按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
No one had interfered in the dispute； which was beyond the French
colloquial powers of Edward Dorrit； Esquire； and scarcely within the
province of the ladies。 Miss Fanny； however； now supported her father
with great bitterness； declaring； in her native tongue； that it was
quite clear there was something special in this man's impertinence；
and that she considered it important that he should be； by some means；
forced to give up his authority for making distinctions between that
family and other wealthy families。 What the reasons of his presumption
could be； she was at a loss to imagine； but reasons he must have； and
they ought to be torn from him。
All the guides； mule…drivers； and idlers in the yard； had made
themselves parties to the angry conference； and were much impressed by
the courier's now bestirring himself to get the carriages out。 With the
aid of some dozen people to each wheel； this was done at a great cost of
noise； and then the loading was proceeded with； pending the arrival of
the horses from the post…house。
But the very genteel lady's English chariot being already horsed and at
the inn…door； the landlord had slipped up…stairs to represent his hard
case。 This was notified to the yard by his now ing down the staircase
in attendance on the gentleman and the lady； and by his pointing out the
offended majesty of Mr Dorrit to them with a significant motion of his
hand。
'Beg your pardon；' said the gentleman； detaching himself from the
lady； and ing forward。 'I am a man of few words and a bad hand at an
explanation……but lady here is extremely anxious that there should be no
Row。 Lady……a mother of mine； in point of fact……wishes me to say that she
hopes no Row。'
Mr Dorrit； still panting under his injury； saluted the gentleman； and
saluted the lady； in a distant； final； and invincible manner。
'No； but really……here； old feller； you！' This was the gentleman's way of
appealing to Ed he pounced as a great and
providential relief。 'Let you and I try to make this all right。 Lady so
very much wishes no Row。'
Edward Dorrit； Esquire； led a little apart by the button； assumed a
diplomatic expression of countenance in replying； 'Why you must confess；
that when you bespeak a lot of rooms beforehand； and they belong to you；
it's not pleasant to find other people in 'em。'
'No；' said the other； 'I know it isn't。 I admit it。 Still； let you and I
try to make it all right； and avoid Row。 The fault is not this chap's
at all； but my mother's。 Being a remarkably fine woman with no bigodd
nonsense about her……well educated； too……she was too many for this chap。
Regularly pocketed him。'
'If that's the case……' Edward Dorrit； Esquire； began。
'Assure you 'pon my soul 'tis the case。 Consequently；' said the other
gentleman； retiring on his main position； 'why Row？'
'Edmund；' said the lady from the doorway； 'I hope you have explained；
or are explaining； to the satisfaction of this gentleman and his family
that the civil landlord is not to blame？'
'Assure you； ma'am；' returned Edmund； 'perfectly paralysing myself with
trying it on。' He then looked steadfastly at Edward Dorrit； Esquire； for
some seconds； and suddenly added； in a burst of confidence； 'Old feller！
Is it all right？'
'I don't know； after all；' said the lady； gracefully advancing a step or
two towards Mr Dorrit； 'but that I had better say myself； at once；
that I assured this good man I took all the consequences on myself of
occupying one of a stranger's suite of rooms during his absence； for
just as much （or as little） time as I could dine in。 I had no idea the
rightful owner would e back so soon； nor had I any idea that he
had e back； or I should have hastened to make restoration of my
ill…gotten chamber； and to have offered my explanation and apology。 I
trust in saying this……'
For a moment the lady； with a glass at her eye； stood transfixed and
speechless before the two Miss Dorrits。 At the same moment； Miss Fanny；
in the foreground of a grand pictorial position； formed by the
family； the family equipages； and the family servants； held her sister
tight under one arm to detain her on the spot； and with the other arm
fanned herself with a distinguished air； and negligently surveyed the
lady from head to foot。
The lady； recovering herself quickly……for it was Mrs Merdle and she was
not easily dashed……went on to add that she trusted in saying this； she
apologised for her boldness； and restored this well…behaved landlord to
the favour that was so very valuable to him。 Mr Dorrit； on the altar of
whose dignity all this was incense； made a gracious reply； and said
that his people should……ha……countermand his horses； and he
would……hum……overlook what he had at first supposed to be an affront；
but now regarded as an honour。 Upon this the bosom bent to him； and its
owner； with a wonderful mand of feature； addressed a winning smile of
adieu to the two sisters； as young ladies of fortune in whose favour she
was much prepossessed； and whom she had never had the gratification of
seeing before。
Not so； however； Mr Sparkler。 This gentleman； being transfixed at
the same moment as his lady…mother； could not by any means unfix himself
again； but stood stiffly staring at the whole position with Miss
Fanny in the Foreground。 On his mother saying； 'Edmund； we are quite
ready； will you give me your arm？' he seemed； by the motion of his lips；
to reply with some remark prehending the form of words in which his
shining talents found the most frequent utterance； but he relaxed no
muscle。 So fixed was his figure； that it would have been matter of some
difficulty to bend him sufficiently to get him in the carriage…door；
if he had not received the timely assistance of a maternal pull from
within。 He was no sooner within than the pad of the little window in the
back of the chariot disappeared； and his eye usurped its place。 There
it remained as long as so small an object was discernible； and probably
much longer； staring （as though something inexpressibly surprising
should happen to a codfish） like an ill…executed eye in a large locket。
This encounter was so highly agreeable to Miss Fanny； and gave her
so much to think of with triumph afterwards； that it softened her
asperities exceedingly。 When the procession was again in motion next
day； she occupied her place in it with a new gaiety； and showed such a
flow of spirits indeed； that Mrs General looked rather surprised。
Little Dorrit was glad to be found no fault with； and to see that Fanny
was pleased； but her part in the procession was a musing part； and a
quiet one。 Sitting opposite her father in the travelling…carriage； and
recalling the old Marshalsea room； her present existence was a dream。
All that she saw was new and wonderful； but it was not real； it seemed
to her as if those visions of mountains and picturesque countries might
melt away at any moment； and the carriage； turning some abrupt corner；
bring up with a jolt at the old Marshalsea gate。
To have no work to do was strange； but not half so strange as having
glided into a corner where she had no one to think for； nothing to plan
and contrive； no cares of others to load herself with。 Strange as that
was； it was far stranger yet to find a space between herself and her
father； where others occupied themselves in taking care of him； and
where she was never expected to be。 At first； this was so much more
unlike her old experience than even the mountains themselves； that she
had been unable to resign herself to it； and had tried to retain her
old place about him。 But he had spoken to her alone； and had said that
people……ha……people in an exalted position； my dear； must scrupulously
exact respect from their dependents； and that for her； his daughter；
Miss Amy Dorrit； of the sole remaining branch of the Dorrits of
Dorsetshire； to be known to……hum……to occupy herself in fulfilling the
functions of……ha hum……a valet； would be inpatible with that respect。
Therefore； my dear； he……ha……he laid his parental injunctions upon
her； to remember that she was a lady； who had now to conduct herself
with……hum……a proper pride； and to preserve the rank of a lady；
and consequently he requested her to abstain from doing what would
occasion……ha……unpleasant and derogatory remarks。 She had obeyed without
a murmur。 Thus it had been brought about that she now sat in her corner
of the luxurious carriage with her little patient hands folded before
her； quite displaced even from the last point of the old standing ground
in life on which her feet had lingered。
It was from this position that all she saw appeared unreal； the more
surprising the scenes； the more they resembled the unreality of her
own inner life as she went through its vacant places all day long。 The
gorges of the Simplon； its enormous depths and thundering waterfalls；
the wonderful road； the points of danger where a loose wheel or a
faltering horse would have been destruction； the descent into Italy； the
opening of that beautiful land as the rugged mountain…chasm widened and
let them out from a gloomy and dark imprisonment……all a dream……only the
old mean Marshalsea a reality。 Nay； even the old mean Marshalsea was
shaken to