little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第119章

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apartment；　and　spare　him　the　trouble　of　ing　to　her　（which；　in　his
gallantry；　he　had　proposed）；　the　envoy　threw　open　the　door；　and
escorted　Mrs　General　to　the　presence。　It　ysterious
staircases　and　corridors；　from　Mrs　General's　apartment；……hoodwinked　by
a　narrow　side　street　with　a　low　gloomy　bridge　in　it；　and　dungeon…like
opposite　tenements；　their　walls　besmeared　with　a　thousand　downward
stains　and　streaks；　as　if　every　crazy　aperture　in　them　had　been　weeping
tears　of　rust　into　the　Adriatic　for　centuries……to　Mr　Dorrit's　apartment：
with　a　whole　English　house…front　of　window；　a　prospect　of　beautiful
church…domes　rising　into　the　blue　sky　sheer　out　of　the　water　which
reflected　them；　and　a　hushed　murmur　of　the　Grand　Canal　laving　the
doorways　below；　where　his　gondolas　and　gondoliers　attended　his　pleasure；
drowsily　swinging　in　a　little　forest　of　piles。

Mr　Dorrit；　in　a　resplendent　dressing…gown　and　cap……the　dormant　grub　that
had　so　long　bided　its　time　among　the　Collegians　had　burst　into　a　rare
butterfly……rose　to　receive　Mrs　General。　A　chair　to　Mrs　General。　An
easier　chair；　sir；　what　are　you　doing；　what　are　you　about；　what　do　you
mean？　Now；　leave　us！

'Mrs　General；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'I　took　the　liberty……'

'By　no　means；'　Mrs　General　interposed。　'I　was　quite　at　your　disposition。
I　had　had　my　coffee。'

'……I　took　the　liberty；'　said　Mr　Dorrit　again；　with　the　magnificent
placidity　of　one　who　was　above　correction；　'to　solicit　the　favour　of
a　little　private　conversation　with　you；　because　I　feel　rather　worried
respecting　my……ha……my　younger　daughter。　You　will　have　observed　a　great
difference　of　temperament；　madam；　between　my　two　daughters？'

Said　Mrs　General　in　response；　crossing　her　gloved　hands　（she　was　never
without　gloves；　and　they　never　creased　and　always　fitted）；　'There　is　a
great　difference。'

'May　I　ask　to　be　favoured　with　your　view　of　it？'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　with　a
deference　not　inpatible　with　majestic　serenity。

'Fanny；'　returned　Mrs　General；　'has　force　of　character　and
self…reliance。　Amy；　none。'

None？　O　Mrs　General；　ask　the　Marshalsea　stones　and　bars。　O　Mrs　General；
ask　the　milliner　who　taught　her　to　work；　and　the　dancing…master　who
taught　her　sister　to　dance。　O　Mrs　General；　Mrs　General；　ask　me；　her
father；　what　I　owe　her；　and　hear　my　testimony　touching　the　life　of　this
slighted　little　creature　from　her　childhood　up！

No　such　adjuration　entered　Mr。　Dorrit's　head。　He　looked　at　Mrs
General；　seated　in　her　usual　erect　attitude　on　her　coach…box　behind　the
proprieties；　and　he　said　in　a　thoughtful　manner；　'True；　madam。'

'I　would　not；'　said　Mrs　General；　'be　understood　to　say；　observe；
that　there　is　nothing　to　improve　in　Fanny。　But　there　is　material
there……perhaps；　indeed；　a　little　too　much。'

'Will　you　be　kind　enough；　madam；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'to　be……ha……more
explicit？　I　do　not　quite　understand　my　elder　daughter's　having……hum……too
much　material。　What　material？'

'Fanny；'　returned　Mrs　General；　'at　present　forms　too　many　opinions。

Perfect　breeding　forms　none；　and　is　never　demonstrative。'

Lest　he　himself　should　be　found　deficient　in　perfect　breeding；　Mr　Dorrit
hastened　to　reply；　'Unquestionably；　madam；　you　are　right。'　Mrs　General
returned；　in　her　emotionless　and　expressionless　manner；　'I　believe　so。'

'But　you　are　aware；　my　dear　madam；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'that　my　daughters
had　the　misfortune　to　lose　their　lamented　mother　when　they　were　very
young；　and　that；　in　consequence　of　my　not　having　been　until　lately
the　recognised　heir　to　my　property；　they　have　lived　with　me　as
a　paratively　poor；　though　always　proud；　gentleman；　in……ha
hum……retirement！'

'I　do　not；'　said　Mrs　General；　'lose　sight　of　the　circumstance。'
'Madam；'pursued　Mr　Dorrit；　'of　my　daughter　Fanny；　under　her　present
guidance　and　with　such　an　example　constantly　before　her……'

（Mrs　General　shut　her　eyes。）……'I　have　no　misgivings。　There　is
adaptability　of　character　in　Fanny。　But　my　younger　daughter；　Mrs
General；　rather　worries　and　vexes　my　thoughts。　I　must　inform　you　that
she　has　always　been　my　favourite。'

'There　is　no　accounting；'　said　Mrs　General；　'for　these　partialities。'

'Ha……no；'　assented　Mr　Dorrit。　'No。　Now；　madam；　I　am　troubled　by　noticing
that　Amy　is　not；　so　to　speak；　one　of　ourselves。　She　does　not　Care　to　go
about　with　us；　she　is　lost　in　the　society　we　have　here；　our　tastes
are　evidently　not　her　tastes。　Which；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　summing　up　with
judicial　gravity；　'is　to　say；　in　other　words；　that　there　is　something
wrong　in……ha……Amy。'

'May　we　incline　to　the　supposition；'　said　Mrs　General；　with　a　little
touch　of　varnish；　'that　something　is　referable　to　the　novelty　of　the
position？'

'Excuse　me；　madam；'　observed　Mr　Dorrit；　rather　quickly。　'The　daughter
of　a　gentleman；　though……ha……himself　at　one　time　paratively　far　from
affluent……paratively……and　herself　reared　in……hum……retirement；　need
not　of　necessity　find　this　position　so　very　novel。'

'True；'　said　Mrs　General；　'true。'

'Therefore；　madam；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'I　took　the　liberty'　（he　laid　an
emphasis　on　the　phrase　and　repeated　it；　as　though　he　stipulated；　with
urbane　firmness；　that　he　must　not　be　contradicted　again）；　'I　took　the
liberty　of　requesting　this　interview；　in　order　that　I　might　mention　the
topic　to　you；　and　inquire　how　you　would　advise　me？'

'Mr　Dorrit；'　returned　Mrs　General；　'I　have　conversed　with　Amy　several
times　since　we　have　been　residing　here；　on　the　general　subject　of　the
formation　of　a　demeanour。　She　has　expressed　herself　to　me　as　wondering
exceedingly　at　Venice。　I　have　mentioned　to　her　that　it　is　better　not　to
wonder。　I　have　pointed　out　to　her　that　the　celebrated　Mr　Eustace；　the
classical　tourist；　did　not　think　much　of　it；　and　that　he　pared　the
Rialto；　greatly　to　its　disadvantage；　with　Westminster　and　Blackfriars
Bridges。　I　need　not　add；　after　what　you　have　said；　that　I　have　not　yet
found　my　arguments　successful。　You　do　me　the　honour　to　ask　me　what　to
advise。　It　always　appears　to　me　（if　this　should　prove　to　be　a　baseless
assumption；　I　shall　be　pardoned）；　that　Mr　Dorrit　has　been　accustomed　to
exercise　influence　over　the　minds　of　others。'

'Hum……madam；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'I　have　been　at　the　head　of……ha　of
a　considerable　munity。　You　are　right　in　supposing　that　I　am　not
unaccustomed　to……an　influential　position。'

'I　am　happy；'　returned　Mrs　General；　'to　be　so　corroborated。　I　would
therefore　the　more　confidently　remend　that　Mr　Dorrit　should　speak　to
Amy　himself；　and　make　his　observations　and　wishes　known　to　her。　Being
his　favourite；　besides；　and　no　doubt　attached　to　him；　she　is　all　the
more　likely　to　yield　to　his　influence。'

'I　had　anticipated　your　suggestion；　madam；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；
'but……ha……was　not　sure　that　I　might……hum……not　encroach　on……'

'On　my　province；　Mr　Dorrit？'　said　Mrs　General；　graciously。　'Do　not
mention　it。'

'Then；　with　your　leave；　madam；'　resumed　Mr　Dorrit；　ringing　his　little
bell　to　summon　his　valet；　'I　will　send　for　her　at　once。'

'Does　Mr　Dorrit　wish　me　to　remain？'

'Perhaps；　if　you　have　no　other　engagement；　you　would　not　object　for　a
minute　or　two……'

'Not　at　all。'

So；　Tinkler　the　valet　was　instructed　to　find　Miss　Amy's　maid；　and　to
request　that　subordinate　to　inform　Miss　Amy　that　Mr　Dorrit　wished　to
see　her　in　his　own　room。　In　delivering　this　charge　to　Tinkler；　Mr　Dorrit
looked　severely　at　him；　and　also　kept　a　jealous　eye　upon　him　until　he
went　out　at　the　door；　mistrusting　that　he　might　have　something　in　his
mind　prejudicial　to　the　family　dignity；　that　he　might　have　even　got　wind
of　some　Collegiate　joke　before　he　came　into　the　service；　and　might　be
derisively　reviving　its　remembrance　at　the　present　moment。　If　Tinkler
had　happened　to　smile；　however　faintly　and　innocently；　nothing　would
have　persuaded　Mr　Dorrit；　to　the　hour　of　his　death；　but　that　this　was
the　case。　As　Tinkler　happened；　however；　very　fortunately　for　himself；　to
be　of　a　serious　and　posed　countenance；　he　escaped　the　secret　danger
that　threatened　him。　And　as　on　his　return……when　Mr　Dorrit　eyed　him
again……he　announced　Miss　Amy　as　if　she　had　e　to　a　funeral；　he　left　a
vague　impression　on　Mr　Dorrit's　mind　that　he　was　a　well…conducted　young
fellow；　who　had　been　brought　up　in　the　study　of　his　Catechism　by　a
widowed　mother。

'Amy；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'you　have　just　now　been　the　subject　of　some
conversation　between　myself　and　Mrs　General。　We　agree　that　you　scarcely
seem　at　home　here。　Ha……how　is　this？'

A　pause。

'I　think；　father；　I　require　a　little　time。'

'Papa　is　a　preferable　mode　of　address；'　observed　Mrs　General。　'Father　is
rather　vulgar；　my　dear。　The　word　Papa；　besides；　gives　a　pretty　form　to
the　lips。　Papa；　potatoes；　poultry；　prunes；　and　prism　are　all　very
good　words　for　the　lips：　especially　prunes　and　prism。　You　will　find　it
serviceable；　in　the　formation　of　a　demeanour；　if　you　sometimes　say　to
yourself　in　pany……on　entering　a　room；　for　instance……Papa；　potatoes；
poultry；　prunes　and　prism；　prunes　and　prism。'

'Pray；　my　child；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'attend　to　the……hum……precepts　of　Mrs
General。'

Poor　Little　Dorrit；　with　a　rather　forlorn　glance　at　that　eminent
varnisher；　promised　to　try。

'You　say；　Amy；'　pursued　Mr　Dorrit；　'that　you　think　you　require　time。
Time　for　what？'

Another　pause。