more intelligence

there were two of the traitor's own blood - his renounced brother and sister - on whom the weight of his guilt rested almost more heavily, at this time, than on the man whom he had so deeply injured. prying and tormenting as the world was, it did mr dombey the service of nerving him to pursuit and revenge. it roused his passion, stung his pride, twisted the one idea of his life into a new shape, and made some gratification of his wrath, the object into which his whole intellectual existence resolved itself. all the stubbornness and implacability of his nature, all its hard impenetrable quality, all its gloom and moroseness, all its exaggerated sense of personal importance, all its jealous disposition to resent the least flaw in the ample recognition of his importance by others, set this way like many streams united into one, and bore him on upon their tide. the most impetuously passionate and violently impulsive of mankind would have been a milder enemy to encounter than the sullen mr dombey wrought to this. a wild beast would have been easier turned or soothed than the grave gentleman without a wrinkle in his starched cravat.

but the very intensity of his purpose became almost a substitute for action in it. while he was yet uninformed of the traitor's retreat, it served to divert his mind from his own calamity, and to entertain it with another prospect. the brother and sister of his false favourite had no such relief; everything in their history, past and present, gave his delinquency a more afflicting meaning to them.

the sister may have sometimes sadly thought that if she had remained with him, the companion and friend she had been once, he might have escaped the crime into which he had fallen. if she ever thought so, it was still without regret for what she had done, without the least doubt of her duty, without any pricing or enhancing of her self-devotion. but when this possibility presented itself to the erring and repentant brother, as it sometimes did, it smote upon his heart with such a keen, reproachful touch as he could hardly bear. no idea of retort upon his cruel brother came into his mind. new accusation of himself, fresh inward lamentings over his own unworthiness, and the ruin in which it was at once his consolation and his self-reproach that he did not stand alone, were the sole kind of reflections to which the discovery gave rise in him.

it was on the very same day whose evening set upon the last chapter, and when mr dombey's world was busiest with the elopement of his wife, that the window of the room in which the brother and sister sat at their early breakfast, was darkened by the unexpected shadow of a man coming to the little porch: which man was perch the messenger.

'i've stepped over from balls pond at a early hour,' said mr perch, confidentially looking in at the room door, and stopping on the mat to wipe his shoes all round, which had no mud upon them, 'agreeable to my instructions last night. they was, to be sure and bring a note to you, mr carker, before you went out in the morning. i should have been here a good hour and a half ago,' said mr perch, meekly, 'but for the state of health of mrs p., who i thought i should have lost in the night, i do assure you, five distinct times.'

'is your wife so ill?' asked harriet.

'why, you see,' said mr perch, first turning round to shut the door carefully, 'she takes what has happened in our house so much to heart, miss. her nerves is so very delicate, you see, and soon unstrung. not but what the strongest nerves had good need to be shook, i'm sure. you feel it very much yourself, no doubts.

harriet repressed a sigh, and glanced at her brother.

'i'm sure i feel it myself, in my humble way,' mr perch went on to say, with a shake of his head, 'in a manner i couldn't have believed if i hadn't been called upon to undergo. it has almost the effect of drink upon me. i literally feels every morning as if i had been taking more than was good for me over-night.'

mr perch's appearance corroborated this recital of his symptoms. there was an air of feverish lassitude about it, that seemed referable to drams; and, which, in fact, might no doubt have been traced to those numerous discoveries of himself in the bars of public-houses, being treated and questioned, which he was in the daily habit of making.

'therefore i can judge,' said mr perch, shaking his head and speaking in a silvery murmur, 'of the feelings of such as is at all peculiarly sitiwated in this most painful rewelation.'

here mr perch waited to be confided in; and receiving no confidence, coughed behind his hand. this leading to nothing, he coughed behind his hat; and that leading to nothing, he put his hat on the ground and sought in his breast pocket for the letter.

'if i rightly recollect, there was no answer,' said mr perch, with an affable smile; 'but perhaps you'll be so good as cast your eye over it, sir.'

john carker broke the seal, which was mr dombey's, and possessing himself of the contents, which were very brief, replied,

'no. no answer is expected.'

'then i shall wish you good morning, miss,' said perch, taking a step toward the door, and hoping, i'm sure, that you'll not permit yourself to be more reduced in mind than you can help, by the late painful rewelation. the papers,' said mr perch, taking two steps back again, and comprehensively addressing both the brother and sister in a whisper of increased mystery, 'is more eager for news of it than you'd suppose possible. one of the sunday ones, in a blue cloak and a white hat, that had previously offered for to bribe me - need i say with what success? - was dodging about our court last night as late as twenty minutes after eight o'clock. i see him myself, with his eye at the counting-house keyhole, which being patent is impervious. another one,' said mr perch, 'with military frogs, is in the parlour of the king's arms all the blessed day. i happened, last week, to let a little obserwation fall there, and next morning, which was sunday, i see it worked up in print, in a most surprising manner.'

mr perch resorted to his breast pocket, as if to produce the paragraph but receiving no encouragement, pulled out his beaver gloves, picked up his hat, and took his leave; and before it was high noon, mr perch had related to several select audiences at the king's arms and elsewhere, how miss carker, bursting into tears, had caught him by both hands, and said, 'oh! dear dear perch, the sight of you is all the comfort i have left!' and how mr john carker had said, in an awful voice, 'perch, i disown him. never let me hear him mentioned as a brother more!'

'dear john,' said harriet, when they were left alone, and had remained silent for some few moments. 'there are bad tidings in that letter.'

'yes. but nothing unexpected,' he replied. 'i saw the writer

yesterday.'

'the writer?'

'mr dombey. he passed twice through the counting house while i was there. i had been able to avoid him before, but of course could not hope to do that long. i know how natural it was that he should regard my presence as something offensive; i felt it must be so, myself.'

'he did not say so?'

'no; he said nothing: but i saw that his glance rested on me for a moment, and i was prepared for what would happen - for what has happened. i am dismissed!'

she looked as little shocked and as hopeful as she could, but it was distressing news, for many reasons.

'"i need not tell you"' said john carker, reading the letter, '"why your name would henceforth have an unnatural sound, in however remote a connexion with mine, or why the daily sight of anyone who bears it, would be unendurable to me. i have to notify the cessation of all engagements between us, from this date, and to request that no renewal of any communication with me, or my establishment, be ever attempted by you." - enclosed is an equivalent in money to a generously long notice, and this is my discharge." heaven knows, harriet, it is a lenient and considerate one, when we remember all!'

'if it be lenient and considerate to punish you at all, john, for the misdeed of another,' she replied gently, 'yes.'

'we have been an ill-omened race to him,' said john carker. 'he has reason to shrink from the sound of our name, and to think that there is something cursed and wicked in our blood. i should almost think it too, harriet, but for you.'

'brother, don't speak like this. if you have any special reason, as you say you have, and think you have - though i say, no!- to love me, spare me the hearing of such wild mad words!'

he covered his face with both his hands; but soon permitted her, coming near him, to take one in her own.

'after so many years, this parting is a melancholy thing, i know,' said his sister, 'and the cause of it is dreadful to us both. we have to live, too, and must look about us for the means. well, well! we can do so, undismayed. it is our pride, not our trouble, to strive, john, and to strive together!'

a smile played on her lips, as she kissed his cheek, and entreated him to be of of good cheer.

'oh, dearest sister! tied, of your own noble will, to a ruined man! whose reputation is blighted; who has no friend himself, and has driven every friend of yours away!'

'john!' she laid her hand hastily upon his lips, 'for my sake! in remembrance of our long companionship!' he was silent 'now, let me tell you, dear,' quietly sitting by his side, 'i have, as you have, expected this; and when i have been thinking of it, and fearing that it would happen, and preparing myself for it, as well as i could, i have resolved to tell you, if it should be so, that i have kept a secret from you, and that we have a friend.'

'what's our friend's name, harriet?' he answered with a sorrowful

smile.

'indeed, i don't know, but he once made a very earnest protestation to me of his friendship and his wish to serve us: and to this day i believe 'him.'

'harriet!' exclaimed her wondering brother, 'where does this friend

live?'

'neither do i know that,' she returned. 'but he knows us both, and our history - all our little history, john. that is the reason why, at his own suggestion, i have kept the secret of his coming, here, from you, lest his acquaintance with it should distress you.

'here! has he been here, harriet?'

'here, in this room. once.'

'what kind of man?'

'not young. "grey-headed," as he said, "and fast growing greyer." but generous, and frank, and good, i am sure.'

'and only seen once, harriet?'

'in this room only once,' said his sister, with the slightest and most transient glow upon her cheek; 'but when here, he entreated me to suffer him to see me once a week as he passed by, in token of our being well, and continuing to need nothing at his hands. for i told him, when he proffered us any service he could render - which was the object of his visit - that we needed nothing.'

'and once a week - '

'once every week since then, and always on the same day, and at the same hour, he his gone past; always on foot; always going in the same direction - towards london; and never pausing longer than to bow to me, and wave his hand cheerfully, as a kind guardian might. he made that promise when he proposed these curious interviews, and has kept it so faithfully and pleasantly, that if i ever felt any trifling uneasiness about them in the beginning (which i don't think i did, john; his manner was so plain and true) it very soon vanished, and left me quite glad when the day was coming. last monday - the first since this terrible event - he did not go by; and i have wondered whether his absence can have been in any way connected with what has happened.'

'how?' inquired her brother.

'i don't know how. i have only speculated on the coincidence; i have not tried to account for it. i feel sure he will return. when he does, dear john, let me tell him that i have at last spoken to you, and let me bring you together. he will certainly help us to a new livelihood. his entreaty was that he might do something to smooth my life and yours; and i gave him my promise that if we ever wanted a friend, i would remember him.'

'then his name was to be no secret, 'harriet,' said her brother, who had listened with close attention, 'describe this gentleman to me. i surely ought to know one who knows me so well.'

his sister painted, as vividly as she could, the features, stature, and dress of her visitor; but john carker, either from having no knowledge of the original, or from some fault in her description, or from some abstraction of his thoughts as he walked to and fro, pondering, could not recognise the portrait she presented to him.

however, it was agreed between them that he should see the original when he next appeared. this concluded, the sister applied herself, with a less anxious breast, to her domestic occupations; and the grey-haired man, late junior of dombey's, devoted the first day of his unwonted liberty to working in the garden.

it was quite late at night, and the brother was reading aloud while the sister plied her needle, when they were interrupted by a knocking at the door. in the atmosphere of vague anxiety and dread that lowered about them in connexion with their fugitive brother, this sound, unusual there, became almost alarming. the brother going to the door, the sister sat and listened timidly. someone spoke to him, and he replied and seemed surprised; and after a few words, the two approached together.

'harriet,' said her brother, lighting in their late visitor, and speaking in a low voice, 'mr morfin - the gentleman so long in dombey's house with james.'

his sister started back, as if a ghost had entered. in the doorway stood the unknown friend, with the dark hair sprinkled with grey, the ruddy face, the broad clear brow, and hazel eyes, whose secret she had kept so long!

'john!' she said, half-breathless. 'it is the gentleman i told you of, today!'

'the gentleman, miss harriet,' said the visitor, coming in - for he had stopped a moment in the doorway - 'is greatly relieved to hear you say that: he has been devising ways and means, all the way here, of explaining himself, and has been satisfied with none. mr john, i am not quite a stranger here. you were stricken with astonishment when you saw me at your door just now. i observe you are more astonished at present. well! that's reasonable enough under existing circumstances. if we were not such creatures of habit as we are, we shouldn't have reason to be astonished half so often.'

by this time, he had greeted harriet with that able mingling of cordiality and respect which she recollected so well, and had sat down near her, pulled off his gloves, and thrown them into his hat upon the table.

'there's nothing astonishing,' he said, 'in my having conceived a desire to see your sister, mr john, or in my having gratified it in my own way. as to the regularity of my visits since (which she may have mentioned to you), there is nothing extraordinary in that. they soon grew into a habit; and we are creatures of habit - creatures of habit!'

putting his hands into his pockets, and leaning back in his chair, he looked at the brother and sister as if it were interesting to him to see them together; and went on to say, with a kind of irritable thoughtfulness:

'it's this same habit that confirms some of us, who are capable of better things, in lucifer's own pride and stubbornness - that confirms and deepens others of us in villainy - more of us in indifference - that hardens us from day to day, according to the temper of our clay, like images, and leaves us as susceptible as images to new impressions and convictions. you shall judge of its influence on me, john. for more years than i need name, i had my small, and exactly defined share, in the management of dombey's house, and saw your brother (who has proved himself a scoundrel! your sister will forgive my being obliged to mention it) extending and extending his influence, until the business and its owner were his football; and saw you toiling at your obscure desk every day; and was quite content to be as little troubled as i might be, out of my own strip of duty, and to let everything about me go on, day by day, unquestioned, like a great machine - that was its habit and mine - and to take it all for granted, and consider it all right. my wednesday nights came regularly round, our quartette parties came regularly off, my violoncello was in good tune, and there was nothing wrong in my world - or if anything not much - or little or much, it was no affair of mine.'

'i can answer for your being more respected and beloved during all that time than anybody in the house, sir,' said john carker.

'pooh! good-natured and easy enough, i daresay,'returned the other, 'a habit i had. it suited the manager; it suited the man he managed: it suited me best of all. i did what was allotted to me to do, made no court to either of them, and was glad to occupy a station in which none was required. so i should have gone on till now, but that my room had a thin wall. you can tell your sister that it was divided from the manager's room by a wainscot partition.'

'they were adjoining rooms; had been one, perhaps, originally; and were separated, as mr morfin says,' said her brother, looking back to him for the resumption of his explanation.

'i have whistled, hummed tunes, gone accurately through the whole of beethoven's sonata in b,' to let him know that i was within hearing,' said mr morfin; 'but he never heeded me. it happened seldom enough that i was within hearing of anything of a private nature, certainly. but when i was, and couldn't otherwise avoid knowing something of it, i walked out. i walked out once, john, during a conversation between two brothers, to which, in the beginning, young walter gay was a party. but i overheard some of it before i left the room. you remember it sufficiently, perhaps, to tell your sister what its nature was?'

'it referred, harriet,' said her brother in a low voice, 'to the past, and to our relative positions in the house.'

'its matter was not new to me, but was presented in a new aspect. it shook me in my habit - the habit of nine-tenths of the world - of believing that all was right about me, because i was used to it,' said their visitor; 'and induced me to recall the history of the two brothers, and to ponder on it. i think it was almost the first time in my life when i fell into this train of reflection - how will many things that are familiar, and quite matters of course to us now, look, when we come to see them from that new and distant point of view which we must all take up, one day or other? i was something less good-natured, as the phrase goes, after that morning, less easy and complacent altogether.'

he sat for a minute or so, drumming with one hand on the table; and resumed in a hurry, as if he were anxious to get rid of his confession.

'before i knew what to do, or whether i could do anything, there was a second conversation between the same two brothers, in which their sister was mentioned. i had no scruples of conscience in suffering all the waifs and strays of that conversation to float to me as freely as they would. i considered them mine by right. after that, i came here to see the sister for myself. the first time i stopped at the garden gate, i made a pretext of inquiring into the character of a poor neighbour; but i wandered out of that tract, and i think miss harriet mistrusted me. the second time i asked leave to come in; came in; and said what i wished to say. your sister showed me reasons which i dared not dispute, for receiving no assistance from me then; but i established a means of communication between us, which remained unbroken until within these few days, when i was prevented, by important matters that have lately devolved upon me, from maintaining them'

'how little i have suspected this,' said john carker, 'when i have seen you every day, sir! if harriet could have guessed your name - '

'why, to tell you the truth, john,' interposed the visitor, 'i kept it to myself for two reasons. i don't know that the first might have been binding alone; but one has no business to take credit for good intentions, and i made up my mind, at all events, not to disclose myself until i should be able to do you some real service or other. my second reason was, that i always hoped there might be some lingering possibility of your brother's relenting towards you both; and in that case, i felt that where there was the chance of a man of his suspicious, watchful character, discovering that you had been secretly befriended by me, there was the chance of a new and fatal cause of division. i resolved, to be sure, at the risk of turning his displeasure against myself - which would have been no matter - to watch my opportunity of serving you with the head of the house; but the distractions of death, courtship, marriage, and domestic unhappiness, have left us no head but your brother for this long, long time. and it would have been better for us,' said the visitor, dropping his voice, 'to have been a lifeless trunk.'

he seemed conscious that these latter words had escaped him against his will, and stretching out a hand to the brother, and a hand to the sister, continued: 'all i could desire to say, and more, i have now said. all i mean goes beyond words, as i hope you understand and believe. the time has come, john - though most unfortunately and unhappily come - when i may help you without interfering with that redeeming struggle, which has lasted through so many years; since you were discharged from it today by no act of your own. it is late; i need say no more to-night. you will guard the treasure you have here, without advice or reminder from me.'

with these words he rose to go.

'but go you first, john,' he said goodhumouredly, 'with a light, without saying what you want to say, whatever that maybe;' john carker's heart was full, and he would have relieved it in speech,' if he could; 'and let me have a word with your sister. we have talked alone before, and in this room too; though it looks more natural with you here.'

following him out with his eyes, he turned kindly to harriet, and said in a lower voice, and with an altered and graver manner:

'you wish to ask me something of the man whose sister it is your misfortune to be.'

'i dread to ask,' said harriet.

'you have looked so earnestly at me more than once,' rejoined the visitor, 'that i think i can divine your question. has he taken money? is it that?'

'yes.'

'he has not.'

'i thank heaven!' said harriet. 'for the sake of john.'

'that he has abused his trust in many ways,' said mr morfin; 'that he has oftener dealt and speculated to advantage for himself, than for the house he represented; that he has led the house on, to prodigious ventures, often resulting in enormous losses; that he has always pampered the vanity and ambition of his employer, when it was his duty to have held them in check, and shown, as it was in his power to do, to what they tended here or there; will not, perhaps, surprise you now. undertakings have been entered on, to swell the reputation of the house for vast resources, and to exhibit it in magnificent contrast to other merchants' houses, of which it requires a steady head to contemplate the possibly - a few disastrous changes of affairs might render them the probably - ruinous consequences. in the midst of the many transactions of the house, in most parts of the world: a great labyrinth of which only he has held the clue: he has had the opportunity, and he seems to have used it, of keeping the various results afloat, when ascertained, and substituting estimates and generalities for facts. but latterly - you follow me, miss harriet?'

'perfectly, perfectly,' she answered, with her frightened face fixed on his. 'pray tell me all the worst at once.

'latterly, he appears to have devoted the greatest pains to making these results so plain and clear, that reference to the private books enables one to grasp them, numerous and varying as they are, with extraordinary ease. as if he had resolved to show his employer at one broad view what has been brought upon him by ministration to his ruling passion! that it has been his constant practice to minister to that passion basely, and to flatter it corruptly, is indubitable. in that, his criminality, as it is connected with the affairs of the house, chiefly consists.'

'one other word before you leave me, dear sir,' said harriet. 'there is no danger in all this?'

'how danger?' he returned, with a little hesitation.

'to the credit of the house?'

'i cannot help answering you plainly, and trusting you completely,' said mr morfin, after a moment's survey of her face.

'you may. indeed you may!'

'i am sure i may. danger to the house's credit? no; none there may be difficulty, greater or less difficulty, but no danger, unless - unless, indeed - the head of the house, unable to bring his mind to the reduction of its enterprises, and positively refusing to believe that it is, or can be, in any position but the position in which he has always represented it to himself, should urge it beyond its strength. then it would totter.'

'but there is no apprehension of that?' said harriet.

'there shall be no half-confidence,' he replied, shaking her hand, 'between us. mr dombey is unapproachable by anyone, and his state of mind is haughty, rash, unreasonable, and ungovernable, now. but he is disturbed and agitated now beyond all common bounds, and it may pass. you now know all, both worst and best. no more to-night, and good-night!'

with that he kissed her hand, and, passing out to the door where her brother stood awaiting his coming, put him cheerfully aside when he essayed to speak; told him that, as they would see each other soon and often, he might speak at another time, if he would, but there was no leisure for it then; and went away at a round pace, in order that no word of gratitude might follow him.

the brother and sister sat conversing by the fireside, until it was almost day; made sleepless by this glimpse of the new world that opened before them, and feeling like two people shipwrecked long ago, upon a solitary coast, to whom a ship had come at last, when they were old in resignation, and had lost all thought of any other home. but another and different kind of disquietude kept them waking too. the darkness out of which this light had broken on them gathered around; and the shadow of their guilty brother was in the house where his foot had never trod.

nor was it to be driven out, nor did it fade before the sun. next morning it was there; at noon; at night darkest and most distinct at night, as is now to be told.

john carker had gone out, in pursuance of a letter of appointment from their friend, and harriet was left in the house alone. she had been alone some hours. a dull, grave evening, and a deepening twilight, were not favourable to the removal of the oppression on her spirits. the idea of this brother, long unseen and unknown, flitted about her in frightful shapes he was dead, dying, calling to her, staring at her, frowning on her. the pictures in her mind were so obtrusive and exact that, as the twilight deepened, she dreaded to raise her head and look at the dark corners of the room, lest his wraith, the offspring of her excited imagination, should be waiting there, to startle her. once she had such a fancy of his being in the next room, hiding - though she knew quite well what a distempered fancy it was, and had no belief in it - that she forced herself to go there, for her own conviction. but in vain. the room resumed its shadowy terrors, the moment she left it; and she had no more power to divest herself of these vague impressions of dread, than if they had been stone giants, rooted in the solid earth.

it was almost dark, and she was sitting near the window, with her head upon her hand, looking down, when, sensible of a sudden increase in the gloom of the apartment, she raised her eyes, and uttered an involuntary cry. close to the glass, a pale scared face gazed in; vacantly, for an instant, as searching for an object; then the eyes rested on herself, and lighted up.

'let me in! let me in! i want to speak to you!' and the hand rattled on the glass.

she recognised immediately the woman with the long dark hair, to whom she had given warmth, food, and shelter, one wet night. naturally afraid of her, remembering her violent behaviour, harriet, retreating a little from the window, stood undecided and alarmed.

'let me in! let me speak to you! i am thankful - quiet - humble - anything you like. but let me speak to you.'

the vehement manner of the entreaty, the earnest expression of the face, the trembling of the two hands that were raised imploringly, a certain dread and terror in the voice akin to her own condition at the moment, prevailed with harriet. she hastened to the door and opened it.

'may i come in, or shall i speak here?' said the woman, catching at her hand.

'what is it that you want? what is it that you have to say?'

'not much, but let me say it out, or i shall never say it. i am tempted now to go away. there seem to be hands dragging me from the door. let me come in, if you can trust me for this once!'

her energy again prevailed, and they passed into the firelight of the little kitchen, where she had before sat, and ate, and dried her clothes.

'sit there,' said alice, kneeling down beside her, 'and look at me. you remember me?'

'i do.'

'you remember what i told you i had been, and where i came from, ragged and lame, with the fierce wind and weather beating on my head?'

'yes.'

'you know how i came back that night, and threw your money in the dirt, and you and your race. now, see me here, upon my knees. am l less earnest now, than i was then?'

'if what you ask,' said harriet, gently, 'is forgiveness - '

'but it's not!' returned the other, with a proud, fierce look 'what i ask is to be believed. now you shall judge if i am worthy of belief, both as i was, and as i am.'

still upon her knees, and with her eyes upon the fire, and the fire shining on her ruined beauty and her wild black hair, one long tress of which she pulled over her shoulder, and wound about her hand, and thoughtfully bit and tore while speaking, she went on:

'when i was young and pretty, and this,' plucking contemptuously at the hair she held, was only handled delicately, and couldn't be admired enough, my mother, who had not been very mindful of me as a child, found out my merits, and was fond of me, and proud of me. she was covetous and poor, and thought to make a sort of property of me. no great lady ever thought that of a daughter yet, i'm sure, or acted as if she did - it's never done, we all know - and that shows that the only instances of mothers bringing up their daughters wrong, and evil coming of it, are among such miserable folks as us.'

looking at the fire, as if she were forgetful, for the moment, of having any auditor, she continued in a dreamy way, as she wound the long tress of hair tight round and round her hand.

'what came of that, i needn't say. wretched marriages don't come of such things, in our degree; only wretchedness and ruin. wretchedness and ruin came on me - came on me.

raising her eyes swiftly from their moody gaze upon the fire, to harriet's face, she said:

'i am wasting time, and there is none to spare; yet if i hadn't thought of all, i shouldn't be here now. wretchedness and ruin came on me, i say. i was made a short-lived toy, and flung aside more cruelly and carelessly than even such things are. by whose hand do you think?'

'why do you ask me?' said harriet.

'why do you tremble?' rejoined alice, with an eager look. 'his usage made a devil of me. i sunk in wretchedness and ruin, lower and lower yet. i was concerned in a robbery - in every part of it but the gains - and was found out, and sent to be tried, without a friend, without a penny. though i was but a girl, i would have gone to death, sooner than ask him for a word, if a word of his could have saved me. i would! to any death that could have been invented. but my mother, covetous always, sent to him in my name, told the true story of my case, and humbly prayed and petitioned for a small last gift - for not so many pounds as i have fingers on this hand. who was it, do you think, who snapped his fingers at me in my misery, lying, as he believed, at his feet, and left me without even this poor sign of remembrance; well satisfied that i should be sent abroad, beyond the reach of farther trouble to him, and should die, and rot there? who was this, do you think?'

'why do you ask me?' repeated harriet.

'why do you tremble?' said alice, laying her hand upon her arm' and looking in her face, 'but that the answer is on your lips! it was your brother james.

harriet trembled more and more, but did not avert her eyes from the eager look that rested on them.

'when i knew you were his sister - which was on that night - i came back, weary and lame, to spurn your gift. i felt that night as if i could have travelled, weary and lame, over the whole world, to stab him, if i could have found him in a lonely place with no one near. do you believe that i was earnest in all that?'

'i do! good heaven, why are you come again?'

'since then,' said alice, with the same grasp of her arm, and the same look in her face, 'i have seen him! i have followed him with my eyes, in the broad day. if any spark of my resentment slumbered in my bosom, it sprung into a blaze when my eyes rested on him. you know he has wronged a proud man, and made him his deadly enemy. what if i had given information of him to that man?'

'information!' repeated harriet.

'what if i had found out one who knew your brother's secret; who knew the manner of his flight, who knew where he and the companion of his flight were gone? what if i had made him utter all his knowledge, word by word, before his enemy, concealed to hear it? what if i had sat by at the time, looking into this enemy's face, and seeing it change till it was scarcely human? what if i had seen him rush away, mad, in pursuit? what if i knew, now, that he was on his road, more fiend than man, and must, in so many hours, come up with him?'

'remove your hand!' said harriet, recoiling. 'go away! your touch is dreadful to me!'

'i have done this,' pursued the other, with her eager look, regardless of the interruption. 'do i speak and look as if i really had? do you believe what i am saying?'

'i fear i must. let my arm go!'

'not yet. a moment more. you can think what my revengeful purpose must have been, to last so long, and urge me to do this?'

'dreadful!' said harriet.

'then when you see me now,' said alice hoarsely, 'here again, kneeling quietly on the ground, with my touch upon your arm, with my eyes upon your face, you may believe that there is no common earnestness in what i say, and that no common struggle has been battling in my breast. i am ashamed to speak the words, but i relent. i despise myself; i have fought with myself all day, and all last night; but i relent towards him without reason, and wish to repair what i have done, if it is possible. i wouldn't have them come together while his pursuer is so blind and headlong. if you had seen him as he went out last night, you would know the danger better.

'how can it be prevented? what can i do?' cried harriet.

'all night long,' pursued the other, hurriedly, 'i had dreams of him - and yet i didn't sleep - in his blood. all day, i have had him near me.

'what can i do?' cried harriet, shuddering at these words.

'if there is anyone who'll write, or send, or go to him, let them lose no time. he is at dijon. do you know the name, and where it is?'

'yes.'

'warn him that the man he has made his enemy is in a frenzy, and that he doesn't know him if he makes light of his approach. tell him that he is on the road - i know he is! - and hurrying on. urge him to get away while there is time - if there is time - and not to meet him yet. a month or so will make years of difference. let them not encounter, through me. anywhere but there! any time but now! let his foe follow him, and find him for himself, but not through me! there is enough upon my head without.'

the fire ceased to be reflected in her jet black hair, uplifted face, and eager eyes; her hand was gone from harriet's arm; and the place where she had been was empty.

叛逆者的两个亲属——被他抛弃的哥哥和姐姐——这时候比被他伤害了的那个人更沉重地感受到他的罪恶的压力。社会虽然喜爱刺探阴私，折磨人们，但是它却激励董贝先生去追寻和报复他的仇人。它激发他的愤怒，刺痛他的高傲，把他生活的一个观念转变成一种新的形式；解愤息怒就成了他全部思想活动的目的。他的性格中所有那些固执与难以改变的特点，它的所有那些难于接受他人意见的脾气，它的所有那些阴沉与乖戾的特色，它的那种过分自尊自大的意识，它的所有那种容易猜忌的性情（别人对他的重要地位的充分尊重中有一点疏漏都会引起他的愤恨），都像许多溪流一样，沿着这个方向，汇合成了一条大河，载着他沿着潮流前进。最暴躁易怒和感情冲动的人与处于这种状态中的闷闷不乐的董贝先生相比，都显得是一个比较温和的敌人。一头不驯服的野兽也要比这个佩戴着没有一丝皱褶的领带的庄严的绅士更容易阻拦和安抚。

不过他这种强烈的意图本身几乎就可以代替行动。当他还不知道叛逆者躲藏到什么地方的时候，它帮助他转移对他自己不幸的注意，而去思考其他方面的问题。他的奸诈的受他宠信的人的哥哥和姐姐却没有这样的安慰。他们过去的历史和现在的生活中发生的一切事情，使得他的罪行对他们来说有了一种更为痛苦的意义。

姐姐有时可能会悲伤地想到，如果她像过去曾经一度那样，作为他的伴侣和朋友，和他住在一起的话，那么他可能会避免犯下这桩罪行。如果她曾经这样想过的话，那么她仍然没有悔恨过她做过的事情，丝毫没有怀疑过她所尽的责任，也没有评价或夸大过她的自我牺牲精神。可是当犯过错误、感到悔恨的哥哥有时想到有这种可能性的时候，这种想法却重重地打击着他的心，引起他尖锐的自我谴责，使他几乎无法忍受。他从没有对他残酷的弟弟的不幸报复性地感到幸灾乐祸。这一事件暴露以后，在他内心所引起的活动仅仅是重新谴责自己，再一次为他自己过去的卑劣行径默默哀叹；与他共同承受这一厄运的不是他单独一人，这既给他带来安慰，又引起他的自责。

就在我们在上一章叙述过它的晚上的情况的同一天，当董贝先生所属的上流社会正满城风雨地传播着他妻子私奔的消息，哥哥和姐姐正坐在房间里吃早饭的时候，窗外突然闪过一个意料不到的人影，正向小小的门廊里走来，这人就是信差珀奇先生。

“我今天大清早就从鲍尔斯池塘出发到这里来了，”珀奇先生说道，一边带着秘密的神气往房间里面探望，同时在门口的擦鞋棕垫上停下脚步，仔细地擦着鞋子，其实鞋上并没有什么泥土，“这是遵照我在昨天夜里接到的命令。我奉命在您今天早上出门之前一定得把这封短信交给您，卡克先生；要不是珀奇太太身体不好，我本应当在一个半钟头以前就到达这里的，”珀奇先生温顺地说道，“说实在的，这一夜我有五次几乎要失去她。”

“您的太太病得这么厉害吗？”哈里特问道。

“唔，您看，”珀奇先生首先转过身去，把门小心地关上，然后说道，“我们公司里发生的事情她太放在心上了，小姐。您知道，她的神经是很敏感的，所以很快就混乱了。不过，说实在的，只有最坚强的神经才能经受得起这种震惊。毫无疑问，您本人也一定会感到很忧伤的。”

哈里特忍住叹息，向她的弟弟看了一眼。

“说实在的，尽管我是一个微不足道的人物，可是我还是感到很难过，”珀奇先生摇了一下头，继续说道，“如果不是命中注定我得亲身经历这种事情的话，那么就连我自己也难以相信我会这么难过。它对我的影响几乎就像喝酒一样。每天早上我都感到仿佛我在头天夜里喝过了头似的。”

珀奇先生的外貌证实了他所叙述的症状，他有一种由于发烧而引起的倦怠的神色，那似乎都是杯中物所引起的。事实上，追根溯源，是因为他多次去酒吧的缘故。人们在那里款待他，向他问各种问题，他已养成每天都要上酒吧去的习惯。

“所以，”珀奇先生又摇了摇头，用清脆的低语说道，“这件最令人痛苦的事件暴露以后，我不能判断那些处境特殊的人们的感情。”

这时珀奇先生等待着听推心置腹的回答；他没有听到这样的回答，就用手遮着嘴巴咳嗽；这没有引起什么反应，他就用帽子遮着嘴巴咳嗽；这也没有引起什么反应，他就把帽子放在地上，在怀里掏那封信。

“如果我记得不错的话，这是不要求回复的，”珀奇先生露出和蔼可亲的微笑，说道，“不过，也许您肯费神看一遍吧，先生。”

约翰·卡克拆开信封，这是董贝先生的来信，内容十分简短，他看过以后，回答道，“是的，不要求回复。”

“好，那就祝您早上好，小姐，”珀奇往门边走了一步，说道，“同时希望您多多保重，别因为最近这令人痛苦的事件过分悲伤。报纸，”珀奇先生又走回两步，用更为神秘的低语，同时向姐弟两人说话，“急巴巴地想要得到新的消息，急得你们难以想象。有一份星期天出版的报纸派来的人，披着蓝色的斗篷，戴着白色的帽子，（他曾经想用这两件东西来收买我，用不着说，他哪能成功呢？），昨天夜里在我们院子里游来晃去，一直到八点二十分钟才走。我亲眼看见他从我们公司营业所的锁眼里往里面偷看，可是这锁眼是取得专利的，根本看不见里面的东西。还有一个人，”珀奇先生说道，“穿着军装，腰带上有挂武器的圈环，整天都坐在‘国王的纹章’酒馆里；上星期我碰巧在那里无意间讲了一点话，第二天早上（那是个星期天），我看见它在报上令人十分吃惊地登出来了。”

珀奇先生又去掏他怀中的口袋，仿佛想要取出那段新闻来似的，但由于没有得到鼓励，所以就把他的海狸皮手套抽了出来，捡起帽子，离开了。不到正午，珀奇先生就已在‘国王的纹章’和别的地方向几位挑选出来的听众叙述卡克小姐怎样眼泪汪汪，放声大哭，并握着他的手，说道，“啊，亲爱的，亲爱的珀奇，看到您是我唯一的安慰！”约翰·卡克先生则怎样用一种可怕的说道，“珀奇，我和他断绝关系了。永远别再在我面前把他称做我的弟弟了！”

“亲爱的约翰，”当他们只剩下两个人，而且沉默了几分钟之后，哈里特说道，“这封信带来坏消息吧？”

“是的。但是没有什么意料之外的事情，”他回答道，“我昨天看到写信的人。”

“写信的人？”

“董贝先生。当我在营业所里的时候，他两次走过那里。在这之前，我能避免被他看见，但是当然不能希望以后长久都能这样。我知道，在他看来，我在那里是一桩讨厌的事情，这是很自然的。我想，如果我处在他的地位的话，我自己也会那样感觉的。”

“他这样说了没有？”

“没有；他什么也没有说，但是我看到，他的眼光在我身上停留了一会儿；我当时对将会发生的事情（对现在已经发生了的事情）做好了准备。我已经被辞退了。”

她竭力掩饰她的震惊，装出对未来怀有希望的样子，但根据许多理由，这都是令人痛苦的消息。

“‘我不需要向您说明’”约翰·卡克念着信，“‘为什么从今以后我听到您的姓会感到多么刺耳，虽然它和我的姓毫无关系。我也不需要向您说明，为什么每天看到姓这个姓的人是我不能忍受的。我必须通知您，从今天起，我们之间的一切关系就此中断，并请您切勿企图恢复与我或我的公司之间的联系。’信里装了钱，大大超过这时辞退所应得到的数额。我就这样被辞退了。说实在的，哈里特，如果我们回忆起过去一切情形的话，那么我们应当承认，这是一次宽厚的、体谅到我们困难的辞退。”

“如果由于别人的恶劣行为要对你进行惩罚也能说是宽厚的、体谅到我们困难的话，约翰，那么我同意你的意见，”

她温柔地回答道。

“对他来说，我们是一个不吉利的家族，”约翰·卡克说道，“他一听到我们的姓的就感到厌恶，并觉得在我们的血液里有什么该咀咒的和邪恶的东西，他有理由这样想。要不是因为你的话，我也几乎要这样想的呢，哈里特。”

“弟弟，别这样讲。如果像你所说和你所想的那样，你有什么特殊理由爱我的话（可是我却要说，没有这种特殊理由！）

那么就别让我听到这样荒唐的、疯狂的话吧！”

他用双手捂住脸；但不久当她走近他的时候，他容许她把他的一只手拉到她的手里。

“我知道，在经过这么多年之后，这次辞退是一件使人伤心的事情，”他的姐姐说道，“而它的原因对我们两人来说都是可怕的。可是我们必须生活下去，并筹措我们的生活费用。那又有什么了不起呢？我们能做到这一点。别灰心丧气。奋斗下去，约翰，我们一起奋斗下去。我们对这应当感到自豪，而不应当感到苦恼。”

当她吻他的脸颊，请求他高兴起来的时候，她的嘴唇上露出了一丝微笑。

“啊，最亲爱的姐姐！由于你的高尚的意志，你把自己捆绑在一个身败名裂的人的身上！他的声誉扫地，自己没有朋友，还把你所有的朋友也都赶跑了。”

“约翰！”她急忙用手捂住他的嘴，“看在我的份上，看在我们长久的姐弟情谊的分上，别这么说！”他沉默了。“现在让我来告诉你，亲爱的，”她安静地坐在他的身边，“我跟你一样，也预料到这一点；当我一直没有想到这一点，担心会发生这件事情，并尽量做好准备的时候，我决心当这件事情真正发生的时候就告诉你，我向你保守了一个秘密：我们有一位朋友。”

“我们的朋友叫什么名字，哈里特？”他悲伤地微笑了一下，问道。

“我确实不知道他的名字，但是他有一次很恳切地向我表白了他的友谊和他愿意为我们帮忙的心愿。我相信他，直到今天。”

“哈里特！”惊讶的弟弟高声喊道，“这位朋友住在哪里？”

“这我也不知道，”她回答道，“但是他知道我们两人，知道我们的历史——我们简短历史的全部情形，约翰。这就是为什么我根据他的建议，没有把他到这里来的这个秘密向你透露的缘故，因为唯恐他知道你的历史这一点会使你感到痛苦。”

“这里！他到这里来过，哈里特？”

“这里，在这个房间里。一次。”

“是个什么样的人？”

“不年轻。就像他所说，头发已经斑白，而且很快就会变得更白，但是他慷慨、坦率、善良，我肯定是这样。”

“你只见过他一次吗，哈里特？”

“在这个房间里只一次，”他的姐姐说道，同时脸颊上露出一点极为轻微的、极为短暂的红晕，“但是他在这里曾请求我允许他路过这里的时候每星期见我一次，以表明我们过得很好，依旧不需要他帮助。因为当他向我建议他给我们一些帮助（这是他那次访问的目的）的时候，我告诉他，我们什么也不需要。”

“这么说，一星期一次——”

“从那时候起，他每星期一次，而且经常是每星期中的同一天，同一个钟点，从我们家门口走过；经常是步行；经常是朝着同一个方向——往伦敦去的方向；他经常像一位善良的监护人那样，快活地向我挥挥手就走了，从来没有停留过更长的时间。当他向我建议进行这些奇妙有趣的会晤的时候，他答应这样做，而且一直十分忠实地、愉快地信守他的诺言，因此如果我开始有过一丁点儿疑虑不安的话，那么它也会很快就消除了（由于他的态度十分爽直、真诚，所以我认为我并没有这种疑虑不安），而且在那一天来到的时候，我感到很高兴。上星期一——这次可怕的事件发生以后的第一个星期一——他没有从这里走过；我一直在纳闷，他没有来是不是会跟发生的事情多少有些关系。”

“怎么会有关系呢？”她的弟弟问道。

“我不知道怎么会有关系，我只是对恰好同时发生这一点进行猜测；我不曾想去解释它。我相信他会再来。当他真的再来的时候，亲爱的约翰，请让我告诉他，我已经对你说了，并让我介绍你们认识吧。他肯定会帮助我们解决今后生活的费用。他曾请求我，让他能做点事情来减轻我和你的生活的困难。我也答应过他，如果我们需要朋友帮助的话，那么我将会记得他，到那时候他的姓名对我们将不再是秘密了。”

“哈里特，”她的弟弟一直在十分注意地听着，这时说道，“请把这个先生的外貌描述给我听。我毫无疑问应当知道一位对我知道得这么清楚的人。”

他的姐姐尽可能生动地描述她这位客人的面貌、身材和服装；可是也许是由于他不知道这个人，也许是她在叙述时有些缺点，也许是由于他来回走着并默默思考着的时候，有些走神，因此，约翰·卡克不能辨认出他姐姐描绘的这幅肖像。

不过他们商量好，当肖像的原型下次来到的时候，他一定看一看他。作出这个决定以后，姐姐焦虑不安的心情已减轻一些，就去料理家务；那位头发斑白的、董贝公司原先的低级职员则在花园里劳动，度过他所不习惯的自由的第一天。

已经是夜间很晚的时候了，弟弟正在高声念书，姐姐正忙着针线活，这时他们听见有人敲门。自从他们的弟弟逃走以后，一种模糊不清的忧虑与畏惧的气氛一直笼罩着他们，而敲门的在这里又不是寻常的，所以在这种情况下听到这简直令人恐怖。弟弟向门口走去，姐姐则心惊胆怯地坐在那里听着。有人跟他说话，他作了回答，似乎感到惊奇；两人交谈了几句以后，一起走进了房间。

“哈里特，”她的弟弟拿着蜡烛，领着他们刚来的客人进来，低声说道，“这是莫芬先生，他跟詹姆士一起在董贝公司里工作得很久了。”

他的姐姐吃惊地往后退了一步，仿佛鬼进来似的。那位过去不知名的朋友站在门口，他的黑头发中间夹杂着白发，脸色红润，前额宽阔、明净，眼睛是淡褐色的，这就是她曾这么长久为他保守秘密的那个人。

“约翰！”她有些喘不过气来地说道，“这就是我今天跟你说过的那位先生。”

“哈里特小姐，”客人原先在门口站了一会儿，这时走进来，说道，“这位先生听到您讲这话，心中感到轻松了。他一路上一直在思考着怎样来给他自己解释，可是总没有想出能使他自己满意的方式。约翰先生，我在这里并不是一位完全陌生的人。您刚才在门口看到我的时候大吃一惊。我注意到您现在更加惊异。是啊！在目前的情况下，这倒也是合乎常情的。如果我们不是受习惯支配的奴隶的话，那么我们就没有理由像这样经常地感到惊奇了。”

这时他已用他那令人愉快的、既热诚又尊敬的态度向哈里特表示了问候，他的这种态度哈里特是记得很清楚的；然后他在她的身旁坐下来，脱去手套，扔到放在桌子上的帽子里。

“我产生见见您姐姐的愿望，或者我按照我自己的方式来满足这个愿望，这里并没有什么令人惊奇的东西，约翰先生。至于在这之后，我定期前来拜访（她也许已经向您说到这一点），这也没有什么异乎寻常的东西。它们很快就变成了习惯，而我们都是受习惯支配的奴隶——受习惯支配的奴隶！”

他把手插进衣袋，背靠着椅子，看着弟弟和姐姐，仿佛他看到他们在一起很感兴趣似的；然后他用激昂的和沉思的神态，继续说道，“同样是这习惯，它使我们当中一些能更有作为的人们养成恶魔般高傲与顽固的脾气，难以改变；它使我们当中另一些人养成并加深腐化堕落的恶习，无法自拔；它使我们多数人对周围的一切漠不关心，就像用粘土做成的塑像一样，根据我们粘土的性质，一天天变得愈来愈坚硬，而且跟塑像一样难以压成新的模型和接受新的信念。您应当判断出习惯对我的影响，约翰。在过去这许多年月中，我在董贝公司的业务管理中起着微小的、十分有限的作用；我看到您的弟弟（他已证明自己是个坏蛋！令姐将会原谅我不得不提到这点）不断扩大着他的权势，直到最后公司的业务和它的主人成了他随意踢耍的足球；我看到您每天默默无闻地在您的办公桌上辛苦工作着；我很满意于我做好我职责范围内的一丁点儿工作，尽量不疏忽大意；我满足于让我周围的一切像一架大机器一样，不加猜疑地、一天天运转下去（这是机器的习惯，也是我的习惯）；我满足于把一切都看作是不成问题的，完全正确的。我所喜爱的星期三夜晚定时来临，我们的四重奏乐队定时演出，我的大提琴的音调很好，在我的世界里一切都没有毛病——如果有，那也不大——，就算有些毛病，那也与我无关。”

“我可以向您保证说，在我们公司里，谁也没有像您这样受到大家尊敬与喜爱的。”

“说那里的话！”另一位回答道，“我敢说，那是由于我脾气好，容易顺从别人的缘故。这是我的习惯。这适合经理的心意，特别是，这最适合我自己的心意。我完成分配给我做的工作，不奉承他们任何人，安心乐意于一个完全不要求我溜须拍马的职务。因此，要不是因为我的墙壁薄，我就会这样一直待下去。您可以向您姐姐证明，我的房间和经理的房间只是用护壁板隔开的。”

“那是两间相连的房间；原先可能是一间房间，正如莫芬先生所说，是被分隔开来的。”她的弟弟说道，一边回头看看他，等待他继续解释下去。

“我吹口哨，哼曲子，把贝多芬b调奏鸣曲从头到尾哼到底，让他知道，我和他近在咫尺，能听得见他说话，”莫芬先生说道，“可是他从来没有注意我。当然，我极少听到私事性质的谈话。可是当我能听到这种谈话，而又没有别的办法避免知道其中一些内容的时候，我就走出房间。我走出过一次，约翰，那是兄弟两人正在谈话的时候，年轻的沃尔特·盖伊开始也参加了那次谈话。可是在我离开房间之前我偷听到其中的一些内容。也许您还能充分记得这次谈话，可以告诉您姐姐谈话的性质是什么吧？”

“哈里特，”她的弟弟低声说道，“我们谈到过去的事情和我们各自在公司里的地位。”

“这次谈到的问题对我并不新鲜，但它从一个新的角度向我显示出来。我本来相信我周围的一切都是完好无缺的，因为我对它已经习惯了——世界上十分之九的居民都有这样的习惯——，这次谈话动摇了我的这个习惯，”客人说道，“并引起我回忆兄弟两人的历史，对它进行了思考。我想这几乎是我生平第一次沿着这样的思路去考虑问题：许多我们现在司空见惯、习以为常的事物，当我们从那个我们早晚有一天一定都会采取的新的、不同的观点去看的时候，它们将会显示出什么样子呢？从那天上午以后，我就像人们常说的那样，变得脾气不太好，不太顺从，不太自满自足了。”

他沉默了一分钟左右，同时用一只手在桌子上叮叮冬冬地敲击着，然后又赶快继续说下去，仿佛急着想结束他的自白似的。

“在我知道我该做些什么事情或我能做些什么事情之前，这两兄弟又进行了第二次谈话；在这次谈话中提到了他们的姐姐。我听凭这次谈话的片言只语自由地飘入我的耳朵，良心上没有任何不安。我认为这是我的权利。在这之后，我到这里来，想亲眼见一见姐姐。第一次我在花园门口停下来，假装打听你们一位可怜的邻人的名声，可是我离开了，我觉得哈里特小姐不相信我。第二次，我请求允许我走进屋子；进来以后，我说了我想要说的话。您姐姐向我说明了为什么她当时拒绝接受我的帮助的原因，那是我不敢和她争辩的；但是我建立了我们两人交际的一个方式，它从不间断地一直持续下来，直到这几天我因为忙于最近移交给我的重要事情，才不得不中断。”

“先生，我每天跟您见面，却一点也没有猜疑到这一点！”约翰·卡克说道，“如果哈里特能猜测到您的姓名的话——”

“老实告诉您吧，约翰，”客人打断他的话，说道，“我没有说出我的姓名，有两个原因。我不知道单有第一个原因是不是充分；一个人没有权利由于有善良的意图就接受别人的感谢，因此我决定在我能向你们提供真正的帮助之前，无论如何也不说出我的姓名。我的第二个原因是，我总还抱着微弱的希望：你们的弟弟对你们两人也许还可能会比以前宽厚一些；在这样的情况下，如果这位生性多疑的、小心戒备的人发现我秘密地亲近你们，这就有可能成为你们破裂的一个新的、严重的根由。真的，我曾经决定不顾他会对我不满的风险（这算不了什么），等待合适的机会，在公司老板面前为您陈情请愿。可是由于发生了死亡、求婚、结婚、不和的家庭生活等这一系列事件的结果，在这长长的时间中，我们公司的老板实际上是你们的弟弟；”这时客人压低了，说道，“如果用一株干枯的树干来代替他的话，那么这对我们来说反倒会好一些。”

他似乎意识到，最后这句话是违反他的意愿脱口说出的，就伸出一只手给弟弟，另一只手给姐姐，继续说道：

“现在我已说出了所有我想要说的话，甚至还超过了。我希望你们理解并相信，我的用意不是言语所能表达的。现在我可以帮助您，而不会妨碍您进行赎罪的努力了（您这种努力已持续进行了这么多年），“因为您今天不是由于您自己的行为而被解除职务的，因此我可以帮助您的这个时间已经来到了，约翰，虽然它是极为不幸、极为悲痛地来到的。现在时间已经晚了，今天夜里我不用再说什么了。不需要我劝告或提醒，您将会保护好这里交给您的珍宝。”

他说完这些话之后，站起身来，准备离开。

“可是约翰，您拿着蜡烛在前面走，”他愉快地说道，“不论您想说什么，都别说了。”约翰·卡克心头充满了千言万语，如果可能的话，他真想把它们倾吐出来，使他心情轻松一些；“让我再跟您姐姐说一句话。我们以前曾经单独说过话，而且也是在这个房间；虽然现在有您在这里，显得更为自然。”

他目送着约翰·卡克出去，一边亲切地转向哈里特，用改变了的、更为庄严的态度，低声说道：

“您希望向我问一下您不幸成为他姐姐的那个人的情况吧？”

“我怕问，”哈里特说道。

“您不止一次那么严肃地望着我，”客人说道，“因此我想我能猜出您的问题。您想问：他有没有窃取公司的钱，是不是？”

“是的。”

“他没有。”

“谢谢上天！”哈里特说道，“为了约翰的缘故。”

“可是他百般滥用对他的信任，”莫芬先生说道，“他时常为了自己的利益，而不是为了他所代表的公司的利益而经营买卖和投机；他让公司卷入极为冒险的业务，结果时常造成巨大的亏损；他有责任抑制他的老板的虚荣心与野心，并向他指出它们会导致什么样的后果（这是在他的职权范围内可以做到的事），可是这时他却反而时常纵容它们；所有这些事情现在可能不会使您感到惊奇。公司举办了各种企业来扩大它财力雄厚的声誉，并显示它和其他商业公司相比的巨大优越地位；需要有一个沉着冷静的头脑来注视可能发生的毁灭性后果（如果在公司业务中发生了一些灾难性的变化，这就会使这种后果成为可能）。公司经营着涉及世界上大部分地区的许多交易，他是其中的中心人物，只有他一个人掌握着这些错综复杂的业务的线索，因此他可能（他似乎也利用了这种可能）把已经查明的各种结果隐瞒住，而以各种估计和概括来代替事实。可是近来——您能听谨我的话吗，哈里特小姐？”

“完全听得谨，完全听得懂，”她把受惊的脸孔一动不动地对着他，回答道，“请立刻把最坏的事情告诉我。”

“近来他好像花了很大的精力来使这些业务经营的结果看得清楚、明白；虽然它们头绪纷繁，但只要查阅一下帐簿，就能使人非常容易地掌握这些结果。仿佛他已决心让老板粗