little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第173章

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have　gone　the　same　road；　before　and　since。

If　Little　Dorrit　found　herself　left　a　little　lonely　and　a　little　low
that　night；　nothing　would　have　done　so　much　against　her　feeling　of
depression　as　the　being　able　to　sit　at　work　by　her　father；　as　in　the　old
time；　and　help　him　to　his　supper　and　his　rest。　But　that　was　not　to　be
thought　of　now；　when　they　sat　in　the　state…equipage　with　Mrs　General　on
the　coach…box。　And　as　to　supper！　If　Mr　Dorrit　had　wanted　supper；　there
was　an　Italian　cook　and　there　was　a　Swiss　confectioner；　who　must
have　put　on　caps　as　high　as　the　Pope's　Mitre；　and　have　performed　the
mysteries　of　Alchemists　in　a　copper…saucepaned　laboratory　below；　before
he　could　have　got　it。

He　was　sententious　and　didactic　that　night。　If　he　had　been　simply
loving；　he　would　have　done　Little　Dorrit　more　good；　but　she　accepted　him
as　he　was……when　had　she　not　accepted　him　as　he　was！……and　made　the　most
and　best　of　him。　Mrs　General　at　length　retired。　Her　retirement　for　the
night　was　always　her　frostiest　ceremony；　as　if　she　felt　it　necessary
that　the　human　imagination　should　be　chilled　into　stone　to　prevent
its　following　her。　When　she　had　gone　through　her　rigid　preliminaries；
amounting　to　a　sort　of　genteel　platoon…exercise；　she　withdrew。　Little
Dorrit　then　put　her　arm　round　her　father's　neck；　to　bid　him　good　night。

'Amy；　my　dear；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　taking　her　by　the　hand；　'this　is　the
close　of　a　day；　that　has……ha……greatly　impressed　and　gratified　me。'　'A
little　tired　you；　dear；　too？'

'No；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'no：　I　am　not　sensible　of　fatigue　when　it　arises
from　an　occasion　so……hum……replete　with　gratification　of　the　purest
kind。'

Little　Dorrit　was　glad　to　find　him　in　such　heart；　and　smiled　from　her
own　heart。

'My　dear；'　he　continued；　'this　is　an　occasion……ha……teeming　with　a　good
example。　With　a　good　example；　my　favourite　and　attached　child……hum……to
you。'

Little　Dorrit；　fluttered　by　his　words；　did　not　know　what　to　say；　though
he　stopped　as　if　he　expected　her　to　say　something。

'Amy；'　he　resumed；　'your　dear　sister；　our　Fanny；　has　contracted
ha　hum……a　marriage；　eminently　calculated　to　extend　the　basis　of
our……ha……connection；　and　to……hum……consolidate　our　social　relations。　My
love；　I　trust　that　the　time　is　not　far　distant　when　some……ha……eligible
partner　may　be　found　for　you。'

'Oh　no！　Let　me　stay　with　you。　I　beg　and　pray　that　I　may　stay　with　you！　I
want　nothing　but　to　stay　and　take　care　of　you！'　She　said　it　like　one　in
sudden　alarm。

'Nay；　Amy；　Amy；'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'This　is　weak　and　foolish；　weak
and　foolish。　You　have　a……ha……responsibility　imposed　upon　you　by　your
position。　It　is　to　develop　that　position；　and　be……hum……worthy　of　that
position。　As　to　taking　care　of　me；　I　can……ha……take　care　of　myself。
Or；'　he　added　after　a　moment；　'if　I　should　need　to　be　taken　care　of；
I……hum……can；　with　the……ha……blessing　of　Providence；　be　taken　care　of；
I……ha　hum……I　cannot；　my　dear　child；　think　of　engrossing；　and……ha……as　it
were；　sacrificing　you。'

O　what　a　time　of　day　at　which　to　begin　that　profession　of　self…denial；
at　which　to　make　it；　with　an　air　of　taking　credit　for　it；　at　which　to
believe　it；　if　such　a　thing　could　be！

'Don't　speak；　Amy。　I　positively　say　I　cannot　do　it。　I……ha……must　not　do
it。　My……hum……conscience　would　not　allow　it。　I　therefore；　my　love；　take
the　opportunity　afforded　by　this　gratifying　and　impressive　occasion
of……ha……solemnly　remarking；　that　it　is　now　a　cherished　wish　and　purpose
of　mine　to　see　you……ha……eligibly　（I　repeat　eligibly）　married。'

'Oh　no；　dear！　Pray！'

'Amy；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'I　am　well　persuaded　that　if　the　topic　were
referred　to　any　person　of　superior　social　knowledge；　of　superior
delicacy　and　sense……let　us　say；　for　instance；　to……ha……Mrs　General……that
there　would　not　be　two　opinions　as　to　the……hum……affectionate　character
and　propriety　of　my　sentiments。　But；　as　I　know　your　loving　and　dutiful
nature　from……hum……from　experience；　I　am　quite　satisfied　that　it　is
necessary　to　say　no　more。　I　have……hum……no　husband　to　propose　at
present；　my　dear：　I　have　not　even　one　in　view。　I　merely　wish　that　we
should……ha……understand　each　other。　Hum。　Good　night；　my　dear　and　sole
remaining　daughter。　Good　night。

God　bless　you！'

If　the　thought　ever　entered　Little　Dorrit's　head　that　night；　that　he
could　give　her　up　lightly　now　in　his　prosperity；　and　when　he　had　it　in
his　mind　to　replace　her　with　a　second　wife；　she　drove　it　away。　Faithful
to　him　still；　as　in　the　worst　times　through　which　she　had　borne　him
single…handed；　she　drove　the　thought　away；　and　entertained　no　harder
reflection；　in　her　tearful　unrest；　than　that　he　now　saw　everything
through　their　wealth；　and　through　the　care　he　always　had　upon　him　that
they　should　continue　rich；　and　grow　richer。

They　sat　in　their　equipage　of　state；　with　Mrs　General　on　the　box；　for
three　weeks　longer；　and　then　he　started　for　Florence　to　join　Fanny。
Little　Dorrit　would　have　been　glad　to　bear　him　pany　so　far；　only　for
the　sake　of　her　own　love；　and　then　to　have　turned　back　alone；　thinking
of　dear　England。　But；　though　the　Courier　had　gone　on　with　the　Bride；　the
Valet　was　next　in　the　line；　and　the　succession　would　not　have　e　to
her；　as　long　as　any　one　could　be　got　for　money。

Mrs　General　took　life　easily……as　easily；　that　is；　as　she　could
take　anything……when　the　Roman　establishment　remained　in　their　sole
occupation；　and　Little　Dorrit　would　often　ride　out　in　a　hired　carriage
that　was　left　them；　and　alight　alone　and　wander　among　the　ruins　of　old
Rome。　The　ruins　of　the　vast　old　Amphitheatre；　of　the　old　Temples；　of　the
old　memorative　Arches；　of　the　old　trodden　highways；　of　the　old
tombs；　besides　being　what　they　were；　to　her　were　ruins　of　the　old
Marshalsea……ruins　of　her　own　old　life……ruins　of　the　faces　and　forms
that　of　old　peopled　it……ruins　of　its　loves；　hopes；　cares；　and　joys。　Two
ruined　spheres　of　action　and　suffering　were　before　the　solitary　girl
often　sitting　on　some　broken　fragment；　and　in　the　lonely　places；　under
the　blue　sky；　she　saw　them　both　together。

Up；　then；　would　e　Mrs　General；　taking　all　the　colour　out　of
everything；　as　Nature　and　Art　had　taken　it　out　of　herself；　writing
Prunes　and　Prism；　in　Mr　Eustace's　text；　wherever　she　could　lay　a　hand；
looking　everywhere　for　Mr　Eustace　and　pany；　and　seeing　nothing　else；
scratching　up　the　driest　little　bones　of　antiquity；　and　bolting　them
whole　without　any　human　visitings……like　a　Ghoule　in　gloves。




CHAPTER　16。　Getting　on

The　newly　married　pair；　on　their　arrival　in　Harley　Street；　Cavendish
Square；　London；　were　received　by　the　Chief　Butler。　That　great　man　was
not　interested　in　them；　but　on　the　whole　endured　them。　People　must
continue　to　be　married　and　given　in　marriage；　or　Chief　Butlers　would　not
be　wanted。　As　nations　are　made　to　be　taxed；　so　families　are　made　to
be　butlered。　The　Chief　Butler；　no　doubt；　reflected　that　the　course　of
nature　required　the　wealthy　population　to　be　kept　up；　on　his　account。

He　therefore　condescended　to　look　at　the　carriage　from　the　Hall…door
without　frowning　at　it；　and　said；　in　a　very　handsome　way；　to　one　of
his　men；　'Thomas；　help　with　the　luggage。'　He　even　escorted　the　Bride
up…stairs　into　Mr　Merdle's　presence；　but　this　must　be　considered　as　an
act　of　homage　to　the　sex　（of　which　he　was　an　admirer；　being　notoriously
captivated　by　the　charms　of　a　certain　Duchess）；　and　not　as　a　mittal
of　himself　with　the　family。

Mr　Merdle　was　slinking　about　the　hearthrug；　waiting　to　wele　Mrs
Sparkler。　His　hand　seemed　to　retreat　up　his　sleeve　as　he　advanced　to
do　so；　and　he　gave　her　such　a　superfluity　of　coat…cuff　that　it　was　like
being　received　by　the　popular　conception　of　Guy　Fawkes。　When　he　put　his
lips　to　hers；　besides；　he　took　himself　into　custody　by　the　wrists；　and
backed　himself　among　the　ottomans　and　chairs　and　tables　as　if　he　were
his　own　Police　officer；　saying　to　himself；　'Now；　none　of　that！　e！
I've　got　you；　you　knoe！'

Mrs　Sparkler；　installed　in　the　rooms　of　state……the　innermost　sanctuary
of　down；　silk；　chintz；　and　fine　linen……felt　that　so　far　her　triumph　was
good；　and　her　way　made；　step　by　step。　On　the　day　before　her　marriage；
she　had　bestowed　on　Mrs　Merdle's　maid　with　an　air　of　gracious
indifference；　in　Mrs