little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第44部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


relieve　him　of　a　portion　of　its　anxieties？

'No；'　he　returned；　'not　at　present。　I　had　when　I　first　entered　on　it；
and　a　good　man　he　was。　But　he　has　been　dead　some　years；　and　as　I　could
not　easily　take　to　the　notion　of　another　when　I　lost　him；　I　bought
his　share　for　myself　and　have　gone　on　by　myself　ever　since。　And　here's
another　thing；'　he　said；　stopping　for　a　moment　with　a　good…humoured
laugh　in　his　eyes；　and　laying　his　closed　right　hand；　with　its　peculiar
suppleness　of　thumb；　on　Clennam's　arm；　'no　inventor　can　be　a　man　of
business；　you　know。'

'No？'　said　Clennam。

'Why；　so　the　men　of　business　say；'　he　answered；　resuming　the　walk　and
laughing　outright。　'I　don't　know　why　we　unfortunate　creatures　should
be　supposed　to　want　mon　sense；　but　it　is　generally　taken　for　granted
that　we　do。　Even　the　best　friend　I　have　in　the　world；　our　excellent
friend　over　yonder；'　said　Doyce；　nodding　towards　Twickenham；　'extends
a　sort　of　protection　to　me；　don't　you　know；　as　a　man　not　quite　able　to
take　care　of　himself？'

Arthur　Clennam　could　not　help　joining　in　the　good…humoured　laugh；　for　he
recognised　the　truth　of　the　description。

'So　I　find　that　I　must　have　a　partner　who　is　a　man　of　business　and　not
guilty　of　any　inventions；'　said　Daniel　Doyce；　taking　off　his　hat　to　pass
his　hand　over　his　forehead；　'if　it's　only　in　deference　to　the　current
opinion；　and　to　uphold　the　credit　of　the　Works。　I　don't　think　he'll　find
that　I　have　been　very　remiss　or　confused　in　my　way　of　conducting　them；
but　that's　for　him　to　say……whoever　he　is……not　for　me。'　'You　have　not
chosen　him　yet；　then？'

'No；　sir；　no。　I　have　only　just　e　to　a　decision　to　take　one。　The　fact
is；　there's　more　to　do　than　there　used　to　be；　and　the　Works　are　enough
for　me　as　I　grow　older。　What　with　the　books　and　correspondence；　and
foreign　journeys　for　which　a　Principal　is　necessary；　I　can't　do　all。　I
am　going　to　talk　over　the　best　way　of　negotiating　the　matter；　if　I　find
a　spare　half…hour　between　this　and　Monday　morning；　with　my……my　Nurse　and
protector；'　said　Doyce；　with　laughing　eyes　again。　'He　is　a　sagacious　man
in　business；　and　has　had　a　good　apprenticeship　to　it。'

After　this；　they　conversed　on　different　subjects　until　they　arrived　at
their　journey's　end。　A　posed　and　unobtrusive　self…sustainment　was
noticeable　in　Daniel　Doyce……a　calm　knowledge　that　what　was　true　must
remain　true；　in　spite　of　all　the　Barnacles　in　the　family　ocean；　and
would　be　just　the　truth；　and　neither　more　nor　less　when　even　that　sea
had　run　dry……which　had　a　kind　of　greatness　in　it；　though　not　of　the
official　quality。

As　he　knew　the　house　well；　he　conducted　Arthur　to　it　by　the　way　that
showed　it　to　the　best　advantage。　It　was　a　charming　place　（none　the　worse
for　being　a　little　eccentric）；　on　the　road　by　the　river；　and　just　what
the　residence　of　the　Meagles　family　ought　to　be。　It　stood　in　a　garden；
no　doubt　as　fresh　and　beautiful　in　the　May　of　the　Year　as　Pet　now　was
in　the　May　of　her　life；　and　it　was　defended　by　a　goodly　show　of　handsome
trees　and　spreading　evergreens；　as　Pet　was　by　Mr　and　Mrs　Meagles。　It
was　made　out　of　an　old　brick　house；　of　which　a　part　had　been　altogether
pulled　down；　and　another　part　had　been　changed　into　the　present　cottage；
so　there　was　a　hale　elderly　portion；　to　represent　Mr　and　Mrs　Meagles；
and　a　young　picturesque；　very　pretty　portion　to　represent　Pet。　There　was
even　the　later　addition　of　a　conservatory　sheltering　itself　against　it；
uncertain　of　hue　in　its　deep…stained　glass；　and　in　its　more　transparent
portions　flashing　to　the　sun's　rays；　now　like　fire　and　now　like　harmless
water　drops；　which　might　have　stood　for　Tattycoram。　Within　view　was
the　peaceful　river　and　the　ferry…boat；　to　moralise　to　all　the　inmates
saying：　Young　or　old；　passionate　or　tranquil；　chafing　or　content；　you；
thus　runs　the　current　always。　Let　the　heart　swell　into　what　discord　it
will；　thus　plays　the　rippling　water　on　the　prow　of　the　ferry…boat　ever
the　same　tune。　Year　after　year；　so　much　allowance　for　the　drifting　of
the　boat；　so　many　miles　an　hour　the　flowing　of　the　stream；　here　the
rushes；　there　the　lilies；　nothing　uncertain　or　unquiet；　upon　this　road
that　steadily　runs　away；　while　you；　upon　your　flowing　road　of　time；　are
so　capricious　and　distracted。

The　bell　at　the　gate　had　scarcely　sounded　when　Mr　Meagles　came　out　to
receive　them。　Mr　Meagles　had　scarcely　e　out；　when　Mrs　Meagles　came
out。　Mrs　Meagles　had　scarcely　e　out；　when　Pet　came　out。　Pet　scarcely
had　e　out；　when　Tattycoram　came　out。　Never　had　visitors　a　more
hospitable　reception。

'Here　we　are；　you　see；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'boxed　up；　Mr　Clennam；　within
our　own　home…limits；　as　if　we　were　never　going　to　expand……that　is；
travel……again。　Not　like　Marseilles；　eh？　No　allonging　and　marshonging
here！'

'A　different　kind　of　beauty；　indeed！'　said　Clennam；　looking　about　him。

'But；　Lord　bless　me！'　cried　Mr　Meagles；　rubbing　his　hands　with　a　relish；
'it　was　an　unmonly　pleasant　thing　being　in　quarantine；　wasn't　it？
Do　you　know；　I　have　often　wished　myself　back　again？　We　were　a　capital
party。'

This　was　Mr　Meagles's　invariable　habit。　Always　to　object　to　everything
while　he　was　travelling；　and　always　to　want　to　get　back　to　it　when　he
was　not　travelling。

'If　it　was　summer…time；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'which　I　wish　it　was　on　your
account；　and　in　order　that　you　might　see　the　place　at　its　best；　you
would　hardly　be　able　to　hear　yourself　speak　for　birds。　Being　practical
people；　we　never　allow　anybody　to　scare　the　birds；　and　the　birds；　being
practical　people　too；　e　about　us　in　myriads。　We　are　delighted　to　see
you；　Clennam　（if　you'll　allow　me；　I　shall　drop　the　Mister）；　I　heartily
assure　you；　we　are　delighted。'

'I　have　not　had　so　pleasant　a　greeting；'　said　Clennam……then　he　recalled
what　Little　Dorrit　had　said　to　him　in　his　own　room；　and　faithfully
added　'except　once……since　we　last　walked　to　and　fro；　looking　down　at　the
Mediterranean。'

'Ah！'　returned　Mr　Meagles。　'Something　like　a　look　out；　that　was；　wasn't
it？　I　don't　want　a　military　government；　but　I　shouldn't　mind　a　little
allonging　and　marshonging……just　a　dash　of　it……in　this　neighbourhood
sometimes。　It's　Devilish　still。'

Bestowing　this　eulogium　on　the　retired　character　of　his　retreat　with　a
dubious　shake　of　the　head；　Mr　Meagles　led　the　way　into　the　house。　It　was
just　large　enough；　and　no　more；　was　as　pretty　within　as　it　was　without；
and　was　perfectly　well…arranged　and　fortable。

Some　traces　of　the　migratory　habits　of　the　family　were　to　be　observed
in　the　covered　frames　and　furniture；　and　wrapped…up　hangings；　but　it　was
easy　to　see　that　it　was　one　of　Mr　Meagles's　whims　to　have　the　cottage
always　kept；　in　their　absence；　as　if　they　were　always　ing　back　the
day　after　to…morrow。　Of　articles　collected　on　his　various　expeditions；
there　was　such　a　vast　miscellany　that　it　was　like　the　dwelling　of　an
amiable　Corsair。　There　　Central　Italy；　made　by　the
best　modern　houses　in　that　department　of　industry；　bits　of　mummy　from
Egypt　（and　perhaps　Birmingham）；　model　gondolas　from　Venice；　model
villages　from　Switzerland；　morsels　of　tesselated　pavement　from
Herculaneum　and　Pompeii；　like　petrified　minced　veal；　ashes　out　of　tombs；
and　lava　out　of　Vesuvius；　Spanish　fans；　Spezzian　straw　hats；　Moorish
slippers；　Tuscan　hairpins；　Carrara　sculpture；　Trastaverini　scarves；
Genoese　velvets　and　filigree；　Neapolitan　coral；　Roman　cameos；　Geneva
jewellery；　Arab　lanterns；　rosaries　blest　all　round　by　the　Pope　himself；
and　an　infinite　variety　of　lumber。　There　were　views；　like　and　unlike；　of
a　multitude　of　places；　and　there　was　one　little　picture…room　devoted　to
a　few　of　the　regular　sticky　old　Saints；　with　sinews　like　whipcord；　hair
like　Neptune's；　wrinkles　like　tattooing；　and　such　coats　of　varnish
that　every　holy　personage　served　for　a　fly…trap；　and　became　what　is
now　called　in　the　vulgar　tongue　a　Catch…em…alive　O。　Of　these　pictorial
acquisitions　Mr　Meagles　spoke　in　the　usual　manner。　He　was　no　judge；　he
said；　except　of　what　pleased　himself；　he　had　picked　them　up；　dirt…cheap；
and　people　had　considered　them　rather　fine。　One　man；　who　at　any　rate
ought　to　know　something　of　the　subject；　had　declared　that　'Sage；
Reading'　（a　specially　oily　old　gentleman　in　a　blanket；　with　a
swan's…down　tippet　for　a　beard；　and　a　web　of　cracks　all　over　him　like
rich　pie…crust）；　to　be　a　fine　Guercino。　As　for　Sebastian　del　Piombo
there；　you　would　judge　for　yourself；　if　it　were　not　his　later
manner；　the　question　was；　Who　was　it？　Titian；　that　might　or　might　not
be……perhaps　he　had　only　touched　it。　Daniel　Doyce　said　perhaps　he　hadn't
touched　it；　but　Mr　Meagles　rather　declined　to　overhear　the　remark。

When　he　had　shown　all　his　spoils；　Mr　Meagles　took　them　into　his　own
snug　room　overlooking　the　lawn；　which　was　fitted　up　in　part　like　a
dressing…room　and　in　part　like　an　office；　and　in　which；　upon　a　kind　of
counter…desk；　were　a　pair　of　brass　scales　for　weighing　gold；　and　a　scoop
for　shovelling　out　money。

'Here　they　are；　you　see；'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'I　stood　behind　these　two
articles　five…and…thirty　years　running；　when　I　no　more　thought　of
gadding　about　than　I　now　think　of……staying　at　home。　When　I　left　the　Bank
for　good；　I　asked　for　them；　and　brought　them　away　with　me。

I　mention　it　at　once；　or　you　might　suppose　that　I　sit　in　my
counting…house　（as　Pet　says　I　do）；　like　the　king　in　the　poem　of　the
four…and…twenty　blackbirds；　counting　out　my　money。'

Clennam's　eyes　had　strayed　to　a　natural　picture　on　the　wall；　of　two
pretty　little　girls　with　their　arms　entwined。　'Yes；　Clennam；'　said
Mr　Meagles；　in　a　lower　voice。　'There　they　both　are。　It　was　taken　some
seventeen　years　ago。　As　I　often　say　to　Mother；　they　were　babies　then。'

'Their　names？'　said　Arthur。

'Ah；　to　be　sure！　You　have　never　heard　any　name　but　Pet。　Pet's　name　is
Minnie；　her　sister's　Lillie。'

'Should　you　have　known；　Mr　Clennam；　that　one　of　them　was　meant　for　me？'
asked　Pet　herself；　now　standing　in　the　doorway。

'I　might　have　thought　that　both　of　them　were　meant　for　you；　both
are　still　so　like　you。　Indeed；'　said　Clennam；　glancing　from　the　fair
original　to　the　picture　and　back；　'I　cannot　even　now　say　which　is　not
your　portrait。'　'D'ye　hear　that；　Mother？'　cried　Mr　Meagles　to　his　wife；
who　had　followed　her　daugh