little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第26部分

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spittoons　and　repose。　But　the　last　item　was　long；　long；　long；　in　linking
itself　to　the　rest。　The　novelty　of　the　place；　the　ing　upon　it　without
preparation；　the　sense　of　being　locked　up；　the　remembrance　of　that　room
up…stairs；　of　the　two　brothers；　and　above　all　of　the　retiring　childish
form；　and　the　face　in　which　he　now　saw　years　of　insufficient　food；　if
not　of　want；　kept　him　waking　and　unhappy。

Speculations；　too；　bearing　the　strangest　relations　towards　the　prison；
but　always　concerning　the　prison；　ran　like　nightmares　through　his　mind
while　he　lay　awake。　Whether　coffins　were　kept　ready　for　people　who　might
die　there；　where　they　were　kept；　how　they　were　kept；　where　people　who
died　in　the　prison　were　buried；　how　they　were　taken　out；　what　forms　were
observed；　whether　an　implacable　creditor　could　arrest　the　dead？　As　to
escaping；　what　chances　there　were　of　escape？　Whether　a　prisoner　could
scale　the　walls　with　a　cord　and　grapple；　how　he　would　descend　upon
the　other　side？　whether　he　could　alight　on　a　housetop；　steal　down　a
staircase；　let　himself　out　at　a　door；　and　get　lost　in　the　crowd？　As　to
Fire　in　the　prison；　if　one　were　to　break　out　while　he　lay　there？

And　these　involuntary　starts　of　fancy　were；　after　all；　but　the　setting
of　a　picture　in　which　three　people　kept　before　him。　His　father；　with　the
steadfast　look　with　which　he　had　died；　prophetically　darkened　forth　in
the　portrait；　his　mother；　with　her　arm　up；　warding　off　his　suspicion；
Little　Dorrit；　with　her　hand　on　the　degraded　arm；　and　her　drooping　head
turned　away。

What　if　his　mother　had　an　old　reason　she　well　knew　for　softening　to
this　poor　girl！　What　if　the　prisoner　now　sleeping　quietly……Heaven　grant
it！……by　the　light　of　the　great　Day　of　judgment　should　trace　back　his
fall　to　her。　What　if　any　act　of　hers　and　of　his　father's；　should　have
even　remotely　brought　the　grey　heads　of　those　two　brothers　so　low！

A　swift　thought　shot　into　his　mind。　In　that　long　imprisonment　here；　and
in　her　own　long　confinement　to　her　room；　did　his　mother　find　a　balance
to　be　struck？　'I　admit　that　I　was　accessory　to　that　man's　captivity。　I
have　suffered　for　it　in　kind。　He　has　decayed　in　his　prison：　I　in　mine。　I
have　paid　the　penalty。'

When　all　the　other　thoughts　had　faded　out；　this　one　held　possession
of　him。　When　he　fell　asleep；　she　came　before　him　in　her　wheeled　chair；
warding　him　off　with　this　justification。　When　he　awoke；　and　sprang　up
causelessly　frightened；　the　words　were　in　his　ears；　as　if　her　voice　had
slowly　spoken　them　at　his　pillow；　to　break　his　rest：　'He　withers　away　in
his　prison；　I　wither　away　in　mine；　inexorable　justice　is　done；　what　do　I
owe　on　this　score！'




CHAPTER　9。　Little　Mother


The　morning　light　was　in　no　hurry　to　climb　the　prison　wall　and　look　in
at　the　Snuggery　windows；　and　when　it　did　e；　it　would　have　been　more
wele　if　it　had　e　alone；　instead　of　bringing　a　rush　of　rain　with
it。　But　the　equinoctial　gales　were　blowing　out　at　sea；　and　the　impartial
south…west　wind；　in　its　flight；　would　not　neglect　even　the　narrow
Marshalsea。　While　it　roared　through　the　steeple　of　St　George's　Church；
and　twirled　all　the　cowls　in　the　neighbourhood；　it　made　a　swoop　to　beat
the　Southwark　smoke　into　the　jail；　and；　plunging　down　the　chimneys
of　the　few　early　collegians　who　were　yet　lighting　their　fires；　half
suffocated　them。　Arthur　Clennam　would　have　been　little　disposed　to
linger　in　bed；　though　his　bed　had　been　in　a　more　private　situation；　and
less　affected　by　the　raking　out　of　yesterday's　fire；　the　kindling　of
to…day's　under　the　collegiate　boiler；　the　filling　of　that　Spartan　vessel
at　the　pump；　the　sweeping　and　sawdusting　of　the　mon　room；　and　other
such　preparations。　Heartily　glad　to　see　the　morning；　though　little
rested　by　the　night；　he　turned　out　as　soon　as　he　could　distinguish
objects　about　him；　and　paced　the　yard　for　two　heavy　hours　before　the
gate　was　opened。

The　walls　were　so　near　to　one　another；　and　the　wild　clouds　hurried
over　them　so　fast；　that　it　gave　him　a　sensation　like　the　beginning　of
sea…sickness　to　look　up　at　the　gusty　sky。　The　rain；　carried　aslant　by
flaws　of　wind；　blackened　that　side　of　the　central　building　which　he　had
visited　last　night；　but　left　a　narrow　dry　trough　under　the　lee　of　the
wall；　where　he　walked　up　and　down　among　the　waits　of　straw　and　dust
and　paper；　the　waste　droppings　of　the　pump；　and　the　stray　leaves　of
yesterday's　greens。　It　was　as　haggard　a　view　of　life　as　a　man　need　look
upon。

Nor　was　it　relieved　by　any　glimpse　of　the　little　creature　who　had
brought　him　there。　Perhaps　she　glided　out　of　her　doorway　and　in　at　that
where　her　father　lived；　while　his　face　was　turned　from　both；　but　he　saw
nothing　of　her。　It　was　too　early　for　her　brother；　to　have　seen　him　once；
was　to　have　seen　enough　of　him　to　know　that　he　would　be　sluggish　to
leave　whatever　frowsy　bed　he　occupied　at　night；　so；　as　Arthur　Clennam
walked　up　and　down；　waiting　for　the　gate　to　open；　he　cast　about　in
his　mind　for　future　rather　than　for　present　means　of　pursuing　his
discoveries。

At　last　the　lodge…gate　turned；　and　the　turnkey；　standing　on　the　step；
taking　an　early　b　at　his　hair；　was　ready　to　let　him　out。　With　a
joyful　sense　of　release　he　passed　through　the　lodge；　and　found　himself
again　in　the　little　outer　court…yard　where　he　had　spoken　to　the　brother
last　night。

There　was　a　string　of　people　already　straggling　in；　whom　it　was　not
difficult　to　identify　as　the　nondescript　messengers；　go…betweens；　and
errand…bearers　of　the　place。　Some　of　them　had　been　lounging　in　the　rain
until　the　gate　should　open；　others；　who　had　timed　their　arrival
with　greater　nicety；　were　ing　up　now；　and　passing　in　with　damp
whitey…brown　paper　bags　from　the　grocers；　loaves　of　bread；　lumps　of
butter；　eggs；　milk；　and　the　like。　The　shabbiness　of　these　attendants
upon　shabbiness；　the　poverty　of　these　insolvent　waiters　upon　insolvency；
was　a　sight　to　see。　Such　threadbare　coats　and　trousers；　such　fusty　gowns
and　shawls；　such　squashed　hats　and　bons；　such　boots　and　shoes；　such
umbrellas　and　walking…sticks；　never　were　seen　in　Rag　Fair。　All　of
them　wore　the　cast…off　clothes　of　other　men　and　women；　were　made　up　of
patches　and　pieces　of　other　people's　individuality；　and　had　no　sartorial
existence　of　their　own　proper。　Their　walk　was　the　walk　of　a　race　apart。
They　had　a　peculiar　way　of　doggedly　slinking　round　the　corner；　as　if
they　were　eternally　going　to　the　pawnbroker's。　When　they　coughed；　they
coughed　like　people　accustomed　to　be　forgotten　on　doorsteps　and　in
draughty　passages；　waiting　for　answers　to　letters　in　faded　ink；　which
gave　the　recipients　of　those　manuscripts　great　mental　disturbance　and　no
satisfaction。　As　they　eyed　the　stranger　in　passing；　they　eyed　him　with
borrowing　eyes……hungry；　sharp；　speculative　as　to　his　softness　if　they
were　accredited　to　him；　and　the　likelihood　of　his　standing　something
handsome。　Mendicity　on　mission　stooped　in　their　high　shoulders；
shambled　in　their　unsteady　legs；　buttoned　and　pinned　and　darned　and
dragged　their　clothes；　frayed　their　button…holes；　leaked　out　of　their
figures　in　dirty　little　ends　of　tape；　and　issued　from　their　mouths　in
alcoholic　breathings。

As　these　people　passed　him　standing　still　in　the　court…yard；　and　one　of
them　turned　back　to　inquire　if　he　could　assist　him　with　his　services；
it　came　into　Arthur　Clennam's　mind　that　he　would　speak　to　Little　Dorrit
again　before　he　went　away。　She　would　have　recovered　her　first　surprise；
and　might　feel　easier　with　him。　He　asked　this　member　of　the　fraternity
（who　had　two　red　herrings　in　his　hand；　and　a　loaf　and　a　blacking　brush
under　his　arm）；　where　was　the　nearest　place　to　get　a　cup　of　coffee
at。　The　nondescript　replied　in　encouraging　terms；　and　brought　him　to　a
coffee…shop　in　the　street　within　a　stone's　throw。

'Do　you　know　Miss　Dorrit？'　asked　the　new　client。

The　nondescript　knew　two　Miss　Dorrits；　one　who　was　born　inside……That　was
the　one！　That　was　the　one？　The　nondescript　had　known　her　many　years。
In　regard　of　the　other　Miss　Dorrit；　the　nondescript　lodged　in　the　same
house　with　herself　and　uncle。

This　changed　the　client's　half…formed　design　of　remaining　at　the
coffee…shop　until　the　nondescript　should　bring　him　word　tha