Крошка Доррит

Chapter 27. Five-and-Twenty

           Here’salightcoming!’

           Thelightwasalamp,andthebearerwasanoldwoman:verydirty,verywrinkledanddry.‘She’sathome,’shesaid(andthevoicewasthesamethathadspokenbefore);‘she’llcomedirectly.’Havingsetthelampdownonthetable,theoldwomandustedherhandsonherapron,whichshemighthavedoneforeverwithoutcleaningthem,lookedatthevisitorswithadimpairofeyes,andbackedout.

           Theladywhomtheyhadcometosee,ifshewerethepresentoccupantofthehouse,appearedtohavetakenupherquartersthereasshemighthaveestablishedherselfinanEasterncaravanserai.Asmallsquareofcarpetinthemiddleoftheroom,afewarticlesoffurniturethatevidentlydidnotbelongtotheroom,andadisorderoftrunksandtravellingarticles,formedthewholeofhersurroundings.Undersomeformerregularinhabitant,thestiflinglittleapartmenthadbrokenoutintoapier-glassandagilttable;butthegildingwasasfadedaslastyear’sflowers,andtheglasswassocloudedthatitseemedtoholdinmagicpreservationallthefogsandbadweatherithadeverreflected.Thevisitorshadhadaminuteortwotolookaboutthem,whenthedooropenedandMissWadecamein.

           Shewasexactlythesameaswhentheyhadparted,justashandsome,justasscornful,justasrepressed.Shemanifestednosurpriseinseeingthem,noranyotheremotion.Sherequestedthemtobeseated;anddecliningtotakeaseatherself,atonceanticipatedanyintroductionoftheirbusiness.

           ‘Iapprehend,’shesaid,‘thatIknowthecauseofyourfavouringmewiththisvisit.

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