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！
and perating him with a sense of the appalling difficulties of the
Anglo…Saxon tongue。
It was in this stage of his progress； and in about the third week of his
occupation； that Mr Pancks's fancy became attracted by the little man。
Mounting to his attic； attended by Mrs Plornish as interpreter； he found
Mr Baptist with no furniture but his bed on the ground； a table； and a
chair； carving with the aid of a few simple tools； in the blithest way
possible。
'Now； old chap；' said Mr Pancks； 'pay up！'
He had his money ready； folded in a scrap of paper； and laughingly
handed it in； then with a free action； threw out as many fingers of his
right hand as there were shillings； and made a cut crosswise in the air
for an odd sixpence。
'Oh！' said Mr Pancks； watching him； wonderingly。 'That's it； is it？
You're a quick customer。 It's all right。 I didn't expect to receive it；
though。'
Mrs Plornish here interposed with great condescension； and explained to
Mr Baptist。 'E please。 E glad get money。'
The little man smiled and nodded。 His bright face seemed unmonly
attractive to Mr Pancks。 'How's he getting on in his limb？' he asked Mrs
Plornish。
'Oh； he's a deal better； sir；' said Mrs Plornish。 'We expect next week
he'll be able to leave off his stick entirely。' （The opportunity
being too favourable to be lost； Mrs Plornish displayed her great
acplishment by explaining with pardonable pride to Mr Baptist； 'E ope
you leg well soon。'）
'He's a merry fellow； too；' said Mr Pancks； admiring him as if he were a
mechanical toy。 'How does he live？'
'Why； sir；' rejoined Mrs Plornish； 'he turns out to have quite a power
of carving them flowers that you see him at now。' （Mr Baptist； watching
their faces as they spoke； held up his work。 Mrs Plornish interpreted in
her Italian manner； on behalf of Mr Pancks； 'E please。 Double good！'）
'Can he live by that？' asked Mr Pancks。 'He can live on very little；
sir； and it is expected as he will be able； in time； to make a very good
living。 Mr Clennam got it him to do； and gives him odd jobs besides in
at the Works next door……makes 'em for him； in short； when he knows he
wants 'em。'
'And what does he do with himself； now； when he ain't hard at it？' said
Mr Pancks。
'Why； not much as yet； sir； on accounts I suppose of not being able to
walk much； but he goes about the Yard； and he chats without particular
understanding or being understood； and he plays with the children；
and he sits in the sun……he'll sit down anywhere； as if it was an
arm…chair……and he'll sing； and he'll laugh！'
'Laugh！' echoed Mr Pancks。 'He looks to me as if every tooth in his head
was always laughing。'
'But whenever he gets to the top of the steps at t'other end of the
Yard；' said Mrs Plornish； 'he'll peep out in the curiousest way！ So that
some of us thinks he's peeping out towards where his own country is； and
some of us thinks he's looking for somebody he don't want to see； and
some of us don't know what to think。'
Mr Baptist seemed to have a general understanding of what she said； or
perhaps his quickness caught and applied her slight action of peeping。
In any case he closed his eyes and tossed his head with the air of a man
who had sufficient reasons for what he did； and said in his own tongue；
it didn't matter。 Altro！
'What's Altro？' said Pancks。
'Hem！ It's a sort of a general kind of expression； sir；' said Mrs
Plornish。
'Is it？' said Pancks。 'Why； then Altro to you； old chap。 Good afternoon。
Altro！'
Mr Baptist in his vivacious way repeating the word several times； Mr
Pancks in his duller way gave it him back once。 From that time it became
a frequent custom with Pancks the gipsy； as he went home jaded at night；
to pass round by Bleeding Heart Yard； go quietly up the stairs； look in
at Mr Baptist's door； and； finding him in his room； to say； 'Hallo； old
chap！ Altro！' To which Mr Baptist would reply with innumerable bright
nods and smiles； 'Altro； signore； altro； altro； altro！' After this
highly condensed conversation； Mr Pancks would go his way with an
appearance of being lightened and refreshed。
CHAPTER 26。 Nobody's State of Mind
If Arthur Clennam had not arrived at that wise decision firmly to
restrain himself from loving Pet； he would have lived on in a state of
much perplexity； involving difficult struggles with his own heart。 Not
the least of these would have been a contention； always waging within
it； between a tendency to dislike Mr Henry Gowan； if not to regard
him with positive repugnance； and a whisper that the inclination was
unworthy。 A generous nature is not prone to strong aversions； and is
slow to admit them even dispassionately； but when it finds ill…will
gaining upon it； and can discern between…whiles that its origin is not
dispassionate； such a nature bees distressed。
Therefore Mr Henry Gowan would have clouded Clennam's mind； and would
have been far oftener present to it than more agreeable persons and
subjects but for the great prudence of his decision aforesaid。 As it
was； Mr Gowan seemed transferred to Daniel Doyce's mind； at all events；
it so happened that it usually fell to Mr Doyce's turn； rather than
to Clennam's； to speak of him in the friendly conversations they held
together。 These were of frequent occurrence now； as the two partners
shared a portion of a roomy house in one of the grave old…fashioned City
streets； lying not far from the Bank of England； by London Wall。
Mr Doyce had been to Twickenham to pass the day。 Clennam had excused
himself。 Mr Doyce was just e home。 He put in his head at the door of
Clennam's sitting…room to say Good night。
'e in； e in！' said Clennam。
'I saw you were reading；' returned Doyce； as he entered； 'and thought
you might not care to be disturbed。'
But for the notable resolution he had made； Clennam really might not
have known what he had been reading； really might not have had his eyes
upon the book for an hour past； though it lay open before him。 He shut
it up； rather quickly。
'Are they well？' he asked。
'Yes；' said Doyce； 'they are well。 They are all well。'
Daniel had an old workmanlike habit of carrying his pocket…handkerchief
in his hat。 He took it out and wiped his forehead with it； slowly
repeating； 'They are all well。 Miss Minnie looking particularly well； I
thought。'
'Any pany at the cottage？'
'No； no pany。' 'And how did you get on； you four？' asked Clennam
gaily。
'There were five of us；' returned his partner。 'There was
What's…his…name。 He was there。' 'Who is he？' said Clennam。
'Mr Henry Gowan。'
'Ah； to be sure！' cried Clennam with unusual vivacity； 'Yes！……I forgot
him。'
'As I mentioned； you may remember；' said Daniel Doyce； 'he is always
there on Sunday。'
'Yes； yes；' returned Clennam； 'I remember now。'
Daniel Doyce； still wiping his forehead； ploddingly repeated。 'Yes。 He
was there； he was there。 Oh yes； he was there。 And his dog。 He was there
too。'
'Miss Meagles is quite attached to……the……dog；' observed Clennam。
'Quite so；' assented his partner。 'More attached to the dog than I am to
the man。'
'You mean Mr……？'
'I mean Mr Gowan； most decidedly；' said Daniel Doyce。
There was a gap in the conversation； which Clennam devoted to winding up
his watch。
'Perhaps you are a little hasty in your judgment；' he said。 'Our
judgments……I am supposing a general case……'
'Of course；' said Doyce。
'Are so liable to be influenced by many considerations； which； almost
without our knowing it； are unfair； that it is necessary to keep a guard
upon them。 For instance； Mr……'
'Gowan；' quietly said Doyce； upon whom the utterance of the name almost
always devolved。
'Is young and handsome； easy and quick； has talent； and has seen a
good deal of various kinds of life。 It might be difficult to give an
unselfish reason for being prepossessed against him。'
'Not difficult for me； I think； Clennam；' returned his partner。 'I see
him bringing present anxiety； and； I fear； future sorrow； into my old
friend's house。 I see him wearing deeper lines into my old friend's
face； the nearer he draws to； and the oftener he looks at； the face
of his daughter。 In short； I see him with a about the