vanity fair(名利场)-第58部分

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In　their　little　drives　and　dinners；　Becky；　of　course；
quite　outshone　poor　Emmy；　who　remained　very　mute
and　timid　while　Mrs。　Crawley　and　her　husband　rattled
away　together；　and　Captain　Crawley　（and　Jos　after　he
joined　the　young　married　people）　gobbled　in　silence。
Emmy's　mind　somehow　misgave　her　about　her　friend。
Rebecca's　wit；　spirits；　and　accomplishments　troubled　her
with　a　rueful　disquiet。　　They　were　only　a　week　married；
and　here　was　George　already　suffering　ennui；　and　eager
for　others'　society！　　She　trembled　for　the　future。　　How
shall　I　be　a　companion　for　him；　she　thoughtso　clever
and　so　brilliant；　and　I　such　a　humble　foolish　creature？
How　noble　it　was　of　him　to　marry　meto　give　up　everything
and　stoop　down　to　me！　　I　ought　to　have　refused
him；　only　I　had　not　the　heart。　　I　ought　to　have　stopped　at
home　and　taken　care　of　poor　Papa。　　And　her　neglect　of
her　parents　（and　indeed　there　was　some　foundation　for
this　charge　which　the　poor　child's　uneasy　conscience
brought　against　her）　was　now　remembered　for　the　first
time；　and　caused　her　to　blush　with　humiliation。　　Oh！
thought　she；　I　have　been　very　wicked　and　selfishselfish
in　forgetting　them　in　their　sorrowsselfish　in　forcing
George　to　marry　me。　　I　know　I'm　not　worthy　of　himI
know　he　would　have　been　happy　without　meand　yet
I　tried；　I　tried　to　give　him　up。
It　is　hard　when；　before　seven　days　of　marriage　are
over；　such　thoughts　and　confessions　as　these　force
themselves　on　a　little　bride's　mind。　　But　so　it　was；　and　the
night　before　Dobbin　came　to　join　these　young　people
on　a　fine　brilliant　moonlight　night　of　Mayso　warm
and　balmy　that　the　windows　were　flung　open　to　the　balcony；
from　which　George　and　Mrs。　Crawley　were　gazing　upon
the　calm　ocean　spread　shining　before　them；
while　Rawdon　and　Jos　were　engaged　at　backgammon
withinAmelia　couched　in　a　great　chair　quite　neglected；　and
watching　both　these　parties；　felt　a　despair　and　remorse
such　as　were　bitter　companions　for　that　tender　lonely
soul。　　Scarce　a　week　was　past；　and　it　was　come　to　this！
The　future；　had　she　regarded　it；　offered　a　dismal　prospect；
but　Emmy　was　too　shy；　so　to　speak；　to　look　to　that；
and　embark　alone　on　that　wide　sea；　and　unfit　to　navigate
it　without　a　guide　and　protector。　　I　know　Miss　Smith　has
a　mean　opinion　of　her。　　But　how　many；　my　dear　Madam；
are　endowed　with　your　prodigious　strength　of　mind？
〃Gad；　what　a　fine　night；　and　how　bright　the　moon　is！〃
George　said；　with　a　puff　of　his　cigar；　which　went　soaring
up　skywards。
〃How　delicious　they　smell　in　the　open　air！　　I　adore
them。　　Who'd　think　the　moon　was　two　hundred　and　thirty…
six　thousand　eight　hundred　and　forty…seven　miles　off？〃
Becky　added；　gazing　at　that　orb　with　a　smile。　　〃Isn't　it
clever　of　me　to　remember　that？　　Pooh！　　we　learned　it　all
at　Miss　Pinkerton's！　　How　calm　the　sea　is；　and　how　clear
everything。　　I　declare　I　can　almost　see　the　coast　of
France！〃　and　her　bright　green　eyes　streamed　out；　and
shot　into　the　night　as　if　they　could　see　through　it。
〃Do　you　know　what　I　intend　to　do　one　morning？〃　she
said；　〃I　find　I　can　swim　beautifully；　and　some　day；　when
my　Aunt　Crawley's　companionold　Briggs；　you　know
you　remember　herthat　hook…nosed　woman；　with　the
long　wisps　of　hairwhen　Briggs　goes　out　to　bathe；　I
intend　to　dive　under　her　awning；　and　insist　on　a
reconciliation　in　the　water。　　Isn't　that　a　stratagem？〃
George　burst　out　laughing　at　the　idea　of　this　aquatic
meeting。　　〃What's　the　row　there；　you　two？〃　Rawdon
shouted　out；　rattling　the　box。　　Amelia　was　making　a　fool
of　herself　in　an　absurd　hysterical　manner；　and　retired
to　her　own　room　to　whimper　in　private。
Our　history　is　destined　in　this　chapter　to　go　backwards
and　forwards　in　a　very　irresolute　manner　seemingly；　and
having　conducted　our　story　to　to…morrow　presently；　we
shall　immediately　again　have　occasion　to　step　back　to
yesterday；　so　that　the　whole　of　the　tale　may　get　a　hearing。
As　you　behold　at　her　Majesty's　drawing…room；　the
ambassadors'　and　high　dignitaries'　carriages　whisk　off
from　a　private　door；　while　Captain　Jones's　ladies　are　waiting
for　their　fly：　as　you　see　in　the　Secretary　of　the　Treasury's
　antechamber；　a　half…dozen　of　petitioners　waiting
patiently　for　their　audience；　and　called　out　one　by　one；
when　suddenly　an　Irish　member　or　some　eminent　personage
enters　the　apartment；　and　instantly　walks　into　Mr。
Under…Secretary　over　the　heads　of　all　the　people　present：
so　in　the　conduct　of　a　tale；　the　romancer　is　obliged　to
exercise　this　most　partial　sort　of　justice。　　Although　all　the
little　incidents　must　be　heard；　yet　they　must　be　put　off
when　the　great　events　make　their　appearance；　and　surely
such　a　circumstance　as　that　which　brought　Dobbin　to
Brighton；　viz。；　the　ordering　out　of　the　Guards　and　the　line
to　Belgium；　and　the　mustering　of　the　allied　armies　in　that
country　under　the　command　of　his　Grace　the　Duke　of
Wellingtonsuch　a　dignified　circumstance　as　that；　I　say；
was　entitled　to　the　pas　over　all　minor　occurrences　whereof
this　history　is　composed　mainly；　and　hence　a　little
trifling　disarrangement　and　disorder　was　excusable　and
becoming。　　We　have　only　now　advanced　in　time　so　far
beyond　Chapter　XXII　as　to　have　got　our　various　characters
up　into　their　dressing…rooms　before　the　dinner；
which　took　place　as　usual　on　the　day　of　Dobbin's　arrival。
George　was　too　humane　or　too　much　occupied　with　the
tie　of　his　neckcloth　to　convey　at　once　all　the　news　to
Amelia　which　his　comrade　had　brought　with　him　from
London。　　He　came　into　her　room；　however；　holding　the
attorney's　letter　in　his　hand；　and　with　so　solemn　and
important　an　air　that　his　wife；　always　ingeniously　on
the　watch　for　calamity；　thought　the　worst　was　about　to
befall；　and　running　up　to　her　husband；　besought　her
dearest　George　to　tell　her　everythinghe　was　ordered
abroad；　there　would　be　a　battle　next　weekshe　knew
there　would。
Dearest　George　parried　the　question　about　foreign
service；　and　with　a　melancholy　shake　of　the　head　said；
〃No；　Emmy；　it　isn't　that：　　it's　not　myself　I　care　about：
it's　you。　　I　have　had　bad　news　from　my　father。　　He　refuses
any　communication　with　me；　he　has　flung　us　off；　and
leaves　us　to　poverty。　　I　can　rough　it　well　enough；　but
you；　my　dear；　how　will　you　bear　it？　read　here。〃　And　he
handed　her　over　the　letter。
Amelia；　with　a　look　of　tender　alarm　in　her　eyes；
listened　to　her　noble　hero　as　he　uttered　the　above　generous
sentiments；　and　sitting　down　on　the　bed；　read　the　letter
which　George　gave　her　with　such　a　pompous　martyr…like
air。　　Her　face　cleared　up　as　she　read　the　document；　however。
The　idea　of　sharing　poverty　and　privation　in　company
with　the　beloved　object　is；　as　we　have　before　said；
far　from　being　disagreeable　to　a　warm…hearted　woman。
The　notion　was　actually　pleasant　to　little　Amelia。　　Then；
as　usual；　she　was　ashamed　of　herself　for　feeling　happy　at
such　an　indecorous　moment；　and　checked　her　pleasure；
saying　demurely；　〃O；　George；　how　your　poor　heart　must
bleed　at　the　idea　of　being　separated　from　your　papa！〃
〃It　does；〃　said　George；　with　an　agonised　countenance。
〃But　he　can't　be　angry　with　you　long；〃　she　continued。
〃Nobody　could；　I'm　sure。　　He　must　forgive　you；　my
dearest；　kindest　husband。　　O；　I　shall　never　forgive　myself
if　he　does　not。〃
〃What　vexes　me；　my　poor　Emmy；　is　not　my　misfortune；
but　yours；〃　George　said。　　〃I　don't　care　for　a　little
poverty；　and　I　think；　without　vanity；　I've　talents　enough
to　make　my　own　way。〃
〃That　you　have；〃　interposed　his　wife；　who　thought　that
war　should　cease；　and　her　husband　should　be　made　a
general　instantly。
〃Yes；　I　shall　make　my　way　as　well　as　another；〃　Osborne
went　on；　〃but　you；　my　dear　girl；　how　can　I　bear
your　being　deprived　of　the　comforts　and　station　in
society　which　my　wife　had　a　right　to　expect？　　My　dearest
girl　in　barracks；　the　wife　of　a　soldier　in　a　marching
regiment；　subject　to　all　sorts　of　annoyance　and　privation！
It　makes　me　miserable。〃
Emmy；　quite　at　ease；　as　this　was　her　husband's　only
cause　of　disquiet；　took　his　hand；　and　with　a　radiant　face
and　smile　began　to　warble　that　stanza　from　the　favourite
song　of　〃Wapping　Old　Stairs；〃　in　which　the　heroine；　after
rebuking　her　Tom　for　inattention；　promises　〃his　trousers
to　mend；　and　his　grog　too　to　make；〃　if　he　will　be　constant
and　kind；　and　not　forsake　her。　　〃Besides；〃　she　said；
after　a　pause；　during　which　she　looked　as　pretty　and
happy　as　any　young　woman　need；　〃isn't　two　thousand
pounds　an　immense　deal　of　money；　George？〃
George　laughed　at　her　naivete；　and　finally　they　went
down　to　dinner；　Amelia　clinging　to　George's　arm；　still
warbling　the　tune　of　〃Wapping　Old　Stairs；〃　and　more
pleased　and　light　of　mind　than　she　had　been　for　some
days　past。
Thus　the　repast；　which　at　length　came　off；　instead　of
being　dismal；　was　an　exceedingly　brisk　and　merry　one。
The　excitement　of　the　campaign　counteracted　in　George's
mind　the　depression　occasioned　by　the　disinheriting　letter。
Dobbin　still　kept　up　his　character　of　rattle。　　He　amused
the　company　with　accounts　of　the　army　in　Belgium；
where　nothing　but　fetes　and　gaiety　and　fashion　were
going　on。　　Then；　having　a　particular　end　in　view；　this
dexterous　captain　proceeded　to　describe　Mrs。　Major
O'Dowd　packing　her　own　and　her　Major's　wardrobe；　and
how　his　best　epaulets　had　been　stowed　into　a　tea　canister；
whilst　her　own　famous　yellow　turban；　with　the　bird　of
paradise　wrapped　in　brown　paper；　was　locked　up　in　the
Major's　tin　cocked…hat　case；　and　wondered　what　effect
it　would　have　at　the　French　king's　court　at　Ghent；　or　the
great　military　balls　at　Brussels。
〃Ghent！　Brussels！〃　cried　out　Amelia　with　a　sudden
shock　and　start。　　〃Is　the　regiment　ordered　away；　George
is　it　ordered　away？〃　A　look　of　terror　came　over　the
sweet　smiling　face；　and　she　clung　to　George　as　by　an
instinct。
〃Don't　be　afraid；　dear；〃　he　said　good…naturedly；　〃it
is　but　a　twelve　hours'　passage。　　It　won't　hurt　you。　　You
shall　go；　too；　Emmy。〃
〃I　intend　to　go；〃　said　Becky。　　〃I'm　on　the　staff。　　General
Tufto　is　a　great　flirt　of　mine。　　Isn't　he；　Rawdon？〃
Rawdon　laughed　out　with　his　usual　roar。　　William
Dobbin　flushed　up　quite　red。　　〃She　can't　go；〃　he　said；　〃think
of　theof　the　danger；〃　he　was　going　to　add；　but　had
not　all　his　conversation　during　dinner…time　tended　to
prove　there　was　none？　　He　became　very　confused