little dorrit-信丽(英文版)- 第63部分

How　do　you　do；　ma'am？　You　are　looking　charming　to…day！　I　am　delighted
to　see　you。　Favour　me　with　your　arm；　ma'am；　we'll　have　a　little　walk
together；　you　and　me；　if　you'll　honour　me　with　your　pany。'　And　so
escorted　Mr　F。's　Aunt　down　the　private　staircase　of　the　counting…house
with　great　gallantry　and　success。　The　patriarchal　Mr　Casby　then　rose
with　the　air　of　having　done　it　himself；　and　blandly　followed：　leaving
his　daughter；　as　she　followed　in　her　turn；　to　remark　to　her　former　lover
in　a　distracted　whisper　（which　she　very　much　enjoyed）；　that　they　had
drained　the　cup　of　life　to　the　dregs；　and　further　to　hint　mysteriously
that　the　late　Mr　F。　was　at　the　bottom　of　it。

Alone　again；　Clennam　became　a　prey　to　his　old　doubts　in　reference　to　his
mother　and　Little　Dorrit；　and　revolved　the　old　thoughts　and　suspicions。
They　were　all　in　his　mind；　blending　themselves　with　the　duties　he　was
mechanically　discharging；　when　a　shadow　on　his　papers　caused　him　to　look
up　for　the　cause。　The　cause　was　Mr　Pancks。　With　his　hat　thrown　back　upon
his　ears　as　if　his　wiry　prongs　of　hair　had　darted　up　like　springs　and
cast　it　off；　with　his　jet…black　beads　of　eyes　inquisitively　sharp；　with
the　fingers　of　his　right　hand　in　his　mouth　that　he　might　bite　the　nails；
and　with　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand　in　reserve　in　his　pocket　for
another　course；　Mr　Pancks　cast　his　shadow　through　the　glass　upon　the
books　and　papers。

Mr　Pancks　asked；　with　a　little　inquiring　twist　of　his　head；　if　he
might　e　in　again？　Clennam　replied　with　a　nod　of　his　head　in　the
affirmative。　Mr　Pancks　worked　his　way　in；　came　alongside　the　desk；　made
himself　fast　by　leaning　his　arms　upon　it；　and　started　conversation　with
a　puff　and　a　snort。

'Mr　F。's　Aunt　is　appeased；　I　hope？'　said　Clennam。

'All　right；　sir；'　said　Pancks。

'I　am　so　unfortunate　as　to　have　awakened　a　strong　animosity　in　the
breast　of　that　lady；'　said　Clennam。　'Do　you　know　why？'

'Does　SHE　know　why？'　said　Pancks。

'I　suppose　not。'

'_I_　suppose　not；'　said　Pancks。

He　took　out　his　note…book；　opened　it；　shut　it；　dropped　it　into　his　hat；
which　was　beside　him　on　the　desk；　and　looked　in　at　it　as　it　lay　at　the
bottom　of　the　hat：　all　with　a　great　appearance　of　consideration。

'Mr　Clennam；'　he　then　began；　'I　am　in　want　of　information；　sir。'

'Connected　with　this　firm？'　asked　Clennam。

'No；'　said　Pancks。

'With　what　then；　Mr　Pancks？　That　is　to　say；　assuming　that　you　want　it　of
me。'

'Yes；　sir；　yes；　I　want　it　of　you；'　said　Pancks；　'if　I　can　persuade　you
to　furnish　it。　A；　B；　C；　D。　DA；　DE；　DI；　DO。　Dictionary　order。

Dorrit。　That's　the　name；　sir？'

Mr　Pancks　blew　off　his　peculiar　noise　again；　and　fell　to　at　his
right…hand　nails。　Arthur　looked　searchingly　at　him；　he　returned　the
look。

'I　don't　understand　you；　Mr　Pancks。'

'That's　the　name　that　I　want　to　know　about。'

'And　what　do　you　want　to　know？'

'Whatever　you　can　and　will　tell　me。'　This　prehensive　summary　of　his
desires　was　not　discharged　without　some　heavy　labouring　on　the　part　of
Mr　Pancks's　machinery。

'This　is　a　singular　visit；　Mr　Pancks。　It　strikes　me　as　rather
extraordinary　that　you　should　e；　with　such　an　object；　to　me。'

'It　may　be　all　extraordinary　together；'　returned　Pancks。　'It　may　be　out
of　the　ordinary　course；　and　yet　be　business。　In　short；　it　is　business。　I
am　a　man　of　business。　What　business　have　I　in　this　present　world；　except
to　stick　to　business？　No　business。'

With　his　former　doubt　whether　this　dry　hard　personage　were　quite　in
earnest；　Clennam　again　turned　his　eyes　attentively　upon　his　face。　It
was　as　scrubby　and　dingy　as　ever；　and　as　eager　and　quick　as　ever；　and　he
could　see　nothing　lurking　in　it　that　was　at　all　expressive　of　a　latent
mockery　that　had　seemed　to　strike　upon　his　ear　in　the　voice。

'Now；'　said　Pancks；　'to　put　this　business　on　its　own　footing；　it's　not
my　proprietor's。'

'Do　you　refer　to　Mr　Casby　as　your　proprietor？'

Pancks　nodded。　'My　proprietor。　Put　a　case。　Say；　at　my　proprietor's　I
hear　name……name　of　young　person　Mr　Clennam　wants　to　serve。　Say；　name
first　mentioned　to　my　proprietor　by　Plornish　in　the　Yard。　Say；　I　go　to
Plornish。　Say；　I　ask　Plornish　as　a　matter　of　business　for　information。
Say；　Plornish；　though　six　weeks　in　arrear　to　my　proprietor；　declines。
Say；　Mrs　Plornish　declines。　Say；　both　refer　to　Mr　Clennam。　Put　the
case。'　'Well？'

'Well；　sir；'　returned　Pancks；　'say；　I　e　to　him。　Say；　here　I　am。'

With　those　prongs　of　hair　sticking　up　all　over　his　head；　and　his　breath
ing　and　going　very　hard　and　short；　the　busy　Pancks　fell　back　a　step
（in　Tug　metaphor；　took　half　a　turn　astern）　as　if　to　show　his　dingy　hull
plete；　then　forged　a…head　again；　and　directed　his　quick　glance　by
turns　into　his　hat　where　his　note…book　was；　and　into　Clennam's　face。

'Mr　Pancks；　not　to　trespass　on　your　grounds　of　mystery；　I　will　be　as
plain　with　you　as　I　can。　Let　me　ask　two　questions。　First……'

'All　right！'　said　Pancks；　holding　up　his　dirty　forefinger　with　his
broken　nail。　'I　see！　〃What's　your　motive？〃'

'Exactly。'

'Motive；'　said　Pancks；　'good。　Nothing　to　do　with　my　proprietor；　not
stateable　at　present；　ridiculous　to　state　at　present；　but　good。

Desiring　to　serve　young　person；　name　of　Dorrit；'　said　Pancks；　with　his
forefinger　still　up　as　a　caution。　'Better　admit　motive　to　be　good。'

'Secondly；　and　lastly；　what　do　you　want　to　know？'

Mr　Pancks　fished　up　his　note…book　before　the　question　was　put；　and
buttoning　it　with　care　in　an　inner　breast…pocket；　and　looking　straight
at　Clennam　all　the　time；　replied　with　a　pause　and　a　puff；　'I　want
supplementary　information　of　any　sort。'

Clennam　could　not　withhold　a　smile；　as　the　panting　little　steam…tug；　so
useful　to　that　unwieldy　ship；　the　Casby；　waited　on　and　watched　him　as　if
it　were　seeking　an　opportunity　of　running　in　and　rifling　him　of　all　he
wanted　before　he　could　resist　its　manoeuvres；　though　there　was　that　in
Mr　Pancks's　eagerness；　too；　which　awakened　many　wondering　speculations
in　his　mind。　After　a　little　consideration；　he　resolved　to　supply　Mr
Pancks　with　such　leading　information　as　it　was　in　his　power　to　impart
him；　well　knowing　that　Mr　Pancks；　if　he　failed　in　his　present　research；
was　pretty　sure　to　find　other　means　of　getting　it。

He；　therefore；　first　requesting　Mr　Pancks　to　remember　his　voluntary
declaration　that　his　proprietor　had　no　part　in　the　disclosure；　and　that
his　own　intentions　were　good　（two　declarations　which　that　coaly　little
gentleman　with　the　greatest　ardour　repeated）；　openly　told　him　that　as　to
the　Dorrit　lineage　or　former　place　of　habitation；　he　had　no　information
to　municate；　and　that　his　knowledge　of　the　family　did　not　extend
beyond　the　fact　that　it　appeared　to　be　now　reduced　to　five　members；
namely；　to　two　brothers；　of　whom　one　was　single；　and　one　a　widower　with
three　children。　The　ages　of　the　whole　family　he　made　known　to　Mr　Pancks；
as　nearly　as　he　could　guess　at　them；　and　finally　he　described　to　him
the　position　of　the　Father　of　the　Marshalsea；　and　the　course　of　time　and
events　through　which　he　had　bee　invested　with　that　character。　To
all　this；　Mr　Pancks；　snorting　and　blowing　in　a　more　and　more　portentous
manner　as　he　became　more　interested；　listened　with　great　attention；
appearing　to　derive　the　most　agreeable　sensations　from　the　painfullest
parts　of　the　narrative；　and　particularly　to　be　quite　charmed　by　the
account　of　William　Dorrit's　long　imprisonment。

'In　conclusion；　Mr　Pancks；'　said　Arthur；　'I　have　but　to　say　this。　I　have
reasons　beyond　a　personal　regard　for　speaking　as　little　as　I　can　of　the
Dorrit　family；　particularly　at　my　mother's　house'　（Mr　Pancks　nodded）；
'and　for　knowing　as　much　as　I　can。　So　devoted　a　man　of　business　as　you
are……eh？'

For　Mr　Pancks　had　suddenly　made　that　blowing　effort　with　unusual　force。

'It's　nothing；'　said　Pancks。

'So　devoted　a　man　of　business　as　yourself　has　a　perfect　understanding　of
a　fair　bargain。　I　wish　to　make　a　fair　bargain　with　you；　that　you　shall
enlighten　me　concerning　the　Dorrit　family　when　you　have　it　in　your
power；　as　I　have　enlightened　you。　It　may　not　give　you　a　very　flattering
idea　of　my　business　habits；　that　I　failed　to　make　my　terms　beforehand；'
continued　Clennam；　'but　I　prefer　to　make　them　a　point　of　honour。　I　have
seen　so　much　business　done　on　sharp　principles　that；　to　tell　you　the
truth；　Mr　Pancks；　I　am　tired　of　them。'

Mr　Pancks　laughed。　'It's　a　bargain；　sir；'　said　he。　'You　shall　find　me
stick　to　it。'

After　that；　he　stood　a　little　while　looking　at　Clennam；　and　biting　his
ten　nails　all　round；　evidently　while　he　fixed　in　his　mind　what　he　had
been　told；　and　went　over　it　carefully；　before　the　means　of　supplying　a
gap　in　his　memory　should　be　no　longer　at　hand。　'It's　all　right；'　he　said
at　last；　'and　now　I'll　wish　you　good　day；　as　it's　collecting　day　in　the
Yard。　By…the…bye；　though。　A　lame　foreigner　with　a　stick。'

'Ay；　ay。　You　do　take　a　reference　sometimes；　I　see？'　said　Clennam。

'When　he　can　pay；　sir；'　replied　Pancks。　'Take　all　you　can　get；　and
keep　back　all　you　can't　be　forced　to　give　up。　That's　business。　The　lame
foreigner　with　the　stick　wants　a　top　room　down　the　Yard。　Is　he　good　for
it？'

'I　am；'　said　Clennam；　'and　I　will　answer　for　him。'

'That's　enough。　What　I　must　have　of　Bleeding　Heart　Yard；'　said　Pancks；
making　a　note　of　the　case　in　his　book；　'is　my　bond。　I　want　my　bond；　you
see。　Pay　up；　or　produce　your　property！　That's　the　watchword　down　the
Yard。　The　lame　foreigner　with　the　stick　represented　that　you　sent　him；
but　he　could　represent　（as　far　as　that　goes）　that　the　Great　Mogul　sent
him。　He　has　been　in　the　hospital；　I　believe？'

'Yes。　Through　having　met　with　an　accident。　He　is　only　just　now
discharged。'

'It's　pauperising　a　man；　sir；　I　have　been　shown；　to　let　him　into　a
hospital？'　said　Pancks。　And　again　blew　off　that　remarkable　sound。

'I　have　been　shown　so　too；'　said　Clennam；　coldly。

Mr　Pancks；　being　by　that　time　quite　ready　for　a　start；　got　under　steam
in　a　moment；　and；　without　any　other　signal　or　ceremony；　was　snorting
down　the　step…ladder　and　working　into　Bleeding　Heart　Yard；　before　he
seemed　to　be　well　out　of　the　counting…house。

Throughout　the　remainder　of　the　day；　Bleeding　Heart　Yard　was　in
consternation；　as　the　grim　Pancks　cruised　in　it；　hara