little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第147部分

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him　by　the　family。　He　saw　that　he　was　cherished　in　her　grateful
remembrance　secretly；　and　that　they　resented　him　with　the　jail　and　the
rest　of　its　belongings。

Through　all　these　meditations　which　every　day　of　his　life　crowded　about
her；　he　thought　of　her　otherwise　in　the　old　way。　She　was　his　innocent
friend；　his　delicate　child；　his　dear　Little　Dorrit。　This　very　change
of　circumstances　fitted　curiously　in　with　the　habit；　begun　on　the　night
when　the　roses　floated　away；　of　considering　himself　as　a　much　older　man
than　his　years　really　made　him。　He　regarded　her　from　a　point　of　view
which　in　its　remoteness；　tender　as　it　was；　he　little　thought　would　have
been　unspeakable　agony　to　her。　He　speculated　about　her　future　destiny；
and　about　the　husband　she　might　have；　with　an　affection　for　her　which
would　have　drained　her　heart　of　its　dearest　drop　of　hope；　and　broken　it。

Everything　about　him　tended　to　confirm　him　in　the　custom　of　looking　on
himself　as　an　elderly　man；　from　whom　such　aspirations　as　he　had　bated
in　the　case　of　Minnie　Gowan　（though　that　was　not　so　long　ago　either；
reckoning　by　months　and　seasons）；　were　finally　departed。　His　relations
with　her　father　and　mother　were　like　those　on　which　a　widower　son…in…law
might　have　stood。　If　the　twin　sister　who　was　dead　had　lived　to　pass　away
in　the　bloom　of　womanhood；　and　he　had　been　her　husband；　the　nature　of
his　intercourse　with　Mr　and　Mrs　Meagles　would　probably　have　been　just
what　it　was。　This　imperceptibly　helped　to　render　habitual　the　impression
within　him；　that　he　had　done　with；　and　dismissed　that　part　of　life。

He　invariably　heard　of　Minnie　from　them；　as　telling　them　in　her　letters
how　happy　she　was；　and　how　she　loved　her　husband；　but　inseparable　from
that　subject；　he　invariably　saw　the　old　cloud　on　Mr　Meagles's　face。　Mr
Meagles　had　never　been　quite　so　radiant　since　the　marriage　as　before。
He　had　never　quite　recovered　the　separation　from　Pet。　He　was　the　same
good…humoured；　open　creature；　but　as　if　his　face；　from　being　much　turned
towards　the　pictures　of　his　two　children　which　could　show　him　only　one
look；　unconsciously　adopted　a　characteristic　from　them；　it　always　had
now；　through　all　its　changes　of　expression；　a　look　of　loss　in　it。

One　wintry　Saturday　when　Clennam　was　at　the　cottage；　the　Dowager　Mrs
Gowan　drove　up；　in　the　Hampton　Court　equipage　which　pretended　to　be　the
exclusive　equipage　of　so　many　individual　proprietors。　She　descended；　in
her　shady　ambuscade　of　green　fan；　to　favour　Mr　and　Mrs　Meagles　with　a
call。

'And　how　do　you　both　do；　Papa　and　Mama　Meagles？'　said　she；　encouraging
her　humble　connections。　'And　when　did　you　last　hear　from　or　about　my
poor　fellow？'

My　poor　fellow　was　her　son；　and　this　mode　of　speaking　of　him　politely
kept　alive；　without　any　offence　in　the　world；　the　pretence　that　he　had
fallen　a　victim　to　the　Meagles'　wiles。

'And　the　dear　pretty　one？'　said　Mrs　Gowan。　'Have　you　later　news　of　her
than　I　have？'

Which　also　delicately　implied　that　her　son　had　been　captured　by　mere
beauty；　and　under　its　fascination　had　forgone　all　sorts　of　worldly
advantages。

'I　am　sure；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　without　straining　her　attention　on　the
answers　she　received；　'it's　an　unspeakable　fort　to　know　they　continue
happy。　My　poor　fellow　is　of　such　a　restless　disposition；　and　has　been
so　used　to　roving　about；　and　to　being　inconstant　and　popular　among　all
manner　of　people；　that　it's　the　greatest　fort　in　life。　I　suppose
they're　as　poor　as　mice；　Papa　Meagles？'

Mr　Meagles；　fidgety　under　the　question；　replied；　'I　hope　not；　ma'am。　I
hope　they　will　manage　their　little　ine。'

'Oh！　my　dearest　Meagles！'　returned　the　lady；　tapping　him　on　the　arm　with
the　green　fan　and　then　adroitly　interposing　it　between　a　yawn　and
the　pany；　'how　can　you；　as　a　man　of　the　world　and　one　of　the　most
business…like　of　human　beings……for　you　know　you　are　business…like；　and　a
great　deal　too　much　for　us　who　are　not……'

（Which　went　to　the　former　purpose；　by　making　Mr　Meagles　out　to　be　an
artful　schemer。）

'……How　can　you　talk　about　their　managing　their　little　means？　My　poor
dear　fellow！　The　idea　of　his　managing　hundreds！　And　the　sweet　pretty
creature　too。　The　notion　of　her　managing！　Papa　Meagles！　Don't！'

'Well；　ma'am；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　gravely；　'I　am　sorry　to　admit；　then；
that　Henry　certainly　does　anticipate　his　means。'

'My　dear　good　man……I　use　no　ceremony　with　you；　because　we　are　a　kind　of
relations；……positively；　Mama　Meagles；'　exclaimed　Mrs　Gowan　cheerfully；
as　if　the　absurd　coincidence　then　flashed　upon　her　for　the　first　time；
'a　kind　of　relations！　My　dear　good　man；　in　this　world　none　of　us　can
have　everything　our　own　way。'

This　again　went　to　the　former　point；　and　showed　Mr　Meagles　with　all　good
breeding　that；　so　far；　he　had　been　brilliantly　successful　in　his　deep
designs。　Mrs　Gowan　thought　the　hit　so　good　a　one；　that　she　dwelt　upon
it；　repeating　'Not　everything。　No；　no；　in　this　world　we　must　not　expect
everything；　Papa　Meagles。'

'And　may　I　ask；　ma'am；'　retorted　Mr　Meagles；　a　little　heightened　in
colour；　'who　does　expect　everything？'

'Oh；　nobody；　nobody！'　said　Mrs　Gowan。　'I　was　going　to　say……but　you　put
me　out。　You　interrupting　Papa；　what　was　I　going　to　say？'

Drooping　her　large　green　fan；　she　looked　musingly　at　Mr　Meagles　while
she　thought　about　it；　a　performance　not　tending　to　the　cooling　of　that
gentleman's　rather　heated　spirits。

'Ah！　Yes；　to　be　sure！'　said　Mrs　Gowan。　'You　must　remember　that　my　poor
fellow　has　always　been　accustomed　to　expectations。　They　may　have　been
realised；　or　they　may　not　have　been　realised……'

'Let　us　say；　then；　may　not　have　been　realised；'　observed　Mr　Meagles。

The　Dowager　for　a　moment　gave　him　an　angry　look；　but　tossed　it　off　with
her　head　and　her　fan；　and　pursued　the　tenor　of　her　way　in　her　former
manner。

'It　makes　no　difference。　My　poor　fellow　has　been　accustomed　to　that
sort　of　thing；　and　of　course　you　knew　it；　and　were　prepared　for　the
consequences。　I　myself　always　clearly　foresa
not　surprised。　And　you　must　not　be　surprised。

In　fact；　can't　be　surprised。　Must　have　been　prepared　for　it。'

Mr　Meagles　looked　at　his　wife　and　at　Clennam；　bit　his　lip；　and　coughed。

'And　now　here's　my　poor　fellow；'　Mrs　Gowan　pursued；　'receiving　notice
that　he　is　to　hold　himself　in　expectation　of　a　baby；　and　all　the
expenses　attendant　on　such　an　addition　to　his　family！　Poor　Henry！　But
it　can't　be　helped　now；　it's　too　late　to　help　it　now。　Only　don't　talk　of
anticipating　means；　Papa　Meagles；　as　a　discovery；　because　that　would　be
too　much。'

'Too　much；　ma'am？'　said　Mr　Meagles；　as　seeking　an　explanation。

'There；　there！'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　putting　him　in　his　inferior　place　with
an　expressive　action　of　her　hand。　'Too　much　for　my　poor　fellow's
mother　to　bear　at　this　time　of　day。　They　are　fast　married；　and　can't
be　unmarried。　There；　there！　I　know　that！　You　needn't　tell　me　that；　Papa
Meagles。　I　know　it　very　well。　What　was　it　I　said　just　now？　That　it　was
a　great　fort　they　continued　happy。　It　is　to　be　hoped　they　will　still
continue　happy。　It　is　to　be　hoped　Pretty　One　will　do　everything　she
can　to　make　my　poor　fellow　happy；　and　keep　him　contented。　Papa　and　Mama
Meagles；　we　had　better　say　no　more　about　it。　We　never　did　look　at　this
subject　from　the　same　side；　and　we　never　shall。　There；　there！　Now　I　am
good。'

Truly；　having　by　this　time　said　everything　she　could　say　in　maintenance
of　her　wonderfully　mythical　position；　and　in　admonition　to　Mr　Meagles
that　he　must　not　expect　to　bear　his　honours　of　alliance　too　cheaply；　Mrs
Gowan　was　disposed　to　forgo　the　rest。　If　Mr　Meagles　had　submitted　to
a　glance　of　entreaty　from　Mrs　Meagles；　and　an　expressive　gesture　from
Clennam；　he　would　have　left　her　in　the　undisturbed　enjoyment　of　this
state　of　mind。　But　Pet　was　the　darling　and　pride　of　his　heart；　and　if　he
could　ever　have　championed　her　more　devotedly；　or　loved　her　better；　than
in　the　days　when　she　was　the　sunlight　of　his　house；　it　would　have　been
now；　when；　as　its　daily　grace　and　delight；　she　was　lost　to　it。

'Mrs　Gowan；　ma'am；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'I　have　been　a　plain　man　all　my
life。　If　I　was　to　try……no　matter　whether　on　myself；　on　somebody　else；
or　both……any　genteel　mystifications；　I　s