little dorrit-信丽(英文版)- 第226部分

'It　is　a　highly　encouraging　circumstance　in　Edward's　illness；　I　am
thankful　to　think；　and　gives　one　the　greatest　confidence　in　his　sense
not　being　impaired；　or　his　proper　spirit　weakened……down　to　the　time
of　poor　dear　papa's　death　at　all　events……that　he　paid　off　Mrs　General
instantly；　and　sent　her　out　of　the　house。　I　applaud　him　for　it。　I　could
forgive　him　a　great　deal　for　doing；　with　such　promptitude；　so　exactly
what　I　would　have　done　myself！'

Mrs　Sparkler　was　in　the　full　glow　of　her　gratification；　when　a　double
knock　was　heard　at　the　door。　A　very　odd　knock。　Low；　as　if　to　avoid
making　a　noise　and　attracting　attention。　Long；　as　if　the　person　knocking
were　preoccupied　in　mind；　and　forgot　to　leave　off。

'Halloa！'　said　Mr　Sparkler。　'Who's　this？'

'Not　Amy　and　Edward　without　notice　and　without　a　carriage！'　said　Mrs
Sparkler。　'Look　out。'

The　room　was　dark；　but　the　street　was　lighter；　because　of　its　lamps。　Mr
Sparkler's　head　peeping　over　the　balcony　looked　so　very　bulky　and　heavy
that　it　seemed　on　the　point　of　overbalancing　him　and　flattening　the
unknown　below。

'It's　one　fellow；'　said　Mr　Sparkler。　'I　can't　see　who……stop　though！'　On
this　second　thought　he　went　out　into　the　balcony　again　and　had　another
look。　He　came　back　as　the　door　was　opened；　and　announced　that　he
believed　he　had　identified　'his　governor's　tile。'　He　was　not　mistaken；
for　his　governor；　with　his　tile　in　his　hand；　was　introduced　immediately
afterwards。

'Candles！'　said　Mrs　Sparkler；　with　a　word　of　excuse　for　the　darkness。

'It's　light　enough　for　me；'　said　Mr　Merdle。

When　the　candles　were　brought　in；　Mr　Merdle　was　discovered　standing
behind　the　door；　picking　his　lips。　'I　thought　I'd　give　you　a　call；'　he
said。　'I　am　rather　particularly　occupied　just　now；　and；　as　I　happened　to
be　out　for　a　stroll；　I　thought　I'd　give　you　a　call。'

As　he　was　in　dinner　dress；　Fanny　asked　him　where　he　had　been　dining？

'Well；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'I　haven't　been　dining　anywhere；　particularly。'

'Of　course　you　have　dined？'　said　Fanny。

'Why……no；　I　haven't　exactly　dined；'　said　Mr　Merdle。

He　had　passed　his　hand　over　his　yellow　forehead　and　considered；　as　if　he
were　not　sure　about　it。　Something　to　eat　was　proposed。　'No；　thank　you；'
said　Mr　Merdle；　'I　don't　feel　inclined　for　it。　I　was　to　have　dined　out
along　with　Mrs　Merdle。　But　as　I　didn't　feel　inclined　for　dinner；　I　let
Mrs　Merdle　go　by　herself　just　as　we　were　getting　into　the　carriage；　and
thought　I'd　take　a　stroll　instead。'

Would　he　have　tea　or　coffee？　'No；　thank　you；'　said　Mr　Merdle。　'I　looked
in　at　the　Club；　and　got　a　bottle　of　wine。'

At　this　period　of　his　visit；　Mr　Merdle　took　the　chair　which　Edmund
Sparkler　had　offered　him；　and　which　he　had　hitherto　been　pushing　slowly
about　before　him；　like　a　dull　man　with　a　pair　of　skates　on　for　the　first
time；　who　could　not　make　up　his　mind　to　start。　He　now　put　his　hat　upon
another　chair　beside　him；　and；　looking　down　into　it　as　if　it　were　some
twenty　feet　deep；　said　again：　'You　see　I　thought　I'd　give　you　a　call。'

'Flattering　to　us；'　said　Fanny；　'for　you　are　not　a　calling　man。'

'No……no；'　returned　Mr　Merdle；　who　was　by　this　time　taking　himself　into
custody　under　both　coat…sleeves。　'No；　I　am　not　a　calling　man。'

'You　have　too　much　to　do　for　that；'　said　Fanny。　'Having　so　much　to　do；
Mr　Merdle；　loss　of　appetite　is　a　serious　thing　with　you；　and　you　must
have　it　seen　to。　You　must　not　be　ill。'　'Oh！　I　am　very　well；'　replied　Mr
Merdle；　after　deliberating　about　it。　'I　am　as　well　as　I　usually　am。　I　am
well　enough。　I　am　as　well　as　I　want　to　be。'

The　master…mind　of　the　age；　true　to　its　characteristic　of　being　at　all
times　a　mind　that　had　as　little　as　possible　to　say　for　itself　and　great
difficulty　in　saying　it；　became　mute　again。　Mrs　Sparkler　began　to　wonder
how　long　the　master…mind　meant　to　stay。

'I　was　speaking　of　poor　papa　when　you　came　in；　sir。'

'Aye！　Quite　a　coincidence；'　said　Mr　Merdle。

Fanny　did　not　see　that；　but　felt　it　incumbent　on　her　to　continue
talking。　'I　was　saying；'　she　pursued；　'that　my　brother's　illness　has
occasioned　a　delay　in　examining　and　arranging　papa's　property。'

'Yes；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'yes。　There　has　been　a　delay。'

'Not　that　it　is　of　consequence；'　said　Fanny。

'Not；'　assented　Mr　Merdle；　after　having　examined　the　cornice　of　all
that　part　of　the　room　which　was　within　his　range：　'not　that　it　is　of　any
consequence。'

'My　only　anxiety　is；'　said　Fanny；　'that　Mrs　General　should　not　get
anything。'

'She　won't　get　anything；'　said　Mr　Merdle。

Fanny　was　delighted　to　hear　him　express　the　opinion。　Mr　Merdle；　after
taking　another　gaze　into　the　depths　of　his　hat　as　if　he　thought　he　saw
something　at　the　bottom；　rubbed　his　hair　and　slowly　appended　to　his　last
remark　the　confirmatory　words；　'Oh　dear　no。　No。　Not　she。　Not　likely。'

As　the　topic　seemed　exhausted；　and　Mr　Merdle　too；　Fanny　inquired　if　he
were　going　to　take　up　Mrs　Merdle　and　the　carriage　in　his　way　home？

'No；'　he　answered；　'I　shall　go　by　the　shortest　way；　and　leave　Mrs　Merdle
to……'　here　he　looked　all　over　the　palms　of　both　his　hands　as　if　he　were
telling　his　own　fortune……'to　take　care　of　herself。　I　dare　say　she'll
manage　to　do　it。'

'Probably；'　said　Fanny。

There　was　then　a　long　silence；　during　which；　Mrs　Sparkler；　lying　back
on　her　sofa　again；　shut　her　eyes　and　raised　her　eyebrows　in　her　former
retirement　from　mundane　affairs。

'But；　however；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'I　am　equally　detaining　you　and　myself。
I　thought　I'd　give　you　a　call；　you　know。'

'Charmed；　I　am　sure；'　said　Fanny。

'So　I　am　off；'　added　Mr　Merdle；　getting　up。　'Could　you　lend　me　a
penknife？'

It　was　an　odd　thing；　Fanny　smilingly　observed；　for　her　who　could　seldom
prevail　upon　herself　even　to　write　a　letter；　to　lend　to　a　man　of　such
vast　business　as　Mr　Merdle。　'Isn't　it？'　Mr　Merdle　acquiesced；　'but
I　want　one；　and　I　know　you　have　got　several　little　wedding　keepsakes
about；　with　scissors　and　tweezers　and　such　things　in　them。　You　shall
have　it　back　to…morrow。'

'Edmund；'　said　Mrs　Sparkler；　'open　（now；　very　carefully；　I　beg　and
beseech；　for　you　are　so　very　awkward）　the　mother　of　pearl　box　on　my
little　table　there；　and　give　Mr　Merdle　the　mother　of　pearl　penknife。'

'Thank　you；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'but　if　you　have　got　one　with　a　darker
handle；　I　think　I　should　prefer　one　with　a　darker　handle。'

'Tortoise…shell？'

'Thank　you；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'yes。　I　think　I　should　prefer
tortoise…shell。'

Edmund　accordingly　received　instructions　to　open　the　tortoise…shell　box；
and　give　Mr　Merdle　the　tortoise…shell　knife。　On　his　doing　so；　his　wife
said　to　the　master…spirit　graciously：

'I　will　forgive　you；　if　you　ink　it。'

'I'll　undertake　not　to　ink　it；'　said　Mr　Merdle。

The　illustrious　visitor　then　put　out　his　coat…cuff；　and　for　a　moment
entombed　Mrs　Sparkler's　hand：　wrist；　bracelet；　and　all。　Where　his　own
hand　had　shrunk　to；　was　not　made　manifest；　but　it　was　as　remote　from　Mrs
Sparkler's　sense　of　touch　as　if　he　had　been　a　highly　meritorious　Chelsea
Veteran　or　Greenwich　Pensioner。

Thoroughly　convinced；　as　he　went　out　of　the　room；　that　it　was　the
longest　day　that　ever　did　e　to　an　end　at　last；　and　that　there　never
was　a　woman；　not　wholly　devoid　o