little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第6章

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'Well；　Mr　Meagles；　say　no　more　about　it　now　it's　over；'　urged　a　cheerful
feminine　voice。

'Over！'　repeated　Mr　Meagles；　who　appeared　（though　without　any
ill…nature）　to　be　in　that　peculiar　state　of　mind　in　which　the　last　word
spoken　by　anybody　else　is　a　new　injury。　'Over！　and　why　should　I　say　no
more　about　it　because　it's　over？'

It　was　Mrs　Meagles　who　had　spoken　to　Mr　Meagles；　and　Mrs　Meagles　was；
like　Mr　Meagles；　ely　and　healthy；　with　a　pleasant　English　face　which
had　been　looking　at　homely　things　for　five…and…fifty　years　or　more；　and
shone　with　a　bright　reflection　of　them。

'There！　Never　mind；　Father；　never　mind！'　said　Mrs　Meagles。　'For　goodness
sake　content　yourself　with　Pet。'

'With　Pet？'　repeated　Mr　Meagles　in　his　injured　vein。　Pet；　however；
being　close　behind　him；　touched　him　on　the　shoulder；　and　Mr　Meagles
immediately　forgave　Marseilles　from　the　bottom　of　his　heart。

Pet　was　about　twenty。　A　fair　girl　with　rich　brown　hair　hanging　free　in
natural　ringlets。　A　lovely　girl；　with　a　frank　face；　and　wonderful　eyes；
so　large；　so　soft；　so　bright；　set　to　such　perfection　in　her　kind　good
head。　She　was　round　and　fresh　and　dimpled　and　spoilt；　and　there　was　in
Pet　an　air　of　timidity　and　dependence　which　was　the　best　weakness　in
the　world；　and　gave　her　the　only　crowning　charm　a　girl　so　pretty　and
pleasant　could　have　been　without。

'Now；　I　ask　you；'　said　Mr　Meagles　in　the　blandest　confidence；　falling
back　a　step　himself；　and　handing　his　daughter　a　step　forward　to
illustrate　his　question：　'I　ask　you　simply；　as　between　man　and　man；
you　know；　DID　you　ever　hear　of　such　damned　nonsense　as　putting　Pet　in
quarantine？'

'It　has　had　the　result　of　making　even　quarantine　enjoyable。'　'e！'
said　Mr　Meagles；　'that's　something　to　be　sure。　I　am　obliged　to　you　for
that　remark。　Now；　Pet；　my　darling；　you　had　better　go　along　with　Mother
and　get　ready　for　the　boat。　The　officer　of　health；　and　a　variety　of
humbugs　in　cocked　hats；　are　ing　off　to　let　us　out　of　this　at　last：
and　all　we　jail…birds　are　to　breakfast　together　in　something　approaching
to　a　Christian　style　again；　before　we　take　wing　for　our　different
destinations。　Tattycoram；　stick　you　close　to　your　young　mistress。'

He　spoke　to　a　handsome　girl　with　lustrous　dark　hair　and　eyes；　and　very
neatly　dressed；　who　replied　with　a　half　curtsey　as　she　passed　off　in　the
train　of　Mrs　Meagles　and　Pet。　They　crossed　the　bare　scorched　terrace
all　three　together；　and　disappeared　through　a　staring　white　archway。
Mr　Meagles's　panion；　a　grave　dark　man　of　forty；　still　stood　looking
towards　this　archway　after　they　were　gone；　until　Mr　Meagles　tapped　him
on　the　arm。

'I　beg　your　pardon；'　said　he；　starting。

'Not　at　all；'　said　Mr　Meagles。

They　took　one　silent　turn　backward　and　forward　in　the　shade　of　the　wall；
getting；　at　the　height　on　which　the　quarantine　barracks　are　placed；　what
cool　refreshment　of　sea　breeze　there　was　at　seven　in　the　morning。　Mr
Meagles's　panion　resumed　the　conversation。

'May　I　ask　you；'　he　said；　'what　is　the　name　of……'

'Tattycoram？'　Mr　Meagles　struck　in。　'I　have　not　the　least　idea。'

'I　thought；'　said　the　other；　'that……'

'Tattycoram？'　suggested　Mr　Meagles　again。

'Thank　you……that　Tattycoram　was　a　name；　and　I　have　several　times
wondered　at　the　oddity　of　it。'

'Why；　the　fact　is；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'Mrs　Meagles　and　myself　are；　you
see；　practical　people。'

'That　you　have　frequently　mentioned　in　the　course　of　the　agreeable　and
interesting　conversations　we　have　had　together；　walking　up　and　down　on
these　stones；'　said　the　other；　with　a　half　smile　breaking　through　the
gravity　of　his　dark　face。

'Practical　people。　So　one　day；　five　or　six　years　ago　now；　when　we　took
Pet　to　church　at　the　Foundling……you　have　heard　of　the　Foundling　Hospital
in　London？　Similar　to　the　Institution　for　the　Found　Children　in　Paris？'

'I　have　seen　it。'

'Well！　One　day　when　we　took　Pet　to　church　there　to　hear　the
music……because；　as　practical　people；　it　is　the　business　of　our　lives　to
show　her　everything　that　we　think　can　please　her……Mother　（my　usual　name
for　Mrs　Meagles）　began　to　cry　so；　that　it　was　necessary　to　take　her　out。
〃What's　the　matter；　Mother？〃　said　I；　when　we　had　brought　her　a　little
round：　〃you　are　frightening　Pet；　my　dear。〃　〃Yes；　I　know　that；　Father；〃
says　Mother；　〃but　I　think　it's　through　my　loving　her　so　much；　that　it
ever　came　into　my　head。〃　〃That　ever　what　came　into　your　head；　Mother？〃
〃O　dear；　dear！〃　cried　Mother；　breaking　out　again；　〃when　I　saw　all　those
children　ranged　tier　above　tier；　and　appealing　from　the　father　none　of
them　has　ever　known　on　earth；　to　the　great　Father　of　us　all　in　Heaven；
I　thought；　does　any　wretched　mother　ever　e　here；　and　look　among　those
young　faces；　wondering　which　is　the　poor　child　she　brought　into　this
forlorn　world；　never　through　all　its　life　to　know　her　love；　her　kiss；
her　face；　her　voice；　even　her　name！〃　Now　that　was　practical　in　Mother；
and　I　told　her　so。　I　said；　〃Mother；　that's　what　I　call　practical　in　you；
my　dear。〃'

The　other；　not　unmoved；　assented。

'So　I　said　next　day：　Now；　Mother；　I　have　a　proposition　to　make　that　I
think　you'll　approve　of。　Let　us　take　one　of　those　same　little　children
to　be　a　little　maid　to　Pet。　We　are　practical　people。　So　if　we　should
find　her　temper　a　little　defective；　or　any　of　her　ways　a　little　wide
of　ours；　we　shall　know　what　we　have　to　take　into　account。　We　shall
know　what　an　immense　deduction　must　be　made　from　all　the　influences　and
experiences　that　have　formed　us……no　parents；　no　child…brother　or　sister；
no　individuality　of　home；　no　Glass　Slipper；　or　Fairy　Godmother。　And
that's　the　way　we　came　by　Tattycoram。'

'And　the　name　itself……'

'By　George！'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'I　was　forgetting　the　name　itself。　Why；
she　was　called　in　the　Institution；　Harriet　Beadle……an　arbitrary　name；
of　course。　Now；　Harriet　we　changed　into　Hattey；　and　then　into　Tatty；
because；　as　practical　people；　we　thought　even　a　playful　name　might　be
a　new　thing　to　her；　and　might　have　a　softening　and　affectionate　kind　of
effect；　don't　you　see？　As　to　Beadle；　that　I　needn't　say　was　wholly　out
of　the　question。　If　there　is　anything　that　is　not　to　be　tolerated　on
any　terms；　anything　that　is　a　type　of　Jack…in…office　insolence　and
absurdity；　anything　that　represents　in　coats；　waistcoats；　and　big　sticks
our　English　holding　on　by　nonsense　after　every　one　has　found　it　out；　it
is　a　beadle。　You　haven't　seen　a　beadle　lately？'

'As　an　Englishman　who　has　been　more　than　twenty　years　in　China；　no。'

'Then；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　laying　his　forefinger　on　his　panion's　breast
with　great　animation；　'don't　you　see　a　beadle；　now；　if　you　can　help　it。
Whenever　I　see　a　beadle　in　full　fig；　ing　down　a　street　on　a　Sunday
at　the　head　of　a　charity　school；　I　am　obliged　to　turn　and　run　away；　or
I　should　hit　him。　The　name　of　Beadle　being　out　of　the　question；　and　the
originator　of　the　Institution　for　these　poor　foundlings　having　been　a
blessed　creature　of　the　name　of　Coram；　we　gave　that　name　to　Pet's　little
maid。　At　one　time　she　was　Tatty；　and　at　one　time　she　was　Coram；　until　we
got　into　a　way　of　mixing　the　two　names　together；　and　now　she　is　always
Tattycoram。'

'Your　daughter；'　said　the　other；　when　they　had　taken　another　silent　turn
to　and　fro；　and；　after　standing　for　a　moment　at　the　wall　glancing　down
at　the　sea；　had　resumed　their　walk；　'is　your　only　child；　I　know；　Mr
Meagles。　May　I　ask　you……in　no　impertinent　curiosity；　but　because　I　have
had　so　much　pleasure　in　your　society；　may　never　in　this　labyrinth　of
a　world　exchange　a　quiet　word　with　you　again；　and　wish　to　preserve　an
accurate　remembrance　of　you　and　yours……may　I　ask　you；　if　I　have　not
gathered　from　your　good　wife　that　you　have　had　other　children？'

'No。　No；'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'Not　exactly　other　children。　One　other
child。'

'I　am　afraid　I　have　inadvertently　touched　upon　a　tender　theme。'

'Never　mind；'　said　Mr　Meagles。　'If　I　am　grave　about　it；　I　am　not　at　all
sorroent；　but　does　not　make　me　unhappy。　Pet
had　a　twin　sister　who　died　when　we　could　just　see　her　eyes……exactly　like
Pet's……above　the　table；　as　she　stood　on　tiptoe　holding　by　it。'

'Ah！　indeed；　indeed！'

'Yes；　and　being　practical　people；　a　result　has　gradually　sprung　up　in
t