little dorrit-信丽(英文版)- 第20部分

'Perhaps。'　The　irresolute　fingers　went　to　the　trembling　lip。　'I　hope　she
will。　She　may　not　think　of　it。'

'Or　p'raps；'　said　the　turnkey；　offering　his　suggestions　from　the　the　top
of　his　well…worn　wooden　stool；　as　he　might　have　offered　them　to　a　child
for　whose　weakness　he　felt　a　passion；　'p'raps　she'll　get　her　brother；
or　her　sister；　to　e　along　with　her。'

'She　has　no　brother　or　sister。'

'Niece；　nevy；　cousin；　serwant；　young　'ooman；　greengrocer。……Dash　it！

One　or　another　on　'em；'　said　the　turnkey；　repudiating　beforehand　the
refusal　of　all　his　suggestions。

'I　fear……I　hope　it　is　not　against　the　rules……that　she　will　bring　the
children。'

'The　children？'　said　the　turnkey。　'And　the　rules？　Why；　lord　set　you
up　like　a　corner　pin；　we've　a　reg'lar　playground　o'　children　here。
Children！　Why　we　swarm　with　'em。　How　many　a　you　got？'

'Two；'　said　the　debtor；　lifting　his　irresolute　hand　to　his　lip　again；
and　turning　into　the　prison。

The　turnkey　followed　him　with　his　eyes。　'And　you　another；'　he　observed
to　himself；　'which　makes　three　on　you。　And　your　wife　another；　I'll　lay
a　crown。　Which　makes　four　on　you。　And　another　ing；　I'll　lay
half…a…crown。　Which'll　make　five　on　you。　And　I'll　go　another　seven　and
sixpence　to　name　which　is　the　helplessest；　the　unborn　baby　or　you！'

He　was　right　in　all　his　particulars。　She　came　next　day　with　a　little
boy　of　three　years　old；　and　a　little　girl　of　two；　and　he　stood　entirely
corroborated。

'Got　a　room　now；　haven't　you？'　the　turnkey　asked　the　debtor　after　a　week
or　two。

'Yes；　I　have　got　a　very　good　room。'

'Any　little　sticks　a　ing　to　furnish　it？'　said　the　turnkey。

'I　expect　a　few　necessary　articles　of　furniture　to　be　delivered　by　the
carrier；　this　afternoon。'

'Missis　and　little　'uns　a　ing　to　keep　you　pany？'　asked　the
turnkey。

'Why；　yes；　we　think　it　better　that　we　should　not　be　scattered；　even　for
a　few　weeks。'

'Even　for　a　few　weeks；　OF　course；'　replied　the　turnkey。　And　he　followed
him　again　with　his　eyes；　and　nodded　his　head　seven　times　when　he　was
gone。

The　affairs　of　this　debtor　were　perplexed　by　a　partnership；　of　which　he
knew　no　more　than　that　he　had　invested　money　in　it；　by　legal　matters
of　assignment　and　settlement；　conveyance　here　and　conveyance　there；
suspicion　of　unlawful　preference　of　creditors　in　this　direction；　and　of
mysterious　spiriting　away　of　property　in　that；　and　as　nobody　on　the　face
of　the　earth　could　be　more　incapable　of　explaining　any　single　item　in
the　heap　of　confusion　than　the　debtor　himself；　nothing　prehensible
could　be　made　of　his　case。　To　question　him　in　detail；　and　endeavour
to　reconcile　his　answers；　to　closet　him　with　accountants　and　sharp
practitioners；　learned　in　the　wiles　of　insolvency　and　bankruptcy；　was
only　to　put　the　case　out　at　pound　interest　and　inprehensibility。
The　irresolute　fingers　fluttered　more　and　more　ineffectually　about　the
trembling　lip　on　every　such　occasion；　and　the　sharpest　practitioners
gave　him　up　as　a　hopeless　job。

'Out？'　said　the　turnkey；　'he'll　never　get　out；　unless　his　creditors　take
him　by　the　shoulders　and　shove　him　out。'

He　had　been　there　five　or　six　months；　when　he　came　running　to　this
turnkey　one　forenoon　to　tell　him；　breathless　and　pale；　that　his　wife　was
ill。

'As　anybody　might　a　known　she　would　be；'　said　the　turnkey。

'We　intended；'　he　returned；　'that　she　should　go　to　a　country　lodging
only　to…morrow。　What　am　I　to　do！　Oh；　good　heaven；　what　am　I　to　do！'

'Don't　waste　your　time　in　clasping　your　hands　and　biting　your　fingers；'
responded　the　practical　turnkey；　taking　him　by　the　elbow；　'but　e
along　with　me。'

The　turnkey　conducted　him……trembling　from　head　to　foot；　and　constantly
crying　under　his　breath；　What　was　he　to　do！　while　his　irresolute　fingers
bedabbled　the　tears　upon　his　face……up　one　of　the　mon　staircases　in
the　prison　to　a　door　on　the　garret　story。　Upon　which　door　the　turnkey
knocked　with　the　handle　of　his　key。

'e　in！'　cried　a　voice　inside。

The　turnkey；　opening　the　door；　disclosed　in　a　wretched；　ill…smelling
little　room；　two　hoarse；　puffy；　red…faced　personages　seated　at　a
rickety　table；　playing　at　all…fours；　smoking　pipes；　and　drinking　brandy。
'Doctor；'　said　the　turnkey；　'here's　a　gentleman's　wife　in　want　of　you
without　a　minute's　loss　of　time！'

The　doctor's　friend　was　in　the　positive　degree　of　hoarseness；　puffiness；
red…facedness；　all…fours；　tobacco；　dirt；　and　brandy；　the　doctor　in
the　parative……hoarser；　puffier；　more　red…faced；　more　all…fourey；
tobaccoer；　dirtier；　and　brandier。　The　doctor　was　amazingly　shabby；　in
a　torn　and　darned　rough…weather　sea…jacket；　out　at　elbows　and　eminently
short　of　buttons　（he　had　been　in　his　time　the　experienced　surgeon
carried　by　a　passenger　ship）；　the　dirtiest　white　trousers　conceivable　by
mortal　man；　carpet　slippers；　and　no　visible　linen。　'Childbed？'　said
the　doctor。　'I'm　the　boy！'　With　that　the　doctor　took　a　b　from　the
chimney…piece　and　stuck　his　hair　upright……which　appeared　to　be　his
way　of　washing　himself……produced　a　professional　chest　or　case；　of　most
abject　appearance；　from　the　cupboard　where　his　cup　and　saucer　and　coals
were；　settled　his　chin　in　the　frowsy　wrapper　round　his　neck；　and　became
a　ghastly　medical　scarecrow。

The　doctor　and　the　debtor　ran　down…stairs；　leaving　the　turnkey　to　return
to　the　lock；　and　made　for　the　debtor's　room。　All　the　ladies　in　the
prison　had　got　hold　of　the　news；　and　were　in　the　yard。　Some　of　them
had　already　taken　possession　of　the　two　children；　and　were　hospitably
carrying　them　off；　others　were　offering　loans　of　little　forts　from
their　own　scanty　store；　others　were　sympathising　with　the　greatest
volubility。　The　gentlemen　prisoners；　feeling　themselves　at　a
disadvantage；　had　for　the　most　part　retired；　not　to　say　sneaked；
to　their　rooms；　from　the　open　windows　of　which　some　of　them　now
plimented　the　doctor　with　whistles　as　he　passed　below；　while　others；
with　several　stories　between　them；　interchanged　sarcastic　references　to
the　prevalent　excitement。

It　was　a　hot　summer　day；　and　the　prison　rooms　were　baking　between　the
high　walls。　In　the　debtor's　confined　chamber；　Mrs　Bangham；　charwoman　and
messenger；　who　was　not　a　prisoner　（though　she　had　been　once）；　but
was　the　popular　medium　of　munication　with　the　outer　world；　had
volunteered　her　services　as　fly…catcher　and　general　attendant。　The　walls
and　ceiling　were　blackened　with　flies。　Mrs　Bangham；　expert　in　sudden
device；　with　one　hand　fanned　the　patient　with　a　cabbage　leaf；　and　with
the　other　set　traps　of　vinegar　and　sugar　in　gallipots；　at　the　same　time
enunciating　sentiments　of　an　encouraging　and　congratulatory　nature；
adapted　to　the　occasion。

'The　flies　trouble　you；　don't　they；　my　dear？'　said　Mrs　Bangham。　'But
p'raps　they'll　take　your　mind　off　of　it；　and　do　you　good。　What　between
the　buryin　ground；　the　grocer's；　the　waggon…stables；　and　the　paunch
trade；　the　Marshalsea　flies　gets　very　large。　P'raps　they're　sent　as　a
consolation；　if　we　only　know'd　it。　How　are　you　now；　my　dear？　No　better？
No；　my　dear；　it　ain't　to　be　expected；　you'll　be　worse　before　you're
better；　and　you　know　it；　don't　you？　Yes。　That's　right！　And　to　think　of
a　sweet　little　cherub　being　born　inside　the　lock！　Now　ain'