little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第123章

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of　his　exalted　relations；　and　had　had　much　ado　to　prevail　on　them　to
countenance　her。　He　never　made　the　representation；　on　the　contrary
seemed　to　laugh　the　idea　to　scorn；　but　it　did　happen　that；　with　all　his
pains　to　depreciate　himself；　he　was　always　in　the　superior　position。
From　the　days　of　their　honeymoon；　Minnie　Gowan　felt　sensible　of　being
usually　regarded　as　the　wife　of　a　man　who　had　made　a　descent　in　marrying
her；　but　whose　chivalrous　love　for　her　had　cancelled　that　inequality。

To　Venice　they　had　been　acpanied　by　Monsieur　Blandois　of　Paris；　and
at　Venice　Monsieur　Blandois　of　Paris　was　very　much　in　the　society　of
Gowan。　When　they　had　first　met　this　gallant　gentleman　at　Geneva；
Gowan　had　been　undecided　whether　to　kick　him　or　encourage　him；　and　had
remained　for　about　four…and…twenty　hours；　so　troubled　to　settle
the　point　to　his　satisfaction；　that　he　had　thought　of　tossing　up　a
five…franc　piece　on　the　terms；　'Tails；　kick；　heads；　encourage；'　and
abiding　by　the　voice　of　the　oracle。　It　chanced；　however；　that　his　wife
expressed　a　dislike　to　the　engaging　Blandois；　and　that　the　balance
of　feeling　in　the　hotel　was　against　him。　Upon　it；　Gowan　resolved　to
encourage　him。

Why　this　perversity；　if　it　were　not　in　a　generous　fit？……which　it　was
not。　Why　should　Gowan；　very　much　the　superior　of　Blandois　of　Paris；　and
very　well　able　to　pull　that　prepossessing　gentleman　to　pieces　and　find
out　the　stuff　he　was　made　of；　take　up　with　such　a　man？　In　the　first
place；　he　opposed　the　first　separate　wish　he　observed　in　his　wife；
because　her　father　had　paid　his　debts　and　it　was　desirable　to　take　an
early　opportunity　of　asserting　his　independence。　In　the　second　place；
he　opposed　the　prevalent　feeling；　because　with　many　capacities　of
being　otherwise；　he　was　an　ill…conditioned　man。　He　found　a　pleasure　in
declaring　that　a　courtier　with　the　refined　manners　of　Blandois　ought
to　rise　to　the　greatest　distinction　in　any　polished　country。　He　found　a
pleasure　in　setting　up　Blandois　as　the　type　of　elegance；　and　making
him　a　satire　upon　others　selves　on　personal　graces。
He　seriously　protested　that　the　bow　of　Blandois　was　perfect；　that　the
address　of　Blandois　was　irresistible；　and　that　the　picturesque　ease
of　Blandois　would　be　cheaply　purchased　（if　it　were　not　a　gift；　and
unpurchasable）　for　a　hundred　thousand　francs。　That　exaggeration　in　the
manner　of　the　man　which　has　been　noticed　as　appertaining　to　him　and　to
every　such　man；　whatever　his　original　breeding；　as　certainly　as　the　sun
belongs　to　this　system；　was　acceptable　to　Gowan　as　a　caricature；　which
he　found　it　a　humorous　resource　to　have　at　hand　for　the　ridiculing　of
numbers　of　people　who　necessarily　did　more　or　less　of　what　Blandois
overdid。　Thus　he　had　taken　up　with　him；　and　thus；　negligently
strengthening　these　inclinations　with　habit；　and　idly　deriving　some
amusement　from　his　talk；　he　had　glided　into　a　way　of　having　him　for
a　panion。　This；　though　he　supposed　him　to　live　by　his　wits　at
play…tables　and　the　like；　though　he　suspected　him　to　be　a　coward；　while
he　himself　was　daring　and　courageous；　though　he　thoroughly　knew　him　to
be　disliked　by　Minnie；　and　though　he　cared　so　little　for　him；　after　all；
that　if　he　had　given　her　any　tangible　personal　cause　to　regard　him　with
aversion；　he　would　have　had　no　punction　whatever　in　flinging　him　out
of　the　highest　window　in　Venice　into　the　deepest　water　of　the　city。

Little　Dorrit　would　have　been　glad　to　make　her　visit　to　Mrs　Gowan；
alone；　but　as　Fanny；　who　had　not　yet　recovered　from　her　Uncle's　protest；
though　it　was　four…and…twenty　hours　of　age；　pressingly　offered　her
pany；　the　two　sisters　stepped　together　into　one　of　the　gondolas　under
Mr　Dorrit's　window；　and；　with　the　courier　in　attendance；　were　taken　in
high　state　to　Mrs　Gowan's　lodging。　In　truth；　their　state　was　rather　too
high　for　the　lodging；　which　was；　as　Fanny　plained；　'fearfully　out　of
the　way；'　and　which　took　them　through　a　plexity　of　narrow　streets　of
water；　which　the　same　lady　disparaged　as　'mere　ditches。'

The　house；　on　a　little　desert　island；　looked　as　if　it　had　broken
away　from　somewhere　else；　and　had　floated　by　chance　into　its　present
anchorage　in　pany　with　a　vine　almost　as　much　in　want　of　training　as
the　poor　wretches　who　were　lying　under　its　leaves。　The　features　of　the
surrounding　picture　were；　a　church　with　hoarding　and　scaffolding　about
it；　which　had　been　under　suppositious　repair　so　long　that　the　means　of
repair　looked　a　hundred　years　old；　and　had　themselves　fallen　into　decay；
a　quantity　of　washed　linen；　spread　to　dry　in　the　sun；　a　number　of　houses
at　odds　with　one　another　and　grotesquely　out　of　the　perpendicular；　like
rotten　pre…Adamite　cheeses　cut　into　fantastic　shapes　and　full　of　mites；
and　a　feverish　bewilderment　of　windows；　with　their　lattice…blinds　all
hanging　askew；　and　something　draggled　and　dirty　dangling　out　of　most　of
them。

On　the　first…floor　of　the　house　was　a　Bank……a　surprising　experience　for
any　gentleman　of　mercial　pursuits　bringing　laws　for　all　mankind　from
a　British　city……where　two　spare　clerks；　like　dried　dragoons；　in　green
velvet　caps　adorned　with　golden　tassels；　stood；　bearded；　behind　a　small
counter　in　a　small　room；　containing　no　other　visible　objects　than　an
empty　iron…safe　with　the　door　open；　a　jug　of　water；　and　a　papering　of
garland　of　roses；　but　erely　dipping
their　hands　out　of　sight；　could　produce　exhaustless　mounds　of　five…franc
pieces。　Below　the　Bank　was　a　suite　of　three　or　four　rooms　with　barred
windows；　which　had　the　appearance　of　a　jail　for　criminal　rats。　Above　the
Bank　was　Mrs　Gowan's　residence。

Notwithstanding　that　its　walls　were　blotched；　as　if　missionary　maps　were
bursting　out　of　them　to　impart　geographical　knowledge；　notwithstanding
that　its　weird　furniture　was　forlornly　faded　and　musty；　and　that　the
prevailing　Veian　odour　of　bilge　water　and　an　ebb　tide　on　a　weedy
shore　was　very　strong；　the　place　was　better　within；　than　it　promised。
The　door　was　opened　by　a　smiling　man　like　a　reformed　assassin……a
temporary　servant……who　ushered　them　into　the　room　where　Mrs　Gowan　sat；
with　the　announcement　that　two　beautiful　English　ladies　were　e　to　see
the　mistress。

Mrs　Gowan；　who　was　engaged　in　needlework；　put　her　work　aside　in　a
covered　basket；　and　rose；　a　little　hurriedly。　Miss　Fanny　was　excessively
courteous　to　her；　and　said　the　usual　nothings　with　the　skill　of　a
veteran。

'Papa　was　extremely　sorry；'　proceeded　Fanny；　'to　be　engaged　to…day　（he
is　so　much　engaged　here；　our　acquaintance　being　so　wretchedly　large！）；
and　particularly　requested　me　to　bring　his　card　for　Mr　Gowan。　That　I　may
be　sure　to　acquit　myself　of　a　mission　which　he　impressed　upon　me　at
least　a　dozen　times；　allow　me　to　relieve　my　conscience　by　placing　it　on
the　table　at　once。'

Which　she　did　with　veteran　ease。

'We　have　been；'　said　Fanny；　'charmed　to　understand　that　you　know　the
Merdles。　We　hope　it　may　be　another　means　of　bringing　us　together。'

'They　are　friends；'　said　Mrs　Gowan；　'of　Mr　Gowan's　family。　I　have　not
yet　had　the　pleasure　of　a　personal　introduction　to　Mrs　Merdle；　but　I
suppose　I　shall　be　presented　to　her　at　Rome。'

'Indeed？'　returned　Fanny；　with　an　appearance　of　amiably　quenching　her
own　superiority。　'I　think　you'll　like　her。'

'You　know　her　very　well？'

'Why；　you　see；'　said　Fanny；　with　a　frank　action　of　her　pretty　shoulders；
'in　London　one　knows　every　one。　We　met　her　on　our　way　here；　and；　to　say
the　truth；　papa　was　at　first　rather　cross　with　her　for　taking　one　of　the
rooms　that　our　people　had　ordered　for　us。

However；　of　course；　that　soon　blew　over；　and　we　were　all　good　friends
again。'

Although　the　visit　had　as　yet　given　Little　Dorrit　no　opportunity　of
conversing　with　Mrs　Gowan；　there　was　a　silent　understanding　between
them；　which　did　as　well。　She　looked　at　Mrs　Gowan　with　keen　and　unabated
interest；　the　sound　of　her　voice　was　thrilling　to　her；　nothing　that　was
near　her；　or　about　her；　or　at　all　concerned　her；　escaped　Little　Dorrit。
She　was　quicker　to　perceive　the　slightest　matter　here；　than　in　any　other
case……but　one。

'You　have　been　quite　well；'　she　now　said；　'since　that　night？'

'Quite；　my　dear。　And　you？'　'Oh！　I　am　always　well；'　said　Little　Dorrit；
timidly。　'I……yes；　thank　you。'

There　was　no　reason　for　her　faltering　and　breaking　off；　other　than　that
Mrs　Gowan　had　touched　her　hand　in　speaking　to　her；　and　their　looks　had
met。　Something　thoughtfully　apprehensive　in　the　large；　soft　eyes；　had
checked　Little　Dorrit　in　an　instant。

'You　don't　know　that　you　are　a　favourite　of　my　husband's；　and　that　I　am
almost　bound　to　be　jealous　of　you？'　said　Mrs　Gowan。

Little　Dorrit；　blushing；　shook　her　head。

'He　will　tell　you；　if　he　tells　you　what　he　tells　me；　that　you　are
quieter　and　quicker　of　resource　than　any　one　he　ever　saw。'

'He　speaks　far　too　well　of　me；'　said　Little　Dorrit。

'I　doubt　that；　but　I　don't　at　all　doubt　that　I　must　tell　him　you
are　here。　I　should　never　be　forgiven；　if　I　were　to　let　you……and　Miss
Dorrit……go；　without　doing　so。　May　I？　You　can　excuse　the　disorder　and
disfort　of　a　painter's　studio？'

The　inquiries　were　addressed　to　Miss　Fanny；　who　graciously　replied　that
she　would　be　beyond　anything　interested　and　enchanted。　Mrs　Gowan　went　to
a　do