little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第125部分

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how　Mr　Sparkler　should　be　married　to　the　foremost　girl　in　all　this　world
with　no　nonsense　about　her。　Its　solution；　after　some　little　mystery　and
secrecy；　Miss　Fanny　herself　announced　to　her　sister。

'Now；　my　child；'　said　she；　seeking　her　out　one　day；　'I　am　going　to　tell
you　something。　It　is　only　this　moment　broached；　and　naturally　I　hurry　to
you　the　moment　it　IS　broached。'


'Your　marriage；　Fanny？'

'My　precious　child；'　said　Fanny；　'don't　anticipate　me。　Let　me　impart　my
confidence　to　you；　you　flurried　little　thing；　in　my　own　way。　As　to　your
guess；　if　I　answered　it　literally；　I　should　answer　no。　For　really　it　is
not　my　marriage　that　is　in　question；　half　as　much　as　it　is　Edmund's。'

Little　Dorrit　looked；　and　perhaps　not　altogether　without　cause；　somewhat
at　a　loss　to　understand　this　fine　distinction。

'I　am　in　no　difficulty；'　exclaimed　Fanny；　'and　in　no　hurry。　I　am　not
wanted　at　any　public　office；　or　to　give　any　vote　anywhere　else。

But　Edmund　is。　And　Edmund　is　deeply　dejected　at　the　idea　of　going　away
by　himself；　and；　indeed；　I　don't　like　that　he　should　be　trusted　by
himself。　For；　if　it's　possible……and　it　generally　is……to　do　a　foolish
thing；　he　is　sure　to　do　it。'

As　she　concluded　this　impartial　summary　of　the　reliance　that　might　be
safely　placed　upon　her　future　husband；　she　took　off；　with　an　air　of
business；　the　bon　she　wore；　and　dangled　it　by　its　strings　upon　the
ground。

'It　is　far　more　Edmund's　question；　therefore；　than　mine。　However；　we
need　say　no　more　about　that。　That　is　self…evident　on　the　face　of　it。
Well；　my　dearest　Amy！　The　point　arising；　is　he　to　go　by　himself；　or　is
he　not　to　go　by　himself；　this　other　point　arises；　are　we　to　be　married
here　and　shortly；　or　are　we　to　be　married　at　home　months　hence？'

'I　see　I　am　going　to　lose　you；　Fanny。'

'What　a　little　thing　you　are；'　cried　Fanny；　half　tolerant　and　half
impatient；　'for　anticipating　one！　Pray；　my　darling；　hear　me　out。　That
woman；'　she　spoke　of　Mrs　Merdle；　of　course；　'remains　here　until　after
Easter；　so；　in　the　case　of　my　being　married　here　and　going　to　London
with　Edmund；　I　should　have　the　start　of　her。　That　is　something。　Further；
Amy。　That　woman　being　out　of　the　way；　I　don't　know　that　I　greatly　object
to　Mr　Merdle's　proposal　to　Pa　that　Edmund　and　I　should　take　up　our　abode
in　that　house……you　know……where　you　once　went　with　a　dancer；　my　dear；
until　our　own　house　can　be　chosen　and　fitted　up。　Further　still；　Amy。
Papa　having　always　intended　to　go　to　town　himself；　in　the　spring；……you
see；　if　Edmund　and　I　were　married　here；　we　might　go　off　to　Florence；
where　papa　might　join　us；　and　we　might　all　three　travel　home　together。
Mr　Merdle　has　entreated　Pa　to　stay　with　him　in　that　same　mansion　I　have
mentioned；　and　I　suppose　he　will。　But　he　is　master　of　his　own　actions；
and　upon　that　point　（which　is　not　at　all　material）　I　can't　speak
positively。'　The　difference　between　papa's　being　master　of　his　own
actions　and　Mr　Sparkler's　being　nothing　of　the　sort；　was　forcibly
expressed　by　Fanny　in　her　manner　of　stating　the　case。　Not　that　her
sister　noticed　it；　for　she　was　divided　between　regret　at　the　ing
separation；　and　a　lingering　wish　that　she　had　been　included　in　the　plans
for　visiting　England。

'And　these　are　the　arrangements；　Fanny　dear？'

'Arrangements！'　repeated　Fanny。　'Now；　really；　child；　you　are　a　little
trying。　You　know　I　particularly　guarded　myself　against　laying　my　words
open　to　any　such　construction。　What　I　said　was；　that　certain　questions
present　themselves；　and　these　are　the　questions。'

Little　Dorrit's　thoughtful　eyes　met　hers；　tenderly　and　quietly。

'Now；　my　own　sweet　girl；'　said　Fanny；　weighing　her　bon　by　the　strings
with　considerable　impatience；　'it's　no　use　staring。　A　little　owl　could
stare。　I　look　to　you　for　advice；　Amy。　What　do　you　advise　me　to　do？'

'Do　you　think；'　asked　Little　Dorrit；　persuasively；　after　a　short
hesitation；　'do　you　think；　Fanny；　that　if　you　were　to　put　it　off　for　a
few　months；　it　might　be；　considering　all　things；　best？'

'No；　little　Tortoise；'　retorted　Fanny；　with　exceeding　sharpness。　'I
don't　think　anything　of　the　kind。'

Here；　she　threw　her　bon　from　her　altogether；　and　flounced　into　a
chair。　But；　being　affectionate　almost　immediately；　she　flounced　out
of　it　again；　and　kneeled　down　on　the　floor　to　take　her　sister；　chair　and
all；　in　her　arms。

'Don't　suppose　I　am　hasty　or　unkind；　darling；　because　I　really　am　not。
But　you　are　such　a　little　oddity！　You　make　one　bite　your　head　off；
when　one　wants　to　be　soothing　beyond　everything。　Didn't　I　tell　you；　you
dearest　baby；　that　Edmund　can't　be　trusted　by　himself？　And　don't　you
know　that　he　can't？'

'Yes；　yes；　Fanny。　You　said　so；　I　know。'

'And　you　know　it；　I　know；'　retorted　Fanny。　'Well；　my　precious　child！　If
he　is　not　to　be　trusted　by　himself；　it　follows；　I　suppose；　that　I　should
go　with　him？'

'It……seems　so；　love；'　said　Little　Dorrit。

'Therefore；　having　heard　the　arrangements　that　are　feasible　to　carry
out　that　object；　am　I　to　understand；　dearest　Amy；　that　on　the　whole　you
advise　me　to　make　them？'

'It……seems　so；　love；'　said　Little　Dorrit　again。

'Very　well；'　cried　Fanny　with　an　air　of　resignation；　'then　I　suppose　it
must　be　done！　I　came　to　you；　my　sweet；　the　moment　I　saw　the　doubt；　and
the　necessity　of　deciding。　I　have　now　decided。　So　let　it　be。'

After　yielding　herself　up；　in　this　pattern　manner；　to　sisterly　advice
and　the　force　of　circumstances；　Fanny　became　quite　benignant：　as　one
who　had　laid　her　own　inclinations　at　the　feet　of　her　dearest　friend；　and
felt　a　glow　of　conscience　in　having　made　the　sacrifice。　'After　all；　my
Amy；'　she　said　to　her　sister；　'you　are　the　best　of　small　creatures；　and
full　of　good　sense；　and　I　don't　know　what　I　shall　ever　do　without　you！'

With　which　words　she　folded　her　in　a　closer　embrace；　and　a　really　fond
one。

'Not　that　I　contemplate　doing　without　You；　Amy；　by　any　means；　for　I　hope
we　shall　ever　be　next　to　inseparable。　And　now；　my　pet；　I　am　going
to　give　you　a　word　of　advice。　When　you　are　left　alone　here　with　Mrs
General……'

'I　am　to　be　left　alone　here　with　Mrs　General？'　said　Little　Dorrit；
quietly。

'Why；　of　course；　my　precious；　till　papa　es　back！　Unless　you　call
Edward　pany；　which　he　certainly　is　not；　even　when　he　is　here；　and
still　more　certainly　is　not　when　he　is　away　at　Naples　or　in　Sicily。　I
was　going　to　say……but　you　are　such　a　beloved　little　Marplot　for　putting
one　out……when　you　are　left　alone　here　with　Mrs　General；　Amy；　don't　you
let　her　slide　into　any　sort　of　artful　understanding　with　you　that　she　is
looking　after　Pa；　or　that　Pa　is　looking　after　her。　She　will　if　she　can。
I　know　her　sly　manner　of　feeling　her　way　with　those　gloves　of　hers。　But
don't　you　prehend　her　on　any　account。　And　if　Pa　should　tell　you　when
he　es　back；　that　he　has　it　in　contemplation　to　make　Mrs　General　your
mama　（which　is　not　the　less　likely　because　I　am　going　away）；　my　advice
to　you　is；　that　you　say　at　once；　〃Papa；　I　beg　to　object　most　strongly。
Fanny　cautioned　me　about　this；　and　she　objected；　and　I　object。〃　I　don't
mean　to　say　that　any　objection　from　you；　Amy；　is　likely　to　be　of　the
smallest　effect；　or　that　I　think　you　likely　to　make　it　with　any　degree
of　firmness。　But　there　is　a　principle　involved……a　filial　principle……and
I　implore　you　not　to　submit　to　be　mother…in…lawed　by　Mrs　General；
without　asserting　it　in　making　every　one　about　you　as　unfortable　as
possible。　I　don't　expect　you　to　stand　by　it……indeed；　I　know　you　won't；
Pa　being　concerned……but　I　wish　to　rouse　you　to　a　sense　of　duty。　As　to
any　help　from　me；　or　as　to　any　opposition　that　I　can　offer　to　such　a
match；　you　shall　not　be　left　in　the　lurch；　my　love。　Whatever　weight
I　may　derive　from　my　position　as　a　married　girl　not　wholly　devoid　of
attractions……used；　as　that　position　always　shall　be；　to　oppose　that
woman……I　will　bring　to　bear；　you　May　depend　upon　it；　on　the　head　and
false　hair　（for　I　am　confident　it's　not　all　real；　ugly　as　it　is　and
unlikely　as　it　appears　that　any　One　in　their　Senses　would　go　to　the
expense　of　buying　it）　of　Mrs　General！'　Little　Dorrit　received　this
counsel　without　venturing　to　oppose　it　but　without　giving　Fanny　any
reason　to　believe　that　she　intended　to　act　upon　it。　Having　now；　as
it　were；　formally　wound　up　her　single　life　and　arranged　her　worldly
affairs；　Fanny　proceeded　with　characteristic　ardour　to　prepare　for　the
serious　change　in　her　condition。

The　preparation　consisted　in　the　despatch　of　her　maid　to　Paris　under　the
protection　of　the　Courier；　for　the　purchase　of　that　outfit　for　a　bride
on　which　it　would　be　extremely　low；　in　the　present　narrative；　to　bestow
an　English　name；　but　to　which　（on　a　vulgar　principle　it　observes
of　adhering　to　the　language　in　which　it　professes　to　be　written）　it
declines　to　give　a　French　one。　The　rich　and　beautiful　wardrobe　purchased
by　these　agents；　in　the　course　of　a　few　weeks　made　its　way　through　the
intervening　country；　bristling　with　custom…houses；　garrisoned　by　an
immense　army　of　shabby　mendicants　in　uniform　who　incessantly　repeated
the　Beggar's　Petition　over　it；　as　if　every　individual　warrior　among　them
were　the　ancient　Belisarius：　and　of　whom　there　were　so　many　Legions；
that　unless　the　Courier　had　expended　just　one　bushel　and　a　half　of
silver　money　relieving　their　distresses；　they　would　have　worn　the
wardrobe　out　before　it　got　to　Rome；　by　turning　it　over　and　over。　Through
all　such　dangers；　however；　it　was　triumphantly　brought；　inch　by　inch；
and　arrived　at　its　journey's　end　in　fine　condition。

There　it　was　exhibited　to　select　panies　of　female　viewers；　in　whose
gentle　bosoms　it　awakened　implacable　feelings。　Concurrently；　active
preparations　were　made　for　the　day　on　which　some　of　its　treasures　were
to　be　publicly　displayed。　Cards　of　breakfast…invitation　were　sent　out
to　half　the　English　in　the　city　of　Romulus；　the　other　half　made
arrangements　to　be　under　arms；　as　criticising　volunteers；　at　various
outer　points　of　the　solemnity。　The　most　high　and　illustrious　English
Signor　Edgardo　Dorrit；　came　post　through　the　deep　mud　and　ruts　（from
forming　a　surface　under　the　improving　Neapolitan　nobility）；　to　grace
the　occasion。　The　best　hotel　and　all　its　culinary　myrmidons；　were　set　to
work　to　prepare　the　feast。　The　drafts　of　Mr　Dorrit　almost　constituted　a
run　on　the　Torlonia　Bank。　The　British　Consul　hadn't　had　such　a　marriage
in　the　whole　of　his　Consularity。

The　day　came；　and　the　She…Wolf　in　the　Capitol　might　have　snarled　with
envy　to　see　how　the　Island　Savages　contrived　these　things　now…a…days。
The　murderous…headed　statues　of　the　wicked　Emperors　of　the　Soldiery；
whom　sculptors　had　not　been　able　to　flatter　out　of　their　villainous
hideousness；　might　have　e　off　their　pedestals　to　run　away　with　the
Bride。　The　choked　old　fountain；　where　erst　the　gladiators　washed；　might
have　leaped　into　life　again　to　honour　the　ceremony。　The　Temple　of
Vesta　might　have　sprung　up　anew　from　its　ruins；　expressly　to　lend　its
countenance　to　the　occasion。　Might　have　done；　but　did　not。　Like　sentient
things……even　like　the　lords　and　ladies　of　creation　sometimes……might
have　done　much；　but　did　nothing。　The　celebration　went　off　with　admirable
pomp；　monks　in　black　robes；　white　robes；　and　russet　robes　stopped　to
look　after　the　carriages；　wan