little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第229章

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ill……'

He　paused　again；　and　again　she　was　silent。

'……that　you　had　some　knowledge　of　one　Blandois；　lately　killed　in　London
by　a　violent　accident。　Now；　don't　mistake　me！　I　know　it　was　a　slight
knowledge；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　dexterously　forestalling　an　angry
interruption　which　he　saw　about　to　break。　'I　am　fully　aware　of　that。　It
was　a　slight　knowledge；　I　knoeagles's　voice
here　became　fortable　again；　'did　he；　on　his　way　to　England　last　time；
leave　a　box　of　papers；　or　a　bundle　of　papers；　or　some　papers　or　other　in
some　receptacle　or　other……any　papers……with　you：　begging　you　to　allow　him
to　leave　them　here　for　a　short　time；　until　he　wanted　them？'

'The　question　is？'　she　repeated。　'Whose　question　is？'

'Mine；'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'And　not　only　mine　but　Clennam's　question；　and
other　people's　question。　Now；　I　am　sure；'　continued　Mr　Meagles；　whose
heart　was　overflowing　with　Pet；　'that　you　can't　have　any　unkind　feeling
towards　my　daughter；　it's　impossible。　Well！　It's　her　question；　too；
being　one　in　which　a　particular　friend　of　hers　is　nearly　interested。
So　here　I　am；　frankly　to　say　that　is　the　question；　and　to　ask；　Now；　did
he？'

'Upon　my　word；'　she　returned；　'I　seem　to　be　a　mark　for　everybody　who
knew　anything　of　a　man　I　once　in　my　life　hired；　and　paid；　and　dismissed；
to　aim　their　questions　at！'

'Now；　don't；'　remonstrated　Mr　Meagles；　'don't！　Don't　take　offence；
because　it's　the　plainest　question　in　the　world；　and　might　be　asked
of　any　one。　The　documents　I　refer　to　were　not　his　own；　were　wrongfully
obtained；　might　at　some　time　or　other　be　troublesome　to　an　innocent
person　to　have　in　keeping；　and　are　sought　by　the　people　to　whom　they
really　belong。　He　passed　through　Calais　going　to　London；　and　there　were
reasons　why　he　should　not　take　them　with　him　then；　why　he　should　wish
to　be　able　to　put　his　hand　upon　them　readily；　and　why　he　should　distrust
leaving　them　with　people　of　his　own　sort。　Did　he　leave　them　here？　I
declare　if　I　knew　how　to　avoid　giving　you　offence；　I　would　take　any
pains　to　do　it。　I　put　the　question　personally；　but　there's　nothing
personal　in　it。　I　might　put　it　to　any　one；　I　have　put　it　already　to　many
people。　Did　he　leave　them　here？　Did　he　leave　anything　here？'

'No。'

'Then　unfortunately；　Miss　Wade；　you　know　nothing　about　them？'

'I　know　nothing　about　them。　I　have　now　answered　your　unaccountable
question。　He　did　not　leave　them　here；　and　I　know　nothing　about　them。'

'There！'　said　Mr　Meagles　rising。　'I　am　sorry　for　it；　that's　over；　and　I
hope　there　is　not　much　harm　done。……Tattycoram　well；　Miss　Wade？'

'Harriet　well？　O　yes！'

'I　have　put　my　foot　in　it　again；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　thus　corrected。　'I
can't　keep　my　foot　out　of　it　here；　it　seems。　Perhaps；　if　I　had　thought
twice　about　it；　I　might　never　have　given　her　the　jingling　name。　But；
when　one　means　to　be　good…natured　and　sportive　with　young　people；　one
doesn't　think　twice。　Her　old　friend　leaves　a　kind　word　for　her；　Miss
Wade；　if　you　should　think　proper　to　deliver　it。'

She　said　nothing　as　to　that；　and　Mr　Meagles；　taking　his　honest　face　out
of　the　dull　room；　where　it　shone　like　a　sun；　took　it　to　the　Hotel　where
he　had　left　Mrs　Meagles；　and　where　he　made　the　Report：　'Beaten；　Mother；
no　effects！'　He　took　it　next　to　the　London　Steam　Packet；　which　sailed　in
the　night；　and　next　to　the　Marshalsea。

The　faithful　John　was　on　duty　when　Father　and　Mother　Meagles　presented
themselves　at　the　wicket　towards　nightfall。　Miss　Dorrit　was　not　there
then；　he　said；　but　she　had　been　there　in　the　morning；　and　invariably
came　in　the　evening。　Mr　Clennam　was　slowly　mending；　and　Maggy　and　Mrs
Plornish　and　Mr　Baptist　took　care　of　him　by　turns。　Miss　Dorrit　was　sure
to　e　back　that　evening　before　the　bell　rang。　There　was　the　room　the
Marshal　had　lent　her；　up…stairs；　in　which　they　could　wait　for　her；　if
they　pleased。　Mistrustful　that　it　might　be　hazardous　to　Arthur　to　see
him　without　preparation；　Mr　Meagles　accepted　the　offer；　and　they　were
left　shut　up　in　the　room；　looking　down　through　its　barred　window　into
the　jail。

The　cramped　area　of　the　prison　had　such　an　effect　on　Mrs　Meagles　that
she　began　to　weep；　and　such　an　effect　on　Mr　Meagles　that　he　began　to
gasp　for　air。　He　was　walking　up　and　down　the　room；　panting；　and　making
himself　worse　by　laboriously　fanning　himself　with　her　handkerchief；　when
he　turned　towards　the　opening　door。

'Eh？　Good　gracious！'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'this　is　not　Miss　Dorrit！　Why；
Mother；　look！　Tattycoram！'

No　other。　And　in　Tattycoram's　arms　was　an　iron　box　some　two　feet　square。
Such　a　box　had　Affery　Flintwinch　seen；　in　the　first　of　her　dreams；　going
out　of　the　old　house　in　the　dead　of　the　night　under　Double's　arm。　This；
Tattycoram　put　on　the　ground　at　her　old　master's　feet：　this；　Tattycoram
fell　on　her　knees　by；　and　beat　her　hands　upon；　crying　half　in　exultation
and　half　in　despair；　half　in　laughter　and　half　in　tears；　'Pardon；　dear
Master；　take　me　back；　dear　Mistress；　here　it　is！'

'Tatty！'　exclaimed　Mr　Meagles。

'What　you　wanted！'　said　Tattycoram。　'Here　it　is！　I　was　put　in　the　next
room　not　to　see　you。　I　heard　you　ask　her　about　it；　I　heard　her　say　she
hadn't　got　it；　I　was　there　when　he　left　it；　and　I　took　it　at　bedtime　and
brought　it　away。　Here　it　is！'

'Why；　my　girl；'　cried　Mr　Meagles；　more　breathless　than　before；　'how　did
you　e　over？'

'I　came　in　the　boat　with　you。　I　was　sitting　wrapped　up　at　the　other　end。
When　you　took　a　coach　at　the　wharf；　I　took　another　coach　and　followed
you　here。　She　never　would　have　given　it　up　after　what　you　had　said　to
her　about　its　being　wanted；　she　would　sooner　have　sunk　it　in　the　sea；　or
burnt　it。　But；　here　it　is！'

The　glow　and　rapture　that　the　girl　was　in；　with　her　'Here　it　is！'

'She　never　wanted　it　to　be　left；　I　must　say　that　for　her；　but　he　left
it；　and　I　knew　well　that　after　what　you　said；　and　after　her　denying
it；　she　never　would　have　given　it　up。　But　here　it　is！　Dear　Master；　dear
Mistress；　take　me　back　again；　and　give　me　back　the　dear　old　name！　Let
this　intercede　for　me。　Here　it　is！'

Father　and　Mother　Meagles　never　deserved　their　names　better　than　when
they　took　the　headstrong　foundling…girl　into　their　protection　again。

'Oh！　I　have　been　so　wretched；'　cried　Tattycoram；　weeping　much　more；
'always　so　unhappy；　and　so　repentant！　I　was　afraid　of　her　from　the　first
time　I　saw　her。　I　knew　she　had　got　a　power　over　me　through　understanding
what　was　bad　in　me　so　well。　It　was　a　madness　in　me；　and　she　could　raise
it　whenever　she　liked。　I　used　to　think；　when　I　got　into　that　state；　that
people　were　all　against　me　because　of　my　first　beginning；　and　the　kinder
they　were　to　me；　the　worse　fault　I　found　in　them。　I　made　it　out　that
they　triumphed　above　me；　and　that　they　wanted　to　make　me　envy　them；　when
I　know……when　I　even　knew　then……that　they　never　thought　of　such　a　thing。
And　my　beautiful　young　mistress　not　so　happy　as　she　ought　to　have　been；
and　I　gone　away　from　her！　Such　a　brute　and　a　wretch　as　she　must　think
me！　But　you'll　say　a　word　to　her　for　me；　and　ask　her　to　be　as　forgiving
as　you　two　are？　For　I　am　not　so　bad　as　I　was；'　pleaded　Tattycoram；　'I　am
bad　enough；　but　not　so　bad　as　I　was；　indeed。　I　have　had　Miss　Wade
before　me　all　this　time；　as　if　it　was　my　own　self　grown　ripe……turning
everything　the　wrong　way；　and　twisting　all　good　into　evil。　I　have　had
her　before　me　all　this　time；　finding　no　pleasure　in　anything　but　keeping
me　as　miserable；　suspicious；　and　tormenting　as　herself。　Not　that　she　had
much　to　do；　to　do　that；'　cried　Tattycoram；　in　a　closing　great　burst　of
distress；　'for　I　was　as　bad　as　bad　could　be。　I　only　mean　to　say；　that；
after　what　I　have　gone　through；　I　hope　I　shall　never　be　quite　so　bad
again；　and　that　I　shall　get　better　by　very　slow　degrees。　I'll　try　very
hard。　I　won't　stop　at　five…and…twenty；　sir；　I'll　count　five…and…twenty
hundred；　five…and…twenty　thousand！'

Another　opening　of　the　door；　and　Tattycoram　subsided；　and　Little　Dorrit
came　in；　and　Mr　Meagles　with　pride　and　joy　produced　the　box；　and　her
gentle　face　was　lighted　up　with　grateful　happiness　and　joy。

The　secret　was　safe　now！　She　could　keep　her　own　part　of　it　from　him；　he
should　never　know　of　her　loss；　in　time　to　e　he　should　know　all　that
was　of　i