little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第170部分

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subject　with　flourishes；　as　writing…masters　embellish　copy…books　and
ciphering…books：　where　the　titles　of　the　elementary　rules　of
arithmetic　diverge　into　swans；　eagles；　griffins；　and　other　calligraphic
recreations；　and　where　the　capital　letters　go　out　of　their　minds　and
bodies　into　ecstasies　of　pen　and　ink。　Nevertheless；　he　did　render　the
purport　of　his　letter　sufficiently　clear；　to　enable　Mr　Merdle　to　make　a
decent　pretence　of　having　learnt　it　from　that　source。　Mr　Merdle　replied
to　it　accordingly。　Mr　Dorrit　replied　to　Mr　Merdle；　Mr　Merdle　replied　to
Mr　Dorrit；　and　it　was　soon　announced　that　the　corresponding　powers　had
e　to　a　satisfactory　understanding。


Now；　and　not　before；　Miss　Fanny　burst　upon　the　scene；　pletely　arrayed
for　her　new　part。　Now　and　not　before；　she　wholly　absorbed　Mr　Sparkler　in
her　light；　and　shone　for　both；　and　twenty　more。　No　longer　feeling　that
want　of　a　defined　place　and　character　which　had　caused　her　so　much
trouble；　this　fair　ship　began　to　steer　steadily　on　a　shaped　course；　and
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；　returni