In spite of the double disappointment, it was impossible to regard in the light of a failure a visit which was greeted with such a reception; so the sisters talked hopefully about family matters, and about Biler, and about all his brothers and sisters: while the black-eyed, having performed several journeys to Banbury Cross and back, took sharp note of the furniture, the Dutch clock, the cupboard, the castle on the mantel-piece with red and green windows in it, susceptible of illumination by a candle-end within; and the pair of small black velvet kittens, each with a lady's reticule in its mouth; regarded by the Staggs's Gardeners as prodigies of imitative art. The conversation soon becoming general lest the black-eyed should go off at score and turn sarcastic, that young lady related to Jemima a summary of everything she knew concerning Mr. Dombey, his prospects, family, pursuits, and character. Also an exact inventory of her personal wardrobe, and some account of her principal relations and friends. Having relieved her mind of these disclosures, she partook of shrimps and porter, and evinced a disposition to swear eternal friendship.
虽然感到双重的失望,但却不可能把受到这样热烈欢迎的一次访问看作是一次失败;所以两姐妹就满怀希望地谈起家常事务,谈到拜勒,谈到他的弟弟和妹妹们;在这段时间中,黑眼睛在到班伯里十字架去的旅行已来回了好几趟以后,就细细地观察室内的家具、荷兰钟、碗柜、壁炉台上的城堡,城堡里有红色的和绿色的窗子,里面点一根烛头就可以把它们照亮;还有一对黑色的丝绒制的小猫,每只嘴里都衔着一只贵妇人用的网状手提包,斯塔格斯花园里的人们都认为这是仿制艺术的珍品。不久,唯恐黑眼睛会突然情不自禁地说出挖苦的话来,谈话就转到大家都能参加的一般内容,于是那位年轻的姑娘就把她所知道的有关董贝先生的一切,如他的前途,他的家庭,他的事业和他的性格,都向杰迈玛简略地叙述了一番。她也详详细细、一件不漏地列举了她个人全部服装的清单,还稍稍谈到她的主要的亲戚和朋友。把这些话开诚布公地说出,不再积压在心头以后,她吃起河虾,喝起黑啤酒来,这时心情愉快,随时准备为永恒的友谊而发愿起誓。
Little
Florence
herself
was
not
behind-
hand
in
improving
the
occasion;
for,
being
conducted
forth
by
the
young
Toodles
to
inspect
some
toad-
stools
and
other
curiosities
of
the
Gardens,
she
entered
with
them,
heart
and
soul,
on
the
formation
of
a
temporary
breakwater
across
a
small
green
pool
that
had
collected
in
a
corner.
She
was
still
busily
engaged
in
that
labor,
when
sought
and
found
by
Susan;
who,
such
was
her
sense
of
duty,
even
under
the
humanizing
influence
of
shrimps,
delivered
a
moral
address
to
her
(
punctuated
with
thumps)
on
her
degenerate
nature,
while
washing
her
face
and
hands;
and
predicted
that
she
would
bring
the
grey
hairs
of
her
family
in
general,
with
sorrow
to
the
grave.
After
some
delay,
occasioned
by
a
pretty
long
confidential
interview
above
stairs
on
pecuniary
subjects,
between
Polly
and
Jemima,
an
interchange
of
babies
was
again
effected
-
for
Polly
had
all
this
timeretained
her
own
child,
and
Jemima
little
Paul
-
and
the
visitors
took
leave.
小弗洛伦斯在利用这个机会方面也不落后。因为当小图德尔们陪伴她去看毒菌和花园里的其他新奇事物时,她和他们一起专心一意地在一个角落里由积水形成的一个绿色的小池塘中,着手修建一个临时防波堤。当她仍在忙忙碌碌地从事这项劳动时,苏珊把她寻找到了。虽然在河虾的影响下,苏珊已变得通达人情,可是她仍怀有强烈的责任感,所以她一边给弗洛伦斯洗脸洗手,一边针对她这种变坏了的品性,向她发表了一篇训诫性的谈话;她一边说,一边用拳头打她,作为标点符号,并预言她将使她全家的老人都伤心而死。波利与杰迈玛在楼上相当长久地谈了一些有关金钱方面的私房话,稍稍耽搁了一些时间;在这之后,她们就重新交换了婴孩——因为波利一直抱着她亲生的孩子,杰迈玛则抱着小保罗——,来访的人于是也告辞了。
But
first
the
young
Toodles,
victims
of
a
pious
fraud,
were
deluded
into
repairing
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