little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第197章

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fan；　'and　I　had　better　go　to　bed。'

'Don't　do　that；　my　love；'　urged　Mr　Sparkler。　'Take　time。'

Fanny　took　a　good　deal　of　time：　lying　back　with　her　eyes　shut；　and　her
eyebrows　raised　with　a　hopeless　expression　as　if　she　had　utterly　given
up　all　terrestrial　affairs。　At　length；　without　the　slightest　notice；　she
opened　her　eyes　again；　and　remenced　in　a　short；　sharp　manner：

'What　happens　then；　I　ask！　What　happens？　Why；　I　find　myself　at　the　very
period　when　I　might　shine　most　in　society；　and　should　most　like　for
very　momentous　reasons　to　shine　in　society……I　find　myself　in　a　situation
which　to　a　certain　extent　disqualifies　me　for　going　into　society。　It's
too　bad；　really！'

'My　dear；'　said　Mr　Sparkler。　'I　don't　think　it　need　keep　you　at
home。'　'Edmund；　you　ridiculous　creature；'　returned　Fanny；　with　great
indignation；　'do　you　suppose　that　a　woman　in　the　bloom　of　youth　and　not
wholly　devoid　of　personal　attractions；　can　put　herself；　at　such　a
time；　in　petition　as　to　figure　with　a　woman　in　every　other　way　her
inferior？　If　you　do　suppose　such　a　thing；　your　folly　is　boundless。'

Mr　Sparkler　submitted　that　he　had　thought　'it　might　be　got　over。'　'Got
over！'　repeated　Fanny；　with　immeasurable　scorn。

'For　a　time；'　Mr　Sparkler　submitted。

Honouring　the　last　feeble　suggestion　with　no　notice；　Mrs　Sparkler
declared　with　bitterness　that　it　really　was　too　bad；　and　that　positively
it　was　enough　to　make　one　wish　one　was　dead！

'However；'　she　said；　when　she　had　in　some　measure　recovered　from　her
sense　of　personal　ill…usage；　'provoking　as　it　is；　and　cruel　as　it　seems；
I　suppose　it　must　be　submitted　to。'

'Especially　as　it　was　to　be　expected；'　said　Mr　Sparkler。

'Edmund；'　returned　his　wife；　'if　you　have　nothing　more　being　to　do
than　to　attempt　to　insult　the　woman　who　has　honoured　you　with　her　hand；
when　she　finds　herself　in　adversity；　I　think　YOU　had　better　go　to　bed！'

Mr　Sparkler　was　much　afflicted　by　the　charge；　and　offered　a　most
tender　and　earnest　apology。　His　apology　was　accepted；　but　Mrs　Sparkler
requested　him　to　go　round　to　the　other　side　of　the　sofa　and　sit　in　the
window…curtain；　to　tone　himself　down。

'Now；　Edmund；'　she　said；　stretching　out　her　fan；　and　touching　him　with
it　at　arm's　length；　'what　I　was　going　to　say　to　you　when　you　began　as
usual　to　prose　and　worry；　is；　that　I　shall　guard　against　our　being　alone
any　more；　and　that　when　circumstances　prevent　my　going　out　to　my　own
satisfaction；　I　must　arrange　to　have　some　people　or　other　always　here；
for　I　really　cannot；　and　will　not；　have　another　such　day　as　this　has
been。'

Mr　Sparkler's　sentiments　as　to　the　plan　were；　in　brief；　that　it　had　no
nonsense　about　it。　He　added；　'And　besides；　you　know　it's　likely　that
you'll　soon　have　your　sister……'

'Dearest　Amy；　yes！'　cried　Mrs　Sparkler　with　a　sigh　of　affection。
'Darling　little　thing！　Not；　however；　that　Amy　would　do　here　alone。'

Mr　Sparkler　was　going　to　say　'No？'　interrogatively；　but　he　saw　his
danger　and　said　it　assentingly；　'No；　Oh　dear　no；　she　wouldn't　do　here
alone。'

'No；　Edmund。　For　not　only　are　the　virtues　of　the　precious　child　of　that
still　character　that　they　require　a　contrast……require　life　and　movement
around　them　to　bring　them　out　in　their　right　colours　and　make　one　love
them　of　all　things；　but　she　will　require　to　be　roused；　on　more　accounts
than　one。'

'That's　it；'　said　Mr　Sparkler。　'Roused。'

'Pray　don't；　Edmund！　Your　habit　of　interrupting　without　having　the　least
thing　in　the　world　to　say；　distracts　one。　You　must　be　broken　of　it。
Speaking　of　Amy；……my　poor　little　pet　was　devotedly　attached　to　poor
papa；　and　no　doubt　will　have　lamented　his　loss　exceedingly；　and　grieved
very　much。　I　have　done　so　myself。　I　have　felt　it　dreadfully。　But　Amy
will　no　doubt　have　felt　it　even　more；　from　having　been　on　the　spot　the
whole　time；　and　having　been　with　poor　dear　papa　at　the　last；　which　I
unhappily　was　not。'

Here　Fanny　stopped　to　weep；　and　to　say；　'Dear；　dear；　beloved　papa！　How
truly　gentlemanly　he　was！　What　a　contrast　to　poor　uncle！'

'From　the　effects　of　that　trying　time；'　she　pursued；　'my　good　little
Mouse　will　have　to　be　roused。　Also；　from　the　effects　of　this　long
attendance　upon　Edward　in　his　illness；　an　attendance　which　is　not
yet　over；　which　may　even　go　on　for　some　time　longer；　and　which　in　the
meanwhile　unsettles　us　all　by　keeping　poor　dear　papa's　affairs　from
being　wound　up。　Fortunately；　however；　the　papers　with　his　agents
here　being　all　sealed　up　and　locked　up；　as　he　left　them　when　he
providentially　came　to　England；　the　affairs　are　in　that　state　of　order
that　they　can　wait　until　my　brother　Edward　recovers　his　health　in
Sicily；　sufficiently　to　e　over；　and　administer；　or　execute；　or
whatever　it　may　be　that　will　have　to　be　done。'

'He　couldn't　have　a　better　nurse　to　bring　him　round；'　Mr　Sparkler　made
bold　to　opine。

'For　a　wonder；　I　can　agree　with　you；'　returned　his　wife；　languidly
turning　her　eyelids　a　little　in　his　direction　（she　held　forth；　in
general；　as　if　to　the　drawing…room　furniture）；　'and　can　adopt　your
words。　He　couldn't　have　a　better　nurse　to　bring　him　round。　There　are
times　when　my　dear　child　is　a　little　wearing　to　an　active　mind；　but；　as
a　nurse；　she　is　Perfection。　Best　of　Amys！'

Mr　Sparkler；　growing　rash　on　his　late　success；　observed　that　Edward　had
had；　biggodd；　a　long　bout　of　it；　my　dear　girl。


'If　Bout；　Edmund；'　returned　Mrs　Sparkler；　'is　the　slang　term　for
indisposition；　he　has。　If　it　is　not；　I　am　unable　to　give　an　opinion
on　the　barbarous　language　you　address　to　Edward's　sister。　That　he
contracted　Malaria　Fever　somewhere；　either　by　travelling　day　and　night
to　Rome；　where；　after　all；　he　arrived　too　late　to　see　poor　dear　papa
before　his　death……or　under　some　other　unwholesome　circumstances……is
indubitable；　if　that　is　what　you　mean。　Likewise　that　his　extremely
careless　life　has　made　him　a　very　bad　subject　for　it　indeed。'


Mr　Sparkler　considered　it　a　parallel　case　to　that　of　some　of　our　fellows
in　the　West　Indies　with　Yellow　Jack。　Mrs　Sparkler　closed　her　eyes　again；
and　refused　to　have　any　consciousness　of　our　fellows　of　the　West　Indies；
or　of　Yellow　Jack。

'So；　Amy；'　she　pursued；　when　she　reopened　her　eyelids；　'will　require
to　be　roused　from　the　effects　of　many　tedious　and　anxious　weeks。　And
lastly；　she　will　require　to　be　roused　from　a　low　tendency　which　I　know
very　well　to　be　at　the　bottom　of　her　heart。　Don't　ask　me　what　it　is；
Edmund；　because　I　must　decline　to　tell　you。'

'I　am　not　going　to；　my　dear；'　said　Mr　Sparkler。

'I　shall　thus　have　much　improvement　to　effect　in　my　sweet　child；'　Mrs
Sparkler　continued；　'and　cannot　have　her　near　me　too　soon。　Amiable　and
dear　little　Twoshoes！　As　to　the　settlement　of　poor　papa's　affairs；　my
interest　in　that　is　not　very　selfish。　Papa　behaved　very　generously　to　me
when　I　was　married；　and　I　have　little　or　nothing　to　expect。　Provided
he　had　made　no　will　that　can　e　into　force；　leaving　a　legacy　to　Mrs
General；　I　am　contented。　Dear　papa；　dear　papa。'

She　wept　again；　but　Mrs　General　was　the　best　of　restoratives。　The　name
soon　stimulated　her　to　dry　her　eyes　and　say：

'It　is　a　highly　encouraging　circumstance　in　Edward's　illness；　I　am
thankful　to　think；　and　gives　one　the　greatest　confidence　in　his　sense
not　being　impaired；　or　his　proper　spirit　weakened……down　to　the　time
of　poor　dear　papa's　death　at　all　events……that　he　paid　off　Mrs　General
instantly；　and　sent　her　out　of　the　house。　I　applaud　him　for　it。　I　could
forgive　him　a　great　deal　for　doing；　with　such　promptitude；　so　exactly
what　I　would　have　done　myself！'

Mrs　Sparkler　was　in　the　full　glow　of　her　gratification；　when　a　double
knock　was　heard　at　the　door。　A　very　odd　knock。　Low；　as　if　to　avoid
making　a　noise　and　attracting　attention。　Long；　as　if　the　person　knocking
were　preoccupied　in　mind；　and　forgot　to　leave　off。

'Halloa！'　said　Mr　Sparkler。　'Who's　this？'

'Not　Amy　and　Edward　without　notice　and　without　a　carriage！'　said　Mrs
Sparkler。　'Look　out。'

The　room　was　dark；　but　the　street　was　lighter；　because　of　its　lamps。　Mr
Sparkler's　head　peeping　over　the　balcony　looked　so　very　bulky　and　heavy
that　it　seemed　on　the　point　of　overbalancing　him　and　flattening　the
unknown　below。

'It's　one　fellow；