little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第4章

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dominoes；　or　put　my　hand　to　any　kind　of　work？'

'Never！'

'Have　you　ever　thought　of　looking　to　me　to　do　any　kind　of　work？'

John　Baptist　answered　with　that　peculiar　back…handed　shake　of　the
right　forefinger　which　is　the　most　expressive　negative　in　the　Italian
language。

'No！　You　knew　from　the　first　moment　when　you　saw　me　here；　that　I　was　a
gentleman？'

'ALTRO！'　returned　John　Baptist；　closing　his　eyes　and　giving　his　head　a
most　vehement　toss。　The　word　being；　according　to　its　Genoese　emphasis；
a　confirmation；　a　contradiction；　an　assertion；　a　denial；　a　taunt；
a　pliment；　a　joke；　and　fifty　other　things；　became　in　the　present
instance；　with　a　significance　beyond　all　power　of　written　expression；
our　familiar　English　'I　believe　you！'

'Haha！　You　are　right！　A　gentleman　I　am！　And　a　gentleman　I'll　live；　and
a　gentleman　I'll　die！　It's　my　intent　to　be　a　gentleman。　It's　my　game。
Death　of　my　soul；　I　play　it　out　wherever　I　go！'

He　changed　his　posture　to　a　sitting　one；　crying　with　a　triumphant　air：

'Here　I　am！　See　me！　Shaken　out　of　destiny's　dice…box　into　the　pany
of　a　mere　smuggler；……shut　up　with　a　poor　little　contraband　trader；　whose
papers　are　wrong；　and　whom　the　police　lay　hold　of　besides；　for　placing
his　boat　（as　a　means　of　getting　beyond　the　frontier）　at　the　disposition
of　other　little　people　whose　papers　are　wrong；　and　he　instinctively
recognises　my　position；　even　by　this　light　and　in　this　place。　It's　well
done！　By　Heaven！　I　win；　however　the　game　goes。'

Again　his　moustache　went　up；　and　his　nose　came　down。

'What's　the　hour　now？'　he　asked；　with　a　dry　hot　pallor　upon　him；　rather
difficult　of　association　with　merriment。

'A　little　half…hour　after　mid…day。'

'Good！　The　President　will　have　a　gentleman　before　him　soon。　e！

Shall　I　tell　you　on　what　accusation？　It　must　be　now；　or　never；　for　I
shall　not　return　here。　Either　I　shall　go　free；　or　I　shall　go　to　be　made
ready　for　shaving。　You　know　where　they　keep　the　razor。'

Signor　Cavalletto　took　his　cigarette　from　between　his　parted　lips；　and
showed　more　momentary　disfiture　than　might　have　been　expected。

'I　am　a'……Monsieur　Rigaud　stood　up　to　say　it……'I　am　a　cosmopolitan
gentleman。　I　own　no　particular　country。　My　father　was　Swiss……Canton　de
Vaud。　My　mother　was　French　by　blood；　English　by　birth。　I　myself　was　born
in　Belgium。　I　am　a　citizen　of　the　world。'

His　theatrical　air；　as　he　stood　with　one　arm　on　his　hip　within　the　folds
of　his　cloak；　together　with　his　manner　of　disregarding　his　panion
and　addressing　the　opposite　wall　instead；　seemed　to　intimate　that　he
was　rehearsing　for　the　President；　whose　examination　he　was　shortly　to
undergo；　rather　than　troubling　himself　merely　to　enlighten　so　small　a
person　as　John　Baptist　Cavalletto。

'Call　me　five…and…thirty　years　of　age。　I　have　seen　the　world。　I　have
lived　here；　and　lived　there；　and　lived　like　a　gentleman　everywhere。　I
have　been　treated　and　respected　as　a　gentleman　universally。　If　you　try
to　prejudice　me　by　making　out　that　I　have　lived　by　my　wits……how　do
your　lawyers　live……your　politicians……your　intriguers……your　men　of　the
Exchange？'

He　kept　his　small　smooth　hand　in　constant　requisition；　as　if　it　were　a
witness　to　his　gentility　that　had　often　done　him　good　service　before。

'Two　years　ago　I　came　to　Marseilles。　I　admit　that　I　was　poor；　I　had　been
ill。　When　your　lawyers；　your　politicians；　your　intriguers；　your　men　of
the　Exchange　fall　ill；　and　have　not　scraped　money　together；　they　bee
poor。　I　put　up　at　the　Cross　of　Gold；……kept　then　by　Monsieur　Henri
Barronneau……sixty…five　at　least；　and　in　a　failing　state　of　health。　I　had
lived　in　the　house　some　four　months　when　Monsieur　Henri　Barronneau　had
the　misfortune　to　die；……at　any　rate；　not　a　rare　misfortune；　that。　It
happens　without　any　aid　of　mine；　pretty　often。'

John　Baptist　having　smoked　his　cigarette　down　to　his　fingers'　ends；
Monsieur　Rigaud　had　the　magnanimity　to　throw　him　another。　He　lighted　the
second　at　the　ashes　of　the　first；　and　smoked　on；　looking　sideways　at　his
panion；　who；　preoccupied　with　his　own　case；　hardly　looked　at　him。

'Monsieur　Barronneau　left　a　widow。　She　was　two…and…twenty。　She　had
gained　a　reputation　for　beauty；　and　（which　is　often　another　thing）　was
beautiful。　I　continued　to　live　at　the　Cross　of　Gold。　I　married　Madame
Barronneau。　It　is　not　for　me　to　say　whether　there　was　any　great
disparity　in　such　a　match。　Here　I　stand；　with　the　contamination　of　a
jail　upon　me；　but　it　is　possible　that　you　may　think　me　better　suited　to
her　than　her　former　husband　was。'

He　had　a　certain　air　of　being　a　handsome　man……which　he　was　not；　and
a　certain　air　of　being　a　well…bred　man……which　he　was　not。　It　was　mere
swagger　and　challenge；　but　in　this　particular；　as　in　many　others；
blustering　assertion　goes　for　proof；　half　over　the　world。

'Be　it　as　it　may；　Madame　Barronneau　approved　of　me。　That　is　not　to
prejudice　me；　I　hope？'

His　eye　happening　to　light　upon　John　Baptist　with　this　inquiry；　that
little　man　briskly　shook　his　head　in　the　negative；　and　repeated　in　an
argumentative　tone　under　his　breath；　altro；　altro；　altro；　altro……an
infinite　number　of　times。

'Now　came　the　difficulties　of　our　position。　I　am　proud。　I　say　nothing
in　defence　of　pride；　but　I　am　proud。　It　is　also　my　character　to　govern。
I　can't　submit；　I　must　govern。　Unfortunately；　the　property　of　Madame
Rigaud　was　settled　upon　herself。　Such　was　the　insane　act　of　her　late
husband。　More　unfortunately　still；　she　had　relations。　When　a　wife's
relations　interpose　against　a　husband　who　is　a　gentleman；　who　is　proud；
and　who　must　govern；　the　consequences　are　inimical　to　peace。　There
was　yet　another　source　of　difference　between　us。　Madame　Rigaud　was
unfortunately　a　little　vulgar。　I　sought　to　improve　her　manners　and
ameliorate　her　general　tone；　she　（supported　in　this　likewise　by　her
relations）　resented　my　endeavours。　Quarrels　began　to　arise　between　us；
and；　propagated　and　exaggerated　by　the　slanders　of　the　relations　of
Madame　Rigaud；　to　bee　notorious　to　the　neighbours。　It　has　been　said
that　I　treated　Madame　Rigaud　with　cruelty。　I　may　have　been　seen　to　slap
her　face……nothing　more。　I　have　a　light　hand；　and　if　I　have　been　seen
apparently　to　correct　Madame　Rigaud　in　that　manner；　I　have　done　it
almost　playfully。'

If　the　playfulness　of　Monsieur　Rigaud　were　at　all　expressed　by　his　smile
at　this　point；　the　relations　of　Madame　Rigaud　might　have　said　that
they　would　have　much　preferred　his　correcting　that　unfortunate　woman
seriously。

'I　am　sensitive　and　brave。　I　do　not　advance　it　as　a　merit　to　be
sensitive　and　brave；　but　it　is　my　character。　If　the　male　relations　of
Madame　Rigaud　had　put　themselves　forward　openly；　I　should　have　known　how
to　deal　with　them。　They　knew　that；　and　their　machinations　were　conducted
in　secret；　consequently；　Madame　Rigaud　and　I　were　brought　into　frequent
and　unfortunate　collision。　Even　when　I　wanted　any　little　sum　of　money
for　my　personal　expenses；　I　could　not　obtain　it　without　collision……and
I；　too；　a　man　whose　character　it　is　to　govern！　One　night；　Madame　Rigaud
and　myself　were　walking　amicably……I　may　say　like　lovers……on　a　height
overhanging　the　sea。　An　evil　star　occasioned　Madame　Rigaud　to　advert　to
her　relations；　I　reasoned　with　her　on　that　subject；　and　remonstrated　on
the　want　of　duty　and　devotion　manifested　in　her　allowing　herself　to　be
influenced　by　their　jealous　animosity　towards　her　husband。　Madame　Rigaud
retorted；　I　retorted；　Madame　Rigaud　grew　warm；　I　grew　warm；　and　provoked
her。　I　admit　it。　Frankness　is　a　part　of　my　character。　At　length；　Madame
Rigaud；　in　an　access　of　fury　that　I　must　ever　deplore；　threw　herself
upon　me　with　screams　of　passion　（no　doubt　those　that　were　overheard
at　some　distance）；　tore　my　clothes；　tore　my　hair；　lacerated　my　hands；
trampled　and　trod　the　dust；　and　finally　leaped　over；　dashing　herself　to
death　upon　the　rocks　below。　Such　is　the　train　of　incidents　which
malice　has　perverted　into　my　endeavouring　to　force　from　Madame　Rigaud
a　relinquishment　of　her　rights；　and；　on　her　persistence　in　a　refusal　to
make　the　concession　I　required；　struggling　with　her……assassinating　her！'

He　stepped　aside　to　the　ledge　where　the　vine　leaves　yet　lay　strewn
about；　collected　two　or　thre