Крошка Доррит

Chapter 1. Sun and Shadow

           

           Histheatricalair,ashestoodwithonearmonhishipwithinthefoldsofhiscloak,togetherwithhismannerofdisregardinghiscompanionandaddressingtheoppositewallinstead,seemedtointimatethathewasrehearsingforthePresident,whoseexaminationhewasshortlytoundergo,ratherthantroublinghimselfmerelytoenlightensosmallapersonasJohnBaptistCavalletto.

           ‘Callmefive-and-thirtyyearsofage.Ihaveseentheworld.Ihavelivedhere,andlivedthere,andlivedlikeagentlemaneverywhere.Ihavebeentreatedandrespectedasagentlemanuniversally.IfyoutrytoprejudicemebymakingoutthatIhavelivedbymywits—howdoyourlawyerslive—yourpoliticians—yourintriguers—yourmenoftheExchange?’

           Hekepthissmallsmoothhandinconstantrequisition,asifitwereawitnesstohisgentilitythathadoftendonehimgoodservicebefore.

           ‘TwoyearsagoIcametoMarseilles.IadmitthatIwaspoor;Ihadbeenill.Whenyourlawyers,yourpoliticians,yourintriguers,yourmenoftheExchangefallill,andhavenotscrapedmoneytogether,theybecomepoor.IputupattheCrossofGold,—keptthenbyMonsieurHenriBarronneau—sixty-fiveatleast,andinafailingstateofhealth.IhadlivedinthehousesomefourmonthswhenMonsieurHenriBarronneauhadthemisfortunetodie;—atanyrate,notararemisfortune,that.Ithappenswithoutanyaidofmine,prettyoften.’

           JohnBaptisthavingsmokedhiscigarettedowntohisfingers’ends,MonsieurRigaudhadthemagnanimitytothrowhimanother.

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