little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第102部分

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pathetic　nature　already　recorded；　Mr　Dorrit　took　the　trouble　of　going
down　to　the　county　of　the　county…widower　to　see　Mrs　General；　in　whom　he
found　a　lady　of　a　quality　superior　to　his　highest　expectations。

'Might　I　be　excused；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'if　I　inquired……ha……what　remune……'

'Why；　indeed；'　returned　Mrs　General；　stopping　the　word；　'it　is　a　subject
on　which　I　prefer　to　avoid　entering。　I　have　never　entered　on　it　with　my
friends　here；　and　I　cannot　overe　the　delicacy；　Mr　Dorrit；　with
which　I　have　always　regarded　it。　I　am　not；　as　I　hope　you　are　aware；　a
governess……'

'O　dear　no！'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'Pray；　madam；　do　not　imagine　for　a　moment
that　I　think　so。'　He　really　blushed　to　be　suspected　of　it。

Mrs　General　gravely　inclined　her　head。　'I　cannot；　therefore；　put　a　price
upon　services　which　it　is　a　pleasure　to　me　to　render　if　I　can　render
them　spontaneously；　but　which　I　could　not　render　in　mere　return　for　any
consideration。　Neither　do　I　know　how；　or　where；　to　find　a　case　parallel
to　my　own。　It　is　peculiar。'

No　doubt。　But　how　then　（Mr　Dorrit　not　unnaturally　hinted）　could　the
subject　be　approached。　'I　cannot　object；'　said　Mrs　General……'though　even
that　is　disagreeable　to　me……to　Mr　Dorrit's　inquiring；　in　confidence　of
my　friends　here；　what　amount　they　have　been　accustomed；　at　quarterly
intervals；　to　pay　to　my　credit　at　my　bankers'。'

Mr　Dorrit　bowed　his　acknowledgements。

'Permit　me　to　add；'　said　Mrs　General；　'that　beyond　this；　I　can　never
resume　the　topic。　Also　that　I　can　accept　no　second　or　inferior　position。
If　the　honour　were　proposed　to　me　of　being　known　to　Mr　Dorrit's
family……I　think　two　daughters　were　mentioned？……'

'Two　daughters。'

'I　could　only　accept　it　on　terms　of　perfect　equality；　as　a　panion；
protector；　Mentor；　and　friend。'

Mr　Dorrit；　in　spite　of　his　sense　of　his　importance；　felt　as　if　it　would
be　quite　a　kindness　in　her　to　accept　it　on　any　conditions。　He　almost
said　as　much。

'I　think；'　repeated　Mrs　General；　'two　daughters　were　mentioned？'

'Two　daughters；'　said　Mr　Dorrit　again。

'It　would　therefore；'　said　Mrs　General；　'be　necessary　to　add　a　third
more　to　the　payment　（whatever　its　amount　may　prove　to　be）；　which　my
friends　here　have　been　accustomed　to　make　to　my　bankers'。'

Mr　Dorrit　lost　no　time　in　referring　the　delicate　question　to　the
county…widower；　and　finding　that　he　had　been　accustomed　to　pay　three
hundred　pounds　a…year　to　the　credit　of　Mrs　General；　arrived；　without　any
severe　strain　on　his　arithmetic；　at　the　conclusion　that　he　himself　must
pay　four。　Mrs　General　being　an　article　of　that　lustrous　surface　which
suggests　that　it　is　worth　any　money；　he　made　a　formal　proposal　to　be
allowed　to　have　the　honour　and　pleasure　of　regarding　her　as　a　member　of
his　family。　Mrs　General　conceded　that　high　privilege；　and　here　she　was。

In　person；　Mrs　General；　including　her　skirts　which　had　much　to　do　with
it；　was　of　a　dignified　and　imposing　appearance；　ample；　rustling；　gravely
voluminous；　always　upright　behind　the　proprieties。　She　might　have
been　taken……had　been　taken……to　the　top　of　the　Alps　and　the　bottom　of
Herculaneum；　without　disarranging　a　fold　in　her　dress；　or　displacing
a　pin。　If　her　countenance　and　hair　had　rather　a　floury　appearance；　as
though　from　living　in　some　transcendently　genteel　Mill；　it　was　rather
because　she　was　a　chalky　creation　altogether；　than　because　she　mended
her　plexion　with　violet　powder；　or　had　turned　grey。　If　her　eyes　had
no　expression；　it　was　probably　because　they　had　nothing　to　express。　If
she　had　few　wrinkles；　it　was　because　her　mind　had　never　traced　its　name
or　any　other　inscription　on　her　face。　A　cool；　waxy；　blown…out　woman；　who
had　never　lighted　well。　Mrs　General　had　no　opinions。　Her　way　of　forming
a　mind　was　to　prevent　it　from　forming　opinions。　She　had　a　little
circular　set　of　mental　grooves　or　rails　on　which　she　started　little
trains　of　other　people's　opinions；　which　never　overtook　one　another；　and
never　got　anywhere。　Even　her　propriety　could　not　dispute　that　there　was
impropriety　in　the　world；　but　Mrs　General's　way　of　getting　rid　of　it　was
to　put　it　out　of　sight；　and　make　believe　that　there　was　no　such　thing。
This　was　another　of　her　ways　of　forming　a　mind……to　cram　all　articles　of
difficulty　into　cupboards；　lock　them　up；　and　say　they　had　no　existence。
It　was　the　easiest　way；　and；　beyond　all　parison；　the　properest。

Mrs　General　was　not　to　be　told　of　anything　shocking。　Accidents；
miseries；　and　offences；　were　never　to　be　mentioned　before　her。　Passion
was　to　go　to　sleep　in　the　presence　of　Mrs　General；　and　blood　was　to
change　to　milk　and　water。　The　little　that　was　left　in　the　world；
when　all　these　deductions　were　made；　it　was　Mrs　General's　province　to
varnish。　In　that　formation　process　of　hers；　she　dipped　the　smallest　of
brushes　into　the　largest　of　pots；　and　varnished　the　surface　of　every
object　that　came　under　consideration。　The　more　cracked　it　was；　the　more
Mrs　General　varnished　it。　There　was　varnish　in　Mrs　General's　voice；
varnish　in　Mrs　General's　touch；　an　atmosphere　of　varnish　round　Mrs
General's　figure。　Mrs　General's　dreams　ought　to　have　been　varnished……if
she　had　any……lying　asleep　in　the　arms　of　the　good　Saint　Bernard；　with
the　feathery　snow　falling　on　his　house…top。




CHAPTER　3。　On　the　Road


The　bright　morning　sun　dazzled　the　eyes；　the　snow　had　ceased；　the　mists
had　vanished；　the　mountain　air　was　so　clear　and　light　that　the
new　sensation　of　breathing　it　was　like　the　having　entered　on　a　new
existence。　To　help　the　delusion；　the　solid　ground　itself　seemed　gone；
and　the　mountain；　a　shining　waste　of　immense　white　heaps　and　masses；　to
be　a　region　of　cloud　floating　between　the　blue　sky　above　and　the　earth
far　below。

Some　dark　specks　in　the　snow；　like　knots　upon　a　little　thread；　beginning
at　the　convent　door　and　winding　away　down　the　descent　in　broken　lengths
which　were　not　yet　pieced　together；　showed　where　the　Brethren　were　at
work　in　several　places　clearing　the　track。　Already　the　snow　had　begun　to
be　foot…thawed　again　about　the　door。　Mules　were　busily　brought　out；　tied
to　the　rings　in　the　wall；　and　laden；　strings　of　bells　were　buckled
on；　burdens　were　adjusted；　the　voices　of　drivers　and　riders　sounded
musically。　Some　of　the　earliest　had　even　already　resumed　their　journey；
and；　both　on　the　level　summit　by　the　dark　water　near　the　convent；　and　on
the　downward　way　of　yesterday's　ascent；　little　moving　figures　of　men　and
mules；　reduced　to　miniatures　by　the　immensity　around；　went　with　a　clear
tinkling　of　bells　and　a　pleasant　harmony　of　tongues。

In　the　supper…room　of　last　night；　a　new　fire；　piled　upon　the　feathery
ashes　of　the　old　one；　shone　upon　a　homely　breakfast　of　loaves；　butter；
and　milk。　It　also　shone　on　the　courier　of　the　Dorrit　family；　making　tea
for　his　party　from　a　supply　he　had　brought　up　with　him；　together　with
several　other　small　stores　which　were　chiefly　laid　in　for　the　use　of　the
strong　body　of　inconvenience。　Mr　Gowan　and　Blandois　of　Paris　had　already
breakfasted；　and　were　walking　up　and　down　by　the　lake；　smoking　their
cigars。　'Gowan；　eh？'　muttered　Tip；　otherwise　Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire；
turning　over　the　leaves　of　the　book；　when　the　courier　had　left　them　to
breakfast。　'Then　Gowan　is　the　name　of　a　puppy；　that's　all　I　have　got　to
say！　If　it　was　worth　my　while；　I'd　pull　his　nose。　But　it　isn't　worth　my
while……fortunately　for　him。　How's　his　wife；　Amy？

I　suppose　you　know。　You　generally　know　things　of　that　sort。'

'She　is　better；　Edward。　But　they　are　not　going　to…day。'

'Oh！　They　are　not　going　to…day！　Fortunately　for　that　fellow　too；'　said
Tip；　'or　he　and　I　might　have　e　into　collision。'

'It　is　thought　better　here　that　she　should　lie　quiet　to…day；　and　not　be
fatigued　and　shaken　by　the　ride　down　until　to…morrow。'

'With　all　my　heart。　But　you　talk　as　if　you　had　been　nursing　her。　You
haven't　been　relapsing　into　（Mrs　General　is　not　here）　into　old　habits；
have　you；　Amy？'

He　asked　her　the　question　with　a　sly　glance　of　observation　at　Miss
Fanny；　and　at　his　father　too。

'I　have　only　been　in　to　ask　her　if　I　could　do　anything　for　her；　Tip；'
said　Little　Dorrit。

'You　needn't　call　me　Tip；　Amy　child；'　returned　that　young　gentleman
with　a　frown；　'because　that's　an　old　habit；　and　one　you　may　as　well　lay
aside。'

'I　didn't　mean　to　say　so；　Edward　dear。　I　forgot。　It　was　so　natural　once；
that　it　seemed　at　the　moment　the　right　word。'

'Oh　yes！'　Miss　Fanny　struck　in。　'Natural；　and　right　word；　and　once；　and
all　the　rest　of　it！　Nonsense；　you　little　thing！　I　know　perfectly　well
why　you　have　been　taking　such　an　interest　in　this　Mrs　Gowan。　You　can't
blind　me。'

'I　will　not　try　to；　Fanny。　Don't　be　angry。'

'Oh！　angry！'　returned　that　young　lady　with　a　flounce。　'I　have　no
patience'　（which　indeed　was　the　truth）。　'Pray；　Fanny；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；
raising　his　eyebrows；　'what　do　you　mean？　Explain　yourself。'

'Oh！　Never　mind；　Pa；'　replied　Miss　Fanny；　'it's　no　great　matter。
Amy　will　understand　me。　She　knew；　or　knew　of；　this　Mrs　Gowan　before
yesterday；　and　she　may　as　well　admit　that　she　did。'

'My　child；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　turning　to　his　younger　daughter；　'has　your
sister……any……ha……authority　for　this　curious　statement？'

'However　meek　we　are；'　Miss　Fanny　struck　in　before　she　could　answer；　'we
don't　go　creeping　into　people's　rooms　on　the　tops　of　cold　mountains；
and　sitting　perishing　in　the　frost　with　people；　unless　we　know　something
about　them　beforehand。　It's　not　very　hard　to　divine　whose　friend　Mrs
Gowan　is。'

'Whose　friend？'　inquired　her　father。

'Pa；　I　am　sorry　to　say；'　returned　Miss　Fanny；　who　had　by　this　time
succeeded　in　goading　herself　into　a　state　of　much　ill…usage　and
grievance；　which　she　was　often　at　great　pains　to　do：　'that　I　believe　her
to　be　a　friend　of　that　very　objectionable　and　unpleasant　person；　who；
with　a　total　absence　of　all　delicacy；　which　our　experience　might　have
led　us　to　expect　from　him；　insulted　us　and　outraged　our　feelings　in
so　public　and　wilful　a　manner　on　an　occasion　to　which　it　is　understood
among　us　that　we　will　not　more　pointedly　allude。'

'Amy；　my　child；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　tempering　a　bland　severity　with　a
dignified　affection；　'is　this　the　case？'

Little　Dorrit　mildly　answered；　yes　it　was。

'Yes　it　is！'　cried　Miss