Крошка Доррит

Chapter 28. An Appearance in the Marshalsea

           

           ‘Withoutgivinganunqualifiedassenttowhatyousay,’returnedArthur,gloomily,‘Iammuchobligedtoyouforyourinterestinme.’

           ‘No,butreally!Ourplaceis,’saidtheeasyyoungBarnacle,‘themostinoffensiveplacepossible.You’llsayweareahumbug.Iwon’tsaywearenot;butallthatsortofthingisintendedtobe,andmustbe.Don’tyousee?’

           ‘Idonot,’saidClennam.

           ‘Youdon’tregarditfromtherightpointofview.Itisthepointofviewthatistheessentialthing.Regardourplacefromthepointofviewthatweonlyaskyoutoleaveusalone,andweareascapitalaDepartmentasyou’llfindanywhere.’

           ‘Isyourplacetheretobeleftalone?’askedClennam.

           ‘Youexactlyhitit,’returnedFerdinand.‘Itistherewiththeexpressintentionthateverythingshallbeleftalone.Thatiswhatitmeans.Thatiswhatit’sfor.Nodoubtthere’sacertainformtobekeptupthatit’sforsomethingelse,butit’sonlyaform.Why,goodHeaven,wearenothingbutforms!Thinkwhatalotofourformsyouhavegonethrough.Andyouhavenevergotanynearertoanend?’

           ‘Never,’saidClennam.

           ‘Lookatitfromtherightpointofview,andthereyouhaveus—officialandeffectual.It’slikealimitedgameofcricket.AfieldofoutsidersarealwaysgoingintobowlatthePublicService,andweblocktheballs.’

           Clennamaskedwhatbecameofthebowlers?TheairyyoungBarnaclerepliedthattheygrewtired,gotdeadbeat,gotlamed,gottheirbacksbroken,diedoff,gaveitup,wentinforothergames.

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