vanity fair(名利场)-第148部分

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how　little　you　knew　the　prize　you　had；　though。〃　This
sentiment　passed　rapidly　through　William's　mind　as　he
was　holding　Amelia's　hand；　whilst　the　handkerchief　was
veiling　her　eyes。
〃Dear　friend；〃　she　said；　pressing　the　hand　which　held
hers；　〃how　good；　how　kind　you　always　have　been　to　me！
See！　　Papa　is　stirring。　　You　will　go　and　see　Georgy
tomorrow；　won't　you？〃
　
〃Not　to…morrow；〃　said　poor　old　Dobbin。　　〃I　have
business。〃　He　did　not　like　to　own　that　he　had　not　as　yet
been　to　his　parents'　and　his　dear　sister　Annea
remissness　for　which　I　am　sure　every　well…regulated
person　will　blame　the　Major。　　And　presently　he　took　his
leave；　leaving　his　address　behind　him　for　Jos；　against　the
latter's　arrival。　　And　so　the　first　day　was　over；　and　he
had　seen　her。
When　he　got　back　to　the　Slaughters'；　the　roast　fowl
was　of　course　cold；　in　which　condition　he　ate　it　for
supper。　　And　knowing　what　early　hours　his　family　kept；　and
that　it　would　be　needless　to　disturb　their　slumbers　at　so
late　an　hour；　it　is　on　record；　that　Major　Dobbin　treated
himself　to　half…price　at　the　Haymarket　Theatre　that
evening；　where　let　us　hope　he　enjoyed　himself。

CHAPTER　LIX
The　Old　Piano
The　Major's　visit　left　old　John　Sedley　in　a　great　state　of
agitation　and　excitement。　　His　daughter　could　not　induce
him　to　settle　down　to　his　customary　occupations　or
amusements　that　night。　　He　passed　the　evening　fumbling
amongst　his　boxes　and　desks；　untying　his　papers　with
trembling　hands；　and　sorting　and　arranging　them　against
Jos's　arrival。　　He　had　them　in　the　greatest　orderhis
tapes　and　his　files；　his　receipts；　and　his　letters　with
lawyers　and　correspondents；　the　documents　relative　to
the　wine　project　（which　failed　from　a　most　unaccountable
accident；　after　commencing　with　the　most　splendid
prospects）；　the　coal　project　（which　only　a　want　of　capital
prevented　from　becoming　the　most　successful　scheme
ever　put　before　the　public）；　the　patent　saw…mills　and
sawdust　consolidation　project；　&c。；　&c。　　All　night；　until　a
very　late　hour；　he　passed　in　the　preparation　of　these
documents；　trembling　about　from　one　room　to　another；
with　a　quivering　candle　and　shaky　hands。　　Here's　the　wine
papers；　here's　the　sawdust；　here's　the　coals；　here's　my
letters　to　Calcutta　and　Madras；　and　replies　from　Major
Dobbin；　C。B。；　and　Mr。　Joseph　Sedley　to　the　same。　　〃He
shall　find　no　irregularity　about　ME；　Emmy；〃　the　old
gentleman　said。
Emmy　smiled。　　〃I　don't　think　Jos　will　care　about　seeing
those　papers；　Papa；〃　she　said。
〃You　don't　know　anything　about　business；　my　dear；〃
answered　the　sire；　shaking　his　head　with　an　important
air。　　And　it　must　be　confessed　that　on　this　point　Emmy
was　very　ignorant；　and　that　is　a　pity　some　people　are　so
knowing。　　All　these　twopenny　documents　arranged　on　a
side　table；　old　Sedley　covered　them　carefully　over　with
a　clean　bandanna　handkerchief　（one　out　of　Major
Dobbin's　lot）　and　enjoined　the　maid　and　landlady　of　the
house；　in　the　most　solemn　way；　not　to　disturb　those
papers；　which　were　arranged　for　the　arrival　of　Mr。　Joseph
Sedley　the　next　morning；　〃Mr。　Joseph　Sedley　of　the
Honourable　East　India　Company's　Bengal　Civil　Service。〃
Amelia　found　him　up　very　early　the　next　morning；
more　eager；　more　hectic；　and　more　shaky　than　ever。　　〃I
didn't　sleep　much；　Emmy；　my　dear；〃　he　said。　　〃I　was
thinking　of　my　poor　Bessy。　　I　wish　she　was　alive；　to　ride
in　Jos's　carriage　once　again。　　She　kept　her　own　and
became　it　very　well。〃　And　his　eyes　filled　with　tears；　which
trickled　down　his　furrowed　old　face。　　Amelia　wiped　them
away；　and　smilingly　kissed　him；　and　tied　the　old　man's
neckcloth　in　a　smart　bow；　and　put　his　brooch　into　his
best　shirt　frill；　in　which；　in　his　Sunday　suit　of　mourning；
he　sat　from　six　o'clock　in　the　morning　awaiting　the
arrival　of　his　son。
However；　when　the　postman　made　his　appearance；　the
little　party　were　put　out　of　suspense　by　the　receipt　of　a
letter　from　Jos　to　his　sister；　who　announced　that　he　felt
a　little　fatigued　after　his　voyage；　and　should　not　be　able
to　move　on　that　day；　but　that　he　would　leave　Southampton
early　the　next　morning　and　be　with　his　father　and
mother　at　evening。　　Amelia；　as　she　read　out　the　letter　to
her　father；　paused　over　the　latter　word；　her　brother；　it
was　clear；　did　not　know　what　had　happened　in　the　family。
Nor　could　he；　for　the　fact　is　that；　though　the　Major
rightly　suspected　that　his　travelling　companion　never
would　be　got　into　motion　in　so　short　a　space　as　twenty…
four　hours；　and　would　find　some　excuse　for　delaying；　yet
Dobbin　had　not　written　to　Jos　to　inform　him　of　the
calamity　which　had　befallen　the　Sedley　family；　being
occupied　in　talking　with　Amelia　until　long　after　post…hour。
There　are　some　splendid　tailors'　shops　in　the　High
Street　of　Southampton；　in　the　fine　plate…glass　windows
of　which　hang　gorgeous　waistcoats　of　all　sorts；　of　silk
and　velvet；　and　gold　and　crimson；　and　pictures　of　the
last　new　fashions；　in　which　those　wonderful　gentlemen
with　quizzing　glasses；　and　holding　on　to　little　boys　with
the　exceeding　large　eyes　and　curly　hair；　ogle　ladies　in
riding　habits　prancing　by　the　Statue　of　Achilles　at　Apsley
House。　　Jos；　although　provided　with　some　of　the　most
splendid　vests　that　Calcutta　could　furnish；　thought　he
could　not　go　to　town　until　he　was　supplied　with　one　or
two　of　these　garments；　and　selected　a　crimson　satin；
embroidered　with　gold　butterflies；　and　a　black　and　red
velvet　tartan　with　white　stripes　and　a　rolling　collar；　with
which；　and　a　rich　blue　satin　stock　and　a　gold　pin；
consisting　of　a　five…barred　gate　with　a　horseman　in　pink
enamel　jumping　over　it；　he　thought　he　might　make　his
entry　into　London　with　some　dignity。　　For　Jos's　former
shyness　and　blundering　blushing　timidity　had　given　way
to　a　more　candid　and　courageous　self…assertion　of　his
worth。　　〃I　don't　care　about　owning　it；〃　Waterloo　Sedley
would　say　to　his　friends；　〃I　am　a　dressy　man〃；　and
though　rather　uneasy　if　the　ladies　looked　at　him　at　the
Government　House　balls；　and　though　he　blushed　and
turned　away　alarmed　under　their　glances；　it　was　chiefly
from　a　dread　lest　they　should　make　love　to　him　that　he
avoided　them；　being　averse　to　marriage　altogether。　　But
there　was　no　such　swell　in　Calcutta　as　Waterloo　Sedley；
I　have　heard　say；　and　he　had　the　handsomest　turn…out；
gave　the　best　bachelor　dinners；　and　had　the　finest　plate
in　the　whole　place。
To　make　these　waistcoats　for　a　man　of　his　size　and
dignity　took　at　least　a　day；　part　of　which　he　employed　in
hiring　a　servant　to　wait　upon　him　and　his　native　and　in
instructing　the　agent　who　cleared　his　baggage；　his　boxes；
his　books；　which　he　never　read；　his　chests　of　mangoes；
chutney；　and　curry…powders；　his　shawls　for　presents　to
people　whom　he　didn't　know　as　yet；　and　the　rest　of　his
Persicos　apparatus。
At　length；　he　drove　leisurely　to　London　on　the　third
day　and　in　the　new　waistcoat；　the　native；　with　chattering
teeth；　shuddering　in　a　shawl　on　the　box　by　the　side　of　the
new　European　servant；　Jos　puffing　his　pipe　at　intervals
within　and　looking　so　majestic　that　the　little　boys　cried
Hooray；　and　many　people　thought　he　must　be　a
Governor…General。　　HE；　I　promise；　did　not　decline　the
obsequious　invitation　of　the　landlords　to　alight　and　refresh
himself　in　the　neat　country　towns。　　Having　partaken　of　a
copious　breakfast；　with　fish；　and　rice；　and　hard　eggs；　at
Southampton；　he　had　so　far　rallied　at　Winchester　as　to
think　a　glass　of　sherry　necessary。　　At　Alton　he　stepped
out　of　the　carriage　at　his　servant's　request　and　imbibed
some　of　the　ale　for　which　the　place　is　famous。　　At　Farnham
he　stopped　to　view　the　Bishop's　Castle　and　to　partake
of　a　light　dinner　of　stewed　eels；　veal　cutlets；　and
French　beans；　with　a　bottle　of　claret。　　He　was　cold　over
Bagshot　Heath；　where　the　native　chattered　more　and
more；　and　Jos　Sahib　took　some　brandy…and…water；　in
fact；　when　he　drove　into　town　he　was　as　full　of　wine；
beer；　meat；　pickles；　cherry…brandy；　and　tobacco　as　the
steward's　cabin　of　a　steam…packet。　　It　was　evening　when
his　carriage　thundered　up　to　the　little　door　in　Brompton；
whither　the　affectionate　fellow　drove　first；　and　before
hieing　to　the　apartments　secured　for　him　by　Mr。　Dobbin
at　the　Slaughters'。
All　the　faces　in　the　street　were　in　the　windows；　the
little　maidservant　flew　to　the　wicket…gate；　the　Mesdames
Clapp　looked　out　from　the　casement　of　the　ornamented
kitchen；　Emmy；　in　a　great　flutter；　was　in　the　passage
among　the　hats　and　coats；　and　old　Sedley　in　the　parlour
inside；　shaking　all　over。　　Jos　descended　from　the　post…
chaise　and　down　the　creaking　swaying　steps　in　awful
state；　supported　by　the　new　valet　from　Southampton　and
the　shuddering　native；　whose　brown　face　was　now　livid
with　cold　and　of　the　colour　of　a　turkey's　gizzard。　　He
created　an　immense　sensation　in　the　passage　presently；
where　Mrs。　and　Miss　Clapp；　coming　perhaps　to　listen
at　the　parlour　door；　found　Loll　Jewab　shaking　upon　the
hall…bench　under　the　coats；　moaning　in　a　strange　piteous
way；　and　showing　his　yellow　eyeballs　and　white　teeth。
For；　you　see；　we　have　adroitly　shut　the　door　upon　the
meeting　between　Jos　and　the　old　father　and　the　poor　little
gentle　sister　inside。　　The　old　man　was　very　much　affected；
so；　of　course；　was　his　daughter；　nor　was　Jos　without
feeling。　　In　that　long　absence　of　ten　years；　the　most　selfish
will　think　about　home　and　early　ties。　　Distance　sanctifies
both。　　Long　brooding　over　those　lost　pleasures　exaggerates
their　charm　and　sweetness。　　Jos　was　unaffectedly　glad　to
see　and　shake　the　hand　of　his　father；　between　whom
and　himself　there　had　been　a　coolnessglad　to　see　his
little　sister；　whom　he　remembered　so　pretty　and　smiling；
and　pained　at　the　alteration　which　time；　grief；　and
misfortune　had　made　in　the　shattered　old　man。　　Emmy　had
come　out　to　the　door　in　her　black　clothes　and　whispered
to　him　of　her　mother's　death；　and　not　to　speak　of　it　to
their　father。　　There　was　no　need　of　this　caution；　for　the
elder　Sedley　himself　began　immediately　to　speak　of　the
event；　and　prattled　about　it；　and　wept　over　it　plenteously。
It　shocked　the　Indian　not　a　little　and　made　him　think　of
himself　less　than　the　poor　fellow　was　accustomed　to　do。
The　result　of　the　interview　must　have　been　very
satisfactory；　for　when　Jos　had　reascended　his