little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第159章

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telling　his　own　fortune……'to　take　care　of　herself。　I　dare　say　she'll
manage　to　do　it。'

'Probably；'　said　Fanny。

There　was　then　a　long　silence；　during　which；　Mrs　Sparkler；　lying　back
on　her　sofa　again；　shut　her　eyes　and　raised　her　eyebrows　in　her　former
retirement　from　mundane　affairs。

'But；　however；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'I　am　equally　detaining　you　and　myself。
I　thought　I'd　give　you　a　call；　you　know。'

'Charmed；　I　am　sure；'　said　Fanny。

'So　I　am　off；'　added　Mr　Merdle；　getting　up。　'Could　you　lend　me　a
penknife？'

It　was　an　odd　thing；　Fanny　smilingly　observed；　for　her　who　could　seldom
prevail　upon　herself　even　to　write　a　letter；　to　lend　to　a　man　of　such
vast　business　as　Mr　Merdle。　'Isn't　it？'　Mr　Merdle　acquiesced；　'but
I　want　one；　and　I　know　you　have　got　several　little　wedding　keepsakes
about；　with　scissors　and　tweezers　and　such　things　in　them。　You　shall
have　it　back　to…morrow。'

'Edmund；'　said　Mrs　Sparkler；　'open　（now；　very　carefully；　I　beg　and
beseech；　for　you　are　so　very　awkward）　the　mother　of　pearl　box　on　my
little　table　there；　and　give　Mr　Merdle　the　mother　of　pearl　penknife。'

'Thank　you；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'but　if　you　have　got　one　with　a　darker
handle；　I　think　I　should　prefer　one　with　a　darker　handle。'

'Tortoise…shell？'

'Thank　you；'　said　Mr　Merdle；　'yes。　I　think　I　should　prefer
tortoise…shell。'

Edmund　accordingly　received　instructions　to　open　the　tortoise…shell　box；
and　give　Mr　Merdle　the　tortoise…shell　knife。　On　his　doing　so；　his　wife
said　to　the　master…spirit　graciously：

'I　will　forgive　you；　if　you　ink　it。'

'I'll　undertake　not　to　ink　it；'　said　Mr　Merdle。

The　illustrious　visitor　then　put　out　his　coat…cuff；　and　for　a　moment
entombed　Mrs　Sparkler's　hand：　wrist；　bracelet；　and　all。　Where　his　own
hand　had　shrunk　to；　was　not　made　manifest；　but　it　was　as　remote　from　Mrs
Sparkler's　sense　of　touch　as　if　he　had　been　a　highly　meritorious　Chelsea
Veteran　or　Greenwich　Pensioner。

Thoroughly　convinced；　as　he　went　out　of　the　room；　that　it　was　the
longest　day　that　ever　did　e　to　an　end　at　last；　and　that　there　never
was　a　woman；　not　wholly　devoid　of　personal　attractions；　so　worn　out　by
idiotic　and　lumpish　people；　Fanny　passed　into　the　balcony　for　a　breath
of　air。　Waters　of　vexation　filled　her　eyes；　and　they　had　the　effect　of
making　the　famous　Mr　Merdle；　in　going　down　the　street；　appear　to　leap；
and　waltz；　and　gyrate；　as　if　he　were　possessed　of　several　Devils。




CHAPTER　25。　The　Chief　Butler　Resigns　the　Seals　of　Office


The　dinner…party　was　at　the　great　Physician's。　Bar　was　there；　and　in
full　force。　Ferdinand　Barnacle　was　there；　and　in　his　most　engaging
state。　Few　ways　of　life　were　hidden　from　Physician；　and　he　was　oftener
in　its　darkest　places　than　even　Bishop。　There　were　brilliant　ladies
about　London　who　perfectly　doted　on　him；　my　dear；　as　the　most　charming
creature　and　the　most　delightful　person；　who　would　have　been　shocked　to
find　themselves　so　close　to　him　if　they　could　have　known　on　what　sights
those　thoughtful　eyes　of　his　had　rested　within　an　hour　or　two；　and　near
to　whose　beds；　and　under　what　roofs；　his　posed　figure　had　stood。　But
Physician　was　a　posed　man；　who　performed　neither　on　his　own　trumpet；
nor　on　the　trumpets　of　other　people。　Many　wonderful　things　did　he　see
and　hear；　and　much　irreconcilable　moral　contradiction　did　he　pass　his
life　among；　yet　his　equality　of　passion　was　no　more　disturbed　than
the　Divine　Master's　of　all　healing　was。　He　went；　like　the　rain；
among　the　just　and　unjust；　doing　all　the　good　he　could；　and　neither
proclaiming　it　in　the　synagogues　nor　at　the　corner　of　streets。

As　no　man　of　large　experience　of　humanity；　however　quietly　carried
it　may　be；　can　fail　to　be　invested　with　an　interest　peculiar　to　the
possession　of　such　knowledge；　Physician　was　an　attractive　man。　Even　the
daintier　gentlemen　and　ladies　who　had　no　idea　of　his　secret；　and
who　would　have　been　startled　out　of　more　wits　than　they　had；　by　the
monstrous　impropriety　of　his　proposing　to　them　'e　and　see　what　I
see！'　confessed　his　attraction。　Where　he　was；　something　real　was。　And
half　a　grain　of　reality；　like　the　smallest　portion　of　some　other　scarce
natural　productions；　will　flavour　an　enormous　quantity　of　diluent。

It　came　to　pass；　therefore；　that　Physician's　little　dinners　always
presented　people　in　their　least　conventional　lights。　The　guests　said　to
themselves；　whether　they　were　conscious　of　it　or　no；　'Here　is　a　man　who
really　has　an　acquaintance　with　us　as　we　are；　who　is　admitted　to　some
of　us　every　day　with　our　wigs　and　paint　off；　who　hears　the　wanderings　of
our　minds；　and　sees　the　undisguised　expression　of　our　faces；　when　both
are　past　our　control；　we　may　as　well　make　an　approach　to　reality　with
him；　for　the　man　has　got　the　better　of　us　and　is　too　strong　for　us。'
Therefore；　Physician's　guests　came　out　so　surprisingly　at　his　round
table　that　they　were　almost　natural。

Bar's　knowledge　of　that　agglomeration　of　jurymen　which　is　called
humanity　was　as　sharp　as　a　razor；　yet　a　razor　is　not　a　generally
convenient　instrument；　and　Physician's　plain　bright　scalpel；　though　far
less　keen；　was　adaptable　to　far　wider　purposes。　Bar　knew　all　about　the
gullibility　and　knavery　of　people；　but　Physician　could　have　given　him
a　better　insight　into　their　tendernesses　and　affections；　in　one　week　of
his　rounds；　than　Westminster　Hall　and　all　the　circuits　put　together；
in　threescore　years　and　ten。　Bar　always　had　a　suspicion　of　this；　and
perhaps　was　glad　to　encourage　it　（for；　if　the　world　were　really　a　great
Law　Court；　one　would　think　that　the　last　day　of　Term　could　not　too　soon
arrive）；　and　so　he　liked　and　respected　Physician　quite　as　much　as　any
other　kind　of　man　did。

Mr　Merdle's　default　left　a　Banquo's　chair　at　the　table；　but；　if　he　had
been　there；　he　would　have　merely　made　the　difference　of　Banquo　in　it；
and　consequently　he　was　no　loss。　Bar；　who　picked　up　all　sorts　of　odds
and　ends　about　Westminster　Hall；　much　as　a　raven　would　have　done　if　he
had　passed　as　much　of　his　time　there；　had　been　picking　up　a　great　many
straws　lately　and　tossing　them　about；　to　try　which　way　the　Merdle　wind
blew。　He　now　had　a　little　talk　on　the　subject　with　Mrs　Merdle　herself；
sidling　up　to　that　lady；　of　course；　with　his　double　eye…glass　and　his
jury　droop。

'A　certain　bird；'　said　Bar；　and　he　looked　as　if　it　could　have　been　no
other　bird　than　a　magpie；　'has　been　whispering　among　us　lawyers　lately；
that　there　is　to　be　an　addition　to　the　titled　personages　of　this　realm。'

'Really？'　said　Mrs　Merdle。

'Yes；'　said　Bar。　'Has　not　the　bird　been　whispering　in　very　different
ears　from　ours……in　lovely　ears？'　He　looked　expressively　at　Mrs　Merdle's
nearest　ear…ring。

'Do　you　mean　mine？'　asked　Mrs　Merdle。

'When　I　say　lovely；'　said　Bar；　'I　always　mean　you。'

'You　never　mean　anything；　I　think；'　returned　Mrs　Merdle　（not
displeased）。

'Oh；　cruelly　unjust！'　said　Bar。　'But；　the　bird。'

'I　am　the　last　person　in　the　world　to　hear　news；'　observed　Mrs　Merdle；
carelessly　arranging　her　stronghold。　'Who　is　it？'


'What　an　admirable　witness　you　would　make！'　said　Bar。　'No　jury　（unless
we　could　empanel　one　of　blind　men）　could　resist　you；　if　you　were　ever　so
bad　a　one；　but　you　would　be　such　a　good　one！'

'Why；　you　ridiculous　man？'　asked　Mrs　Merdle；　laughing。

Bar　waved　his　double　eye…glass　three　or　four　times　between　himself　and
the　Bosom；　as　a　rallying　ansost　insinuating
accents：

'What　am　I　to　call　the　most　elegant；　acplished　and　charming　of　women；
a　few　weeks；　or　it　may　be　a　few　days；　hence？'

'Didn't　your　bird　tell　you　what　to　call　her？'　answered　Mrs　Merdle。　'Do
ask　it　to…morrow；　and　tell　me　the　next　time　you　see　me　what　it　says。'

This　led　to　further　passages　of　similar　pleasantry　between　the　two；　but
Bar；　with　all　his　sharpness；　got　nothing　out　of　them。　Physician；　on　the
other　hand；　taking　Mrs　Merdle　down　to　her　carriage　and　attending　on　her
as　she　put　on　her　cloak；　inquired　into　the　symptoms　with　his　usual　calm
directness。

'May　I　ask；'　he　said；　'is　this　true　about　Merdle？'

'My　dear　doctor；'　she　returned；　'you　ask　me　the　very　question　that　I　was
half　disposed　to　ask　you。'　'To　ask　me！　Why　me？'

'Upon　my　honour；　I　think　Mr　Merdle　reposes　greater　confidence　in　you
than　in　any　one。'

'On　the　contrary；　he　tells　me　absolutely　nothing；　even　professionally。
You　have　heard　the　talk；　of　course？'

'Of　course　I　have。　But　you　know　what　Mr　Merdle　is；　you　know　how
taciturn　and　reserved　he　is。　I　assure　you　I　have　no　idea　what　foundation
for　it　there　may　be。　I　should　like　it　to　be　true；　why　should　I　deny　that
to　you？　You　would　know　better；　if　I　did！'

'Just　so；'　said　Physician。

'But　whether　it　is　all　true；　or　partly　true；　or　entirely　false；　I　am
wholly　unable　to　say。　It　is　a　most　provoking　situation；　a　most　absurd
situation；　but　you　know　Mr　Merdle；　and　are　not　surprised。'

Physician　was　not　surprised；　handed　her　into　her　carriage；　and　bade　her
Good　Night。　He　stood　for　a　moment　at　his　own　hall　door；　looking　sedately
at　the　elegant　equipage　as　it　rattled　away。　On　his　return　up…stairs；　the
rest　of　the　guests　soon　dispersed；　and　he　was　left　alone。　Being　a　great
reader　of　all　kinds　of　literature　（and　never　at　all　apologetic　for　that
weakness）；　he　sat　down　fortably　to　read。

The　clock　upon　his　study　table　pointed　to　a　few　minutes　short　of　twelve；
when　his　attention　was　called　to　it　by　a　ringing　at　the　door　bell。　A　man
of　plain　habits；　he　had　sent　his　servants　to　bed　and　must　needs　go　down
to　open　the　door。　He　went　down；　and　there　found　a　man　without　hat　or
coat；　whose　shirt　sleeves　were　rolled　up　tight　to　his　shoulders。　For　a
moment；　he　thought　the　man　had　been　fighting：　the　rather；　as　he　was　much
agitated　and　out　of　breath。　A　second　look；　however；　showed　him　that
the　man　was　particularly　clean；　and　not　otherwise　disposed　as　to　his
dress　than　as　it　answered　this　description。

'I　e　from　the　warm…baths；　sir；　round　in　the　neighbouring　street。'

'And　what　is　the　matter　at　the　warm…baths？'

'Would　you　please　to　e　directly；　sir。　We　found　that；　lying　on　the
table。'

He　put　into　the　physician's　hand　a　scrap　of　paper。　Physician　looked　at
it；　and　read　his　own　name　and　address　written　in　pencil；　nothing　more。
He　looked　closer　at　the　writing；　looked