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！
continuing to eye Miss Fanny through his glass； with a face much
twisted； and not ornamentally so； in part by the action of keeping his
glass in his eye； and in part by the great subtlety of his smile。
'Under these circumstances；' said Mr Dorrit； 'I believe I express the
sentiments of……ha……Mrs General； no less than my own； when I say
that there is no objection； but……ha hum……quite the contrary……to your
gratifying your desire； Amy。 I trust I may……ha……hail……this desire；' said
Mr Dorrit； in an encouraging and forgiving manner； 'as an auspicious
omen。 It is quite right to know these people。 It is a very proper
thing。 Mr Merdle's is a name of……ha……world…wide repute。 Mr Merdle's
undertakings are immense。 They bring him in such vast sums of money that
they are regarded as……hum……national benefits。 Mr Merdle is the man of
this time。 The name of Merdle is the name of the age。 Pray do everything
on my behalf that is civil to Mr and Mrs Gowan； for we will……ha……we will
certainly notice them。'
This magnificent accordance of Mr Dorrit's recognition settled the
matter。 It was not observed that Uncle had pushed away his plate； and
forgotten his breakfast； but he was not much observed at any time；
except by Little Dorrit。 The servants were recalled； and the meal
proceeded to its conclusion。 Mrs General rose and left the table。
Little Dorrit rose and left the table。 When Edward and Fanny remained
whispering together across it； and when Mr Dorrit remained eating figs
and reading a French newspaper； Uncle suddenly fixed the attention of
all three by rising out of his chair； striking his hand upon the table；
and saying； 'Brother！ I protest against it！'
If he had made a proclamation in an unknown tongue； and given up the
ghost immediately afterwards； he could not have astounded his audience
more。 The paper fell from Mr Dorrit's hand； and he sat petrified； with a
fig half way to his mouth。
'Brother！' said the old man； conveying a surprising energy into his
trembling voice； 'I protest against it！ I love you； you know I love you
dearly。 In these many years I have never been untrue to you in a single
thought。 Weak as I am； I would at any time have struck any man who spoke
ill of you。 But； brother； brother； brother； I protest against it！'
It was extraordinary to see of what a burst of earnestness such a
decrepit man was capable。 His eyes became bright； his grey hair rose on
his head； markings of purpose on his brow and face which had faded from
them for five…and…twenty years； started out again； and there was an
energy in his hand that made its action nervous once more。
'My dear Frederick！' exclaimed Mr Dorrit faintly。 'What is wrong？ What
is the matter？'
'How dare you；' said the old man； turning round on Fanny； 'how dare you
do it？ Have you no memory？ Have you no heart？'
'Uncle？' cried Fanny； affrighted and bursting into tears； 'why do you
attack me in this cruel manner？ What have I done？'
'Done？' returned the old man； pointing to her sister's place； 'where's
your affectionate invaluable friend？ Where's your devoted guardian？
Where's your more than mother？ How dare you set up superiorities against
all these characters bined in your sister？
For shame； you false girl； for shame！' 'I love Amy；' cried Miss Fanny；
sobbing and weeping； 'as well as I love my life……better than I love my
life。 I don't deserve to be so treated。 I am as grateful to Amy； and as
fond of Amy； as it's possible for any human being to be。 I wish I was
dead。 I never was so wickedly wronged。 And only because I am anxious for
the family credit。'
'To the winds with the family credit！' cried the old man； with great
scorn and indignation。 'Brother； I protest against pride。 I protest
against ingratitude。 I protest against any one of us here who have known
what we have known； and have seen what we have seen； setting up any
pretension that puts Amy at a moment's disadvantage； or to the cost of
a moment's pain。 We may know that it's a base pretension by its having
that effect。 It ought to bring a judgment on us。 Brother； I protest
against it in the sight of God！'
As his hand went up above his head and came down on the table； it might
have been a blacksmith's。 After a few moments' silence； it had relaxed
into its usual weak condition。 He went round to his brother with his
ordinary shuffling step； put the hand on his shoulder； and said； in a
softened voice； 'William； my dear； I felt obliged to say it； forgive me；
for I felt obliged to say it！' and then went； in his bowed way； out of
the palace hall； just as he might have gone out of the Marshalsea room。
All this time Fanny had been sobbing and crying； and still continued to
do so。 Edward； beyond opening his mouth in amazement； had not opened his
lips； and had done nothing but stare。 Mr Dorrit also had been utterly
disfited； and quite unable to assert himself in any way。 Fanny was
now the first to speak。
'I never； never； never was so used！' she sobbed。 'There never was
anything so harsh and unjustifiable； so disgracefully violent and cruel！
Dear； kind； quiet little Amy； too； what would she feel if she could know
that she had been innocently the means of exposing me to such treatment！
But I'll never tell her！ No； good darling； I'll never tell her！'
This helped Mr Dorrit to break his silence。
'My dear；' said he； 'I……ha……approve of your resolution。 It will be……ha
hum……much better not to speak of this to Amy。 It might……hum……it
might distress her。 Ha。 No doubt it would distress her greatly。 It
is considerate and right to avoid doing so。 We will……ha……keep this to
ourselves。'
'But the cruelty of Uncle！' cried Miss Fanny。 'O； I never can forgive
the wanton cruelty of Uncle！'
'My dear；' said Mr Dorrit； recovering his tone； though he remained
unusually pale； 'I must request you not to say so。 You must remember
that your uncle is……ha……not what he formerly was。 You must remember
that your uncle's state requires……hum……great forbearance from us； great
forbearance。'
'I am sure；' cried Fanny； piteously； 'it is only charitable to suppose
that there Must be something wrong in him somewhere； or he never could
have so attacked Me； of all the people in the world。'
'Fanny；' returned Mr Dorrit in a deeply fraternal tone； 'you know； with
his innumerable good points； what a……hum……wreck your uncle is； and； I
entreat you by the fondness that I have for him； and by the fidelity
that you know I have always shown him； to……ha……to draw your own
conclusions； and to spare my brotherly feelings。'
This ended the scene； Edward Dorrit； Esquire； saying nothing throughout；
but looking； to the last； perplexed and doubtful。 Miss Fanny awakened
much affectionate uneasiness in her sister's mind that day by passing
the greater part of it in violent fits of embracing her； and in
alternately giving her brooches； and wishing herself dead。
CHAPTER 6。 Something Right Somewhere
To be in the halting state of Mr Henry Gowan； to have left one of two
powers in disgust； to want the necessary qualifications for finding
promotion with another； and to be loitering moodily about on neutral
ground； cursing both； is to be in a situation unwholesome for the mind；
which time is not likely to improve。 The worst class of sum worked in
the every…day world is cyphered by the diseased arithmeticians who are
always in the rule of Subtraction as to the merits and successes of
others； and never in Addition as to their own。
The habit； too； of seeking some sort of repense in the discontented
boast of being disappointed； is a habit fraught with degeneracy。 A
certain idle carelessness and recklessness of consistency soon es of
it。 To bring deserving things down by setting undeserving things up is
one of its perverted delights； and there is no playing fast and loose
with the truth； in any game； without growing the worse for it。
In his expressed opinions of all performances in the Art of painting
that were pletely destitute of merit； Gowan was the most liberal
fellow on earth。 He would declare such a man to have more power in his
little finger （provided he had none）； than such another had （provided he
had much） in his whole mind and body。 If the objection were taken that
the thing mended was trash； he would reply； on behalf of his art； 'My
good fellow； what do we all turn out but trash？ I turn out nothing else；
and I make you a present of the confession。'
To make a vaunt of being poor was another of the incidents of his
spleic state； though this may have had the design in it of showing
that he ought to be rich； just as he would publicly laud and decry the
Barnacles； lest it should be forgotten that he belonged to the family。
Howbeit； these two subjects were very often on his lips； and he managed
them so well that he might have praised himself by the month together；
and not have made himself out half so important a man as he did by his
light disparagement of his claims on anybody's consideration。
Out of this same airy talk of his； it always soon came to be understood；
wherever he and his wife went； that he had married against the wishes
of his exalted relations； and had had much ado to prevail on them to
countenance her。 He never made the repre