little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第186部分

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favour　that　I　have　to　ask。'

'Oh！　You　have　to　ask　a　favour！　It　occurred　to　me；'　and　the　handsome　face
looked　bitterly　at　him；　'that　your　manner　was　softened；　Mr　Clennam。'

He　was　content　to　protest　against　this　by　a　slight　action　without
contesting　it　in　words。　He　then　referred　to　Blandois'　disappearance；　of
which　it　was　probable　she　had　heard？　However　probable　it　was　to　him；　she
had　heard　of　no　such　thing。　Let　him　look　round　him　（she　said）　and　judge
for　himself　what　general　intelligence　was　likely　to　reach　the　ears　of
a　woman　who　had　been　shut　up　there　while　it　was　rife；　devouring　her　own
heart。　When　she　had　uttered　this　denial；　which　he　believed　to　be　true；
she　asked　him　what　he　meant　by　disappearance？　That　led　to　his　narrating
the　circumstances　in　detail；　and　expressing　something　of　his　anxiety
to　discover　what　had　really　bee　of　the　man；　and　to　repel　the　dark
suspicions　that　clouded　about　his　mother's　house。　She　heard　him　with
evident　surprise；　and　with　more　marks　of　suppressed　interest　than　he
had　seen　in　her；　still　they　did　not　overe　her　distant；　proud；　and
self…secluded　manner。　When　he　had　finished；　she　said　nothing　but　these
words：

'You　have　not　yet　told　me；　sir；　what　I　have　to　do　with　it；　or　what　the
favour　is？　Will　you　be　so　good　as　e　to　that？'

'I　assume；'　said　Arthur；　persevering；　in　his　endeavour　to　soften
her　scornful　demeanour；　'that　being　in　munication……may　I　say；
confidential　munication？……with　this　person……'

'You　may　say；　of　course；　whatever　you　like；'　she　remarked；　'but　I　do　not
subscribe　to　your　assumptions；　Mr　Clennam；　or　to　any　one's。'

'……that　being；　at　least　in　personal　munication　with　him；'　said
Clennam；　changing　the　form　of　his　position　in　the　hope　of　making
it　unobjectionable；　'you　can　tell　me　something　of　his　antecedents；
pursuits；　habits；　usual　place　of　residence。　Can　give　me　some　little　clue
by　which　to　seek　him　out　in　the　likeliest　manner；　and　either　produce
him；　or　establish　what　has　bee　of　him。　This　is　the　favour　I　ask；
and　I　ask　it　in　a　distress　of　mind　for　which　I　hope　you　will　feel　some
consideration。　If　you　should　have　any　reason　for　imposing　conditions
upon　me；　I　will　respect　it　without　asking　what　it　is。'

'You　chanced　to　see　me　in　the　street　with　the　man；'　she　observed；
after　being；　to　his　mortification；　evidently　more　occupied　with　her　own
reflections　on　the　matter　than　with　his　appeal。　'Then　you　knew　the　man
before？'

'Not　before；　afterwards。　I　never　saw　him　before；　but　I　saw　him　again　on
this　very　night　of　his　disappearance。　In　my　mother's　room；　in　fact。　I
left　him　there。　You　will　read　in　this　paper　all　that　is　known　of　him。'

He　handed　her　one　of　the　printed　bills；　which　she　read　with　a　steady　and
attentive　face。

'This　is　more　than　I　knew　of　him；'　she　said；　giving　it　back。

Clennam's　looks　expressed　his　heavy　disappointment；　perhaps　his
incredulity；　for　she　added　in　the　same　unsympathetic　tone：　'You　don't
believe　it。　Still；　it　is　so。　As　to　personal　munication：　it　seems　that
there　was　personal　munication　between　him　and　your　mother。　And　yet
you　say　you　believe　her　declaration　that　she　knows　no　more　of　him！'

A　sufficiently　expressive　hint　of　suspicion　was　conveyed　in　these　words；
and　in　the　smile　by　which　they　were　acpanied；　to　bring　the　blood　into
Clennam's　cheeks。

'e；　sir；'　she　said；　with　a　cruel　pleasure　in　repeating　the　stab；　'I
will　be　as　open　with　you　as　you　can　desire。　I　will　confess　that　if　I
cared　for　my　credit　（which　I　do　not）；　or　had　a　good　name　to　preserve
（which　I　have　not；　for　I　am　utterly　indifferent　to　its　being　considered
good　or　bad）；　I　should　regard　myself　as　heavily　promised　by　having
had　anything　to　do　with　this　fellow。　Yet　he　never　passed　in　at　MY
door……never　sat　in　colloquy　with　ME　until　midnight。'

She　took　her　revenge　for　her　old　grudge　in　thus　turning　his　subject
against　him。　Hers　was　not　the　nature　to　spare　him；　and　she　had　no
punction。

'That　he　is　a　low；　mercenary　wretch；　that　I　first　saw　him　prowling　about
Italy　（where　I　was；　not　long　ago）；　and　that　I　hired　him　there；　as　the
suitable　instrument　of　a　purpose　I　happened　to　have；　I　have　no　objection
to　tell　you。　In　short；　it　was　worth　my　while；　for　my　own　pleasure……the
gratification　of　a　strong　feeling……to　pay　a　spy　who　would　fetch　and
carry　for　money。　I　paid　this　creature。　And　I　dare　say　that　if　I　had
wanted　to　make　such　a　bargain；　and　if　I　could　have　paid　him　enough；　and
if　he　could　have　done　it　in　the　dark；　free　from　all　risk；　he　would　have
taken　any　life　with　as　little　scruple　as　he　took　my　money。　That；　at
least；　is　my　opinion　of　him；　and　I　see　it　is　not　very　far　removed　from
yours。　Your　mother's　opinion　of　him；　I　am　to　assume　（following　your
example　of　assuming　this　and　that）；　was　vastly　different。'

'My　mother；　let　me　remind　you；'　said　Clennam；　'was　first　brought　into
munication　with　him　in　the　unlucky　course　of　business。'

'It　appears　to　have　been　an　unlucky　course　of　business　that　last　brought
her　into　munication　with　him；'　returned　Miss　Wade；　'and　business
hours　on　that　occasion　were　late。'

'You　imply；'　said　Arthur；　smarting　under　these　cool…handed　thrusts；　of
which　he　had　deeply　felt　the　force　already；　'that　there　was　something……'

'Mr　Clennam；'　she　posedly　interrupted；　'recollect　that　I　do　not　speak
by　implication　about　the　man。　He　is；　I　say　again　without　disguise；　a　low
mercenary　wretch。　I　suppose　such　a　creature　goes　where　there　is　occasion
for　him。　If　I　had　not　had　occasion　for　him；　you　would　not　have　seen　him
and　me　together。'

Wrung　by　her　persistence　in　keeping　that　dark　side　of　the　case　before
him；　of　which　there　was　a　half…hidden　shadow　in　his　own　breast；　Clennam
was　silent。

'I　have　spoken　of　him　as　still　living；'　she　added；　'but　he　may　have　been
put　out　of　the　way　for　anything　I　know。　For　anything　I　care；　also。　I
have　no　further　occasion　for　him。'

With　a　heavy　sigh　and　a　despondent　air；　Arthur　Clennam　slowly　rose。

She　did　not　rise　also；　but　said；　having　looked　at　him　in　the　meanwhile
with　a　fixed　look　of　suspicion；　and　lips　angrily　pressed：

'He　was　the　chosen　associate　of　your　dear　friend；　Mr　Gowan；　was　he　not？
Why　don't　you　ask　your　dear　friend　to　help　you？'

The　denial　that　he　was　a　dear　friend　rose　to　Arthur's　lips；　but　he
repressed　it；　remembering　his　old　struggles　and　resolutions；　and　said：

'Further　than　that　he　has　never　seen　Blandois　since　Blandois　set　out　for
England；　Mr　Gowan　knows　nothing　additional　about　him。　He　was　a　chance
acquaintance；　made　abroad。'

'A　chance　acquaintance　made　abroad！'　she　repeated。　'Yes。　Your　dear
friend　has　need　to　divert　himself　with　all　the　acquaintances　he　can
make；　seeing　what　a　wife　he　has。　I　hate　his　wife；　sir。'

The　anger　with　which　she　said　it；　the　more　remarkable　for　being　so　much
under　her　restraint；　fixed　Clennam's　attention；　and　kept　him　on　the
spot。　It　flashed　out　of　her　dark　eyes　as　they　regarded　him；　quivered　in
her　nostrils；　and　fired　the　very　breath　she　exhaled；　but　her　face　was
otherwise　posed　into　a　disdainful　serenity；　and　her　attitude　was　as
calmly　and　haughtily　graceful　as　if　she　had　been　in　a　mood　of　plete
indifference。

'All　I　will　say　is；　Miss　Wade；'　he　remarked；　'that　you　can　have　received
no　provocation　to　a　feeling　in　which　I　believe　you　have　no　sharer。'

'You　may　ask　your　dear　friend；　if　you　choose；'　she　returned；　'for　his
opinion　upon　that　subject。'

'I　am　scarcely　on　those　intimate　terms　with　my　dear　friend；'　said
Arthur；　in　spite　of　his　resolutions；　'that　would　render　my　approaching
the　subject　very　probable；　Miss　Wade。'

'I　hate　him；'　she　returned。　'Worse　than　his　wife；　because　I　was　once
dupe　enough；　and　false　enough　to　myself；　almost　to　love　him。　You　have
seen　me；　sir；　only　on　mon…place　occasions；　when　I　dare　say　you　have
thought　me　a　mon…place　woman；　a　little　more　self…willed　than　the
generality。　You　don't　know　what　I　mean　by　hating；　if　you　know　me　no
better　than　that；　you　can't　know；　without　knowing　with　what　care　I　have
studied　myself　and　people　about　me。　For　this　reason　I　have　for　some
time　inclined　to　tell　you　what　my　life　has　been……not　to　propitiate　your
opinion；　for　I　set　no　value　on　it；　but　that　you　may　prehend；　when
you　think　of　your　dear　friend　and　his　d