little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第125章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



'My　dear　Amy；　your　wonder　will　soon　cease；　if　I　am　rightly　informed。
I　should　not　be　at　all　surprised　if　he　called　to…day。　The　creature　has
only　been　waiting　to　get　his　courage　up；　I　suspect。'

'Will　you　see　him？'

'Indeed；　my　darling；'　said　Fanny；　'that's　just　as　it　may　happen。　Here　he
is　again。　Look　at　him。　O；　you　simpleton！'

Mr　Sparkler　had；　undeniably；　a　weak　appearance；　with　his　eye　in　the
window　like　a　knot　in　the　glass；　and　no　reason　on　earth　for　stopping　his
bark　suddenly；　except　the　real　reason。

'When　you　asked　me　if　I　will　see　him；　my　dear；'　said　Fanny；　almost　as
well　posed　in　the　graceful　indifference　of　her　attitude　as　Mrs　Merdle
herself；　'what　do　you　mean？'　'I　mean；'　said　Little　Dorrit……'I　think　I
rather　mean　what　do　you　mean；　dear　Fanny？'

Fanny　laughed　again；　in　a　manner　at　once　condescending；　arch；　and
affable；　and　said；　putting　her　arm　round　her　sister　in　a　playfully
affectionate　way：

'Now　tell　me；　my　little　pet。　When　we　saw　that　woman　at　Martigny；　how
did　you　think　she　carried　it　off？　Did　you　see　what　she　decided　on　in　a
moment？'

'No；　Fanny。'

'Then　I'll　tell　you；　Amy。　She　settled　with　herself；　now　I'll　never
refer　to　that　meeting　under　such　different　circumstances；　and　I'll　never
pretend　to　have　any　idea　that　these　are　the　same　girls。　That's　her　way
out　of　a　difficulty。　What　did　I　tell　you　when　we　came　away　from　Harley
Street　that　time？　She　is　as　insolent　and　false　as　any　woman　in　the
world。　But　in　the　first　capacity；　my　love；　she　may　find　people　who　can
match　her。'

A　significant　turn　of　the　Spanish　fan　towards　Fanny's　bosom；　indicated
with　great　expression　where　one　of　these　people　was　to　be　found。

'Not　only　that；'　pursued　Fanny；　'but　she　gives　the　same　charge　to
Young　Sparkler；　and　doesn't　let　him　e　after　me　until　she　has　got　it
thoroughly　into　his　most　ridiculous　of　all　ridiculous　noddles　（for　one
really　can't　call　it　a　head）；　that　he　is　to　pretend　to　have　been　first
struck　with　me　in　that　Inn　Yard。'

'Why？'　asked　Little　Dorrit。

'Why？　Good　gracious；　my　love！'　（again　very　much　in　the　tone　of　You
stupid　little　creature）　'how　can　you　ask？　Don't　you　see　that　I　may　have
bee　a　rather　desirable　match　for　a　noddle？　And　don't　you　see　that　she
puts　the　deception　upon　us；　and　makes　a　pretence；　while　she　shifts　it
from　her　own　shoulders　（very　good　shoulders　they　are　too；　I　must　say）；'
observed　Miss　Fanny；　glancing　placently　at　herself；　'of　considering
our　feelings？'

'But　we　can　always　go　back　to　the　plain　truth。'

'Yes；　but　if　you　please　we　won't；'　retorted　Fanny。　'No；　I　am　not　going
to　have　that　done；　Amy。　The　pretext　is　none　of　mine；　it's　hers；　and　she
shall　have　enough　of　it。'

In　the　triumphant　exaltation　of　her　feelings；　Miss　Fanny；　using　her
Spanish　fan　with　one　hand；　squeezed　her　sister's　waist　with　the　other；
as　if　she　were　crushing　Mrs　Merdle。

'No；'　repeated　Fanny。　'She　shall　find　me　go　her　way。　She　took　it；　and
I'll　follow　it。　And；　with　the　blessing　of　fate　and　fortune；　I'll　go　on
improving　that　woman's　acquaintance　until　I　have　given　her　maid；
before　her　eyes；　things　from　my　dressmaker's　ten　times　as　handsome　and
expensive　as　she　once　gave　me　from　hers！'

Little　Dorrit　was　silent；　sensible　that　she　was　not　to　be　heard　on
any　question　affecting　the　family　dignity；　and　unwilling　to　lose　to　no
purpose　her　sister's　newly　and　unexpectedly　restored　favour。　She　could
not　concur；　but　she　was　silent。　Fanny　well　knew　what　she　was　thinking
of；　so　well；　that　she　soon　asked　her。

Her　reply　was；　'Do　you　mean　to　encourage　Mr　Sparkler；　Fanny？'

'Encourage　him；　my　dear？'　said　her　sister；　smiling　contemptuously；　'that
depends　upon　what　you　call　encourage。　No；　I　don't　mean　to　encourage　him。
But　I'll　make　a　slave　of　him。'

Little　Dorrit　glanced　seriously　and　doubtfully　in　her　face；　but　Fanny
was　not　to　be　so　brought　to　a　check。　She　furled　her　fan　of　black　and
gold；　and　used　it　to　tap　her　sister's　nose；　with　the　air　of　a　proud
beauty　and　a　great　spirit；　who　toyed　with　and　playfully　instructed　a
homely　panion。

'I　shall　make　him　fetch　and　carry；　my　dear；　and　I　shall　make　him　subject
to　me。　And　if　I　don't　make　his　mother　subject　to　me；　too；　it　shall　not
be　my　fault。'

'Do　you　think……dear　Fanny；　don't　be　offended；　we　are　so　fortable
together　now……that　you　can　quite　see　the　end　of　that　course？'

'I　can't　say　I　have　so　much　as　looked　for　it　yet；　my　dear；'　answered
Fanny；　with　supreme　indifference；　'all　in　good　time。　Such　are　my
intentions。　And　really　they　have　taken　me　so　long　to　develop；　that　here
we　are　at　home。　And　Young　Sparkler　at　the　door；　inquiring　who　is　within。
By　the　merest　accident；　of　course！'

In　effect；　the　swain　was　standing　up　in　his　gondola；　card…case　in
hand；　affecting　to　put　the　question　to　a　servant。　This　conjunction
of　circumstances　led　to　his　immediately　afterwards　presenting　himself
before　the　young　ladies　in　a　posture；　which　in　ancient　times　would　not
have　been　considered　one　of　favourable　augury　for　his　suit；　since　the
gondoliers　of　the　young　ladies；　having　been　put　to　some　inconvenience
by　the　chase；　so　neatly　brought　their　own　boat　in　the　gentlest　collision
with　the　bark　of　Mr　Sparkler；　as　to　tip　that　gentleman　over　like　a
larger　species　of　ninepin；　and　cause　him　to　exhibit　the　soles　of　his
shoes　to　the　object　of　his　dearest　wishes：　while　the　nobler　portions　of
his　anatomy　struggled　at　the　bottom　of　his　boat　in　the　arms　of　one　of
his　men。

However；　as　Miss　Fanny　called　out　with　much　concern；　Was　the　gentleman
hurt；　Mr　Sparkler　rose　more　restored　than　might　have　been　expected；　and
stammered　for　himself　with　blushes；　'Not　at　all　so。'　Miss　Fanny　had　no
recollection　of　having　ever　seen　him　before；　and　was　passing　on；　with　a
distant　inclination　of　her　head；　when　he　announced　himself　by　name。　Even
then　she　was　in　a　difficulty　from　being　unable　to　call　it　to　mind；　until
he　explained　that　he　had　had　the　honour　of　seeing　her　at　Martigny。　Then
she　remembered　him；　and　hoped　his　lady…mother　was　well。

'Thank　you；'　stammered　Mr　Sparkler；　'she's　unmonly　well……at　least；
poorly。'

'In　Venice？'　said　Miss　Fanny。

'In　Rome；'　Mr　Sparkler　answered。　'I　am　here　by　myself；　myself。　I　came　to
call　upon　Mr　Edward　Dorrit　myself。　Indeed；　upon　Mr　Dorrit　likewise。　In
fact；　upon　the　family。'

Turning　graciously　to　the　attendants；　Miss　Fanny　inquired　whether　her
papa　or　brother　was　within？　The　reply　being　that　they　were　both　within；
Mr　Sparkler　humbly　offered　his　arm。　Miss　Fanny　accepting　it；　was　squired
up　the　great　staircase　by　Mr　Sparkler；　who；　if　he　still　believed　（which
there　is　not　any　reason　to　doubt）　that　she　had　no　nonsense　about　her；
rather　deceived　himself。

Arrived　in　a　mouldering　reception…room；　where　the　faded　hangings；　of　a
sad　sea…green；　had　worn　and　withered　until　they　looked　as　if　they
might　have　claimed　kindred　with　the　waifs　of　seaweed　drifting　under
the　windows；　or　clinging　to　the　walls　and　weeping　for　their　imprisoned
relations；　Miss　Fanny　despatched　emissaries　for　her　father　and　brother。
Pending　whose　appearance；　she　showed　to　great　advantage　on　a　sofa；
pleting　Mr　Sparkler's　conquest　with　some　remarks　upon　Dante……known
to　that　gentleman　as　an　eccentric　man　in　the　nature　of　an　Old　File；
who　used　to　put　leaves　round　his　head；　and　sit　upon　a　stool　for　some
unaccountable　purpose；　outside　the　cathedral　at　Florence。

Mr　Dorrit　weled　the　visitor　with　the　highest　urbanity；　and　most
courtly　manners。　He　inquired　particularly　after　Mrs　Merdle。　He　inquired
particularly　after　Mr　Merdle。　Mr　Sparkler　said；　or　rather　twitched　out
of　himself　in　small　pieces　by　the　shirt…collar；　that　Mrs　Merdle　having
pletely　used　up　her　place　in　the　country；　and　also　her　house　at
Brighton；　and　being；　of　course；　unable；　don't　you　see；　to　remain　in
London　when　there　wasn't　a　soul　there；　and　not　feeling　herself　this　year
quite　up　to　visiting　about　at　people's　places；　had　resolved　to　have
a　touch　at　Rome；　where　a　woman　like　herself；　with　a　proverbially　fine
appearance；　and　with　no　nonsense　about　her；　couldn't　fail　to　be　a　great
acquisition。　As　to　Mr　Merdle；　he　was　so　much　wanted　by　the　men　in　the
City　and　the　rest　of　those　places；　and　was　such　a　doosed　extraordinary
phenomenon　in　Buying　and　Banking　and　that；　that　Mr　Sparkler　doubted　if
the　moary　system　of　the　country　would　be　able　to　spare　him；　though
that　his　work　was　occasionally　one　too　many　for　him；　and　that　he　would
be　all　the　better　for　a　temporary　shy　at　an　entirely　new　scene　and
climate；　Mr　Sparkler　did　not　conceal。　As　to　himself；　Mr　Sparkler
conveyed　to　the　Dorrit　family　that　he　was　going；　on　rather　particular
business；　wherever　they　were　going。

This　immense　conversational　achievement　required　time；　but　was　effected。
Being　effected；　Mr　Dorrit　expressed　his　hope　that　Mr　Sparkler　would
shortly　dine　with　them。　Mr　Sparkler　received　the　idea　so　kindly　that　Mr
Dorrit　asked　what　he　was　going　to　do　that　day；　for　instance？　As　he　was
going　to　do　nothing　that　day　（his　usual　occupation；　and　one　for　which　he
was　particularly　qualified）；　he　was　secured　without　postponement；　being
further　bound　over　to　acpany　the　ladies　to　the　Opera　in　the　evening。

At　dinner…time　Mr　Sparkler　rose　out　of　the　sea；　like　Venus's　son　taking
after　his　m