vanity fair(名利场)-第149部分

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The　result　of　the　interview　must　have　been　very
satisfactory；　for　when　Jos　had　reascended　his　post…chaise
and　had　driven　away　to　his　hotel；　Emmy　embraced　her　father
tenderly；　appealing　to　him　with　an　air　of　triumph；　and
asking　the　old　man　whether　she　did　not　always　say　that
her　brother　had　a　good　heart？
Indeed；　Joseph　Sedley；　affected　by　the　humble　position
in　which　he　found　his　relations；　and　in　the　expansiveness
and　overflowing　of　heart　occasioned　by　the　first　meeting；
declared　that　they　should　never　suffer　want　or
discomfort　any　more；　that　he　was　at　home　for　some　time
at　any　rate；　during　which　his　house　and　everything　he
had　should　be　theirs：　　and　that　Amelia　would　look　very
pretty　at　the　head　of　his　tableuntil　she　would　accept
one　of　her　own。
She　shook　her　head　sadly　and　had；　as　usual；　recourse
to　the　waterworks。　　She　knew　what　he　meant。　　She　and
her　young　confidante；　Miss　Mary；　had　talked　over　the
matter　most　fully；　the　very　night　of　the　Major's　visit；
beyond　which　time　the　impetuous　Polly　could　not　refrain
from　talking　of　the　discovery　which　she　had　made；　and
describing　the　start　and　tremor　of　joy　by　which　Major
Dobbin　betrayed　himself　when　Mr。　Binny　passed　with　his
bride　and　the　Major　learned　that　he　had　no　longer　a
rival　to　fear。　　〃Didn't　you　see　how　he　shook　all　over
when　you　asked　if　he　was　married　and　he　said；　'Who　told
you　those　lies？'　Oh；　M'am；〃　Polly　said；　〃he　never　kept　his
eyes　off　you；　and　I'm　sure　he's　grown　grey　athinking　of
you。〃
But　Amelia；　looking　up　at　her　bed；　over　which　hung
the　portraits　of　her　husband　and　son；　told　her　young
protegee　never；　never；　to　speak　on　that　subject　again；
that　Major　Dobbin　had　been　her　husband's　dearest　friend
and　her　own　and　George's　most　kind　and　affectionate
guardian；　that　she　loved　him　as　a　brotherbut　that　a
woman　who　had　been　married　to　such　an　angel　as　that；
and　she　pointed　to　the　wall；　could　never　think　of　any
other　union。　　Poor　Polly　sighed：　　she　thought　what　she
should　do　if　young　Mr。　Tomkins；　at　the　surgery；　who
always　looked　at　her　so　at　church；　and　who；　by　those
mere　aggressive　glances　had　put　her　timorous　little　heart
into　such　a　flutter　that　she　was　ready　to　surrender　at
once；what　she　should　do　if　he　were　to　die？　She　knew
he　was　consumptive；　his　cheeks　were　so　red　and　he　was
so　uncommon　thin　in　the　waist。
Not　that　Emmy；　being　made　aware　of　the　honest
Major's　passion；　rebuffed　him　in　any　way；　or　felt
displeased　with　him。　　Such　an　attachment　from　so　true　and
loyal　a　gentleman　could　make　no　woman　angry。
Desdemona　was　not　angry　with　Cassio；　though　there　is
very　little　doubt　she　saw　the　Lieutenant's　partiality　for
her　（and　I　for　my　part　believe　that　many　more　things
took　place　in　that　sad　affair　than　the　worthy　Moorish
officer　ever　knew　of）；　why；　Miranda　was　even　very　kind
to　Caliban；　and　we　may　be　pretty　sure　for　the　same
reason。　　Not　that　she　would　encourage　him　in　the　least
the　poor　uncouth　monsterof　course　not。　　No　more
would　Emmy　by　any　means　encourage　her　admirer；　the
Major。　　She　would　give　him　that　friendly　regard；　which
so　much　excellence　and　fidelity　merited；　she　would　treat
him　with　perfect　cordiality　and　frankness　until　he　made
his　proposals；　and　THEN　it　would　be　time　enough　for　her
to　speak　and　to　put　an　end　to　hopes　which　never　could　be
realized。
She　slept；　therefore；　very　soundly　that　evening；　after
the　conversation　with　Miss　Polly；　and　was　more　than
ordinarily　happy；　in　spite　of　Jos's　delaying。　　〃I　am　glad
he　is　not　going　to　marry　that　Miss　O'Dowd；〃　she　thought。
〃Colonel　O'Dowd　never　could　have　a　sister　fit　for　such
an　accomplished　man　as　Major　William。〃　Who　was　there
amongst　her　little　circle　who　would　make　him　a　good
wife？　Not　Miss　Binny；　she　was　too　old　and　ill…tempered；
Miss　Osborne？　too　old　too。　　Little　Polly　was　too　young。
Mrs。　Osborne　could　not　find　anybody　to　suit　the　Major
before　she　went　to　sleep。
The　same　morning　brought　Major　Dobbin　a　letter　to　the
Slaughters'　Coffee…house　from　his　friend　at　Southampton；
begging　dear　Dob　to　excuse　Jos　for　being　in　a　rage　when
awakened　the　day　before　（he　had　a　confounded　headache；
and　was　just　in　his　first　sleep）；　and　entreating　Dob　to
engage　comfortable　rooms　at　the　Slaughters'　for　Mr。　Sedley
and　his　servants。　　The　Major　had　become　necessary　to
Jos　during　the　voyage。　　He　was　attached　to　him；　and　hung
upon　him。　　The　other　passengers　were　away　to　London。
Young　Ricketts　and　little　Chaffers　went　away　on　the
coach　that　dayRicketts　on　the　box；　and　taking　the
reins　from　Botley；　the　Doctor　was　off　to　his　family　at
Portsea；　Bragg　gone　to　town　to　his　co…partners；　and　the
first　mate　busy　in　the　unloading　of　the　Ramchunder。　　Mr。
Joe　was　very　lonely　at　Southampton；　and　got　the　landlord
of　the　George　to　take　a　glass　of　wine　with　him　that
day；　at　the　very　hour　at　which　Major　Dobbin　was
seated　at　the　table　of　his　father；　Sir　William；　where　his
sister　found　out　（for　it　was　impossible　for　the　Major　to
tell　fibs）　that　he　had　been　to　see　Mrs。　George　Osborne。
Jos　was　so　comfortably　situated　in　St。　　Martin's　Lane；　he
could　enjoy　his　hookah　there　with　such　perfect　ease；　and
could　swagger　down　to　the　theatres；　when　minded；　so
agreeably；　that；　perhaps；　he　would　have　remained
altogether　at　the　Slaughters'　had　not　his　friend；　the　Major；
been　at　his　elbow。　　That　gentleman　would　not　let　the
Bengalee　rest　until　he　had　executed　his　promise　of　having
a　home　for　Amelia　and　his　father。　　Jos　was　a　soft　fellow
in　anybody's　hands；　Dobbin　most　active　in　anybody's
concerns　but　his　own；　the　civilian　was；　therefore；　an　easy
victim　to　the　guileless　arts　of　this　good…natured　diplomatist
and　was　ready　to　do；　to　purchase；　hire；　or　relinquish
whatever　his　friend　thought　fit。　　Loll　Jewab；　of　whom　the
boys　about　St。　　Martin's　Lane　used　to　make　cruel　fun
whenever　he　showed　his　dusky　countenance　in　the　street；　was
sent　back　to　Calcutta　in　the　Lady　Kicklebury　East
Indiaman；　in　which　Sir　William　Dobbin　had　a　share；　having
previously　taught　Jos's　European　the　art　of　preparing
curries；　pilaus；　and　pipes。　　It　was　a　matter　of　great　delight
and　occupation　to　Jos　to　superintend　the　building　of　a
smart　chariot　which　he　and　the　Major　ordered　in　the
neighbouring　Long　Acre：　　and　a　pair　of　handsome　horses
were　jobbed；　with　which　Jos　drove　about　in　state　in　the
park；　or　to　call　upon　his　Indian　friends。　　Amelia　was　not
seldom　by　his　side　on　these　excursions；　when　also　Major
Dobbin　would　be　seen　in　the　back　seat　of　the　carriage。
At　other　times　old　Sedley　and　his　daughter　took
advantage　of　it；　and　Miss　Clapp；　who　frequently
accompanied　her　friend；　had　great　pleasure　in　being　recognized
as　she　sat　in　the　carriage；　dressed　in　the　famous　yellow
shawl；　by　the　young　gentleman　at　the　surgery；　whose　face
might　commonly　be　seen　over　the　window…blinds　as　she
passed。
Shortly　after　Jos's　first　appearance　at　Brompton；　a
dismal　scene；　indeed；　took　place　at　that　humble　cottage　at
which　the　Sedleys　had　passed　the　last　ten　years　of　their
life。　　Jos's　carriage　（the　temporary　one；　not　the　chariot
under　construction）　arrived　one　day　and　carried　off　old
Sedley　and　his　daughterto　return　no　more。　　The　tears
that　were　shed　by　the　landlady　and　the　landlady's
daughter　at　that　event　were　as　genuine　tears　of　sorrow　as　any
that　have　been　outpoured　in　the　course　of　this　history。
In　their　long　acquaintanceship　and　intimacy　they　could
not　recall　a　harsh　word　that　had　been　uttered　by　Amelia
She　had　been　all　sweetness　and　kindness；　always
thankful；　always　gentle；　even　when　Mrs。　Clapp　lost　her　own
temper　and　pressed　for　the　rent。　　When　the　kind　creature
was　going　away　for　good　and　all；　the　landlady　reproached
herself　bitterly　for　ever　having　used　a　rough　expression　to
herhow　she　wept；　as　they　stuck　up　with　wafers　on　the
window；　a　paper　notifying　that　the　little　rooms　so　long
occupied　were　to　let！　　They　never　would　have　such　lodgers
again；　that　was　quite　clear。　　After…life　proved　the　truth　of
this　melancholy　prophecy；　and　Mrs。　Clapp　revenged
herself　for　the　deterioration　of　mankind　by　levying　the　most
savage　contributions　upon　the　tea…caddies　and　legs　of
mutton　of　her　locataires。　　Most　of　them　scolded　and
grumbled；　some　of　them　did　not　pay；　none　of　them　stayed。
The　landlady　might　well　regret　those　old；　old　friends；　who
had　left　her。
As　for　Miss　Mary；　her　sorrow　at　Amelia's　departure
was　such　as　I　shall　not　attempt　to　depict。　　From　childhood
upwards　she　had　been　with　her　daily　and　had　attached
herself　so　passionately　to　that　dear　good　lady　that　when
the　grand　barouche　came　to　carry　her　off　into　splendour；
she　fainted　in　the　arms　of　her　friend；　who　was　indeed
scarcely　less　affected　than　the　good…natured　girl。　　Amelia
loved　her　like　a　daughter。　　During　eleven　years　the　girl　had
been　her　constant　friend　and　associate。　　The　separation　was
a　very　painful　one　indeed　to　her。　　But　it　was　of　course
arranged　that　Mary　was　to　come　and　stay　often　at　the
grand　new　house　whither　Mrs。　Osborne　was　going；　and
where　Mary　was　sure　she　would　never　be　so　happy　as
she　had　been　in　their　humble　cot；　as　Miss　Clapp　called　it；
in　the　language　of　the　novels　which　she　loved。
Let　us　hope　she　was　wrong　in　her　judgement。　　Poor
Emmy's　days　of　happiness　had　been　very　few　in　that
humble　cot。　　A　gloomy　Fate　had　oppressed　her　there。　　She
never　liked　to　come　back　to　the　house　after　she　had　left
it；　or　to　face　the　landlady　who　had　tyrannized　over　her
when　ill…humoured　and　unpaid；　or　when　pleased　had
treated　her　with　a　coarse　familiarity　scarcely　less　odious。
Her　servility　and　fulsome　compliments　when　Emmy　was
in　prosperity　were　not　more　to　that　lady's　liking。　　She
cast　about　notes　of　admiration　all　over　the　new　house；
extolling　every　article　of　furniture　or　ornament；　she
fingered　Mrs。　Osborne's　dresses　and　calculated　their　price。
Nothing　could　be　too　good　for　that　sweet　lady；　she
vowed　and　protested。　　But　in　the　vulgar　sycophant　who
now　paid　court　to　her；　Emmy　always　remembered　the
coarse　tyrant　who　had　made　her　miserable　many　a　time；
to　whom　she　had　been　forced　to　put　up　petitions　for
time；　when　the　rent　was　overdue；　who　cried　out　at　her
extravagance　if　she　bought　delicacies　for　her　ailing　mother
or　father；　who　had　seen　her　humble　and　trampled　upon
her。
Nobody　ever　heard　of