little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第91章

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what　he　would；　he　fell　into　such　a　mood　of　abstraction　that　Gowan　said
again；　'I　am　very　much　afraid　my　mother　has　bored　you？'　To　which　he
roused　himself　to　answer；　'Not　at　all！'　and　soon　relapsed　again。

In　that　state　of　mind　which　rendered　nobody　uneasy；　his　thoughtfulness
would　have　turned　principally　on　the　man　at　his　side。　He　would　have
thought　of　the　morning　when　he　first　saw　him　rooting　out　the　stones　with
his　heel；　and　would　have　asked　himself；　'Does　he　jerk　me　out　of　the
path　in　the　same　careless；　cruel　way？'　He　would　have　thought；　had　this
introduction　to　his　mother　been　brought　about　by　him　because　he　knew
what　she　would　say；　and　that　he　could　thus　place　his　position　before
a　rival　and　loftily　warn　him　off；　without　himself　reposing　a　word　of
confidence　in　him？　He　would　have　thought；　even　if　there　were　no　such
design　as　that；　had　he　brought　him　there　to　play　with　his　repressed
emotions；　and　torment　him？　The　current　of　these　meditations　would　have
been　stayed　sometimes　by　a　rush　of　shame；　bearing　a　remonstrance　to
himself　from　his　own　open　nature；　representing　that　to　shelter　such
suspicions；　even　for　the　passing　moment；　was　not　to　hold　the　high；
unenvious　course　he　had　resolved　to　keep。　At　those　times；　the　striving
within　him　would　have　been　hardest；　and　looking　up　and　catching　Gowan's
eyes；　he　would　have　started　as　if　he　had　done　him　an　injury。

Then；　looking　at　the　dark　road　and　its　uncertain　objects；　he　would　have
gradually　trailed　off　again　into　thinking；　'Where　are　we　driving；　he
and　I；　I　wonder；　on　the　darker　road　of　life？　How　will　it　be　with　us；　and
with　her；　in　the　obscure　distance？'　Thinking　of　her；　he　would　have　been
troubled　anew　with　a　reproachful　misgiving　that　it　was　not　even　loyal　to
her　to　dislike　him；　and　that　in　being　so　easily　prejudiced　against　him
he　was　less　deserving　of　her　than　at　first。

'You　are　evidently　out　of　spirits；'　said　Gowan；　'I　am　very　much　afraid
my　mother　must　have　bored　you　dreadfully。'　'Believe　me；　not　at　all；'
said　Clennam。　'It's　nothing……nothing！'




CHAPTER　27。　Five…and…Twenty

A　frequently　recurring　doubt；　whether　Mr　Pancks's　desire　to　collect
information　relative　to　the　Dorrit　family　could　have　any　possible
bearing　on　the　misgivings　he　had　imparted　to　his　mother　on　his　return
from　his　long　exile；　caused　Arthur　Clennam　much　uneasiness　at　this
period。　What　Mr　Pancks　already　knew　about　the　Dorrit　family；　what　more
he　really　wanted　to　find　out；　and　why　he　should　trouble　his　busy　head
about　them　at　all；　were　questions　that　often　perplexed　him。　Mr　Pancks
was　not　a　man　to　waste　his　time　and　trouble　in　researches　prompted　by
idle　curiosity。　That　he　had　a　specific　object　Clennam　could　not　doubt。
And　whether　the　attainment　of　that　object　by　Mr　Pancks's　industry　might
bring　to　light；　in　some　untimely　way；　secret　reasons　which　had　induced
his　mother　to　take　Little　Dorrit　by　the　hand；　was　a　serious　speculation。

Not　that　he　ever　wavered　either　in　his　desire　or　his　determination　to
repair　a　wrong　that　had　been　done　in　his　father's　time；　should　a
wrong　e　to　light；　and　be　reparable。　The　shadow　of　a　supposed　act
of　injustice；　which　had　hung　over　him　since　his　father's　death；　was
so　vague　and　formless　that　it　might　be　the　result　of　a　reality　widely
remote　from　his　idea　of　it。　But；　if　his　apprehensions　should　prove　to
be　well　founded；　he　was　ready　at　any　moment　to　lay　down　all　he　had；　and
begin　the　world　anew。　As　the　fierce　dark　teaching　of　his　childhood　had
never　sunk　into　his　heart；　so　that　first　article　in　his　code　of　morals
was；　that　he　must　begin；　in　practical　humility；　with　looking　well　to
his　feet　on　Earth；　and　that　he　could　never　mount　on　wings　of　words　to
Heaven。　Duty　on　earth；　restitution　on　earth；　action　on　earth；　these
first；　as　the　first　steep　steps　upward。　Strait　was　the　gate　and　narrow
was　the　way；　far　straiter　and　narrower　than　the　broad　high　road　paved
with　vain　professions　and　vain　repetitions；　motes　from　other　men's　eyes
and　liberal　delivery　of　others　to　the　judgment……all　cheap　materials
costing　absolutely　nothing。

No。　It　was　not　a　selfish　fear　or　hesitation　that　rendered　him
uneasy；　but　a　mistrust　lest　Pancks　might　not　observe　his　part　of　the
understanding　between　them；　and；　making　any　discovery；　might　take　some
course　upon　it　without　imparting　it　to　him。　On　the　other　hand；　when　he
recalled　his　conversation　with　Pancks；　and　the　little　reason　he　had　to
suppose　that　there　was　any　likelihood　of　that　strange　personage　being
on　that　track　at　all；　there　were　times　when　he　wondered　that　he　made　so
much　of　it。　Labouring　in　this　sea；　as　all　barks　labour　in　cross　seas；　he
tossed　about　and　came　to　no　haven。

The　removal　of　Little　Dorrit　herself　from　their　customary　association；
did　not　mend　the　matter。　She　was　so　much　out；　and　so　much　in　her　own
room；　that　he　began　to　miss　her　and　to　find　a　blank　in　her　place。　He　had
written　to　her　to　inquire　if　she　were　better；　and　she　had　written
back；　very　gratefully　and　earnestly　telling　him　not　to　be　uneasy　on　her
behalf；　for　she　was　quite　well；　but　he　had　not　seen　her；　for　what；　in
their　intercourse；　was　a　long　time。

He　returned　home　one　evening　from　an　interview　with　her　father；　who　had
mentioned　that　she　was　out　visiting……which　was　what　he　always　said
when　she　was　hard　at　work　to　buy　his　supper……and　found　Mr　Meagles　in　an
excited　state　walking　up　and　down　his　room。　On　his　opening　the　door；　Mr
Meagles　stopped；　faced　round；　and　said：

'Clennam！……Tattycoram！'

'What's　the　matter？'

'Lost！'

'Why；　bless　my　heart　alive！'　cried　Clennam　in　amazement。　'What　do　you
mean？'

'Wouldn't　count　five…and…twenty；　sir；　couldn't　be　got　to　do　it；　stopped
at　eight；　and　took　herself　off。'

'Left　your　house？'

'Never　to　e　back；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　shaking　his　head。　'You　don't　know
that　girl's　passionate　and　proud　character。　A　team　of　horses　couldn't
draw　her　back　now；　the　bolts　and　bars　of　the　old　Bastille　couldn't　keep
her。'

'How　did　it　happen？　Pray　sit　down　and　tell　me。'

'As　to　how　it　happened；　it's　not　so　easy　to　relate：　because　you　must
have　the　unfortunate　temperament　of　the　poor　impetuous　girl　herself；
before　you　can　fully　understand　it。　But　it　came　about　in　this　way。　Pet
and　Mother　and　I　have　been　having　a　good　deal　of　talk　together　of　late。
I'll　not　disguise　from　you；　Clennam；　that　those　conversations　have　not
been　of　as　bright　a　kind　as　I　could　wish；　they　have　referred　to　our
going　away　again。　In　proposing　to　do　which；　I　have　had；　in　fact；　an
object。'

Nobody's　heart　beat　quickly。

'An　object；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　after　a　moment's　pause；　'that　I　will　not
disguise　from　you；　either；　Clennam。　There's　an　inclination　on　the　part
of　my　dear　child　which　I　am　sorry　for。　Perhaps　you　guess　the　person。
Henry　Gowan。'

'I　was　not　unprepared　to　hear　it。'

'Well！'　said　Mr　Meagles；　with　a　heavy　sigh；　'I　wish　to　God　you　had　never
had　to　hear　it。　However；　so　it　is。　Mother　and　I　have　done　all　we　could
to　get　the　better　of　it；　Clennam。　We　have　tried　tender　advice；　we
have　tried　time；　we　have　tried　absence。　As　yet；　of　no　use。　Our　late
conversations　have　been　upon　the　subject　of　going　away　for　another　year
at　least；　in　order　that　there　might　be　an　entire　separation　and　breaking
off　for　that　term。　Upon　that　question；　Pet　has　been　unhappy；　and
therefore　Mother　and　I　have　been　unhappy。'　Clennam　said　that　he　could
easily　believe　it。

'Well！'　continued　Mr　Meagles　in　an　apologetic　way；　'I　admit　as　a
practical　man；　and　I　am　sure　Mother　would　admit　as　a　practical　woman；
that　we　do；　in　families；　magnify　our　troubles　and　make　mountains　of　our
molehills　in　a　way　that　is　calculated　to　be　rather　trying　to　people　who
look　on……to　mere　outsiders；　you　know；　Clennam。

Still；　Pet's　happiness　or　unhappiness　is　quite　a　life　or　death　question
with　us；　and　we　may　be　excused；　I　hope；　for　making　much　of　it。　At　all
events；　it　might　have　been　borne　by　Tattycoram。　Now；　don't　you　think
so？'

'I　do　indeed　think　so；'　returned　Clennam；　in　most　emphatic　recognition
of　this　very　moderate　expectation。

'No；　sir；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　shaking　his　head　ruefully。　'She　couldn't
stand　it。　The　chafing　and　firing　of　that　girl；　the　wearing　and　tearing
of　that　girl　within　her