little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第16章

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and　sent　them　down　again……placing　the　act　to　her　credit；　no　doubt；　in
her　Eternal　Day…Book。

This　refection　of　oysters　was　not　presided　over　by　Affery；　but　by　the
girl　who　had　appeared　when　the　bell　was　rung；　the　same　who　had　been　in
the　dimly…lighted　room　last　night。　Now　that　he　had　an　opportunity　of
observing　her；　Arthur　found　that　her　diminutive　figure；　small　features；
and　slight　spare　dress；　gave　her　the　appearance　of　being　much　younger
than　she　was。　A　woman；　probably　of　not　less　than　two…and…twenty；　she
might　have　been　passed　in　the　street　for　little　more　than　half　that
age。　Not　that　her　face　was　very　youthful；　for　in　truth　there　was　more
consideration　and　care　in　it　than　naturally　belonged　to　her　utmost
years；　but　she　was　so　little　and　light；　so　noiseless　and　shy；　and
appeared　so　conscious　of　being　out　of　place　among　the　three　hard　elders；
that　she　had　all　the　manner　and　much　of　the　appearance　of　a　subdued
child。

In　a　hard　way；　and　in　an　uncertain　way　that　fluctuated　between　patronage
and　putting　down；　the　sprinkling　from　a　watering…pot　and　hydraulic
pressure；　Mrs　Clennam　showed　an　interest　in　this　dependent。　Even　in　the
moment　of　her　entrance；　upon　the　violent　ringing　of　the　bell；　when　the
mother　shielded　herself　with　that　singular　action　from　the　son；　Mrs
Clennam's　eyes　had　had　some　individual　recognition　in　them；　which　seemed
reserved　for　her。　As　there　are　degrees　of　hardness　in　the　hardest　metal；
and　shades　of　colour　in　black　itself；　so；　even　in　the　asperity　of　Mrs
Clennam's　demeanour　towards　all　the　rest　of　humanity　and　towards　Little
Dorrit；　there　was　a　fine　gradation。

Little　Dorrit　let　herself　out　to　do　needlework。　At　so　much　a　day……or　at
so　little……from　eight　to　eight；　Little　Dorrit　was　to　be　hired。　Punctual
to　the　moment；　Little　Dorrit　appeared；　punctual　to　the　moment；　Little
Dorrit　vanished。　What　became　of　Little　Dorrit　between　the　two　eights　was
a　mystery。

Another　of　the　moral　phenomena　of　Little　Dorrit。　Besides　her
consideration　money；　her　daily　contract　included　meals。　She　had　an
extraordinary　repugnance　to　dining　in　pany；　would　never　do　so；　if
it　were　possible　to　escape。　Would　always　plead　that　she　had　this　bit　of
work　to　begin　first；　or　that　bit　of　work　to　finish　first；　and　would；　of
a　certainty；　scheme　and　plan……not　very　cunningly；　it　would　seem；　for　she
deceived　no　one……to　dine　alone。　Successful　in　this；　happy　in　carrying
off　her　plate　anywhere；　to　make　a　table　of　her　lap；　or　a　box；　or　the
ground；　or　even　as　was　supposed；　to　stand　on　tip…toe；　dining　moderately
at　a　mantel…shelf；　the　great　anxiety　of　Little　Dorrit's　day　was　set　at
rest。

It　was　not　easy　to　make　out　Little　Dorrit's　face；　she　was　so　retiring；
plied　her　needle　in　such　removed　corners；　and　started　away　so　scared　if
encountered　on　the　stairs。　But　it　seemed　to　be　a　pale　transparent　face；
quick　in　expression；　though　not　beautiful　in　feature；　its　soft　hazel
eyes　excepted。　A　delicately　bent　head；　a　tiny　form；　a　quick　little　pair
of　busy　hands；　and　a　shabby　dress……it　must　needs　have　been　very　shabby
to　look　at　all　so；　being　so　neat……were　Little　Dorrit　as　she　sat　at　work。

For　these　particulars　or　generalities　concerning　Little　Dorrit；　Mr
Arthur　was　indebted　in　the　course　of　the　day　to　his　own　eyes　and　to　Mrs
Affery's　tongue。　If　Mrs　Affery　had　had　any　will　or　way　of　her　own；　it
would　probably　have　been　unfavourable　to　Little　Dorrit。　But　as　'them　two
clever　ones'……Mrs　Affery's　perpetual　reference；　in　whom　her　personality
was　swallowed　up……were　agreed　to　accept　Little　Dorrit　as　a　matter　of
course；　she　had　nothing　for　it　but　to　follow　suit。　Similarly；　if　the
two　clever　ones　had　agreed　to　murder　Little　Dorrit　by　candlelight；　Mrs
Affery；　being　required　to　hold　the　candle；　would　no　doubt　have　done　it。

In　the　intervals　of　roasting　the　partridge　for　the　invalid　chamber；　and
preparing　a　baking…dish　of　beef　and　pudding　for　the　dining…room；　Mrs
Affery　made　the　munications　above　set　forth；　invariably　putting
her　head　in　at　the　door　again　after　she　had　taken　it　out；　to　enforce
resistance　to　the　two　clever　ones。　It　appeared　to　have　bee　a　perfect
passion　with　Mrs　Flintwinch；　that　the　only　son　should　be　pitted　against
them。

In　the　course　of　the　day；　too；　Arthur　looked　through　the　whole　house。
Dull　and　dark　he　found　it。　The　gaunt　rooms；　deserted　for　years　upon
years；　seemed　to　have　settled　down　into　a　gloomy　lethargy　from　which
nothing　could　rouse　them　again。　The　furniture；　at　once　spare　and
lumbering；　hid　in　the　rooms　rather　than　furnished　them；　and　there　was
no　colour　in　all　the　house；　such　colour　as　had　ever　been　there；　had　long
ago　started　away　on　lost　sunbeams……got　itself　absorbed；　perhaps；　into
flowers；　butterflies；　plumage　of　birds；　precious　stones；　what　not。　There
was　not　one　straight　floor　from　the　foundation　to　the　roof；　the　ceilings
were　so　fantastically　clouded　by　smoke　and　dust；　that　old　women　might
have　told　fortunes　in　them　better　than　in　grouts　of　tea；　the　dead…cold
hearths　showed　no　traces　of　having　ever　been　warmed　but　in　heaps　of　soot
that　had　tumbled　down　the　chimneys；　and　eddied　about　in　little
dusky　whirlwinds　when　the　doors　were　opened。　In　what　had　once　been
a　drawing…room；　there　were　a　pair　of　meagre　mirrors；　with　dismal
processions　of　black　figures　carrying　black　garlands；　walking　round
the　frames；　but　even　these　were　short　of　heads　and　legs；　and　one
undertaker…like　Cupid　had　swung　round　on　its　own　axis　and　got　upside
down；　and　another　had　fallen　off　altogether。　The　room　Arthur　Clennam's
deceased　father　had　occupied　for　business　purposes；　when　he　first
remembered　him；　was　so　unaltered　that　he　might　have　been　imagined　still
to　keep　it　invisibly；　as　his　visible　relict　kept　her　room　up…stairs；
Jeremiah　Flintwinch　still　going　between　them　negotiating。　His　picture；
dark　and　gloomy；　earnestly　speechless　on　the　wall；　with　the　eyes
intently　looking　at　his　son　as　they　had　looked　when　life　departed　from
them；　seemed　to　urge　him　awfully　to　the　task　he　had　attempted；　but　as
to　any　yielding　on　the　part　of　his　mother；　he　had　now　no　hope；　and　as　to
any　other　means　of　setting　his　distrust　at　rest；　he　had　abandoned　hope　a
long　time。

Down　in　the　cellars；　as　up　in　the　bed…chambers；　old　objects　that　he　well
remembered　were　changed　by　age　and　decay；　but　were　still　in　their
old　places；　even　to　empty　beer…casks　hoary　with　cobwebs；　and　empty
wine…bottles　with　fur　and　fungus　choking　up　their　throats。　There；　too；
among　unusual　bottle…racks　and　pale　slants　of　light　from　the　yard　above；
was　the　strong　room　stored　with　old　ledgers；　which　had　as　musty　and
corrupt　a　smell　as　if　they　were　regularly　balanced；　in　the　dead　small
hours；　by　a　nightly　resurrection　of　old　book…keepers。

The　baking…dish　was　served　up　in　a　penitential　manner　on　a　shrunken
cloth　at　an　end　of　the　dining…table；　at　two　o'clock；　when　he　dined　with
Mr　Flintwinch；　the　new　partner。　Mr　Flintwinch　informed　him　that　his
mother　had　recovered　her　equanimity　now；　and　that　he　need　not　fear　her
again　alluding　to　what　had　passed　in　the　morning。　'And　don't　you　lay
offences　at　your　father's　door；　Mr　Arthur；'　added　Jeremiah；　'once　for
all；　don't　do　it！　Now；　we　have　done　with　the　subject。'

Mr　Flintwinch　had　been　already　rearranging　and　dusting　his　own
particular　little　office；　as　if　to　do　honour　to　his　accession　to　new
dignity。　He　resumed　this　occupation　when　he　was　replete　with　beef；　had
sucked　up　all　the　gravy　in　the　baking…dish　with　the　flat　of　his　knife；
and　had　drawn　liberally　on　a　barrel　of　small　beer　in　the　scullery。　Thus
refreshed；　he　tucked　up　his　shirt…sleeves　and　went　to　work　again；　and　Mr
Arthur；　watching　him　as　he　set　about　it；　plainly　saw　that　his　father's
picture；　or　his　father's　grave；　would　be　as　municative　with　him　as
this　old　man。

'Now；　Affery；　woman；'　said　Mr　Flintwinch；　as　she　crossed　the　hall。　'You
hadn't　made　Mr　Arthur's　bed　when　I　was　up　there　last。　Stir　yourself。
Bustle。'

But　Mr　Arthur　found　the　house　so　blank　and　dreary；　and　was　so　unwilling
to　assist　at　another　implacable　consignment　of　his　mother's　enemies
（perhaps　himself　among　them）　to　mortal　disfigurement　and　immortal　ruin；
that　he　announced　his　intention　of　lodging　at　the　coffee…house　where　he
had　left