little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第113章

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day's　calculations　and　binations　than　you　habitually　show　yourself　to
be；　if　you　were　a　carpenter。'

'A　carpenter！'　repeated　Mr　Merdle；　checking　something　like　a　groan。

'I　shouldn't　so　much　mind　being　a　carpenter；　Mrs　Merdle。'

'And　my　plaint　is；'　pursued　the　lady；　disregarding　the　low　remark；
'that　it　is　not　the　tone　of　Society；　and　that　you　ought　to　correct
it；　Mr　Merdle。　If　you　have　any　doubt　of　my　judgment；　ask　even　Edmund
Sparkler。'　The　door　of　the　room　had　opened；　and　Mrs　Merdle　now　surveyed
the　head　of　her　son　through　her　glass。　'Edmund；　we　want　you　here。'

Mr　Sparkler；　who　had　merely　put　in　his　head　and　looked　round　the　room
without　entering　（as　if　he　were　searching　the　house　for　that　young　lady
with　no　nonsense　about　her）；　upon　this　followed　up　his　head　with　his
body；　and　stood　before　them。　To　whom；　in　a　few　easy　words　adapted　to　his
capacity；　Mrs　Merdle　stated　the　question　at　issue。

The　young　gentleman；　after　anxiously　feeling　his　shirt…collar　as　if　it
were　his　pulse　and　he　were　hypochondriacal；　observed；　'That　he　had　heard
it　noticed　by　fellers。'

'Edmund　Sparkler　has　heard　it　noticed；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　with　languid
triumph。　'Why；　no　doubt　everybody　has　heard　it　noticed！'　Which　in　truth
was　no　unreasonable　inference；　seeing　that　Mr　Sparkler　would　probably　be
the　last　person；　in　any　assemblage　of　the　human　species；　to　receive　an
impression　from　anything　that　passed　in　his　presence。

'And　Edmund　Sparkler　will　tell　you；　I　dare　say；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　waving
her　favourite　hand　towards　her　husband；　'how　he　has　heard　it　noticed。'
'I　couldn't；'　said　Mr　Sparkler；　after　feeling　his　pulse　as　before；
'couldn't　undertake　to　say　what　led　to　it……'cause　memory　desperate
loose。　But　being　in　pany　with　the　brother　of　a　doosed　fine　gal……well
educated　too……with　no　biggodd　nonsense　about　her……at　the　period　alluded
to……'

'There！　Never　mind　the　sister；'　remarked　Mrs　Merdle；　a　little
impatiently。　'What　did　the　brother　say？'

'Didn't　say　a　word；　ma'am；'　answered　Mr　Sparkler。　'As　silent　a　feller　as
myself。　Equally　hard　up　for　a　remark。'

'Somebody　said　something；'　returned　Mrs　Merdle。　'Never　mind　who　it　was。'

（'Assure　you　I　don't　in　the　least；'　said　Mr　Sparkler。）


'But　tell　us　what　it　was。'

Mr　Sparkler　referred　to　his　pulse　again；　and　put　himself　through　some
severe　mental　discipline　before　he　replied：

'Fellers　referring　to　my　Governor……expression　not　my　own……occasionally
pliment　my　Governor　in　a　very　handsome　way　on　being　immensely　rich
and　knowing……perfect　phenomenon　of　Buyer　and　Banker　and　that……but　say
the　Shop　sits　heavily　on　him。　Say　he　carried　the　Shop　about；　on　his　back
rather……like　Jew　clothesmen　with　too　much　business。'

'Which；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　rising；　with　her　floating　drapery　about　her；
'is　exactly　my　plaint。　Edmund；　give　me　your　arm　up…stairs。'

Mr　Merdle；　left　alone　to　meditate　on　a　better　conformation　of　himself　to
Society；　looked　out　of　nine　windows　in　succession；　and　appeared　to
see　nine　wastes　of　space。　When　he　had　thus　entertained　himself　he　went
down…stairs；　and　looked　intently　at　all　the　carpets　on　the　ground…floor；
and　then　came　up…stairs　again；　and　looked　intently　at　all　the　carpets
on　the　first…floor；　as　if　they　were　gloomy　depths；　in　unison　with　his
oppressed　soul。　Through　all　the　rooms　he　wandered；　as　he　always　did；
like　the　last　person　on　earth　who　had　any　business　to　approach　them。　Let
Mrs　Merdle　announce；　with　all　her　might；　that　she　was　at　Home　ever
so　many　nights　in　a　season；　she　could　not　announce　more　widely　and
unmistakably　than　Mr　Merdle　did　that　he　was　never　at　home。

At　last　he　met　the　chief　butler；　the　sight　of　which　splendid　retainer
always　finished　him。　Extinguished　by　this　great　creature；　he　sneaked
to　his　dressing…room；　and　there　remained　shut　up　until　he　rode　out　to
dinner；　with　Mrs　Merdle；　in　her　own　handsome　chariot。　At　dinner；　he　was
envied　and　flattered　as　a　being　of　might；　was　Treasuried；　Barred；　and
Bishoped；　as　much　as　he　would；　and　an　hour　after　midnight　came　home
alone；　and　being　instantly　put　out　again　in　his　own　hall；　like　a
rushlight；　by　the　chief　butler；　went　sighing　to　bed。




CHAPTER　34。　A　Shoal　of　Barnacles


Mr　Henry　Gowan　and　the　dog　were　established　frequenters　of　the　cottage；
and　the　day　was　fixed　for　the　wedding。　There　was　to　be　a　convocation　of
Barnacles　on　the　occasion；　in　order　that　that　very　high　and　very　large
family　might　shed　as　much　lustre　on　the　marriage　as　so　dim　an　event　was
capable　of　receiving。

To　have　got　the　whole　Barnacle　family　together　would　have　been
impossible　for　two　reasons。　Firstly；　because　no　building　could　have　held
all　the　members　and　connections　of　that　illustrious　house。　Secondly；
because　wherever　there　was　a　square　yard　of　ground　in　British　occupation
under　the　sun　or　moon；　with　a　public　post　upon　it；　sticking　to　that　post
was　a　Barnacle。　No　intrepid　navigator　could　plant　a　flag…staff　upon　any
spot　of　earth；　and　take　possession　of　it　in　the　British　name；　but
to　that　spot　of　earth；　so　soon　as　the　discovery　was　known；　the
Circumlocution　Office　sent　out　a　Barnacle　and　a　despatch…box。　Thus　the
Barnacles　were　all　over　the　world；　in　every　direction……despatch…boxing
the　pass。

But；　while　the　so…potent　art　of　Prospero　himself　would　have　failed　in
summoning　the　Barnacles　from　every　speck　of　ocean　and　dry　land　on
which　there　was　nothing　（except　mischief）　to　be　done　and　anything　to　be
pocketed；　it　was　perfectly　feasible　to　assemble　a　good　many　Barnacles。
This　Mrs　Gowan　applied　herself　to　do；　calling　on　Mr　Meagles　frequently
with　new　additions　to　the　list；　and　holding　conferences　with　that
gentleman　when　he　was　not　engaged　（as　he　generally　was　at　this　period）
in　examining　and　paying　the　debts　of　his　future　son…in…law；　in　the
apartment　of　scales　and　scoops。

One　marriage　guest　there　was；　in　reference　to　whose　presence　Mr　Meagles
felt　a　nearer　interest　and　concern　than　in　the　attendance　of　the　most
elevated　Barnacle　expected；　though　he　was　far　from　insensible　of　the
honour　of　having　such　pany。　This　guest　was　Clennam。　But　Clennam　had
made　a　promise　he　held　sacred；　among　the　trees　that　summer　night；　and；
in　the　chivalry　of　his　heart；　regarded　it　as　binding　him　to　many　implied
obligations。　In　forgetfulness　of　himself；　and　delicate　service　to　her　on
all　occasions；　he　was　never　to　fail；　to　begin　it；　he　answered　Mr　Meagles
cheerfully；　'I　shall　e；　of　course。'

His　partner；　Daniel　Doyce；　was　something　of　a　stumbling…block　in　Mr
Meagles's　way；　the　worthy　gentleman　being　not　at　all　clear　in　his　own
anxious　mind　but　that　the　mingling　of　Daniel　with　official　Barnacleism
might　produce　some　explosive　bination；　even　at　a　marriage　breakfast。
The　national　offender；　however；　lightened　him　of　his　uneasiness　by
ing　down　to　Twickenham　to　represent　that　he　begged；　with　the　freedom
of　an　old　friend；　and　as　a　favour　to　one；　that　he　might　not　be　invited。
'For；'　said　he；　'as　my　business　with　this　set　of　gentlemen　was　to　do　a
public　duty　and　a　public　service；　and　as　their　business　with　me　was　to
prevent　it　by　wearing　my　soul　out；　I　think　we　had　better　not　eat　and
drink　together　with　a　show　of　being　of　one　mind。'　Mr　Meagles　was　much
amused　by　his　friend's　oddity；　and　patronised　him　with　a　more　protecting
air　of　allowance　than　usual；　when　he　rejoined：　'Well；　well；　Dan；　you
shall　have　your　own　crotchety　way。'

To　Mr　Henry　Gowan；　as　the　time　approached；　Clennam　tried　to　convey
by　all　quiet　and　unpretending　means；　that　he　was　frankly　and
disinterestedly　desirous　of　tendering　him　any　friendship　he　would
accept。　Mr　Gowan　treated　him　in　return　with　his　usual　ease；　and　with　his
usual　show　of　confidence；　which　was　no　confidence　at　all。

'You　see；　Clennam；'　he　happened　to　remark　in　the　course　of　conversation
one　day；　when　they　were　walking　near　the　Cottage　within　a　week　of　the
marriage；　'I　am　a　disappointed　man。　That　you　know　already。'

'Upon　my　word；'　said　Clennam；　a　little　embarrassed；　'I　scarcely　know
how。'

'Why；'　returned　Gowan；　'I　belong　to　a　clan；　or　a　clique；　or　a　family；　or
a　connection；　or　whatever　you　like　to　call　it；　that　might　have　provided
for　me　in　any　one　of　fifty　ways；　and　that　took　it　into　its　head　not　to
do　it　at　all。　So　here