little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第139章

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with　the　announcement　that　two　beautiful　English　ladies　were　e　to　see
the　mistress。

Mrs　Gowan；　who　was　engaged　in　needlework；　put　her　work　aside　in　a
covered　basket；　and　rose；　a　little　hurriedly。　Miss　Fanny　was　excessively
courteous　to　her；　and　said　the　usual　nothings　with　the　skill　of　a
veteran。

'Papa　was　extremely　sorry；'　proceeded　Fanny；　'to　be　engaged　to…day　（he
is　so　much　engaged　here；　our　acquaintance　being　so　wretchedly　large！）；
and　particularly　requested　me　to　bring　his　card　for　Mr　Gowan。　That　I　may
be　sure　to　acquit　myself　of　a　mission　which　he　impressed　upon　me　at
least　a　dozen　times；　allow　me　to　relieve　my　conscience　by　placing　it　on
the　table　at　once。'

Which　she　did　with　veteran　ease。

'We　have　been；'　said　Fanny；　'charmed　to　understand　that　you　know　the
Merdles。　We　hope　it　may　be　another　means　of　bringing　us　together。'

'They　are　friends；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　'of　Mr　Gowan's　family。　I　have　not
yet　had　the　pleasure　of　a　personal　introduction　to　Mrs　Merdle；　but　I
suppose　I　shall　be　presented　to　her　at　Rome。'

'Indeed？'　returned　Fanny；　with　an　appearance　of　amiably　quenching　her
own　superiority。　'I　think　you'll　like　her。'

'You　know　her　very　well？'

'Why；　you　see；'　said　Fanny；　with　a　frank　action　of　her　pretty　shoulders；
'in　London　one　knows　every　one。　We　met　her　on　our　way　here；　and；　to　say
the　truth；　papa　was　at　first　rather　cross　with　her　for　taking　one　of　the
rooms　that　our　people　had　ordered　for　us。

However；　of　course；　that　soon　blew　over；　and　we　were　all　good　friends
again。'

Although　the　visit　had　as　yet　given　Little　Dorrit　no　opportunity　of
conversing　with　Mrs　Gowan；　there　was　a　silent　understanding　between
them；　which　did　as　well。　She　looked　at　Mrs　Gowan　with　keen　and　unabated
interest；　the　sound　of　her　voice　was　thrilling　to　her；　nothing　that　was
near　her；　or　about　her；　or　at　all　concerned　her；　escaped　Little　Dorrit。
She　was　quicker　to　perceive　the　slightest　matter　here；　than　in　any　other
case……but　one。

'You　have　been　quite　well；'　she　now　said；　'since　that　night？'

'Quite；　my　dear。　And　you？'　'Oh！　I　am　always　well；'　said　Little　Dorrit；
timidly。　'I……yes；　thank　you。'

There　was　no　reason　for　her　faltering　and　breaking　off；　other　than　that
Mrs　Gowan　had　touched　her　hand　in　speaking　to　her；　and　their　looks　had
met。　Something　thoughtfully　apprehensive　in　the　large；　soft　eyes；　had
checked　Little　Dorrit　in　an　instant。

'You　don't　know　that　you　are　a　favourite　of　my　husband's；　and　that　I　am
almost　bound　to　be　jealous　of　you？'　said　Mrs　Gowan。

Little　Dorrit；　blushing；　shook　her　head。

'He　will　tell　you；　if　he　tells　you　what　he　tells　me；　that　you　are
quieter　and　quicker　of　resource　than　any　one　he　ever　saw。'

'He　speaks　far　too　well　of　me；'　said　Little　Dorrit。

'I　doubt　that；　but　I　don't　at　all　doubt　that　I　must　tell　him　you
are　here。　I　should　never　be　forgiven；　if　I　were　to　let　you……and　Miss
Dorrit……go；　without　doing　so。　May　I？　You　can　excuse　the　disorder　and
disfort　of　a　painter's　studio？'

The　inquiries　were　addressed　to　Miss　Fanny；　who　graciously　replied　that
she　would　be　beyond　anything　interested　and　enchanted。　Mrs　Gowan　went　to
a　door；　looked　in　beyond　it；　and　came　back。　'Do　Henry　the　favour　to　e
in；'　said　she；　'I　knew　he　would　be　pleased！'

The　first　object　that　confronted　Little　Dorrit；　entering　first；　was
Blandois　of　Paris　in　a　great　cloak　and　a　furtive　slouched　hat；　standing
on　a　throne　platform　in　a　corner；　as　he　had　stood　on　the　Great　Saint
Bernard；　when　the　warning　arms　seemed　to　be　all　pointing　up　at　him。　She
recoiled　from　this　figure；　as　it　smiled　at　her。

'Don't　be　alarmed；'　said　Gowan；　ing　from　his　easel　behind　the　door。
'It's　only　Blandois。　He　is　doing　duty　as　a　model　to…day。　I　am　making
a　study　of　him。　It　saves　me　money　to　turn　him　to　some　use。　We　poor
painters　have　none　to　spare。'

Blandois　of　Paris　pulled　off　his　slouched　hat；　and　saluted　the　ladies
without　ing　out　of　his　corner。

'A　thousand　pardons！'　said　he。　'But　the　Professore　here　is　so　inexorable
with　me；　that　I　am　afraid　to　stir。'

'Don't　stir；　then；'　said　Gowan　coolly；　as　the　sisters　approached　the
easel。　'Let　the　ladies　at　least　see　the　original　of　the　daub；　that　they
may　know　what　it's　meant　for。　There　he　stands；　you　see。　A　bravo　waiting
for　his　prey；　a　distinguished　noble　waiting　to　save　his　country；　the
mon　enemy　waiting　to　do　somebody　a　bad　turn；　an　angelic　messenger
waiting　to　do　somebody　a　good　turn……whatever　you　think　he　looks　most
like！'　'Say；　Professore　Mio；　a　poor　gentleman　waiting　to　do　homage　to
elegance　and　beauty；'　remarked　Blandois。

'Or　say；　Cattivo　Soggetto　Mio；'　returned　Gowan；　touching　the　painted
face　with　his　brush　in　the　part　where　the　real　face　had　moved；　'a
murderer　after　the　fact。　Show　that　white　hand　of　yours；　Blandois。　Put　it
outside　the　cloak。　Keep　it　still。'

Blandois'　hand　was　unsteady；　but　he　laughed；　and　that　would　naturally
shake　it。

'He　was　formerly　in　some　scuffle　with　another　murderer；　or　with　a
victim；　you　observe；'　said　Gowan；　putting　in　the　markings　of　the　hand
patient；　unskilful　touch；　'and　these　are　the　tokens　of
it。　Outside　the　cloak；　man！……Corpo　di　San　Marco；　what　are　you　thinking
of？'

Blandois　of　Paris　shook　with　a　laugh　again；　so　that　his　hand　shook　more；
now　he　raised　it　to　twist　his　moustache；　which　had　a　damp　appearance；
and　now　he　stood　in　the　required　position；　with　a　little　new　swagger。

His　face　was　so　directed　in　reference　to　the　spot　where　Little　Dorrit
stood　by　the　easel；　that　throughout　he　looked　at　her。　Once　attracted　by
his　peculiar　eyes；　she　could　not　remove　her　own；　and　they　had　looked
at　each　other　all　the　time。　She　trembled　now；　Gowan；　feeling　it；　and
supposing　her　to　be　alarmed　by　the　large　dog　beside　him；　whose　head　she
caressed　in　her　hand；　and　who　had　just　uttered　a　low　growl；　glanced　at
her　to　say；　'He　won't　hurt　you；　Miss　Dorrit。'

'I　am　not　afraid　of　him；'　she　returned　in　the　same　breath；　'but　will　you
look　at　him？'

In　a　moment　Gowan　had　thrown　down　his　brush；　and　seized　the　dog　with
both　hands　by　the　collar。


'Blandois！　How　can　you　be　such　a　fool　as　to　provoke　him！　By　Heaven；　and
the　other　place　too；　he'll　tear　you　to　bits！　Lie　down！

Lion！　Do　you　hear　my　voice；　you　rebel！

'The　great　dog；　regardless　of　being　half…choked　by　his　collar；　was
obdurately　pulling　with　his　dead　weight　against　his　master；　resolved　to
get　across　the　room。　He　had　been　crouching　for　a　spring　at　the　moment
when　his　master　caught　him。

'Lion！　Lion！'　He　was　up　on　his　hind　legs；　and　it　was　a　wrestle　between
master　and　dog。　'Get　back！　Down；　Lion！　Get　out　of　his　sight；　Blandois！
What　devil　have　you　conjured　into　the　dog？'

'I　have　done　nothing　to　him。'

'Get　out　of　his　sight　or　I　can't　hold　the　wild　beast！　Get　out　of　the
room！　By　my　soul；　he'll　kill　you！'

The　dog；　with　a　ferocious　bark；　made　one　other　struggle　as　Blandois
vanished；　then；　in　the　moment　of　the　dog's　submission；　the　master；
little　less　angry　than　the　dog；　felled　him　with　a　blow　on　the　head；　and
standing　over　him；　struck　him　many　times　severely　with　the　heel　of　his
boot；　so　that　his　mouth　was　presently　bloody。

'Now　get　you　into　that　corner　and　lie　down；'　said　Gowan；　'or　I'll　take
you　out　and　shoot　you。'

Lion　did　as　he　was　ordered；　and　lay　down　licking　his　mouth　and　chest。
Lion's　master　stopped　for　a　moment　to　take　breath；　and　then；　recovering
his　usual　coolness　of　manner；　turned　to　speak　to　his　frightened　wife
and　her　visitors。　Probably　the　whole　occurrence　had　not　occupied　two
minutes。

'e；　e；　Minnie！　You　know　he　is　always　good…humoured　and　tractable。
Blandois　must　have　irritated　him；……made　faces　at　him。　The　dog　has　his
likings　and　dislikings；　and　Blandois　is　no　great　favourite　of　his；　but
I　am　sure　you　will　give　him　a　character；　Minnie；　for　never　having　been
like　this　before。'

Minnie　was　too　much　disturbed　to　say　anything　connected　in　reply；　Little
Dorrit　was　already　occupied　in　soothing　her；　Fanny；　who　had　cried　out
twice　or　thrice；　held　Gowan's　arm　for　protection；　Lion；　deeply　ashamed
of　having　caused　them　this　alarm；　came　trailing　himself　along　the　ground
to　the　feet　of　his　mistress。

'You　furious　brute；'　said　Gowan；　striking　him　with　his　foot　again。　'You
s