little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第177章

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Flora's　dashing　into　a　rapid　analysis　of　Mr　Flintwinch's　cravat；　and
describing　him；　without　the　lightest　boundary　line　of　separation　between
his　identity　and　Mrs　Clennam's；　as　a　rusty　screw　in　gaiters。　Which
pound　of　man　and　woman；　no　limbs；　wheels；　rusty　screw；　grimness；　and
gaiters；　so　pletely　stupefied　Mr　Dorrit；　that　he　was　a　spectacle　to
be　pitied。　'But　I　would　not　detain　you　one　moment　longer；'　said　Flora；
upon　whom　his　condition　wrought　its　effect；　though　she　was　quite
unconscious　of　having　produced　it；　'if　you　would　have　the　goodness　to
give　your　promise　as　a　gentleman　that　both　in　going　back　to　Italy　and
in　Italy　too　you　would　look　for　this　Mr　Blandois　high　and　low　and　if
you　found　or　heard　of　him　make　him　e　forward　for　the　clearing　of
all　parties。'　By　that　time　Mr　Dorrit　had　so　far　recovered　from　his
bewilderment；　as　to　be　able　to　say；　in　a　tolerably　connected　manner；
that　he　should　consider　that　his　duty。　Flora　was　delighted　with　her
success；　and　rose　to　take　her　leave。

'With　a　million　thanks；'　said　she；　'and　my　address　upon　my　card　in　case
of　anything　to　be　municated　personally；　I　will　not　send　my　love　to
the　dear　little　thing　for　it　might　not　be　acceptable；　and　indeed　there
is　no　dear　little　thing　left　in　the　transformation　so　why　do　it　but
both　myself　and　Mr　F。's　Aunt　ever　wish　her　well　and　lay　no　claim　to　any
favour　on　our　side　you　may　be　sure　of　that　but　quite　the　other　way　for
what　she　undertook　to　do　she　did　and　that　is　more　than　a　great　many　of
us　do；　not　to　say　anything　of　her　doing　it　as　Well　as　it　could　be
done　and　I　myself　am　one　of　them　for　I　have　said　ever　since　I　began　to
recover　the　blow　of　Mr　F's　death　that　I　would　learn　the　Organ　of　which
I　am　extremely　fond　but　of　which　I　am　ashamed　to　say　I　do　not　yet　know　a
note；　good　evening！'

When　Mr　Dorrit；　who　attended　her　to　the　room…door；　had　had　a　little　time
to　collect　his　senses；　he　found　that　the　interview　had　summoned　back
discarded　reminiscences　which　jarred　with　the　Merdle　dinner…table。
He　wrote　and　sent　off　a　brief　note　excusing　himself　for　that　day；　and
ordered　dinner　presently　in　his　own　rooms　at　the　hotel。　He　had　another
reason　for　this。　His　time　in　London　was　very　nearly　out；　and　was
anticipated　by　engagements；　his　plans　were　made　for　returning；　and　he
thought　it　behoved　his　importance　to　pursue　some　direct　inquiry　into　the
Blandois　disappearance；　and　be　in　a　condition　to　carry　back　to　Mr
Henry　Gowan　the　result　of　his　own　personal　investigation。　He　therefore
resolved　that　he　would　take　advantage　of　that　evening's　freedom　to　go
down　to　Clennam　and　Co。's；　easily　to　be　found　by　the　direction　set　forth
in　the　handbill；　and　see　the　place；　and　ask　a　question　or　two　there
himself。

Having　dined　as　plainly　as　the　establishment　and　the　Courier　would　let
him；　and　having　taken　a　short　sleep　by　the　fire　for　his　better　recovery
from　Mrs　Finching；　he　set　out　in　a　hackney…cabriolet　alone。　The　deep
bell　of　St　Paul's　was　striking　nine　as　he　passed　under　the　shadow　of
Temple　Bar；　headless　and　forlorn　in　these　degenerate　days。

As　he　approached　his　destination　through　the　by…streets　and　water…side
ways；　that　part　of　London　seemed　to　him　an　uglier　spot　at　such　an　hour
than　he　had　ever　supposed　it　to　be。　Many　long　years　had　passed　since　he
had　seen　it；　he　had　never　known　much　of　it；　and　it　wore　a　mysterious　and
dismal　aspect　in　his　eyes。　So　powerfully　was　his　imagination　impressed
by　it；　that　when　his　driver　stopped；　after　having　asked　the　way　more
than　once；　and　said　to　the　best　of　his　belief　this　was　the　gateway　they
wanted；　Mr　Dorrit　stood　hesitating；　with　the　coach…door　in　his　hand；
half　afraid　of　the　dark　look　of　the　place。

Truly；　it　looked　as　gloomy　that　night　as　even　it　had　ever　looked。　Two　of
the　handbills　were　posted　on　the　entrance　wall；　one　on　either　side；　and
as　the　lamp　flickered　in　the　night　air；　shadows　passed　over　them；　not
unlike　the　shadows　of　fingers　following　the　lines。　A　watch　was　evidently
kept　upon　the　place。　As　Mr　Dorrit　paused；　a　man　passed　in　from　over　the
way；　and　another　man　passed　out　from　some　dark　corner　within；　and　both
looked　at　him　in　passing；　and　both　remained　standing　about。

As　there　was　only　one　house　in　the　enclosure；　there　was　no　room　for
uncertainty；　so　he　went　up　the　steps　of　that　house　and　knocked。　There
was　a　dim　light　in　two　windows　on　the　first…floor。　The　door　gave　back
a　dreary；　vacant　sound；　as　though　the　house　were　empty；　but　it　was　not；
for　a　light　was　visible；　and　a　step　was　audible；　almost　directly。　They
both　came　to　the　door；　and　a　chain　grated；　and　a　woman　with　her　apron
thrown　over　her　face　and　head　stood　in　the　aperture。

'Who　is　it？'　said　the　woman。

Mr　Dorrit；　much　amazed　by　this　appearance；　replied　that　he　was　from
Italy；　and　that　he　wished　to　ask　a　question　relative　to　the　missing
person；　whom　he　knew。

'Hi！'　cried　the　woman；　raising　a　cracked　voice。　'Jeremiah！'

Upon　this；　a　dry　old　man　appeared；　whom　Mr　Dorrit　thought　he　identified
by　his　gaiters；　as　the　rusty　screw。　The　woman　was　Under　apprehensions
of　the　dry　old　man；　for　she　whisked　her　apron　away　as　he　approached；　and
disclosed　a　pale　affrighted　face。　'Open　the　door；　you　fool；'　said　the
old　man；　'and　let　the　gentleman　in。'

Mr　Dorrit；　not　without　a　glance　over　his　shoulder　towards　his　driver　and
the　cabriolet；　walked　into　the　dim　hall。　'Now；　sir；'　said　Mr　Flintwinch；
'you　can　ask　anything　here　you　think　proper；　there　are　no　secrets　here；
sir。'

Before　a　reply　could　be　made；　a　strong　stern　voice；　though　a　woman's；
called　from　above；　'Who　is　it？'

'Who　is　it？'　returned　Jeremiah。　'More　inquiries。　A　gentleman　from
Italy。'

'Bring　him　up　here！'

Mr　Flintwinch　muttered；　as　if　he　deemed　that　unnecessary；　but；　turning
to　Mr　Dorrit；　said；　'Mrs　Clennam。　She　will　do　as　she　likes。　I'll　show
you　the　way。'　He　then　preceded　Mr　Dorrit　up　the　blackened　staircase；
that　gentleman；　not　unnaturally　looking　behind　him　on　the　road；　saw　the
woman　following；　with　her　apron　thrown　over　her　head　again　in　her　former
ghastly　manner。

Mrs　Clennam　had　her　books　open　on　her　little　table。　'Oh！'　said　she
abruptly；　as　she　eyed　her　visitor　with　a　steady　look。　'You　are　from
Italy；　sir；　are　you。　Well？'　Mr　Dorrit　was　at　a　loss　for　any　more
distinct　rejoinder　at　the　moment　than　'Ha……well？'

'Where　is　this　missing　man？　Have　you　e　to　give　us　information　where
he　is？　I　hope　you　have？'

'So　far　from　it；　I……hum……have　e　to　seek　information。'　'Unfortunately
for　us；　there　is　none　to　be　got　here。　Flintwinch；　show　the　gentleman　the
handbill。　Give　him　several　to　take　away。　Hold　the　light　for　him　to　read
it。'

Mr　Flintwinch　did　as　he　was　directed；　and　Mr　Dorrit　read　it　through；
as　if　he　had　not　previously　seen　it；　glad　enough　of　the　opportunity　of
collecting　his　presence　of　mind；　which　the　air　of　the　house　and　of　the
people　in　it　had　a　little　disturbed。　While　his　eyes　were　on　the　paper；
he　felt　that　the　eyes　of　Mr　Flintwinch　and　of　Mrs　Clennam　were　on　him。
He　found；　when　he　looked　up；　that　this　sensation　was　not　a　fanciful　one。

'Now　you　know　as　much；'　said　Mrs　Clennam；　'as　we　know；　sir。　Is　Mr
Blandois　a　friend　of　yours？'

'No……a……hum……an　acquaintance；'　answered　Mr　Dorrit。

'You　have　no　mission　from　him；　perhaps？'

'I？　Ha。　Certainly　not。'

The　searching　look　turned　gradually　to　the　floor；　after　taking　Mr
Flintwinch's　face　in　its　way。　Mr　Dorrit；　disfited　by　finding　that
he　was　the　questioned　instead　of　the　questioner；　applied　himself　to　the
reversal　of　that　unexpected　order　of　things。

'I　am……ha……a　gentleman　of　property；　at　present　residing　in　Italy　with　my
family；　my　servants；　and……hum……my　rather　large　establishment。　Being　in
London　for　a　short　time　on　affairs　connected　with……ha……my　estate；
and　hearing　of　this　strange　disappearance；　I　wished　to　make　myself
acquainted　with　the　circumstances　at　first…hand；　because　there　is……ha
hum……an　English　gentleman　in　Italy　whom　I　shall　no　doubt　see　on　my
return；　who　has　been　in　habits　of　close　and　daily　intimacy　with　Monsieur
Blandois。　Mr　Henry　Gowan。　You　may　know　the　name。'

'Never　heard　of　it。'　Mrs　Clennam　said　it；　and　Mr　Flintwinch　echoed　it。

'Wishing　to……ha……make　the　narrative　coherent　and　consecutive　to　him；'