little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第32章

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would　have　had　a　pretty　wide　selection　among；　let　us　say；　ten　thousand
houses；　offering　fifty　times　the　acmodation　for　a　third　of　the　money。
As　it　was；　Mr　Barnacle；　finding　his　gentlemanly　residence　extremely
inconvenient　and　extremely　dear；　always　laid　it；　as　a　public　servant；
at　the　door　of　the　country；　and　adduced　it　as　another　instance　of　the
country's　parsimony。

Arthur　Clennam　came　to　a　squeezed　house；　with　a　ramshackle　bowed
front；　little　dingy　windows；　and　a　little　dark　area　like　a　damp
waistcoat…pocket；　which　he　found　to　be　number　twenty…four；　Mews　Street；
Grosvenor　Square。　To　the　sense　of　smell　the　house　was　like　a　sort　of
bottle　filled　with　a　strong　distillation　of　Mews；　and　when　the　footman
opened　the　door；　he　seemed　to　take　the　stopper　out。

The　footman　was　to　the　Grosvenor　Square　footmen；　what　the　house　was　to
the　Grosvenor　Square　houses。　Admirable　in　his　way；　his　way　was　a　back
and　a　bye　way。　His　gorgeousness　was　not　unmixed　with　dirt；　and　both　in
plexion　and　consistency　he　had　suffered　from　the　closeness　of　his
pantry。　A　sallow　flabbiness　was　upon　him　when　he　took　the　stopper　out；
and　presented　the　bottle　to　Mr　Clennam's　nose。

'Be　so　good　as　to　give　that　card　to　Mr　Tite　Barnacle；　and　to　say　that　I
have　just　now　seen　the　younger　Mr　Barnacle；　who　remended　me　to　call
here。'

The　footman　（who　had　as　many　large　buttons　with　the　Barnacle　crest　upon
them　on　the　flaps　of　his　pockets；　as　if　he　were　the　family　strong　box；
and　carried　the　plate　and　jewels　about　with　him　buttoned　up）　pondered
over　the　card　a　little；　then　said；　'Walk　in。'

It　required　some　judgment　to　do　it　without　butting　the　inner　hall…door
open；　and　in　the　consequent　mental　confusion　and　physical　darkness
slipping　down　the　kitchen　stairs。　The　visitor；　however；　brought　himself
up　safely　on　the　door…mat。

Still　the　footman　said　'Walk　in；'　so　the　visitor　followed　him。　At　the
inner　hall…door；　another　bottle　seemed　to　be　presented　and　another
stopper　taken　out。　This　second　vial　appeared　to　be　filled　with
concentrated　provisions　and　extract　of　Sink　from　the　pantry。　After　a
skirmish　in　the　narrow　passage；　occasioned　by　the　footman's　opening　the
door　of　the　dismal　dining…room　with　confidence；　finding　some　one　there
with　consternation；　and　backing　on　the　visitor　with　disorder；　the
visitor　was　shut　up；　pending　his　announcement；　in　a　close　back　parlour。
There　he　had　an　opportunity　of　refreshing　himself　with　both　the
bottles　at　once；　looking　out　at　a　low　blinding　wall　three　feet　off；
and　speculating　on　the　number　of　Barnacle　families　within　the　bills　of
mortality　who　lived　in　such　hutches　of　their　own　free　flunkey　choice。

Mr　Barnacle　would　see　him。　Would　he　walk　up…stairs？　He　would；　and
he　did；　and　in　the　drawing…room；　with　his　leg　on　a　rest；　he　found　Mr
Barnacle　himself；　the　express　image　and　presentment　of　How　not　to　do　it。

Mr　Barnacle　dated　from　a　better　time；　when　the　country　was　not　so
parsimonious　and　the　Circumlocution　Office　was　not　so　badgered。　He　wound
and　wound　folds　of　white　cravat　round　his　neck；　as　he　wound　and　wound
folds　of　tape　and　paper　round　the　neck　of　the　country。　His　wristbands
and　collar　were　oppressive；　his　voice　and　manner　were　oppressive。　He
had　a　large　watch…chain　and　bunch　of　seals；　a　coat　buttoned　up　to
inconvenience；　a　waistcoat　buttoned　up　to　inconvenience；　an　unwrinkled
pair　of　trousers；　a　stiff　pair　of　boots。　He　was　altogether　splendid；
massive；　overpowering；　and　impracticable。　He　seemed　to　have　been　sitting
for　his　portrait　to　Sir　Thomas　Lawrence　all　the　days　of　his　life。

'Mr　Clennam？'　said　Mr　Barnacle。　'Be　seated。'

Mr　Clennam　became　seated。

'You　have　called　on　me；　I　believe；'　said　Mr　Barnacle；　'at　the
Circumlocution……'　giving　it　the　air　of　a　word　of　about　five…and…twenty
syllables……'Office。'

'I　have　taken　that　liberty。'

Mr　Barnacle　solemnly　bent　his　head　as　who　should　say；　'I　do　not　deny
that　it　is　a　liberty；　proceed　to　take　another　liberty；　and　let　me　know
your　business。'

'Allow　me　to　observe　that　I　have　been　for　some　years　in　China；　am　quite
a　stranger　at　home；　and　have　no　personal　motive　or　interest　in　the
inquiry　I　am　about　to　make。'

Mr　Barnacle　tapped　his　fingers　on　the　table；　and；　as　if　he　were　now
sitting　for　his　portrait　to　a　new　and　strange　artist；　appeared　to　say
to　his　visitor；　'If　you　will　be　good　enough　to　take　me　with　my　present
lofty　expression；　I　shall　feel　obliged。'

'I　have　found　a　debtor　in　the　Marshalsea　Prison　of　the　name　of　Dorrit；
who　has　been　there　many　years。　I　wish　to　investigate　his　confused
affairs　so　far　as　to　ascertain　whether　it　may　not　be　possible；　after
this　lapse　of　time；　to　ameliorate　his　unhappy　condition。　The　name　of
Mr　Tite　Barnacle　has　been　mentioned　to　me　as　representing　some　highly
influential　interest　among　his　creditors。　Am　I　correctly　informed？'

It　being　one　of　the　principles　of　the　Circumlocution　Office　never；　on
any　account　whatever；　to　give　a　straightforward　answer；　Mr　Barnacle
said；　'Possibly。'

'On　behalf　of　the　Crown；　may　I　ask；　or　as　private　individual？'

'The　Circumlocution　Department；　sir；'　Mr　Barnacle　replied；　'may　have
possibly　remended……possibly……I　cannot　say……that　some　public　claim
against　the　insolvent　estate　of　a　firm　or　copartnership　to　which　this
person　may　have　belonged；　should　be　enforced。　The　question　may　have
been；　in　the　course　of　official　business；　referred　to　the　Circumlocution
Department　for　its　consideration。　The　Department　may　have　either
originated；　or　confirmed；　a　Minute　making　that　remendation。'

'I　assume　this　to　be　the　case；　then。'

'The　Circumlocution　Department；'　said　Mr　Barnacle；　'is　not　responsible
for　any　gentleman's　assumptions。'

'May　I　inquire　how　I　can　obtain　official　information　as　to　the　real
state　of　the　case？'

'It　is　petent；'　said　Mr　Barnacle；　'to　any　member　of　the……Public；'
mentioning　that　obscure　body　with　reluctance；　as　his　natural　enemy；
'to　memorialise　the　Circumlocution　Department。　Such　formalities　as　are
required　to　be　observed　in　so　doing；　may　be　known　on　application　to　the
proper　branch　of　that　Department。'

'Which　is　the　proper　branch？'

'I　must　refer　you；'　returned　Mr　Barnacle；　ringing　the　bell；　'to　the
Department　itself　for　a　formal　answer　to　that　inquiry。'

'Excuse　my　mentioning……'

'The　Department　is　accessible　to　the……Public；'　Mr　Barnacle　was　always
checked　a　little　by　that　word　of　impertinent　signification；　'if
the……Public　approaches　it　according　to　the　official　forms；　if
the……Public　does　not　approach　it　according　to　the　official　forms；
the……Public　has　itself　to　blame。'

Mr　Barnacle　made　him　a　severe　bow；　as　a　wounded　man　of　family；　a　wounded
man　of　place；　and　a　wounded　man　of　a　gentlemanly　residence；　all　rolled
into　one；　and　he　made　Mr　Barnacle　a　bow；　and　was　shut　out　into　Mews
Street　by　the　flabby　footman。

Having　got　to　this　pass；　he　resolved　as　an　exercise　in　perseverance；
to　betake　himself　again　to　the　Circumlocution　Office；　and　try　what
satisfaction　he　could　get　there。　So　he　went　back　to　the　Circumlocution
Office；　and　once　more　sent　up　his　card　to　Barnacle　junior　by　a　messenger
who　took　it　very　ill　indeed　that　he　should　e　back　again；　and　who　was
eating　mashed　potatoes　and　gravy　behind　a　partition　by　the　hall　fire。

He　was　readmitted　to　the　presence　of　Barnacle　junior；　and　found　that
young　gentleman　singeing　his　knees　now；　and　gaping　his　weary　way　on
to　four　o'clock。　'I　say。　Look　here。　You　stick　to　us　in　a　devil　of　a
manner；'　Said　Barnacle　junior；　looking　over　his　shoulder。

'I　want　to　know……'

'Look　here。　Upon　my　soul　you　mustn't　e　into　the　place　saying　you
want　to　know；　you　know；'　remonstrated　Barnacle　junior；　turning　about　and
putting　up　the　eye…glass。

'I　want　to　know；'　said　Arthur　Clennam；　who　had　made　up　his　mind　to
persistence　in　one　short　form　of　words；　'the　precise　nature　of　the　claim
of　the　Crown　against　a　prisoner　for　debt；　named　Dorrit。'

'I　say。　Look　here。　You　really　are　going　it　at　a　great　pace；　you　know。
Egad；　you　haven't　got　an　appointment；'　said　Barnacle　junior；　as　if　the
thing　were　growing　serious。

'I　want　to　know；'　said　Arthur；　and　repeated　his　case。

Barnacle　junior　stared　at　him　until　his　eye…glass　fell　out；　and　then
put　it　in　again