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！
required credentials。 Then said Captain Maroon； 'Now； how much time do
you want to make the other twenty in？ Now； I'll give you a month。' Then
said Captain Maroon； when that wouldn't suit； 'Now； I'll tell what I'll
do with you。 You shall get me a good bill at four months； made payable
at a banking…house； for the other twenty！' Then said Captain Maroon；
when THAT wouldn't suit； 'Now； e； Here's the last I've got to say
to you。 You shall give me another ten down； and I'll run my pen clean
through it。' Then said Captain Maroon when THAT wouldn't suit； 'Now；
I'll tell you what it is； and this shuts it up； he has used me bad； but
I'll let him off for another five down and a bottle of wine； and if you
mean done； say done； and if you don't like it； leave it。' Finally said
Captain Maroon； when THAT wouldn't suit either； 'Hand over； then！'……And
in consideration of the first offer； gave a receipt in full and
discharged the prisoner。
'Mr Plornish；' said Arthur； 'I trust to you； if you please； to keep my
secret。 If you will undertake to let the young man know that he is free；
and to tell him that you were employed to pound for the debt by
some one whom you are not at liberty to name； you will not only do me a
service； but may do him one； and his sister also。'
'The last reason； sir；' said Plornish； 'would be quite sufficient。 Your
wishes shall be attended to。'
'A Friend has obtained his discharge； you can say if you please。 A
Friend who hopes that for his sister's sake； if for no one else's； he
will make good use of his liberty。'
'Your wishes； sir； shall be attended to。'
'And if you will be so good； in your better knowledge of the family； as
to municate freely with me； and to point out to me any means by which
you think I may be delicately and really useful to Little Dorrit； I
shall feel under an obligation to you。'
'Don't name it； sir；' returned Plornish； 'it'll be ekally a pleasure an
a……it'l be ekally a pleasure and a……' Finding himself unable to balance
his sentence after two efforts； Mr Plornish wisely dropped it。 He took
Clennam's card and appropriate pecuniary pliment。
He was earnest to finish his mission at once； and his Principal
was in the same mind。 So his Principal offered to set him down at the
Marshalsea Gate； and they drove in that direction over Blackfriars
Bridge。 On the way； Arthur elicited from his new friend a confused
summary of the interior life of Bleeding Heart Yard。 They was all hard
up there； Mr Plornish said； unmon hard up； to be sure。 Well； he
couldn't say how it was； he didn't know as anybody could say how it was；
all he know'd was； that so it was。
When a man felt； on his own back and in his own belly； that poor he was；
that man （Mr Plornish gave it as his decided belief） know'd well that
he was poor somehow or another； and you couldn't talk it out of him； no
more than you could talk Beef into him。 Then you see； some people as was
better off said； and a good many such people lived pretty close up
to the mark themselves if not beyond it so he'd heerd； that they was
'improvident' （that was the favourite word） down the Yard。 For instance；
if they see a man with his wife and children going to Hampton Court in a
Wan； perhaps once in a year； they says； 'Hallo！ I thought you was poor；
my improvident friend！' Why； Lord； how hard it was upon a man！ What was
a man to do？ He couldn't go mollancholy mad； and even if he did； you
wouldn't be the better for it。 In Mr Plornish's judgment you would be
the worse for it。 Yet you seemed to want to make a man mollancholy mad。
You was always at it……if not with your right hand； with your left。 What
was they a doing in the Yard？ Why； take a look at 'em and see。 There
was the girls and their mothers a working at their sewing； or their
shoe…binding； or their trimming； or their waistcoat making； day and
night and night and day； and not more than able to keep body and soul
together after all……often not so much。 There was people of pretty well
all sorts of trades you could name； all wanting to work； and yet not
able to get it。 There was old people； after working all their lives；
going and being shut up in the workhouse； much worse fed and lodged and
treated altogether； than……Mr Plornish said manufacturers； but appeared
to mean malefactors。 Why； a man didn't know where to turn himself for a
crumb of fort。 As to who was to blame for it； Mr Plornish didn't know
who was to blame for it。 He could tell you who suffered； but he couldn't
tell you whose fault it was。 It wasn't HIS place to find out； and who'd
mind what he said； if he did find out？ He only know'd that it wasn't put
right by them what undertook that line of business； and that it didn't
e right of itself。 And； in brief； his illogical opinion was； that if
you couldn't do nothing for him； you had better take nothing from him
for doing of it； so far as he could make out； that was about what it
e to。 Thus； in a prolix； gently…growling； foolish way； did Plornish
turn the tangled skein of his estate about and about； like a blind man
who was trying to find some beginning or end to it； until they reached
the prison gate。 There； he left his Principal alone； to wonder； as he
rode away； how many thousand Plornishes there might be within a day
or two's journey of the Circumlocution Office； playing sundry curious
variations on the same tune； which were not known by ear in that
glorious institution。
CHAPTER 13。 Patriarchal
The mention of Mr Casby again revived in Clennam's memory the
smouldering embers of curiosity and interest which Mrs Flintwinch had
fanned on the night of his arrival。 Flora Casby had been the beloved of
his boyhood； and Flora was the daughter and only child of wooden…headed
old Christopher （so he was still occasionally spoken of by some
irreverent spirits who had had dealings with him； and in whom
familiarity had bred its proverbial result perhaps）； who was reputed to
be rich in weekly tenants； and to get a good quantity of blood out of
the stones of several unpromising courts and alleys。 After some days of
inquiry and research； Arthur Clennam became convinced that the case of
the Father of the Marshalsea was inde