little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第103部分

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dignified　affection；　'is　this　the　case？'

Little　Dorrit　mildly　answered；　yes　it　was。

'Yes　it　is！'　cried　Miss　Fanny。　'Of　course！　I　said　so！　And　now；　Pa；　I　do
declare　once　for　all'……this　young　lady　was　in　the　habit　of　declaring　the
same　thing　once　for　all　every　day　of　her　life；　and　even　several　times　in
a　day……'that　this　is　shameful！　I　do　declare　once　for　all　that　it　ought
to　be　put　a　stop　to。　Is　it　not　enough　that　we　have　gone　through　what
is　only　known　to　ourselves；　but　are　we　to　have　it　thrown　in　our　faces；
perseveringly　and　systematically；　by　the　very　person　who　should　spare
our　feelings　most？　Are　we　to　be　exposed　to　this　unnatural　conduct　every
moment　of　our　lives？　Are　we　never　to　be　permitted　to　forget？　I　say
again；　it　is　absolutely　infamous！'

'Well；　Amy；'　observed　her　brother；　shaking　his　head；　'you　know　I　stand
by　you　whenever　I　can；　and　on　most　occasions。　But　I　must　say；　that；　upon
my　soul；　I　do　consider　it　rather　an　unaccountable　mode　of　showing　your
sisterly　affection；　that　you　should　back　up　a　man　who　treated　me　in　the
most　ungentlemanly　way　in　which　one　man　can　treat　another。　And　who；'　he
added　convincingly；　must　be　a　low…minded　thief；　you　know；　or　he　never
could　have　conducted　himself　as　he　did。'

'And　see；'　said　Miss　Fanny；　'see　what　is　involved　in　this！　Can　we　ever
hope　to　be　respected　by　our　servants？　Never。　Here　are　our　two　women；　and
Pa's　valet；　and　a　footman；　and　a　courier；　and　all　sorts　of　dependents；
and　yet　in　the　midst　of　these；　we　are　to　have　one　of　ourselves　rushing
about　with　tumblers　of　cold　water；　like　a　menial！　Why；　a　policeman；'
said　Miss　Fanny；　'if　a　beggar　had　a　fit　in　the　street；　could　but　go
plunging　about　with　tumblers；　as　this　very　Amy　did　in　this　very　room
before　our　very　eyes　last　night！'

'I　don't　so　much　mind　that；　once　in　a　way；'　remarked　Mr　Edward；　'but
your　Clennam；　as　he　thinks　proper　to　call　himself；　is　another　thing。'
'He　is　part　of　the　same　thing；'　returned　Miss　Fanny；　'and　of　a　piece
with　all　the　rest。　He　obtruded　himself　upon　us　in　the　first　instance。
We　never　wanted　him。　I　always　showed　him；　for　one；　that　I　could　have
dispensed　with　his　pany　with　the　greatest　pleasure。

He　then　mits　that　gross　outrage　upon　our　feelings；　which　he　never
could　or　would　have　mitted　but　for　the　delight　he　took　in　exposing
us；　and　then　we　are　to　be　demeaned　for　the　service　of　his　friends！　Why；
I　don't　wonder　at　this　Mr　Gowan's　conduct　towards　you。　What　else　was
to　be　expected　when　he　was　enjoying　our　past　misfortunes……gloating　over
them　at　the　moment！'　'Father……Edward……no　indeed！'　pleaded　Little　Dorrit。
'Neither　Mr　nor　Mrs　Gowan　had　ever　heard　our　name。　They　were；　and　they
are；　quite　ignorant　of　our　history。'

'So　much　the　worse；'　retorted　Fanny；　determined　not　to　admit　anything　in
extenuation；　'for　then　you　have　no　excuse。　If　they　had　known　about　us；
you　might　have　felt　yourself　called　upon　to　conciliate　them。　That　would
have　been　a　weak　and　ridiculous　mistake；　but　I　can　respect　a　mistake；
whereas　I　can't　respect　a　wilful　and　deliberate　abasing　of　those　who
should　be　nearest　and　dearest　to　us。　No。　I　can't　respect　that。　I　can　do
nothing　but　denounce　that。'

'I　never　offend　you　wilfully；　Fanny；'　said　Little　Dorrit；　'though　you
are　so　hard　with　me。'

'Then　you　should　be　more　careful；　Amy；'　returned　her　sister。　'If　you　do
such　things　by　accident；　you　should　be　more　careful。　If　I　happened　to
have　been　born　in　a　peculiar　place；　and　under　peculiar　circumstances
that　blunted　my　knowledge　of　propriety；　I　fancy　I　should　think　myself
bound　to　consider　at　every　step；　〃Am　I　going；　ignorantly；　to　promise
any　near　and　dear　relations？〃　That　is　what　I　fancy　I　should　do；　if　it
was　my　case。'

Mr　Dorrit　now　interposed；　at　once　to　stop　these　painful　subjects　by　his
authority；　and　to　point　their　moral　by　his　wisdom。

'My　dear；'　said　he　to　his　younger　daughter；　'I　beg　you　to……ha……to　say
no　more。　Your　sister　Fanny　expresses　herself　strongly；　but　not　without
considerable　reason。　You　have　now　a……hum……a　great　position　to　support。
That　great　position　is　not　occupied　by　yourself　alone；　but　by……ha……by
me；　and……ha　hum……by　us。　Us。　Now；　it　is　incumbent　upon　all　people　in　an
exalted　position；　but　it　is　particularly　so　on　this　family；　for　reasons
which　I……ha……will　not　dwell　upon；　to　make　themselves　respected。　To　be
vigilant　in　making　themselves　respected。　Dependants；　to　respect　us；　must
be……ha……kept　at　a　distance　and……hum……kept　down。　Down。　Therefore；　your
not　exposing　yourself　to　the　remarks　of　our　attendants　by　appearing　to
have　at　any　time　dispensed　with　their　services　and　performed　them　for
yourself；　is……ha……highly　important。'

'Why；　who　can　doubt　it？'　cried　Miss　Fanny。　'It's　the　essence　of
everything。'　'Fanny；'　returned　her　father；　grandiloquently；　'give　me
leave；　my　dear。　We　then　e　to……ha……to　Mr　Clennam。　I　am　free　to　say
that　I　do　not；　Amy；　share　your　sister's　sentiments……that　is　to　say
altogether……hum……altogether……in　reference　to　Mr　Clennam。　I　am　content
to　regard　that　individual　in　the　light　of……ha……generally……a　well…behaved
person。　Hum。　A　well…behaved　person。　Nor　r
Clennam　did；　at　any　time；　obtrude　himself　on……ha……my　society。　He　knew　my
society　to　be……hum……sought；　and　his　plea　might　be　that　he　regarded　me　in
the　light　of　a　public　character。　But　there　were　circumstances　attending
my……ha……slight　knowledge　of　Mr　Clennam　（it　was　very　slight）；　which；'
here　Mr　Dorrit　became　extremely　grave　and　impressive；　'would　render　it
highly　indelicate　in　Mr　Clennam　to……ha……to　seek　to　renew　munication
with　me　or　with　any　member　of　my　family　under　existing　circumstances。
If　Mr　Clennam　has　sufficient　delicacy　to　perceive　the　impropriety　of
any　such　attempt；　I　am　bound　as　a　responsible　gentleman　to……ha……defer
to　that　delicacy　on　his　part。　If；　on　the　other　hand；　Mr　Clennam　has　not
that　delicacy；　I　cannot　for　a　moment……ha……hold　any　correspondence　with
so……hum……coarse　a　mind。　In　either　case；　it　would　appear　that　Mr　Clennam
is　put　altogether　out　of　the　question；　and　that　we　have　nothing　to　do
with　him　or　he　with　us。　Ha……Mrs　General！'

The　entrance　of　the　lady　whom　he　announced；　to　take　her　place　at　the
breakfast…table；　terminated　the　discussion。　Shortly　afterwards；　the
courier　announced　that　the　valet；　and　the　footman；　and　the　two　maids；
and　the　four　guides；　and　the　fourteen　mules；　were　in　readiness；　so　the
breakfast　party　went　out　to　the　convent　door　to　join　the　cavalcade。

Mr　Gowan　stood　aloof　with　his　cigar　and　pencil；　but　Mr　Blandois　was　on
the　spot　to　pay　his　respects　to　the　ladies。　When　he　gallantly　pulled
off　his　slouched　hat　to　Little　Dorrit；　she　thought　he　had　even　a　more
sinister　look；　standing　swart　and　cloaked　in　the　snow；　than　he　had
in　the　fire…light　over…night。　But；　as　both　her　father　and　her　sister
received　his　homage　with　some　favour；　she　refrained　from　expressing　any
distrust　of　him；　lest　it　should　prove　to　be　a　new　blemish　derived　from
her　prison　birth。

Nevertheless；　as　they　wound　down　the　rugged　way　while　the　convent　was
yet　in　sight；　she　more　than　once　looked　round；　and　descried　Mr　Blandois；
backed　by　the　convent　smoke　which　rose　straight　and　high　from　the
chimneys　in　a　golden　film；　always　standing　on　one　jutting　point　looking
down　after　them。　Long　after　he　was　a　mere　black　stick　in　the　snow；　she
felt　as　though　she　could　yet　see　that　smile　of　his；　that　high　nose；　and
those　eyes　that　were　too　near　it。　And　even　after　that；　when　the　convent
was　gone　and　some　light　morning　clouds　veiled　the　pass　below　it；　the
ghastly　skeleton　arms　by　the　wayside　seemed　to　be　all　pointing　up　at
him。

More　treacherous　than　snow；　perhaps；　colder　at　heart；　and　harder　to
melt；　Blandois　of　Paris　by　degrees　passed　out　of　her　mind；　as　they　came
down　into　the　softer　regions。　Again　the　sun　was　warm；　again　the　streams
descending　from　glaciers　and　snowy　caverns　were　refreshing　to　drink　at；
again　they　came　among　the　pine…trees；　the　rocky　rivulets；　the　verdant
heights　and　dales；　the　wooden　chalets　and　rough　zigzag　fences　of　Swiss
country。　Sometimes　the　way　so　widened　that　she　and　her　father　could
ride　abreast。　And　then　to　look　at　him；　handsomely　clothed　in　his　fur　and
broadcloths；　rich；　free；　numerously　served　and　attended；　his　eyes　roving
far　away　among　the　glories　of　the　landscape；　no　miserable　screen　before
them　to　darken　his　sight　and　cast　its　shadow　on　him；　was　enough。

Her　uncle　was　so　far　rescued　from　that　shadow　of　old；　that　he　wore　the
clothes　they　gave　him；　and　performed　some　ablutions　as　a　sacrifice　to
the　family　credit；　and　went　where　he　was　taken；　with　a　certain　patient
animal　enjoyment；　which　seemed　to　express　that　the　air　and　change　did
him　good。　In　all　other　respects；　save　one；　he　shone　with　no　light　but
such　as　was　reflected　from　his　brother。　His　brother's　greatness；　wealth；
freedom；　and　grandeur；　pleased　him　without　any　reference　to　himself。
Silent　and　retiring；　he　had　no　use　for　speech　when　he　could　hear　his
brother　speak；　no　desire　to　be　waited　on；　so　that　the　servants　devoted
themselves　to　his　brother。　The　only　noticeable　change　he　originated　in
himself；　was　an　alteration　in　his　manner　to　his　younger　niece。　Every　day
it　refined　more　and　more　into　a　marked　respect；　very　rarely　shown　by　age
to　youth；　and　still　more　rarely　susceptible；　one　would　have　said；　of　the
fitness　with　which　he　invested　it。　On　those　occasions　when　Miss　Fanny
did　declare　once　for　all；　he　would　take　the　next　opportunity　of　baring
his　grey　head　before　his　younger　niece；　and　of　helping　her　to　alight；
or　handing　her　to　the　carriage；　or　showing　her　any　other　attention；　with
the　profoundest　deference。　Yet　it　never　appeared　misplaced　or　forced；
being　always　heartily　simple；　spontaneous；　and　genuine。　Neither　would　he
ever　consent；　even　at　his　brother's　request；　to　be　helped　to　any　place
before　her；　or　to　take　precedence　of　her　in　anything。　So　jealous　was　he
of　her　being　respected；　that；　on　this　very　journey　down　from　the　Great
Saint　Bernard；　he　took　sudden　and　violent　umbrage　at　the　footman's　being
remiss　to　hold　her　stirrup；　though　standing　near　when　she　dismounted；
and　unspeakably　astonished　the　whole　retinue　by　charging　at　him　on　a
hard…headed　mule；　riding　him　into　a　corner；　and　threatening　to　trample
him　to　death。

They　were