vanity fair(名利场)-第143部分
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about women's martyrdoms？ We should go mad had
we to endure the hundredth part of those daily pains
which are meekly borne by many women。 Ceaseless
slavery meeting with no reward； constant gentleness and
kindness met by cruelty as constant； love； labour； patience；
watchfulness； without even so much as the acknowledgement
of a good word； all this； how many of them have
to bear in quiet； and appear abroad with cheerful faces
as if they felt nothing。 Tender slaves that they are； they
must needs be hypocrites and weak。
From her chair Amelia's mother had taken to her bed；
which she had never left； and from which Mrs。 Osborne
herself was never absent except when she ran to see
George。 The old lady grudged her even those rare visits；
she； who had been a kind； smiling； good…natured mother
once； in the days of her prosperity； but whom poverty
and infirmities had broken down。 Her illness or estrangement
did not affect Amelia。 They rather enabled her to
support the other calamity under which she was suffering；
and from the thoughts of which she was kept by the
ceaseless calls of the invalid。 Amelia bore her harshness
quite gently； smoothed the uneasy pillow； was always
ready with a soft answer to the watchful； querulous
voice； soothed the sufferer with words of hope； such as
her pious simple heart could best feel and utter； and
closed the eyes that had once looked so tenderly upon
her。
Then all her time and tenderness were devoted to the
consolation and comfort of the bereaved old father； who
was stunned by the blow which had befallen him； and
stood utterly alone in the world。 His wife； his honour；
his fortune； everything he loved best had fallen away
from him。 There was only Amelia to stand by and support
with her gentle arms the tottering； heart…broken old man。
We are not going to write the history： it would be too
dreary and stupid。 I can see Vanity Fair yawning over it
d'avance。
One day as the young gentlemen were assembled
in the study at the Rev。 Mr。 Veal's； and the domestic
chaplain to the Right Honourable the Earl of Bareacres
was spouting away as usual； a smart carriage drove up
to the door decorated with the statue of Athene； and two
gentlemen stepped out。 The young Masters Bangles rushed
to the window with a vague notion that their father
might have arrived from Bombay。 The great hulking
scholar of three…and…twenty； who was crying secretly over a
passage of Eutropius； flattened his neglected nose against
the panes and looked at the drag； as the laquais de place
sprang from the box and let out the persons in the carriage。
〃It's a fat one and a thin one；〃 Mr。 Bluck said as a
thundering knock came to the door。
Everybody was interested； from the domestic chaplain
himself； who hoped he saw the fathers of some future
pupils； down to Master Georgy； glad of any pretext for
laying his book down。
The boy in the shabby livery with the faded copper
buttons； who always thrust himself into the tight coat
to open the door； came into the study and said； 〃Two
gentlemen want to see Master Osborne。〃 The professor
had had a trifling altercation in the morning with that
young gentleman； owing to a difference about the
introduction of crackers in school…time； but his face
resumed its habitual expression of bland courtesy as he
said； 〃Master Osborne； I give you full permission to go
and see your carriage friendsto whom I beg you to
convey the respectful compliments of myself and Mrs。
Veal。〃
Georgy went into the reception…room and saw two
strangers； whom he looked at with his head up； in his
usual haughty manner。 One was fat； with mustachios；
and the other was lean and long； in a blue frock…coat；
with a brown face and a grizzled head。
〃My God； how like he is！〃 said the long gentleman
with a start。 〃Can you guess who we are； George？〃
The boy's face flushed up； as it did usually when he
was moved； and his eyes brightened。 〃I don't know the
other；〃 he said； 〃but I should think you must be Major
Dobbin。〃
Indeed it was our old friend。 His voice trembled
with pleasure as he greeted the boy； and taking both the
other's hands in his own； drew the lad to him。
〃Your mother has talked to you about mehas
she？〃 he said。
〃That she has；〃 Georgy answered； 〃hundreds and
hundreds of times。〃
CHAPTER LVII
Eothen
It was one of the many causes for personal pride
with which old Osborne chose to recreate himself
that Sedley； his ancient rival； enemy； and benefactor；
was in his last days so utterly defeated and humiliated
as to be forced to accept pecuniary obligations at the
hands of the man who had most injured and insulted
him。 The successful man of the world cursed the old
pauper and relieved him from time to time。 As he
furnished George with money for his mother； he gave
the boy to understand by hints； delivered in his brutal；
coarse way； that George's maternal grandfather was
but a wretched old bankrupt and dependant； and that
John Sedley might thank the man to whom he already
owed ever so much money for the aid which his generosity
now chose to administer。 George carried the pompous
supplies to his mother and the shattered old widower whom
it was now the main business of her life to tend and
comfort。 The little fellow patronized the feeble and
disappointed old man。
It may have shown a want of 〃proper pride〃 in
Amelia that she chose to accept these money benefits at
the hands of her father's enemy。 But proper pride and
this poor lady had never had much acquaintance together。
A disposition naturally simple and demanding protection；
a long course of poverty and humility； of daily privations；
and hard words； of kind offices and no returns； had been
her lot ever since womanhood almost； or since her
luckless marriage with George Osborne。 You who see your
betters bearing up under this shame every day； meekly
suffering under the slights of fortune； gentle and unpitied；
poor； and rather despised for their poverty； do you ever
step down from your prosperity and wash the feet of
these poor wearied beggars？ The very thought of them is
odious and low。 〃There must be classesthere must be
rich and poor；〃 Dives says； smacking his claret （it is
well if he even sends the broken meat out to Lazarus
sitting under the window）。 Very true； but think how
mysterious and often unaccountable it isthat lottery
of life which gives to this man the purple and fine linen
and sends to the other rags for garments and dogs for
comforters。
So I must own that； without much repining； on the
contrary with something akin to gratitude； Amelia took the
crumbs that her father…in…law let drop now and then；
and with them fed her own parent。 Directly she understood
it to be her duty； it was this young woman's nature
（ladies； she is but thirty still； and we choose to call her
a young woman even at that age） it was； I say； her
nature to sacrifice herself and to fling all that she had at
the feet of the beloved object。 During what long thankless
nights had she worked out her fingers for little Georgy
whilst at home with her； what buffets； scorns； privations；
poverties had she endured for father and mother！ And
in the midst of all these solitary resignations and unseen
sacrifices； she did not respect herself any more than the
world respected her； but I believe thought in her heart
that she was a poor…spirited； despicable little creature；
whose luck in life was only too good for her merits。 O
you poor women！ O you poor secret martyrs and victims；
whose life is a torture； who are stretched on racks in
your bedrooms； and who lay your heads down on the
block daily at the drawing…room table； every man who
watches your pains； or peers into those dark places where
the torture is administered to you； must pity youand
and thank God that he has a beard。 I recollect seeing；
years ago； at the prisons for idiots and madmen at
Bicetre； near Paris； a poor wretch bent down under
the bondage of his imprisonment and his personal
infirmity； to whom one of our party gave a halfpenny worth
of snuff in a cornet or 〃screw〃 of paper。 The kindness
was too much for the poor epileptic creature。 He cried
in an anguish of delight and gratitude： if anybody gave
you and me a thousand a year； or saved our lives； we
could not be so affected。 And so； if you properly tyrannize
over a woman； you will find a h'p'orth of kindness act
upon her and bring tears into her eyes； as though you
were an angel benefiting her。
Some such boons as these were the best which Fortune
allotted to poor little Amelia。 Her life； begun not
unprosperously； had come down to thisto a mean prison
and a long； ignoble bondage。 Little George visited her
captivity sometimes and consoled it with feeble gleams
of encouragement。 Russell Square was the boundary of
her prison： she might walk thither occasionally； but was
always back to sleep in her cell at night； to perform
cheerless duties； to watch by thankless sick…beds； to
suffer the harassment and tyranny of querulous
disappointed old age。 How many thousands of people are
there； women for the most part； who are doomed to endure
this long slavery？who are hospital nurses without
wagessisters of Charity； if you like； without the
romance and the sentiment of sacrificewho strive； fast；
watch； and suffer； unpitied； and fade away ignobly and
unknown。
The hidden and awful Wisdom which apportions the
destinies of mankind is pleased so to humiliate and cast
down the tender； good； and wise； and to set up the selfish；
the foolish； or the wicked。 Oh； be humble； my brother；
in your prosperity！ Be gentle with those who are less
lucky； if not more deserving。 Think； what right have you
to be scornful； whose virtue is a deficiency of temptation；
whose success may be a chance； whose rank may be
an ancestor's accident； whose prosperity is very likely
a satire。
They buried Amelia's mother in the churchyard at
Brompton； upon just such a rainy； dark day as Amelia
recollected when first she had been there to marry George。
Her little boy sat by her side in pompous new sables。
She remembered the old pew…woman and clerk。 Her
thoughts were away in other times as the parson read。
But that she held George's hand in her own； perhaps she
wo
