vanity fair(名利场)-第107部分
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black hair began to grow quite white soon after his son's
death； his…face grew redder； his hands trembled more and
more as he poured out his glass of port wine。 He led his
clerks a dire life in the City： his family at home were not
much happier。 I doubt if Rebecca； whom we have seen
piously praying for Consols； would have exchanged her
poverty and the dare…devil excitement and chances of her
life for Osborne's money and the humdrum gloom which
enveloped him。 He had proposed for Miss Swartz； but had
been rejected scornfully by the partisans of that lady； who
married her to a young sprig of Scotch nobility。 He was a
man to have married a woman out of low life and bullied
her dreadfully afterwards； but no person presented herself
suitable to his taste； and； instead； he tyrannized over his
unmarried daughter； at home。 She had a fine carriage and
fine horses and sat at the head of a table loaded with the
grandest plate。 She had a cheque…book； a prize footman to
follow her when she walked； unlimited credit； and bows
and compliments from all the tradesmen； and all the
appurtenances of an heiress； but she spent a woeful time。
The little charity…girls at the Foundling； the sweeperess at
the crossing； the poorest under…kitchen…maid in the
servants' hall； was happy compared to that unfortunate
and now middle…aged young lady。
Frederick Bullock； Esq。； of the house of Bullock； Hulker； and
Bullock； had married Maria Osborne； not without a great
deal of difficulty and grumbling on Mr。 Bullock's part。
George being dead and cut out of his father's will；
Frederick insisted that the half of the old gentleman's
property should be settled upon his Maria； and indeed； for
a long time； refused； 〃to come to the scratch〃 （it was Mr。
Frederick's own expression） on any other terms。 Osborne
said Fred had agreed to take his daughter with twenty
thousand； and he should bind himself to no more。 〃Fred
might take it； and welcome； or leave it； and go and be
hanged。〃 Fred； whose hopes had been raised when George
had been disinherited； thought himself infamously
swindled by the old merchant； and for some time made as
if he would break off the match altogether。 Osborne
withdrew his account from Bullock and Hulker's； went on
'Change with a horsewhip which he swore he would lay
across the back of a certain scoundrel that should be
nameless； and demeaned himself in his usual violent
manner。 Jane Osborne condoled with her sister Maria
during this family feud。 〃I always told you； Maria； that it
was your money he loved and not you；〃 she said；
soothingly。
〃He selected me and my money at any rate； he didn't
choose you and yours；〃 replied Maria； tossing up her head。
The rapture was； however； only temporary。 Fred's father
and senior partners counselled him to take Maria； even
with the twenty thousand settled； half down； and half at
the death of Mr。 Osborne； with the chances of the further
division of the property。 So he 〃knuckled down；〃 again to
use his own phrase； and sent old Hulker with peaceable
overtures to Osborne。 It was his father； he said； who would
not hear of the match； and had made the difficulties； he
was most anxious to keep the engagement。 The excuse was
sulkily accepted by Mr。 Osborne。 Hulker and Bullock were
a high family of the City aristocracy； and connected with
the 〃nobs〃 at the West End。 It was something for the old
man to be able to say； 〃My son； sir； of the house of Hulker；
Bullock； and Co。； sir； my daughter's cousin； Lady Mary
Mango； sir； daughter of the Right Hon。 The Earl of
Castlemouldy。〃 In his imagination he saw his house
peopled by the 〃nobs。〃 So he forgave young Bullock and
consented that the marriage should take place。
It was a grand affairthe bridegroom's relatives giving the
breakfast； their habitations being near St。 George's；
Hanover Square； where the business took place。 The 〃nobs
of the West End〃 were invited； and many of them signed
the book。 Mr。 Mango and Lady Mary Mango were there；
with the dear young Gwendoline and Guinever Mango as
bridesmaids； Colonel Bludyer of the Dragoon Guards （eldest
son of the house of Bludyer Brothers； Mincing Lane）；
another cousin of the bridegroom； and the Honourable Mrs。
Bludyer； the Honourable George Boulter； Lord Levant's son；
and his lady； Miss Mango that was； Lord Viscount
Castletoddy； Honourable James McMull and Mrs。 McMull
（formerly Miss Swartz）； and a host of fashionables； who
have all married into Lombard Street and done a great
deal to ennoble Cornhill。
The young couple had a house near Berkeley Square and a
small villa at Roehampton； among the banking colony
there。 Fred was considered to have made rather a
mesalliance by the ladies of his family； whose grandfather
had been in a Charity School； and who were allied through
the husbands with some of the best blood in England。 And
Maria was bound； by superior pride and great care in the
composition of her visiting…book； to make up for the
defects of birth； and felt it her duty to see her father and
sister as little as possible。
That she should utterly break with the old man； who had
still so many scores of thousand pounds to give away； is
absurd to suppose。 Fred Bullock would never allow her to
do that。 But she was still young and incapable of hiding her
feelings； and by inviting her papa and sister to her third…
rate parties； and behaving very coldly to them when they
came； and by avoiding Russell Square； and indiscreetly
begging her father to quit that odious vulgar place； she did
more harm than all Frederick's diplomacy could repair； and
perilled her chance of her inheritance like a giddy heedless
creature as she was。
So Russell Square is not good enough for Mrs。 Maria； hay？〃
said the old gentleman； rattling up the carriage windows as
he and his daughter drove away one night from Mrs。
Frederick Bullock's； after dinner。 〃So she invites her father
and sister to a second day's dinner （if those sides； or
ontrys； as she calls 'em； weren't served yesterday； I'm
dd）； and to meet City folks and littery men； and keeps
the Earls and the Ladies； and the Honourables to herself。
Honourables？ Damn Honourables。 I am a plain British
merchant I am； and could buy the beggarly hounds over
and over。 Lords； indeed！why； at one of her swarreys I
saw one of 'em speak to a dam fiddlera fellar I despise。
And they won't come to Russell Square； won't they？ Why；
I'll lay my life I've got a better glass of wine； and pay a
better figure for it； and can show a handsomer service of
silver； and can lay a better dinner on my mahogany； than
ever they see on theirsthe cringing； sneaking； stuck…up
fools。 Drive on quick； James： I want to get back to Russell
Squareha； ha！〃 and he sank back into the corner with a
furious laugh。 With such reflections on his own superior
merit； it was the custom of the old gentleman not
unfrequently to console himself。
Jane Osborne could not but concur in these opinions
respecting her sister's conduct； and when Mrs。 Frederick's
first…born； Frederick Augustus Howard Stanley Devereux
Bullock； was born； old Osborne； who was invited to the
christening and to be godfather； contented himself with
sending the child a gold cup； with twenty guineas inside it
for the nurse。 〃That's more than any of your Lords will
give； I'LL warrant；〃 he said and refused to attend at the
ceremony。
The splendour of the gift； however； caused great
satisfaction to the house of Bullock。 Maria thought that her
father was very much pleased with her； and Frederick
augured the best for his little son and heir。
One can fancy the pangs with which Miss Osborne in her
solitude in Russell Square read the Morning Post； where
her sister's name occurred every now and then； in the
articles headed 〃Fashionable Reunions；〃 and where she had
an opportunity of reading a description of Mrs。 F。 Bullock's
costume； when presented at the drawing room by Lady
Frederica Bullock。 Jane's own life； as we have said；
admitted of no such grandeur。 It was an awful existence。
She had to get up of black winter's mornings to make
breakfast for her scowling old father； who would have
turned the whole house out of doors if his tea had not been
ready at half…past eight。 She remained silent opposite to
him； listening to the urn hissing； and sitting in tremor
while the parent read his paper and consumed his
accustomed portion of muffins and tea。 At half…past nine
he rose and went to the City； and she was almost free till
dinner…time； to make visitations in the kitchen and to scold
the servants； to drive abroad and descend upon the
tradesmen； who were prodigiously respectful； to leave her
cards and her papa's at the great glum respectable houses
of their City friends； or to sit alone in the large drawing…
room； expecting visitors； and working at a huge piece of
worsted by the fire； on the sofa； hard by the great
Iphigenia clock； which ticked and tolled with mournful
loudness in the dreary room。 The great glass over the
mantelpiece； faced by the other great console glass at the
opposite end of the room； increased and multiplied
between them the brown Holland bag in which the
chandelier hung； until you saw these brown Holland bags
fading away in endless perspectives； and this apartment of
Miss Osborne's seemed the centre of a system of
drawing…rooms。 When she removed the cordovan leather
from the grand piano and ventured to play a few notes on
it； it sounded with a mournful sadness； startling the dismal
echoes of the house。 George's picture was gone； and laid
upstairs in a lumber…room in the garret； and though there
was a consciousness of him； and father and daughter often
instinctively knew that they were thinking of him； no
mention was ever made of the brave and once darling son。
At five o'clock Mr。 Osborne came back to his dinner； which
he and his daughter took in silence （seldom broken； except
when he swore and was savage； if the cooking was not to
his liking）； or which they shared twice in a month with a
party of dismal friends of Osborne's rank and age。 Old Dr。
Gulp and his lady from Bloomsbury Square； old Mr。
Frowser； the attorney； from Bedford Row； a very great
man； and from his business； hand…in…glove with the
