little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第72章

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like　though　too　much　forehead　and　as　to　a　pillar　with　a　marble　pavement
and　balustrades　and　a　mountain；　I　never　saw　him　near　it　nor　not　likely
in　the　wine　trade；　excellent　man　but　not　at　all　in　that　way。'

Little　Dorrit　glanced　at　the　portrait；　very　imperfectly　following　the
references　to　that　work　of　art。

'Mr　F。　was　so　devoted　to　me　that　he　never　could　bear　me　out　of　his
sight；'　said　Flora；　'though　of　course　I　am　unable　to　say　how　long　that
might　have　lasted　if　he　hadn't　been　cut　short　while　I　was　a　new　broom；
worthy　man　but　not　poetical　manly　prose　but　not　romance。'

Little　Dorrit　glanced　at　the　portrait　again。　The　artist　had　given　it　a
head　that　would　have　been；　in　an　intellectual　point　of　view；　top…heavy
for　Shakespeare。　'Romance；　however；'　Flora　went　on；　busily　arranging　Mr
F。's　Aunt's　toast；　'as　I　openly　said　to　Mr　F。　when　he　proposed　to　me
and　you　will　be　surprised　to　hear　that　he　proposed　seven　times　once　in　a
hackney…coach　once　in　a　boat　once　in　a　pew　once　on　a　donkey　at　Tunbridge
Wells　and　the　rest　on　his　knees；　Romance　was　fled　with　the　early　days　of
Arthur　Clennam；　our　parents　tore　us　asunder　we　became　marble　and　stern
reality　usurped　the　throne；　Mr　F。　said　very　much　to　his　credit　that
he　was　perfectly　aware　of　it　and　even　preferred　that　state　of　things
accordingly　the　word　was　spoken　the　fiat　went　forth　and　such　is　life　you
see　my　dear　and　yet　we　do　not　break　but　bend；　pray　make　a　good　breakfast
while　I　go　in　with　the　tray。'

She　disappeared；　leaving　Little　Dorrit　to　ponder　over　the　meaning　of　her
scattered　words。　She　soon　came　back　again；　and　at　last　began　to　take　her
own　breakfast；　talking　all　the　while。

'You　see；　my　dear；'　said　Flora；　measuring　out　a　spoonful　or　two　of　some
broelt　like　brandy；　and　putting　it　into　her　tea；　'I　am
obliged　to　be　careful　to　follow　the　directions　of　my　medical　man　though
the　flavour　is　anything　but　agreeable　being　a　poor　creature　and　it　may
be　have　never　recovered　the　shock　received　in　youth　from　too　much　giving
way　to　crying　in　the　next　room　when　separated　from　Arthur；　have　you
known　him　long？'

As　soon　as　Little　Dorrit　prehended　that　she　had　been　asked　this
question……for　which　time　was　necessary；　the　galloping　pace　of　her　new
patroness　having　left　her　far　behind……she　answered　that　she　had　known　Mr
Clennam　ever　since　his　return。

'To　be　sure　you　couldn't　have　known　him　before　unless　you　had　been　in
China　or　had　corresponded　neither　of　which　is　likely；'　returned　Flora；
'for　travelling…people　usually　get　more　or　less　mahogany　and　you　are　not
at　all　so　and　as　to　corresponding　what　about？　that's　very　true　unless
tea；　so　it　was　at　his　mother's　was　it　really　that　you　knew　him　first；
highly　sensible　and　firm　but　dreadfully　severe……ought　to　be　the　mother
of　the　man　in　the　iron　mask。'

'Mrs　Clennam　has　been　kind　to　me；'　said　Little　Dorrit。

'Really？　I　am　sure　I　am　glad　to　hear　it　because　as　Arthur's　mother　it's
naturally　pleasant　to　my　feelings　to　have　a　better　opinion　of　her　than
I　had　before；　though　what　she　thinks　of　me　when　I　run　on　as　I　am　certain
to　do　and　she　sits　glowering　at　me　like　Fate　in　a　go…cart……shocking
parison　really……invalid　and　not　her　fault……I　never　know　or　can
imagine。'

'Shall　I　find　my　work　anywhere；　ma'am？'　asked　Little　Dorrit；　looking
timidly　about；　'can　I　get　it？'

'You　industrious　little　fairy；'　returned　Flora；　taking；　in　another　cup
of　tea；　another　of　the　doses　prescribed　by　her　medical　man；　'there's
not　the　slightest　hurry　and　it's　better　that　we　should　begin　by　being
confidential　about　our　mutual　friend……too　cold　a　word　for　me　at　least
I　don't　mean　that；　very　proper　expression　mutual　friend……than　bee
through　mere　formalities　not　you　but　me　like　the　Spartan　boy　with　the
fox　biting　him；　which　I　hope　you'll　excuse　my　bringing　up　for　of　all
the　tiresome　boys　that　will　go　tumbling　into　every　sort　of　pany　that
boy's　the　tiresomest。'

Little　Dorrit；　her　face　very　pale；　sat　down　again　to　listen。　'Hadn't　I
better　work　the　while？'　she　asked。　'I　can　work　and　attend　too。　I　would
rather；　if　I　may。'

Her　earnestness　was　so　expressive　of　her　being　uneasy　without　her　work；
that　Flora　answered；　'Well　my　dear　whatever　you　like　best；'　and　produced
a　basket　of　white　handkerchiefs。　Little　Dorrit　gladly　put　it　by　her
side；　took　out　her　little　pocket…housewife；　threaded　the　needle；　and
began　to　hem。

'What　nimble　fingers　you　have；'　said　Flora；　'but　are　you　sure　you　are
well？'

'Oh　yes；　indeed！'

Flora　put　her　feet　upon　the　fender；　and　settled　herself　for　a　thorough
good　romantic　disclosure。　She　started　off　at　score；　tossing　her　head；
sighing　in　the　most　demonstrative　manner；　making　a　great　deal　of　use
of　her　eyebrows；　and　occasionally；　but　not　often；　glancing　at　the　quiet
face　that　bent　over　the　work。

'You　must　know　my　dear；'　said　Flora；　'but　that　I　have　no　doubt　you　know
already　not　only　because　I　have　already　thrown　it　out　in　a　general　way
but　because　I　feel　I　carry　it　stamped　in　burning　what's　his　names
upon　my　brow　that　before　I　was　introduced　to　the　late　Mr　F。　I　had
been　engaged　to　Arthur　Clennam……Mr　Clennam　in　public　where　reserve　is
necessary　Arthur　here……we　were　all　in　all　to　one　another　it　was　the
morning　of　life　it　was　bliss　it　was　frenzy　it　was　everything　else　of
that　sort　in　the　highest　degree；　when　rent　asunder　we　turned　to　stone　in
which　capacity　Arthur　went　to　China　and　I　became　the　statue　bride　of　the
late　Mr　F。'

Flora；　uttering　these　words　in　a　deep　voice；　enjoyed　herself　immensely。

'To　paint；'　said　she；　'the　emotions　of　that　morning　when　all　was　marble
within　and　Mr　F。's　Aunt　followed　in　a　glass…coach　which　it　stands　to
reason　must　have　been　in　shameful　repair　or　it　never　could　have　broken
down　two　streets　from　the　house　and　Mr　F。's　Aunt　brought　home　like　the
fifth　of　November　in　a　rush…bottomed　chair　I　will　not　attempt；
suffice　it　to　say　that　the　hollow　form　of　breakfast　took　place　in　the
dining…room　downstairs　that　papa　partaking　too　freely　of　pickled　salmon
was　ill　for　weeks　and　that　Mr　F。　and　myself　went　upon　a　continental
tour　to　Calais　where　the　people　fought　for　us　on　the　pier　until　they
separated　us　though　not　for　ever　that　was　not　yet　to　be。'

The　statue　bride；　hardly　pausing　for　breath；　went　on；　with　the　greatest
placency；　in　a　rambling　manner　sometimes　incidental　to　flesh　and
blood。

'I　will　draw　a　veil　over　that　dreamy　life；　Mr　F。　was　in　good　spirits　his
appetite　was　good　he　liked　the　cookery　he　considered　the　wine　weak　but
palatable　and　all　was　well；　we　returned　to　the　immediate　neighbourhood
of　Number　Thirty　Little　Gosling　Street　London　Docks　and　settled　down；
ere　we　had　yet　fully　detected　the　housemaid　in　selling　the　feathers
out　of　the　spare　bed　Gout　flying　upwards　soared　with　Mr　F。　to　another
sphere。'

His　relict；　with　a　glance　at　his　portrait；　shook　her　head　and　wiped　her
eyes。

'I　revere　the　memory　of　Mr　F。　as　an　estimable　man　and　most　indulgent
husband；　only　necessary　to　mention　Asparagus　and　it　appeared　or　to　hint
at　any　little　delicate　thing　to　drink　and　it　came　like　magic　in　a　pint
bottle　it　was　not　ecstasy　but　it　was　fort；　I　returned　to　papa's　roof
and　lived　secluded　if　not　happy　during　some　years　until　one　day　papa
came　smoothly　blundering　in　and　said　that　Arthur　Clennam　awaited　me
below；　I　went　below　and　found　him　ask　me　not　what　I　found　him　except
that　he　was　still　unmarried　still　unchanged！'

The　dark　mystery　with　which　Flora　now　enshrouded　herself　might　have
stopped　other　fingers　than　the　nimble　fingers　that　worked　near　her。

They　worked　on　without　pause；　and　the　busy　head　bent　over　them　watching
the　stitches。

'Ask　me　not；'　said　Flora；　'if　I　love　him　still　or　if　he　still　loves　me
or　what　the　end　is　to　be　or　when；　we　are　surrounded　by　watchful　eyes　and
it　may　be　that　we　are　destined　to　pine　asunder　it　may　be　never　more　to
be　reunited　not　a　word　not　a　breath　not　a　look　to　betray　us　all　must
be　secret　as　the　tomb　wonder　not　therefore　that　even　if　I　should　seem
paratively　cold　to　Arthur　or　Arthur　should　seem　paratively　cold　to
me　we　have　fatal　reasons　it　is　enough　if　we　understand　them　hush！'

All　of　which　Flora　said　with　so　much　headlong　vehemence　as　if　she　really
believed　it。　There　is　not　much　doubt　that　when　she　worked　herself　into
full　mermaid　condition；　she　did　actually　believe　whatever　she　said　in
it。

'Hush！'　repeated　Flora；　'I　have　now　told　you　all；　confidence　is
established　between　us　hush；　for　Arthur's　sake　I　will　always　be　a　friend
to　you　my　dear　girl　and　in　Arthur's　name　you　may　always　rely　upon　me。'

The　nimble　fingers　laid　aside　the　work；　and　the　little　figure　rose　and
kissed　her　hand。　'You　are　very　cold；'　said　Flora；　changing　to　her　own
natural　kind…hearted　manner；　and　gaining　greatly　by　the　change。　'Don't
work　to…day。　I　am　sure　you　are　not　well　I　am　sure　you　are　not　strong。'

'It　is　only　that　I　feel　a　little　overe　by　your　kindness；　and　by　Mr
Clennam's　kindness　in　confiding　me　to　one　he　has　known　and　loved　so
long。'

'Well　really　my　dear；'　said　Flora；　who　had　a　decided　tendency　to　be
always　honest　when　she　gave　herself　time　to　think　about　it；　'it's　as
well　to　leave　that　alone　now；　for　I　couldn't　undertake　to　say　after　all；
but　it　doesn't　signify　lie　down　a　lit