little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第132部分

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'Very　strange　how　these　runs　on　an　infatuation　prevail；'　said　Arthur。

'An't　it？'　returned　Pancks。　After　smoking　for　a　minute　or　so；　more　drily
than　ported　with　his　recent　oiling；　he　added：　'Because　you　see　these
people　don't　understand　the　subject。'

'Not　a　bit；'　assented　Clennam。


'Not　a　bit；'　cried　Pancks。　'Know　nothing　of　figures。　Know　nothing　of
money　questions。　Never　made　a　calculation。　Never　worked　it；　sir！'

'If　they　had……'　Clennam　was　going　on　to　say；　when　Mr　Pancks；　without
change　of　countenance；　produced　a　sound　so　far　surpassing　all　his　usual
efforts；　nasal　or　bronchial；　that　he　stopped。

'If　they　had？'　repeated　Pancks　in　an　inquiring　tone。

'I　thought　you……spoke；'　said　Arthur；　hesitating　what　name　to　give　the
interruption。

'Not　at　all；'　said　Pancks。　'Not　yet。　I　may　in　a　minute。　If　they　had？'

'If　they　had；'　observed　Clennam；　who　was　a　little　at　a　loss　how　to　take
his　friend；　'why；　I　suppose　they　would　have　known　better。'

'How　so；　Mr　Clennam？'　Pancks　asked　quickly；　and　with　an　odd　effect　of
having　been　from　the　mencement　of　the　conversation　loaded　with　the
heavy　charge　he　now　fired　off。　'They're　right；　you　know。　They　don't　mean
to　be；　but　they're　right。'

'Right　in　sharing　Cavalletto's　inclination　to　speculate　with　Mr　Merdle？'

'Per…fectly；　sir；'　said　Pancks。　'I've　gone　into　it。　I've　made　the
calculations。　I've　worked　it。　They're　safe　and　genuine。'　Relieved　by
having　got　to　this；　Mr　Pancks　took　as　long　a　pull　as　his　lungs　would
permit　at　his　Eastern　pipe；　and　looked　sagaciously　and　steadily　at
Clennam　while　inhaling　and　exhaling　too。

In　those　moments；　Mr　Pancks　began　to　give　out　the　dangerous　infection
with　which　he　was　laden。　It　is　the　manner　of　municating　these
diseases；　it　is　the　subtle　way　in　which　they　go　about。

'Do　you　mean；　my　good　Pancks；'　asked　Clennam　emphatically；　'that　you
would　put　that　thousand　pounds　of　yours；　let　us　say；　for　instance；　out
at　this　kind　of　interest？'

'Certainly；'　said　Pancks。　'Already　done　it；　sir。'

Mr　Pancks　took　another　long　inhalation；　another　long　exhalation；　another
long　sagacious　look　at　Clennam。

'I　tell　you；　Mr　Clennam；　I've　gone　into　it；'　said　Pancks。　'He's　a　man　of
immense　resources……enormous　capital……government　influence。　They're　the
best　schemes　afloat。　They're　safe。　They're　certain。'

'Well！'　returned　Clennam；　looking　first　at　him　gravely　and　then　at　the
fire　gravely。　'You　surprise　me！'

'Bah！'　Pancks　retorted。　'Don't　say　that；　sir。　It's　what　you　ought　to　do
yourself！　Why　don't　you　do　as　I　do？'

Of　whom　Mr　Pancks　had　taken　the　prevalent　disease；　he　could　no　more　have
told　than　if　he　had　unconsciously　taken　a　fever。　Bred　at　first；　as　many
physical　diseases　are；　in　the　wickedness　of　men；　and　then　disseminated
in　their　ignorance；　these　epidemics；　after　a　period；　get　municated　to
many　sufferers　who　are　neither　ignorant　nor　wicked。　Mr　Pancks　might；　or
might　not；　have　caught　the　illness　himself　from　a　subject　of　this　class；
but　in　this　category　he　appeared　before　Clennam；　and　the　infection　he
threw　off　was　all　the　more　virulent。

'And　you　have　really　invested；'　Clennam　had　already　passed　to　that　word；
'your　thousand　pounds；　Pancks？'

'To　be　sure；　sir！'　replied　Pancks　boldly；　with　a　puff　of　smoke。　'And
only　wish　it　ten！'

Now；　Clennam　had　two　subjects　lying　heavy　on　his　lonely　mind　that　night；
the　one；　his　partner's　long…deferred　hope；　the　other；　what　he　had　seen
and　heard　at　his　mother's。　In　the　relief　of　having　this　panion；
and　of　feeling　that　he　could　trust　him；　he　passed　on　to　both；　and　both
brought　him　round　again；　with　an　increase　and　acceleration　of　force；　to
his　point　of　departure。

It　came　about　in　the　simplest　manner。　Quitting　the　investment　subject；
after　an　interval　of　silent　looking　at　the　fire　through　the　smoke　of　his
pipe；　he　told　Pancks　how　and　why　he　was　occupied　with　the　great　National
Department。　'A　hard　case　it　has　been；　and　a　hard　case　it　is　on　Doyce；'
he　finished　by　saying；　with　all　the　honest　feeling　the　topic　roused　in
him。

'Hard　indeed；'　Pancks　acquiesced。　'But　you　manage　for　him；　Mr　Clennam？'

'How　do　you　mean？'

'Manage　the　money　part　of　the　business？'

'Yes。　As　well　as　I　can。'

'Manage　it　better；　sir；'　said　Pancks。　'Repense　him　for　his　toils　and
disappointments。　Give　him　the　chances　of　the　time。　He'll　never　benefit
himself　in　that　way；　patient　and　preoccupied　workman。　He　looks　to　you；
sir。'

'I　do　my　best；　Pancks；'　returned　Clennam；　uneasily。　'As　to　duly　weighing
and　considering　these　new　enterprises　of　which　I　have　had　no　experience；
I　doubt　if　I　am　fit　for　it；　I　am　growing　old。'

'Growing　old？'　cried　Pancks。　'Ha；　ha！'

There　was　something　so　indubitably　genuine　in　the　wonderful　laugh；　and
series　of　snorts　and　puffs；　engendered　in　Mr　Pancks's　astonishment　at；
and　utter　rejection　of；　the　idea；　that　his　being　quite　in　earnest　could
not　be　questioned。

'Growing　old？'　cried　Pancks。　'Hear；　hear；　hear！　Old？　Hear　him；　hear
him！'

The　positive　refusal　expressed　in　Mr　Pancks's　continued　snorts；　no　less
than　in　these　exclamations；　to　entertain　the　sentiment　for　a　single
instant；　drove　Arthur　away　from　it。　Indeed；　he　was　fearful　of　something
happening　to　Mr　Pancks　in　the　violent　conflict　that　took　place　between
the　breath　he　jerked　out　of　himself　and　the　smoke　he　jerked　into
himself。　This　abandonment　of　the　second　topic　threw　him　on　the　third。

'Young；　old；　or　middle…aged；　Pancks；'　he　said；　when　there　was　a
favourable　pause；　'I　am　in　a　very　anxious　and　uncertain　state；　a　state
that　even　leads　me　to　doubt　whether　anything　now　seeming　to　belong　to
me；　may　be　really　mine。　Shall　I　tell　you　how　this　is？　Shall　I　put　a
great　trust　in　you？'

'You　shall；　sir；'　said　Pancks；　'if　you　believe　me　worthy　of　it。'

'I　do。'

'You　may！'　Mr　Pancks's　short　and　sharp　rejoinder；　confirmed　by　the
sudden　outstretching　of　his　coaly　hand；　was　most　expressive　and
convincing。　Arthur　shook　the　hand　warmly。

He　then；　softening　the　nature　of　his　old　apprehensions　as　much　as　was
possible　consistently　with　their　being　made　intelligible　and　never
alluding　to　his　mother　by　name；　but　speaking　vaguely　of　a　relation
of　his；　confided　to　Mr　Pancks　a　broad　outline　of　the　misgivings　he
entertained；　and　of　the　interview　he　had　witnessed。　Mr　Pancks　listened
with　such　interest　that；　regardless　of　the　charms　of　the　Eastern　pipe；
he　put　it　in　the　grate　among　the　fire…irons；　and　occupied　his　hands
during　the　whole　recital　in　so　erecting　the　loops　and　hooks　of　hair
all　over　his　head；　that　he　looked；　when　it　came　to　a　conclusion；　like　a
journeyman　Hamlet　in　conversation　with　his　father's　spirit。

'Brings　me　back；　sir；'　was　his　exclamation　then；　with　a　startling　touch
on　Clennam's　knee；　'brings　me　back；　sir；　to　the　Investments！　I　don't
say　anything　of　your　making　yourself　poor　to　repair　a　wrong　you　never
mitted。　That's　you。　A　man　must　be　himself。　But　I　say　this；
fearing　you　may　want　money　to　save　your　own　blood　from　exposure　and
disgrace……make　as　much　as　you　can！'


Arthur　shook　his　head；　but　looked　at　him　thoughtfully　too。

'Be　as　rich　as　you　can；　sir；'　Pancks　adjured　him　with　a　powerful
concentration　of　all　his　energies　on　the　advice。　'Be　as　rich　as　you
honestly　can。　It's　your　duty。　Not　for　your　sake；　but　for　the　sake　of
others。　Take　time　by　the　forelock。　Poor　Mr　Doyce　（who　really　is　growing
old）　depends　upon　you。　Your　relative　depends　upon　you。　You　don't　know
what　depends　upon　you。'

'Well；　well；　well！'　returned　Arthur。　'Enough　for　to…night。'

'One　word　more；　Mr　Clennam；'　retorted　Pancks；　'and　then　enough　for
to…night。　Why　should　you　leave　all　the　gains　to　the　gluttons；　knaves；
and　impostors？　Why　should　you　leave　all　the　gains　that　are　to　be　got　to
my　proprietor　and　the　like　of　him？　Yet　you're　always　doing　it。　When　I
say　you；　I　mean　such　men　as　you。　You　know　you　are。　Why；　I　see　it
every　day　of　my　life。　I　see　nothing　else。　It's　my　business　to　see　it。
Therefore　I　say；'　urged　Pancks；　'Go　in　and　win！'

'But　what　of　Go　in　and　lose？'　said　Arthur。

'Can't　be　done；　sir；'　returned　Pancks。　'I　have　looked　into　it。　Name　up
everywhere……immense　resources……enormous　capital……great　position……high
connection……government　influence。　Can't　be　done！'

Gradually；　after　this　closing　exposition；　Mr　Pancks　subsided；　allowed
his　hair　to　droop　as　much　as　it　ever　would　droop　on　the　utmost
persuasion；　reclaimed　the　pipe　from　the　fire…irons；　filled　it　anew；　and
smoked　it　out。　They　said　little　more；　but　were　pany　to　one　another　in
silently　pursuing　the　same　subjects；　and　did　not　part　until　midnight。
On　taking　his　leave；　Mr　Pancks；　when　he　had　shaken　hands　with　Clennam；
worked　pletely　round　him　before　he　steamed　out　at　the　door。　This；
Arthur　received　as　an　assurance　that　he　might　implicitly　rely　on　Pancks；
if　he　ever　should　e　to　need　assistance；　either　in　any　of　the　matters
of　which　they　had　spoken　that　night；　or　any　other　subject　that　could　in
any　way　affect　himself。

At　intervals　all　next　day；　and　even　while　his　attention　was　fixed　on
other　things；　he　thought　of　Mr　Pancks's　investment　of　his　thousand
pounds；　and　of　his　having　'looked　into　it。'　He　thought　of　Mr　Pancks's
being　so　sanguine　in　this　matter；　and　of　his　not　being　usually　of　a
sanguine　character。　He　thought　of　the　great　National　Department；　and　of
the　delight　it　would　be　to　him　to　see　Doyce　better　off。　He　thought
of　the　darkly　threatening　place　that　went　by　the　name　of　Home　in　his
remembrance；　and　of　the　gathering　shadows　which　made　it　yet　more　darkly
threatening　than　of　old。　He　observed　anew　that　wherever　he　went；　he
saw；　or　heard；　or　touched；　the　celebrated　name　of　Merdle；　he　found　it
difficult　even　to　remain　at　his　desk　a　couple　of　hours；　without　having
it　presented　to　one　of　his　bodily　senses　through　some　agency　or　other。
He　began　to　think　it　was　curious　too　that　it　should　be　everywhere；　and
that　nobody　but　he　should　seem　to　have　any　mistrust　of　it。　Though　indeed
he　began　to　remember；　when　he　got　to　this；　even　he　did　not　mistrust　it；
he　had　only　happened　to　keep　aloof　from　it。

Such　symptoms；　when　a　disease　of　the　kind　is　rife；　are　usually　the　signs
of　sickening。




CHAPTER　14。　Taking　Advice


When　it　became　known　to　the　Britons　on　the　shore　of　the　yellow　Tiber
th