vanity fair(名利场)-第150部分

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or　father；　who　had　seen　her　humble　and　trampled　upon
her。
Nobody　ever　heard　of　these　griefs；　which　had　been
part　of　our　poor　little　woman's　lot　in　life。　　She　kept　them
secret　from　her　father；　whose　improvidence　was　the　cause
of　much　of　her　misery。　　She　had　to　bear　all　the　blame　of
his　misdoings；　and　indeed　was　so　utterly　gentle　and
humble　as　to　be　made　by　nature　for　a　victim。
I　hope　she　is　not　to　suffer　much　more　of　that　hard
usage。　　And；　as　in　all　griefs　there　is　said　to　be　some
consolation；　I　may　mention　that　poor　Mary；　when　left　at　her
friend's　departure　in　a　hysterical　condition；　was　placed
under　the　medical　treatment　of　the　young　fellow　from
the　surgery；　under　whose　care　she　rallied　after　a　short
period。　　Emmy；　when　she　went　away　from　Brompton；
endowed　Mary　with　every　article　of　furniture　that　the　house
contained；　only　taking　away　her　pictures　（the　two
pictures　over　the　bed）　and　her　pianothat　little　old　piano
which　had　now　passed　into　a　plaintive　jingling　old　age；
but　which　she　loved　for　reasons　of　her　own。　　She　was　a
child　when　first　she　played　on　it；　and　her　parents　gave　it
her。　　It　had　been　given　to　her　again　since；　as　the　reader
may　remember；　when　her　father's　house　was　gone　to　ruin
and　the　instrument　was　recovered　out　of　the　wreck。
Major　Dobbin　was　exceedingly　pleased　when；　as　he
was　superintending　the　arrangements　of　Jos's　new　house
which　the　Major　insisted　should　be　very　handsome　and
comfortablethe　cart　arrived　from　Brompton；　bringing
the　trunks　and　bandboxes　of　the　emigrants　from　that
village；　and　with　them　the　old　piano。　　Amelia　would　have　it
up　in　her　sitting…room；　a　neat　little　apartment　on　the
second　floor；　adjoining　her　father's　chamber；　and　where
the　old　gentleman　sat　commonly　of　evenings。
When　the　men　appeared　then　bearing　this　old　music…
box；　and　Amelia　gave　orders　that　it　should　be　placed
in　the　chamber　aforesaid；　Dobbin　was　quite　elated。　　〃I'm
glad　you've　kept　it；〃　he　said　in　a　very　sentimental
manner。　　〃I　was　afraid　you　didn't　care　about　it。〃
〃I　value　it　more　than　anything　I　have　in　the　world；〃
said　Amelia。
〃Do　you；　Amelia？〃　cried　the　Major。　　The　fact　was；
as　he　had　bought　it　himself；　though　he　never　said
anything　about　it；　it　never　entered　into　his　head　to　suppose
that　Emmy　should　think　anybody　else　was　the　purchaser；
and　as　a　matter　of　course　he　fancied　that　she　knew　the
gift　came　from　him。　　〃Do　you；　Amelia？〃　he　said；　and
the　question；　the　great　question　of　all；　was　trembling
on　his　lips；　when　Emmy　replied
〃Can　I　do　otherwise？did　not　he　give　it　me？〃
〃I　did　not　know；〃　said　poor　old　Dob；　and　his
countenance　fell。
Emmy　did　not　note　the　circumstance　at　the　time；　nor
take　immediate　heed　of　the　very　dismal　expression　which
honest　Dobbin's　countenance　assumed；　but　she　thought
of　it　afterwards。　　And　then　it　struck　her；　with　inexpressible
pain　and　mortification　too；　that　it　was　William　who
was　the　giver　of　the　piano；　and　not　George；　as　she　had
fancied。　　It　was　not　George's　gift；　the　only　one　which　she
had　received　from　her　lover；　as　she　thoughtthe　thing
she　had　cherished　beyond　all　othersher　dearest　relic
and　prize。　　She　had　spoken　to　it　about　George；　played
his　favourite　airs　upon　it；　sat　for　long　evening　hours；
touching；　to　the　best　of　her　simple　art；　melancholy
harmonies　on　the　keys；　and　weeping　over　them　in　silence。
It　was　not　George's　relic。　　It　was　valueless　now。　　The　next
time　that　old　Sedley　asked　her　to　play；　she　said　it　was
shockingly　out　of　tune；　that　she　had　a　headache；　that
she　couldn't　play。
Then；　according　to　her　custom；　she　rebuked　herself
for　her　pettishness　and　ingratitude　and　determined　to
make　a　reparation　to　honest　William　for　the　slight　she
had　not　expressed　to　him；　but　had　felt　for　his　piano。
A　few　days　afterwards；　as　they　were　seated　in　the
drawing…room；　where　Jos　had　fallen　asleep　with　great　comfort
after　dinner；　Amelia　said　with　rather　a　faltering　voice
to　Major　Dobbin
〃I　have　to　beg　your　pardon　for　something。〃
〃About　what？〃　said　he。
〃Aboutabout　that　little　square　piano。　　I　never　thanked
you　for　it　when　you　gave　it　me；　many；　many　years　ago；
before　I　was　married。　　I　thought　somebody　else　had　given
it。　　Thank　you；　William。〃　She　held　out　her　hand；　but　the
poor　little　woman's　heart　was　bleeding；　and　as　for　her
eyes；　of　course　they　were　at　their　work。
But　William　could　hold　no　more。　　〃Amelia；　Amelia；〃
he　said；　〃I　did　buy　it　for　you。　　I　loved　you　then　as　I
do　now。　　I　must　tell　you。　　I　think　I　loved　you　from　the
first　minute　that　I　saw　you；　when　George　brought　me　to
your　house；　to　show　me　the　Amelia　whom　he　was
engaged　to。　　You　were　but　a　girl；　in　white；　with　large
ringlets；　you　came　down　singingdo　you　remember？
and　we　went　to　Vauxhall。　　Since　then　I　have　thought　of
but　one　woman　in　the　world；　and　that　was　you。　　I
think　there　is　no　hour　in　the　day　has　passed　for　twelve
years　that　I　haven't　thought　of　you。　　I　came　to　tell　you
this　before　I　went　to　India；　but　you　did　not　care；　and
I　hadn't　the　heart　to　speak。　　You　did　not　care　whether
I　stayed　or　went。〃
〃I　was　very　ungrateful；〃　Amelia　said。
〃No；　only　indifferent；〃　Dobbin　continued　desperately。
〃I　have　nothing　to　make　a　woman　to　be　otherwise。　　I
know　what　you　are　feeling　now。　　You　are　hurt　in　your
heart　at　the　discovery　about　the　piano；　and　that　it　came
from　me　and　not　from　George。　　I　forgot；　or　I　should
never　have　spoken　of　it　so。　　It　is　for　me　to　ask　your
pardon　for　being　a　fool　for　a　moment；　and　thinking
that　years　of　constancy　and　devotion　might　have　pleaded
with　you。〃
〃It　is　you　who　are　cruel　now；〃　Amelia　said　with　some
spirit。　　〃George　is　my　husband；　here　and　in　heaven。　　How
could　I　love　any　other　but　him？　I　am　his　now　as　when
you　first　saw　me；　dear　William。　　It　was　he　who　told　me
how　good　and　generous　you　were；　and　who　taught　me
to　love　you　as　a　brother。　　Have　you　not　been　everything
to　me　and　my　boy？　Our　dearest；　truest；　kindest　friend
and　protector？　Had　you　come　a　few　months　sooner
perhaps　you　might　have　spared　me　thatthat　dreadful
parting。　　Oh；　it　nearly　killed　me；　Williambut　you　didn't
come；　though　I　wished　and　prayed　for　you　to　come；
and　they　took　him　too　away　from　me。　　Isn't　he　a　noble
boy；　William？　Be　his　friend　still　and　mine〃and　here　her
voice　broke；　and　she　hid　her　face　on　his　shoulder。
The　Major　folded　his　arms　round　her；　holding　her　to
him　as　if　she　was　a　child；　and　kissed　her　head。　　〃I　will
not　change；　dear　Amelia；〃　he　said。　　〃I　ask　for　no　more
than　your　love。　　I　think　I　would　not　have　it　otherwise。
Only　let　me　stay　near　you　and　see　you　often。〃
〃Yes；　often；〃　Amelia　said。　　And　so　William　was　at
liberty　to　look　and　longas　the　poor　boy　at　school
who　has　no　money　may　sigh　after　the　contents　of　the
tart…woman's　tray。

CHAPTER　LX
Returns　to　the　Genteel　World
Good　fortune　now　begins　to　smile　upon　Amelia。　　We　are
glad　to　get　her　out　of　that　low　sphere　in　which　she　has
been　creeping　hitherto　and　introduce　her　into　a　polite
circlenot　so　grand　and　refined　as　that　in　which　our
other　female　friend；　Mrs。　Becky；　has　appeared；　but　still
having　no　small　pretensions　to　gentility　and　fashion。　　Jos's
friends　were　all　from　the　three　presidencies；　and　his　new
house　was　in　the　comfortable　Anglo…Indian　district　of
which　Moira　Place　is　the　centre。　　Minto　Square；　Great
Clive　Street；　Warren　Street；　Hastings　Street；　Ochterlony
Place；　Plassy　Square；　Assaye　Terrace　（〃gardens〃　was
a　felicitous　word　not　applied　to　stucco　houses　with
asphalt　terraces　in　front；　so　early　as　1827）who　does　not
know　these　respectable　abodes　of　the　retired　Indian
aristocracy；　and　the　quarter　which　Mr。　Wenham　calls　the
Black　Hole；　in　a　word？　Jos's　position　in　life　was　not　grand
enough　to　entitle　him　to　a　house　in　Moira　Place；　where
none　can　live　but　retired　Members　of　Council；　and
partners　of　Indian　firms　（who　break；　after　having　settled　a
hundred　thousand　pounds　on　their　wives；　and　retire　into
comparative　penury　to　a　country　place　and　four　thousand
a　year）；　he　engaged　a　comfortable　house　of　a
second…　or　third…rate　order　in　Gillespie　Street；　purchasing　the
carpets；　costly　mirrors；　and　handsome　and　appropriate
planned　furniture　by　Seddons　from　the　assignees　of　Mr。
Scape；　lately　admitted　partner　into　the　great　Calcutta
House　of　Fogle；　Fake；　and　Cracksman；　in　which　poor
Scape　had　embarked　seventy　thousand　pounds；　the
earnings　of　a　long　and　honourable　life；　taking　Fake's　place；
who　retired　to　a　princely　park　in　Sussex　（the　Fogles　have
been　long　out　of　the　firm；　and　Sir　Horace　Fogle　is　about
to　be　raised　to　the　peerage　as　Baron　Bandanna）admitted；
I　say；　partner　into　the　great　agency　house　of　Fogle
and　Fake　two　years　before　it　failed　for　a　million　and
plunged　half　the　Indian　public　into　misery　and　ruin。
Scape；　ruined；　honest；　and　broken…hearted　at　sixty…five
years　of　age；　went　out　to　Calcutta　to　wind　up　the　affairs
of　the　house。　　Walter　Scape　was　withdrawn　from　Eton
and　put　into　a　merchant's　house。　　Florence　Scape；　Fanny
Scape；　and　their　mother　faded　away　to　Boulogne；　and
will　be　heard　of　no　more。　　To　be　brief；　Jos　stepped　in　and
bought　their　carpets　and　sideboards　and　admired
himself　in　the　mirrors　which　had　reflected　their　kind
handsome　faces。　　The　Scape　tradesmen；　all　honourably　paid；
left　their　cards；　and　were　eager　to　supply　the　new
household。　　The　large　men　in　white　waistcoats　who　waited　at
Scape's　dinners；　greengrocers；　bank…porters；　and
milkmen　in　their　private　capacity；　left　their　addresses　and
ingratiated　themselves　with　the　butler。　　Mr。　Chummy；　the
chimney…purifier；　who　had　swept　the　last　three　families；
tried　to　coax　the　butler　and　the　boy　under　him；　whose
duty　it　was　to　go　out　covered　with　buttons　and　with
stripes　down　his　trousers；　for　the　protection　of　Mrs。
Amelia　whenever　she　chose　to　walk　abroad。
It　was　a　modest　establishment。　　The　butler　was　Jos's
valet　also；　and　never　was　more　drunk　than　a　butler　in　a
small　family　should　be　who　has　a　proper　regard　for　his
master's　wine。　　Emmy　was　supplied　with　a　maid；　grown　on
Sir　William　Dobbin's　suburban　estate；　a　good　girl；　whose
kindness　and　humility　disarmed　Mrs。　Osborne；　who　was
at　first　terrified　at　the　idea　of　having　a　servant　to　wait
upon　herself；　who　did　not　in　the　least　know　how　to　use
one；　and　who　always　spoke　to　domestics　with　the　most
reverent