第34章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(17)

第34章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(17)

'idon'tsupposeanythingaboutitbutwhatladybirdtellsme.'

'andthatis—？'

'thatshethinkshehas.'

'nowdon'tbeangryatmyaskingallthesequestions；becauseiamameredullmanofbusiness，andyouareawomanofbusiness.'

'dull？'missprossinquired，withplacidity.

ratherwishinghismodestadjectiveaway，mr.lorryreplied，'no，no，no.surelynot.toreturntobusiness：—isitnotremarkablethatdoctormanette，unquestionablyinnocentofanycrimeasweareallwellassuredheis，shouldnevertouchuponthatquestion？iwillnotsaywithme，thoughhehadbusinessrelationswithmemanyyearsago，andwearenowintimate；iwillsaywiththefairdaughtertowhomheissodevotedlyattached，andwhoissodevotedlyattachedtohim？believeme，misspross，idon'tapproachthetopicwithyou，outofcuriosity，butoutofzealousinterest.'

'well！tothebestofmyunderstanding，andbad'sthebest，you'lltellme，'saidmisspross，softenedbythetoneoftheapology，'heisafraidofthewholesubject.'

'afraid？'

'it'splainenough，ishouldthink，whyhemaybe.it'sadreadfulremembrance.besidesthat，hislossofhimselfgrewoutofit.notknowinghowhelosthimself，orhowherecoveredhimself，hemayneverfeelcertainofnotlosinghimselfagain.thatalonewouldn'tmakethesubjectpleasant，ishouldthink.'

itwasaprofounderremarkthanmr.lorryhadlookedfor.'true，'saidhe，'andfearfultoreflectupon.yet，adoubtlurksinmymind，misspross，whetheritisgoodfordoctormanettetohavethatsuppressionalwaysshutupwithinhim.indeed，itisthisdoubtandtheuneasinessitsometimescausesmethathasledmetoourpresentconfidence.'

'can'tbehelped，'saidmisspross，shakingherhead.'touchthatstring，andheinstantlychangesfortheworse.betterleaveitalone.inshort，mustleaveitalone，likeornolike.sometimes，hegetsupinthedeadofthenight，andwillbeheard，byusoverheadthere，walkingupanddown，walkingupanddown，inhisroom.ladybirdhaslearnttoknowthenthathismindiswalkingupanddown，walkingupanddown，inhisoldprison.shehurriestohim，andtheygoontogether，walkingupanddown，walkingupanddown，untilheiscomposed.butheneversaysawordofthetruereasonofhisrestlessness，toher，andshefindsitbestnottohintatittohim.insilencetheygowalkingupanddowntogether，walkingupanddowntogether，tillherloveandcompanyhavebroughthimtohimself.'

notwithstandingmisspross'sdenialofherownimagination，therewasaperceptionofthepainofbeingmonotonouslyhauntedbyonesadidea，inherrepetitionofthephrase，walkingupanddown，whichtestifiedtoherpossessingsuchathing.

thecornerhasbeenmentionedasawonderfulcornerforechoes；ithadbeguntoechosoresoundinglytothetreadofcomingfeet，thatitseemedasthoughtheverymentionofthatwearypacingtoandfrohadsetitgoing.

'heretheyare！'saidmisspross，risingtobreakuptheconference；'andnowweshallhavehundredsofpeopleprettysoon！'

itwassuchacuriouscornerinitsacousticalproperties，suchapeculiarearofaplace，thatasmr.lorrystoodattheopenwindow，lookingforthefatheranddaughterwhosestepsheheard，hefanciedtheywouldneverapproach.notonlywouldtheechoesdieaway，asthoughthestepshadgone；but，echoesofotherstepsthatnevercamewouldbeheardintheirstead，andwoulddieawayforgoodwhentheyseemedcloseathand.however，fatheranddaughterdidatlastappear，andmissprosswasreadyatthestreetdoortoreceivethem.

missprosswasapleasantsight，albeitwild，andred，andgrim，takingoffherdarling'sbonnetwhenshecameupstairs，andtouchingitupwiththeendsofherhandkerchief，andblowingthedustoffit，andfoldinghermantlereadyforlayingby，andsmoothingherrichhairwithasmuchprideasshecouldpossiblyhavetakeninherownhairifshehadbeenthevainestandhandsomestofwomen.herdarlingwasapleasantsighttoo，embracingherandthankingher，andprotestingagainsthertakingsomuchtroubleforher—whichlastsheonlydaredtodoplayfully，ormisspross，sorelyhurt，wouldhaveretiredtoherownchamberandcried.thedoctorwasapleasantsighttoo，lookingonatthem，andtellingmissprosshowshespoiltlucie，inaccentsandwitheyesthathadasmuchspoilinginthemasmissprosshad，andwouldhavehadmoreifitwerepossible.mr.lorrywasapleasantsighttoo，beamingatallthisinhislittlewig，andthankinghisbachelorstarsforhavinglightedhiminhisdecliningyearstoahome.but，nohundredsofpeoplecametoseethesights，andmr.lorrylookedinvainforthefulfilmentofmisspross'sprediction.

dinner-time，andstillnohundredsofpeople.inthearrangementsofthelittlehousehold，missprosstookchargeofthelowerregions，andalwaysacquittedherselfmarvellously.herdinners，ofaverymodestquality，weresowellcookedandsowellserved，andsoneatintheircontrivances，halfenglishandhalffrench，thatnothingcouldbebetter.misspross'sfriendshipbeingofthethoroughlypracticalkind，shehadravagedsohoandtheadjacentprovinces，insearchofimpoverishedfrench，who，temptedbyshillingsandhalf-crowns，wouldimpartculinarymysteriestoher.fromthesedecayedsonsanddaughtersofgaul，shehadacquiredsuchwonderfularts，thatthewomanandgirlwhoformedthestaffofdomesticsregardedherasquiteasorceress，orcinderella'sgodmother：whowouldsendoutforafowl，arabbit，avegetableortwofromthegarden，andchangethemintoanythingshepleased.