little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第60章

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bracelet；　Fanny……'

The　monotonous　boy　put　his　head　round　the　beam　on　the　left；　and　said；
'Look　out　there；　ladies！'　and　disappeared。　The　sprightly　gentleman　with
the　black　hair　as　suddenly　put　his　head　round　the　beam　on　the　right；　and
said；　'Look　out　there；　darlings！'　and　also　disappeared。　Thereupon　all
the　young　ladies　rose　and　began　shaking　their　skirts　out　behind。

'Well；　Amy？'　said　Fanny；　doing　as　the　rest　did；　'what　were　you　going　to
say？'

'Since　you　told　me　a　lady　had　given　you　the　bracelet　you　showed　me；
Fanny；　I　have　not　been　quite　easy　on　your　account；　and　indeed　want　to
know　a　little　more　if　you　will　confide　more　to　me。'

'Now；　ladies！'　said　the　boy　in　the　Scotch　cap。　'Now；　darlings！'　said　the
gentleman　with　the　black　hair。　They　were　every　one　gone　in　a　moment；　and
the　music　and　the　dancing　feet　were　heard　again。

Little　Dorrit　sat　down　in　a　golden　chair；　made　quite　giddy　by　these
rapid　interruptions。　Her　sister　and　the　rest　were　a　long　time　gone；　and
during　their　absence　a　voice　（it　appeared　to　be　that　of　the　gentleman
with　the　black　hair）　was　continually　calling　out　through　the　music；
'One；　two；　three；　four；　five；　six……go！　One；　two；　three；　four；　five；
six……go！　Steady；　darlings！　One；　two；　three；　four；　five；　six……go！'
Ultimately　the　voice　stopped；　and　they　all　came　back　again；　more　or　less
out　of　breath；　folding　themselves　in　their　shawls；　and　making　ready
for　the　streets。　'Stop　a　moment；　Amy；　and　let　them　get　away　before
us；'　whispered　Fanny。　They　were　soon　left　alone；　nothing　more　important
happening；　in　the　meantime；　than　the　boy　looking　round　his　old　beam；　and
saying；　'Everybody　at　eleven　to…morrow；　ladies！'　and　the　gentleman　with
the　black　hair　looking　round　his　old　beam；　and　saying；　'Everybody　at
eleven　to…morrow；　darlings！'　each　in　his　own　accustomed　manner。

When　they　were　alone；　something　was　rolled　up　or　by　other　means　got　out
of　the　way；　and　there　was　a　great　empty　well　before　them；　looking　down
into　the　depths　of　which　Fanny　said；　'Now；　uncle！'　Little　Dorrit；　as　her
eyes　became　used　to　the　darkness；　faintly　made　him　out　at　the　bottom　of
the　well；　in　an　obscure　corner　by　himself；　with　his　instrument　in　its
ragged　case　under　his　arm。

The　old　man　looked　as　if　the　remote　high　gallery　windows；　with　their
little　strip　of　sky；　might　have　been　the　point　of　his　better　fortunes；
from　which　he　had　descended；　until　he　had　gradually　sunk　down　below
there　to　the　bottom。　He　had　been　in　that　place　six　nights　a　week　for
many　years；　but　had　never　been　observed　to　raise　his　eyes　above　his
music…book；　and　was　confidently　believed　to　have　never　seen　a　play。
There　were　legends　in　the　place　that　he　did　not　so　much　as　know　the
popular　heroes　and　heroines　by　sight；　and　that　the　low　edian　had
'mugged'　at　him　in　his　richest　manner　fifty　nights　for　a　wager；　and　he
had　shown　no　trace　of　consciousness。　The　carpenters　had　a　joke　to　the
effect　that　he　was　dead　without　being　aware　of　it；　and　the　frequenters
of　the　pit　supposed　him　to　pass　his　whole　life；　night　and　day；　and
Sunday　and　all；　in　the　orchestra。　They　had　tried　him　a　few　times　with
pinches　of　snuff　offered　over　the　rails；　and　he　had　always　responded　to
this　attention　with　a　momentary　waking　up　of　manner　that　had　the　pale
phantom　of　a　gentleman　in　it：　beyond　this　he　never；　on　any　occasion；　had
any　other　part　in　what　was　going　on　than　the　part　written　out　for　the
clario；　in　private　life；　where　there　was　no　part　for　the　clario；
he　had　no　part　at　all。　Some　said　he　was　poor；　some　said　he　was　a　wealthy
miser；　but　he　said　nothing；　never　lifted　up　his　bowed　head；　never　varied
his　shuffling　gait　by　getting　his　springless　foot　from　the　ground。
Though　expecting　now　to　be　summoned　by　his　niece；　he　did　not　hear　her
until　she　had　spoken　to　him　three　or　four　times；　nor　was　he　at　all
surprised　by　the　presence　of　two　nieces　instead　of　one；　but　merely　said
in　his　tremulous　voice；　'I　am　ing；　I　am　ing！'　and　crept　forth　by
some　underground　way　which　emitted　a　cellarous　smell。

'And　so；　Amy；'　said　her　sister；　when　the　three　together　passed　out　at
the　door　that　had　such　a　shame…faced　consciousness　of　being　different
from　other　doors：　the　uncle　instinctively　taking　Amy's　arm　as　the　arm　to
be　relied　on：　'so；　Amy；　you　are　curious　about　me？'

She　was　pretty；　and　conscious；　and　rather　flaunting；　and　the
condescension　with　which　she　put　aside　the　superiority　of　her　charms；
and　of　her　worldly　experience；　and　addressed　her　sister　on　almost　equal
terms；　had　a　vast　deal　of　the　family　in　it。

'I　am　interested；　Fanny；　and　concerned　in　anything　that　concerns　you。'

'So　you　are；　so　you　are；　and　you　are　the　best　of　Amys。　If　I　am　ever　a
little　provoking；　I　am　sure　you'll　consider　what　a　thing　it　is　to
occupy　my　position　and　feel　a　consciousness　of　being　superior　to　it。　I
shouldn't　care；'　said　the　Daughter　of　the　Father　of　the　Marshalsea；　'if
the　others　were　not　so　mon。　None　of　them　have　e　down　in　the　world
as　we　have。　They　are　all　on　their　own　level。　mon。'

Little　Dorrit　mildly　looked　at　the　speaker；　but　did　not　interrupt　her。
Fanny　took　out　her　handkerchief；　and　rather　angrily　wiped　her　eyes。　'I
was　not　born　where　you　were；　you　know；　Amy；　and　perhaps　that　makes　a
difference。　My　dear　child；　when　we　get　rid　of　Uncle；　you　shall　know　all
about　it。　We'll　drop　him　at　the　cook's　shop　where　he　is　going　to　dine。'

They　walked　on　with　him　until　they　came　to　a　dirty　shop　window　in　a
dirty　street；　which　　of　hot　meats；
vegetables；　and　puddings。　But　glimpses　were　to　be　caught　of　a　roast　leg
of　pork　bursting　into　tears　of　sage　and　onion　in　a　metal　reservoir　full
of　gravy；　of　an　unctuous　piece　of　roast　beef　and　blisterous　Yorkshire
pudding；　bubbling　hot　in　a　similar　receptacle；　of　a　stuffed　fillet　of
veal　in　rapid　cut；　of　a　ham　in　a　perspiration　with　the　pace　it　was　going
at；　of　a　shallow　tank　of　baked　potatoes　glued　together　by　their　own
richness；　of　a　truss　or　two　of　boiled　greens；　and　other　substantial
delicacies。　Within；　were　a　few　wooden　partitions；　behind　which　such
customers　as　found　it　more　convenient　to　take　away　their　dinners　in
stomachs　than　in　their　hands；　Packed　their　purchases　in　solitude。　Fanny
opening　her　reticule；　as　they　surveyed　these　things；　produced　from　that
repository　a　shilling　and　handed　it　to　Uncle。　Uncle；　after　not　looking
at　it　a　little　while；　divined　its　object；　and　muttering　'Dinner？　Ha！
Yes；　yes；　yes！'　slowly　vanished　from　them　into　the　mist。

'Now；　Amy；'　said　her　sister；　'e　with　me；　if　you　are　not　too　tired　to
walk　to　Harley　Street；　Cavendish　Square。'

The　air　with　which　she　threw　off　this　distinguished　address　and　the　toss
she　gave　to　her　new　bon　（which　was　more　gauzy　than　serviceable）；　made
her　sister　wonder；　however；　she　expressed　her　readiness　to　go　to　Harley
Street；　and　thither　they　directed　their　steps。　Arrived　at　that　grand
destination；　Fanny　singled　out　the　handsomest　house；　and　knocking　at　the
door；　inquired　for　Mrs　Merdle。　The　footman　who　opened　the　door；　although
he　had　powder　on　his　head　and　was　backed　up　by　two　other　footmen
likewise　powdered；　not　only　admitted　Mrs　Merdle　to　be　at　home；　but　asked
Fanny　to　walk　in。　Fanny　walked　in；　taking　her　sister　with　her；　and　they
went　up…stairs　with　powder　going　before　and　powder　stopping　behind；
and　were　left　in　a　spacious　semicircular　drawing…room；　one　of　several
drawing…rooms；　where　there　was　a　parrot　on　the　outside　of　a　golden　cage
holding　on　by　its　beak；　with　its　scaly　legs　in　the　air；　and　putting
itself　into　many　strange　upside…down　postures。　This　peculiarity　has　been
observed　in　birds　of　quite　another　feather；　climbing　upon　golden　wires。

The　room　was　far　more　splendid　than　anything　Little　Dorrit　had　ever
imagined；　and　would　have　been　splendid　and　costly　in　any　eyes。　She
looked　in　amazement　at　her　sister　and　would　have　asked　a　question；
but　that　Fanny　with　a　warning　frown　pointed　to　a　curtained　doorway　of
munication　with　another　room。　The　curtain　shook　next　moment；　and　a
lady；　raising　it　with　a　heavily　ringed　hand；　dropped　it　behind　her　again
as　she　entered。

The　lady　was　not　young　and　fresh　from　the　hand　of　Nature；　but　was　young
and　fresh　from　the　hand　of　her　maid。　She　had　large　unfeeling　handsome
eyes；　and　dark　unfeeling　handsome　hair；　and　a　broad　unfeeling　handsome
bosom；　and　was　made　the　most　of　in　every　particular。　Either　because　she
had　a　cold；　or　because　it　suited　her　face；　she　wore　a　rich　white
fillet　tied　over　her　head　and　under　her　chin。　And　if　ever　there　were
an　unfeeling　handsome　chin　that　looked　as　if；　for　certain；　it　had　never
been；　in　familiar　parlance；　'chucked'　by　the　hand　of　man；　it　was　the
chin　curbed　up　so　tight　and　close　by　that　laced　bridle。

'Mrs　Merdle；'　said　Fanny。　'My　sister；　ma'am。'

'I　am　glad　to　see　your　sister；　Miss　Dorrit。　I　did　not　remember　that　you
had　a　sister。'

'I　did　not　mention　that　I　had；'　said　Fanny。

'Ah！'　Mrs　Merdle　curled　the　little　finger　of　her　left　hand　as　who　should
say；　'I　have　caught　you。　I　know　you　didn't！'　All　her　action　was　usually
with　her　left　hand　because　her　hands　were　not　a　pair；　and　left　being
much　the　whiter　and　plumper　of　the　two。　Then　she　added：　'Sit　down；'　and
posed　herself　voluptuously；　in　a　nest　of　crimson　and　gold　cushions；
on　an　ot