Dombey sat in the corner of the darkened room in the great arm-chair by the bedside, and Son lay tucked up warm in a little basket bedstead, carefully disposed on a low settee immediately in front of the fire and close to it, as if his constitution were analogous to that of a muffin, and it was essential to toast him brown while he was very new.
Dombey was about eight-and-forty years of age. Son about eight-and-forty minutes. Dombey was rather bald, rather red, and though a handsome well-made man, too stern and pompous in appearance, to be prepossessing. Son was very bald, and very red, and though (of course) an undeniably fine infant, somewhat crushed and spotty in his general effect, as yet. On the brow of Dombey, Time and his brother Care had set some marks, as on a tree that was to come down in good time - remorseless twins they are for striding through their human forests, notching as they go - while the countenance of Son was crossed with a thousand little creases, which the same deceitful Time would take delight in smoothing out and wearing away with the flat part of his scythe, as a preparation of the surface for his deeper operations.
Dombey, exulting in the long-looked-for event, jingled and jingled the heavy gold watch-chain that depended from below his trim blue coat, whereof the buttons sparkled phosphorescently in the feeble rays of the distant fire. Son, with his little fists curled up and clenched, seemed, in his feeble way, to be squaring at existence for having come upon him so unexpectedly.
'The House will once again, Mrs Dombey,' said Mr Dombey, 'be not only in name but in fact Dombey and Son;' and he added, in a tone of luxurious satisfaction, with his eyes half-closed as if he were reading the name in a device of flowers, and inhaling their fragrance at the same time; 'Dom-bey and Son!'
The words had such a softening influence, that he appended a term of endearment to Mrs Dombey's name (though not without some hesitation, as being a man but little used to that form of address): and said, 'Mrs Dombey, my - my dear.'
A transient flush of faint surprise overspread the sick lady's face as she raised her eyes towards him.
'He will be christened Paul, my - Mrs Dombey - of course.'
She feebly echoed, 'Of course,' or rather expressed it by the motion of her lips, and closed her eyes again.
'His father's name, Mrs Dombey, and his grandfather's! I wish his grandfather were alive this day! There is some inconvenience in the necessity of writing Junior,' said Mr Dombey, making a fictitious autograph on his knee; 'but it is merely of a private and personal complexion. It doesn't enter into the correspondence of the House. Its signature remains the same.' And again he said 'Dombey and Son, in exactly the same tone as before.
Those three words conveyed the one idea of Mr Dombey's life. The earth was made for Dombey and Son to trade in, and the sun and moon were made to give them light. Rivers and seas were formed to float their ships; rainbows gave them promise of fair weather; winds blew for or against their enterprises; stars and planets circled in their orbits, to preserve inviolate a system of which they were the centre. Common abbreviations took new meanings in his eyes, and had sole reference to them. A. D. had no concern with Anno Domini, but stood for anno Dombei - and Son.
He had risen, as his father had before him, in the course of life and death, from Son to Dombey, and for nearly twenty years had been the sole representative of the Firm. Of those years he had been married, ten - married, as some said, to a lady with no heart to give him; whose happiness was in the past, and who was content to bind her broken spirit to the dutiful and meek endurance of the present. Such idle talk was little likely to reach the ears of Mr Dombey, whom it nearly concerned; and probably no one in the world would have received it with such utter incredulity as he, if it had reached him. Dombey and Son had often dealt in hides, but never in hearts. They left that fancy ware to boys and girls, and boarding-schools and books. Mr Dombey would have reasoned: That a matrimonial alliance with himself must, in the nature of things, be gratifying and honourable to any woman of common sense. That the hope of giving birth to a new partner in such a House, could not fail to awaken a glorious and stirring ambition in the breast of the least ambitious of her sex. That Mrs Dombey had entered on that social contract of matrimony: almost necessarily part of a genteel and wealthy station, even without reference to the perpetuation of family Firms: with her eyes fully open to these advantages. That Mrs Dombey had had daily practical knowledge of his position in society. That Mrs Dombey had always sat at the head of his table, and done the honours of his house in a remarkably lady-like and becoming manner. That Mrs Dombey must have been happy. That she couldn't help it.
Or, at all events, with one drawback. Yes. That he would have allowed. With only one; but that one certainly involving much. With the drawback of hope deferred. That hope deferred, which, (as the Scripture very correctly tells us, Mr Dombey would have added in a patronising way; for his highest distinct idea even of Scripture, if examined, would have been found to be; that as forming part of a general whole, of which Dombey and Son formed another part, it was therefore to be commended and upheld) maketh the heart sick. They had been married ten years, and until this present day on which Mr Dombey sat jingling and jingling his heavy gold watch-chain in the great arm-chair by the side of the bed, had had no issue.
- To speak of; none worth mentioning. There had been a girl some six years before, and the child, who had stolen into the chamber unobserved, was now crouching timidly, in a corner whence she could see her mother's face. But what was a girl to Dombey and Son! In the capital of the House's name and dignity, such a child was merely a piece of base coin that couldn't be invested - a bad Boy - nothing more.
Mr Dombey's cup of satisfaction was so full at this moment, however, that he felt he could afford a drop or two of its contents, even to sprinkle on the dust in the by-path of his little daughter.
So he said, 'Florence, you may go and look at your pretty brother, if you lIke, I daresay. Don't touch him!'
The child glanced keenly at the blue coat and stiff white cravat, which, with a pair of creaking boots and a very loud ticking watch, embodied her idea of a father; but her eyes returned to her mother's face immediately, and she neither moved nor answered.
'Her insensibility is as proof against a brother as against every thing else,' said Mr Dombey to himself He seemed so confirmed in a previous opinion by the discovery, as to be quite glad of it'
Next moment, the lady had opened her eyes and seen the child; and the child had run towards her; and, standing on tiptoe, the better to hide her face in her embrace, had clung about her with a desperate affection very much at variance with her years.
'Oh Lord bless me!' said Mr Dombey, rising testily. 'A very illadvised and feverish proceeding this, I am sure. Please to ring there for Miss Florence's nurse. Really the person should be more care-'
'Wait! I - had better ask Doctor Peps if he'll have the goodness to step upstairs again perhaps. I'll go down. I'll go down. I needn't beg you,' he added, pausing for a moment at the settee before the fire, 'to take particular care of this young gentleman, Mrs - '
'Blockitt, Sir?' suggested the nurse, a simpering piece of faded gentility, who did not presume to state her name as a fact, but merely offered it as a mild suggestion.
'Of this young gentleman, Mrs Blockitt.'
'No, Sir, indeed. I remember when Miss Florence was born - '
'Ay, ay, ay,' said Mr Dombey, bending over the basket bedstead, and slightly bending his brows at the same time. 'Miss Florence was all very well, but this is another matter. This young gentleman has to accomplish a destiny. A destiny, little fellow!' As he thus apostrophised the infant he raised one of his hands to his lips, and kissed it; then, seeming to fear that the action involved some compromise of his dignity, went, awkwardly enough, away.
Doctor Parker Peps, one of the Court Physicians, and a man of immense reputation for assisting at the increase of great families, was walking up and down the drawing-room with his hands behind him, to the unspeakable admiration of the family Surgeon, who had regularly puffed the case for the last six weeks, among all his patients, friends, and acquaintances, as one to which he was in hourly expectation day and night of being summoned, in conjunction with Doctor Parker Pep.
'Well, Sir,' said Doctor Parker Peps in a round, deep, sonorous voice, muffled for the occasion, like the knocker; 'do you find that your dear lady is at all roused by your visit?'
'Stimulated as it were?' said the family practitioner faintly: bowing at the same time to the Doctor, as much as to say, 'Excuse my putting in a word, but this is a valuable connexion.'
Mr Dombey was quite discomfited by the question. He had thought so little of the patient, that he was not in a condition to answer it. He said that it would be a satisfaction to him, if Doctor Parker Peps would walk upstairs again.
'Good! We must not disguise from you, Sir,' said Doctor Parker Peps, 'that there is a want of power in Her Grace the Duchess - I beg your pardon; I confound names; I should say, in your amiable lady. That there is a certain degree of languor, and a general absence of elasticity, which we would rather - not -
'See,' interposed the family practitioner with another inclination of the head.
'Quite so,' said Doctor Parker Peps,' which we would rather not see. It would appear that the system of Lady Cankaby - excuse me: I should say of Mrs Dombey: I confuse the names of cases - '
'So very numerous,' murmured the family practitioner - 'can't be expected I'm sure - quite wonderful if otherwise - Doctor Parker Peps's West-End practice - '
'Thank you,' said the Doctor, 'quite so. It would appear, I was observing, that the system of our patient has sustained a shock, from which it can only hope to rally by a great and strong - '
'And vigorous,' murmured the family practitioner.
'Quite so,' assented the Doctor - 'and vigorous effort. Mr Pilkins here, who from his position of medical adviser in this family - no one better qualified to fill that position, I am sure.'
'Oh!' murmured the family practitioner. '"Praise from Sir Hubert Stanley!"'
'You are good enough,' returned Doctor Parker Peps, 'to say so. Mr Pilkins who, from his position, is best acquainted with the patient's constitution in its normal state (an acquaintance very valuable to us in forming our opinions in these occasions), is of opinion, with me, that Nature must be called upon to make a vigorous effort in this instance; and that if our interesting friend the Countess of Dombey - I beg your pardon; Mrs Dombey - should not be - '
'Able,' said the family practitioner.
'To make,' said Doctor Parker Peps.
'That effort,' said the family practitioner.
'Successfully,' said they both together.
'Then,' added Doctor Parker Peps, alone and very gravely, a crisis might arise, which we should both sincerely deplore.'
With that, they stood for a few seconds looking at the ground. Then, on the motion - made in dumb show - of Doctor Parker Peps, they went upstairs; the family practitioner opening the room door for that distinguished professional, and following him out, with most obsequious politeness.
To record of Mr Dombey that he was not in his way affected by this intelligence, would be to do him an injustice. He was not a man of whom it could properly be said that he was ever startled, or shocked; but he certainly had a sense within him, that if his wife should sicken and decay, he would be very sorry, and that he would find a something gone from among his plate and furniture, and other household possessions, which was well worth the having, and could not be lost without sincere regret. Though it would be a cool,. business-like, gentlemanly, self-possessed regret, no doubt.
His meditations on the subject were soon interrupted, first by the rustling of garments on the staircase, and then by the sudden whisking into the room of a lady rather past the middle age than otherwise but dressed in a very juvenile manner, particularly as to the tightness of her bodice, who, running up to him with a kind of screw in her face and carriage, expressive of suppressed emotion, flung her arms around his neck, and said, in a choking voice,
'My dear Paul! He's quite a Dombey!'
'Well, well!' returned her brother - for Mr Dombey was her brother - 'I think he is like the family. Don't agitate yourself, Louisa.'
'It's very foolish of me,' said Louisa, sitting down, and taking out her pocket~handkerchief, 'but he's - he's such a perfect Dombey!'
Mr Dombey coughed.
'It's so extraordinary,' said Louisa; smiling through her tears, which indeed were not overpowering, 'as to be perfectly ridiculous. So completely our family. I never saw anything like it in my life!'
'But what is this about Fanny, herself?' said Mr Dombey. 'How is Fanny?'
'My dear Paul,' returned Louisa, 'it's nothing whatever. Take my word, it's nothing whatever. There is exhaustion, certainly, but nothing like what I underwent myself, either with George or Frederick. An effort is necessary. That's all. If dear Fanny were a Dombey! - But I daresay she'll make it; I have no doubt she'll make it. Knowing it to be required of her, as a duty, of course she'll make it. My dear Paul, it's very weak and silly of me, I know, to be so trembly and shaky from head to foot; but I am so very queer that I must ask you for a glass of wine and a morsel of that cake.'
Mr Dombey promptly supplied her with these refreshments from a tray on the table.
'I shall not drink my love to you, Paul,' said Louisa: 'I shall drink to the little Dombey. Good gracious me! - it's the most astonishing thing I ever knew in all my days, he's such a perfect Dombey.'
Quenching this expression of opinion in a short hysterical laugh which terminated in tears, Louisa cast up her eyes, and emptied her glass.
'I know it's very weak and silly of me,' she repeated, 'to be so trembly and shaky from head to foot, and to allow my feelings so completely to get the better of me, but I cannot help it. I thought I should have fallen out of the staircase window as I came down from seeing dear Fanny, and that tiddy ickle sing.' These last words originated in a sudden vivid reminiscence of the baby.
They were succeeded by a gentle tap at the door.
'Mrs Chick,' said a very bland female voice outside, 'how are you now, my dear friend?'
'My dear Paul,' said Louisa in a low voice, as she rose from her seat, 'it's Miss Tox. The kindest creature! I never could have got here without her! Miss Tox, my brother Mr Dombey. Paul, my dear, my very particular friend Miss Tox.'
The lady thus specially presented, was a long lean figure, wearing such a faded air that she seemed not to have been made in what linen-drapers call 'fast colours' originally, and to have, by little and little, washed out. But for this she might have been described as the very pink of general propitiation and politeness. From a long habit of listening admiringly to everything that was said in her presence, and looking at the speakers as if she were mentally engaged in taking off impressions of their images upon her soul, never to part with the same but with life, her head had quite settled on one side. Her hands had contracted a spasmodic habit of raising themselves of their own accord as in involuntary admiration. Her eyes were liable to a similar affection. She had the softest voice that ever was heard; and her nose, stupendously aquiline, had a little knob in the very centre or key-stone of the bridge, whence it tended downwards towards her face, as in an invincible determination never to turn up at anything.
Miss Tox's dress, though perfectly genteel and good, had a certain character of angularity and scantiness. She was accustomed to wear odd weedy little flowers in her bonnets and caps. Strange grasses were sometimes perceived in her hair; and it was observed by the curious, of all her collars, frills, tuckers, wristbands, and other gossamer articles - indeed of everything she wore which had two ends to it intended to unite - that the two ends were never on good terms, and wouldn't quite meet without a struggle. She had furry articles for winter wear, as tippets, boas, and muffs, which stood up on end in rampant manner, and were not at all sleek. She was much given to the carrying about of small bags with snaps to them, that went off like little pistols when they were shut up; and when full-dressed, she wore round her neck the barrenest of lockets, representing a fishy old eye, with no approach to speculation in it. These and other appearances of a similar nature, had served to propagate the opinion, that Miss Tox was a lady of what is called a limited independence, which she turned to the best account. Possibly her mincing gait encouraged the belief, and suggested that her clipping a step of ordinary compass into two or three, originated in her habit of making the most of everything.
'I am sure,' said Miss Tox, with a prodigious curtsey, 'that to have the honour of being presented to Mr Dombey is a distinction which I have long sought, but very little expected at the present moment. My dear Mrs Chick - may I say Louisa!'
Mrs Chick took Miss Tox's hand in hers, rested the foot of her wine-glass upon it, repressed a tear, and said in a low voice, 'God bless you!'
'My dear Louisa then,' said Miss Tox, 'my sweet friend, how are you now?'
'Better,' Mrs Chick returned. 'Take some wine. You have been almost as anxious as I have been, and must want it, I am sure.'
Mr Dombey of course officiated, and also refilled his sister's glass, which she (looking another way, and unconscious of his intention) held straight and steady the while, and then regarded with great astonishment, saying, 'My dear Paul, what have you been doing!'
'Miss Tox, Paul,' pursued Mrs Chick, still retaining her hand, 'knowing how much I have been interested in the anticipation of the event of to-day, and how trembly and shaky I have been from head to foot in expectation of it, has been working at a little gift for Fanny, which I promised to present. Miss Tox is ingenuity itself.'
'My dear Louisa,' said Miss Tox. 'Don't say so.
'It is only a pincushion for the toilette table, Paul,' resumed his sister; 'one of those trifles which are insignificant to your sex in general, as it's very natural they should be - we have no business to expect they should be otherwise - but to which we attach some interest.
'Miss Tox is very good,' said Mr Dombey.
'And I do say, and will say, and must say,' pursued his sister, pressing the foot of the wine-glass on Miss Tox's hand, at each of the three clauses, 'that Miss Tox has very prettily adapted the sentiment to the occasion. I call "Welcome little Dombey" Poetry, myself!'
'Is that the device?' inquired her brother.
'That is the device,' returned Louisa.
'But do me the justice to remember, my dear Louisa,' said Miss Toxin a tone of low and earnest entreaty, 'that nothing but the - I have some difficulty in expressing myself - the dubiousness of the result would have induced me to take so great a liberty: "Welcome, Master Dombey," would have been much more congenial to my feelings, as I am sure you know. But the uncertainty attendant on angelic strangers, will, I hope, excuse what must otherwise appear an unwarrantable familiarity.' Miss Tox made a graceful bend as she spoke, in favour of Mr Dombey, which that gentleman graciously acknowledged. Even the sort of recognition of Dombey and Son, conveyed in the foregoing conversation, was so palatable to him, that his sister, Mrs Chick - though he affected to consider her a weak good-natured person - had perhaps more influence over him than anybody else.
'My dear Paul,' that lady broke out afresh, after silently contemplating his features for a few moments, 'I don't know whether to laugh or cry when I look at you, I declare, you do so remind me of that dear baby upstairs.'
'Well!' said Mrs Chick, with a sweet smile, 'after this, I forgive Fanny everything!'
It was a declaration in a Christian spirit, and Mrs Chick felt that it did her good. Not that she had anything particular to forgive in her sister-in-law, nor indeed anything at all, except her having married her brother - in itself a species of audacity - and her having, in the course of events, given birth to a girl instead of a boy: which, as Mrs Chick had frequently observed, was not quite what she had expected of her, and was not a pleasant return for all the attention and distinction she had met with.
Mr Dombey being hastily summoned out of the room at this moment, the two ladies were left alone together. Miss Tox immediately became spasmodic.
'I knew you would admire my brother. I told you so beforehand, my dear,' said Louisa. Miss Tox's hands and eyes expressed how much. 'And as to his property, my dear!'
'Ah!' said Miss Tox, with deep feeling. 'Im-mense!'
'But his deportment, my dear Louisa!' said Miss Tox. 'His presence! His dignity! No portrait that I have ever seen of anyone has been half so replete with those qualities. Something so stately, you know: so uncompromising: so very wide across the chest: so upright! A pecuniary Duke of York, my love, and nothing short of it!' said Miss Tox. 'That's what I should designate him.'
'Why, my dear Paul!' exclaimed his sister, as he returned, 'you look quite pale! There's nothing the matter?'
'I am sorry to say, Louisa, that they tell me that Fanny - '
'Now, my dear Paul,' returned his sister rising, 'don't believe it. Do not allow yourself to receive a turn unnecessarily. Remember of what importance you are to society, and do not allow yourself to be worried by what is so very inconsiderately told you by people who ought to know better. Really I'm surprised at them.'
'I hope I know, Louisa,' said Mr Dombey, stiffly, 'how to bear myself before the world.'
'Nobody better, my dear Paul. Nobody half so well. They would be ignorant and base indeed who doubted it.'
'Ignorant and base indeed!' echoed Miss Tox softly.
'But,' pursued Louisa, 'if you have any reliance on my experience, Paul, you may rest assured that there is nothing wanting but an effort on Fanny's part. And that effort,' she continued, taking off her bonnet, and adjusting her cap and gloves, in a business-like manner, 'she must be encouraged, and really, if necessary, urged to make. Now, my dear Paul, come upstairs with me.'
Mr Dombey, who, besides being generally influenced by his sister for the reason already mentioned, had really faith in her as an experienced and bustling matron, acquiesced; and followed her, at once, to the sick chamber.
The lady lay upon her bed as he had left her, clasping her little daughter to her breast. The child clung close about her, with the same intensity as before, and never raised her head, or moved her soft cheek from her mother's face, or looked on those who stood around, or spoke, or moved, or shed a tear.
'Restless without the little girl,' the Doctor whispered Mr Dombey. 'We found it best to have her in again.'
'Can nothing be done?' asked Mr Dombey.
The Doctor shook his head. 'We can do no more.'
The windows stood open, and the twilight was gathering without.
The scent of the restoratives that had been tried was pungent in the room, but had no fragrance in the dull and languid air the lady breathed.
There was such a solemn stillness round the bed; and the two medical attendants seemed to look on the impassive form with so much compassion and so little hope, that Mrs Chick was for the moment diverted from her purpose. But presently summoning courage, and what she called presence of mind, she sat down by the bedside, and said in the low precise tone of one who endeavours to awaken a sleeper:
'Fanny! Fanny!'
There was no sound in answer but the loud ticking of Mr Dombey's watch and Doctor Parker Peps's watch, which seemed in the silence to be running a race.
'Fanny, my dear,' said Mrs Chick, with assumed lightness, 'here's Mr Dombey come to see you. Won't you speak to him? They want to lay your little boy - the baby, Fanny, you know; you have hardly seen him yet, I think - in bed; but they can't till you rouse yourself a little. Don't you think it's time you roused yourself a little? Eh?'
She bent her ear to the bed, and listened: at the same time looking round at the bystanders, and holding up her finger.
'Eh?' she repeated, 'what was it you said, Fanny? I didn't hear you.'
No word or sound in answer. Mr Dombey's watch and Dr Parker Peps's watch seemed to be racing faster.
'Now, really, Fanny my dear,' said the sister-in-law, altering her position, and speaking less confidently, and more earnestly, in spite of herself, 'I shall have to be quite cross with you, if you don't rouse yourself. It's necessary for you to make an effort, and perhaps a very great and painful effort which you are not disposed to make; but this is a world of effort you know, Fanny, and we must never yield, when so much depends upon us. Come! Try! I must really scold you if you don't!'
The race in the ensuing pause was fierce and furious. The watches seemed to jostle, and to trip each other up.
'Fanny!' said Louisa, glancing round, with a gathering alarm. 'Only look at me. Only open your eyes to show me that you hear and understand me; will you? Good Heaven, gentlemen, what is to be done!'
The two medical attendants exchanged a look across the bed; and the Physician, stooping down, whispered in the child's ear. Not having understood the purport of his whisper, the little creature turned her perfectly colourless face and deep dark eyes towards him; but without loosening her hold in the least
The whisper was repeated.
'Mama!' said the child.
The little voice, familiar and dearly loved, awakened some show of consciousness, even at that ebb. For a moment, the closed eye lids trembled, and the nostril quivered, and the faintest shadow of a smile was seen.
'Mama!' cried the child sobbing aloud. 'Oh dear Mama! oh dear Mama!'
The Doctor gently brushed the scattered ringlets of the child, aside from the face and mouth of the mother. Alas how calm they lay there; how little breath there was to stir them!
Thus, clinging fast to that slight spar within her arms, the mother drifted out upon the dark and unknown sea that rolls round all the world.
在一間光線被遮暗了的房間的角落里，董貝坐在床邊一張大扶手椅子上；他的兒子被包裹得暖和和的，躺在一個(gè)小搖籃里；這個(gè)小搖籃被考慮周到地放在緊靠著壁爐前面的一條矮矮的長(zhǎng)靠椅上，仿佛他的體質(zhì)和松餅相似，需要趁著他很新鮮的時(shí)候，把他烤成棕色。
董貝大約四十八歲。他的兒子出世大約四十八分鐘。董貝的頭稍稍有些禿，臉色稍稍有些紅；雖然他是一位外貌漂亮、身材勻稱的男子，可是神色過(guò)分嚴(yán)厲與傲慢，因此不能使人產(chǎn)生好感。他的兒子的頭很禿，臉色很紅；雖然他當(dāng)然不可否認(rèn)地是一個(gè)可愛(ài)的嬰孩，可是看上去有些皺巴巴的，身上斑斑點(diǎn)點(diǎn)。時(shí)間和他的兄弟操勞——他們是一對(duì)殘酷無(wú)情的孿生兄弟；當(dāng)大踏步穿過(guò)人類森林的時(shí)候，他們一邊走，一邊砍伐——已經(jīng)在董貝的前額上留下了一些痕跡，就像在一株在適當(dāng)?shù)臅r(shí)候要被砍倒的樹上留下痕跡一樣；他的兒子的臉上則被縱橫交錯(cuò)地布滿了上千道細(xì)小的的皺紋；同樣是這個(gè)愛(ài)欺詐人的時(shí)間，他將用他大鐮刀扁平的一面把這些皺紋撫平、消除，準(zhǔn)備好一個(gè)表面，好讓他在上面進(jìn)行更深入的操作。
這樁盼望已久的大事終于來(lái)臨，董貝感到興高采烈；他玩弄著懸掛在他的整潔的藍(lán)上衣下面的沉甸甸的金表鏈，讓它發(fā)出了叮零叮零的響聲；在遠(yuǎn)處爐火的微弱光線中，上衣鈕扣像磷火一樣閃爍著亮光。他的兒子緊握著卷曲的小拳頭，似乎憑他那微弱的氣力，正在向這突然降臨到他身上的生命擺好進(jìn)攻的架勢(shì)。
“董貝夫人，”董貝先生說(shuō)道，“我們的公司將再一次成為名副其實(shí)的董貝父子公司，而不是徒有虛名的了；董——貝父子！”
這幾個(gè)字具有一種使他變得溫柔起來(lái)的影響力，所以他在董貝夫人的名字后面又加上了一個(gè)表示親愛(ài)的稱呼（雖然他并不是沒(méi)有經(jīng)過(guò)一些遲疑才說(shuō)出的，因?yàn)樗吘故且晃徊涣?xí)慣采用這種稱呼方式的人），說(shuō)道，“董貝夫人，我的——
我的親愛(ài)的?！?BR> 那位有病的夫人抬起眼睛望他的時(shí)候，臉上片刻間泛起了由于微感驚訝而產(chǎn)生的紅暈。
“在給他施洗禮的時(shí)候?qū)⒔o他命名為保羅，我的——董貝夫人——，當(dāng)然是這樣?！?BR> 她有氣無(wú)力地重復(fù)說(shuō)了“當(dāng)然是這樣”，或者更確切地說(shuō)，只是動(dòng)了動(dòng)嘴唇，并沒(méi)有發(fā)出聲音，然后又閉上了眼睛。
“這是他爸爸的名字，董貝夫人，也是他爺爺?shù)拿?！我真但愿他爺爺能活到今天就好了！”然后他又用剛才同樣的聲調(diào)，說(shuō)道，“董貝父子”。
這四個(gè)字表達(dá)了董貝先生生活中的思想。土地創(chuàng)造出來(lái)是為了給董貝父子去經(jīng)營(yíng)商業(yè)的；太陽(yáng)與月亮創(chuàng)造出來(lái)是為了給他們亮光。河流與海洋是為了運(yùn)載他們的商船而形成的；彩虹向他們預(yù)示良好的氣候；刮風(fēng)對(duì)他們的企業(yè)有利或不利；星星和行星沿著軌道運(yùn)行，是為了保存一個(gè)以他們?yōu)橹行牡纳袷ゲ豢汕址傅捏w系。普通的縮略語(yǔ)在他的眼中有了新的意義，而且只和他們有關(guān)系：A．D與annoDomini（公元）無(wú)關(guān)，而只是代表annoDombei－andSon（董貝父子紀(jì)元）。
在生與死的過(guò)程中，他跟他父親先前一樣，曾經(jīng)從兒子上升為董貝；在這之后的近20年中，他是這個(gè)公司的的代表。在這20年中，他結(jié)婚已有10年。有人說(shuō)，他是跟一位沒(méi)有把心交給他的女士結(jié)了婚，這位女士過(guò)去曾經(jīng)有過(guò)幸福，后來(lái)安心讓那顆破碎了的心對(duì)現(xiàn)狀逆來(lái)順受，安守本分。這種流言蜚語(yǔ)與董貝先生密切有關(guān)，因此不大可能傳到他的耳朵里；如果真的傳到了，那么世界上大概沒(méi)有第二個(gè)人能像他那樣對(duì)它完全不相信的。董貝父子公司經(jīng)常經(jīng)營(yíng)皮革生意，但卻從來(lái)不經(jīng)營(yíng)心的生意。他們把這個(gè)花俏的商品讓給青年男女、寄宿學(xué)校和書籍去打交道了。董貝先生可能會(huì)這樣來(lái)推斷事理：任何一位具有常識(shí)、和他本人結(jié)婚的婦女，理所當(dāng)然地一定會(huì)覺(jué)得心滿意足，光彩體面；給這樣一個(gè)公司生下一個(gè)新的合伙人的希望，即使在她們當(dāng)中最沒(méi)有野心的女性的心中也必定會(huì)喚起那光榮得意、興奮激動(dòng)的抱負(fù)來(lái)；董貝夫人簽訂了那份婚約就意味著她幾乎必然就會(huì)成為那個(gè)高貴的、富有的家庭的一員，且不提她給那個(gè)家庭傳宗接代的事了，因此她一定會(huì)完全看到這些好處；董貝夫人曾經(jīng)從日常生活經(jīng)驗(yàn)中認(rèn)識(shí)到他的社會(huì)地位；董貝夫人經(jīng)常坐在他的餐桌的首席，并以出色的貴夫人的風(fēng)度，十分得體地履行了家庭主婦的職責(zé)；董貝夫人一定一直是幸福的，她不可能不這樣。
不過(guò)，也有美中不足的地方。對(duì)了。這個(gè)缺點(diǎn)他是會(huì)承認(rèn)的。就只有這一個(gè)缺點(diǎn)；但是這一個(gè)缺點(diǎn)卻確實(shí)關(guān)系重大。他們已經(jīng)結(jié)婚十年，但是直到今天，董貝先生坐在床邊的大扶手椅子上，玩弄著他的沉甸甸的金表鏈，讓它發(fā)出了叮零叮零的響聲之前，他們還沒(méi)有后嗣。
——沒(méi)有值得一提的后嗣。大約在六年以前，他們有了一個(gè)女兒；這個(gè)孩子沒(méi)有被人覺(jué)察，已經(jīng)偷偷地溜進(jìn)了這個(gè)房間，現(xiàn)在正戰(zhàn)戰(zhàn)兢兢地蹲在一個(gè)角落里；她從那里可以望得見(jiàn)她媽媽的臉孔?？墒菍?duì)董貝父子公司來(lái)說(shuō)，一個(gè)女兒算得了什么呢！在公司的聲望與尊嚴(yán)的資本中，這樣一個(gè)孩子只不過(guò)是一枚不能用來(lái)投資的劣幣——一個(gè)壞孩子——，如此而已。
然而，董貝先生這時(shí)杯子里卻裝滿了稱心滿意的酒，裝得很滿很滿，因此他甚至可以把其中的一兩滴灑到他的小女兒的小徑中的塵土上。
所以他說(shuō)道，“弗洛倫斯，我想，如果你喜歡的話，你可以去看看你漂亮的小弟弟嘛?？蓜e去碰他！”
女孩子朝著藍(lán)色的上衣和筆挺的白色領(lǐng)帶敏銳地看了一眼，這兩件東西加上一雙走起來(lái)格吱格吱響的長(zhǎng)靴和一只滴答滴答走得很響的表，構(gòu)成了他對(duì)父親的概念；但是她的眼睛立刻又回到了她母親的臉上；她沒(méi)有移動(dòng)，也沒(méi)有回答。
不一會(huì)兒，夫人張開(kāi)了眼睛，看到了女孩子；女孩子向她跑過(guò)去，然后踮起腳跟，好讓臉部盡量藏到她的懷抱中，一邊悲觀絕望地、而又滿懷深情地緊緊抱著她，女孩子的這種感情與她的年齡是很不相稱的。
“啊，天主保佑我！”董貝先生急躁地站起來(lái)，說(shuō)道，“這真是十分魯莽、十分冒失的行動(dòng)！也許我去請(qǐng)佩普斯大夫，勞駕他再到樓上來(lái)一趟。我就下去。我就下去?！彼叩奖跔t前的長(zhǎng)靠椅邊，停了片刻，又補(bǔ)充說(shuō)道，“我想用不著我請(qǐng)求您，要格外小心地照看好這位年輕的先生吧，您這位——”
“布洛基特太太，先生？”護(hù)士提示道，她是一位愛(ài)裝出假笑，門第已經(jīng)衰微的女人；她不敢把她的姓名當(dāng)作事實(shí)來(lái)陳述，而只是把它當(dāng)作一個(gè)可供考慮的建議提出來(lái)。
“照看好這位年輕的先生，布洛基特太太?！?BR> “是的，先生，當(dāng)然的。我記得弗洛倫斯小姐出生的時(shí)候——”
“是的，是的，是的，”董貝先生向那個(gè)搖籃彎下身去，同時(shí)稍稍皺了一下眉頭，說(shuō)道，“弗洛倫斯小姐那時(shí)一切都很好，但這卻是另外一碼事。這位年輕的先生是命中注定要去完成一番偉大事業(yè)的。命中注定的偉大事業(yè)呵，小家伙！”當(dāng)他向嬰孩這樣打了招呼的時(shí)候，他把他的一只手舉到唇邊，吻了吻它；然后，似乎害怕這個(gè)動(dòng)作有損于他的尊嚴(yán)，就很不自然地走開(kāi)了。
帕克·佩普斯大夫是宮廷醫(yī)生當(dāng)中的一位，在幫助重要家族增添人口方面享有很大的聲譽(yù)，現(xiàn)在正把雙手抄在背后，在客廳里走來(lái)走去；家庭醫(yī)生對(duì)他的欽佩是無(wú)法用言語(yǔ)形容的；在過(guò)去的六個(gè)星期中，他一直在他的病人、朋友和熟人中吹噓現(xiàn)在的這個(gè)病例，說(shuō)他日日夜夜、時(shí)時(shí)刻刻都等待著和帕克·佩普斯大夫一起被請(qǐng)去進(jìn)行會(huì)診。
“唔，先生，”帕克·佩普斯大夫說(shuō)道，他那清晰、深沉、洪亮的聲音這時(shí)候像被布蒙住的門鈴一樣，減弱了；“您去看您親愛(ài)的夫人時(shí)，您是否發(fā)現(xiàn)她被驚醒了？”
“她是否好像受到了刺激？”家庭醫(yī)生輕聲說(shuō)道，同時(shí)向帕克·佩普斯大夫鞠丁個(gè)躬，好像是說(shuō)，“請(qǐng)?jiān)徫也辶艘痪湓?，不過(guò)這是個(gè)有價(jià)值的補(bǔ)充?！?BR> 董貝先生被這個(gè)問(wèn)題問(wèn)得很為難。他在這之前很少想到過(guò)病人，所以不知道該怎么回答才好。他說(shuō)，如果帕克·佩普斯大夫肯再上樓去看看的話，那么他將十分感激。
“好！我們不應(yīng)當(dāng)向您掩飾真情，先生，”帕克·佩普斯大夫說(shuō)道，“公爵夫人——請(qǐng)?jiān)?，我把姓名給混淆了；我是想說(shuō)，您的和藹可親的夫人缺乏精力；有一定程度的虛弱，總的說(shuō)來(lái)，沒(méi)有靈活應(yīng)變的能力，這是我們所不愿意——”
“看到的，”家庭醫(yī)生插嘴道，同時(shí)又低了一下頭。
“完全不錯(cuò)，”帕克·佩普斯大夫說(shuō)道，“這是我們所不愿意看到的?？磥?lái)，坎卡貝夫人的體質(zhì)，對(duì)不起，我是想說(shuō)董貝夫人的體質(zhì)，我把病人的姓名給混淆了?！?BR> “病人很多很多，”家庭醫(yī)生低聲說(shuō)道，“確實(shí)，不可能指望他把他們的姓名全都記得清清楚楚——否則倒是不可思議的了——，帕克·佩普斯大夫在倫敦西區(qū)①的業(yè)務(wù)——”
“謝謝您，”大夫說(shuō)道，“完全不錯(cuò)。我是說(shuō)，看來(lái)，我們病人的體質(zhì)經(jīng)受了一次沖擊，要希望恢復(fù)元?dú)饩椭挥凶鞒龊艽蟮?、有力的——?BR> --------
①倫敦西區(qū)（Weat－End）：倫敦西部地區(qū)，其中有很好的公園、花園、宮殿、貴族住宅、議會(huì)及政府機(jī)構(gòu)等。
“和勁頭十足的，”家庭醫(yī)生低聲說(shuō)道。
“完全不錯(cuò)，”大夫同意道，“和勁頭十足的努力才行。皮爾金斯先生擔(dān)任這個(gè)家庭的醫(yī)療顧問(wèn)——，毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)，沒(méi)有什么人能比他更有資格擔(dān)任這個(gè)職務(wù)的了?！?BR> “??！”家庭醫(yī)生低聲說(shuō)道，“這是休伯特·斯坦利爵士的夸獎(jiǎng)呢①！”
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①指誠(chéng)實(shí)的夸獎(jiǎng)。休伯特·斯坦利爵士（SirHubertStanley）是18世紀(jì)英國(guó)戲劇作家托馬斯·莫頓（ThomasMorton，1764—1838年）的喜劇《傷心的治療》（ACurefortheHeartAche）中的一個(gè)人物。
“您這么說(shuō)真太客氣了，”帕克·佩普斯大夫說(shuō)道，“皮爾金斯先生由于擔(dān)任這個(gè)職務(wù)，對(duì)病人正常狀態(tài)下的體質(zhì)是最為了解的（這種了解對(duì)我們?cè)谶@種情況下作出診斷是十分寶貴的）；他和我一致的意見(jiàn)是，在目前的情況下，需要求助于生命力來(lái)作出勁頭十足的努力；如果我們這位有趣的朋友董貝伯爵夫人——請(qǐng)?jiān)?，董貝夫人真的不——?BR> “能，”家庭醫(yī)生說(shuō)道。
“成功地作出那樣的努力的話，”帕克·佩普斯大夫說(shuō)道，“那么就會(huì)出現(xiàn)危急的局面，那是我們兩人都會(huì)衷心悲痛的?！?BR> 說(shuō)完之后，他們站在那里向地上看了幾秒鐘。然后，帕克·佩普斯大夫默不作聲地做了個(gè)手勢(shì)之后，他們上了樓；家庭醫(yī)生巴巴結(jié)結(jié)、畢恭畢敬地為那位杰出的專家開(kāi)了房門，然后跟隨在他后面。
如果說(shuō)董貝先生聽(tīng)到這個(gè)消息并不感到憂傷的話，那對(duì)他是不公道的?？梢郧‘?dāng)?shù)卣f(shuō)，他不是那種會(huì)驚慌失措或感情激動(dòng)的人；但他內(nèi)心總是有感覺(jué)的；如果他的妻子生了病、倒下去了的話，那么他是會(huì)感到很不愉快的；他會(huì)覺(jué)得從他的盤子、家具和其他家庭用品中間不見(jiàn)了一個(gè)什么東西，而這東西是很值得有的，丟棄它不能不使他感到由衷的惋惜；然而這無(wú)疑是冷淡的、照例行事的、紳士式的沉著克制的惋惜。
不久，首先是樓梯上窸窸窣窣的衣服聲，然后是一位夫人突然急急忙忙地走進(jìn)了房間，把他在這個(gè)問(wèn)題上的沉思打斷了。這位夫人已經(jīng)過(guò)了中年，但卻穿著得十分年輕，特別是胸衣繃得緊緊的，更顯得這樣；她的面容和姿態(tài)中露出一副緊張的神氣，說(shuō)明她正抑制著內(nèi)心十分激動(dòng)的情緒；她跑到他跟前，急忙伸出胳膊，摟住他的脖子，透不過(guò)氣來(lái)地發(fā)出聲音，說(shuō)道：
“我親愛(ài)的保羅！他真正是我們董貝家里的人哪！”
“唔，唔！”她的哥哥回答道，——因?yàn)槎愊壬撬母绺纭拔矣X(jué)得他·確·實(shí)·是像我們家里的人。你別太激動(dòng)了，路易莎?！?BR> “我是很傻，”路易莎坐下，掏出一塊手絹，說(shuō)道，“不過(guò)，不過(guò)，他是這么完完全全地是我們董貝家里的人呵！我這一輩子還從沒(méi)有見(jiàn)到過(guò)像這樣的事！”
“可是范妮本人呢？”董貝先生問(wèn)道，“范妮怎么樣了？”
“我親愛(ài)的保羅，”路易莎回答道，“什么問(wèn)題也沒(méi)有。請(qǐng)相信我的話，什么問(wèn)題也沒(méi)有。當(dāng)然，她筋疲力竭了，不過(guò)根本不能跟我生喬治或弗雷德里克的時(shí)候相比。必須作出努力。那樣就行，沒(méi)有別的了。如果親愛(ài)的范妮像我們董貝家里的人的話！——不過(guò)我想她將會(huì)作出努力的；我毫不懷疑，她將會(huì)作出努力的。她知道，我們要求她盡這個(gè)責(zé)任，因此她當(dāng)然是會(huì)作出努力的。我親愛(ài)的保羅，我從頭到腳都在哆嗦、搖晃，我知道，我這樣是很軟弱很傻氣的，可是我頭昏眼花得厲害，因此我得求你給我一杯酒和一小塊餅才行。當(dāng)我下樓來(lái)看到親愛(ài)的范妮和那個(gè)小東西的時(shí)候，我想我一定要從樓梯的窗口摔到外面去了?！彼詈笾v到小東西那幾個(gè)字時(shí)，仿佛是回憶起那個(gè)小嬰孩就在眼前而說(shuō)出來(lái)的。
在這之后，聽(tīng)到了輕輕的敲門聲。
“奇克夫人，”門外一個(gè)很溫柔的女性的聲音說(shuō)道，“您好嗎，我親愛(ài)的朋友？”
“我親愛(ài)的保羅，”路易莎從坐位上站起來(lái)，低聲說(shuō)道，“這是托克斯小姐。她是一位善良的人兒！沒(méi)有她我怎么也到不了這里！托克斯小姐，這是我的哥哥董貝先生。保羅，我親愛(ài)的，這是我最要好的朋友托克斯小姐?！?BR> 被這樣作了特別介紹的女士是一位身材細(xì)長(zhǎng)、消瘦的人，姿容衰敗，仿佛她當(dāng)初不是用亞麻布商人所說(shuō)的“經(jīng)久不褪色”的染料染成，而是被逐漸洗去了顏色似的。要不是這一點(diǎn)，她真可以稱得上是殷勤與禮貌的鮮麗化身了。她長(zhǎng)期以來(lái)養(yǎng)成一個(gè)習(xí)慣，就是對(duì)當(dāng)面對(duì)她所說(shuō)的一切，她都令人欽佩地?zé)嵝穆?tīng)著，而且看著說(shuō)話的人，仿佛她心里正在把他的形象刻印在她的心靈上，直到生命停止之前永遠(yuǎn)也不與它分離似的；由于這樣一種習(xí)慣，她的頭這時(shí)已經(jīng)歪向一邊。她的手得了一種痙攣性的習(xí)慣，仿佛出于情不自禁的欽佩而會(huì)自動(dòng)地舉起來(lái)。她的眼睛也容易受到類似的影響。她的聲音是最溫柔悅耳的；她的鼻子是個(gè)很大的鷹鉤鼻，在鼻梁的正中間長(zhǎng)著一個(gè)小小的肉瘤，鼻子從這里往臉上伸下去，仿佛它已下定了不可動(dòng)搖的決心，不論在什么情況下也決不再翹起來(lái)似的。
托克斯小姐的衣服雖然完全合乎上流社會(huì)的風(fēng)格，質(zhì)料也是好的，但卻有些難看和單薄。她習(xí)慣在有帶的軟帽上和便帽上裝飾一些奇怪的、枯萎了的小花。在她的頭發(fā)中間有時(shí)還可以看到一些奇怪的草。那些富于好奇心的人注意到，她的衣領(lǐng)、褶邊、圍巾、袖口以及其他輕而薄的物品——實(shí)際上她所穿的凡是兩端可以連接起來(lái)的一切東西——，這兩端的關(guān)系從來(lái)都不和好，它們一相遇決不會(huì)沒(méi)有一番搏斗的。她在冬天穿著毛皮的物品——如斗篷、圍巾、手筒——，那些毛全都暴怒似地根根豎立，一點(diǎn)也不光滑柔軟。她十分喜歡攜帶有按扣的小袋子，當(dāng)把袋子合上的時(shí)候，按扣就像小手槍一樣劈啪直響。當(dāng)她穿禮服的時(shí)候，她在脖子上掛了一個(gè)極為質(zhì)樸的小金盒，它的形狀是一只沒(méi)有光澤、看不出有任何神情的老眼睛。這些以及其他類似的一些現(xiàn)象使得一種看法流傳開(kāi)來(lái)：托克斯小姐是一位所謂資產(chǎn)有限的女士，她把這點(diǎn)資產(chǎn)充分利用了。她用小步走路的步態(tài)可能更促使人們相信這一點(diǎn)，并且使人覺(jué)得，她把普通跨度的一步分成兩步或三步，就起因于她有充分利用一切事物的習(xí)慣。
“這是真的，”托克斯小姐行了一個(gè)不同尋常的屈膝禮，說(shuō)道，“有幸被介紹給董貝先生認(rèn)識(shí)，這是我久已盼望得到的光榮，可是我千萬(wàn)沒(méi)有料想到就在現(xiàn)在。我親愛(ài)的奇克夫人——
我是否可以稱您為路易莎？”
奇克夫人把托克斯小姐的手握在她的手里，把酒杯的底座放在她的手上，并忍住一滴眼淚，低聲說(shuō)道，“上帝保佑您！”
“我親愛(ài)的路易莎，”托克斯小姐說(shuō)道，“我可愛(ài)的朋友，您現(xiàn)在覺(jué)得怎么樣了？”
“好些了，”奇克夫人回答道，“喝點(diǎn)酒吧。您一直幾乎跟我一樣焦急不安，毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)，一定需要喝點(diǎn)酒了?！?BR> 董貝先生自然盡了東道主的情誼。
“保羅，”奇克夫人仍舊握著她的手，繼續(xù)說(shuō)道，“托克斯小姐知道我一直萬(wàn)分關(guān)懷地期待著今天這件事情，她就忙著給范妮做了一個(gè)小禮物，我答應(yīng)把它送給她。這只不過(guò)是一個(gè)可以擺在梳妝臺(tái)上的針插，保羅，但是我說(shuō)，我將要說(shuō)，我必須說(shuō)，托克斯小姐所表達(dá)的感情十分美妙地適合當(dāng)前的情況?！畾g迎小董貝’，我說(shuō)，這是一首詩(shī)！”
“這是針插上的題詞嗎？”她的哥哥問(wèn)道。
“這是針插上的題詞，”路易莎回答道。
“不過(guò)，您得記住下面的情形，這對(duì)我才是公道的，我親愛(ài)的路易莎，”托克斯小姐用低沉的、懇切的、請(qǐng)求的聲調(diào)說(shuō)道，“只是由于——我表達(dá)我的思想有些困難——只是由于最后是男是女當(dāng)時(shí)不能肯定，這才使我很冒昧地采用了這樣的題詞?！畾g迎您，董貝少爺！’這才更確切地符合我的感情，我相信您是知道的。不過(guò)，我希望，這天使般新來(lái)的客人的不確定性，能成為原諒我的理由，否則那就會(huì)顯得是不諒解我的冒昧了?！蓖锌怂剐〗阏f(shuō)時(shí)向董貝先生優(yōu)雅地鞠了一個(gè)躬，董貝先生和藹親切地還了禮。甚至在上面談話中對(duì)董貝父子公司所表示的敬意也很投合他的心意，因此雖然他愛(ài)把他的妹妹奇克夫人看作是個(gè)軟弱的、性格善良的人，但她對(duì)他的影響也許比任何人都更大。
“好啦，”奇克夫人親切地微笑了一下，說(shuō)道，“在這之后，我對(duì)范妮一切都寬恕了！”
這是按照基督精神所作的一項(xiàng)聲明，奇克夫人說(shuō)了以后覺(jué)得心情輕松了。并不是她有什么具體的事情需要寬恕她的嫂子，確實(shí)也沒(méi)有任何事情需要她寬恕的，只有一個(gè)例外，就是她嫁給了她的哥哥——這件事情本身是大膽無(wú)禮的——，而且隨著時(shí)間的推移，又生了一個(gè)女孩子，而不是男孩子；奇克夫人常常提起這件事，說(shuō)這完全不符合她的期望，也不是她這位嫂子對(duì)她所受到的一切厚待與光榮所應(yīng)作出的令人愉快的報(bào)答。
董貝先生這時(shí)被急忙請(qǐng)求離開(kāi)，房間里只剩下兩位女士在一起。托克斯小姐立刻痙攣起來(lái)。
“我早知道您會(huì)仰慕我哥哥的。我以前跟您說(shuō)過(guò)，我親愛(ài)的，”路易莎說(shuō)道。
托克斯小姐的手和眼睛表示出她是多么仰慕。
“至于他的財(cái)產(chǎn)，我親愛(ài)的！”
“??！”托克斯小姐懷著深切的感情說(shuō)道。
“大得——不得了！”
“啊，他的品行，我親愛(ài)的路易莎！”托克斯小姐說(shuō)道，“他的儀表！他的尊嚴(yán)！我這一生中所見(jiàn)到過(guò)的肖像沒(méi)有一個(gè)能完全具備這些優(yōu)美的品質(zhì)，一半也沒(méi)有。多么莊嚴(yán)，您知道，多么堅(jiān)決，胸膛是多么寬闊，身軀是多么挺直！他是一位財(cái)力雄厚的約克郡①公爵，我親愛(ài)的，不比約克郡公爵欠缺什么！”托克斯小姐說(shuō)道?！拔乙@樣稱呼他?！?BR> --------
①約克郡（Yorkshire）：英格蘭北部的一個(gè)郡。
“你怎么了，我親愛(ài)的保羅！”他妹妹看到他回來(lái)的時(shí)候，高聲喊道，“你的臉色這么蒼白！沒(méi)出什么事吧？”
“我很遺憾地告訴你，路易莎，他們告訴我，范妮——”
“啊，我親愛(ài)的保羅！”他的妹妹站起來(lái)，說(shuō)道，“別相信它！如果你覺(jué)得我的經(jīng)驗(yàn)可靠的話，那么，保羅，你盡可以放心，只要范妮作出努力就行；”她有條有理地脫下軟帽，整整便帽和手套，繼續(xù)說(shuō)道，“應(yīng)該鼓勵(lì)她作出那個(gè)努力；真的，如果必要的話，那就應(yīng)該強(qiáng)迫她作出那個(gè)努力。我親愛(ài)的保羅，現(xiàn)在請(qǐng)跟我一起上樓去。”
董貝先生除了由于前面所說(shuō)的理由一般受他的妹妹的影響外，還把她當(dāng)作一位有經(jīng)驗(yàn)的和能干的主婦，真正相信她，所以默默地同意，立刻跟著她到病人的房間里去。
他的夫人就像他離開(kāi)她時(shí)那樣躺在床上，把她的小女兒緊緊地抱在懷中。這個(gè)女孩子懷著跟先前一樣強(qiáng)烈的感情，緊緊地抱著她，從不抬起頭，或把臉頰從她媽媽的臉上移開(kāi)，或看看站在周圍的人們，或說(shuō)句話，或移動(dòng)身子，或掉一滴眼淚。
“沒(méi)有小女孩在身邊她就煩躁不安，”大夫?qū)Χ愊壬吐曊f(shuō)道，“因此我們覺(jué)得還是讓她重新進(jìn)來(lái)?！?BR> 病床周圍一片深沉的寂靜；兩位醫(yī)生似乎十分同情而又很少希望地看著這個(gè)失去知覺(jué)的人，因此奇克夫人一時(shí)忘掉了她到這里來(lái)的目的，可是她立刻鼓起勇氣，并像她所說(shuō)的，鎮(zhèn)靜下來(lái)，在床邊坐下，并用一個(gè)竭力想要喚醒一位睡眠者的人的那種同樣低微的聲調(diào)，喊道：
“范妮！范妮！”
沒(méi)有回答的聲音，而只有董貝先生的表和帕克·佩普斯大夫的表的滴嗒滴嗒走得很響的聲音。這兩只表似乎正在寂靜中賽跑。
“范妮，我親愛(ài)的，”奇克夫人假裝出輕松愉快的語(yǔ)氣，說(shuō)道，“董貝先生到這里來(lái)看您了。您是不是要跟他講話？他們想把您的小男孩放到床上——范妮，您知道，就是那個(gè)小娃娃，我想您還沒(méi)有看到過(guò)他吧！不過(guò)，他們不能放，除非您把精神稍稍振作起來(lái)一些才行。您是不是認(rèn)為，這該是您把精神振作起來(lái)一些的時(shí)候了？嗯？”
她把耳朵湊近床上聽(tīng)著，一邊向四周站著的人環(huán)視著，并舉起一個(gè)指頭。
“嗯？”她重復(fù)說(shuō)道，“您說(shuō)什么，范妮？我聽(tīng)不見(jiàn)?！?BR> 沒(méi)有一個(gè)字，也沒(méi)有一個(gè)聲音回答。董貝先生的表與帕克·佩普斯大夫的表似乎跑得更快了。
“啊，真的，我親愛(ài)的范妮，”她的小姑子說(shuō)道；她改變了姿勢(shì)，不由自主地說(shuō)得不很有信心，但卻更認(rèn)真了，“如果您不振作起精神的話，那么我就不得不跟您生氣了。您有必要作出努力，也許是您不愿作出的很大的、很痛苦的努力；可是您知道，這是個(gè)需要作出努力的世界呀，范妮；當(dāng)這么多的事情取決于我們的時(shí)候，我們應(yīng)該永不退讓。來(lái)吧，試一試吧！如果您不試的話，那么我真的一定要罵您了！”
Dombey was about eight-and-forty years of age. Son about eight-and-forty minutes. Dombey was rather bald, rather red, and though a handsome well-made man, too stern and pompous in appearance, to be prepossessing. Son was very bald, and very red, and though (of course) an undeniably fine infant, somewhat crushed and spotty in his general effect, as yet. On the brow of Dombey, Time and his brother Care had set some marks, as on a tree that was to come down in good time - remorseless twins they are for striding through their human forests, notching as they go - while the countenance of Son was crossed with a thousand little creases, which the same deceitful Time would take delight in smoothing out and wearing away with the flat part of his scythe, as a preparation of the surface for his deeper operations.
Dombey, exulting in the long-looked-for event, jingled and jingled the heavy gold watch-chain that depended from below his trim blue coat, whereof the buttons sparkled phosphorescently in the feeble rays of the distant fire. Son, with his little fists curled up and clenched, seemed, in his feeble way, to be squaring at existence for having come upon him so unexpectedly.
'The House will once again, Mrs Dombey,' said Mr Dombey, 'be not only in name but in fact Dombey and Son;' and he added, in a tone of luxurious satisfaction, with his eyes half-closed as if he were reading the name in a device of flowers, and inhaling their fragrance at the same time; 'Dom-bey and Son!'
The words had such a softening influence, that he appended a term of endearment to Mrs Dombey's name (though not without some hesitation, as being a man but little used to that form of address): and said, 'Mrs Dombey, my - my dear.'
A transient flush of faint surprise overspread the sick lady's face as she raised her eyes towards him.
'He will be christened Paul, my - Mrs Dombey - of course.'
She feebly echoed, 'Of course,' or rather expressed it by the motion of her lips, and closed her eyes again.
'His father's name, Mrs Dombey, and his grandfather's! I wish his grandfather were alive this day! There is some inconvenience in the necessity of writing Junior,' said Mr Dombey, making a fictitious autograph on his knee; 'but it is merely of a private and personal complexion. It doesn't enter into the correspondence of the House. Its signature remains the same.' And again he said 'Dombey and Son, in exactly the same tone as before.
Those three words conveyed the one idea of Mr Dombey's life. The earth was made for Dombey and Son to trade in, and the sun and moon were made to give them light. Rivers and seas were formed to float their ships; rainbows gave them promise of fair weather; winds blew for or against their enterprises; stars and planets circled in their orbits, to preserve inviolate a system of which they were the centre. Common abbreviations took new meanings in his eyes, and had sole reference to them. A. D. had no concern with Anno Domini, but stood for anno Dombei - and Son.
He had risen, as his father had before him, in the course of life and death, from Son to Dombey, and for nearly twenty years had been the sole representative of the Firm. Of those years he had been married, ten - married, as some said, to a lady with no heart to give him; whose happiness was in the past, and who was content to bind her broken spirit to the dutiful and meek endurance of the present. Such idle talk was little likely to reach the ears of Mr Dombey, whom it nearly concerned; and probably no one in the world would have received it with such utter incredulity as he, if it had reached him. Dombey and Son had often dealt in hides, but never in hearts. They left that fancy ware to boys and girls, and boarding-schools and books. Mr Dombey would have reasoned: That a matrimonial alliance with himself must, in the nature of things, be gratifying and honourable to any woman of common sense. That the hope of giving birth to a new partner in such a House, could not fail to awaken a glorious and stirring ambition in the breast of the least ambitious of her sex. That Mrs Dombey had entered on that social contract of matrimony: almost necessarily part of a genteel and wealthy station, even without reference to the perpetuation of family Firms: with her eyes fully open to these advantages. That Mrs Dombey had had daily practical knowledge of his position in society. That Mrs Dombey had always sat at the head of his table, and done the honours of his house in a remarkably lady-like and becoming manner. That Mrs Dombey must have been happy. That she couldn't help it.
Or, at all events, with one drawback. Yes. That he would have allowed. With only one; but that one certainly involving much. With the drawback of hope deferred. That hope deferred, which, (as the Scripture very correctly tells us, Mr Dombey would have added in a patronising way; for his highest distinct idea even of Scripture, if examined, would have been found to be; that as forming part of a general whole, of which Dombey and Son formed another part, it was therefore to be commended and upheld) maketh the heart sick. They had been married ten years, and until this present day on which Mr Dombey sat jingling and jingling his heavy gold watch-chain in the great arm-chair by the side of the bed, had had no issue.
- To speak of; none worth mentioning. There had been a girl some six years before, and the child, who had stolen into the chamber unobserved, was now crouching timidly, in a corner whence she could see her mother's face. But what was a girl to Dombey and Son! In the capital of the House's name and dignity, such a child was merely a piece of base coin that couldn't be invested - a bad Boy - nothing more.
Mr Dombey's cup of satisfaction was so full at this moment, however, that he felt he could afford a drop or two of its contents, even to sprinkle on the dust in the by-path of his little daughter.
So he said, 'Florence, you may go and look at your pretty brother, if you lIke, I daresay. Don't touch him!'
The child glanced keenly at the blue coat and stiff white cravat, which, with a pair of creaking boots and a very loud ticking watch, embodied her idea of a father; but her eyes returned to her mother's face immediately, and she neither moved nor answered.
'Her insensibility is as proof against a brother as against every thing else,' said Mr Dombey to himself He seemed so confirmed in a previous opinion by the discovery, as to be quite glad of it'
Next moment, the lady had opened her eyes and seen the child; and the child had run towards her; and, standing on tiptoe, the better to hide her face in her embrace, had clung about her with a desperate affection very much at variance with her years.
'Oh Lord bless me!' said Mr Dombey, rising testily. 'A very illadvised and feverish proceeding this, I am sure. Please to ring there for Miss Florence's nurse. Really the person should be more care-'
'Wait! I - had better ask Doctor Peps if he'll have the goodness to step upstairs again perhaps. I'll go down. I'll go down. I needn't beg you,' he added, pausing for a moment at the settee before the fire, 'to take particular care of this young gentleman, Mrs - '
'Blockitt, Sir?' suggested the nurse, a simpering piece of faded gentility, who did not presume to state her name as a fact, but merely offered it as a mild suggestion.
'Of this young gentleman, Mrs Blockitt.'
'No, Sir, indeed. I remember when Miss Florence was born - '
'Ay, ay, ay,' said Mr Dombey, bending over the basket bedstead, and slightly bending his brows at the same time. 'Miss Florence was all very well, but this is another matter. This young gentleman has to accomplish a destiny. A destiny, little fellow!' As he thus apostrophised the infant he raised one of his hands to his lips, and kissed it; then, seeming to fear that the action involved some compromise of his dignity, went, awkwardly enough, away.
Doctor Parker Peps, one of the Court Physicians, and a man of immense reputation for assisting at the increase of great families, was walking up and down the drawing-room with his hands behind him, to the unspeakable admiration of the family Surgeon, who had regularly puffed the case for the last six weeks, among all his patients, friends, and acquaintances, as one to which he was in hourly expectation day and night of being summoned, in conjunction with Doctor Parker Pep.
'Well, Sir,' said Doctor Parker Peps in a round, deep, sonorous voice, muffled for the occasion, like the knocker; 'do you find that your dear lady is at all roused by your visit?'
'Stimulated as it were?' said the family practitioner faintly: bowing at the same time to the Doctor, as much as to say, 'Excuse my putting in a word, but this is a valuable connexion.'
Mr Dombey was quite discomfited by the question. He had thought so little of the patient, that he was not in a condition to answer it. He said that it would be a satisfaction to him, if Doctor Parker Peps would walk upstairs again.
'Good! We must not disguise from you, Sir,' said Doctor Parker Peps, 'that there is a want of power in Her Grace the Duchess - I beg your pardon; I confound names; I should say, in your amiable lady. That there is a certain degree of languor, and a general absence of elasticity, which we would rather - not -
'See,' interposed the family practitioner with another inclination of the head.
'Quite so,' said Doctor Parker Peps,' which we would rather not see. It would appear that the system of Lady Cankaby - excuse me: I should say of Mrs Dombey: I confuse the names of cases - '
'So very numerous,' murmured the family practitioner - 'can't be expected I'm sure - quite wonderful if otherwise - Doctor Parker Peps's West-End practice - '
'Thank you,' said the Doctor, 'quite so. It would appear, I was observing, that the system of our patient has sustained a shock, from which it can only hope to rally by a great and strong - '
'And vigorous,' murmured the family practitioner.
'Quite so,' assented the Doctor - 'and vigorous effort. Mr Pilkins here, who from his position of medical adviser in this family - no one better qualified to fill that position, I am sure.'
'Oh!' murmured the family practitioner. '"Praise from Sir Hubert Stanley!"'
'You are good enough,' returned Doctor Parker Peps, 'to say so. Mr Pilkins who, from his position, is best acquainted with the patient's constitution in its normal state (an acquaintance very valuable to us in forming our opinions in these occasions), is of opinion, with me, that Nature must be called upon to make a vigorous effort in this instance; and that if our interesting friend the Countess of Dombey - I beg your pardon; Mrs Dombey - should not be - '
'Able,' said the family practitioner.
'To make,' said Doctor Parker Peps.
'That effort,' said the family practitioner.
'Successfully,' said they both together.
'Then,' added Doctor Parker Peps, alone and very gravely, a crisis might arise, which we should both sincerely deplore.'
With that, they stood for a few seconds looking at the ground. Then, on the motion - made in dumb show - of Doctor Parker Peps, they went upstairs; the family practitioner opening the room door for that distinguished professional, and following him out, with most obsequious politeness.
To record of Mr Dombey that he was not in his way affected by this intelligence, would be to do him an injustice. He was not a man of whom it could properly be said that he was ever startled, or shocked; but he certainly had a sense within him, that if his wife should sicken and decay, he would be very sorry, and that he would find a something gone from among his plate and furniture, and other household possessions, which was well worth the having, and could not be lost without sincere regret. Though it would be a cool,. business-like, gentlemanly, self-possessed regret, no doubt.
His meditations on the subject were soon interrupted, first by the rustling of garments on the staircase, and then by the sudden whisking into the room of a lady rather past the middle age than otherwise but dressed in a very juvenile manner, particularly as to the tightness of her bodice, who, running up to him with a kind of screw in her face and carriage, expressive of suppressed emotion, flung her arms around his neck, and said, in a choking voice,
'My dear Paul! He's quite a Dombey!'
'Well, well!' returned her brother - for Mr Dombey was her brother - 'I think he is like the family. Don't agitate yourself, Louisa.'
'It's very foolish of me,' said Louisa, sitting down, and taking out her pocket~handkerchief, 'but he's - he's such a perfect Dombey!'
Mr Dombey coughed.
'It's so extraordinary,' said Louisa; smiling through her tears, which indeed were not overpowering, 'as to be perfectly ridiculous. So completely our family. I never saw anything like it in my life!'
'But what is this about Fanny, herself?' said Mr Dombey. 'How is Fanny?'
'My dear Paul,' returned Louisa, 'it's nothing whatever. Take my word, it's nothing whatever. There is exhaustion, certainly, but nothing like what I underwent myself, either with George or Frederick. An effort is necessary. That's all. If dear Fanny were a Dombey! - But I daresay she'll make it; I have no doubt she'll make it. Knowing it to be required of her, as a duty, of course she'll make it. My dear Paul, it's very weak and silly of me, I know, to be so trembly and shaky from head to foot; but I am so very queer that I must ask you for a glass of wine and a morsel of that cake.'
Mr Dombey promptly supplied her with these refreshments from a tray on the table.
'I shall not drink my love to you, Paul,' said Louisa: 'I shall drink to the little Dombey. Good gracious me! - it's the most astonishing thing I ever knew in all my days, he's such a perfect Dombey.'
Quenching this expression of opinion in a short hysterical laugh which terminated in tears, Louisa cast up her eyes, and emptied her glass.
'I know it's very weak and silly of me,' she repeated, 'to be so trembly and shaky from head to foot, and to allow my feelings so completely to get the better of me, but I cannot help it. I thought I should have fallen out of the staircase window as I came down from seeing dear Fanny, and that tiddy ickle sing.' These last words originated in a sudden vivid reminiscence of the baby.
They were succeeded by a gentle tap at the door.
'Mrs Chick,' said a very bland female voice outside, 'how are you now, my dear friend?'
'My dear Paul,' said Louisa in a low voice, as she rose from her seat, 'it's Miss Tox. The kindest creature! I never could have got here without her! Miss Tox, my brother Mr Dombey. Paul, my dear, my very particular friend Miss Tox.'
The lady thus specially presented, was a long lean figure, wearing such a faded air that she seemed not to have been made in what linen-drapers call 'fast colours' originally, and to have, by little and little, washed out. But for this she might have been described as the very pink of general propitiation and politeness. From a long habit of listening admiringly to everything that was said in her presence, and looking at the speakers as if she were mentally engaged in taking off impressions of their images upon her soul, never to part with the same but with life, her head had quite settled on one side. Her hands had contracted a spasmodic habit of raising themselves of their own accord as in involuntary admiration. Her eyes were liable to a similar affection. She had the softest voice that ever was heard; and her nose, stupendously aquiline, had a little knob in the very centre or key-stone of the bridge, whence it tended downwards towards her face, as in an invincible determination never to turn up at anything.
Miss Tox's dress, though perfectly genteel and good, had a certain character of angularity and scantiness. She was accustomed to wear odd weedy little flowers in her bonnets and caps. Strange grasses were sometimes perceived in her hair; and it was observed by the curious, of all her collars, frills, tuckers, wristbands, and other gossamer articles - indeed of everything she wore which had two ends to it intended to unite - that the two ends were never on good terms, and wouldn't quite meet without a struggle. She had furry articles for winter wear, as tippets, boas, and muffs, which stood up on end in rampant manner, and were not at all sleek. She was much given to the carrying about of small bags with snaps to them, that went off like little pistols when they were shut up; and when full-dressed, she wore round her neck the barrenest of lockets, representing a fishy old eye, with no approach to speculation in it. These and other appearances of a similar nature, had served to propagate the opinion, that Miss Tox was a lady of what is called a limited independence, which she turned to the best account. Possibly her mincing gait encouraged the belief, and suggested that her clipping a step of ordinary compass into two or three, originated in her habit of making the most of everything.
'I am sure,' said Miss Tox, with a prodigious curtsey, 'that to have the honour of being presented to Mr Dombey is a distinction which I have long sought, but very little expected at the present moment. My dear Mrs Chick - may I say Louisa!'
Mrs Chick took Miss Tox's hand in hers, rested the foot of her wine-glass upon it, repressed a tear, and said in a low voice, 'God bless you!'
'My dear Louisa then,' said Miss Tox, 'my sweet friend, how are you now?'
'Better,' Mrs Chick returned. 'Take some wine. You have been almost as anxious as I have been, and must want it, I am sure.'
Mr Dombey of course officiated, and also refilled his sister's glass, which she (looking another way, and unconscious of his intention) held straight and steady the while, and then regarded with great astonishment, saying, 'My dear Paul, what have you been doing!'
'Miss Tox, Paul,' pursued Mrs Chick, still retaining her hand, 'knowing how much I have been interested in the anticipation of the event of to-day, and how trembly and shaky I have been from head to foot in expectation of it, has been working at a little gift for Fanny, which I promised to present. Miss Tox is ingenuity itself.'
'My dear Louisa,' said Miss Tox. 'Don't say so.
'It is only a pincushion for the toilette table, Paul,' resumed his sister; 'one of those trifles which are insignificant to your sex in general, as it's very natural they should be - we have no business to expect they should be otherwise - but to which we attach some interest.
'Miss Tox is very good,' said Mr Dombey.
'And I do say, and will say, and must say,' pursued his sister, pressing the foot of the wine-glass on Miss Tox's hand, at each of the three clauses, 'that Miss Tox has very prettily adapted the sentiment to the occasion. I call "Welcome little Dombey" Poetry, myself!'
'Is that the device?' inquired her brother.
'That is the device,' returned Louisa.
'But do me the justice to remember, my dear Louisa,' said Miss Toxin a tone of low and earnest entreaty, 'that nothing but the - I have some difficulty in expressing myself - the dubiousness of the result would have induced me to take so great a liberty: "Welcome, Master Dombey," would have been much more congenial to my feelings, as I am sure you know. But the uncertainty attendant on angelic strangers, will, I hope, excuse what must otherwise appear an unwarrantable familiarity.' Miss Tox made a graceful bend as she spoke, in favour of Mr Dombey, which that gentleman graciously acknowledged. Even the sort of recognition of Dombey and Son, conveyed in the foregoing conversation, was so palatable to him, that his sister, Mrs Chick - though he affected to consider her a weak good-natured person - had perhaps more influence over him than anybody else.
'My dear Paul,' that lady broke out afresh, after silently contemplating his features for a few moments, 'I don't know whether to laugh or cry when I look at you, I declare, you do so remind me of that dear baby upstairs.'
'Well!' said Mrs Chick, with a sweet smile, 'after this, I forgive Fanny everything!'
It was a declaration in a Christian spirit, and Mrs Chick felt that it did her good. Not that she had anything particular to forgive in her sister-in-law, nor indeed anything at all, except her having married her brother - in itself a species of audacity - and her having, in the course of events, given birth to a girl instead of a boy: which, as Mrs Chick had frequently observed, was not quite what she had expected of her, and was not a pleasant return for all the attention and distinction she had met with.
Mr Dombey being hastily summoned out of the room at this moment, the two ladies were left alone together. Miss Tox immediately became spasmodic.
'I knew you would admire my brother. I told you so beforehand, my dear,' said Louisa. Miss Tox's hands and eyes expressed how much. 'And as to his property, my dear!'
'Ah!' said Miss Tox, with deep feeling. 'Im-mense!'
'But his deportment, my dear Louisa!' said Miss Tox. 'His presence! His dignity! No portrait that I have ever seen of anyone has been half so replete with those qualities. Something so stately, you know: so uncompromising: so very wide across the chest: so upright! A pecuniary Duke of York, my love, and nothing short of it!' said Miss Tox. 'That's what I should designate him.'
'Why, my dear Paul!' exclaimed his sister, as he returned, 'you look quite pale! There's nothing the matter?'
'I am sorry to say, Louisa, that they tell me that Fanny - '
'Now, my dear Paul,' returned his sister rising, 'don't believe it. Do not allow yourself to receive a turn unnecessarily. Remember of what importance you are to society, and do not allow yourself to be worried by what is so very inconsiderately told you by people who ought to know better. Really I'm surprised at them.'
'I hope I know, Louisa,' said Mr Dombey, stiffly, 'how to bear myself before the world.'
'Nobody better, my dear Paul. Nobody half so well. They would be ignorant and base indeed who doubted it.'
'Ignorant and base indeed!' echoed Miss Tox softly.
'But,' pursued Louisa, 'if you have any reliance on my experience, Paul, you may rest assured that there is nothing wanting but an effort on Fanny's part. And that effort,' she continued, taking off her bonnet, and adjusting her cap and gloves, in a business-like manner, 'she must be encouraged, and really, if necessary, urged to make. Now, my dear Paul, come upstairs with me.'
Mr Dombey, who, besides being generally influenced by his sister for the reason already mentioned, had really faith in her as an experienced and bustling matron, acquiesced; and followed her, at once, to the sick chamber.
The lady lay upon her bed as he had left her, clasping her little daughter to her breast. The child clung close about her, with the same intensity as before, and never raised her head, or moved her soft cheek from her mother's face, or looked on those who stood around, or spoke, or moved, or shed a tear.
'Restless without the little girl,' the Doctor whispered Mr Dombey. 'We found it best to have her in again.'
'Can nothing be done?' asked Mr Dombey.
The Doctor shook his head. 'We can do no more.'
The windows stood open, and the twilight was gathering without.
The scent of the restoratives that had been tried was pungent in the room, but had no fragrance in the dull and languid air the lady breathed.
There was such a solemn stillness round the bed; and the two medical attendants seemed to look on the impassive form with so much compassion and so little hope, that Mrs Chick was for the moment diverted from her purpose. But presently summoning courage, and what she called presence of mind, she sat down by the bedside, and said in the low precise tone of one who endeavours to awaken a sleeper:
'Fanny! Fanny!'
There was no sound in answer but the loud ticking of Mr Dombey's watch and Doctor Parker Peps's watch, which seemed in the silence to be running a race.
'Fanny, my dear,' said Mrs Chick, with assumed lightness, 'here's Mr Dombey come to see you. Won't you speak to him? They want to lay your little boy - the baby, Fanny, you know; you have hardly seen him yet, I think - in bed; but they can't till you rouse yourself a little. Don't you think it's time you roused yourself a little? Eh?'
She bent her ear to the bed, and listened: at the same time looking round at the bystanders, and holding up her finger.
'Eh?' she repeated, 'what was it you said, Fanny? I didn't hear you.'
No word or sound in answer. Mr Dombey's watch and Dr Parker Peps's watch seemed to be racing faster.
'Now, really, Fanny my dear,' said the sister-in-law, altering her position, and speaking less confidently, and more earnestly, in spite of herself, 'I shall have to be quite cross with you, if you don't rouse yourself. It's necessary for you to make an effort, and perhaps a very great and painful effort which you are not disposed to make; but this is a world of effort you know, Fanny, and we must never yield, when so much depends upon us. Come! Try! I must really scold you if you don't!'
The race in the ensuing pause was fierce and furious. The watches seemed to jostle, and to trip each other up.
'Fanny!' said Louisa, glancing round, with a gathering alarm. 'Only look at me. Only open your eyes to show me that you hear and understand me; will you? Good Heaven, gentlemen, what is to be done!'
The two medical attendants exchanged a look across the bed; and the Physician, stooping down, whispered in the child's ear. Not having understood the purport of his whisper, the little creature turned her perfectly colourless face and deep dark eyes towards him; but without loosening her hold in the least
The whisper was repeated.
'Mama!' said the child.
The little voice, familiar and dearly loved, awakened some show of consciousness, even at that ebb. For a moment, the closed eye lids trembled, and the nostril quivered, and the faintest shadow of a smile was seen.
'Mama!' cried the child sobbing aloud. 'Oh dear Mama! oh dear Mama!'
The Doctor gently brushed the scattered ringlets of the child, aside from the face and mouth of the mother. Alas how calm they lay there; how little breath there was to stir them!
Thus, clinging fast to that slight spar within her arms, the mother drifted out upon the dark and unknown sea that rolls round all the world.
在一間光線被遮暗了的房間的角落里，董貝坐在床邊一張大扶手椅子上；他的兒子被包裹得暖和和的，躺在一個(gè)小搖籃里；這個(gè)小搖籃被考慮周到地放在緊靠著壁爐前面的一條矮矮的長(zhǎng)靠椅上，仿佛他的體質(zhì)和松餅相似，需要趁著他很新鮮的時(shí)候，把他烤成棕色。
董貝大約四十八歲。他的兒子出世大約四十八分鐘。董貝的頭稍稍有些禿，臉色稍稍有些紅；雖然他是一位外貌漂亮、身材勻稱的男子，可是神色過(guò)分嚴(yán)厲與傲慢，因此不能使人產(chǎn)生好感。他的兒子的頭很禿，臉色很紅；雖然他當(dāng)然不可否認(rèn)地是一個(gè)可愛(ài)的嬰孩，可是看上去有些皺巴巴的，身上斑斑點(diǎn)點(diǎn)。時(shí)間和他的兄弟操勞——他們是一對(duì)殘酷無(wú)情的孿生兄弟；當(dāng)大踏步穿過(guò)人類森林的時(shí)候，他們一邊走，一邊砍伐——已經(jīng)在董貝的前額上留下了一些痕跡，就像在一株在適當(dāng)?shù)臅r(shí)候要被砍倒的樹上留下痕跡一樣；他的兒子的臉上則被縱橫交錯(cuò)地布滿了上千道細(xì)小的的皺紋；同樣是這個(gè)愛(ài)欺詐人的時(shí)間，他將用他大鐮刀扁平的一面把這些皺紋撫平、消除，準(zhǔn)備好一個(gè)表面，好讓他在上面進(jìn)行更深入的操作。
這樁盼望已久的大事終于來(lái)臨，董貝感到興高采烈；他玩弄著懸掛在他的整潔的藍(lán)上衣下面的沉甸甸的金表鏈，讓它發(fā)出了叮零叮零的響聲；在遠(yuǎn)處爐火的微弱光線中，上衣鈕扣像磷火一樣閃爍著亮光。他的兒子緊握著卷曲的小拳頭，似乎憑他那微弱的氣力，正在向這突然降臨到他身上的生命擺好進(jìn)攻的架勢(shì)。
“董貝夫人，”董貝先生說(shuō)道，“我們的公司將再一次成為名副其實(shí)的董貝父子公司，而不是徒有虛名的了；董——貝父子！”
這幾個(gè)字具有一種使他變得溫柔起來(lái)的影響力，所以他在董貝夫人的名字后面又加上了一個(gè)表示親愛(ài)的稱呼（雖然他并不是沒(méi)有經(jīng)過(guò)一些遲疑才說(shuō)出的，因?yàn)樗吘故且晃徊涣?xí)慣采用這種稱呼方式的人），說(shuō)道，“董貝夫人，我的——
我的親愛(ài)的?！?BR> 那位有病的夫人抬起眼睛望他的時(shí)候，臉上片刻間泛起了由于微感驚訝而產(chǎn)生的紅暈。
“在給他施洗禮的時(shí)候?qū)⒔o他命名為保羅，我的——董貝夫人——，當(dāng)然是這樣?！?BR> 她有氣無(wú)力地重復(fù)說(shuō)了“當(dāng)然是這樣”，或者更確切地說(shuō)，只是動(dòng)了動(dòng)嘴唇，并沒(méi)有發(fā)出聲音，然后又閉上了眼睛。
“這是他爸爸的名字，董貝夫人，也是他爺爺?shù)拿?！我真但愿他爺爺能活到今天就好了！”然后他又用剛才同樣的聲調(diào)，說(shuō)道，“董貝父子”。
這四個(gè)字表達(dá)了董貝先生生活中的思想。土地創(chuàng)造出來(lái)是為了給董貝父子去經(jīng)營(yíng)商業(yè)的；太陽(yáng)與月亮創(chuàng)造出來(lái)是為了給他們亮光。河流與海洋是為了運(yùn)載他們的商船而形成的；彩虹向他們預(yù)示良好的氣候；刮風(fēng)對(duì)他們的企業(yè)有利或不利；星星和行星沿著軌道運(yùn)行，是為了保存一個(gè)以他們?yōu)橹行牡纳袷ゲ豢汕址傅捏w系。普通的縮略語(yǔ)在他的眼中有了新的意義，而且只和他們有關(guān)系：A．D與annoDomini（公元）無(wú)關(guān)，而只是代表annoDombei－andSon（董貝父子紀(jì)元）。
在生與死的過(guò)程中，他跟他父親先前一樣，曾經(jīng)從兒子上升為董貝；在這之后的近20年中，他是這個(gè)公司的的代表。在這20年中，他結(jié)婚已有10年。有人說(shuō)，他是跟一位沒(méi)有把心交給他的女士結(jié)了婚，這位女士過(guò)去曾經(jīng)有過(guò)幸福，后來(lái)安心讓那顆破碎了的心對(duì)現(xiàn)狀逆來(lái)順受，安守本分。這種流言蜚語(yǔ)與董貝先生密切有關(guān)，因此不大可能傳到他的耳朵里；如果真的傳到了，那么世界上大概沒(méi)有第二個(gè)人能像他那樣對(duì)它完全不相信的。董貝父子公司經(jīng)常經(jīng)營(yíng)皮革生意，但卻從來(lái)不經(jīng)營(yíng)心的生意。他們把這個(gè)花俏的商品讓給青年男女、寄宿學(xué)校和書籍去打交道了。董貝先生可能會(huì)這樣來(lái)推斷事理：任何一位具有常識(shí)、和他本人結(jié)婚的婦女，理所當(dāng)然地一定會(huì)覺(jué)得心滿意足，光彩體面；給這樣一個(gè)公司生下一個(gè)新的合伙人的希望，即使在她們當(dāng)中最沒(méi)有野心的女性的心中也必定會(huì)喚起那光榮得意、興奮激動(dòng)的抱負(fù)來(lái)；董貝夫人簽訂了那份婚約就意味著她幾乎必然就會(huì)成為那個(gè)高貴的、富有的家庭的一員，且不提她給那個(gè)家庭傳宗接代的事了，因此她一定會(huì)完全看到這些好處；董貝夫人曾經(jīng)從日常生活經(jīng)驗(yàn)中認(rèn)識(shí)到他的社會(huì)地位；董貝夫人經(jīng)常坐在他的餐桌的首席，并以出色的貴夫人的風(fēng)度，十分得體地履行了家庭主婦的職責(zé)；董貝夫人一定一直是幸福的，她不可能不這樣。
不過(guò)，也有美中不足的地方。對(duì)了。這個(gè)缺點(diǎn)他是會(huì)承認(rèn)的。就只有這一個(gè)缺點(diǎn)；但是這一個(gè)缺點(diǎn)卻確實(shí)關(guān)系重大。他們已經(jīng)結(jié)婚十年，但是直到今天，董貝先生坐在床邊的大扶手椅子上，玩弄著他的沉甸甸的金表鏈，讓它發(fā)出了叮零叮零的響聲之前，他們還沒(méi)有后嗣。
——沒(méi)有值得一提的后嗣。大約在六年以前，他們有了一個(gè)女兒；這個(gè)孩子沒(méi)有被人覺(jué)察，已經(jīng)偷偷地溜進(jìn)了這個(gè)房間，現(xiàn)在正戰(zhàn)戰(zhàn)兢兢地蹲在一個(gè)角落里；她從那里可以望得見(jiàn)她媽媽的臉孔?？墒菍?duì)董貝父子公司來(lái)說(shuō)，一個(gè)女兒算得了什么呢！在公司的聲望與尊嚴(yán)的資本中，這樣一個(gè)孩子只不過(guò)是一枚不能用來(lái)投資的劣幣——一個(gè)壞孩子——，如此而已。
然而，董貝先生這時(shí)杯子里卻裝滿了稱心滿意的酒，裝得很滿很滿，因此他甚至可以把其中的一兩滴灑到他的小女兒的小徑中的塵土上。
所以他說(shuō)道，“弗洛倫斯，我想，如果你喜歡的話，你可以去看看你漂亮的小弟弟嘛?？蓜e去碰他！”
女孩子朝著藍(lán)色的上衣和筆挺的白色領(lǐng)帶敏銳地看了一眼，這兩件東西加上一雙走起來(lái)格吱格吱響的長(zhǎng)靴和一只滴答滴答走得很響的表，構(gòu)成了他對(duì)父親的概念；但是她的眼睛立刻又回到了她母親的臉上；她沒(méi)有移動(dòng)，也沒(méi)有回答。
不一會(huì)兒，夫人張開(kāi)了眼睛，看到了女孩子；女孩子向她跑過(guò)去，然后踮起腳跟，好讓臉部盡量藏到她的懷抱中，一邊悲觀絕望地、而又滿懷深情地緊緊抱著她，女孩子的這種感情與她的年齡是很不相稱的。
“啊，天主保佑我！”董貝先生急躁地站起來(lái)，說(shuō)道，“這真是十分魯莽、十分冒失的行動(dòng)！也許我去請(qǐng)佩普斯大夫，勞駕他再到樓上來(lái)一趟。我就下去。我就下去?！彼叩奖跔t前的長(zhǎng)靠椅邊，停了片刻，又補(bǔ)充說(shuō)道，“我想用不著我請(qǐng)求您，要格外小心地照看好這位年輕的先生吧，您這位——”
“布洛基特太太，先生？”護(hù)士提示道，她是一位愛(ài)裝出假笑，門第已經(jīng)衰微的女人；她不敢把她的姓名當(dāng)作事實(shí)來(lái)陳述，而只是把它當(dāng)作一個(gè)可供考慮的建議提出來(lái)。
“照看好這位年輕的先生，布洛基特太太?！?BR> “是的，先生，當(dāng)然的。我記得弗洛倫斯小姐出生的時(shí)候——”
“是的，是的，是的，”董貝先生向那個(gè)搖籃彎下身去，同時(shí)稍稍皺了一下眉頭，說(shuō)道，“弗洛倫斯小姐那時(shí)一切都很好，但這卻是另外一碼事。這位年輕的先生是命中注定要去完成一番偉大事業(yè)的。命中注定的偉大事業(yè)呵，小家伙！”當(dāng)他向嬰孩這樣打了招呼的時(shí)候，他把他的一只手舉到唇邊，吻了吻它；然后，似乎害怕這個(gè)動(dòng)作有損于他的尊嚴(yán)，就很不自然地走開(kāi)了。
帕克·佩普斯大夫是宮廷醫(yī)生當(dāng)中的一位，在幫助重要家族增添人口方面享有很大的聲譽(yù)，現(xiàn)在正把雙手抄在背后，在客廳里走來(lái)走去；家庭醫(yī)生對(duì)他的欽佩是無(wú)法用言語(yǔ)形容的；在過(guò)去的六個(gè)星期中，他一直在他的病人、朋友和熟人中吹噓現(xiàn)在的這個(gè)病例，說(shuō)他日日夜夜、時(shí)時(shí)刻刻都等待著和帕克·佩普斯大夫一起被請(qǐng)去進(jìn)行會(huì)診。
“唔，先生，”帕克·佩普斯大夫說(shuō)道，他那清晰、深沉、洪亮的聲音這時(shí)候像被布蒙住的門鈴一樣，減弱了；“您去看您親愛(ài)的夫人時(shí)，您是否發(fā)現(xiàn)她被驚醒了？”
“她是否好像受到了刺激？”家庭醫(yī)生輕聲說(shuō)道，同時(shí)向帕克·佩普斯大夫鞠丁個(gè)躬，好像是說(shuō)，“請(qǐng)?jiān)徫也辶艘痪湓?，不過(guò)這是個(gè)有價(jià)值的補(bǔ)充?！?BR> 董貝先生被這個(gè)問(wèn)題問(wèn)得很為難。他在這之前很少想到過(guò)病人，所以不知道該怎么回答才好。他說(shuō)，如果帕克·佩普斯大夫肯再上樓去看看的話，那么他將十分感激。
“好！我們不應(yīng)當(dāng)向您掩飾真情，先生，”帕克·佩普斯大夫說(shuō)道，“公爵夫人——請(qǐng)?jiān)?，我把姓名給混淆了；我是想說(shuō)，您的和藹可親的夫人缺乏精力；有一定程度的虛弱，總的說(shuō)來(lái)，沒(méi)有靈活應(yīng)變的能力，這是我們所不愿意——”
“看到的，”家庭醫(yī)生插嘴道，同時(shí)又低了一下頭。
“完全不錯(cuò)，”帕克·佩普斯大夫說(shuō)道，“這是我們所不愿意看到的?？磥?lái)，坎卡貝夫人的體質(zhì)，對(duì)不起，我是想說(shuō)董貝夫人的體質(zhì)，我把病人的姓名給混淆了?！?BR> “病人很多很多，”家庭醫(yī)生低聲說(shuō)道，“確實(shí)，不可能指望他把他們的姓名全都記得清清楚楚——否則倒是不可思議的了——，帕克·佩普斯大夫在倫敦西區(qū)①的業(yè)務(wù)——”
“謝謝您，”大夫說(shuō)道，“完全不錯(cuò)。我是說(shuō)，看來(lái)，我們病人的體質(zhì)經(jīng)受了一次沖擊，要希望恢復(fù)元?dú)饩椭挥凶鞒龊艽蟮?、有力的——?BR> --------
①倫敦西區(qū)（Weat－End）：倫敦西部地區(qū)，其中有很好的公園、花園、宮殿、貴族住宅、議會(huì)及政府機(jī)構(gòu)等。
“和勁頭十足的，”家庭醫(yī)生低聲說(shuō)道。
“完全不錯(cuò)，”大夫同意道，“和勁頭十足的努力才行。皮爾金斯先生擔(dān)任這個(gè)家庭的醫(yī)療顧問(wèn)——，毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)，沒(méi)有什么人能比他更有資格擔(dān)任這個(gè)職務(wù)的了?！?BR> “??！”家庭醫(yī)生低聲說(shuō)道，“這是休伯特·斯坦利爵士的夸獎(jiǎng)呢①！”
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①指誠(chéng)實(shí)的夸獎(jiǎng)。休伯特·斯坦利爵士（SirHubertStanley）是18世紀(jì)英國(guó)戲劇作家托馬斯·莫頓（ThomasMorton，1764—1838年）的喜劇《傷心的治療》（ACurefortheHeartAche）中的一個(gè)人物。
“您這么說(shuō)真太客氣了，”帕克·佩普斯大夫說(shuō)道，“皮爾金斯先生由于擔(dān)任這個(gè)職務(wù)，對(duì)病人正常狀態(tài)下的體質(zhì)是最為了解的（這種了解對(duì)我們?cè)谶@種情況下作出診斷是十分寶貴的）；他和我一致的意見(jiàn)是，在目前的情況下，需要求助于生命力來(lái)作出勁頭十足的努力；如果我們這位有趣的朋友董貝伯爵夫人——請(qǐng)?jiān)?，董貝夫人真的不——?BR> “能，”家庭醫(yī)生說(shuō)道。
“成功地作出那樣的努力的話，”帕克·佩普斯大夫說(shuō)道，“那么就會(huì)出現(xiàn)危急的局面，那是我們兩人都會(huì)衷心悲痛的?！?BR> 說(shuō)完之后，他們站在那里向地上看了幾秒鐘。然后，帕克·佩普斯大夫默不作聲地做了個(gè)手勢(shì)之后，他們上了樓；家庭醫(yī)生巴巴結(jié)結(jié)、畢恭畢敬地為那位杰出的專家開(kāi)了房門，然后跟隨在他后面。
如果說(shuō)董貝先生聽(tīng)到這個(gè)消息并不感到憂傷的話，那對(duì)他是不公道的?？梢郧‘?dāng)?shù)卣f(shuō)，他不是那種會(huì)驚慌失措或感情激動(dòng)的人；但他內(nèi)心總是有感覺(jué)的；如果他的妻子生了病、倒下去了的話，那么他是會(huì)感到很不愉快的；他會(huì)覺(jué)得從他的盤子、家具和其他家庭用品中間不見(jiàn)了一個(gè)什么東西，而這東西是很值得有的，丟棄它不能不使他感到由衷的惋惜；然而這無(wú)疑是冷淡的、照例行事的、紳士式的沉著克制的惋惜。
不久，首先是樓梯上窸窸窣窣的衣服聲，然后是一位夫人突然急急忙忙地走進(jìn)了房間，把他在這個(gè)問(wèn)題上的沉思打斷了。這位夫人已經(jīng)過(guò)了中年，但卻穿著得十分年輕，特別是胸衣繃得緊緊的，更顯得這樣；她的面容和姿態(tài)中露出一副緊張的神氣，說(shuō)明她正抑制著內(nèi)心十分激動(dòng)的情緒；她跑到他跟前，急忙伸出胳膊，摟住他的脖子，透不過(guò)氣來(lái)地發(fā)出聲音，說(shuō)道：
“我親愛(ài)的保羅！他真正是我們董貝家里的人哪！”
“唔，唔！”她的哥哥回答道，——因?yàn)槎愊壬撬母绺纭拔矣X(jué)得他·確·實(shí)·是像我們家里的人。你別太激動(dòng)了，路易莎?！?BR> “我是很傻，”路易莎坐下，掏出一塊手絹，說(shuō)道，“不過(guò)，不過(guò)，他是這么完完全全地是我們董貝家里的人呵！我這一輩子還從沒(méi)有見(jiàn)到過(guò)像這樣的事！”
“可是范妮本人呢？”董貝先生問(wèn)道，“范妮怎么樣了？”
“我親愛(ài)的保羅，”路易莎回答道，“什么問(wèn)題也沒(méi)有。請(qǐng)相信我的話，什么問(wèn)題也沒(méi)有。當(dāng)然，她筋疲力竭了，不過(guò)根本不能跟我生喬治或弗雷德里克的時(shí)候相比。必須作出努力。那樣就行，沒(méi)有別的了。如果親愛(ài)的范妮像我們董貝家里的人的話！——不過(guò)我想她將會(huì)作出努力的；我毫不懷疑，她將會(huì)作出努力的。她知道，我們要求她盡這個(gè)責(zé)任，因此她當(dāng)然是會(huì)作出努力的。我親愛(ài)的保羅，我從頭到腳都在哆嗦、搖晃，我知道，我這樣是很軟弱很傻氣的，可是我頭昏眼花得厲害，因此我得求你給我一杯酒和一小塊餅才行。當(dāng)我下樓來(lái)看到親愛(ài)的范妮和那個(gè)小東西的時(shí)候，我想我一定要從樓梯的窗口摔到外面去了?！彼詈笾v到小東西那幾個(gè)字時(shí)，仿佛是回憶起那個(gè)小嬰孩就在眼前而說(shuō)出來(lái)的。
在這之后，聽(tīng)到了輕輕的敲門聲。
“奇克夫人，”門外一個(gè)很溫柔的女性的聲音說(shuō)道，“您好嗎，我親愛(ài)的朋友？”
“我親愛(ài)的保羅，”路易莎從坐位上站起來(lái)，低聲說(shuō)道，“這是托克斯小姐。她是一位善良的人兒！沒(méi)有她我怎么也到不了這里！托克斯小姐，這是我的哥哥董貝先生。保羅，我親愛(ài)的，這是我最要好的朋友托克斯小姐?！?BR> 被這樣作了特別介紹的女士是一位身材細(xì)長(zhǎng)、消瘦的人，姿容衰敗，仿佛她當(dāng)初不是用亞麻布商人所說(shuō)的“經(jīng)久不褪色”的染料染成，而是被逐漸洗去了顏色似的。要不是這一點(diǎn)，她真可以稱得上是殷勤與禮貌的鮮麗化身了。她長(zhǎng)期以來(lái)養(yǎng)成一個(gè)習(xí)慣，就是對(duì)當(dāng)面對(duì)她所說(shuō)的一切，她都令人欽佩地?zé)嵝穆?tīng)著，而且看著說(shuō)話的人，仿佛她心里正在把他的形象刻印在她的心靈上，直到生命停止之前永遠(yuǎn)也不與它分離似的；由于這樣一種習(xí)慣，她的頭這時(shí)已經(jīng)歪向一邊。她的手得了一種痙攣性的習(xí)慣，仿佛出于情不自禁的欽佩而會(huì)自動(dòng)地舉起來(lái)。她的眼睛也容易受到類似的影響。她的聲音是最溫柔悅耳的；她的鼻子是個(gè)很大的鷹鉤鼻，在鼻梁的正中間長(zhǎng)著一個(gè)小小的肉瘤，鼻子從這里往臉上伸下去，仿佛它已下定了不可動(dòng)搖的決心，不論在什么情況下也決不再翹起來(lái)似的。
托克斯小姐的衣服雖然完全合乎上流社會(huì)的風(fēng)格，質(zhì)料也是好的，但卻有些難看和單薄。她習(xí)慣在有帶的軟帽上和便帽上裝飾一些奇怪的、枯萎了的小花。在她的頭發(fā)中間有時(shí)還可以看到一些奇怪的草。那些富于好奇心的人注意到，她的衣領(lǐng)、褶邊、圍巾、袖口以及其他輕而薄的物品——實(shí)際上她所穿的凡是兩端可以連接起來(lái)的一切東西——，這兩端的關(guān)系從來(lái)都不和好，它們一相遇決不會(huì)沒(méi)有一番搏斗的。她在冬天穿著毛皮的物品——如斗篷、圍巾、手筒——，那些毛全都暴怒似地根根豎立，一點(diǎn)也不光滑柔軟。她十分喜歡攜帶有按扣的小袋子，當(dāng)把袋子合上的時(shí)候，按扣就像小手槍一樣劈啪直響。當(dāng)她穿禮服的時(shí)候，她在脖子上掛了一個(gè)極為質(zhì)樸的小金盒，它的形狀是一只沒(méi)有光澤、看不出有任何神情的老眼睛。這些以及其他類似的一些現(xiàn)象使得一種看法流傳開(kāi)來(lái)：托克斯小姐是一位所謂資產(chǎn)有限的女士，她把這點(diǎn)資產(chǎn)充分利用了。她用小步走路的步態(tài)可能更促使人們相信這一點(diǎn)，并且使人覺(jué)得，她把普通跨度的一步分成兩步或三步，就起因于她有充分利用一切事物的習(xí)慣。
“這是真的，”托克斯小姐行了一個(gè)不同尋常的屈膝禮，說(shuō)道，“有幸被介紹給董貝先生認(rèn)識(shí)，這是我久已盼望得到的光榮，可是我千萬(wàn)沒(méi)有料想到就在現(xiàn)在。我親愛(ài)的奇克夫人——
我是否可以稱您為路易莎？”
奇克夫人把托克斯小姐的手握在她的手里，把酒杯的底座放在她的手上，并忍住一滴眼淚，低聲說(shuō)道，“上帝保佑您！”
“我親愛(ài)的路易莎，”托克斯小姐說(shuō)道，“我可愛(ài)的朋友，您現(xiàn)在覺(jué)得怎么樣了？”
“好些了，”奇克夫人回答道，“喝點(diǎn)酒吧。您一直幾乎跟我一樣焦急不安，毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)，一定需要喝點(diǎn)酒了?！?BR> 董貝先生自然盡了東道主的情誼。
“保羅，”奇克夫人仍舊握著她的手，繼續(xù)說(shuō)道，“托克斯小姐知道我一直萬(wàn)分關(guān)懷地期待著今天這件事情，她就忙著給范妮做了一個(gè)小禮物，我答應(yīng)把它送給她。這只不過(guò)是一個(gè)可以擺在梳妝臺(tái)上的針插，保羅，但是我說(shuō)，我將要說(shuō)，我必須說(shuō)，托克斯小姐所表達(dá)的感情十分美妙地適合當(dāng)前的情況?！畾g迎小董貝’，我說(shuō)，這是一首詩(shī)！”
“這是針插上的題詞嗎？”她的哥哥問(wèn)道。
“這是針插上的題詞，”路易莎回答道。
“不過(guò)，您得記住下面的情形，這對(duì)我才是公道的，我親愛(ài)的路易莎，”托克斯小姐用低沉的、懇切的、請(qǐng)求的聲調(diào)說(shuō)道，“只是由于——我表達(dá)我的思想有些困難——只是由于最后是男是女當(dāng)時(shí)不能肯定，這才使我很冒昧地采用了這樣的題詞?！畾g迎您，董貝少爺！’這才更確切地符合我的感情，我相信您是知道的。不過(guò)，我希望，這天使般新來(lái)的客人的不確定性，能成為原諒我的理由，否則那就會(huì)顯得是不諒解我的冒昧了?！蓖锌怂剐〗阏f(shuō)時(shí)向董貝先生優(yōu)雅地鞠了一個(gè)躬，董貝先生和藹親切地還了禮。甚至在上面談話中對(duì)董貝父子公司所表示的敬意也很投合他的心意，因此雖然他愛(ài)把他的妹妹奇克夫人看作是個(gè)軟弱的、性格善良的人，但她對(duì)他的影響也許比任何人都更大。
“好啦，”奇克夫人親切地微笑了一下，說(shuō)道，“在這之后，我對(duì)范妮一切都寬恕了！”
這是按照基督精神所作的一項(xiàng)聲明，奇克夫人說(shuō)了以后覺(jué)得心情輕松了。并不是她有什么具體的事情需要寬恕她的嫂子，確實(shí)也沒(méi)有任何事情需要她寬恕的，只有一個(gè)例外，就是她嫁給了她的哥哥——這件事情本身是大膽無(wú)禮的——，而且隨著時(shí)間的推移，又生了一個(gè)女孩子，而不是男孩子；奇克夫人常常提起這件事，說(shuō)這完全不符合她的期望，也不是她這位嫂子對(duì)她所受到的一切厚待與光榮所應(yīng)作出的令人愉快的報(bào)答。
董貝先生這時(shí)被急忙請(qǐng)求離開(kāi)，房間里只剩下兩位女士在一起。托克斯小姐立刻痙攣起來(lái)。
“我早知道您會(huì)仰慕我哥哥的。我以前跟您說(shuō)過(guò)，我親愛(ài)的，”路易莎說(shuō)道。
托克斯小姐的手和眼睛表示出她是多么仰慕。
“至于他的財(cái)產(chǎn)，我親愛(ài)的！”
“??！”托克斯小姐懷著深切的感情說(shuō)道。
“大得——不得了！”
“啊，他的品行，我親愛(ài)的路易莎！”托克斯小姐說(shuō)道，“他的儀表！他的尊嚴(yán)！我這一生中所見(jiàn)到過(guò)的肖像沒(méi)有一個(gè)能完全具備這些優(yōu)美的品質(zhì)，一半也沒(méi)有。多么莊嚴(yán)，您知道，多么堅(jiān)決，胸膛是多么寬闊，身軀是多么挺直！他是一位財(cái)力雄厚的約克郡①公爵，我親愛(ài)的，不比約克郡公爵欠缺什么！”托克斯小姐說(shuō)道?！拔乙@樣稱呼他?！?BR> --------
①約克郡（Yorkshire）：英格蘭北部的一個(gè)郡。
“你怎么了，我親愛(ài)的保羅！”他妹妹看到他回來(lái)的時(shí)候，高聲喊道，“你的臉色這么蒼白！沒(méi)出什么事吧？”
“我很遺憾地告訴你，路易莎，他們告訴我，范妮——”
“啊，我親愛(ài)的保羅！”他的妹妹站起來(lái)，說(shuō)道，“別相信它！如果你覺(jué)得我的經(jīng)驗(yàn)可靠的話，那么，保羅，你盡可以放心，只要范妮作出努力就行；”她有條有理地脫下軟帽，整整便帽和手套，繼續(xù)說(shuō)道，“應(yīng)該鼓勵(lì)她作出那個(gè)努力；真的，如果必要的話，那就應(yīng)該強(qiáng)迫她作出那個(gè)努力。我親愛(ài)的保羅，現(xiàn)在請(qǐng)跟我一起上樓去。”
董貝先生除了由于前面所說(shuō)的理由一般受他的妹妹的影響外，還把她當(dāng)作一位有經(jīng)驗(yàn)的和能干的主婦，真正相信她，所以默默地同意，立刻跟著她到病人的房間里去。
他的夫人就像他離開(kāi)她時(shí)那樣躺在床上，把她的小女兒緊緊地抱在懷中。這個(gè)女孩子懷著跟先前一樣強(qiáng)烈的感情，緊緊地抱著她，從不抬起頭，或把臉頰從她媽媽的臉上移開(kāi)，或看看站在周圍的人們，或說(shuō)句話，或移動(dòng)身子，或掉一滴眼淚。
“沒(méi)有小女孩在身邊她就煩躁不安，”大夫?qū)Χ愊壬吐曊f(shuō)道，“因此我們覺(jué)得還是讓她重新進(jìn)來(lái)?！?BR> 病床周圍一片深沉的寂靜；兩位醫(yī)生似乎十分同情而又很少希望地看著這個(gè)失去知覺(jué)的人，因此奇克夫人一時(shí)忘掉了她到這里來(lái)的目的，可是她立刻鼓起勇氣，并像她所說(shuō)的，鎮(zhèn)靜下來(lái)，在床邊坐下，并用一個(gè)竭力想要喚醒一位睡眠者的人的那種同樣低微的聲調(diào)，喊道：
“范妮！范妮！”
沒(méi)有回答的聲音，而只有董貝先生的表和帕克·佩普斯大夫的表的滴嗒滴嗒走得很響的聲音。這兩只表似乎正在寂靜中賽跑。
“范妮，我親愛(ài)的，”奇克夫人假裝出輕松愉快的語(yǔ)氣，說(shuō)道，“董貝先生到這里來(lái)看您了。您是不是要跟他講話？他們想把您的小男孩放到床上——范妮，您知道，就是那個(gè)小娃娃，我想您還沒(méi)有看到過(guò)他吧！不過(guò)，他們不能放，除非您把精神稍稍振作起來(lái)一些才行。您是不是認(rèn)為，這該是您把精神振作起來(lái)一些的時(shí)候了？嗯？”
她把耳朵湊近床上聽(tīng)著，一邊向四周站著的人環(huán)視著，并舉起一個(gè)指頭。
“嗯？”她重復(fù)說(shuō)道，“您說(shuō)什么，范妮？我聽(tīng)不見(jiàn)?！?BR> 沒(méi)有一個(gè)字，也沒(méi)有一個(gè)聲音回答。董貝先生的表與帕克·佩普斯大夫的表似乎跑得更快了。
“啊，真的，我親愛(ài)的范妮，”她的小姑子說(shuō)道；她改變了姿勢(shì)，不由自主地說(shuō)得不很有信心，但卻更認(rèn)真了，“如果您不振作起精神的話，那么我就不得不跟您生氣了。您有必要作出努力，也許是您不愿作出的很大的、很痛苦的努力；可是您知道，這是個(gè)需要作出努力的世界呀，范妮；當(dāng)這么多的事情取決于我們的時(shí)候，我們應(yīng)該永不退讓。來(lái)吧，試一試吧！如果您不試的話，那么我真的一定要罵您了！”