按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Fanny bade her father good night； and whisked off airily。 Tip had
already clattered down…stairs。 'Now； Mr Clennam；' said the uncle；
looking back as he shuffled out after them； 'the lock； sir； the lock。'
Mr Clennam had two things to do before he followed； one； to offer his
testimonial to the Father of the Marshalsea； without giving pain to his
child； the other to say something to that child； though it were but a
word； in explanation of his having e there。
'Allow me；' said the Father； 'to see you down…stairs。'
She had slipped out after the rest； and they were alone。 'Not on any
account；' said the visitor； hurriedly。 'Pray allow me to……' chink；
chink； chink。
'Mr Clennam；' said the Father； 'I am deeply； deeply……' But his visitor
had shut up his hand to stop the clinking； and had gone down…stairs with
great speed。
He saw no Little Dorrit on his way down； or in the yard。 The last two or
three stragglers were hurrying to the lodge； and he was following；
when he caught sight of her in the doorway of the first house from the
entrance。 He turned back hastily。
'Pray forgive me；' he said； 'for speaking to you here； pray forgive me
for ing here at all！ I followed you to…night。 I did so； that I might
endeavour to render you and your family some service。 You know the
terms on which I and my mother are； and may not be surprised that I
have preserved our distant relations at her house； lest I should
unintentionally make her jealous； or resentful； or do you any injury in
her estimation。 What I have seen here； in this short time； has greatly
increased my heartfelt wish to be a friend to you。 It would repense
me for much disappointment if I could hope to gain your confidence。'
She was scared at first； but seemed to take courage while he spoke to
her。
'You are very good； sir。 You speak very earnestly to me。 But I……but I
wish you had not watched me。'
He understood the emotion with which she said it； to arise in her
father's behalf； and he respected it； and was silent。
'Mrs Clennam has been of great service to me； I don't know what we
should have done without the employment she has given me； I am afraid
it may not be a good return to bee secret with her； I can say no more
to…night； sir。 I am sure you mean to be kind to us。 Thank you； thank
you。' 'Let me ask you one question before I leave。 Have you known my
mother long？'
'I think two years； sir；……The bell has stopped。'
'How did you know her first？ Did she send here for you？'
'No。 She does not even know that I live here。 We have a friend； father
and I……a poor labouring man； but the best of friends……and I wrote out
that I wished to do needlework； and gave his address。 And he got what
I wrote out displayed at a few places where it cost nothing； and Mrs
Clennam found me that way； and sent for me。 The gate will be locked；
sir！'
She was so tremulous and agitated； and he was so moved by passion for
her； and by deep interest in her story as it dawned upon him； that he
could scarcely tear himself away。 But the stoppage of the bell； and the
quiet in the prison； were a warning to depart； and with a few hurried
words of kindness he left her gliding back to her father。
But he remained too late。 The inner gate was locked； and the lodge
closed。 After a little fruitless knocking with his hand； he was standing
there with the disagreeable conviction upon him that he had got to get
through the night； when a voice accosted him from behind。
'Caught； eh？' said the voice。 'You won't go home till morning。 Oh！ It's
you； is it； Mr Clennam？'
The voice was Tip's； and they stood looking at one another in the
prison…yard； as it began to rain。
'You've done it；' observed Tip； 'you must be sharper than that next
time。'
'But you are locked in too；' said Arthur。
'I believe I am！' said Tip； sarcastically。 'About！ But not in your way。
I belong to the shop； only my sister has a theory that our governor must
never know it。 I don't see why； myself。'
'Can I get any shelter？' asked Arthur。 'What had I better do？'
'We had better get hold of Amy first of all；' said Tip； referring any
difficulty to her as a matter of course。
'I would rather walk about all night……it's not much to do……than give
that trouble。'
'You needn't do that； if you don't mind paying for a bed。 If you don't
mind paying； they'll make you up one on the Snuggery table； under the
circumstances。 If you'll e along； I'll introduce you there。'
As they passed down the yard； Arthur looked up at the window of the room
he had lately left； where the light was still burning。 'Yes； sir；' said
Tip； following his glance。 'That's the governor's。 She'll sit with him
for another hour reading yesterday's paper to him； or something of that
sort； and then she'll e out like a little ghost； and vanish away
without a sound。'
'I don't understand you。'
'The governor sleeps up in the room； and she has a lodging at the
turnkey's。 First house there；' said Tip； pointing out the doorway into
which she had retired。 'First house； sky parlour。 She pays twice as much
for it as she would for one twice as good outside。 But she stands by the
governor； poor dear girl； day and night。'
This brought them to the tavern…establishment at the upper end of the
prison； where the collegians had just vacated their social evening club。
The apartment on the ground…floor in which it was held； was the Snuggery
in question； the presidential tribune of the chairman； the pewter…pots；
glasses； pipes； tobacco…ashes； and general flavour of members； were
still as that convivial institution had left them on its adjournment。
The Snuggery had two of the qualities popularly held to be essential to
grog for ladies； in respect that it was hot and strong； but in the third
point of analogy； requiring plenty of it； the Snuggery was defective；
being but a cooped…up apartment。
The unaccustomed visitor from outside； naturally assumed everybody here
to be prisoners……landlord； waiter； barmaid； potboy； and all。 Whether
they were or not； did not appear； but they all had a weedy look。 The
keeper of a chandler's shop in a front parlour； who took in gentlemen
boarders； lent his assistance in making the bed。 He had been a tailor in
his time； and had kept a phaeton； he said。 He boasted that he stood up
litigiously for the interests of the college； and he had undefined and
undefinable ideas that the marshal intercepted a 'Fund；' which ought to
e to the collegians。 He liked to believe this； and always impressed
the shadowy grievance on new…ers and strangers； though he could not；
for his life； have explained what Fund he meant； or how the notion had
got rooted in his soul。 He had fully convinced himself； notwithstanding；
that his own proper share of the Fund was three and ninepence a week；
and that in this amount he； as an individual collegian； was swindled by
the marshal； regularly every Monday。 Apparently； he helped to make the
bed； that he might not lose an opportunity of stating this case； after
which unloading of his mind； and after announcing （as it seemed he
always did； without anything ing of it） that he was going to write a
letter to the papers and show the marshal up； he fell into miscellaneous
conversation with the rest。 It was evident from the general tone of the
whole party； that they had e to regard insolvency as the normal state
of mankind； and the payment of debts as a disease that occasionally
broke out。 In this strange scene； and with these strange spectres
flitting about him； Arthur Clennam looked on at the preparations as if
they were part of a dream。 Pending which； the long…initiated Tip； with
an awful enjoyment of the Snuggery's resources； pointed out the mon
kitchen fire maintained by subscription of collegians； the boiler for
hot water supported in like manner； and other premises generally tending
to the deduction that the way to be healthy； wealthy； and wise； was to
e to the Marshalsea。
The two tables put together in a corner； were； at length； converted into
a very fair bed； and the stranger was left to the Windsor chairs；
the presidential tribune； the beery atmosphere； sawdust； pipe…lights；
spittoons and repose。 But the last item was long； long； long；