名著阅读

But there was one thought, scarcely shaped out to herself, yet fervent and strong within her, that upheld Florence when she strove and filled her true young heart, so sorely tried, with constancy of purpose. Into her mind, as 'into all others contending with the great affliction of our mortal nature, there had stolen solemn wonderings and hopes, arising in the dim world beyond the present life, and murmuring, like faint music, of recognition in the far-off land between her brother and her mother: of some present consciousness in both of her: some love and commiseration for her: and some knowledge of her as she went her way upon the earth. It was a soothing consolation to Florence to give shelter to these thoughts, until one day - it was soon after she had last seen her father in his own room, late at night - the fancy came upon her, that, in weeping for his alienated heart, she might stir the spirits of the dead against him' Wild, weak, childish, as it may have been to think so, and to tremble at the half-formed thought, it was the impulse of her loving nature; and from that hour Florence strove against the cruel wound in her breast, and tried to think of him whose hand had made it, only with hope.

Her father did not know - she held to it from that time - how much she loved him. She was very young, and had no mother, and had never learned, by some fault or misfortune, how to express to him that she loved him. She would be patient, and would try to gain that art in time, and win him to a better knowledge of his only child.

This became the purpose of her life. The morning sun shone down upon the faded house, and found the resolution bright and fresh within the bosom of its solitary mistress, Through all the duties of the day, it animated her; for Florence hoped that the more she knew, and the more accomplished she became, the more glad he would be when he came to know and like her. Sometimes she wondered, with a swelling heart and rising tear, whether she was proficient enough in anything to surprise him when they should become companions. Sometimes she tried to think if there were any kind of knowledge that would bespeak his interest more readily than another. Always: at her books, her music, and her work: in her morning walks, and in her nightly prayers: she had her engrossing aim in view. Strange study for a child, to learn the road to a hard parent's heart!

可是有一个思想支持着弗洛伦斯进行奋斗；这个思想她自己虽然未必清楚，但在她内心中却是火热的和强烈的；这个思想使她那颗忠实的、年轻的、经受了残酷考验的心能够坚韧不拔地去追求她的目的。在现世生活以外的朦胧的世界中所生起的神圣的疑虑与希望，悄悄地潜入她的心中，就像潜入其他所有难免一死、因而极为苦恼的人们的心中一样，它们像声音轻微的音乐一样，低声诉说着她的母亲和弟弟怎样在遥远的异国中会晤；他们两人现在还想念着她，还在爱着她，怜悯着她，知道她在这尘世中怎样走着路。对弗洛伦斯来说，陶醉在这些思想之中是能够减轻痛苦的安慰，但是有一天她心中忽然想起——这是她最近深夜在她父亲房间中看到他以后不久产生的想法——，当她为他的那颗对她疏远冷淡的心而悲伤哭泣的时候，她可能会激起死者的幽灵来反对他。也许这样想和在这种部分形成的思想前颤抖是孩子气的，可是这是她的富于爱情的天性的自然流露；从那时候起，弗洛伦斯就努力去治疗她胸中这残酷的创伤；并只是怀着希望去想那位由他的手造成这创伤的人。

她的父亲并不知道她是多么爱他，——从那时候起她深信这一点。——她很年轻，没有母亲，而且，或许是由于她的过失，或许是由于她的不幸，又从来不懂得怎样向他表明她爱他。她将会有耐性，设法迟早掌握这个本领，使他更好地了解他的仅有的孩子。

这就成了她生活的目的。朝阳照射到这座失去光泽的公馆时，发现它的孤独的女主人胸中的决心跟先前一样坚定，丝毫也不减弱。这个决心鼓舞着她去从事一天的工作与学习，因为弗洛伦斯希望：当他以后了解她、喜欢她的时候，她的知识愈渊博，才艺愈高超，他就会愈高兴。有时她怀着忧愁的心情，噙着汪汪的泪水，怀疑当他们以后能够亲密无间的时候，她是不是在什么方面的造诣已经高深得足以使他吃惊。有时她用心思索，是不是有哪一门知识能比别的知识更能引起他的兴趣。当她念书、弹琴、唱歌和做针线活的时候，当她早晨散步和晚间祈祷的时候，她总是时时刻刻在面前看到她的这个具有非常吸引力的目的。一个孩子在探索通向一位严酷的父亲的心的道路，这真是一项奇怪的研究啊！
背景阅读

本书简介：
《董贝父子》是狄更斯最重要的作品之一，发表于1848年。小说描写了董贝父子公司的盛衰史。董贝是个贪得无厌的大资本家，妻子儿女都成了他追逐利润的工具和摆设。公司经理卡克尔是个奸诈小人，骗取了董贝的信任后又一手造成了他的破产。在现实的教训中，董贝的思想发生了转变。最后，虽然他已无法重整家业，却成全了真正的家庭幸福。

作者简介：

英国小说家查尔斯·约翰·赫芬姆·狄更斯（Charles John Huffam Dickens，1812年2月7日~1870年6月9日） 英国维多利亚时期的著名小说家，他的作品至今依然盛行，并对英国文学发展起到重要影响。 狄更斯1812年出生于英国朴次茅斯（Portsmouth），是海军职员约翰·狄更斯和伊丽莎白·巴洛所生的第二个孩子。狄更斯5岁时全家就迁居占松（Chatham），10岁时又搬到康登镇（Camden Town）。 小时候狄更斯曾经在一所私立学校接受过一段时间的教育，但是12岁时，狄更斯的父亲就因债务问题而入狱，狄更斯也因此被送到伦敦一家鞋油场当学徒，每天工作10个小时。或许是由于这段经历，使得狄更斯的作品更关注底层社会劳动人民的生活状态。 不过后来由于父亲继承了一笔遗产而令家庭经济状况有所好转，狄更斯也才有机会重新回到学校。15岁时他从威灵顿学院毕业，随后进入一家律师行工作，后来又转入报馆，成为一名报导国会辩论的记者。狄更斯并没有接受很多的正规教育，基本上是靠自学成才。