspection　by　the　Chief　Butler　（whose
victims　were　always　dressed　expressly　for　him）；　when　one　of　the　servants
of　the　hotel　presented　himself　bearing　a　card。　Mr　Dorrit；　taking　it；
read：


'Mrs　Finching。'


The　servant　waited　in　speechless　deference。

'Man；　man；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　turning　upon　him　with　grievous　indignation；
'explain　your　motive　in　bringing　me　this　ridiculous　name。　I　am　wholly
unacquainted　with　it。　Finching；　sir？'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　perhaps　avenging
himself　on　the　Chief　Butler　by　Substitute。

'Ha！　What　do　you　mean　by　Finching？'

The　man；　man；　seemed　to　mean　Flinching　as　much　as　anything　else；　for
he　backed　away　from　Mr　Dorrit's　severe　regard；　as　he　replied；　'A　lady；
sir。'

'I　know　no　such　lady；　sir；'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'Take　this　card　away。　I　know
no　Finching　of　either　sex。'

'Ask　your　pardon；　sir。　The　lady　said　she　was　aware　she　might　be　unknown
by　name。　But　she　begged　me　to　say；　sir；　that　she　had　formerly　the　honour
of　being　acquainted　with　Miss　Dorrit。　The　lady　said；　sir；　the　youngest
Miss　Dorrit。'

Mr　Dorrit　knitted　his　brows　and　rejoined；　after　a　moment　or　two；　'Inform
Mrs　Finching；　sir；'　emphasising　the　name　as　if　the　innocent　man　were
solely　responsible　for　it；　'that　she　can　e　up。'

He　had　reflected；　in　his　momentary　pause；　that　unless　she　were　admitted
she　might　leave　some　message；　or　might　say　something　below；　having
a　disgraceful　reference　to　that　former　state　of　existence。　Hence　the
concession；　and　hence　the　appearance　of　Flora；　piloted　in　by　the　man；
man。

'I　have　not　the　pleasure；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　standing　with　the　card　in　his
hand；　and　with　an　air　which　imported　that　it　would　scarcely　have　been　a
first…class　pleasure　if　he　had　had　it；　'of　knowing　either　this　name；　or
yourself；　madam。　Place　a　chair；　sir。'　The　responsible　man；　with　a　start；
obeyed；　and　went　out　on　tiptoe。　Flora；　putting　aside　her　veil　with　a
bashful　tremor　upon　her；　proceeded　to　introduce　herself。　At　the　same
time　a　singular　bination　of　perfumes　was　diffused　through　the　room；
as　if　some　brandy　had　been　put　by　mistake　in　a　lavender…water　bottle；　or
as　if　some　lavender…water　had　been　put　by　mistake　in　a　brandy…bottle。

'I　beg　Mr　Dorrit　to　offer　a　thousand　apologies　and　indeed　they　would
be　far　too　few　for　such　an　intrusion　which　I　know　must　appear　extremely
bold　in　a　lady　and　alone　too；　but　I　thought　it　best　upon　the　whole
however　difficult　and　even　apparently　improper　though　Mr　F。's　Aunt　would
have　willingly　acpanied　me　and　as　a　character　of　great　force　and
spirit　would　probably　have　struck　one　possessed　of　such　a　knowledge　of
life　as　no　doubt　with　so　many　changes　must　have　been　acquired；　for　Mr　F。
himself　said　frequently　that　although　well　educated　in　the　neighbourhood
of　Blackheath　at　as　high　as　eighty　guineas　which　is　a　good　deal　for
parents　and　the　plate　kept　back　too　on　going　away　but　that　is　more　a
meanness　than　its　value　that　he　had　learnt　more　in　his　first　years　as　a
mercial　traveller　with　a　large　mission　on　the　sale　of　an　article
that　nobody　would　hear　of　much　less　buy　which　preceded　the　wine　trade
a　long　time　than　in　the　whole　six　years　in　that　academy　conducted　by　a
college　Bachelor；　though　why　a　Bachelor　more　clever　than　a　married　man　I
do　not　see　and　never　did　but　pray　excuse　me　that　is　not　the　point。'

Mr　Dorrit　stood　rooted　to　the　carpet；　a　statue　of　mystification。

'I　must　openly　admit　that　I　have　no　pretensions；'　said　Flora；　'but
having　known　the　dear　little　thing　which　under　altered　circumstances
appears　a　liberty　but　is　not　so　intended　and　Goodness　knows　there　was　no
favour　in　half…a…crown　a…day　to　such　a　needle　as　herself　but　quite　the
other　way　and　as　to　anything　lowering　in　it　far　from　it　the　labourer　is
worthy　of　his　hire　and　I　am　sure　I　only　wish　he　got　it　oftener　and　more
animal　food　and　less　rheumatism　in　the　back　and　legs　poor　soul。'

'Madam；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　recovering　his　breath　by　a　great　effort；　as　the
relict　of　the　late　Mr　Finching　stopped　to　take　hers；　'madam；'　said　Mr
Dorrit；　very　red　in　the　face；　'if　I　understand　you　to　refer　to……ha……to
anything　in　the　antecedents　of……hum……a　daughter　of　mine；　involving……ha
hum……daily　pensation；　madam；　I　beg　to　observe　that　the……ha……fact；
assuming　it……ha……to　be　fact；　never　was　within　my　knowledge。　Hum。　I
should　not　have　permitted　it。　Ha。　Never！　Never！'

'Unnecessary　to　pursue　the　subject；'　returned　Flora；　'and　would　not　have
mentioned　it　on　any　account　except　as　supposing　it　a　favourable　and　only
letter　of　introduction　but　as　to　being　fact　no　doubt　whatever　and　you
may　set　your　mind　at　rest　for　the　very　dress　I　have　on　now　can　prove　it
and　sweetly　made　though　there　is　no　denying　that　it　would　tell　better　on
a　better　figure　for　my　own　is　much　too　fat　though　how　to　bring　it　down　I
know　not；　pray　excuse　me　I　am　roving　off　again。'　Mr　Dorrit　backed　to　his
chair　in　a　stony　way；　and　seated　himself；　as　Flora　gave　him　a　softening
look　and　played　with　her　parasol。

'The　dear　little　thing；'　said　Flora；　'having　gone　off　perfectly　limp
and　white　and　cold　in　my　own　house　or　at　least　papa's　for　though　not
a　freehold　still　a　long　lease　at　a　peppercorn　on　the　morning　when
Arthur……foolish　habit　of　our　youthful　days　and　Mr　Clennam　far　more
adapted　to　existing　circumstances　particularly　addressing　a　stranger　and
that　stranger　a　gentleman　in　an　elevated　station……municated　the　glad
tidings　imparted　by　a　person　of　name　of　Pancks　emboldens　me。'

At　the　mention　of　these　two　names；　Mr　Dorrit　frowned；　stared；　frowned
again；　hesitated　with　his　fingers　at　his　lips；　as　he　had　hesitated　long
ago；　and　said；　'Do　me　the　favour　to……ha……state　your　pleasure；　madam。'

'Mr　Dorrit；'　said　Flora；　'you　are　very　kind　in　giving　me　permission　and
highly　natural　it　seems　to　me　that　you　should　be　kind　for　though　more
stately　I　perceive　a　likeness　filled　out　of　course　but　a　likeness　still；
the　object　of　my　intruding　is　my　own　without　the　slightest　consultation
with　any　human　being　and　most　decidedly　not　with　Arthur……pray　excuse　me
Doyce　and　Clennam　I　don't　know　what　I　am　saying　Mr　Clennam　solus……for　to
put　that　individual　linked　by　a　golden　chain　to　a　purple　time　when　all
was　ethereal　out　of　any　anxiety　would　be　worth　to　me　the　ransom　of　a
monarch　not　that　I　have　the　least　idea　how　much　that　would　e　to　but
using　it　as　the　total　of　all　I　have　in　the　world　and　more。'

Mr　Dorrit；　without　greatly　regarding　the　earnestness　of　these　latter
words；　repeated；　'State　your　pleasure；　madam。'

'It's　not　likely　I　well　know；'　said　Flora；　'but　it's　possible　and　being
possible　when　I　had　the　gratification　of　reading　in　the　papers　that　you
had　arrived　from　Italy　and　were　going　back　I　made　up　my　mind　to　try　it
for　you　might　e　across　him　or　hear　something　of　him　and　if　so　what　a
blessing　and　relief　to　all！'

'Allow　me　to　ask；　madam；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　with　his　ideas　in　wild
confusion；　'to　whom……ha……To　whom；'　he　repeated　it　with　a　raised　voice　in
mere　desperation；　'you　at　present　allude？'

'To　the　foreigner　from　Italy　who　disappeared　in　the　City　as　no　doubt　you
have　read　in　the　papers　equally　with　myself；'　said　Flora；　'not　referring
to　private　sources　by　the　name　of　Pancks　from　which　one　gathers　what
dreadfully　ill…natured　things　some　people　are　wicked　enough　to　whisper
most　likely　judging　others　by　themselves　and　what　the　uneasiness
and　indignation　of　Arthur……quite　unable　to　overe　it　Doyce　and
Clennam……cannot　fail　to　be。'

It　happened；　fortunately　for　the　elucidation　of　any　intelligible　result；
that　Mr　Dorrit　had　heard　or　read　nothing　about　the　matter。　This
caused　Mrs　Finching；　with　many　apologies　for　being　in　great　practical
difficulties　as　to　finding　the　way　to　her　pocket　among　the　stripes　of
her　dress　at　length　to　produce　a　police　handbill；　setting　forth　that
a　foreign　gentleman　of　the　name　of　Blandois；　last　from　Venice；　had
unaccountably　disappeared　on　such　a　night　in　such　a　part　of　the　city　of
London；　that　he　was　known　to　have　entered　such　a　house；　at　such　an　hour；
that　he　was　stated　by　the　inmates　of　that　house　to　have　left　it；　about
so　many　minutes　before　midnight；　and　that　he　had　never　been　beheld
since。　This；　with　exact　particulars　of　time　and　locality；　and　with
a　good　detailed　description　of　the　foreign　gentleman　who　had　so
mysteriously　vanished；　Mr　Dorrit　read　at　large。

'Blandois！'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'Venice！　And　this　description！　I　know　this
gentleman。　He　has　been　in　my　house。　He　is　intimately　acquainted　with　a
gentleman　of　good　family　（but　in　indifferent　circumstances）；　of　whom　I
am　a……hum……patron。'

'Then　my　humble　and　pressing　entreaty　is　the　more；'　said　Flora；　'that
in　travelling　back　you　will　have　the　kindness　to　look　for　this　foreign
gentleman　along　all　the　roads　and　up　and　down　all　the　turnings　and　to
make　inquiries　for　him　at　all　the　hotels　and　orange…trees　and　vineyards
and　volcanoes　and　places　for　he　must　be　somewhere　and　why　doesn't　he
e　forward　and　say　he's　there　and　clear　all　parties　up？'

'Pray；　madam；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　referring　to　the　handbill　again；　'who　is
Clennam　and　Co。？　Ha。　I　see　the　name　mentioned　here；　in　connection　with
the　occupation　of　the　house　which　Monsieur　Blandois　was　seen　to
enter：　who　is　Clennam　and　Co。？　Is　it　the　individual　of　whom　I　had
formerly……hum……some……ha……slight　transitory　knowledge；　and　to　whom　I
believe　you　have　referred？　Is　it……ha……that　person？'

'It's　a　very　different　person　indeed；'　replied　Flora；　'with　no　limbs　and
wheels　instead　and　the　grimmest　of　women　though　his　mother。'

'Clennam　and　Co。　a……hum……a　mother！'　exclaimed　Mr　Dorrit。

'And　an　old　man　besides；'　said　Flora。

Mr　Dorrit　looked　as　if　he　must　immediately　be　driven　out　of　his　mind
by　this　account。　Neither　was　it　rendered　more　favourable　to　sanity　by
Flora's　dashing　into　a　rapid　analysis　of　Mr　Fl