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little dorrit-信丽(英文版)-第148部分

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or both……any genteel mystifications; I should probably not succeed in
them。'

'Papa Meagles;' returned the Dowager; with an affable smile; but with
the bloom on her cheeks standing out a little more vividly than usual as
the neighbouring surface became paler;'probably not。'

'Therefore; my good madam;' said Mr Meagles; at great pains to
restrain himself; 'I hope I may; without offence; ask to have no such
mystification played off upon me。' 'Mama Meagles;' observed Mrs Gowan;
'your good man is inprehensible。'

Her turning to that worthy lady was an artifice to bring her into the
discussion; quarrel eagles interposed to
prevent that consummation。

'Mother;' said he; 'you are inexpert; my dear; and it is not a fair
match。 Let me beg of you to remain quiet。 e; Mrs Gowan; e! Let
us try to be sensible; let us try to be good…natured; let us try to
be fair。 Don't you pity Henry; and I won't pity Pet。 And don't be
one…sided; my dear madam; it's not considerate; it's not kind。 Don't
let us say that we hope Pet will make Henry happy; or even that we hope
Henry will make Pet happy;' (Mr Meagles himself did not look happy as he
spoke the words;) 'but let us hope they will make each other happy。'

'Yes; sure; and there leave it; father;' said Mrs Meagles the
kind…hearted and fortable。

'Why; mother; no;' returned Mr Meagles; 'not exactly there。 I can't
quite leave it there; I must say just half…a…dozen words more。 Mrs
Gowan; I hope I am not over…sensitive。 I believe I don't look it。'

'Indeed you do not;' said Mrs Gowan; shaking her head and the great
green fan together; for emphasis。

'Thank you; ma'am; that's well。 Notwithstanding which; I feel a
little……I don't want to use a strong word……now shall I say hurt?'
asked Mr Meagles at once with frankness and moderation; and with a
conciliatory appeal in his tone。

'Say what you like;' answered Mrs Gowan。 'It is perfectly indifferent to
me。'

'No; no; don't say that;' urged Mr Meagles; 'because that's not
responding amiably。 I feel a little hurt when I hear references made to
consequences having been foreseen; and to its being too late now; and so
forth。'

'Do you; Papa Meagles?' said Mrs Gowan。 'I am not surprised。'

'Well; ma'am;' reasoned Mr Meagles; 'I was in hopes you would have been
at least surprised; because to hurt me wilfully on so tender a subject
is surely not generous。' 'I am not responsible;' said Mrs Gowan; 'for
your conscience; you know。'

Poor Mr Meagles looked aghast with astonishment。

'If I am unluckily obliged to carry a cap about with me; which is yours
and fits you;' pursued Mrs Gowan; 'don't blame me for its pattern; Papa
Meagles; I beg!' 'Why; good Lord; ma'am!' Mr Meagles broke out; 'that's
as much as to state……'

'Now; Papa Meagles; Papa Meagles;' said Mrs Gowan; who became extremely
deliberate and prepossessing in manner whenever that gentleman became at
all warm; 'perhaps to prevent confusion; I had better speak for myself
than trouble your kindness to speak for me。

It's as much as to state; you begin。 If you please; I will finish the
sentence。 It is as much as to state……not that I wish to press it or even
recall it; for it is of no use now; and my only wish is to make the
best of existing circumstances……that from the first to the last I always
objected to this match of yours; and at a very late period yielded a
most unwilling consent to it。'

'Mother!' cried Mr Meagles。 'Do you hear this! Arthur! Do you hear
this!'

'The room being of a convenient size;' said Mrs Gowan; looking about
as she fanned herself; 'and quite charmingly adapted in all respects to
conversation; I should imagine I am audible in any part of it。'

Some moments passed in silence; before Mr Meagles could hold himself in
his chair with sufficient security to prevent his breaking out of it at
the next word he spoke。 At last he said: 'Ma'am; I am very unwilling to
revive them; but I must remind you what my opinions and my course were;
all along; on that unfortunate subject。'

'O; my dear sir!' said Mrs Gowan; smiling and shaking her head with
accusatory intelligence; 'they were well understood by me; I assure
you。'

'I never; ma'am;' said Mr Meagles; 'knew unhappiness before that time;
I never knew anxiety before that time。 It was a time of such distress to
me that……' That Mr Meagles could really say no more about it; in short;
but passed his handkerchief before his Face。

'I understood the whole affair;' said Mrs Gowan; posedly looking
over her fan。 'As you have appealed to Mr Clennam; I may appeal to Mr
Clennam; too。 He knows whether I did or not。'

'I am very unwilling;' said Clennam; looked to by all parties; 'to take
any share in this discussion; more especially because I wish to preserve
the best understanding and the clearest relations with Mr Henry Gowan。
I have very strong reasons indeed; for entertaining that wish。 Mrs Gowan
attributed certain views of furthering the marriage to my friend here;
in conversation with me before it took place; and I endeavoured to
undeceive her。 I represented that I knew him (as I did and do) to be
strenuously opposed to it; both in opinion and action。'

'You see?' said Mrs Gowan; turning the palms of her hands towards Mr
Meagles; as if she were Justice herself; representing to him that he had
better confess; for he had not a leg to stand on。 'You see? Very good!
Now Papa and Mama Meagles both!' here she rose; 'allow me to take the
liberty of putting an end to this rather formidable controversy。 I will
not say another word upon its merits。 I will only say that it is an
additional proof of what one knows from all experience; that this kind
of thing never answers……as my poor fellow himself would say; that it
never pays……in one word; that it never does。'

Mr Meagles asked; What kind of thing?

'It is in vain;' said Mrs Gowan; 'for people to attempt to get on
together who have such extremely different antecedents; who are jumbled
against each other in this accidental; matrimonial sort of way; and who
cannot look at the untoward circumstance which has shaken them together
in the same light。 It never does。'

Mr Meagles was beginning; 'Permit me to say; ma'am……'

'No; don't;' returned Mrs Gowan。 'Why should you! It is an ascertained
fact。 It never does。 I will therefore; if you please; go my way; leaving
you to yours。 I shall at all times be happy to receive my poor fellow's
pretty wife; and I shall always make a point of being on the most
affectionate terms with her。 But as to these terms; semi…family and
semi…stranger; semi…goring and semi…boring; they form a state of things
quite amusing in its impracticability。 I assure you it never does。'

The Dowager here made a smiling obeisance; rather to the room than to
any one in it; and therewith took a final farewell of Papa and Mama
Meagles。 Clennam stepped forward to hand her to the Pill…Box which was
at the service of all the Pills in Hampton Court Palace; and she got
into that vehicle with distinguished serenity; and was driven away。

Thenceforth the Dowager; with a light and careless humour; often
recounted to her particular acquaintance how; after a hard trial; she
had found it impossible to know those people who belonged to Henry's
wife; and who had made that desperate set to catch him。 Whether she had
e to the conclusion beforehand; that to get rid of them would give
her favourite pretence a better air; might save her some occasional
inconvenience; and could risk no loss (the pretty creature being fast
married; and her father devoted to her); was best known to herself。
Though this history has its opinion on that point too; and decidedly in
the affirmative。




CHAPTER 9。 Appearance and Disappearance


'Arthur; my dear boy;' said Mr Meagles; on the evening of the following
day; 'Mother and I have been talking this over; and we don't feel
fortable in remaining as we are。 That elegant connection of
ours……that dear lady who was here yesterday……'

'I understand;' said Arthur。

'Even that affable and condescending ornament of society;' pursued Mr
Meagles; 'may misrepresent us; we are afraid。 We could bear a great
deal; Arthur; for her sake; but we think we wo
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