little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第111部分

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Power）；　Mrs　Merdle　occupied　a　front　row。　True；　the　Hampton　Court
Bohemians；　without　exception；　turned　up　their　noses　at　Merdle　as　an
upstart；　but　they　turned　them　down　again；　by　falling　flat　on　their　faces
to　worship　his　wealth。　In　which　pensating　adjustment　of　their　noses；
they　were　pretty　much　like　Treasury；　Bar；　and　Bishop；　and　all　the　rest
of　them。

To　Mrs　Merdle；　Mrs　Gowan　repaired　on　a　visit　of　self…condolence；　after
having　given　the　gracious　consent　aforesaid。　She　drove　into　town　for　the
purpose　in　a　one…horse　carriage　irreverently　called　at　that　period　of
English　history；　a　pill…box。　It　belonged　to　a　job…master　in　a　small　way；
who　drove　it　himself；　and　who　jobbed　it　by　the　day；　or　hour；　to　most　of
the　old　ladies　in　Hampton　Court　Palace；　but　it　was　a　point　of　ceremony；
in　that　encampment；　that　the　whole　equipage　should　be　tacitly　regarded
as　the　private　property　of　the　jobber　for　the　time　being；　and　that　the
job…master　should　betray　personal　knowledge　of　nobody　but　the　jobber
in　possession。　So　the　Circumlocution　Barnacles；　who　were　the　largest
job…masters　in　the　universe；　always　pretended　to　know　of　no　other　job
but　the　job　immediately　in　hand。

Mrs　Merdle　was　at　home；　and　was　in　her　nest　of　crimson　and　gold；　with
the　parrot　on　a　neighbouring　stem　watching　her　with　his　head　on　one
side；　as　if　he　took　her　for　another　splendid　parrot　of　a　larger　species。
To　whom　entered　Mrs　Gowan；　with　her　favourite　green　fan；　which　softened
the　light　on　the　spots　of　bloom。

'My　dear　soul；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　tapping　the　back　of　her　friend's　hand
with　this　fan　after　a　little　indifferent　conversation；　'you　are　my　only
fort。　That　affair　of　Henry's　that　I　told　you　of；　is　to　take　place。
Now；　how　does　it　strike　you？　I　am　dying　to　know；　because　you　represent
and　express　Society　so　well。'

Mrs　Merdle　reviewed　the　bosom　which　Society　was　accustomed　to　review；
and　having　ascertained　that　show…window　of　Mr　Merdle's　and　the　London
jewellers'　to　be　in　good　order；　replied：

'As　to　marriage　on　the　part　of　a　man；　my　dear；　Society　requires　that
he　should　retrieve　his　fortunes　by　marriage。　Society　requires　that
he　should　gain　by　marriage。　Society　requires　that　he　should　found　a
handsome　establishment　by　marriage。　Society　does　not　see；　otherwise；
what　he　has　to　do　with　marriage。　Bird；　be　quiet！'

For　the　parrot　on　his　cage　above　them；　presiding　over　the　conference　as
if　he　were　a　judge　（and　indeed　he　looked　rather　like　one）；　had　wound　up
the　exposition　with　a　shriek。

'Cases　there　are；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　delicately　crooking　the　little
finger　of　her　favourite　hand；　and　making　her　remarks　neater　by　that　neat
action；　'cases　there　are　where　a　man　is　not　young　or　elegant；　and　is
rich；　and　has　a　handsome　establishment　already。　Those　are　of　a　different
kind。　In　such　cases……'

Mrs　Merdle　shrugged　her　snowy　shoulders　and　put　her　hand　upon　the
jewel…stand；　checking　a　little　cough；　as　though　to　add；　'why；　a　man
looks　out　for　this　sort　of　thing；　my　dear。'　Then　the　parrot　shrieked
again；　and　she　put　up　her　glass　to　look　at　him；　and　said；　'Bird！　Do　be
quiet！'　'But；　young　men；'　resumed　Mrs　Merdle；　'and　by　young　men　you　know
what　I　mean；　my　love……I　mean　people's　sons　who　have　the　world　before
them……they　must　place　themselves　in　a　better　position　towards　Society　by
marriage；　or　Society　really　will　not　have　any　patience　with　their　making
fools　of　themselves。　Dreadfully　worldly　all　this　sounds；'　said　Mrs
Merdle；　leaning　back　in　her　nest　and　putting　up　her　glass　again；　'does
it　not？'

'But　it　is　true；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　with　a　highly　moral　air。

'My　dear；　it　is　not　to　be　disputed　for　a　moment；'　returned　Mrs　Merdle；
'because　Society　has　made　up　its　mind　on　the　subject；　and　there　is
nothing　more　to　be　said。　If　we　were　in　a　more　primitive　state；　if　we
lived　under　roofs　of　leaves；　and　kept　cows　and　sheep　and　creatures
instead　of　banker's　accounts　（which　would　be　delicious；　my　dear；　I　am
pastoral　to　a　degree；　by　nature）；　well　and　good。　But　we　don't　live
under　leaves；　and　keep　cows　and　sheep　and　creatures。　I　perfectly　exhaust
myself　sometimes；　in　pointing　out　the　distinction　to　Edmund　Sparkler。'

Mrs　Gowan；　looking　over　her　green　fan　when　this　young　gentleman's　name
was　mentioned；　replied　as　follows：

'My　love；　you　know　the　wretched　state　of　the　country……those　unfortunate
concessions　of　John　Barnacle's！……and　you　therefore　know　the　reasons　for
my　being　as　poor　as　Thingummy。'

'A　church　mouse？'　Mrs　Merdle　suggested　with　a　smile。

'I　was　thinking　of　the　other　proverbial　church　person……Job；'　said　Mrs
Gowan。　'Either　will　do。　It　would　be　idle　to　disguise；　consequently；　that
there　is　a　wide　difference　between　the　position　of　your　son　and　mine。　I
may　add；　too；　that　Henry　has　talent……'

'Which　Edmund　certainly　has　not；'　said　Mrs　Merdle；　with　the　greatest
suavity。

'……and　that　his　talent；　bined　with　disappointment；'　Mrs　Gowan　went
on；　'has　led　him　into　a　pursuit　which……ah　dear　me！　You　know；　my　dear。
Such　being　Henry's　different　position；　the　question　is　what　is　the　most
inferior　class　of　marriage　to　which　I　can　reconcile　myself。'

Mrs　Merdle　was　so　much　engaged　with　the　contemplation　of　her　arms
（beautiful…formed　arms；　and　the　very　thing　for　bracelets）；　that　she
omitted　to　reply　for　a　while。　Roused　at　length　by　the　silence；　she
folded　the　arms；　and　with　admirable　presence　of　mind　looked　her　friend
full　in　the　face；　and　said　interrogatively；　'Ye…es？　And　then？'

'And　then；　my　dear；'　said　Mrs　Gowan　not　quite　so　sweetly　as　before；　'I
should　be　glad　to　hear　what　you　have　to　say　to　it。'

Here　the　parrot；　who　had　been　standing　on　one　leg　since　he　screamed
last；　burst　into　a　fit　of　laughter；　bobbed　himself　derisively　up　and
down　on　both　legs；　and　finished　by　standing　on　one　leg　again；　and
pausing　for　a　reply；　with　his　head　as　much　awry　as　he　could　possibly
twist　it。

'Sounds　mercenary　to　ask　what　the　gentleman　is　to　get　with　the　lady；'
said　Mrs　Merdle；　'but　Society　is　perhaps　a　little　mercenary；　you　know；
my　dear。'

'From　what　I　can　make　out；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　'I　believe　I　may　say　that
Henry　will　be　relieved　from　debt……'

'Much　in　debt？'　asked　Mrs　Merdle　through　her　eyeglass。

'Why　tolerably；　I　should　think；'　said　Mrs　Gowan。

'Meaning　the　usual　thing；　I　understand；　just　so；'　Mrs　Merdle　observed　in
a　fortable　sort　of　way。

'And　that　the　father　will　make　them　an　allowance　of　three　hundred
a…year；　or　perhaps　altogether　something　more；　which；　in　Italy…'

'Oh！　Going　to　Italy？'　said　Mrs　Merdle。

'For　Henry　to　study。　You　need　be　at　no　loss　to　guess　why；　my　dear。

That　dreadful　Art……'

True。　Mrs　Merdle　hastened　to　spare　the　feelings　of　her　afflicted　friend。
She　understood。　Say　no　more！

'And　that；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　shaking　her　despondent　head；　'that's　all。
That；'　repeated　Mrs　Gowan；　furling　her　green　fan　for　the　moment；　and
tapping　her　chin　with　it　（it　was　on　the　way　to　being　a　double　chin；
might　be　called　a　chin　and　a　half　at　present）；　'that's　all！　On　the　death
of　the　old　people；　I　suppose　there　will　be　more　to　e；　but　how　it　may
be　restricted　or　locked　up；　I　don't　know。　And　as　to　that；　they　may　live
for　ever。　My　dear；　they　are　just　the　kind　of　people　to　do　it。'

Now；　Mrs　Merdle；　who　really　knew　her　friend　Society　pretty　well；　and　who
knew　what　Society's　mothers　were；　and　what　Society's　daughters　were；　and
what　Society's　matrimonial　market　was；　and　how　prices　ruled　in　it；　and
what　scheming　and　counter…scheming　took　place　for　the　high　buyers；　and
what　bargaining　and　huckstering　went　on；　thought　in　the　depths　of
her　capacious　bosom　that　this　was　a　sufficiently　good　catch。　Knowing；
however；　what　was　expected　of　her；　and　perceiving　the　exact　nature　of
the　fiction　to　be　nursed；　she　took　it　delicately　in　her　arms；　and　put
her　required　contribution　of　gloss　upon　it。

'And　that　is　all；　my　dear？'　said　she；　heaving　a　friendly　sigh。　'Well；
well！　The　fault　is　not　yours。　You　have　nothing　to　reproach　yourself
with。　You　must　exercise　the　strength　of　mind　for　which　you　are　renowned；
and　make　the　best　of　it。'　'The　girl's　family　have　made；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；
'of　course；　the　most　strenuous　endeavours　to……as　the　lawyers　say……to
have　and　to　hold　Henry。'

'Of　course　they　have；　my　dear；'