little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第147部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

injury。　Say；……You　fool；　you　villain。　Say；……Ass；　how　could　you　do　it；
Beast；　what　did　you　mean　by　it！　Catch　hold　of　me　somewhere。

Say　something　abusive　to　me！'　All　the　time；　Mr　Pancks　was　tearing　at　his
tough　hair　in　a　most　pitiless　and　cruel　manner。

'If　you　had　never　yielded　to　this　fatal　mania；　Pancks；'　said　Clennam；
more　in　miseration　than　retaliation；　'it　would　have　been　how　much
better　for　you；　and　how　much　better　for　me！'

'At　me　again；　sir！'　cried　Pancks；　grinding　his　teeth　in　remorse。　'At
me　again！'　'If　you　had　never　gone　into　those　accursed　calculations；
and　brought　out　your　results　with　such　abominable　clearness；'　groaned
Clennam；　'it　would　have　been　how　much　better　for　you；　Pancks；　and　how
much　better　for　me！'

'At　me　again；　sir！'　exclaimed　Pancks；　loosening　his　hold　of　his　hair；
'at　me　again；　and　again！'

Clennam；　however；　finding　him　already　beginning　to　be　pacified；　had　said
all　he　wanted　to　say；　and　more。　He　wrung　his　hand；　only　adding；　'Blind
leaders　of　the　blind；　Pancks！　Blind　leaders　of　the　blind！　But　Doyce；
Doyce；　Doyce；　my　injured　partner！'　That　brought　his　head　down　on　the
desk　once　more。

Their　former　attitudes　and　their　former　silence　were　once　more　first
encroached　upon　by　Pancks。

'Not　been　to　bed；　sir；　since　it　began　to　get　about。　Been　high　and　low；
on　the　chance　of　finding　some　hope　of　saving　any　cinders　from　the　fire。
All　in　vain。　All　gone。　All　vanished。'

'I　know　it；'　returned　Clennam；　'too　well。'

Mr　Pancks　filled　up　a　pause　with　a　groan　that　came　out　of　the　very
depths　of　his　soul。

'Only　yesterday；　Pancks；'　said　Arthur；　'only　yesterday；　Monday；　I　had
the　fixed　intention　of　selling；　realising；　and　making　an　end　of　it。'

'I　can't　say　as　much　for　myself；　sir；'　returned　Pancks。　'Though　it's
wonderful　how　many　people　I've　heard　of；　who　were　going　to　realise
yesterday；　of　all　days　in　the　three　hundred　and　sixty…five；　if　it　hadn't
been　too　late！'

His　steam…like　breathings；　usually　droll　in　their　effect；　were　more
tragic　than　so　many　groans：　while　from　head　to　foot；　he　was　in　that
begrimed；　besmeared；　neglected　state；　that　he　might　have　been　an
authentic　portrait　of　Misfortune　which　could　scarcely　be　discerned
through　its　want　of　cleaning。

'Mr　Clennam；　had　you　laid　out……everything？'　He　got　over　the　break　before
the　last　word；　and　also　brought　out　the　last　word　itself　with　great
difficulty。

'Everything。'

Mr　Pancks　took　hold　of　his　tough　hair　again；　and　gave　it　such　a　wrench
that　he　pulled　out　several　prongs　of　it。　After　looking　at　these　with　an
eye　of　wild　hatred；　he　put　them　in　his　pocket。

'My　course；'　said　Clennam；　brushing　away　some　tears　that　had　been
silently　dropping　down　his　face；　'must　be　taken　at　once。　What　wretched
amends　I　can　make　must　be　made。　I　must　clear　my　unfortunate　partner's
reputation。　I　must　retain　nothing　for　myself。　I　must　resign　to　our
creditors　the　power　of　management　I　have　so　much　abused；　and　I　must　work
out　as　much　of　my　fault……or　crime……as　is　susceptible　of　being　worked　out
in　the　rest　of　my　days。'

'Is　it　impossible；　sir；　to　tide　over　the　present？'

'Out　of　the　question。　Nothing　can　be　tided　over　now；　Pancks。　The　sooner
the　business　can　pass　out　of　my　hands；　the　better　for　it。　There　are
engagements　to　be　met；　this　week；　which　would　bring　the　catastrophe
before　many　days　were　over；　even　if　I　would　postpone　it　for　a　single　day
by　going　on　for　that　space；　secretly　knowing　what　I　know。　All　last　night
I　thought　of　what　I　would　do；　what　remains　is　to　do　it。'

'Not　entirely　of　yourself？'　said　Pancks；　whose　face　was　as　damp　as　if
his　steam　were　turning　into　water　as　fast　as　he　dismally　blew　it　off。
'Have　some　legal　help。'

'Perhaps　I　had　better。'

'Have　Rugg。'

'There　is　not　much　to　do。　He　will　do　it　as　well　as　another。'

'Shall　I　fetch　Rugg；　Mr　Clennam？'

'If　you　could　spare　the　time；　I　should　be　much　obliged　to　you。'

Mr　Pancks　put　on　his　hat　that　moment；　and　steamed　away　to　Pentonville。
While　he　was　gone　Arthur　never　raised　his　head　from　the　desk；　but
remained　in　that　one　position。

Mr　Pancks　brought　his　friend　and　professional　adviser；　Mr　Rugg；　back
with　him。　Mr　Rugg　had　had　such　ample　experience；　on　the　road；　of　Mr
Pancks's　being　at　that　present　in　an　irrational　state　of　mind；　that　he
opened　his　professional　mediation　by　requesting　that　gentleman　to　take
himself　out　of　the　way。　Mr　Pancks；　crushed　and　submissive；　obeyed。

'He　is　not　unlike　what　my　daughter　was；　sir；　when　we　began　the　Breach　of
Promise　action　of　Rugg　and　Bawkins；　in　which　she　was　Plaintiff；'　said
Mr　Rugg。　'He　takes　too　strong　and　direct　an　interest　in　the　case。　His
feelings　are　worked　upon。　There　is　no　getting　on；　in　our　profession；
with　feelings　worked　upon；　sir。'

As　he　pulled　off　his　gloves　and　put　them　in　his　hat；　he　saw；　in　a　side
glance　or　two；　that　a　great　change　had　e　over　his　client。

'I　am　sorry　to　perceive；　sir；'　said　Mr　Rugg；　'that　you　have　been
allowing　your　own　feelings　to　be　worked　upon。　Now；　pray　don't；　pray
don't。　These　losses　are　much　to　be　deplored；　sir；　but　we　must　look　'em
in　the　face。'　'If　the　money　I　have　sacrificed　had　been　all　my　own；　Mr
Rugg；'　sighed　Mr　Clennam；　'I　should　have　cared　far　less。'

'Indeed；　sir？'　said　Mr　Rugg；　rubbing　his　hands　with　a　cheerful　air。

'You　surprise　me。　That's　singular；　sir。　I　have　generally　found；　in　my
experience；　that　it's　their　own　money　people　are　most　particular　about。
I　have　seen　people　get　rid　of　a　good　deal　of　other　people's　money；　and
bear　it　very　well：　very　well　indeed。'

With　these　forting　remarks；　Mr　Rugg　seated　himself　on　an　office…stool
at　the　desk　and　proceeded　to　business。

'Now；　Mr　Clennam；　by　your　leave；　let　us　go　into　the　matter。　Let　us　see
the　state　of　the　case。　The　question　is　simple。　The　question　is　the
usual　plain；　straightforward；　mon…sense　question。　What　can　we　do　for
ourself？　What　can　we　do　for　ourself？'

'This　is　not　the　question　with　me；　Mr　Rugg；'　said　Arthur。　'You　mistake
it　in　the　beginning。　It　is；　what　can　I　do　for　my　partner；　how　can　I　best
make　reparation　to　him？'

'I　am　afraid；　sir；　do　you　know；'　argued　Mr　Rugg　persuasively；　'that　you
are　still　allowing　your　feeling　to　be　worked　upon。　I　don't　like　the　term
〃reparation；〃　sir；　except　as　a　lever　in　the　hands　of　counsel。　Will　you
excuse　my　saying　that　I　feel　it　my　duty　to　offer　you　the　caution；　that
you　really　must　not　allow　your　feelings　to　be　worked　upon？'

'Mr　Rugg；'　said　Clennam；　nerving　himself　to　go　through　with　what　he
had　resolved　upon；　and　surprising　that　gentleman　by　appearing；　in　his
despondency；　to　have　a　settled　determination　of　purpose；　'you　give　me
the　impression　that　you　will　not　be　much　disposed　to　adopt　the　course
I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　take。　If　your　disapproval　of　it　should　render
you　unwilling　to　discharge　such　business　as　it　necessitates；　I　am　sorry
for　it；　and　must　seek　other　aid。　But　I　will　represent　to　you　at　once；
that　to　argue　against　it　with　me　is　useless。'

'Good；　sir；'　answered　Mr　Rugg；　shrugging　his　shoulders。'Good；　sir。　Since
the　business　is　to　be　done　by　some　hands；　let　it　be　done　by　mine。　Such
was　my　principle　in　the　case　of　Rugg　and　Bawkins。　Such　is　my　principle
in　most　cases。'


Clennam　then　proceeded　to　state　to　Mr　Rugg　his　fixed　resolution。　He　told
Mr　Rugg　that　his　partner　was　a　man　of　great　simplicity　and　integrity；
and　that　in　all　he　meant　to　do；　he　was　guided　above　all　things　by　a
knowledge　of　his　partner's　character；　and　a　respect　for　his　feelings。
He　explained　that　his　partner　was　then　absent　on　an　enterprise　of
importance；　and　that　it　particularly　behoved　himself　publicly　to　accept
the　blame　of　what　he　had　rashly　done；　and　publicly　to　exonerate　his
partner　from　all　participation　in　the　responsibility　of　it；　lest　the
successful　conduct　of　that　enterprise　should　be　endangered　by　the
slightest　suspicion　wrongly　attaching　to　his　partner's　honour　and　credit
in　another　country。　He　told　Mr　Rugg　that　to　clear　his　partner　morally；
to　the　fullest　extent；　and　publicly　and　unreservedly　to　declare　that
he；　Arthur　Clennam；　of　that　Firm；　had　of　his　own　sole　act；　and　even
expressly　against　his　partner's　caution；　embarked　its　resources　in　the
swindles　that　had　lately　perished；　was　the　only　real　atonement　within
his　power；　was　a　better　atonement　to　the　particular　man　than　it　would　be
to　many　men；　and　was　therefore　the　atonement　he　had　first　to　make。　With
this　view；　his　intention　was　to　print　a　declaration　to　the　foregoing
effect；　which　he　had　already　drawn　up；　and；　besides　circulating　it
among　all　who　had　dealings　with　the　House；　to　advertise　it　in　the　public
papers。　Concurrently　with　this　measure　（the　description　of　which　cost　Mr
Rugg　innumerable　wry　faces　and　great　uneasiness　in　his　limbs）；　he　would
address　a　letter　to　all　the　creditors；　exonerating　his　partner　in　a
solemn　manner；　informing　them　of　the　stoppage　of　the　House　until　their
pleasure　could　be　known　and　his　partner　municated　with；　and　humbly
submitting　himself　to　their　direction。　If；　through　their　consideration
for　his　partner's　innocence；　the　affairs　could　ever　be　got　into　such
train　as　that　the　business　could　be　profitably　resumed；　and　its　present
downfall　overe；　then　his　own　share　in　it　should　revert　to　his
partner；　as　the　only　reparation　he　could　make　to　him　in　money　value　for
the　distress　and　loss　he　had　unhappily　brought　upon　him；　and　he　himself；
at　as　mall　a　salary　as　he　could　live　upon；　would　ask　to　be　allowed　to
serve　the　business　as　a　faithful　clerk。

Though　Mr　Rugg　saw　plainly　there　was　no　preventing　this　from　being　done；
still　the　wryness　of　his　face　and　the　uneasiness　of　his　limbs　so　sorely
required　the　propitiation　of　a　Protest；　that　he　made　one。

'I　offer　no　objection；　sir；'　said　he；　'I　argue　no　point　with　you。　I　will
carry　out　your　views；　sir；　but；　under　protest。'　Mr　Rugg　then　stated；
not　without　prolixity；　the　heads　of　his　protest。　These　were；　in　effect；
because　the　whole　town；　or　he　might　say　the　whole　country；　was　in　the
first　madness　of　the　late　discovery；　and　the　resentment　against　the
victims　would　be　very　strong：　those　who　had　not　been　deluded　being
certain　to　wax　exceedingly　wroth　with　them　for　not　having　been　as　wise
as　they　were：　and　those　who　had　been　deluded　being　certain　to　find
excuses　and　reasons　for　themselves；　of　which　they　were　equally　certain
to　see　that　other　sufferers　were　wholly　devoid：　not　to　mention　the　great
probability　of　every　individual　sufferer　persuading　himself；　to　his
violent　indignation；　that　but　for　the　example　of　all　the　other　sufferers
he　never　would　have　put　himself　in　the　way　of　suffering。　Because　such　a
declaration　as　Clennam's；　made　at　such　a　time；　would　certainly　draw　down
upon　him　a　storm　of　animosity；　rendering　it　impossible　to　calculate　on
forbearance　in　the　creditors；　or　on　unanimity　among　them；　and　exposing
him　a　solitary　target　to　a　straggling　cross…fire；　which　might　bring　him
down　from　half…a…dozen　quarters　at　once。

To　all　this　Clennam　merely　replied　that；　granting　the　whole　protest；
nothing　in　it　lessened　the　force；　or　could　lessen　the　force；　of　the
voluntary　and　public　exoneration　of　his　partner。　He　therefore；　once
and　for　all；　requested　Mr　Rugg's　immediate　aid　in　getting　the　business
despatched。　Upon　that；　Mr　Rugg　fell　to　wo