little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第177部分

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appointing；　well　enough　known　to　our　old　intriguer　here。　Shall　we　coax
our　old　intriguer　to　tell　us　when　he　saw　him　last？'

'I'll　tell　you！'　cried　Affery；　unstopping　her　mouth。　'I　dreamed　it；
first　of　all　my　dreams。　Jeremiah；　if　you　e　a…nigh　me　now；　I'll　scream
to　be　heard　at　St　Paul's！　The　person　as　this　man　has　spoken　of；　was
jeremiah's　own　twin　brother；　and　he　was　here　in　the　dead　of　the　night；
on　the　night　when　Arthur　e　home；　and　Jeremiah　with　his　own　hands　give
him　this　paper；　along　with　I　don't　know　what　more；　and　he　took　it　away
in　an　iron　box……Help！　Murder！　Save　me　from　Jere…mi…ah！'

Mr　Flintwinch　had　made　a　run　at　her；　but　Rigaud　had　caught　him　in　his
arms　midway。　After　a　moment's　wrestle　with　him；　Flintwinch　gave　up；　and
put　his　hands　in　his　pockets。

'What！'　cried　Rigaud；　rallying　him　as　he　poked　and　jerked　him　back　with
his　elbows；　'assault　a　lady　with　such　a　genius　for　dreaming！　Ha；　ha；　ha！
Why；　she'll　be　a　fortune　to　you　as　an　exhibition。　All　that　she　dreams
es　true。　Ha；　ha；　ha！　You're　so　like　him；　Little　Flintwinch。　So　like
him；　as　I　knew　him　（when　I　first　spoke　English　for　him　to　the　host）　in
the　Cabaret　of　the　Three　Billiard　Tables；　in　the　little　street　of　the
high　roofs；　by　the　wharf　at　Antwerp！　Ah；　but　he　was　a　brave　boy　to
drink。　Ah；　but　he　was　a　brave　boy　to　smoke！　Ah；　but　he　lived　in　a　sweet
bachelor…apartment……furnished；　on　the　fifth　floor；　above　the　wood　and
charcoal　merchant's；　and　the　dress…maker's；　and　the　chair…maker's；　and
the　maker　of　tubs……where　I　knew　him　too；　and　wherewith　his　cognac　and
tobacco；　he　had　twelve　sleeps　a　day　and　one　fit；　until　he　had　a　fit　too
much；　and　ascended　to　the　skies。　Ha；　ha；　ha！　What　does　it　matter　how　I
took　possession　of　the　papers　in　his　iron　box？　Perhaps　he　confided　it
to　my　hands　for　you；　perhaps　it　was　locked　and　my　curiosity　was　piqued；
perhaps　I　suppressed　it。　Ha；　ha；　ha！　What　does　it　matter；　so　that　I
have　it　safe？　We　are　not　particular　here；　hey；　Flintwinch？　We　are　not
particular　here；　is　it　not　so；　madame？'

Retiring　before　him　with　vicious　counter…jerks　of　his　own　elbows；　Mr
Flintwinch　had　got　back　into　his　corner；　where　he　now　stood　with　his
hands　in　his　pockets；　taking　breath；　and　returning　Mrs　Clennam's　stare。
'Ha；　ha；　ha！　But　what's　this？'　cried　Rigaud。　'It　appears　as　if　you
don't　know；　one　the　other。　Permit　me；　Madame　Clennam　who　suppresses；　to
present　Monsieur　Flintwinch　who　intrigues。'

Mr　Flintwinch；　unpocketing　one　of　his　hands　to　scrape　his　jaw；　advanced
a　step　or　so　in　that　attitude；　still　returning　Mrs　Clennam's　look；　and
thus　addressed　her：

'Now；　I　know　what　you　mean　by　opening　your　eyes　so　wide　at　me；　but　you
needn't　take　the　trouble；　because　I　don't　care　for　it。　I've　been　telling
you　for　how　many　years　that　you're　one　of　the　most　opinionated　and
obstinate　of　women。　That's　what　YOU　are。　You　call　yourself　humble　and
sinful；　but　you　are　the　most　Bumptious　of　your　sex。　That's　what　YOU　are。
I　have　told　you；　over　and　over　again　when　we　have　had　a　tiff；　that　you
wanted　to　make　everything　go　down　before　you；　but　I　wouldn't　go　down
before　you……that　you　wanted　to　swallow　up　everybody　alive；　but　I
wouldn't　be　swallowed　up　alive。　Why　didn't　you　destroy　the　paper　when
you　first　laid　hands　upon　it？

I　advised　you　to；　but　no；　it's　not　your　way　to　take　advice。　You　must
keep　it　forsooth。　Perhaps　you　may　carry　it　out　at　some　other　time；
forsooth。　As　if　I　didn't　know　better　than　that！　I　think　I　see　your　pride
carrying　it　out；　with　a　chance　of　being　suspected　of　having　kept　it　by
you。　But　that's　the　way　you　cheat　yourself。　Just　as　you　cheat　yourself
into　making　out　that　you　didn't　do　all　this　business　because　you　were　a
rigorous　woman；　all　slight；　and　spite；　and　power；　and　unforgiveness；　but
because　you　were　a　servant　and　a　minister；　and　were　appointed　to　do　it。
Who　are　you；　that　you　should　be　appointed　to　do　it？　That　may　be　your
religion；　but　it's　my　gammon。　And　to　tell　you　all　the　truth　while　I
am　about　it；'　said　Mr　Flintwinch；　crossing　his　arms；　and　being　the
express　image　of　irascible　doggedness；　'I　have　been　rasped……rasped　these
forty　years……by　your　taking　such　high　ground　even　with　me；　who　knows
better；　the　effect　of　it　being　coolly　to　put　me　on　low　ground。　I　admire
you　very　much；　you　are　a　woman　of　strong　head　and　great　talent；　but
the　strongest　head；　and　the　greatest　talent；　can't　rasp　a　man　for　forty
years　without　making　him　sore。　So　I　don't　care　for　your　present　eyes。
Now；　I　am　ing　to　the　paper；　and　mark　what　I　say。　You　put　it　away
somewhere；　and　you　kept　your　own　counsel　where。　You're　an　active　woman
at　that　time；　and　if　you　want　to　get　that　paper；　you　can　get　it。　But；
mark。　There　es　a　time　when　you　are　struck　into　what　you　are　now；　and
then　if　you　want　to　get　that　paper；　you　can't　get　it。　So　it　lies；　long
years；　in　its　hiding…place。　At　last；　when　we　are　expecting　Arthur　home
every　day；　and　when　any　day　may　bring　him　home；　and　it's　impossible　to
say　what　rummaging　he　may　make　about　the　house；　I　remend　you　five
thousand　times；　if　you　can't　get　at　it；　to　let　me　get　at　it；　that　it　may
be　put　in　the　fire。　But　no……no　one　but　you　knows　where　it　is；　and　that's
power；　and；　call　yourself　whatever　humble　names　you　will；　I　call　you　a
female　Lucifer　in　appetite　for　power！　On　a　Sunday　night；　Arthur　es
home。　He　has　not　been　in　this　room　ten　minutes；　when　he　speaks　of　his
father's　watch。　You　know　very　well　that　the　Do　Not　Forget；　at　the　time
when　his　father　sent　that　watch　to　you；　could　only　mean；　the　rest　of　the
story　being　then　all　dead　and　over；　Do　Not　Forget　the　suppression。　Make
restitution！　Arthur's　ways　have　frightened　you　a　bit；　and　the　paper
shall　be　burnt　after　all。　So；　before　that　jumping　jade　and　Jezebel；'　Mr
Flintwinch　grinned　at　his　wife；　'has　got　you　into　bed；　you　at　last　tell
me　where　you　have　put　the　paper；　among　the　old　ledgers　in　the　cellars；
where　Arthur　himself　went　prowling　the　very　next　morning。　But　it's　not
to　be　burnt　on　a　Sunday　night。　No；　you　are　strict；　you　are；　we　must　wait
over　twelve　o'clock；　and　get　into　Monday。　Now；　all　this　is　a　swallowing
of　me　up　alive　that　rasps　me；　so；　feeling　a　little　out　of　temper；　and
not　being　as　strict　as　yourself；　I　take　a　look　at　the　document　before
twelve　o'clock　to　refresh　my　memory　as　to　its　appearance……fold　up　one　of
the　many　yellow　old　papers　in　the　cellars　like　it……and　afterwards；　when
we　have　got　into　Monday　morning；　and　I　have；　by　the　light　of　your
lamp；　to　walk　from　you；　lying　on　that　bed；　to　this　grate；　make　a　little
exchange　like　the　conjuror；　and　burn　accordingly。　My　brother
Ephraim；　the　lunatic…keeper　（I　wish　he　had　had　himself　to　keep　in　a
strait…waistcoat）；　had　had　many　jobs　since　the　close　of　the　long　job　he
got　from　you；　but　had　not　done　well。　His　wife　died　（not　that　that
was　much；　mine　might　have　died　instead；　and　wele）；　he　speculated
unsuccessfully　in　lunatics；　he　got　into　difficulty　about　over…roasting
a　patient　to　bring　him　to　reason；　and　he　got　into　debt。　He　was　going　out
of　the　way；　on　what　he　had　been　able　to　scrape　up；　and　a　trifle　from　me。
He　was　here　that　early　Monday　morning；　waiting　for　the　tide；　in　short；
he　was　going　to　Antwerp；　where　（I　am　afraid　you'll　be　shocked　at
my　saying；　And　be　damned　to　him！）　he　made　the　acquaintance　of　this
gentleman。　He　had　e　a　long　way；　and；　I　thought　then；　was　only　sleepy；
but；　I　suppose　now；　was　drunk。　When　Arthur's　mother　had　been　under
the　care　of　him　and　his　wife；　she　had　been　always　writing；　incessantly
writing；……mostly　letters　of　confession　to　you；　and　Prayers　for
forgiveness。　My　brother　had　handed；　from　time　to　time；　lots　of　these
sheets　to　me。　I　thought　I　might　as　well　keep　them　to　myself　as　have　them
swallowed　up　alive　too；　so　I　kept　them　in　a　box；　looking　over　them　when
I　felt　in　the　humour。　Convinced　that　it　was　advisable　to　get　the　paper
out　of　the　place；　with　Arthur　ing　about　it；　I　put　it　into　this　same
box；　and　I　locked　the　whole　up　with　two　locks；　and　I　trusted　it　to　my
brother　to　take　away　and　keep；　till　I　should　write　about　it。　I　did　write
about　it；　and　never　got　an　answer。　I　didn't　know　what　to　make　of　it；
till　this　gentleman　favoured　us　with　his　first　visit。　Of　course；　I　began
to　suspect　how　it　was；　then；　and　I　don't　want　his　word　for　it　now　to
understand　how　he　gets　his　knowledge　from　my　papers；　and　your　paper；　and
my　brother's　cognac　and　tobacco　talk　（I　wish　he'd　had　to　gag　himself）。
Now；　I　have　only　one　thing　more　to　say；　you　hammer…headed　woman；　and
that　is；　that　I　haven't　altogether　made　up　my　mind　whether　I　might；　or
might　not；　have　ever　given　you　any　trouble　about　the　codicil。　I　think
not；　and　that　I　should　have　been　quite　satisfied　with　knowing　I　had　got
the　better　of　you；　and　that　I　held　the　power　over　you。　In　the　present
state　of　circumstances；　I　have　no　more　explanation　to　give　you　till
this　time　to…morrow　night。　So　you　may　as　well；'　said　Mr　Flintwinch；
terminating　his　oration　with　a　screw；　'keep　your　eyes　open　at　somebody
else；　for　it's　no　use　keeping　'em　open　at　me。'

She　slowly　withdrew　them　when　he　had　ceased；　and　dropped　her　forehead
on　her　hand。　Her　other　hand　pressed　hard　upon　the　table；　and　again　the
curious　stir　was　observable　in　her；　as　if　she　were　going　to　rise。

'This　box　can　never　bring；　elsewhere；　the　price　it　will　bring　here。

This　knowledge　can　never　be　of　the　same　profit　to　you；　sold　to　any　other
person；　as　sold　to　me。　But　I　have　not　the　present　means　of　raising　the
sum　you　have　demanded。　I　have　not　prospered。　What　will　you　take　now；　and
what　at　another　time；　and　how　am　I　to　be　assured　of　your　silence？'

'My　angel；'　said　Rigaud；　'I　have　said　what　I　will　take；　and　time
presses。　Before　ing　here；　I　placed　copies　of　the　most　important　of
these　papers　in　another　hand。　Put　off　the　time　till　the　Marshalsea
gate　shall　be　shut　for　the　night；　and　it　will　be　too　late　to　treat。　The
prisoner　will　have　read　them。'

She　put　her　two　hands　to　her　head　again；　uttered　a　loud　exclamation；　and
started　to　her　feet。　She　staggered　for　a　moment；　as　if　she　would　have
fallen；　then　stood　firm。

'Say　what　you　mean。　Say　what　you　mean；　man！'

Before　her　ghostly　figure；　so　long　unused　to　its　erect　attitude；　and　so
stiffened　in　it；　Rigaud　fell　back　and　dropped　his　voice。　It　was；　to　all
t