little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第103部分

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'In　Venice？'　said　Miss　Fanny。

'In　Rome；'　Mr　Sparkler　answered。　'I　am　here　by　myself；　myself。　I　came　to
call　upon　Mr　Edward　Dorrit　myself。　Indeed；　upon　Mr　Dorrit　likewise。　In
fact；　upon　the　family。'

Turning　graciously　to　the　attendants；　Miss　Fanny　inquired　whether　her
papa　or　brother　was　within？　The　reply　being　that　they　were　both　within；
Mr　Sparkler　humbly　offered　his　arm。　Miss　Fanny　accepting　it；　was　squired
up　the　great　staircase　by　Mr　Sparkler；　who；　if　he　still　believed　（which
there　is　not　any　reason　to　doubt）　that　she　had　no　nonsense　about　her；
rather　deceived　himself。

Arrived　in　a　mouldering　reception…room；　where　the　faded　hangings；　of　a
sad　sea…green；　had　worn　and　withered　until　they　looked　as　if　they
might　have　claimed　kindred　with　the　waifs　of　seaweed　drifting　under
the　windows；　or　clinging　to　the　walls　and　weeping　for　their　imprisoned
relations；　Miss　Fanny　despatched　emissaries　for　her　father　and　brother。
Pending　whose　appearance；　she　showed　to　great　advantage　on　a　sofa；
pleting　Mr　Sparkler's　conquest　with　some　remarks　upon　Dante……known
to　that　gentleman　as　an　eccentric　man　in　the　nature　of　an　Old　File；
who　used　to　put　leaves　round　his　head；　and　sit　upon　a　stool　for　some
unaccountable　purpose；　outside　the　cathedral　at　Florence。

Mr　Dorrit　weled　the　visitor　with　the　highest　urbanity；　and　most
courtly　manners。　He　inquired　particularly　after　Mrs　Merdle。　He　inquired
particularly　after　Mr　Merdle。　Mr　Sparkler　said；　or　rather　twitched　out
of　himself　in　small　pieces　by　the　shirt…collar；　that　Mrs　Merdle　having
pletely　used　up　her　place　in　the　country；　and　also　her　house　at
Brighton；　and　being；　of　course；　unable；　don't　you　see；　to　remain　in
London　when　there　wasn't　a　soul　there；　and　not　feeling　herself　this　year
quite　up　to　visiting　about　at　people's　places；　had　resolved　to　have
a　touch　at　Rome；　where　a　woman　like　herself；　with　a　proverbially　fine
appearance；　and　with　no　nonsense　about　her；　couldn't　fail　to　be　a　great
acquisition。　As　to　Mr　Merdle；　he　was　so　much　wanted　by　the　men　in　the
City　and　the　rest　of　those　places；　and　was　such　a　doosed　extraordinary
phenomenon　in　Buying　and　Banking　and　that；　that　Mr　Sparkler　doubted　if
the　moary　system　of　the　country　would　be　able　to　spare　him；　though
that　his　work　was　occasionally　one　too　many　for　him；　and　that　he　would
be　all　the　better　for　a　temporary　shy　at　an　entirely　new　scene　and
climate；　Mr　Sparkler　did　not　conceal。　As　to　himself；　Mr　Sparkler
conveyed　to　the　Dorrit　family　that　he　was　going；　on　rather　particular
business；　wherever　they　were　going。

This　immense　conversational　achievement　required　time；　but　was　effected。
Being　effected；　Mr　Dorrit　expressed　his　hope　that　Mr　Sparkler　would
shortly　dine　with　them。　Mr　Sparkler　received　the　idea　so　kindly　that　Mr
Dorrit　asked　what　he　was　going　to　do　that　day；　for　instance？　As　he　was
going　to　do　nothing　that　day　（his　usual　occupation；　and　one　for　which　he
was　particularly　qualified）；　he　was　secured　without　postponement；　being
further　bound　over　to　acpany　the　ladies　to　the　Opera　in　the　evening。

At　dinner…time　Mr　Sparkler　rose　out　of　the　sea；　like　Venus's　son　taking
after　his　mother；　and　made　a　splendid　appearance　ascending　the　great
staircase。　If　Fanny　had　been　charming　in　the　morning；　she　was　now　thrice
charming；　very　beingly　dressed　in　her　most　suitable　colours；　and　with
an　air　of　negligence　upon　her　that　doubled　Mr　Sparkler's　fetters；　and
riveted　them。


'I　hear　you　are　acquainted；　Mr　Sparkler；'　said　his　host　at　dinner；
'with……ha……Mr　Gowan。　Mr　Henry　Gowan？'

'Perfectly；　sir；'　returned　Mr　Sparkler。　'His　mother　and　my　mother　are
cronies　in　fact。'

'If　I　had　thought　of　it；　Amy；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　with　a　patronage　as
magnificent　as　that　of　Lord　Decimus　himself；　'you　should　have　despatched
a　note　to　them；　asking　them　to　dine　to…day。　Some　of　our　people　could
have……ha……fetched　them；　and　taken　them　home。　We　could　have　spared
a……hum……gondola　for　that　purpose。　I　am　sorry　to　have　forgotten　this。
Pray　remind　me　of　them　to…morrow。'

Little　Dorrit　was　not　without　doubts　how　Mr　Henry　Gowan　might　take　their
patronage；　but　she　promised　not　to　fail　in　the　reminder。

'Pray；　does　Mr　Henry　Gowan　paint……ha……Portraits？'　inquired　Mr　Dorrit。

Mr　Sparkler　opined　that　he　painted　anything；　if　he　could　get　the　job。

'He　has　no　particular　walk？'　said　Mr　Dorrit。

Mr　Sparkler；　stimulated　by　Love　to　brilliancy；　replied　that　for　a
particular　walk　a　man　ought　to　have　a　particular　pair　of　shoes；　as；　for
example；　shooting；　shooting…shoes；　cricket；　cricket…shoes。　Whereas；　he
believed　that　Henry　Gowan　had　no　particular　pair　of　shoes。

'No　speciality？'　said　Mr　Dorrit。

This　being　a　very　long　word　for　Mr　Sparkler；　and　his　mind　being
exhausted　by　his　late　effort；　he　replied；　'No；　thank　you。　I　seldom　take
it。'

'Well！'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'It　would　be　very　agreeable　to　me　to　present
a　gentleman　so　connected；　with　some……ha……Testimonial　of　my　desire　to
further　his　interests；　and　develop　the……hum……germs　of　his　genius。　I
think　I　must　engage　Mr　Gowan　to　paint　my　picture。　If　the　result　should
be……ha……mutually　satisfactory；　I　might　afterwards　engage　him　to　try　his
hand　upon　my　family。'

The　exquisitely　bold　and　original　thought　presented　itself　to　Mr
Sparkler；　that　there　was　an　opening　here　for　saying　there　were　some　of
the　family　（emphasising　'some'　in　a　marked　manner）　to　whom　no　painter
could　render　justice。　But；　for　want　of　a　form　of　words　in　which　to
express　the　idea；　it　returned　to　the　skies。

This　was　the　more　to　be　regretted　as　Miss　Fanny　greatly　applauded　the
notion　of　the　portrait；　and　urged　her　papa　to　act　upon　it。　She　surmised；
she　said；　that　Mr　Gowan　had　lost　better　and　higher　opportunities　by
marrying　his　pretty　wife；　and　Love　in　a　cottage；　painting　pictures　for
dinner；　was　so　delightfully　interesting；　that　she　begged　her　papa　to
give　him　the　mission　whether　he　could　paint　a　likeness　or　not：　though
indeed　both　she　and　Amy　knew　he　could；　from　having　seen　a　speaking
likeness　on　his　easel　that　day；　and　having　had　the　opportunity　of
paring　it　with　the　original。　These　remarks　made　Mr　Sparkler　（as
perhaps　they　were　intended　to　do）　nearly　distracted；　for　while　on
the　one　hand　they　expressed　Miss　Fanny's　susceptibility　of　the　tender
passion；　she　herself　showed　such　an　innocent　unconsciousness　of　his
admiration　that　his　eyes　goggled　in　his　head　with　jealousy　of　an　unknown
rival。

Descending　into　the　sea　again　after　dinner；　and　ascending　out　of　it
at　the　Opera　staircase；　preceded　by　one　of　their　gondoliers；　like　an
attendant　Merman；　with　a　great　linen　lantern；　they　entered　their　box；
and　Mr　Sparkler　entered　on　an　evening　of　agony。　The　theatre　being
dark；　and　the　box　light；　several　visitors　lounged　in　during　the
representation；　in　whom　Fanny　was　so　interested；　and　in　conversation
with　whom　she　fell　into　such　charming　attitudes；　as　she　had　little
confidences　with　them；　and　little　disputes　concerning　the　identity　of
people　in　distant　boxes；　that　the　wretched　Sparkler　hated　all　mankind。
But　he　had　two　consolations　at　the　close　of　the　performance。　She　gave
him　her　fan　to　hold　while　she　adjusted　her　cloak；　and　it　was　his
blessed　privilege　to　give　her　his　arm　down…stairs　again。　These　crumbs　of
encouragement；　Mr　Sparkler　thought；　would　just　keep　him　going；　and　it　is
not　impossible　that　Miss　Dorrit　thought　so　too。

The　Merman　with　his　light　was　ready　at　the　box…door；　and　other　Mermen
with　other　lights　were　ready　at　many　of　the　doors。　The　Dorrit　Merman
held　his　lantern　low；　to　show　the　steps；　and　Mr　Sparkler　put　on　another
heavy　set　of　fetters　over　his　former　set；　as　he　watched　her　radiant
feet　twinkling　down　the　stairs　beside　him。　Among　the　loiterers　here；　was
Blandois　of　Paris。　He　spoke；　and　moved　forward　beside　Fanny。

Little　Dorrit　was　in　front　with　her　brother　and　Mrs　General　（Mr　Dorrit
had　remained　at　home）；　but　on　the　brink　of　the　quay　they　all　came
together。　She　started　again　to　find　Blandois　close　to　her；　handing　Fanny
into　the　boat。

'Gowan　has　had　a　loss；'　he　said；　'since　he　was　made　happy　to…day　by　a
visit　from　fair　ladies。'

'A　loss？'　repeated　Fanny；　relinquished　by　the　bereaved　Sparkler；　and
taking　her　seat。

'A　loss；'　said　Blandois。　'His　dog　Lion。'

Little　Dorrit's　hand　was　in　his；　as　he　spoke。

'He　is　dead；'　said　Blandois。

'Dead？'　echoed　Little　Dorrit。　'That　noble　dog？'

'Faith；　dear　ladies！'　said　Blandois；　smiling　and　shrugging　his
shoulders；　'somebody　has　poisoned　that　noble　dog。　He　is　as　dead　as　the
Doges！'




CHAPTER　7。　Mostly；　Prunes　and　Prism


Mrs　General；　always　on　her　coach…box　keeping　the　proprieties　well
together；　took　pains　to　form　a　surface　on　her　very　dear　young　friend；
and　Mrs　General's　very　dear　young　friend　tried　hard　to　receive　it。　Hard
as　she　had　tried　in　her　laborious　life　to　attain　many　ends；　she　had
never　tried　harder　than　she　did　now；　to　be　varnished　by　Mrs　General。　It
made　her　anxious　and　ill　at　ease　to　be　operated　upon　by　that　smoothing
hand；　it　is　true；　but　she　submitted　herself　to　the　family　want　in
its　greatness　as　she　had　submitted　herself　to　the　family　want　in　its
littleness；　and　yielded　to　her　own　inclinations　in　this　thing　no　more
than　she　had　yielded　to　her　hunger　itself；　in　the　days　when　she　had
saved　her　dinner　that　her　father　might　have　his　supper。

One　fort　that　she　had　under　the　Ordeal　by　General　was　more
sustaining　to　her；　and　made　her　more　grateful　than　to　a　less　devoted
and　affectionate　spirit；　not　habituated　to　her　struggles　and　sacrifices；
might　appear　quite　reasonable；　and；　indeed；　it　may　often　be　observed　in
life；　that　spirits　like　Little　Dorrit　do　not　appear　to　reason　half
as　carefully　as　the　folks　who　get　the　better　of　them。　The　continued
kindness　of　her　sister　was　this　fort　to　Little　Dorrit。　It　was　nothing
to　her　that　the　kindness　took　the　form　of　tolerant　patronage；　she　was
used　to　that。　It　was　nothing　to　her　that　it　kept　her　in　a　tributary
position；　and　showed　her　in　attendance　on　the　flaming　car　in　which　Miss
Fanny　sat　on　an　elevated　seat；　exacting　homage；　she　sought　no　better
place。　Always　admiring　Fanny's　beauty；　and　grace；　and　readiness；　and　not
now　asking　herself　how　much　of　her　disposition　to　be　strongly　attached
to　Fanny　was　due　to　her　own　heart；　and　how　much　to　Fanny's；　she　gave　her
all　the　sisterly　fondness　her　great　heart　contained。

The　wholesale　amount　of　Prunes　and　Prism　which　Mrs　General　infused　into
the　family　life；　bined　with　the　perpetual　plunges　made　by　Fanny　into
society；　left　but　a　very　small　residue　of　any　natural　deposit　at　the
bottom　of　the　mixture。　This　rendered　confidences　with　Fanny　doubly
precious　to　Little　Dorrit；　and　heightened　the　relief　they　afforded　her。

'Amy；'　said　Fanny　to　her　one　night　when　they　were　alone；　after　a　day　so
tiring　that　Little　Dorrit　was　quite　worn　out；　though　Fanny　would　have
taken　another　dip　into　society　with　the　greatest　pleasure　in　life；　'I
am　going　to　put　something　into　your　little　head。　You　won't　guess　what　it
is；　I　suspect。'

'I　don't　think　that's　likely；　dear；'　said　Little　Dorrit。

'e；　I'll　give　you　a　clue；　child；'　said　Fanny。　'Mrs　General。'

Prunes　and　Prism；　in　a　thousand　binations；　having　been　wearily　in　the
ascendant　all　day……everything　having　been　surface　and　varnish　a