little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第8部分

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in　many　respects；　for　some　years。　It　is　our　natural　progress；　I　have
heard。'

'Well；　well！　But　it's　not　natural　to　bear　malice；　I　hope？'　said　Mr
Meagles；　cheerily。

'If　I　had　been　shut　up　in　any　place　to　pine　and　suffer；　I　should　always
hate　that　place　and　wish　to　burn　it　down；　or　raze　it　to　the　ground。　I
know　no　more。'　'Strong；　sir？'　said　Mr　Meagles　to　the　Frenchman；　it　being
another　of　his　habits　to　address　individuals　of　all　nations　in　idiomatic
English；　with　a　perfect　conviction　that　they　were　bound　to　understand
it　somehow。　'Rather　forcible　in　our　fair　friend；　you'll　agree　with　me；　I
think？'

The　French　gentleman　courteously　replied；　'Plait…il？'　To　which　Mr
Meagles　returned　with　much　satisfaction；　'You　are　right。　My　opinion。'

The　breakfast　beginning　by…and…by　to　languish；　Mr　Meagles　made　the
pany　a　speech。　It　was　short　enough　and　sensible　enough；　considering
that　it　was　a　speech　at　all；　and　hearty。　It　merely　went　to　the　effect
that　as　they　had　all　been　thrown　together　by　chance；　and　had　all
preserved　a　good　understanding　together；　and　were　now　about　to　disperse；
and　were　not　likely　ever　to　find　themselves　all　together　again；　what
could　they　do　better　than　bid　farewell　to　one　another；　and　give　one
another　good…speed　in　a　simultaneous　glass　of　cool　champagne　all　round
the　table？　It　was　done；　and　with　a　general　shaking　of　hands　the　assembly
broke　up　for　ever。

The　solitary　young　lady　all　this　time　had　said　no　more。　She　rose　with
the　rest；　and　silently　withdrew　to　a　remote　corner　of　the　great　room；
where　she　sat　herself　on　a　couch　in　a　window；　seeming　to　watch　the
reflection　of　the　water　as　it　made　a　silver　quivering　on　the　bars　of　the
lattice。　She　sat；　turned　away　from　the　whole　length　of　the　apartment；　as
if　she　were　lonely　of　her　own　haughty　choice。　And　yet　it　would　have　been
as　difficult　as　ever　to　say；　positively；　whether　she　avoided　the　rest；
or　was　avoided。

The　shadow　in　which　she　sat；　falling　like　a　gloomy　veil　across　her
forehead；　accorded　very　well　with　the　character　of　her　beauty。　One　could
hardly　see　the　face；　so　still　and　scornful；　set　off　by　the　arched
dark　eyebrows；　and　the　folds　of　dark　hair；　without　wondering　what　its
expression　would　be　if　a　change　came　over　it。　That　it　could　soften　or
relent；　appeared　next　to　impossible。　That　it　could　deepen　into　anger　or
any　extreme　of　defiance；　and　that　it　must　change　in　that　direction　when
it　changed　at　all；　would　have　been　its　peculiar　impression　upon　most
observers。　It　was　dressed　and　trimmed　into　no　ceremony　of　expression。
Although　not　an　open　face；　there　was　no　pretence　in　it。　'I　am
self…contained　and　self…reliant；　your　opinion　is　nothing　to　me；　I　have
no　interest　in　you；　care　nothing　for　you；　and　see　and　hear　you　with
indifference'……this　it　said　plainly。　It　said　so　in　the　proud　eyes；　in
the　lifted　nostril；　in　the　handsome　but　pressed　and　even　cruel　mouth。
Cover　either　two　of　those　channels　of　expression；　and　the　third　would
have　said　so　still。　Mask　them　all；　and　the　mere　turn　of　the　head　would
have　shown　an　unsubduable　nature。

Pet　had　moved　up　to　her　（she　had　been　the　subject　of　remark　among　her
family　and　Mr　Clennam；　who　were　now　the　only　other　occupants　of　the
room）；　and　was　standing　at　her　side。

'Are　you'……she　turned　her　eyes；　and　Pet　faltered……'expecting　any　one　to
meet　you　here；　Miss　Wade？'

'I？　No。'

'Father　is　sending　to　the　Poste　Restante。　Shall　he　have　the　pleasure　of
directing　the　messenger　to　ask　if　there　are　any　letters　for　you？'

'I　thank　him；　but　I　know　there　can　be　none。'

'We　are　afraid；'　said　Pet；　sitting　down　beside　her；　shyly　and　half
tenderly；　'that　you　will　feel　quite　deserted　when　we　are　all　gone。'

'Indeed！'

'Not；'　said　Pet；　apologetically　and　embarrassed　by　her　eyes；　'not；　of
course；　that　we　are　any　pany　to　you；　or　that　we　have　been　able　to　be
so；　or　that　we　thought　you　wished　it。'

'I　have　not　intended　to　make　it　understood　that　I　did　wish　it。'

'No。　Of　course。　But……in　short；'　said　Pet；　timidly　touching　her　hand　as
it　lay　impassive　on　the　sofa　between　them；　'will　you　not　allow　Father　to
tender　you　any　slight　assistance　or　service？　He　will　be　very　glad。'

'Very　glad；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　ing　forward　with　his　wife　and　Clennam。
'Anything　short　of　speaking　the　language；　I　shall　be　delighted　to
undertake；　I　am　sure。'

'I　am　obliged　to　you；'　she　returned；　'but　my　arrangements　are　made；　and
I　prefer　to　go　my　own　way　in　my　own　manner。'

'Do　you？'　said　Mr　Meagles　to　himself；　as　he　surveyed　her　with　a　puzzled
look。　'Well！　There's　character　in　that；　too。'

'I　am　not　much　used　to　the　society　of　young　ladies；　and　I　am　afraid　I
may　not　show　my　appreciation　of　it　as　others　might。　A　pleasant　journey
to　you。　Good…bye！'

She　would　not　have　put　out　her　hand；　it　seemed；　but　that　Mr　Meagles　put
out　his　so　straight　before　her　that　she　could　not　pass　it。　She　put　hers
in　it；　and　it　lay　there　just　as　it　had　lain　upon　the　couch。

'Good…bye！'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'This　is　the　last　good…bye　upon　the　list；
for　Mother　and　I　have　just　said　it　to　Mr　Clennam　here；　and　he　only　waits
to　say　it　to　Pet。　Good…bye！　We　may　never　meet　again。'

'In　our　course　through　life　we　shall　meet　the　people　who　are　ing　to
meet　us；　from　many　strange　places　and　by　many　strange　roads；'　was　the
posed　reply；　'and　what　it　is　set　to　us　to　do　to　them；　and　what　it　is
set　to　them　to　do　to　us；　will　all　be　done。'　There　was　something　in　the
manner　of　these　words　that　jarred　upon　Pet's　ear。　It　implied　that　what
was　to　be　done　was　necessarily　evil；　and　it　caused　her　to　say　in　a
whisper；　'O　Father！'　and　to　shrink　childishly；　in　her　spoilt　way；　a
little　closer　to　him。　This　was　not　lost　on　the　speaker。

'Your　pretty　daughter；'　she　said；　'starts　to　think　of　such　things。　Yet；'
looking　full　upon　her；　'you　may　be　sure　that　there　are　men　and　women
already　on　their　road；　who　have　their　business　to　do　with　YOU；　and　who
will　do　it。　Of　a　certainty　they　will　do　it。　They　may　be　ing　hundreds；
thousands；　of　miles　over　the　sea　there；　they　may　be　close　at　hand　now；
they　may　be　ing；　for　anything　you　know　or　anything　you　can　do　to
prevent　it；　from　the　vilest　sweepings　of　this　very　town。'

With　the　coldest　of　farewells；　and　with　a　certain　worn　expression　on　her
beauty　that　gave　it；　though　scarcely　yet　in　its　prime；　a　wasted　look；
she　left　the　room。

Now；　there　were　many　stairs　and　passages　that　she　had　to　traverse　in
passing　from　that　part　of　the　spacious　house　to　the　chamber　she　had
secured　for　her　own　occupation。　When　she　had　almost　pleted　the
journey；　and　was　passing　along　the　gallery　in　which　her　room　was；　she
heard　an　angry　sound　of　muttering　and　sobbing。　A　door　stood　open；　and
within　she　saw　the　attendant　upon　the　girl　she　had　just　left；　the　maid
with　the　curious　name。

She　stood　still；　to　look　at　this　maid。　A　sullen；　passionate　girl！　Her
rich　black　hair　was　all　about　her　face；　her　face　was　flushed　and　hot；
and　as　she　sobbed　and　raged；　she　plucked　at　her　lips　with　an　unsparing
hand。

'Selfish　brutes！'　said　the　girl；　sobbing　and　heaving　between　whiles。
'Not　caring　what　bees　of　me！　Leaving　me　here　hungry　and　thirsty　and
tired；　to　starve；　for　anything　they　care！　Beasts！　Devils！　Wretches！'

'My　poor　girl；　what　is　the　matter？'

She　looked　up　suddenly；　with　reddened　eyes；　and　with　her　hands
suspended；　in　the　act　of　pinching　her　neck；　freshly　disfigured　with
great　scarlet　blots。　'It's　nothing　to　you　what's　the　matter。　It　don't
signify　to　any　one。'

'O　yes　it　does；　I　am　sorry　to　see　you　so。'

'You　are　not　sorry；'　said　the　girl。　'You　are　glad。　You　know　you　are
glad。　I　never　was　like　this　but　twice　over　in　the　quarantine　yonder；　and
both　times　you　found　me。　I　am　afraid　of　you。'

'Afraid　of　me？'

'Yes。　You　seem　to　e　like　my　own　anger；　my　own　malice；　my
own……whatever　it　is……I　don't　know　what　it　is。　But　I　am　ill…used；　I　am
ill…used；　I　am　ill…used！'　Here　the　sobs　and　the　tears；　and　the　tearing
hand；　which　had　all　been　suspended　together　since　the　first　surprise；
went　on　together　anew。

The　visitor　stood　looking　at　her　with　a　strange　attentive　smile。　It　was
wonderful　to　see　the　fury　of　the　contest　in　the　girl；　and　the　bodily
struggle　she　made　as　if　she　were　rent　by　the　Demons　of　old。