little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第55章

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'Ah！　Don't　be　hard　upon　the　Barnacles；'　said　Gowan；　laughing　afresh；
'they　are　darling　fellows！　Even　poor　little　Clarence；　the　born　idiot　of
the　family；　is　the　most　agreeable　and　most　endearing　blockhead！　And　by
Jupiter；　with　a　kind　of　cleverness　in　him　too　that　would　astonish　you！'

'It　would。　Very　much；'　said　Clennam；　drily。

'And　after　all；'　cried　Gowan；　with　that　characteristic　balancing　of　his
which　reduced　everything　in　the　wide　world　to　the　same　light　weight；
'though　I　can't　deny　that　the　Circumlocution　Office　may　ultimately
shipwreck　everybody　and　everything；　still；　that　will　probably　not　be　in
our　time……and　it's　a　school　for　gentlemen。'

'It's　a　very　dangerous；　unsatisfactory；　and　expensive　school　to　the
people　who　pay　to　keep　the　pupils　there；　I　am　afraid；'　said　Clennam；
shaking　his　head。

'Ah！　You　are　a　terrible　fellow；'　returned　Gowan；　airily。　'I　can
understand　how　you　have　frightened　that　little　donkey；　Clarence；　the
most　estimable　of　moon…calves　（I　really　love　him）　nearly　out　of　his
wits。　But　enough　of　him；　and　of　all　the　rest　of　them。　I　want　to　present
you　to　my　mother；　Mr　Clennam。　Pray　do　me　the　favour　to　give　me　the
opportunity。'

In　nobody's　state　of　mind；　there　was　nothing　Clennam　would　have　desired
less；　or　would　have　been　more　at　a　loss　how　to　avoid。

'My　mother　lives　in　a　most　primitive　manner　down　in　that　dreary
red…brick　dungeon　at　Hampton　Court；'　said　Gowan。　'If　you　would　make
your　own　appointment；　suggest　your　own　day　for　permitting　me　to　take
you　there　to　dinner；　you　would　be　bored　and　she　would　be　charmed。　Really
that's　the　state　of　the　case。'

What　could　Clennam　say　after　this？　His　retiring　character　included　a
great　deal　that　was　simple　in　the　best　sense；　because　unpractised　and
unused；　and　in　his　simplicity　and　modesty；　he　could　only　say　that　he　was
happy　to　place　himself　at　Mr　Gowan's　disposal。　Accordingly　he　said　it；
and　the　day　was　fixed。　And　a　dreaded　day　it　was　on　his　part；　and　a　very
unwele　day　when　it　came　and　they　went　down　to　Hampton　Court　together。

The　venerable　inhabitants　of　that　venerable　pile　seemed；　in　those　times；
to　be　encamped　there　like　a　sort　of　civilised　gipsies。　There　was　a
temporary　air　about　their　establishments；　as　if　they　were　going　away　the
moment　they　could　get　anything　better；　there　was　also　a　dissatisfied　air
about　themselves；　as　if　they　took　it　very　ill　that　they　had　not　already
got　something　much　better。　Genteel　blinds　and　makeshifts　were　more　or
less　observable　as　soon　as　their　doors　were　opened；　screens　not　half
high　enough；　which　made　dining…rooms　out　of　arched　passages；　and　warded
off　obscure　corners　where　footboys　slept　at　nights　with　their　heads
among　the　knives　and　forks；　curtains　which　called　upon　you　to　believe
that　they　didn't　hide　anything；　panes　of　glass　which　requested　you
not　to　see　them；　many　objects　of　various　forms；　feigning　to　have　no
connection　with　their　guilty　secret；　a　bed；　disguised　traps　in　walls；
which　were　clearly　coal…cellars；　affectations　of　no　thoroughfares；　which
were　evidently　doors　to　little　kitchens。　Mental　reservations　and　artful
mysteries　grew　out　of　these　things。　Callers　looking　steadily　into　the
eyes　of　their　receivers；　pretended　not　to　smell　cooking　three　feet　off；
people；　confronting　closets　accidentally　left　open；　pretended　not　to　see
bottles；　visitors　with　their　heads　against　a　partition　of　thin　canvas；
and　a　page　and　a　young　female　at　high　words　on　the　other　side；　made
believe　to　be　sitting　in　a　primeval　silence。　There　was　no　end　to　the
small　social　acmodation…bills　of　this　nature　which　the　gipsies　of
gentility　were　constantly　drawing　upon；　and　accepting　for；　one　another。

Some　of　these　Bohemians　were　of　an　irritable　temperament；　as　constantly
soured　and　vexed　by　two　mental　trials：　the　first；　the　consciousness
that　they　had　never　got　enough　out　of　the　public；　the　second；　the
consciousness　that　the　public　were　admitted　into　the　building。　Under　the
latter　great　wrong；　a　few　suffered　dreadfully……particularly　on　Sundays；
when　they　had　for　some　time　expected　the　earth　to　open　and　swallow
the　public　up；　but　which　desirable　event　had　not　yet　occurred；　in
consequence　of　some　reprehensible　laxity　in　the　arrangements　of　the
Universe。

Mrs　Gowan's　door　was　attended　by　a　family　servant　of　several　years'
standing；　who　had　his　own　crow　to　pluck　with　the　public　concerning　a
situation　in　the　Post…Office　which　he　had　been　for　some　time　expecting；
and　to　which　he　was　not　yet　appointed。　He　perfectly　knew　that　the　public
could　never　have　got　him　in；　but　he　grimly　gratified　himself　with　the
idea　that　the　public　kept　him　out。　Under　the　influence　of　this　injury
（and　perhaps　of　some　little　straitness　and　irregularity　in　the　matter
of　wages）；　he　had　grown　neglectful　of　his　person　and　morose　in　mind；
and　now　beholding　in　Clennam　one　of　the　degraded　body　of　his　oppressors；
received　him　with　ignominy。　Mrs　Gowan；　however；　received　him　with
condescension。　He　found　her　a　courtly　old　lady；　formerly　a　Beauty；　and
still　sufficiently　well…favoured　to　have　dispensed　with　the　powder　on
her　nose　and　a　certain　impossible　bloom　under　each　eye。　She　was　a　little
lofty　with　him；　so　was　another　old　lady；　dark…browed　and　high…nosed；
and　who　must　have　had　something　real　about　her　or　she　could　not　have
existed；　but　it　was　certainly　not　her　hair　or　her　teeth　or　her　figure
or　her　plexion；　so　was　a　grey　old　gentleman　of　dignified　and　sullen
appearance；　both　of　whom　had　e　to　dinner。　But；　as　they　had　all
been　in　the　British　Embassy　way　in　sundry　parts　of　the　earth；　and　as
a　British　Embassy　cannot　better　establish　a　character　with　the
Circumlocution　Office　than　by　treating　its　patriots　with　illimitable
contempt　（else　it　would　bee　like　the　Embassies　of　other　countries）；
Clennam　felt　that　on　the　whole　they　let　him　off　lightly。

The　dignified　old　gentleman　turned　out　to　be　Lord　Lancaster
Stiltstalking；　who　had　been　maintained　by　the　Circumlocution　Office　for
many　years　as　a　representative　of　the　Britannic　Majesty　abroad。

This　noble　Refrigerator　had　iced　several　European　courts　in　his　time；
and　had　done　it　with　such　plete　success　that　the　very　name　of
Englishman　yet　struck　cold　to　the　stomachs　of　foreigners　who　had　the
distinguished　honour　of　remembering　him　at　a　distance　of　a　quarter　of　a
century。

He　was　now　in　retirement；　and　hence　（in　a　ponderous　white　cravat；　like
a　stiff　snow…drift）　was　so　obliging　as　to　shade　the　dinner。　There　was　a
whisper　of　the　pervading　Bohemian　character　in　the　nomadic　nature　of
the　service　and　its　curious　races　of　plates　and　dishes；　but　the　noble
Refrigerator；　infinitely　better　than　plate　or　porcelain；　made　it　superb。
He　shaded　the　dinner；　cooled　the　wines；　chilled　the　gravy；　and　blighted
the　vegetables。

There　was　only　one　other　person　in　the　room：　a　microscopically　small
footboy；　who　waited　on　the　malevolent　man　who　hadn't　got　into　the
Post…Office。　Even　this　youth；　if　his　jacket　could　have　been　unbuttoned
and　his　heart　laid　bare；　would　have　been　seen；　as　a　distant　adherent　of
the　Barnacle　family；　already　to　aspire　to　a　situation　under　Government。

Mrs　Gowan　with　a　gentle　melancholy　upon　her；　occasioned　by　her　son's
being　reduced　to　court　the　swinish　public　as　a　follower　of　the　low　Arts；
instead　of　asserting　his　birthright　and　putting　a　ring　through　its　nose
as　an　acknowledged　Barnacle；　headed　the　conversation　at　dinner　on　the
evil　days。　It　was　then　that　Clennam　learned　for　the　first　time　what
little　pivots　this　great　world　goes　round　upon。

'If　John　Barnacle；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　after　the　degeneracy　of　the　times
had　been　fully　ascertained；　'if　John　Barnacle　had　but　abandoned　his　most
unfortunate　idea　of　conciliating　the　mob；　all　would　have　been　well；　and
I　think　the　country　would　have　been　preserved。'　The　old　lady　with　the
high　nose　assented；　but　added　that　if　Augustus　Stiltstalking　had　in　a
general　way　ordered　the　cavalry　out　with　instructions　to　charge；　she
thought　the　country　would　have　been　preserved。

The　noble　Refrigerator　assented；　but　added　that　if　William　Barnacle　and
Tudor　Stiltstalking；　when　they　came　over　to　one　another　and　formed
their　ever…memorable　coalition；　had　boldly　muzzled　the　newspapers；
and　rendered　it　penal　for　any　Editor…person　to　presume　to　discuss　the
conduct　of　any　appointed　authority　abroad　or　at　home；　he　thought　the
country　would　have　been　preserved。

It　was　agreed　that　the　country　（another　word　for　the　Barnacles　and
Stiltstalkings）　wanted　preserving；　but　how　it　came　to　want　preserving
was　not　so　clear。　It　was　only　clear　that　the　question　was　all　about
John　Barnacle；　Augustus　Stiltstalking；　William　Barnacle　and　Tudor
Stiltstalking；　Tom；　Dick；　or　Harry　Barnacle　or　Stiltstalking；　because
there　was　nobody　else　but　mob。　And　this　was　the　feature　of　the
conversation　which　impressed　Clennam；　as　a　man　not　used　to　it；　very
disagreeably：　making　him　doubt　if　it　were　quite　right　to　sit　there；
silently　hearing　a　great　nation　narrowed　to　such　little　bounds。
Remembering；　however；　that　in　the　Parliamentary　debates；　whether　on　the
life　of　that　nation's　body　or　the　life　of　its　soul；　the　question　was
usually　all　about　and　between　John　Barnacle；　Augustus　Stiltstalking；
William　Barnacle　and　Tudor　Stiltstalking；　Tom；　Dick；　or　Harry　Barnacle
or　Stiltstalking；　and　nobody　else；　he　said　nothing　on　the　part　of　mob；
bethinking　himself　that　mob　was　used　to　it。

Mr　Henry　Gowan　seemed　to　have　a　malicious　pleasure　in　playing　off　the
three　talkers　against　each　other；　and　in　seeing　Clennam　startled　by　what
they　said。　Having　as　supreme　a　contempt　for　the　class　that　had　thrown
him　off　as　for　the　class　that　had　not　taken　him　on；　he　had　no　personal
disquiet　in　anything　that　passed。　His　healthy　state　of　mind　appeared
even　to　derive　a　gratification　from　Clennam's　position　of　embarrassment
and　isolation　among　the　good　pany；　and　if　Clennam　had　been　in　that
condition　with　which　Nobody　was　incessantly　contending；　he　would　have
suspected　it；　and　would　have　struggled　with　the　suspicion　as　a　meanness；
even　while　he　sat　at　the　table。

In　the　course　of　a　couple　of　hours　the　noble　Refrigerator；　at　no　time
less　than　a　hundred　years　behind　the　period；　got　about　five　centuries
in　arrears；　and　delivered　solemn　political　oracles　appropriate　to　that
epoch。　He　finished　by　freezing　a　cup　of　tea　for　his　own　drinking；
and　retiring　at　his　lowest　temperature。　Then　Mrs　Gowan；　who　had　been
accustomed　in　her　days　of　a　vacant　arm…chair　beside　her　to　which
to　summon　state　to　retain　her　devoted　slaves；　one　by　one；　for　short
audiences　as　marks　of　her　especial　favour；　invited　Clennam　with　a　turn
of　her　fan　to　approach　the　presence。　He　obeyed；　and　took　the　tripod
recently　vacated　by　Lord　Lancaster　Stiltstalking。

'Mr　Clennam；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　'apart　from　the　happiness　I　have　in
being　known　to　you；　though　in　this　odiously　inconvenient　place……a
mere　barrack……there　is　a　subject　on　which　I　am　dying　to　speak　to　you。　It
is　the　subject　in　connection　with　which　my　son　first　had；　I　believe；　the
pleasure　of　cultivating　your　acquaintance。'

Clennam　inclined　his　head；　as　a　generally　suitable　reply　to　what　he　did
not　yet　quite　understand。

'First；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　'now；　is　she　really　pretty？'

In　nobody's　difficulties；　he　would　have　found　it　very　difficult　to
answer；　very　difficult　indeed　to　smile；　and　say　'Who？'

'Oh！　You　know！'　she　returned。　'This　flame　of　Henry's。　This　unfortunate
fancy。　There！　If　it　is　a　point　of　honour　that　I　should　originate　the
name……Miss　Mickles……Miggles。'

'Miss　Meagles；'　said　Clennam；　'is　very　beautiful。'

'Men　are　so　often　mistaken　on　those　points；'　returned　Mrs　Gowan；　shaking
her　head；　'that　I　candidly　confess　to　you　I　feel　anything　but　sure　of
it；　even　now；　though　it　is　something　to　have　Henry　corroborated　with　so
much　gravity　and　emphasis。　He　picked　the　people　up　at　Rome；　I　think？'

The　phrase　would　have　given　nobody　mortal　offence。　Clennam　replied；
'Excuse　me；　I　doubt　if　I　understand　your　expression。'

'Picked　the　people　up；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　tapping　the　sticks　of　her　closed
fan　（a　large　green　one；　which　she　used　as　a　hand…screen）　on　her　little
table。　'Came　upon　them。　Found　them　out。　Stumbled　UP　against　them。'

'The　people？'

'Yes。　The　Miggles　people。'

'I　really　cannot　say；'　said　Clennam；　'where　my　friend　Mr　Meagles　first
presented　Mr　Henry　Gowan　to　his　daughter。'

'I　am　pretty　sure　he　picked　her　up　at　Rome；　but　never　mind
where……somewhere。　Now　（this　is　entirely　between　ourselves）；　is　she　very
plebeian？'

'Really；　ma'am；'　returned　Clennam；　'I　am　so　undoubtedly　plebeian　myself；
that　I　do　not　feel　qualified　to　judge。'

'Very　neat！'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　coolly　unfurling　her　screen。　'Very　happy！
From　which　I　infer　that　you　secretly　think　her　manner　equal　to　her
looks？'

Clennam；　after　a　moment's　stiffness；　bowed。

'That's　forting；　and　I　hope　you　may　be　right。　Did　Henry　tell　me　you
had　travelled　with　them？'　'I　travelled　with　my　friend　Mr　Meagles；　and
his　wife　and　daughter；　during　some　months。'　（Nobody's　heart　might　have
been　wrung　by　the　remembrance。）

'Really　forting；　because　you　must　have　had　a　large　experience　of
them。　You　see；　Mr　Clennam；　this　thing　has　been　going　on　for　a　long　time；
and　I　find　no　improvement　in　it。　Therefore　to　have　the　opportunity　of
speaking　to　o