little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第99章

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he　should　retrieve　his　fortunes　by　marriage。　Society　requires　that
he　should　gain　by　marriage。　Society　requires　that　he　should　found　a
handsome　establishment　by　marriage。　Society　does　not　see；　otherwise；
what　he　has　to　do　with　marriage。　Bird；　be　quiet！'

For　the　parrot　on　his　cage　above　them；　presiding　over　the　conference　as
if　he　were　a　judge　（and　indeed　he　looked　rather　like　one）；　had　wound　up
the　exposition　with　a　shriek。

'Cases　there　are；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　delicately　crooking　the　little
finger　of　her　favourite　hand；　and　making　her　remarks　neater　by　that　neat
action；　'cases　there　are　where　a　man　is　not　young　or　elegant；　and　is
rich；　and　has　a　handsome　establishment　already。　Those　are　of　a　different
kind。　In　such　cases……'

Mrs　Merdle　shrugged　her　snowy　shoulders　and　put　her　hand　upon　the
jewel…stand；　checking　a　little　cough；　as　though　to　add；　'why；　a　man
looks　out　for　this　sort　of　thing；　my　dear。'　Then　the　parrot　shrieked
again；　and　she　put　up　her　glass　to　look　at　him；　and　said；　'Bird！　Do　be
quiet！'　'But；　young　men；'　resumed　Mrs　Merdle；　'and　by　young　men　you　know
what　I　mean；　my　love……I　mean　people's　sons　who　have　the　world　before
them……they　must　place　themselves　in　a　better　position　towards　Society　by
marriage；　or　Society　really　will　not　have　any　patience　with　their　making
fools　of　themselves。　Dreadfully　worldly　all　this　sounds；'　said　Mrs
Merdle；　leaning　back　in　her　nest　and　putting　up　her　glass　again；　'does
it　not？'

'But　it　is　true；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　with　a　highly　moral　air。

'My　dear；　it　is　not　to　be　disputed　for　a　moment；'　returned　Mrs　Merdle；
'because　Society　has　made　up　its　mind　on　the　subject；　and　there　is
nothing　more　to　be　said。　If　we　were　in　a　more　primitive　state；　if　we
lived　under　roofs　of　leaves；　and　kept　cows　and　sheep　and　creatures
instead　of　banker's　accounts　（which　would　be　delicious；　my　dear；　I　am
pastoral　to　a　degree；　by　nature）；　well　and　good。　But　we　don't　live
under　leaves；　and　keep　cows　and　sheep　and　creatures。　I　perfectly　exhaust
myself　sometimes；　in　pointing　out　the　distinction　to　Edmund　Sparkler。'

Mrs　Gowan；　looking　over　her　green　fan　when　this　young　gentleman's　name
was　mentioned；　replied　as　follows：

'My　love；　you　know　the　wretched　state　of　the　country……those　unfortunate
concessions　of　John　Barnacle's！……and　you　therefore　know　the　reasons　for
my　being　as　poor　as　Thingummy。'

'A　church　mouse？'　Mrs　Merdle　suggested　with　a　smile。

'I　was　thinking　of　the　other　proverbial　church　person……Job；'　said　Mrs
Gowan。　'Either　will　do。　It　would　be　idle　to　disguise；　consequently；　that
there　is　a　wide　difference　between　the　position　of　your　son　and　mine。　I
may　add；　too；　that　Henry　has　talent……'

'Which　Edmund　certainly　has　not；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　with　the　greatest
suavity。

'……and　that　his　talent；　bined　with　disappointment；'　Mrs　Gowan　went
on；　'has　led　him　into　a　pursuit　which……ah　dear　me！　You　know；　my　dear。
Such　being　Henry's　different　position；　the　question　is　what　is　the　most
inferior　class　of　marriage　to　which　I　can　reconcile　myself。'

Mrs　Merdle　was　so　much　engaged　with　the　contemplation　of　her　arms
（beautiful…formed　arms；　and　the　very　thing　for　bracelets）；　that　she
omitted　to　reply　for　a　while。　Roused　at　length　by　the　silence；　she
folded　the　arms；　and　with　admirable　presence　of　mind　looked　her　friend
full　in　the　face；　and　said　interrogatively；　'Ye…es？　And　then？'

'And　then；　my　dear；'　said　Mrs　Gowan　not　quite　so　sweetly　as　before；　'I
should　be　glad　to　hear　what　you　have　to　say　to　it。'

Here　the　parrot；　who　had　been　standing　on　one　leg　since　he　screamed
last；　burst　into　a　fit　of　laughter；　bobbed　himself　derisively　up　and
down　on　both　legs；　and　finished　by　standing　on　one　leg　again；　and
pausing　for　a　reply；　with　his　head　as　much　awry　as　he　could　possibly
twist　it。

'Sounds　mercenary　to　ask　what　the　gentleman　is　to　get　with　the　lady；'
said　Mrs　Merdle；　'but　Society　is　perhaps　a　little　mercenary；　you　know；
my　dear。'

'From　what　I　can　make　out；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　'I　believe　I　may　say　that
Henry　will　be　relieved　from　debt……'

'Much　in　debt？'　asked　Mrs　Merdle　through　her　eyeglass。

'Why　tolerably；　I　should　think；'　said　Mrs　Gowan。

'Meaning　the　usual　thing；　I　understand；　just　so；'　Mrs　Merdle　observed　in
a　fortable　sort　of　way。

'And　that　the　father　will　make　them　an　allowance　of　three　hundred
a…year；　or　perhaps　altogether　something　more；　which；　in　Italy…'

'Oh！　Going　to　Italy？'　said　Mrs　Merdle。

'For　Henry　to　study。　You　need　be　at　no　loss　to　guess　why；　my　dear。

That　dreadful　Art……'

True。　Mrs　Merdle　hastened　to　spare　the　feelings　of　her　afflicted　friend。
She　understood。　Say　no　more！

'And　that；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　shaking　her　despondent　head；　'that's　all。
That；'　repeated　Mrs　Gowan；　furling　her　green　fan　for　the　moment；　and
tapping　her　chin　with　it　（it　was　on　the　way　to　being　a　double　chin；
might　be　called　a　chin　and　a　half　at　present）；　'that's　all！　On　the　death
of　the　old　people；　I　suppose　there　will　be　more　to　e；　but　how　it　may
be　restricted　or　locked　up；　I　don't　know。　And　as　to　that；　they　may　live
for　ever。　My　dear；　they　are　just　the　kind　of　people　to　do　it。'

Now；　Mrs　Merdle；　who　really　knew　her　friend　Society　pretty　well；　and　who
knew　what　Society's　mothers　were；　and　what　Society's　daughters　were；　and
what　Society's　matrimonial　market　was；　and　how　prices　ruled　in　it；　and
what　scheming　and　counter…scheming　took　place　for　the　high　buyers；　and
what　bargaining　and　huckstering　went　on；　thought　in　the　depths　of
her　capacious　bosom　that　this　was　a　sufficiently　good　catch。　Knowing；
however；　what　was　expected　of　her；　and　perceiving　the　exact　nature　of
the　fiction　to　be　nursed；　she　took　it　delicately　in　her　arms；　and　put
her　required　contribution　of　gloss　upon　it。

'And　that　is　all；　my　dear？'　said　she；　heaving　a　friendly　sigh。　'Well；
well！　The　fault　is　not　yours。　You　have　nothing　to　reproach　yourself
with。　You　must　exercise　the　strength　of　mind　for　which　you　are　renowned；
and　make　the　best　of　it。'　'The　girl's　family　have　made；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；
'of　course；　the　most　strenuous　endeavours　to……as　the　lawyers　say……to
have　and　to　hold　Henry。'

'Of　course　they　have；　my　dear；'　said　Mrs　Merdle。

'I　have　persisted　in　every　possible　objection；　and　have　worried
myself　morning；　noon；　and　night；　for　means　to　detach　Henry　from　the
connection。'

'No　doubt　you　have；　my　dear；'　said　Mrs　Merdle。

'And　all　of　no　use。　All　has　broken　down　beneath　me。　Now　tell　me；　my
love。　Am　I　justified　in　at　last　yielding　my　most　reluctant　consent　to
Henry's　marrying　among　people　not　in　Society；　or；　have　I　acted　with
inexcusable　weakness？'

In　answer　to　this　direct　appeal；　Mrs　Merdle　assured　Mrs　Gowan　（speaking
as　a　Priestess　of　Society）　that　she　was　highly　to　be　mended；　that
she　was　much　to　be　sympathised　with；　that　she　had　taken　the　highest　of
parts；　and　had　e　out　of　the　furnace　refined。　And　Mrs　Gowan；　who　of
course　saw　through　her　own　threadbare　blind　perfectly；　and　who　knew　that
Mrs　Merdle　saw　through　it　perfectly；　and　who　knew　that　Society　would　see
through　it　perfectly；　came　out　of　this　form；　notwithstanding；　as　she　had
gone　into　it；　with　immense　placency　and　gravity。

The　conference　was　held　at　four　or　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　when
all　the　region　of　Harley　Street；　Cavendish　Square；　was　resonant　of
carriage…wheels　and　double…knocks。　It　had　reached　this　point　when　Mr
Merdle　came　home　from　his　daily　occupation　of　causing　the　British
name　to　be　more　and　more　respected　in　all　parts　of　the　civilised　globe
capable　of　the　appreciation　of　world…wide　mercial　enterprise　and
gigantic　binations　of　skill　and　capital。　For；　though　nobody　knew　with
the　least　precision　what　Mr　Merdle's　business　was；　except　that　it　was
to　coin　money；　these　were　the　terms　in　which　everybody　defined　it　on　all
ceremonious　occasions；　and　which　it　was　the　last　new　polite　reading　of
the　parable　of　the　camel　and　the　needle's　eye　to　accept　without　inquiry。

For　a　gentleman　who　had　this　splendid　work　cut　out　for　him；　Mr　Merdle
looked　a　little　mon；　and　rather　as　if；　in　the　course　of　his　vast
transactions；　he　had　accidentally　made　an　interchange　of　heads　with
some　inferior　spirit。　He　presented　himself　before　the　two　ladies　in　the
course　of　a　dismal　stroll　through　his　mansion；　which　had　no　apparent
object　but　escape　from　the　presence　of　the　chief　butler。

'I　beg　your　pardon；'　he　said；　stopping　short　in　confusion；　'I　didn't
know　there　was　anybody　here　but　the　parrot。'

However；　as　Mrs　Merdle　said；　'You　can　e　in！'　and　as　Mrs　Gowan　said
she　was　just　going；　and　had　already　risen　to　take　her　leave；　he　came　in；
and　stood　looking　out　at　a　distant　window；　with　his　hands　crossed　under
his　uneasy　coat…cuffs；　clasping　his　wrists　as　if　he　were　taking　himself
into　custody。　In　this　attitude　he　fell　directly　into　a　reverie　from
which　he　was　only　aroused　by　his　wife's　calling　to　him　from　her　ottoman；
when　they　had　been　for　some　quarter　of　an　hour　alone。

'Eh？　Yes？'　said　Mr　Merdle；　turning　towards　her。　'What　is　it？'

'What　is　it？'　repeated　Mrs　Merdle。　'It　is；　I　suppose；　that　you　have　not
heard　a　word　of　my　plaint。'

'Your　plaint；　Mrs　Merdle？'　said　Mr　Merdle。　'I　didn't　know　that　you
were　suffering　from　a　plaint。　What　plaint？'

'A　plaint　of　you；'　said