little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第15章

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Still　so　recoiling　in　her　chair　that　her　overpoised　weight　moved　it；
from　time　to　time；　a　little　on　its　wheels；　and　gave　her　the　appearance
of　a　phantom　of　fierce　aspect　gliding　away　from　him；　she　interposed　her
left　arm；　bent　at　the　elbow　with　the　back　of　her　hand　towards　her　face；
between　herself　and　him；　and　looked　at　him　in　a　fixed　silence。

'In　grasping　at　money　and　in　driving　hard　bargains……I　have　begun；　and　I
must　speak　of　such　things　now；　mother……some　one　may　have　been　grievously
deceived；　injured；　ruined。　You　were　the　moving　power　of　all　this
machinery　before　my　birth；　your　stronger　spirit　has　been　infused　into
all　my　father's　dealings　for　more　than　two　score　years。　You　can　set
these　doubts　at　rest；　I　think；　if　you　will　really　help　me　to　discover
the　truth。　Will　you；　mother？'

He　stopped　in　the　hope　that　she　would　speak。　But　her　grey　hair　was　not
more　immovable　in　its　two　folds；　than　were　her　firm　lips。

'If　reparation　can　be　made　to　any　one；　if　restitution　can　be　made　to　any
one；　let　us　know　it　and　make　it。　Nay；　mother；　if　within　my　means；　let　ME
make　it。　I　have　seen　so　little　happiness　e　of　money；　it　has　brought
within　my　knowledge　so　little　peace　to　this　house；　or　to　any　one
belonging　to　it；　that　it　is　worth　less　to　me　than　to　another。　It　can　buy
me　nothing　that　will　not　be　a　reproach　and　misery　to　me；　if　I　am　haunted
by　a　suspicion　that　it　darkened　my　father's　last　hours　with　remorse；　and
that　it　is　not　honestly　and　justly　mine。'　There　was　a　bell…rope　hanging
on　the　panelled　wall；　some　two　or　three　yards　from　the　cabi。　By　a
swift　and　sudden　action　of　her　foot；　she　drove　her　wheeled　chair　rapidly
back　to　it　and　pulled　it　violently……still　holding　her　arm　up　in　its
shield…like　posture；　as　if　he　were　striking　at　her；　and　she　warding　off
the　blow。

A　girl　came　hurrying　in；　frightened。

'Send　Flintwinch　here！'

In　a　moment　the　girl　had　withdrawn；　and　the　old　man　stood　within　the
door。　'What！　You're　hammer　and　tongs；　already；　you　two？'　he　said；　coolly
stroking　his　face。　'I　thought　you　would　be。　I　was　pretty　sure　of　it。'

'Flintwinch！'　said　the　mother；　'look　at　my　son。　Look　at　him！'

'Well；　I　AM　looking　at　him；'　said　Flintwinch。

She　stretched　out　the　arm　with　which　she　had　shielded　herself；　and　as
she　went　on；　pointed　at　the　object　of　her　anger。

'In　the　very　hour　of　his　return　almost……before　the　shoe　upon　his　foot　is
dry……he　asperses　his　father's　memory　to　his　mother！　Asks　his　mother
to　bee；　with　him；　a　spy　upon　his　father's　transactions　through　a
lifetime！　Has　misgivings　that　the　goods　of　this　world　which　we　have
painfully　got　together　early　and　late；　with　wear　and　tear　and　toil　and
self…denial；　are　so　much　plunder；　and　asks　to　whom　they　shall　be　given
up；　as　reparation　and　restitution！'

Although　she　said　this　raging；　she　said　it　in　a　voice　so　far　from　being
beyond　her　control　that　it　was　even　lower　than　her　usual　tone。　She　also
spoke　with　great　distinctness。

'Reparation！'　said　she。　'Yes；　truly！　It　is　easy　for　him　to　talk　of
reparation；　fresh　from　journeying　and　junketing　in　foreign　lands；　and
living　a　life　of　vanity　and　pleasure。　But　let　him　look　at　me；　in　prison；
and　in　bonds　here。　I　endure　without　murmuring；　because　it　is　appointed
that　I　shall　so　make　reparation　for　my　sins。　Reparation！　Is　there　none
in　this　room？　Has　there　been　none　here　this　fifteen　years？'

Thus　was　she　always　balancing　her　bargains　with　the　Majesty　of　heaven；
posting　up　the　entries　to　her　credit；　strictly　keeping　her　set…off；　and
claiming　her　due。　She　was　only　remarkable　in　this；　for　the　force
and　emphasis　with　which　she　did　it。　Thousands　upon　thousands　do　it；
according　to　their　varying　manner；　every　day。

'Flintwinch；　give　me　that　book！'

The　old　man　handed　it　to　her　from　the　table。　She　put　two　fingers　between
the　leaves；　closed　the　book　upon　them；　and　held　it　up　to　her　son　in
a　threatening　way。　'In　the　days　of　old；　Arthur；　treated　of　in　this
mentary；　there　were　pious　men；　beloved　of　the　Lord；　who　would　have
cursed　their　sons　for　less　than　this：　who　would　have　sent　them　forth；
and　sent　whole　nations　forth；　if　such　had　supported　them；　to　be　avoided
of　God　and　man；　and　perish；　down　to　the　baby　at　the　breast。　But　I　only
tell　you　that　if　you　ever　renew　that　theme　with　me；　I　will　renounce　you；
I　will　so　dismiss　you　through　that　doorway；　that　you　had　better　have
been　motherless　from　your　cradle。　I　will　never　see　or　know　you　more。　And
if；　after　all；　you　were　to　e　into　this　darkened　room　to　look　upon　me
lying　dead；　my　body　should　bleed；　if　I　could　make　it；　when　you　came　near
me。'

In　part　relieved　by　the　intensity　of　this　threat；　and　in　part　（monstrous
as　the　fact　is）　by　a　general　impression　that　it　was　in　some　sort　a
religious　proceeding；　she　handed　back　the　book　to　the　old　man；　and　was
silent。

'Now；'　said　Jeremiah；　'premising　that　I'm　not　going　to　stand　between　you
two；　will　you　let　me　ask　（as　I　have　been　called　in；　and　made　a　third）
what　is　all　this　about？'

'Take　your　version　of　it；'　returned　Arthur；　finding　it　left　to　him　to
speak；　'from　my　mother。　Let　it　rest　there。　What　I　have　said；　was　said　to
my　mother　only。'　'Oh！'　returned　the　old　man。　'From　your　mother？　Take
it　from　your　mother？　Well！　But　your　mother　mentioned　that　you　had　been
suspecting　your　father。　That's　not　dutiful；　Mr　Arthur。　Who　will　you　be
suspecting　next？'

'Enough；'　said　Mrs　Clennam；　turning　her　face　so　that　it　was　addressed
for　the　moment　to　the　old　man　only。　'Let　no　more　be　said　about　this。'

'Yes；　but　stop　a　bit；　stop　a　bit；'　the　old　man　persisted。　'Let　us　see
how　we　stand。　Have　you　told　Mr　Arthur　that　he　mustn't　lay　offences　at
his　father's　door？　That　he　has　no　right　to　do　it？　That　he　has　no　ground
to　go　upon？'

'I　tell　him　so　now。'

'Ah！　Exactly；'　said　the　old　man。　'You　tell　him　so　now。　You　hadn't　told
him　so　before；　and　you　tell　him　so　now。　Ay；　ay！　That's　right！　You　know　I
stood　between　you　and　his　father　so　long；　that　it　seems　as　if　death　had
made　no　difference；　and　I　was　still　standing　between　you。　So　I　will；　and
so　in　fairness　I　require　to　have　that　plainly　put　forward。　Arthur；　you
please　to　hear　that　you　have　no　right　to　mistrust　your　father；　and　have
no　ground　to　go　upon。'

He　put　his　hands　to　the　back　of　the　wheeled　chair；　and　muttering　to
himself；　slowly　wheeled　his　mistress　back　to　her　cabi。　'Now；'　he
resumed；　standing　behind　her：　'in　case　I　should　go　away　leaving　things
half　done；　and　so　should　be　wanted　again　when　you　e　to　the　other　half
and　get　into　one　of　your　flights；　has　Arthur　told　you　what　he　means　to
do　about　the　business？'

'He　has　relinquished　it。'

'In　favour　of　nobody；　I　suppose？'

Mrs　Clennam　glanced　at　her　son；　leaning　against　one　of　the　windows。

He　observed　the　look　and　said；　'To　my　mother；　of　course。　She　does　what
she　pleases。'

'And　if　any　pleasure；'　she　said　after　a　short　pause；　'could　arise　for　me
out　of　the　disappointment　of　my　expectations　that　my　son；　in　the　prime
of　his　life；　would　infuse　new　youth　and　strength　into　it；　and　make　it
of　great　profit　and　power；　it　would　be　in　advancing　an　old　and　faithful
servant。　Jeremiah；　the　captain　deserts　the　ship；　but　you　and　I　will　sink
or　float　with　it。'

Jeremiah；　whose　eyes　glistened　as　if　they　saw　money；　darted　a　sudden
look　at　the　son；　which　seemed　to　say；　'I　owe　YOU　no　thanks　for　this；　YOU
have　done　nothing　towards　it！'　and　then　told　the　mother　that　he　thanked
her；　and　that　Affery　thanked　her；　and　that　he　would　never　desert　her；
and　that　Affery　would　never　desert　her。　Finally；　he　hauled　up　his　watch
from　its　depths；　and　said；　'Eleven。　Time　for　your　oysters！'　and　with
that　change　of　subject；　which　involved　no　change　of　expression　or
manner；　rang　the　bell。

But　Mrs　Clennam；　resolved　to　treat　herself　with　the　greater　rigour　for
having　been　supposed　to　be　unacquainted　with　reparation；　refused　to
eat　her　oysters　when　they　were　brought。　They　looked　tempting；　eight　in
number；　circularly　set　out　on　a　white　plate　on　a　tray　covered　with　a
white　napkin；　flanked　by　a　slice　of　buttered　French　roll；　and　a　little
pact　glass　of　cool　wine　and　water；　but　she　resisted　all　persuasions；
and　sent　them　down　again……placing　the　act　to　her　credit；　no　doubt；　in
her　Eterna