little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第148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！


or　both……any　genteel　mystifications；　I　should　probably　not　succeed　in
them。'

'Papa　Meagles；'　returned　the　Dowager；　with　an　affable　smile；　but　with
the　bloom　on　her　cheeks　standing　out　a　little　more　vividly　than　usual　as
the　neighbouring　surface　became　paler；'probably　not。'

'Therefore；　my　good　madam；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　at　great　pains　to
restrain　himself；　'I　hope　I　may；　without　offence；　ask　to　have　no　such
mystification　played　off　upon　me。'　'Mama　Meagles；'　observed　Mrs　Gowan；
'your　good　man　is　inprehensible。'

Her　turning　to　that　worthy　lady　was　an　artifice　to　bring　her　into　the
discussion；　quarrel　eagles　interposed　to
prevent　that　consummation。

'Mother；'　said　he；　'you　are　inexpert；　my　dear；　and　it　is　not　a　fair
match。　Let　me　beg　of　you　to　remain　quiet。　e；　Mrs　Gowan；　e！　Let
us　try　to　be　sensible；　let　us　try　to　be　good…natured；　let　us　try　to
be　fair。　Don't　you　pity　Henry；　and　I　won't　pity　Pet。　And　don't　be
one…sided；　my　dear　madam；　it's　not　considerate；　it's　not　kind。　Don't
let　us　say　that　we　hope　Pet　will　make　Henry　happy；　or　even　that　we　hope
Henry　will　make　Pet　happy；'　（Mr　Meagles　himself　did　not　look　happy　as　he
spoke　the　words；）　'but　let　us　hope　they　will　make　each　other　happy。'

'Yes；　sure；　and　there　leave　it；　father；'　said　Mrs　Meagles　the
kind…hearted　and　fortable。

'Why；　mother；　no；'　returned　Mr　Meagles；　'not　exactly　there。　I　can't
quite　leave　it　there；　I　must　say　just　half…a…dozen　words　more。　Mrs
Gowan；　I　hope　I　am　not　over…sensitive。　I　believe　I　don't　look　it。'

'Indeed　you　do　not；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　shaking　her　head　and　the　great
green　fan　together；　for　emphasis。

'Thank　you；　ma'am；　that's　well。　Notwithstanding　which；　I　feel　a
little……I　don't　want　to　use　a　strong　word……now　shall　I　say　hurt？'
asked　Mr　Meagles　at　once　with　frankness　and　moderation；　and　with　a
conciliatory　appeal　in　his　tone。

'Say　what　you　like；'　answered　Mrs　Gowan。　'It　is　perfectly　indifferent　to
me。'

'No；　no；　don't　say　that；'　urged　Mr　Meagles；　'because　that's　not
responding　amiably。　I　feel　a　little　hurt　when　I　hear　references　made　to
consequences　having　been　foreseen；　and　to　its　being　too　late　now；　and　so
forth。'

'Do　you；　Papa　Meagles？'　said　Mrs　Gowan。　'I　am　not　surprised。'

'Well；　ma'am；'　reasoned　Mr　Meagles；　'I　was　in　hopes　you　would　have　been
at　least　surprised；　because　to　hurt　me　wilfully　on　so　tender　a　subject
is　surely　not　generous。'　'I　am　not　responsible；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　'for
your　conscience；　you　know。'

Poor　Mr　Meagles　looked　aghast　with　astonishment。

'If　I　am　unluckily　obliged　to　carry　a　cap　about　with　me；　which　is　yours
and　fits　you；'　pursued　Mrs　Gowan；　'don't　blame　me　for　its　pattern；　Papa
Meagles；　I　beg！'　'Why；　good　Lord；　ma'am！'　Mr　Meagles　broke　out；　'that's
as　much　as　to　state……'

'Now；　Papa　Meagles；　Papa　Meagles；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　who　became　extremely
deliberate　and　prepossessing　in　manner　whenever　that　gentleman　became　at
all　warm；　'perhaps　to　prevent　confusion；　I　had　better　speak　for　myself
than　trouble　your　kindness　to　speak　for　me。

It's　as　much　as　to　state；　you　begin。　If　you　please；　I　will　finish　the
sentence。　It　is　as　much　as　to　state……not　that　I　wish　to　press　it　or　even
recall　it；　for　it　is　of　no　use　now；　and　my　only　wish　is　to　make　the
best　of　existing　circumstances……that　from　the　first　to　the　last　I　always
objected　to　this　match　of　yours；　and　at　a　very　late　period　yielded　a
most　unwilling　consent　to　it。'

'Mother！'　cried　Mr　Meagles。　'Do　you　hear　this！　Arthur！　Do　you　hear
this！'

'The　room　being　of　a　convenient　size；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　looking　about
as　she　fanned　herself；　'and　quite　charmingly　adapted　in　all　respects　to
conversation；　I　should　imagine　I　am　audible　in　any　part　of　it。'

Some　moments　passed　in　silence；　before　Mr　Meagles　could　hold　himself　in
his　chair　with　sufficient　security　to　prevent　his　breaking　out　of　it　at
the　next　word　he　spoke。　At　last　he　said：　'Ma'am；　I　am　very　unwilling　to
revive　them；　but　I　must　remind　you　what　my　opinions　and　my　course　were；
all　along；　on　that　unfortunate　subject。'

'O；　my　dear　sir！'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　smiling　and　shaking　her　head　with
accusatory　intelligence；　'they　were　well　understood　by　me；　I　assure
you。'

'I　never；　ma'am；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　'knew　unhappiness　before　that　time；
I　never　knew　anxiety　before　that　time。　It　was　a　time　of　such　distress　to
me　that……'　That　Mr　Meagles　could　really　say　no　more　about　it；　in　short；
but　passed　his　handkerchief　before　his　Face。

'I　understood　the　whole　affair；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　posedly　looking
over　her　fan。　'As　you　have　appealed　to　Mr　Clennam；　I　may　appeal　to　Mr
Clennam；　too。　He　knows　whether　I　did　or　not。'

'I　am　very　unwilling；'　said　Clennam；　looked　to　by　all　parties；　'to　take
any　share　in　this　discussion；　more　especially　because　I　wish　to　preserve
the　best　understanding　and　the　clearest　relations　with　Mr　Henry　Gowan。
I　have　very　strong　reasons　indeed；　for　entertaining　that　wish。　Mrs　Gowan
attributed　certain　views　of　furthering　the　marriage　to　my　friend　here；
in　conversation　with　me　before　it　took　place；　and　I　endeavoured　to
undeceive　her。　I　represented　that　I　knew　him　（as　I　did　and　do）　to　be
strenuously　opposed　to　it；　both　in　opinion　and　action。'

'You　see？'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　turning　the　palms　of　her　hands　towards　Mr
Meagles；　as　if　she　were　Justice　herself；　representing　to　him　that　he　had
better　confess；　for　he　had　not　a　leg　to　stand　on。　'You　see？　Very　good！
Now　Papa　and　Mama　Meagles　both！'　here　she　rose；　'allow　me　to　take　the
liberty　of　putting　an　end　to　this　rather　formidable　controversy。　I　will
not　say　another　word　upon　its　merits。　I　will　only　say　that　it　is　an
additional　proof　of　what　one　knows　from　all　experience；　that　this　kind
of　thing　never　answers……as　my　poor　fellow　himself　would　say；　that　it
never　pays……in　one　word；　that　it　never　does。'

Mr　Meagles　asked；　What　kind　of　thing？

'It　is　in　vain；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　'for　people　to　attempt　to　get　on
together　who　have　such　extremely　different　antecedents；　who　are　jumbled
against　each　other　in　this　accidental；　matrimonial　sort　of　way；　and　who
cannot　look　at　the　untoward　circumstance　which　has　shaken　them　together
in　the　same　light。　It　never　does。'

Mr　Meagles　was　beginning；　'Permit　me　to　say；　ma'am……'

'No；　don't；'　returned　Mrs　Gowan。　'Why　should　you！　It　is　an　ascertained
fact。　It　never　does。　I　will　therefore；　if　you　please；　go　my　way；　leaving
you　to　yours。　I　shall　at　all　times　be　happy　to　receive　my　poor　fellow's
pretty　wife；　and　I　shall　always　make　a　point　of　being　on　the　most
affectionate　terms　with　her。　But　as　to　these　terms；　semi…family　and
semi…stranger；　semi…goring　and　semi…boring；　they　form　a　state　of　things
quite　amusing　in　its　impracticability。　I　assure　you　it　never　does。'

The　Dowager　here　made　a　smiling　obeisance；　rather　to　the　room　than　to
any　one　in　it；　and　therewith　took　a　final　farewell　of　Papa　and　Mama
Meagles。　Clennam　stepped　forward　to　hand　her　to　the　Pill…Box　which　was
at　the　service　of　all　the　Pills　in　Hampton　Court　Palace；　and　she　got
into　that　vehicle　with　distinguished　serenity；　and　was　driven　away。

Thenceforth　the　Dowager；　with　a　light　and　careless　humour；　often
recounted　to　her　particular　acquaintance　how；　after　a　hard　trial；　she
had　found　it　impossible　to　know　those　people　who　belonged　to　Henry's
wife；　and　who　had　made　that　desperate　set　to　catch　him。　Whether　she　had
e　to　the　conclusion　beforehand；　that　to　get　rid　of　them　would　give
her　favourite　pretence　a　better　air；　might　save　her　some　occasional
inconvenience；　and　could　risk　no　loss　（the　pretty　creature　being　fast
married；　and　her　father　devoted　to　her）；　was　best　known　to　herself。
Though　this　history　has　its　opinion　on　that　point　too；　and　decidedly　in
the　affirmative。




CHAPTER　9。　Appearance　and　Disappearance


'Arthur；　my　dear　boy；'　said　Mr　Meagles；　on　the　evening　of　the　following
day；　'Mother　and　I　have　been　talking　this　over；　and　we　don't　feel
fortable　in　remaining　as　we　are。　That　elegant　connection　of
ours……that　dear　lady　who　was　here　yesterday……'

'I　understand；'　said　Arthur。

'Even　that　affable　and　condescending　ornament　of　society；'　pursued　Mr
Meagles；　'may　misrepresent　us；　we　are　afraid。　We　could　bear　a　great
deal；　Arthur；　for　her　sake；　but　we　think　we　wo