little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第164部分

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too；　I　am　sure；　for　bearing　us　in　mind　so　kindly。'

Mr　Plornish　deeming　it　incumbent　on　him；　as　host；　to　add　his　personal
acknowledgments；　tendered　them　in　the　form　which　always　expressed　his
highest　ideal　of　a　bination　of　ceremony　with　sincerity。

'John　Edward　Nandy；'　said　Mr　Plornish；　addressing　the　old　gentleman。
'Sir。　It's　not　too　often　that　you　see　unpretending　actions　without　a
spark　of　pride；　and　therefore　when　you　see　them　give　grateful　honour
unto　the　same；　being　that　if　you　don't；　and　live　to　want　'em；　it　follows
serve　you　right。'

To　which　Mr　Nandy　replied：

'I　am　heartily　of　your　opinion；　Thomas；　and　which　your　opinion　is　the
same　as　mine；　and　therefore　no　more　words　and　not　being　backwards
with　that　opinion；　which　opinion　giving　it　as　yes；　Thomas；　yes；　is　the
opinion　in　which　yourself　and　me　must　ever　be　unanimously　jined　by　all；
and　where　there　is　not　difference　of　opinion　there　can　be　none　but　one
opinion；　which　fully　no；　Thomas；　Thomas；　no！'

Arthur；　with　less　formality；　expressed　himself　gratified　by　their　high
appreciation　of　so　very　slight　an　attention　on　his　part；　and　explained
as　to　the　tea　that　he　had　not　yet　dined；　and　was　going　straight　home　to
refresh　after　a　long　day's　labour；　or　he　would　have　readily　accepted　the
hospitable　offer。　As　Mr　Pancks　was　somewhat　noisily　getting　his　steam
up　for　departure；　he　concluded　by　asking　that　gentleman　if　he　would　walk
with　him？　Mr　Pancks　said　he　desired　no　better　engagement；　and　the　two
took　leave　of　Happy　Cottage。

'If　you　will　e　home　with　me；　Pancks；'　said　Arthur；　when　they　got　into
the　street；　'and　will　share　what　dinner　or　supper　there　is；　it　will
be　next　door　to　an　act　of　charity；　for　I　am　weary　and　out　of　sorts
to…night。'

'Ask　me　to　do　a　greater　thing　than　that；'　said　Pancks；　'when　you　want　it
done；　and　I'll　do　it。'

Between　this　eccentric　personage　and　Clennam；　a　tacit　understanding　and
accord　had　been　always　improving　since　Mr　Pancks　flew　over　Mr　Rugg's
back　in　the　Marshalsea　Yard。　When　the　carriage　drove　away　on　the
memorable　day　of　the　family's　departure；　these　two　had　looked　after　it
together；　and　had　walked　slowly　away　together。　When　the　first　letter
came　from　little　Dorrit；　nobody　was　more　interested　in　hearing　of
her　than　Mr　Pancks。　The　second　letter；　at　that　moment　in　Clennam's
breast…pocket；　particularly　remembered　him　by　name。　Though　he　had　never
before　made　any　profession　or　protestation　to　Clennam；　and　though　what
he　had　just　said　was　little　enough　as　to　the　words　in　which　it　was
expressed；　Clennam　had　long　had　a　growing　belief　that　Mr　Pancks；　in
his　own　odd　way；　was　being　attached　to　him。　All　these　strings
intertwining　made　Pancks　a　very　cable　of　anchorage　that　night。

'I　am　quite　alone；'　Arthur　explained　as　they　walked　on。　'My　partner　is
away；　busily　engaged　at　a　distance　on　his　branch　of　our　business；　and
you　shall　do　just　as　you　like。'

'Thank　you。　You　didn't　take　particular　notice　of　little　Altro　just　now；
did　you？'　said　Pancks。

'No。　Why？'

'He's　a　bright　fellow；　and　I　like　him；'　said　Pancks。　'Something　has
gone　amiss　with　him　to…day。　Have　you　any　idea　of　any　cause　that　can　have
overset　him？'

'You　surprise　me！　None　whatever。'

Mr　Pancks　gave　his　reasons　for　the　inquiry。　Arthur　was　quite　unprepared
for　them；　and　quite　unable　to　suggest　an　explanation　of　them。

'Perhaps　you'll　ask　him；'　said　Pancks；　'as　he's　a　stranger？'

'Ask　him　what？'　returned　Clennam。

'What　he　has　on　his　mind。'

'I　ought　first　to　see　for　myself　that　he　has　something　on　his　mind；　I
think；'　said　Clennam。　'I　have　found　him　in　every　way　so　diligent；　so
grateful　（for　little　enough）；　and　so　trustworthy；　that　it　might　look
like　suspecting　him。　And　that　would　be　very　unjust。'

'True；'　said　Pancks。　'But；　I　say！　You　oughtn't　to　be　anybody's
proprietor；　Mr　Clennam。　You're　much　too　delicate。'　'For　the　matter　of
that；'　returned　Clennam　laughing；　'I　have　not　a　large　proprietary　share
in　Cavalletto。　His　carving　is　his　livelihood。　He　keeps　the　keys　of
the　Factory；　watches　it　every　alternate　night；　and　acts　as　a　sort　of
housekeeper　to　it　generally；　but　we　have　little　work　in　the　way　of　his
ingenuity；　though　we　give　him　what　we　have。　No！　I　am　rather　his　adviser
than　his　proprietor。　To　call　me　his　standing　counsel　and　his　banker
would　be　nearer　the　fact。　Speaking　of　being　his　banker；　is　it　not
curious；　Pancks；　that　the　ventures　which　run　just　now　in　so　many
people's　heads；　should　run　even　in　little　Cavalletto's？'

'Ventures？'　retorted　Pancks；　with　a　snort。　'What　ventures？'

'These　Merdle　enterprises。'

'Oh！　Investments；'　said　Pancks。　'Ay；　ay！　I　didn't　know　you　were　speaking
of　investments。'　His　quick　way　of　replying　caused　Clennam　to　look
at　him；　with　a　doubt　whether　he　meant　more　than　he　said。　As　it　was
acpanied；　however；　with　a　quickening　of　his　pace　and　a　corresponding
increase　in　the　labouring　of　his　machinery；　Arthur　did　not　pursue　the
matter；　and　they　soon　arrived　at　his　house。

A　dinner　of　soup　and　a　pigeon…pie；　served　on　a　little　round　table　before
the　fire；　and　flavoured　with　a　bottle　of　good　wine；　oiled　Mr　Pancks's
works　in　a　highly　effective　manner；　so　that　when　Clennam　produced　his
Eastern　pipe；　and　handed　Mr　Pancks　another　Eastern　pipe；　the　latter
gentleman　was　perfectly　fortable。

They　puffed　for　a　while　in　silence；　Mr　Pancks　like　a　steam…vessel
with　wind；　tide；　calm　water；　and　all　other　sea…going　conditions　in　her
favour。　He　was　the　first　to　speak；　and　he　spoke　thus：

'Yes。　Investments　is　the　word。'

Clennam；　with　his　former　look；　said　'Ah！'

'I　am　going　back　to　it；　you　see；'　said　Pancks。

'Yes。　I　see　you　are　going　back　to　it；'　returned　Clennam；　wondering　why。

'Wasn't　it　a　curious　thing　that　they　should　run　in　little　Altro's　head？
Eh？'　said　Pancks　as　he　smoked。　'Wasn't　that　how　you　put　it？'

'That　was　what　I　said。'

'Ay！　But　think　of　the　whole　Yard　having　got　it。　Think　of　their
all　meeting　me　with　it；　on　my　collecting　days；　here　and　there　and
everywhere。　Whether　they　pay；　or　whether　they　don't　pay。　Merdle；　Merdle；
Merdle。　Always　Merdle。'

'Very　strange　how　these　runs　on　an　infatuation　prevail；'　said　Arthur。

'An't　it？'　returned　Pancks。　After　smoking　for　a　minute　or　so；　more　drily
than　ported　with　his　recent　oiling；　he　added：　'Because　you　see　these
people　don't　understand　the　subject。'

'Not　a　bit；'　assented　Clennam。


'Not　a　bit；'　cried　Pancks。　'Know　nothing　of　figures。　Know　nothing　of
money　questions。　Never　made　a　calculation。　Never　worked　it；　sir！'

'If　they　had……'　Clennam　was　going　on　to　say；　when　Mr　Pancks；　without
change　of　countenance；　produced　a　sound　so　far　surpassing　all　his　usual
efforts；　nasal　or　bronchial；　that　he　stopped。

'If　they　had？'　repeated　Pancks　in　an　inquiring　tone。

'I　thought　you……spoke；'　said　Arthur；　hesitating　what　name　to　give　the
interruption。

'Not　at　all；'　said　Pancks。　'Not　yet。　I　may　in　a　minute。　If　they　had？'

'If　they　had；'　observed　Clennam；　who　was　a　little　at　a　loss　how　to　take
his　friend；　'why；　I　suppose　they　would　have　known　better。'

'How　so；　Mr　Clennam？'　Pancks　asked　quickly；　and　with　an　odd　effect　of
having　been　from　the　mencement　of　the　conversation　loaded　with　the
heavy　charge　he　now　fired　off。　'They're　right；　you　know。　They　don't　mean
to　be；　but　they're　right。'

'Right　in　sharing　Cavalletto's　inclination　to　speculate　with　Mr　Merdle？'

'Per…fectly；　sir；'　said　Pancks。　'I've　gone　into　it。　I've　made　the
calculations。　I've　worked　it。　They're　safe　and　genuine。'　Relieved　by
having　got　to　this；　Mr　Pancks　took　as　long　a　pull　as　his　lungs　would
permit　at　his　Eastern　pipe；　and　looked　sagaciously　and　steadily　at
Clennam　while　inhaling　and　exhaling　too。

In　those　moments；　Mr　Pancks　began　to　give　out　the　dangerous　infection
with　which　he　was　laden。　It　is　the　manner　of　municating　these
diseases；　it　is　the　subtle　way　in　which　they　go　about。

'Do　you　mean；　my　good　Pancks；'　asked　Clennam　emphatically；　'that　you
would　put　that　thousand　pounds　of　yours；　let　us　say；　for　instance；　out
at　this　kind　of　interest？'

'Certainly；'　said　Pancks。　'Already　done　it；　sir。'

Mr　Pancks　took　another　long　inhalation；　another　long　exhalation；　another
long　sagacious　look　at　Clennam。

'I　tell　you；