little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第124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！



'Your　friend；　sir；'　said　he；　'is……ha……is　a　little　impatient；　and；　in
his　impatience；　is　not　perhaps　fully　sensible　of　what　he　owes
to……hum……to……but　we　will　waive　that；　we　will　waive　that。　Your　friend　is
a　little　impatient；　sir。'

'It　may　be　so；　sir；'　returned　the　other。　'But　having　had　the　honour　of
making　that　gentleman's　acquaintance　at　the　hotel　at　Geneva；　where　we
and　much　good　pany　met　some　time　ago；　and　having　had　the　honour
of　exchanging　pany　and　conversation　with　that　gentleman　on　several
subsequent　excursions；　I　can　hear　nothing……no；　not　even　from　one　of　your
appearance　and　station；　sir……detrimental　to　that　gentleman。'

'You　are　in　no　danger；　sir；　of　hearing　any　such　thing　from　me。　In
remarking　that　your　friend　has　shown　impatience；　I　say　no　such　thing。　I
make　that　remark；　because　it　is　not　to　be　doubted　that　my　son；　being　by
birth　and　by……ha……by　education　a……hum……a　gentleman；　would　have　readily
adapted　himself　to　any　obligingly　expressed　wish　on　the　subject　of　the
fire　being　equally　accessible　to　the　whole　of　the　present　circle。　Which；
in　principle；　I……ha……for　all　are……hum……equal　on　these　occasions……I
consider　right。'

'Good；'　was　the　reply。　'And　there　it　ends！　I　am　your　son's　obedient
servant。　I　beg　your　son　to　receive　the　assurance　of　my　profound
consideration。　And　now；　sir；　I　may　admit；　freely　admit；　that　my　friend
is　sometimes　of　a　sarcastic　temper。'

'The　lady　is　your　friend's　wife；　sir？'

'The　lady　is　my　friend's　wife；　sir。'　'She　is　very　handsome。'

'Sir；　she　is　peerless。　They　are　still　in　the　first　year　of　their
marriage。　They　are　still　partly　on　a　marriage；　and　partly　on　an
artistic；　tour。'

'Your　friend　is　an　artist；　sir？'

The　gentleman　replied　by　kissing　the　fingers　of　his　right　hand；　and
wafting　the　kiss　the　length　of　his　arm　towards　Heaven。　As　who　should
say；　I　devote　him　to　the　celestial　Powers　as　an　immortal　artist！

'But　he　is　a　man　of　family；'　he　added。　'His　connections　are　of　the　best。
He　is　more　than　an　artist：　he　is　highly　connected。　He　may；　in　effect；
have　repudiated　his　connections；　proudly；　impatiently；　sarcastically　（I
make　the　concession　of　both　words）；　but　he　has　them。　Sparks　that　have
been　struck　out　during　our　intercourse　have　shown　me　this。'

'Well！　I　hope；'　said　the　lofty　gentleman；　with　the　air　of　finally
disposing　of　the　subject；　'that　the　lady's　indisposition　may　be　only
temporary。'

'Sir；　I　hope　so。'

'Mere　fatigue；　I　dare　say。'

'Not　altogether　mere　fatigue；　sir；　for　her　mule　stumbled　to…day；　and
she　fell　from　the　saddle。　She　fell　lightly；　and　was　up　again　without
assistance；　and　rode　from　us　laughing；　but　she　plained　towards
evening　of　a　slight　bruise　in　the　side。　She　spoke　of　it　more　than　once；
as　we　followed　your　party　up　the　mountain。'

The　head　of　the　large　retinue；　who　was　gracious　but　not　familiar；
appeared　by　this　time　to　think　that　he　had　condescended　more　than
enough。　He　said　no　more；　and　there　was　silence　for　some　quarter　of　an
hour　until　supper　appeared。

With　the　supper　came　one　of　the　young　Fathers　（there　seemed　to　be　no
old　Fathers）　to　take　the　head　of　the　table。　It　was　like　the　supper　of
an　ordinary　Swiss　hotel；　and　good　red　wine　grown　by　the　convent　in　more
genial　air　was　not　wanting。　The　artist　traveller　calmly　came　and　took
his　place　at　table　when　the　rest　sat　down；　with　no　apparent　sense　upon
him　of　his　late　skirmish　with　the　pletely　dressed　traveller。

'Pray；'　he　inquired　of　the　host；　over　his　soup；　'has　your　convent　many
of　its　famous　dogs　now？'

'Monsieur；　it　has　three。'

'I　saw　three　in　the　gallery　below。　Doubtless　the　three　in　question。'　The
host；　a　slender；　bright…eyed；　dark　young　man　of　polite　manners；　whose
garment　was　a　black　gown　with　strips　of　white　crossed　over　it　like
braces；　and　who　no　more　resembled　the　conventional　breed　of　Saint
Bernard　monks　than　he　resembled　the　conventional　breed　of　Saint　Bernard
dogs；　replied；　doubtless　those　were　the　three　in　question。

'And　I　think；'　said　the　artist　traveller；　'I　have　seen　one　of　them
before。'

It　was　possible。　He　was　a　dog　sufficiently　well　known。　Monsieur　might
have　easily　seen　him　in　the　valley　or　somewhere　on　the　lake；　when　he
（the　dog）　had　gone　down　with　one　of　the　order　to　solicit　aid　for　the
convent。

'Which　is　done　in　its　regular　season　of　the　year；　I　think？'

Monsieur　was　right。

'And　never　without　a　dog。　The　dog　is　very　important。'　Again　Monsieur　was
right。　The　dog　was　very　important。　People　were　justly　interested　in　the
dog。　As　one　of　the　dogs　celebrated　everywhere；　Ma'amselle　would　observe。

Ma'amselle　was　a　little　slow　to　observe　it；　as　though　she　were　not　yet
well　accustomed　to　the　French　tongue。　Mrs　General；　however；　observed　it
for　her。

'Ask　him　if　he　has　saved　many　lives？'　said；　in　his　native　English；　the
young　man　who　had　been　put　out　of　countenance。

The　host　needed　no　translation　of　the　question。　He　promptly　replied　in
French；　'No。　Not　this　one。'

'Why　not？'　the　same　gentleman　asked。

'Pardon；'　returned　the　host　posedly；　'give　him　the　opportunity　and
he　will　do　it　without　doubt。　For　example；　I　am　well　convinced；'　smiling
sedately；　as　he　cut　up　the　dish　of　veal　to　be　handed　round；　on　the　young
man　who　had　been　put　out　of　countenance；　'that　if　you；　Monsieur；　would
give　him　the　opportunity；　he　would　hasten　with　great　ardour　to　fulfil
his　duty。'

The　artist　traveller　laughed。　The　insinuating　traveller　（who　evinced
a　provident　anxiety　to　get　his　full　share　of　the　supper）；　wiping　some
drops　of　wine　from　his　moustache　with　a　piece　of　bread；　joined　the
conversation。

'It　is　being　late　in　the　year；　my　Father；'　said　he；　'for
tourist…travellers；　is　it　not？'

'Yes；　it　is　late。　Yet　two　or　three　weeks；　at　most；　and　we　shall　be　left
to　the　winter　snows。'　'And　then；'　said　the　insinuating　traveller；　'for
the　scratching　dogs　and　the　buried　children；　according　to　the　pictures！'

'Pardon；'　said　the　host；　not　quite　understanding　the　allusion。　'How；
then　the　scratching　dogs　and　the　buried　children　according　to　the
pictures？'

The　artist　traveller　struck　in　again　before　an　answer　could　be　given。

'Don't　you　know；'　he　coldly　inquired　across　the　table　of　his　panion；
'that　none　but　smugglers　e　this　way　in　the　winter　or　can　have　any
possible　business　this　way？'

'Holy　blue！　No；　never　heard　of　it。'

'So　it　is；　I　believe。　And　as　they　know　the　signs　of　the　weather
tolerably　well；　they　don't　give　much　employment　to　the　dogs……who　have
consequently　died　out　rather……though　this　house　of　entertainment　is
conveniently　situated　for　themselves。　Their　young　families；　I　am　told；
they　usually　leave　at　home。　But　it's　a　grand　idea！'　cried　the　artist
traveller；　unexpectedly　rising　into　a　tone　of　enthusiasm。　'It's　a
sublime　idea。　It's　the　finest　idea　in　the　world；　and　brings　tears　into
a　man's　eyes；　by　Jupiter！'　He　then　went　on　eating　his　veal　with　great
posure。

There　was　enough　of　mocking　inconsistency　at　the　bottom　of　this　speech
to　make　it　rather　discordant；　though　the　manner　was　refined　and　the
person　well…favoured；　and　though　the　depreciatory　part　of　it　was　so
skilfully　thrown　off　as　to　be　very　difficult　for　one　not　perfectly
acquainted　with　the　English　language　to　understand；　or；　even
understanding；　to　take　offence　at：　so　simple　and　dispassionate　was　its
tone。　After　finishing　his　veal　in　the　midst　of　silence；　the　speaker
again　addressed　his　friend。

'Look；'　said　he；　in　his　former　tone；　'at　this　gentleman　our　host；　not
yet　in　the　prime　of　life；　who　in　so　graceful　a　way　and　with　such　courtly
urbanity　and　modesty　presides　over　us！　Manners　fit　for　a　crown！　Dine
with　the　Lord　Mayor　of　London　（if　you　can　get　an　invitation）　and　observe
the　contrast。　This　dear　fellow；　with　the　finest　cut　face　I　ever　saw；　a
face　in　perfect　drawing；　leaves　some　laborious　life　and　es　up　here
I　don't　know　how　many　feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　for　no　other
purpose　on　earth　（except　enjoying　himself；　I　hope；　in　a　capital
refectory）　than　to　keep　an　hotel　for　idle　poor　devils　like　you　and
me；　and　leave　the　bill　to　our　consciences！　Why；　isn't　it　a　beautiful
sacrifice？　What　do　we　want　more　to　touch　us？　Because　rescued　people　of
interesting　appearance　are　not；　for　eight　or　nine　months　out　of