vanity fair(名利场)-第70部分

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whom　unseen　he　might　be　about　to　part。　　Oh；　how　he
wished　that　night's　work　undone！　　and　that　with　a　clear
conscience　at　least　he　might　say　farewell　to　the　tender
and　guileless　being　by　whose　love　he　had　set　such　little
store！
He　thought　over　his　brief　married　life。　　In　those　few
weeks　he　had　frightfully　dissipated　his　little　capital。　　How
wild　and　reckless　he　had　been！　　Should　any　mischance
befall　him：　　what　was　then　left　for　her？　　How　unworthy　he
was　of　her。　　Why　had　he　married　her？　　He　was　not　fit　for
marriage。　　Why　had　he　disobeyed　his　father；　who　had　been
always　so　generous　to　him？　　Hope；　remorse；　ambition；
tenderness；　and　selfish　regret　filled　his　heart。　　He　sate
down　and　wrote　to　his　father；　remembering　what　he　had
said　once　before；　when　he　was　engaged　to　fight　a　duel。
Dawn　faintly　streaked　the　sky　as　he　closed　this　farewell
letter。　　He　sealed　it；　and　kissed　the　superscription。　　He
thought　how　he　had　deserted　that　generous　father；　and　of
the　thousand　kindnesses　which　the　stern　old　man　had
done　him。
He　had　looked　into　Amelia's　bedroom　when　he　entered；
she　lay　quiet；　and　her　eyes　seemed　closed；　and　he
was　glad　that　she　was　asleep。　　On　arriving　at　his　quarters
from　the　ball；　he　had　found　his　regimental　servant　already
making　preparations　for　his　departure：　　the　man
had　understood　his　signal　to　be　still；　and　these　arrangements
were　very　quickly　and　silently　made。　　Should　he　go
in　and　wake　Amelia；　he　thought；　or　leave　a　note　for　her
brother　to　break　the　news　of　departure　to　her？　　He　went
in　to　look　at　her　once　again。
She　had　been　awake　when　he　first　entered　her　room；
but　had　kept　her　eyes　closed；　so　that　even　her　wakefulness
should　not　seem　to　reproach　him。　　But　when　he　had
returned；　so　soon　after　herself；　too；　this　timid　little　heart
had　felt　more　at　ease；　and　turning　towards　him　as　he
stept　softly　out　of　the　room；　she　had　fallen　into　a　light
sleep。　　George　came　in　and　looked　at　her　again；　entering
still　more　softly。　　By　the　pale　night…lamp　he　could　see　her
sweet；　pale　facethe　purple　eyelids　were　fringed　and
closed；　and　one　round　arm；　smooth　and　white；　lay　outside
of　the　coverlet。　　Good　God！　　how　pure　she　was；　how
gentle；　how　tender；　and　how　friendless！　　and　he；　how
selfish；　brutal；　and　black　with　crime！　　Heart…stained；　and
shame…stricken；　he　stood　at　the　bed's　foot；　and　looked　at
the　sleeping　girl。　　How　dared　hewho　was　he；　to　pray　for
one　so　spotless！　　God　bless　her！　　God　bless　her！　　He　came　to
the　bedside；　and　looked　at　the　hand；　the　little　soft　hand；
lying　asleep；　and　he　bent　over　the　pillow　noiselessly
towards　the　gentle　pale　face。
Two　fair　arms　closed　tenderly　round　his　neck　as　he
stooped　down。　　〃I　am　awake；　George；〃　the　poor　child　said；
with　a　sob　fit　to　break　the　little　heart　that　nestled　so
closely　by　his　own。　　She　was　awake；　poor　soul；　and　to
railings　and　the　beadle：　who；　if　she　walked　ever　so　short
a　distance　to　buy　a　ribbon　in　Southampton　Row；　was
followed　by　Black　Sambo　with　an　enormous　cane：　who
was　always　cared　for；　dressed；　put　to　bed；　and　watched
over　by　ever　so　many　guardian　angels；　with　and　without
wages？　　Bon　Dieu；　I　say；　is　it　not　hard　that　the　fateful
rush　of　the　great　Imperial　struggle　can't　take　place　without
affecting　a　poor　little　harmless　girl　of　eighteen；　who
is　occupied　in　billing　and　cooing；　or　working　muslin
collars　in　Russell　Square？　　You　too；　kindly；　homely　flower！
is　the　great　roaring　war　tempest　coming　to　sweep　you
down；　here；　although　cowering　under　the　shelter　of
Holborn？　　Yes；　Napoleon　is　flinging　his　last　stake；　and　poor
little　Emmy　Sedley's　happiness　forms；　somehow；　part　of　it。
　　
In　the　first　place；　her　father's　fortune　was　swept　down
with　that　fatal　news。　　All　his　speculations　had　of　late　gone
wrong　with　the　luckless　old　gentleman。　　Ventures　had
failed；　merchants　had　broken；　funds　had　risen　when　he
calculated　they　would　fall。　　What　need　to　particularize？
If　success　is　rare　and　slow；　everybody　knows　how　quick
and　easy　ruin　is。　　Old　Sedley　had　kept　his　own　sad　counsel。
Everything　seemed　to　go　on　as　usual　in　the　quiet；
opulent　house；　the　good…natured　mistress　pursuing；　quite
unsuspiciously；　her　bustling　idleness；　and　daily　easy
avocations；　the　daughter　absorbed　still　in　one　selfish；　tender
thought；　and　quite　regardless　of　all　the　world　besides；
when　that　final　crash　came；　under　which　the　worthy
family　fell。
　　
One　night　Mrs。　Sedley　was　writing　cards　for　a　party；
the　Osbornes　had　given　one；　and　she　must　not　be
behindhand；　John　Sedley；　who　had　come　home　very　late　from
the　City；　sate　silent　at　the　chimney　side；　while　his　wife
was　prattling　to　him；　Emmy　had　gone　up　to　her　room
ailing　and　low…spirited。　　〃She's　not　happy；〃　the　mother
went　on。　　〃George　Osborne　neglects　her。　　I've　no　patience
with　the　airs　of　those　people。　　The　girls　have　not　been　in
the　house　these　three　weeks；　and　George　has　been　twice
in　town　without　coming。　　Edward　Dale　saw　him　at　the
Opera。　　Edward　would　marry　her　I'm　sure：　and　there's
Captain　Dobbin　who；　I　think；　wouldonly　I　hate　all
army　men。　　Such　a　dandy　as　George　has　become。　　With
his　military　airs；　indeed！　　We　must　show　some　folks　that
we're　as　good　as　they。　　Only　give　Edward　Dale　any
encouragement；　and　you'll　see。　　We　must　have　a　party；　Mr。
S。　　Why　don't　you　speak；　John？　　Shall　I　say　Tuesday　fortnight？
Why　don't　you　answer？　Good　God；　John；　what　has　happened？〃
　　
John　Sedley　sprang　up　out　of　his　chair　to　meet　his
wife；　who　ran　to　him。　　He　seized　her　in　his　arms；　and
said　with　a　hasty　voice；　〃We're　ruined；　Mary。　　We've
got　the　world　to　begin　over　again；　dear。　　It's　best　that　you
should　know　all；　and　at　once。〃　　As　he　spoke；　he　trembled
in　every　limb；　and　almost　fell。　　He　thought　the　news　would
have　overpowered　his　wifehis　wife；　to　whom　he　had
never　said　a　hard　word。　　But　it　was　he　that　was　the　most
moved；　sudden　as　the　shock　was　to　her。　　When　he　sank
back　into　his　seat；　it　was　the　wife　that　took　the　office　of
consoler。　　She　took　his　trembling　hand；　and　kissed　it；　and
put　it　round　her　neck：　she　called　him　her　Johnher　dear
Johnher　old　manher　kind　old　man；　she　poured　out　a
hundred　words　of　incoherent　love　and　tenderness；　her
faithful　voice　and　simple　caresses　wrought　this　sad　heart
up　to　an　inexpressible　delight　and　anguish；　and　cheered
and　solaced　his　over…burdened　soul。
　　
Only　once　in　the　course　of　the　long　night　as　they　sate
together；　and　poor　Sedley　opened　his　pent…up　soul；　and
told　the　story　of　his　losses　and　embarrassmentsthe
treason　of　some　of　his　oldest　friends；　the　manly　kindness
of　some；　from　whom　he　never　could　have　expected　itin
a　general　confessiononly　once　did　the　faithful　wife　give
way　to　emotion。
　　
〃My　God；　my　God；　it　will　break　Emmy's　heart；〃　she
said。
　　
The　father　had　forgotten　the　poor　girl。　　She　was　lying；
awake　and　unhappy；　overhead。　　In　the　midst　of　friends；
home；　and　kind　parents；　she　was　alone。　　To　how　many
people　can　any　one　tell　all？　　Who　will　be　open　where　there
is　no　sympathy；　or　has　call　to　speak　to　those　who　never
can　understand？　　Our　gentle　Amelia　was　thus　solitary。　　She
had　no　confidante；　so　to　speak；　ever　since　she　had　anything
to　confide。　　She　could　not　tell　the　old　mother　her
doubts　and　cares；　the　would…be　sisters　seemed　every　day
more　strange　to　her。　　And　she　had　misgivings　and　fears
which　she　dared　not　acknowledge　to　herself；　though　she
was　always　secretly　brooding　over　them。
Her　heart　tried　to　persist　in　asserting　that　George
Osborne　was　worthy　and　faithful　to　her；　though　she　knew
otherwise。　　How　many　a　thing　had　she　said；　and　got　no
echo　from　him。　　How　many　suspicions　of　selfishness　and
indifference　had　she　to　encounter　and　obstinately
overcome。　　To　whom　could　the　poor　little　martyr　tell　these
daily　struggles　and　tortures？　　Her　hero　himself　only　half
understood　her。　　She　did　not　dare　to　own　that　the　man　she
loved　was　her　inferior；　or　to　feel　that　she　had　given　her
heart　away　too　soon。　　Given　once；　the　pure　bashful
maiden　was　too　modest；　too　tender；　too　trustful；　too
weak；　too　much　woman　to　recall　it。　　We　are　Turks　with
the　affections　of　our　women；　and　have　made　them
subscribe　to　our　doctrine　too。　　We　let　their　bodies　go　abroad
liberally　enough；　with　smiles　and　ringlets　and　pink
bonnets　to　disguise　them　instead　of　veils　and　yakmaks。　　But
their　souls　must　be　seen　by　only　one　man；　and　they　obey
not　unwillingly；　and　consent　to　remain　at　home　as　our
slavesministering　to　us　and　doing　drudgery　for　us。
So　imprisoned　and　tortured　was　this　gentle　little　heart；
when　in　the　month　of　March；　Anno　Domini　1815；
Napoleon　landed　at　Cannes；　and　Louis　XVIII　fled；　and　all
Europe　was　in　alarm；　and　the　funds　fell；　and　old　John
Sedley　was　ruined。
We　are　not　going　to　follow　the　worthy　old　stockbroker
through　those　last　pangs　and　agonies　of　ruin　through
which　he　passed　before　his　commercial　demise　befell。
They　declared　him　at　the　Stock　Exchange；　he　was
absent　from　his　house　of　business：　his　bills　were　protested：
his　act　of　bankruptcy　formal。　　The　house　and　furniture　of
Russell　Square　were　seized　and　sold　up；　and　he　and　his
family　were　thrust　away；　as　we　have　seen；　to　hide　their
heads　where　they　might。
John　Sedley　had　not　the　heart　to　review　the　domestic
establishment　who　have　appeared　now　and　anon　in　our
pages　and　of　whom　he　was　now　forced　by　poverty　to
take　leave。　　The　wages　of　those　worthy　people　were
discharged　with　that　punctuality　which　men　frequently　show
who　only　owe　in　great　sumsthey　were　sorry　to　leave
good　placesbut　they　did　not　break　their　hearts　at　parting
from　their　adored　master　and　mistress。　　Amelia's　maid
was　profuse　in　condolences；　but　went　off　quite　resigned
to　better　herself　in　a　genteeler　quarter　of　the　town。　　Black
Sambo；　with　the　infatuation　of　his　profession；　determined
on　setting　up　a　public…house。　　Honest　old　Mrs。　Blenkinsop
indeed；　who　had　seen　the　birth　of　Jos　and　Amelia；　and
the　wooing　of　John　Sedley　and　his　wife；　was　for　staying
by　them　without　wages；　having　amassed　a　considerable
sum　in　their　service：　and　she　accompanied　the　fallen
people　into　their　new　and　humble　place　of　refuge；　where
she　tended　them　and　grumbled　against　them　for　a　while。
Of　all　Sedley's　opponents　in　his　debates　with　his　creditors
which　now　ensued；　and　harassed　the　feelings　of　the