little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第76部分

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followed；　she　said　to　him；　with　the　same　external　posure　and　in　the
same　level　voice；　but　with　a　smile　that　is　only　seen　on　cruel　faces：　a
very　faint　smile；　lifting　the　nostril；　scarcely　touching　the　lips；　and
not　breaking　away　gradually；　but　instantly　dismissed　when　done　with：

'I　hope　the　wife　of　your　dear　friend　Mr　Gowan；　may　be　happy　in　the
contrast　of　her　extraction　to　this　girl's　and　mine；　and　in　the　high　good
fortune　that　awaits　her。'




CHAPTER　28。　Nobody's　Disappearance


Not　resting　satisfied　with　the　endeavours　he　had　made　to　recover　his
lost　charge；　Mr　Meagles　addressed　a　letter　of　remonstrance；　breathing
nothing　but　goodwill；　not　only　to　her；　but　to　Miss　Wade　too。　No　answer
ing　to　these　epistles；　or　to　another　written　to　the　stubborn　girl
by　the　hand　of　her　late　young　mistress；　which　might　have　melted　her
if　anything　could　（all　three　letters　were　returned　weeks　afterwards　as
having　been　refused　at　the　house…door）；　he　deputed　Mrs　Meagles　to　make
the　experiment　of　a　personal　interview。　That　worthy　lady　being　unable　to
obtain　one；　and　being　steadfastly　denied　admission；　Mr　Meagles　besought
Arthur　to　essay　once　more　what　he　could　do。　All　that　came　of　his
pliance　was；　his　discovery　that　the　empty　house　was　left　in　charge
of　the　old　woman；　that　Miss　Wade　was　gone；　that　the　waifs　and　strays　of
furniture　were　gone；　and　that　the　old　woman　would　accept　any　number　of
half…crowns　and　thank　the　donor　kindly；　but　had　no　information　whatever
to　exchange　for　those　coins；　beyond　constantly　offering　for　perusal　a
memorandum　relative　to　fixtures；　which　the　house…agent's　young　man　had
left　in　the　hall。

Unwilling；　even　under　this　disfiture；　to　resign　the　ingrate　and　leave
her　hopeless；　in　case　of　her　better　dispositions　obtaining　the　mastery
over　the　darker　side　of　her　character；　Mr　Meagles；　for　six　successive
days；　published　a　discreetly　covert　advertisement　in　the　morning　papers；
to　the　effect　that　if　a　certain　young　person　who　had　lately　left
home　without　reflection；　would　at　any　time　apply　to　his　address　at
Twickenham；　everything　would　be　as　it　had　been　before；　and　no　reproaches
need　be　apprehended。　The　unexpected　consequences　of　this　notification
suggested　to　the　dismayed　Mr　Meagles　for　the　first　time　that　some
hundreds　of　young　persons　must　be　leaving　their　homes　without　reflection
every　day；　for　shoals　of　wrong　young　people　came　down　to　Twickenham；
who；　not　finding　themselves　received　with　enthusiasm；　generally　demanded
pensation　by　way　of　damages；　in　addition　to　coach…hire　there　and
back。　Nor　were　these　the　only　uninvited　clients　whom　the　advertisement
produced。　The　swarm　of　begging…letter　writers；　who　would　seem　to　be
always　watching　eagerly　for　any　hook；　however　small；　to　hang　a　letter
upon；　wrote　to　say　that　having　seen　the　advertisement；　they　were　induced
to　apply　with　confidence　for　various　sums；　ranging　from　ten　shillings　to
fifty　pounds：　not　because　they　knew　anything　about　the　young　person；
but　because　they　felt　that　to　part　with　those　donations　would　greatly
relieve　the　advertiser's　mind。　Several　projectors；　likewise；　availed
themselves　of　the　same　opportunity　to　correspond　with　Mr　Meagles；　as；
for　example；　to　apprise　him　that　their　attention　having　been　called　to
the　advertisement　by　a　friend；　they　begged　to　state　that　if　they　should
ever　hear　anything　of　the　young　person；　they　would　not　fail　to　make　it
known　to　him　immediately；　and　that　in　the　meantime　if　he　would　oblige
them　with　the　funds　necessary　for　bringing　to　perfection　a　certain
entirely　novel　description　of　Pump；　the　happiest　results　would　ensue　to
mankind。

Mr　Meagles　and　his　family；　under　these　bined　discouragements；　had
begun　reluctantly　to　give　up　Tattycoram　as　irrecoverable；　when　the　new
and　active　firm　of　Doyce　and　Clennam；　in　their　private　capacities；
went　down　on　a　Saturday　to　stay　at　the　cottage　until　Monday。　The　senior
partner　took　the　coach；　and　the　junior　partner　took　his　walking…stick。

A　tranquil　summer　sunset　shone　upon　him　as　he　approached　the　end　of
his　walk；　and　passed　through　the　meadows　by　the　river　side。　He　had
that　sense　of　peace；　and　of　being　lightened　of　a　weight　of　care；　which
country　quiet　awakens　in　the　breasts　of　dwellers　in　towns。　Everything
within　his　view　was　lovely　and　placid。　The　rich　foliage　of　the　trees；
the　luxuriant　grass　diversified　with　wild　flowers；　the　little　green
islands　in　the　river；　the　beds　of　rushes；　the　water…lilies　floating　on
the　surface　of　the　stream；　the　distant　voices　in　boats　borne　musically
towards　him　on　the　ripple　of　the　water　and　the　evening　air；　were　all
expressive　of　rest。　In　the　occasional　leap　of　a　fish；　or　dip　of　an　oar；
or　twittering　of　a　bird　not　yet　at　roost；　or　distant　barking　of　a　dog；
or　lowing　of　a　cow……in　all　such　sounds；　there　was　the　prevailing　breath
of　rest；　which　seemed　to　enpass　him　in　every　scent　that　sweetened
the　fragrant　air。　The　long　lines　of　red　and　gold　in　the　sky；　and　the
glorious　track　of　the　descending　sun；　were　all　divinely　calm。　Upon　the
purple　tree…tops　far　away；　and　on　the　green　height　near　at　hand　up　which
the　shades　were　slowly　creeping；　there　was　an　equal　hush。　Between　the
real　landscape　and　its　shadow　in　the　water；　there　was　no　division；　both
were　so　untroubled　and　clear；　and；　while　so　fraught　with　solemn　mystery
of　life　and　death；　so　hopefully　reassuring　to　the　gazer's　soothed　heart；
because　so　tenderly　and　mercifully　beautiful。

Clennam　had　stopped；　not　for　the　first　time　by　many　times；　to　look　about
him　and　suffer　what　he　saw　to　sink　into　his　soul；　as　the　shadows；　looked
at；　seemed　to　sink　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　water。　He　was　slowly
resuming　his　way；　when　he　saw　a　figure　in　the　path　before　him　which　he
had；　perhaps；　already　associated　with　the　evening　and　its　impressions。

Minnie　was　there；　alone。　She　had　some　roses　in　her　hand；　and　seemed　to
have　stood　still　on　seeing　him；　waiting　for　him。　Her　face　was　towards
him；　and　she　appeared　to　have　been　ing　from　the　opposite　direction。
There　was　a　flutter　in　her　manner；　which　Clennam　had　never　seen　in　it
before；　and　as　he　came　near　her；　it　entered　his　mind　all　at　once　that
she　was　there　of　a　set　purpose　to　speak　to　him。

She　gave　him　her　hand；　and　said；　'You　wonder　to　see　me　here　by　myself？
But　the　evening　is　so　lovely；　I　have　strolled　further　than　I　meant
at　first。　I　thought　it　likely　I　might　meet　you；　and　that　made　me　more
confident。　You　always　e　this　way；　do　you　not？'

As　Clennam　said　that　it　was　his　favourite　way；　he　felt　her　hand　falter
on　his　arm；　and　saw　the　roses　shake。

'Will　you　let　me　give　you　one；　Mr　Clennam？　I　gathered　them　as　I　came　out
of　the　garden。　Indeed；　I　almost　gathered　them　for　you；　thinking　it　so
likely　I　might　meet　you。　Mr　Doyce　arrived　more　than　an　hour　ago；　and
told　us　you　were　walking　down。'

His　own　hand　shook；　as　he　accepted　a　rose　or　two　from　hers　and　thanked
her。　They　were　now　by　an　avenue　of　trees。　Whether　they　turned　into　it　on
his　movement　or　on　hers　matters　little。　He　never　knew　how　that　was。

'It　is　very　grave　here；'　said　Clennam；　'but　very　pleasant　at　this　hour。
Passing　along　this　deep　shade；　and　out　at　that　arch　of　light　at　the
other　end；　we　e　upon　the　ferry　and　the　cottage　by　the　best　approach；
I　think。'　In　her　simple　garden…hat　and　her　light　summer　dress；　with　her
rich　brown　hair　naturally　clustering　about　her；　and　her　wonderful　eyes
raised　to　his　for　a　moment　with　a　look　in　which　regard　for　him　and
trustfulness　in　him　were　strikingly　blended　with　a　kind　of　timid　sorrow
for　him；　she　was　so　beautiful　that　it　was　well　for　his　peace……or　ill　for
his　peace；　he　did　not　quite　know　which……that　he　had　made　that　vigorous
resolution　he　had　so　often　thought　about。

She　broke　a　momentary　silence　by　inquiring　if　he　knew　that　papa　had　been
thinking　of　another　tour　abroad？　He　said　he　had　heard　it　mentioned。　She
broke　another　momentary　silence　by　adding；　with　some　hesitation；　that
papa　had　abandoned　the　idea。

At　this；　he　thought　directly；　'they　are　to　be　married。'

'Mr　Clennam；'　she　said；　hesitating　more　timidly　yet；　and　speaking　so　low
that　he　bent　his　head　to　hear　her。　'I　should　very　much　like　to　give　you
my　confidence；　if　you　would　not　mind　having　the　goodness　to　receive
it。　I　should　have　very　much　liked　to　have　given　it　to　you　long　ago；
because……I　felt　that　you　were　being　so　much　our　friend。'

'How　can　I　be　otherwise　than　proud　of　it　at　any　time！　Pray　give　it　to
me。　Pray　trust　me。'

'I　could　never　have　been　afraid　of　trusting　you；'　she　returned；　raising
her　eyes　frankly　to　his　face。　'I　think　I　would　have　done　so　some　time
ago；　if　I　had　known　how。　But　I　scarcely　know　how；　even　now。'

'Mr　Gowan；'　said　Arthur　Clennam；　'has　reason　to　be　very　happy。　God　bless
his　wife　and　him！'

She　wept；　as　she　tried　to　thank　him。　He　reassured　her；　took　her　hand
as　it　lay　with　the　trembling　roses　in　it　on　his　arm；　took　the　remaining
roses　from　it；　and　put　it　to　his　lips。　At　that　time；　it　seemed　to　him；
he　first　finally　resigned　the　dying　hope　that　had　flickered　in　nobody's
heart　so　much　to　its　pain　and　trouble；　and　from　that　time　he　became　in
his　own　eyes；　as　to　any　similar　hope　or　prospect；　a　very　much　older　man
who　had　done　with　that　part　of　life。

He　put　the　roses　in　his　breast　and　they　walked　on　for　a　little　while；
slowly　and　silently；　under　the　umbrageous　trees。　Then　he　asked　her；　in
a　voice　of　cheerful　kindness；　was　there　anything　else　that　she　would
say　to　him　as　her　friend　and　her　father's　friend；　many　years　older　than
herself；　was　there　any　trust　she　would　repose　in　him；　any　service　she
would　ask　of　him；　any　little　aid　to　her　happiness　that　she　could　give
him　the　lasting　gratification　of　believing　it　was　in　his　power　to
render？

She　was　going　to　answer；　when　she　was　so　touched　by　some　little　hidden
sorrow　or　sympathy……what　could　it　have　been？……that　she　said；　bursting
into　tears　again：　'O　Mr　Clennam！　Good；　generous；　Mr　Clennam；　pray　tell
me　you　do　not　blame　me。'

'I　blame　you？'　said　Clennam。　'My　dearest　girl！　I　blame　you？　No！'

After　clasping　both　her　hands　upon　his　arm；　and　looking　confidentially
up　into　his　face；　with　some　hurried　words　to　the　effect　that　she　thanked
him　from　her　heart　（as　she　did；　if　it　be　the　source　of　earnestness）；