little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第45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！



'Bleeding　Heart　Yard？'　said　Pancks；　with　a　puff　and　a　snort。　'It's　a
troublesome　property。　Don't　pay　you　badly；　but　rents　are　very　hard　to
get　there。　You　have　more　trouble　with　that　one　place　than　with　all　the
places　belonging　to　you。'

Just　as　the　big　ship　in　tow　gets　the　credit；　with　most　spectators；　of
being　the　powerful　object；　so　the　Patriarch　usually　seemed　to　have　said
himself　whatever　Pancks　said　for　him。

'Indeed？'　returned　Clennam；　upon　whom　this　impression　was　so　efficiently
made　by　a　mere　gleam　of　the　polished　head　that　he　spoke　the　ship　instead
of　the　Tug。　'The　people　are　so　poor　there？'

'You　can't　say；　you　know；'　snorted　Pancks；　taking　one　of　his　dirty　hands
out　of　his　rusty　iron…grey　pockets　to　bite　his　nails；　if　he　could　find
any；　and　turning　his　beads　of　eyes　upon　his　employer；　'whether　they're
poor　or　not。　They　say　they　are；　but　they　all　say　that。　When　a　man　says
he's　rich；　you're　generally　sure　he　isn't。　Besides；　if　they　ARE　poor；
you　can't　help　it。　You'd　be　poor　yourself　if　you　didn't　get　your　rents。'

'True　enough；'　said　Arthur。

'You're　not　going　to　keep　open　house　for　all　the　poor　of　London；'
pursued　Pancks。　'You're　not　going　to　lodge　'em　for　nothing。　You're　not
going　to　open　your　gates　wide　and　let　'em　e　free。　Not　if　you　know　it；
you　ain't。'

Mr　Casby　shook　his　head；　in　Placid　and　benignant　generality。

'If　a　man　takes　a　room　of　you　at　half…a…crown　a　week；　and　when　the　week
es　round　hasn't　got　the　half…crown；　you　say　to　that　man；　Why　have　you
got　the　room；　then？　If　you　haven't　got　the　one　thing；　why　have　you　got
the　other？　What　have　you　been　and　done　with　your　money？　What　do　you　mean
by　it？　What　are　you　up　to？　That's　what　YOU　say　to　a　man　of　that　sort；
and　if　you　didn't　say　it；　more　shame　for　you！'　Mr　Pancks　here　made　a
singular　and　startling　noise；　produced　by　a　strong　blowing　effort　in　the
region　of　the　nose；　unattended　by　any　result　but　that　acoustic　one。

'You　have　some　extent　of　such　property　about　the　east　and　north…east
here；　I　believe？'　said　Clennam；　doubtful　which　of　the　two　to　address。

'Oh；　pretty　well；'　said　Pancks。　'You're　not　particular　to　east　or
north…east；　any　point　of　the　pass　will　do　for　you。　What　you　want　is
a　good　investment　and　a　quick　return。　You　take　it　where　you　can　find　it。
You　ain't　nice　as　to　situation……not　you。'

There　was　a　fourth　and　most　original　figure　in　the　Patriarchal　tent；　who
also　appeared　before　dinner。　This　was　an　amazing　little　old　woman；　with
a　face　like　a　staring　wooden　doll　too　cheap　for　expression；　and　a　stiff
yellow　wig　perched　unevenly　on　the　top　of　her　head；　as　if　the　child　who
owned　the　doll　had　driven　a　tack　through　it　anywhere；　so　that　it　only
got　fastened　on。　Another　remarkable　thing　in　this　little　old　woman　was；
that　the　same　child　seemed　to　have　damaged　her　face　in　two　or　three
places　with　some　blunt　instrument　in　the　nature　of　a　spoon；　her
countenance；　and　particularly　the　tip　of　her　nose；　presenting　the
phenomena　of　several　dints；　generally　answering　to　the　bowl　of　that
article。　A　further　remarkable　thing　in　this　little　old　woman　was；　that
she　had　no　name　but　Mr　F。's　Aunt。

She　broke　upon　the　visitor's　view　under　the　following　circumstances：
Flora　said　when　the　first　dish　was　being　put　on　the　table；　perhaps　Mr
Clennam　might　not　have　heard　that　Mr　F。　had　left　her　a　legacy？　Clennam
in　return　implied　his　hope　that　Mr　F。　had　endowed　the　wife　whom　he
adored；　with　the　greater　part　of　his　worldly　substance；　if　not　with　all。
Flora　said；　oh　yes；　she　didn't　mean　that；　Mr　F。　had　made　a　beautiful
will；　but　he　had　left　her　as　a　separate　legacy；　his　Aunt。　She　then
went　out　of　the　room　to　fetch　the　legacy；　and；　on　her　return；　rather
triumphantly　presented　'Mr　F。's　Aunt。'

The　major　characteristics　discoverable　by　the　stranger　in　Mr　F。's　Aunt；
were　extreme　severity　and　grim　taciturnity；　sometimes　interrupted　by
a　propensity　to　offer　remarks　in　a　deep　warning　voice；　which；　being
totally　uncalled　for　by　anything　said　by　anybody；　and　traceable　to　no
association　of　ideas；　confounded　and　terrified　the　Mind。　Mr　F。's　Aunt
may　have　thrown　in　these　observations　on　some　system　of　her　own；　and　it
may　have　been　ingenious；　or　even　subtle：　but　the　key　to　it　was　wanted。
The　neatly…served　and　well…cooked　dinner　（for　everything　about　the
Patriarchal　household　promoted　quiet　digestion）　began　with　some　soup；
some　fried　soles；　a　butter…boat　of　shrimp　sauce；　and　a　dish　of　potatoes。
The　conversation　still　turned　on　the　receipt　of　rents。　Mr　F。's　Aunt；
after　regarding　the　pany　for　ten　minutes　with　a　malevolent　gaze；
delivered　the　following　fearful　remark：

'When　we　lived　at　Henley；　Barnes's　gander　was　stole　by　tinkers。'　Mr
Pancks　courageously　nodded　his　head　and　said；　'All　right；　ma'am。'　But
the　effect　of　this　mysterious　munication　upon　Clennam　was　absolutely
to　frighten　him。　And　another　circumstance　invested　this　old　lady　with
peculiar　terrors。　Though　she　was　always　staring；　she　never　acknowledged
that　she　saw　any　individual。

The　polite　and　attentive　stranger　would　desire；　say；　to　consult　her
inclinations　on　the　subject　of　potatoes。　His　expressive　action　would　be
hopelessly　lost　upon　her；　and　what　could　he　do？　No　man　could　say；　'Mr
F。's　Aunt；　will　you　permit　me？'　Every　man　retired　from　the　spoon；　as
Clennam　did；　cowed　and　baffled。

There　was　mutton；　a　steak；　and　an　apple…pie……nothing　in　the　remotest
way　connected　with　ganders……and　the　dinner　went　on　like　a　disenchanted
feast；　as　it　truly　was。　Once　upon　a　time　Clennam　had　sat　at　that　table
taking　no　heed　of　anything　but　Flora；　now　the　principal　heed　he　took
of　Flora　was　to　observe；　against　his　will；　that　she　was　very　fond　of
porter；　that　she　bined　a　great　deal　of　sherry　with　sentiment；　and
that　if　she　were　a　little　overgrown；　it　was　upon　substantial　grounds。
The　last　of　the　Patriarchs　had　always　been　a　mighty　eater；　and　he
disposed　of　an　immense　quantity　of　solid　food　with　the　benignity　of　a
good　soul　who　was　feeding　some　one　else。　Mr　Pancks；　who　was　always　in　a
hurry；　and　who　referred　at　intervals　to　a　little　dirty　notebook　which　he
kept　beside　him　（perhaps　containing　the　names　of　the　defaulters　he　meant
to　look　up　by　way　of　dessert）；　took　in　his　victuals　much　as　if　he　were
coaling；　with　a　good　deal　of　noise；　a　good　deal　of　dropping　about；　and　a
puff　and　a　snort　occasionally；　as　if　he　were　nearly　ready　to　steam　away。

All　through　dinner；　Flora　bined　her　present　appetite　for　eating　and
drinking　with　her　past　appetite　for　romantic　love；　in　a　way　that　made
Clennam　afraid　to　lift　his　eyes　from　his　plate；　since　he　could　not
look　towards　her　without　receiving　some　glance　of　mysterious　meaning　or
warning；　as　if　they　were　engaged　in　a　plot。　Mr　F。's　Aunt　sat　silently
defying　him　with　an　aspect　of　the　greatest　bitterness；　until　the　removal
of　the　cloth　and　the　appearance　of　the　decanters；　when　she　originated
another　observation……struck　into　the　conversation　like　a　clock；　without
consulting　anybody。

Flora　had　just　said；　'Mr　Clennam；　will　you　give　me　a　glass　of　port　for
Mr　F。's　Aunt？'

'The　Monument　near　London　Bridge；'　that　lady　instantly　proclaimed；　'was
put　up　arter　the　Great　Fire　of　London；　and　the　Great　Fire　of　London　was
not　the　fire　in　which　your　uncle　George's　workshops　was　burned　down。'

Mr　Pancks；　with　his　former　courage；　said；　'Indeed；　ma'am？　All　right！'
But　appearing　to　be　incensed　by　imaginary　contradiction；　or　other
ill…usage；　Mr　F。's　Aunt；　instead　of　relapsing　into　silence；　made　the
following　additional　proclamation：

'I　hate　a　fool！'

She　imparted　to　this　sentiment；　in　itself　almost　Solomonic；　so　extremely
injurious　and　personal　a　character　by　levelling　it　straight　at　the
visitor's　head；　that　it　became　necessary　to　lead　Mr　F。's　Aunt　from
the　room。　This　was　quietly　done　by　Flora；　Mr　F。's　Aunt　offering　no
resistance；　but　inquiring　on　her　way　out；　'What　he　e　there　for；
then？'　with　implacable　animosity。

When　Flora　returned；　she　explained　that　her　legacy　was　a　clever
old　lady；　but　was　sometimes　a　little　singular；　and　'took
dislikes'……peculiarities　of　which　Flora　seemed　to　be　proud　rather　than
otherwise。　As　Flora's　good　nature　shone　in　the　case；　Clennam　had　no
fault　to　find　with　the　old　lady　for