little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第95部分

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neighbourhood　to　carry　him　the　great　news。

When　Mr　Chivery；　who　was　on　duty；　admitted　them　into　the　Lodge；　he　saw
something　in　their　faces　which　filled　him　with　astonishment。　He　stood
looking　after　them；　when　they　hurried　into　the　prison；　as　though　he
perceived　that　they　had　e　back　acpanied　by　a　ghost　a…piece。　Two　or
three　Collegians　whom　they　passed；　looked　after　them　too；　and　presently
joining　Mr　Chivery；　formed　a　little　group　on　the　Lodge　steps；　in　the
midst　of　which　there　spontaneously　originated　a　whisper　that　the　Father
was　going　to　get　his　discharge。　Within　a　few　minutes；　it　was　heard　in
the　remotest　room　in　the　College。

Little　Dorrit　opened　the　door　from　without；　and　they　both　entered。　He
was　sitting　in　his　old　grey　gown　and　his　old　black　cap；　in　the　sunlight
by　the　window；　reading　his　newspaper。　His　glasses　were　in　his　hand；　and
he　had　just　looked　round；　surprised　at　first；　no　doubt；　by　her　step　upon
the　stairs；　not　expecting　her　until　night；　surprised　again；　by　seeing
Arthur　Clennam　in　her　pany。　As　they　came　in；　the　same　unwonted　look
in　both　of　them　which　had　already　caught　attention　in　the　yard　below；
struck　him。　He　did　not　rise　or　speak；　but　laid　down　his　glasses　and　his
newspaper　on　the　table　beside　him；　and　looked　at　them　with　his　mouth
a　little　open　and　his　lips　trembling。　When　Arthur　put　out　his　hand；
he　touched　it；　but　not　with　his　usual　state；　and　then　he　turned　to　his
daughter；　who　had　sat　down　close　beside　him　with　her　hands　upon　his
shoulder；　and　looked　attentively　in　her　face。

'Father！　I　have　been　made　so　happy　this　morning！'

'You　have　been　made　so　happy；　my　dear？'

'By　Mr　Clennam；　father。　He　brought　me　such　joyful　and　wonderful
intelligence　about　you！　If　he　had　not　with　his　great　kindness　and
gentleness；　prepared　me　for　it；　father……prepared　me　for　it；　father……I
think　I　could　not　have　borne　it。'

Her　agitation　was　exceedingly　great；　and　the　tears　rolled　down　her　face。
He　put　his　hand　suddenly　to　his　heart；　and　looked　at　Clennam。

'pose　yourself；　sir；'　said　Clennam；　'and　take　a　little　time　to　think。
To　think　of　the　brightest　and　most　fortunate　accidents　of　life。　We　have
all　heard　of　great　surprises　of　joy。　They　are　not　at　an　end；　sir。　They
are　rare；　but　not　at　an　end。'

'Mr　Clennam？　Not　at　an　end？　Not　at　an　end　for……'　He　touched　himself　upon
the　breast；　instead　of　saying　'me。'

'No；'　returned　Clennam。

'What　surprise；'　he　asked；　keeping　his　left　hand　over　his　heart；　and
there　stopping　in　his　speech；　while　with　his　right　hand　he　put　his
glasses　exactly　level　on　the　table：　'what　such　surprise　can　be　in　store
for　me？'

'Let　me　ansr　Dorrit；　what　surprise
would　be　the　most　unlooked　for　and　the　most　acceptable　to　you。　Do　not　be
afraid　to　imagine　it；　or　to　say　what　it　would　be。'

He　looked　steadfastly　at　Clennam；　and；　so　looking　at　him；　seemed　to
change　into　a　very　old　haggard　man。　The　sun　was　bright　upon　the　wall
beyond　the　window；　and　on　the　spikes　at　top。　He　slowly　stretched　out　the
hand　that　had　been　upon　his　heart；　and　pointed　at　the　wall。

'It　is　down；'　said　Clennam。　'Gone！'

He　remained　in　the　same　attitude；　looking　steadfastly　at　him。

'And　in　its　place；'　said　Clennam；　slowly　and　distinctly；　'are　the　means
to　possess　and　enjoy　the　utmost　that　they　have　so　long　shut　out。　Mr
Dorrit；　there　is　not　the　smallest　doubt　that　within　a　few　days　you　will
be　free；　and　highly　prosperous。　I　congratulate　you　with　all　my　soul　on
this　change　of　fortune；　and　on　the　happy　future　into　which　you　are　soon
to　carry　the　treasure　you　have　been　blest　with　here……the　best　of　all　the
riches　you　can　have　elsewhere……the　treasure　at　your　side。'

With　those　words；　he　pressed　his　hand　and　released　it；　and　his　daughter；
laying　her　face　against　his；　encircled　him　in　the　hour　of　his　prosperity
with　her　arms；　as　she　had　in　the　long　years　of　his　adversity　encircled
him　with　her　love　and　toil　and　truth；　and　poured　out　her　full　heart　in
gratitude；　hope；　joy；　blissful　ecstasy；　and　all　for　him。

'I　shall　see　him　as　I　never　saw　him　yet。　I　shall　see　my　dear　love；　with
the　dark　cloud　cleared　away。　I　shall　see　him；　as　my　poor　mother　saw　him
long　ago。　O　my　dear；　my　dear！　O　father；　father！　O　thank　God；　thank　God！'

He　yielded　himself　to　her　kisses　and　caresses；　but　did　not　return　them；
except　that　he　put　an　arm　about　her。　Neither　did　he　say　one　word。　His
steadfast　look　was　now　divided　between　her　and　Clennam；　and　he　began　to
shake　as　if　he　were　very　cold。　Explaining　to　Little　Dorrit　that　he　would
run　to　the　coffee…house　for　a　bottle　of　wine；　Arthur　fetched　it　with　all
the　haste　he　could　use。　While　it　was　being　brought　from　the　cellar　to
the　bar；　a　number　of　excited　people　asked　him　what　had　happened；　when　he
hurriedly　informed　them　that　Mr　Dorrit　had　succeeded　to　a　fortune。

On　ing　back　with　the　wine　in　his　hand；　he　found　that　she　had　placed
her　father　in　his　easy　chair；　and　had　loosened　his　shirt　and　neckcloth。
They　filled　a　tumbler　with　wine；　and　held　it　to　his　lips。　When　he　had
swallowed　a　little；　he　took　the　glass　himself　and　emptied　it。　Soon
after　that；　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　cried；　with　his　handkerchief
before　his　face。

After　this　had　lasted　a　while　Clennam　thought　it　a　good　season　for
diverting　his　attention　from　the　main　surprise；　by　relating　its　details。
Slowly；　therefore；　and　in　a　quiet　tone　of　voice；　he　explained　them　as
best　he　could；　and　enlarged　on　the　nature　of　Pancks's　service。

'He　shall　be……ha……he　shall　be　handsomely　repensed；　sir；'　said
the　Father；　starting　up　and　moving　hurriedly　about　the　room。　'Assure
yourself；　Mr　Clennam；　that　everybody　concerned　shall　be……ha……shall
be　nobly　rewarded。　No　one；　my　dear　sir；　shall　say　that　he　has　an
unsatisfied　claim　against　me。　I　shall　repay　the……hum……the　advances　I
have　had　from　you；　sir；　with　peculiar　pleasure。　I　beg　to　be　informed　at
your　earliest　convenience；　what　advances　you　have　made　my　son。'

He　had　no　purpose　in　going　about　the　room；　but　he　was　not　still　a
moment。

'Everybody；'　he　said；　'shall　be　remembered。　I　will　not　go　away　from
here　in　anybody's　debt。　All　the　people　who　have　been……ha……well　behaved
towards　myself　and　my　family；　shall　be　rewarded。　Chivery　shall　be
rewarded。　Young　John　shall　be　rewarded。　I　particularly　wish；　and　intend；
to　act　munificently；　Mr　Clennam。'

'Will　you　allow　me；'　said　Arthur；　laying　his　purse　on　the　table；　'to
supply　any　present　contingencies；　Mr　Dorrit？　I　thought　it　best　to　bring
a　sum　of　money　for　the　purpose。'

'Thank　you；　sir；　thank　you。　I　accept　with　readiness；　at　the　present
moment；　what　I　could　not　an　hour　ago　have　conscientiously　taken。　I　am
obliged　to　you　for　the　temporary　acmodation。　Exceedingly　temporary；
but　well　timed……well　timed。'　His　hand　had　closed　upon　the　money；　and
he　carried　it　about　with　him。　'Be　so　kind；　sir；　as　to　add　the　amount　to
those　former　advances　to　which　I　have　already　referred；　being　careful；
if　you　please；　not　to　omit　advances　made　to　my　son。　A　mere　verbal
statement　of　the　gross　amount　is　all　I　shall……ha……all　I　shall　require。'

His　eye　fell　upon　his　daughter　at　this　point；　and　he　stopped　for　a
moment　to　kiss　her；　and　to　pat　her　head。

'It　will　be　necessary　to　find　a　milliner；　my　love；　and　to　make　a　speedy
and　plete　change　in　your　very　plain　dress。　Something　must　be　done
with　Maggy　too；　who　at　present　is……ha……barely　respectable；　barely
respectable。　And　your　sister；　Amy；　and　your　brother。　And　my　brother；
your　uncle……poor　soul；　I　trust　this　will　rouse　him……messengers　must　be
despatched　to　fetch　them。　They　must　be　informed　of　this。　We　must　break
it　to　them　cautiously；　but　they　must　be　informed　directly。　We　owe　it
as　a　duty　to　them　and　to　ourselves；　from　this　moment；　not　to　let
them……hum……not　to　let　them　do　anything。'

This　was　the　first　intimation　he　had　ever　given；　that　he　was　privy　to
the　fact　that　they　did　something　for　a　livelihood。

He　was　still　jogging　about　the　room；　with　the　purse　clutched　in　his
hand；　when　a　great　cheering　arose　in　the　yard。　'The　news　has　spread
already；'　said　Clennam；　looking　down　from　the　window。　'Will　you　show
yourself　to　them；　Mr　Dorrit？　They　are　very　earnest；　and　they　evidently
wish　it。'

'I……hum……ha……I　confess　I　could　have　desired；　Amy　my　dear；'　he　said；
jogging　about　in　a　more　feverish　flutter　than　before；　'to　have　made　some
change　in　my　dress　first；　and　to　have　bought　a……hum……a　watch　and　chain。
But　if　it　must　be　done　as　it　is；　it……ha……it　must　be　done。　Fasten　the
collar　of　my　shirt；　my　dear。　Mr　Clennam；　would　you　oblige　me……hum……with
a　blue　neckcloth　you　will　find　in　that　drawer　at　your　elbow。　Button
my　coat　across　at　the　chest；　my　love。　It　looks……ha……it　looks　broader；
buttoned。'

With　his　trembling　hand　he　pushed　his　grey　hair　up；　and　then；　taking
Clennam　and　his　daughter　for　supporters；　appeared　at　the　window　leaning
on　an　arm　of　each。　The　Collegians　cheered　him　very　heartily；　and　he
kissed　his　hand　to　them　with　great　urbanity　and　protection。　When　he
withdrew　into　the　room　again；　he　said　'Poor　creatures！'　in　a　tone　of
much　pity　for　their　miserable　condition。

Little　Dorrit　was　deeply　anxious　that　he　should　lie　down　to　pose
himself。　On　Arthur's　speaking　to　her　of　his　going　to　inform　Pancks　that
he　might　now　appear　as　soon　as　he　would；　and　pursue　the　joyful　business
to　its　close；　she　entreated　him　in　a　whisper　to　stay　with　her　until　her
father　should　be　quite　calm　and　at　rest。　He　needed　no　second　entreaty；
and　she　prepared　her　father's　bed；　and　begged　him　to　lie　down。　For
another　half…hour　or　more　he　would　be　persuaded　to　do　nothing　but
go　about　the　room；　discussing　with　himself　the　probabilities　for　and
against　the　Marshal's　allowing　the　whole　of　the　prisoners　to　go　to　the
windows　of　the　official　residence　which　manded　the　street；　to　see
himself　and　family　depart　for　ever　in　a　carriage……which；　he　said；　he
thought　would　be　a　Sight　for　them。　But　gradually　he　began　to　droop　and
tire；　and　at　last　stretched　himself　upon　the　bed。

She　took　her　faithful　place　beside　him；　fanning　him　and　cooling　his
forehead；　and　he　seemed　to　be　falling　asleep　（always　with　the　money　in
his　hand）；　when　he　unexpectedly　sat　up　and　said：

'Mr　Clennam；　I　beg　your　pardon。　Am　I　to　understand；　my　dear　sir；　that　I
could……ha……could　pass　through　t