little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第178章

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

'Wishing　to……ha……make　the　narrative　coherent　and　consecutive　to　him；'
said　Mr　Dorrit；　'may　I　ask……say；　three　questions？'

'Thirty；　if　you　choose。'

'Have　you　known　Monsieur　Blandois　long？'

'Not　a　twelvemonth。　Mr　Flintwinch　here；　will　refer　to　the　books　and　tell
you　when；　and　by　whom　at　Paris　he　was　introduced　to　us。　If　that；'
Mrs　Clennam　added；　'should　be　any　satisfaction　to　you。　It　is　poor
satisfaction　to　us。'

'Have　you　seen　him　often？'

'No。　Twice。　Once　before；　and……'　'That　once；'　suggested　Mr　Flintwinch。

'And　that　once。'

'Pray；　madam；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　with　a　growing　fancy　upon　him　as　he
recovered　his　importance；　that　he　was　in　some　superior　way　in　the
mission　of　the　Peace；　'pray；　madam；　may　I　inquire；　for　the　greater
satisfaction　of　the　gentleman　whom　I　have　the　honour　to……ha……retain；　or
protect　or　let　me　say　to……hum……know……to　know……Was　Monsieur　Blandois　here
on　business　on　the　night　indicated　in　this　present　sheet？'

'On　what　he　called　business；'　returned　Mrs　Clennam。

'Is……ha……excuse　me……is　its　nature　to　be　municated？'

'No。'

It　was　evidently　impracticable　to　pass　the　barrier　of　that　reply。

'The　question　has　been　asked　before；'　said　Mrs　Clennam；　'and　the　answer
has　been；　No。　We　don't　choose　to　publish　our　transactions；　however
unimportant；　to　all　the　town。　We　say；　No。'

'I　mean；　he　took　away　no　money　with　him；　for　example；'　said　Mr　Dorrit。

'He　took　away　none　of　ours；　sir；　and　got　none　here。'

'I　suppose；'　observed　Mr　Dorrit；　glancing　from　Mrs　Clennam　to　Mr
Flintwinch；　and　from　Mr　Flintwinch　to　Mrs　Clennam；　'you　have　no　way　of
accounting　to　yourself　for　this　mystery？'

'Why　do　you　suppose　so？'　rejoined　Mrs　Clennam。

Disconcerted　by　the　cold　and　hard　inquiry；　Mr　Dorrit　was　unable　to
assign　any　reason　for　his　supposing　so。

'I　account　for　it；　sir；'　she　pursued　after　an　awkward　silence　on　Mr
Dorrit's　part；　'by　having　no　doubt　that　he　is　travelling　somewhere；　or
hiding　somewhere。'

'Do　you　know……ha……why　he　should　hide　anywhere？'

'No。'

It　was　exactly　the　same　No　as　before；　and　put　another　barrier　up。　'You
asked　me　if　I　accounted　for　the　disappearance　to　myself；'　Mrs　Clennam
sternly　reminded　him；　'not　if　I　accounted　for　it　to　you。　I　do　not
pretend　to　account　for　it　to　you；　sir。　I　understand　it　to　be　no　more　my
business　to　do　that；　than　it　is　yours　to　require　that。'

Mr　Dorrit　answered　with　an　apologetic　bend　of　his　head。　As　he　stepped
back；　preparatory　to　saying　he　had　no　more　to　ask；　he　could　not　but
observe　how　gloomily　and　fixedly　she　sat　with　her　eyes　fastened　on
the　ground；　and　a　certain　air　upon　her　of　resolute　waiting；　also；
how　exactly　the　self…same　expression　was　reflected　in　Mr　Flintwinch；
standing　at　a　little　distance　from　her　chair；　with　his　eyes　also　on　the
ground；　and　his　right　hand　softly　rubbing　his　chin。

At　that　moment；　Mistress　Affery　（of　course；　the　woman　with　the　apron）
dropped　the　candlestick　she　held；　and　cried　out；　'There！　O　good　Lord！
there　it　is　again。　Hark；　Jeremiah！　Now！'

If　there　were　any　sound　at　all；　it　was　so　slight　that　she　must　have
fallen　into　a　confirmed　habit　of　listening　for　sounds；　but　Mr　Dorrit
believed　he　did　hear　a　something；　like　the　falling　of　dry　leaves。　The
woman's　terror；　for　a　very　short　space；　seemed　to　touch　the　three；　and
they　all　listened。

Mr　Flintwinch　was　the　first　to　stir。　'Affery；　my　woman；'　said　he；
sidling　at　her　with　his　fists　clenched；　and　his　elbows　quivering　with
impatience　to　shake　her；　'you　are　at　your　old　tricks。　You'll　be　walking
in　your　sleep　next；　my　woman；　and　playing　the　whole　round　of　your
distempered　antics。　You　must　have　some　physic。　When　I　have　shown　this
gentleman　out；　I'll　make　you　up　such　a　fortable　dose；　my　woman；　such
a　fortable　dose！'

It　did　not　appear　altogether　fortable　in　expectation　to　Mistress
Affery；　but　Jeremiah；　without　further　reference　to　his　healing　medicine；
took　another　candle　from　Mrs　Clennam's　table；　and　said；　'Now；　sir；　shall
I　light　you　down？'

Mr　Dorrit　professed　himself　obliged；　and　went　down。　Mr　Flintwinch　shut
him　out；　and　chained　him　out；　without　a　moment's　loss　of　time。

He　was　again　passed　by　the　two　men；　one　going　out　and　the　other　ing
in；　got　into　the　vehicle　he　had　left　waiting；　and　was　driven　away。

Before　he　had　gone　far；　the　driver　stopped　to　let　him　know　that　he
had　given　his　name；　number；　and　address　to　the　two　men；　on　their　joint
requisition；　and　also　the　address　at　which　he　had　taken　Mr　Dorrit　up；
the　hour　at　which　he　had　been　called　from　his　stand　and　the　way　by　which
he　had　e。　This　did　not　make　the　night's　adventure　run　any　less　hotly
in　Mr　Dorrit's　mind；　either　when　he　sat　down　by　his　fire　again；　or
when　he　went　to　bed。　All　night　he　haunted　the　dismal　house；　saw　the　two
people　resolutely　waiting；　heard　the　woman　with　her　apron　over　her　face
cry　out　about　the　noise；　and　found　the　body　of　the　missing　Blandois；　now
buried　in　the　cellar；　and　now　bricked　up　in　a　wall。




CHAPTER　18。　A　Castle　in　the　Air


Manifold　are　the　cares　of　wealth　and　state。　Mr　Dorrit's　satisfaction　in
remembering　that　it　had　not　been　necessary　for　him　to　announce　himself
to　Clennam　and　Co。；　or　to　make　an　allusion　to　his　having　had　any
knowledge　of　the　intrusive　person　of　that　name；　had　been　damped
over…night；　while　it　was　still　fresh；　by　a　debate　that　arose　within　him
whether　or　no　he　should　take　the　Marshalsea　in　his　way　back；　and　look
at　the　old　gate。　He　had　decided　not　to　do　so；　and　had　astonished　the
coachman　by　being　very　fierce　with　him　for　proposing　to　go　over　London
Bridge　and　recross　the　river　by　Waterloo　Bridge……a　course　which　would
have　taken　him　almost　within　sight　of　his　old　quarters。　Still；　for　all
that；　the　question　had　raised　a　conflict　in　his　breast；　and；　for　some
odd　reason　or　no　reason；　he　was　vaguely　dissatisfied。　Even　at　the　Merdle
dinner…table　next　day；　he　was　so　out　of　sorts　about　it　that　he
continued　at　intervals　to　turn　it　over　and　over；　in　a　manner　frightfully
inconsistent　with　the　good　society　surrounding　him。　It　made　him　hot　to
think　what　the　Chief　Butler's　opinion　of　him　would　have　been；　if　that
illustrious　personage　could　have　plumbed　with　that　heavy　eye　of　his　the
stream　of　his　meditations。

The　farewell　banquet　was　of　a　gorgeous　nature；　and　wound　up　his　visit
in　a　most　brilliant　manner。　Fanny　bined　with　the　attractions　of　her
youth　and　beauty；　a　certain　weight　of　self…sustainment　as　if　she　had
been　married　twenty　years。　He　felt　that　he　could　leave　her　with　a
quiet　mind　to　tread　the　paths　of　distinction；　and　wished……but　without
abatement　of　patronage；　and　without　prejudice　to　the　retiring　virtues　of
his　favourite　child……that　he　had　such　another　daughter。

'My　dear；'　he　told　her　at　parting；　'our　family　looks　to　you
to……ha……assert　its　dignity　and……hum……maintain　its　importance。　I　know　you
will　never　disappoint　it。'

'No；　papa；'　said　Fanny；　'you　may　rely　upon　that；　I　think。　My　best　love
to　dearest　Amy；　and　I　will　write　to　her　very　soon。'

'Shall　I　convey　any　message　to……ha……anybody　else？'　asked　Mr　Dorrit；　in
an　insinuating　manner。

'Papa；'　said　Fanny；　before　whom　Mrs　General　instantly　loomed；　'no；　I
thank　you。　You　are　very　kind；　Pa；　but　I　must　beg　to　be　excused。　There
is　no　other　message　to　send；　I　thank　you；　dear　papa；　that　it　would　be　at
all　agreeable　to　you　to　take。'

They　parted　in　an　outer　drawing…room；　where　only　Mr　Sparkler　waited
on　his　lady；　and　dutifully　bided　his　time　for　shaking　hands。　When　Mr
Sparkler　was　admitted　to　this　closing　audience；　Mr　Merdle　came　creeping
in　with　not　much　more　appearance　of　arms　in　his　sleeves　than　if　he
had　been　the　twin　brother　of　Miss　Biffin；　and　insisted　on　escorting
Mr　Dorrit　down…stairs。　All　Mr　Dorrit's　protestations　being　in　vain；
he　enjoyed　the　honour　of　being　acpanied　to　the　hall…door　by　this
distinguished　man；　who　（as　Mr　Dorrit　told　him　in　shaking　hands　on　the
step）　had　really　overwhelmed　him　with　attentions　and　services　during
this　memorable　visit。　Thus　they　parted；　Mr　Dorrit　entering　his　carriage
with　a　swelling　breast；　not　at　all　sorry　that　his　Courier；　who　had
e　to　take　leave　in　the　lower　regions；　should　have　an　opportun