little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第121部分

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ten　pounds　each；　and　who　were　all　in　attendance。　Mr　Chivery　spoke　to　the
toast；　saying；　What　you　undertake　to　lock　up；　lock　up；　but　remember　that
you　are；　in　the　words　of　the　fettered　African；　a　man　and　a　brother　ever。
The　list　of　toasts　disposed　of；　Mr　Dorrit　urbanely　went　through　the
motions　of　playing　a　game　of　skittles　with　the　Collegian　who　was　the
next　oldest　inhabitant　to　himself；　and　left　the　tenantry　to　their
diversions。

But　all　these　occurrences　preceded　the　final　day。　And　now　the　day
arrived　when　he　and　his　family　were　to　leave　the　prison　for　ever；　and
when　the　stones　of　its　much…trodden　pavement　were　to　know　them　no　more。

Noon　was　the　hour　appointed　for　the　departure。　As　it　approached；　there
was　not　a　Collegian　within　doors；　nor　a　turnkey　absent。　The　latter　class
of　gentlemen　appeared　in　their　Sunday　clothes；　and　the　greater　part　of
the　Collegians　were　brightened　up　as　much　as　circumstances　allowed。　Two
or　three　flags　were　even　displayed；　and　the　children　put　on　odds　and
ends　of　ribbon。　Mr　Dorrit　himself；　at　this　trying　time；　preserved　a
serious　but　graceful　dignity。　Much　of　his　great　attention　was　given　to
his　brother；　as　to　whose　bearing　on　the　great　occasion　he　felt　anxious。

'My　dear　Frederick；'　said　he；　'if　you　will　give　me　your　arm　we　will　pass
among　our　friends　together。　I　think　it　is　right　that　we　should　go　out
arm　in　arm；　my　dear　Frederick。'

'Hah！'　said　Frederick。　'Yes；　yes；　yes；　yes。'

'And　if；　my　dear　Frederick……if　you　could；　without　putting　any　great
constraint　upon　yourself；　throw　a　little　（pray　excuse　me；　Frederick）；　a
little　Polish　into　your　usual　demeanour……'

'William；　William；'　said　the　other；　shaking　his　head；　'it's　for　you　to
do　all　that。　I　don't　know　how。　All　forgotten；　forgotten！'

'But；　my　dear　fellow；'　returned　William；　'for　that　very　reason；　if
for　no　other；　you　must　positively　try　to　rouse　yourself。　What　you
have　forgotten　you　must　now　begin　to　recall；　my　dear　Frederick。　Your
position……'

'Eh？'　said　Frederick。

'Your　position；　my　dear　Frederick。'

'Mine？'　He　looked　first　at　his　own　figure；　and　then　at　his　brother's；
and　then；　drawing　a　long　breath；　cried；　'Hah；　to　be　sure！　Yes；　yes；
yes。'　'Your　position；　my　dear　Frederick；　is　now　a　fine　one。　Your
position；　as　my　brother；　is　a　very　fine　one。　And　I　know　that　it　belongs
to　your　conscientious　nature　to　try　to　bee　worthy　of　it；　my　dear
Frederick；　and　to　try　to　adorn　it。　To　be　no　discredit　to　it；　but　to
adorn　it。'

'William；'　said　the　other　weakly；　and　with　a　sigh；　'I　will　do　anything
you　wish；　my　brother；　provided　it　lies　in　my　power。　Pray　be　so　kind　as
to　recollect　what　a　limited　power　mine　is。　What　would　you　wish　me　to　do
to…day；　brother？　Say　what　it　is；　only　say　what　it　is。'

'My　dearest　Frederick；　nothing。　It　is　not　worth　troubling　so　good　a
heart　as　yours　with。'

'Pray　trouble　it；'　returned　the　other。　'It　finds　it　no　trouble；　William；
to　do　anything　it　can　for　you。'

William　passed　his　hand　across　his　eyes；　and　murmured　with　august
satisfaction；　'Blessings　on　your　attachment；　my　poor　dear　fellow！'　Then
he　said　aloud；　'Well；　my　dear　Frederick；　if　you　will　only　try；　as　we
walk　out；　to　show　that　you　are　alive　to　the　occasion……that　you　think
about　it……'

'What　would　you　advise　me　to　think　about　it？'　returned　his　submissive
brother。

'Oh！　my　dear　Frederick；　how　can　I　answer　you？　I　can　only　say　what；　in
leaving　these　good　people；　I　think　myself。'

'That's　it！'　cried　his　brother。　'That　will　help　me。'

'I　find　that　I　think；　my　dear　Frederick；　and　with　mixed　emotions　in
which　a　softened　passion　predominates；　What　will　they　do　without　me！'

'True；'　returned　his　brother。　'Yes；　yes；　yes；　yes。　I'll　think　that　as　we
go；　What　will　they　do　without　my　brother！　Poor　things！　What　will　they　do
without　him！'

Twelve　o'clock　having　just　struck；　and　the　carriage　being　reported　ready
in　the　outer　court…yard；　the　brothers　proceeded　down…stairs　arm…in…arm。
Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire　（once　Tip）；　and　his　sister　Fanny　followed；
also　arm…in…arm；　Mr　Plornish　and　Maggy；　to　whom　had　been　entrusted　the
removal　of　such　of　the　family　effects　as　were　considered　worth　removing；
followed；　bearing　bundles　and　burdens　to　be　packed　in　a　cart。

In　the　yard；　were　the　Collegians　and　turnkeys。　In　the　yard；　were　Mr
Pancks　and　Mr　Rugg；　e　to　see　the　last　touch　given　to　their　work。
In　the　yard；　was　Young　John　making　a　new　epitaph　for　himself；　on
the　occasion　of　his　dying　of　a　broken　heart。　In　the　yard；　was　the
Patriarchal　Casby；　looking　so　tremendously　benevolent　that　many
enthusiastic　Collegians　grasped　him　fervently　by　the　hand；　and　the　wives
and　female　relatives　of　many　more　Collegians　kissed　his　hand；　nothing
doubting　that　he　had　done　it　all。　In　the　yard；　was　the　man　with　the
shadowy　grievance　respecting　the　Fund　which　the　Marshal　embezzled；　who
had　got　up　at　five　in　the　morning　to　plete　the　copying　of　a　perfectly
unintelligible　history　of　that　transaction；　which　he　had　mitted　to　Mr
Dorrit's　care；　as　a　document　of　the　last　importance；　calculated　to　stun
the　Government　and　effect　the　Marshal's　downfall。　In　the　yard；　was　the
insolvent　whose　utmost　energies　were　always　set　on　getting　into　debt；
who　broke　into　prison　with　as　much　pains　as　other　men　have　broken　out
of　it；　and　who　was　always　being　cleared　and　plimented；　while　the
insolvent　at　his　elbow……a　mere　little；　snivelling；　striving　tradesman；
half　dead　of　anxious　efforts　to　keep　out　of　debt……found　it　a　hard
matter；　indeed；　to　get　a　missioner　to　release　him　with　much　reproof
and　reproach。　In　the　yard；　was　the　man　of　many　children　and　many
burdens；　whose　failure　astonished　everybody；　in　the　yard；　was　the　man　of
no　children　and　large　resources；　whose　failure　astonished　nobody。　There；
were　the　people　who　were　always　going　out　to…morrow；　and　always　putting
it　off；　there；　were　the　people　who　had　e　in　yesterday；　and　who
were　much　more　jealous　and　resentful　of　this　freak　of　fortune　than
the　seasoned　birds。　There；　were　some　who；　in　pure　meanness　of　spirit；
cringed　and　bowed　before　the　enriched　Collegian　and　his　family；　there；
were　others　who　did　so　really　because　their　eyes；　accustomed　to　the
gloom　of　their　imprisonment　and　poverty；　could　not　support　the　light　of
such　bright　sunshine。　There；　were　many　whose　shillings　had　gone　into　his
pocket　to　buy　him　meat　and　drink；　but　none　who　were　now　obtrusively　Hail
fellow　well　met！　with　him；　on　the　strength　of　that　assistance。　It　was
rather　to　be　remarked　of　the　caged　birds；　that　they　were　a　little　shy
of　the　bird　about　to　be　so　grandly　free；　and　that　they　had　a　tendency　to
withdraw　themselves　towards　the　bars；　and　seem　a　little　fluttered　as　he
passed。

Through　these　spectators　the　little　procession；　headed　by　the　two
brothers；　moved　slowly　to　the　gate。　Mr　Dorrit；　yielding　to　the　vast
speculation　how　the　poor　creatures　were　to　get　on　without　him；　was
great；　and　sad；　but　not　absorbed。　He　patted　children　on　the　head
like　Sir　Roger　de　Coverley　going　to　church；　he　spoke　to　people　in　the
background　by　their　Christian　names；　he　condescended　to　all　present；　and
seemed　for　their　consolation　to　walk　encircled　by　the　legend　in　golden
characters；　'Be　forted；　my　people！　Bear　it！'

At　last　three　honest　cheers　announced　that　he　had　passed　the　gate；　and
that　the　Marshalsea　was　an　orphan。　Before　they　had　ceased　to　ring　in　the
echoes　of　the　prison　walls；　the　family　had　got　into　their　carriage；　and
the　attendant　had　the　steps　in　his　hand。

Then；　and　not　before；　'Good　Gracious！'　cried　Miss　Fanny　all　at　once；
'Where's　Amy！'

Her　father　had　thought　she　was　with　her　sister。　Her　sister　had　thought
she　was　'somewhere　or　other。'　They　had　all　trusted　to　finding　her；　as
they　had　always　done；　quietly　in　the　right　place　at　the　right　moment。
This　going　away　was　perhaps　the　very　first　action　of　their　joint　lives
that　they　had　got　through　without　her。

A　minute　might　have　been　consumed　in　the　ascertaining　of　these　points；
when　Miss　Fanny；　who；　from　her　seat　in　the　carriage；　manded　the　long
narrow　passage　leading　to　the　Lodge；　flushed　indignantly。

'Now　I　do　say；　Pa；'　cried　she；　'that　this　is　disgraceful！'

'What　is　disgraceful；　Fanny？'

'I　do　say；'　she　repeated；　'this　is　perfectly　infam