little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第158部分

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requested　him　to　go　round　to　the　other　side　of　the　sofa　and　sit　in　the
window…curtain；　to　tone　himself　down。

'Now；　Edmund；'　she　said；　stretching　out　her　fan；　and　touching　him　with
it　at　arm's　length；　'what　I　was　going　to　say　to　you　when　you　began　as
usual　to　prose　and　worry；　is；　that　I　shall　guard　against　our　being　alone
any　more；　and　that　when　circumstances　prevent　my　going　out　to　my　own
satisfaction；　I　must　arrange　to　have　some　people　or　other　always　here；
for　I　really　cannot；　and　will　not；　have　another　such　day　as　this　has
been。'

Mr　Sparkler's　sentiments　as　to　the　plan　were；　in　brief；　that　it　had　no
nonsense　about　it。　He　added；　'And　besides；　you　know　it's　likely　that
you'll　soon　have　your　sister……'

'Dearest　Amy；　yes！'　cried　Mrs　Sparkler　with　a　sigh　of　affection。
'Darling　little　thing！　Not；　however；　that　Amy　would　do　here　alone。'

Mr　Sparkler　was　going　to　say　'No？'　interrogatively；　but　he　saw　his
danger　and　said　it　assentingly；　'No；　Oh　dear　no；　she　wouldn't　do　here
alone。'

'No；　Edmund。　For　not　only　are　the　virtues　of　the　precious　child　of　that
still　character　that　they　require　a　contrast……require　life　and　movement
around　them　to　bring　them　out　in　their　right　colours　and　make　one　love
them　of　all　things；　but　she　will　require　to　be　roused；　on　more　accounts
than　one。'

'That's　it；'　said　Mr　Sparkler。　'Roused。'

'Pray　don't；　Edmund！　Your　habit　of　interrupting　without　having　the　least
thing　in　the　world　to　say；　distracts　one。　You　must　be　broken　of　it。
Speaking　of　Amy；……my　poor　little　pet　was　devotedly　attached　to　poor
papa；　and　no　doubt　will　have　lamented　his　loss　exceedingly；　and　grieved
very　much。　I　have　done　so　myself。　I　have　felt　it　dreadfully。　But　Amy
will　no　doubt　have　felt　it　even　more；　from　having　been　on　the　spot　the
whole　time；　and　having　been　with　poor　dear　papa　at　the　last；　which　I
unhappily　was　not。'

Here　Fanny　stopped　to　weep；　and　to　say；　'Dear；　dear；　beloved　papa！　How
truly　gentlemanly　he　was！　What　a　contrast　to　poor　uncle！'

'From　the　effects　of　that　trying　time；'　she　pursued；　'my　good　little
Mouse　will　have　to　be　roused。　Also；　from　the　effects　of　this　long
attendance　upon　Edward　in　his　illness；　an　attendance　which　is　not
yet　over；　which　may　even　go　on　for　some　time　longer；　and　which　in　the
meanwhile　unsettles　us　all　by　keeping　poor　dear　papa's　affairs　from
being　wound　up。　Fortunately；　however；　the　papers　with　his　agents
here　being　all　sealed　up　and　locked　up；　as　he　left　them　when　he
providentially　came　to　England；　the　affairs　are　in　that　state　of　order
that　they　can　wait　until　my　brother　Edward　recovers　his　health　in
Sicily；　sufficiently　to　e　over；　and　administer；　or　execute；　or
whatever　it　may　be　that　will　have　to　be　done。'

'He　couldn't　have　a　better　nurse　to　bring　him　round；'　Mr　Sparkler　made
bold　to　opine。

'For　a　wonder；　I　can　agree　with　you；'　returned　his　wife；　languidly
turning　her　eyelids　a　little　in　his　direction　（she　held　forth；　in
general；　as　if　to　the　drawing…room　furniture）；　'and　can　adopt　your
words。　He　couldn't　have　a　better　nurse　to　bring　him　round。　There　are
times　when　my　dear　child　is　a　little　wearing　to　an　active　mind；　but；　as
a　nurse；　she　is　Perfection。　Best　of　Amys！'

Mr　Sparkler；　growing　rash　on　his　late　success；　observed　that　Edward　had
had；　biggodd；　a　long　bout　of　it；　my　dear　girl。


'If　Bout；　Edmund；'　returned　Mrs　Sparkler；　'is　the　slang　term　for
indisposition；　he　has。　If　it　is　not；　I　am　unable　to　give　an　opinion
on　the　barbarous　language　you　address　to　Edward's　sister。　That　he
contracted　Malaria　Fever　somewhere；　either　by　travelling　day　and　night
to　Rome；　where；　after　all；　he　arrived　too　late　to　see　poor　dear　papa
before　his　death……or　under　some　other　unwholesome　circumstances……is
indubitable；　if　that　is　what　you　mean。　Likewise　that　his　extremely
careless　life　has　made　him　a　very　bad　subject　for　it　indeed。'


Mr　Sparkler　considered　it　a　parallel　case　to　that　of　some　of　our　fellows
in　the　West　Indies　with　Yellow　Jack。　Mrs　Sparkler　closed　her　eyes　again；
and　refused　to　have　any　consciousness　of　our　fellows　of　the　West　Indies；
or　of　Yellow　Jack。

'So；　Amy；'　she　pursued；　when　she　reopened　her　eyelids；　'will　require
to　be　roused　from　the　effects　of　many　tedious　and　anxious　weeks。　And
lastly；　she　will　require　to　be　roused　from　a　low　tendency　which　I　know
very　well　to　be　at　the　bottom　of　her　heart。　Don't　ask　me　what　it　is；
Edmund；　because　I　must　decline　to　tell　you。'

'I　am　not　going　to；　my　dear；'　said　Mr　Sparkler。

'I　shall　thus　have　much　improvement　to　effect　in　my　sweet　child；'　Mrs
Sparkler　continued；　'and　cannot　have　her　near　me　too　soon。　Amiable　and
dear　little　Twoshoes！　As　to　the　settlement　of　poor　papa's　affairs；　my
interest　in　that　is　not　very　selfish。　Papa　behaved　very　generously　to　me
when　I　was　married；　and　I　have　little　or　nothing　to　expect。　Provided
he　had　made　no　will　that　can　e　into　force；　leaving　a　legacy　to　Mrs
General；　I　am　contented。　Dear　papa；　dear　papa。'

She　wept　again；　but　Mrs　General　was　the　best　of　restoratives。　The　name
soon　stimulated　her　to　dry　her　eyes　and　say：

'It　is　a　highly　encouraging　circumstance　in　Edward's　illness；　I　am
thankful　to　think；　and　gives　one　the　greatest　confidence　in　his　sense
not　being　impaired；　or　his　proper　spirit　weakened……down　to　the　time
of　poor　dear　papa's　death　at　all　events……that　he　paid　off　Mrs　General
instantly；　and　sent　her　out　of　the　house。　I　applaud　him　for　it。　I　could
forgive　him　a　great　deal　for　doing；　with　such　promptitude；　so　exactly
what　I　would　have　done　myself！'

Mrs　Sparkler　was　in　the　full　glow　of　her　gratification；　when　a　double
knock　was　heard　at　the　door。　A　very　odd　knock。　Low；　as　if　to　avoid
making　a　noise　and　attracting　attention。　Long；　as　if　the　person　knocking
were　preoccupied　in　mind；　and　forgot　to　leave　off。

'Halloa！'　said　Mr　Sparkler。　'Who's　this？'

'Not　Amy　and　Edward　without　notice　and　without　a　carriage！'　said　Mrs
Sparkler。　'Look　out。'

The　room　was　dark；　but　the　street　was　lighter；　because　of　its　lamps。　Mr
Sparkler's　head　peeping　over　the　balcony　looked　so　very　bulky　and　heavy
that　it　seemed　on　the　point　of　overbalancing　him　and　flattening　the
unknown　below。

'It's　one　fellow；'　said　Mr　Sparkler。　'I　can't　see　who……stop　though！'　On
this　second　thought　he　went　out　into　the　balcony　again　and　had　another
look。　He　came　back　as　the　door　was　opened；　and　announced　that　he
believed　he　had　identified　'his　governor's　tile。'　He　was　not　mistaken；
for　his　governor；　with　his　tile　in　his　hand；　was　introduced　immediately
afterwards。

'Candles！'　said　Mrs　Sparkler；　with　a　word　of　excuse　for　the　darkness。

'It's　light　enough　for　me；'　said　Mr　Merdle。

When　the　candles　were　brought　in；　Mr　Merdle　was　discovered　standing
behind　the　door；　picking　his　lips。　'I　thought　I'd　give　you　a　call；'　he
said。　'I　am　rather　particularly　occupied　just　now；　and；　as　I　happened　to
be　out　for　a　stroll；　I　thought　I'd　give　you　a　call。'

As　he　was　in　dinner　dress；　Fanny　asked　him　where　he　had　been　dining？

'Well；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'I　haven't　been　dining　anywhere；　particularly。'

'Of　course　you　have　dined？'　said　Fanny。

'Why……no；　I　haven't　exactly　dined；'　said　Mr　Merdle。

He　had　passed　his　hand　over　his　yellow　forehead　and　considered；　as　if　he
were　not　sure　about　it。　Something　to　eat　was　proposed。　'No；　thank　you；'
said　Mr　Merdle；　'I　don't　feel　inclined　for　it。　I　was　to　have　dined　out
along　with　Mrs　Merdle。　But　as　I　didn't　feel　inclined　for　dinner；　I　let
Mrs　Merdle　go　by　herself　just　as　we　were　getting　into　the　carriage；　and
thought　I'd　take　a　stroll　instead。'

Would　he　have　tea　or　coffee？　'No；　thank　you；'　said　Mr　Merdle。　'I　looked
in　at　the　Club；　and　got　a　bottle　of　wine。'

At　this　period　of　his　visit；　Mr　Merdle　took　the　chair　which　Edmund
Sparkler　had　offered　him；　and　which　he　had　hitherto　been　pushing　slowly
about　before　him；　like　a　dull　man　with　a　pair　of　skates　on　for　the　first
time；　who　could　not　make　up　his　mind　to　start。　He　now　put　his　hat　upon
another　chair　beside　him；　and；　looking　down　into　it　as　if　it　were　some
twenty　feet　deep；　said　again：　'You　see　I　thought　I'd　give　you　a　call。'

'Flattering　to　us；'　said　Fanny；　'for　you　are　not　a　calling　man。'

'No……no；'　returned　Mr　Merdle；　who　was　by　this　time　taking　himself　into
custody　under　both　coat…sleeves。　'No；　I　am　not　a　calling　man。'

'You　have　too　much　to　do　for　that；'　said　Fanny。　'Having　so　much　to　do；
Mr　Merdle；　loss　of　appetite　is　a　serious　thing　with　you；　and　you　must
have　it　seen　to。　You　must　not　be　ill。'　'Oh！　I　am　very　well；'　replied　Mr
Merdle；　after　deliberating　about　it。　'I　am　as　well　as　I　usually　am。　I　am
well　enough。　I　am　as　well　as　I　want　to　be。'

The　master…mind　of　the　age；　true　to　its　characteristic　of　being　at　all
times　a　mind　that　had　as　little　as　possible　to　say　for　itself　and　great
difficulty　in　saying　it；　became　mute　again。　Mrs　Sparkler　began　to　wonder
how　long　the　master…mind　meant　to　stay。

'I　was　speaking　of　poor　papa　when　you　came　in；　sir。'

'Aye！　Quite　a　coincidence；'　said　Mr　Merdle。

Fanny　did　not　see　that；　but　felt　it　incumbent　on　her　to　continue
talking。　'I　was　saying；'　she　pursued；　'that　my　brother's　illness　has
occasioned　a　delay　in　examining　and　arranging　papa's　property。'

'Yes；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'yes。　There　has　been　a　delay。'

'Not　that　it　is　of　consequence；'　said　Fanny。

'Not；'　assented　Mr　Merdle；　after　having　examined　the　cornice　of　all
that　part　of　the　room　which　was　within　his　range：　'not　that　it　is　of　any
consequence。'

'My　only　anxiety　is；'　said　Fanny；　'that　Mrs　General　should　not　get
anything。'

'She　won't　get　anything；'　said　Mr　Merdle。

Fanny　was　delighted　to　hear　him　express　the　opinion。　Mr　Merdle；　after
taking　another　gaze　into　the　depths　of　his　hat　as　if　he　thought　he　saw
something　at　the　bottom；　rubbed　his　hair　and　slowly　appended　to　his　last
remark　the　confirmatory　words；　'Oh　dear　no。　No。　Not　she。　Not　likely。'

As　the　topic　seemed　exhausted；　and　Mr　Merdle　too；　Fanny　inquired　if　he
were　going　to　take　up　Mrs　Merdle　and　the　carriage　in　his　way　home？

'No；'　he　answered；　'I　shall　go　by　the　shortest　way；　and　leave　Mrs　Merdle
to……'　here　he　looked　all　over　the　palms　of　both　his　hands　as　if　he　were
telling　his　own　fortune……'to　take　care　of　herself。　I　dare　say　she'll
manag