vanity fair(名利场)-第48部分
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that jackass Fred Bullock is going to marry Maria
there's Goldmore； the East India Director； there's Dipley；
in the tallow tradeOUR trade；〃 George said； with an
uneasy laugh and a blush。 〃Curse the whole pack of money…
grubbing vulgarians！ I fall asleep at their great heavy
dinners。 I feel ashamed in my father's great stupid
parties。 I've been accustomed to live with gentlemen； and
men of the world and fashion； Emmy； not with a parcel
of turtle…fed tradesmen。 Dear little woman； you are the only
person of our set who ever looked； or thought； or spoke
like a lady： and you do it because you're an angel and
can't help it。 Don't remonstrate。 You are the only lady。
Didn't Miss Crawley remark it； who has lived in the
best company in Europe？ And as for Crawley； of the Life
Guards； hang it； he's a fine fellow： and I like him for
marrying the girl he had chosen。〃
Amelia admired Mr。 Crawley very much； too； for this；
and trusted Rebecca would be happy with him； and hoped
（with a laugh） Jos would be consoled。 And so the pair
went on prattling； as in quite early days。 Amelia's
confidence being perfectly restored to her； though she
expressed a great deal of pretty jealousy about Miss Swartz；
and professed to be dreadfully frightenedlike a hypocrite
as she waslest George should forget her for the
heiress and her money and her estates in Saint Kitt's。 But
the fact is； she was a great deal too happy to have fears
or doubts or misgivings of any sort： and having George
at her side again； was not afraid of any heiress or beauty；
or indeed of any sort of danger。
When Captain Dobbin came back in the afternoon to
these peoplewhich he did with a great deal of sympathy
for themit did his heart good to see how Amelia had
grown young againhow she laughed； and chirped； and
sang familiar old songs at the piano； which were only
interrupted by the bell from without proclaiming Mr。
Sedley's return from the City； before whom George received a
signal to retreat。
Beyond the first smile of recognitionand even that was
an hypocrisy； for she thought his arrival rather provoking
Miss Sedley did not once notice Dobbin during his
visit。 But he was content； so that he saw her happy； and
thankful to have been the means of making her so。
CHAPTER XXI
A Quarrel About an Heiress
Love may be felt for any young lady endowed with such
qualities as Miss Swartz possessed； and a great dream of
ambition entered into old Mr。 Osborne's soul； which she
was to realize。 He encouraged； with the utmost enthusiasm
and friendliness； his daughters' amiable attachment to the
young heiress； and protested that it gave him the sincerest
pleasure as a father to see the love of his girls so well disposed。
〃You won't find；〃 he would say to Miss Rhoda； 〃that
splendour and rank to which you are accustomed at the
West End； my dear Miss； at our humble mansion in Russell
Square。 My daughters are plain； disinterested girls； but
their hearts are in the right place； and they've conceived
an attachment for you which does them honourI say；
which does them honour。 I'm a plain； simple； humble
British merchantan honest one； as my respected friends
Hulker and Bullock will vouch； who were the correspondents
of your late lamented father。 You'll find us a
united； simple； happy； and I think I may say respected；
familya plain table； a plain people； but a warm welcome；
my dear Miss RhodaRhoda； let me say； for my
heart warms to you； it does really。 I'm a frank man； and
I like you。 A glass of Champagne！ Hicks； Champagne to
Miss Swartz。〃
There is little doubt that old Osborne believed all he
said； and that the girls were quite earnest in their
protestations of affection for Miss Swartz。 People in Vanity
Fair fasten on to rich folks quite naturally。 If the simplest
people are disposed to look not a little kindly on
great Prosperity （for I defy any member of the British
public to say that the notion of Wealth has not something
awful and pleasing to him； and you； if you are told that
the man next you at dinner has got half a million； not to
look at him with a certain interest）if the simple look
benevolently on money； how much more do your old
worldlings regard it！ Their affections rush out to meet and
welcome money。 Their kind sentiments awaken spontaneously
towards the interesting possessors of it。 I know
some respectable people who don't consider themselves
at liberty to indulge in friendship for any individual who
has not a certain competency； or place in society。 They
give a loose to their feelings on proper occasions。 And
the proof is； that the major part of the Osborne family；
who had not； in fifteen years； been able to get up a
hearty regard for Amelia Sedley； became as fond of Miss
Swartz in the course of a single evening as the most
romantic advocate of friendship at first sight could desire。
What a match for George she'd be （the sisters and
Miss Wirt agreed）； and how much better than that
insignificant little Amelia！ Such a dashing young fellow as
he is； with his good looks； rank； and accomplishments；
would be the very husband for her。 Visions of balls in
Portland Place； presentations at Court； and introductions
to half the peerage； filled the minds of the young ladies；
who talked of nothing but George and his grand
acquaintances to their beloved new friend。
Old Osborne thought she would be a great match； too；
for his son。 He should leave the army； he should go into
Parliament； he should cut a figure in the fashion and in
the state。 His blood boiled with honest British exultation；
as he saw the name of Osborne ennobled in the person
of his son； and thought that he might be the progenitor of
a glorious line of baronets。 He worked in the City and on
'Change； until he knew everything relating to the fortune
of the heiress； how her money was placed； and where her
estates lay。 Young Fred Bullock； one of his chief informants；
would have liked to make a bid for her himself
（it was so the young banker expressed it）； only he was
booked to Maria Osborne。 But not being able to secure
her as a wife； the disinterested Fred quite approved of her
as a sister…in…law。 〃Let George cut in directly and win
her；〃 was his advice。 〃Strike while the iron's hot； you
knowwhile she's fresh to the town： in a few weeks
some d fellow from the West End will come in with a
title and a rotten rent…roll and cut all us City men out； as
Lord Fitzrufus did last year with Miss Grogram； who was
actually engaged to Podder； of Podder & Brown's。 The
sooner it is done the better； Mr。 Osborne； them's my
sentiments；〃 the wag said； though； when Osborne had left
the bank parlour； Mr。 Bullock remembered Amelia； and
what a pretty girl she was； and how attached to George
Osborne； and he gave up at least ten seconds of his
valuable time to regretting the misfortune which had
befallen that unlucky young woman。
While thus George Osborne's good feelings； and his
good friend and genius； Dobbin； were carrying back the
truant to Amelia's feet； George's parent and sisters were
arranging this splendid match for him； which they never
dreamed he would resist。
When the elder Osborne gave what he called 〃a hint；〃
there was no possibility for the most obtuse to mistake
his meaning。 He called kicking a footman downstairs a
hint to the latter to leave his service。 With his usual
frankness and delicacy he told Mrs。 Haggistoun that he
would give her a cheque for five thousand pounds on the
day his son was married to her ward； and called that
proposal a hint； and considered it a very dexterous piece
of diplomacy。 He gave George finally such another hint
regarding the heiress； and ordered him to marry her out
of hand； as he would have ordered his butler to draw a
cork； or his clerk to write a letter。
This imperative hint disturbed George a good deal。 He
was in the very first enthusiasm and delight of his second
courtship of Amelia； which was inexpressibly sweet
to him。 The contrast of her manners and appearance with
those of the heiress； made the idea of a union with the
latter appear doubly ludicrous and odious。 Carriages and
opera…boxes； thought he； fancy being seen in them by the
side of such a mahogany charmer as that！ Add to all
that the junior Osborne was quite as obstinate as the
senior： when he wanted a thing； quite as firm in his
resolution to get it； and quite as violent when angered；
as his father in his most stern moments。
On the first day when his father formally gave him the
hint that he was to place his affections at Miss Swartz's
feet； George temporised with the old gentleman。 〃You
should have thought of the matter sooner； sir；〃 he said。
〃It can't be done now； when we're expecting every day
to go on foreign service。 Wait till my return； if I do
return〃； and then he represented； that the time when the
regiment was daily expecting to quit England； was
exceedingly ill…chosen： that the few days or weeks during
which they were still to remain at home； must be
devoted to business and not to love…making： time enough
for that when he came home with his majority； 〃for； I
promise you；〃 said he； with a satisfied air； 〃that one
way or other you shall read the name of George Osborne
in the Gazette。〃
The father's reply to this was founded upon the
information which he had got in the City： that the West
End chaps would infallibly catch hold of the heiress if
any delay took place： that if he didn't marry Miss S。； he
might at least have an engagement in writing； to come
into effect when he returned to England； and that a man
who could get ten thousand a year by staying at home；
was a fool to risk his life abroad。
〃So that you would have me shown up as a coward； sir；
and our name dishonoured for the sake of Miss Swartz's
money；〃 George interposed。
This remark staggered the old gentleman； but as he
had to reply to it； and as his mind was nevertheless
made up； he said； 〃You will dine here to…morrow； sir；
and every day Miss Swartz comes； you will be here to
pay your respects to her。 If you want for money； call
upon Mr。 Chopper。〃 Thus a new obstacle was in George's
way； to interfere with his plans regarding Amelia； and
about which he and Dobbin had more than one confide
