little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第119部分

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the　dark　cloud　cleared　away。　I　shall　see　him；　as　my　poor　mother　saw　him
long　ago。　O　my　dear；　my　dear！　O　father；　father！　O　thank　God；　thank　God！'

He　yielded　himself　to　her　kisses　and　caresses；　but　did　not　return　them；
except　that　he　put　an　arm　about　her。　Neither　did　he　say　one　word。　His
steadfast　look　was　now　divided　between　her　and　Clennam；　and　he　began　to
shake　as　if　he　were　very　cold。　Explaining　to　Little　Dorrit　that　he　would
run　to　the　coffee…house　for　a　bottle　of　wine；　Arthur　fetched　it　with　all
the　haste　he　could　use。　While　it　was　being　brought　from　the　cellar　to
the　bar；　a　number　of　excited　people　asked　him　what　had　happened；　when　he
hurriedly　informed　them　that　Mr　Dorrit　had　succeeded　to　a　fortune。

On　ing　back　with　the　wine　in　his　hand；　he　found　that　she　had　placed
her　father　in　his　easy　chair；　and　had　loosened　his　shirt　and　neckcloth。
They　filled　a　tumbler　with　wine；　and　held　it　to　his　lips。　When　he　had
swallowed　a　little；　he　took　the　glass　himself　and　emptied　it。　Soon
after　that；　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　cried；　with　his　handkerchief
before　his　face。

After　this　had　lasted　a　while　Clennam　thought　it　a　good　season　for
diverting　his　attention　from　the　main　surprise；　by　relating　its　details。
Slowly；　therefore；　and　in　a　quiet　tone　of　voice；　he　explained　them　as
best　he　could；　and　enlarged　on　the　nature　of　Pancks's　service。

'He　shall　be……ha……he　shall　be　handsomely　repensed；　sir；'　said
the　Father；　starting　up　and　moving　hurriedly　about　the　room。　'Assure
yourself；　Mr　Clennam；　that　everybody　concerned　shall　be……ha……shall
be　nobly　rewarded。　No　one；　my　dear　sir；　shall　say　that　he　has　an
unsatisfied　claim　against　me。　I　shall　repay　the……hum……the　advances　I
have　had　from　you；　sir；　with　peculiar　pleasure。　I　beg　to　be　informed　at
your　earliest　convenience；　what　advances　you　have　made　my　son。'

He　had　no　purpose　in　going　about　the　room；　but　he　was　not　still　a
moment。

'Everybody；'　he　said；　'shall　be　remembered。　I　will　not　go　away　from
here　in　anybody's　debt。　All　the　people　who　have　been……ha……well　behaved
towards　myself　and　my　family；　shall　be　rewarded。　Chivery　shall　be
rewarded。　Young　John　shall　be　rewarded。　I　particularly　wish；　and　intend；
to　act　munificently；　Mr　Clennam。'

'Will　you　allow　me；'　said　Arthur；　laying　his　purse　on　the　table；　'to
supply　any　present　contingencies；　Mr　Dorrit？　I　thought　it　best　to　bring
a　sum　of　money　for　the　purpose。'

'Thank　you；　sir；　thank　you。　I　accept　with　readiness；　at　the　present
moment；　what　I　could　not　an　hour　ago　have　conscientiously　taken。　I　am
obliged　to　you　for　the　temporary　acmodation。　Exceedingly　temporary；
but　well　timed……well　timed。'　His　hand　had　closed　upon　the　money；　and
he　carried　it　about　with　him。　'Be　so　kind；　sir；　as　to　add　the　amount　to
those　former　advances　to　which　I　have　already　referred；　being　careful；
if　you　please；　not　to　omit　advances　made　to　my　son。　A　mere　verbal
statement　of　the　gross　amount　is　all　I　shall……ha……all　I　shall　require。'

His　eye　fell　upon　his　daughter　at　this　point；　and　he　stopped　for　a
moment　to　kiss　her；　and　to　pat　her　head。

'It　will　be　necessary　to　find　a　milliner；　my　love；　and　to　make　a　speedy
and　plete　change　in　your　very　plain　dress。　Something　must　be　done
with　Maggy　too；　who　at　present　is……ha……barely　respectable；　barely
respectable。　And　your　sister；　Amy；　and　your　brother。　And　my　brother；
your　uncle……poor　soul；　I　trust　this　will　rouse　him……messengers　must　be
despatched　to　fetch　them。　They　must　be　informed　of　this。　We　must　break
it　to　them　cautiously；　but　they　must　be　informed　directly。　We　owe　it
as　a　duty　to　them　and　to　ourselves；　from　this　moment；　not　to　let
them……hum……not　to　let　them　do　anything。'

This　was　the　first　intimation　he　had　ever　given；　that　he　was　privy　to
the　fact　that　they　did　something　for　a　livelihood。

He　was　still　jogging　about　the　room；　with　the　purse　clutched　in　his
hand；　when　a　great　cheering　arose　in　the　yard。　'The　news　has　spread
already；'　said　Clennam；　looking　down　from　the　window。　'Will　you　show
yourself　to　them；　Mr　Dorrit？　They　are　very　earnest；　and　they　evidently
wish　it。'

'I……hum……ha……I　confess　I　could　have　desired；　Amy　my　dear；'　he　said；
jogging　about　in　a　more　feverish　flutter　than　before；　'to　have　made　some
change　in　my　dress　first；　and　to　have　bought　a……hum……a　watch　and　chain。
But　if　it　must　be　done　as　it　is；　it……ha……it　must　be　done。　Fasten　the
collar　of　my　shirt；　my　dear。　Mr　Clennam；　would　you　oblige　me……hum……with
a　blue　neckcloth　you　will　find　in　that　drawer　at　your　elbow。　Button
my　coat　across　at　the　chest；　my　love。　It　looks……ha……it　looks　broader；
buttoned。'

With　his　trembling　hand　he　pushed　his　grey　hair　up；　and　then；　taking
Clennam　and　his　daughter　for　supporters；　appeared　at　the　window　leaning
on　an　arm　of　each。　The　Collegians　cheered　him　very　heartily；　and　he
kissed　his　hand　to　them　with　great　urbanity　and　protection。　When　he
withdrew　into　the　room　again；　he　said　'Poor　creatures！'　in　a　tone　of
much　pity　for　their　miserable　condition。

Little　Dorrit　was　deeply　anxious　that　he　should　lie　down　to　pose
himself。　On　Arthur's　speaking　to　her　of　his　going　to　inform　Pancks　that
he　might　now　appear　as　soon　as　he　would；　and　pursue　the　joyful　business
to　its　close；　she　entreated　him　in　a　whisper　to　stay　with　her　until　her
father　should　be　quite　calm　and　at　rest。　He　needed　no　second　entreaty；
and　she　prepared　her　father's　bed；　and　begged　him　to　lie　down。　For
another　half…hour　or　more　he　would　be　persuaded　to　do　nothing　but
go　about　the　room；　discussing　with　himself　the　probabilities　for　and
against　the　Marshal's　allowing　the　whole　of　the　prisoners　to　go　to　the
windows　of　the　official　residence　which　manded　the　street；　to　see
himself　and　family　depart　for　ever　in　a　carriage……which；　he　said；　he
thought　would　be　a　Sight　for　them。　But　gradually　he　began　to　droop　and
tire；　and　at　last　stretched　himself　upon　the　bed。

She　took　her　faithful　place　beside　him；　fanning　him　and　cooling　his
forehead；　and　he　seemed　to　be　falling　asleep　（always　with　the　money　in
his　hand）；　when　he　unexpectedly　sat　up　and　said：

'Mr　Clennam；　I　beg　your　pardon。　Am　I　to　understand；　my　dear　sir；　that　I
could……ha……could　pass　through　the　Lodge　at　this　moment；　and……hum……take　a
walk？'

'I　think　not；　Mr　Dorrit；'　was　the　unwilling　reply。　'There　are　certain
forms　to　be　pleted；　and　although　your　detention　here　is　now　in　itself
a　form；　I　fear　it　is　one　that　for　a　little　longer　has　to　be　observed
too。'

At　this　he　shed　tears　again。

'It　is　but　a　few　hours；　sir；'　Clennam　cheerfully　urged　upon　him。

'A　few　hours；　sir；'　he　returned　in　a　sudden　passion。　'You　talk　very
easily　of　hours；　sir！　How　long　do　you　suppose；　sir；　that　an　hour　is　to　a
man　who　is　choking　for　want　of　air？'

It　was　his　last　demonstration　for　that　time；　as；　after　shedding　some
more　tears　and　querulously　plaining　that　he　couldn't　breathe；　he
slowly　fell　into　a　slumber。　Clennam　had　abundant　occupation　for　his
thoughts；　as　he　sat　in　the　quiet　room　watching　the　father　on　his　bed；
and　the　daughter　fanning　his　face。　Little　Dorrit　had　been　thinking　too。
After　softly　putting　his　grey　hair　aside；　and　touching　his　forehead　with
her　lips；　she　looked　towards　Arthur；　who　came　nearer　to　her；　and　pursued
in　a　low　whisper　the　subject　of　her　thoughts。

'Mr　Clennam；　will　he　pay　all　his　debts　before　he　leaves　here？'

'No　doubt。　All。'

'All　the　debts　for　which　he　had　been　imprisoned　here；　all　my　life　and
longer？'

'No　doubt。'

There　was　something　of　uncertainty　and　remonstrance　in　her　look；
something　that　was　not　all　satisfaction。　He　wondered　to　detect　it；　and
said：

'You　are　glad　that　he　should　do　so？'

'Are　you？'　asked　Little　Dorrit；　wistfully。

'Am　I？　Most　heartily　glad！'

'Then　I　know　I　ought　to　be。'

'And　are　you　not？'

'It　seems　to　me　hard；'　said　Little　Dorrit；　'that　he　should　have　lost　so
many　years　and　suffered　so　much；　and　at　last　pay　all　the　debts　as　well。
It　seems　to　me　hard　that　he　should　pay　in　life　and　money　both。'

'My　dear　child……'　Clennam　was　beginning。

'Yes；　I　know　I　am　wrong；'　she　pleaded　timidly；　'don't　think　any　worse　of
me；　it　has　grown　up　with　me　here。'

The　prison；　which　could　spoil　so　many　things；　had　tainted　Little
Dorrit's　mind　no　m