little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第153章

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don't　think　anything　of　the　kind。'

Here；　she　threw　her　bon　from　her　altogether；　and　flounced　into　a
chair。　But；　being　affectionate　almost　immediately；　she　flounced　out
of　it　again；　and　kneeled　down　on　the　floor　to　take　her　sister；　chair　and
all；　in　her　arms。

'Don't　suppose　I　am　hasty　or　unkind；　darling；　because　I　really　am　not。
But　you　are　such　a　little　oddity！　You　make　one　bite　your　head　off；
when　one　wants　to　be　soothing　beyond　everything。　Didn't　I　tell　you；　you
dearest　baby；　that　Edmund　can't　be　trusted　by　himself？　And　don't　you
know　that　he　can't？'

'Yes；　yes；　Fanny。　You　said　so；　I　know。'

'And　you　know　it；　I　know；'　retorted　Fanny。　'Well；　my　precious　child！　If
he　is　not　to　be　trusted　by　himself；　it　follows；　I　suppose；　that　I　should
go　with　him？'

'It……seems　so；　love；'　said　Little　Dorrit。

'Therefore；　having　heard　the　arrangements　that　are　feasible　to　carry
out　that　object；　am　I　to　understand；　dearest　Amy；　that　on　the　whole　you
advise　me　to　make　them？'

'It……seems　so；　love；'　said　Little　Dorrit　again。

'Very　well；'　cried　Fanny　with　an　air　of　resignation；　'then　I　suppose　it
must　be　done！　I　came　to　you；　my　sweet；　the　moment　I　saw　the　doubt；　and
the　necessity　of　deciding。　I　have　now　decided。　So　let　it　be。'

After　yielding　herself　up；　in　this　pattern　manner；　to　sisterly　advice
and　the　force　of　circumstances；　Fanny　became　quite　benignant：　as　one
who　had　laid　her　own　inclinations　at　the　feet　of　her　dearest　friend；　and
felt　a　glow　of　conscience　in　having　made　the　sacrifice。　'After　all；　my
Amy；'　she　said　to　her　sister；　'you　are　the　best　of　small　creatures；　and
full　of　good　sense；　and　I　don't　know　what　I　shall　ever　do　without　you！'

With　which　words　she　folded　her　in　a　closer　embrace；　and　a　really　fond
one。

'Not　that　I　contemplate　doing　without　You；　Amy；　by　any　means；　for　I　hope
we　shall　ever　be　next　to　inseparable。　And　now；　my　pet；　I　am　going
to　give　you　a　word　of　advice。　When　you　are　left　alone　here　with　Mrs
General……'

'I　am　to　be　left　alone　here　with　Mrs　General？'　said　Little　Dorrit；
quietly。

'Why；　of　course；　my　precious；　till　papa　es　back！　Unless　you　call
Edward　pany；　which　he　certainly　is　not；　even　when　he　is　here；　and
still　more　certainly　is　not　when　he　is　away　at　Naples　or　in　Sicily。　I
was　going　to　say……but　you　are　such　a　beloved　little　Marplot　for　putting
one　out……when　you　are　left　alone　here　with　Mrs　General；　Amy；　don't　you
let　her　slide　into　any　sort　of　artful　understanding　with　you　that　she　is
looking　after　Pa；　or　that　Pa　is　looking　after　her。　She　will　if　she　can。
I　know　her　sly　manner　of　feeling　her　way　with　those　gloves　of　hers。　But
don't　you　prehend　her　on　any　account。　And　if　Pa　should　tell　you　when
he　es　back；　that　he　has　it　in　contemplation　to　make　Mrs　General　your
mama　（which　is　not　the　less　likely　because　I　am　going　away）；　my　advice
to　you　is；　that　you　say　at　once；　〃Papa；　I　beg　to　object　most　strongly。
Fanny　cautioned　me　about　this；　and　she　objected；　and　I　object。〃　I　don't
mean　to　say　that　any　objection　from　you；　Amy；　is　likely　to　be　of　the
smallest　effect；　or　that　I　think　you　likely　to　make　it　with　any　degree
of　firmness。　But　there　is　a　principle　involved……a　filial　principle……and
I　implore　you　not　to　submit　to　be　mother…in…lawed　by　Mrs　General；
without　asserting　it　in　making　every　one　about　you　as　unfortable　as
possible。　I　don't　expect　you　to　stand　by　it……indeed；　I　know　you　won't；
Pa　being　concerned……but　I　wish　to　rouse　you　to　a　sense　of　duty。　As　to
any　help　from　me；　or　as　to　any　opposition　that　I　can　offer　to　such　a
match；　you　shall　not　be　left　in　the　lurch；　my　love。　Whatever　weight
I　may　derive　from　my　position　as　a　married　girl　not　wholly　devoid　of
attractions……used；　as　that　position　always　shall　be；　to　oppose　that
woman……I　will　bring　to　bear；　you　May　depend　upon　it；　on　the　head　and
false　hair　（for　I　am　confident　it's　not　all　real；　ugly　as　it　is　and
unlikely　as　it　appears　that　any　One　in　their　Senses　would　go　to　the
expense　of　buying　it）　of　Mrs　General！'　Little　Dorrit　received　this
counsel　without　venturing　to　oppose　it　but　without　giving　Fanny　any
reason　to　believe　that　she　intended　to　act　upon　it。　Having　now；　as
it　were；　formally　wound　up　her　single　life　and　arranged　her　worldly
affairs；　Fanny　proceeded　with　characteristic　ardour　to　prepare　for　the
serious　change　in　her　condition。

The　preparation　consisted　in　the　despatch　of　her　maid　to　Paris　under　the
protection　of　the　Courier；　for　the　purchase　of　that　outfit　for　a　bride
on　which　it　would　be　extremely　low；　in　the　present　narrative；　to　bestow
an　English　name；　but　to　which　（on　a　vulgar　principle　it　observes
of　adhering　to　the　language　in　which　it　professes　to　be　written）　it
declines　to　give　a　French　one。　The　rich　and　beautiful　wardrobe　purchased
by　these　agents；　in　the　course　of　a　few　weeks　made　its　way　through　the
intervening　country；　bristling　with　custom…houses；　garrisoned　by　an
immense　army　of　shabby　mendicants　in　uniform　who　incessantly　repeated
the　Beggar's　Petition　over　it；　as　if　every　individual　warrior　among　them
were　the　ancient　Belisarius：　and　of　whom　there　were　so　many　Legions；
that　unless　the　Courier　had　expended　just　one　bushel　and　a　half　of
silver　money　relieving　their　distresses；　they　would　have　worn　the
wardrobe　out　before　it　got　to　Rome；　by　turning　it　over　and　over。　Through
all　such　dangers；　however；　it　was　triumphantly　brought；　inch　by　inch；
and　arrived　at　its　journey's　end　in　fine　condition。

There　it　was　exhibited　to　select　panies　of　female　viewers；　in　whose
gentle　bosoms　it　awakened　implacable　feelings。　Concurrently；　active
preparations　were　made　for　the　day　on　which　some　of　its　treasures　were
to　be　publicly　displayed。　Cards　of　breakfast…invitation　were　sent　out
to　half　the　English　in　the　city　of　Romulus；　the　other　half　made
arrangements　to　be　under　arms；　as　criticising　volunteers；　at　various
outer　points　of　the　solemnity。　The　most　high　and　illustrious　English
Signor　Edgardo　Dorrit；　came　post　through　the　deep　mud　and　ruts　（from
forming　a　surface　under　the　improving　Neapolitan　nobility）；　to　grace
the　occasion。　The　best　hotel　and　all　its　culinary　myrmidons；　were　set　to
work　to　prepare　the　feast。　The　drafts　of　Mr　Dorrit　almost　constituted　a
run　on　the　Torlonia　Bank。　The　British　Consul　hadn't　had　such　a　marriage
in　the　whole　of　his　Consularity。

The　day　came；　and　the　She…Wolf　in　the　Capitol　might　have　snarled　with
envy　to　see　how　the　Island　Savages　contrived　these　things　now…a…days。
The　murderous…headed　statues　of　the　wicked　Emperors　of　the　Soldiery；
whom　sculptors　had　not　been　able　to　flatter　out　of　their　villainous
hideousness；　might　have　e　off　their　pedestals　to　run　away　with　the
Bride。　The　choked　old　fountain；　where　erst　the　gladiators　washed；　might
have　leaped　into　life　again　to　honour　the　ceremony。　The　Temple　of
Vesta　might　have　sprung　up　anew　from　its　ruins；　expressly　to　lend　its
countenance　to　the　occasion。　Might　have　done；　but　did　not。　Like　sentient
things……even　like　the　lords　and　ladies　of　creation　sometimes……might
have　done　much；　but　did　nothing。　The　celebration　went　off　with　admirable
pomp；　monks　in　black　robes；　white　robes；　and　russet　robes　stopped　to
look　after　the　carriages；　wandering　peasants　in　fleeces　of　sheep；　begged
and　piped　under　the　house…windows；　the　English　volunteers　defiled；　the
day　wore　on　to　the　hour　of　vespers；　the　festival　wore　away；　the　thousand
churches　rang　their　bells　without　any　reference　to　it；　and　St　Peter
denied　that　he　had　anything　to　do　with　it。

But　by　that　time　the　Bride　was　near　the　end　of　the　first　day's　journey
towards　Florence。　It　was　the　peculiarity　of　the　nuptials　that　they
were　all　Bride。　Nobody　noticed　the　Bridegroom。　Nobody　noticed　the　first
Bridesmaid。　Few　could　have　seen　Little　Dorrit　（who　held　that　post）　for
the　glare；　even　supposing　many　to　have　sought　her。　So；　the　Bride　had
mounted　into　her　handsome　chariot；　incidentally　acpanied　by　the
Bridegroom；　and　after　rolling　for　a　few　minutes　smoothly　over　a　fair
pavement；　had　begun　to　jolt　through　a　Slough　of　Despond；　and　through　a
long；　long　avenue　of　wrack　and　ruin。　Other　nuptial　carriages　are　said　to
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