首页 >出版文学> LITTLE DORRIT>第92章

第92章

  ’Oh!angry!’returnedthatyoungladywithaflounce。’Ihavenopatience’whichindeedwasthetruth。
  ’Pray,Fanny,’saidMrDorrit,raisinghiseyebrows,’whatdoyoumean?Explainyourself。’
  ’Oh!Nevermind,Pa,’repliedMissFanny,’it’snogreatmatter。
  Amywillunderstandme。Sheknew,orknewof,thisMrsGowanbeforeyesterday,andshemayaswelladmitthatshedid。’
  ’Mychild,’saidMrDorrit,turningtohisyoungerdaughter,’hasyoursister——any——ha——authorityforthiscuriousstatement?’
  ’Howevermeekweare,’MissFannystruckinbeforeshecouldanswer,’wedon’tgocreepingintopeople’sroomsonthetopsofcoldmountains,andsittingperishinginthefrostwithpeople,unlessweknowsomethingaboutthembeforehand。It’snotveryhardtodivinewhosefriendMrsGowanis。’
  ’Whosefriend?’inquiredherfather。
  ’Pa,Iamsorrytosay,’returnedMissFanny,whohadbythistimesucceededingoadingherselfintoastateofmuchill-usageandgrievance,whichshewasoftenatgreatpainstodo:’thatI
  believehertobeafriendofthatveryobjectionableandunpleasantperson,who,withatotalabsenceofalldelicacy,whichourexperiencemighthaveledustoexpectfromhim,insultedusandoutragedourfeelingsinsopublicandwilfulamanneronanoccasiontowhichitisunderstoodamongusthatwewillnotmorepointedlyallude。’
  ’Amy,mychild,’saidMrDorrit,temperingablandseveritywithadignifiedaffection,’isthisthecase?’
  LittleDorritmildlyanswered,yesitwas。
  ’Yesitis!’criedMissFanny。’Ofcourse!Isaidso!Andnow,Pa,Idodeclareonceforall’——thisyoungladywasinthehabitofdeclaringthesamethingonceforalleverydayofherlife,andevenseveraltimesinaday——’thatthisisshameful!Idodeclareonceforallthatitoughttobeputastopto。Isitnotenoughthatwehavegonethroughwhatisonlyknowntoourselves,butarewetohaveitthrowninourfaces,perseveringlyandsystematically,bytheverypersonwhoshouldspareourfeelingsmost?Arewetobeexposedtothisunnaturalconducteverymomentofourlives?Arewenevertobepermittedtoforget?Isayagain,itisabsolutelyinfamous!’
  ’Well,Amy,’observedherbrother,shakinghishead,’youknowI
  standbyyouwheneverIcan,andonmostoccasions。ButImustsay,that,uponmysoul,Idoconsideritratheranunaccountablemodeofshowingyoursisterlyaffection,thatyoushouldbackupamanwhotreatedmeinthemostungentlemanlywayinwhichonemancantreatanother。Andwho,’headdedconvincingly,mustbealow-
  mindedthief,youknow,orhenevercouldhaveconductedhimselfashedid。’
  ’Andsee,’saidMissFanny,’seewhatisinvolvedinthis!Canweeverhopetoberespectedbyourservants?Never。Hereareourtwowomen,andPa’svalet,andafootman,andacourier,andallsortsofdependents,andyetinthemidstofthese,wearetohaveoneofourselvesrushingaboutwithtumblersofcoldwater,likeamenial!Why,apoliceman,’saidMissFanny,’ifabeggarhadafitinthestreet,couldbutgoplungingaboutwithtumblers,asthisveryAmydidinthisveryroombeforeourveryeyeslastnight!’
  ’Idon’tsomuchmindthat,onceinaway,’remarkedMrEdward;
  ’butyourClennam,ashethinkspropertocallhimself,isanotherthing。’
  ’Heispartofthesamething,’returnedMissFanny,’andofapiecewithalltherest。Heobtrudedhimselfuponusinthefirstinstance。Weneverwantedhim。Ialwaysshowedhim,forone,thatIcouldhavedispensedwithhiscompanywiththegreatestpleasure。
  Hethencommitsthatgrossoutrageuponourfeelings,whichhenevercouldorwouldhavecommittedbutforthedelighthetookinexposingus;andthenwearetobedemeanedfortheserviceofhisfriends!Why,Idon’twonderatthisMrGowan’sconducttowardsyou。Whatelsewastobeexpectedwhenhewasenjoyingourpastmisfortunes——gloatingoverthematthemoment!’
  ’Father——Edward——noindeed!’pleadedLittleDorrit。’NeitherMrnorMrsGowanhadeverheardourname。Theywere,andtheyare,quiteignorantofourhistory。’
  ’Somuchtheworse,’retortedFanny,determinednottoadmitanythinginextenuation,’forthenyouhavenoexcuse。Iftheyhadknownaboutus,youmighthavefeltyourselfcalledupontoconciliatethem。Thatwouldhavebeenaweakandridiculousmistake,butIcanrespectamistake,whereasIcan’trespectawilfulanddeliberateabasingofthosewhoshouldbenearestanddearesttous。No。Ican’trespectthat。Icandonothingbutdenouncethat。’
  ’Ineveroffendyouwilfully,Fanny,’saidLittleDorrit,’thoughyouaresohardwithme。’
  ’Thenyoushouldbemorecareful,Amy,’returnedhersister。’Ifyoudosuchthingsbyaccident,youshouldbemorecareful。IfI
  happenedtohavebeenborninapeculiarplace,andunderpeculiarcircumstancesthatbluntedmyknowledgeofpropriety,IfancyI
  shouldthinkmyselfboundtoconsiderateverystep,“AmIgoing,ignorantly,tocompromiseanynearanddearrelations?“ThatiswhatIfancyIshoulddo,ifitwasmycase。’
  MrDorritnowinterposed,atoncetostopthesepainfulsubjectsbyhisauthority,andtopointtheirmoralbyhiswisdom。
  ’Mydear,’saidhetohisyoungerdaughter,’Ibegyouto——ha——tosaynomore。YoursisterFannyexpressesherselfstrongly,butnotwithoutconsiderablereason。Youhavenowa——hum——agreatpositiontosupport。Thatgreatpositionisnotoccupiedbyyourselfalone,butby——ha——byme,and——hahum——byus。Us。Now,itisincumbentuponallpeopleinanexaltedposition,butitisparticularlysoonthisfamily,forreasonswhichI——ha——willnotdwellupon,tomakethemselvesrespected。Tobevigilantinmakingthemselvesrespected。Dependants,torespectus,mustbe——ha——keptatadistanceand——hum——keptdown。Down。Therefore,yournotexposingyourselftotheremarksofourattendantsbyappearingtohaveatanytimedispensedwiththeirservicesandperformedthemforyourself,is——ha——highlyimportant。’
  ’Why,whocandoubtit?’criedMissFanny。’It’stheessenceofeverything。’
  ’Fanny,’returnedherfather,grandiloquently,’givemeleave,mydear。Wethencometo——ha——toMrClennam。IamfreetosaythatIdonot,Amy,shareyoursister’ssentiments——thatistosayaltogether——hum——altogether——inreferencetoMrClennam。Iamcontenttoregardthatindividualinthelightof——ha——generally——
  awell-behavedperson。Hum。Awell-behavedperson。NorwillI
  inquirewhetherMrClennamdid,atanytime,obtrudehimselfon——
  ha——mysociety。Heknewmysocietytobe——hum——sought,andhispleamightbethatheregardedmeinthelightofapubliccharacter。Buttherewerecircumstancesattendingmy——ha——slightknowledgeofMrClennamitwasveryslight,which,’hereMrDorritbecameextremelygraveandimpressive,’wouldrenderithighlyindelicateinMrClennamto——ha——toseektorenewcommunicationwithmeorwithanymemberofmyfamilyunderexistingcircumstances。IfMrClennamhassufficientdelicacytoperceivetheimproprietyofanysuchattempt,Iamboundasaresponsiblegentlemanto——ha——defertothatdelicacyonhispart。
  If,ontheotherhand,MrClennamhasnotthatdelicacy,Icannotforamoment——ha——holdanycorrespondencewithso——hum——coarseamind。Ineithercase,itwouldappearthatMrClennamisputaltogetheroutofthequestion,andthatwehavenothingtodowithhimorhewithus。Ha——MrsGeneral!’
  Theentranceoftheladywhomheannounced,totakeherplaceatthebreakfast-table,terminatedthediscussion。Shortlyafterwards,thecourierannouncedthatthevalet,andthefootman,andthetwomaids,andthefourguides,andthefourteenmules,wereinreadiness;sothebreakfastpartywentouttotheconventdoortojointhecavalcade。
  MrGowanstoodaloofwithhiscigarandpencil,butMrBlandoiswasonthespottopayhisrespectstotheladies。WhenhegallantlypulledoffhisslouchedhattoLittleDorrit,shethoughthehadevenamoresinisterlook,standingswartandcloakedinthesnow,thanhehadinthefire-lightover-night。But,asbothherfatherandhersisterreceivedhishomagewithsomefavour,sherefrainedfromexpressinganydistrustofhim,lestitshouldprovetobeanewblemishderivedfromherprisonbirth。
  Nevertheless,astheywounddowntheruggedwaywhiletheconventwasyetinsight,shemorethanoncelookedround,anddescriedMrBlandois,backedbytheconventsmokewhichrosestraightandhighfromthechimneysinagoldenfilm,alwaysstandingononejuttingpointlookingdownafterthem。Longafterhewasamereblackstickinthesnow,shefeltasthoughshecouldyetseethatsmileofhis,thathighnose,andthoseeyesthatweretoonearit。Andevenafterthat,whentheconventwasgoneandsomelightmorningcloudsveiledthepassbelowit,theghastlyskeletonarmsbythewaysideseemedtobeallpointingupathim。
  Moretreacherousthansnow,perhaps,colderatheart,andhardertomelt,BlandoisofParisbydegreespassedoutofhermind,astheycamedownintothesofterregions。Againthesunwaswarm,againthestreamsdescendingfromglaciersandsnowycavernswererefreshingtodrinkat,againtheycameamongthepine-trees,therockyrivulets,theverdantheightsanddales,thewoodenchaletsandroughzigzagfencesofSwisscountry。Sometimesthewaysowidenedthatsheandherfathercouldrideabreast。Andthentolookathim,handsomelyclothedinhisfurandbroadcloths,rich,free,numerouslyservedandattended,hiseyesrovingfarawayamongthegloriesofthelandscape,nomiserablescreenbeforethemtodarkenhissightandcastitsshadowonhim,wasenough。
  Herunclewassofarrescuedfromthatshadowofold,thatheworetheclothestheygavehim,andperformedsomeablutionsasasacrificetothefamilycredit,andwentwherehewastaken,withacertainpatientanimalenjoyment,whichseemedtoexpressthattheairandchangedidhimgood。Inallotherrespects,saveone,heshonewithnolightbutsuchaswasreflectedfromhisbrother。
  Hisbrother’sgreatness,wealth,freedom,andgrandeur,pleasedhimwithoutanyreferencetohimself。Silentandretiring,hehadnouseforspeechwhenhecouldhearhisbrotherspeak;nodesiretobewaitedon,sothattheservantsdevotedthemselvestohisbrother。Theonlynoticeablechangeheoriginatedinhimself,wasanalterationinhismannertohisyoungerniece。Everydayitrefinedmoreandmoreintoamarkedrespect,veryrarelyshownbyagetoyouth,andstillmorerarelysusceptible,onewouldhavesaid,ofthefitnesswithwhichheinvestedit。OnthoseoccasionswhenMissFannydiddeclareonceforall,hewouldtakethenextopportunityofbaringhisgreyheadbeforehisyoungerniece,andofhelpinghertoalight,orhandinghertothecarriage,orshowingheranyotherattention,withtheprofoundestdeference。
  Yetitneverappearedmisplacedorforced,beingalwaysheartilysimple,spontaneous,andgenuine。Neitherwouldheeverconsent,evenathisbrother’srequest,tobehelpedtoanyplacebeforeher,ortotakeprecedenceofherinanything。Sojealouswasheofherbeingrespected,that,onthisveryjourneydownfromtheGreatSaintBernard,hetooksuddenandviolentumbrageatthefootman’sbeingremisstoholdherstirrup,thoughstandingnearwhenshedismounted;andunspeakablyastonishedthewholeretinuebychargingathimonahard-headedmule,ridinghimintoacorner,andthreateningtotramplehimtodeath。
  Theywereagoodlycompany,andtheInnkeepersallbutworshippedthem。Wherevertheywent,theirimportanceprecededtheminthepersonofthecourierridingbefore,toseethattheroomsofstatewereready。Hewastheheraldofthefamilyprocession。Thegreattravelling-carriagecamenext:containing,inside,MrDorrit,MissDorrit,MissAmyDorrit,andMrsGeneral;outside,someoftheretainers,andinfineweatherEdwardDorrit,Esquire,forwhomtheboxwasreserved。ThencamethechariotcontainingFrederickDorrit,Esquire,andanemptyplaceoccupiedbyEdwardDorrit,Esquire,inwetweather。Thencamethefourgonwiththerestoftheretainers,theheavybaggage,andasmuchasitcouldcarryofthemudanddustwhichtheothervehiclesleftbehind。
  TheseequipagesadornedtheyardofthehotelatMartigny,onthereturnofthefamilyfromtheirmountainexcursion。Othervehicleswerethere,muchcompanybeingontheroad,fromthepatchedItalianVettura——likethebodyofaswingfromanEnglishfairputuponawoodentrayonwheels,andhavinganotherwoodentraywithoutwheelsputatopofit——tothetrimEnglishcarriage。ButtherewasanotheradornmentofthehotelwhichMrDorrithadnotbargainedfor。Twostrangetravellersembellishedoneofhisrooms。