little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第136章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


sort　of　ill…adjusted　alarum。　The　touch　was　still　upon　his　arm。　He　fell
silent；　and　after　looking　about　the　ceiling　again　for　a　little　while；
looked　down　at　her。　Her　head　drooped；　and　he　could　not　see　her　face；　but
her　touch　was　tender　and　quiet；　and　in　the　expression　of　her　dejected
figure　there　was　no　blame……nothing　but　love。　He　began　to　whimper；　just
as　he　had　done　that　night　in　the　prison　when　she　afterwards　sat　at
his　bedside　till　morning；　exclaimed　that　he　was　a　poor　ruin　and　a　poor
wretch　in　the　midst　of　his　wealth；　and　clasped　her　in　his　arms。　'Hush；
hush；　my　own　dear！　Kiss　me！'　was　all　she　said　to　him。　His　tears
were　soon　dried；　much　sooner　than　on　the　former　occasion；　and　he　was
presently　afterwards　very　high　with　his　valet；　as　a　way　of　righting
himself　for　having　shed　any。

With　one　remarkable　exception；　to　be　recorded　in　its　place；　this　was
the　only　time；　in　his　life　of　freedom　and　fortune；　when　he　spoke　to　his
daughter　Amy　of　the　old　days。

But；　now；　the　breakfast　hour　arrived；　and　with　it　Miss　Fanny　from　her
apartment；　and　Mr　Edward　from　his　apartment。　Both　these　young　persons　of
distinction　were　something　the　worse　for　late　hours。　As　to　Miss　Fanny；
she　had　bee　the　victim　of　an　insatiate　mania　for　what　she　called
'going　into　society；'and　would　have　gone　into　it　head…foremost　fifty
times　between　sunset　and　sunrise；　if　so　many　opportunities　had　been　at
her　disposal。　As　to　Mr　Edward；　he；　too；　had　a　large　acquaintance；　and
was　generally　engaged　（for　the　most　part；　in　diceing　circles；　or　others
of　a　kindred　nature）；　during　the　greater　part　of　every　night。　For　this
gentleman；　when　his　fortunes　changed；　had　stood　at　the　great　advantage
of　being　already　prepared　for　the　highest　associates；　and　having　little
to　learn：　so　much　was　he　indebted　to　the　happy　accidents　which　had　made
him　acquainted　with　horse…dealing　and　billiard…marking。

At　breakfast；　Mr　Frederick　Dorrit　likewise　appeared。　As　the　old
gentleman　inhabited　the　highest　story　of　the　palace；　where　he　might　have
practised　pistol…shooting　without　much　chance　of　discovery　by　the　other
inmates；　his　younger　niece　had　taken　courage　to　propose　the　restoration
to　him　of　his　clario；　which　Mr　Dorrit　had　ordered　to　be　confiscated；
but　which　she　had　ventured　to　preserve。　Notwithstanding　some　objections
from　Miss　Fanny；　that　it　was　a　low　instrument；　and　that　she　detested　the
sound　of　it；　the　concession　had　been　made。　But　it　was　then　discovered
that　he　had　had　enough　of　it；　and　never　played　it；　now　that　it　was　no
longer　his　means　of　getting　bread。　He　had　insensibly　acquired　a　new
habit　of　shuffling　into　the　picture…galleries；　always　with　his　twisted
paper　of　snuff　in　his　hand　（much　to　the　indignation　of　Miss　Fanny；　who
had　proposed　the　purchase　of　a　gold　box　for　him　that　the　family　might
not　be　discredited；　which　he　had　absolutely　refused　to　carry　when　it　was
bought）；　and　of　passing　hours　and　hours　before　the　portraits　of　renowned
Veians。　It　was　never　made　out　what　his　dazed　eyes　saw　in　them；
whether　he　had　an　interest　in　them　merely　as　pictures；　or　whether　he
confusedly　identified　them　with　a　glory　that　was　departed；　like　the
strength　of　his　own　mind。　But　he　paid　his　court　to　them　with　great
exactness；　and　clearly　derived　pleasure　from　the　pursuit。　After　the
first　few　days；　Little　Dorrit　happened　one　morning　to　assist　at　these
attentions。　It　so　evidently　heightened　his　gratification　that　she　often
acpanied　him　afterwards；　and　the　greatest　delight　of　which　the　old
man　had　shown　himself　susceptible　since　his　ruin；　arose　out　of　these
excursions；　when　he　would　carry　a　chair　about　for　her　from　picture
to　picture；　and　stand　behind　it；　in　spite　of　all　her　remonstrances；
silently　presenting　her　to　the　noble　Veians。

It　fell　out　that；　at　this　family　breakfast；　he　referred　to　their　having
seen　in　a　gallery；　on　the　previous　day；　the　lady　and　gentleman　whom　they
had　encountered　on　the　Great　Saint　Bernard；　'I　forget　the　name；'　said
he。　'I　dare　say　you　remember　them；　William？

I　dare　say　you　do；　Edward？'

'_I_　remember　'em　well　enough；'　said　the　latter。

'I　should　think　so；'　observed　Miss　Fanny；　with　a　toss　of　her　head　and
a　glance　at　her　sister。　'But　they　would　not　have　been　recalled　to　our
remembrance；　I　suspect；　if　Uncle　hadn't　tumbled　over　the　subject。'

'My　dear；　what　a　curious　phrase；'　said　Mrs　General。　'Would　not
inadvertently　lighted　upon；　or　accidentally　referred　to；　be　better？'

'Thank　you　very　much；　Mrs　General；'　returned　the　young　lady；　'no；　I
think　not。　On　the　whole　I　prefer　my　own　expression。'　This　was　always
Miss　Fanny's　way　of　receiving　a　suggestion　from　Mrs　General。　But　she
always　stored　it　up　in　her　mind；　and　adopted　it　at　another　time。

'I　should　have　mentioned　our　having　met　Mr　and　Mrs　Gowan；　Fanny；'　said
Little　Dorrit；　'even　if　Uncle　had　not。　I　have　scarcely　seen　you　since；
you　know。　I　meant　to　have　spoken　of　it　at　breakfast；　because　I　should
like　to　pay　a　visit　to　Mrs　Gowan；　and　to　bee　better　acquainted　with
her；　if　Papa　and　Mrs　General　do　not　object。'

'Well；　Amy；'　said　Fanny；　'I　am　sure　I　am　glad　to　find　you　at　last
expressing　a　wish　to　bee　better　acquainted　with　anybody　in　Venice。
Though　whether　Mr　and　Mrs　Goains　to
be　determined。'

'Mrs　Gowan　I　spoke　of；　dear。'

'No　doubt；'　said　Fanny。　'But　you　can't　separate　her　from　her　husband；　I
believe；　without　an　Act　of　Parliament。'

'Do　you　think；　Papa；'　inquired　Little　Dorrit；　with　diffidence　and
hesitation；　'there　is　any　objection　to　my　making　this　visit？'

'Really；'　he　replied；　'I……ha……what　is　Mrs　General's　view？'

Mrs　General's　view　was；　that　not　having　the　honour　of　any　acquaintance
with　the　lady　and　gentleman　referred　to；　she　was　not　in　a　position
to　varnish　the　present　article。　She　could　only　remark；　as　a　general
principle　observed　in　the　varnishing　trade；　that　much　depended　on　the
quarter　from　which　the　lady　under　consideration　was　accredited　to　a
family　so　conspicuously　niched　in　the　social　temple　as　the　family　of
Dorrit。

At　this　remark　the　face　of　Mr　Dorrit　gloomed　considerably。　He　was　about
（connecting　the　accrediting　with　an　obtrusive　person　of　the　name
of　Clennam；　whom　he　imperfectly　remembered　in　some　former　state　of
existence）　to　black…ball　the　name　of　Gowan　finally；　when　Edward　Dorrit；
Esquire；　came　into　the　conversation；　with　his　glass　in　his　eye；　and　the
preliminary　remark　of　'I　say……you　there！　Go　out；　will　you！'……which　was
addressed　to　a　couple　of　men　who　were　handing　the　dishes　round；　as　a
courteous　intimation　that　their　services　could　be　temporarily　dispensed
with。

Those　menials　having　obeyed　the　mandate；　Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire；
proceeded。

'Perhaps　it's　a　matter　of　policy　to　let　you　all　know　that　these
Gowans……in　whose　favour；　or　at　least　the　gentleman's；　I　can't　be
supposed　to　be　much　prepossessed　myself……are　known　to　people　of
importance；　if　that　makes　any　difference。'

'That；　I　would　say；'　observed　the　fair　varnisher；　'Makes　the　greatest
difference。　The　connection　in　question；　being　really　people　of
importance　and　consideration……'

'As　to　that；'　said　Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire；　'I'll　give　you　the　means　of
judging　for　yourself。　You　are　acquainted；　perhaps；　with　the　famous　name
of　Merdle？'

'The　great　Merdle！'　exclaimed　Mrs　General。

'THE　Merdle；'　said　Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire。　'They　are　known　to　him。

Mrs　Gowan……I　mean　the　dowager；　my　polite　friend's　mother……is　intimate
with　Mrs　Merdle；　and　I　know　these　two　to　be　on　their　visiting　list。'

'If　so；　a　more　undeniable　guarantee　could　not　be　given；'　said　Mrs
General　to　Mr　Dorrit；　raising　her　gloves　and　bowing　her　head；　as　if　she
were　doing　homage　to　some　visible　graven　image。

'I　beg　to　ask　my　son；　from　motives　of……ah……curiosity；'　Mr　Dorrit
observed；　with　a　decided　change　in　his　manner；　'how　he　bees　possessed
of　this……hum……timely　information？'

'It's　not　a　long　story；　sir；'　returned　Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire；　'and　you
shall　have　it　out　of　hand。　To　begin　with；　Mrs　Merdle　is　the　lady　you　had
the　parley　with　at　what's…his…name　place。'

'Martigny；'　interposed　Miss　Fanny　with　an　air　of　infinite　languor。

'Martigny；'　assented　her　brother；　with　a　slight　nod　and　a　slight　wink；
in　acknowledgment　of　which；　Miss　Fanny　looked　sur