little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第210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！



'I　suppose　I　have　no　resource　but　to　see　him；'　sighed　Clennam；　wearily。

'Then　it　IS　your　good　pleasure；　sir？'　retorted　Rugg。　'Am　I　honoured　by
your　instructions　to　mention　as　much　to　the　gentleman；　as　I　pass　out？　I
am？　Thank　you；　sir。　I　take　my　leave。'　His　leave　he　took　accordingly；　in
dudgeon。

The　gentleman　of　military　exterior　had　so　imperfectly　awakened　Clennam's
curiosity；　in　the　existing　state　of　his　mind；　that　a　half…forgetfulness
of　such　a　visitor's　having　been　referred　to；　was　already　creeping　over
it　as　a　part　of　the　sombre　veil　which　almost　always　dimmed　it　now；　when
a　heavy　footstep　on　the　stairs　aroused　him。　It　appeared　to　ascend　them；
not　very　promptly　or　spontaneously；　yet　with　a　display　of　stride　and
clatter　meant　to　be　insulting。　As　it　paused　for　a　moment　on　the
landing　outside　his　door；　he　could　not　recall　his　association　with　the
peculiarity　of　its　sound；　though　he　thought　he　had　one。　Only　a　moment
was　given　him　for　consideration。　His　door　was　immediately　swung　open
by　a　thump；　and　in　the　doorway　stood　the　missing　Blandois；　the　cause　of
many　anxieties。

'Salve；　fellow　jail…bird！'　said　he。　'You　want　me；　it　seems。　Here　I　am！'

Before　Arthur　could　speak　to　him　in　his　indignant　wonder；　Cavalletto
followed　him　into　the　room。　Mr　Pancks　followed　Cavalletto。　Neither　of
the　two　had　been　there　since　its　present　occupant　had　had　possession　of
it。　Mr　Pancks；　breathing　hard；　sidled　near　the　window；　put　his　hat　on
the　ground；　stirred　his　hair　up　with　both　hands；　and　folded　his　arms；
like　a　man　who　had　e　to　a　pause　in　a　hard　day's　work。　Mr　Baptist；
never　taking　his　eyes　from　his　dreaded　chum　of　old；　softly　sat　down　on
the　floor　with　his　back　against　the　door　and　one　of　his　ankles　in
each　hand：　resuming　the　attitude　（except　that　it　was　now　expressive　of
unwinking　watchfulness）　in　which　he　had　sat　before　the　same　man　in　the
deeper　shade　of　another　prison；　one　hot　morning　at　Marseilles。　'I　have
it　on　the　witnessing　of　these　two　madmen；'　said　Monsieur　Blandois；
otherwise　Lagnier；　otherwise　Rigaud；　'that　you　want　me；　brother…bird。
Here　I　am！'　Glancing　round　contemptuously　at　the　bedstead；　which　was
turned　up　by　day；　he　leaned　his　back　against　it　as　a　resting…place；
without　removing　his　hat　from　his　head；　and　stood　defiantly　lounging
with　his　hands　in　his　pockets。

'You　villain　of　ill…omen！'　said　Arthur。　'You　have　purposely　cast　a
dreadful　suspicion　upon　my　mother's　house。　Why　have　you　done　it？

What　prompted　you　to　the　devilish　invention？'

Monsieur　Rigaud；　after　frowning　at　him　for　a　moment；　laughed。　'Hear　this
noble　gentleman！　Listen；　all　the　world；　to　this　creature　of　Virtue！　But
take　care；　take　care。　It　is　possible；　my　friend；　that　your　ardour　is　a
little　promising。　Holy　Blue！　It　is　possible。'

'Signore！'　interposed　Cavalletto；　also　addressing　Arthur：　'for　to
mence；　hear　me！　I　received　your　instructions　to　find　him；　Rigaud；　is
it　not？'

'It　is　the　truth。'

'I　go；　consequentementally；'……it　would　have　given　Mrs　Plornish　great
concern　if　she　could　have　been　persuaded　that　his　occasional　lengthening
of　an　adverb　in　this　way；　was　the　chief　fault　of　his　English；……'first
among　my　countrymen。　I　ask　them　what　news　in　Londra；　of　foreigners
arrived。　Then　I　go　among　the　French。　Then　I　go　among　the　Germans。　They
all　tell　me。　The　great　part　of　us　know　well　the　other；　and　they　all　tell
me。　But！……no　person　can　tell　me　nothing　of　him；　Rigaud。　Fifteen　times；'
said　Cavalletto；　thrice　throwing　out　his　left　hand　with　all　its　fingers
spread；　and　doing　it　so　rapidly　that　the　sense　of　sight　could　hardly
follow　the　action；　'I　ask　of　him　in　every　place　where　go　the　foreigners；
and　fifteen　times；'　repeating　the　same　swift　performance；　'they　know
nothing。　But！……'　At　this　significant　Italian　rest　on　the　word　'But；'　his
backhanded　shake　of　his　right　forefinger　came　into　play；　a　very　little；
and　very　cautiously。

'But！……After　a　long　time　when　I　have　not　been　able　to　find　that　he
is　here　in　Londra；　some　one　tells　me　of　a　soldier　with　white
hair……hey？……not　hair　like　this　that　he　carries……white……who　lives　retired
secrettementally；　in　a　certain　place。　But！……'　with　another　rest　upon
the　word；　'who　sometimes　in　the　after…dinner；　walks；　and　smokes。　It　is
necessary；　as　they　say　in　Italy　（and　as　they　know；　poor　people）；　to
have　patience。　I　have　patience。　I　ask　where　is　this　certain　place。　One。
believes　it　is　here；　one　believes　it　is　there。　Eh　well！　It　is　not　here；
it　is　not　there。　I　wait　patientissamentally。　At　last　I　find　it。　Then　I
watch；　then　I　hide；　until　he　walks　and　smokes。　He　is　a　soldier　with　grey
hair……But！……'　a　very　decided　rest　indeed；　and　a　very　vigorous　play　from
side　to　side　of　the　back…handed　forefinger……'he　is　also　this　man　that
you　see。'

It　was　noticeable；　that；　in　his　old　habit　of　submission　to　one　who　had
been　at　the　trouble　of　asserting　superiority　over　him；　he　even　then
bestowed　upon　Rigaud　a　confused　bend　of　his　head；　after　thus　pointing
him　out。

'Eh　well；　Signore！'　he　cried　in　conclusion；　addressing　Arthur　again。　'I
waited　for　a　good　opportunity。　I　writed　some　words　to　Signor　Panco；'　an
air　of　novelty　came　over　Mr　Pancks　with　this　designation；　'to　e　and
help。　I　showed　him；　Rigaud；　at　his　window；　to　Signor　Panco；　who　was
often　the　spy　in　the　day。　I　slept　at　night　near　the　door　of　the　house。
At　last　we　entered；　only　this　to…day；　and　now　you　see　him！　As　he　would
not　e　up　in　presence　of　the　illustrious　Advocate；'　such　was　Mr
Baptist's　honourable　mention　of　Mr　Rugg；　'we　waited　down　below　there；
together；　and　Signor　Panco　guarded　the　street。'

At　the　close　of　this　recital；　Arthur　turned　his　eyes　upon　the　impudent
and　wicked　face。　As　it　met　his；　the　nose　came　down　over　the　moustache
and　the　moustache　went　up　under　the　nose。　When　nose　and　moustache　had
settled　into　their　places　again；　Monsieur　Rigaud　loudly　snapped　his
fingers　half…a…dozen　times；　bending　forward　to　jerk　the　snaps　at　Arthur；
as　if　they　were　palpable　missiles　which　he　jerked　into　his　face。

'Now；　Philosopher！'　said　Rigaud。'What　do　you　want　with　me？'

'I　want　to　know；'　returned　Arthur；　without　disguising　his　abhorrence；
'how　you　dare　direct　a　suspicion　of　murder　against　my　mother's　house？'

'Dare！'　cried　Rigaud。　'Ho；　ho！　Hear　him！　Dare？　Is　it　dare？　By　Heaven；　my
small　boy；　but　you　are　a　little　imprudent！'

'I　want　that　suspicion　to　be　cleared　away；'　said　Arthur。　'You　shall
be　taken　there；　and　be　publicly　seen。　I　want　to　know；　moreover；
what　business　you　had　there　when　I　had　a　burning　desire　to　fling　you
down…stairs。　Don't　frown　at　me；　man！　I　have　seen　enough　of　you　to　know
that　you　are　a　bully　and　coward。　I　need　no　revival　of　my　spirits　from
the　effects　of　this　wretched　place　to　tell　you　so　plain　a　fact；　and　one
that　you　know　so　well。'

White　to　the　lips；　Rigaud　stroked　his　moustache；　muttering；　'By　Heaven；
my　small　boy；　but　you　are　a　little　promising　of　my　lady；　your
respectable　mother'……and　seemed　for　a　minute　undecided　how　to　act。
His　indecision　was　soon　gone。　He　sat　himself　down　with　a　threatening
swagger；　and　said：

'Give　me　a　bottle　of　wine。　You　can　buy　wine　here。　Send　one　of　your
madmen　to　get　me　a　bottle　of　wine。　I　won't　talk　to　you　without　wine。
e！　Yes　or　no？'

'Fetch　him　what　he　wants；　Cavalletto；'　said　Arthur；　scornfully；
producing　the　money。

'Contraband　beast；'　added　Rigaud；　'bring　Port　wine！　I'll　drink　nothing
but　Porto…Porto。'

The　contraband　beast；　however；　assuring　all　present；　with　his
significant　finger；　that　he　peremptorily　declined　to　leave　his　post　at
the　door；　Signor　Panco　offered　his　services。　He　soon　returned　with　the
bottle　of　wine：　which；　according　to　the　custom　of　the　place；　originating
in　a　scarcity　of　corkscrews　among　the　Collegians　（in　mon　with　a
scarcity　of　much　else）；　was　already　opened　for　use。

'Madman！　A　large　glass；'　said　Rigaud。

Signor　Panco　put　a　tumbler　before　him；　not　without　a　visible　conflict　of
feeling　on　the　question　of　throwing　it　at　his　head。

'Haha！'　boasted　Rigaud。　'Once　a　gentleman；　and　always　a　gentleman。

A　gentleman　from　the　beginning；　and　a　gentleman　to　the　end。　What
the　Devil！　A　gentleman　must　be　waited　on；　I　hope？　It's　a　part　of　my
character　to　be　waited　on！'

He　half　filled　th