Крихітка Дорріт

Chapter 8. The Lock

           Theoldmanstoppedandlookedround,withtheexpressioninhisweakgreyeyesofonewhosethoughtshadbeenfaroff,andwhowasalittledullofhearingalso.

           ‘Pray,sir,’saidArthur,repeatinghisquestion,‘whatisthisplace?’

           ‘Ay!Thisplace?’returnedtheoldman,stayinghispinchofsnuffonitsroad,andpointingattheplacewithoutlookingatit.‘ThisistheMarshalsea,sir.’

           ‘Thedebtors’prison?’

           ‘Sir,’saidtheoldman,withtheairofdeemingitnotquitenecessarytoinsistuponthatdesignation,‘thedebtors’prison.’

           Heturnedhimselfabout,andwenton.

           ‘Ibegyourpardon,’saidArthur,stoppinghimoncemore,‘butwillyouallowmetoaskyouanotherquestion?Cananyonegoinhere?’

           ‘Anyonecangoin,’repliedtheoldman;plainlyaddingbythesignificanceofhisemphasis,‘butitisnoteveryonewhocangoout.’

           ‘Pardonmeoncemore.Areyoufamiliarwiththeplace?’

           ‘Sir,’returnedtheoldman,squeezinghislittlepacketofsnuffinhishand,andturninguponhisinterrogatorasifsuchquestionshurthim.‘Iam.’

           ‘Ibegyoutoexcuseme.Iamnotimpertinentlycurious,buthaveagoodobject.DoyouknowthenameofDorrithere?’

           ‘Myname,sir,’repliedtheoldmanmostunexpectedly,‘isDorrit.’

           Arthurpulledoffhishattohim.‘Grantmethefavourofhalf-a-dozenwords.Iwaswhollyunpreparedforyourannouncement,andhopethatassuranceismysufficientapologyforhavingtakenthelibertyofaddressingyou.IhaverecentlycomehometoEnglandafteralongabsence.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 120 з 1266