little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第208章

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those　dreary　walls；　he　wore　the　night　out　with　such　thoughts。　What　time
Young　John　lay　wrapt　in　peaceful　slumber；　after　posing　and　arranging
the　following　monumental　inscription　on　his　pillow……


　　　　　　　　　　STRANGER！
　　　　　RESPECT　THE　TOMB　OF
　　　　　JOHN　CHIVERY；　JUNIOR；
　　　　　WHO　DIED　AT　AN　ADVANCED　AGE
　　　　　NOT　NECESSARY　TO　MENTION。
　　　　　HE　ENCOUNTERED　HIS　RIVAL　IN　A　DISTRESSED　STATE；
　　　　　AND　FELT　INCLINED
　　　　　TO　HAVE　A　ROUND　WITH　HIM；
　　　　　BUT；　FOR　THE　SAKE　OF　THE　LOVED　ONE；　CONQUERED　THOSE　FEELINGS
　　　　　OF　BITTERNESS；　AND　BECAME
　　　　　MAGNANIMOUS。




CHAPTER　28。　An　Appearance　in　the　Marshalsea


The　opinion　of　the　munity　outside　the　prison　gates　bore　hard　on
Clennam　as　time　went　on；　and　he　made　no　friends　among　the　munity
within。　Too　depressed　to　associate　with　the　herd　in　the　yard；　who　got
together　to　forget　their　cares；　too　retiring　and　too　unhappy　to　join　in
the　poor　socialities　of　the　tavern；　he　kept　his　own　room；　and　was　held
in　distrust。　Some　said　he　was　proud；　some　objected　that　he　was
sullen　and　reserved；　some　were　contemptuous　of　him；　for　that　he　was　a
poor…spirited　dog　who　pined　under　his　debts。　The　whole　population　were
shy　of　him　on　these　various　counts　of　indictment；　but　especially　the
last；　which　involved　a　species　of　domestic　treason；　and　he　soon　became
so　confirmed　in　his　seclusion；　that　his　only　time　for　walking　up　and
down　was　when　the　evening　Club　were　assembled　at　their　songs　and　toasts
and　sentiments；　and　when　the　yard　was　nearly　left　to　the　women　and
children。

Imprisonment　began　to　tell　upon　him。　He　knew　that　he　idled　and　moped。
After　what　he　had　known　of　the　influences　of　imprisonment　within　the
four　small　walls　of　the　very　room　he　occupied；　this　consciousness　made
him　afraid　of　himself。　Shrinking　from　the　observation　of　other　men；　and
shrinking　from　his　own；　he　began　to　change　very　sensibly。　Anybody　might
see　that　the　shadow　of　the　wall　was　dark　upon　him。

One　day　when　he　might　have　been　some　ten　or　twelve　weeks　in　jail；　and
when　he　had　been　trying　to　read　and　had　not　been　able　to　release　even
the　imaginary　people　of　the　book　from　the　Marshalsea；　a　footstep　stopped
at　his　door；　and　a　hand　tapped　at　it。　He　arose　and　opened　it；　and　an
agreeable　voice　accosted　him　with　'How　do　you　do；　Mr　Clennam？　I　hope　I
am　not　unwele　in　calling　to　see　you。'

It　was　the　sprightly　young　Barnacle；　Ferdinand。　He　looked　very
good…natured　and　prepossessing；　though　overpoweringly　gay　and　free；　in
contrast　with　the　squalid　prison。

'You　are　surprised　to　see　me；　Mr　Clennam；'　he　said；　taking　the　seat
which　Clennam　offered　him。

'I　must　confess　to　being　much　surprised。'

'Not　disagreeably；　I　hope？'

'By　no　means。'

'Thank　you。　Frankly；'　said　the　engaging　young　Barnacle；　'I　have　been
excessively　sorry　to　hear　that　you　were　under　the　necessity　of　a
temporary　retirement　here；　and　I　hope　（of　course　as　between　two　private
gentlemen）　that　our　place　has　had　nothing　to　do　with　it？'

'Your　office？'

'Our　Circumlocution　place。'

'I　cannot　charge　any　part　of　my　reverses　upon　that　remarkable
establishment。'

Upon　my　life；'　said　the　vivacious　young　Barnacle；　'I　am　heartily　glad　to
knoe　to　hear　you　say　it。　I　should　have
so　exceedingly　regretted　our　place　having　had　anything　to　do　with　your
difficulties。'

Clennam　again　assured　him　that　he　absolved　it　of　the　responsibility。

'That's　right；'　said　Ferdinand。　'I　am　very　happy　to　hear　it。　I　was
rather　afraid　in　my　own　mind　that　we　might　have　helped　to　floor　you；
because　there　is　no　doubt　that　it　is　our　misfortune　to　do　that　kind
of　thing　now　and　then。　We　don't　want　to　do　it；　but　if　men　will　be
gravelled；　why……we　can't　help　it。'

'Without　giving　an　unqualified　assent　to　what　you　say；'　returned　Arthur；
gloomily；　'I　am　much　obliged　to　you　for　your　interest　in　me。'

'No；　but　really！　Our　place　is；'　said　the　easy　young　Barnacle；　'the　most
inoffensive　place　possible。　You'll　say　we　are　a　humbug。　I　won't　say
we　are　not；　but　all　that　sort　of　thing　is　intended　to　be；　and　must　be。
Don't　you　see？'

'I　do　not；'　said　Clennam。

'You　don't　regard　it　from　the　right　point　of　view。　It　is　the　point　of
view　that　is　the　essential　thing。　Regard　our　place　from　the　point　of
view　that　we　only　ask　you　to　leave　us　alone；　and　we　are　as　capital　a
Department　as　you'll　find　anywhere。'

'Is　your　place　there　to　be　left　alone？'　asked　Clennam。

'You　exactly　hit　it；'　returned　Ferdinand。　'It　is　there　with　the　express
intention　that　everything　shall　be　left　alone。　That　is　what　it　means。
That　is　what　it's　for。　No　doubt　there's　a　certain　form　to　be　kept　up
that　it's　for　something　else；　but　it's　only　a　form。　Why；　good　Heaven；
we　are　nothing　but　forms！　Think　what　a　lot　of　our　forms　you　have　gone
through。　And　you　have　never　got　any　nearer　to　an　end？'

'Never；'　said　Clennam。

'Look　at　it　from　the　right　point　of　view；　and　there　you　have
us……official　and　effectual。　It's　like　a　limited　game　of　cricket。　A　field
of　outsiders　are　always　going　in　to　bowl　at　the　Public　Service；　and　we
block　the　balls。'

Clennam　asked　what　became　of　the　bowlers？　The　airy　young　Barnacle
replied　that　they　grew　tired；　got　dead　beat；　got　lamed；　got　their　backs
broken；　died　off；　gave　it　up；　went　in　for　other　games。

'And　this　occasions　me　to　congratulate　myself　again；'　he　pursued；
'on　the　circumstance　that　our　place　has　had　nothing　to　do　with　your
temporary　retirement。　It　very　easily　might　have　had　a　hand　in　it；
because　it　is　undeniable　that　we　are　sometimes　a　most　unlucky　place；　in
our　effects　upon　people　who　will　not　leave　us　alone。　Mr　Clennam；　I　am
quite　unreserved　with　you。　As　between　yourself　and　myself；　I　know　I　may
be。　I　was　so；　when　I　first　saw　you　making　the　mistake　of　not　leaving　us
alone；　because　I　perceived　that　you　were　inexperienced　and　sanguine；　and
had……I　hope　you'll　not　object　to　my　saying……some　simplicity。'

'Not　at　all。'

'Some　simplicity。　Therefore　I　felt　what　a　pity　it　was；　and　I　went　out
of　my　way　to　hint　to　you　（which　really　was　not　official；　but　I　never　am
official　when　I　can　help　it）　something　to　the　effect　that　if　I　were　you；
I　wouldn't　bother　myself。　However；　you　did　bother　yourself；　and　you　have
since　bothered　yourself。　Now；　don't　do　it　any　more。'

'I　am　not　likely　to　have　the　opportunity；'　said　Clennam。

'Oh　yes；　you　are！　You'll　leave　here。　Everybody　leaves　here。　There　are　no
ends　of　ways　of　leaving　here。　Now；　don't　e　back　to　us。　That　entreaty
is　the　second　object　of　my　call。　Pray；　don't　e　back　to　us。　Upon　my
honour；'　said　Ferdinand　in　a　very　friendly　and　confiding　way；　'I　shall
be　greatly　vexed　if　you　don't　take　warning　by　the　past　and　keep　away
from　us。'

'And　the　invention？'　said　Clennam。

'My　good　fellow；'　returned　Ferdinand；　'if　you'll　excuse　the　freedom　of
that　form　of　address；　nobody　wants　to　know　of　the　invention；　and　nobody
cares　twopence…halfpenny　about　it。'

'Nobody　in　the　Office；　that　is　to　say？'

'Nor　out　of　it。　Everybody　is　ready　to　dislike　and　ridicule　any
invention。　You　have　no　idea　how　many　people　want　to　be　left　alone。

You　have　no　idea　how　the　Genius　of　the　country　（overlook　the
Parliamentary　nature　of　the　phrase；　and　don't　be　bored　by　it）　tends
to　being　left　alone。　Believe　me；　Mr　Clennam；'　said　the　sprightly　young
Barnacle　in　his　pleasantest　manner；　'our　place　is　not　a　wicked　Giant　to
be　charged　at　full　tilt；　but　only　a　windmill　showing　you；　as　it　grinds
immense　quantities　of　chaff；　which　way　the　country　wind　blows。'

'If　I　could　believe　that；'　said　Clennam；　'it　would　be　a　dismal　prospect
for　all　of　us。'

'Oh！　Don't　say　so！'　returned　Ferdinand。　'It's　all　right。　We　must　have
humbug；　we　all　like　humbug；　we　couldn't　get　on　without　humbug。

A　little　humbug；　and　a　groove；　and　everything　goes　on　admirably；　if　you
leave　it　alone。'

With　this　hopeful　confession　of　his　faith　as　the　head　of　the　rising
Barnacles　who　were　born　of　woman；　to　be　followed　under　a　variety　of
watchwords　which　they　utterly　repudiated　and　disbelieved；　Ferdinand
rose。　Nothing　could　be　more　agreeable　than　his　frank　and　courteous
bearing；　or　adapted　with　a　more　gentlemanly　instinct　to　the
circumstances　of　his　visit。

'Is　it　fair　to　ask；'　he　said；　as　Clennam　gave　him　his　hand　with　a　real
fe