little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第78部分

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from　Mr　Sparkler　that　there　is　no　great……hum……probability　of　Mr　Merdle's
ing　abroad。'

'Why；　indeed；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　'he　is　so　much　engaged　and　in　such
request；　that　I　fear　not。　He　has　not　been　able　to　get　abroad　for　years。
You；　Miss　Dorrit；　I　believe　have　been　almost　continually　abroad　for　a
long　time。'

'Oh　dear　yes；'　drawled　Fanny；　with　the　greatest　hardihood。　'An　immense
number　of　years。'

'So　I　should　have　inferred；'　said　Mrs　Merdle。

'Exactly；'　said　Fanny。

'I　trust；　however；'　resumed　Mr　Dorrit；　'that　if　I　have　not
the……hum……great　advantage　of　being　known　to　Mr　Merdle　on　this　side
of　the　Alps　or　Mediterranean；　I　shall　have　that　honour　on　returning　to
England。　It　is　an　honour　I　particularly　desire　and　shall　particularly
esteem。'　'Mr　Merdle；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　who　had　been　looking　admiringly
at　Fanny　through　her　eye…glass；　'will　esteem　it；　I　am　sure；　no　less。'

Little　Dorrit；　still　habitually　thoughtful　and　solitary　though　no　longer
alone；　at　first　supposed　this　to　be　mere　Prunes　and　Prism。　But　as　her
father　when　they　had　been　to　a　brilliant　reception　at　Mrs　Merdle's；
harped　at　their　own　family　breakfast…table　on　his　wish　to　know　Mr
Merdle；　with　the　contingent　view　of　benefiting　by　the　advice　of　that
wonderful　man　in　the　disposal　of　his　fortune；　she　began　to　think　it　had
a　real　meaning；　and　to　entertain　a　curiosity　on　her　own　part　to　see　the
shining　light　of　the　time。




CHAPTER　8。　The　Dowager　Mrs　Gowan　is　reminded　that　　　　　'It　Never　Does'


While　the　waters　of　Venice　and　the　ruins　of　Rome　were　sunning　themselves
for　the　pleasure　of　the　Dorrit　family；　and　were　daily　being　sketched
out　of　all　earthly　proportion；　lineament；　and　likeness；　by　travelling
pencils　innumerable；　the　firm　of　Doyce　and　Clennam　hammered　away　in
Bleeding　Heart　Yard；　and　the　vigorous　clink　of　iron　upon　iron　was　heard
there　through　the　working　hours。

The　younger　partner　had；　by　this　time；　brought　the　business　into　sound
trim；　and　the　elder；　left　free　to　follow　his　own　ingenious　devices；　had
done　much　to　enhance　the　character　of　the　factory。　As　an　ingenious　man；
he　had　necessarily　to　encounter　every　discouragement　that　the　ruling
powers　for　a　length　of　time　had　been　able　by　any　means　to　put　in　the　way
of　this　class　of　culprits；　but　that　was　only　reasonable　self…defence　in
the　powers；　since　How　to　do　it　must　obviously　be　regarded　as　the　natural
and　mortal　enemy　of　How　not　to　do　it。　In　this　was　to　be　found　the　basis
of　the　wise　system；　by　tooth　and　nail　upheld　by　the　Circumlocution
Office；　of　warning　every　ingenious　British　subject　to　be　ingenious
at　his　peril：　of　harassing　him；　obstructing　him；　inviting　robbers　（by
making　his　remedy　uncertain；　and　expensive）　to　plunder　him；　and　at　the
best　of　confiscating　his　property　after　a　short　term　of　enjoyment；　as
though　invention　were　on　a　par　with　felony。　The　system　had　uniformly
found　great　favour　with　the　Barnacles；　and　that　was　only　reasonable；
too；　for　one　who　worthily　invents　must　be　in　earnest；　and　the　Barnacles
abhorred　and　dreaded　nothing　half　so　much。　That　again　was　very
reasonable；　since　in　a　country　suffering　under　the　affliction　of　a　great
amount　of　earnestness；　there　might；　in　an　exceeding　short　space　of　time；
be　not　a　single　Barnacle　left　sticking　to　a　post。

Daniel　Doyce　faced　his　condition　with　its　pains　and　penalties　attached
to　it；　and　soberly　worked　on　for　the　work's　sake。　Clennam　cheering　him
with　a　hearty　co…operation；　was　a　moral　support　to　him；　besides　doing
good　service　in　his　business　relation。　The　concern　prospered；　and　the
partners　were　fast　friends。　But　Daniel　could　not　forget　the　old　design
of　so　many　years。　It　was　not　in　reason　to　be　expected　that　he　should；　if
he　could　have　lightly　forgotten　it；　he　could　never　have　conceived　it；
or　had　the　patience　and　perseverance　to　work　it　out。　So　Clennam　thought；
when　he　sometimes　observed　him　of　an　evening　looking　over　the　models　and
drawings；　and　consoling　himself　by　muttering　with　a　sigh　as　he　put　them
away　again；　that　the　thing　was　as　true　as　it　ever　was。

To　show　no　sympathy　with　so　much　endeavour；　and　so　much　disappointment；
would　have　been　to　fail　in　what　Clennam　regarded　as　among　the　implied
obligations　of　his　partnership。　A　revival　of　the　passing　interest　in
the　subject　which　had　been　by　chance　awakened　at　the　door　of　the
Circumlocution　Office；　originated　in　this　feeling。　He　asked　his　partner
to　explain　the　invention　to　him；　'having　a　lenient　consideration；'　he
stipulated；　'for　my　being　no　workman；　Doyce。'

'No　workman？'　said　Doyce。　'You　would　have　been　a　thorough　workman　if　you
had　given　yourself　to　it。　You　have　as　good　a　head　for　understanding　such
things　as　I　have　met　with。'

'A　totally　uneducated　one；　I　am　sorry　to　add；'　said　Clennam。

'I　don't　know　that；'　returned　Doyce；　'and　I　wouldn't　have　you　say
that。　No　man　of　sense　who　has　been　generally　improved；　and　has　improved
himself；　can　be　called　quite　uneducated　as　to　anything。　I　don't
particularly　favour　mysteries。　I　would　as　soon；　on　a　fair　and　clear
explanation；　be　judged　by　one　class　of　man　as　another；　provided　he　had
the　qualification　I　have　named。'

'At　all　events；'　said　Clennam……'this　sounds　as　if　we　were　exchanging
pliments；　but　we　know　we　are　not……I　shall　have　the　advantage　of　as
plain　an　explanation　as　can　be　given。'

'Well！'　said　Daniel；　in　his　steady　even　way；'I'll　try　to　make　it　so。'

He　had　the　power；　often　to　be　found　in　union　with　such　a　character；　of
explaining　what　he　himself　perceived；　and　meant；　with　the　direct　force
and　distinctness　with　which　it　struck　his　own　mind。　His　manner　of
demonstration　was　so　orderly　and　neat　and　simple；　that　it　was　not　easy
to　mistake　him。　There　was　something　almost　ludicrous　in　the　plete
irreconcilability　of　a　vague　conventional　notion　that　he　must　be　a
visionary　man；　with　the　precise；　sagacious　travelling　of　his　eye　and
thumb　over　the　plans；　their　patient　stoppages　at　particular　points；
their　careful　returns　to　other　points　whence　little　channels　of
explanation　had　to　be　traced　up；　and　his　steady　manner　of　making
everything　good　and　everything　sound　at　each　important　stage；　before
taking　his　hearer　on　a　line's…breadth　further。　His　dismissal　of　himself
from　his　description；　was　hardly　less　remarkable。　He　never　said；　I
discovered　this　adaptation　or　invented　that　bination；　but　showed　the
whole　thing　as　if　the　Divine　artificer　had　made　it；　and　he　had　happened
to　find　it；　so　modest　he　was　about　it；　such　a　pleasant　touch　of　respect
iration　of　it；　and　so　calmly　convinced　he
was　that　it　was　established　on　irrefragable　laws。

Not　only　that　evening；　but　for　several　succeeding　evenings；　Clennam　was
quite　charmed　by　this　investigation。　The　more　he　pursued　it；　and　the
oftener　he　glanced　at　the　grey　head　bending　over　it；　and　the　shrewd　eye
kindling　with　pleasure　in　it　and　love　of　it……instrument　for　probing　his
heart　though　it　had　been　made　for　twelve　long　years……the　less　he　could
reconcile　it　to　his　younger　energy　to　let　it　go　without　one　effort　more。
At　length　he　said：

'Doyce；　it　came　to　this　at　last……that　the　business　was　to　be　sunk　with
Heaven　knows　how　many　more　wrecks；　or　begun　all　over　again？'

'Yes；'　returned　Doyce；　'that's　what　the　noblemen　and　gentlemen　made　of
it　after　a　dozen　years。'

'And　pretty　fellows　too！'　said　Clennam；　bitterly。

'The　usual　thing！'　observed　Doyce。　'I　must　not　make　a　martyr　of　myself；
when　I　am　one　of　so　large　a　pany。'

'Relinquish　it；　or　begin　it　all　over　again？'　mused　Clennam。

'That　was　exactly　the　long　and　the　short　of　it；'　said　Doyce。

'Then；　my　friend；'　cried　Clennam；　starting　up　and　taking　his
work…roughened　hand；　'it　shall　be　begun　all　over　again！'

Doyce　looked　alarmed；　and　replied　in　a　hurry……for　him；　'No；　no。　Better
put　it　by。　Far　better　put　it　by。　It　will　be　heard　of；　one　day。　I　can
put　it　by。　You　forget；　my　good　Clennam；　I　HAVE　put　it　by。　It's　all　at　an
end。'

'Yes；　Doyce；'　returned　Clennam；　'at　an　end　as　far　as　your　efforts　and
rebuffs　are　concerned；　I　admit；　but　not　as　far　as　mine　are。　I　am　younger
than　you：　I　have　only　once　set　foot　in　that　precious　office；　and　I　am
fresh　game　for　them。　e！　I'll　try　them。　You　shall　do　exactly　as　you
have　been　doing　since　we　have　been　together。　I　will　add　（as　I　easily
can）　to　what　I　have　been　doing；　the　attempt　to　get　public　justice　done
to　you；　and；　unless　I　have　some　success　to　report；　you　shall　hear　no
more　of　it。'

Daniel　Doyce　was　still　reluctant　to　consent；　and　again　and　again　urged
that　they　had　better　put　it　by。　But　it　was　natural　that　he　should
gradually　allow　himself　to　be　over…persuaded　by　Clennam；　and　should
yield。　Yield　he　did。　So　Arthur　resumed　the　long　and　hopeless　labour　of
striving　to　make　way　with　the　Circumlocution　Office。

The　waiting…rooms　of　that　Department　soon　began　to　be　familiar　with　his
presence；　and　he　was　generally　ushered　into　them　by　its　janitors　much
as　a　pickpocket　might　be　shown　into　a　police…office；　the　principal
difference　being　that　the　object　of　the　latter　class　of　public　business
is　to　keep　the　pickpocket；　while　the　Circumlocution　object　was　to
get　rid　of　Clennam。　However；　he　was　resolved　to　stick　to　the　Great
Department；　and　so　the　work　of　form…filling；　corresponding；　minuting；
memorandum…making；　signing；　counter…signing；　counter…counter…signing；
referring　backwards　and　forwards；　and　referring　sideways；　crosswise；　and
zig…zag；　remenced。

Here　arises　a　feature　of　the　Circumlocution　Office；　not　previously
mentioned　in　the　present　record。　When　that　admirable　Department　got
into　trouble；　and　was；　by　some　infuriated　members　of　Parliament　whom
the　smaller　Barnacles　almost　suspected　of　labouring　under　diabolic
possession；　attacked　on　the　merits　of　no　individual　case；　but　as　an
Institution　wholly　abominable　and　Bedlamite；　then　the　noble　or　right
honourable　Barnacle　who　represented　it　in　the　House；　would　smite　that
member　and　cleave　him　asunder；　with　a　statement　of　the　quantity　of
business　（for　the　prevention　of　business）　done　by　the　Circumlocution
Office。　Then　would　that　noble　or　right　honourable　Barnacle　hold　in　his
hand　a　paper　containing　a　few　figures；　to　which；　with　the　permission
of　the　House；　he　would　entreat　its　attention。　Then　would　the　inferior
Barnacles　exclaim；　obeying　orders；'Hear；　Hear；　Hear！'　and　'Read！'　Then
would　the　noble　or　right　honourable　Barnacle　perceive；　sir；　from　this
little　document；　which　he　thought　might　carry　conviction　even　to　the
perversest　mind　（Derisive　laughter　and　cheering　from　the　Barnacle　fry）；
that　within　the　short　pass　of　the　last　financial　half…year；　this
much…maligned　Department　（Cheers）　had　written　and　received　fifteen
thousand　letters　（Loud　cheers）；　had　written　twenty…four　thousand　minutes
（Louder　cheers）；　and　thirty…two　thousand　five　hundred　and　seventeen
memoranda　（Vehement　cheering）。　Nay；　an　ingenious　gentleman　connected
with　the　Department；　and　himself　a　valuable　public　servant；　had　done
him　the　favour　to　make　a　curious　calculation　of　the　amount　of　stationery
consumed　in　it　during　the　same　period。　It　formed　a　part　of　this　same
short　document；　and　he　derived　from　it　the　remarkable　fact　that　the
sheets　of　foolscap　paper　it　had　devoted　to　the　public　service　would　pave
the　footways　on　both　sides　of　Oxford　Street　from　end　to　end；　and　leave
nearly　a　quarter　of　a　mile　to　spare　for　the　park　（Immense　cheering　and
laughter）；　while　of　tape……red　tape……it　had　used　enough　to　stretch；　in
graceful　festoons；　from　Hyde　Park　Corner　to　the　General　Post　Office。
Then；　amidst　a　burst　of　official　exultation；　would　the　noble　or　right
honourable　Barnacle　sit　down；　leaving　the　mutilated　fragments　of　the
Member　on　the　field。　No　one；　after　that　exemplary　demolition　of　him；
would　have　the　hardihood　to　hint　that　the　more　the　Circumlocution　Office
did；　the　less　was　done；　and　that　the　greatest　blessing　it　could　confer
on　an　unhappy　public　would　be　to　do　nothing。

With　sufficient　occupation　on　his　hands；　now　that　he　had　this　additional
task……such　a　task　had　many　and　many　a　serviceable　man　died　of　before　his
day……Arthur　Clennam　led　a　life　of　slight　variety。　Regular　visits　to　his
mother's　dull　sick　room；　and　visits　scarcely　less　regular　to　Mr　Meagles
at　Twickenham；　were　its　only　changes　during　many　months。

He　sadly　and　sorely　missed　Little　Dorrit。　He　had　been　prepared　to　miss
her　very　much；　but　not　so　much。　He　knew　to　the　full　extent　only　through
experience；　what　a　large　place　in　his　life　was　left　blank　when　her
familiar　little　figure　went　out　of　it。　He　felt；　too；　that　he　must
relinquish　the　hope　of　its　return；　understanding　the　family　character
sufficiently　well　to　be　assured　that　he　and　she　were　divided　by　a　broad
ground　of　separation。　The　old　interest　he　had　had　in　her；　and　her　old
trusting　reliance　on　him；　were　tinged　with　melancholy　in　his　mind：　so
soon　had　change　stolen　over　them；　and　so　soon　had　they　glided　into　the
past　with　other　secret　tendernesses。

When　he　received　her　letter　he　was　greatly　moved；　but　did　not　the　less
sensibly　feel　that　she　was　far　divided　from　him　by　more　than　distance。
It　helped　him　to　a　clearer　and　keener　perception　of　the　place　assigned
him　by　the　family。　He　saw　that　he　was　cherished　in　her　grateful
remembrance　secretly；　and　that　they　resented　him　with　the　jail　and　the
rest　of　its　belongings。

Through　all　these　meditations　which　every　day　of　his　life　crowded　about
her；　he　thought　of　her　otherwise　in　the　old　way。　She　was　his　innocent
friend；　his　delicate　child；　his　dear　Little　Dorrit。　This　very　change
of　circumstances　fitted　curiously　in　with　the　habit；　begun　on　the　night
when　the　roses　floated　away；　of　considering　himself　as　a　much　older　man
than　his　years　really　made　him。　He　regarded　her　from　a　point　of　view
which　in　its　remoteness；　tender　as　it　was；　he　little　thought　would　have
been　unspeakable　agony　to　her。　He　speculated　about　her　future　destiny；
and　about　the　husband　she　might　have；　with　an　affection　for　her　which
would　have　drained　her　heart　of　its　dearest　drop　of　hope；　and　broken　it。

Everything　about　him　tended　to　confirm　him　in　the　custom　of　looking　on
himself　as　an　elderly　man；　from　whom　such　aspirations　as　he　had　bated
in　the　case　of　Minnie　Gowan　（though　that　was　not　so　long　ago　either；
reckoning　by　months　and　seasons）；　were　finally　departed。　His　relations
with　her　father　and　mother　were　like　those　on　which　a　widower　son…in…law
might　have　stood。　If　the　twin　sister　who　was　dead　had　lived　to　pass　away
in　the　bloom　of　womanhood；　and　he　had　been　her　husband；　the　nature　of
his　intercourse　with　Mr　and　Mrs　Meagles　would　probably　have　been　just
what　it　was。　This　imperceptibly　helped　to　render　habitual　the　impression
within　him；　that　he　had　done　with；　and　dismissed　that　part　of　life。

He　invariably　heard　of　Minnie　from　them；　as　telling　them　in　her　letters
how　happy　she　was；　and　how　she　loved　her　husband；　but　inseparable　from
that　subject；　he　invariably　saw　the　old　cloud　on　Mr　Meagles's　face。　Mr
Meagles　had　never　been　quite　so　radiant　since　the　marriage　as　before。
He　had　never　quite　recovered　the　separation　from　Pet。　He　was　the　same
good…humoured；　open　creature；　but　as　if　his　face；　from　being　much　turned
towards　the　pictures　of　his　two　children　which　could　show　him　only　one
look；　unconsciously　adopted　a　characteristic　from　them；　it　always　had
now；　through　all　its