little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第174部分

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she　had　bestowed　on　Mrs　Merdle's　maid　with　an　air　of　gracious
indifference；　in　Mrs　Merdle's　presence；　a　trifling　little　keepsake
（bracelet；　bon；　and　two　dresses；　all　new）　about　four　times　as
valuable　as　the　present　formerly　made　by　Mrs　Merdle　to　her。　She　was　now
established　in　Mrs　Merdle's　own　rooms；　to　which　some　extra　touches　had
been　given　to　render　them　more　worthy　of　her　occupation。　In　her　mind's
eye；　as　she　lounged　there；　surrounded　by　every　luxurious　accessory　that
wealth　could　obtain　or　invention　devise；　she　saw　the　fair　bosom　that
beat　in　unison　with　the　exultation　of　her　thoughts；　peting　with　the
bosom　that　had　been　famous　so　long；　outshining　it；　and　deposing　it。
Happy？　Fanny　must　have　been　happy。　No　more　wishing　one's　self　dead　now。

The　Courier　had　not　approved　of　Mr　Dorrit's　staying　in　the　house　of
a　friend；　and　had　preferred　to　take　him　to　an　hotel　in　Brook　Street；
Grosvenor　Square。　Mr　Merdle　ordered　his　carriage　to　be　ready　early
in　the　morning　that　he　might　wait　upon　Mr　Dorrit　immediately　after
breakfast。　Bright　the　carriage　looked；　sleek　the　horses　looked；　gleaming
the　harness　looked；　luscious　and　lasting　the　liveries　looked。　A　rich；
responsible　turn…out。　An　equipage　for　a　Merdle。　Early　people　looked
after　it　as　it　rattled　along　the　streets；　and　said；　with　awe　in　their
breath；　'There　he　goes！'

There　he　went；　until　Brook　Street　stopped　him。　Then；　forth　from　its
magnificent　case　came　the　jewel；　not　lustrous　in　itself；　but　quite　the
contrary。

motion　in　the　office　of　the　hotel。　Merdle！　The　landlord；　though
a　gentleman　of　a　haughty　spirit　who　had　just　driven　a　pair　of
thorough…bred　horses　into　town；　turned　out　to　show　him　up…stairs。
The　clerks　and　servants　cut　him　off　by　back…passages；　and　were　found
accidentally　hovering　in　doorways　and　angles；　that　they　might　look　upon
him。　Merdle！　O　ye　sun；　moon；　and　stars；　the　great　man！　The　rich　man；　who
had　in　a　manner　revised　the　New　Testament；　and　already　entered　into　the
kingdom　of　Heaven。　The　man　who　could　have　any　one　he　chose　to　dine　with
him；　and　who　had　made　the　money！

As　he　went　up　the　stairs；　people　were　already　posted　on　the　lower
stairs；　that　his　shadow　might　fall　upon　them　when　he　came　down。　So　were
the　sick　brought　out　and　laid　in　the　track　of　the　Apostle……who　had　NOT
got　into　the　good　society；　and　had　NOT　made　the　money。

Mr　Dorrit；　dressing…gowned　and　newspapered；　was　at　his　breakfast。　The
Courier；　with　agitation　in　his　voice；　announced　'Miss　Mairdale！'　Mr
Dorrit's　overwrought　heart　bounded　as　he　leaped　up。

'Mr　Merdle；　this　is……ha……indeed　an　honour。　Permit　me　to　express
the……hum……sense；　the　high　sense；　I　entertain　of　this……ha　hum……highly
gratifying　act　of　attention。　I　am　well　aware；　sir；　of　the　many　demands
upon　your　time；　and　its……ha……enormous　value；'　Mr　Dorrit　could　not
say　enormous　roundly　enough　for　his　own　satisfaction。　'That　you
should……ha……at　this　early　hour；　bestow　any　of　your　priceless　time　upon
me；　is……ha……a　pliment　that　I　acknowledge　with　the　greatest　esteem。'
Mr　Dorrit　positively　trembled　in　addressing　the　great　man。

Mr　Merdle　uttered；　in　his　subdued；　inward；　hesitating　voice；　a　few
sounds　that　were　to　no　purpose　whatever；　and　finally　said；　'I　am　glad　to
see　you；　sir。'

'You　are　very　kind；'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'Truly　kind。'　By　this　time　the
visitor　was　seated；　and　was　passing　his　great　hand　over　his　exhausted
forehead。　'You　are　well；　I　hope；　Mr　Merdle？'

'I　am　as　well　as　I……yes；　I　am　as　well　as　I　usually　am；'　said　Mr　Merdle。

'Your　occupations　must　be　immense。'

'Tolerably　so。　But……Oh　dear　no；　there's　not　much　the　matter　with　me；'
said　Mr　Merdle；　looking　round　the　room。

'A　little　dyspeptic？'　Mr　Dorrit　hinted。

'Very　likely。　But　I……Oh；　I　am　well　enough；'　said　Mr　Merdle。

There　were　black　traces　on　his　lips　where　they　met；　as　if　a　little　train
of　gunpowder　had　been　fired　there；　and　he　looked　like　a　man　who；　if　his
natural　temperament　had　been　quicker；　would　have　been　very　feverish　that
morning。　This；　and　his　heavy　way　of　passing　his　hand　over　his　forehead；
had　prompted　Mr　Dorrit's　solicitous　inquiries。

'Mrs　Merdle；'　Mr　Dorrit　insinuatingly　pursued；　'I　left；　as　you　will　be
prepared　to　hear；　the……ha……observed　of　all　observers；　the……hum……admired
of　all　admirers；　the　leading　fascination　and　charm　of　Society　in　Rome。
She　was　looking　wonderfully　well　when　I　quitted　it。'

'Mrs　Merdle；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'is　generally　considered　a　very　attractive
woman。　And　she　is；　no　doubt。　I　am　sensible　of　her　being　SO。'

'Who　can　be　otherwise？'　responded　Mr　Dorrit。

Mr　Merdle　turned　his　tongue　in　his　closed　mouth……it　seemed　rather　a
stiff　and　unmanageable　tongue……moistened　his　lips；　passed　his　hand　over
his　forehead　again；　and　looked　all　round　the　room　again；　principally
under　the　chairs。

'But；'　he　said；　looking　Mr　Dorrit　in　the　face　for　the　first　time；　and
immediately　afterwards　dropping　his　eyes　to　the　buttons　of　Mr　Dorrit's
waistcoat；　'if　we　speak　of　attractions；　your　daughter　ought　to　be　the
subject　of　our　conversation。　She　is　extremely　beautiful。　Both　in　face
and　figure；　she　is　quite　unmon。　When　the　young　people　arrived　last
night；　I　was　really　surprised　to　see　such　charms。'

Mr　Dorrit's　gratification　was　such　that　he　said……ha……he　could　not
refrain　from　telling　Mr　Merdle　verbally；　as　he　had　already　done　by
letter；　what　honour　and　happiness　he　felt　in　this　union　of　their
families。　And　he　offered　his　hand。　Mr　Merdle　looked　at　the　hand　for　a
little　while；　took　it　on　his　for　a　moment　as　if　his　were　a　yellow　salver
or　fish…slice；　and　then　returned　it　to　Mr　Dorrit。

'I　thought　I　would　drive　round　the　first　thing；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'to
offer　my　services；　in　case　I　can　do　anything　for　you；　and　to　say　that
I　hope　you　will　at　least　do　me　the　honour　of　dining　with　me　to…day；　and
every　day　when　you　are　not　better　engaged　during　your　stay　in　town。'

Mr　Dorrit　was　enraptured　by　these　attentions。

'Do　you　stay　long；　sir？'

'I　have　not　at　present　the　intention；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；
'of……ha……exceeding　a　fortnight。'

'That's　a　very　short　stay；　after　so　long　a　journey；'　returned　Mr　Merdle。

'Hum。　Yes；'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'But　the　truth　is……ha……my　dear　Mr　Merdle；
that　I　find　a　foreign　life　so　well　suited　to　my　health　and　taste；　that
I……hum……have　but　two　objects　in　my　present　visit　to　London。　First；
the……ha……the　distinguished　happiness　and……ha……privilege　which　I　now
enjoy　and　appreciate；　secondly；　the　arrangement……hum……the　laying　out；
that　is　to　say；　in　the　best　way；　of……ha；　hum……my　money。'

'Well；　sir；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　after　turning　his　tongue　again；　'if　I　can
be　of　any　use　to　you　in　that　respect；　you　may　mand　me。'

Mr　Dorrit's　speech　had　had　more　hesitation　in　it　than　usual；　as　he
approached　the　ticklish　topic；　for　he　was　not　perfectly　clear　how　so
exalted　a　potentate　might　take　it。　He　had　doubts　whether　reference　to
any　individual　capital；　or　fortune；　might　not　seem　a　wretchedly　retail
affair　to　so　wholesale　a　dealer。　Greatly　relieved　by　Mr　Merdle's
affable　offer　of　assistance；　he　caught　at　it　directly；　and　heaped
acknowledgments　upon　him。

'I　scarcely……ha……dared；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'I　assure　you；　to　hope　for
so……hum……vast　an　advantage　as　your　direct　advice　and　assistance。　Though
of　course　I　should；　under　any　circumstances；　like　the……ha；　hum……rest　of
the　civilised　world；　have　followed　in　Mr　Merdle's　train。'

'You　know　we　may　almost　say　we　are　related；　sir；'　said　Mr　Merdle；
curiously　interested　in　the　pattern　of　the　carpet；　'and；　therefore；　you
may　consider　me　at　your　service。'

'Ha。　Very　handsome；　indeed！'　cried　Mr　Dorrit。　'Ha。　Most　handsome！'

'It　would　not；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'be　at　the　present　moment　easy　for
what　I　may　call　a　mere　outsider　to　e　into　any　of　the　good　things……of
course　I　speak　of　my　own　good　things……'

'Of　course；　of　course！'　cried　Mr　Dorrit；　in　a　tone　implying　that　there
were　no　other　good　things。

'……Unless　at　a　high　price。　At　what　we　are　accustomed　to　term　a　very　long
figure。'

Mr　Dorrit　laughed　in　the　buoyancy　of　his　spirit。　Ha；　ha；　ha！　Long
figure。　Good。　Ha。　Very　expressive　to　be　sure！

'However；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'I　do　generally　retain　in　my　own　hands　the
power　of　exercising　some　preference……people　in　general　would　be