little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第192部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



He　told　with　perfect　truth　how　it　had　e　of　a　little　contraband
trading；　and　how　he　had　in　time　been　released　from　prison；　and　how　he
had　gone　away　from　those　antecedents。　How；　at　the　house　of　entertainment
called　the　Break　of　Day　at　Chalons　on　the　Saone；　he　had　been　awakened
in　his　bed　at　night　by　the　same　assassin；　then　assuming　the　name　of
Lagnier；　though　his　name　had　formerly　been　Rigaud；　how　the　assassin　had
proposed　that　they　should　join　their　fortunes　together；　how　he　held
the　assassin　in　such　dread　and　aversion　that　he　had　fled　from　him　at
daylight；　and　how　he　had　ever　since　been　haunted　by　the　fear　of　seeing
the　assassin　again　and　being　claimed　by　him　as　an　acquaintance。　When　he
had　related　this；　with　an　emphasis　and　poise　on　the　word；　'assassin；'
peculiarly　belonging　to　his　own　language；　and　which　did　not　serve　to
render　it　less　terrible　to　Clennam；　he　suddenly　sprang　to　his　feet；
pounced　upon　the　bill　again；　and　with　a　vehemence　that　would　have　been
absolute　madness　in　any　man　of　Northern　origin；　cried　'Behold　the　same
assassin！　Here　he　is！'

In　his　passionate　raptures；　he　at　first　forgot　the　fact　that　he　had
lately　seen　the　assassin　in　London。　On　his　remembering　it；　it　suggested
hope　to　Clennam　that　the　recognition　might　be　of　later　date　than　the
night　of　the　visit　at　his　mother's；　but　Cavalletto　was　too　exact　and
clear　about　time　and　place；　to　leave　any　opening　for　doubt　that　it　had
preceded　that　occasion。

'Listen；'　said　Arthur；　very　seriously。　'This　man；　as　we　have　read　here；
has　wholly　disappeared。'

'Of　it　I　am　well　content！'　said　Cavalletto；　raising　his　eyes　piously。　'A
thousand　thanks　to　Heaven！　Accursed　assassin！'

'Not　so；'　returned　Clennam；　'for　until　something　more　is　heard　of　him；　I
can　never　know　an　hour's　peace。'

'Enough；　Benefactor；　that　is　quite　another　thing。　A　million　of　excuses！'

'Now；　Cavalletto；'　said　Clennam；　gently　turning　him　by　the　arm；　so　that
they　looked　into　each　other's　eyes。　'I　am　certain　that　for　the　little
I　have　been　able　to　do　for　you；　you　are　the　most　sincerely　grateful　of
men。'

'I　swear　it！'　cried　the　other。

'I　know　it。　If　you　could　find　this　man；　or　discover　what　has　bee　of
him；　or　gain　any　later　intelligence　whatever　of　him；　you　would　render
me　a　service　above　any　other　service　I　could　receive　in　the　world；　and
would　make　me　（with　far　greater　reason）　as　grateful　to　you　as　you　are　to
me。'　'I　know　not　where　to　look；'　cried　the　little　man；　kissing　Arthur's
hand　in　a　transport。　'I　know　not　where　to　begin。　I　know　not　where　to　go。
But；　courage！　Enough！　It　matters　not！　I　go；　in　this　instant　of　time！'

'Not　a　word　to　any　one　but　me；　Cavalletto。'

'Al…tro！'　cried　Cavalletto。　And　was　gone　with　great　speed。




CHAPTER　23。　Mistress　Affery　makes　a　Conditional　Promise；
respecting　her　Dreams


Left　alone；　with　the　expressive　looks　and　gestures　of　Mr　Baptist；
otherwise　Giovanni　Baptista　Cavalletto；　vividly　before　him；　Clennam
entered　on　a　weary　day。　It　was　in　vain　that　he　tried　to　control　his
attention　by　directing　it　to　any　business　occupation　or　train　of
thought；　it　rode　at　anchor　by　the　haunting　topic；　and　would　hold　to　no
other　idea。　As　though　a　criminal　should　be　chained　in　a　stationary　boat
on　a　deep　clear　river；　condemned；　whatever　countless　leagues　of　water
flowed　past　him；　always　to　see　the　body　of　the　fellow…creature　he　had
drowned　lying　at　the　bottom；　immovable；　and　unchangeable；　except　as
the　eddies　made　it　broad　or　long；　now　expanding；　now　contracting
its　terrible　lineaments；　so　Arthur；　below　the　shifting　current　of
transparent　thoughts　and　fancies　which　were　gone　and　succeeded　by　others
as　soon　as　e；　saw；　steady　and　dark；　and　not　to　be　stirred　from　its
place；　the　one　subject　that　he　endeavoured　with　all　his　might　to　rid
himself　of；　and　that　he　could　not　fly　from。　The　assurance　he　now
had；　that　Blandois；　whatever　his　right　name；　was　one　of　the　worst　of
characters；　greatly　augmented　the　burden　of　his　anxieties。　Though　the
disappearance　should　be　accounted　for　to…morrow；　the　fact　that
his　mother　had　been　in　munication　with　such　a　man；　would　remain
unalterable。　That　the　munication　had　been　of　a　secret　kind；　and　that
she　had　been　submissive　to　him　and　afraid　of　him；　he　hoped　might　be
known　to　no　one　beyond　himself；　yet；　knowing　it；　how　could　he　separate
it　from　his　old　vague　fears；　and　how　believe　that　there　was　nothing　evil
in　such　relations？　Her　resolution　not　to　enter　on　the　question　with　him；
and　his　knowledge　of　her　indomitable　character；　enhanced　his　sense　of
helplessness。　It　was　like　the　oppression　of　a　dream　to　believe　that
shame　and　exposure　were　impending　over　her　and　his　father's　memory；　and
to　be　shut　out；　as　by　a　brazen　wall；　from　the　possibility　of　ing　to
their　aid。　The　purpose　he　had　brought　home　to　his　native　country；　and
had　ever　since　kept　in　view；　was；　with　her　greatest　determination；
defeated　by　his　mother　herself；　at　the　time　of　all　others　when　he　feared
that　it　pressed　most。　His　advice；　energy；　activity；　money；　credit；
all　his　resources　whatsoever；　were　all　made　useless。　If　she　had　been
possessed　of　the　old　fabled　influence；　and　had　turned　those　who　looked
upon　her　into　stone；　she　could　not　have　rendered　him　more　pletely
powerless　（so　it　seemed　to　him　in　his　distress　of　mind）　than　she　did；
when　she　turned　her　unyielding　face　to　his　in　her　gloomy　room。

But　the　light　of　that　day's　discovery；　shining　on　these　considerations；
roused　him　to　take　a　more　decided　course　of　action。

Confident　in　the　rectitude　of　his　purpose；　and　impelled　by　a　sense　of
overhanging　danger　closing　in　around；　he　resolved；　if　his　mother　would
still　admit　of　no　approach；　to　make　a　desperate　appeal　to　Affery。　If　she
could　be　brought　to　bee　municative；　and　to　do　what　lay　in　her　to
break　the　spell　of　secrecy　that　enshrouded　the　house；　he　might　shake
off　the　paralysis　of　which　every　hour　that　passed　over　his　head　made
him　more　acutely　sensible。　This　was　the　result　of　his　day's　anxiety；　and
this　was　the　decision　he　put　in　practice　when　the　day　closed　in。

His　first　disappointment；　on　arriving　at　the　house；　was　to　find　the　door
open；　and　Mr　Flintwinch　smoking　a　pipe　on　the　steps。　If　circumstances
had　been　monly　favourable；　Mistress　Affery　would　have　opened　the
door　to　his　knock。　Circumstances　being　unmonly　unfavourable；　the　door
stood　open；　and　Mr　Flintwinch　was　smoking　his　pipe　on　the　steps。

'Good　evening；'　said　Arthur。

'Good　evening；'　said　Mr　Flintwinch。

The　smoke　came　crookedly　out　of　Mr　Flintwinch's　mouth；　as　if　it
circulated　through　the　whole　of　his　wry　figure　and　came　back　by　his　wry
throat；　before　ing　forth　to　mingle　with　the　smoke　from　the　crooked
chimneys　and　the　mists　from　the　crooked　river。

'Have　you　any　news？'　said　Arthur。

'We　have　no　news；'　said　Jeremiah。

'I　mean　of　the　foreign　man；'　Arthur　explained。

_'I_　mean　of　the　foreign　man；'　said　Jeremiah。

He　looked　so　grim；　as　he　stood　askew；　with　the　knot　of　his　cravat　under
his　ear；　that　the　thought　passed　into　Clennam's　mind；　and　not　for　the
first　time　by　many；　could　Flintwinch　for　a　purpose　of　his　own　have　got
rid　of　Blandois？　Could　it　have　been　his　secret；　and　his　safety；　that
were　at　issue？　He　was　small　and　bent；　and　perhaps　not　actively　strong；
yet　he　was　as　tough　as　an　old　yew…tree；　and　as　crusty　as　an　old　jackdaw。
Such　a　man；　ing　behind　a　much　younger　and　more　vigorous　man；　and
having　the　will　to　put　an　end　to　him　and　no　relenting；　might　do　it
pretty　surely　in　that　solitary　place　at　a　late　hour。

While；　in　the　morbid　condition　of　his　thoughts；　these　thoughts　drifted
over　the　main　one　that　was　always　in　Clennam's　mind；　Mr　Flintwinch；
regarding　the　opposite　house　over　the　gateway　with　his　neck　twisted　and
one　eye　shut　up；　stood　smoking　with　a　vicious　expression　upon　him；　more
as　if　he　were　trying　to　bite　off　the　stem　of　his　pipe；　than　as　if　he
were　enjoying　it。　Yet　he　was　enjoying　it　in　his　own　way。

'You'll　be　able　to　take　my　likeness；　the　next　time　you　call；　Arthur；
I　should　think；'　said　Mr　Flintwinch；　drily；　as　he　stooped　to　knock　the
ashes　out。

Rather　conscious　and　confused；　Arthur　asked　his　pardon；　if　he　had　stared
at　him　unpolitely。　'But　my　mind　runs　so　much　upon　this　matt