little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第45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！


your　portrait。'　'D'ye　hear　that；　Mother？'　cried　Mr　Meagles　to　his　wife；
who　had　followed　her　daughter。　'It's　always　the　same；　Clennam；　nobody
can　decide。　The　child　to　your　left　is　Pet。'

The　picture　happened　to　be　near　a　looking…glass。　As　Arthur　looked　at
it　again；　he　saw；　by　the　reflection　of　the　mirror；　Tattycoram　stop　in
passing　outside　the　door；　listen　to　what　was　going　on；　and　pass　away
with　an　angry　and　contemptuous　frown　upon　her　face；　that　changed　its
beauty　into　ugliness。

'But　e！'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'You　have　had　a　long　walk；　and　will　be　glad
to　get　your　boots　off。　As　to　Daniel　here；　I　suppose　he'd　never　think　of
taking　his　boots　off；　unless　we　showed　him　a　boot…jack。'

'Why　not？'　asked　Daniel；　with　a　significant　smile　at　Clennam。

'Oh！　You　have　so　many　things　to　think　about；'　returned　Mr　Meagles；
clapping　him　on　the　shoulder；　as　if　his　weakness　must　not　be　left　to
itself　on　any　account。　'Figures；　and　wheels；　and　cogs；　and　levers；　and
screws；　and　cylinders；　and　a　thousand　things。'

'In　my　calling；'　said　Daniel；　amused；　'the　greater　usually　includes　the
less。　But　never　mind；　never　mind！　Whatever　pleases　you；　pleases　me。'

Clennam　could　not　help　speculating；　as　he　seated　himself　in　his　room
by　the　fire；　whether　there　might　be　in　the　breast　of　this　honest；
affectionate；　and　cordial　Mr　Meagles；　any　microscopic　portion　of
the　mustard…seed　that　had　sprung　up　into　the　great　tree　of　the
Circumlocution　Office。　His　curious　sense　of　a　general　superiority　to
Daniel　Doyce；　which　seemed　to　be　founded；　not　so　much　on　anything
in　Doyce's　personal　character　as　on　the　mere　fact　of　his　being　an
originator　and　a　man　out　of　the　beaten　track　of　other　men；　suggested　the
idea。　It　might　have　occupied　him　until　he　went　down　to　dinner　an　hour
afterwards；　if　he　had　not　had　another　question　to　consider；　which
had　been　in　his　mind　so　long　ago　as　before　he　was　in　quarantine　at
Marseilles；　and　which　had　now　returned　to　it；　and　was　very　urgent　with
it。　No　less　a　question　than　this：　Whether　he　should　allow　himself　to
fall　in　love　with　Pet？

He　was　twice　her　age。　（He　changed　the　leg　he　had　crossed　over　the　other；
and　tried　the　calculation　again；　but　could　not　bring　out　the　total　at
less。）　He　was　twice　her　age。　Well！　He　was　young　in　appearance；　young
in　health　and　strength；　young　in　heart。　A　man　was　certainly　not　old
at　forty；　and　many　men　were　not　in　circumstances　to　marry；　or　did　not
marry；　until　they　had　attained　that　time　of　life。　On　the　other　hand；　the
question　was；　not　what　he　thought　of　the　point；　but　what　she　thought　of
it。

He　believed　that　Mr　Meagles　was　disposed　to　entertain　a　ripe　regard　for
him；　and　he　knew　that　he　had　a　sincere　regard　for　Mr　Meagles　and　his
good　wife。　He　could　foresee　that　to　relinquish　this　beautiful　only
child；　of　whom　they　were　so　fond；　to　any　husband；　would　be　a　trial
of　their　love　which　perhaps　they　never　yet　had　had　the　fortitude　to
contemplate。　But　the　more　beautiful　and　winning　and　charming　she；　the
nearer　they　must　always　be　to　the　necessity　of　approaching　it。　And　why
not　in　his　favour；　as　well　as　in　another's？

When　he　had　got　so　far；　it　came　again　into　his　head　that　the　question
was；　not　what　they　thought　of　it；　but　what　she　thought　of　it。

Arthur　Clennam　was　a　retiring　man；　with　a　sense　of　many　deficiencies；
and　he　so　exalted　the　merits　of　the　beautiful　Minnie　in　his　mind；　and
depressed　his　own；　that　when　he　pinned　himself　to　this　point；　his　hopes
began　to　fail　him。　He　came　to　the　final　resolution；　as　he　made　himself
ready　for　dinner；　that　he　would　not　allow　himself　to　fall　in　love　with
Pet。

There　were　only　five；　at　a　round　table；　and　it　was　very　pleasant　indeed。
They　had　so　many　places　and　people　to　recall；　and　they　were　all　so　easy
and　cheerful　together　（Daniel　Doyce　either　sitting　out　like　an　amused
spectator　at　cards；　or　ing　in　with　some　shrewd　little　experiences　of
his　own；　when　it　happened　to　be　to　the　purpose）；　that　they　might　have
been　together　twenty　times；　and　not　have　known　so　much　of　one　another。

'And　Miss　Wade；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　after　they　had　recalled　a　number　of
fellow…travellers。　'Has　anybody　seen　Miss　Wade？'

'I　have；'　said　Tattycoram。

She　had　brought　a　little　mantle　which　her　young　mistress　had　sent　for；
and　was　bending　over　her；　putting　it　on；　when　she　lifted　up　her　dark
eyes　and　made　this　unexpected　answer。

'Tatty！'　her　young　mistress　exclaimed。　'You　seen　Miss　Wade？……where？'

'Here；　miss；'　said　Tattycoram。

'How？'

An　impatient　glance　from　Tattycoram　seemed；　as　Clennam　saw　it；　to　answer
'With　my　eyes！'　But　her　only　answer　in　words　was：　'I　met　her　near　the
church。'

'What　was　she　doing　there　I　wonder！'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'Not　going　to　it；
I　should　think。'

'She　had　written　to　me　first；'　said　Tattycoram。

'Oh；　Tatty！'　murmured　her　mistress；　'take　your　hands　away。　I　feel　as　if
some　one　else　was　touching　me！'

She　said　it　in　a　quick　involuntary　way；　but　half　playfully；　and　not　more
petulantly　or　disagreeably　than　a　favourite　child　might　have　done；　who
laughed　next　moment。　Tattycoram　set　her　full　red　lips　together；　and
crossed　her　arms　upon　her　bosom。　'Did　you　wish　to　know；　sir；'　she　said；
looking　at　Mr　Meagles；　'what　Miss　Wade　wrote　to　me　about？'

'Well；　Tattycoram；'　returned　Mr　Meagles；　'since　you　ask　the　question；
and　we　are　all　friends　here；　perhaps　you　may　as　well　mention　it；　if　you
are　so　inclined。'

'She　knew；　when　we　were　travelling；　where　you　lived；'　said　Tattycoram；
'and　she　had　seen　me　not　quite……not　quite……'

'Not　quite　in　a　good　temper；　Tattycoram？'　suggested　Mr　Meagles；
shaking　his　head　at　the　dark　eyes　with　a　quiet　caution。　'Take　a　little
time……count　five…and…twenty；　Tattycoram。'

She　pressed　her　lips　together　again；　and　took　a　long　deep　breath。

'So　she　wrote　to　me　to　say　that　if　I　ever　felt　myself　hurt；'　she　looked
down　at　her　young　mistress；　'or　found　myself　worried；'　she　looked　down
at　her　again；　'I　might　go　to　her；　and　be　considerately　treated。　I　was
to　think　of　it；　and　could　speak　to　her　by　the　church。　So　I　went　there　to
thank　her。'

'Tatty；'　said　her　young　mistress；　putting　her　hand　up　over　her　shoulder
that　the　other　might　take　it；　'Miss　Wade　almost　frightened　me　when　we
parted；　and　I　scarcely　like　to　think　of　her　just　now　as　having　been　so
near　me　without　my　knowing　it。　Tatty　dear！'

Tatty　stood　for　a　moment；　immovable。

'Hey？'　cried　Mr　Meagles。　'Count　another　five…and…twenty；　Tattycoram。'

She　might　have　counted　a　dozen；　when　she　bent　and　put　her　lips　to　the
caressing　hand。　It　patted　her　cheek；　as　it　touched　the　owner's　beautiful
curls；　and　Tattycoram　went　away。

'Now　there；'　said　Mr　Meagles　softly；　as　he　gave　a　turn　to　the
dumb…waiter　on　his　right　hand　to　twirl　the　sugar　towards　himself。
'There's　a　girl　who　might　be　lost　and　ruined；　if　she　wasn't　among
practical　people。　Mother　and　I　know；　solely　from　being　practical；　that
there　are　times　when　that　girl's　whole　nature　seems　to　roughen　itself
against　seeing　us　so　bound　up　in　Pet。　No　father　and　mother　were　bound
up　in　her；　poor　soul。　I　don't　like　to　think　of　the　way　in　which　that
unfortunate　child；　with　all　that　passion　and　protest　in　her；　feels　when
she　hears　the　Fifth　mandment　on　a　Sunday。　I　am　always　inclined　to
call　out；　Church；　Count　five…and…twenty；　Tattycoram。'

Besides　his　dumb…waiter；　Mr　Meagles　had　two　other　not　dumb　waiters　in
the　persons　of　two　parlour…maids　with　rosy　faces　and　bright　eyes；　who
were　a　highly　ornamental　part　of　the　table　decoration。　'And　why　not；　you
see？'　said　Mr　Meagles　on　this　head。　'As　I　always　say　to　Mother；　why
not　have　something　pretty　to　look　at；　if　you　have　anything　at　all？'　A
certain　Mrs　Tickit；　who　was　Cook　and　Housekeeper　when　the　family　were
at　home；　and　Housekeeper　only　when　the　family　were　away；　pleted　the
establishment。　Mr　Meagles　regretted　that　the　nature　of　the　duties　in
which　she　was　engaged；　rendered　Mrs　Tickit　unpresentable　at　present；
but　hoped　to　introduce　her　to　the　new　visitor　to…morrow。　She　was　an
important　part　of　the　Cottage；　he　said；　and　all　his　friends　knew　her。
That　was　her　picture　up　in　the　corner。　When　they　went　away；　she　always
put　on　the　silk…gown　and　the　jet…black　row　of　curls　represented　in　that
portrait　（her　hair　was　reddish…grey　in　the　kitchen）；　established　herself
in　the　breakfast…room；　put　her　spectacles　between　two　particular　leaves
of　Doctor　Buchan's　Domestic　Medicine；　and　sat　looking　over　the　blind　all
day　until　they　came　back　again。　It　was　supposed　that　no　persuasion　could
be　invented　which　would　induce　Mrs　Tickit　to　abandon　her　post　at　the
blind；　however　long　their　absence；　or　to　dispense　with　the　attendance
of　Dr　Buchan；　the　lucubrations　of　which　learned　practitioner；　Mr　Meagles
implicitly　believed　she　had　never　yet　consulted　to　the　extent　of　one
word　in　her　life。

In　the　evening　they　played　an　old…fashioned　rubber；　and　Pet　sat　looking
over　her　father's　hand；　or　singing　to　herself　by　fits　and　starts　at　the
piano。　She　was　a　spoilt　child；　but　how　could　she　be　otherwise？　Who　could
be　much　with　so　pliable　and　beautiful　a　creature；　and　not　yield　to　her
endearing　influence？　Who　could　pass　an　evening　in　the　house；　and　not
love　her　for　the　grace　and　charm　of　her　very　presence　in　the　room？　This
was　Clennam's　reflection；　notwithstanding　the　final　conclusion　at　which
he　had　arrived　up…stairs。

In　making　it；　he　revoked。　'Why；　what　are　you　thinking　of；　my　good　sir？'
asked　the　astonished　Mr　Meagles；　who　was　his　partner。

'I　beg　your　pardon。　Nothing；'　returned　Clennam。

'Think　of　something；　next　time；　that's　a　dear　fellow；'　said　Mr　Meagles。

Pet　laughingly　believed　he　had　been　thinking　of　Miss　Wade。

'Why　of　Miss　Wade；　Pet？'　asked　her　father。

'Why；　indeed！'　said　Arthur　Clennam。

Pet　coloured　a　little；　and　went　to　the　piano　again。

As　they　broke　up　for　the　night；　Arthur　overheard　Doyce　ask　his　host　if
he　could　give　him　half　an　hour's　conversation　before　breakfast　in　the
morning？　The　host　replying　willingly；　Arthur　lingered　behind　a　moment；
having　his　own　word　to　add　to　that　topic。

'Mr　Meagles；'　he　said；　on　their　being　left　alone；　'do　you　remember　when
you　advised　me　to　go　straight　to　London？'

'Perfectly　well。'　'And　when　you　gave　me　some　other　good　advice　which　I
needed　at　tha