the study of a loving heart

sir barnet and lady skettles, very good people, resided in a pretty villa at fulham, on the banks of the thames; which was one of the most desirable residences in the world when a rowing-match happened to be going past, but had its little inconveniences at other times, among which may be enumerated the occasional appearance of the river in the drawing-room, and the contemporaneous disappearance of the lawn and shrubbery.

sir barnet skettles expressed his personal consequence chiefly through an antique gold snuffbox, and a ponderous silk pocket-kerchief, which he had an imposing manner of drawing out of his pocket like a banner and using with both hands at once. sir barnet's object in life was constantly to extend the range of his acquaintance. like a heavy body dropped into water - not to disparage so worthy a gentleman by the comparison - it was in the nature of things that sir barnet must spread an ever widening circle about him, until there was no room left. or, like a sound in air, the vibration of which, according to the speculation of an ingenious modern philosopher, may go on travelling for ever through the interminable fields of space, nothing but coming to the end of his moral tether could stop sir barnet skettles in his voyage of discovery through the social system.

sir barnet was proud of making people acquainted with people. he liked the thing for its own sake, and it advanced his favourite object too. for example, if sir barnet had the good fortune to get hold of a law recruit, or a country gentleman, and ensnared him to his hospitable villa, sir barnet would say to him, on the morning after his arrival, 'now, my dear sir, is there anybody you would like to know? who is there you would wish to meet? do you take any interest in writing people, or in painting or sculpturing people, or in acting people, or in anything of that sort?' possibly the patient answered yes, and mentioned somebody, of whom sir barnet had no more personal knowledge than of ptolemy the great. sir barnet replied, that nothing on earth was easier, as he knew him very well: immediately called on the aforesaid somebody, left his card, wrote a short note, - 'my dear sir - penalty of your eminent position - friend at my house naturally desirous - lady skettles and myself participate - trust that genius being superior to ceremonies, you will do us the distinguished favour of giving us the pleasure,' etc, etc. - and so killed a brace of birds with one stone, dead as door-nails.

with the snuff-box and banner in full force, sir barnet skettles propounded his usual inquiry to florence on the first morning of her visit. when florence thanked him, and said there was no one in particular whom she desired to see, it was natural she should think with a pang, of poor lost walter. when sir barnet skettles, urging his kind offer, said, 'my dear miss dombey, are you sure you can remember no one whom your good papa - to whom i beg you present the best compliments of myself and lady skettles when you write - might wish you to know?' it was natural, perhaps, that her poor head should droop a little, and that her voice should tremble as it softly answered in the negative.

skettles junior, much stiffened as to his cravat, and sobered down as to his spirits' was at home for the holidays, and appeared to feel himself aggrieved by the solicitude of his excellent mother that he should be attentive to florence. another and a deeper injury under which the soul of young barnet chafed, was the company of dr and mrs blimber, who had been invited on a visit to the paternal roof-tree, and of whom the young gentleman often said he would have preferred their passing the vacation at jericho.

'is there anybody you can suggest now, doctor blimber?' said sir barnet skettles, turning to that gentleman.

'you are very kind, sir barnet,' returned doctor blimber. 'really i am not aware that there is, in particular. i like to know my fellow-men in general, sir barnet. what does terence say? anyone who is the parent of a son is interesting to me.

'has mrs blimber any wish to see any remarkable person?' asked sir barnet, courteously.

mrs blimber replied, with a sweet smile and a shake of her sky-blue cap, that if sir barnet could have made her known to cicero, she would have troubled him; but such an introduction not being feasible, and she already enjoying the friendship of himself and his amiable lady, and possessing with the doctor her husband their joint confidence in regard to their dear son - here young barnet was observed to curl his nose - she asked no more.

sir barnet was fain, under these circumstances, to content himself for the time with the company assembled. florence was glad of that; for she had a study to pursue among them, and it lay too near her heart, and was too precious and momentous, to yield to any other interest.

there were some children staying in the house. children who were as frank and happy with fathers and with mothers as those rosy faces opposite home. children who had no restraint upon their love. and freely showed it. florence sought to learn their secret; sought to find out what it was she had missed; what simple art they knew, and she knew not; how she could be taught by them to show her father that she loved him, and to win his love again.

many a day did florence thoughtfully observe these children. on many a bright morning did she leave her bed when the glorious sun rose, and walking up and down upon the river's bank' before anyone in the house was stirring, look up at the windows of their rooms, and think of them, asleep, so gently tended and affectionately thought of. florence would feel more lonely then, than in the great house all alone; and would think sometimes that she was better there than here, and that there was greater peace in hiding herself than in mingling with others of her age, and finding how unlike them all she was. but attentive to her study, though it touched her to the quick at every little leaf she turned in the hard book, florence remained among them, and tried with patient hope, to gain the knowledge that she wearied for.

ah! how to gain it! how to know the charm in its beginning! there were daughters here, who rose up in the morning, and lay down to rest at night, possessed of fathers' hearts already. they had no repulse to overcome, no coldness to dread, no frown to smooth away. as the morning advanced, and the windows opened one by one, and the dew began to dry upon the flowers and and youthful feet began to move upon the lawn, florence, glancing round at the bright faces, thought what was there she could learn from these children? it was too late to learn from them; each could approach her father fearlessly, and put up her lips to meet the ready kiss, and wind her arm about the neck that bent down to caress her. she could not begin by being so bold. oh! could it be that there was less and less hope as she studied more and more!

she remembered well, that even the old woman who had robbed her when a little child - whose image and whose house, and all she had said and done, were stamped upon her recollection, with the enduring sharpness of a fearful impression made at that early period of life - had spoken fondly of her daughter, and how terribly even she had cried out in the pain of hopeless separation from her child but her own mother, she would think again, when she recalled this, had loved her well. then, sometimes, when her thoughts reverted swiftly to the void between herself and her father, florence would tremble, and the tears would start upon her face, as she pictured to herself her mother living on, and coming also to dislike her, because of her wanting the unknown grace that should conciliate that father naturally, and had never done so from her cradle she knew that this imagination did wrong to her mother's memory, and had no truth in it, or base to rest upon; and yet she tried so hard to justify him, and to find the whole blame in herself, that she could not resist its passing, like a wild cloud, through the distance of her mind.

there came among the other visitors, soon after florence, one beautiful girl, three or four years younger than she, who was an orphan child, and who was accompanied by her aunt, a grey-haired lady, who spoke much to florence, and who greatly liked (but that they all did) to hear her sing of an evening, and would always sit near her at that time, with motherly interest. they had only been two days in the house, when florence, being in an arbour in the garden one warm morning, musingly observant of a youthful group upon the turf, through some intervening boughs, - and wreathing flowers for the head of one little creature among them who was the pet and plaything of the rest, heard this same lady and her niece, in pacing up and down a sheltered nook close by, speak of herself.

'is florence an orphan like me, aunt?' said the child.

'no, my love. she has no mother, but her father is living.'

'is she in mourning for her poor mama, now?' inquired the child quickly.

'no; for her only brother.'

'has she no other brother?'

'none.'

'no sister?'

'none,'

'i am very, very sorry!' said the little girl

as they stopped soon afterwards to watch some boats, and had been silent in the meantime, florence, who had risen when she heard her name, and had gathered up her flowers to go and meet them, that they might know of her being within hearing, resumed her seat and work, expecting to hear no more; but the conversation recommenced next moment.

'florence is a favourite with everyone here, and deserves to be, i am sure,' said the child, earnestly. 'where is her papa?'

the aunt replied, after a moment's pause, that she did not know. her tone of voice arrested florence, who had started from her seat again; and held her fastened to the spot, with her work hastily caught up to her bosom, and her two hands saving it from being scattered on the ground.

'he is in england, i hope, aunt?' said the child.

'i believe so. yes; i know he is, indeed.'

'has he ever been here?'

'i believe not. no.'

'is he coming here to see her?'

'i believe not.

'is he lame, or blind, or ill, aunt?' asked the child.

the flowers that florence held to her breast began to fall when she heard those words, so wonderingly spoke she held them closer; and her face hung down upon them'

'kate,' said the lady, after another moment of silence, 'i will tell you the whole truth about florence as i have heard it, and believe it to be. tell no one else, my dear, because it may be little known here, and your doing so would give her pain.'

'i never will!' exclaimed the child.

'i know you never will,' returned the lady. 'i can trust you as myself. i fear then, kate, that florence's father cares little for her, very seldom sees her, never was kind to her in her life, and now quite shuns her and avoids her. she would love him dearly if he would suffer her, but he will not - though for no fault of hers; and she is greatly to be loved and pitied by all gentle hearts.'

more of the flowers that florence held fell scattering on the ground; those that remained were wet, but not with dew; and her face dropped upon her laden hands.

'poor florence! dear, good florence!' cried the child.

'do you know why i have told you this, kate?' said the lady.

'that i may be very kind to her, and take great care to try to please her. is that the reason, aunt?'

'partly,' said the lady, 'but not all. though we see her so cheerful; with a pleasant smile for everyone; ready to oblige us all, and bearing her part in every amusement here: she can hardly be quite happy, do you think she can, kate?'

'i am afraid not,' said the little girl.

'and you can understand,' pursued the lady, 'why her observation of children who have parents who are fond of them, and proud of them - like many here, just now - should make her sorrowful in secret?'

'yes, dear aunt,' said the child, 'i understand that very well. poor florence!'

more flowers strayed upon the ground, and those she yet held to her breast trembled as if a wintry wind were rustling them.

'my kate,' said the lady, whose voice was serious, but very calm and sweet, and had so impressed florence from the first moment of her hearing it, 'of all the youthful people here, you are her natural and harmless friend; you have not the innocent means, that happier children have - '

'there are none happier, aunt!' exclaimed the child, who seemed to cling about her.

'as other children have, dear kate, of reminding her of her misfortune. therefore i would have you, when you try to be her little friend, try all the more for that, and feel that the bereavement you sustained - thank heaven! before you knew its weight- gives you claim and hold upon poor florence.'

'but i am not without a parent's love, aunt, and i never have been,' said the child, 'with you.'

'however that may be, my dear,' returned the lady, 'your misfortune is a lighter one than florence's; for not an orphan in the wide world can be so deserted as the child who is an outcast from a living parent's love.'

the flowers were scattered on the ground like dust; the empty hands were spread upon the face; and orphaned florence, shrinking down upon the ground, wept long and bitterly.

but true of heart and resolute in her good purpose, florence held to it as her dying mother held by her upon the day that gave paul life. he did not know how much she loved him. however long the time in coming, and however slow the interval, she must try to bring that knowledge to her father's heart one day or other. meantime she must be careful in no thoughtless word, or look, or burst of feeling awakened by any chance circumstance, to complain against him, or to give occasion for these whispers to his prejudice.

even in the response she made the orphan child, to whom she was attracted strongly, and whom she had such occasion to remember, florence was mindful of him' if she singled her out too plainly (florence thought) from among the rest, she would confirm - in one mind certainly: perhaps in more - the belief that he was cruel and unnatural. her own delight was no set-off to this, 'what she had overheard was a reason, not for soothing herself, but for saving him; and florence did it, in pursuance of the study of her heart.

she did so always. if a book were read aloud, and there were anything in the story that pointed at an unkind father, she was in pain for their application of it to him; not for herself. so with any trifle of an interlude that was acted, or picture that was shown, or game that was played, among them. the occasions for such tenderness towards him were so many, that her mind misgave her often, it would indeed be better to go back to the old house, and live again within the shadow of its dull walls, undisturbed. how few who saw sweet florence, in her spring of womanhood, the modest little queen of those small revels, imagined what a load of sacred care lay heavy in her breast! how few of those who stiffened in her father's freezing atmosphere, suspected what a heap of fiery coals was piled upon his head!

florence pursued her study patiently, and, failing to acquire the secret of the nameless grace she sought, among the youthful company who were assembled in the house, often walked out alone, in the early morning, among the children of the poor. but still she found them all too far advanced to learn from. they had won their household places long ago, and did not stand without, as she did, with a bar across the door.

there was one man whom she several times observed at work very early, and often with a girl of about her own age seated near him' he was a very poor man, who seemed to have no regular employment, but now went roaming about the banks of the river when the tide was low, looking out for bits and scraps in the mud; and now worked at the unpromising little patch of garden-ground before his cottage; and now tinkered up a miserable old boat that belonged to him; or did some job of that kind for a neighbour, as chance occurred. whatever the man's labour, the girl was never employed; but sat, when she was with him, in a listless, moping state, and idle.

florence had often wished to speak to this man; yet she had never taken courage to do so, as he made no movement towards her. but one morning when she happened to come upon him suddenly, from a by-path among some pollard willows which terminated in the little shelving piece of stony ground that lay between his dwelling and the water, where he was bending over a fire he had made to caulk the old boat which was lying bottom upwards, close by, he raised his head at the sound of her footstep, and gave her good morning.

'good morning,' said florence, approaching nearer, 'you are at work early.'

'i'd be glad to be often at work earlier, miss, if i had work to do.'

'is it so hard to get?' asked florence.

'i find it so,' replied the man.

florence glanced to where the girl was sitting, drawn together, with her elbows on her knees, and her chin on her hands, and said:

'is that your daughter?'

he raised his head quickly, and looking towards the girl with a brightened face, nodded to her, and said 'yes,' florence looked towards her too, and gave her a kind salutation; the girl muttered something in return, ungraciously and sullenly.

'is she in want of employment also?' said florence.

the man shook his head. 'no, miss,' he said. 'i work for both,'

'are there only you two, then?' inquired florence.

'only us two,' said the man. 'her mother his been dead these ten year. martha!' lifted up his head again, and whistled to her) 'won't you say a word to the pretty young lady?'

the girl made an impatient gesture with her cowering shoulders, and turned her head another way. ugly, misshapen, peevish, ill-conditioned, ragged, dirty - but beloved! oh yes! florence had seen her father's look towards her, and she knew whose look it had no likeness to.

'i'm afraid she's worse this morning, my poor girl!' said the man, suspending his work, and contemplating his ill-favoured child, with a compassion that was the more tender for being rougher.

'she is ill, then!' said florence,

the man drew a deep sigh 'i don't believe my martha's had five short days' good health,' he answered, looking at her still, 'in as many long years'

'ay! and more than that, john,' said a neighbour, who had come down to help him with the boat.

'more than that, you say, do you?' cried the other, pushing back his battered hat, and drawing his hand across his forehead. 'very like. it seems a long, long time.'

'and the more the time,' pursued the neighbour, 'the more you've favoured and humoured her, john, till she's got to be a burden to herself, and everybody else'

'not to me,' said her father, falling to his work. 'not to me.'

florence could feel - who better? - how truly he spoke. she drew a little closer to him, and would have been glad to touch his rugged hand, and thank him for his goodness to the miserable object that he looked upon with eyes so different from any other man's.

'who would favour my poor girl - to call it favouring - if i didn't?' said the father.

'ay, ay,' cried the neighbour. 'in reason, john. but you! you rob yourself to give to her. you bind yourself hand and foot on her account. you make your life miserable along of her. and what does she care! you don't believe she knows it?'

the father lifted up his head again, and whistled to her. martha made the same impatient gesture with her crouching shoulders, in reply; and he was glad and happy.

'only for that, miss,' said the neighbour, with a smile, in which there was more of secret sympathy than he expressed; 'only to get that, he never lets her out of his sight!'

'because the day'll come, and has been coming a long while,' observed the other, bending low over his work, 'when to get half as much from that unfort'nate child of mine - to get the trembling of a finger, or the waving of a hair - would be to raise the dead.'

florence softly put some money near his hand on the old boat, and left him.

and now florence began to think, if she were to fall ill, if she were to fade like her dear brother, would he then know that she had loved him; would she then grow dear to him; would he come to her bedside, when she was weak and dim of sight, and take her into his embrace, and cancel all the past? would he so forgive her, in that changed condition, for not having been able to lay open her childish heart to him, as to make it easy to relate with what emotions she had gone out of his room that night; what she had meant to say if she had had the courage; and how she had endeavoured, afterwards, to learn the way she never knew in infancy?

yes, she thought if she were dying, he would relent. she thought, that if she lay, serene and not unwilling to depart, upon the bed that was curtained round with recollections of their darling boy, he would be touched home, and would say, 'dear florence, live for me, and we will love each other as we might have done, and be as happy as we might have been these many years!' she thought that if she heard such words from him, and had her arms clasped round him' she could answer with a smile, 'it is too late for anything but this; i never could be happier, dear father!' and so leave him, with a blessing on her lips.

the golden water she remembered on the wall, appeared to florence, in the light of such reflections, only as a current flowing on to rest, and to a region where the dear ones, gone before, were waiting, hand in hand; and often when she looked upon the darker river rippling at her feet, she thought with awful wonder, but not terror, of that river which her brother had so often said was bearing him away.

the father and his sick daughter were yet fresh in florence's mind, and, indeed, that incident was not a week old, when sir barnet and his lady going out walking in the lanes one afternoon, proposed to her to bear them company. florence readily consenting, lady skettles ordered out young barnet as a matter of course. for nothing delighted lady skettles so much, as beholding her eldest son with florence on his arm.

barnet, to say the truth, appeared to entertain an opposite sentiment on the subject, and on such occasions frequently expressed himself audibly, though indefinitely, in reference to 'a parcel of girls.' as it was not easy to ruffle her sweet temper, however, florence generally reconciled the young gentleman to his fate after a few minutes, and they strolled on amicably: lady skettles and sir barnet following, in a state of perfect complacency and high gratification.

this was the order of procedure on the afternoon in question; and florence had almost succeeded in overruling the present objections of skettles junior to his destiny, when a gentleman on horseback came riding by, looked at them earnestly as he passed, drew in his rein, wheeled round, and came riding back again, hat in hand.

the gentleman had looked particularly at florence; and when the little party stopped, on his riding back, he bowed to her, before saluting sir barnet and his lady. florence had no remembrance of having ever seen him, but she started involuntarily when he came near her, and drew back.

'my horse is perfectly quiet, i assure you,' said the gentleman.

it was not that, but something in the gentleman himself - florence could not have said what - that made her recoil as if she had been stung.

'i have the honour to address miss dombey, i believe?' said the gentleman, with a most persuasive smile. on florence inclining her head, he added, 'my name is carker. i can hardly hope to be remembered by miss dombey, except by name. carker.'

florence, sensible of a strange inclination to shiver, though the day was hot, presented him to her host and hostess; by whom he was very graciously received.

'i beg pardon,' said mr carker, 'a thousand times! but i am going down tomorrow morning to mr dombey, at leamington, and if miss dombey can entrust me with any commission, need i say how very happy i shall be?'

sir barnet immediately divining that florence would desire to write a letter to her father, proposed to return, and besought mr carker to come home and dine in his riding gear. mr carker had the misfortune to be engaged to dinner, but if miss dombey wished to write, nothing would delight him more than to accompany them back, and to be her faithful slave in waiting as long as she pleased. as he said this with his widest smile, and bent down close to her to pat his horse's neck, florence meeting his eyes, saw, rather than heard him say, 'there is no news of the ship!'

confused, frightened, shrinking from him, and not even sure that he had said those words, for he seemed to have shown them to her in some extraordinary manner through his smile, instead of uttering them, florence faintly said that she was obliged to him, but she would not write; she had nothing to say.

'nothing to send, miss dombey?' said the man of teeth.

'nothing,' said florence, 'but my - but my dear love- if you please.'

disturbed as florence was, she raised her eyes to his face with an imploring and expressive look, that plainly besought him, if he knew - which he as plainly did - that any message between her and her father was an uncommon charge, but that one most of all, to spare her. mr carker smiled and bowed low, and being charged by sir barnet with the best compliments of himself and lady skettles, took his leave, and rode away: leaving a favourable impression on that worthy couple. florence was seized with such a shudder as he went, that sir barnet, adopting the popular superstition, supposed somebody was passing over her grave. mr carker turning a corner, on the instant, looked back, and bowed, and disappeared, as if he rode off to the churchyard straight, to do it.

巴尼特爵士和斯克特尔斯夫人是很善良的人们，居住在泰晤士河畔富勒姆的一座精致的别墅中；在举行划船竞赛的时候，这是世界上最令人羡慕的住宅之一，但在其他时候它却也有一些麻烦的小事，其中可以提到的是，河水偶尔会流进客厅，并会把草坪的灌木暂时淹没。

巴尼特爵士主要是通过一个老式的金制鼻烟壶和一块笨大的绸手绢来显示他本人的重要身份；他用庄严的神态把这块手绢从衣袋中像一面旗子一般抽出来，同时用两只手使用它。巴尼特爵士生活的目的是不断扩大交游的范围。这是合乎事物的本性的：巴尼特爵士就像一个沉重的物体掉进水里一样——我们决不是想用这个比方来贬低这样一位德高望重的绅士——，必须在他的周围展开愈来愈大的圈子，直到没有什么地方可以再扩展为止。或者他像空气中的声音一样，根据一位机智的现代的哲学家的猜测，它的振动可以通过无止境的空间接连不断地进行下去；除非寿终正寝，没有任何其他事物能阻止巴尼特·斯克特尔斯爵士通过社会制度来寻找新朋友的行程。

巴尼特爵士感到自豪的是，他能使人们与人们相互认识。他喜欢做这种事是由于这种事情本身的原因，而这同时又促进了他所喜爱的目的。举个例子来说，如果巴尼特先生有幸找到了一个生手或是一位乡下的绅士，并千方百计把他请到他好客的别墅中的话，那么，巴尼特爵士就会在他到达的当天早上对他说，“唔，我亲爱的先生，您想要认识什么人吗？您希望跟谁会晤？您是不是对作家、画家、雕刻家、演员或者这一类的人物有兴趣？”这位落到他手里的人可能会答复说是的，并点了某个人的名字；虽然巴尼特爵士对这个人并不比对托勒密大帝1更认识，但是巴尼特爵士却会回答说，世界上没有什么比这更容易的事了，因为他跟他很熟悉；于是他立即就去拜访上面所提到的那个人，留下名片，写了一张短笺：“我尊敬的先生，——久仰您崇高的地位——住在我家的朋友——斯克特尔斯夫人和我本人也和他一起——相信天才是超越于虚礼客套之上的，因此自然地渴望您将赐予我们无上光荣，满足我们谒见尊容的要求”等等，等等，就这样用一块石头同时打死两只鸟。

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1托勒密大帝（ptolemythegneat，公元前367a366或364—283a282年）：埃及马其顿国王。

弗洛伦斯前来访问的第二天早上，巴尼特·斯克特尔斯充分动用了鼻烟壶和旗子，向她提出了他通常所提的问题。当弗洛伦斯谢谢他，说她并不特别想要见什么人的时候，她自然怀着悲痛想到了可怜的、下落不明的沃尔特。巴尼特·斯克特尔斯爵士又提出他的好意的建议，说，“我亲爱的董贝小姐，您相信您就记不起您的好爸爸可能希望您去认识的一个人了吗？——我请求您在写信时向他转达我本人和斯克特尔斯夫人最亲切的问候”，这时候，也许是很自然的，当她轻声地作了否定的答复时，她那可怜的头向下稍稍低垂，她的声音是颤抖的。

小斯克特尔斯佩带着浆得笔挺的领带，情绪庄重沉着，在这段放假的日子里待在家中；由于他的卓越非凡的母亲殷切地希望他必须对弗洛伦斯殷勤关切，他似乎感到十分烦恼。小巴尼特心灵受到折磨的另一个和更深的伤害是跟布林伯博士和夫人在一起；他们被邀请前来访问，并住在他父亲的房屋中。这位年轻的先生不时说，他真巴不得他们最好到耶里哥1去度假。

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1耶里哥（jericho）：死海以北的古城。

“您能建议去访问什么人吗，布林伯博士？”巴尼特·斯克特尔斯爵士向那位先生问道。

“谢谢您的好意，巴尼特爵士，”布林伯博士回答道，“我确实不知道特别想见谁。总的来说，我是喜欢认识我的同胞的，巴尼特爵士。泰伦斯说过什么？所有儿子的父、母亲都使我感到兴趣。”

“布林伯夫人是不是希望认识什么杰出的人物？”巴尼特爵士彬彬有礼地问道。

布林伯夫人眉开眼笑地把天蓝色的帽子挥了一挥，回答说，如果巴尼特爵士能把她介绍给西塞罗认识，她可真想要劳驾他一下；但是这是不可能办到的，她又早已领受了他本人和他的和蔼可亲的夫人的友情，而且她和她的博士丈夫在教育他们的亲爱的儿子上又得到了他们共同的信任——这时可以看到小巴尼特皱一皱鼻子——，因此，她就不再要求别的了。

在这样的情况下，巴尼特爵士只好暂且满足于和聚集起来的朋友们待在一起。弗洛伦斯对这感到高兴，因为她在他们当中要进行一项研究，她的心是太关切它了，它对她来说是太宝贵太重要了，所以她不能再去关心其他什么事情。

有几个孩子住在这个屋子里。这些孩子们跟他们的父母在一起的时候，真挚坦率，快快活活，就跟她家对面那些脸色红润的女孩子们一样。这些孩子们毫不抑制他们的爱，而是随心随意地把它表露出来。弗洛伦斯想要探索他们的秘密，想要找出她所缺少的是什么；他们懂得什么简单的技巧而她却不懂；她怎样从他们那里吸取智慧，去向她的父亲表示她爱他，并重新赢得他的爱。

弗洛伦斯好多天若有所思地观察着这些孩子。好多个晴朗的早晨，当灿烂的太阳升起的时候，屋子中还没有任何人起身，她就离开了床，在河边来回散步，仰望着他们的窗子，想着他们正在熟睡之中，受到父母细心的照料和亲切的关怀。这时候弗洛伦斯感到比独自一人住在自己家宏伟的宅第中更为孤独；有时她觉得在家里反比在这里更好，把自己隐藏起来比混杂在和她年龄相仿的其他孩子们中间，看到她和他们很不一样的时候，心中能够得到更大的安宁。虽然这本难念的书每翻过小小的一页都使她心中产生剧烈的痛苦，但是弗洛伦斯还是全神贯注地进行着研究；她留在他们中间，耐心地怀着希望，设法得到她渴望得到的知识。

唉！怎样才能得到它呢？怎样才能在那能获得父亲喜爱的魅力刚刚产生的时候就知道它呢？这里有些做女儿的，早上从床上起来，晚上躺下休息，早已掌握了父亲的心。她们不需要克服父亲对她们的嫌恶，不需要畏惧父亲对她们的冷淡，不需要抚平父亲对她们的皱眉。当早晨来临，窗子一个一个地打开，花草上的露珠开始干枯，年轻的脚开始在草坪上走动的时候，弗洛伦斯望着这些喜气洋洋的脸孔，心想她能从这些女孩子们身上学到什么呢？向她们学习已经太晚了。每个女孩子都能毫无畏惧地走近父亲身边，凑上嘴唇迎接那喜悦的亲吻，伸出胳膊搂住那低下来抚爱她的脖子。她不能这样大胆地开始。啊，她研究得愈来愈深，希望就显得愈来愈少，这是可能的吗？

她清楚地记得，当她还是个小女孩的时候，甚至连那个曾经拐骗过她的老太婆——她的形象，她的住所，她所说所做的一切，都以童年时期恐怖印象所具有的那种经久不灭的鲜明性，深深地印刻在她的记忆中——，也曾怀着亲切的感情谈到她的女儿，甚至连她也由于和她的孩子绝望地分离而十分可怕地痛苦哭泣。可是当弗洛伦斯回想到这一点的时候，她又会这样想：她自己的母亲也曾经热爱过她。于是，有时当她的思想迅速地返回到她和父亲之间空旷的深渊时，她在面前呈现出一幅图景：她的母亲还活着，也不喜欢起她来了，因为她缺乏那种自然一定会获得父亲欢心的还不知道的魅力（她打从躺在摇篮里的时候起直到现在，从来不曾获得过父亲的这种欢心），这时候弗洛伦斯的身子会颤抖，眼泪会流到脸上。她知道，这样的臆想对不起对她的母亲的回忆，一点也不真实，也没有一点根据，可是她是多么处心积虑地想要证明父亲是正确的，并把一切过失都归到她自己身上，因此她不能抗拒这个念头像雷雨时的乌云一样地掠过她的心头。

弗洛伦斯来后不久，又来了其他一些客人；其中有一位漂亮的女孩，比她小三、四岁，是个孤儿，由她的姑妈陪伴；这位姑妈是一位头发斑白的夫人，她跟弗洛伦斯谈了不少的话，还非常喜欢（不过，他们全都喜欢）听她在晚上唱歌，那时候她常常怀着母亲般的关心，坐在她的身旁。在一个温暖的上午，她们到这屋子里来刚只两天，弗洛伦斯坐在花园里的一个小藤架中，通过挡在中间的一些树枝，沉思地观看着草地上的一群孩子，同时在编织一个花冠，这是准备给这些孩子当中的一个小家伙戴的，他是大家最喜爱的宝贝和逗乐的对象。这时候，她听到这位夫人和她的侄女在附近一个被树荫遮蔽住的偏僻角落里走来走去时谈到了她。

“姑妈，弗洛伦斯是不是跟我一样，也是个孤儿？”女孩子问道。

“不是，我亲爱的。她没有妈妈，但是爸爸还活着。”

“她现在是不是给她的妈妈服丧？”女孩子很快地问道。

“不是，她是给她唯一的弟弟服丧。”

“她就没有别的兄弟了吗？”

“没有。”

“也没有姐妹吗？”

“没有。”

“我真为她感到非常、非常难过。”

弗洛伦斯原先在听到她的名字时，本已经站起身来，搜集花朵，准备走去迎接她们，好让她们知道她就在可以听到她们讲话的近处，可是由于在这之后不久，她们停住观看小船，不再说话，所以弗洛伦斯又坐下来编织，以为不会再听到什么了；然而片刻之后，谈话又重新开始了。

“这里人人都喜欢弗洛伦斯，当然，她也值得大家喜欢，”

女孩子热情地说道。“她的爸爸在哪里？”

姑妈沉默了片刻之后，回答说，她不知道。她的声调引起了弗洛伦斯的注意，她本来又已经从座位上站起来，这时它使她固定在原地不动；她急忙把花冠紧贴在胸上，两手抱住花朵，以免它们散落到地上。

“他是在英国吗，姑妈？”女孩子问道。

“我想是的，不错，他是在英国，一点不错。”

“他到这里来过吗？”

“不，我想他不曾来过。”

“他是不是将要到这里来看她？”

“我想他不会来。”

“他是不是脚跛了，眼瞎了还是生病了，姑妈？”女孩子问道。

当弗洛伦斯听到这些这样惊奇地说出的话语时，她紧贴在胸膛的花朵开始掉落。她把它们贴得更紧，她的脸向着它们低垂下来。

“凯特，”那位夫人又沉默了片刻之后，说道，“我将把有关弗洛伦斯的全部真情告诉你，这是我所听到的和相信的。不要告诉别人，我亲爱的，因为这里可能很少有人知道这，你要是告诉了别人，就会使她痛苦。”

“我决不会告诉别人！”女孩子喊道。

“我知道你决不会，”那位夫人回答道，“我相信你就像相信我自己一样。那么我就告诉你吧，凯特；我担心弗洛伦斯的父亲很少关心她，很少看到她；他从来没有对她表示过温存，现在差不多完全躲开她，避免跟她见面。如果他允许的话，那么她会深深地爱他，可是他却不想这么做，虽然她一点儿过错也没有；所有善良的心都会深切地爱她，可怜她。”

弗洛伦斯抱着的花朵，又有好些散落到地上，那些留下来的已经湿了，并不是由于露水；她的脸低垂到抱着这些花朵的手上。

“可怜的弗洛伦斯！亲爱的善良的弗洛伦斯！”女孩子喊道。

“你知道我为什么把这告诉你吗，凯特？”那夫人问道。

“这样我可以很亲切地对待她，极力设法使她高兴。是不是这个缘故，姑妈？”

“那是一部分原因，”那夫人说道，“并不是全部。虽然我们看到她快快活活，对每个人都和颜悦色地露出笑容，非常乐意为我们所有的人效劳，并参加这里的一切娱乐，可是她却很难是幸福的；你想她能幸福吗，凯特？”

“我觉得她不能。”小女孩说道。

“你也就可以理解，”那夫人继续说道，“当她看到那些有爸爸妈妈的孩子们，爸爸妈妈喜欢他们，为他们感到自豪——就像现在这里的许多人一样——，这时候她的内心为什么会感到痛苦？”

“是的，亲爱的姑妈，”女孩子说道，“我完全理解。可怜的弗洛伦斯！”

又有一些花朵落到地上，那些她还抱在胸口的花朵颤抖着，仿佛冬风正把它们吹得发出了飒飒的响声。

“我的凯特，”那夫人说道；她的声音是严肃的，但却平静和亲切，从听到她讲话的第一秒钟起，就在弗洛伦斯心上产生了强烈的印象；“在这里所有的孩子们中间，你是她天然最适宜的、不会对她有任何恶意的朋友；你不会在无意之中，就像那些比你更幸福的孩子们会那么做的——”

“没有比我更幸福的人啦，姑妈！”女孩子说道，她似乎紧贴着她的姑妈。

“亲爱的凯特，你不会像其他孩子那样向她提醒她的不幸。所以，当你设法跟她做朋友的时候，我愿意你，竭尽你的一切努力，记住你被夺去了双亲——谢谢上帝！那时候你还不知道它那沉重的分量——，这使你有权利接近弗洛伦斯，享有她的友谊。”

“可是，姑妈，我跟你在一起的时候，并没有失去父母亲般的慈爱，我从来也没有失去过。”

“不管情况怎么样，我亲爱的，”那夫人回答道，“你的不幸要比弗洛伦斯轻一些；因为在这广阔的世界上，没有一个孤儿能比一个被活着的父亲抛弃不爱更加冷落可怜的了。”

花朵像尘埃一般纷纷散落在地上，空着的双手蒙住脸孔，成为孤儿的弗洛伦斯缩成一团，倒在地上，长久地、痛苦地哭泣着。

但是弗洛伦斯怀着忠诚的心和坚决的善良的目的，紧紧地抱住这个目的不放，就像她垂死的母亲在生下保罗的那一天紧紧抱住她不放一样。他不知道她多么热烈地爱着他。不管她要等待多么长久，不管时间过得多么缓慢，她迟早总有一天要让父亲的心知道这一点，在这段时间中，她必须注意不要用未经考虑的语言、眼光或由于任何偶然的情况所引起的感情冲动去抱怨他，或者给那些损害他的流言蜚语提供口实。

弗洛伦斯对那个孤儿产生了强烈的兴趣，也很有理由记得她，可是甚至在回答她的情谊时，弗洛伦斯心中也记着父亲。如果在所有的孩子中，她对她表示了太突出的感情（弗洛伦斯这么想），她就无疑会在一个人的心中，也许还会在更多人的心中加强这样的信念：他是残酷的，不近人情的。她把她自己的快乐完全置之度外。她暗中听到的谈话只能成为保全他，而不是成为抚慰她自己的理由。弗洛伦斯在心中进行着探索的时候，就是这样做的。

她经常这样做。如果他们在朗诵一本书，书中提到一位冷酷的父亲的话，那么她感到痛苦的是害怕他们这样朗诵是在暗指他，而不是为了她自己；当他们演出一个在幕间插入的戏剧的时候，或展示一幅图画的时候，或做一个游戏的时候，也有这样的情形。为他担惊受怕的这一类事情很多，因此她不时踌躇，是不是回到老家去，重新平静地生活在它那沉闷无趣的墙壁的阴影下，反而更好。人们看到，温柔可爱的弗洛伦斯正处在豆蔻年华，她是这些孩子联欢会上的谦逊的小皇后；在他们中间，很少有人会想象到，一副多么神圣的忧虑的担子正沉重地压在她的胸间！那些在她父亲的冷冰冰的气氛中拘谨不安的人们中间，很少有人会料想到，在他的头上正堆积着像煤火般炽热的感情！

弗洛伦斯耐心地进行着探索。由于她在聚集在这座房屋中的年轻伴侣中间没能求得她所寻找的那难以名状的魅力的秘密，她就常常在清晨单独走出到那些穷人的孩子们中间去。可是她在这里也还是发现他们在她前面走得太远了，她不能从他们那里学到什么。他们好久以前就已在家庭中取得了他们的地位，不是像她那样站在被闩上的门外。

她好几次注意到有一位男子很早就起来干活。有一位年龄和她差不多的女孩子时常坐在他的近旁。他是一个很穷苦的人，似乎没有固定的职业；有时在退潮以后在河岸上走来走去，在淤泥中寻找什么碎片和废物；有时在他茅舍前可怜的一小块园地上耕种；有时修补他的一条小而破烂的旧船；或者碰上机会，就给邻居干这样一类的活儿。不管这男子干什么活，女孩子从来不帮着干，而是耷拉着脸，没精打采地、无所事事地坐在他的身边。

弗洛伦斯时常想跟这人谈话，可是她从来没有鼓起勇气来这样做，因为他从来没有朝向她。但是有一天早上，当她从一些截去树稍的柳树中间的一条小路出来，走到他的住屋和河流中间的一小块渐次倾斜、石子很多的地中的时候，她突然间遇见了他；他在那里向着一个火堆弯下身子；那条老旧的小船底朝天地躺在近旁，那个火堆是生起来给这条小船堵缝眼用的；他听到她的脚步声，就抬起头来，向她问候早安。

“早上好，”弗洛伦斯向前走近一些，说道，“您这么早就起来干活了。”

“如果我有活干的话，小姐，我会高兴时常更早起来干活的。”

“很难找到活干吗？”弗洛伦斯问道。

“·我觉得难找，”那人回答道。

弗洛伦斯向女孩子坐的地方看了一眼，她缩成一团，胳膊肘支在膝盖上，两手托着下巴。弗洛伦斯问道：

“她是您的女儿吗？”

他迅速地抬起头来，脸上露出笑容，望着女孩子，向她点点头，说，“是的。”弗洛伦斯也望着她，向她亲切地致意。

女孩子没有礼貌地、不高兴地咕哝了几句，作为回答。

“她也找不到活干吗？”弗洛伦斯问道。

那人摇摇头。“不，小姐，”他说，“我为两个人干活。”

“这么说，你们就只两个人吗？”弗洛伦斯问道。

“就只我们两个，”那人说道，“她的妈妈已经死去十年了。马撒！”他又抬起头来，向她吹了个口哨。“你不想跟这位漂亮的小姐讲句话吗？”

女孩子缩缩肩膀，做了个不耐烦的姿态，把头朝向另一边。她面貌丑陋，身体畸形，脾气暴躁，家境贫困，衣衫褴褛，肮肮脏脏，但是却被爱着！啊，是的！弗洛伦斯从她父亲望着她的眼光中看到了这一点，她知道谁的眼光与这毫不相同。

“我可怜的女孩子！我担心她今天早上更不好了，”那男子停止工作，说道，一边怀着怜悯，望着他那外貌不扬的女儿；他的怜悯的方式不是很细致的，但却因而更为亲切动人。

“这么说，她是病了？”弗洛伦斯说。

那人深深地叹了一口气。“在这长长的五年当中，”他依旧望着她，回答道，“我想，我的马撒就连短短五天的健康日子也没有过。”

“唉，还不止五年呢，约翰，”前来帮助他修船的一位邻居说。

“您认为还不止五年吗？”另一位把他那顶戴旧了的帽子推向后面，用手摸摸前额，喊道，“很可能。好像是很久、很久的时间了。”

“约翰，”邻居继续说道，“时间愈久，您就愈宠爱她，愈迁就她，直到她已成了她自己和其他所有人的累赘了。”

“对我来说，她没有成为累赘，”她的父亲重新干起活来，说道，“对我来说她没有。”

弗洛伦斯感到——谁还能比她更能感到这一点呢？——他说得十分真实。她向前更走近一些，真想能高兴地摸一下他那起茧的手，谢谢他对那可怜的人儿所怀的慈肠善心；他望着她的眼光跟别人的是多么不同呵。

“就算这是宠爱吧，如果·我不宠爱她，谁还会宠爱我这可怜的女孩子呢？”那父亲说道。

“是的，这话说得不错，”邻居大声说道，“不过，约翰，凡事总得合情合理，有个分寸才好。而您呢！您牺牲了自己的一切，全都给了她。您为了她把自己的手脚全都给束缚起来了。您为了她过着牛马一般的生活，而·她心里想着的是什么呢！您以为她能体会到这一点吗？”

父亲又抬起头来，向她吹口哨；马撒又跟先前一样，缩缩肩膀，做了个不耐烦的姿态，作为回答；他却感到高兴和满意。

“只是为了这，小姐，”邻居微笑着说道；在他的笑容中包含着内心的同情，比他表露出来的还多，“只是为了看到这，他就永远不让她离开他！”

“因为这一天将会来到，它离现在已经不远了，”另一位低低地弯下身去干活，说道，“那时候甚至看一看我那不幸的孩子，看一看她的指头怎么颤抖，或者她的头发怎么飘动，都会使死者复活的。”

弗洛伦斯在那只旧船上挨近他手边的地方悄悄地放了一些钱，然后离开了他。

这时弗洛伦斯开始想，如果她像她弟弟那样生了病，消瘦下去，那时候她父亲会知道她曾经爱过他吗？那时候他会觉得她比现在亲爱一些吗？当她虚弱无力、视力模糊的时候，他会来到她的床边，把她抱入怀中，把过去的一切全都一笔勾销吗？在改变了的情况下，他会原谅她没能向他敞开她孩子的心怀吗？他能原谅她，使她能毫不困难地告诉他，她那天夜里是怀着什么样的心情走出他的房间的，告诉他，如果她有勇气的话，那么她曾经想做什么，告诉他，她后来怎样努力学习她在婴儿时代从来不知道的方法的吗？

是的，她想，如果她快要死了，那么他会变得宽厚起来的。她想，如果她安详地躺在挂着帐子的床上，毫无难色地等待着死神来临，使他们回忆起他们那亲爱的小男孩的话，那么他将会被刺痛了心，对她说，“亲爱的弗洛伦斯，为了我而活着吧，我们将彼此相爱，这些年来我们本可以这样相爱的；我们将会幸福，这些年来我们本可以这样幸福的！”她想，如果她听到这些话，她的胳膊搂抱着他的话，那么她会微笑着回答说，“一切都已经太晚了！但有一点：我从来没有像现在这样幸福过，亲爱的爸爸！”然后在嘴唇上带着她的祝福离开了他。

由于这样一些思索的结果，弗洛伦斯所记得的墙上的金黄色的水，对她来说，只不过像是流向安息的水流，它流向一个地方，比她早去的亲人们正在那里手挽手地等待着她；有好多次，当她望着脚边潺潺流过的黑漆漆的河流时，她就怀着非常的惊奇，而不是恐怖，想起了那条她弟弟曾经时常说是把他漂走的河流。

弗洛伦斯和那位父亲和他生病的女儿相遇之后不到一个星期，她对他们还记忆犹新的时候，有一天下午，巴尼特爵士和他的夫人出外到乡间的小路上散步，他们建议弗洛伦斯陪他们一道走走。弗洛伦斯欣然同意，斯克特尔斯夫人自然就命令小巴尼特一道出去。因为斯克特尔斯夫人看到她的大儿子挽着弗洛伦斯的胳膊是再也高兴不过的了。

说实在的，小巴尼特在这种事情上的思想感情看来跟他母亲完全相反；在这种场合他时常把他的情绪大声地表露出来，虽然是含糊其词地嘟囔着什么“一群毛丫头”。可是要使弗洛伦斯温柔的性情生气是不容易的，所以她一般经过几分钟之后就能使那位年轻的先生安心于自己的命运；他们和睦地向前游逛，斯克特尔斯夫人和巴尼特爵士则洋洋得意、十分高兴地跟在后面。

就在这一天的下午，正当他们这样向前走着，弗洛伦斯几乎就要平息小斯克特尔斯的怨言，使他听从命运摆布的时候，一位骑马的先生经过他们身旁时，注意地看着他们，然后勒住马，掉转马头，手里握着帽子，重新向他们骑回来。

这位先生特别注意地看着弗洛伦斯；当这一小群人站住看着他骑回来的时候，他先向她鞠躬，然后才向巴尼特爵士和他的夫人行礼致敬。弗洛伦斯记不得过去曾经看见过他，但是当他向她骑近的时候，她不由自主地感到吃惊并向后退缩。

“请放心，我的马是十分驯服的，”那位先生说道。

可是并不是马，而是那位先生身上的什么东西——弗洛伦斯说不出那是什么——，使得她像被刺痛似地畏缩。

“我想我有荣幸向董贝小姐致意吧？”那位先生露出极为奉承取悦的笑容，说道。当弗洛伦斯把头低下的时候，他继续说道，“我姓卡克。我想除了我的姓卡克之外，董贝小姐不会记得我了。”

虽然天气炎热，弗洛伦斯却奇怪地感到直想打寒颤；她把他介绍给她的主人和女主人。他们十分客气地接待了他。

“一千次地请您原谅，”卡克先生说道，“不过明天早上我就去莱明顿，到董贝先生那里。如果董贝小姐有什么任务能交托给我去办理，我将会感到万分荣幸，难道这还需要我说吗？”

巴尼特爵士立即揣度弗洛伦斯要想给她父亲写信，所以建议回家去，并请求卡克先生跟他们一道去，在他家吃晚饭，不用卸去骑马的服装。不幸的是，卡克先生早已接受别人的邀请，不能再在这里吃晚饭，但是如果董贝小姐想要写信，他就再也高兴不过地陪他们回去，并充当她忠实的奴仆，随她喜欢要他等待多久就等待多久。当他露出他那最宽阔的微笑说这些话，并弯下身子靠近她，拍拍马脖子的时候，弗洛伦斯碰到了他的眼光，可以说是看到而不是听到他说，“那条船杳无音讯！”

弗洛伦斯惶惑不安，惊恐万分，从他身边往后退缩，甚至根本不能肯定他是不是说了这些话，因为他似乎是以异乎寻常的方式，通过他的微笑把这些话显示给她看，而不是说出来的。她用微弱的声音说，她谢谢他，但是她不打算写信；

她没有什么话要说的。

“不捎点东西去吗？”露出牙齿的人问道。

“不捎什么东西，”弗洛伦斯说道，“除了劳驾您转达我的——我的亲切的爱之外。”

虽然弗洛伦斯心绪烦乱，但是她还是抬起眼睛，用哀求的和意味深长的眼光望着他的脸；这眼光清楚地请求他宽恕她，如果他知道——他同样清楚地知道这一点——，她和她父亲之间相互传递口讯是一件很不寻常的事情，而像现在这样的传递口讯，那更是异乎寻常的。卡克先生微笑着，深深地鞠躬；巴尼特爵士请求他向董贝先生转达他本人和斯克特尔斯夫人衷心的问候，于是卡克先生向大家告别，骑着马离开了，在那德高望重的老两口心中留下了一个良好的印象。这时弗洛伦斯开始浑身打颤，巴尼特爵士相信当时流行的一种迷信说法，认为这时正有人走过她的坟地。卡克先生这时拐了个弯，往后看看，鞠着躬，然后消失不见了，仿佛他为了达到这个目的，正直向教堂墓地骑去。