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！
hushed him to rest。
She never left him all that night。 As if she had done him a wrong which
her tenderness could hardly repair； she sat by him in his sleep； at
times softly kissing him with suspended breath； and calling him in a
whisper by some endearing name。 At times she stood aside so as not to
intercept the low fire…light； and； watching him when it fell upon his
sleeping face； wondered did he look now at all as he had looked when he
was prosperous and happy； as he had so touched her by imagining that he
might look once more in that awful time。 At the thought of that time；
she kneeled beside his bed again； and prayed； 'O spare his life！ O
save him to me！ O look down upon my dear； long…suffering； unfortunate；
much…changed； dear dear father！'
Not until the morning came to protect him and encourage him； did she
give him a last kiss and leave the small room。 When she had stolen
down…stairs； and along the empty yard； and had crept up to her own
high garret； the smokeless housetops and the distant country hills were
discernible over the wall in the clear morning。 As she gently opened the
window； and looked eastward down the prison yard； the spikes upon the
wall were tipped with red； then made a sullen purple pattern on the sun
as it came flaming up into the heavens。 The spikes had never looked so
sharp and cruel； nor the bars so heavy； nor the prison space so gloomy
and contracted。 She thought of the sunrise on rolling rivers； of the
sunrise on wide seas； of the sunrise on rich landscapes； of the
sunrise on great forests where the birds were waking and the trees were
rustling； and she looked down into the living grave on which the sun
had risen； with her father in it three…and…twenty years； and said； in
a burst of sorrow and passion； 'No； no； I have never seen him in my
life！'
CHAPTER 20。 Moving in Society
If Young John Chivery had had the inclination and the power to write a
satire on family pride； he would have had no need to go for an avenging
illustration out of the family of his beloved。 He would have found it
amply in that gallant brother and that dainty sister； so steeped in mean
experiences； and so loftily conscious of the family name； so ready
to beg or borrow from the poorest； to eat of anybody's bread； spend
anybody's money； drink from anybody's cup and break it afterwards。
To have painted the sordid facts of their lives； and they throughout
invoking the death's head apparition of the family gentility to e and
scare their benefactors； would have made Young John a satirist of the
first water。
Tip had turned his liberty to hopeful account by being a
billiard…marker。 He had troubled himself so little as to the means of
his release； that Clennam scarcely needed to have been at the pains of
impressing the mind of Mr Plornish on that subject。 Whoever had paid
him the pliment； he very readily accepted the pliment with HIS
pliments； and there was an end of it。 Issuing forth from the gate
on these easy terms； he became a billiard…marker； and now occasionally
looked in at the little skittle…ground in a green Newmarket coat
（second…hand）； with a shining collar and bright buttons （new）； and drank
the beer of the Collegians。
One solid stationary point in the looseness of this gentleman's
character was； that he respected and admired his sister Amy。 The feeling
had never induced him to spare her a moment's uneasiness； or to put
himself to any restraint or inconvenience on her account； but with that
Marshalsea taint upon his love； he loved her。 The same rank Marshalsea
flavour was to be recognised in his distinctly perceiving that she
sacrificed her life to her father； and in his having no idea that she
had done anything for himself。
When this spirited young man and his sister had begun systematically
to produce the family skeleton for the overawing of the College； this
narrative cannot precisely state。 Probably at about the period when
they began to dine on the College charity。 It is certain that the more
reduced and necessitous they were； the more pompously the skeleton
emerged from its tomb； and that when there was anything particularly
shabby in the wind； the skeleton always came out with the ghastliest
flourish。
Little Dorrit was late on the Monday morning； for her father slept
late； and afterwards there was his breakfast to prepare and his room to
arrange。 She had no engagement to go out to work； however； and therefore
stayed with him until； with Maggy's help； she had put everything right
about him； and had seen him off upon his morning walk （of twenty yards
or so） to the coffee…house to read the paper。
She then got on her bon and went out； having been anxious to get out
much sooner。 There was； as usual； a cessation of the small…talk in
the Lodge as she passed through it； and a Collegian who had e in
on Saturday night； received the intimation from the elbow of a more
seasoned Collegian； 'Look out。 Here she is！' She wanted to see her
sister； but when she got round to Mr Cripples's； she found that both her
sister and her uncle had gone to the theatre where they were engaged。
Having taken thought of this probability by the way； and having settled
that in such case she would follow them； she set off afresh for the
theatre； which was on that side of the river； and not very far away。
Little Dorrit was almost as ignorant of the ways of theatres as of the
ways of gold mines； and when she was directed to a furtive sort of door；
with a curious up…all…night air about it； that appeared to be ashamed of
itself and to be hiding in an alley； she hesitated to approach it； being
further deterred by the sight of some half…dozen close…shaved gentlemen
with their hats very strangely on； who were lounging about the door；
looking not at all unlike Collegians。 On her applying to them； reassured
by this resemblance； for a direction to Miss Dorrit； they made way for
her to enter a dark hall……it was more like a great grim lamp gone out
than anything else……where she could hear the distant playing of music
and the sound of dancing feet。 A man so much in want of airing that he
had a blue mould upon him； sat watching this dark place from a hole in
a corner； like a spider； and he told her that he would send a message
up to Miss Dorrit by the first lady or gentleman who went through。 The
first lady who went through had a roll of music； half in her muff and
half out of it； and was in such a tumbled condition altogether； that it
seemed as if it would be an act of kindness to iron her。 But as she was
very good…natured； and said； 'e with me； I'll soon find Miss Dorrit
for you；' Miss Dorrit's sister went with her； drawing nearer and nearer
at every step she took in the darkness to the sound of music and the
sound of dancing feet。
At last they came into a maze of dust； where a quantity of people were
tumbling over one another； and where there was such a confusion of
unaccountable shapes of beams； bulkheads； brick walls； ropes； and
rollers； and such a mixing of gaslight and daylight； that they seemed
to have got on the wrong side of the pattern of the universe。 Little
Dorrit； left to herself； and knocked against by somebody every moment；
was quite bewildered； when she heard her sister's voice。
'Why； good gracious； Amy； what ever brought you here？'
'I wanted to see you； Fanny dear； and as I am going out all day
to…morrow； and knew you might be engaged all day to…day； I thought……'
'But the idea； Amy； of YOU ing behind！ I never did！' As her sister
said this in no very cordial tone of wele； she conducted her to a
more open part of the maze； where various golden chairs and tables were
heaped together； and where a number of young ladies were sitting on
anything they could find； chattering。 All these young ladies wanted
ironing； and all had a curious way of looking everywhere while they
chattered。
Just as the sisters arrived here； a monotonous boy in a Scotch cap put
his head round a beam on the left； and said； 'Less noise there； ladies！'
and disappeared。 Immediately after which； a sprightly gentleman with a
quantity of long black hair looked round a beam on the right； and said；
'Less noise there； darlings！' and also disappeared。
'The notion of you among professionals； Amy； is really the last thing
I could have conceived！' said her sister。 'Why； how did you ever get
here？'
'I don't know。 The lady who told you I was here； was so good as to bring
me in。'
'Like you quiet little things！ You can make your way anywhere； I
believe。 I couldn't have managed it； Amy； though I know so much more of
the world。'
It was the family custom to lay it down as family law； that she was a
plain domestic little creature； without the great and sage experience of
the rest。 This family fiction was the family assertion of itself against
her services。 Not to make too much of them。
'Well！ And what have you got on your mind； Amy？ Of course you have
got something on your mind about me？' said Fanny。 She spoke as if her
sister； between two and three years her junior； were her prejudiced
grandmother。
'It is not much； but since you told me of the lady who gave you the
bracelet； Fanny……'
The monotonous boy put his head round the be