little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第188节

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eye　upon　him）；　and　the　easy　yielding　of　all　to　a　good…natured；　careless；
predominant　propensity　to　sit　down　on　the　ground　again：　formed　a　very
remarkable　bination　of　character。

'This　happy　idea；　brave　sir；'　Rigaud　resumed　after　drinking；　'was　a
happy　idea　for　several　reasons。　It　amused　me；　it　worried　your　dear
mama　and　my　Flintwinch；　it　caused　you　agonies　（my　terms　for　a　lesson
in　politeness　towards　a　gentleman）；　and　it　suggested　to　all　the　amiable
persons　interested　that　your　entirely　devoted　is　a　man　to　fear。　By
Heaven；　he　is　a　man　to　fear！　Beyond　this；　it　might　have　restored　her　wit
to　my　lady　your　mother……might；　under　the　pressing　little　suspicion　your
wisdom　has　recognised；　have　persuaded　her　at　last　to　announce；　covertly；
in　the　journals；　that　the　difficulties　of　a　certain　contract　would　be
removed　by　the　appearance　of　a　certain　important　party　to　it。　Perhaps
yes；　perhaps　no。　But　that；　you　have　interrupted。　Now；　what　is　it　you
say？　What　is　it　you　want？'

Never　had　Clennam　felt　more　acutely　that　he　was　a　prisoner　in　bonds；
than　when　he　saw　this　man　before　him；　and　could　not　acpany　him　to　his
mother's　house。　All　the　undiscernible　difficulties　and　dangers　he　had
ever　feared　were　closing　in；　when　he　could　not　stir　hand　or　foot。

'Perhaps；　my　friend；　philosopher；　man　of　virtue；　Imbecile；　what　you
will；　perhaps；'　said　Rigaud；　pausing　in　his　drink　to　look　out　of　his
glass　with　his　horrible　smile；　'you　would　have　done　better　to　leave　me
alone？'

'No！　At　least；'　said　Clennam；　'you　are　known　to　be　alive　and　unharmed。
At　least　you　cannot　escape　from　these　two　witnesses；　and　they　can
produce　you　before　any　public　authorities；　or　before　hundreds　of
people！'

'But　will　not　produce　me　before　one；'　said　Rigaud；　snapping　his
fingers　again　with　an　air　of　triumphant　menace。　'To　the　Devil　with　your
witnesses！　To　the　Devil　with　your　produced！　To　the　Devil　with　yourself！
What！　Do　I　know　what　I　know；　for　that？　Have　I　my　modity　on　sale；　for
that？　Bah；　poor　debtor！　You　have　interrupted　my　little　project。　Let　it
pass。　How　then？　What　remains？　To　you；　nothing；　to　me；　all。　Produce
me！　Is　that　what　you　want？　I　will　produce　myself；　only　too　quickly。
Contrabandist！

Give　me　pen；　ink；　and　paper。'

Cavalletto　got　up　again　as　before；　and　laid　them　before　him　in　his
former　manner。　Rigaud；　after　some　villainous　thinking　and　smiling；
wrote；　and　read　aloud；　as　follows：


'To　MRS　CLENNAM。

'Wait　answer。

'Prison　of　the　Marshalsea。　'At　the　apartment　of　your　son。

'Dear　Madam；……I　am　in　despair　to　be　informed　to…day　by　our　prisoner　here
（who　has　had　the　goodness　to　employ　spies　to　seek　me；　living　for　politic
reasons　in　retirement）；　that　you　have　had　fears　for　my　safety。

'Reassure　yourself；　dear　madam。　I　am　well；　I　am　strong　and　constant。

'With　the　greatest　impatience　I　should　fly　to　your　house；　but　that　I
foresee　it　to　be　possible；　under　the　circumstances；　that　you　will　not
yet　have　quite　definitively　arranged　the　little　proposition　I　have　had
the　honour　to　submit　to　you。　I　name　one　week　from　this　day；　for　a　last
final　visit　on　my　part；　when　you　will　unconditionally　accept　it　or
reject　it；　with　its　train　of　consequences。

'I　suppress　my　ardour　to　embrace　you　and　achieve　this　interesting
business；　in　order　that　you　may　have　leisure　to　adjust　its　details　to
our　perfect　mutual　satisfaction。

'In　the　meanwhile；　it　is　not　too　much　to　propose　（our　prisoner　having
deranged　my　housekeeping）；　that　my　expenses　of　lodging　and　nourishment
at　an　hotel　shall　be　paid　by　you。　'Receive；　dear　madam；　the　assurance　of
my　highest　and　most　distinguished　consideration；


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'RIGAUD　BLANDOIS。

'A　thousand　friendships　to　that　dear　Flintwinch。

'I　kiss　the　hands　of　Madame　F。'


When　he　had　finished　this　epistle；　Rigaud　folded　it　and　tossed　it　with
a　flourish　at　Clennam's　feet。　'Hola　you！　Apropos　of　producing；　let
somebody　produce　that　at　its　address；　and　produce　the　answer　here。'

'Cavalletto；'　said　Arthur。　'Will　you　take　this　fellow's　letter？'

But；　Cavalletto's　significant　finger　again　expressing　that　his　post　was
at　the　door　to　keep　watch　over　Rigaud；　now　he　had　found　him　with　so　much
trouble；　and　that　the　duty　of　his　post　was　to　sit　on　the　floor　backed　up
by　the　door；　looking　at　Rigaud　and　holding　his　own　ankles；……Signor　Panco
once　more　volunteered。　His　services　being　accepted；　Cavalletto　suffered
the　door　to　open　barely　wide　enough　to　admit　of　his　squeezing　himself
out；　and　immediately　shut　it　on　him。

'Touch　me　with　a　finger；　touch　me　y
superiority　as　I　sit　here　drinking　my　wine　at　my　pleasure；'　said　Rigaud；
'and　I　follow　the　letter　and　cancel　my　week's　grace。　You　wanted　me？　You
have　got　me！　How　do　you　like　me？'

'You　know；'　returned　Clennam；　with　a　bitter　sense　of　his　helplessness；
'that　when　I　sought　you；　I　was　not　a　prisoner。'

'To　the　Devil　with　you　and　your　prison；'　retorted　Rigaud；　leisurely；
as　he　took　from　his　pocket　a　case　containing　the　materials　for　making
cigarettes；　and　employed　his　facile　hands　in　folding　a　few　for　present
use；　'I　care　for　neither　of　you。　Contrabandist！　A　light。'

Again　Cavalletto　got　up；　and　gave　him　what　he　wanted。　There　had　been
something　dreadful　in　the　noiseless　skill　of　his　cold；　white　hands；　with
the　fingers　lithely　twisting　about　and　twining　one　over　another　like
serpents。　Clennam　could　not　prevent　himself　from　shuddering　inwardly；　as
if　he　had　been　looking　on　at　a　nest　of　those　creatures。

'Hola；　Pig！'　cried　Rigaud；　with　a　noisy　stimulating　cry；　as　if
Cavalletto　were　an　Italian　horse　or　mule。　'What！　The　infernal　old　jail
was　a　respectable　one　to　this。　There　was　dignity　in　the　bars　and　stones
of　that　place。　It　was　a　prison　for　men。　But　this？　Bah！　A　hospital　for
imbeciles！'

He　smoked　his　cigarette　out；　with　his　ugly　smile　so　fixed　upon　his　face
that　he　looked　as　though　he　were　smoking　with　his　drooping　beak　of　a
nose；　rather　than　with　his　mouth；　like　a　fancy　in　a　weird　picture。　When
he　had　lighted　a　second　cigarette　at　the　still　burning　end　of　the　first；
he　said　to　Clennam：

'One　must　pass　the　time　in　the　madman's　absence。　One　must　talk。　One
can't　drink　strong　wine　all　day　long；　or　I　would　have　another　bottle。
She's　handsome；　sir。　Though　not　exactly　to　my　taste；　still；　by
the　Thunder　and　the　Lightning！　handsome。　I　felicitate　you　on　your
admiration。'

'I　neither　know　nor　ask；'　said　Clennam；　'of　whom　you　speak。'

'Della　bella　Gowana；　sir；　as　they　say　in　Italy。　Of　the　Gowan；　the　fair
Gowan。'

'Of　whose　husband　you　were　the……follower；　I　think？'

'Sir？　Follower？　You　are　insolent。　The　friend。'

'Do　you　sell　all　your　friends？'

Rigaud　took　his　cigarette　from　his　mouth；　and　eyed　him　with　a　momentary
revelation　of　surprise。　But　he　put　it　between　his　lips　again；　as　he
answered　with　coolness：

'I　sell　anything　that　mands　a　price。　How　do　your　lawyers　live；　your
politicians；　your　intriguers；　your　men　of　the　Exchange？　How　do　you　live？
How　do　you　e　here？　Have　you　sold　no　friend？　Lady　of　mine！　I　rather
think；　yes！'

Clennam　turned　away　from　him　towards　the　window；　and　sat　looking　out　at
the　wall。

'Effectively；　sir；'　said　Rigaud；　'Society　sells　itself　and　sells　me：　and
I　sell　Society。　I　perceive　you　have　acquaintance　with　another　lady。　Also
handsome。　A　strong　spirit。　Let　us　see。　How　do　they　call　her？　Wade。'

He　received　no　answer；　but　could　easily　discern　that　he　had　hit　the
mark。

'Yes；'　he　went　on；　'that　handsome　lady　and　strong　spirit　addresses　me　in
the　street；　and　I　am　not　insensible。　I　respond。　That　handsome　lady　and
strong　spirit　does　me　the　favour　to　remark；　in　full　confidence；　〃I　have
my　curiosity；　and　I　have　my　chagrins。　You　are　not　more　than　ordinarily
honourable；　perhaps？〃　I　announce　myself；　〃Madame；　a　gentleman　from
the　birth；　and　a　gentleman　to　the　death；　but　NOT　more　than　ordinarily
honourable。　I　despise　such　a　weak　fantasy。〃　Thereupon　she　is　pleased　to
pliment。　〃The　difference　between　you　and　the　rest　is；〃　she　answers；
〃that　you　say　so。〃　For　she　knows　Society。　I　accept　her　congratulations
with　gallantry　and　politeness。　Politeness　and　little　gallantries　are
inseparable　from　my　character。　She　then　makes　a　proposition；　which　is；
in　effect；　that　she　has　seen　us　much　together；　that　it　appears　to　her
that　I　am　for　the　passing　time　the　cat　of　the　house；　the　friend　of
the　family；　that　her　curiosity　and　her　chagrins　awaken　the　fancy　to　be
acquainted　with　their　movements；　to　know　the　manner　of　their　life；　how
the　fair　Gowana　is　beloved；　how　the　fair　Gowana　is　cherished；　and　so
on。　She　is　not　rich；　but　offers　such　and　such　little　repenses　for　the
little　cares　and　derangements　of　such　services；　and　I　graciously……to　do
everything　graciously　is　a　part　of　my　character……consent　to　accept　them。
O　yes！　So　goes　the　world。　It　is　the　mode。'

Though　Clennam's　back　was　turned　while　he　spoke；　and　thenceforth　to　the
end　of　the　interview；　he　kept　those　glittering　eyes　of　his　that　were　too
near　together；　upon　him；　and　evidently　saw　in　the　very　carriage　of　the
head；　as　he　passed　with　his　braggart　recklessness　from　clause　to　clause
of　what　he　said；　that　he　was　saying　nothing　which　Clennam　did　not
already　know。

'Whoof！　The　fair　Gowana！'　he　said；　lighting　a　third　cigarette　with　a