little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


if　you　don't　like　it。　You　had　better　take　a　lot　of　forms　away　with　you。
Give　him　a　lot　of　forms！'　With　which　instruction　to　number　two；　this
sparkling　young　Barnacle　took　a　fresh　handful　of　papers　from　numbers　one
and　three；　and　carried　them　into　the　sanctuary　to　offer　to　the　presiding
Idol　of　the　Circumlocution　Office。

Arthur　Clennam　put　his　forms　in　his　pocket　gloomily　enough；　and　went
his　way　down　the　long　stone　passage　and　the　long　stone　staircase。　He　had
e　to　the　swing　doors　leading　into　the　street；　and　was　waiting；　not
over　patiently；　for　two　people　who　were　between　him　and　them　to　pass　out
and　let　him　follow；　when　the　voice　of　one　of　them　struck　familiarly　on
his　ear。　He　looked　at　the　speaker　and　recognised　Mr　Meagles。　Mr　Meagles
was　very　red　in　the　face……redder　than　travel　could　have　made　him……and
collaring　a　short　man　who　was　with　him；　said；　'e　out；　you　rascal；
e　Out！'

It　was　such　an　unexpected　hearing；　and　it　was　also　such　an　unexpected
sight　to　see　Mr　Meagles　burst　the　swing　doors　open；　and　emerge　into　the
street　with　the　short　man；　who　was　of　an　unoffending　appearance；　that
Clennam　stood　still　for　the　moment　exchanging　looks　of　surprise　with　the
porter。　He　folloeagles　going　down
the　street　with　his　enemy　at　his　side。　He　soon　came　up　with　his　old
travelling　panion；　and　touched　him　on　the　back。　The　choleric　face
which　Mr　Meagles　turned　upon　him　smoothed　when　he　saw　who　it　was；　and　he
put　out　his　friendly　hand。

'How　are　you？'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'How　d'ye　do？　I　have　only　just　e　over
from　abroad。　I　am　glad　to　see　you。'

'And　I　am　rejoiced　to　see　you。'

'Thank'ee。　Thank'ee！'

'Mrs　Meagles　and　your　daughter……？'

'Are　as　well　as　possible；'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'I　only　wish　you　had　e
upon　me　in　a　more　prepossessing　condition　as　to　coolness。'

Though　it　was　anything　but　a　hot　day；　Mr　Meagles　was　in　a　heated　state
that　attracted　the　attention　of　the　passersby；　more　particularly　as
he　leaned　his　back　against　a　railing；　took　off　his　hat　and　cravat；　and
heartily　rubbed　his　steaming　head　and　face；　and　his　reddened　ears　and
neck；　without　the　least　regard　for　public　opinion。

'Whew！'　said　Mr　Meagles；　dressing　again。　'That's　fortable。　Now　I　am
cooler。'

'You　have　been　ruffled；　Mr　Meagles。　What　is　the　matter？'

'Wait　a　bit；　and　I'll　tell　you。　Have　you　leisure　for　a　turn　in　the
Park？'

'As　much　as　you　please。'

'e　along　then。　Ah！　you　may　well　look　at　him。'　He　happened　to　have
turned　his　eyes　towards　the　offender　whom　Mr　Meagles　had　so　angrily
collared。　'He's　something　to　look　at；　that　fellow　is。'

He　was　not　much　to　look　at；　either　in　point　of　size　or　in　point　of
dress；　being　merely　a　short；　square；　practical　looking　man；　whose　hair
had　turned　grey；　and　in　whose　face　and　forehead　there　were　deep　lines　of
cogitation；　which　looked　as　though　they　were　carved　in　hard　wood。　He
was　dressed　in　decent　black；　a　little　rusty；　and　had　the　appearance　of
a　sagacious　master　in　some　handicraft。　He　had　a　spectacle…case　in　his
hand；　which　he　turned　over　and　over　while　he　was　thus　in　question；
with　a　certain　free　use　of　the　thumb　that　is　never　seen　but　in　a　hand
accustomed　to　tools。

'You　keep　with　us；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　in　a　threatening　kind　of　Way；　'and
I'll　introduce　you　presently。　Now　then！'

Clennam　wondered　within　himself；　as　they　took　the　nearest　way　to　the
Park；　what　this　unknown　（who　plied　in　the　gentlest　manner）　could　have
been　doing。　His　appearance　did　not　at　all　justify　the　suspicion　that　he
had　been　detected　in　designs　on　Mr　Meagles's　pocket…handkerchief；　nor
had　he　any　appearance　of　being　quarrelsome　or　violent。　He　was　a　quiet；
plain；　steady　man；　made　no　attempt　to　escape；　and　seemed　a　little
depressed；　but　neither　ashamed　nor　repentant。　If　he　were　a　criminal
offender；　he　must　surely　be　an　incorrigible　hypocrite；　and　if　he　were　no
offender；　why　should　Mr　Meagles　have　collared　him　in　the　Circumlocution
Office？　He　perceived　that　the　man　was　not　a　difficulty　in　his　own
mind　alone；　but　in　Mr　Meagles's　too；　for　such　conversation　as　they　had
together　on　the　short　way　to　the　Park　was　by　no　means　well　sustained；
and　Mr　Meagles's　eye　always　wandered　back　to　the　man；　even　when　he　spoke
of　something　very　different。

At　length　they　being　among　the　trees；　Mr　Meagles　stopped　short；　and
said：

'Mr　Clennam；　will　you　do　me　the　favour　to　look　at　this　man？　His　name
is　Doyce；　Daniel　Doyce。　You　wouldn't　suppose　this　man　to　be　a　notorious
rascal；　would　you？'

'I　certainly　should　not。'　It　was　really　a　disconcerting　question；　with
the　man　there。

'No。　You　would　not。　I　know　you　would　not。　You　wouldn't　suppose　him　to　be
a　public　offender；　would　you？'

'No。'

'No。　But　he　is。　He　is　a　public　offender。　What　has　he　been　guilty　of？
Murder；　manslaughter；　arson；　forgery；　swindling；　house…breaking；　highway
robbery；　larceny；　conspiracy；　fraud？　Which　should　you　say；　now？'

'I　should　say；'　returned　Arthur　Clennam；　observing　a　faint　smile　in
Daniel　Doyce's　face；　'not　one　of　them。'

'You　are　right；'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'But　he　has　been　ingenious；　and　he　has
been　trying　to　turn　his　ingenuity　to　his　country's　service。　That　makes
him　a　public　offender　directly；　sir。'

Arthur　looked　at　the　man　himself；　who　only　shook　his　head。

'This　Doyce；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'is　a　smith　and　engineer。　He　is　not　in　a
large　way；　but　he　is　well　known　as　a　very　ingenious　man。　A　dozen　years
ago；　he　perfects　an　invention　（involving　a　very　curious　secret　process）
of　great　importance　to　his　country　and　his　fellow…creatures。　I　won't　say
how　much　money　it　cost　him；　or　how　many　years　of　his　life　he　had　been
about　it；　but　he　brought　it　to　perfection　a　dozen　years　ago。　Wasn't　it　a
dozen？'　said　Mr　Meagles；　addressing　Doyce。　'He　is　the　most　exasperating
man　in　the　world；　he　never　plains！'

'Yes。　Rather　better　than　twelve　years　ago。'

'Rather　better？'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'you　mean　rather　worse。　Well；　Mr
Clennam；　he　addresses　himself　to　the　Government。　The　moment　he　addresses
himself　to　the　Government；　he　bees　a　public　offender！　Sir；'　said　Mr
Meagles；　in　danger　of　making　himself　excessively　hot　again；　'he　ceases
to　be　an　innocent　citizen；　and　bees　a　culprit。

He　is　treated　from　that　instant　as　a　man　who　has　done　some　infernal
action。　He　is　a　man　to　be　shirked；　put　off；　brow…beaten；　sneered　at；
handed　over　by　this　highly…connected　young　or　old　gentleman；　to　that
highly…connected　young　or　old　gentleman；　and　dodged　back　again；　he　is　a
man　with　no　rights　in　his　own　time；　or　his　own　property；　a　mere　outlaw；
whom　it　is　justifiable　to　get　rid　of　anyhow；　a　man　to　be　worn　out　by　all
possible　means。'

It　was　not　so　difficult　to　believe；　after　the　morning's　experience；　as
Mr　Meagles　supposed。

'Don't　stand　there；　Doyce；　turning　your　spectacle…case　over　and　over；'
cried　Mr　Meagles；　'but　tell　Mr　Clennam　what　you　confessed　to　me。'

'I　undoubtedly　was　made　to　feel；'　said　the　inventor；　'as　if　I　had
mitted　an　offence。　In　dancing　attendance　at　the　various　offices；　I
was　always　treated；　more　or　less；　as　if　it　was　a　very　bad　offence。　I
have　frequently　found　it　necessary　to　reflect；　for　my　own　self…support；
that　I　really　had　not　done　anything　to　bring　myself　into　the　Newgate
Calendar；　but　only　wanted　to　effect　a　great　saving　and　a　great
improvement。'

'There！'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'Judge　whether　I　exaggerate。　Now　you'll　be
able　to　believe　me　when　I　tell　you　the　rest　of　the　case。'

With　this　prelude；　Mr　Meagles　went　through　the　narrative；　the
established　narrative；　which　has　bee　tiresome；　the　matter…of…course
narrative　which　we　all　know　by　heart。　How；　after　interminable　attendance
and　correspondence；　after　infinite　impertinences；　ignorances；　and
insults；　my　lords　made　a　Minute；　number　three　thousand　four　hundred
and　seventy…two；　allowing　the　culprit　to　make　certain　trials　of　his
invention　at　his　own　expense。

How　the　trials　were　made　in　the　presence　of　a　board　of　six；　of　whom　two
ancient　members　were　too　blind　to　see　it；　two　other　ancient　members　were
too　deaf　to　hear　it；　one　other　ancient　member　was　too　lame　to　get　near
it；　and　the　final　ancient　member　was　too　pig…headed　to　look　at　it。　How
there　were　more　years；　more　impertinences；　ignorances；　and　insults。　How
my　lords　then　made　a　Minute；　num