little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第231章

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'I　think；'　said　Little　Dorrit；　after　hesitating；　'that　I　have　been　here
at　least　twice　every　day。'　He　might　have　released　the　little　light　hand
after　fervently　kissing　it　again；　but　that；　with　a　very　gentle　lingering
where　it　was；　it　seemed　to　court　being　retained。　He　took　it　in　both　of
his；　and　it　lay　softly　on　his　breast。

'Dear　Little　Dorrit；　it　is　not　my　imprisonment　only　that　will　soon　be
over。　This　sacrifice　of　you　must　be　ended。　We　must　learn　to　part　again；
and　to　take　our　different　ways　so　wide　asunder。　You　have　not　forgotten
what　we　said　together；　when　you　came　back？'

'O　no；　I　have　not　forgotten　it。　But　something　has　been……You　feel　quite
strong　to…day；　don't　you？'

'Quite　strong。'

The　hand　he　held　crept　up　a　little　nearer　his　face。

'Do　you　feel　quite　strong　enough　to　know　what　a　great　fortune　I　have
got？'


'I　shall　be　very　glad　to　be　told。　No　fortune　can　be　too　great　or　good
for　Little　Dorrit。'

'I　have　been　anxiously　waiting　to　tell　you。　I　have　been　longing　and
longing　to　tell　you。　You　are　sure　you　will　not　take　it？'

'Never！'

'You　are　quite　sure　you　will　not　take　half　of　it？'

'Never；　dear　Little　Dorrit！'

As　she　looked　at　him　silently；　there　was　something　in　her　affectionate
face　that　he　did　not　quite　prehend：　something　that　could　have　broken
into　tears　in　a　moment；　and　yet　that　was　happy　and　proud。

'You　will　be　sorry　to　hear　what　I　have　to　tell　you　about　Fanny。　Poor
Fanny　has　lost　everything。　She　has　nothing　left　but　her　husband's
ine。　All　that　papa　gave　her　when　she　married　was　lost　as　your　money
was　lost。　It　was　in　the　same　hands；　and　it　is　all　gone。'

Arthur　was　more　shocked　than　surprised　to　hear　it。　'I　had　hoped　it　might
not　be　so　bad；'　he　said：　'but　I　had　feared　a　heavy　loss　there；　knowing
the　connection　between　her　husband　and　the　defaulter。'

'Yes。　It　is　all　gone。　I　am　very　sorry　for　Fanny；　very；　very；　very　sorry
for　poor　Fanny。　My　poor　brother　too！'　'Had　he　property　in　the　same
hands？'

'Yes！　And　it's　all　gone。……How　much　do　you　think　my　own　great　fortune
is？'

As　Arthur　looked　at　her　inquiringly；　with　a　new　apprehension　on　him；
she　withdrew　her　hand；　and　laid　her　face　down　on　the　spot　where　it　had
rested。

'I　have　nothing　in　the　world。　I　am　as　poor　as　when　I　lived　here。　When
papa　came　over　to　England；　he　confided　everything　he　had　to　the　same
hands；　and　it　is　all　swept　away。　O　my　dearest　and　best；　are　you　quite
sure　you　will　not　share　my　fortune　with　me　now？'

Locked　in　his　arms；　held　to　his　heart；　with　his　manly　tears　upon　her　own
cheek；　she　drew　the　slight　hand　round　his　neck；　and　clasped　it　in　its
fellow…hand。

'Never　to　part；　my　dearest　Arthur；　never　any　more；　until　the　last！

I　never　was　rich　before；　I　never　was　proud　before；　I　never　was　happy
before；　I　am　rich　in　being　taken　by　you；　I　am　proud　in　having　been
resigned　by　you；　I　am　happy　in　being　with　you　in　this　prison；　as　I
should　be　happy　in　ing　back　to　it　with　you；　if　it　should　be　the　will
of　GOD；　and　forting　and　serving　you　with　all　my　love　and　truth。　I　am
yours　anywhere；　everywhere！　I　love　you　dearly！　I　would　rather　pass　my
life　here　with　you；　and　go　out　daily；　working　for　our　bread；　than　I
would　have　the　greatest　fortune　that　ever　was　told；　and　be　the　greatest
lady　that　ever　was　honoured。　O；　if　poor　papa　may　only　know　how　blest　at
last　my　heart　is；　in　this　room　where　he　suffered　for　so　many　years！'

Maggy　had　of　course　been　staring　from　the　first；　and　had　of　course　been
crying　her　eyes　out　long　before　this。　Maggy　was　now　so　overjoyed　that；
after　hugging　her　little　mother　with　all　her　might；　she　went　down…stairs
like　a　clog…hornpipe　to　find　somebody　or　other　to　whom　to　impart　her
gladness。　Whom　should　Maggy　meet　but　Flora　and　Mr　F。's　Aunt　opportunely
ing　in？　And　eeting；　should
Little　Dorrit　find　waiting　for　herself；　when；　a　good　two　or　three　hours
afterwards；　she　went　out？

Flora's　eyes　were　a　little　red；　and　she　seemed　rather　out　of　spirits。
Mr　F。's　Aunt　was　so　stiffened　that　she　had　the　appearance　of　being　past
bending　by　any　means　short　of　powerful　mechanical　pressure。　Her　bon
was　cocked　up　behind　in　a　terrific　manner；　and　her　stony　reticule　was　as
rigid　as　if　it　had　been　petrified　by　the　Gorgon's　head；　and　had　got　it
at　that　moment　inside。　With　these　imposing　attributes；　Mr　F。's　Aunt；
publicly　seated　on　the　steps　of　the　Marshal's　official　residence；　had
been　for　the　two　or　three　hours　in　question　a　great　boon　to　the　younger
inhabitants　of　the　Borough；　whose　sallies　of　humour　she　had　considerably
flushed　herself　by　resenting　at　the　point　of　her　umbrella；　from　time　to
time。

'Painfully　aware；　Miss　Dorrit；　I　am　sure；'　said　Flora；　'that　to　propose
an　adjournment　to　any　place　to　one　so　far　removed　by　fortune　and　so
courted　and　caressed　by　the　best　society　must　ever　appear　intruding
even　if　not　a　pie…shop　far　below　your　present　sphere　and　a　back…parlour
though　a　civil　man　but　if　for　the　sake　of　Arthur……cannot　overe　it
more　improper　now　than　ever　late　Doyce　and　Clennam……one　last　remark　I
might　wish　to　make　one　last　explanation　I　might　wish　to　offer　perhaps
your　good　nature　might　excuse　under　pretence　of　three　kidney　ones　the
humble　place　of　conversation。'

Rightly　interpreting　this　rather　obscure　speech；　Little　Dorrit　returned
that　she　was　quite　at　Flora's　disposition。　Flora　accordingly　led　the
way　across　the　road　to　the　pie…shop　in　question：　Mr　F。's　Aunt　stalking
across　in　the　rear；　and　putting　herself　in　the　way　of　being　run　over；
with　a　perseverance　worthy　of　a　better　cause。

When　the　'three　kidney　ones；'　which　were　to　be　a　blind　to　the
conversation；　were　set　before　them　on　three　little　tin　platters；　each
kidney　one　ornamented　with　a　hole　at　the　top；　into　which　the　civil　man
poured　hot　gravy　out　of　a　spouted　can　as　if　he　were　feeding　three　lamps；
Flora　took　out　her　pocket…handkerchief。

'If　Fancy's　fair　dreams；'　she　began；　'have　ever　pictured　that　when
Arthur……cannot　overe　it　pray　excuse　me……was　restored　to　freedom　even
a　pie　as　far　from　flaky　as　the　present　and　so　deficient　in　kidney　as　to
be　in　that　respect　like　a　minced　nutmeg　might　not　prove　unacceptable　if
offered　by　the　hand　of　true　regard　such　visions　have　for　ever　fled
and　all　is　cancelled　but　being　aware　that　tender　relations　are　in
contemplation　beg　to　state　that　I　heartily　wish　well　to　both　and　find
no　fault　with　either　not　the　least；　it　may　be　withering　to　know　that　ere
the　hand　of　Time　had　made　me　much　less　slim　than　formerly　and　dreadfully
red　on　the　slightest　exertion　particularly　after　eating　I　well　know　when
it　takes　the　form　of　a　rash；　it　might　have　been　and　was　not　through　the
interruption　of　parents　and　mental　torpor　succeeded　until　the　mysterious
clue　was　held　by　Mr　F。　still　I　would　not　be　ungenerous　to　either　and　I
heartily　wish　well　to　both。'

Little　Dorrit　took　her　hand；　and　thanked　her　for　all　her　old　kindness。

'Call　it　not　kindness；'　returned　Flora；　giving　her　an　honest　kiss；　'for
you　always　were　the　best　and　dearest　little　thing　that　ever　was　if　I
may　take　the　liberty　and　even　in　a　money　point　of　view　a　saving　being
Conscience　itself　though　I　must　add　much　more　agreeable　than　mine　ever
was　to　me　for　though　not　I　hope　more　burdened　than　other　people's　yet
I　have　always　found　it　far　readier　to　make　one　unfortable　than
fortable　and　evidently　taking　a　greater　pleasure　in　doing　it　but　I　am
wandering；　one　hope　I　wish　to　express　ere　yet　the　closing　scene　draws
in　and　it　is　that　I　do　trust　for　the　sake　of　old　times　and　old　sincerity
that　Arthur　will　know　that　I　didn't　desert　him　in　his　misfortunes　but
that　I　came　backwards　and　forwards　constantly　to　ask　if　I　could　do
anything　for　him　and　that　I　sat　in　the　pie…shop　where　they　very　civilly
fetched　something　warm　in　a　tumbler　from　the　hotel　and　really　very　nice
hours　after　hours　to　keep　him　pany　over　the　way　without　his　knowing
it。'

Flora　really　had　tears　in　her　eyes　now；　and　they　showed　her　to　great
advantage。

'Over　and　above　which；'　said　Flora；　'I　earnestly　beg　you　as　the　dearest
thing　that　ever　was　if　you'll　still　excuse　the　familiarity　from　one　who
moves　in　very　different　circles　to　let　Arthur　understand　that　I　don't
know　after　all　whether　it　wasn't　all　nonsense　b