vanity fair(名利场)-第151部分

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upon　herself；　who　did　not　in　the　least　know　how　to　use
one；　and　who　always　spoke　to　domestics　with　the　most
reverential　politeness。　　But　this　maid　was　very　useful　in
the　family；　in　dexterously　tending　old　Mr。　Sedley；　who
kept　almost　entirely　to　his　own　quarter　of　the　house
and　never　mixed　in　any　of　the　gay　doings　which　took
place　there。
Numbers　of　people　came　to　see　Mrs。　Osborne。　　Lady
Dobbin　and　daughters　were　delighted　at　her　change　of
fortune；　and　waited　upon　her。　　Miss　Osborne　from　Russell
Square　came　in　her　grand　chariot　with　the　flaming
hammer…cloth　emblazoned　with　the　Leeds　arms。　　Jos　was
reported　to　be　immensely　rich。　　Old　Osborne　had　no
objection　that　Georgy　should　inherit　his　uncle's　property　as
well　as　his　own。　　〃Damn　it；　we　will　make　a　man　of　the
feller；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'll　see　him　in　Parliament　before　I
die。　　You　may　go　and　see　his　mother；　Miss　O。；　though　I'll
never　set　eyes　on　her〃：　　and　Miss　Osborne　came。　　Emmy；
you　may　be　sure；　was　very　glad　to　see　her；　and　so　be
brought　nearer　to　George。　　That　young　fellow　was
allowed　to　come　much　more　frequently　than　before　to　visit
his　mother。　　He　dined　once　or　twice　a　week　in　Gillespie
Street　and　bullied　the　servants　and　his　relations　there；　just
as　he　did　in　Russell　Square。
He　was　always　respectful　to　Major　Dobbin；　however；
and　more　modest　in　his　demeanour　when　that　gentleman
was　present。　　He　was　a　clever　lad　and　afraid　of　the
Major。　　George　could　not　help　admiring　his　friend's
simplicity；　his　good　humour；　his　various　learning　quietly
imparted；　his　general　love　of　truth　and　justice。　　He　had　met
no　such　man　as　yet　in　the　course　of　his　experience；　and
he　had　an　instinctive　liking　for　a　gentleman。　　He　hung
fondly　by　his　godfather's　side；　and　it　was　his　delight　to
walk　in　the　parks　and　hear　Dobbin　talk。　　William　told
George　about　his　father；　about　India　and　Waterloo；　about
everything　but　himself。　　When　George　was　more　than
usually　pert　and　conceited；　the　Major　made　jokes　at　him；
which　Mrs。　Osborne　thought　very　cruel。　　One　day；　taking
him　to　the　play；　and　the　boy　declining　to　go　into　the　pit
because　it　was　vulgar；　the　Major　took　him　to　the　boxes；
left　him　there；　and　went　down　himself　to　the　pit。　　He
had　not　been　seated　there　very　long　before　he　felt　an　arm
thrust　under　his　and　a　dandy　little　hand　in　a　kid　glove
squeezing　his　arm。　　George　had　seen　the　absurdity　of　his
ways　and　come　down　from　the　upper　region。　　A　tender
laugh　of　benevolence　lighted　up　old　Dobbin's　face　and
eyes　as　he　looked　at　the　repentant　little　prodigal。　　He
loved　the　boy；　as　he　did　everything　that　belonged　to
Amelia。　　How　charmed　she　was　when　she　heard　of　this
instance　of　George's　goodness！　　Her　eyes　looked　more
kindly　on　Dobbin　than　they　ever　had　done。　　She　blushed；
he　thought；　after　looking　at　him　so。
Georgy　never　tired　of　his　praises　of　the　Major　to　his
mother。　　〃I　like　him；　Mamma；　because　he　knows　such　lots
of　things；　and　he　ain't　like　old　Veal；　who　is　always
bragging　and　using　such　long　words；　don't　you　know？　The
chaps　call　him　'Longtail'　at　school。　　I　gave　him　the　name；
ain't　it　capital？　But　Dob　reads　Latin　like　English；　and
French　and　that；　and　when　we　go　out　together　he　tells　me
stories　about　my　Papa；　and　never　about　himself；　though　I
heard　Colonel　Buckler；　at　Grandpapa's；　say　that　he　was
one　of　the　bravest　officers　in　the　army；　and　had
distinguished　himself　ever　so　much。　　Grandpapa　was　quite
surprised；　and　said；　'THAT　feller！　　Why；　I　didn't　think　he　could
say　Bo　to　a　goose'but　l　know　he　could；　couldn't　he；
Mamma？〃
Emmy　laughed：　　she　thought　it　was　very　likely　the
Major　could　do　thus　much。
If　there　was　a　sincere　liking　between　George　and　the
Major；　it　must　be　confessed　that　between　the　boy　and　his
uncle　no　great　love　existed。　　George　had　got　a　way　of
blowing　out　his　cheeks；　and　putting　his　hands　in　his
waistcoat　pockets；　and　saying；　〃God　bless　my　soul；　you　don't
say　so；〃　so　exactly　after　the　fashion　of　old　Jos　that　it　was
impossible　to　refrain　from　laughter。　　The　servants　would
explode　at　dinner　if　the　lad；　asking　for　something　which
wasn't　at　table；　put　on　that　countenance　and　used　that
favourite　phrase。　　Even　Dobbin　would　shoot　out　a　sudden
peal　at　the　boy's　mimicry。　　If　George　did　not　mimic　his
uncle　to　his　face；　it　was　only　by　Dobbin's　rebukes　and
Amelia's　terrified　entreaties　that　the　little　scapegrace　was
induced　to　desist。　　And　the　worthy　civilian　being　haunted
by　a　dim　consciousness　that　the　lad　thought　him　an　ass；
and　was　inclined　to　turn　him　into　ridicule；　used　to　be
extremely　timorous　and；　of　course；　doubly　pompous　and
dignified　in　the　presence　of　Master　Georgy。　　When　it　was
announced　that　the　young　gentleman　was　expected　in
Gillespie　Street　to　dine　with　his　mother；　Mr。　Jos
commonly　found　that　he　had　an　engagement　at　the　Club。
Perhaps　nobody　was　much　grieved　at　his　absence。　　On
those　days　Mr。　Sedley　would　commonly　be　induced　to
come　out　from　his　place　of　refuge　in　the　upper　stories；
and　there　would　be　a　small　family　party；　whereof　Major
Dobbin　pretty　generally　formed　one。　　He　was　the　ami　de
la　maisonold　Sedley's　friend；　Emmy's　friend；　Georgy's
friend；　Jos's　counsel　and　adviser。　　〃He　might　almost　as
well　be　at　Madras　for　anything　WE　see　of　him；〃　Miss
Ann　Dobbin　remarked　at　Camberwell。　　Ah！　　Miss　Ann；　did
it　not　strike　you　that　it　was　not　YOU　whom　the　Major
wanted　to　marry？
Joseph　Sedley　then　led　a　life　of　dignified　otiosity　such
as　became　a　person　of　his　eminence。　　His　very　first　point；
of　course；　was　to　become　a　member　of　the　Oriental　Club；
where　he　spent　his　mornings　in　the　company　of　his
brother　Indians；　where　he　dined；　or　whence　he　brought
home　men　to　dine。
Amelia　had　to　receive　and　entertain　these　gentlemen
and　their　ladies。　　From　these　she　heard　how　soon　Smith
would　be　in　Council；　how　many　lacs　Jones　had　brought
home　with　him；　how　Thomson's　House　in　London　had
refused　the　bills　drawn　by　Thomson；　Kibobjee；　and　Co。；
the　Bombay　House；　and　how　it　was　thought　the　Calcutta
House　must　go　too；　how　very　imprudent；　to　say　the
least　of　it；　Mrs。　Brown's　conduct　（wife　of　Brown　of　the
Ahmednuggur　Irregulars）　had　been　with　young　Swankey
of　the　Body　Guard；　sitting　up　with　him　on　deck　until　all
hours；　and　losing　themselves　as　they　were　riding　out　at
the　Cape；　how　Mrs。　Hardyman　had　had　out　her　thirteen
sisters；　daughters　of　a　country　curate；　the　Rev：　　Felix
Rabbits；　and　married　eleven　of　them；　seven　high　up　in
the　service；　how　Hornby　was　wild　because　his　wife
would　stay　in　Europe；　and　Trotter　was　appointed
Collector　at　Ummerapoora。　　This　and　similar　talk　took　place
at　the　grand　dinners　all　round。　　They　had　the　same
conversation；　the　same　silver　dishes；　the　same　saddles　of
mutton；　boiled　turkeys；　and　entrees。　　Politics　set　in　a
short　time　after　dessert；　when　the　ladies　retired　upstairs
and　talked　about　their　complaints　and　their　children。
Mutato　nomine；　it　is　all　the　same。　　Don't　the　barristers'
wives　talk　about　Circuit？　Don't　the　soldiers'　ladies
gossip　about　the　Regiment？　Don't　the　clergymen's　ladies
discourse　about　Sunday…schools　and　who　takes　whose　duty？
Don't　the　very　greatest　ladies　of　all　talk　about　that　small
clique　of　persons　to　whom　they　belong？　And　why　should
our　Indian　friends　not　have　their　own　conversation？
only　I　admit　it　is　slow　for　the　laymen　whose　fate　it
sometimes　is　to　sit　by　and　listen。
Before　long　Emmy　had　a　visiting…book；　and　was　driving
about　regularly　in　a　carriage；　calling　upon　Lady　Bludyer
（wife　of　Major…General　Sir　Roger　Bludyer；　K。C。B。；　Bengal
Army）；　Lady　Huff；　wife　of　Sir　G。　　Huff；　Bombay　ditto；
Mrs。　Pice；　the　Lady　of　Pice　the　Director；　&c。　　We　are　not
long　in　using　ourselves　to　changes　in　life。　　That　carriage
came　round　to　Gillespie　Street　every　day；　that　buttony
boy　sprang　up　and　down　from　the　box　with　Emmy's　and
Jos's　visiting…cards；　at　stated　hours　Emmy　and　the
carriage　went　for　Jos　to　the　Club　and　took　him　an　airing；
or；　putting　old　Sedley　into　the　vehicle；　she　drove　the　old
man　round　the　Regent's　Park。　　The　lady's　maid　and　the
chariot；　the　visiting…book　and　the　buttony　page；　became
soon　as　familiar　to　Amelia　as　the　humble　routine　of
Brompton。　　She　accommodated　herself　to　one　as　to　the
other。　　If　Fate　had　ordained　that　she　should　be　a　Duchess；
she　would　even　have　done　that　duty　too。　　She　was　voted；　in
Jos's　female　society；　rather　a　pleasing　young　person
not　much　in　her；　but　pleasing；　and　that　sort　of　thing。
The　men；　as　usual；　liked　her　artless　kindness　and
simple　refined　demeanour。　　The　gallant　young　Indian　dandies
at　home　on　furloughimmense　dandies　thesechained
and　moustacheddriving　in　tearing　cabs；　the　pillars　of
the　theatres；　living　at　West　End　hotelsnevertheless
admired　Mrs。　Osborne；　liked　to　bow　to　her　carriage　in　the
park；　and　to　be　admitted　to　have　the　honour　of　paying
her　a　morning　visit。　　Swankey　of　the　Body　Guard
himself；　that　dangerous　youth；　and　the　greatest　buck　of　all
the　Indian　army　now　on　leave；　was　one　day　discovered
by　Major　Dobbin　tete…a…tete　with　Amelia；　and
describing　the　sport　of　pig…sticking　to　her　with　great　humour　and
eloquence；　and　he　spoke　afterwards　of　a　dd　king's
officer　that's　always　hanging　about　the　housea　long；
thin；　queer…looking；　oldish　fellowa　dry　fellow　though；
that　took　the　shine　out　of　a　man　in　the　talking　line。
Had　the　Major　possessed　a　little　more　personal　vanity
he　would　have　been　jealous　of　so　dangerous　a　young
buck　as　that　fascinating　Bengal　Captain。　　But　Dobbin　was
of　too　simple　and　generous　a　nature　to　have　any　doubts
about　Amelia。　　He　was　glad　that　the　young　men　should
pay　her　respect；　and　that　others　should　admire　her。　　Ever
since　her　womanhood　almost；　had　she　not　been
persecuted　and　undervalued？　It　pleased　him　to　see　how
kindness　bought　out　her　good　qualities　and　how　her　spirits
gently　rose　with　her　prosperity。　　Any　person　who
appreciated　her　paid　a　compliment　to　the　Major's　good
judgementthat　is；　if　a　man　may　be　said　to　have　good
judgement　who　is　under　the　influence　of　Love's　delusion。
After　Jos　went　to　Court；　which　we　may　be　sure　he
did　as　a　loyal　subject　of　his　Sovereign　（showing　himself
in　his　full　court　suit　at　the　Club；　whither　Dobbin　came
to　fetch　him　in　a　very　shabby　old　uniform）　he　who　had
always　been　a　staunch　Loyalist　and　admirer　of　George