little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第171部分

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'To　preserve　your　approbation；　Mrs　General；'　said　Fanny；　returning　the
smile　with　one　in　which　there　was　no　trace　of　those　ingredients；　'will
of　course　be　the　highest　object　of　my　married　life；　to　lose　it；　would　of
course　be　perfect　wretchedness。　I　am　sure　your　great　kindness　will
not　object；　and　I　hope　papa　will　not　object；　to　my　correcting　a
small　mistake　you　have　made；　however。　The　best　of　us　are　so　liable　to
mistakes；　that　even　you；　Mrs　General；　have　fallen　into　a　little　error。
The　attention　and　distinction　you　have　so　impressively　mentioned；　Mrs
General；　as　attaching　to　this　confidence；　are；　I　have　no　doubt；　of　the
most　plimentary　and　gratifying　description；　but　they　don't　at　all
proceed　from　me。　The　merit　of　having　consulted　you　on　the　subject　would
have　been　so　great　in　me；　that　I　feel　I　must　not　lay　claim　to　it　when　it
really　is　not　mine。　It　is　wholly　papa's。　I　am　deeply　obliged　to　you　for
your　encouragement　and　patronage；　but　it　was　papa　who　asked　for　it。
I　have　to　thank　you；　Mrs　General；　for　relieving　my　breast　of　a　great
weight　by　so　handsomely　giving　your　consent　to　my　engagement；　but　you
have　really　nothing　to　thank　me　for。　I　hope　you　will　always　approve　of
my　proceedings　after　I　have　left　home　and　that　my　sister　also　may　long
remain　the　favoured　object　of　your　condescension；　Mrs　General。'


With　this　address；　which　was　delivered　in　her　politest　manner；　Fanny
left　the　room　with　an　elegant　and　cheerful　air……to　tear　up…stairs　with
a　flushed　face　as　soon　as　she　was　out　of　hearing；　pounce　in　upon　her
sister；　call　her　a　little　Dormouse；　shake　her　for　the　better　opening　of
her　eyes；　tell　her　what　had　passed　below；　and　ask　her　what　she　thought
of　Pa　now？

Towards　Mrs　Merdle；　the　young　lady　ported　herself　with　great
independence　and　self…possession；　but　not　as　yet　with　any　more　decided
opening　of　hostilities。　Occasionally　they　had　a　slight　skirmish；　as　when
Fanny　considered　herself　patted　on　the　back　by　that　lady；　or　as　when　Mrs
Merdle　looked　particularly　young　and　well；　but　Mrs　Merdle　always　soon
terminated　those　passages　of　arms　by　sinking　among　her　cushions　with　the
gracefullest　indifference；　and　finding　her　attention　otherwise　engaged。
Society　（for　that　mysterious　creature　sat　upon　the　Seven　Hills　too）
found　Miss　Fanny　vastly　improved　by　her　engagement。　She　was　much　more
accessible；　much　more　free　and　engaging；　much　less　exacting；　insomuch
that　she　now　entertained　a　host　of　followers　and　admirers；　to　the　bitter
indignation　of　ladies　with　daughters　to　marry；　who　were　to　be　regarded
as　Having　revolted　from　Society　on　the　Miss　Dorrit　grievance；　and
erected　a　rebellious　standard。　Enjoying　the　flutter　she　caused。　Miss
Dorrit　not　only　haughtily　moved　through　it　in　her　own　proper　person；　but
haughtily；　even　Ostentatiously；　led　Mr　Sparkler　through　it　too：　seeming
to　say　to　them　all；　'If　I　think　proper　to　march　among　you　in　triumphal
procession　attended　by　this　weak　captive　in　bonds；　rather　than　a
stronger　one；　that　is　my　business。　Enough　that　I　choose　to　do　it！'　Mr
Sparkler　for　his　part；　questioned　nothing；　but　went　wherever　he　was
taken；　did　whatever　he　was　told；　felt　that　for　his　bride…elect　to　be
distinguished　was　for　him　to　be　distinguished　on　the　easiest　terms；　and
was　truly　grateful　for　being　so　openly　acknowledged。

The　winter　passing　on　towards　the　spring　while　this　condition　of　affairs
prevailed；　it　became　necessary　for　Mr　Sparkler　to　repair　to　England；　and
take　his　appointed　part　in　the　expression　and　direction　of　its　genius；
learning；　merce；　spirit；　and　sense。　The　land　of　Shakespeare；　Milton；
Bacon；　Newton；　Watt；　the　land　of　a　host　of　past　and　present　abstract
philosophers；　natural　philosophers；　and　subduers　of　Nature　and　Art　in
their　myriad　forms；　called　to　Mr　Sparkler　to　e　and　take　care　of　it；
lest　it　should　perish。　Mr　Sparkler；　unable　to　resist　the　agonised　cry
from　the　depths　of　his　country's　soul；　declared　that　he　must　go。

It　followed　that　the　question　was　rendered　pressing　when；　where；　and
how　Mr　Sparkler　should　be　married　to　the　foremost　girl　in　all　this　world
with　no　nonsense　about　her。　Its　solution；　after　some　little　mystery　and
secrecy；　Miss　Fanny　herself　announced　to　her　sister。

'Now；　my　child；'　said　she；　seeking　her　out　one　day；　'I　am　going　to　tell
you　something。　It　is　only　this　moment　broached；　and　naturally　I　hurry　to
you　the　moment　it　IS　broached。'


'Your　marriage；　Fanny？'

'My　precious　child；'　said　Fanny；　'don't　anticipate　me。　Let　me　impart　my
confidence　to　you；　you　flurried　little　thing；　in　my　own　way。　As　to　your
guess；　if　I　answered　it　literally；　I　should　answer　no。　For　really　it　is
not　my　marriage　that　is　in　question；　half　as　much　as　it　is　Edmund's。'

Little　Dorrit　looked；　and　perhaps　not　altogether　without　cause；　somewhat
at　a　loss　to　understand　this　fine　distinction。

'I　am　in　no　difficulty；'　exclaimed　Fanny；　'and　in　no　hurry。　I　am　not
wanted　at　any　public　office；　or　to　give　any　vote　anywhere　else。

But　Edmund　is。　And　Edmund　is　deeply　dejected　at　the　idea　of　going　away
by　himself；　and；　indeed；　I　don't　like　that　he　should　be　trusted　by
himself。　For；　if　it's　possible……and　it　generally　is……to　do　a　foolish
thing；　he　is　sure　to　do　it。'

As　she　concluded　this　impartial　summary　of　the　reliance　that　might　be
safely　placed　upon　her　future　husband；　she　took　off；　with　an　air　of
business；　the　bon　she　wore；　and　dangled　it　by　its　strings　upon　the
ground。

'It　is　far　more　Edmund's　question；　therefore；　than　mine。　However；　we
need　say　no　more　about　that。　That　is　self…evident　on　the　face　of　it。
Well；　my　dearest　Amy！　The　point　arising；　is　he　to　go　by　himself；　or　is
he　not　to　go　by　himself；　this　other　point　arises；　are　we　to　be　married
here　and　shortly；　or　are　we　to　be　married　at　home　months　hence？'

'I　see　I　am　going　to　lose　you；　Fanny。'

'What　a　little　thing　you　are；'　cried　Fanny；　half　tolerant　and　half
impatient；　'for　anticipating　one！　Pray；　my　darling；　hear　me　out。　That
woman；'　she　spoke　of　Mrs　Merdle；　of　course；　'remains　here　until　after
Easter；　so；　in　the　case　of　my　being　married　here　and　going　to　London
with　Edmund；　I　should　have　the　start　of　her。　That　is　something。　Further；
Amy。　That　woman　being　out　of　the　way；　I　don't　know　that　I　greatly　object
to　Mr　Merdle's　proposal　to　Pa　that　Edmund　and　I　should　take　up　our　abode
in　that　house……you　know……where　you　once　went　with　a　dancer；　my　dear；
until　our　own　house　can　be　chosen　and　fitted　up。　Further　still；　Amy。
Papa　having　always　intended　to　go　to　town　himself；　in　the　spring；……you
see；　if　Edmund　and　I　were　married　here；　we　might　go　off　to　Florence；
where　papa　might　join　us；　and　we　might　all　three　travel　home　together。
Mr　Merdle　has　entreated　Pa　to　stay　with　him　in　that　same　mansion　I　have
mentioned；　and　I　suppose　he　will。　But　he　is　master　of　his　own　actions；
and　upon　that　point　（which　is　not　at　all　material）　I　can't　speak
positively。'　The　difference　between　papa's　being　master　of　his　own
actions　and　Mr　Sparkler's　being　nothing　of　the　sort；　was　forcibly
expressed　by　Fanny　in　her　manner　of　stating　the　case。　Not　that　her
sister　noticed　it；　for　she　was　divided　between　regret　at　the　ing
separation；　and　a　lingering　wish　that　she　had　been　included　in　the　plans
for　visiting　England。

'And　these　are　the　arrangements；　Fanny　dear？'

'Arrangements！'　repeated　Fanny。　'Now；　really；　child；　you　are　a　little
trying。　You　know　I　particularly　guarded　myself　against　laying　my　words
open　to　any　such　construction。　What　I　said　was；　that　certain　questions
present　themselves；　and　these　are　the　questions。'

Little　Dorrit's　thoughtful　eyes　met　hers；　tenderly　and　quietly。

'Now；　my　own　sweet　girl；'　said　Fanny；　weighing　her　bon　by　the　strings
with　considerable　impatience；　'it's　no　use　staring。　A　little　owl　could
stare。　I　look　to　you　for　advice；　Amy。　What　do　you　advise　me　to　do？'

'Do　you　think；'　asked　Little　Dorrit；　persuasively；　after　a　short
hesitation；　'do　you　think；　Fanny；　that　if　you　were　to　put　it　off　for　a
few　months；　it　might　be；　considering　all　things；　best？'

'No；　little　Tortoise；'　retorted　Fanny；　with　exceeding　sharpness。　'I
don't　think　anything　of　the　kind。'

Here；　she　threw　her　bon　from　her　altogether；　and　flounced　into　a
chair。　But；　being　af