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第61章

little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第61章

小说: little dorrit-信丽(英文版) 字数: 每页4000字

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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 ottoman near the parrot。

'Also professional?' said Mrs Merdle; looking at Little Dorrit through
an eye…glass。

Fanny answered No。 'No;' said Mrs Merdle; dropping her glass。 'Has not a
professional air。 Very pleasant; but not professional。'

'My sister; ma'am;' said Fanny; in whom there was a singular mixture
of deference and hardihood; 'has been asking me to tell her; as between
sisters; how I came to have the honour of knowing you。 And as I had
engaged to call upon you once more; I thought I might take the liberty
of bringing her with me; when perhaps you would tell her。 I wish her to
know; and perhaps you will tell her?' 'Do you think; at your sister's
age……' hinted Mrs Merdle。

'She is much older than she looks;' said Fanny; 'almost as old as I am。'

'Society;' said Mrs Merdle; with another curve of her little finger;
'is so difficult to explain to young persons (indeed is so difficult to
explain to most persons); that I am glad to hear that。

I wish Society was not so arbitrary; I wish it was not so
exacting……Bird; be quiet!'

The parrot had given a most piercing shriek; as if its name were Society
and it asserted its right to its exactions。

'But;' resumed Mrs Merdle; 'we must take it as we find it。 We know it is
hollow and conventional and worldly and very shocking; but unless we
are Savages in the Tropical seas (I should have been charmed to be one
myself……most delightful life and perfect climate; I am told); we
must consult it。 It is the mon lot。 Mr Merdle is a most extensive
merchant; his transactions are on the vastest scale; his wealth and
influence are very great; but even he……Bird; be quiet!'

The parrot had shrieked another shriek; and it filled up the sentence so
expressively that Mrs Merdle was under no necessity to end it。

'Since your sister begs that I would terminate our personal
acquaintance;' she began again; addressing Little Dorrit; 'by relating
the circumstances that are much to her credit; I cannot object to ply
 sure。 I have a son (I was first married extremely
young) of two or three…and…twenty。'

Fanny set her lips; and her eyes looked half triumphantly at her sister。

'A son of two or three…and…twenty。 He is a little gay; a thing Society
is accustomed to in young men; and he is very impressible。 Perhaps he
inherits that misfortune。 I am very impressible myself; by nature。 The
weakest of creatures……my feelings are touched in a moment。'

She said all this; and everything else; as coldly as a woman of snow;
quite forgetting the sisters except at odd times; and apparently
addressing some abstraction of Society; for whose behoof; too; she
occasionally arranged her dress; or the position of her figure upon
the ottoman。

'So he is very impressible。 Not a misfortune in our natural state I dare
say; but we are not in a natural state。 Much to be lamented; no doubt;
particularly by myself; who am a child of nature if I could but show it;
but so it is。 Society suppresses us and dominates us……Bird; be quiet!'
The parrot had broken into a violent fit of laughter; after twisting
divers bars of his cage with his crooked bill; and licking them with his
black tongue。

'It is quite unnecessary to say to a person of your good sense; wide
range of experience; and cultivated feeling;' said Mrs Merdle from her
nest of crimson and gold……and there put up her glass to refresh her
memory as to whom she was addressing;……'that the stage sometimes has
a fascination for young men of that class of character。 In saying the
stage; I mean the people on it of the female sex。 Therefore; when I
heard that my son was supposed to be fascinated by a dancer; I knew what
that usually meant in Society; and confided in her being a dancer at the
Opera; where young men moving in Society are usually fascinated。'

She passed her white hands over one another; observant of the sisters
now; and the rings upon her fingers grated against each other with a
hard sound。

'As your sister will tell you; when I found what the theatre was I was
much surprised and much distressed。 But when I found that your sister;
by rejecting my son's advances (I must add; in an unexpected manner);
had brought him to the point of proposing marriage; my feelings were
of the profoundest anguish……acute。' She traced the outline of her left
eyebrow; and put it right。

'In a distracted condition; which only a mother……moving in Society……can
be susceptible of; I determined to go myself to the theatre; and
represent my state of mind to the dancer。 I made myself known to your
sister。 I found her; to my surprise; in many respects different from
my expectations; and certainly in none more so; than in meeting me
with……what shall I say……a sort of family assertion on her own part?' Mrs
Merdle smiled。

'I told you; ma'am;' said Fanny; with a heightening colour; 'that
although you found me in that situation; I was so far above the rest;
that I considered my family as good as your son's; and that I had a
brother who; knowing the circumstances; would be of the same opinion;
and would not consider such a connection any honour。'

'Miss Dorrit;' said Mrs Merdle; after frostily looking at her through
her glass; 'precisely what I was on the point of telling your sister;
in pursuance of your request。 Much obliged to you for recalling it
so accurately and anticipating me。 I immediately;' addressing Little
Dorrit; '(for I am the creature of impulse); took a bracelet from my
arm; and begged your sister to let me clasp it on hers; in token of
the delight I had in our being able to approach the subject so far on
a mon footing。' (This was perfectly true; the lady having bought a
cheap and showy article on her way to the interview; with a general eye
to bribery。)

'And I told you; Mrs Merdle;' said Fanny; 'that we might be unfortunate;
but we are not mon。'

'I think; the very words; Miss Dorrit;' assented Mrs Merdle。

'And I told you; Mrs Merdle;' said Fanny; 'that if you spoke to me
of the superiority of your son's standing in Society; it was barely
possible that you rather deceived yourself in your suppositions about my
origin; and that my father's standing; even in the Society in which
he now moved (what that was; was best known to myself); was eminently
superior; and was acknowledged by every one。'

'Quite accurate;' rejoined Mrs Merdle。 'A most admirable memory。'

'Thank you; ma'am。 Perhaps you will be so kind as to tell my sister the
rest。'

'There is very little to tell;' said Mrs Merdle; reviewing the breadth
of bosom which seemed essential to her having room enough to be
unfeeling in; 'but it is to your sister's credit。 I pointed out to your
sister the plain state of the case; the impossibility of the Society
in which we moved recognising the Society in which she moved……though
charming; I have no doubt; the immense disadvantage at which she would
consequently place the family she had so high an opinion of; upon which
we should find ourselves pelled to look down with contempt; and
from which (socially speaking) we should feel obliged to recoil with
abhorrence。 In short; I made an appeal to that laudable pride in your
sister。'

'Let my sister know; if you please; Mrs Merdle;' Fanny pouted; with a
toss of her gauzy bon; 'that I had already had the honour of telling
your son that I wished to have nothing whatever to say to him。'

'Well; Miss Dorrit;' assented Mrs Merdle; 'perhaps I might have
mentioned that before。 If I did not think of it; perhaps it was because
my mind reverted to the apprehensions I had at the time that he might
persevere and you might have something to say to him。

I also mentioned to your sister……I again address the non…professional
Miss Dorrit……that my son would have nothing in the event of such a
marriage; and would be an absolute beggar。 (I mention that merely as
a fact which is part of the narrative; and not as supposing it to have
influenced your sister; except in the prudent and legitimate way
in which; constituted as our artificial system is; we must all be
influenced by such considerations。) Finally; after some high words
and high spirit on the part of your sister; we came to the plete
understanding that there was no danger; and your sister was so obliging
as to allow me to present her with a mark or two of my appreciation at
my dressmaker's。'

Little Dorrit looked sorry; and glanced at Fanny with a troubled face。

'Also;' said Mrs Merdle; 'as to promise to give me the present pleasure
of a closing interview; and of parting with her on the best of terms。
On which occasion;' added Mrs Merdle; quitting her nest; and putting
something in Fanny's hand; 'Miss Dorrit will permit me to say Farewell
with best wishes in my own dull manner。'

The sisters rose at the same time; and they all stood near the cage of
the parrot; as he tore at a claw…full of biscuit and spat it out; seemed
to mock them with a pompous dance of his body without moving his feet;
and suddenly turned himself upside down and trailed himself all over
the outside of his golden cage; with the aid of his cru

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