Крошка Доррит

Chapter 1. Fellow Travellers

           Anawfulcompany,mysteriouslycometogether!Awilddestinyforthatmothertohaveforeseen!‘SurroundedbysomanyandsuchcompanionsuponwhomIneverlooked,andnevershalllook,Iandmychildwilldwelltogetherinseparable,ontheGreatSaintBernard,outlastinggenerationswhowillcometoseeus,andwillneverknowourname,oronewordofourstorybuttheend.’

           Thelivingtravellersthoughtlittleornothingofthedeadjustthen.Theythoughtmuchmoreofalightingattheconventdoor,andwarmingthemselvesattheconventfire.Disengagedfromtheturmoil,whichwasalreadycalmingdownasthecrowdofmulesbegantobebestowedinthestable,theyhurriedshiveringupthestepsandintothebuilding.Therewasasmellwithin,comingupfromthefloor,oftetheredbeasts,likethesmellofamenagerieofwildanimals.Therewerestrongarchedgallerieswithin,hugestonepiers,greatstaircases,andthickwallspiercedwithsmallsunkenwindows—fortificationsagainstthemountainstorms,asiftheyhadbeenhumanenemies.Thereweregloomyvaultedsleeping-roomswithin,intenselycold,butcleanandhospitablypreparedforguests.Finally,therewasaparlourforgueststositinandsupin,whereatablewasalreadylaid,andwhereablazingfireshoneredandhigh.

           Inthisroom,afterhavinghadtheirquartersforthenightallottedtothembytwoyoungFathers,thetravellerspresentlydrewroundthehearth.Theywereinthreeparties;ofwhomthefirst,asthemostnumerousandimportant,wastheslowest,andhadbeenovertakenbyoneoftheothersonthewayup.

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