little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第228章

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gentleman　is　considered　to　be　put　away　for　life；　unless　there　should　be
reasons　for　hoisting　him　up　with　the　Barnacle　crane　to　a　more　lucrative
height。　That　patriotic　servant　accordingly　stuck　to　his　colours　（the
Standard　of　four　Quarterings）；　and　was　a　perfect　Nelson　in　respect
of　nailing　them　to　the　mast。　On　the　profits　of　his　intrepidity；　Mrs
Sparkler　and　Mrs　Merdle；　inhabiting　different　floors　of　the　genteel
little　temple　of　inconvenience　to　which　the　smell　of　the　day　before
yesterday's　soup　and　coach…horses　was　as　constant　as　Death　to　man；
arrayed　themselves　to　fight　it　out　in　the　lists　of　Society；　sworn
rivals。　And　Little　Dorrit；　seeing　all　these　things　as　they　developed
themselves；　could　not　but　wonder；　anxiously；　into　what　back　corner　of
the　genteel　establishment　Fanny's　children　would　be　poked　by…and…by；　and
who　would　take　care　of　those　unborn　little　victims。

Arthur　being　far　too　ill　to　be　spoken　with　on　subjects　of　emotion　or
anxiety；　and　his　recovery　greatly　depending　on　the　repose　into　which
his　weakness　could　be　hushed；　Little　Dorrit's　sole　reliance　during　this
heavy　period　was　on　Mr　Meagles。　He　was　still　abroad；　but　she　had　written
to　him　through　his　daughter；　immediately　after　first　seeing　Arthur　in
the　Marshalsea　and　since；　confiding　her　uneasiness　to　him　on　the　points
on　which　she　was　most　anxious；　but　especially　on　one。　To　that　one；
the　continued　absence　of　Mr　Meagles　abroad；　instead　of　his　forting
presence　in　the　Marshalsea；　was　referable。

Without　disclosing　the　precise　nature　of　the　documents　that　had　fallen
into　Rigaud's　hands；　Little　Dorrit　had　confided　the　general　outline　of
that　story　to　Mr　Meagles；　to　whom　she　had　also　recounted　his　fate。　The
old　cautious　habits　of　the　scales　and　scoop　at　once　showed　Mr　Meagles
the　importance　of　recovering　the　original　papers；　wherefore　he　wrote
back　to　Little　Dorrit；　strongly　confirming　her　in　the　solicitude　she
expressed　on　that　head；　and　adding　that　he　would　not　e　over　to
England　'without　making　some　attempt　to　trace　them　out。'

By　this　time　Mr　Henry　Gowan　had　made　up　his　mind　that　it　would　be
agreeable　to　him　not　to　know　the　Meagleses。　He　was　so　considerate　as　to
lay　no　injunctions　on　his　wife　in　that　particular；　but　he　mentioned
to　Mr　Meagles　that　personally　they　did　not　appear　to　him　to　get　on
together；　and　that　he　thought　it　would　be　a　good　thing　if……politely；　and
without　any　scene；　or　anything　of　that　sort……they　agreed　that　they　were
the　best　fellows　in　the　world；　but　were　best　apart。　Poor　Mr　Meagles；　who
was　already　sensible　that　he　did　not　advance　his　daughter's　happiness　by
being　constantly　slighted　in　her　presence；　said　'Good；　Henry！　You　are
my　Pet's　husband；　you　have　displaced　me；　in　the　course　of　nature；　if
you　wish　it；　good！'　This　arrangement　involved　the　contingent　advantage；
which　perhaps　Henry　Gowan　had　not　foreseen；　that　both　Mr　and　Mrs
Meagles　were　more　liberal　than　before　to　their　daughter；　when　their
munication　was　only　with　her　and　her　young　child：　and　that　his　high
spirit　found　itself　better　provided　with　money；　without　being　under　the
degrading　necessity　of　knowing　whence　it　came。

Mr　Meagles；　at　such　a　period；　naturally　seized　an　occupation　with　great
ardour。　He　knew　from　his　daughter　the　various　towns　which　Rigaud　had
been　haunting；　and　the　various　hotels　at　which　he　had　been　living　for
some　time　back。　The　occupation　he　set　himself　was　to　visit　these　with
all　discretion　and　speed；　and；　in　the　event　of　finding　anywhere　that　he
had　left　a　bill　unpaid；　and　a　box　or　parcel　behind；　to　pay　such　bill；
and　bring　away　such　box　or　parcel。

With　no　other　attendant　than　Mother；　Mr　Meagles　went　upon　his
pilgrimage；　and　encountered　a　number　of　adventures。　Not　the　least　of　his
difficulties　was；　that　he　never　knew　what　was　said　to　him；　and　that　he
pursued　his　inquiries　among　people　who　never　knew　what　he　said　to　them。
Still；　with　an　unshaken　confidence　that　the　English　tongue　was　somehow
the　mother　tongue　of　the　whole　world；　only　the　people　were　too　stupid
to　know　it；　Mr　Meagles　harangued　innkeepers　in　the　most　voluble　manner；
entered　into　loud　explanations　of　the　most　plicated　sort；　and　utterly
renounced　replies　in　the　native　language　of　the　respondents；　on　the
ground　that　they　were　'all　bosh。'　Sometimes　interpreters　were　called
in；　whom　Mr　Meagles　addressed　in　such　idiomatic　terms　of　speech；　as
instantly　to　extinguish　and　shut　up……which　made　the　matter　worse。　On　a
balance　of　the　account；　however；　it　may　be　doubted　whether　he　lost　much；
for；　although　he　found　no　property；　he　found　so　many　debts　and　various
associations　of　discredit　with　the　proper　name；　which　was　the　only　word
he　made　intelligible；　that　he　was　almost　everywhere　overwhelmed　with
injurious　accusations。　On　no　fewer　than　four　occasions　the　police
were　called　in　to　receive　denunciations　of　Mr　Meagles　as　a　Knight　of
Industry；　a　good…for…nothing；　and　a　thief；　all　of　which　opprobrious
language　he　bore　with　the　best　temper　（having　no　idea　what　it　meant）；
and　was　in　the　most　ignominious　manner　escorted　to　steam…boats　and
public　carriages；　to　be　got　rid　of；　talking　all　the　while；　like　a
cheerful　and　fluent　Briton　as　he　was；　with　Mother　under　his　arm。

But；　in　his　own　tongue；　and　in　his　own　head；　Mr　Meagles　was　a　clear；
shrewd；　persevering　man。　When　he　had　'worked　round；'　as　he　called　it；　to
Paris　in　his　pilgrimage；　and　had　wholly　failed　in　it　so　far；　he　was　not
disheartened。　'The　nearer　to　England　I　follow　him；　you　see；　Mother；'
argued　Mr　Meagles；　'the　nearer　I　am　likely　to　e　to　the　papers；
whether　they　turn　up　or　no。　Because　it　is　only　reasonable　to　conclude
that　he　would　deposit　them　somewhere　where　they　would　be　safe　from
people　over　in　England；　and　where　they　would　yet　be　accessible　to
himself；　don't　you　see？'

At　Paris　Mr　Meagles　found　a　letter　from　Little　Dorrit；　lying　waiting　for
him；　in　which　she　mentioned　that　she　had　been　able　to　talk　for　a　minute
or　two　with　Mr　Clennam　about　this　man　who　was　no　more；　and　that　when　she
told　Mr　Clennam　that　his　friend　Mr　Meagles；　who　was　on　his　way　to　see
him；　had　an　interest　in　ascertaining　something　about　the　man　if　he
could；　he　had　asked　her　to　tell　Mr　Meagles　that　he　had　been　known
to　Miss　Wade；　then　living　in　such　a　street　at　Calais。　'Oho！'　said　Mr
Meagles。

As　soon　afterwards　as　might　be　in　those　Diligence　days；　Mr　Meagles
rang　the　cracked　bell　at　the　cracked　gate；　and　it　jarred　open；　and　the
peasant…woman　stood　in　the　dark　doorway；　saying；　'Ice…say！　Seer！　Who？'
In　acknowledgment　of　whose　address；　Mr　Meagles　murmured　to　himself　that
there　was　some　sense　about　these　Calais　people；　who　really　did　know
something　of　what　you　and　themselves　were　up　to；　and　returned；　'Miss
Wade；　my　dear。'　He　was　then　shown　into　the　presence　of　Miss　Wade。

'It's　some　time　since　we　met；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　clearing　his　throat；　'I
hope　you　have　been　pretty　well；　Miss　Wade？'

Without　hoping　that　he　or　anybody　else　had　been　pretty　well；　Miss　Wade
asked　him　to　what　she　was　indebted　for　the　honour　of　seeing　him　again？
Mr　Meagles；　in　the　meanwhile；　glanced　all　round　the　room　without
observing　anything　in　the　shape　of　a　box。

'Why；　the　truth　is；　Miss　Wade；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　in　a　fortable；
managing；　not　to　say　coaxing　voice；　'it　is　possible　that　you　may　be　able
to　throw　a　light　upon　a　little　something　that　is　at　present　dark。　Any
unpleasant　bygones　between　us　are　bygones；　I　hope。　Can't　be　helped　now。
You　recollect　my　daughter？　Time　changes　so！　A　mother！'

In　his　innocence；　Mr　Meagles　could　not　have　struck　a　worse　key…note。　He
paused　for　any　expression　of　interest；　but　paused　in　vain。

'That　is　not　the　subject　you　wished　to　enter　on？'　she　said；　after　a　cold
silence。

'No；　no；'　returned　Mr　Meagles。　'No。　I　thought　your　good　nature　might……'

'I　thought　you　knew；'　she　interrupted；　with　a　smile；　'that　my　good
nature　is　not　to　be　calculated　upon？'

'Don't　say　so；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'you　do　yourself　an　injustice。　However；
to　e　to　the　point。'　For　he　was　sensible　of　having　gained　nothing
by　approaching　it　in　a　roundabout　way。　'I　have　heard　from　my　friend
Clennam；　who；　you　will　be　sorry　to　hear；　has　been　and　still　is　very
ill……'

He　paused　again；　and　again　she　was　sil