little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第61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！


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