Крихітка Дорріт

Chapter 12. In which a Great Patriotic Conference is holden

           

           ThethreeplacesinquestionwerethreelittlerottenholesinthisIsland,containingthreelittleignorant,drunken,guzzling,dirty,out-of-the-wayconstituencies,thathadreeledintoMrMerdle’spocket.FerdinandBarnaclelaughedinhiseasyway,andairilysaidtheywereanicesetoffellows.Bishop,mentallyperambulatingamongpathsofpeace,wasaltogetherswallowedupinabsenceofmind.

           ‘Pray,’askedLordDecimus,castinghiseyesaroundthetable,‘whatisthisstoryIhaveheardofagentlemanlongconfinedinadebtors’prisonprovingtobeofawealthyfamily,andhavingcomeintotheinheritanceofalargesumofmoney?Ihavemetwithavarietyofallusionstoit.Doyouknowanythingofit,Ferdinand?’

           ‘Ionlyknowthismuch,’saidFerdinand,‘thathehasgiventheDepartmentwithwhichIhavethehonourtobeassociated;’thissparklingyoungBarnaclethrewoffthephrasesportively,aswhoshouldsay,Weknowallabouttheseformsofspeech,butwemustkeepitup,wemustkeepthegamealive;‘noendoftrouble,andhasputusintoinnumerablefixes.’

           ‘Fixes?’repeatedLordDecimus,withamajesticpausingandponderingonthewordthatmadethebashfulMembershuthiseyesquitetight.‘Fixes?’

           ‘Averyperplexingbusinessindeed,’observedMrTiteBarnacle,withanairofgraveresentment.

           ‘What,’saidLordDecimus,‘wasthecharacterofhisbusiness;whatwasthenatureofthese—a—Fixes,Ferdinand?’

           ‘Oh,it’sagoodstory,asastory,’returnedthatgentleman;‘asgoodathingofitskindasneedbe.

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