HE was taken to the Police Court next day, and would have been immediately committed for trial, but that it was necessary to send down for an old officer of the prison-ship from which he had once escaped, to speak to his identity. Nobody doubted it; but, Compeyson, who had meant to depose to it, was tumbling on the tides, dead, and it happened that there was not at that time any prison officer in London who could give the required evidence. I had gone direct to Mr Jaggers at his private house, on my arrival over night, to retain his assistance, and Mr Jaggers on the prisoner’s behalf would admit nothing. It was the sole resource, for he told me that the case must be over in five minutes when the witness was there, and that no power on earth could prevent its going against us.
I imparted to Mr Jaggers my design of keeping him in ignorance of the fate of his wealth. Mr Jaggers was querulous and angry with me for having `let it slip through my fingers,’ and said we must memorialize by-and-by, and try at all events for some of it. But, he did not conceal from me that although there might be many cases in which the forfeiture would not be exacted, there were no circumstances in this case to make it one of them. I understood that, very well. I was not related to the outlaw, or connected with him by any recognizable tie; he had put his hand to no writing or settlement in my favour before his apprehension, and to do so now would be idle. I had no claim, and I finally resolved, and ever afterwards abided by the resolution, that my heart should never be sickened with the hopeless task of attempting to establish one.
There appeared to be reason for supposing that the drowned informer had hoped for a reward out of this forfeiture, and had obtained some accurate knowledge of Magwitch’s affairs. When his body was found, many miles from the scene of his death, and so horribly disfigured that he was only recognizable by the contents of his pockets, notes were still legible, folded in a case he carried. Among these, were the name of a banking-house in New South Wales where a sum of money was, and the designation of certain lands of considerable value. Both these heads of information were in a list that Magwitch, while in prison, gave to Mr Jaggers, of the possessions he supposed I should inherit. His ignorance, poor fellow, at last served him; he never mistrusted but that my inheritance was quite safe, with Mr Jaggers’s aid.
After three days’ delay, during which the crown prosecution stood over for the production of the witness from the prison-ship, the witness came, and completed the easy case. He was committed to take his trial at the next Sessions, which would come on in a month.
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5
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这时是我一生中最黑暗的时期。一个晚上,赫伯特回来,万分沮丧,他说:
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5
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It was at this dark time of my life that Herbert returned home one evening, a good deal cast down, and said:
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6
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“亲爱的汉德尔,我怕不得不留下你一个人了。”
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6
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`My dear Handel, I fear I shall soon have to leave you.’
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7
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因为他的合伙人已经和我打过招呼,我不会像赫伯特所想象的那样感到诧异。
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7
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His partner having prepared me for that, I was less surprised than he thought.
`I have not leisure to think of that,’ said I. `You know that I am always with him to the full extent of the time allowed, and that I should be with him all day long, if I could. And when I come away from him, you know that my thoughts are with him.’
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12
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他如此可怕的处境使赫伯特和我都受了惊吓。我们只能这么说,而不能讲得更加明白具体。
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12
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The dreadful condition to which he was brought, was so appalling to both of us, that we could not refer to it in plainer words.
`My dear fellow,’ said Herbert, `let the near prospect of our separation - for, it is very near - be my justification for troubling you about yourself. Have you thought of your future?’
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14
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“我还没有想过呢,因为我实在不敢想我的前途。”
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14
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`No, for I have been afraid to think of any future.’
`But yours cannot be dismissed; indeed, my dear dear Handel, it must not be dismissed. I wish you would enter on it now, as far as a few friendly words go, with me.’
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16
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“可以。”我说道。
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16
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`I will,’ said I.
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17
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“汉德尔,在我们的分公司中正需要一位——”
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17
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`In this branch house of ours, Handel, we must have a--’
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18
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我看得很清楚,他在言词上尽量不用一个确切的词来表明他的用意,所以我替他说道:“需要一位办事员。”
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18
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I saw that his delicacy was avoiding the right word, so I said, `A clerk.’
`A clerk. And I hope it is not at all unlikely that he may expand (as a clerk of your acquaintance has expanded) into a partner. Now, Handel - in short, my dear boy, will you come to me?’
There was something charmingly cordial and engaging in the manner in which after saying `Now, Handel,’ as if it were the grave beginning of a portentous business exordium, he had suddenly given up that tone, stretched out his honest hand, and spoken like a schoolboy.
`Clara and I have talked about it again and again,’ Herbert pursued, `and the dear little thing begged me only this evening, with tears in her eyes, to say to you that if you will live with us when we come together, she will do her best to make you happy, and to convince her husband’s friend that he is her friend too. We should get on so well, Handel!’
I thanked her heartily, and I thanked him heartily, but said I could not yet make sure of joining him as he so kindly offered. Firstly, my mind was too preoccupied to be able to take in the subject clearly. Secondly - Yes! Secondly, there was a vague something lingering in my thoughts that will come out very near the end of this slight narrative.
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23
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“赫伯特,这个问题要是对你的事业没有损坏,我的看法是,你还是把这个问题放在一边——”
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23
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`But if you thought, Herbert, that you could, without doing any injury to your business, leave the questions open for a little while--’
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24
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“放多少时间都行,”赫伯特说道,“六个月怎么样,一年呢?”
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24
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`For any while,’ cried Herbert. `Six months, a year!’
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25
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“不需要那么长,”我说道,“至多两三个月吧。”
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25
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`Not so long as that,’ said I. `Two or three months at most.’
Herbert was highly delighted when we shook hands on this arrangement, and said he could now take courage to tell me that he believed he must go away at the end of the week.
`The dear little thing,’ returned Herbert, `holds dutifully to her father as long as he lasts; but he won’t last long. Mrs Whimple confides to me that the is certainly going.’
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29
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“说句不好听的话,”我说道,“他死了倒比活着好。”
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29
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`Not to say an unfeeling thing,’ said I, `he cannot do better than go.’
`I am afraid that must be admitted,’ said Herbert: `and then I shall come back for the dear little thing, and the dear little thing and I will walk quietly into the nearest church. Remember! The blessed darling comes of no family, my dear Handel, and never looked into the red book, and hasn’t a notion about her grandpapa. What a fortune for the son of my mother!’
On the Saturday in that same week, I took my leave of Herbert - full of bright hope, but sad and sorry to leave me - as he sat on one of the seaport mail coaches. I went into a coffee-house to write a little note a Clara, telling her he had gone off, sending his love to her over and over again, and then went to my lonely home - if it deserved the name, for it was now no home to me, and I had no home anywhere.
On the stairs I encountered Wemmick, who was coming down, after an unsuccessful application of his knuckles to my door. I had not seen him alone, since the disastrous issue of the attempted flight; and he had come, in his private and personal capacity, to say a few words of explanation in reference to that failure.
`The late Compeyson,’ said Wemmick, `had by little and little got at the bottom of half of the regular business now transacted, and it was from the talk of some of his people in trouble (some of his people being always in trouble) that I heard what I did. I kept my ears open, seeming to have them shut, until I heard that he was absent, and I thought that would be the best time for making the attempt. I can only suppose now, that it was a part of his policy, as a very clever man, habitually to deceive his own instruments. You don’t blame me, I hope, Mr Pip? I am sure I tried to serve you, with all my heart.’
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34
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“温米克,我绝对相信你说的话,我真挚地向你表示谢意,谢谢你对我的关心和给我的友谊。”
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34
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`I am as sure of that, Wemmick, as you can be, and I thank you most earnestly for all your interest and friendship.’
`Thank you, thank you very much. It’s a bad job,’ said Wemmick, scratching his head, `and I assure you I haven’t been so cut up for a long time. What I look at, is the sacrifice of so much portable property. Dear me!’
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36
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“温米克,我所想到的只是这笔动产的可怜的主人。”
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36
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`What I think of, Wemmick, is the poor owner of the property.’
`Yes, to be sure,’ said Wemmick. `Of course there can be no objection to your being sorry for him, and I’d put down a five-pound note myself to get him out of it. But what I look at, is this. The late Compeyson having been beforehand with him in intelligence of his return, and being so determined to bring him to book, I do not think he could have been saved. Whereas, the portable property certainly could have been saved. That’s the difference between the property and the owner, don’t you see?’
I invited Wemmick to come up-stairs, and refresh himself with a glass of grog before walking to Walworth. He accepted the invitation. While he was drinking his moderate allowance, he said, with nothing to lead up to it, and after having appeared rather fidgety:
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39
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“皮普先生,我准备星期一休息一天,你看怎么样?”
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39
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`What do you think of my meaning to take a holiday on Monday, Mr Pip?’
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40
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“真的,我看你一年十二个月中一天也没有休息过。”
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40
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`Why, I suppose you have not done such a thing these twelve months.’
He had done so much for me at various times, that this was very little to do for him. I said I could manage it - would manage it - and he was so very much pleased by my acquiescence, that I was pleased too. At his particular request, I appointed to call for him at the Castle at half-past eight on Monday morning, and so we parted for the time.
Punctual to my appointment, I rang at the Castle gate on the Monday morning, and was received by Wemmick himself: who struck me as looking tighter than usual, and having a sleeker hat on. Within, there were two glasses of rum-and-milk prepared, and two biscuits. The Aged must have been stirring with the lark, for, glancing into the perspective of his bedroom, I observed that his bed was empty.