little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第216章

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that　was　like　the　headsman's　block。

Yet　there　was　a　nameless　air　of　preparation　in　the　room；　as　if　it　were
strung　up　for　an　occasion。　From　what　the　room　derived　it……every　one　of
its　small　variety　of　objects　being　in　the　fixed　spot　it　had　occupied
for　years……no　one　could　have　said　without　looking　attentively　at　its
mistress；　and　that；　too；　with　a　previous　knowledge　of　her　face。　Although
her　unchanging　black　dress　was　in　every　plait　precisely　as　of　old；　and
her　unchanging　attitude　was　rigidly　preserved；　a　very　slight　additional
setting　of　her　features　and　contraction　of　her　gloomy　forehead　was　so
powerfully　marked；　that　it　marked　everything　about　her。

'Who　are　these？'　she　said；　wonderingly；　as　the　two　attendants　entered。
'What　do　these　people　want　here？'

'Who　are　these；　dear　madame；　is　it？'　returned　Rigaud。　'Faith；　they　are
friends　of　your　son　the　prisoner。　And　what　do　they　want　here；　is　it？
Death；　madame；　I　don't　know。　You　will　do　well　to　ask　them。'

'You　know　you　told　us　at　the　door；　not　to　go　yet；'　said　Pancks。

'And　you　know　you　told　me　at　the　door；　you　didn't　mean　to　go；'　retorted
Rigaud。　'In　a　word；　madame；　permit　me　to　present　two　spies　of　the
prisoner's……madmen；　but　spies。　If　you　wish　them　to　remain　here　during
our　little　conversation；　say　the　word。　It　is　nothing　to　me。'

'Why　should　I　wish　them　to　remain　here？'　said　Mrs　Clennam。　'What　have　I
to　do　with　them？'

'Then；　dearest　madame；'　said　Rigaud；　throwing　himself　into　an　arm…chair
so　heavily　that　the　old　room　trembled；　'you　will　do　well　to　dismiss
them。　It　is　your　affair。　They　are　not　my　spies；　not　my　rascals。'

'Hark！　You　Pancks；'　said　Mrs　Clennam；　bending　her　brows　upon　him
angrily；　'you　Casby's　clerk！　Attend　to　your　employer's　business　and　your
own。　Go。　And　take　that　other　man　with　you。'　'Thank　you；　ma'am；'　returned
Mr　Pancks；　'I　am　glad　to　say　I　see　no　objection　to　our　both　retiring。
We　have　done　all　we　undertook　to　do　for　Mr　Clennam。　His　constant　anxiety
has　been　（and　it　grew　worse　upon　him　when　he　became　a　prisoner）；　that
this　agreeable　gentleman　should　be　brought　back　here　to　the　place　from
which　he　slipped　away。　Here　he　is……brought　back。　And　I　will　say；'　added
Mr　Pancks；　'to　his　ill…looking　face；　that　in　my　opinion　the　world　would
be　no　worse　for　his　slipping　out　of　it　altogether。'

'Your　opinion　is　not　asked；'　answered　Mrs　Clennam。　'Go。'

'I　am　sorry　not　to　leave　you　in　better　pany；　ma'am；'　said　Pancks；
'and　sorry；　too；　that　Mr　Clennam　can't　be　present。　It's　my　fault；　that
is。'

'You　mean　his　own；'　she　returned。

'No；　I　mean　mine；　ma'am；'　said　Pancks；'for　it　was　my　misfortune　to　lead
him　into　a　ruinous　investment。'　（Mr　Pancks　still　clung　to　that　word；
and　never　said　speculation。）　'Though　I　can　prove　by　figures；'　added　Mr
Pancks；　with　an　anxious　countenance；　'that　it　ought　to　have　been　a　good
investment。　I　have　gone　over　it　since　it　failed；　every　day　of　my　life；
and　it　es　out……regarded　as　a　question　of　figures……triumphant。　The
present　is　not　a　time　or　place；'　Mr　Pancks　pursued；　with　a　longing
glance　into　his　hat；　where　he　kept　his　calculations；　'for　entering　upon
the　figures；　but　the　figures　are　not　to　be　disputed。　Mr　Clennam　ought　to
have　been　at　this　moment　in　his　carriage　and　pair；　and　I　ought　to　have
been　worth　from　three　to　five　thousand　pound。'

Mr　Pancks　put　his　hair　erect　with　a　general　aspect　of　confidence　that
could　hardly　have　been　surpassed；　if　he　had　had　the　amount　in　his
pocket。　These　incontrovertible　figures　had　been　the　occupation　of　every
moment　of　his　leisure　since　he　had　lost　his　money；　and　were　destined　to
afford　him　consolation　to　the　end　of　his　days。

'However；'　said　Mr　Pancks；　'enough　of　that。　Altro；　old　boy；　you　have
seen　the　figures；　and　you　know　how　they　e　out。'　Mr　Baptist；　who　had
not　the　slightest　arithmetical　power　of　pensating　himself　in　this
way；　nodded；　with　a　fine　display　of　bright　teeth。

At　whom　Mr　Flintwinch　had　been　looking；　and　to　whom　he　then　said：

'Oh！　it's　you；　is　it？　I　thought　I　remembered　your　face；　but　I　wasn't
certain　till　I　saw　your　teeth。　Ah！　yes；　to　be　sure。　It　was　this
officious　refugee；'　said　Jeremiah　to　Mrs　Clennam；　'who　came　knocking
at　the　door　on　the　night　when　Arthur　and　Chatterbox　were　here；　and　who
asked　me　a　r　Blandois。'

'It　is　true；'　Mr　Baptist　cheerfully　admitted。　'And　behold　him；　padrone！
I　have　found　him　consequentementally。'

'I　shouldn't　have　objected；'　returned　Mr　Flintwinch；　'to　your　having
broken　your　neck　consequentementally。'

'And　now；'　said　Mr　Pancks；　whose　eye　had　often　stealthily　wandered　to
the　window…seat　and　the　stocking　that　was　being　mended　there；　'I've
only　one　other　word　to　say　before　I　go。　If　Mr　Clennam　was　here……but
unfortunately；　though　he　has　so　far　got　the　better　of　this　fine
gentleman　as　to　return　him　to　this　place　against　his　will；　he　is　ill
and　in　prison……ill　and　in　prison；　poor　fellow……if　he　was　here；'　said　Mr
Pancks；　taking　one　step　aside　towards　the　window…seat；　and　laying
his　right　hand　upon　the　stocking；　'he　would　say；　〃Affery；　tell　your
dreams！〃'

Mr　Pancks　held　up　his　right　forefinger　between　his　nose　and　the　stocking
with　a　ghostly　air　of　warning；　turned；　steamed　out　and　towed　Mr　Baptist
after　him。　The　house…door　was　heard　to　close　upon　them；　their　steps
were　heard　passing　over　the　dull　pavement　of　the　echoing　court…yard；　and
still　nobody　had　added　a　word。　Mrs　Clennam　and　Jeremiah　had　exchanged　a
look；　and　had　then　looked；　and　looked　still；　at　Affery；　who　sat　mending
the　stocking　with　great　assiduity。

'e！'　said　Mr　Flintwinch　at　length；　screwing　himself　a　curve　or　two　in
the　direction　of　the　window…seat；　and　rubbing　the　palms　of　his　hands　on
his　coat…tail　as　if　he　were　preparing　them　to　do　something：　'Whatever
has　to　be　said　among　us　had　better　be　begun　to　be　said　without　more　loss
of　time。……So；　Affery；　my　woman；　take　yourself　away！'

In　a　moment　Affery　had　thrown　the　stocking　down；　started　up；　caught
hold　of　the　windowsill　with　her　right　hand；　lodged　herself　upon　the
window…seat　with　her　right　knee；　and　was　flourishing　her　left　hand；
beating　expected　assailants　off。

'No；　I　won't；　Jeremiah……no；　I　won't……no；　I　won't！　I　won't　go！　I'll　stay
here。　I'll　hear　all　I　don't　know；　and　say　all　I　know。　I　will；　at　last；
if　I　die　for　it。　I　will；　I　will；　I　will；　I　will！'

Mr　Flintwinch；　stiffening　with　indignation　and　amazement；　moistened　the
fingers　of　one　hand　at　his　lips；　softly　described　a　circle　with　them　in
the　palm　of　the　other　hand；　and　continued　with　a　menacing　grin　to
screw　himself　in　the　direction　of　his　wife；　gasping　some　remark　as　he
advanced；　of　which；　in　his　choking　anger；　only　the　words；　'Such　a　dose！'
were　audible。

'Not　a　bit　nearer；　Jeremiah！'　cried　Affery；　never　ceasing　to　beat　the
air。　'Don't　e　a　bit　nearer　to　me；　or　I'll　rouse　the　neighbourhood！
I'll　throw　myself　out　of　window。　I'll　scream　Fire　and　Murder！　I'll　wake
the　dead！　Stop　where　you　are；　or　I'll　make　shrieks　enough　to　wake　the
dead！'


The　determined　voice　of　Mrs　Clennam　echoed　'Stop！'　Jeremiah　had　stopped
already。　'It　is　closing　in；　Flintwinch。　Let　her　alone。　Affery；　do　you
turn　against　me　after　these　many　years？'

'I　do；　if　it's　turning　against　you　to　hear　what　I　don't　know；　and　say
what　I　know。　I　have　broke　out　now；　and　I　can't　go　back。　I　am　determined
to　do　it。　I　will　do　it；　I　will；　I　will；　I　will！　If　that's　turning
against　you；　yes；　I　turn　against　both　of　you　two　clever　ones。　I　told
Arthur　when　he　first　e　home　to　stand　up　against　you。　I　told　him　it
was　no　reason；　because　I　was　afeard　of　my　life　of　you；　that　he　should
be。　All　manner　of　things　have　been　a…going　on　since　then；　and　I　won't
be　run　up　by　Jeremiah；　nor　yet　I　won't　be　dazed　and　scared；　nor　made　a
party　to　I　don't　know　what；　no　more。　I　won't；　I　won't；　I　won't！　I'll
up　for　Arthur　when　he　has　nothing　left；　and　is　ill；　and　in　prison；　and
can't　up　for　himself。　I　will；　I　will；　I　will；　I　will！'

'How　do　you　know；　you　heap　of　confusion；'　asked　Mrs　Clennam　sternly；
'that　in　doing　what　you　are　doing　now；　you　are　even　serving　Arthur？'

'I　don't　know　nothing　rightly　about　anything；'　said　Affery；　'and　if
ever　you　said　a　true　word　in　your　life；　it's　when　you　call　me　a　heap　of
confusion；　for　you　two　cl