友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
第三电子书 返回本书目录 加入书签 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 『收藏到我的浏览器』

little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第124部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!

to swim with a weight and balance that developed her sailing qualities。

'The preliminaries being so satisfactorily arranged; I think I will now;
my dear;' said Mr Dorrit; 'announce……ha……formally; to Mrs General……'

'Papa;' returned Fanny; taking him up short upon that name; 'I don't see
what Mrs General has got to do with it。'

'My dear;' said Mr Dorrit; 'it will be an act of courtesy to……hum……a
lady; well bred and refined……'

'Oh! I am sick of Mrs General's good breeding and refinement; papa;'
said Fanny。 'I am tired of Mrs General。'

'Tired;' repeated Mr Dorrit in reproachful astonishment; 'of……ha……Mrs
General。'

'Quite disgusted with her; papa;' said Fanny。 'I really don't see what
she has to do with my marriage。 Let her keep to her own matrimonial
projects……if she has any。'

'Fanny;' returned Mr Dorrit; with a grave and weighty slowness upon him;
contrasting strongly with his daughter's levity: 'I beg the favour of
your explaining……ha……what it is you mean。' 'I mean; papa;' said Fanny;
'that if Mrs General should happen to have any matrimonial projects of
her own; I dare say they are quite enough to occupy her spare time。 And
that if she has not; so much the better; but still I don't wish to have
the honour of making announcements to her。'

'Permit me to ask you; Fanny;' said Mr Dorrit; 'why not?'

'Because she can find my engagement out for herself; papa;' retorted
Fanny。 'She is watchful enough; I dare say。 I think I have seen her
so。 Let her find it out for herself。 If she should not find it out for
herself; she will know it when I am married。 And I hope you will not
consider me wanting in affection for you; papa; if I say it strikes me
that rs General。'

'Fanny;' returned Mr Dorrit; 'I am amazed; I am displeased by
this……hum……this capricious and unintelligible display of animosity
towards……ha……Mrs General。'

'Do not; if you please; papa;' urged Fanny; 'call it animosity; because
I assure you I do not consider Mrs General worth my animosity。'

At this; Mr Dorrit rose from his chair with a fixed look of severe
reproof; and remained standing in his dignity before his daughter。 His
daughter; turning the bracelet on her arm; and now looking at him; and
now looking from him; said; 'Very well; papa。 I am truly sorry if you
don't like it; but I can't help it。 I am not a child; and I am not Amy;
and I must speak。'

'Fanny;' gasped Mr Dorrit; after a majestic silence; 'if I request
you to remain here; while I formally announce to Mrs General; as
an exemplary lady; who is……hum……a trusted member of this family;
the……ha……the change that is contemplated among us; if I……ha……not only
request it; but……hum……insist upon it……'

'Oh; papa;' Fanny broke in with pointed significance; 'if you make so
much of it as that; I have in duty nothing to do but ply。 I hope I
may have my thoughts upon the subject; however; for I really cannot help
it under the circumstances。'So; Fanny sat down with a meekness which;
in the junction of extremes; became defiance; and her father; either not
deigning to answer; or not knowing what to answer; summoned Mr Tinkler
into his presence。

'Mrs General。'

Mr Tinkler; unused to receive such short orders in connection with the
fair varnisher; paused。 Mr Dorrit; seeing the whole Marshalsea and all
its testimonials in the pause; instantly flew at him with; 'How dare
you; sir? What do you mean?'

'I beg your pardon; sir;' pleaded Mr Tinkler; 'I was wishful to know……'
'You wished to know nothing; sir;' cried Mr Dorrit; highly flushed。

'Don't tell me you did。 Ha。 You didn't。 You are guilty of mockery; sir。'

'I assure you; sir……' Mr Tinkler began。

'Don't assure me!' said Mr Dorrit。 'I will not be assured by a
domestic。 You are guilty of mockery。 You shall leave me……hum……the whole
establishment shall leave me。 What are you waiting for?'

'Only for my orders; sir。'

'It's false;' said Mr Dorrit; 'you have your orders。 Ha……hum。 MY
pliments to Mrs General; and I beg the favour of her ing to me; if
quite convenient; for a few minutes。 Those are your orders。'

In his execution of this mission; Mr Tinkler perhaps expressed that Mr
Dorrit was in a raging fume。 However that was; Mrs General's skirts were
very speedily heard outside; ing along……one might almost have said
bouncing along……with unusual expedition。 Albeit; they settled down at
the door and swept into the room with their customary coolness。

'Mrs General;' said Mr Dorrit; 'take a chair。'

Mrs General; with a graceful curve of acknowledgment; descended into the
chair which Mr Dorrit offered。

'Madam;' pursued that gentleman; 'as you have had the kindness to
undertake the……hum……formation of my daughters; and as I am persuaded
that nothing nearly affecting them can……ha……be indifferent to you……'

'Wholly impossible;' said Mrs General in the calmest of ways。

'……I therefore wish to announce to you; madam; that my daughter now
present……'

Mrs General made a slight inclination of her head to Fanny; who made
a very low inclination of her head to Mrs General; and came loftily
upright again。

'……That my daughter Fanny is……ha……contracted to be married to Mr
Sparkler; ; you will be
relieved of half your difficult charge……ha……difficult charge。' Mr
Dorrit repeated it with his angry eye on Fanny。 'But not; I hope; to
the……hum……diminution of any other portion; direct or indirect; of the
footing you have at present the kindness to occupy in my family。'

'Mr Dorrit;' returned Mrs General; with her gloved hands resting on
one another in exemplary repose; 'is ever considerate; and ever but too
appreciative of my friendly services。'

(Miss Fanny coughed; as much as to say; 'You are right。')

'Miss Dorrit has no doubt exercised the soundest discretion of which
the circumstances admitted; and I trust will allow me to offer her my
sincere congratulations。 When free from the trammels of passion;' Mrs
General closed her eyes at the word; as if she could not utter it; and
see anybody; 'when occurring with the approbation of near relatives;
and when cementing the proud structure of a family edifice; these are
usually auspicious events。

I trust Miss Dorrit will allow me to offer her my best congratulations。'

Here Mrs General stopped; and added internally; for the setting of her
face; 'Papa; potatoes; poultry; Prunes; and prism。'

'Mr Dorrit;' she superadded aloud; 'is ever most obliging; and for
the attention; and I will add distinction; of having this confidence
imparted to me by himself and Miss Dorrit at this early time; I beg to
offer the tribute of my thanks。 My thanks; and my congratulations; are
equally the meed of Mr Dorrit and of Miss Dorrit。'

'To me;' observed Miss Fanny; 'they are excessively
gratifying……inexpressibly so。 The relief of finding that you have no
objection to make; Mrs General; quite takes a load off my mind; I am
sure。 I hardly know what I should have done;' said Fanny; 'if you had
interposed any objection; Mrs General。'

Mrs General changed her gloves; as to the right glove being uppermost
and the left undermost; with a Prunes and Prism smile。

'To preserve your approbation; Mrs General;' said Fanny; returning the
smile with one in which there was no trace of those ingredients; 'will
of course be the highest object of my married life; to lose it; would of
course be perfect wretchedness。 I am sure your great kindness will
not object; and I hope papa will not object; to my correcting a
small mistake you have made; however。 The best of us are so liable to
mistakes; that even you; Mrs General; have fallen into a little error。
The attention and distinction you have so impressively mentioned; Mrs
General; as attaching to this confidence; are; I have no doubt; of the
most plimentary and gratifying description; but they don't at all
proceed from me。 The merit of having consulted you on the subject would
have been so great in me; that I feel I must not lay claim to it when it
really is not mine。 It is wholly papa's。 I am deeply obliged to you for
your encouragement and patronage; but it was papa who asked for it。
I have to thank you; Mrs General; for relieving my breast of a great
weight by so handsomely giving your consent to my engagement; but you
have really nothing to thank me for。 I hope you will always approve of
my proceedings after I have left home and that my sister also may long
remain the favoured object of your condescension; Mrs General。'


With this address; which was delivered in her politest manner; Fanny
left the room with an elegant and cheerful air……to tear up…stairs with
a flushed face as soon as she was out of hearing; pounce in upon her
sister; call her a little Dormouse; shake her for the better opening of
her eyes; tell her what had passed below; and ask her what she thought
of Pa now?

Towards Mrs Merdle; the young lady ported herself with great
independence and self…possession; but not as yet with any more decided
opening of hostilities。 Occasionally they had a slight skirmish; as when
Fanny considered herself patted on the back by that lady; or as when Mrs
Merdle looked particularly young and well; but Mrs Merdle always soon
terminated those passages of arms by sinking among her cushions with the
gracefullest indifference; and finding her attention otherwise engaged。
Society (for that mysterious creature sat upon the Seven Hills too)
found Miss Fanny vastly improved by her engagement。 She was much more
accessible; much more free and engaging; much less exacting; insomuch
that she now entertained a host of followers and admirers; to the bitter
indignation of ladies with daughters to marry; who were to be regarded
as Having revolted from Society on the Miss Dorrit grievance; and
erected a rebellious standard。 Enjoying the flutter she caused。 Miss
Dorrit not only haughtily moved through it in her own proper person; but
haughtily; even Ostentatiously; led Mr Sparkler through it too: seeming
to say to them all; 'If I think proper to march among you in triumphal
procession attended by this weak captive in bonds; rather than a
stronger one; that is my business。 Enough that I choose to do it!' Mr
Sparkler for his part; questioned nothing; but went wherever he was
taken; did whatever he was told; felt that for his bride…elect to be
distinguished was for him to be distinguished on the easiest terms; and
was truly grateful for being so openly acknowledged。

The winter passing on towards the spring while this condition of affairs
prevailed; it became necessary for Mr Sparkler to repair to England; and
take his appointed part in the expression and direction of its genius;
learning; merce; spirit; and sense。 The land of Shakespeare; Milton;
Bacon; Newton; Watt; the land of a host of past and present abstract
philosophers; natural philosophers; and subduers of Nature and Art in
their myriad forms; called to Mr Sparkler to e and take care of it;
lest it should perish。 Mr Sparkler; unable to resist the agonised cry
from the depths of his country's soul; declared that he must go。

It followed that the question was rendered pressing when; where; and
how Mr Sparkler should be married to the foremost girl in all this world
with no nonsense about her。 Its solution; after some
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!