little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第90部分

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in　arrears；　and　delivered　solemn　political　oracles　appropriate　to　that
epoch。　He　finished　by　freezing　a　cup　of　tea　for　his　own　drinking；
and　retiring　at　his　lowest　temperature。　Then　Mrs　Gowan；　who　had　been
accustomed　in　her　days　of　a　vacant　arm…chair　beside　her　to　which
to　summon　state　to　retain　her　devoted　slaves；　one　by　one；　for　short
audiences　as　marks　of　her　especial　favour；　invited　Clennam　with　a　turn
of　her　fan　to　approach　the　presence。　He　obeyed；　and　took　the　tripod
recently　vacated　by　Lord　Lancaster　Stiltstalking。

'Mr　Clennam；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　'apart　from　the　happiness　I　have　in
being　known　to　you；　though　in　this　odiously　inconvenient　place……a
mere　barrack……there　is　a　subject　on　which　I　am　dying　to　speak　to　you。　It
is　the　subject　in　connection　with　which　my　son　first　had；　I　believe；　the
pleasure　of　cultivating　your　acquaintance。'

Clennam　inclined　his　head；　as　a　generally　suitable　reply　to　what　he　did
not　yet　quite　understand。

'First；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　'now；　is　she　really　pretty？'

In　nobody's　difficulties；　he　would　have　found　it　very　difficult　to
answer；　very　difficult　indeed　to　smile；　and　say　'Who？'

'Oh！　You　know！'　she　returned。　'This　flame　of　Henry's。　This　unfortunate
fancy。　There！　If　it　is　a　point　of　honour　that　I　should　originate　the
name……Miss　Mickles……Miggles。'

'Miss　Meagles；'　said　Clennam；　'is　very　beautiful。'

'Men　are　so　often　mistaken　on　those　points；'　returned　Mrs　Gowan；　shaking
her　head；　'that　I　candidly　confess　to　you　I　feel　anything　but　sure　of
it；　even　now；　though　it　is　something　to　have　Henry　corroborated　with　so
much　gravity　and　emphasis。　He　picked　the　people　up　at　Rome；　I　think？'

The　phrase　would　have　given　nobody　mortal　offence。　Clennam　replied；
'Excuse　me；　I　doubt　if　I　understand　your　expression。'

'Picked　the　people　up；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　tapping　the　sticks　of　her　closed
fan　（a　large　green　one；　which　she　used　as　a　hand…screen）　on　her　little
table。　'Came　upon　them。　Found　them　out。　Stumbled　UP　against　them。'

'The　people？'

'Yes。　The　Miggles　people。'

'I　really　cannot　say；'　said　Clennam；　'where　my　friend　Mr　Meagles　first
presented　Mr　Henry　Gowan　to　his　daughter。'

'I　am　pretty　sure　he　picked　her　up　at　Rome；　but　never　mind
where……somewhere。　Now　（this　is　entirely　between　ourselves）；　is　she　very
plebeian？'

'Really；　ma'am；'　returned　Clennam；　'I　am　so　undoubtedly　plebeian　myself；
that　I　do　not　feel　qualified　to　judge。'

'Very　neat！'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　coolly　unfurling　her　screen。　'Very　happy！
From　which　I　infer　that　you　secretly　think　her　manner　equal　to　her
looks？'

Clennam；　after　a　moment's　stiffness；　bowed。

'That's　forting；　and　I　hope　you　may　be　right。　Did　Henry　tell　me　you
had　travelled　with　them？'　'I　travelled　with　my　friend　Mr　Meagles；　and
his　wife　and　daughter；　during　some　months。'　（Nobody's　heart　might　have
been　wrung　by　the　remembrance。）

'Really　forting；　because　you　must　have　had　a　large　experience　of
them。　You　see；　Mr　Clennam；　this　thing　has　been　going　on　for　a　long　time；
and　I　find　no　improvement　in　it。　Therefore　to　have　the　opportunity　of
speaking　to　one　so　well　informed　about　it　as　yourself；　is　an　immense
relief　to　me。　Quite　a　boon。　Quite　a　blessing；　I　am　sure。'

'Pardon　me；'　returned　Clennam；　'but　I　am　not　in　Mr　Henry　Gowan's
confidence。　I　am　far　from　being　so　well　informed　as　you　suppose　me　to
be。　Your　mistake　makes　my　position　a　very　delicate　one。　No　word　on　this
topic　has　ever　passed　between　Mr　Henry　Gowan　and　myself。'

Mrs　Gowan　glanced　at　the　other　end　of　the　room；　where　her　son　was
playing　ecarte　on　a　sofa；　with　the　old　lady　who　was　for　a　charge　of
cavalry。

'Not　in　his　confidence？　No；'　said　Mrs　Gowan。　'No　word　has　passed　between
you？　No。　That　I　can　imagine。　But　there　are　unexpressed　confidences；　Mr
Clennam；　and　as　you　have　been　together　intimately　among　these　people；　I
cannot　doubt　that　a　confidence　of　that　sort　exists　in　the　present　case。
Perhaps　you　have　heard　that　I　have　suffered　the　keenest　distress　of
mind　from　Henry's　having　taken　to　a　pursuit　which……well！'　shrugging　her
shoulders；　'a　very　respectable　pursuit；　I　dare　say；　and　some　artists
are；　as　artists；　quite　superior　persons；　still；　we　never　yet　in　our
family　have　gone　beyond　an　Amateur；　and　it　is　a　pardonable　weakness　to
feel　a　little……'

As　Mrs　Gowan　broke　off　to　heave　a　sigh；　Clennam；　however　resolute　to
be　magnanimous；　could　not　keep　down　the　thought　that　there　was　mighty
little　danger　of　the　family's　ever　going　beyond　an　Amateur；　even　as　it
was。

'Henry；'　the　mother　resumed；　'is　self…willed　and　resolute；　and　as　these
people　naturally　strain　every　nerve　to　catch　him；　I　can　entertain　very
little　hope；　Mr　Clennam；　that　the　thing　will　be　broken　off。　I　apprehend
the　girl's　fortune　will　be　very　small；　Henry　might　have　done　much
better；　there　is　scarcely　anything　to　pensate　for　the　connection：
still；　he　acts　for　himself；　and　if　I　find　no　improvement　within　a　short
time；　I　see　no　other　course　than　to　resign　myself　and　make　the　best　of
these　people。　I　am　infinitely　obliged　to　you　for　what　you　have　told
me。'　As　she　shrugged　her　shoulders；　Clennam　stiffly　bowed　again。　With　an
uneasy　flush　upon　his　face；　and　hesitation　in　his　manner；　he　then　said
in　a　still　lower　tone　than　he　had　adopted　yet：

'Mrs　Gowan；　I　scarcely　knoyself　of　what　I　feel　to　be　a
duty；　and　yet　I　must　ask　you　for　your　kind　consideration　in
attempting　to　discharge　it。　A　misconception　on　your　part；　a　very　great
misconception　if　I　may　venture　to　call　it　so；　seems　to　require　setting
right。　You　have　supposed　Mr　Meagles　and　his　family　to　strain　every
nerve；　I　think　you　said……'

'Every　nerve；'　repeated　Mrs　Gowan；　looking　at　him　in　calm　obstinacy；
with　her　green　fan　between　her　face　and　the　fire。

'To　secure　Mr　Henry　Gowan？'

The　lady　placidly　assented。

'Now　that　is　so　far；'　said　Arthur；　'from　being　the　case；　that　I　know
Mr　Meagles　to　be　unhappy　in　this　matter；　and　to　have　interposed　all
reasonable　obstacles　with　the　hope　of　putting　an　end　to　it。'

Mrs　Gowan　shut　up　her　great　green　fan；　tapped　him　on　the　arm　with　it；
and　tapped　her　smiling　lips。　'Why；　of　course；'　said　she。　'Just　what　I
mean。'

Arthur　watched　her　face　for　some　explanation　of　what　she　did　mean。

'Are　you　really　serious；　Mr　Clennam？　Don't　you　see？'

Arthur　did　not　see；　and　said　so。

'Why；　don't　I　know　my　son；　and　don't　I　know　that　this　is　exactly　the　way
to　hold　him？'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　contemptuously；　'and　do　not　these　Miggles
people　know　it；　at　least　as　well　as　I？　Oh；　shrewd　people；　Mr　Clennam：
evidently　people　of　business！　I　believe　Miggles　belonged　to　a　Bank。　It
ought　to　have　been　a　very　profitable　Bank；　if　he　had　much　to　do　with　its
management。　This　is　very　well　done；　indeed。'

'I　beg　and　entreat　you；　ma'am……'　Arthur　interposed。

'Oh；　Mr　Clennam；　can　you　really　be　so　credulous？'

It　made　such　a　painful　impression　upon　him　to　hear　her　talking　in　this
haughty　tone；　and　to　see　her　patting　her　contemptuous　lips　with　her
fan；　that　he　said　very　earnestly；　'Believe　me；　ma'am；　this　is　unjust；　a
perfectly　groundless　suspicion。'

'Suspicion？'　repeated　Mrs　Gowan。　'Not　suspicion；　Mr　Clennam；　Certainty。
It　is　very　knowingly　done　indeed；　and　seems　to　have　taken　YOU　in
pletely。'　She　laughed；　and　again　sat　tapping　her　lips　with　her　fan；
and　tossing　her　head；　as　if　she　added；　'Don't　tell　me。　I　know　such
people　will　do　anything　for　the　honour　of　such　an　alliance。'

At　this　opportune　moment；　the　cards　were　thrown　up；　and　Mr　Henry　Gowan
came　across　the　room　saying；　'Mother；　if　you　can　spare　Mr　Clennam　for
this　time；　we　have　a　long　way　to　go；　and　it's　getting　late。'　Mr　Clennam
thereupon　rose；　as　he　had　no　choice　but　to　do；　and　Mrs　Gowan　showed　him；
to　the　last；　the　same　look　and　the　same　tapped　contemptuous　lips。

'You　have　had　a　portentously　long　audience　of　my　mother；'　said　Gowan；　as
the　door　closed　upon　them。　'I　fervently　hope　she　has　not　bored　you？'

'Not　at　all；'　said　Clennam。

They　had　a　little　open　phaeton　for　the　journey；　and　were　soon　in　it　on
the　road　home。　Gowan；　driving；　lighted　a　cigar；　Clennam　declined　one。　Do
what　he　would；　he　fell　into　such　a　mood　of　abstraction　that　Gowan　said
again；　'I　am　very　much　afraid　my　mother　has　bored　you？'　To　which　he
r