little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第94部分

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to　have　the　opportunity　of　calming　himself　with　a　leisurely　walk。

When　he　returned　to　the　street；　and　had　knocked　at　the　bright　brass
knocker；　he　was　informed　that　she　had　e；　and　was　shown　up…stairs　to
Flora's　breakfast…room。　Little　Dorrit　was　not　there　herself；　but　Flora
was；　and　testified　the　greatest　amazement　at　seeing　him。

'Good　gracious；　Arthur……Doyce　and　Clennam！'　cried　that　lady；　'who　would
have　ever　thought　of　seeing　such　a　sight　as　this　and　pray　excuse　a
wrapper　for　upon　my　word　I　really　never　and　a　faded　check　too　which
is　worse　but　our　little　friend　is　making　me；　not　that　I　need　mind
mentioning　it　to　you　for　you　must　know　that　there　are　such　things　a
skirt；　and　having　arranged　that　a　trying　on　should　take　place　after
breakfast　is　the　reason　though　I　wish　not　so　badly　starched。'

'I　ought　to　make　an　apology；'　said　Arthur；　'for　so　early　and　abrupt　a
visit；　but　you　will　excuse　it　when　I　tell　you　the　cause。'

'In　times　for　ever　fled　Arthur；'　returned　Mrs　Finching；　'pray　excuse
me　Doyce　and　Clennam　infinitely　more　correct　and　though　unquestionably
distant　still　'tis　distance　lends　enchantment　to　the　view；　at　least　I
don't　mean　that　and　if　I　did　I　suppose　it　would　depend　considerably　on
the　nature　of　the　view；　but　I'm　running　on　again　and　you　put　it　all　out
of　my　head。'

She　glanced　at　him　tenderly；　and　resumed：

'In　times　for　ever　fled　I　was　going　to　say　it　would　have　sounded
strange　indeed　for　Arthur　Clennam……Doyce　and　Clennam　naturally　quite
different……to　make　apologies　for　ing　here　at　any　time；　but　that　is
past　and　what　is　past　can　never　be　recalled　except　in　his　own　case　as
poor　Mr　F。　said　when　he　was　in　spirits　Cucumber　and　therefore　never　ate
it。'

She　was　making　the　tea　when　Arthur　came　in；　and　now　hastily　finished
that　operation。

'Papa；'　she　said；　all　mystery　and　whisper；　as　she　shut　down　the　tea…pot
lid；　'is　sitting　prosingly　breaking　his　new　laid　egg　in　the　back　parlour
over　the　City　article　exactly　like　the　Woodpecker　Tapping　and　need　never
know　that　you　are　here；　and　our　little　friend　you　are　well　aware　may　be
fully　trusted　when　she　es　down　from　cutting　out　on　the　large　table
overhead。'

Arthur　then　told　her；　in　the　fewest　words；　that　it　was　their　little
friend　he　came　to　see；　and　what　he　had　to　announce　to　their　little
friend。　At　which　astounding　intelligence；　Flora　clasped　her　hands；
fell　into　a　tremble；　and　shed　tears　of　sympathy　and　pleasure；　like　the
good…natured　creature　she　really　was。

'For　goodness　sake　let　me　get　out　of　the　way　first；'　said　Flora；　putting
her　hands　to　her　ears　and　moving　towards　the　door；　'or　I　know　I　shall
go　off　dead　and　screaming　and　make　everybody　worse；　and　the　dear　little
thing　only　this　morning　looking　so　nice　and　neat　and　good　and　yet　so
poor　and　now　a　fortune　is　she　really　and　deserves　it　too！　and　might　I
mention　it　to　Mr　F。's　Aunt　Arthur　not　Doyce　and　Clennam　for　this　once　or
if　objectionable　not　on　any　account。'

Arthur　nodded　his　free　permission；　since　Flora　shut　out　all　verbal
munication。　Flora　nodded　in　return　to　thank　him；　and　hurried　out　of
the　room。

Little　Dorrit's　step　was　already　on　the　stairs；　and　in　another　moment
she　was　at　the　door。　Do　what　he　could　to　pose　his　face；　he　could　not
convey　so　much　of　an　ordinary　expression　into　it；　but　that　the　moment
she　saw　it　she　dropped　her　work；　and　cried；　'Mr　Clennam！　What's　the
matter？'

'Nothing；　nothing。　That　is；　no　misfortune　has　happened。　I　have　e
to　tell　you　something；　but　it　is　a　piece　of　great　good…fortune。'
'Good…fortune？'

'Wonderful　fortune！'

They　stood　in　a　window；　and　her　eyes；　full　of　light；　were　fixed　upon　his
face。　He　put　an　arm　about　her；　seeing　her　likely　to　sink　down。　She　put
a　hand　upon　that　arm；　partly　to　rest　upon　it；　and　partly　so　to　preserve
their　relative　positions　as　that　her　intent　look　at　him　should　be　shaken
by　no　change　of　attitude　in　either　of　them。　Her　lips　seemed　to　repeat
'Wonderful　fortune？'　He　repeated　it　again；　aloud。

'Dear　Little　Dorrit！　Your　father。'

The　ice　of　the　pale　face　broke　at　the　word；　and　little　lights　and　shoots
of　expression　passed　all　over　it。　They　were　all　expressions　of　pain。　Her
breath　was　faint　and　hurried。　Her　heart　beat　fast。　He　would　have　clasped
the　little　figure　closer；　but　he　saw　that　the　eyes　appealed　to　him　not
to　be　moved。

'Your　father　can　be　free　within　this　week。　He　does　not　know　it；　we　must
go　to　him　from　here；　to　tell　him　of　it。　Your　father　will　be　free　within
a　few　days。　Your　father　will　be　free　within　a　few　hours。　Remember　we
must　go　to　him　from　here；　to　tell　him　of　it！'

That　brought　her　back。　Her　eyes　were　closing；　but　they　opened　again。

'This　is　not　all　the　good…fortune。　This　is　not　all　the　wonderful
good…fortune；　my　dear　Little　Dorrit。　Shall　I　tell　you　more？'

Her　lips　shaped　'Yes。'

'Your　father　will　be　no　beggar　when　he　is　free。　He　will　want　for
nothing。　Shall　I　tell　you　more？　Remember！　He　knows　nothing　of　it；　we
must　go　to　him；　from　here；　to　tell　him　of　it！'

She　seemed　to　entreat　him　for　a　little　time。　He　held　her　in　his　arm；
and；　after　a　pause；　bent　down　his　ear　to　listen。

'Did　you　ask　me　to　go　on？'

'Yes。'

'He　will　be　a　rich　man。　He　is　a　rich　man。　A　great　sum　of　money
is　waiting　to　be　paid　over　to　him　as　his　inheritance；　you　are　all
henceforth　very　wealthy。　Bravest　and　best　of　children；　I　thank　Heaven
that　you　are　rewarded！'

As　he　kissed　her；　she　turned　her　head　towards　his　shoulder；　and　raised
her　arm　towards　his　neck；　cried　out　'Father！　Father！　Father！'　and
swooned　away。

Upon　which　Flora　returned　to　take　care　of　her；　and　hovered　about　her　on
a　sofa；　intermingling　kind　offices　and　incoherent　scraps　of　conversation
in　a　manner　so　confounding；　that　whether　she　pressed　the　Marshalsea　to
take　a　spoonful　of　unclaimed　dividends；　for　it　would　do　her　good；
or　whether　she　congratulated　Little　Dorrit's　father　on　ing　into
possession　of　a　hundred　thousand　smelling…bottles；　or　whether　she
explained　that　she　put　seventy…five　thousand　drops　of　spirits　of
lavender　on　fifty　thousand　pounds　of　lump　sugar；　and　that　she　entreated
Little　Dorrit　to　take　that　gentle　restorative；　or　whether　she　bathed　the
foreheads　of　Doyce　and　Clennam　in　vinegar；　and　gave　the　late　Mr　F。　more
air；　no　one　with　any　sense　of　responsibility　could　have　undertaken　to
decide。　A　tributary　stream　of　confusion；　moreover；　poured　in　from　an
adjoining　bedroom；　where　Mr　F。's　Aunt　appeared；　from　the　sound　of　her
voice；　to　be　in　a　horizontal　posture；　awaiting　her　breakfast；　and　from
which　bower　that　inexorable　lady　snapped　off　short　taunts；　whenever　she
could　get　a　hearing；　as；　'Don't　believe　it's　his　doing！'　and　'He　needn't
take　no　credit　to　himself　for　it！'　and　'It'll　be　long　enough；　I　expect；
afore　he'll　give　up　any　of　his　own　money！'　all　designed　to　disparage
Clennam's　share　in　the　discovery；　and　to　relieve　those　inveterate
feelings　with　which　Mr　F。's　Aunt　regarded　him。

But　Little　Dorrit's　solicitude　to　get　to　her　father；　and　to　carry　the
joyful　tidings　to　him；　and　not　to　leave　him　in　his　jail　a　moment　with
this　happiness　in　store　for　him　and　still　unknown　to　him；　did　more　for
her　speedy　restoration　than　all　the　skill　and　attention　on　earth　could
have　done。　'e　with　me　to　my　dear　father。　Pray　e　and　tell　my　dear
father！'　were　the　first　words　she　said。　Her　father；　her　father。　She
spoke　of　nothing　but　him；　thought　of　nothing　but　him。　Kneeling　down　and
pouring　out　her　thankfulness　with　uplifted　hands；　her　thanks　were　for
her　father。

Flora's　tenderness　e　by　this；　and　she　launched　out
among　the　cups　and　saucers　into　a　wonderful　flow　of　tears　and　speech。

'I　declare；'　she　sobbed；　'I　never　was　so　cut　up　since　your　mama　and　my
papa　not　Doyce　and　Clennam　for　this　once　but　give　the　precious　little
thing　a　cup　of　tea　and　make　her　put　it　to　her　lips　at　least　pray　Arthur
do；　not　even　Mr　F。's　last　illness　for　that　was　of　another　kind　and　gout
is　not　a　child's　affection　though　very　painful　for　all　parties　and　Mr
F。　a　martyr　with　his　leg　upon　a　rest　and　the　wine　trade　in　itself
inflammatory　for　they　will　do　it　more　or　less　among　themselves　and　who
can　wonder；　it　seems　like　a　dream　I　am　sure　to　think　of　nothing　at　all
this　morning　and　now　Mines　of　money　is　it　really；　but　you　must　know　my
darling　love　because　you　never　will　be　strong　enough　to　tell　him　all
about　it　upon　teaspoons；　mightn't　it　be　even　best　to　try　the　directions
of　my　own　medical　man　for　though　the　flavour　is　anything　but　agreeable
still　I　force　myself　to　do　it　as　a　prescription　and　find　the　benefit；
you'd　rather　not　why　no　my　dear　I'd　rather　not　but　still　I　do　it　as　a
duty；　everybody　will　congratulate　you　some　in　earnest　and　some　not　and
many　will　congratulate　you　with　all　their　hearts　but　none　more　so　I
do　assure　you　from　the　bottom　of　my　own　I　do　myself　though　sensible　of
blundering　and　being　stupid；　and　will　be　judged　by　Arthur　not　Doyce　and
Clennam　for　this　once　so　good…bye　darling　and　God　bless　you　and　may　you
be　very　happy　and　excuse　the　liberty；　vowing　that　the　dress　shall　never
be　finished　by　anybody　else　but　shall　be　laid　by　for　a　keepsake　just
as　it　is　and　called　Little　Dorrit　though　why　that　strangest　of
denominations　at　any　time　I　never　did　myself　and　now　I　never　shall！'

Thus　Flora；　in　taking　leave　of　her　favourite。　Little　Dorrit　thanked　her；
and　embraced　her；　over　and　over　again；　and　finally　came　out　of　the　house
with　Clennam；　and　took　coach　for　the　Marshalsea。

It　was　a　strangely　unreal　ride　through　the　old　squalid　streets；　with　a
sensation　of　being　raised　out　of　them　into　an　airy　world　of　wealth
and　grandeur。　When　Arthur　told　her　that　she　would　soon　ride　in　her
own　carriage　through　very　different　scenes；　when　all　the　familiar
experiences　would　have　vanished　away；　she　looked　frightened。　But　when
he　substituted　her　father　for　herself；　and　told　her　how　he　would　ride　in
his　carriage；　and　how　great　and　grand　he　would　be；　her　tears　of　joy
and　innocent　pride　fell　fast。　Seeing　that　the　happiness　her　mind　could
realise　was　all　shining　upon　him；　Arthur　kept　that　single　figure　before
her；　and　so　they　rode　brightly　through　the　poor　streets　in　the　prison
neighbourhood　to　carry　him　the　great　news。

When　Mr　Chivery；　who　was　on　duty；　admitted　them　into　the　Lo