little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第127章

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all　his　life。

Thus　delegated　on　her　mission；　as　it　were　by　Church　and　State；　Mrs
General；　who　had　always　occupied　high　ground；　felt　in　a　condition　to
keep　it；　and　began　by　putting　herself　up　at　a　very　high　figure。　An
interval　of　some　duration　elapsed；　in　which　there　was　no　bid　for　Mrs
General。　At　length　a　county…widower；　with　a　daughter　of　fourteen；　opened
negotiations　with　the　lady；　and　as　it　was　a　part　either　of　the　native
dignity　or　of　the　artificial　policy　of　Mrs　General　（but　certainly　one
or　the　other）　to　port　herself　as　if　she　were　much　more　sought　than
seeking；　the　widower　pursued　Mrs　General　until　he　prevailed　upon　her　to
form　his　daughter's　mind　and　manners。

The　execution　of　this　trust　occupied　Mrs　General　about　seven　years；　in
the　course　of　which　time　she　made　the　tour　of　Europe；　and　saw　most　of
that　extensive　miscellany　of　objects　which　it　is　essential　that　all
persons　of　polite　cultivation　should　see　with　other　people's　eyes；
and　never　with　their　own。　When　her　charge　was　at　length　formed；　the
marriage；　not　only　of　the　young　lady；　but　likewise　of　her　father；　the
widower；　was　resolved　on。　The　widower　then　finding　Mrs　General　both
inconvenient　and　expensive；　became　of　a　sudden　almost　as　much　affected
by　her　merits　as　the　archdeacon　had　been；　and　circulated　such　praises
of　her　surpassing　worth；　in　all　quarters　where　he　thought　an　opportunity
might　arise　of　transferring　the　blessing　to　somebody　else；　that　Mrs
General　was　a　name　more　honourable　than　ever。

The　phoenix　was　to　let；　on　this　elevated　perch；　when　Mr　Dorrit；　who
had　lately　succeeded　to　his　property；　mentioned　to　his　bankers　that　he
wished　to　discover　a　lady；　well…bred；　acplished；　well　connected；　well
accustomed　to　good　society；　who　was　qualified　at　once　to　plete　the
education　of　his　daughters；　and　to　be　their　matron　or　chaperon。　Mr
Dorrit's　bankers；　as　bankers　of　the　county…widower；　instantly　said；　'Mrs
General。'

Pursuing　the　light　so　fortunately　hit　upon；　and　finding　the　concurrent
testimony　of　the　whole　of　Mrs　General's　acquaintance　to　be　of　the
pathetic　nature　already　recorded；　Mr　Dorrit　took　the　trouble　of　going
down　to　the　county　of　the　county…widower　to　see　Mrs　General；　in　whom　he
found　a　lady　of　a　quality　superior　to　his　highest　expectations。

'Might　I　be　excused；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'if　I　inquired……ha……what　remune……'

'Why；　indeed；'　returned　Mrs　General；　stopping　the　word；　'it　is　a　subject
on　which　I　prefer　to　avoid　entering。　I　have　never　entered　on　it　with　my
friends　here；　and　I　cannot　overe　the　delicacy；　Mr　Dorrit；　with
which　I　have　always　regarded　it。　I　am　not；　as　I　hope　you　are　aware；　a
governess……'

'O　dear　no！'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'Pray；　madam；　do　not　imagine　for　a　moment
that　I　think　so。'　He　really　blushed　to　be　suspected　of　it。

Mrs　General　gravely　inclined　her　head。　'I　cannot；　therefore；　put　a　price
upon　services　which　it　is　a　pleasure　to　me　to　render　if　I　can　render
them　spontaneously；　but　which　I　could　not　render　in　mere　return　for　any
consideration。　Neither　do　I　know　how；　or　where；　to　find　a　case　parallel
to　my　own。　It　is　peculiar。'

No　doubt。　But　how　then　（Mr　Dorrit　not　unnaturally　hinted）　could　the
subject　be　approached。　'I　cannot　object；'　said　Mrs　General……'though　even
that　is　disagreeable　to　me……to　Mr　Dorrit's　inquiring；　in　confidence　of
my　friends　here；　what　amount　they　have　been　accustomed；　at　quarterly
intervals；　to　pay　to　my　credit　at　my　bankers'。'

Mr　Dorrit　bowed　his　acknowledgements。

'Permit　me　to　add；'　said　Mrs　General；　'that　beyond　this；　I　can　never
resume　the　topic。　Also　that　I　can　accept　no　second　or　inferior　position。
If　the　honour　were　proposed　to　me　of　being　known　to　Mr　Dorrit's
family……I　think　two　daughters　were　mentioned？……'

'Two　daughters。'

'I　could　only　accept　it　on　terms　of　perfect　equality；　as　a　panion；
protector；　Mentor；　and　friend。'

Mr　Dorrit；　in　spite　of　his　sense　of　his　importance；　felt　as　if　it　would
be　quite　a　kindness　in　her　to　accept　it　on　any　conditions。　He　almost
said　as　much。

'I　think；'　repeated　Mrs　General；　'two　daughters　were　mentioned？'

'Two　daughters；'　said　Mr　Dorrit　again。

'It　would　therefore；'　said　Mrs　General；　'be　necessary　to　add　a　third
more　to　the　payment　（whatever　its　amount　may　prove　to　be）；　which　my
friends　here　have　been　accustomed　to　make　to　my　bankers'。'

Mr　Dorrit　lost　no　time　in　referring　the　delicate　question　to　the
county…widower；　and　finding　that　he　had　been　accustomed　to　pay　three
hundred　pounds　a…year　to　the　credit　of　Mrs　General；　arrived；　without　any
severe　strain　on　his　arithmetic；　at　the　conclusion　that　he　himself　must
pay　four。　Mrs　General　being　an　article　of　that　lustrous　surface　which
suggests　that　it　is　worth　any　money；　he　made　a　formal　proposal　to　be
allowed　to　have　the　honour　and　pleasure　of　regarding　her　as　a　member　of
his　family。　Mrs　General　conceded　that　high　privilege；　and　here　she　was。

In　person；　Mrs　General；　including　her　skirts　which　had　much　to　do　with
it；　was　of　a　dignified　and　imposing　appearance；　ample；　rustling；　gravely
voluminous；　always　upright　behind　the　proprieties。　She　might　have
been　taken……had　been　taken……to　the　top　of　the　Alps　and　the　bottom　of
Herculaneum；　without　disarranging　a　fold　in　her　dress；　or　displacing
a　pin。　If　her　countenance　and　hair　had　rather　a　floury　appearance；　as
though　from　living　in　some　transcendently　genteel　Mill；　it　was　rather
because　she　was　a　chalky　creation　altogether；　than　because　she　mended
her　plexion　with　violet　powder；　or　had　turned　grey。　If　her　eyes　had
no　expression；　it　was　probably　because　they　had　nothing　to　express。　If
she　had　few　wrinkles；　it　was　because　her　mind　had　never　traced　its　name
or　any　other　inscription　on　her　face。　A　cool；　waxy；　blown…out　woman；　who
had　never　lighted　well。　Mrs　General　had　no　opinions。　Her　way　of　forming
a　mind　was　to　prevent　it　from　forming　opinions。　She　had　a　little
circular　set　of　mental　grooves　or　rails　on　which　she　started　little
trains　of　other　people's　opinions；　which　never　overtook　one　another；　and
never　got　anywhere。　Even　her　propriety　could　not　dispute　that　there　was
impropriety　in　the　world；　but　Mrs　General's　way　of　getting　rid　of　it　was
to　put　it　out　of　sight；　and　make　believe　that　there　was　no　such　thing。
This　was　another　of　her　ways　of　forming　a　mind……to　cram　all　articles　of
difficulty　into　cupboards；　lock　them　up；　and　say　they　had　no　existence。
It　was　the　easiest　way；　and；　beyond　all　parison；　the　properest。

Mrs　General　was　not　to　be　told　of　anything　shocking。　Accidents；
miseries；　and　offences；　were　never　to　be　mentioned　before　her。　Passion
was　to　go　to　sleep　in　the　presence　of　Mrs　General；　and　blood　was　to
change　to　milk　and　water。　The　little　that　was　left　in　the　world；
when　all　these　deductions　were　made；　it　was　Mrs　General's　province　to
varnish。　In　that　formation　process　of　hers；　she　dipped　the　smallest　of
brushes　into　the　largest　of　pots；　and　varnished　the　surface　of　every
object　that　came　under　consideration。　The　more　cracked　it　was；　the　more
Mrs　General　varnished　it。　There　was　varnish　in　Mrs　General's　voice；
varnish　in　Mrs　General's　touch；　an　atmosphere　of　varnish　round　Mrs
General's　figure。　Mrs　General's　dreams　ought　to　have　been　varnished……if
she　had　any……lying　asleep　in　the　arms　of　the　good　Saint　Bernard；　with
the　feathery　snow　falling　on　his　house…top。




CHAPTER　3。　On　the　Road


The　bright　morning　sun　dazzled　the　eyes；　the　snow　had　ceased；　the　mists
had　vanished；　the　mountain　air　was　so　clear　and　light　that　the
new　sensation　of　breathing　it　was　like　the　having　entered　on　a　new
existence。　To　help　the　delusion；　the　solid　ground　itself　seemed　gone；
and　the　mountain；　a　shining　waste　of　immense　white　heaps　and　masses；　to
be　a　region　of　cloud　floating　between　the　blue　sky　above　and　the　earth
far　below。

Some　dark　specks　in　the　snow；　like　knots　upon　a　little　thread；　beginning
at　the　convent　door　and　winding　away　down　the　descent　in　broken　lengths
which　were　not　yet　pieced　together；　showed　where　the　Brethren　were　at
work　in　several　places　clearing　the　track。　Already　the　snow　had　begun　to
be　foot…thawed　again　about　the　door。　Mules　were　busily　brought　out；　tied
to　the　rings　in　the　wall；　and　laden；　strings　of　bells　were　buckled
on