little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第39部分

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'What　have　you　been　doing；　iah。　'You've　been　rung
for　fifty　times。'

'Oh　Jeremiah；'　said　Mistress　Affery；　'I　have　been　a…dreaming！'

Reminded　of　her　former　achievement　in　that　way；　Mr　Flintwinch　held　the
candle　to　her　head；　as　if　he　had　some　idea　of　lighting　her　up　for　the
illumination　of　the　kitchen。

'Don't　you　know　it's　her　tea…time？'　he　demanded　with　a　vicious　grin；　and
giving　one　of　the　legs　of　Mistress　Affery's　chair　a　kick。

'Jeremiah？　Tea…time？　I　don't　know　what's　e　to　me。　But　I　got　such　a
dreadful　turn；　Jeremiah；　before　I　went……off　a…dreaming；　that　I　think　it
must　be　that。'

'Yoogh！　Sleepy…Head！'　said　Mr　Flintwinch；　'what　are　you　talking　about？'

'Such　a　strange　noise；　Jeremiah；　and　such　a　curious　movement。　In　the
kitchen　here……just　here。'

Jeremiah　held　up　his　light　and　looked　at　the　blackened　ceiling；　held
down　his　light　and　looked　at　the　damp　stone　floor；　turned　round　with　his
light　and　looked　about　at　the　spotted　and　blotched　walls。

'Rats；　cats；　water；　drains；'　said　Jeremiah。

Mistress　Affery　negatived　each　with　a　shake　of　her　head。　'No；　Jeremiah；
I　have　felt　it　before。　I　have　felt　it　up…stairs；　and　once　on　the
staircase　as　I　was　going　from　her　room　to　ours　in　the　night……a　rustle
and　a　sort　of　trembling　touch　behind　me。'

'Affery；　my　woman；'　said　Mr　Flintwinch　grimly；　after　advancing　his　nose
to　that　lady's　lips　as　a　test　for　the　detection　of　spirituous　liquors；
'if　you　don't　get　tea　pretty　quick；　old　woman；　you'll　bee　sensible
of　a　rustle　and　a　touch　that'll　send　you　flying　to　the　other　end　of　the
kitchen。'

This　prediction　stimulated　Mrs　Flintwinch　to　bestir　herself；　and　to
hasten　up…stairs　to　Mrs　Clennam's　chamber。　But；　for　all　that；　she　now
began　to　entertain　a　settled　conviction　that　there　was　something　wrong
in　the　gloomy　house。　Henceforth；　she　was　never　at　peace　in　it　after
daylight　departed；　and　never　went　up　or　down　stairs　in　the　dark　without
having　her　apron　over　her　head；　lest　she　should　see　something。

What　with　these　ghostly　apprehensions　and　her　singular　dreams；　Mrs
Flintwinch　fell　that　evening　into　a　haunted　state　of　mind；　from　which
it　may　be　long　before　this　present　narrative　descries　any　trace　of　her
recovery。　In　the　vagueness　and　indistinctness　of　all　her　new　experiences
and　perceptions；　as　everything　about　her　was　mysterious　to　herself　she
began　to　be　mysterious　to　others：　and　became　as　difficult　to　be　made　out
to　anybody's　satisfaction　as　she　found　the　house　and　everything　in　it
difficult　to　make　out　to　her　own。

She　had　not　yet　finished　preparing　Mrs　Clennam's　tea；　when　the　soft
knock　came　to　the　door　which　always　announced　Little　Dorrit。　Mistress
Affery　looked　on　at　Little　Dorrit　taking　off　her　homely　bon　in　the
hall；　and　at　Mr　Flintwinch　scraping　his　jaws　and　contemplating　her　in
silence；　as　expecting　some　wonderful　consequence　to　ensue　which　would
frighten　her　out　of　her　five　wits　or　blow　them　all　three　to　pieces。

After　tea　there　came　another　knock　at　the　door；　announcing　Arthur。
Mistress　Affery　went　down　to　let　him　in；　and　he　said　on　entering；
'Affery；　I　am　glad　it's　you。　I　want　to　ask　you　a　question。'　Affery
immediately　replied；　'For　goodness　sake　don't　ask　me　nothing；　Arthur！　I
am　frightened　out　of　one　half　of　my　life；　and　dreamed　out　of　the
other。　Don't　ask　me　nothing！　I　don't　know　which　is　which；　or　what　is
what！'……and　immediately　started　away　from　him；　and　came　near　him　no
more。

Mistress　Affery　having　no　taste　for　reading；　and　no　sufficient　light　for
needlework　in　the　subdued　room；　supposing　her　to　have　the　inclination；
now　sat　every　night　in　the　dimness　from　which　she　had　momentarily
emerged　on　the　evening　of　Arthur　Clennam's　return；　occupied　with　crowds
of　wild　speculations　and　suspicions　respecting　her　mistress　and　her
husband　and　the　noises　in　the　house。　When　the　ferocious　devotional
exercises　were　engaged　in；　these　speculations　would　distract　Mistress
Affery's　eyes　towards　the　door；　as　if　she　expected　some　dark　form　to
appear　at　those　propitious　moments；　and　make　the　party　one　too　many。

Otherwise；　Affery　never　said　or　did　anything　to　attract　the　attention　of
the　two　clever　ones　towards　her　in　any　marked　degree；　except　on　certain
occasions；　generally　at　about　the　quiet　hour　towards　bed…time；　when　she
would　suddenly　dart　out　of　her　dim　corner；　and　whisper　with　a　face　of
terror　to　Mr　Flintwinch；　reading　the　paper　near　Mrs　Clennam's　little
table：　'There；　jeremiah！　Now！　What's　that　noise？'

Then　the　noise；　if　there　were　any；　would　have　ceased；　and　Mr　Flintwinch
would　snarl；　turning　upon　her　as　if　she　had　cut　him　down　that　moment
against　his　will；　'Affery；　old　woman；　you　shall　have　a　dose；　old　woman；
such　a　dose！　You　have　been　dreaming　again！'




CHAPTER　16。　Nobody's　Weakness


The　time　being　e　for　the　reneeagles
family；　Clennam；　pursuant　to　contract　made　between　himself　and　Mr
Meagles　within　the　precincts　of　Bleeding　Heart　Yard；　turned　his　face
on　a　certain　Saturday　towards　Twickenham；　where　Mr　Meagles　had　a
cottage…residence　of　his　own。　The　weather　being　fine　and　dry；　and　any
English　road　abounding　in　interest　for　him　who　had　been　so　long　away；
he　sent　his　valise　on　by　the　coach；　and　set　out　to　walk。　A　walk　was　in
itself　a　new　enjoyment　to　him；　and　one　that　had　rarely　diversified　his
life　afar　off。

He　went　by　Fulham　and　Putney；　for　the　pleasure　of　strolling　over　the
heath。　It　was　bright　and　shining　there；　and　when　he　found　himself　so　far
on　his　road　to　Twickenham；　he　found　himself　a　long　way　on　his　road　to
a　number　of　airier　and　less　substantial　destinations。　They　had　risen
before　him　fast；　in　the　healthful　exercise　and　the　pleasant　road。　It　is
not　easy　to　walk　alone　in　the　country　without　musing　upon　something。　And
he　had　plenty　of　unsettled　subjects　to　meditate　upon；　though　he　had　been
walking　to　the　Land's　End。

First；　there　was　the　subject　seldom　absent　from　his　mind；　the　question；
what　he　was　to　do　henceforth　in　life；　to　what　occupation　he　should
devote　himself；　and　in　what　direction　he　had　best　seek　it。　He　was　far
from　rich；　and　every　day　of　indecision　and　inaction　made　his　inheritance
a　source　of　greater　anxiety　to　him。　As　often　as　he　began　to　consider　how
to　increase　this　inheritance；　or　to　lay　it　by；　so　often　his　misgiving
that　there　was　some　one　with　an　unsatisfied　claim　upon　his　justice；
returned；　and　that　alone　was　a　subject　to　outlast　the　longest　walk。
Again；　there　was　the　subject　of　his　relations　with　his　mother；　which
were　now　upon　an　equable　and　peaceful　but　never　confidential　footing；
and　whom　he　saw　several　times　a　week。　Little　Dorrit　was　a　leading　and　a
constant　subject：　for　the　circumstances　of　his　life；　united　to　those　of
her　own　story；　presented　the　little　creature　to　him　as　the　only　person
between　whom　and　himself　there　were　ties　of　innocent　reliance　on　one
hand；　and　affectionate　protection　on　the　other；　ties　of　passion；
respect；　unselfish　interest；　gratitude；　and　pity。　Thinking　of　her；　and
of　the　possibility　of　her　father's　release　from　prison　by　the　unbarring
hand　of　death……the　only　change　of　circumstance　he　could　foresee　that
might　enable　him　to　be　such　a　friend　to　her　as　he　wished　to　be；　by
altering　her　whole　manner　of　life；　smoothing　her　rough　road；　and
giving　her　a　home……he　regarded　her；　in　that　perspective；　as　his　adopted
daughter；　his　poor　child　of　the　Marshalsea　hushed　to　rest。　If　there　were
a　last　subject　in　his　thoughts；　and　it　lay　towards　Twickenham；　its　form
was　so　indefinite　that　it　was　little　more　than　the　pervading　atmosphere
in　which　these　other　subjects　floated　before　him。

He　had　crossed　the　heath　and　was　leaving　it　behind　when　he　gained　upon　a
figure　which　had　been　in　advance　of　him　for　some　time；　and　which；　as
he　gained　upon　it；　he　thought　he　knew。　He　derived　this　impression
from　something　in　the　turn　of　the　head；　and　in　the　figure's　action　of
consideration；　as　it　went　on　at　a　sufficiently　sturdy　walk。　But　when
the　man……for　it　was　a　man's　figure……pushed　his　hat　up　at　the　back　of　his
head；　and　stopped　to　consider　some　object　before　him；　he　knew　it　to　be
Daniel　Doyce。

'How　do　you　do；　Mr　Doyce？'　said　Clennam；　overtaking　him。　'I　am　glad　to
see　you　again；　and　in　a　healthier　place　than　the　Circumlocution　Office。'

'Ha！　Mr　Meagles's　friend！'　exclaimed　that　public　criminal；　ing　out　of
some　mental　binations　he　had　been　making；　and　offering　his　hand。　'I
am　glad　to　see　you；　sir。　Will　you　excuse　me　if　I　forget　your　name？'

'Readily。　It's　not　a　celebrated　name。　It's　not　Barnacle。'　'No；　no；'　said
Daniel；　laughing。　'And　now　I　know　what　it　is。　It's　Clennam。　How　do　you
do；　Mr　Clennam？'

'I　have　some　hope；'　said　Arthur；　as　they　walked　on　together；　'that　we
may　be　going　to　the　same　place；　Mr　Doyce。'

'Meaning　Twickenham？'　returned　Daniel。　'I　am　glad　to　hear　it。'

They　ate；　and　lightened　the　way　with　a　variety　of
conversation。　The　ingenious　culprit　was　a　man　of　great　modesty　and　good
sense；　and；　though　a　plain　man；　had　been　too　much　accustomed　to　bine
what　was　original　and　daring　in　conception　with　what　was　patient　and
minute　in　execution；　to　be　by　any　means　an　ordinary　man。　It　was　at　first
difficult　to　lead　him　to　speak　about　himself；　and　he　put　off　Arthur's
advances　in　that　direction　by　admitting　slightly；　oh　yes；　he　had　done
this；　and　he　had　done　that；　and　such　a　thing　was　of　his　making；　and
such　another　thing　was　his　discovery；　but　it　was　his　trade；　you　see；　his
trade；　until；　as　he　gradually　became　assured　that　his　panion　had　a
real　interest　in　his　account　of　himself；　he　frankly　yielded　to　it。　Then
it　appeared　that　he　was　the　son　of　a　north…country　blacksmith；　and　had
originally　been　apprenticed　by　his　widowed　mother　to　a　lock…maker；　that
he　had　'struck　out　a　few　little　things'　at　the　lock…maker's；　which　had
led　to　his　being　released　from　his　indentures　with　a　present；　which
present　had　enabled　him　to　gratify　his　ardent　wish　to　bind　himself　to
a　working　engineer；　under　whom　he　had　laboured　hard；　learned　hard；　and
lived　hard；　seven　years。　His　time　being　out；　he　had　'worked　in　the　shop'
at　weekly　wages　seven　or　eight　years　more；　and　had　then　betaken
himself　to　the　banks　of　the　Clyde；　where　he　had　studied；　and　filed；　and
hammered；　and　improved　his　knowledge；　theoretical　and　practical；　for　six
or　seven　years　more。　There　he　had　had　an　offer　to　go　to　Lyons；　which　he
had　accepted；　and　from　Lyons　had　been　engaged　to　go　to　Germany；　and　in
Germany　had　had　an　offer　to　go　to　St　Petersburg；　and　there　had　done　very
well　indeed……never　better。　However；　he　had　naturally　felt　a　preference
for　his　own　country；　and　a　wish　to　gain　distinction　there；　and　to　do
whatever　service　he　could　do；　there　rather　than　elsewhere。　And　so　he　had
e　home。　And　so　at　home　he　had　established　himself　in　business；　and
had　invented　and　executed；　and　worked　his　way　on；　until；　after　a　dozen
years　of　constant　suit　and　service；　he　had　been　enrolled　in　the
Great　British　Legion　of　Honour；　the　Legion　of　the　Rebuffed　of　the
Circumlocution　Office；　and　had　been　decorated　with　the　Great　British
Order　of　Merit；　the　Order　of　the　Disorder　of　the　Barnacles　and
Stiltstalkings。

'It　is　much　to　be　regretted；'　said　Clennam；　'that　you　ever　turned　your
thoughts　that　way；　Mr　Doyce。'

'True；　sir；　true　to　a　certain　extent。　But　wha