little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第161章

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Dorrit　for　himself。　So　he　went　up　his　grand　staircase；　slowly；　and
tired；　and　looked　into　various　chambers　which　were　empty；　until　he　saw　a
light　in　a　small　ante…room。　It　was　a　curtained　nook；　like　a　tent；
within　two　other　rooms；　and　it　looked　warm　and　bright　in　colour；　as　he
approached　it　through　the　dark　avenue　they　made。

There　was　a　draped　doorway；　but　no　door；　and　as　he　stopped　here；　looking
in　unseen；　he　felt　a　pang。　Surely　not　like　jealousy？　For　why　like
jealousy？　There　was　only　his　daughter　and　his　brother　there：　he；　with
his　chair　drawn　to　the　hearth；　enjoying　the　warmth　of　the　evening　wood
fire；　she　seated　at　a　little　table；　busied　with　some　embroidery　work。
Allowing　for　the　great　difference　in　the　still…life　of　the　picture；　the
figures　were　much　the　same　as　of　old；　his　brother　being　sufficiently
like　himself　to　represent　himself；　for　a　moment；　in　the　position。
So　had　he　sat　many　a　night；　over　a　coal　fire　far　away；　so　had　she　sat；
devoted　to　him。　Yet　surely　there　was　nothing　to　be　jealous　of　in　the　old
miserable　poverty。　Whence；　then；　the　pang　in　his　heart？

'Do　you　know；　uncle；　I　think　you　are　growing　young　again？'

Her　uncle　shook　his　head　and　said；　'Since　when；　my　dear；　since　when？'

'I　think；'　returned　Little　Dorrit；　plying　her　needle；　'that　you　have
been　growing　younger　for　weeks　past。　So　cheerful；　uncle；　and　so　ready；
and　so　interested。'

'My　dear　child……all　you。'

'All　me；　uncle！'

'Yes；　yes。　You　have　done　me　a　world　of　good。　You　have　been　so
considerate　of　me；　and　so　tender　with　me；　and　so　delicate　in　trying　to
hide　your　attentions　from　me；　that　I……well；　well；　well！　It's　treasured
up；　my　darling；　treasured　up。'

'There　is　nothing　in　it　but　your　own　fresh　fancy；　uncle；'　said　Little
Dorrit；　cheerfully。

'Well；　well；　well！'　murmured　the　old　man。　'Thank　God！'

She　paused　for　an　instant　in　her　work　to　look　at　him；　and　her　look
revived　that　former　pain　in　her　father's　breast；　in　his　poor　weak
breast；　so　full　of　contradictions；　vacillations；　inconsistencies；　the
little　peevish　perplexities　of　this　ignorant　life；　mists　which　the
morning　without　a　night　only　can　clear　away。

'I　have　been　freer　with　you；　you　see；　my　dove；'　said　the　old　man；　'since
we　have　been　alone。　I　say；　alone；　for　I　don't　count　Mrs　General；　I
don't　care　for　her；　she　has　nothing　to　do　with　me。　But　I　know　Fanny　was
impatient　of　me。　And　I　don't　wonder　at　it；　or　plain　of　it；　for　I　am
sensible　that　I　must　be　in　the　way；　though　I　try　to　keep　out　of　it　as
well　as　I　can。　I　know　I　am　not　fit　pany　for　our　pany。　My　brother
William；'　said　the　old　man　admiringly；　'is　fit　pany　for　monarchs；
but　not　so　your　uncle；　my　dear。　Frederick　Dorrit　is　no　credit　to　William
Dorrit；　and　he　knows　it　quite　well。　Ah！　Why；　here's　your　father；　Amy！
My　dear　William；　wele　back！　My　beloved　brother；　I　am　rejoiced　to　see
you！'

（Turning　his　head　in　speaking；　he　had　caught　sight　of　him　as　he　stood　in
the　doorway。）

Little　Dorrit　with　a　cry　of　pleasure　put　her　arms　about　her　father's
neck；　and　kissed　him　again　and　again。　Her　father　was　a　little　impatient；
and　a　little　querulous。　'I　am　glad　to　find　you　at　last；　Amy；'　he　said。
'Ha。　Really　I　am　glad　to　find……hum……any　one　to　receive　me　at　last。
I　appear　to　have　been……ha……so　little　expected；　that　upon　my　word
I　began……ha　hum……to　think　it　might　be　right　to　offer　an　apology
for……ha……taking　the　liberty　of　ing　back　at　all。'

'It　was　so　late；　my　dear　William；'　said　his　brother；　'that　we　had　given
you　up　for　to…night。'

'I　am　stronger　than　you；　dear　Frederick；'　returned　his　brother　with　an
elaboration　of　fraternity　in　which　there　was　severity；　'and　I　hope　I　can
travel　without　detriment　at……ha……any　hour　I　choose。'

'Surely；　surely；'　returned　the　other；　with　a　misgiving　that　he　had　given
offence。　'Surely；　William。'

'Thank　you；　Amy；'　pursued　Mr　Dorrit；　as　she　helped　him　to　put　off　his
wrappers。　'I　can　do　it　without　assistance。　I……ha……need　not　trouble　you；
Amy。　Could　I　have　a　morsel　of　bread　and　a　glass　of　wine；　or……hum……would
it　cause　too　much　inconvenience？'

'Dear　father；　you　shall　have　supper　in　a　very　few　minutes。'

'Thank　you；　my　love；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　with　a　reproachful　frost　upon　him；
'I……ha……am　afraid　I　am　causing　inconvenience。　Hum。　Mrs　General　pretty
well？'

'Mrs　General　plained　of　a　headache；　and　of　being　fatigued；　and　so；
when　we　gave　you　up；　she　went　to　bed；　dear。'

Perhaps　Mr　Dorrit　thought　that　Mrs　General　had　done　well　in　being
overe　by　the　disappointment　of　his　not　arriving。　At　any　rate；　his
face　relaxed；　and　he　said　with　obvious　satisfaction；　'Extremely　sorry　to
hear　that　Mrs　General　is　not　well。'

During　this　short　dialogue；　his　daughter　had　been　observant　of　him；　with
something　more　than　her　usual　interest。　It　would　seem　as　though　he　had
a　changed　or　worn　appearance　in　her　eyes；　and　he　perceived　and　resented
it；　for　he　said　with　renewed　peevishness；　when　he　had　divested　himself
of　his　travelling…cloak；　and　had　e　to　the　fire：　'Amy；　what　are　you
looking　at？　What　do　you　see　in　me　that　causes　you　to……ha……concentrate
your　solicitude　on　me　in　that……hum……very　particular　manner？'

'I　did　not　know　it；　father；　I　beg　your　pardon。　It　gladdens　my　eyes　to
see　you　again；　that's　all。'

'Don't　say　that's　all；　because……ha……that's　not　all。　You……hum……you
think；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　with　an　accusatory　emphasis；　'that　I　am　not
looking　well。'　'I　thought　you　looked　a　little　tired；　love。'

'Then　you　are　mistaken；'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'Ha；　I　am　not　tired。　Ha；　hum。　I
am　very　much　fresher　than　I　was　when　I　went　away。'

He　was　so　inclined　to　be　angry　that　she　said　nothing　more　in　her
justification；　but　remained　quietly　beside　him　embracing　his　arm。　As
he　stood　thus；　with　his　brother　on　the　other　side；　he　fell　into　a　heavy
doze；　of　not　a　minute's　duration；　and　awoke　with　a　start。

'Frederick；'　he　said；　turning　to　his　brother：　'I　remend　you　to　go　to
bed　immediately。'

'No；　William。　I'll　wait　and　see　you　sup。'

'Frederick；'　he　retorted；　'I　beg　you　to　go　to　bed。　I……ha……make　it　a
personal　request　that　you　go　to　bed。　You　ought　to　have　been　in　bed　long
ago。　You　are　very　feeble。'

'Hah！'　said　the　old　man；　who　had　no　wish　but　to　please　him。　'Well；　well；
well！　I　dare　say　I　am。'

'My　dear　Frederick；'　returned　Mr　Dorrit；　with　an　astonishing　superiority
to　his　brother's　failing　powers；　'there　can　be　no　doubt　of　it。　It　is
painful　to　me　to　see　you　so　weak。　Ha。　It　distresses　me。　Hum。　I　don't
find　you　looking　at　all　well。　You　are　not　fit　for　this　sort　of　thing。
You　should　be　more　careful；　you　should　be　very　careful。'

'Shall　I　go　to　bed？'　asked　Frederick。

'Dear　Frederick；'　said　Mr　Dorrit；　'do；　I　adjure　you！　Good　night；
brother。　I　hope　you　will　be　stronger　to…morrow。　I　am　not　at　all　pleased
with　your　looks。　Good　night；　dear　fellow。'　After　dismissing　his　brother
in　this　gracious　way；　he　fell　into　a　doze　again　before　the　old　man　was
well　out　of　the　room：　and　he　would　have　stumbled　forward　upon　the　logs；
but　for　his　daughter's　restraining　hold。

'Your　uncle　wanders　very　much；　Amy；'　he　said；　when　he　was　thus　roused。
'He　is　less……ha……coherent；　and　his　conversation　is　more……hum……broken；
than　I　have……ha；　hum……ever　known。　Has　he　had　any　illness　since　I　have
been　gone？'　'No；　father。'

'You……ha……see　a　great　change　in　him；　Amy？'

'I　have　not　observed　it；　dear。'

'Greatly　broken；'　said　Mr　Dorrit。　'Greatly　broken。　My　poor；
affectionate；　failing　Frederick！　Ha。　Even　taking　into　account　what　he
was　before；　he　is……hum……sadly　broken！'

His　supper；　which　was　brought　to　him　there；　and　spread　upon　the　little
table　where　he　had　seen　her　working；　diverted　his　attention。

She　sat　at　his　side　as　in　the　days　that　were　gone；　for　the　first　time
since　those　days　ended。　They　were　alone；　and　she　helped　him　to　his　meat
and　poured　out　his　drink　for　him；　as　she　had　been　used　to　do　in　the
prison。　All　this　happened　now；　for　the　first　time　since　their　accession
to　wealth。　She　was　afraid　to　look　at　him　much；　after　the　offence　he　had
taken；　but　she　noticed　two　occasions　in　the　course　of　his　meal；　when
he　all　of　a　sudden　looked　at　her；　and　looked　about　him；　as　if　the
association　were　so　strong　that　he　needed　assurance　from　his　sense　of
sight　that　they　were　not　in　the　old　prison…room。　Both　times；　he　put　his
hand　to　his　head　as　if　he　missed　his　old　black　cap……though　it　had　been
ignominiously　given　away　in　the　Marshalsea；　and　had　never　got　free
to　that　hour；　but　still　hovered　about　the　yards　on　the　head　of　his
successor。

He　took　very　little　supper；　but　was　a　long　time　over　it；　and　often
reverted　to　his　brother's　declining　state。　Though　he　expressed　the
greatest　pity　for　him；　he　was　almost　bitter　upon　him。　He　said　that　poor
Frederick……ha　hum……drivelled。　There　was　no　other　word　to　express　it；
drivelled。　Poor　fellow！　It　was　melancholy　to　reflect　what　Amy　must　have
undergone　from　the　excessive　tediousness　of　his　Society……wandering　and
babbling　on；　poor　dear　estimable　creature；　wandering　and　babbling　on……if
it　had　not　been　for　the　relief　she　had　had　in　Mrs　General。
Extremely　sorry；　he　then　repeated　with　his　former　satisfaction；　that
that……ha……superior　woman　was　poorly。

Little　Dorrit；　in　her　watchful　love；　would　have　remembered　the　lightest
thing　he　said