狄更斯的小说特点 狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第36章Part1

狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第36章Part1  

Many succeeding days passed in like manner; except that there were numerous visits received and paid
and that Mrs Skewton held little levees in her own apartments
at which Major Bagstock was a frequent attendant
and that Florence encountered no second look from her father
although she saw him every day. Nor had she much munication in words with her new Mama
who was imperious and proud to all the house but her - Florence could not but observe that - and who
although she always sent for her or went to her when she came home from visiting
and would always go into her room at night
before retiring to rest
however late the hour
and never lost an opportunity of being with her
was often her silent and thoughtful panion for a long time together.
Florence
who had hoped for so much from this marriage
could not help sometimes paring the bright house with the faded dreary place out of which it had arisen
and wondering when
in any shape
it would begin to be a home; for that it was no home then
for anyone
though everything went on luxuriously and regularly
she had always a secret misgiving. Many an hour of sorrowful reflection by day and night
and many a tear of blighted hope
Florence bestowed upon the assurance her new Mama had given her so strongly
that there was no one on the earth more powerless than herself to teach her how to win her father's heart. And soon Florence began to think - resolved to think would be the truer phrase - that as no one knew so well
how hopeless of being subdued or changed her father's coldness to her was
so she had given her this warning
and forbidden the subject in very passion. Unselfish here
as in her every act and fancy
Florence preferred to bear the pain of this new wound
rather than encourage anyfaint foreshadowings of the truth as it concerned her father; tender of him
even in her wandering thoughts. As for his home
she hoped it would bee a better one
when its state of novelty and transition should be over; and for herself
thought little and lamented less.
If none of the new family were particularly at home in private
it was resolved that Mrs Dombey at least should be at home in public
without delay. A series of entertainments in celebration of the late nuptials
and in cultivation of society
were arranged
chiefly by Mr Dombey and Mrs Skewton; and it was settled that the festive proceedings should mence by Mrs Dombey's being at home upon a certain evening
and by Mr and Mrs Dombey's requesting the honour of the pany of a great many incongruous people to dinner on the same day.
Accordingly
Mr Dombey produced a list of sundry eastern magnates who were to be bidden to this feast on his behalf; to which Mrs Skewton
acting for her dearest child
who was haughtily careless on the subject
subjoined a western list
prising Cousin Feenix
not yet returned to Baden-Baden
greatly to the detriment of his personal estate; and a variety of moths of various degrees and ages
who had
at various times
fluttered round the light of her fair daughter
or herself
without any lasting injury to their wings. Florence was enrolled as a member of the dinner-party
by Edith's mand - elicited by a moment's doubt and hesitation on the part of Mrs Skewton; and Florence
with a wondering heart
and with a quick instinctive sense of everything that grated on her father in the least
took her silent share in the proceedings of the day.
The proceedings menced by Mr Dombey
in a cravat of extraordinary height and stiffness
walking restlessly about the drawing-room until the hour appointed for dinner; punctual to which
an East India Director
' of immense wealth
in a waistcoat apparently constructed in serviceable deal by some plain carpenter
but really engendered in the tailor's art
and posed of the material called nankeen
arrived and was received by Mr Dombey alone. The next stage of the proceedings was Mr Dombey's sending his pliments to Mrs Dombey
with a correct statement of the time; and the next
the East India Director's falling prostrate
in a conversational point of view
and as Mr Dombey was not the man to pick him up
staring at the fire until rescue appeared in the shape of Mrs Skewton; whom the director
as a pleasant start in life for the evening
mistook for Mrs Dombey
and greeted with enthusiasm.
The next arrival was a Bank Director
reputed to be able to buy up anything - human Nature generally
if he should take it in his head to influence the money market in that direction - but who was a wonderfully modest-spoken man
almost boastfully so
and mentioned his 'little place' at Kingston-upon-Thames
and its just being barely equal to giving Dombey a bed and a chop
if he would e and visit it. Ladies
he said
it was not for a man who lived in his quiet way to take upon himself to invite - but if Mrs Skewton and her daughter
Mrs Dombey
should ever find themselves in that direction
and would do him the honour to look at a little bit of a shrubbery they would find there
and a poor little flower-bed or so
and a humble apology for a pinery
and o or three little attempts of that sort without any pretension
they would distinguish him very much. Carrying out his character
this gentleman was very plainly dressed
in a wisp of cambric for a neckcloth
big shoes
a coat that was too loose for him
and a pair of trousers that were too spare; and mention being made of the Opera by Mrs Skewton
he said he very seldom went there
for he couldn't afford it. It seemed greatly to delight and exhilarate him to say so: and he beamed on his audience afterwards
with his hands in his pockets
and excessive satisfaction inkling in his eyes.