Крошка Доррит

Chapter 1. Fellow Travellers

           

           Theheadofthelargeretinue,whowasgraciousbutnotfamiliar,appearedbythistimetothinkthathehadcondescendedmorethanenough.Hesaidnomore,andtherewassilenceforsomequarterofanhouruntilsupperappeared.

           WiththesuppercameoneoftheyoungFathers(thereseemedtobenooldFathers)totaketheheadofthetable.ItwaslikethesupperofanordinarySwisshotel,andgoodredwinegrownbytheconventinmoregenialairwasnotwanting.Theartisttravellercalmlycameandtookhisplaceattablewhentherestsatdown,withnoapparentsenseuponhimofhislateskirmishwiththecompletelydressedtraveller.

           ‘Pray,’heinquiredofthehost,overhissoup,‘hasyourconventmanyofitsfamousdogsnow?’

           ‘Monsieur,ithasthree.’

           ‘Isawthreeinthegallerybelow.Doubtlessthethreeinquestion.’

           Thehost,aslender,bright-eyed,darkyoungmanofpolitemanners,whosegarmentwasablackgownwithstripsofwhitecrossedoveritlikebraces,andwhonomoreresembledtheconventionalbreedofSaintBernardmonksthanheresembledtheconventionalbreedofSaintBernarddogs,replied,doubtlessthosewerethethreeinquestion.

           ‘AndIthink,’saidtheartisttraveller,‘Ihaveseenoneofthembefore.’

           Itwaspossible.Hewasadogsufficientlywellknown.Monsieurmighthaveeasilyseenhiminthevalleyorsomewhereonthelake,whenhe(thedog)hadgonedownwithoneoftheordertosolicitaidfortheconvent.

           ‘Whichisdoneinitsregularseasonoftheyear,Ithink?’

           Monsieurwasright.

           ‘Andneverwithoutadog.Thedogisveryimportant.

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