little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第168部分

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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　honoured　with　the　choice　of　a　glorious　girl　who　hasn't
an　atom　of……'

'Pray；　Edmund；　pray！'　interrupted　Fanny；　with　a　slight　pat　of　her　pretty
foot　upon　the　floor。

'My　love；　you're　quite　right；'　said　Mr　Sparkler；　'and　I　know　I　have　a
habit　of　it。　What　I　wished　to　declare　was；　that　nothing　can　be　a　greater
happiness　to　myself；　myself…next　to　the　happiness　of　being　united　to
pre…eminently　the　most　glorious　of　girls……than　to　have　the　happiness
of　cultivating　the　affectionate　acquaintance　of　Amy。　I　may　not　myself；'
said　Mr　Sparkler　manfully；　'be　up　to　the　mark　on　some　other　subjects
at　a　short　notice；　and　I　am　aware　that　if　you　were　to　poll　Society　the
general　opinion　would　be　that　I　am　not；　but　on　the　subject　of　Amy　I　am
up　to　the　mark！'

Mr　Sparkler　kissed　her；　in　witness　thereof。

'A　knife　and　fork　and　an　apartment；'　proceeded　Mr　Sparkler；　growing；　in
parison　with　his　oratorical　antecedents；　quite　diffuse；　'will　ever
be　at　Amy's　disposal。　My　Governor；　I　am　sure；　will　always　be　proud　to
entertain　one　whom　I　so　much　esteem。　And　regarding　my　mother；'　said　Mr
Sparkler；　'who　is　a　remarkably　fine　woman；　with……'

'Edmund；　Edmund！'　cried　Miss　Fanny；　as　before。

'With　submission；　my　soul；'　pleaded　Mr　Sparkler。　'I　know　I　have　a　habit
of　it；　and　I　thank　you　very　much；　my　adorable　girl；　for　taking　the
trouble　to　correct　it；　but　my　mother　is　admitted　on　all　sides　to　be　a
remarkably　fine　woman；　and　she　really　hasn't　any。'

'That　may　be；　or　may　not　be；'　returned　Fanny；　'but　pray　don't　mention　it
any　more。'

'I　will　not；　my　love；'　said　Mr　Sparkler。

'Then；　in　fact；　you　have　nothing　more　to　say；　Edmund；　have　you？'
inquired　Fanny。

'So　far　from　it；　my　adorable　girl；'　answered　Mr　Sparkler；　'I　apologise
for　having　said　so　much。'

Mr　Sparkler　perceived；　by　a　kind　of　inspiration；　that　the　question
implied　had　he　not　better　go？　He　therefore　withdrew　the　fraternal
railing；　and　neatly　said　that　he　thought　he　would；　with　submission；　take
his　leave。　He　did　not　go　without　being　congratulated　by