little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第41部分

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upon　it。　One　of　our　curiosities　mustn't　be　cold　when　we　have　it　in　our
power　to　warm　her　up　fortable。　e　along。'

He　was　a　very　good　old　fellow；　in　his　familiar　way；　and　having　stirred
the　vestry　fire；　he　looked　round　the　shelves　of　registers　for　a
particular　volume。　'Here　you　are；　you　see；'　he　said；　taking　it　down　and
turning　the　leaves。　'Here　you'll　find　yourself；　as　large　as　life。　Amy；
daughter　of　William　and　Fanny　Dorrit。　Born；　Marshalsea　Prison；　Parish　of
St　George。　And　we　tell　people　that　you　have　lived　there；　without　so　much
as　a　day's　or　a　night's　absence；　ever　since。　Is　it　true？'

'Quite　true；　till　last　night。'　'Lord！'　But　his　surveying　her　with　an
admiring　gaze　suggested　Something　else　to　him；　to　wit：　'I　am　sorry　to
see；　though；　that　you　are　faint　and　tired。　Stay　a　bit。　I'll　get　some
cushions　out　of　the　church；　and　you　and　your　friend　shall　lie　down
before　the　fire。

Don't　be　afraid　of　not　going　in　to　join　your　father　when　the　gate　opens。
I'll　call　you。'

He　soon　brought　in　the　cushions；　and　strewed　them　on　the　ground。

'There　you　are；　you　see。　Again　as　large　as　life。　Oh；　never　mind
thanking。　I've　daughters　of　my　own。　And　though　they　weren't　born　in　the
Marshalsea　Prison；　they　might　have　been；　if　I　had　been；　in　my　ways　of
carrying　on；　of　your　father's　breed。　Stop　a　bit。　I　must　put　something
under　the　cushion　for　your　head。　Here's　a　burial　volume；　just　the
thing！　We　have　got　Mrs　Bangham　in　this　book。　But　what　makes　these　books
interesting　to　most　people　is……not　who's　in　'em；　but　who　isn't……who's
ing；　you　know；　and　when。　That's　the　interesting　question。'

mendingly　looking　back　at　the　pillow　he　had　improvised；　he　left　them
to　their　hour's　repose。　Maggy　was　snoring　already；　and　Little　Dorrit
was　soon　fast　asleep　with　her　head　resting　on　that　sealed　book　of　Fate；
untroubled　by　its　mysterious　blank　leaves。

This　was　Little　Dorrit's　party。　The　shame；　desertion；　wretchedness；　and
exposure　of　the　great　capital；　the　wet；　the　cold；　the　slow　hours；　and
the　swift　clouds　of　the　dismal　night。　This　was　the　party　from　which
Little　Dorrit　went　home；　jaded；　in　the　first　grey　mist　of　a　rainy
morning。




CHAPTER　15。　Mrs　Flintwinch　has　another　Dream


The　debilitated　old　house　in　the　city；　wrapped　in　its　mantle　of　soot；
and　leaning　heavily　on　the　crutches　that　had　partaken　of　its　decay　and
worn　out　with　it；　never　knew　a　healthy　or　a　cheerful　interval；　let　what
would　betide。　If　the　sun　ever　touched　it；　it　was　but　with　a　ray；　and
that　was　gone　in　half　an　hour；　if　the　moonlight　ever　fell　upon　it；　it
was　only　to　put　a　few　patches　on　its　doleful　cloak；　and　make　it　look
more　wretched。　The　stars；　to　be　sure；　coldly　watched　it　when　the　nights
and　the　smoke　were　clear　enough；　and　all　bad　weather　stood　by　it　with
a　rare　fidelity。　You　should　alike　find　rain；　hail；　frost；　and　thaw
lingering　in　that　dismal　enclosure　when　they　had　vanished　from　other
places；　and　as　to　snow；　you　should　see　it　there　for　weeks；　long　after
it　had　changed　from　yellow　to　black；　slowly　weeping　away　its　grimy　life。
The　place　had　no　other　adherents。　As　to　street　noises；　the　rumbling　of
wheels　in　the　lane　merely　rushed　in　at　the　gateway　in　going　past；　and
rushed　out　again：　making　the　listening　Mistress　Affery　feel　as　if　she
were　deaf；　and　recovered　the　sense　of　hearing　by　instantaneous　flashes。
So　with　whistling；　singing；　talking；　laughing；　and　all　pleasant　human
sounds。　They　leaped　the　gap　in　a　moment；　and　went　upon　their　way。　The
varying　light　of　fire　and　candle　in　Mrs　Clennam's　room　made　the　greatest
change　that　ever　broke　the　dead　monotony　of　the　spot。　In　her　two　long
narrow　windows；　the　fire　shone　sullenly　all　day；　and　sullenly　all　night。
On　rare　occasions　it　flashed　up　passionately；　as　she　did；　but　for　the
most　part　it　was　suppressed；　like　her；　and　preyed　upon　itself　evenly　and
slowly。　During　many　hours　of　the　short　winter　days；　however；　when　it　was
dusk　there　early　in　the　afternoon；　changing　distortions　of　herself
in　her　wheeled　chair；　of　Mr　Flintwinch　with　his　wry　neck；　of　Mistress
Affery　ing　and　going；　would　be　thrown　upon　the　house　wall　that　was
over　the　gateway；　and　would　hover　there　like　shadows　from　a　great　magic
lantern。　As　the　room…ridden　invalid　settled　for　the　night；　these　would
gradually　disappear：　Mistress　Affery's　magnified　shadow　always　flitting
about；　last；　until　it　finally　glided　away　into　the　air；　as　though　she
were　off　upon　a　witch　excursion。　Then　the　solitary　light　would　burn
unchangingly；　until　it　burned　pale　before　the　dawn；　and　at　last　died
under　the　breath　of　Mrs　Affery；　as　her　shadow　descended　on　it　from　the
witch…region　of　sleep。

Strange；　if　the　little　sick…room　fire　were　in　effect　a　beacon　fire；
summoning　some　one；　and　that　the　most　unlikely　some　one　in　the　world；
to　the　spot　that　MUST　be　e　to。　Strange；　if　the　little　sick…room　light
were　in　effect　a　watch…light；　burning　in　that　place　every　night　until
an　appointed　event　should　be　watched　out！　Which　of　the　vast　multitude
of　travellers；　under　the　sun　and　the　stars；　climbing　the　dusty　hills
and　toiling　along　the　weary　plains；　journeying　by　land　and　journeying　by
sea；　ing　and　going　so　strangely；　to　meet　and　to　act　and　react　on　one
another；　which　of　the　host　may；　with　no　suspicion　of　the　journey's　end；
be　travelling　surely　hither？

Time　shall　show　us。　The　post　of　honour　and　the　post　of　shame；　the
general's　station　and　the　drummer's；　a　peer's　statue　in　Westminster
Abbey　and　a　seaman's　hammock　in　the　bosom　of　the　deep；　the　mitre　and
the　workhouse；　the　woolsack　and　the　gallows；　the　throne　and　the
guillotine……the　travellers　to　all　are　on　the　great　high　road；　but　it
has　wonderful　divergencies；　and　only　Time　shall　show　us　whither　each
traveller　is　bound。

On　a　wintry　afternoon　at　twilight；　Mrs　Flintwinch；　having　been　heavy　all
day；　dreamed　this　dream：

She　thought　she　was　in　the　kitchen　getting　the　kettle　ready　for　tea；　and
was　warming　herself　with　her　feet　upon　the　fender　and　the　skirt　of　her
gown　tucked　up；　before　the　collapsed　fire　in　the　middle　of　the　grate；
bordered　on　either　hand　by　a　deep　cold　black　ravine。　She　thought　that
as　she　sat　thus；　musing　upon　the　question　whether　life　was　not　for　some
people　a　rather　dull　invention；　she　was　frightened　by　a　sudden　noise
behind　her。　She　thought　that　she　had　been　similarly　frightened　once　last
week；　and　that　the　noise　was　of　a　mysterious　kind……a　sound　of　rustling
and　of　three　or　four　quick　beats　like　a　rapid　step；　while　a　shock　or
tremble　was　municated　to　her　heart；　as　if　the　step　had　shaken　the
floor；　or　even　as　if　she　had　been　touched　by　some　awful　hand。　She
thought　that　this　revived　within　her　certain　old　fears　of　hers　that
the　house　was　haunted；　and　that　she　flew　up　the　kitchen　stairs　without
knowing　how　she　got　up；　to　be　nearer　pany。

Mistress　Affery　thought　that　on　reaching　the　hall；　she　saw　the　door　of
her　liege　lord's　office　standing　open；　and　the　room　empty。　That　she　went
to　the　ripped…up　window　in　the　little　room　by　the　street　door　to　connect
her　palpitating　heart；　through　the　glass；　with　living　things　beyond
and　outside　the　haunted　house。　That　she　then　saw；　on　the　wall　over　the
gateway；　the　shadows　of　the　two　clever　ones　in　conversation　above。　That
she　then　went　upstairs　with　her　shoes　in　her　hand；　partly　to　be　near
the　clever　ones　as　a　match　for　most　ghosts；　and　partly　to　hear　what　they
were　talking　about。

'None　of　your　nonsense　with　me；'　said　Mr　Flintwinch。　'I　won't　take　it
from　you。'

Mrs　Flintwinch　dreamed　that　she　stood　behind　the　door；　which　was　just
ajar；　and　most　distinctly　heard　her　husband　say　these　bold　words。

'Flintwinch；'　returned　Mrs　Clennam；　in　her　usual　strong　low　voice；
'there　is　a　demon　of　anger　in　you。　Guard　against　it。'

'I　don't　care　whether　there's　one　or　a　dozen；'　said　Mr　Flintwinch；
forcibly　suggesting　in　his　tone　that　the　higher　number　was　nearer　the
mark。　'If　there　was　fifty；　they　should　all　say；　None　of　your　nonsense
with　me；　I　won't　take　it　from　you……I'd　make　'em　say　it；　whether　they
liked　it　or　not。'

'What　have　I　done；　you　wrathful　man？'　her　strong　voice　asked。

'Done？'　said　Mr　Flintwinch。　'Dropped　down　upon　me。'

'If　you　mean；　remonstrated　with　you……'

'Don't　put　words　into　my　mouth　that　I　don't　mean；'　said　Jeremiah；
sticking　to　his　figurative　expression　with　tenacious　and　imperable
obstinacy：　'I　mean　dropped　down　upon　me。'

'I　remonstrated　with　you；'　she　began　again；　'because……'

'I　won't　have　it！'　cried　Jeremiah。　'You　dropped　down　upon　me。'

'I　dropped　down　upon　you；　then；　you　ill…conditioned　man；'　（Jeremiah
chuckled　at　having　forced　her　to　adopt　his　phrase；）　'for　having　been
needlessly　significant　to　Arthur　that　morning。　I　have　a　right　to
plain　of　it　as　almost　a　breach　of　confidence。　You　did　not　mean　it……'

'I　won't　have　it！'　interposed　the　contradictory　Jeremiah；　flinging　back
the　concession。　'I　did　mean　it。'

'I　suppose　I　must　leave　you　to　speak　in　soliloquy　if　you　choose；'　she
replied；　after　a　pause　that　seemed　an　angry　one。　'It　is　useless　my
addressing　myself　to　a　rash　and　headstrong　old　man　who　has　a　set　purpose
not　to　hear　me。'

'Now；　I　won't　take　that　from　you　either；'　said　Jeremiah。　'I　have　no　such
purpose。　I　have　told　you　I　did　mean　it。　Do　you　wish　to　know　why　I　meant
it；　you　rash　and　headstrong　old　woman？'

'After　all；　you　only　restore　me　my　own　words；'　she　said；　struggling　with
her　indignation。　'Yes。'

'This　is　why；　then。　Because　you　hadn't　cleared　his　father　to　him；　and
you　ought　to　have　done　it。　Because；　before　you　went　into　any　tantrum
about　yourself；　who　are……'

'Hold　there；　Flintwinch！'　she　cried　out　in　a　changed　voice：　'you　may　go
a　word　too　far。'

The　old　man　seemed　to　think　so。　There　was　another　pause；　and　he　had
altered　his　position　in　the　room；　when　he　spoke　again　more　mildly：

'I　was　going　to　tell　you　why　it　was。　Because；　before　you　took　your　own
part；　I　thought　you　ought　to　have　taken　the　part　of　Arthur's　father。
Arthur's　father！　I　had　no　particular　love　for　Arthur's　father。　I　served
Arthur's　father's　uncle；　in　this　house；　when　Arthur's　father　was　not
much　above　me……was　poorer　as　far　as　his　pocket　went……and　when　his　uncle
might　as　soon　have　left　me　his　heir　as　have　left　him。　He　starved　in　the
parlour；　and　I　starv