little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第122章

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'Now　I　do　say；　Pa；'　cried　she；　'that　this　is　disgraceful！'

'What　is　disgraceful；　Fanny？'

'I　do　say；'　she　repeated；　'this　is　perfectly　infamous！　Really　almost
enough；　even　at　such　a　time　as　this；　to　make　one　wish　one　was　dead！
Here　is　that　child　Amy；　in　her　ugly　old　shabby　dress；　which　she　was　so
obstinate　about；　Pa；　which　I　over　and　over　again　begged　and　prayed　her
to　change；　and　which　she　over　and　over　again　objected　to；　and　promised
to　change　to…day；　saying　she　wished　to　wear　it　as　long　as　ever　she
remained　in　there　with　you……which　was　absolutely　romantic　nonsense　of
the　lowest　kind……here　is　that　child　Amy　disgracing　us　to　the　last　moment
and　at　the　last　moment；　by　being　carried　out　in　that　dress　after　all。
And　by　that　Mr　Clennam　too！'

The　offence　was　proved；　as　she　delivered　the　indictment。　Clennam
appeared　at　the　carriage…door；　bearing　the　little　insensible　figure　in
his　arms。

'She　has　been　forgotten；'　he　said；　in　a　tone　of　pity　not　free　from
reproach。　'I　ran　up　to　her　room　（which　Mr　Chivery　showed　me）　and　found
the　door　open；　and　that　she　had　fainted　on　the　floor；　dear　child。
She　appeared　to　have　gone　to　change　her　dress；　and　to　have　sunk　down
overpowered。　It　may　have　been　the　cheering；　or　it　may　have　happened
sooner。　Take　care　of　this　poor　cold　hand；　Miss　Dorrit。　Don't　let　it
fall。'

'Thank　you；　sir；'　returned　Miss　Dorrit；　bursting　into　tears。　'I　believe
I　know　what　to　do；　if　you　will　give　me　leave。　Dear　Amy；　open　your　eyes；
that's　a　love！　Oh；　Amy；　Amy；　I　really　am　so　vexed　and　ashamed！　Do　rouse
yourself；　darling！　Oh；　why　are　they　not　driving　on！　Pray；　Pa；　do　drive
on！'

The　attendant；　getting　between　Clennam　and　the　carriage…door；　with　a
sharp　'By　your　leave；　sir！'　bundled　up　the　steps；　and　they　drove　away。





BOOK　THE　SECOND：　RICHES




CHAPTER　1。　Fellow　Travellers


In　the　autumn　of　the　year；　Darkness　and　Night　were　creeping　up　to　the
highest　ridges　of　the　Alps。

It　was　vintage　time　in　the　valleys　on　the　Swiss　side　of　the　Pass　of　the
Great　Saint　Bernard；　and　along　the　banks　of　the　Lake　of　Geneva。

The　air　there　was　charged　with　the　scent　of　gathered　grapes。　Baskets；
troughs；　and　tubs　of　grapes　stood　in　the　dim　village　doorways；　stopped
the　steep　and　narrow　village　streets；　and　had　been　carrying　all　day
along　the　roads　and　lanes。　Grapes；　split　and　crushed　under　foot；　lay
about　everywhere。　The　child　carried　in　a　sling　by　the　laden　peasant
woman　toiling　home；　was　quieted　with　picked…up　grapes；　the　idiot　sunning
his　big　goitre　under　the　leaves　of　the　wooden　chalet　by　the　way　to　the
Waterfall；　sat　Munching　grapes；　the　breath　of　the　cows　and　goats　was
redolent　of　leaves　and　stalks　of　grapes；　the　pany　in　every　little
cabaret　were　eating；　drinking；　talking　grapes。　A　pity　that　no　ripe　touch
of　this　generous　abundance　could　be　given　to　the　thin；　hard；　stony　wine；
which　after　all　was　made　from　the　grapes！

The　air　had　been　warm　and　transparent　through　the　whole　of　the　bright
day。　Shining　metal　spires　and　church…roofs；　distant　and　rarely　seen；　had
sparkled　in　the　view；　and　the　snowy　mountain…tops　had　been　so　clear　that
unaccustomed　eyes；　cancelling　the　intervening　country；　and　slighting
their　rugged　heights　for　something　fabulous；　would　have　measured　them　as
within　a　few　hours　easy　reach。　Mountain…peaks　of　great　celebrity　in　the
valleys；　whence　no　trace　of　their　existence　was　visible　sometimes　for
months　together；　had　been　since　morning　plain　and　near　in　the　blue　sky。
And　now；　when　it　was　dark　below；　though　they　seemed　solemnly　to　recede；
like　spectres　who　were　going　to　vanish；　as　the　red　dye　of　the　sunset
faded　out　of　them　and　left　them　coldly　white；　they　were　yet　distinctly
defined　in　their　loneliness　above　the　mists　and　shadows。　Seen　from　these
solitudes；　and　from　the　Pass　of　the　Great　Saint　Bernard；　which　was　one
of　them；　the　ascending　Night　came　up　the　mountain　like　a　rising　water。
When　it　at　last　rose　to　the　walls　of　the　convent　of　the　Great　Saint
Bernard；　it　was　as　if　that　weather…beaten　structure　were　another　Ark；
and　floated　on　the　shadowy　waves。

Darkness；　outstripping　some　visitors　on　mules；　had　risen　thus　to
the　rough　convent　walls；　when　those　travellers　were　yet　climbing　the
mountain。　As　the　heat　of　the　glowing　day　when　they　had　stopped　to　drink
at　the　streams　of　melted　ice　and　snow；　was　changed　to　the　searching　cold
of　the　frosty　rarefied　night　air　at　a　great　height；　so　the　fresh　beauty
of　the　lower　journey　had　yielded　to　barrenness　and　desolation。　A　craggy
track；　up　which　the　mules　in　single　file　scrambled　and　turned　from
block　to　block；　as　though　they　were　ascending　the　broken　staircase　of
a　gigantic　ruin；　was　their　way　now。　No　trees　were　to　be　seen；　nor　any
vegetable　growth　save　a　poor　brown　scrubby　moss；　freezing　in　the　chinks
of　rock。　Blackened　skeleton　arms　of　wood　by　the　wayside　pointed　upward
to　the　convent　as　if　the　ghosts　of　former　travellers　overwhelmed　by　the
snow　haunted　the　scene　of　their　distress。　Icicle…hung　caves　and　cellars
built　for　refuges　from　sudden　storms；　were　like　so　many　whispers　of　the
perils　of　the　place；　never…resting　wreaths　and　mazes　of　mist　wandered
about；　hunted　by　a　moaning　wind；　and　snow；　the　besetting　danger　of　the
mountain；　against　which　all　its　defences　were　taken；　drifted　sharply
down。

The　file　of　mules；　jaded　by　their　day's　work；　turned　and　wound　slowly
up　the　deep　ascent；　the　foremost　led　by　a　guide　on　foot；　in　his
broad…brimmed　hat　and　round　jacket；　carrying　a　mountain　staff　or　two
upon　his　shoulder；　with　whom　another　guide　conversed。　There　was　no
speaking　among　the　string　of　riders。　The　sharp　cold；　the　fatigue　of　the
journey；　and　a　new　sensation　of　a　catching　in　the　breath；　partly　as　if
they　had　just　emerged　from　very　clear　crisp　water；　and　partly　as　if　they
had　been　sobbing；　kept　them　silent。

At　length；　a　light　on　the　summit　of　the　rocky　staircase　gleamed　through
the　snow　and　mist。　The　guides　called　to　the　mules；　the　mules　pricked　up
their　drooping　heads；　the　travellers'　tongues　were　loosened；　and　in　a
sudden　burst　of　slipping；　climbing；　jingling；　clinking；　and　talking；
they　arrived　at　the　convent　door。

Other　mules　had　arrived　not　long　before；　some　with　peasant　riders　and
some　with　goods；　and　had　trodden　the　snow　about　the　door　into　a　pool
of　mud。　Riding…saddles　and　bridles；　pack…saddles　and　strings　of　bells；
mules　and　men；　lanterns；　torches；　sacks；　provender；　barrels；　cheeses；
kegs　of　honey　and　butter；　straw　bundles　and　packages　of　many　shapes；
were　crowded　confusedly　together　in　this　thaire　and　about　the
steps。　Up　here　in　the　clouds；　everything　was　seen　through　cloud；　and
seemed　dissolving　into　cloud。　The　breath　of　the　men　was　cloud；　the
breath　of　the　mules　was　cloud；　the　lights　were　encircled　by　cloud；
speakers　close　at　hand　were　not　seen　for　cloud；　though　their　voices　and
all　other　sounds　were　surprisingly　clear。　Of　the　cloudy　line　of　mules
hastily　tied　to　rings　in　the　wall；　one　would　bite　another；　or　kick
another；　and　then　the　whole　mist　would　be　disturbed：　with　men　diving
into　it；　and　cries　of　men　and　beasts　ing　out　of　it；　and　no　bystander
discerning　what　was　wrong。　In　the　midst　of　this；　the　great　stable　of　the
convent；　occupying　the　basement　story　and　entered　by　the　basement　door；
outside　which　all　the　disorder　was；　poured　forth　its　contribution　of
cloud；　as　if　the　whole　rugged　edifice　were　filled　with　nothing　else；
and　would　collapse　as　soon　as　it　had　emptied　itself；　leaving　the　snow　to
fall　upon　the　bare　mountain　summit。

While　all　this　noise　and　hurry　were　rife　among　the　living　travellers；
there；　too；　silently　assembled　in　a　grated　house　half…a…dozen　paces
removed；　with　the　same　cloud　enfolding　them　and　the　same　snow　flakes
drifting　in　upon　them；　were　the　dead　travellers　found　upon　the　mountain。
The　mother；　storm…belated　many　winters　ago；　still　standing　in　the　corner
with　her　baby　at　her　breast；　the　man　who　had　frozen　with　his　arm　raised
to　his　mouth　in　fear　or　hunger；　still　pressing　it　with　his　dry　lips
after　years　and　years。　An　awful　pany；　mysteriously　e　together！　A
wild　destiny　for　that　mother　to　have　foreseen！　'Surrounded　by　so　many
and　such　panions　upon　whom　I　never　looked；　and　never　shall　look；
I　and　my　chi