little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第122部分

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no　one　can　deny。　And　as　to　the　question　of　clever　or　not　clever；　I　doubt
very　much　whether　a　clever　husband　would　be　suitable　to　me。　I　cannot
submit。　I　should　not　be　able　to　defer　to　him　enough。'

'O；　my　dear　Fanny！'　expostulated　Little　Dorrit；　upon　whom　a　kind　of
terror　had　been　stealing　as　she　perceived　what　her　sister　meant。　'If　you
loved　any　one；　all　this　feeling　would　change。　If　you　loved　any　one；　you
would　no　more　be　yourself；　but　you　would　quite　lose　and　forget　yourself
in　your　devotion　to　him。　If　you　loved　him；　Fanny……'　Fanny　had　stopped
the　dabbing　hand；　and　was　looking　at　her　fixedly。

'O；　indeed！'　cried　Fanny。　'Really？　Bless　me；　how　much　some　people　know
of　some　subjects！　They　say　every　one　has　a　subject；　and　I　certainly
seem　to　have　hit　upon　yours；　Amy。　There；　you　little　thing；　I　was　only　in
fun；'　dabbing　her　sister's　forehead；　'but　don't　you　be　a　silly　puss；
and　don't　you　think　flightily　and　eloquently　about　degenerate
impossibilities。　There！　Now；　I'll　go　back　to　myself。'

'Dear　Fanny；　let　me　say　first；　that　I　would　far　rather　we　worked　for
a　scanty　living　again　than　I　would　see　you　rich　and　married　to　Mr
Sparkler。'

'Let　you　say；　my　dear？'　retorted　Fanny。　'Why；　of　course；　I　will　let　you
say　anything。　There　is　no　constraint　upon　you；　I　hope。　We　are　together
to　talk　it　over。　And　as　to　marrying　Mr　Sparkler；　I　have　not　the
slightest　intention　of　doing　so　to…night；　my　dear；　or　to…morrow　morning
either。'

'But　at　some　time？'

'At　no　time；　for　anything　I　know　at　present；'　answered　Fanny；　with
indifference。　Then；　suddenly　changing　her　indifference　into　a　burning
restlessness；　she　added；　'You　talk　about　the　clever　men；　you　little
thing！　It's　all　very　fine　and　easy　to　talk　about　the　clever　men；　but
where　are　they？　I　don't　see　them　anywhere　near　me！'

'My　dear　Fanny；　so　short　a　time……'

'Short　time　or　long　time；'　interrupted　Fanny。　'I　am　impatient　of　our
situation。　I　don't　like　our　situation；　and　very　little　would　induce
me　to　change　it。　Other　girls；　differently　reared　and　differently
circumstanced　altogether；　might　wonder　at　what　I　say　or　may　do。　Let
them。　They　are　driven　by　their　lives　and　characters；　I　am　driven　by
mine。'

'Fanny；　my　dear　Fanny；　you　knoake　you　the
wife　of　one　very　superior　to　Mr　Sparkler。'

'Amy；　my　dear　Amy；'　retorted　Fanny；　parodying　her　words；　'I　know　that　I
wish　to　have　a　more　defined　and　distinct　position；　in　which　I　can　assert
myself　with　greater　effect　against　that　insolent　woman。'

'Would　you　therefore……forgive　my　asking；　Fanny……therefore　marry　her
son？'

'Why；　perhaps；'　said　Fanny；　with　a　triumphant　smile。　'There　may　be　many
less　promising　ways　of　arriving　at　an　end　than　that；　MY　dear。　That　piece
of　insolence　may　think；　now；　that　it　would　be　a　great　success　to　get　her
son　off　upon　me；　and　shelve　me。　But；　perhaps；　she　little　thinks　how　I
would　retort　upon　her　if　I　married　her　son。

I　would　oppose　her　in　everything；　and　pete　with　her。　I　would　make　it
the　business　of　my　life。'

Fanny　set　down　the　bottle　when　she　came　to　this；　and　walked　about　the
room；　always　stopping　and　standing　still　while　she　spoke。

'One　thing　I　could　certainly　do；　my　child：　I　could　make　her　older。　And　I
would！'

This　was　followed　by　another　walk。

'I　would　talk　of　her　as　an　old　woman。　I　would　pretend　to　know……if　I
didn't；　but　I　should　from　her　son……all　about　her　age。　And　she　should
hear　me　say；　Amy：　affectionately；　quite　dutifully　and　affectionately：
how　well　she　looked；　considering　her　time　of　life。　I　could　make　her　seem
older　at　once；　by　being　myself　so　much　younger。　I　may　not　be　as　handsome
as　she　is；　I　am　not　a　fair　judge　of　that　question；　I　suppose；　but　I　know
I　am　handsome　enough　to　be　a　thorn　in　her　side。　And　I　would　be！'

'My　dear　sister；　would　you　condemn　yourself　to　an　unhappy　life　for
this？'

'It　wouldn't　be　an　unhappy　life；　Amy。　It　would　be　the　life　I　am　fitted
for。　Whether　by　disposition；　or　whether　by　circumstances；　is　no　matter；
I　am　better　fitted　for　such　a　life　than　for　almost　any　other。'

There　was　something　of　a　desolate　tone　in　those　words；　but；　with　a
short　proud　laugh　she　took　another　walk；　and　after　passing　a　great
looking…glass　came　to　another　stop。

'Figure！　Figure；　Amy！　Well。　The　woman　has　a　good　figure。　I　will　give　her
her　due；　and　not　deny　it。　But　is　it　so　far　beyond　all　others　that　it　is
altogether　unapproachable？　Upon　my　word；　I　am　not　so　sure　of　it。　Give
some　much　younger　woman　the　latitude　as　to　dress　that　she　has；　being
married；　and　we　would　see　about　that；　my　dear！'

Something　in　the　thought　that　was　agreeable　and　flattering；　brought　her
back　to　her　seat　in　a　gayer　temper。　She　took　her　sister's　hands　in　hers；
and　clapped　all　four　hands　above　her　head　as　she　looked　in　her　sister's
face　laughing：

'And　the　dancer；　Amy；　that　she　has　quite　forgotten……the　dancer　who　bore
no　sort　of　resemblance　to　me；　and　of　whom　I　never　remind　her；　oh　dear
no！……should　dance　through　her　life；　and　dance　in　her　way；　to　such　a　tune
as　would　disturb　her　insolent　placidity　a　little。　Just　a　little；　my　dear
Amy；　just　a　little！'

Meeting　an　earnest　and　imploring　look　in　Amy's　face；　she　brought　the
four　hands　down；　and　laid　only　one　on　Amy's　lips。

'Now；　don't　argue　with　me；　child；'　she　said　in　a　sterner　way；　'because
it　is　of　no　use。　I　understand　these　subjects　much　better　than　you　do。　I
have　not　nearly　made　up　my　mind；　but　it　may　be。　Now　we　have　talked　this
over　fortably；　and　may　go　to　bed。　You　best　and　dearest　little　mouse；
Good　night！'　With　those　words　Fanny　weighed　her　Anchor；　and……having
taken　so　much　advice……left　off　being　advised　for　that　occasion。

Thenceforward；　Amy　observed　Mr　Sparkler's　treatment　by　his　enslaver；
with　new　reasons　for　attaching　importance　to　all　that　passed　between
them。　There　were　times　when　Fanny　appeared　quite　unable　to　endure　his
mental　feebleness；　and　when　she　became　so　sharply　impatient　of　it　that
she　would　all　but　dismiss　him　for　good。　There　were　other　times　when　she
got　on　much　better　with　him；　when　he　amused　her；　and　when　her　sense　of
superiority　seemed　to　counterbalance　that　opposite　side　of　the　scale。　If
Mr　Sparkler　had　been　other　than　the　faithfullest　and　most　submissive　of
swains；　he　was　sufficiently　hard　pressed　to　have　fled　from　the　scene　of
his　trials；　and　have　set　at　least　the　whole　distance　from　Rome　to　London
between　himself　and　his　enchantress。　But　he　had　no　greater　will　of　his
own　than　a　boat　has　when　it　is　towed　by　a　steam…ship；　and　he　followed
his　cruel　mistress　through　rough　and　smooth；　on　equally　strong
pulsion。

Mrs　Merdle；　during　these　passages；　said　little　to　Fanny；　but　said
more　about　her。　She　was；　as　it　were；　forced　to　look　at　her　through　her
eye…glass；　and　in　general　conversation　to　allow　mendations　of　her
beauty　to　be　wrung　from　her　by　its　irresistible　demands。　The　defiant
character　it　assumed　when　Fanny　heard　these　extollings　（as　it　generally
happened　that　she　did）；　was　not　expressive　of　concessions　to　the
impartial　bosom；　but　the　utmost　revenge　the　bosom　took　was；　to　say
audibly；　'A　spoilt　beauty……but　with　that　face　and　shape；　who　could
wonder？'

It　might　have　been　about　a　month　or　six　weeks　after　the　night　of　the
new　advice；　when　Little　Dorrit　began　to　think　she　detected　some　new
understanding　between　Mr　Sparkler　and　Fanny。　Mr　Sparkler；　as　if　in
attendance　to　some　pact；　scarcely　ever　spoke　without　first　looking
towards　Fanny　for　leave。　That　young　lady　was　too　discreet　ever　to　look
back　again；　but；　if　Mr　Sparkler　had　permission　to　speak；　she　remained
silent；　if　he　had　not；　she　herself　spoke。　Moreover；　it　became　plain
whenever　Henry　Gowan　attempted　to　perform　the　friendly　office　of　drawing
him　out；　that　he　was　not　to　be　drawn。　And　not　only　that；　but　Fanny　would
presently；　without　any　pointed　application　in　the　world；　chance　to　say
something　with　such　a　sting　in　it　that　Gowan　would　draw　back　as　if　he
had　put　his　hand　into　a　bee…hive。

There　was　yet　another　circumstance　which　went　a　long　way　to　confirm
Little　Dorrit　in　her　fears；　though　it　was　not　a　great　circumstance
in　itself。　Mr　Sparkler's　demeanour　towards　herself　changed。　It　became
fraternal。　Sometimes；　when　she　was　in　the　outer　circle　of　assemblies……at
their　own　residence；　at　Mrs　Merdle's；　or　elsewhere……she　would　find
herself　stealthily　supported　round　the　waist　by　Mr　Sparkler's　arm。　Mr
Sparkler　never　offered　the　slightest　explanation　of　this　attention；
but　merely　smiled　with　an　air　of　blundering；　contented；　good…natured
proprietorship；　which；　in　so　heavy　a　gentleman；　was　ominously
expressive。

Little　Dorrit　was　at　home　one　day；　thinking　about　Fanny　with　a　heavy
heart。　They　had　a　room　at　one　end　of　their　drawing…room　suite；　nearly
all　irregular　bay…window；　projecting　over　the　street；　and　manding
all　the　picturesque　life　and　variety　of　the　Corso；　both　up　and　down。　At
three　or　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　English　time；　the　view　from　this
window　was　very　bright　and　peculiar；　and　Little　Dorrit　used　to　sit
and　muse　here；　much　as　she　had　been　used　to　while　away　the　time　in　her
balcony　at　Venice。　Seated　thus　one　day；　she　was　softly　touched　on　the
shoulder；　and　Fanny　said；　'Well；　Amy　dear；'　and　took　her　seat　at　her
side。　Their　seat　was　a　part　of　the　window；　when　there　was　anything　in
the　way　of　a　procession　going　on；　they　used　to　have　bright　draperies
hung　out　of　the　window；　and　used　to　kneel　or　sit　on　this　seat；　and　look
out　at　it；　leaning　on　the　brilliant　colour。　But　there　was　no　procession
that　day；　and　Little　Dorrit　was　rather　surprised　by　Fanny's　being　at
home　at　that　hour；　as　she　was　generally　out　on　horseback　then。

'Well；　Amy；'　said　Fanny；　'what　are　you　thinking　of；　little　one？'　'I　was
thinking　of　you；　Fanny。'

'No？　What　a　coincidence！　I　declare　here's　some　one　else。　You　were　not
thinking　of　this　some　one　else　too；　were　you；　Amy？'

Amy　HAD　been　thinking　of　this　some　one　else　too；　for　it　was　Mr　Sparkler。
She　did　not　say　so；　however；　as　she　gave　him　her　hand。　Mr　Sparkler
came　and　sat　down　on　the　other　side　of　her；　and　she　felt　the　fraternal
railing　e　behind　her；　and　apparently　stretch　on　to　include　Fanny。

'Well；　my　little　sister；'　said　Fanny　with　a　sigh；　'I　suppose　you　know
what　this　means？'

'She's　as　beautiful　as　she's　doated　on；'　stammered　Mr　Sparkler……'and
there's　no　nonsense　about　her……it's　arranged……'

'You　needn't　explain；　Edmund；'　said　Fanny。

'No；　my　love；'　said　Mr　Sparkler。

'In　short；　pet；'　proceeded　Fanny；　'on　the　whole；　we　are　engaged。　We
must　tell　papa　about　it　either　to…night　or　to…morrow；　according　to　the
opportunities。　Then　it's　done；　and　very　little　more　need　be　said。'

'My　dear　Fanny；'　said　Mr　Sparkler；　with　deference；　'I　should　like　to　say
a　word　to　Amy。'

'Well；　well！　Say　it　for　goodness'　sake；'　returned　the　young　lady。

'I　am　convinced；　my　dear　Amy；'　said　Mr　Sparkler；　'that　if　ever　there
was　a　girl；　next　to　your　highly　endowed　and　beautiful　sister；　who　had　no
nonsense　about　her……'

'We　know　all　about　that；　Edmund；'　interposed　Miss　Fanny。　'Never　mind
that。　Pray　go　on　to　something　else　besides　our　having　no　nonsense　about
us。'

'Yes；　my　love；'　said　Mr　Sparkler。　'And　I　assure　you；　Amy；　that　nothing
can　be　a　greater　happiness　to　myself；　myself……next　to　the　happiness　of
being　so　highly　honoure