little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第76部分

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calculations　and　entries；　in　his　own　hand；　of　which　there　were　many；
were　bluntly　written；　and　with　no　very　neat　precision；　but　were　always
plain　and　directed　straight　to　the　purpose。　It　occurred　to　Arthur　that
a　far　more　elaborate　and　taking　show　of　business……such　as　the　records　of
the　Circumlocution　Office　made　perhaps……might　be　far　less　serviceable；
as　being　meant　to　be　far　less　intelligible。

Three　or　four　days　of　steady　application　tendered　him　master　of　all　the
facts　it　was　essential　to　bee　acquainted　with。　Mr　Meagles　was　at　hand
the　whole　time；　always　ready　to　illuminate　any　dim　place　with　the　bright
little　safety…lamp　belonging　to　the　scales　and　scoop。　Between　them　they
agreed　upon　the　sum　it　would　be　fair　to　offer　for　the　purchase　of　a
half…share　in　the　business；　and　then　Mr　Meagles　unsealed　a　paper　in
which　Daniel　Doyce　had　noted　the　amount　at　which　he　valued　it；　which　was
even　something　less。　Thus；　when　Daniel　came　back；　he　found　the　affair　as
good　as　concluded。

'And　I　may　now　avow；　Mr　Clennam；'　said　he；　with　a　cordial　shake　of　the
hand；　'that　if　I　had　looked　high　and　low　for　a　partner；　I　believe　I
could　not　have　found　one　more　to　my　mind。'

'I　say　the　same；'　said　Clennam。

'And　I　say　of　both　of　you；'　added　Mr　Meagles；　'that　you　are　well
matched。　You　keep　him　in　check；　Clennam；　with　your　mon　sense；　and　you
stick　to　the　Works；　Dan；　with　your……'

'Unmon　sense？'　suggested　Daniel；　ile。

'You　may　call　it　so；　if　you　like……and　each　of　you　will　be　a　right　hand
to　the　other。　Here's　my　own　right　hand　upon　it；　as　a　practical　man；　to
both　of　you。'

The　purchase　was　pleted　within　a　month。　It　left　Arthur　in　possession
of　private　personal　means　not　exceeding　a　few　hundred　pounds；　but　it
opened　to　him　an　active　and　promising　career。　The　three　friends　dined
together　on　the　auspicious　occasion；　the　factory　and　the　factory　wives
and　children　made　holiday　and　dined　too；　even　Bleeding　Heart　Yard
dined　and　was　full　of　meat。　Two　months　had　barely　gone　by　in　all；　when
Bleeding　Heart　Yard　had　bee　so　familiar　with　short…mons　again；
that　the　treat　was　forgotten　there；　when　nothing　seemed　new　in　the
partnership　but　the　paint　of　the　inscription　on　the　door…posts；　DOYCE
AND　CLENNAM；　when　it　appeared　even　to　Clennam　himself；　that　he　had　had
the　affairs　of　the　firm　in　his　mind　for　years。

The　little　counting…house　reserved　for　his　own　occupation；　was　a　room　of
wood　and　glass　at　the　end　of　a　long　low　workshop；　filled　with　benches；
and　vices；　and　tools；　and　straps；　and　wheels；　which；　when　they　were
in　gear　with　the　steam…engine；　went　tearing　round　as　though　they　had　a
suicidal　mission　to　grind　the　business　to　dust　and　tear　the　factory　to
pieces。　A　munication　of　great　trap…doors　in　the　floor　and　roof　with
the　workshop　above　and　the　workshop　below；　made　a　shaft　of　light　in
this　perspective；　which　brought　to　Clennam's　mind　the　child's　old
picture…book；　where　similar　rays　were　the　witnesses　of　Abel's
murder。　The　noises　were　sufficiently　removed　and　shut　out　from　the
counting…house　to　blend　into　a　busy　hum；　interspersed　with　periodical
clinks　and　thumps。　The　patient　figures　at　work　were　swarthy　with　the
filings　of　iron　and　steel　that　danced　on　every　bench　and　bubbled　up
through　every　chink　in　the　planking。　The　workshop　was　arrived　at　by　a
step…ladder　from　the　outer　yard　below；　where　it　served　as　a　shelter　for
the　large　grindstone　where　tools　were　sharpened。　The　whole　had　at　once
a　fanciful　and　practical　air　in　Clennam's　eyes；　which　was　a　wele
change；　and；　as　often　as　he　raised　them　from　his　first　work　of　getting
the　array　of　business　documents　into　perfect　order；　he　glanced　at　these
things　with　a　feeling　of　pleasure　in　his　pursuit　that　was　new　to　him。

Raising　his　eyes　thus　one　day；　he　was　surprised　to　see　a　bon
labouring　up　the　step…ladder。　The　unusual　apparition　was　followed　by
another　bon。　He　then　perceived　that　the　first　bon　was　on　the　head
of　Mr　F。's　Aunt；　and　that　the　second　bon　was　on　the　head　of　Flora；
who　seemed　to　have　propelled　her　legacy　up　the　steep　ascent　with
considerable　difficulty。　Though　not　altogether　enraptured　at　the　sight
of　these　visitors；　Clennam　lost　no　time　in　opening　the　counting…house
door；　and　extricating　them　from　the　workshop；　a　rescue　which　was
rendered　the　more　necessary　by　Mr　F。's　Aunt　already　stumbling　over　some
impediment；　and　menacing　steam　power　as　an　Institution　with　a　stony
reticule　she　carried。

'Good　gracious；　Arthur；……I　should　say　Mr　Clennam；　far　more　proper……the
climb　we　have　had　to　get　up　here　and　how　ever　to　get　down　again　without
a　fire…escape　and　Mr　F。's　Aunt　slipping　through　the　steps　and　bruised
all　over　and　you　in　the　machinery　and　foundry　way　too　only　think；　and
never　told　us！'

Thus；　Flora；　out　of　breath。　Meanwhile；　Mr　F。's　Aunt　rubbed　her　esteemed
insteps　with　her　umbrella；　and　vindictively　glared。

'Most　unkind　never　to　have　e　back　to　see　us　since　that　day；　though
naturally　it　was　not　to　be　expected　that　there　should　be　any　attraction
at　our　house　and　you　were　much　more　pleasantly　engaged；　that's　pretty
certain；　and　is　she　fair　or　dark　blue　eyes　or　black　I　wonder；　not　that
I　expect　that　she　should　be　anything　but　a　perfect　contrast　to　me　in　all
particulars　for　I　am　a　disappointment　as　I　very　well　know　and　you　are
quite　right　to　be　devoted　no　doubt　though　what　I　am　saying　Arthur　never
mind　I　hardly　know　myself　Good　gracious！'

By　this　time　he　had　placed　chairs　for　them　in　the　counting…house。　As
Flora　dropped　into　hers；　she　bestowed　the　old　look　upon　him。

'And　to　think　of　Doyce　and　Clennam；　and　who　Doyce　can　be；'　said　Flora；
'delightful　man　no　doubt　and　married　perhaps　or　perhaps　a　daughter；　now
has　he　really？　then　one　understands　the　partnership　and　sees　it　all；
don't　tell　me　anything　about　it　for　I　know　I　have　no　claim　to　ask　the
question　the　golden　chain　that　once　was　forged　being　snapped　and　very
proper。'

Flora　put　her　hand　tenderly　on　his；　and　gave　him　another　of　the　youthful
glances。

'Dear　Arthur……force　of　habit；　Mr　Clennam　every　way　more　delicate　and
adapted　to　existing　circumstances……I　must　beg　to　be　excused　for　taking
the　liberty　of　this　intrusion　but　I　thought　I　might　so　far　presume　upon
old　times　for　ever　faded　never　more　to　bloom　as　to　call　with　Mr　F。's
Aunt　to　congratulate　and　offer　best　wishes；　A　great　deal　superior　to
China　not　to　be　denied　and　much　nearer　though　higher　up！'

'I　am　very　happy　to　see　you；'　said　Clennam；　'and　I　thank　you；　Flora；
very　much　for　your　kind　remembrance。'

'More　than　I　can　say　myself　at　any　rate；'　returned　Flora；　'for　I　might
have　been　dead　and　buried　twenty　distinct　times　over　and　no　doubt
whatever　should　have　been　before　you　had　genuinely　remembered　Me　or
anything　like　it　in　spite　of　which　one　last　remark　I　wish　to　make；　one
last　explanation　I　wish　to　offer……'

'My　dear　Mrs　Finching；'　Arthur　remonstrated　in　alarm。

'Oh　not　that　disagreeable　name；　say　Flora！'

'Flora；　is　it　worth　troubling　yourself　afresh　to　enter　into
explanations？　I　assure　you　none　are　needed。　I　am　satisfied……I　am
perfectly　satisfied。'

A　diversion　was　occasioned　here；　by　Mr　F。's　Aunt　making　the　following
inexorable　and　awful　statement：

'There's　mile…stones　on　the　Dover　road！'

With　such　mortal　hostility　towards　the　human　race　did　she　discharge　this
missile；　that　Clennam　was　quite　at　a　loss　how　to　defend　himself；　the
rather　as　he　had　been　already　perplexed　in　his　mind　by　the　honour　of　a
visit　from　this　venerable　lady；　when　it　was　plain　she　held　him　in　the
utmost　abhorrence。　He　could　not　but　look　at　her　with　disconcertment；　as
she　sat　breathing　bitterness　and　scorn；　and　staring　leagues　away。　Flora；
however；　received　the　remark　as　if　it　had　been　of　a　most　apposite　and
agreeable　nature；　approvingly　observing　aloud　that　Mr　F。's　Aunt　had　a
great　deal　of　spirit。　Stimulated　either　by　this　pliment；　or　by　her
burning　indignation；　that　illustrious　woman　then　added；　'Let　him　meet
it　if　he　can！'　And；　with　a　rigid　movement　of　her　stony　reticule　（an
appendage　of　great　size　and　of　a　fossil　appearance）；　indicated　that
Clennam　was　the　unfortunate　person　at　whom　the　challenge　was　hurled。

'One　last　remark；'　resumed　Flora；　'I　was　going　to　say　I　wish　to　make　one
la