little dorrit-信丽(英文版)- 第156部分

'Well；　Amy；'　said　Fanny；　'I　am　sure　I　am　glad　to　find　you　at　last
expressing　a　wish　to　bee　better　acquainted　with　anybody　in　Venice。
Though　whether　Mr　and　Mrs　Goains　to
be　determined。'

'Mrs　Gowan　I　spoke　of；　dear。'

'No　doubt；'　said　Fanny。　'But　you　can't　separate　her　from　her　husband；　I
believe；　without　an　Act　of　Parliament。'

'Do　you　think；　Papa；'　inquired　Little　Dorrit；　with　diffidence　and
hesitation；　'there　is　any　objection　to　my　making　this　visit？'

'Really；'　he　replied；　'I……ha……what　is　Mrs　General's　view？'

Mrs　General's　view　was；　that　not　having　the　honour　of　any　acquaintance
with　the　lady　and　gentleman　referred　to；　she　was　not　in　a　position
to　varnish　the　present　article。　She　could　only　remark；　as　a　general
principle　observed　in　the　varnishing　trade；　that　much　depended　on　the
quarter　from　which　the　lady　under　consideration　was　accredited　to　a
family　so　conspicuously　niched　in　the　social　temple　as　the　family　of
Dorrit。

At　this　remark　the　face　of　Mr　Dorrit　gloomed　considerably。　He　was　about
（connecting　the　accrediting　with　an　obtrusive　person　of　the　name
of　Clennam；　whom　he　imperfectly　remembered　in　some　former　state　of
existence）　to　black…ball　the　name　of　Gowan　finally；　when　Edward　Dorrit；
Esquire；　came　into　the　conversation；　with　his　glass　in　his　eye；　and　the
preliminary　remark　of　'I　say……you　there！　Go　out；　will　you！'……which　was
addressed　to　a　couple　of　men　who　were　handing　the　dishes　round；　as　a
courteous　intimation　that　their　services　could　be　temporarily　dispensed
with。

Those　menials　having　obeyed　the　mandate；　Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire；
proceeded。

'Perhaps　it's　a　matter　of　policy　to　let　you　all　know　that　these
Gowans……in　whose　favour；　or　at　least　the　gentleman's；　I　can't　be
supposed　to　be　much　prepossessed　myself……are　known　to　people　of
importance；　if　that　makes　any　difference。'

'That；　I　would　say；'　observed　the　fair　varnisher；　'Makes　the　greatest
difference。　The　connection　in　question；　being　really　people　of
importance　and　consideration……'

'As　to　that；'　said　Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire；　'I'll　give　you　the　means　of
judging　for　yourself。　You　are　acquainted；　perhaps；　with　the　famous　name
of　Merdle？'

'The　great　Merdle！'　exclaimed　Mrs　General。

'THE　Merdle；'　said　Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire。　'They　are　known　to　him。

Mrs　Gowan……I　mean　the　dowager；　my　polite　friend's　mother……is　intimate
with　Mrs　Merdle；　and　I　know　these　two　to　be　on　their　visiting　list。'

'If　so；　a　more　undeniable　guarantee　could　not　be　given；'　said　Mrs
General　to　Mr　Dorrit；　raising　her　gloves　and　bowing　her　head；　as　if　she
were　doing　homage　to　some　visible　graven　image。

'I　beg　to　ask　my　son；　from　motives　of……ah……curiosity；'　Mr　Dorrit
observed；　with　a　decided　change　in　his　manner；　'how　he　bees　possessed
of　this……hum……timely　information？'

'It's　not　a　long　story；　sir；'　returned　Edward　Dorrit；　Esquire；　'and　you
shall　have　it　out　of　hand。　To　begin　with；　Mrs　Merdle　is　the　lady　you　had
the　parley　with　at　what's…his…name　place。'

'Martigny；'　interposed　Miss　Fanny　with　an　air　of　infinite　languor。

'Martigny；'　assented　her　brother；　with　a　slight　nod　and　a　slight　wink；
in　acknowledgment　of　which；　Miss　Fanny　looked　surprised；　and　laughed　and
reddened。

'How　can　that　be；　Edward？'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'You　informed　me　that　the
name　of　the　gentleman　with　whom　you　conferred　was……ha……Sparkler。　Indeed；
you　showed　me　his　card。　Hum。　Sparkler。'

'No　doubt　of　it；　father；　but　it　doesn't　follow　that　his　mother's　name
must　be　the　same。　Mrs　Merdle　was　married　before；　and　he　is　her　son。　She
is　in　Rome　now；　where　probably　we　shall　know　more　of　her；　as　you　decide
to　winter　there。　Sparkler　is　just　e　here。　I　passed　last　evening　in
pany　with　Sparkler。　Sparkler　is　a　very　good　fellow　on　the
whole；　though　rather　a　bore　on　one　subject；　in　consequence　of　being
tremendously　smitten　with　a　certain　young　lady。'　Here　Edward　Dorrit；
Esquire；　eyed　Miss　Fanny　through　his　glass　across　the　table。　'We
happened　last　night　to　pare　notes　about　our　travels；　and　I　had　the
information　I　have　given　you　from　Sparkler　himself。'　Here　he　ceased；
continuing　to　eye　Miss　Fanny　through　his　glass；　with　a　face　much
twisted；　and　not　ornamentally　so；　in　part　by　the　action　of　keeping　his
glass　in　his　eye；　and　in　part　by　the　great　subtlety　of　his　smile。
'Under　these　circumstances；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'I　believe　I　express　the
sentiments　of……ha……Mrs　General；　no　less　than　my　own；　when　I　say
that　there　is　no　objection；　but……ha　hum……quite　the　contrary……to　your
gratifying　your　desire；　Amy。　I　trust　I　may……ha……hail……this　desire；'　said
Mr　Dorrit；　in　an　encouraging　and　forgiving　manner；　'as　an　auspicious
omen。　It　is　quite　right　to　know　these　people。　It　is　a　very　proper
thing。　Mr　Merdle's　is　a　name　of……ha……world…wide　repute。　Mr　Merdle's
undertakings　are　immense。　They　bring　him　in　such　vast　sums　of　money　that
they　are　regarded　as……hum……national　benefits。　Mr　Merdle　is　the　man　of
this　time。　The　name　of　Merdle　is　the　name　of　the　age。　Pray　do　everything
on　my　behalf　that　is　civil　to　Mr　and　Mrs　Gowan；　for　we　will……ha……we　will
certainly　notice　them。'

This　magnificent　accordance　of　Mr　Dorrit's　recognition　settled　the
matter。　It　was　not　observed　that　Uncle　had　pushed　away　his　plate；　and
forgotten　his　breakfast；　but　he　was　not　much　observed　at　any　time；
except　by　Little　Dorrit。　The　servants　were　recalled；　and　the　meal
proceeded　to　its　conclusion。　Mrs　General　rose　and　left　the　table。
Little　Dorrit　rose　and　left　the　table。　When　Edward　and　Fanny　remained
whispering　together　across　it；　and　when　Mr　Dorrit　remained　eating　figs
and　reading　a　French　newspaper；　Uncle　suddenly　fixed　the　attention　of
all　three　by　rising　out　of　his　chair；　striking　his　hand　upon　the　table；
and　saying；　'Brother！　I　protest　against　it！'

If　he　had　made　a　proclamation　in　an　unknown　tongue；　and　given　up　the
ghost　immediately　afterwards；　he　could　not　have　astounded　his　audience
more。　The　paper　fell　from　Mr　Dorrit's　hand；　and　he　sat　petrified；　with　a
fig　half　way　to　his　mouth。

'Brother！'　said　the　old　man；　conveying　a　surprising　energy　into　his
trembling　voice；　'I　protest　against　it！　I　love　you；　you　know　I　love　you
dearly。　In　these　many　years　I　have　never　been　untrue　to　you　in　a　single
thought。　Weak　as　I　am；　I　would　at　any　time　have　struck　any　man　who　spoke
ill　of　you。　But；　brother；　brother；　brother；　I　protest　against　it！'

It　was　extraordinary　to　see　of　what　a　burst　of　earnestness　such　a
decrepit　man　was　capable。　His　eyes　became　bright；　his　grey　hair　rose　on
his　head；　markings　of　purpose　on　his　brow　and　face　which　had　faded　from
them　for　five…and…twenty　years；　started　out　again；　and　there　was　an
energy　in　his　hand　that　made　its　action　nervous　once　more。

'My　dear　Frederick！'　exclaimed　Mr　Dorrit　faintly。　'What　is　wrong？　What
is　the　matter？'

'How　dare　you；'　said　the　old　man；　turning　round　on　Fanny；　'how　dare　you
do　it？　Have　you　no　memory？　Have　you　no　heart？'

'Uncle？'　cried　Fanny；　affrighted　and　bursting　into　tears；　'why　do　you
attack　me　in　this　cruel　manner？　What　have　I　done？'

'Done？'　returned　the　old　man；　pointing　to　her　sister's　place；　'where's
your　affectionate　invaluable　friend？　Where's　your　devoted　guardian？
Where's　your　more　than　mother？　How　d