little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第169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！


railing；　and　neatly　said　that　he　thought　he　would；　with　submission；　take
his　leave。　He　did　not　go　without　being　congratulated　by　Amy；　as　well
as　she　could　discharge　that　office　in　the　flutter　and　distress　of　her
spirits。

When　he　was　gone；　she　said；　'O　Fanny；　Fanny！'　and　turned　to　her　sister
in　the　bright　window；　and　fell　upon　her　bosom　and　cried　there。　Fanny
laughed　at　first；　but　soon　laid　her　face　against　her　sister's　and　cried
too……a　little。　It　was　the　last　time　Fanny　ever　showed　that　there　was　any
hidden；　suppressed；　or　conquered　feeling　in　her　on　the　matter。　From　that
hour　the　way　she　had　chosen　lay　before　her；　and　she　trod　it　with　her　own
imperious　self…willed　step。




CHAPTER　15。　No　just　Cause　or　Impediment　why　these　Two　Persons
should　not　be　joined　together


Mr　Dorrit；　on　being　informed　by　his　elder　daughter　that　she　had　accepted
matrimonial　overtures　from　Mr　Sparkler；　to　whom　she　had　plighted　her
troth；　received　the　munication　at　once　with　great　dignity　and　with　a
large　display　of　parental　pride；　his　dignity　dilating　with　the　widened
prospect　of　advantageous　ground　from　which　to　make　acquaintances；　and
his　parental　pride　being　developed　by　Miss　Fanny's　ready　sympathy　with
that　great　object　of　his　existence。　He　gave　her　to　understand　that　her
noble　ambition　found　harmonious　echoes　in　his　heart；　and　bestowed
his　blessing　on　her；　as　a　child　brimful　of　duty　and　good　principle；
self…devoted　to　the　aggrandisement　of　the　family　name。

To　Mr　Sparkler；　when　Miss　Fanny　permitted　him　to　appear；　Mr　Dorrit　said；
he　would　not　disguise　that　the　alliance　Mr　Sparkler　did　him　the　honour
to　propose　was　highly　congenial　to　his　feelings；　both　as　being　in　unison
with　the　spontaneous　affections　of　his　daughter　Fanny；　and　as　opening
a　family　connection　of　a　gratifying　nature　with　Mr　Merdle；　the
master　spirit　of　the　age。　Mrs　Merdle　also；　as　a　leading　lady　rich　in
distinction；　elegance；　grace；　and　beauty；　he　mentioned　in　very　laudatory
terms。　He　felt　it　his　duty　to　remark　（he　was　sure　a　gentleman　of　Mr
Sparkler's　fine　sense　would　interpret　him　with　all　delicacy）；　that　he
could　not　consider　this　proposal　definitely　determined　on；　until　he
should　have　had　the　privilege　of　holding　some　correspondence　with　Mr
Merdle；　and　of　ascertaining　it　to　be　so　far　accordant　with　the　views
of　that　eminent　gentleman　as　that　his　（Mr　Dorrit's）　daughter　would　be
received　on　that　footing　which　her　station　in　life　and　her　dowry　and
expectations　warranted　him　in　requiring　that　she　should　maintain　in
what　he　trusted　he　might　be　allowed；　without　the　appearance　of　being
mercenary；　to　call　the　Eye　of　the　Great　World。　While　saying　this；　which
his　character　as　a　gentleman　of　some　little　station；　and　his　character
as　a　father；　equally　demanded　of　him；　he　would　not　be　so　diplomatic
as　to　conceal　that　the　proposal　remained　in　hopeful　abeyance　and
under　conditional　acceptance；　and　that　he　thanked　Mr　Sparkler　for　the
pliment　rendered　to　himself　and　to　his　family。　He　concluded　with
some　further　and　more　general　observations　on　the……ha……character　of　an
independent　gentleman；　and　the……hum……character　of　a　possibly　too
partial　and　admiring　parent。　To　sum　the　whole　up　shortly；　he　received
Mr　Sparkler's　offer　very　much　as　he　would　have　received　three　or　four
half…crowns　from　him　in　the　days　that　were　gone。

Mr　Sparkler；　finding　himself　stunned　by　the　words　thus　heaped　upon　his
inoffensive　head；　made　a　brief　though　pertinent　rejoinder；　the　same
being　neither　more　nor　less　than　that　he　had　long　perceived　Miss　Fanny
to　have　no　nonsense　about　her；　and　that　he　had　no　doubt　of　its　being　all
right　with　his　Governor。　At　that　point　the　object　of　his　affections　shut
him　up　like　a　box　with　a　spring　lid；　and　sent　him　away。

Proceeding　shortly　afterwards　to　pay　his　respects　to　the　Bosom；　Mr
Dorrit　was　received　by　it　with　great　consideration。　Mrs　Merdle　had　heard
of　this　affair　from　Edmund。　She　had　been　surprised　at　first；　because　she
had　not　thought　Edmund　a　marrying　man。　Society　had　not　thought　Edmund
a　marrying　man。　Still；　of　course　she　had　seen；　as　a　woman　（we　women
did　instinctively　see　these　things；　Mr　Dorrit！）；　that　Edmund　had　been
immensely　captivated　by　Miss　Dorrit；　and　she　had　openly　said　that　Mr
Dorrit　had　much　to　answer　for　in　bringing　so　charming　a　girl　abroad　to
turn　the　heads　of　his　countrymen。

'Have　I　the　honour　to　conclude；　madam；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'that　the
direction　which　Mr　Sparkler's　affections　have　taken；　is……ha…approved　of
by　you？'

'I　assure　you；　Mr　Dorrit；'　returned　the　lady；　'that；　personally；　I　am
charmed。'

That　was　very　gratifying　to　Mr　Dorrit。

'Personally；'　repeated　Mrs　Merdle；　'charmed。'

This　casual　repetition　of　the　word　'personally；'　moved　Mr　Dorrit　to
express　his　hope　that　Mr　Merdle's　approval；　too；　would　not　be　wanting？

'I　cannot；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　'take　upon　myself　to　answer　positively　for
Mr　Merdle；　gentlemen；　especially　gentlemen　who　are　what　Society　calls
capitalists；　having　their　own　ideas　of　these　matters。　But　I　should
think……merely　giving　an　opinion；　Mr　Dorrit……I　should　think　Mr　Merdle
would　be　upon　the　whole；'　here　she　held　a　review　of　herself　before
adding　at　her　leisure；　'quite　charmed。'

At　the　mention　of　gentlemen　whom　Society　called　capitalists；　Mr　Dorrit
had　coughed；　as　if　some　internal　demur　were　breaking　out　of　him。　Mrs
Merdle　had　observed　it；　and　went　on　to　take　up　the　cue。

'Though；　indeed；　Mr　Dorrit；　it　is　scarcely　necessary　for　me　to　make　that
remark；　except　in　the　mere　openness　of　saying　what　is　uppermost　to　one
whom　I　so　highly　regard；　and　with　whom　I　hope　I　may　have　the　pleasure
of　being　brought　into　still　more　agreeable　relations。　For　one　cannot
but　see　the　great　probability　of　your　considering　such　things　from　Mr
Merdle's　own　point　of　view；　except　indeed　that　circumstances　have　made
it　Mr　Merdle's　accidental　fortune；　or　misfortune；　to　be　engaged　in
business　transactions；　and　that　they；　however　vast；　may　a　little　cramp
his　horizons。　I　am　a　very　child　as　to　having　any　notion　of　business；'
said　Mrs　Merdle；　'but　I　am　afraid；　Mr　Dorrit；　it　may　have　that
tendency。'

This　skilful　see…saw　of　Mr　Dorrit　and　Mrs　Merdle；　so　that　each　of　them
sent　the　other　up；　and　each　of　them　sent　the　other　down；　and　neither
had　the　advantage；　acted　as　a　sedative　on　Mr　Dorrit's　cough。　He　remarked
with　his　utmost　politeness；　that　he　must　beg　to　protest　against　its
being　supposed；　even　by　Mrs　Merdle；　the　acplished　and　graceful
（to　which　pliment　she　bent　herself）；　that　such　enterprises　as　Mr
Merdle's；　apart　as　they　were　from　the　puny　undertakings　of　the　rest　of
men；　had　any　lower　tendency　than　to　enlarge　and　expand　the　genius　in
which　they　were　conceived。　'You　are　generosity　itself；'　said　Mrs　Merdle
in　return；　smiling　her　best　smile；　'let　us　hope　so。　But　I　confess　I　am
almost　superstitious　in　my　ideas　about　business。'

Mr　Dorrit　threw　in　another　pliment　here；　to　the　effect　that　business；
like　the　time　which　was　precious　in　it；　was　made　for　slaves；　and　that　it
was　not　for　Mrs　Merdle；　who　ruled　all　hearts　at　her　supreme　pleasure；
to　have　anything　to　do　with　it。　Mrs　Merdle　laughed；　and　conveyed　to
Mr　Dorrit　an　idea　that　the　Bosom　flushed……which　was　one　of　her　best
effects。

'I　say　so　much；'　she　then　explained；　'merely　because　Mr　Merdle　has
always　taken　the　greatest　interest　in　Edmund；　and　has　always　expressed
the　strongest　desire　to　advance　his　prospects。　Edmund's　public　position；
I　think　you　know。　His　private　position　rests　solely　with　Mr　Merdle。　In
my　foolish　incapacity　for　business；　I　assure　you　I　know　no　more。'

Mr　Dorrit　again　expressed；　in　his　own　way；　the　sentiment　that　business
was　below　the　ken　of　enslavers　and　enchantresses。　He　then　mentioned　his
intention；　as　a　gentleman　and　a　parent；　of　writing　to　Mr　Merdle。　Mrs
Merdle　concurred　with　all　her　heart……or　with　all　her　art；　which　was
exactly　the　same　thing……and　herself　despatched　a　preparatory　letter　by
the　next　post　to　the　eighth　wonder　of　the　world。

In　his　epistolary　munication；　as　in　his　dialogues　and　discourses　on
the　great　question　to　which　it　related；　Mr　Dorrit　surrounded　the
subject　with　flourishes；　as　writing…masters　embellish　copy…books　and
ciphering…books：　where