Крошка Доррит

Chapter 1. Fellow Travellers

           

           AgainMonsieurwasright.Thedogwasveryimportant.Peoplewerejustlyinterestedinthedog.Asoneofthedogscelebratedeverywhere,Ma’amsellewouldobserve.

           Ma’amsellewasalittleslowtoobserveit,asthoughshewerenotyetwellaccustomedtotheFrenchtongue.MrsGeneral,however,observeditforher.

           ‘Askhimifhehassavedmanylives?’said,inhisnativeEnglish,theyoungmanwhohadbeenputoutofcountenance.

           Thehostneedednotranslationofthequestion.HepromptlyrepliedinFrench,‘No.Notthisone.’

           ‘Whynot?’thesamegentlemanasked.

           ‘Pardon,’returnedthehostcomposedly,‘givehimtheopportunityandhewilldoitwithoutdoubt.Forexample,Iamwellconvinced,’smilingsedately,ashecutupthedishofvealtobehandedround,ontheyoungmanwhohadbeenputoutofcountenance,‘thatifyou,Monsieur,wouldgivehimtheopportunity,hewouldhastenwithgreatardourtofulfilhisduty.’

           Theartisttravellerlaughed.Theinsinuatingtraveller(whoevincedaprovidentanxietytogethisfullshareofthesupper),wipingsomedropsofwinefromhismoustachewithapieceofbread,joinedtheconversation.

           ‘Itisbecominglateintheyear,myFather,’saidhe,‘fortourist-travellers,isitnot?’

           ‘Yes,itislate.Yettwoorthreeweeks,atmost,andweshallbelefttothewintersnows.’

           ‘Andthen,’saidtheinsinuatingtraveller,‘forthescratchingdogsandtheburiedchildren,accordingtothepictures!’

           ‘Pardon,’saidthehost,notquiteunderstandingtheallusion.

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