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！
tears from his eyes as he saw and heard her。
'Don't call it home； my child！' he entreated。 'It is always painful to
me to hear you call it home。'
'But it is home！ What else can I call home？ Why should I ever forget it
for a single moment？'
'You never do； dear Little Dorrit； in any good and true service。'
'I hope not； O I hope not！ But it is better for me to stay there； much
better； much more dutiful； much happier。 Please don't go with me； let me
go by myself。 Good…bye； God bless you。 Thank you； thank you。'
He felt that it was better to respect her entreaty； and did not move
while her slight form 。 When it had fluttered
out of sight； he turned his face towards the water and stood thinking。
She would have been distressed at any time by this discovery of the
letters； but so much so； and in that unrestrainable way？
No。
When she had seen her father begging with his threadbare disguise on；
when she had entreated him not to give her father money； she had
been distressed； but not like this。 Something had made her keenly and
additionally sensitive just now。 Now； was there some one in the hopeless
unattainable distance？ Or had the suspicion been brought into his mind；
by his own associations of the troubled river running beneath the bridge
with the same river higher up； its changeless tune upon the prow of the
ferry…boat； so many miles an hour the peaceful flowing of the stream；
here the rushes； there the lilies； nothing uncertain or unquiet？
He thought of his poor child； Little Dorrit； for a long time there； he
thought of her going home； he thought of her in the night； he thought
of her when the day came round again。 And the poor child Little Dorrit
thought of him……too faithfully； ah； too faithfully！……in the shadow of
the Marshalsea wall。
CHAPTER 23。 Machinery in Motion
Mr Meagles bestirred himself with such prompt activity in the matter of
the negotiation with Daniel Doyce which Clennam had entrusted to him；
that he soon brought it into business train； and called on Clennam at
nine o'clock one morning to make his report。 'Doyce is highly gratified
by your good opinion；' he opened the business by saying； 'and desires
nothing so much as that you should examine the affairs of the Works for
yourself； and entirely understand them。 He has handed me the keys of
all his books and papers……here they are jingling in this pocket……and the
only charge he has given me is 〃Let Mr Clennam have the means of putting
himself on a perfect equality with me as to knowing whatever I know。
If it should e to nothing after all； he will respect my confidence。
Unless I was sure of that to begin with； I should have nothing to do
with him。〃 And there； you see；' said Mr Meagles； 'you have Daniel Doyce
all over。'
'A very honourable character。'
'Oh； yes； to be sure。 Not a doubt of it。 Odd； but very honourable。 Very
odd though。 Now； would you believe； Clennam；' said Mr Meagles； with
a hearty enjoyment of his friend's eccentricity； 'that I had a whole
morning in What's…his…name Yard……'
'Bleeding Heart？'
'A whole morning in Bleeding Heart Yard； before I could induce him to
pursue the subject at all？'
'How was that？'
'How was that； my friend？ I no sooner mentioned your name in connection
with it than he declared off。'
'Declared off on my account？'
'I no sooner mentioned your name； Clennam； than he said； 〃That will
never do！〃 What did he mean by that？ I asked him。 No matter； Meagles；
that would never do。 Why would it never do？ You'll hardly believe it；
Clennam；' said Mr Meagles； laughing within himself； 'but it came out
that it would never do； because you and he； walking down to Twickenham
together； had glided into a friendly conversation in the course of which
he had referred to his intention of taking a partner； supposing at the
time that you were as firmly and finally settled as St Paul's Cathedral。
〃Whereas；〃 says he； 〃Mr Clennam might now believe； if I entertained his
proposition； that I had a sinister and designing motive in what was open
free speech。 Which I can't bear；〃 says he； 〃which I really am too proud
to bear。〃'
'I should as soon suspect……'
'Of course you would；' interrupted Mr Meagles； 'and so I told him。 But
it took a morning to scale that wall； and I doubt if any other man
than myself （he likes me of old） could have got his leg over it。 Well；
Clennam。 This business…like obstacle surmounted； he then stipulated that
before resuming with you I should look over the books and form my own
opinion。 I looked over the books； and formed my own opinion。 〃Is it； on
the whole； for； or against？〃 says he。 〃For；〃 says I。 〃Then；〃 says he；
〃you may now； my good friend； give Mr Clennam the means of forming
his opinion。 To enable him to do which； without bias and with perfect
freedom； I shall go out of town for a week。〃 And he's gone；' said Mr
Meagles； that's the rich conclusion of the thing。'
'Leaving me；' said Clennam； 'with a high sense； I must say； of his
candour and his……'
'Oddity；' Mr Meagles struck in。 'I should think so！'
It was not exactly the word on Clennam's lips； but he forbore to
interrupt his good…humoured friend。
'And now；' added Mr Meagles； 'you can begin to look into matters as soon
as you think proper。 I have undertaken to explain where you may want
explanation； but to be strictly impartial； and to do nothing more。'
They began their perquisitions in Bleeding Heart Yard that same
forenoon。 Little peculiarities were easily to be detected by experienced
eyes in Mr Doyce's way of managing his affairs； but they almost always
involved some ingenious simplification of a difficulty； and some plain
road to the desired end。 That his papers were in arrear； and that he
stood in need of assistance to develop the capacity of his business； was
clear enough； but all the results of his undertakings during many years
were distinctly set forth； and were ascertainable with ease。 Nothing had
been done for the purposes of the pending investigation； everything was
in its genuine working dress； and in a certain honest rugged order。 The
calculations and entries； in his own hand； of which there were many；
were bluntly written； and with no very neat precision； but were always
plain and directed straight to the purpose。 It occurred to Arthur that
a far more elaborate and taking show of business……such as the records of
the Circumlocution Office made perhaps……might be far less serviceable；
as being meant to be far less intelligible。
Three or four days of steady application tendered him master of all the
facts it was essential to bee acquainted with。 Mr Meagles was at hand
the whole time； always ready to illuminate any dim place with the bright
little safety…lamp belonging to the scales and scoop。 Between them they
agreed upon the sum it would be fair to offer for the purchase of a
half…share in the business； and then Mr Meagles unsealed a paper in
which Daniel Doyce had noted the amount at which he valued it； which was
even something less。 Thus； when Daniel came back； he found the affair as
good as concluded。
'And I may now avow； Mr Clennam；' said he； with a cordial shake of the
hand； 'that if I had looked high and low for a partner； I believe I
could not have found one more to my mind。'
'I say the same；' said Clennam。
'And I say of both of you；' added Mr Meagles； 'that you are well
matched。 You keep him in check； Clennam； with your mon sense； and you
stick to the Works； Dan； with your……'
'Unmon sense？' suggested Daniel； ile。
'You may call it so； if you like……and each of you will be a right hand
to the other。 Here's my own right hand upon it； as a practical man； to
both of you。'
The purchase was pleted within a month。 It left Arthur in possession
of private personal means not exceeding a few hundred pounds； but it
opened to him an active and promising career。 The three friends dined
together on the auspicious occasion； the factory and the factory wives
and children made holiday and dined too； even Bleeding Heart Yard
dined and was full of meat。 Two months had barely gone by in all； when
Bleeding Heart Yard had bee so familiar with short…mons again；
that the treat was forgotten there； when nothing seemed new in the
partnership but the paint of the inscription on the door…posts； DOYCE
AND CLENNAM； when it appeared even to Clennam himself； that he had had
the affairs of the firm in his mind for years。
The little counting…house reserved for his own occupation； was a room of
wood and glass at the end of a long low workshop； filled with benches；
and vices； and tools； and straps； and wheels； which； when they were
in gear with the steam…engine； went tearing round as though they had a
suicidal mission to grind the business to dust and tear the factory to
pieces。 A munication of great trap…doors in the floor and roof with
the workshop above and the workshop below； made a shaft of light in
this perspective； which brought to Clennam's mind the child's old
picture…book； where similar rays were the witnesses of Abel's
murder。 The noises were sufficiently removed and shut out from the
counting…house to blend into a busy hum； interspersed with periodical
clinks and thumps。 The patient figures at