little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第115章

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The　entrance　of　the　lady　whom　he　announced；　to　take　her　place　at　the
breakfast…table；　terminated　the　discussion。　Shortly　afterwards；　the
courier　announced　that　the　valet；　and　the　footman；　and　the　two　maids；
and　the　four　guides；　and　the　fourteen　mules；　were　in　readiness；　so　the
breakfast　party　went　out　to　the　convent　door　to　join　the　cavalcade。

Mr　Gowan　stood　aloof　with　his　cigar　and　pencil；　but　Mr　Blandois　was　on
the　spot　to　pay　his　respects　to　the　ladies。　When　he　gallantly　pulled
off　his　slouched　hat　to　Little　Dorrit；　she　thought　he　had　even　a　more
sinister　look；　standing　swart　and　cloaked　in　the　snow；　than　he　had
in　the　fire…light　over…night。　But；　as　both　her　father　and　her　sister
received　his　homage　with　some　favour；　she　refrained　from　expressing　any
distrust　of　him；　lest　it　should　prove　to　be　a　new　blemish　derived　from
her　prison　birth。

Nevertheless；　as　they　wound　down　the　rugged　way　while　the　convent　was
yet　in　sight；　she　more　than　once　looked　round；　and　descried　Mr　Blandois；
backed　by　the　convent　smoke　which　rose　straight　and　high　from　the
chimneys　in　a　golden　film；　always　standing　on　one　jutting　point　looking
down　after　them。　Long　after　he　was　a　mere　black　stick　in　the　snow；　she
felt　as　though　she　could　yet　see　that　smile　of　his；　that　high　nose；　and
those　eyes　that　were　too　near　it。　And　even　after　that；　when　the　convent
was　gone　and　some　light　morning　clouds　veiled　the　pass　below　it；　the
ghastly　skeleton　arms　by　the　wayside　seemed　to　be　all　pointing　up　at
him。

More　treacherous　than　snow；　perhaps；　colder　at　heart；　and　harder　to
melt；　Blandois　of　Paris　by　degrees　passed　out　of　her　mind；　as　they　came
down　into　the　softer　regions。　Again　the　sun　was　warm；　again　the　streams
descending　from　glaciers　and　snowy　caverns　were　refreshing　to　drink　at；
again　they　came　among　the　pine…trees；　the　rocky　rivulets；　the　verdant
heights　and　dales；　the　wooden　chalets　and　rough　zigzag　fences　of　Swiss
country。　Sometimes　the　way　so　widened　that　she　and　her　father　could
ride　abreast。　And　then　to　look　at　him；　handsomely　clothed　in　his　fur　and
broadcloths；　rich；　free；　numerously　served　and　attended；　his　eyes　roving
far　away　among　the　glories　of　the　landscape；　no　miserable　screen　before
them　to　darken　his　sight　and　cast　its　shadow　on　him；　was　enough。

Her　uncle　was　so　far　rescued　from　that　shadow　of　old；　that　he　wore　the
clothes　they　gave　him；　and　performed　some　ablutions　as　a　sacrifice　to
the　family　credit；　and　went　where　he　was　taken；　with　a　certain　patient
animal　enjoyment；　which　seemed　to　express　that　the　air　and　change　did
him　good。　In　all　other　respects；　save　one；　he　shone　with　no　light　but
such　as　was　reflected　from　his　brother。　His　brother's　greatness；　wealth；
freedom；　and　grandeur；　pleased　him　without　any　reference　to　himself。
Silent　and　retiring；　he　had　no　use　for　speech　when　he　could　hear　his
brother　speak；　no　desire　to　be　waited　on；　so　that　the　servants　devoted
themselves　to　his　brother。　The　only　noticeable　change　he　originated　in
himself；　was　an　alteration　in　his　manner　to　his　younger　niece。　Every　day
it　refined　more　and　more　into　a　marked　respect；　very　rarely　shown　by　age
to　youth；　and　still　more　rarely　susceptible；　one　would　have　said；　of　the
fitness　with　which　he　invested　it。　On　those　occasions　when　Miss　Fanny
did　declare　once　for　all；　he　would　take　the　next　opportunity　of　baring
his　grey　head　before　his　younger　niece；　and　of　helping　her　to　alight；
or　handing　her　to　the　carriage；　or　showing　her　any　other　attention；　with
the　profoundest　deference。　Yet　it　never　appeared　misplaced　or　forced；
being　always　heartily　simple；　spontaneous；　and　genuine。　Neither　would　he
ever　consent；　even　at　his　brother's　request；　to　be　helped　to　any　place
before　her；　or　to　take　precedence　of　her　in　anything。　So　jealous　was　he
of　her　being　respected；　that；　on　this　very　journey　down　from　the　Great
Saint　Bernard；　he　took　sudden　and　violent　umbrage　at　the　footman's　being
remiss　to　hold　her　stirrup；　though　standing　near　when　she　dismounted；
and　unspeakably　astonished　the　whole　retinue　by　charging　at　him　on　a
hard…headed　mule；　riding　him　into　a　corner；　and　threatening　to　trample
him　to　death。

They　were　a　goodly　pany；　and　the　Innkeepers　all　but　worshipped　them。
Wherever　they　went；　their　importance　preceded　them　in　the　person　of　the
courier　riding　before；　to　see　that　the　rooms　of　state　were　ready。　He　was
the　herald　of　the　family　procession。　The　great　travelling…carriage　came
next：　containing；　inside；　Mr　Dorrit；　Miss　Dorrit；　Miss　Amy　Dorrit；
and　Mrs　General；　outside；　some　of　the　retainers；　and　（in　fine　weather）
Ed　the　box　was　reserved。　Then　came
the　chariot　containing　Frederick　Dorrit；　Esquire；　and　an　empty　place
occupied　by　Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire；　in　wet　weather。　Then　came　the
fourgon　with　the　rest　of　the　retainers；　the　heavy　baggage；　and　as　much
as　it　could　carry　of　the　mud　and　dust　which　the　other　vehicles　left
behind。

These　equipages　adorned　the　yard　of　the　hotel　at　Martigny；　on　the　return
of　the　family　from　their　mountain　excursion。　Other　vehicles　were　there；
much　pany　being　on　the　road；　from　the　patched　Italian　Vettura……like
the　body　of　a　swing　from　an　English　fair　put　upon　a　wooden　tray　on
wheels；　and　having　another　wooden　tray　without　wheels　put　atop　of　it……to
the　trim　English　carriage。　But　there　was　another　adornment　of　the
hotel　which　Mr　Dorrit　had　not　bargained　for。　Two　strange　travellers
embellished　one　of　his　rooms。

The　Innkeeper；　hat　in　hand　in　the　yard；　swore　to　the　courier　that　he　was
blighted；　that　he　was　desolated；　that　he　was　profoundly　afflicted；　that
he　was　the　most　miserable　and　unfortunate　of　beasts；　that　he　had　the
head　of　a　wooden　pig。　He　ought　never　to　have　made　the　concession；　he
said；　but　the　very　genteel　lady　had　so　passionately　prayed　him　for　the
acmodation　of　that　room　to　dine　in；　only　for　a　little　half…hour；　that
he　had　been　vanquished。　The　little　half…hour　was　expired；　the　lady　and
gentleman　were　taking　their　little　dessert　and　half…cup　of　coffee；　the
note　was　paid；　the　horses　were　ordered；　they　would　depart　immediately；
but；　owing　to　an　unhappy　destiny　and　the　curse　of　Heaven；　they　were　not
yet　gone。

Nothing　could　exceed　Mr　Dorrit's　indignation；　as　he　turned　at　the　foot
of　the　staircase　on　hearing　these　apologies。　He　felt　that　the　family
dignity　was　struck　at　by　an　assassin's　hand。　He　had　a　sense　of　his
dignity；　which　was　of　the　most　exquisite　nature。　He　could　detect　a
design　upon　it　when　nobody　else　had　any　perception　of　the　fact。　His
life　was　made　an　agony　by　the　number　of　fine　scalpels　that　he　felt　to　be
incessantly　engaged　in　dissecting　his　dignity。

'Is　it　possible；　sir；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　reddening　excessively；　'that　you
have……ha……had　the　audacity　to　place　one　of　my　rooms　at　the　disposition
of　any　other　person？'

Thousands　of　pardons！　It　was　the　host's　profound　misfortune　to　have　been
overe　by　that　too　genteel　lady。　He　besought　Monseigneur　not　to　enrage
himself。　He　threw　himself　on　Monseigneur　for　clemency。　If　Monseigneur
would　have　the　distinguished　goodness　to　occupy　the　other　salon
especially　reserved　for　him；　for　but　five　minutes；　all　would　go　well。

'No；　sir；'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'I　will　not　occupy　any　salon。　I　will　leave
your　house　without　eating　or　drinking；　or　setting　foot　in　it。

How　do　you　dare　to　act　like　this？　Who　am　I　that　you……ha……separate　me
from　other　gentlemen？'

Alas！　The　host　called　all　the　universe　to　witness　that　Monseigneur　was
the　most　amiable　of　the　whole　body　of　nobility；　the　most　important；
the　most　estimable；　the　most　honoured。　If　he　separated　Monseigneur　from
others；　it　was　only　because　he　was　more　distinguished；　more　cherished；
more　generous；　more　renowned。

'Don't　tell　me　so；　sir；'　returned　Mr　Dorrit；　in　a　mighty　heat。　'You　have
affronted　me。　You　have　heaped　insults　upon　me。　How　dare　you？　Explain
yourself。'

Ah；　just　Heaven；　then；　how　could　the　host　explain　himself　when　he　had
nothing　more　to　explain；　when　he　had　only　to　apologise；　and　confide
himself　to　the　so　well…known　magnanimity　of　Monseigneur！

'I　tell　you；　sir；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　panting　with　anger；　'that　you
separate　me……ha……from　other　gentlemen；　that　you　make　distinctions
between　me　and　other　gentlemen　of　fortune　and　station。　I　demand　of　you；
why？　I　wish　to　know　on……ha……what　authority；　on　whose　authority。　Reply
sir。　Explain。　Answer　why。'

Permit　the　landlord　humbly　to　submit　to　Monsieur　the　Courier　then；　that
Monseigneur；　ordinarily　so　gracious；　enraged　himself　without　cause。
There　was　no　why。　Monsieur　the　Courier　would　represent　to　Monseigneur；
that　he　deceived　himself　in　suspecting　that　there　was　any　why；　but　the
why　his　devoted　servant　had　already　had　the　honour　to　present　to　him。
The　very　genteel　lady……

'Silence！'　cried　Mr　Dorrit。　'Hold　your　tongue！　I　will　hear　no　more
of　the　very　genteel　lady；　I　will　hear　no　more　of　you。　Look　at　this
family……my　family……a　family　more　genteel　than　any　lady。　You　have　treated
this　family　with　disrespect；　you　have　been　insolent　to　this　family。　I'll
ruin　you。　Ha……send　for　the　horses；　pack　the　carriages；　I'll　not　set　foot
in　this　man's　house　again！'

No　one　had　interfered　in　the　dispute；　which　was　beyond　the　French
colloquial　powers　of　Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire；　and