little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第137章

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'Martigny；'　assented　her　brother；　with　a　slight　nod　and　a　slight　wink；
in　acknowledgment　of　which；　Miss　Fanny　looked　surprised；　and　laughed　and
reddened。

'How　can　that　be；　Edward？'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'You　informed　me　that　the
name　of　the　gentleman　with　whom　you　conferred　was……ha……Sparkler。　Indeed；
you　showed　me　his　card。　Hum。　Sparkler。'

'No　doubt　of　it；　father；　but　it　doesn't　follow　that　his　mother's　name
must　be　the　same。　Mrs　Merdle　was　married　before；　and　he　is　her　son。　She
is　in　Rome　now；　where　probably　we　shall　know　more　of　her；　as　you　decide
to　winter　there。　Sparkler　is　just　e　here。　I　passed　last　evening　in
pany　with　Sparkler。　Sparkler　is　a　very　good　fellow　on　the
whole；　though　rather　a　bore　on　one　subject；　in　consequence　of　being
tremendously　smitten　with　a　certain　young　lady。'　Here　Edward　Dorrit；
Esquire；　eyed　Miss　Fanny　through　his　glass　across　the　table。　'We
happened　last　night　to　pare　notes　about　our　travels；　and　I　had　the
information　I　have　given　you　from　Sparkler　himself。'　Here　he　ceased；
continuing　to　eye　Miss　Fanny　through　his　glass；　with　a　face　much
twisted；　and　not　ornamentally　so；　in　part　by　the　action　of　keeping　his
glass　in　his　eye；　and　in　part　by　the　great　subtlety　of　his　smile。
'Under　these　circumstances；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'I　believe　I　express　the
sentiments　of……ha……Mrs　General；　no　less　than　my　own；　when　I　say
that　there　is　no　objection；　but……ha　hum……quite　the　contrary……to　your
gratifying　your　desire；　Amy。　I　trust　I　may……ha……hail……this　desire；'　said
Mr　Dorrit；　in　an　encouraging　and　forgiving　manner；　'as　an　auspicious
omen。　It　is　quite　right　to　know　these　people。　It　is　a　very　proper
thing。　Mr　Merdle's　is　a　name　of……ha……world…wide　repute。　Mr　Merdle's
undertakings　are　immense。　They　bring　him　in　such　vast　sums　of　money　that
they　are　regarded　as……hum……national　benefits。　Mr　Merdle　is　the　man　of
this　time。　The　name　of　Merdle　is　the　name　of　the　age。　Pray　do　everything
on　my　behalf　that　is　civil　to　Mr　and　Mrs　Gowan；　for　we　will……ha……we　will
certainly　notice　them。'

This　magnificent　accordance　of　Mr　Dorrit's　recognition　settled　the
matter。　It　was　not　observed　that　Uncle　had　pushed　away　his　plate；　and
forgotten　his　breakfast；　but　he　was　not　much　observed　at　any　time；
except　by　Little　Dorrit。　The　servants　were　recalled；　and　the　meal
proceeded　to　its　conclusion。　Mrs　General　rose　and　left　the　table。
Little　Dorrit　rose　and　left　the　table。　When　Edward　and　Fanny　remained
whispering　together　across　it；　and　when　Mr　Dorrit　remained　eating　figs
and　reading　a　French　newspaper；　Uncle　suddenly　fixed　the　attention　of
all　three　by　rising　out　of　his　chair；　striking　his　hand　upon　the　table；
and　saying；　'Brother！　I　protest　against　it！'

If　he　had　made　a　proclamation　in　an　unknown　tongue；　and　given　up　the
ghost　immediately　afterwards；　he　could　not　have　astounded　his　audience
more。　The　paper　fell　from　Mr　Dorrit's　hand；　and　he　sat　petrified；　with　a
fig　half　way　to　his　mouth。

'Brother！'　said　the　old　man；　conveying　a　surprising　energy　into　his
trembling　voice；　'I　protest　against　it！　I　love　you；　you　know　I　love　you
dearly。　In　these　many　years　I　have　never　been　untrue　to　you　in　a　single
thought。　Weak　as　I　am；　I　would　at　any　time　have　struck　any　man　who　spoke
ill　of　you。　But；　brother；　brother；　brother；　I　protest　against　it！'

It　was　extraordinary　to　see　of　what　a　burst　of　earnestness　such　a
decrepit　man　was　capable。　His　eyes　became　bright；　his　grey　hair　rose　on
his　head；　markings　of　purpose　on　his　brow　and　face　which　had　faded　from
them　for　five…and…twenty　years；　started　out　again；　and　there　was　an
energy　in　his　hand　that　made　its　action　nervous　once　more。

'My　dear　Frederick！'　exclaimed　Mr　Dorrit　faintly。　'What　is　wrong？　What
is　the　matter？'

'How　dare　you；'　said　the　old　man；　turning　round　on　Fanny；　'how　dare　you
do　it？　Have　you　no　memory？　Have　you　no　heart？'

'Uncle？'　cried　Fanny；　affrighted　and　bursting　into　tears；　'why　do　you
attack　me　in　this　cruel　manner？　What　have　I　done？'

'Done？'　returned　the　old　man；　pointing　to　her　sister's　place；　'where's
your　affectionate　invaluable　friend？　Where's　your　devoted　guardian？
Where's　your　more　than　mother？　How　dare　you　set　up　superiorities　against
all　these　characters　bined　in　your　sister？

For　shame；　you　false　girl；　for　shame！'　'I　love　Amy；'　cried　Miss　Fanny；
sobbing　and　weeping；　'as　well　as　I　love　my　life……better　than　I　love　my
life。　I　don't　deserve　to　be　so　treated。　I　am　as　grateful　to　Amy；　and　as
fond　of　Amy；　as　it's　possible　for　any　human　being　to　be。　I　wish　I　was
dead。　I　never　was　so　wickedly　wronged。　And　only　because　I　am　anxious　for
the　family　credit。'

'To　the　winds　with　the　family　credit！'　cried　the　old　man；　with　great
scorn　and　indignation。　'Brother；　I　protest　against　pride。　I　protest
against　ingratitude。　I　protest　against　any　one　of　us　here　who　have　known
what　we　have　known；　and　have　seen　what　we　have　seen；　setting　up　any
pretension　that　puts　Amy　at　a　moment's　disadvantage；　or　to　the　cost　of
a　moment's　pain。　We　may　know　that　it's　a　base　pretension　by　its　having
that　effect。　It　ought　to　bring　a　judgment　on　us。　Brother；　I　protest
against　it　in　the　sight　of　God！'

As　his　hand　went　up　above　his　head　and　came　down　on　the　table；　it　might
have　been　a　blacksmith's。　After　a　few　moments'　silence；　it　had　relaxed
into　its　usual　weak　condition。　He　went　round　to　his　brother　with　his
ordinary　shuffling　step；　put　the　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and　said；　in　a
softened　voice；　'William；　my　dear；　I　felt　obliged　to　say　it；　forgive　me；
for　I　felt　obliged　to　say　it！'　and　then　went；　in　his　bowed　way；　out　of
the　palace　hall；　just　as　he　might　have　gone　out　of　the　Marshalsea　room。

All　this　time　Fanny　had　been　sobbing　and　crying；　and　still　continued　to
do　so。　Edward；　beyond　opening　his　mouth　in　amazement；　had　not　opened　his
lips；　and　had　done　nothing　but　stare。　Mr　Dorrit　also　had　been　utterly
disfited；　and　quite　unable　to　assert　himself　in　any　way。　Fanny　was
now　the　first　to　speak。

'I　never；　never；　never　was　so　used！'　she　sobbed。　'There　never　was
anything　so　harsh　and　unjustifiable；　so　disgracefully　violent　and　cruel！
Dear；　kind；　quiet　little　Amy；　too；　what　would　she　feel　if　she　could　know
that　she　had　been　innocently　the　means　of　exposing　me　to　such　treatment！
But　I'll　never　tell　her！　No；　good　darling；　I'll　never　tell　her！'

This　helped　Mr　Dorrit　to　break　his　silence。

'My　dear；'　said　he；　'I……ha……approve　of　your　resolution。　It　will　be……ha
hum……much　better　not　to　speak　of　this　to　Amy。　It　might……hum……it
might　distress　her。　Ha。　No　doubt　it　would　distress　her　greatly。　It
is　considerate　and　right　to　avoid　doing　so。　We　will……ha……keep　this　to
ourselves。'

'But　the　cruelty　of　Uncle！'　cried　Miss　Fanny。　'O；　I　never　can　forgive
the　wanton　cruelty　of　Uncle！'

'My　dear；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　recovering　his　tone；　though　he　remained
unusually　pale；　'I　must　request　you　not　to　say　so。　You　must　remember
that　your　uncle　is……ha……not　what　he　formerly　was。　You　must　remember
that　your　uncle's　state　requires……hum……great　forbearance　from　us；　great
forbearance。'

'I　am　sure；'　cried　Fanny；　piteously；　'it　is　only　charitable　to　suppose
that　there　Must　be　something　wrong　in　him　somewhere；　or　he　never　could
have　so　attacked　Me；　of　all　the　people　in　the　world。'

'Fanny；'　returned　Mr　Dorrit　in　a　deeply　fraternal　tone；　'you　know；　with
his　innumerable　good　points；　what　a……hum……wreck　your　uncle　is；　and；　I
entreat　you　by　the　fondness　that　I　have　for　him；　and　by　the　fidelity
that　you　know　I　have　always　shown　him；　to……ha……to　draw　your　own
conclusions；　and　to　spare　my　brotherly　feelings。'

This　ended　the　scene；　Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire；　saying　nothing　throughout；
but　looking；　to　the　last；　perplexed　and　doubtful。　Miss　Fanny　awakened
much　affectionate　uneasiness　in　her　sister's　mind　that　day　by　passing
the　greater　part　of　it　in　violent　fits　of　embracing　her；　and　in
alternately　giving　her　brooches；　and　wishing　herself　dead。




CHAPTER　6。　Something　Right　Somewhere


To　be　in　the　halting　state　of　Mr　Henry　Gowan；　to　have　left　one　of　two
powers　in　disgust；　to　want　the　necessary　qualifications　for　finding
promotion　with　another；　and　to　be　loitering　moodily　about　on　neutral
ground；　cursing　both；　is　to　be　in　a　situation　unwholeso