little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第106部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


is　it；　Young　John？'

'A　letter　for　you；　sir；　being　left　in　the　Lodge　just　this　minute；　and　a
message　with　it；　I　thought；　happening　to　be　there　myself；　sir；　I　would
bring　it　to　your　room。'　The　speaker's　attention　was　much　distracted　by
the　piteous　spectacle　of　Little　Dorrit　at　her　father's　feet；　with　her
head　turned　away。

'Indeed；　John？　Thank　you。'

'The　letter　is　from　Mr　Clennam；　sir……it's　the　answer……and　the　message
was；　sir；　that　Mr　Clennam　also　sent　his　pliments；　and　word　that　he
would　do　himself　the　pleasure　of　calling　this　afternoon；　hoping　to　see
you；　and　likewise；'　attention　more　distracted　than　before；　'Miss　Amy。'

'Oh！'　As　the　Father　glanced　into　the　letter　（there　was　a　bank…note　in
it）；　he　reddened　a　little；　and　patted　Amy　on　the　head　afresh。　'Thank
you；　Young　John。　Quite　right。　Much　obliged　to　you　for　your　attention。　No
one　waiting？'

'No；　sir；　no　one　waiting。'

'Thank　you；　John。　How　is　your　mother；　Young　John？'

'Thank　you；　sir；　she's　not　quite　as　well　as　we　could　wish……in　fact；　we
none　of　us　are；　except　father……but　she's　pretty　well；　sir。'　'Say　we　sent
our　remembrances；　will　you？　Say　kind　remembrances；　if　you　please；　Young
John。'

'Thank　you；　sir；　I　will。'　And　Mr　Chivery　junior　went　his　way；　having
spontaneously　posed　on　the　spot　an　entirely　new　epitaph　for　himself；
to　the　effect　that　Here　lay　the　body　of　John　Chivery；　Who；　Having
at　such　a　date；　Beheld　the　idol　of　his　life；　In　grief　and　tears；　And
feeling　unable　to　bear　the　harrowing　spectacle；　Immediately　repaired　to
the　abode　of　his　inconsolable　parents；　And　terminated　his　existence　by
his　own　rash　act。

'There；　there；　Amy！'　said　the　Father；　when　Young　John　had　closed　the
door；　'let　us　say　no　more　about　it。'　The　last　few　minutes　had　improved
his　spirits　remarkably；　and　he　e。　'Where　is　my　old
pensioner　all　this　while？　We　must　not　leave　him　by　himself　any　longer；
or　he　will　begin　to　suppose　he　is　not　wele；　and　that　would　pain　me。
Will　you　fetch　him；　my　child；　or　shall　I？'

'If　you　wouldn't　mind；　father；'　said　Little　Dorrit；　trying　to　bring　her
sobbing　to　a　close。

'Certainly　I　will　go；　my　dear。　I　forgot；　your　eyes　are　rather　red。

There！　Cheer　up；　Amy。　Don't　be　uneasy　about　me。　I　am　quite　myself　again；
my　love；　quite　myself。　Go　to　your　room；　Amy；　and　make　yourself　look
fortable　and　pleasant　to　receive　Mr　Clennam。'

'I　would　rather　stay　in　my　own　room；　Father；'　returned　Little　Dorrit；
finding　it　more　difficult　than　before　to　regain　her　posure。　'I　would
far　rather　not　see　Mr　Clennam。'

'Oh；　fie；　fie；　my　dear；　that's　folly。　Mr　Clennam　is　a　very　gentlemanly
man……very　gentlemanly。　A　little　reserved　at　times；　but　I　will　say
extremely　gentlemanly。　I　couldn't　think　of　your　not　being　here　to
receive　Mr　Clennam；　my　dear；　especially　this　afternoon。　So　go　and
freshen　yourself　up；　Amy；　go　and　freshen　yourself　up；　like　a　good　girl。'

Thus　directed；　Little　Dorrit　dutifully　rose　and　obeyed：　only　pausing
for　a　moment　as　she　went　out　of　the　room；　to　give　her　sister　a　kiss　of
reconciliation。　Upon　which；　that　young　lady；　feeling　much　harassed
in　her　mind；　and　having　for　the　time　worn　out　the　wish　with　which　she
generally　relieved　it；　conceived　and　executed　the　brilliant　idea　of
wishing　Old　Nandy　dead；　rather　than　that　he　should　e　bothering　there
like　a　disgusting；　tiresome；　wicked　wretch；　and　making　mischief　between
two　sisters。

The　Father　of　the　Marshalsea；　even　humming　a　tune；　and　wearing　his　black
velvet　cap　a　little　on　one　side；　so　much　improved　were　his　spirits；　went
down　into　the　yard；　and　found　his　old　pensioner　standing　there　hat　in
hand　just　within　the　gate；　as　he　had　stood　all　this　time。　'e；　Nandy！'
said　he；　with　great　suavity。　'e　up…stairs；　Nandy；　you　know　the　way；
why　don't　you　e　up…stairs？'　He　went　the　length；　on　this　occasion；
of　giving　him　his　hand　and　saying；　'How　are　you；　Nandy？　Are　you　pretty
well？'　To　which　that　vocalist　returned；　'I　thank　you；　honoured　sir；　I　am
all　the　better　for　seeing　your　honour。'　As　they　went　along　the　yard；　the
Father　of　the　Marshalsea　presented　him　to　a　Collegian　of　recent　date。
'An　old　acquaintance　of　mine；　sir；　an　old　pensioner。'　And　then　said；　'Be
covered；　my　good　Nandy；　put　your　hat　on；'　with　great　consideration。

His　patronage　did　not　stop　here；　for　he　charged　Maggy　to　get　the　tea
ready；　and　instructed　her　to　buy　certain　tea…cakes；　fresh　butter；
eggs；　cold　ham；　and　shrimps：　to　purchase　which　collation　he　gave　her　a
bank…note　for　ten　pounds；　laying　strict　injunctions　on　her　to　be　careful
of　the　change。　These　preparations　were　in　an　advanced　stage　of　progress；
and　his　daughter　Amy　had　e　back　with　her　work；　when　Clennam　presented
himself；　whom　he　most　graciously　received；　and　besought　to　join　their
meal。

'Amy；　my　love；　you　know　Mr　Clennam　even　better　than　I　have　the　happiness
of　doing。　Fanny；　my　dear；　you　are　acquainted　with　Mr　Clennam。'　Fanny
acknowledged　him　haughtily；　the　position　she　tacitly　took　up　in　all　such
cases　being　that　there　was　a　vast　conspiracy　to　insult　the　family　by　not
understanding　it；　or　sufficiently　deferring　to　it；　and　here　was　one　of
the　conspirators。

'This；　Mr　Clennam；　you　must　know；　is　an　old　pensioner　of　mine；　Old
Nandy；　a　very　faithful　old　man。'　（He　always　spoke　of　him　as　an　object
of　great　antiquity；　but　he　was　two　or　three　years　younger　than　himself。）
'Let　me　see。　You　know　Plornish；　I　think？　I　think　my　daughter　Amy　has
mentioned　to　me　that　you　know　poor　Plornish？'

'O　yes！'　said　Arthur　Clennam。

'Well；　sir；　this　is　Mrs　Plornish's　father。'

'Indeed？　I　am　glad　to　see　him。'

'You　would　be　more　glad　if　you　kner
Clennam。'

'I　hope　I　shall　e　to　know　them　through　knowing　him；'　said　Arthur；
secretly　pitying　the　bowed　and　submissive　figure。

'It　is　a　holiday　with　him；　and　he　es　to　see　his　old　friends；　who　are
always　glad　to　see　him；'　observed　the　Father　of　the　Marshalsea。

Then　he　added　behind　his　hand；　（'Union；　poor　old　fellow。　Out　for　the
day。'）

By　this　time　Maggy；　quietly　assisted　by　her　Little　Mother；　had　spread
the　board；　and　the　repast　was　ready。　It　being　hot　weather　and　the　prison
very　close；　the　window　was　as　wide　open　as　it　could　be　pushed。　'If　Maggy
will　spread　that　newspaper　on　the　window…sill；　my　dear；'　remarked　the
Father　placently　and　in　a　half　whisper　to　Little　Dorrit；　'my　old
pensioner　can　have　his　tea　there；　while　we　are　having　ours。'

So；　with　a　gulf　between　him　and　the　good　pany　of　about　a　foot　in
width；　standard　measure；　Mrs　Plornish's　father　was　handsomely　regaled。
Clennam　had　never　seen　anything　like　his　magnanimous　protection　by　that
other　Father；　he　of　the　Marshalsea；　and　was　lost　in　the　contemplation　of
its　many　wonders。

The　most　striking　of　these　was　perhaps　the　relishing　manner　in　which　he
remarked　on　the　pensioner's　infirmities　and　failings；　as　if　he　were
a　gracious　Keeper　making　a　running　mentary　on　the　decline　of　the
harmless　animal　he　exhibited。

'Not　ready　for　more　ham　yet；　Nandy？　Why；　how　slow　you　are！　（His　last
teeth；'　he　explained　to　the　pany；　'are　going；　poor　old　boy。'）

At　another　time；　he　said；　'No　shrimps；　Nandy？'　and　on　his　not　instantly
replying；　observed；　（'His　hearing　is　being　very　defective。　He'll　be
deaf　directly。'）

At　another　time　he　asked　him；　'Do　you　walk　much；　Nandy；　about　the　yard
within　the　walls　of　that　place　of　yours？'

'No；　sir；　no。　I　haven't　any　great　liking　for　that。'

'No；　to　be　sure；'　he　assented。　'Very　natural。'　Then　he　privately
informed　the　circle　（'Legs　going。'）

Once　he　asked　the　pensioner；　in　that　general　clemency　which　asked　him
anything　to　keep　him　afloat；　how　old　his　younger　grandchild　was？

'John　Edward；'　said　the　pensioner；　slowly　laying　down　his　knife　and　fork
to　consider。　'How　old；　sir？　Let　me　think　now。'

The　Father　of　the　Marshalsea　tapped　his　forehead　（'Memory　weak。'）

'John　Edward；　sir？　Well；　I　really　forget。　I　couldn't　say　at　this　minute；
sir；　whether　it's　two　and　two　months；　or　whether　it's　two　and　five
months。　It's　one　or　the　other。'

'Don't　distress　yourself　by　worrying　your　mind　about　it；'　he　returned；
with　infinite　forbearance。　（'Faculties　evidently　decaying……old　man　rusts
in　the　life　he　leads！'）

The　more　of　these　discoveries　that　he　persuaded　himself　he　made　in　the