little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第17章

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that　he　announced　his　intention　of　lodging　at　the　coffee…house　where　he
had　left　his　luggage。　Mr　Flintwinch　taking　kindly　to　the　idea　of　getting
rid　of　him；　and　his　mother　being　indifferent；　beyond　considerations　of
saving；　to　most　domestic　arrangements　that　were　not　bounded　by　the　walls
of　her　own　chamber；　he　easily　carried　this　point　without　new　offence。
Daily　business　hours　were　agreed　upon；　which　his　mother；　Mr　Flintwinch；
and　he；　were　to　devote　together　to　a　necessary　checking　of　books　and
papers；　and　he　left　the　home　he　had　so　lately　found；　with　depressed
heart。

But　Little　Dorrit？

The　business　hours；　allowing　for　intervals　of　invalid　regimen　of　oysters
and　partridges；　during　which　Clennam　refreshed　himself　with　a　walk；
were　from　ten　to　six　for　about　a　fortnight。　Sometimes　Little　Dorrit　was
employed　at　her　needle；　sometimes　not；　sometimes　appeared　as　a　humble
visitor：　which　must　have　been　her　character　on　the　occasion　of　his
arrival。　His　original　curiosity　augmented　every　day；　as　he　watched　for
her；　saw　or　did　not　see　her；　and　speculated　about　her。　Influenced　by　his
predominant　idea；　he　even　fell　into　a　habit　of　discussing　with　himself
the　possibility　of　her　being　in　some　way　associated　with　it。　At　last　he
resolved　to　watch　Little　Dorrit　and　know　more　of　her　story。




CHAPTER　6。　The　Father　of　the　Marshalsea


Thirty　years　ago　there　stood；　a　few　doors　short　of　the　church　of　Saint
George；　in　the　borough　of　Southwark；　on　the　left…hand　side　of　the　way
going　southward；　the　Marshalsea　Prison。　It　had　stood　there　many　years
before；　and　it　remained　there　some　years　afterwards；　but　it　is　gone　now；
and　the　world　is　none　the　worse　without　it。

It　was　an　oblong　pile　of　barrack　building；　partitioned　into　squalid
houses　standing　back　to　back；　so　that　there　were　no　back　rooms；
environed　by　a　narrow　paved　yard；　hemmed　in　by　high　walls　duly　spiked　at
top。　Itself　a　close　and　confined　prison　for　debtors；　it　contained　within
it　a　much　closer　and　more　confined　jail　for　smugglers。　Offenders　against
the　revenue　laws；　and　defaulters　to　excise　or　customs　who　had　incurred
fines　which　they　were　unable　to　pay；　were　supposed　to　be　incarcerated
behind　an　iron…plated　door　closing　up　a　second　prison；　consisting　of　a
strong　cell　or　two；　and　a　blind　alley　some　yard　and　a　half　wide；　which
formed　the　mysterious　termination　of　the　very　limited　skittle…ground　in
which　the　Marshalsea　debtors　bowled　down　their　troubles。

Supposed　to　be　incarcerated　there；　because　the　time　had　rather　outgrown
the　strong　cells　and　the　blind　alley。　In　practice　they　had　e　to　be
considered　a　little　too　bad；　though　in　theory　they　were　quite　as　good　as
ever；　which　may　be　observed　to　be　the　case　at　the　present　day　with　other
cells　that　are　not　at　all　strong；　and　with　other　blind　alleys　that　are
stone…blind。　Hence　the　smugglers　habitually　consorted　with　the　debtors
（who　received　them　with　open　arms）；　except　at　certain　constitutional
moments　when　somebody　came　from　some　Office；　to　go　through　some　form　of
overlooking　something　which　neither　he　nor　anybody　else　knew　anything
about。　On　these　truly　British　occasions；　the　smugglers；　if　any；　made　a
feint　of　walking　into　the　strong　cells　and　the　blind　alley；　while　this
somebody　pretended　to　do　his　something：　and　made　a　reality　of　walking
out　again　as　soon　as　he　hadn't　done　it……neatly　epitomising　the
administration　of　most　of　the　public　affairs　in　our　right　little；　tight
little；　island。

There　had　been　taken　to　the　Marshalsea　Prison；　long　before　the　day　when
the　sun　shone　on　Marseilles　and　on　the　opening　of　this　narrative；　a
debtor　with　whom　this　narrative　has　some　concern。

He　was；　at　that　time；　a　very　amiable　and　very　helpless　middle…aged
gentleman；　who　was　going　out　again　directly。　Necessarily；　he　was　going
out　again　directly；　because　the　Marshalsea　lock　never　turned　upon　a
debtor　who　was　not。　He　brought　in　a　portmanteau　with　him；　which　he
doubted　its　being　worth　while　to　unpack；　he　was　so　perfectly　clear……like
all　the　rest　of　them；　the　turnkey　on　the　lock　said……that　he　was　going
out　again　directly。

He　was　a　shy；　retiring　man；　well…looking；　though　in　an　effeminate　style；
with　a　mild　voice；　curling　hair；　and　irresolute　hands……rings　upon　the
fingers　in　those　days……which　nervously　wandered　to　his　trembling　lip　a
hundred　times　in　the　first　half…hour　of　his　acquaintance　with　the　jail。
His　principal　anxiety　was　about　his　wife。

'Do　you　think；　sir；'　he　asked　the　turnkey；　'that　she　will　be　very　much
shocked；　if　she　should　e　to　the　gate　to…morrow　morning？'

The　turnkey　gave　it　as　the　result　of　his　experience　that　some　of　'em　was
and　some　of　'em　wasn't。　In　general；　more　no　than　yes。　'What　like　is　she；
you　see？'　he　philosophically　asked：　'that's　what　it　hinges　on。'

'She　is　very　delicate　and　inexperienced　indeed。'

'That；'　said　the　turnkey；　'is　agen　her。'

'She　is　so　little　used　to　go　out　alone；'　said　the　debtor；　'that　I　am　at
a　loss　to　think　how　she　will　ever　make　her　way　here；　if　she　walks。'

'P'raps；'　quoth　the　turnkey；　'she'll　take　a　ackney　coach。'

'Perhaps。'　The　irresolute　fingers　went　to　the　trembling　lip。　'I　hope　she
will。　She　may　not　think　of　it。'

'Or　p'raps；'　said　the　turnkey；　offering　his　suggestions　from　the　the　top
of　his　well…worn　wooden　stool；　as　he　might　have　offered　them　to　a　child
for　whose　weakness　he　felt　a　passion；　'p'raps　she'll　get　her　brother；
or　her　sister；　to　e　along　with　her。'

'She　has　no　brother　or　sister。'

'Niece；　nevy；　cousin；　serwant；　young　'ooman；　greengrocer。……Dash　it！

One　or　another　on　'em；'　said　the　turnkey；　repudiating　beforehand　the
refusal　of　all　his　suggestions。

'I　fear……I　hope　it　is　not　against　the　rules……that　she　will　bring　the
children。'

'The　children？'　said　the　turnkey。　'And　the　rules？　Why；　lord　set　you
up　like　a　corner　pin；　we've　a　reg'lar　playground　o'　children　here。
Children！　Why　we　swarm　with　'em。　How　many　a　you　got？'

'Two；'　said　the　debtor；　lifting　his　irresolute　hand　to　his　lip　again；
and　turning　into　the　prison。

The　turnkey　followed　him　with　his　eyes。　'And　you　another；'　he　observed
to　himself；　'which　makes　three　on　you。　And　your　wife　another；　I'll　lay
a　crown。　Which　makes　four　on　you。　And　another　ing；　I'll　lay
half…a…crown。　Which'll　make　five　on　you。　And　I'll　go　another　seven　and
sixpence　to　name　which　is　the　helplessest；　the　unborn　baby　or　you！'

He　was　right　in　all　his　particulars。　She　came　next　day　with　a　little
boy　of　three　years　old；　and　a　little　girl　of　two；　and　he　stood　entirely
corroborated。

'Got　a　room　now；　haven't　you？'　the　turnkey　asked　the　debtor　after　a　week
or　two。

'Yes；　I　have　got　a　very　good　room。'

'Any　little　sticks　a　ing　to　furnish　it？'　said　the　turnkey。

'I　expect　a　few　necessary　articles　of　furniture　to　be　delivered　by　the
carrier；　this　afternoon。'

'Missis　and　little　'uns　a　ing　to　keep　you　pany？'　asked　the
turnkey。

'Why；　yes；　we　think　it　better　that　we　should　not　be　scattered；　even　for
a　few　weeks。'

'Even　for　a　few　weeks；　OF　course；'　replied　the　turnkey。　And　he　followed
him　again　with　his　eyes；　and　nodded　his　head　seven　times　when　he　was
gone。

The　affairs　of　this　debtor　were　perplexed　by　a　partnership；　of　which　he
knew　no　more　than　that　he　had　invested　money　in　it；　by　legal　matters
of　assignment　and　settlement；　conveyance　here　and　conveyance　there；
suspicion　of　unlawful　preference　of　creditors　in　this　direction；　and　of
mysterious　spiriting　away　of　property　in　that；　and　as　nobody　on　the　face
of　the　earth　could　be　more　incapable　of　explaining　any　single　item　in
the　heap　of　confusion　than　the　debtor　himself；　nothing　prehensible
could　be　made　of　his　case。　To　question　him　in　detail；　and　endeavour
to　reconcile　his　answers；　to　closet　him　with　accountants　and　sharp
practitioners；　learned　in　the　wiles　of　insolvency　and　bankruptcy；　was
only　to　put　the　case　out　at　pound　interest　and　inprehensibility。
The　irresolute　fingers　fluttered　more　and　more　ineffectually　about　the
trembling　lip　on　every　such　occasion；　and　the　sharpest　practitioners
gave　him　up　as　a　hopeless　job。

'Out？'　said　the　turnkey；　'he'll　never　get　out；　unless　his　creditors　take
him　by　the　shoulders　and　shove　him　out。'

He　had　been　there　five　or　six　months；