little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第4部分

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her　face……nothing　more。　I　have　a　light　hand；　and　if　I　have　been　seen
apparently　to　correct　Madame　Rigaud　in　that　manner；　I　have　done　it
almost　playfully。'

If　the　playfulness　of　Monsieur　Rigaud　were　at　all　expressed　by　his　smile
at　this　point；　the　relations　of　Madame　Rigaud　might　have　said　that
they　would　have　much　preferred　his　correcting　that　unfortunate　woman
seriously。

'I　am　sensitive　and　brave。　I　do　not　advance　it　as　a　merit　to　be
sensitive　and　brave；　but　it　is　my　character。　If　the　male　relations　of
Madame　Rigaud　had　put　themselves　forward　openly；　I　should　have　known　how
to　deal　with　them。　They　knew　that；　and　their　machinations　were　conducted
in　secret；　consequently；　Madame　Rigaud　and　I　were　brought　into　frequent
and　unfortunate　collision。　Even　when　I　wanted　any　little　sum　of　money
for　my　personal　expenses；　I　could　not　obtain　it　without　collision……and
I；　too；　a　man　whose　character　it　is　to　govern！　One　night；　Madame　Rigaud
and　myself　were　walking　amicably……I　may　say　like　lovers……on　a　height
overhanging　the　sea。　An　evil　star　occasioned　Madame　Rigaud　to　advert　to
her　relations；　I　reasoned　with　her　on　that　subject；　and　remonstrated　on
the　want　of　duty　and　devotion　manifested　in　her　allowing　herself　to　be
influenced　by　their　jealous　animosity　towards　her　husband。　Madame　Rigaud
retorted；　I　retorted；　Madame　Rigaud　grew　warm；　I　grew　warm；　and　provoked
her。　I　admit　it。　Frankness　is　a　part　of　my　character。　At　length；　Madame
Rigaud；　in　an　access　of　fury　that　I　must　ever　deplore；　threw　herself
upon　me　with　screams　of　passion　（no　doubt　those　that　were　overheard
at　some　distance）；　tore　my　clothes；　tore　my　hair；　lacerated　my　hands；
trampled　and　trod　the　dust；　and　finally　leaped　over；　dashing　herself　to
death　upon　the　rocks　below。　Such　is　the　train　of　incidents　which
malice　has　perverted　into　my　endeavouring　to　force　from　Madame　Rigaud
a　relinquishment　of　her　rights；　and；　on　her　persistence　in　a　refusal　to
make　the　concession　I　required；　struggling　with　her……assassinating　her！'

He　stepped　aside　to　the　ledge　where　the　vine　leaves　yet　lay　strewn
about；　collected　two　or　three；　and　stood　wiping　his　hands　upon　them；
with　his　back　to　the　light。

'Well；'　he　demanded　after　a　silence；　'have　you　nothing　to　say　to　all
that？'

'It's　ugly；'　returned　the　little　man；　who　had　risen；　and　was　brightening
his　knife　upon　his　shoe；　as　he　leaned　an　arm　against　the　wall。

'What　do　you　mean？'　John　Baptist　polished　his　knife　in　silence。

'Do　you　mean　that　I　have　not　represented　the　case　correctly？'

'Al…tro！'　returned　John　Baptist。　The　word　was　an　apology　now；　and　stood
for　'Oh；　by　no　means！'

'What　then？'

'Presidents　and　tribunals　are　so　prejudiced。'

'Well；'　cried　the　other；　uneasily　flinging　the　end　of　his　cloak　over　his
shoulder　with　an　oath；　'let　them　do　their　worst！'

'Truly　I　think　they　will；'　murmured　John　Baptist　to　himself；　as　he　bent
his　head　to　put　his　knife　in　his　sash。

Nothing　more　was　said　on　either　side；　though　they　both　began　walking
to　and　fro；　and　necessarily　crossed　at　every　turn。　Monsieur　Rigaud
sometimes　stopped；　as　if　he　were　going　to　put　his　case　in　a　new　light；
or　make　some　irate　remonstrance；　but　Signor　Cavalletto　continuing　to
go　slowly　to　and　fro　at　a　grotesque　kind　of　jog…trot　pace　with　his　eyes
turned　downward；　nothing　came　of　these　inclinings。

By…and…by　the　noise　of　the　key　in　the　lock　arrested　them　both。　The　sound
of　voices　succeeded；　and　the　tread　of　feet。　The　door　clashed；　the　voices
and　the　feet　came　on；　and　the　prison…keeper　slowly　ascended　the　stairs；
followed　by　a　guard　of　soldiers。

'Now；　Monsieur　Rigaud；'　said　he；　pausing　for　a　moment　at　the　grate；　with
his　keys　in　his　hands；　'have　the　goodness　to　e　out。'

'I　am　to　depart　in　state；　I　see？'　'Why；　unless　you　did；'　returned　the
jailer；　'you　might　depart　in　so　many　pieces　that　it　would　be　difficult
to　get　you　together　again。　There's　a　crowd；　Monsieur　Rigaud；　and　it
doesn't　love　you。'

He　passed　on　out　of　sight；　and　unlocked　and　unbarred　a　low　door　in　the
corner　of　the　chamber。　'Now；'　said　he；　as　he　opened　it　and　appeared
within；　'e　out。'

There　is　no　sort　of　whiteness　in　all　the　hues　under　the　sun　at　all　like
the　whiteness　of　Monsieur　Rigaud's　face　as　it　was　then。　Neither　is　there
any　expression　of　the　human　countenance　at　all　like　that　expression　in
every　little　line　of　which　the　frightened　heart　is　seen　to　beat。　Both
are　conventionally　pared　with　death；　but　the　difference　is　the　whole
deep　gulf　between　the　struggle　done；　and　the　fight　at　its　most　desperate
extremity。

He　lighted　another　of　his　paper　cigars　at　his　panion's；　put　it
tightly　between　his　teeth；　covered　his　head　with　a　soft　slouched　hat；
threw　the　end　of　his　cloak　over　his　shoulder　again；　and　walked　out　into
the　side　gallery　on　which　the　door　opened；　without　taking　any　further
notice　of　Signor　Cavalletto。　As　to　that　little　man　himself；　his　whole
attention　had　bee　absorbed　in　getting　near　the　door　and　looking　out
at　it。　Precisely　as　a　beast　might　approach　the　opened　gate　of　his　den
and　eye　the　freedom　beyond；　he　passed　those　few　moments　in　watching　and
peering；　until　the　door　was　closed　upon　him。

There　was　an　officer　in　mand　of　the　soldiers；　a　stout；　serviceable；
profoundly　calm　man；　with　his　drawn　sword　in　his　hand；　smoking　a　cigar。
He　very　briefly　directed　the　placing　of　Monsieur　Rigaud　in　the　midst　of
the　party；　put　himself　with　consummate　indifference　at　their　head；　gave
the　word　'march！'　and　so　they　all　went　jingling　down　the　staircase。　The
door　clashed……the　key　turned……and　a　ray　of　unusual　light；　and　a　breath
of　unusual　air；　seemed　to　have　passed　through　the　jail；　vanishing　in　a
tiny　wreath　of　smoke　from　the　cigar。

Still；　in　his　captivity；　like　a　lower　animal……like　some　impatient　ape；
or　roused　bear　of　the　smaller　species……the　prisoner；　now　left　solitary；
had　jumped　upon　the　ledge；　to　lose　no　glimpse　of　this　departure。　As　he
yet　stood　clasping　the　grate　with　both　hands；　an　uproar　broke　upon　his
hearing；　yells；　shrieks；　oaths；　threats；　execrations；　all　prehended
in　it；　though　（as　in　a　storm）　nothing　but　a　raging　swell　of　sound
distinctly　heard。

Excited　into　a　still　greater　resemblance　to　a　caged　wild　animal　by　his
anxiety　to　know　more；　the　prisoner　leaped　nimbly　down；　ran　round　the
chamber；　leaped　nimbly　up　again；　clasped　the　grate　and　tried　to　shake
it；　leaped　down　and　ran；　leaped　up　and　listened；　and　never　rested　until
the　noise；　being　more　and　more　distant；　had　died　away。　How　many
better　prisoners　have　worn　their　noble　hearts　out　so；　no　man　thinking
of　it；　not　even　the　beloved　of　their　souls　realising　it；　great　kings
and　governors；　who　had　made　them　captive；　careering　in　the　sunlight
jauntily；　and　men　cheering　them　on。　Even　the　said　great　personages　dying
in　bed；　making　exemplary　ends　and　sounding　speeches；　and　polite　history；
more　servile　than　their　instruments；　embalming　them！

At　last；　John　Baptist；　now　able　to　choose　his　own　spot　within　the
pass　of　those　walls　for　the　exercise　of　his　faculty　of　going　to　sleep
when　he　would；　lay　down　upon　the　bench；　with　his　face　turned　over　on　his
crossed　arms；　and　slumbered。　In　his　submission；　in　his　lightness；　in　his
good　humour；　in　his　short…lived　passion；　in　his　easy　contentment　with
hard　bread　and　hard　stones；　in　his　ready　sleep；　in　his　fits　and　starts；
altogether　a　true　son　of　the　land　that　gave　him　birth。

The　wide　stare　stared　itself　out　for　one　while；　the　Sun　went　down　in
a　red；　green；　golden　glory；　the　stars　came　out　in　the　heavens；　and　the
fire…flies　mimicked　them　in　the　lower　air；　as　men　may　feebly　imitate
the　goodness　of　a　better　order　of　beings；　the　long　dusty　roads　and　the
interminable　plains　were　in　repose……and　so　deep　a　hush　was　on　the　sea；
that　it　scarcely　whispered　of　the　time　when　it　shall　give　up　its　dead。




CHAPTER　2　Fellow　Travellers


'No　more　of　yesterday's　howling　over　yonder　to…day；　Sir；　is　there？'

'I　have　heard　none。'

'Then　you　may　be　sure　there　is　none。　When　these　people　howl；　they　howl
to　be　heard。'

'Most　people　do；　I　suppose。'

'Ah！　but　these　people　are　always　howling。　Never　happy　otherwise。'

'Do　you　mean　the　Marseilles　people？'

'I　mean　the　French　people。　They're　always　at　it。　As　to　Marseilles；　we
know　what　Marseilles　is。　It　sent　the　most　insurrectionary　tune　into　the
world　that　was　ever　posed。　It　couldn't　exist　without　allonging　and
marshonging　to　something　or　other……victory　or　death；　or　blazes；　or
something。'

The　speaker；　with　a　whimsical　good　humour　upon　him　all　the　time；　looked
over　the　parapet…wall　with　the　greatest　disparagement　of　Marseilles；　and
taking　up　a　determined　position　by　putting　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and
rattling　his　money　at　it；　apostrophised　it　with　a　short　laugh。

'Allong　and　marshong；　indeed。　It　would　be　more　creditable　to　you；
I　think；　to　let　other　people　allong　and　marshong　about　their　lawful
business；　instead　of　shutting　'em　up　in　quarantine！'

'Tiresome　enough；'　said　the　other。　'But　we　shall　be　out　to…day。'

'Out　to…day！'　repeated　the　first。　'It's　almost　an　aggravation　of　the
enormity；　that　we　shall　be　out　to…day。　Out！　What　have　we　ever　been　in
for？'

'For　no　very　strong　reason；　I　must　say。　But　as　we　e　from　the　East；
and　as　the　East　is　the　country　of　the　plague……'

'The　plague！'　repeated　the　other。　'That's　my　grievance。　I　have　had　the
plague　continually；　ever　since　I　have　been　here。　I　am　like　a　sane　man
shut　up　in　a　madhouse；　I　can't　stand　the　suspicion　of　the　thing。　I　came
here　as　well　as　ever　I　was　in　my　life；　but　to　suspect　me　of　the　plague
is　to　give　me　the　plague。　And　I　have　had　it……and　I　have　got　it。'

'You　bear　it　very　well；　Mr　Meagles；'　said　the　second　speaker；　smiling。

'No。　If　you　knew　the　real　state　of　the　case；　that's　the　last　observation
you　would　think　of　making。　I　have　been　waking　up　night　after　night；　and
saying；　NOW　I　have　got　it；　NOW　it　has　developed　itself；　NOW　I　am　in　for
it；　NOW　these　fellows　are　making　out　their　case　for　their　precautions。
Why；　I'd　as　soon　have　a　spit　put　through　me；　and　be　stuck　upon　a　card　in
a　collection　of　beetles；　as　lead　the　life　I　have　been　leading　here。'

'Well；　Mr　Meagles；　say　no　more　about　it　now　it's　over；'　urged　a　cheerful
feminine　voice。

'Over！'　repeated　Mr