little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第2部分

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sought　the　shade　alike……taking　refuge　in　any　hiding…place　from　a　sea　too
intensely　blue　to　be　looked　at；　and　a　sky　of　purple；　set　with　one　great
flaming　jewel　of　fire。

The　universal　stare　made　the　eyes　ache。　Towards　the　distant　line　of
Italian　coast；　indeed；　it　was　a　little　relieved　by　light　clouds　of　mist；
slowly　rising　from　the　evaporation　of　the　sea；　but　it　softened　nowhere
else。　Far　away　the　staring　roads；　deep　in　dust；　stared　from　the
hill…side；　stared　from　the　hollow；　stared　from　the　interminable
plain。　Far　away　the　dusty　vines　overhanging　wayside　cottages；　and　the
monotonous　wayside　avenues　of　parched　trees　without　shade；　drooped
beneath　the　stare　of　earth　and　sky。　So　did　the　horses　with　drowsy　bells；
in　long　files　of　carts；　creeping　slowly　towards　the　interior；　so　did
their　recumbent　drivers；　when　they　were　awake；　which　rarely　happened；
so　did　the　exhausted　labourers　in　the　fields。　Everything　that　lived　or
grew；　was　oppressed　by　the　glare；　except　the　lizard；　passing　swiftly
over　rough　stone　walls；　and　the　cicala；　chirping　his　dry　hot　chirp；　like
a　rattle。　The　very　dust　was　scorched　brown；　and　something　quivered　in
the　atmosphere　as　if　the　air　itself　were　panting。

Blinds；　shutters；　curtains；　awnings；　were　all　closed　and　drawn　to　keep
out　the　stare。　Grant　it　but　a　chink　or　keyhole；　and　it　shot　in　like　a
white…hot　arrow。　The　churches　were　the　freest　from　it。　To　e　out　of
the　twilight　of　pillars　and　arches……dreamily　dotted　with　winking　lamps；
dreamily　peopled　with　ugly　old　shadows　piously　dozing；　spitting；　and
begging……was　to　plunge　into　a　fiery　river；　and　swim　for　life　to　the
nearest　strip　of　shade。　So；　with　people　lounging　and　lying　wherever
shade　was；　with　but　little　hum　of　tongues　or　barking　of　dogs；　with
occasional　jangling　of　discordant　church　bells　and　rattling　of　vicious
drums；　Marseilles；　a　fact　to　be　strongly　smelt　and　tasted；　lay　broiling
in　the　sun　one　day。　In　Marseilles　that　day　there　was　a　villainous
prison。　In　one　of　its　chambers；　so　repulsive　a　place　that　even　the
obtrusive　stare　blinked　at　it；　and　left　it　to　such　refuse　of　reflected
light　as　it　could　find　for　itself；　were　two　men。　Besides　the　two　men；
a　notched　and　disfigured　bench；　immovable　from　the　wall；　with　a
draught…board　rudely　hacked　upon　it　with　a　knife；　a　set　of　draughts；
made　of　old　buttons　and　soup　bones；　a　set　of　dominoes；　two　mats；　and　two
or　three　wine　bottles。　That　was　all　the　chamber　held；　exclusive　of　rats
and　other　unseen　vermin；　in　addition　to　the　seen　vermin；　the　two　men。

It　received　such　light　as　it　got　through　a　grating　of　iron　bars
fashioned　like　a　pretty　large　window；　by　means　of　which　it　could　be
always　inspected　from　the　gloomy　staircase　on　which　the　grating　gave。
There　was　a　broad　strong　ledge　of　stone　to　this　grating　where　the　bottom
of　it　was　let　into　the　masonry；　three　or　four　feet　above　the　ground。
Upon　it；　one　of　the　two　men　lolled；　half　sitting　and　half　lying；　with
his　knees　drawn　up；　and　his　feet　and　shoulders　planted　against　the
opposite　sides　of　the　aperture。　The　bars　were　wide　enough　apart　to
admit　of　his　thrusting　his　arm　through　to　the　elbow；　and　so　he　held　on
negligently；　for　his　greater　ease。

A　prison　taint　was　on　everything　there。　The　imprisoned　air；　the
imprisoned　light；　the　imprisoned　damps；　the　imprisoned　men；　were　all
deteriorated　by　confinement。　As　the　captive　men　were　faded　and　haggard；
so　the　iron　was　rusty；　the　stone　was　slimy；　the　wood　was　rotten；　the　air
was　faint；　the　light　was　dim。　Like　a　well；　like　a　vault；　like　a　tomb；
the　prison　had　no　knowledge　of　the　brightness　outside；　and　would　have
kept　its　polluted　atmosphere　intact　in　one　of　the　spice　islands　of　the
Indian　ocean。

The　man　who　lay　on　the　ledge　of　the　grating　was　even　chilled。　He　jerked
his　great　cloak　more　heavily　upon　him　by　an　impatient　movement　of　one
shoulder；　and　growled；　'To　the　devil　with　this　Brigand　of　a　Sun　that
never　shines　in　here！'

He　was　waiting　to　be　fed；　looking　sideways　through　the　bars　that　he
might　see　the　further　down　the　stairs；　with　much　of　the　expression　of
a　wild　beast　in　similar　expectation。　But　his　eyes；　too　close　together；
were　not　so　nobly　set　in　his　head　as　those　of　the　king　of　beasts　are　in
his；　and　they　were　sharp　rather　than　bright……pointed　weapons　with　little
surface　to　betray　them。　They　had　no　depth　or　change；　they　glittered；
and　they　opened　and　shut。　So　far；　and　waiving　their　use　to　himself；　a
clockmaker　could　have　made　a　better　pair。　He　had　a　hook　nose；　handsome
after　its　kind；　but　too　high　between　the　eyes　by　probably　just　as　much
as　his　eyes　were　too　near　to　one　another。　For　the　rest；　he　was　large　and
tall　in　frame；　had　thin　lips；　where　his　thick　moustache　showed　them　at
all；　and　a　quantity　of　dry　hair；　of　no　definable　colour；　in　its　shaggy
state；　but　shot　with　red。　The　hand　with　which　he　held　the　grating
（seamed　all　over　the　back　with　ugly　scratches　newly　healed）；　was
unusually　small　and　plump；　would　have　been　unusually　white　but　for　the
prison　grime。　The　other　man　was　lying　on　the　stone　floor；　covered　with　a
coarse　brown　coat。

'Get　up；　pig！'　growled　the　first。　'Don't　sleep　when　I　am　hungry。'

'It's　all　one；　master；'　said　the　pig；　in　a　submissive　manner；　and　not
without　cheerfulness；　'I　can　wake　when　I　will；　I　can　sleep　when　I　will。
It's　all　the　same。'

As　he　said　it；　he　rose；　shook　himself；　scratched　himself；　tied　his　brown
coat　loosely　round　his　neck　by　the　sleeves　（he　had　previously　used　it
as　a　coverlet）；　and　sat　down　upon　the　pavement　yawning；　with　his　back
against　the　wall　opposite　to　the　grating。

'Say　what　the　hour　is；'　grumbled　the　first　man。

'The　mid…day　bells　will　ring……in　forty　minutes。'　When　he　made　the
little　pause；　he　had　looked　round　the　prison…room；　as　if　for　certain
information。

'You　are　a　clock。　How　is　it　that　you　always　know？'

'How　can　I　say？　I　always　know　what　the　hour　is；　and　where　I　am。　I　was
brought　in　here　at　night；　and　out　of　a　boat；　but　I　know　where　I　am。　See
here！　Marseilles　harbour；'　on　his　knees　on　the　pavement；　mapping　it　all
out　with　a　swarthy　forefinger；　'Toulon　（where　the　galleys　are）；　Spain
over　there；　Algiers　over　there。　Creeping　away　to　the　left　here；　Nice。
Round　by　the　Cornice　to　Genoa。　Genoa　Mole　and　Harbour。　Quarantine
Ground。　City　there；　terrace　gardens　blushing　with　the　bella　donna。　Here；
Porto　Fino。　Stand　out　for　Leghorn。　Out　again　for　Civita　Vecchia；　so　away
to……hey！　there's　no　room　for　Naples；'　he　had　got　to　the　wall　by　this
time；　'but　it's　all　one；　it's　in　there！'

He　remained　on　his　knees；　looking　up　at　his　fellow…prisoner　with　a
lively　look　for　a　prison。　A　sunburnt；　quick；　lithe；　little　man；　though
rather　thickset。　Earrings　in　his　brown　ears；　white　teeth　lighting　up　his
grotesque　brown　face；　intensely　black　hair　clustering　about　his　brown
throat；　a　ragged　red　shirt　open　at　his　brown　breast。　Loose；　seaman…like
trousers；　decent　shoes；　a　long　red　cap；　a　red　sash　round　his　waist；　and
a　knife　in　it。

'Judge　if　I　e　back　from　Naples　as　I　went！　See　here；　my　master！　Civita
Vecchia；　Leghorn；　Porto　Fino；　Genoa；　Cornice；　Off　Nice　（which　is　in
there）；　Marseilles；　you　and　me。　The　apartment　of　the　jailer　and　his　keys
is　where　I　put　this　thumb；　and　here　at　my　wrist　they　keep　the　national
razor　in　its　case……the　guillotine　locked　up。'

The　other　man　spat　suddenly　on　the　pavement；　and　gurgled　in　his　throat。

Some　lock　below　gurgled　in　its　throat　immediately　afterwards；　and　then
a　door　crashed。　Slow　steps　began　ascending　the　stairs；　the　prattle　of
a　sweet　little　voice　mingled　with　the　noise　they　made；　and　the
prison…keeper　appeared　carrying　his　daughter；　three　or　four　years　old；
and　a　basket。

'How　goes　the　world　this　forenoon；　gentlemen？　My　little　one；　you　see；
going　round　with　me　to　have　a　peep　at　her　father's　birds。　Fie；　then！
Look　at　the　birds；　my　pretty；　look　at　the　birds。'

He　looked　sharply　at　the　birds　himself；　as　he　held　the　child　up　at
the　grate；　especially　at　the　little　bird；　whose　activity　he　seemed　to
mistrust。　'I　have　brought　your　bread；　Signor　John　Baptist；'　said　he
（they　all　spoke　in　French；　but　the　little　man　was　an　Italian）；　'and　if　I
might　remend　you　not　to　game……'

'You　don't　remend　the　master！'　said　John　Baptist；　s