Крошка Доррит

Chapter 16. Nobody’s Weakness

           Andsoathomehehadestablishedhimselfinbusiness,andhadinventedandexecuted,andworkedhiswayon,until,afteradozenyearsofconstantsuitandservice,hehadbeenenrolledintheGreatBritishLegionofHonour,theLegionoftheRebuffedoftheCircumlocutionOffice,andhadbeendecoratedwiththeGreatBritishOrderofMerit,theOrderoftheDisorderoftheBarnaclesandStiltstalkings.

           ‘Itismuchtoberegretted,’saidClennam,‘thatyoueverturnedyourthoughtsthatway,MrDoyce.’

           ‘True,sir,truetoacertainextent.Butwhatisamantodo?ifhehasthemisfortunetostrikeoutsomethingserviceabletothenation,hemustfollowwhereitleadshim.’

           ‘Hadn’thebetterletitgo?’saidClennam.

           ‘Hecan’tdoit,’saidDoyce,shakinghisheadwithathoughtfulsmile.‘It’snotputintohisheadtobeburied.It’sputintohisheadtobemadeuseful.Youholdyourlifeontheconditionthattothelastyoushallstrugglehardforit.Everymanholdsadiscoveryonthesameterms.’

           ‘Thatistosay,’saidArthur,withagrowingadmirationofhisquietcompanion,‘youarenotfinallydiscouragedevennow?’

           ‘Ihavenorighttobe,ifIam,’returnedtheother.‘Thethingisastrueasiteverwas.’

           Whentheyhadwalkedalittlewayinsilence,Clennam,atoncetochangethedirectpointoftheirconversationandnottochangeittooabruptly,askedMrDoyceifhehadanypartnerinhisbusinesstorelievehimofaportionofitsanxieties?

           ‘No,’hereturned,‘notatpresent.IhadwhenIfirstenteredonit,andagoodmanhewas.

Настройки
Фон страницы
Размер шрифта
Межстрочный интервал
Фразовые глаголы
Показать / Скрыть меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Страница 290 из 1266