little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第98部分

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of　what　we　get。'

'Have　you　undergone　many　privations？　You　and　your　father　and　who　else
there　may　be　of　you？'　asked　Mrs　Clennam；　speaking　deliberately；　and
meditatively　turning　the　watch　over　and　over。

'Sometimes　it　has　been　rather　hard　to　live；'　said　Little　Dorrit；　in　her
soft　voice；　and　timid　unplaining　way；　'but　I　think　not　harder……as　to
that……than　many　people　find　it。'

'That's　well　said！'　Mrs　Clennam　quickly　returned。　'That's　the　truth！
You　are　a　good；　thoughtful　girl。　You　are　a　grateful　girl　too；　or　I　much
mistake　you。'

'It　is　only　natural　to　be　that。　There　is　no　merit　in　being　that；'　said
Little　Dorrit。　'I　am　indeed。'　Mrs　Clennam；　with　a　gentleness　of　which
the　dreaming　Affery　had　never　dreamed　her　to　be　capable；　drew　down　the
face　of　her　little　seamstress；　and　kissed　her　on　the　forehead。　'Now　go；
Little　Dorrit；'　said　she；'or　you　will　be　late；　poor　child！'

In　all　the　dreams　Mistress　Affery　had　been　piling　up　since　she　first
became　devoted　to　the　pursuit；　she　had　dreamed　nothing　more　astonishing
than　this。　Her　head　ached　with　the　idea　that　she　would　find　the　other
clever　one　kissing　Little　Dorrit　next；　and　then　the　two　clever　ones
embracing　each　other　and　dissolving　into　tears　of　tenderness　for　all
mankind。　The　idea　quite　stunned　her；　as　she　attended　the　light　footsteps
down　the　stairs；　that　the　house　door　might　be　safely　shut。

On　opening　it　to　let　Little　Dorrit　out；　she　found　Mr　Pancks；　instead
of　having　gone　his　way；　as　in　any　less　wonderful　place　and　among　less
wonderful　phenomena　he　might　have　been　reasonably　expected　to　do；
fluttering　up　and　down　the　court　outside　the　house。

The　moment　he　saw　Little　Dorrit；　he　passed　her　briskly；　said　with　his
finger　to　his　nose　（as　Mrs　Affery　distinctly　heard）；　'Pancks　the　gipsy；
fortune…telling；'　and　went　away。　'Lord　save　us；　here's　a　gipsy　and　a
fortune…teller　in　it　now！'　cried　Mistress　Affery。　'What　next！　She　stood
at　the　open　door；　staggering　herself　with　this　enigma；　on　a　rainy；
thundery　evening。　The　clouds　were　flying　fast；　and　the　wind　was　ing
up　in　gusts；　banging　some　neighbouring　shutters　that　had　broken　loose；
twirling　the　rusty　chimney…cowls　and　weather…cocks；　and　rushing　round
and　round　a　confined　adjacent　churchyard　as　if　it　had　a　mind　to　blow
the　dead　citizens　out　of　their　graves。　The　low　thunder；　muttering　in
all　quarters　of　the　sky　at　once；　seemed　to　threaten　vengeance　for　this
attempted　desecration；　and　to　mutter；　'Let　them　rest！　Let　them　rest！'

Mistress　Affery；　whose　fear　of　thunder　and　lightning　was　only　to
be　equalled　by　her　dread　of　the　haunted　house　with　a　premature　and
preternatural　darkness　in　it；　stood　undecided　whether　to　go　in　or　not；
until　the　question　was　settled　for　her　by　the　door　blowing　upon　her　in
a　violent　gust　of　wind　and　shutting　her　out。　'What's　to　be　done　now；
what's　to　be　done　now！'　cried　Mistress　Affery；　wringing　her　hands　in
this　last　uneasy　dream　of　all；　'when　she's　all　alone　by　herself
inside；　and　can　no　more　e　down　to　open　it　than　the　churchyard　dead
themselves！'

In　this　dilemma；　Mistress　Affery；　with　her　apron　as　a　hood　to　keep　the
rain　off；　ran　crying　up　and　down　the　solitary　paved　enclosure　several
times。　Why　she　should　then　stoop　down　and　look　in　at　the　keyhole　of　the
door　as　if　an　eye　would　open　it；　it　would　be　difficult　to　say；　but　it
is　none　the　less　what　most　people　would　have　done　in　the　same　situation；
and　it　is　what　she　did。

From　this　posture　she　started　up　suddenly；　with　a　half　scream；　feeling
something　on　her　shoulder。　It　was　the　touch　of　a　hand；　of　a　man's　hand。

The　man　was　dressed　like　a　traveller；　in　a　foraging　cap　with　fur　about
it；　and　a　heap　of　cloak。　He　looked　like　a　foreigner。　He　had　a　quantity
of　hair　and　moustache……jet　black；　except　at　the　shaggy　ends；　where
it　had　a　tinge　of　red……and　a　high　hook　nose。　He　laughed　at　Mistress
Affery's　start　and　cry；　and　as　he　laughed；　his　moustache　went　up　under
his　nose；　and　his　nose　came　down　over　his　moustache。

'What's　the　matter？'　he　asked　in　plain　English。　'What　are　you　frightened
at？'

'At　you；'　panted　Affery。

'Me；　madam？'

'And　the　dismal　evening；　and……and　everything；'　said　Affery。　'And　here！
The　wind　has　been　and　blown　the　door　to；　and　I　can't　get　in。'

'Hah！'　said　the　gentleman；　who　took　that　very　coolly。　'Indeed！　Do　you
know　such　a　name　as　Clennam　about　here？'

'Lord　bless　us；　I　should　think　I　did；　I　should　think　I　did！'　cried
Affery；　exasperated　into　a　new　wringing　of　hands　by　the　inquiry。

'Where　about　here？'

'Where！'　cried　Affery；　goaded　into　another　inspection　of　the　keyhole。
'Where　but　here　in　this　house？　And　she's　all　alone　in　her　room；　and　lost
the　use　of　her　limbs　and　can't　stir　to　help　herself　or　me；　and　t'other
clever　one's　out；　and　Lord　forgive　me！'　cried　Affery；　driven　into　a
frantic　dance　by　these　accumulated　considerations；　'if　I　ain't　a…going
headlong　out　of　my　mind！'

Taking　a　warmer　view　of　the　matter　now　that　it　concerned　himself；　the
gentleman　stepped　back　to　glance　at　the　house；　and　his　eye　soon　rested
on　the　long　narrow　window　of　the　little　room　near　the　hall…door。

'Where　may　the　lady　be　who　has　lost　the　use　of　her　limbs；　madam？'　he
inquired；　with　that　peculiar　smile　which　Mistress　Affery　could　not
choose　but　keep　her　eyes　upon。

'Up　there！'　said　Affery。　'Them　two　windows。'

'Hah！　I　am　of　a　fair　size；　but　could　not　have　the　honour　of　presenting
myself　in　that　room　without　a　ladder。　Now；　madam；　frankly……frankness　is
a　part　of　my　character……shall　I　open　the　door　for　you？'

'Yes；　bless　you；　sir；　for　a　dear　creetur；　and　do　it　at　once；'　cried
Affery；　'for　she　may　be　a…calling　to　me　at　this　very　present　minute；　or
may　be　setting　herself　a　fire　and　burning　herself　to　death；　or　there's
no　knowing　what　may　be　happening　to　her；　and　me　a…going　out　of　my　mind
at　thinking　of　it！'

'Stay；　my　good　madam！'　He　restrained　her　impatience　with　a　smooth　white
hand。　'Business…hours；　I　apprehend；　are　over　for　the　day？'　'Yes；　yes；
yes；'　cried　Affery。　'Long　ago。'

'Let　me　make；　then；　a　fair　proposal。　Fairness　is　a　part　of　my　character。
I　am　just　landed　from　the　packet…boat；　as　you　may　see。'

He　showed　her　that　his　cloak　was　very　wet；　and　that　his　boots
were　saturated　with　water；　she　had　previously　observed　that　he　was
dishevelled　and　sallow；　as　if　from　a　rough　voyage；　and　so　chilled　that
he　could　not　keep　his　teeth　from　chattering。　'I　am　just　landed　from　the
packet…boat；　madam；　and　have　been　delayed　by　the　weather：　the　infernal
；　some　necessary　business　that
I　should　otherwise　have　transacted　here　within　the　regular　hours
（necessary　business　because　money…business）；　still　remains　to　be　done。
Now；　if　you　will　fetch　any　authorised　neighbouring　somebody　to　do　it　in
return　for　my　opening　the　door；　I'll　open　the　door。　If　this　arrangement
should　be　objectionable；　I'll……'　and　with　the　same　smile　he　made　a
significant　feint　of　backing　away。

Mistress　Affery；　heartily　glad　to　effect　the　proposed　promise；　gave
in　her　willing　adhesion　to　it。　The　gentleman　at　once　requested　her　to
do　him　the　favour　of　holding　his　cloak；　took　a　short　run　at　the　narrow
window；　made　a　leap　at　the　sill；　clung　his　way　up　the　bricks；　and　in
a　moment　had　his　hand　at　the　sash；　raising　it。　His　eyes　looked　so　very
sinister；　as　he　put　his　leg　into　the　room　and　glanced　round　at　Mistress
Affery；　that　she　thought　with　a　sudden　coldness；　if　he　were　to　go
straight　up…stairs　to　murder　the　invalid；　what　could　she　do　to　prevent
him？

Happily　he　had　no　such　purpose；　for　he　reappeared；　in　a　moment；　at　the
house　door。　'Now；　my　dear　madam；'　he　said；　as　he　took　back　his　cloak　and
threw　it　on；　'if　you　have　the　goodness　to……what　the　Devil's　that！'

The　strangest　of　sounds。　Evidently　close　at　hand　from　the　peculiar
shock　it　municated　to　the　air；　yet　subdued　as　if　it　were　far　off。　A
tremble；　a　rumble；　and　a　fall　of　some　light　dry　matter。

'What　the　Devil　is　it？'

'I　don't　know　what　it　is；　but　I've　heard　the　like　of　it　over　and　over
again；'　said　Affery；　who　had　caught　his　arm。　He　could　hardly　be　a　very
brave　man；　even　she　thought　in　her　dreamy　start　and　fright；　for　his
trembling　lips　had　turned　colourless。　After　listening　a　few　moments；　he
made　light　of　it。

'Bah！　Not