《little dorrit-信丽(英文版)》

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little dorrit-信丽(英文版)- 第153部分


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'I suppose I have no resource but to see him;' sighed Clennam; wearily。

'Then it IS your good pleasure; sir?' retorted Rugg。 'Am I honoured by
your instructions to mention as much to the gentleman; as I pass out? I
am? Thank you; sir。 I take my leave。' His leave he took accordingly; in
dudgeon。

The gentleman of military exterior had so imperfectly awakened Clennam's
curiosity; in the existing state of his mind; that a half…forgetfulness
of such a visitor's having been referred to; was already creeping over
it as a part of the sombre veil which almost always dimmed it now; when
a heavy footstep on the stairs aroused him。 It appeared to ascend them;
not very promptly or spontaneously; yet with a display of stride and
clatter meant to be insulting。 As it paused for a moment on the
landing outside his door; he could not recall his association with the
peculiarity of its sound; though he thought he had one。 Only a moment
was given him for consideration。 His door was immediately swung open
by a thump; and in the doorway stood the missing Blandois; the cause of
many anxieties。

'Salve; fellow jail…bird!' said he。 'You want me; it seems。 Here I am!'

Before Arthur could speak to him in his indignant wonder; Cavalletto
followed him into the room。 Mr Pancks followed Cavalletto。 Neither of
the two had been there since its present occupant had had possession of
it。 Mr Pancks; breathing hard; sidled near the window; put his hat on
the ground; stirred his hair up with both hands; and folded his arms;
like a man who had e to a pause in a hard day's work。 Mr Baptist;
never taking his eyes from his dreaded chum of old; softly sat down on
the floor with his back against the door and one of his ankles in
each hand: resuming the attitude (except that it was now expressive of
unwinking watchfulness) in which he had sat before the same man in the
deeper shade of another prison; one hot morning at Marseilles。 'I have
it on the witnessing of these two madmen;' said Monsieur Blandois;
otherwise Lagnier; otherwise Rigaud; 'that you want me; brother…bird。
Here I am!' Glancing round contemptuously at the bedstead; which was
turned up by day; he leaned his back against it as a resting…place;
without removing his hat from his head; and stood defiantly lounging
with his hands in his pockets。

'You villain of ill…omen!' said Arthur。 'You have purposely cast a
dreadful suspicion upon my mother's house。 Why have you done it?

What prompted you to the devilish invention?'

Monsieur Rigaud; after frowning at him for a moment; laughed。 'Hear this
noble gentleman! Listen; all the world; to this creature of Virtue! But
take care; take care。 It is possible; my friend; that your ardour is a
little promising。 Holy Blue! It is possible。'

'Signore!' interposed Cavalletto; also addressing Arthur: 'for to
mence; hear me! I received your instructions to find him; Rigaud; is
it not?'

'It is the truth。'

'I go; consequentementally;'……it would have given Mrs Plornish great
concern if she could have been persuaded that his occasional lengthening
of an adverb in this way; was the chief fault of his English;……'first
among my countrymen。 I ask them what news in Londra; of foreigners
arrived。 Then I go among the French。 Then I go among the Germans。 They
all tell me。 The great part of us know well the other; and they all tell
me。 But!……no person can tell me nothing of him; Rigaud。 Fifteen times;'
said Cavalletto; thrice throwing out his left hand with all its fingers
spread; and doing it so rapidly that the sense of sight could hardly
follow the action; 'I ask of him in every place where go the foreigners;
and fifteen times;' repeating the same swift performance; 'they know
nothing。 But!……' At this significant Italian rest on the word 'But;' his
backhanded shake of his right forefinger came into play; a very little;
and very cautiously。

'But!……After a long time when I have not been able to find that he
is here in Londra; some one tells me of a soldier with white
hair……hey?……not hair like this that he carries……white……who lives retired
secrettementally; in a certain place。 But!……' with another rest upon
the word; 'who sometimes in the after…dinner; walks; and smokes。 It is
necessary; as they say in Italy (and as they know; poor people); to
have patience。 I have patience。 I ask where is this certain place。 One。
believes it is here; one believes it is there。 Eh well! It is not here;
it is not there。 I wait patientissamentally。 At last I find it。 Then I
watch; then I hide; until he walks and smokes。 He is a soldier with grey
hair……But!……' a very decided rest indeed; and a very vigorous play from
side to side of the back…handed forefinger……'he is also this man that
you see。'

It was noticeable; that; in his old habit of submission to one who had
been at the trouble of asserting superiority over him; he even then
bestowed upon Rigaud a confused bend of his head; after thus pointing
him out。

'Eh well; Signore!' he cried in conclusion; addressing Arthur again。 'I
waited for a good opportunity。 I writed some words to Signor Panco;' an
air of novelty came over Mr Pancks with this designation; 'to e and
help。 I showed him; Rigaud; at his window; to Signor Panco; who was
often the spy in the day。 I slept at night near the door of the house。
At last we entered; only this to…day; and now you see him! As he would
not e up in presence of the illustrious Advocate;' such was Mr
Baptist's honourable mention of Mr Rugg; 'we waited down below there;
together; and Signor Panco guarded the street。'

At the close of this recital; Arthur turned his eyes upon the impudent
and wicked face。 As it met his; the nose came down over the moustache
and the moustache went up under the nose。 When nose and moustache had
settled into their places again; Monsieur Rigaud loudly snapped his
fingers half…a…dozen times; bending forward to jerk the snaps at Arthur;
as if they were palpable missiles which he jerked into his face。

'Now; Philosopher!' said Rigaud。'What do you want with me?'

'I want to know;' returned Arthur; without disguising his abhorrence;
'how you dare direct a suspicion of murder against my mother's house?'

'Dare!' cried Rigaud。 'Ho; ho! Hear him! Dare? Is it dare? By Heaven; my
small boy; but you are a little imprudent!'

'I want that suspicion to be cleared away;' said Arthur。 'You shall
be taken there; and be publicly seen。 I want to know; moreover;
what business you had there when I had a burning desire to fling you
down…stairs。 Don't frown at me; man! I have seen enough of you to know
that you are a bully and coward。 I need no revival of my spirits from
the effects of this wretched place to tell you so plain a fact; and one
that you know so well。'

White to the lips; Rigaud stroked his moustache; muttering; 'By Heaven;
my small boy; but you are a little promising of my lady; your
respectable mother'……and seemed for a minute undecided how to act。
His indecision was soon gone。 He sat himself down with a threatening
swagger; and said:

'Give me a bottle of wine。 You can buy wine here。 Send one of your
madmen to get me a bottle of wine。 I won't talk to you without wine。
e! Yes or no?'

'Fetch him what he wants; Cavalletto;' said Arthur; scornfully;
producing the money。

'Contraband beast;' added Rigaud; 'bring Port wine! I'll drink nothing
but Porto…Porto。'

The contraband beast; however; assuring all present; with his
significant finger; that he peremptorily declined to leave his post at
the door; Signor Panco offered his services。 He soon returned with the
bottle of wine: which; according to the custom of the place; originating
in a scarcity of corkscrews among the Collegians (in mon with a
scarcity of much else); was already opened for use。

'Madman! A large glass;' said Rigaud。

Signor Panco put a tumbler before him; not without a visible conflict of
feeling on the question of throwing it at his head。

'Haha!' boasted Rigaud。 'Once a gentleman; and always a gentleman。

A gentleman from the beginning; and a gentleman to the end。 What
the Devil! A gentleman must be waited on; I hope? It's a part of my
character to be waited on!'

He half filled the tumbler as he said it; and drank off the contents
when he had done saying it。

'Hah!' smacking his lips。 'Not a very old prisoner that! I judge by your
looks; brave sir; that imprisonment will subdue your blood much sooner
than it softens this hot wine。 You are mellowing……losing body and colour
already。 I salute you!'

He tossed off another half glass: holding it up both before and
afterwards; so as to display his small; white hand。

'To business;' he then continued。 'To conversation。 You have shown
yourself more free of speech than body; sir。'

'I have used the freedom of telling you what you know yourself to be。
You know yourself; as we all know you; to be far worse than that。'

'Add; always a gentleman; and it's no matter。 Except in that regard; we
are all alike。 For example: you couldn't for your life be a gentleman;
I couldn't for my life be otherwise。 How great the difference! Let us go
on。 Words; sir; never influence the course of the cards; or the course
of the dice。 Do you know that? You do? I also play a game; and words are
without power over it。'

Now that he was confronted with Cavalletto; and knew that his story was
known……whatever thin disguise he had worn; he dropped; and faced it out;
with a bare face; as the infamous wretch he was。

'No; my son;' he resumed; with a snap of his fingers。 'I play my game
to the end in spite of words; and Death of my Body and Death of my Soul!
I'll win it。 You want to know why I played this little trick that
you have interrupted? Know then that I had; and that I have……do you
understand me? have……a modity to sell to my lady your respectable
mother。 I described my precious modity; and fixed my price。 Touching
the bargain; your admirable mother was a little too calm; too stolid;
too immovable and statue…like。 In fine; your admirable mother vexed me。
To make variety in my position; and to amuse myself……what! a gentleman
must be amused at somebody's expense!……I conceived the happy idea of
disappearing。 An idea; see you; that your characteristic mother and my
Flintwinch would have been well enough pleased to execute。 Ah! Bah;
bah; bah; don't look as from high to low at me! I repeat it。 Well enough
pleased; excessively enchanted; and with all their hearts ravished。 How
strongly will you have it?'

He threw out the lees of his glass on the ground; so that they nearly
spattered Cavalletto。 This seemed to draw his attention to him anew。 He
set down his glass and said:

'I'll not fill it。 What! I am born to be served。 e then; you
Cavalletto; and fill!'

The little man looked at Clennam; whose eyes were occupied with Rigaud;
and; seeing no prohibition; got up from the ground; and poured out
from the bottle into the glass。 The blending; as he did so; of his old
submission with a sense of something humorous; the striving of that
with a certain smouldering ferocity; which might have flashed fire in
an instant (as the born gentleman seemed to think; for he had a wary
eye upon him); and the easy yielding of all to a good…natured;
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