little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第226章

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draught　of　his　mixture。　'Anything　more？'

'Yes；　sir；　yes；　sir；　something　more。　I　am　not　at　all　pleased；　Mr　Pancks；
with　my　daughter；　not　at　all　pleased。　Besides　calling　much　too　often
to　inquire　for　Mrs　Clennam；　Mrs　Clennam；　who　is　not　just　now　in
circumstances　that　are　by　any　means　calculated　to……to　be　satisfactory　to
all　parties；　she　goes；　Mr　Pancks；　unless　I　am　much　deceived；　to　inquire
for　Mr　Clennam　in　jail。　In　jail。'

'He's　laid　up；　you　know；'　said　Pancks。　'Perhaps　it's　kind。'

'Pooh；　pooh；　Mr　Pancks。　She　has　nothing　to　do　with　that；　nothing　to　do
with　that。　I　can't　allow　it。　Let　him　pay　his　debts　and　e　out；　e
out；　pay　his　debts；　and　e　out。'

Although　Mr　Pancks's　hair　was　standing　up　like　strong　wire；　he　gave　it
another　double…handed　impulse　in　the　perpendicular　direction；　and　smiled
at　his　proprietor　in　a　most　hideous　manner。

'You　will　please　to　mention　to　my　daughter；　Mr　Pancks；　that　I　can't
allow　it；　can't　allow　it；'　said　the　Patriarch　blandly。

'Oh！'　said　Pancks。　'You　couldn't　mention　it　yourself？'

'No；　sir；　no；　you　are　paid　to　mention　it；'　the　blundering　old　booby
could　not　resist　the　temptation　of　trying　it　again；　'and　you　must
mention　it　to　pay；　mention　it　to　pay。'

'Oh！'　said　Pancks。　'Anything　more？'

'Yes；　sir。　It　appears　to　me；　Mr　Pancks；　that　you　yourself　are　too　often
and　too　much　in　that　direction；　that　direction。　I　remend　you；　Mr
Pancks；　to　dismiss　from　your　attention　both　your　own　losses　and　other
people's　losses；　and　to　mind　your　business；　mind　your　business。'

Mr　Pancks　acknowledged　this　remendation　with　such　an　extraordinarily
abrupt；　short；　and　loud　utterance　of　the　monosyllable　'Oh！'　that　even
the　unwieldy　Patriarch　moved　his　blue　eyes　in　something　of　a　hurry；　to
look　at　him。　Mr　Pancks；　with　a　sniff　of　corresponding　intensity；　then
added；　'Anything　more？'

'Not　at　present；　sir；　not　at　present。　I　am　going；'　said　the　Patriarch；
finishing　his　mixture；　and　rising　with　an　amiable　air；　'to　take　a　little
stroll；　a　little　stroll。　Perhaps　I　shall　find　you　here　when　I　e　back。
If　not；　sir；　duty；　duty；　squeeze；　squeeze；　squeeze；　on　Monday；　squeeze
on　Monday！'

Mr　Pancks；　after　another　stiffening　of　his　hair；　looked　on　at　the
Patriarchal　assumption　of　the　broad…brimmed　hat；　with　a　momentary
appearance　of　indecision　contending　with　a　sense　of　injury。　He　was　also
hotter　than　at　first；　and　breathed　harder。　But　he　suffered　Mr　Casby　to
go　out；　without　offering　any　further　remark；　and　then　took　a　peep　at
him　over　the　little　green　window…blinds。　'I　thought　so；'　he　observed。　'I
knew　where　you　were　bound　to。　Good！'　He　then　steamed　back　to　his　Dock；
put　it　carefully　in　order；　took　down　his　hat；　looked　round　the　Dock；
said　'Good…bye！'　and　puffed　away　on　his　own　account。　He　steered　straight
for　Mrs　Plornish's　end　of　Bleeding　Heart　Yard；　and　arrived　there；　at　the
top　of　the　steps；　hotter　than　ever。

At　the　top　of　the　steps；　resisting　Mrs　Plornish's　invitations　to　e
and　sit　along　with　father　in　Happy　Cottage……which　to　his　relief　were　not
so　numerous　as　they　would　have　been　on　any　other　night　than　Saturday；
when　the　connection　who　so　gallantly　supported　the　business　with
everything　but　money　gave　their　orders　freely……at　the　top　of　the　steps
Mr　Pancks　remained　until　he　beheld　the　Patriarch；　who　always　entered
the　Yard　at　the　other　end；　slowly　advancing；　beaming；　and　surrounded
by　suitors。　Then　Mr　Pancks　descended　and　bore　down　upon　him；　with　his
utmost　pressure　of　steam　on。

The　Patriarch；　approaching　with　his　usual　benignity；　was　surprised　to
see　Mr　Pancks；　but　supposed　him　to　have　been　stimulated　to　an　immediate
squeeze　instead　of　postponing　that　operation　until　Monday。　The
population　of　the　Yard　were　astonished　at　the　meeting；　for　the　two
powers　had　never　been　seen　there　together；　within　the　memory　of　the
oldest　Bleeding　Heart。　But　they　were　overe　by　unutterable　amazement
when　Mr　Pancks；　going　close　up　to　the　most　venerable　of　men　and　halting
in　front　of　the　bottle…green　waistcoat；　made　a　trigger　of　his　right
thumb　and　forefinger；　applied　the　same　to　the　brim　of　the　broad…brimmed
hat；　and；　with　singular　smartness　and　precision；　shot　it　off　the
polished　head　as　if　it　had　been　a　large　marble。

Having　taken　this　little　liberty　with　the　Patriarchal　person；　Mr　Pancks
further　astounded　and　attracted　the　Bleeding　Hearts　by　saying　in　an
audible　voice；　'Now；　you　sugary　swindler；　I　mean　to　have　it　out　with
you！'

Mr　Pancks　and　the　Patriarch　were　instantly　the　centre　of　a　press；　all
eyes　and　ears；　windows　were　thrown　open；　and　door…steps　were　thronged。

'What　do　you　pretend　to　be？'　said　Mr　Pancks。　'What's　your　moral　game？
What　do　you　go　in　for？　Benevolence；　an't　it？　You　benevolent！'　Here　Mr
Pancks；　apparently　without　the　intention　of　hitting　him；　but　merely　to
relieve　his　mind　and　expend　his　superfluous　power　in　wholesome　exercise；
aimed　a　blow　at　the　bumpy　head；　which　the　bumpy　head　ducked　to
avoid。　This　singular　performance　was　repeated；　to　the　ever…increasing
admiration　of　the　spectators；　at　the　end　of　every　succeeding　article　of
Mr　Pancks's　oration。

'I　have　discharged　myself　from　your　service；'　said　Pancks；　'that　I　may
tell　you　what　you　are。　You're　one　of　a　lot　of　impostors　that　are　the
worst　lot　of　all　the　lots　to　be　met　with。　Speaking　as　a　sufferer　by
both；　I　don't　know　that　I　wouldn't　as　soon　have　the　Merdle　lot　as　your
lot。　You're　a　driver　in　disguise；　a　screwer　by　deputy；　a　wringer；　and
squeezer；　and　shaver　by　substitute。　You're　a　philanthropic　sneak。　You're
a　shabby　deceiver！'　（The　repetition　of　the　performance　at　this　point　was
received　with　a　burst　of　laughter。）

'Ask　these　good　people　who's　the　hard　man　here。　They'll　tell　you　Pancks；
I　believe。'

This　was　confirmed　with　cries　of　'Certainly；'　and　'Hear！'

'But　I　tell　you；　good　people……Casby！　This　mound　of　meekness；　this　lump
of　love；　this　bottle…green　smiler；　this　is　your　driver！'　said　Pancks。
'If　you　want　to　see　the　man　who　would　flay　you　alive……here　he　is！　Don't
look　for　him　in　me；　at　thirty　shillings　a　week；　but　look　for　him　in
Casby；　at　I　don't　know　how　much　a　year！'

'Good！'　cried　several　voices。　'Hear　Mr　Pancks！'

'Hear　Mr　Pancks？'　cried　that　gentleman　（after　repeating　the　popular
performance）。　'Yes；　I　should　think　so！　It's　almost　time　to　hear　Mr
Pancks。　Mr　Pancks　has　e　down　into　the　Yard　to…night　on　purpose　that
you　should　hear　him。　Pancks　is　only　the　Works；　but　here's　the　Winder！'

The　audience　would　have　gone　over　to　Mr　Pancks；　as　one　man；　woman；　and
child；　but　for　the　long；　grey；　silken　locks；　and　the　broad…brimmed　hat。

'Here's　the　Stop；'　said　Pancks；　'that　sets　the　tune　to　be　ground。　And
there　is　but　one　tune；　and　its　name　is　Grind；　Grind；　Grind！　Here's　the
Proprietor；　and　here's　his　Grubber。　Why；　good　people；　when　he　es
smoothly　spinning　through　the　Yard　to…night；　like　a　slow…going
benevolent　Humming…Top；　and　when　you　e　about　him　with　your　plaints
of　the　Grubber；　you　don't　know　what　a　cheat　the　Proprietor　is！　What　do
you　think　of　his　showing　himself　to…night；　that　I　may　have　all　the　blame
on　Monday？　What　do　you　think　of　his　having　had　me　over　the　coals　this
very　evening；　because　I　don't　squeeze　you　enough？　What　do　you　think　of
my　being；　at　the　present　moment；　under　special　orders　to　squeeze　you　dry
on　Monday？'

The　reply　was　given　in　a　murmur　of　'Shame！'　and　'Shabby！'

'Shabby？'　snorted　Pancks。　'Yes；　I　should　think　so！　The　lot　that　your
Casby　belongs　to；　is　the　shabbiest　of　all　the　lots。　Setting　their
Grubbers　on；　at　a　wretched　pittance；　to　do　what　they're　ashamed　and
afraid　to　do　and　pretend　not　to　do；　but　what　they　will　have　done；　or
give　a　man　no　rest！　Imposing　on　you　to　give　their　Grubbers　nothing　but
blame；　and　to　give　them　nothing　but　credit！　Why；　the　worst…looking
cheat　in　all　this　town　who　gets　the　value　of　eighteenpence　under　false
pretences；　an't　half　such　a　cheat　as　this　sign…post　of　The　Casby's　Head
here！'

Cries　of　'That's　true！'　and　'No　more　he　an't！'

'And　see　what　you　get　of　these　fellows；　besides；'　said　Pancks'　'See　what
more　you　get　of　these　precious　Humming…Tops；　revolving　among　you　with
such　smoothness　that　you've　no　idea　of　the　pattern　painted　on　'em；　or
the　little　window　in　'em。　I　wish　to　cal