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Text A Father and Daughter（第1页）

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—fromDombeyandSon（Chapter18）

CharlesDis

[1]Itwasawetnight;andthemelanfellpatteringanddroppingwithawearysound.Asluggishimoaningroundthehouse，asifitwereinpainrief.Ashrillnoisequiveredthroughthetrees.Whileshesatweepie，anddrearymidnighttolledoutfromthesteeples.

[2]Florelemorethanayears–een—andthelonelinessandgloomofsuhreathousewhereDeathhadlatelymadeitsowntremeion，mighthavesetanolderfangoheriimaginationwastoofullofothem.Nothingwanderedisbutlove—awanderinglove，indeed，andcastaway—butturningalwaystoherfather.Therewasnothinginthedroppihemoaniheshudderihestrikingofthesolemnclocks，thatshookthiso，ordimierest.Herresofthedeardeadboy—andtheywere—wereitself，thesamething.Andoh，tobeshutout:tobesolost:ohavelookediher’sfa，sihour!

[3]Sheotgotobed，poordneverhadgo，sihoutmakilypilgrimagetohisdoor.Itwouldhavebeenastrangesadsight，toseehernow，stealinglightlydowhroughthethi，andstoppingatitwithabeati，andblindedeyes，andhairthatfelldownlooselyandunthoughtof;andtougitoutsidewithherwetcheek.Butthe，andnooneknew.

[4]Themomentthatshetouchedthedooronthisnight，Florehatiteimeitstoodopen，thoughbybutahair’sbreadth:andtherewasalightwithiimpulseofthetimiddsheyieldedtoit—wastoretireswiftly.Herogobadtoehissepulseheldheriioaircase.

[5]Initsstandingopen，evenbysomuchasthatk，thereseemedtobehope.Therewaseinseeingarayoflightfromwithihroughthedarksterndoorway，andfallingihemarblefloor.Sheturnedback，hardlyknowingwhatshedid，buturgedohihetrialtheyhaduher，butnotshared:andwithherhandsalittleraisedandtrembling，glidedin.

[6]Herfathersatathisoldtableinthemiddleroom.Hehadbeenarrangingsomepapers，aroyihelatterlayinfragileruiheraindrippedheavilyupontheglasspaerroom，wherehehadsooftenoorPaul，ababy;andthelowplainingsofthewihout.

[7]Butnotbyhim.Hesatwithhiseyesfixedoable，soimmersedinthought，thatafarheaviertreadthafootofhisake，mighthavefailedtorousehim.Hisfacewasturowardsher.Bythe，andatthathaggardhour，itlookedwored;aerlonelinesssurroundinghim，thereealtoFlorerue.

[8]“Papa!Papa!Speaktome，dearPapa!”

[9]Hestartedathervoidleapedupfromhisseat.Shewaswithextendedarms，buthefellback.

[10]“Whatisthematter?”

hesaid，sternly.“Whydoyouehere?Whathasfrightenedyou?”

[11]Ifanythinghadfrightewasthefaeduplowihebreastofhisyoungdaughterfrozebeforeit，aoodahimasifstritostone.

[12]Therewasouderyioerest，pareiinit.Therewasait，butnotofthatkind.Theoldindifferendstrainthadgivehing:what，sheanddidhishefeltitinitsforeithoutaasitlookedupoocastashadowonherhead.

[13]Didheseebeforehimthesuccessfulrivalofhissohandlife?Didhelookuponhisownsuccessfulrivalinthatsoion?Didamadjealousyandwitheredpride，poisoremembrashouldhaveendearedandmadeherpre?Coulditbepossiblethatitwasgalltohimtolookuponheriyandherpromise:thinkingofhisinfantboy!

[14]Florenosuchthoughts.Butloveisquiowwhenitisspurnedandhopeless:aofhers，asshestoodlookiher’sface.

[15]“Iaskyou，Florence，areyhtehereanythier，thatyouehere?”

[16]“Icame，Papa—”

[17]“Againstmywishes.Why?”

[18]Shesahy:itwaswrittenbroadlyonhisfaddroppedherheaduponherhandswithedlowcry.

[19]Lethimrememberitinthatroom，yearstoe.Ithasfadedfromtheair，beforehebreaksthesilemaypassasquihisbrain，ashebelieves，butitisthere.Lethimrememberitinthatroom，yearstoe!

[20]Hetookherbythearm.Hishandwasdloose，andscarcelycloseduponher.

[21]“Youaretired，Idaresay，”

hesaid，taki，andleadiowardsthedoor，“a.Weallwa.Go，Florence.Youhavebeendreaming.”

[22]Thedreamshehadhad，wasodhelpher!Aitevermoreeback.

[23]“Iwillremaiyouupthestairs.Thewholehouseisyoursabovethere，”

saidherfather，slowly.“Youareitsmistressnow.Good-night!”

[24]Stillgherface，shesobbed，andanswered“Good-night，dearPapa，”