little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第43部分

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he　had　but　to　hold　his　tongue；　keep　the　bald　part　of　his　head　well
polished；　and　leave　his　hair　alone；　had　had　just　cunning　enough　to　seize
the　idea　and　stick　to　it。　It　was　said　that　his　being　town…agent　to
Lord　Decimus　Tite　Barnacle　was　referable；　not　to　his　having　the　least
business　capacity；　but　to　his　looking　so　supremely　benignant　that　nobody
could　suppose　the　property　screwed　or　jobbed　under　such　a　man；　also；
that　for　similar　reasons　he　now　got　more　money　out　of　his　own　wretched
lettings；　unquestioned；　than　anybody　with　a　less　nobby　and　less　shining
crown　could　possibly　have　done。　In　a　word；　it　was　represented　（Clennam
called　to　mind；　alone　in　the　ticking　parlour）　that　many　people　select
their　models；　much　as　the　painters；　just　now　mentioned；　select　theirs；
and　that；　whereas　in　the　Royal　Academy　some　evil　old　ruffian　of　a
Dog…stealer　will　annually　be　found　embodying　all　the　cardinal　virtues；
on　account　of　his　eyelashes；　or　his　chin；　or　his　legs　（thereby　planting
thorns　of　confusion　in　the　breasts　of　the　more　observant　students　of
nature）；　so；　in　the　great　social　Exhibition；　accessories　are　often
accepted　in　lieu　of　the　internal　character。

Calling　these　things　to　mind；　and　ranging　Mr　Pancks　in　a　row　with　them；
Arthur　Clennam　leaned　this　day　to　the　opinion；　without　quite　deciding
on　it；　that　the　last　of　the　Patriarchs　was　the　drifting　Booby　aforesaid；
with　the　one　idea　of　keeping　the　bald　part　of　his　head　highly　polished：
and　that；　much　as　an　unwieldy　ship　in　the　Thames　river　may　sometimes　be
seen　heavily　driving　with　the　tide；　broadside　on；　stern　first；　in　its
own　way　and　in　the　way　of　everything　else；　though　making　a　great　show
of　navigation；　when　all　of　a　sudden；　a　little　coaly　steam…tug　will　bear
down　upon　it；　take　it　in　tow；　and　bustle　off　with　it；　similarly　the
cumbrous　Patriarch　had　been　taken　in　tow　by　the　snorting　Pancks；　and　was
now　following　in　the　wake　of　that　dingy　little　craft。

The　return　of　Mr　Casby　with　his　daughter　Flora；　put　an　end　to　these
meditations。　Clennam's　eyes　no　sooner　fell　upon　the　subject　of　his　old
passion　than　it　shivered　and　broke　to　pieces。

Most　men　will　be　found　sufficiently　true　to　themselves　to　be　true　to
an　old　idea。　It　is　no　proof　of　an　inconstant　mind；　but　exactly　the
opposite；　when　the　idea　will　not　bear　close　parison　with　the　reality；
and　the　contrast　is　a　fatal　shock　to　it。　Such　was　Clennam's　case。　In　his
youth　he　had　ardently　loved　this　woman；　and　had　heaped　upon　her　all　the
locked…up　wealth　of　his　affection　and　imagination。　That　wealth　had　been；
in　his　desert　home；　like　Robinson　Crusoe's　money；　exchangeable　with　no
one；　lying　idle　in　the　dark　to　rust；　until　he　poured　it　out　for　her。
Ever　since　that　memorable　time；　though　he　had；　until　the　night　of　his
arrival；　as　pletely　dismissed　her　from　any　association　with　his
Present　or　Future　as　if　she　had　been　dead　（which　she　might　easily
have　been　for　anything　he　knew）；　he　had　kept　the　old　fancy　of　the　Past
unchanged；　in　its　old　sacred　place。　And　now；　after　all；　the　last　of　the
Patriarchs　coolly　walked　into　the　parlour；　saying　in　effect；　'Be　good
enough　to　throw　it　down　and　dance　upon　it。　This　is　Flora。'

Flora；　always　tall；　had　grown　to　be　very　broad　too；　and　short　of　breath；
but　that　was　not　much。　Flora；　whom　he　had　left　a　lily；　had　bee　a
peony；　but　that　was　not　much。　Flora；　who　had　seemed　enchanting　in　all
she　said　and　thought；　was　diffuse　and　silly。　That　was　much。　Flora；　who
had　been　spoiled　and　artless　long　ago；　was　determined　to　be　spoiled　and
artless　now。　That　was　a　fatal　blow。

This　is　Flora！

'I　am　sure；'　giggled　Flora；　tossing　her　head　with　a　caricature　of
her　girlish　manner；　such　as　a　mummer　might　have　presented　at　her　own
funeral；　if　she　had　lived　and　died　in　classical　antiquity；　'I　am　ashamed
to　see　Mr　Clennam；　I　am　a　mere　fright；　I　know　he'll　find　me　fearfully
changed；　I　am　actually　an　old　woman；　it's　shocking　to　be　found　out；　it's
really　shocking！'

He　assured　her　that　she　was　just　what　he　had　expected　and　that　time　had
not　stood　still　with　himself。

'Oh！　But　with　a　gentleman　it's　so　different　and　really　you　look　so
amazingly　well　that　you　have　no　right　to　say　anything　of　the　kind；
while；　as　to　me；　you　know……oh！'　cried　Flora　with　a　little　scream；　'I　am
dreadful！'

The　Patriarch；　apparently　not　yet　understanding　his　own　part　in　the
drama　under　representation；　glowed　with　vacant　serenity。

'But　if　we　talk　of　not　having　changed；'　said　Flora；　who；　whatever
she　said；　never　once　came　to　a　full　stop；　'look　at　Papa；　is　not　Papa
precisely　what　he　was　when　you　went　away；　isn't　it　cruel　and　unnatural
of　Papa　to　be　such　a　reproach　to　his　own　child；　if　we　go　on　in　this　way
much　longer　people　who　don't　know　us　will　begin　to　suppose　that　I　am
Papa's　Mama！'

That　must　be　a　long　time　hence；　Arthur　considered。

'Oh　Mr　Clennam　you　insincerest　of　creatures；'　said　Flora；　'I　perceive
already　you　have　not　lost　your　old　way　of　paying　pliments；　your　old
way　when　you　used　to　pretend　to　be　so　sentimentally　struck　you　know……at
least　I　don't　mean　that；　I……oh　I　don't　know　what　I　mean！'　Here　Flora
tittered　confusedly；　and　gave　him　one　of　her　old　glances。

The　Patriarch；　as　if　he　now　began　to　perceive　that　his　part　in　the　piece
was　to　get　off　the　stage　as　soon　as　might　be；　rose；　and　went　to　the　door
by　which　Pancks　had　worked　out；　hailing　that　Tug　by　name。　He　received
an　answer　from　some　little　Dock　beyond；　and　was　towed　out　of　sight
directly。

'You　mustn't　think　of　going　yet；'　said　Flora……Arthur　had　looked　at　his
hat；　being　in　a　ludicrous　dismay；　and　not　knowing　what　to　do：　'you　could
never　be　so　unkind　as　to　think　of　going；　Arthur……I　mean　Mr　Arthur……or　I
suppose　Mr　Clennam　would　be　far　more　proper……but　I　am　sure　I　don't　know
what　I　am　saying……without　a　word　about　the　dear　old　days　gone　for　ever；
when　I　e　to　think　of　it　I　dare　say　it　would　be　much　better　not　to
speak　of　them　and　it's　highly　probable　that　you　have　some　much　more
agreeable　engagement　and　pray　let　Me　be　the　last　person　in　the　world
to　interfere　with　it　though　there　was　a　time；　but　I　am　running　into
nonsense　again。'

Was　it　possible　that　Flora　could　have　been　such　a　chatterer　in　the
days　she　referred　to？　Could　there　have　been　anything　like　her　present
disjointed　volubility　in　the　fascinations　that　had　captivated　him？

'Indeed　I　have　little　doubt；'　said　Flora；　running　on　with　astonishing
speed；　and　pointing　her　conversation　with　nothing　but　mas；　and　very
few　of　them；　'that　you　are　married　to　some　Chinese　lady；　being　in　China
so　long　and　being　in　business　and　naturally　desirous　to　settle　and
extend　your　connection　nothing　was　more　likely　than　that　you　should
propose　to　a　Chinese　lady　and　nothing　was　more　natural　I　am　sure　than
that　the　Chinese　lady　should　accept　you　and　think　herself　very　well　off
too；　I　only　hope　she's　not　a　Pagodian　dissenter。'

'I　am　not；'　returned　Arthur；　smiling　in　spite　of　himself；　'married　to
any　lady；　Flora。'

'Oh　good　gracious　me　I　hope　you　never　kept　yourself　a　bachelor　so　long
on　my　account！'　tittered　Flora；　'but　of　course　you　never　did　why　should
you；　pray　don't　answer；　I　don't　know　where　I'm　running　to；　oh　do　tell　me
something　about　the　Chinese　ladies　whether　their　eyes　are　really　so　long
and　narrow　always　putting　me　in　mind　of　mother…of…pearl　fish　at　cards
and　do　they　really　wear　tails　down　their　back　and　plaited　too　or　is
it　only　the　men；　and　when　they　pull　their　hair　so　very　tight　off　their
foreheads　don't　they　hurt　themselves；　and　why　do　they　stick　little　bells
all　over　their　bridges　and　temples　and　hats　and　things　or　don't　they
really　do　it？'　Flora　gave　him　another　of　her　old　glances。　Instantly　she
went　on　again；　as　if　he　had　spoken　in　reply　for　some　time。

'Then　it's　all　true　and　they　really　do！　good　gracious　Arthur！……pray
excuse　me……old　habit……Mr　Clennam　far　more　proper……what　a　country　to　live
in　for　so　long　a　time；　and　with　so　many　lanterns　and　umbrellas　too　how
very　dark　and　wet　the　climate　ought　to　be　and　no　doubt　actually　is；　and
the　sums　of　money　that　must　be　made　by　those　two　trades　where　everybody
carries　them　and　hangs　them　everywhere；　the　little　shoes　too　and　the
feet　screwed　back　in　infancy　is　quite　surprising；