little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第58部分

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manner　as　he　became　more　interested；　listened　with　great　attention；
appearing　to　derive　the　most　agreeable　sensations　from　the　painfullest
parts　of　the　narrative；　and　particularly　to　be　quite　charmed　by　the
account　of　William　Dorrit's　long　imprisonment。

'In　conclusion；　Mr　Pancks；'　said　Arthur；　'I　have　but　to　say　this。　I　have
reasons　beyond　a　personal　regard　for　speaking　as　little　as　I　can　of　the
Dorrit　family；　particularly　at　my　mother's　house'　（Mr　Pancks　nodded）；
'and　for　knowing　as　much　as　I　can。　So　devoted　a　man　of　business　as　you
are……eh？'

For　Mr　Pancks　had　suddenly　made　that　blowing　effort　with　unusual　force。

'It's　nothing；'　said　Pancks。

'So　devoted　a　man　of　business　as　yourself　has　a　perfect　understanding　of
a　fair　bargain。　I　wish　to　make　a　fair　bargain　with　you；　that　you　shall
enlighten　me　concerning　the　Dorrit　family　when　you　have　it　in　your
power；　as　I　have　enlightened　you。　It　may　not　give　you　a　very　flattering
idea　of　my　business　habits；　that　I　failed　to　make　my　terms　beforehand；'
continued　Clennam；　'but　I　prefer　to　make　them　a　point　of　honour。　I　have
seen　so　much　business　done　on　sharp　principles　that；　to　tell　you　the
truth；　Mr　Pancks；　I　am　tired　of　them。'

Mr　Pancks　laughed。　'It's　a　bargain；　sir；'　said　he。　'You　shall　find　me
stick　to　it。'

After　that；　he　stood　a　little　while　looking　at　Clennam；　and　biting　his
ten　nails　all　round；　evidently　while　he　fixed　in　his　mind　what　he　had
been　told；　and　went　over　it　carefully；　before　the　means　of　supplying　a
gap　in　his　memory　should　be　no　longer　at　hand。　'It's　all　right；'　he　said
at　last；　'and　now　I'll　wish　you　good　day；　as　it's　collecting　day　in　the
Yard。　By…the…bye；　though。　A　lame　foreigner　with　a　stick。'

'Ay；　ay。　You　do　take　a　reference　sometimes；　I　see？'　said　Clennam。

'When　he　can　pay；　sir；'　replied　Pancks。　'Take　all　you　can　get；　and
keep　back　all　you　can't　be　forced　to　give　up。　That's　business。　The　lame
foreigner　with　the　stick　wants　a　top　room　down　the　Yard。　Is　he　good　for
it？'

'I　am；'　said　Clennam；　'and　I　will　answer　for　him。'

'That's　enough。　What　I　must　have　of　Bleeding　Heart　Yard；'　said　Pancks；
making　a　note　of　the　case　in　his　book；　'is　my　bond。　I　want　my　bond；　you
see。　Pay　up；　or　produce　your　property！　That's　the　watchword　down　the
Yard。　The　lame　foreigner　with　the　stick　represented　that　you　sent　him；
but　he　could　represent　（as　far　as　that　goes）　that　the　Great　Mogul　sent
him。　He　has　been　in　the　hospital；　I　believe？'

'Yes。　Through　having　met　with　an　accident。　He　is　only　just　now
discharged。'

'It's　pauperising　a　man；　sir；　I　have　been　shown；　to　let　him　into　a
hospital？'　said　Pancks。　And　again　blew　off　that　remarkable　sound。

'I　have　been　shown　so　too；'　said　Clennam；　coldly。

Mr　Pancks；　being　by　that　time　quite　ready　for　a　start；　got　under　steam
in　a　moment；　and；　without　any　other　signal　or　ceremony；　was　snorting
down　the　step…ladder　and　working　into　Bleeding　Heart　Yard；　before　he
seemed　to　be　well　out　of　the　counting…house。

Throughout　the　remainder　of　the　day；　Bleeding　Heart　Yard　was　in
consternation；　as　the　grim　Pancks　cruised　in　it；　haranguing　the
inhabitants　on　their　backslidings　in　respect　of　payment；　demanding　his
bond；　breathing　notices　to　quit　and　executions；　running　down　defaulters；
sending　a　swell　of　terror　on　before　him；　and　leaving　it　in　his　wake。
Knots　of　people；　impelled　by　a　fatal　attraction；　lurked　outside　any
house　in　which　he　was　known　to　be；　listening　for　fragments　of　his
discourses　to　the　inmates；　and；　when　he　was　rumoured　to　be　ing　down
the　stairs；　often　could　not　disperse　so　quickly　but　that　he　would　be
prematurely　in　among　them；　demanding　their　own　arrears；　and　rooting　them
to　the　spot。　Throughout　the　remainder　of　the　day；　Mr　Pancks's　What　were
they　up　to？　and　What　did　they　mean　by　it？　sounded　all　over　the　Yard。　Mr
Pancks　wouldn't　hear　of　excuses；　wouldn't　hear　of　plaints；　wouldn't
hear　of　repairs；　wouldn't　hear　of　anything　but　unconditional　money　down。
Perspiring　and　puffing　and　darting　about　in　eccentric　directions；　and
being　hotter　and　dingier　every　moment；　he　lashed　the　tide　of　the　yard
into　a　most　agitated　and　turbid　state。　It　had　not　settled　down　into　calm
water　again　full　two　hours　after　he　had　been　seen　fuming　away　on　the
horizon　at　the　top　of　the　steps。

There　were　several　small　assemblages　of　the　Bleeding　Hearts　at　the
popular　points　of　meeting　in　the　Yard　that　night；　among　whom　it　was
universally　agreed　that　Mr　Pancks　was　a　hard　man　to　have　to　do　with；　and
that　it　was　much　to　be　regretted；　so　it　was；　that　a　gentleman　like　Mr
Casby　should　put　his　rents　in　his　hands；　and　never　know　him　in　his　true
light。　For　（said　the　Bleeding　Hearts）；　if　a　gentleman　with　that　head　of
hair　and　them　eyes　took　his　rents　into　his　own　hands；　ma'am；　there
would　be　none　of　this　worriting　and　wearing；　and　things　would　be　very
different。

At　which　identical　evening　hour　and　minute；　the　Patriarch……who　had
floated　serenely　through　the　Yard　in　the　forenoon　before　the　harrying
began；　with　the　express　design　of　getting　up　this　trustfulness　in　his
shining　bumps　and　silken　locks……at　which　identical　hour　and　minute；
that　first…rate　humbug　of　a　thousand　guns　was　heavily　floundering　in　the
little　Dock　of　his　exhausted　Tug　at　home；　and　was　saying；　as　he　turned
his　thumbs：

'A　very　bad　day's　work；　Pancks；　very　bad　day's　work。　It　seems　to　me；
sir；　and　I　must　insist　on　making　this　observation　forcibly　in　justice　to
myself；　that　you　ought　to　have　got　much　more　money；　much　more　money。'




CHAPTER　24。　Fortune…Telling


Little　Dorrit　received　a　call　that　same　evening　from　Mr　Plornish；　who；
having　intimated　that　he　wished　to　speak　to　her　privately；　in　a　series
of　coughs　so　very　noticeable　as　to　favour　the　idea　that　her　father；　as
regarded　her　seamstress　occupation；　was　an　illustration　of　the　axiom
that　there　are　no　such　stone…blind　men　as　those　who　will　not　see；
obtained　an　audience　with　her　on　the　mon　staircase　outside　the　door。

'There's　been　a　lady　at　our　place　to…day；　Miss　Dorrit；'　Plornish
growled；　'and　another　one　along　with　her　as　is　a　old　wixen　if　ever　I　met
with　such。　The　way　she　snapped　a　person's　head　off；　dear　me！'

The　mild　Plornish　was　at　first　quite　unable　to　get　his　mind　away　from　Mr
F。's　Aunt。　'For；'　said　he；　to　excuse　himself；　'she　is；　I　do　assure　you；
the　winegariest　party。'

At　length；　by　a　great　effort；　he　detached　himself　from　the　subject
sufficiently　to　observe：

'But　she's　neither　here　nor　there　just　at　present。　The　other　lady；　she's
Mr　Casby's　daughter；　and　if　Mr　Casby　an't　well　off；　none　better；　it　an't
through　any　fault　of　Pancks。　For；　as　to　Pancks；　he　does；　he　really　does；
he　does　indeed！'

Mr　Plornish；　after　his　usual　manner；　was　a　little　obscure；　but
conscientiously　emphatic。

'And　what　she　e　to　our　place　for；'　he　pursued；　'was　to　leave　word
that　if　Miss　Dorrit　would　step　up　to　that　card……which　it's　Mr　Casby's
house　that　is；　and　Pancks　he　has　a　office　at　the　back；　where　he　really
does；　beyond　belief……she　would　be　glad　for　to　engage　her。　She　was　a　old
and　a　dear　friend；　she　said　particular；　of　Mr　Clennam；　and　hoped　for　to
prove　herself　a　useful　friend　to　his　friend。　Them　was　her　words。　Wishing
to　know　whether　Miss　Dorrit　could　e　to…morrow　morning；　I　said　I　would
see　you；　Miss；　and　inquire；　and　look　round　there　to…night；　to　say　yes；
or；　if　you　was　engaged　to…morrow；　when？'

'I　can　go　to…morrow；　thank　you；'　said　Little　Dorrit。　'This　is　very　kind
of　you；　but　you　are　always　kind。'

Mr　Plornish；　with　a　modest　disavowal　of　his　merits；　opened　the　room　door
for　her　readmission；　and　followed　her　in　with　such　an　exceedingly　bald
pretence　of　not　having　been　out　at　all；　that　her　father　might
have　observed　it　without　being　very　suspicious。　In　his　affable
unconsciousness；　however；　he　took　no　heed。　Plornish；　after　a　little
conversation；　in　which　he　blended　his　former　duty　as　a　Collegian　with
his　present　privilege　as　a　humble　outside　friend；　qualified　again　by　his
low　estate　as　a　plasterer；　took　his　leave；　making　the　tour　of　the　prison
before　he　left；　and　looking　on　at　a　game　of　skittles　with　the　mixed
feelings　of　an　old　inhabitant　who　had　his　private　reasons　for　believing
that　it　might　be　his　destiny　to　e　back　again。

Early　in　the　morning；　Little　Dorrit；　leaving　Maggy　in　high　domestic
trust；　set　off　for　the　Patriarchal　tent。　She　went　by　the　Iron　Bridge；
though　it　cost　her　a　penny；　and　walked　more　slowly　in　that　part　of　her
journey　than　in　any　other。　At　five　minutes　before　eight　her　hand　was　on
the　Patriarchal　knocker；　which　was　quite　as　high　as　she　could　reach。

She　gave　Mrs　Finching's　card　to　the　young　woman　who　opened　the　door；　and
the　young　woman　told　her　that　'Miss　Flora'……Flora　having；　on　her　return
to　the　parental　roof；　reinvested　herself　with　the　title　under　which　she
had　lived　there……was　not　yet　out　of　her　bedroom；　but　she　was　to　please
to　walk　up　into　Miss　Flora's　sitting…room。　She　walked　up　into
Miss　Flora's　sitting…room；　as　in　duty　bound；　and　there　found　a
breakfast…table　fortably　laid　for　two；　with　a　supplementary　tray
upon　it　laid　for　one。　The　young　woman；　disappearing　for　a　few　moments；
returned　to　say　that　she　was　to　please　to　take　a　chair　by　the　fire；
and　to　take　off　her　bon　and　make　herself　at　home。　But　Little　Dorrit；
being　bashful；　and　not　used　to　make　herself　at　home　on　such　occasions；
felt　at　a　loss　how　to　do　it；　so　she　was　still　sitting　near　the　door　with
her　bon　on；　when　Flora　came　in　in　a　hurry　half　an　hour　afterwards。

Flora　was　so　sorry　to　have　kept　her　waiting；　and　good　gracious　why　did
she　sit　out　there　in　the　cold　when　she　had　expected　to　find　her　by　the
fire　reading　the　paper；　and　hadn't　that　heedless　girl　given　her　the
message　then；　and　had　she　really　been　in　her　bon　all　this　time；　and
pray　for　goodness　sake　let　Flora　take　it　off！　Flora　taking　it　off　in　the
best…natured　manner　in　the　world；　was　so　struck　with　the　face　disclosed；
that　she　said；　'Why；　what　a　good　little　thing　you　are；　my　dear！'　and
pressed　her　face　between　her　hands　like　the　gentlest　of　women。

It　was　the　word　and　the　action　of　a　moment。　Little　Dorrit　had　hardly
time　to　think　how　kind　it　was；　when　Flora　dashed　at　the　breakfast…table
full　of　business；　and　plunged　over　head　and　ears　into　loquacity。

'Really　so　sorry　that　I　should　happen　to　be　late　on　this　morning　of　all
mornings　because　my　intention　and　my　wish　was　to　be　ready　to　meet　you
when　you　came　in　and　to　say　that　any　one　that　interested　Arthur　Clennam
half　so　much　must　interest　me　and　that　I　gave　you　the　heartiest　wele
and　was　so　glad；　instead　of　which　they　never　called　me　and　there　I
still　am　snoring　I　dare　say　if　the　truth　was　known　and　if　you　don't　like
either　cold　fowl　or　hot　boiled　ham　which　many　people　don't　I　dare　say
besides　Jews　and　theirs　are　scruples　of　conscience　which　we　must　all
respect　though　I　must　say　I　wish　they　had　them　equally　strong　when　they
sell　us　false　articles　for　real　that　certainly　ain't　worth　the　money　I
shall　be　quite　vexed；'　said　Flora。

Little　Dorrit　thanked　her；　and　said；　shyly；　bread…and…butter　and　tea　was
all　she　usually……

'Oh　nonsense　my　dear　child　I　can　never　hear　of　that；'　said　Flora；
turning　on　the　urn　in　the　most　reckless　manner；　and　making　herself　wink
by　splashing　hot　water　i