little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第69章

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hard　sound。

'As　your　sister　will　tell　you；　when　I　found　what　the　theatre　was　I　was
much　surprised　and　much　distressed。　But　when　I　found　that　your　sister；
by　rejecting　my　son's　advances　（I　must　add；　in　an　unexpected　manner）；
had　brought　him　to　the　point　of　proposing　marriage；　my　feelings　were
of　the　profoundest　anguish……acute。'　She　traced　the　outline　of　her　left
eyebrow；　and　put　it　right。

'In　a　distracted　condition；　which　only　a　mother……moving　in　Society……can
be　susceptible　of；　I　determined　to　go　myself　to　the　theatre；　and
represent　my　state　of　mind　to　the　dancer。　I　made　myself　known　to　your
sister。　I　found　her；　to　my　surprise；　in　many　respects　different　from
my　expectations；　and　certainly　in　none　more　so；　than　in　meeting　me
with……what　shall　I　say……a　sort　of　family　assertion　on　her　own　part？'　Mrs
Merdle　smiled。

'I　told　you；　ma'am；'　said　Fanny；　with　a　heightening　colour；　'that
although　you　found　me　in　that　situation；　I　was　so　far　above　the　rest；
that　I　considered　my　family　as　good　as　your　son's；　and　that　I　had　a
brother　who；　knowing　the　circumstances；　would　be　of　the　same　opinion；
and　would　not　consider　such　a　connection　any　honour。'

'Miss　Dorrit；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　after　frostily　looking　at　her　through
her　glass；　'precisely　what　I　was　on　the　point　of　telling　your　sister；
in　pursuance　of　your　request。　Much　obliged　to　you　for　recalling　it
so　accurately　and　anticipating　me。　I　immediately；'　addressing　Little
Dorrit；　'（for　I　am　the　creature　of　impulse）；　took　a　bracelet　from　my
arm；　and　begged　your　sister　to　let　me　clasp　it　on　hers；　in　token　of
the　delight　I　had　in　our　being　able　to　approach　the　subject　so　far　on
a　mon　footing。'　（This　was　perfectly　true；　the　lady　having　bought　a
cheap　and　showy　article　on　her　way　to　the　interview；　with　a　general　eye
to　bribery。）

'And　I　told　you；　Mrs　Merdle；'　said　Fanny；　'that　we　might　be　unfortunate；
but　we　are　not　mon。'

'I　think；　the　very　words；　Miss　Dorrit；'　assented　Mrs　Merdle。

'And　I　told　you；　Mrs　Merdle；'　said　Fanny；　'that　if　you　spoke　to　me
of　the　superiority　of　your　son's　standing　in　Society；　it　was　barely
possible　that　you　rather　deceived　yourself　in　your　suppositions　about　my
origin；　and　that　my　father's　standing；　even　in　the　Society　in　which
he　now　moved　（what　that　was；　was　best　known　to　myself）；　was　eminently
superior；　and　was　acknowledged　by　every　one。'

'Quite　accurate；'　rejoined　Mrs　Merdle。　'A　most　admirable　memory。'

'Thank　you；　ma'am。　Perhaps　you　will　be　so　kind　as　to　tell　my　sister　the
rest。'

'There　is　very　little　to　tell；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　reviewing　the　breadth
of　bosom　which　seemed　essential　to　her　having　room　enough　to　be
unfeeling　in；　'but　it　is　to　your　sister's　credit。　I　pointed　out　to　your
sister　the　plain　state　of　the　case；　the　impossibility　of　the　Society
in　which　we　moved　recognising　the　Society　in　which　she　moved……though
charming；　I　have　no　doubt；　the　immense　disadvantage　at　which　she　would
consequently　place　the　family　she　had　so　high　an　opinion　of；　upon　which
we　should　find　ourselves　pelled　to　look　down　with　contempt；　and
from　which　（socially　speaking）　we　should　feel　obliged　to　recoil　with
abhorrence。　In　short；　I　made　an　appeal　to　that　laudable　pride　in　your
sister。'

'Let　my　sister　know；　if　you　please；　Mrs　Merdle；'　Fanny　pouted；　with　a
toss　of　her　gauzy　bon；　'that　I　had　already　had　the　honour　of　telling
your　son　that　I　wished　to　have　nothing　whatever　to　say　to　him。'

'Well；　Miss　Dorrit；'　assented　Mrs　Merdle；　'perhaps　I　might　have
mentioned　that　before。　If　I　did　not　think　of　it；　perhaps　it　was　because
my　mind　reverted　to　the　apprehensions　I　had　at　the　time　that　he　might
persevere　and　you　might　have　something　to　say　to　him。

I　also　mentioned　to　your　sister……I　again　address　the　non…professional
Miss　Dorrit……that　my　son　would　have　nothing　in　the　event　of　such　a
marriage；　and　would　be　an　absolute　beggar。　（I　mention　that　merely　as
a　fact　which　is　part　of　the　narrative；　and　not　as　supposing　it　to　have
influenced　your　sister；　except　in　the　prudent　and　legitimate　way
in　which；　constituted　as　our　artificial　system　is；　we　must　all　be
influenced　by　such　considerations。）　Finally；　after　some　high　words
and　high　spirit　on　the　part　of　your　sister；　we　came　to　the　plete
understanding　that　there　was　no　danger；　and　your　sister　was　so　obliging
as　to　allow　me　to　present　her　with　a　mark　or　two　of　my　appreciation　at
my　dressmaker's。'

Little　Dorrit　looked　sorry；　and　glanced　at　Fanny　with　a　troubled　face。

'Also；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　'as　to　promise　to　give　me　the　present　pleasure
of　a　closing　interview；　and　of　parting　with　her　on　the　best　of　terms。
On　which　occasion；'　added　Mrs　Merdle；　quitting　her　nest；　and　putting
something　in　Fanny's　hand；　'Miss　Dorrit　will　permit　me　to　say　Farewell
with　best　wishes　in　my　own　dull　manner。'

The　sisters　rose　at　the　same　time；　and　they　all　stood　near　the　cage　of
the　parrot；　as　he　tore　at　a　claw…full　of　biscuit　and　spat　it　out；　seemed
to　mock　them　with　a　pompous　dance　of　his　body　without　moving　his　feet；
and　suddenly　turned　himself　upside　down　and　trailed　himself　all　over
the　outside　of　his　golden　cage；　with　the　aid　of　his　cruel　beak　and　black
tongue。

'Adieu；　Miss　Dorrit；　with　best　wishes；'　said　Mrs　Merdle。　'If　we　could
only　e　to　a　Millennium；　or　something　of　that　sort；　I　for　one　might
have　the　pleasure　of　knowing　a　number　of　charming　and　talented　persons
from　whom　I　am　at　present　excluded。　A　more　primitive　state　of　society
would　be　delicious　to　me。　There　used　to　be　a　poem　when　I　learnt　lessons；
something　about　Lo　the　poor　Indians　whose　something　mind！　If　a　few
thousand　persons　moving　in　Society；　could　only　go　and　be　Indians；　I
would　put　my　name　down　directly；　but　as；　moving　in　Society；　we　can't　be
Indians；　unfortunately……Good　morning！'

They　came　down…stairs　with　powder　before　them　and　powder　behind；　the
elder　sister　haughty　and　the　younger　sister　humbled；　and　were　shut　out
into　unpowdered　Harley　Street；　Cavendish　Square。


'Well？'　said　Fanny；　when　they　had　gone　a　little　way　without　speaking。
'Have　you　nothing　to　say；　Amy？'

'Oh；　I　don't　know　what　to　say！'　she　answered；　distressed。　'You　didn't
like　this　young　man；　Fanny？'

'Like　him？　He　is　almost　an　idiot。'

'I　am　so　sorry……don't　be　hurt……but；　since　you　ask　me　what　I　have　to
say；　I　am　so　very　sorry；　Fanny；　that　you　suffered　this　lady　to　give　you
anything。'

'You　little　Fool！'　returned　her　sister；　shaking　her　with　the　sharp　pull
she　gave　her　arm。　'Have　you　no　spirit　at　all？　But　that's　just　the　way！
You　have　no　self…respect；　you　have　no　being　pride；　just　as　you　allow
yourself　to　be　followed　about　by　a　contemptible　little　Chivery　of　a
thing；'　with　the　scornfullest　emphasis；　'you　would　let　your　family　be
trodden　on；　and　never　turn。'

'Don't　say　that；　dear　Fanny。　I　do　what　I　can　for　them。'

'You　do　what　you　can　for　them！'　repeated　Fanny；　walking　her　on　very
fast。　'Would　you　let　a　woman　like　this；　whom　you　could　see；　if　you　had
any　experience　of　anything；　to　be　as　false　and　insolent　as　a　woman　can
be……would　you　let　her　put　her　foot　upon　your　family；　and　thank　her　for
it？'

'No；　Fanny；　I　am　sure。'　'Then　make　her　pay　for　it；　you　mean　little
thing。　What　else　can　you　make　her　do？　Make　her　pay　for　it；　you　stupid
child；　and　do　your　family　some　credit　with　the　money！'

They　spoke　no　more　all　the　way　back　to　the　lodging　where　Fanny　and　her
uncle　lived。　When　they　arrived　there；　they　found　the　old　man　practising
his　clario　in　the　dolefullest　manner　in　a　corner　of　the　room。
Fanny　had　a　posite　meal　to　make；　of　chops；　and　porter；　and　tea；　and
indignantly　pretended　to　prepare　it　for　herself；　though　her　sister　did
all　that　in　quiet　reality。　When　at　last　Fanny　sat　down　to　eat　and　drink；
she　threw　the　table　implements　about　and　was　angry　with　her　bread；　much
as　her　father　had　been　last　night。

'If　you　despise　me；'　she　said；　bursting　into　vehement　tears；　'because　I
am　a　dancer；　why　did　you　put　me　in　the　way　of　being　one？

It　was　your　doing。　You　would　have　me　stoop　as　low　as　the　ground　before
this　Mrs　Merdle；　and　let　her　say　what　she　liked　and　do　what　she　liked；
and　hold　us　all　in　contempt；　and　tell　me　so　to　my　face。　Because　I　am　a
dancer！'

'O　Fanny！'

'And　Tip；　too；　poor　fell