little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第2部分

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obtrusive　stare　blinked　at　it；　and　left　it　to　such　refuse　of　reflected
light　as　it　could　find　for　itself；　were　two　men。　Besides　the　two　men；
a　notched　and　disfigured　bench；　immovable　from　the　wall；　with　a
draught…board　rudely　hacked　upon　it　with　a　knife；　a　set　of　draughts；
made　of　old　buttons　and　soup　bones；　a　set　of　dominoes；　two　mats；　and　two
or　three　wine　bottles。　That　was　all　the　chamber　held；　exclusive　of　rats
and　other　unseen　vermin；　in　addition　to　the　seen　vermin；　the　two　men。

It　received　such　light　as　it　got　through　a　grating　of　iron　bars
fashioned　like　a　pretty　large　window；　by　means　of　which　it　could　be
always　inspected　from　the　gloomy　staircase　on　which　the　grating　gave。
There　was　a　broad　strong　ledge　of　stone　to　this　grating　where　the　bottom
of　it　was　let　into　the　masonry；　three　or　four　feet　above　the　ground。
Upon　it；　one　of　the　two　men　lolled；　half　sitting　and　half　lying；　with
his　knees　drawn　up；　and　his　feet　and　shoulders　planted　against　the
opposite　sides　of　the　aperture。　The　bars　were　wide　enough　apart　to
admit　of　his　thrusting　his　arm　through　to　the　elbow；　and　so　he　held　on
negligently；　for　his　greater　ease。

A　prison　taint　was　on　everything　there。　The　imprisoned　air；　the
imprisoned　light；　the　imprisoned　damps；　the　imprisoned　men；　were　all
deteriorated　by　confinement。　As　the　captive　men　were　faded　and　haggard；
so　the　iron　was　rusty；　the　stone　was　slimy；　the　wood　was　rotten；　the　air
was　faint；　the　light　was　dim。　Like　a　well；　like　a　vault；　like　a　tomb；
the　prison　had　no　knowledge　of　the　brightness　outside；　and　would　have
kept　its　polluted　atmosphere　intact　in　one　of　the　spice　islands　of　the
Indian　ocean。

The　man　who　lay　on　the　ledge　of　the　grating　was　even　chilled。　He　jerked
his　great　cloak　more　heavily　upon　him　by　an　impatient　movement　of　one
shoulder；　and　growled；　'To　the　devil　with　this　Brigand　of　a　Sun　that
never　shines　in　here！'

He　was　waiting　to　be　fed；　looking　sideways　through　the　bars　that　he
might　see　the　further　down　the　stairs；　with　much　of　the　expression　of
a　wild　beast　in　similar　expectation。　But　his　eyes；　too　close　together；
were　not　so　nobly　set　in　his　head　as　those　of　the　king　of　beasts　are　in
his；　and　they　were　sharp　rather　than　bright……pointed　weapons　with　little
surface　to　betray　them。　They　had　no　depth　or　change；　they　glittered；
and　they　opened　and　shut。　So　far；　and　waiving　their　use　to　himself；　a
clockmaker　could　have　made　a　better　pair。　He　had　a　hook　nose；　handsome
after　its　kind；　but　too　high　between　the　eyes　by　probably　just　as　much
as　his　eyes　were　too　near　to　one　another。　For　the　rest；　he　was　large　and
tall　in　frame；　had　thin　lips；　where　his　thick　moustache　showed　them　at
all；　and　a　quantity　of　dry　hair；　of　no　definable　colour；　in　its　shaggy
state；　but　shot　with　red。　The　hand　with　which　he　held　the　grating
（seamed　all　over　the　back　with　ugly　scratches　newly　healed）；　was
unusually　small　and　plump；　would　have　been　unusually　white　but　for　the
prison　grime。　The　other　man　was　lying　on　the　stone　floor；　covered　with　a
coarse　brown　coat。

'Get　up；　pig！'　growled　the　first。　'Don't　sleep　when　I　am　hungry。'

'It's　all　one；　master；'　said　the　pig；　in　a　submissive　manner；　and　not
without　cheerfulness；　'I　can　wake　when　I　will；　I　can　sleep　when　I　will。
It's　all　the　same。'

As　he　said　it；　he　rose；　shook　himself；　scratched　himself；　tied　his　brown
coat　loosely　round　his　neck　by　the　sleeves　（he　had　previously　used　it
as　a　coverlet）；　and　sat　down　upon　the　pavement　yawning；　with　his　back
against　the　wall　opposite　to　the　grating。

'Say　what　the　hour　is；'　grumbled　the　first　man。

'The　mid…day　bells　will　ring……in　forty　minutes。'　When　he　made　the
little　pause；　he　had　looked　round　the　prison…room；　as　if　for　certain
information。

'You　are　a　clock。　How　is　it　that　you　always　know？'

'How　can　I　say？　I　always　know　what　the　hour　is；　and　where　I　am。　I　was
brought　in　here　at　night；　and　out　of　a　boat；　but　I　know　where　I　am。　See
here！　Marseilles　harbour；'　on　his　knees　on　the　pavement；　mapping　it　all
out　with　a　swarthy　forefinger；　'Toulon　（where　the　galleys　are）；　Spain
over　there；　Algiers　over　there。　Creeping　away　to　the　left　here；　Nice。
Round　by　the　Cornice　to　Genoa。　Genoa　Mole　and　Harbour。　Quarantine
Ground。　City　there；　terrace　gardens　blushing　with　the　bella　donna。　Here；
Porto　Fino。　Stand　out　for　Leghorn。　Out　again　for　Civita　Vecchia；　so　away
to……hey！　there's　no　room　for　Naples；'　he　had　got　to　the　wall　by　this
time；　'but　it's　all　one；　it's　in　there！'

He　remained　on　his　knees；　looking　up　at　his　fellow…prisoner　with　a
lively　look　for　a　prison。　A　sunburnt；　quick；　lithe；　little　man；　though
rather　thickset。　Earrings　in　his　brown　ears；　white　teeth　lighting　up　his
grotesque　brown　face；　intensely　black　hair　clustering　about　his　brown
throat；　a　ragged　red　shirt　open　at　his　brown　breast。　Loose；　seaman…like
trousers；　decent　shoes；　a　long　red　cap；　a　red　sash　round　his　waist；　and
a　knife　in　it。

'Judge　if　I　e　back　from　Naples　as　I　went！　See　here；　my　master！　Civita
Vecchia；　Leghorn；　Porto　Fino；　Genoa；　Cornice；　Off　Nice　（which　is　in
there）；　Marseilles；　you　and　me。　The　apartment　of　the　jailer　and　his　keys
is　where　I　put　this　thumb；　and　here　at　my　wrist　they　keep　the　national
razor　in　its　case……the　guillotine　locked　up。'

The　other　man　spat　suddenly　on　the　pavement；　and　gurgled　in　his　throat。

Some　lock　below　gurgled　in　its　throat　immediately　afterwards；　and　then
a　door　crashed。　Slow　steps　began　ascending　the　stairs；　the　prattle　of
a　sweet　little　voice　mingled　with　the　noise　they　made；　and　the
prison…keeper　appeared　carrying　his　daughter；　three　or　four　years　old；
and　a　basket。

'How　goes　the　world　this　forenoon；　gentlemen？　My　little　one；　you　see；
going　round　with　me　to　have　a　peep　at　her　father's　birds。　Fie；　then！
Look　at　the　birds；　my　pretty；　look　at　the　birds。'

He　looked　sharply　at　the　birds　himself；　as　he　held　the　child　up　at
the　grate；　especially　at　the　little　bird；　whose　activity　he　seemed　to
mistrust。　'I　have　brought　your　bread；　Signor　John　Baptist；'　said　he
（they　all　spoke　in　French；　but　the　little　man　was　an　Italian）；　'and　if　I
might　remend　you　not　to　game……'

'You　don't　remend　the　master！'　said　John　Baptist；　showing　his　teeth
as　he　smiled。

'Oh！　but　the　master　wins；'　returned　the　jailer；　with　a　passing　look　of
no　particular　liking　at　the　other　man；　'and　you　lose。　It's　quite　another
thing。　You　get　husky　bread　and　sour　drink　by　it；　and　he　gets　sausage　of
Lyons；　veal　in　savoury　jelly；　white　bread；　strachino　cheese；　and　good
wine　by　it。　Look　at　the　birds；　my　pretty！'

'Poor　birds！'　said　the　child。

The　fair　little　face；　touched　with　divine　passion；　as　it　peeped
shrinkingly　through　the　grate；　was　like　an　angel's　in　the　prison。　John
Baptist　rose　and　moved　towards　it；　as　if　it　had　a　good　attraction　for
him。　The　other　bird　remained　as　before；　except　for　an　impatient　glance
at　the　basket。

'Stay！'　said　the　jailer；　putting　his　little　daughter　on　the　outer　ledge
of　the　grate；　'she　shall　feed　the　birds。　This　big　loaf　is　for　Signor
John　Baptist。　We　must　break　it　to　get　it　through　into　the　cage。　So；
there's　a　tame　bird　to　kiss　the　little　hand！　This　sausage　in　a　vine
leaf　is　for　Monsieur　Rigaud。　Again……this　veal　in　savoury　jelly　is　for
Monsieur　Rigaud。　Again……these　three　white　little　loaves　are　for　Monsieur
Rigaud。　Again；　this　cheese……again；　this　wine……again；　this　tobacco……all
for　Monsieur　Rigaud。　Lucky　bird！'

The　child　put　all　these　things　between　the　bars　into　the　soft；　Smooth；
well…shaped　hand；　with　evident　dread……more　than　once　drawing　back
her　own　and　looking　at　the　man　with　her　fair　brow　roughened　into　an
expression　half　of　fright　and　half　of　anger。　Whereas　she　had　put　the
lump　of　coarse　bread　into　the　swart；　scaled；　knotted　hands　of　John
Baptist　（who　had　scarcely　as　much　nail　on　his　eight　fingers　and　two
thumbs　as　would　have　made　out　one　for　Monsieur　Rigaud）；　with　ready
confidence；　and；　when　he　kissed　her　hand；　had　herself　passed　it
caressingly　over　his　face。　Monsieur　Rigaud；　indifferent　to　this
distinction；　propitiated　the　father　by　laughing　and　nodding　at　the
daughter　as　often　as　she　gave　him　anything；　and；　so　soon　as　he　had
all　his　viands　about　him　in　convenient　nooks　of　the　ledge　on　which　he
rested；　began　to　eat　with　an　appetite。

When　Monsieur　Rigaud　laughed；　a　change　took　place　in　his　face；　that
was　more　remarkable　than　prepossessing。　His　moustache　went　up　under　his
nose；　and　his　nose　came　down　over　his　moustache；　in　a　very　sinister　and
cruel　manner。

'There！'　said　the　jailer；　turning　his　basket　upside　down　to　beat　the
crumbs　out；　'I　have　expended　all　the　money　I　received；　here　is　the　note
of　it；　and　that's　a　thing　acplished。　Monsieur　Rigaud；　as　I　expected
yesterday；　the　President　will　look　for　the　pleasure　of　your　society　at
an　hour　after　mid…day；　to…day。'


'To　try　me；　eh？'　said　Rigaud；　pausing；　knife　in　hand　and　morsel　in
mouth。

'You　have　said　it。　To　try　you。'

'There　is　no　news　for　me？'　asked　John　Baptist；　who　had　begun；
contentedly；　to　munch　his　bread。

The　jailer　shrugged　his　shoulders。

'Lady　of　mine！　Am　I　to　lie　here　all　my　life；　my　father？'

'What　do　I　know！'　cried　the　jailer；　turning　upon　him　with　southern
quickness；　and　gesticulating　with　both　his　hands　and　all　his　fingers；
as　if　he　were　threatening　to　tear　him　to　pieces。　'My　friend；　how　is　it
possible　for　me　to　tell　how　long　you　are　to　lie　here？　What　do　I　know；
John　Baptist　Cavalletto？　Death　of　my　life！　There　are　prisoners　here
sometimes；　who　are　not　in　such　a　devil　of　a　hurry　to　be　tried。'　He
seemed　to　glance　obliquely　at　Monsieur　Rigaud　in　this　remark；　but
Monsieur　Rigaud　had　already　resumed　his　meal；　though　not　with　quite　so
quick　an　appetite　as　before。

'Adieu；　my　birds！'　said　the　keeper　of　the　prison；　taking　his　pretty
child　in　his　arms；　and　dictating　the　words　with　a　kiss。

'Adieu；　my　birds！'　the　pretty　child　repeated。

Her　innocent　face　looked　back　so　brightly　over　his　shoulder；　as　he
walked　away　with　her；　singing　her　the　song　of　the　child's　game：

　　　　　'Who　passes　by　this　road　so　late？
　　　　　　　　　　pagnon　de　la　Majolaine！
　　　　　Who　passes　by　this　road　so　late？
　　　　　　　　　　Always　gay！'

that　John　Baptist　felt　it　a　point　of　honour　to　reply　at　the　grate；　and
in　good　time　and　tune；　t