hunted down-第1章

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Hunted　Down



by　Charles　Dickens







I。





Most　of　us　see　some　romances　in　life。　　In　my　capacity　as　Chief

Manager　of　a　Life　Assurance　Office；　I　think　I　have　within　the　last

thirty　years　seen　more　romances　than　the　generality　of　men；　however

unpromising　the　opportunity　may；　at　first　sight；　seem。



As　I　have　retired；　and　live　at　my　ease；　I　possess　the　means　that　I

used　to　want；　of　considering　what　I　have　seen；　at　leisure。　　My

experiences　have　a　more　remarkable　aspect；　so　reviewed；　than　they

had　when　they　were　in　progress。　　I　have　come　home　from　the　Play

now；　and　can　recall　the　scenes　of　the　Drama　upon　which　the　curtain

has　fallen；　free　from　the　glare；　bewilderment；　and　bustle　of　the

Theatre。



Let　me　recall　one　of　these　Romances　of　the　real　world。



There　is　nothing　truer　than　physiognomy；　taken　in　connection　with

manner。　　The　art　of　reading　that　book　of　which　Eternal　Wisdom

obliges　every　human　creature　to　present　his　or　her　own　page　with

the　individual　character　written　on　it；　is　a　difficult　one；

perhaps；　and　is　little　studied。　　It　may　require　some　natural

aptitude；　and　it　must　require　（for　everything　does）　some　patience

and　some　pains。　　That　these　are　not　usually　given　to　it；　…　that

numbers　of　people　accept　a　few　stock　commonplace　expressions　of　the

face　as　the　whole　list　of　characteristics；　and　neither　seek　nor

know　the　refinements　that　are　truest；　…　that　You；　for　instance；

give　a　great　deal　of　time　and　attention　to　the　reading　of　music；

Greek；　Latin；　French；　Italian；　Hebrew；　if　you　please；　and　do　not

qualify　yourself　to　read　the　face　of　the　master　or　mistress　looking

over　your　shoulder　teaching　it　to　you；　…　I　assume　to　be　five

hundred　times　more　probable　than　improbable。　　Perhaps　a　little

self…sufficiency　may　be　at　the　bottom　of　this；　facial　expression

requires　no　study　from　you；　you　think；　it　comes　by　nature　to　you　to

know　enough　about　it；　and　you　are　not　to　be　taken　in。



I　confess；　for　my　part；　that　I　HAVE　been　taken　in；　over　and　over

again。　　I　have　been　taken　in　by　acquaintances；　and　I　have　been

taken　in　（of　course）　by　friends；　far　oftener　by　friends　than　by　any

other　class　of　persons。　　How　came　I　to　be　so　deceived？　　Had　I　quite

misread　their　faces？



No。　　Believe　me；　my　first　impression　of　those　people；　founded　on

face　and　manner　alone；　was　invariably　true。　　My　mistake　was　in

suffering　them　to　come　nearer　to　me　and　explain　themselves　away。







II。





The　partition　which　separated　my　own　office　from　our　general　outer

office　in　the　City　was　of　thick　plate…glass。　　I　could　see　through

it　what　passed　in　the　outer　office；　without　hearing　a　word。　　I　had

it　put　up　in　place　of　a　wall　that　had　been　there　for　years；　…　ever

since　the　house　was　built。　　It　is　no　matter　whether　I　did　or　did

not　make　the　change　in　order　that　I　might　derive　my　first

impression　of　strangers；　who　came　to　us　on　business；　from　their

faces　alone；　without　being　influenced　by　anything　they　said。

Enough　to　mention　that　I　turned　my　glass　partition　to　that　account；

and　that　a　Life　Assurance　Office　is　at　all　times　exposed　to　be

practised　upon　by　the　most　crafty　and　cruel　of　the　human　race。



It　was　through　my　glass　partition　that　I　first　saw　the　gentleman

whose　story　I　am　going　to　tell。



He　had　come　in　without　my　observing　it；　and　had　put　his　hat　and

umbrella　on　the　broad　counter；　and　was　bending　over　it　to　take　some

papers　from　one　of　the　clerks。　　He　was　about　forty　or　so；　dark；

exceedingly　well　dressed　in　black；　…　being　in　mourning；　…　and　the

hand　he　extended　with　a　polite　air；　had　a　particularly　well…fitting

black…kid　glove　upon　it。　　His　hair；　which　was　elaborately　brushed

and　oiled；　was　parted　straight　up　the　middle；　and　he　presented　this

parting　to　the　clerk；　exactly　（to　my　thinking）　as　if　he　had　said；

in　so　many　words：　'You　must　take　me；　if　you　please；　my　friend；　just

as　I　show　myself。　　Come　straight　up　here；　follow　the　gravel　path；

keep　off　the　grass；　I　allow　no　trespassing。'



I　conceived　a　very　great　aversion　to　that　man　the　moment　I　thus　saw

him。



He　had　asked　for　some　of　our　printed　forms；　and　the　clerk　was

giving　them　to　him　and　explaining　them。　　An　obliged　and　agreeable

smile　was　on　his　face；　and　his　eyes　met　those　of　the　clerk　with　a

sprightly　look。　　（I　have　known　a　vast　quantity　of　nonsense　talked

about　bad　men　not　looking　you　in　the　face。　　Don't　trust　that

conventional　idea。　　Dishonesty　will　stare　honesty　out　of

countenance；　any　day　in　the　week；　if　there　is　anything　to　be　got　by

it。）



I　saw；　in　the　corner　of　his　eyelash；　that　he　became　aware　of　my

looking　at　him。　　Immediately　he　turned　the　parting　in　his　hair

toward　the　glass　partition；　as　if　he　said　to　me　with　a　sweet　smile；

'Straight　up　here；　if　you　please。　　Off　the　grass！'



In　a　few　moments　he　had　put　on　his　hat　and　taken　up　his　umbrella；

and　was　gone。



I　beckoned　the　clerk　into　my　room；　and　asked；　'Who　was　that？'



He　had　the　gentleman's　card　in　his　hand。　　'Mr。　Julius　Slinkton；

Middle　Temple。'



'A　barrister；　Mr。　Adams？'



'I　think　not；　sir。'



'I　should　have　thought　him　a　clergyman；　but　for　his　having　no

Reverend　here；'　said　I。



'Probably；　from　his　appearance；'　Mr。　Adams　replied；　'he　is　reading

for　orders。'



I　should　mention　that　he　wore　a　dainty　white　cravat；　and　dainty

linen　altogether。



'What　did　he　want；　Mr。　Adams？'



'Merely　a　form　of　proposal；　sir；　and　form　of　reference。'



'Recommended　here？　　Did　he　say？'



'Yes；　he　said　he　was　recommended　here　by　a　friend　of　yours。　　He

noticed　you；　but　said　that　as　he　had　not　the　pleasure　of　your

personal　acquaintance　he　would　not　trouble　you。'



'Did　he　know　my　name？'



'O　yes；　sir！　　He　said；　〃There　IS　Mr。　Sampson；　I　see！〃'



'A　well…spoken　gentleman；　apparently？'



'Remarkably　so；　sir。'



'Insinuating　manners；　apparently？'



'Very　much　so；　indeed；　sir。'



'Hah！'　said　I。　　'I　want　nothing　at　present；　Mr。　Adams。'



Within　a　fortnight　of　that　day　I　went　to　dine　with　a　friend　of

mine；　a　merchant；　a　man　of　taste；　who　buys　pictures　and　books；　and

the　first　man　I　saw　among　the　company　was　Mr。　Julius　Slinkton。

There　he　was；　standing　before　the　fire；　with　good　large　eyes　and　an

open　expression　of　face；　but　still　（I　thought）　requiring　everybody

to　come　at　him　by　the　prepared　way　he　offered；　and　by　no　other。



I　noticed　him　ask　my　friend　to　introduce　him　to　Mr。　Sampson；　and　my

friend　did　so。　　Mr。　Slinkton　was　very　happy　to　see　me。　　Not　too

happy；　there　was　no　over…doing　of　the　matter；　happy　in　a　thoroughly

well…bred；　perfectly　unmeaning　way。



'I　thought　you　had　met；'　our　host　observed。



'No；'　said　Mr。　Slinkton。　　'I　did　look　in　at　Mr。　Sampson's　office；

on　your　recommendation；　but　I　really　did　not　feel　justified　in

troubling　Mr。　Sampson　himself；　on　a　point　in　the　everyday；　routine

of　an　ordinary　clerk。'



I　said　I　should　have　been　glad　to　show　him　any　attention　on　our

friend's　introduction。



'I　am　sure　of　that；'　said　he；　'and　am　much　obliged。　　At　another

time；　perhaps；　I　may　be　less　delicate。　　Only；　however；　if　I　have

real　business；　for　I　know；　Mr。　Sampson；　how　precious　business　time

is；　and　what　a　vast　number　of　impertinent　people　there　are　in　the

world。'



I　acknowledged　his　consideration　with　a　slight　bow。　　'You　were

thinking；'　said　I；　'of　effecting　a　policy　on　your　life。'



'O　dear　no！　　I　am　afraid　I　am　not　so　prudent　as　you　pay　me　the

compliment　of　supposing　me　to　be；　Mr。　Sampson。　　I　merely　inquired

for　a　friend。　　But　you　know　what　friends　are　in　such　matters。

Nothing　may　ever　come　of　it。　　I　have　the　greatest　reluctance　to

trouble　men　of　business　with　inquiries　for　friends；　knowing　the

probabilities　to　be　a　thousand　to　one　that　the　friends　will　never

follow　them　up。　　People　are　so　fickle；　so　selfish；　so

inconsiderate。　　Don't　you；　in　your　business；　find　them　so　every

day；　Mr。　Sampson？'



I　was　going　to　give　a　qualified　answer；　but　he　turned　his　smooth；

white　parting　on　me　with　its　'Straight　up　here；　if　you　please！'　and

I　answered　'Yes。'



'I　hear；　Mr。　Sampson；'　he　resumed　presently；　for　our　friend　had　a

new　cook；　and　dinner　was　not　so　punctual　as　usual；　'that　your

profession　has　recently　suffered　a　great　loss。'



'In　money？'　said　I。



He　laughed　at　my　ready　association　of　loss　with　money；　and　replied；

'No；　in　talent　and　vigour。'



Not　at　once　following　out　his　allusion；　I　considered　for　a　moment。

'HAS　it　sustained　a　loss　of　that　kind？'　said　I。　　'I　was　not　aware

of　it。'



'Understand　me；　Mr。　Sampson。　　I　don't　imagine　that　you　have

retired。　　It　is　not　so　bad　as　that。　　But　Mr。　Meltham　…　'



'O；　to　be　sure！'　said　I。　　'Yes！　　Mr。　Meltham；　the　young　actuary　of

the　〃Inestimable。〃'



'Just　so；'　he　returned　in　a　consoling　way。



'He　is　a　great　loss。　　He　was　at　once　the　most　profound；　the　most

original；　and　the　most　energetic　man　I　have　ever　known　connected

with　Life　Assurance。'



I　spoke　strongly；　for　I　had　a　high　esteem　and　admiration　for

Meltham；　and　my　gentleman　had　indefinitely　conveyed　to　me　some

suspicion　that　he　wanted　to　sneer　at　him。　　He　recalled　me　to　my

guard　by　presenting　that　trim　pathway　up　his　head；　with　its

internal　'Not　on　the　grass；　if　you　please　…　the　gravel。'



'You　knew　him；　Mr。　Slinkton。'



'Only　by　reputation。　　To　have　known　him　as　an　acquaintance　or　as　a

friend；　is　an　honour　I　should　have　sought　if　he　had　remained　in

society；　though　I　might　never　have　had　the　good　fortune　to　attain

it；　being　a　man　of　far　inferior　mark。　　He　was　scarcely　above

thirty；　I　suppose？'



'About　thirty。'



'Ah！'　he　sighed　in　his　former　consoling　way。　　'What　creatures　we

are！　　To　break　up；　Mr。　Sampson；　and　become　incapable　of　business　at

that　time　of　life！　…　Any　reason　assigned　for　the　melancholy　fact？'



（'Humph！'　thought　I；　as　I　looked　at　him。　　'But　I　WON'T　go　up　the

track；　and　I　WILL　go　on　the　grass。'）



'What　reason　have　you　heard　assigned；　Mr。　Slinkton？'　I　asked；

point…blank。



'Most　likely　a　false　one。　　You　know　what　Rumour　is；　Mr。　Sampson。　　I

never　repeat　what　I　hear；　it　is　the　only　way　of　paring　the　nails

and　shaving　the　head　of　Rumour。　　But　when　YOU　ask　me　what　reason　I

have　heard　assigned　for　Mr。　Meltham's　passing　away　from　among　men；

it　is　another　thing。　　I　am　not　gratifying　idle　gossip　then。　　I　was

told；　Mr。　Sampson；　that　Mr。　Meltham　had　relinquished　all　his

avocations　and　all　his　prospects；　because　he　was；　in　fact；　broken…

hearted。　　A　disappointed　attachment　I　heard；　…　though　it　hardly

seems　probable；　in　the　case　of　a　man　so　distinguished　and　so

attractive。'



'Attractions　and　distinctions　are　no　armour　against　death；'　said　I。



'O；　she　died？　　Pray　pardon　me。　　I　did　not　hear　that。　　That；　indeed；

makes　it　very；　very　sad。　　Poor　Mr。　Meltham！　　She　died？　　Ah；　dear

me！　　Lamentable；　lamentable！'



I　still　thought　his　pity　was　not　quite　genuine；　and　I　still

suspec