little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第162章

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that……ha……superior　woman　was　poorly。

Little　Dorrit；　in　her　watchful　love；　would　have　remembered　the　lightest
thing　he　said　or　did　that　night；　though　she　had　had　no　subsequent　reason
to　recall　that　night。　She　always　remembered　that；　when　he　looked　about
him　under　the　strong　influence　of　the　old　association；　he　tried　to
keep　it　out　of　her　mind；　and　perhaps　out　of　his　own　too；　by　immediately
expatiating　on　the　great　riches　and　great　pany　that　had　enpassed
him　in　his　absence；　and　on　the　lofty　position　he　and　his　family　had　to
sustain。　Nor　did　she　fail　to　recall　that　there　were　two　under…currents；
side　by　side；　pervading　all　his　discourse　and　all　his　manner；　one
showing　her　how　well　he　had　got　on　without　her；　and　how　independent
he　was　of　her；　the　other；　in　a　fitful　and　unintelligible　way　almost
plaining　of　her；　as　if　it　had　been　possible　that　she　had　neglected
him　while　he　was　away。

His　telling　her　of　the　glorious　state　that　Mr　Merdle　kept；　and　of　the
court　that　bowed　before　him；　naturally　brought　him　to　Mrs　Merdle。　So
naturally　indeed；　that　although　there　was　an　unusual　want　of　sequence　in
the　greater　part　of　his　remarks；　he　passed　to　her　at　once；　and　asked　how
she　was。

'She　is　very　well。　She　is　going　away　next　week。'

'Home？'　asked　Mr　Dorrit。

'After　a　few　weeks'　stay　upon　the　road。'

'She　will　be　a　vast　loss　here；'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'A　vast……ha……acquisition
at　home。　To　Fanny；　and　to……hum……the　rest　of　the……ha……great　world。'

Little　Dorrit　thought　of　the　petition　that　was　to　be　entered　upon；
and　assented　very　softly。

'Mrs　Merdle　is　going　to　have　a　great　farewell　Assembly；　dear；　and　a
dinner　before　it。　She　has　been　expressing　her　anxiety　that　you　should
return　in　time。　She　has　invited　both　you　and　me　to　her　dinner。'

'She　is……ha……very　kind。　When　is　the　day？'

'The　day　after　to…morrow。'

'Write　round　in　the　morning；　and　say　that　I　have　returned；　and
shall……hum……be　delighted。'

'May　I　walk　with　you　up　the　stairs　to　your　room；　dear？'

'No！'　he　answered；　looking　angrily　round；　for　he　was　moving　away；　as　if
forgetful　of　leave…taking。　'You　may　not；　Amy。　I　want　no　help。　I　am　your
father；　not　your　infirm　uncle！'　He　checked　himself；　as　abruptly　as　he
had　broken　into　this　reply；　and　said；　'You　have　not　kissed　me；　Amy。　Good
night；　my　dear！　We　must　marry……ha……we　must　marry　YOU；　now。'　With　that
he　went；　more　slowly　and　more　tired；　up　the　staircase　to　his　rooms；　and；
almost　as　soon　as　he　got　there；　dismissed　his　valet。　His　next　care　was
to　look　about　him　for　his　Paris　purchases；　and；　after　opening　their
cases　and　carefully　surveying　them；　to　put　them　away　under　lock　and
key。　After　that；　what　with　dozing　and　what　with　castle…building；　he　lost
himself　for　a　long　time；　so　that　there　was　a　touch　of　morning　on　the
eastward　rim　of　the　desolate　Campagna　when　he　crept　to　bed。

Mrs　General　sent　up　her　pliments　in　good　time　next　day；　and　hoped
he　had　rested　well　after　this　fatiguing　journey。　He　sent　down　his
pliments；　and　begged　to　inform　Mrs　General　that　he　had　rested　very
well　indeed；　and　was　in　high　condition。　Nevertheless；　he　did　not　e
forth　from　his　own　rooms　until　late　in　the　afternoon；　and；　although　he
then　caused　himself　to　be　magnificently　arrayed　for　a　drive　with
Mrs　General　and　his　daughter；　his　appearance　was　scarcely　up　to　his
description　of　himself。　As　the　family　had　no　visitors　that　day；　its　four
members　dined　alone　together。　He　conducted　Mrs　General　to　the　seat　at
his　right　hand　with　immense　ceremony；　and　Little　Dorrit　could　not
but　notice　as　she　followed　with　her　uncle；　both　that　he　was　again
elaborately　dressed；　and　that　his　manner　towards　Mrs　General　was　very
particular。　The　perfect　formation　of　that　acplished　lady's　surface
rendered　it　difficult　to　displace　an　atom　of　its　genteel　glaze；　but
Little　Dorrit　thought　she　descried　a　slight　thaw　of　triumph　in　a　corner
of　her　frosty　eye。

Notwithstanding　what　may　be　called　in　these　pages　the　Pruney　and
Prismatic　nature　of　the　family　banquet；　Mr　Dorrit　several　times　fell
asleep　while　it　was　in　progress。　His　fits　of　dozing　were　as　sudden　as
they　had　been　overnight；　and　were　as　short　and　profound。　When　the　first
of　these　slumberings　seized　him；　Mrs　General　looked　almost　amazed：　but；
on　each　recurrence　of　the　symptoms；　she　told　her　polite　beads；　Papa；
Potatoes；　Poultry；　Prunes；　and　Prism；　and；　by　dint　of　going　through　that
infallible　performance　very　slowly；　appeared　to　finish　her　rosary　at
about　the　same　time　as　Mr　Dorrit　started　from　his　sleep。

He　was　again　painfully　aware　of　a　somnolent　tendency　in　Frederick　（which
had　no　existence　out　of　his　own　imagination）；　and　after　dinner；　when
Frederick　had　withdrawn；　privately　apologised　to　Mrs　General　for　the
poor　man。　'The　most　estimable　and　affectionate　of　brothers；'　he　said；
'but……ha；　hum……broken　up　altogether。　Unhappily；　declining　fast。'

'Mr　Frederick；　sir；'　quoth　Mrs　General；　'is　habitually　absent　and
drooping；　but　let　us　hope　it　is　not　so　bad　as　that。'

Mr　Dorrit；　however；　was　determined　not　to　let　him　off。　'Fast　declining；
madam。　A　wreck。　A　ruin。　Mouldering　away　before　our　eyes。　Hum。　Good
Frederick！'

'You　left　Mrs　Sparkler　quite　well　and　happy；　I　trust？'　said　Mrs　General；
after　heaving　a　cool　sigh　for　Frederick。

'Surrounded；'　replied　Mr　Dorrit；　'by……ha……all　that　can　charm　the　taste；
and……hum……elevate　the　mind。　Happy；　my　dear　madam；　in　a……hum……husband。'


Mrs　General　was　a　little　fluttered；　seeming　delicately　to　put　the　word
away　with　her　gloves；　as　if　there　were　no　knowing　what　it　might　lead　to。

'Fanny；'　Mr　Dorrit　continued。　'Fanny；　Mrs　General；　has　high
qualities。　Ha。　Ambition……hum……purpose；　consciousness　of……ha……position；
determination　to　support　that　position……ha；　hum……grace；　beauty；　and
native　nobility。'

'No　doubt；'　said　Mrs　General　（with　a　little　extra　stiffness）。

'bined　；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'Fanny
has……ha……manifested　one　blemish　which　has　made　me……hum……made　me　uneasy；
and……ha……I　must　add；　angry；　but　which　I　trust　may　now　be　considered
at　an　end；　even　as　to　herself；　and　which　is　undoubtedly　at　an　end　as
to……ha……others。'

'To　what；　Mr　Dorrit；'　returned　Mrs　General；　with　her　gloves　again
somewhat　excited；　'can　you　allude？　I　am　at　a　loss　to……'

'Do　not　say　that；　my　dear　madam；'　interrupted　Mr　Dorrit。

Mrs　General's　voice；　as　it　died　away；　pronounced　the　words；　'at　a　loss
to　imagine。'

After　which　Mr　Dorrit　was　seized　with　a　doze　for　about　a　minute；　out　of
which　he　sprang　with　spasmodic　nimbleness。

'I　refer；　Mrs　General；　to　that……ha……strong　spirit　of　opposition；
or……hum……I　might　say……ha……jealousy　in　Fanny；　which　has　occasionally
risen　against　the……ha……sense　I　entertain　of……hum……the　claims　of……ha……the
lady　with　whom　I　have　now　the　honour　of　muning。'

'Mr　Dorrit；'　returned　Mrs　General；　'is　ever　but　too　obliging；　ever　but
too　appreciative。　If　there　have　been　moments　when　I　have　imagined　that
Miss　Dorrit　has　indeed　resented　the　favourable　opinion　Mr　Dorrit　has
formed　of　my　services；　I　have　found；　in　that　only　too　high　opinion；　my
consolation　and　repense。'

'Opinion　of　your　services；　madam？'　said　Mr　Dorrit。

'Of；'　Mrs　General　repeated；　in　an　elegantly　impressive　manner；　'my
services。'

'Of　your　services　alone；　dear　madam？'　said　Mr　Dorrit。

'I　presume；'　retorted　Mrs　General；　in　her　former　impressive　manner；　'of
my　services　alone。　For；　to　what　else；'　said　Mrs　General；　with　a　slightly
interrogative　action　of　her　gloves；　'could　I　impute……'

'To……ha……yourself；　Mrs　General。　Ha；　hum。　To　yourself　and　your　merits；'
was　Mr　Dorrit's　rejoinder。

'Mr　Dorrit　will　pardon　me；'　said　Mrs　General；　'if　I　remark　that　this
is　not　a　time　or　place　for　the　pursuit　of　the　present　conversation。
Mr　Dorrit　will　excuse　me　if　I　remind　him　that　Miss　Dorrit　is　in　the
adjoining　room；　and　is　visible　to　myself　while　I　utter　her　name。　Mr
Dorrit　will　forgive　me　if　I　observe　that　I　am　agitated；　and　that　I　find
there　are　moments　when　weaknesses　I　supposed　myself　to　have　subdued；
return　with　redoubled　power。　Mr　Dorrit　will　allow　me　to　withdraw。'

'Hum。　Perhaps　we　may　resume　this……ha……interesting　conversation；'　said
Mr　Dorrit；　'at　another　time；　unless　it　should　be；　what　I　hope　it　is
not……hum……in　any　way　disagreeable　to……ah……Mrs　General。'　'Mr　Dorrit；'
said　Mrs　General；　casting　down　her　eyes　as　she　rose　with　a　bend；　'must
ever　claim　my　homage　and　obedience。'

Mrs　General　then　took　herself　off　in　a　stately　way；　and　not　with　that
amount　of　trepidation　upon　her　which　might　have　been　expected　in　a　less
remarkable　woman。　Mr　Dorrit；　who　had　conducted　his　part　of　the　dialogue
with　a　certain　majestic　and　admiring　condescension……much　as　some　people
may　be　seen　to　conduct　themselves　in　Church；　and　to　perform　their　part
in　the　service……appeared；　on　the　whole；　very　well　satisfied　with　himself
and　with　Mrs　General　too。　On　the　return　of　that　lady　to　tea；　she　had
touched　herself　up　with　a　little　powder　and　pomatum；　and　was　not　without
moral　enchantment　likewise：　the　latter　showing　itself　in　much　sweet
patronage　of　manner　towards　Miss　Dorrit；　and　in　an　air　of　as　tender
interest　in　Mr　Dorrit　as　was　consistent　with　rigid　propriety。　At　the
close　of　the　evening；　when　she　rose　to　retire；　Mr　Dorrit　took　her　by　the
hand　as　if　he　were　goi