little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第31章

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would　he　keep　one　eye　upon　a　coach　or　crammer　from　the　Circumlocution
Office　sitting　below　the　bar；　and　smash　the　honourable　gentleman　with
the　Circumlocution　Office　account　of　this　matter。　And　although　one
of　two　things　always　happened；　namely；　either　that　the　Circumlocution
Office　had　nothing　to　say　and　said　it；　or　that　it　had　something　to　say
of　which　the　noble　lord；　or　right　honourable　gentleman；　blundered　one
half　and　forgot　the　other；　the　Circumlocution　Office　was　always　voted
immaculate　by　an　acmodating　majority。

Such　a　nursery　of　statesmen　had　the　Department　bee　in　virtue　of　a
long　career　of　this　nature；　that　several　solemn　lords　had　attained　the
reputation　of　being　quite　unearthly　prodigies　of　business；　solely　from
having　practised；　How　not　to　do　it；　as　the　head　of　the　Circumlocution
Office。　As　to　the　minor　priests　and　acolytes　of　that　temple；　the　result
of　all　this　was　that　they　stood　divided　into　two　classes；　and；　down　to
the　junior　messenger；　either　believed　in　the　Circumlocution　Office　as
a　heaven…born　institution　that　had　an　absolute　right　to　do　whatever　it
liked；　or　took　refuge　in　total　infidelity；　and　considered　it　a　flagrant
nuisance。

The　Barnacle　family　had　for　some　time　helped　to　administer　the
Circumlocution　Office。　The　Tite　Barnacle　Branch；　indeed；　considered
themselves　in　a　general　way　as　having　vested　rights　in　that　direction；
and　took　it　ill　if　any　other　family　had　much　to　say　to　it。　The　Barnacles
were　a　very　high　family；　and　a　very　large　family。　They　were　dispersed
all　over　the　public　offices；　and　held　all　sorts　of　public　places。　Either
the　nation　was　under　a　load　of　obligation　to　the　Barnacles；　or　the
Barnacles　were　under　a　load　of　obligation　to　the　nation。　It　was　not
quite　unanimously　settled　which；　the　Barnacles　having　their　opinion；　the
nation　theirs。

The　Mr　Tite　Barnacle　who　at　the　period　now　in　question　usually　coached
or　crammed　the　statesman　at　the　head　of　the　Circumlocution　Office；　when
that　noble　or　right　honourable　individual　sat　a　little　uneasily　in　his
saddle　by　reason　of　some　vagabond　making　a　tilt　at　him　in　a　newspaper；
was　more　flush　of　blood　than　money。　As　a　Barnacle　he　had　his　place；
which　was　a　snug　thing　enough；　and　as　a　Barnacle　he　had　of　course　put
in　his　son　Barnacle　Junior　in　the　office。　But　he　had　intermarried　with
a　branch　of　the　Stiltstalkings；　who　were　also　better　endowed　in　a
sanguineous　point　of　view　than　with　real　or　personal　property；　and　of
this　marriage　there　had　been　issue；　Barnacle　junior　and　three　young
ladies。　What　ents　of　Barnacle　junior；　the
three　young　ladies；　Mrs　Tite　Barnacle　nee　Stiltstalking；　and　himself；
Mr　Tite　Barnacle　found　the　intervals　between　quarter　day　and　quarter　day
rather　longer　than　he　could　have　desired；　a　circumstance　which　he　always
attributed　to　the　country's　parsimony。　For　Mr　Tite　Barnacle；　Mr　Arthur
Clennam　made　his　fifth　inquiry　one　day　at　the　Circumlocution　Office；
having　on　previous　occasions　awaited　that　gentleman　successively　in　a
hall；　a　glass　case；　a　waiting　room；　and　a　fire…proof　passage　where　the
Department　seemed　to　keep　its　wind。　On　this　occasion　Mr　Barnacle　was　not
engaged；　as　he　had　been　before；　with　the　noble　prodigy　at　the　head　of
the　Department；　but　was　absent。　Barnacle　Junior；　however；　was　announced
as　a　lesser　star；　yet　visible　above　the　office　horizon。

With　Barnacle　junior；　he　signified　his　desire　to　confer；　and　found　that
young　gentleman　singeing　the　calves　of　his　legs　at　the　parental　fire；
and　supporting　his　spine　against　the　mantel…shelf。　It　was　a　fortable
room；　handsomely　furnished　in　the　higher　official　manner；　an　presenting
stately　suggestions　of　the　absent　Barnacle；　in　the　thick　carpet；　the
leather…covered　desk　to　sit　at；　the　leather…covered　desk　to　stand　at；
the　formidable　easy…chair　and　hearth…rug；　the　interposed　screen；　the
torn…up　papers；　the　dispatch…boxes　with　little　labels　sticking　out　of
them；　like　medicine　bottles　or　dead　game；　the　pervading　smell　of　leather
and　mahogany；　and　a　general　bamboozling　air　of　How　not　to　do　it。

The　present　Barnacle；　holding　Mr　Clennam's　card　in　his　hand；　had　a
youthful　aspect；　and　the　fluffiest　little　whisker；　perhaps；　that　ever
was　seen。　Such　a　downy　tip　was　on　his　callow　chin；　that　he　seemed　half
fledged　like　a　young　bird；　and　a　passionate　observer　might　have　urged
that；　if　he　had　not　singed　the　calves　of　his　legs；　he　would　have　died
of　cold。　He　had　a　superior　eye…glass　dangling　round　his　neck；　but
unfortunately　had　such　flat　orbits　to　his　eyes　and　such　limp　little
eyelids　that　it　wouldn't　stick　in　when　he　put　it　up；　but　kept　tumbling
out　against　his　waistcoat　buttons　with　a　click　that　disposed　him　very
much。

'Oh；　I　say。　Look　here！　My　father's　not　in　the　way；　and　won't　be　in　the
way　to…day；'　said　Barnacle　Junior。　'Is　this　anything　that　I　can　do？'

（Click！　Eye…glass　down。　Barnacle　Junior　quite　frightened　and　feeling　all
round　himself；　but　not　able　to　find　it。）

'You　are　very　good；'　said　Arthur　Clennam。　'I　wish　however　to　see　Mr
Barnacle。'

'But　I　say。　Look　here！　You　haven't　got　any　appointment；　you　know；'　said
Barnacle　Junior。

（By　this　time　he　had　found　the　eye…glass；　and　put　it　up　again。）

'No；'　said　Arthur　Clennam。　'That　is　what　I　wish　to　have。'

'But　I　say。　Look　here！　Is　this　public　business？'　asked　Barnacle　junior。

（Click！　Eye…glass　down　again。　Barnacle　Junior　in　that　state　of　search
after　it　that　Mr　Clennam　felt　it　useless　to　reply　at　present。）

'Is　it；'　said　Barnacle　junior；　taking　heed　of　his　visitor's　brown　face；
'anything　about……Tonnage……or　that　sort　of　thing？'

（Pausing　for　a　reply；　he　opened　his　right　eye　with　his　hand；　and　stuck
his　glass　in　it；　in　that　inflammatory　manner　that　his　eye　began　watering
dreadfully。）

'No；'　said　Arthur；　'it　is　nothing　about　tonnage。'

'Then　look　here。　Is　it　private　business？'

'I　really　am　not　sure。　It　relates　to　a　Mr　Dorrit。'

'Look　here；　I　tell　you　what！　You　had　better　call　at　our　house；　if　you
are　going　that　way。　Twenty…four；　Mews　Street；　Grosvenor　Square。　My
father's　got　a　slight　touch　of　the　gout；　and　is　kept　at　home　by　it。'

（The　misguided　young　Barnacle　evidently　going　blind　on　his　eye…glass
side；　but　ashamed　to　make　any　further　alteration　in　his　painful
arrangements。）

'Thank　you。　I　will　call　there　now。　Good　morning。'　Young　Barnacle　seemed
disfited　at　this；　as　not　having　at　all　expected　him　to　go。

'You　are　quite　sure；'　said　Barnacle　junior；　calling　after　him　when　he
got　to　the　door；　unwilling　wholly　to　relinquish　the　bright　business　idea
he　had　conceived；　'that　it's　nothing　about　Tonnage？'

'Quite　sure。'

With　such　assurance；　and　rather　wondering　what　might　have　taken　place
if　it　HAD　been　anything　about　tonnage；　Mr　Clennam　withdrew　to　pursue　his
inquiries。

Mews　Street；　Grosvenor　Square；　was　not　absolutely　Grosvenor　Square
itself；　but　it　was　very　near　it。　It　was　a　hideous　little　street　of　dead
wall；　stables；　and　dunghills；　with　lofts　over　coach…houses　inhabited　by
coachmen's　families；　who　had　a　passion　for　drying　clothes　and　decorating
their　window…sills　with　miniature　turnpike…gates。　The　principal
chimney…sweep　of　that　fashionable　quarter　lived　at　the　blind　end　of　Mews
Street；　and　the　same　corner　contained　an　establishment　much　frequented
about　early　morning　and　twilight　for　the　purchase　of　wine…bottles　and
kitchen…stuff。　Punch's　shows　used　to　lean　against　the　dead　wall　in　Mews
Street；　while　their　proprietors　were　dining　elsewhere；　and　the　dogs　of
the　neighbourhood　made　appointments　to　meet　in　the　same　locality。　Yet
there　were　two　or　three　small　airless　houses　at　the　entrance　end　of　Mews
Street；　which　went　at　enormous　rents　on　account　of　their　being　abject
hangers…on　to　a　fashionable　situation；　and　whenever　one　of　these　fearful
little　coops　was　to　be　let　（which　seldom　happened；　for　they　were　in
great　request）；　the　house　agent　advertised　it　as　a　gentlemanly　residence
in　the　most　aristocratic　part　of　town；　inhabited　solely　by　the　elite　of
the　beau　monde。

If　a　gentlemanly　residence　ing　strictly　within　this　narrow　margin　had
not　been　essential　to　the　blood　of　the　Barnacles；　this　particular　branch
would　have　had　a　pretty　wide　selection　among；　let　us　say；　ten　thousand
houses；　offe