little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第163章

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close　of　the　evening；　when　she　rose　to　retire；　Mr　Dorrit　took　her　by　the
hand　as　if　he　were　going　to　lead　her　out　into　the　Piazza　of　the　people
to　walk　a　minuet　by　moonlight；　and　with　great　solemnity　conducted　her　to
the　room　door；　where　he　raised　her　knuckles　to　his　lips。　Having　parted
from　her　with　what　may　be　conjectured　to　have　been　a　rather　bony　kiss　of
a　cosmetic　flavour；　he　gave　his　daughter　his　blessing；　graciously。　And
having　thus　hinted　that　there　was　something　remarkable　in　the　wind；　he
again　went　to　bed。

He　remained　in　the　seclusion　of　his　own　chamber　next　morning；　but；　early
in　the　afternoon；　sent　down　his　best　pliments　to　Mrs　General；　by　Mr
Tinkler；　and　begged　she　would　acpany　Miss　Dorrit　on　an　airing
without　him。　His　daughter　was　dressed　for　Mrs　Merdle's　dinner　before　he
appeared。　He　then　presented　himself　in　a　refulgent　condition　as　to　his
attire；　but　looking　indefinably　shrunken　and　old。　However；　as　he　was
plainly　determined　to　be　angry　with　her　if　she　so　much　as　asked　him　how
he　was；　she　only　ventured　to　kiss　his　cheek；　before　acpanying　him　to
Mrs　Merdle's　with　an　anxious　heart。

The　distance　that　they　had　to　go　was　very　short；　but　he　was　at　his
building　work　again　before　the　carriage　had　half　traversed　it。　Mrs
Merdle　received　him　with　great　distinction；　the　bosom　was　in　admirable
preservation；　and　on　the　best　terms　with　itself；　the　dinner　was　very
choice；　and　the　pany　was　very　select。

It　was　principally　English；　saving　that　it　prised　the　usual　French
Count　and　the　usual　Italian　Marchese……decorative　social　milestones；
always　to　be　found　in　certain　places；　and　varying　very　little　in
appearance。　The　table　was　long；　and　the　dinner　was　long；　and　Little
Dorrit；　overshadowed　by　a　large　pair　of　black　whiskers　and　a　large　white
cravat；　lost　sight　of　her　father　altogether；　until　a　servant　put　a　scrap
of　paper　in　her　hand；　erdle　that　she
would　read　it　directly。　Mrs　Merdle　had　written　on　it　in　pencil；　'Pray
e　and　speak　to　Mr　Dorrit；　I　doubt　if　he　is　well。'

She　was　hurrying　to　him；　unobserved；　when　he　got　up　out　of　his　chair；
and　leaning　over　the　table　called　to　her；　supposing　her　to　be　still　in
her　place：

'Amy；　Amy；　my　child！'

The　action　was　so　unusual；　to　say　nothing　of　his　strange　eager
appearance　and　strange　eager　voice；　that　it　instantaneously　caused　a
profound　silence。

'Amy；　my　dear；'　he　repeated。　'Will　you　go　and　see　if　Bob　is　on　the
lock？'

She　was　at　his　side；　and　touching　him；　but　he　still　perversely　supposed
her　to　be　in　her　seat；　and　called　out；　still　leaning　over　the　table；
'Amy；　Amy。　I　don't　feel　quite　myself。　Ha。　I　don't　know　what's　the　matter
with　me。　I　particularly　wish　to　see　Bob。　Ha。　Of　all　the　turnkeys；　he's
as　much　my　friend　as　yours。　See　if　Bob　is　in　the　lodge；　and　beg　him　to
e　to　me。'

All　the　guests　were　now　in　consternation；　and　everybody　rose。

'Dear　father；　I　am　not　there；　I　am　here；　by　you。'

'Oh！　You　are　here；　Amy！　Good。　Hum。　Good。　Ha。　Call　Bob。　If　he　has　been
relieved；　and　is　not　on　the　lock；　tell　Mrs　Bangham　to　go　and　fetch　him。'

She　was　gently　trying　to　get　him　away；　but　he　resisted；　and　would　not
go。

'I　tell　you；　child；'　he　said　petulantly；　'I　can't　be　got　up　the　narrow
stairs　without　Bob。　Ha。　Send　for　Bob。　Hum。　Send　for　Bob……best　of　all　the
turnkeys……send　for　Bob！'

He　looked　confusedly　about　him；　and；　being　conscious　of　the　number　of
faces　by　which　he　was　surrounded；　addressed　them：

'Ladies　and　gentlemen；　the　duty……ha……devolves　upon　me　of……hum……weling
you　to　the　Marshalsea！　Wele　to　the　Marshalsea！　The　space
is……ha……limited……limited……the　parade　might　be　wider；　but　you　will
find　it　apparently　grow　larger　after　a　time……a　time；　ladies　and
gentlemen……and　the　air　is；　all　things　considered；　very　good。　It　blows
over　the……ha……Surrey　hills。　Blows　over　the　Surrey　hills。　This　is　the
Snuggery。　Hum。　Supported　by　a　small　subscription　of　the……ha……Collegiate
body。　In　return　for　which……hot　water……general　kitchen……and　little
domestic　advantages。　Those　who　are　habituated　to　the……ha……Marshalsea；
are　pleased　to　call　me　its　father。　I　am　accustomed　to　be　plimented　by
strangers　as　the……ha……Father　of　the　Marshalsea。　Certainly；　if　years　of
residence　may　establish　a　claim　to　so……ha……honourable　a　title；　I　may
accept　the……hum……conferred　distinction。　My　child；　ladies　and　gentlemen。
My　daughter。　Born　here！'

She　was　not　ashamed　of　it；　or　ashamed　of　him。　She　was　pale　and
frightened；　but　she　had　no　other　care　than　to　soothe　him　and　get　him
away；　for　his　own　dear　sake。　She　was　between　him　and　the　wondering
faces；　turned　round　upon　his　breast　with　her　own　face　raised　to　his。　He
held　her　clasped　in　his　left　arm；　and　between　whiles　her　low　voice　was
heard　tenderly　imploring　him　to　go　away　with　her。

'Born　here；'　he　repeated；　shedding　tears。　'Bred　here。　Ladies　and
gentlemen；　my　daughter。　Child　of　an　unfortunate　father；　but……ha……always
a　gentleman。　Poor；　no　doubt；　but……hum……proud。　Always　proud。　It
has　bee　a……hum……not　infrequent　custom　for　my……ha……personal
admirers……personal　admirers　solely……to　be　pleased　to　express
their　desire　to　acknowledge　my　semi…official　position　here；
by　offering……ha……little　tributes；　which　usually　take　the　form
of……ha……voluntary　recognitions　of　my　humble　endeavours　to……hum……to
uphold　a　Tone　here……a　Tone……I　beg　it　to　be　understood　that　I　do　not
consider　myself　promised。　Ha。　Not　promised。　Ha。　Not　a　beggar。　No；
I　repudiate　the　title！　At　the　same　time　far　be　it　from　me　to……hum……to
put　upon　the　fine　feelings　by　which　my　partial　friends　are　actuated；
the　slight　of　scrupling　to　admit　that　those　offerings　are……hum……highly
acceptable。　On　the　contrary；　they　are　most　acceptable。　In　my　child's
name；　if　not　in　my　own；　I　make　the　admission　in　the　fullest　manner；　at
the　same　time　reserving……ha……shall　I　say　my　personal　dignity？　Ladies　and
gentlemen；　God　bless　you　all！'

By　this　time；　the　exceeding　mortification　undergone　by　the　Bosom　had
occasioned　the　withdrawal　of　the　greater　part　of　the　pany　into　other
rooms。　The　few　who　had　lingered　thus　long　followed　the　rest；　and　Little
Dorrit　and　her　father　were　left　to　the　servants　and　themselves。　Dearest
and　most　precious　to　her；　he　would　e　with　her　now；　would　he　not？　He
replied　to　her　fervid　entreaties；　that　he　would　never　be　able　to　get　up
the　narrow　stairs　without　Bob；　where　was　Bob；　would　nobody　fetch　Bob？
Under　pretence　of　looking　for　Bob；　she　got　him　out　against　the　stream　of
gay　pany　now　pouring　in　for　the　evening　assembly；　and　got　him　into　a
coach　that　had　just　set　down　its　load；　and　got　him　home。

The　broad　stairs　of　his　Roman　palace　were　contracted　in　his　failing
sight　to　the　narrow　stairs　of　his　London　prison；　and　he　would　suffer　no
one　but　her　to　touch　him；　his　brother　excepted。　They　got　him　up　to　his
room　without　help；　and　laid　him　down　on　his　bed。　And　from　that　hour　his
poor　maimed　spirit；　only　remembering　the　place　where　it　had　broken　its
wings；　cancelled　the　dream　through　which　it　had　since　groped；　and　knew
of　nothing　beyond　the　Marshalsea。　When　he　heard　footsteps　in　the　street；
he　took　them　for　the　old　weary　tread　in　the　yards。　When　the　hour　came
for　locking　up；　he　supposed　all　strangers　to　be　excluded　for　the　night。
When　the　time　for　opening　came　again；　he　was　so　anxious　to　see　Bob；　that
they　were　fain　to　patch　up　a　narrative　how　that　Bob……many　a　year　dead
then；　gentle　turnkey……had　taken　cold；　but　hoped　to　be　out　to…morrow；　or
the　next　day；　or　the　next　at　furthest。

He　fell　away　into　a　weakness　so　extreme　that　he　could　not　raise　his
hand。　But　he　still　protected　his　brother　according　to　his　long　usage；
and　would　say　with　some　placency；　fifty　times　a　day；　when　he　saw　him
standing　by　his　bed；　'My　good　Frederick；　sit　down。　You　are　very　feeble
indeed。'

They　tried　him　with　Mrs　General；　but　he　had　not　the　faintest　knowledge
of　her。　Some　injurious　suspicion　lodged　itself　in　his　brain；　that　she
wanted　to　supplant　Mrs　Bangham；　and　that　she　was　given　to　drinking。　He
charged　her　with　it　in　no　measured　terms；　and　was　so　urgent　with　his
daughter　to　go　round　to　the　Marshal　and　entreat　him　to　turn　her　out；
that　she　was　never　reproduced　after　the　first　failure。　Saving　that
he　once　asked　'if　Tip　had　gone　outside？'　the　remembrance　of　his　two
children　not　present　seemed　to　have　departed　from　him。　But　the　child　who
had　done　so　much　for　him　and　had　been　so　poorly　repaid；　was　never　out　of
his　mind。　Not　that　he　spared　her；　or　was　fearful　of　her　being　spent　by
watching　and　fatigue；　he　was　not　more　troubled　on　that　score　than　he
had　usually　been。　No；　he　loved　her　in　his　old　way。　They　were　in　the　jail
again；　and　she　tended　him；　and　he　had　constant　need　of　her；　and　could
not　turn　without　her；　and　he　even　told　her；　sometimes；　that　he　was
content　to　have　undergone　a　great　deal　for　her　sake。　As　to　her；　she　bent
over　his　bed　with　her　quiet　face　against　his；　and　would　have　laid　down
her　own　life　to　restore　him。

When　he　had　been　sinking　in　this　painless　way　for　two　or　three　days；　she
observed　him　to　be　troubled　by　the　ticking　of　his　watch……a　pompous　gold
watch　that　made　as　great　a　to…do　about　its　going　as　if　nothing　else
went　but　itself　and　Time。　She　suffered　it　to　run　down；　but　he　was　still
uneasy；　and　showed　that　was　not　what　he