little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第169节

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she　suggested　from　herself；　knowing　it　was　only　necessary　to　suggest；
that　it　might　be　better　if　I　were　a　little　less　panionable　with　Mr
Gowan。

I　asked　her　how　she　could　answer　for　what　I　meant？　She　could　always
answer；　she　replied；　for　my　meaning　nothing　wrong。　I　thanked　her；
but　said　I　would　prefer　to　answer　for　myself　and　to　myself。　Her　other
servants　would　probably　be　grateful　for　good　characters；　but　I　wanted
none。

Other　conversation　followed；　and　induced　me　to　ask　her　how　she　knew　that
it　was　only　necessary　for　her　to　make　a　suggestion　to　me；　to　have　it
obeyed？　Did　she　presume　on　my　birth；　or　on　my　hire？　I　was　not　bought；
body　and　soul。　She　seemed　to　think　that　her　distinguished　nephew　had
gone　into　a　slave…market　and　purchased　a　wife。

It　would　probably　have　e；　sooner　or　later；　to　the　end　to　which　it　did
e；　but　she　brought　it　to　its　issue　at　once。　She　told　me；　with　assumed
miseration；　that　I　had　an　unhappy　temper。　On　this　repetition　of　the
old　wicked　injury；　I　withheld　no　longer；　but　exposed　to　her　all　I　had
known　of　her　and　seen　in　her；　and　all　I　had　undergone　within　myself
since　I　had　occupied　the　despicable　position　of　being　engaged　to　her
nephew。　I　told　her　that　Mr　Gowan　was　the　only　relief　I　had　had　in　my
degradation；　that　I　had　borne　it　too　long；　and　that　I　shook　it　off　too
late；　but　that　I　would　see　none　of　them　more。　And　I　never　did。　Your　dear
friend　followed　me　to　my　retreat；　and　was　very　droll　on　the　severance　of
the　connection；　though　he　was　sorry；　too；　for　the　excellent　people
（in　their　way　the　best　he　had　ever　met）；　and　deplored　the　necessity　of
breaking　mere　house…flies　on　the　wheel。　He　protested　before　long；　and
far　more　truly　than　I　then　supposed；　that　he　was　not　worth　acceptance
by　a　woman　of　such　endowments；　and　such　power　of　character；　but……well；
well……！

Your　dear　friend　amused　me　and　amused　himself　as　long　as　it　suited
his　inclinations；　and　then　reminded　me　that　we　were　both　people　of　the
world；　that　we　both　understood　mankind；　that　we　both　knew　there　was　no
such　thing　as　romance；　that　we　were　both　prepared　for　going　different
ways　to　seek　our　fortunes　like　people　of　sense；　and　that　we　both　foresaw
that　whenever　we　encountered　one　another　again　we　should　meet　as　the
best　friends　on　earth。　So　he　said；　and　I　did　not　contradict　him。

It　was　not　very　long　before　I　found　that　he　was　courting　his　present
wife；　and　that　she　had　been　taken　away　to　be　out　of　his　reach。　I　hated
her　then；　quite　as　much　as　I　hate　her　now；　and　naturally；　therefore；
could　desire　nothing　better　than　that　she　should　marry　him。　But　I　was
restlessly　curious　to　look　at　her……so　curious　that　I　felt　it　to　be　one
of　the　few　sources　of　entertainment　left　to　me。　I　travelled　a　little：
travelled　until　I　found　myself　in　her　society；　and　in　yours。　Your　dear
friend；　I　think；　was　not　known　to　you　then；　and　had　not　given　you　any　of
those　signal　marks　of　his　friendship　which　he　has　bestowed　upon　you。

In　that　pany　I　found　a　girl；　in　various　circumstances　of　whose
position　there　was　a　singular　likeness　to　my　own；　and　in　whose　character
I　was　interested　and　pleased　to　see　much　of　the　rising　against　swollen
patronage　and　selfishness；　calling　themselves　kindness；　protection；
benevolence；　and　other　fine　names；　which　I　have　described　as　inherent　in
my　nature。　I　often　heard　it　said；　too；　that　she　had　'an　unhappy　temper。'
Well　understanding　what　was　meant　by　the　convenient　phrase；　and　wanting
a　panion　with　a　knowledge　of　what　I　knew；　I　thought　I　would　try　to
release　the　girl　from　her　bondage　and　sense　of　injustice。　I　have　no
occasion　to　relate　that　I　succeeded。

We　have　been　together　ever　since；　sharing　my　small　means。




CHAPTER　22。　Who　passes　by　this　Road　so　late？


Arthur　Clennam　had　made　his　unavailing　expedition　to　Calais　in　the　midst
of　a　great　pressure　of　business。　A　certain　barbaric　Power　with　valuable
possessions　on　the　map　of　the　world；　had　occasion　for　the　services　of
one　or　two　engineers；　quick　in　invention　and　determined　in　execution：
practical　men；　who　could　make　the　men　and　means　their　ingenuity
perceived　to　be　wanted　out　of　the　best　materials　they　could　find
at　hand；　and　who　were　as　bold　and　fertile　in　the　adaptation　of　such
materials　to　their　purpose；　as　in　the　conception　of　their　purpose
itself。　This　Power；　being　a　barbaric　one；　had　no　idea　of　stowing　away
a　great　national　object　in　a　Circumlocution　Office；　as　strong　wine　is
hidden　from　the　light　in　a　cellar　until　its　fire　and　youth　are　gone；
and　the　labourers　who　worked　in　the　vineyard　and　pressed　the　grapes　are
dust。　With　characteristic　ignorance；　it　acted　on　the　most　decided　and
energetic　notions　of　How　to　do　it；　and　never　showed　the　least　respect
for；　or　gave　any　quarter　to；　the　great　political　science；　How　not　to　do
it。　Indeed　it　had　a　barbarous　way　of　striking　the　latter　art　and　mystery
dead；　in　the　person　of　any　enlightened　subject　who　practised　it。

Accordingly；　the　men　who　were　wanted　were　sought　out　and　found；　which
was　in　itself　a　most　uncivilised　and　irregular　way　of　proceeding。　Being
found；　they　were　treated　with　great　confidence　and　honour　（which　again
showed　dense　political　ignorance）；　and　were　invited　to　e　at　once　and
do　what　they　had　to　do。　In　short；　they　were　regarded　as　men　who　meant　to
do　it；　engaging　with　other　men　who　meant　it　to　be　done。

Daniel　Doyce　was　one　of　the　chosen。　There　was　no　foreseeing　at　that　time
whether　he　would　be　absent　months　or　years。　The　preparations　for　his
departure；　and　the　conscientious　arrangement　for　him　of　all　the　details
and　results　of　their　joint　business；　had　necessitated　labour　within　a
short　pass　of　time；　which　had　occupied　Clennam　day　and　night。　He
had　slipped　across　the　water　in　his　first　leisure；　and　had　slipped　as
quickly　back　again　for　his　farewell　interview　with　Doyce。

Him　Arthur　now　showed；　with　pains　and　care；　the　state　of　their　gains　and
losses；　responsibilities　and　prospects。　Daniel　went　through　it　all
in　his　patient　manner；　and　admired　it　all　exceedingly。　He　audited　the
accounts；　as　if　they　were　a　far　more　ingenious　piece　of　mechanism　than
he　had　ever　constructed；　and　afterwards　stood　looking　at　them；　weighing
his　hat　over　his　head　by　the　brims；　as　if　he　were　absorbed　in　the
contemplation　of　some　wonderful　engine。

'It's　all　beautiful；　Clennam；　in　its　regularity　and　order。　Nothing　can
be　plainer。　Nothing　can　be　better。'

'I　am　glad　you　approve；　Doyce。　Now；　as　to　the　management　of　your　capital
while　you　are　away；　and　as　to　the　conversion　of　so　much　of　it　as　the
business　may　need　from　time　to　time……'　His　partner　stopped　him。

'As　to　that；　and　as　to　everything　else　of　that　kind；　all　rests　with　you。
You　will　continue　in　all　such　matters　to　act　for　both　of　us；　as　you
have　done　hitherto；　and　to　lighten　my　mind　of　a　load　it　is　much　relieved
from。'

'Though；　as　I　often　tell　you；'　returned　Clennam；　'you　unreasonably
depreciate　your　business　qualities。'

'Perhaps　so；'　said　Doyce；　smiling。　'And　perhaps　not。　Anyhow；　I　have　a
calling　that　I　have　studied　more　than　such　matters；　and　that　I　am　better
fitted　for。　I　have　perfect　confidence　in　my　partner；　and　I　am　satisfied
that　he　will　do　what　is　best。　If　I　have　a　prejudice　connected　with　money
and　money　figures；'　continued　Doyce；　laying　that　plastic　workman's　thumb
of　his　on　the　lapel　of　his　partner's　coat；　'it　is　against　speculating。
I　don't　think　I　have　any　other。　I　dare　say　I　entertain　that　prejudice；
only　because　I　have　never　given　my　mind　fully　to　the　subject。'

'But　you　shouldn't　call　it　a　prejudice；'　said　Clennam。　'My　dear　Doyce；
it　is　the　soundest　sense。'

'I　am　glad　you　think　so；'　returned　Doyce；　with　his　grey　eye　looking　kind
and　bright。

'It　so　happens；'　said　Clennam；　'that　just　now；　not　half　an　hour　before
you　came　down；　I　was　saying　the　same　thing　to　Pancks；　who　looked　in
here。　We　both　agreed　that　to　travel　out　of　safe　investments　is　one　of
the　most　dangerous；　as　it　is　one　of　the　most　mon；　of　those　follies
which　often　deserve　the　name　of　vices。'

'Pancks？'　said　Doyce；　tilting　up　his　hat　at　the　back；　and　nodding　with
an　air　of　confidence。　'Aye；　aye；　aye！　That's　a　cautious　fellow。'

'He　is　a　very　cautious　fellow　indeed；'　returned　Arthur。　'Quite　a
specimen　of　caution。'

They　both　appeared　to　derive　a　larger　amount　of　satisfaction　from　the
cautious　character　of　Mr　Pancks；　than　was　quite　intelligible；　judged　by
the　surface　of　their　conversation。

'And　now；'　said　Daniel；　looking　at　his　watch；　'as　time　and　tide　wait
for　no　man；　my　trusty　partner；　and　as　I　am　ready　for　starting；　bag　and
baggage；　at　the　gate　below；　let　me　say　a　last　word。　I　want　you　to　grant
a　request　of　mine。'

'Any　request　you　can　make……Except；'　Clennam　was　quick　with　his
exception；　for　his　partner's　face　was　quick　in　suggesting　it；　'except
that　I　will　abandon　your　invention。'

'That's　the　request；　and　you　know　it　is；'　said　Doyce。

'I　say；　No；　then。　I　say　positively；　No。　Now　that　I　have　begun；　I　will
have　some　definite　reason；　some　responsible　statement；　something　in　the
nature　of　a　real　answer；　from　those　people。'

'You　will　not；'　returned　Doyce；　shaking　his　head。　'Take　my　word　for　it；
you　never　will。'

'At　least；　I'll　try；'　said　Clennam。　'It　will　do　me