vanity fair(名利场)-第75部分

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felt　a　guilty　shock　as　he　looked　at　her。　　〃Good　God；〃
thought　he；　〃and　is　it　grief　like　this　I　dared　to　pry　into？〃
And　there　was　no　help：　　no　means　to　soothe　and　comfort
this　helpless；　speechless　misery。　　He　stood　for　a　moment
and　looked　at　her；　powerless　and　torn　with　pity；　as　a
parent　regards　an　infant　in　pain。
At　last；　George　took　Emmy's　hand；　and　led　her　back
into　the　bedroom；　from　whence　he　came　out　alone。　　The
parting　had　taken　place　in　that　moment；　and　he　was　gone。
〃Thank　Heaven　that　is　over；〃　George　thought；　bounding
down　the　stair；　his　sword　under　his　arm；　as　he　ran
swiftly　to　the　alarm　ground；　where　the　regiment　was
mustered；　and　whither　trooped　men　and　officers　hurrying
from　their　billets；　his　pulse　was　throbbing　and　his　cheeks
flushed：　　the　great　game　of　war　was　going　to　be　played；
and　he　one　of　the　players。　　What　a　fierce　excitement　of
doubt；　hope；　and　pleasure！　　What　tremendous　hazards　of
loss　or　gain！　　What　were　all　the　games　of　chance　he　had
ever　played　compared　to　this　one？　　Into　all　contests
requiring　athletic　skill　and　courage；　the　young　man；　from
his　boyhood　upwards；　had　flung　himself　with　all　his　might。
The　champion　of　his　school　and　his　regiment；　the　bravos
of　his　companions　had　followed　him　everywhere；　from
the　boys'　cricket…match　to　the　garrison…races；　he　had　won
a　hundred　of　triumphs；　and　wherever　he　went　women
and　men　had　admired　and　envied　him。　　What　qualities
are　there　for　which　a　man　gets　so　speedy　a　return　of
applause；　as　those　of　bodily　superiority；　activity；　and
valour？　　Time　out　of　mind　strength　and　courage　have　been
the　theme　of　bards　and　romances；　and　from　the　story　of
Troy　down　to　to…day；　poetry　has　always　chosen　a　soldier
for　a　hero。　　I　wonder　is　it　because　men　are　cowards　in
heart　that　they　admire　bravery　so　much；　and　place
military　valour　so　far　beyond　every　other　quality　for
reward　and　worship？
So；　at　the　sound　of　that　stirring　call　to　battle；　George
jumped　away　from　the　gentle　arms　in　which　he　had　been
dallying；　not　without　a　feeling　of　shame　（although　his
wife's　hold　on　him　had　been　but　feeble）；　that　he　should
have　been　detained　there　so　long。　　The　same　feeling　of
eagerness　and　excitement　was　amongst　all　those　friends
of　his　of　whom　we　have　had　occasional　glimpses；　from
the　stout　senior　Major；　who　led　the　regiment　into　action；
to　little　Stubble；　the　Ensign；　who　was　to　bear　its　colours
on　that　day。
The　sun　was　just　rising　as　the　march　beganit　was
a　gallant　sightthe　band　led　the　column；　playing　the
regimental　marchthen　came　the　Major　in　command；
riding　upon　Pyramus；　his　stout　chargerthen　marched
the　grenadiers；　their　Captain　at　their　head；　in　the　centre
were　the　colours；　borne　by　the　senior　and　junior　Ensigns
then　George　came　marching　at　the　head　of　his　company。
He　looked　up；　and　smiled　at　Amelia；　and　passed
on；　and　even　the　sound　of　the　music　died　away。

CHAPTER　XXXI
In　Which　Jos　Sedley　Takes　Care　of　His　Sister
Thus　all　the　superior　officers　being　summoned　on　duty
elsewhere；　Jos　Sedley　was　left　in　command　of　the　little
colony　at　Brussels；　with　Amelia　invalided；　Isidor；　his
Belgian　servant；　and　the　bonne；　who　was　maid…of…all…work
for　the　establishment；　as　a　garrison　under　him。　　Though
he　was　disturbed　in　spirit；　and　his　rest　destroyed　by
Dobbin's　interruption　and　the　occurrences　of　the　morning；
Jos　nevertheless　remained　for　many　hours　in　bed；
wakeful　and　rolling　about　there　until　his　usual　hour　of
rising　had　arrived。　　The　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens；　and
our　gallant　friends　of　the　th　miles　on　their　march；
before　the　civilian　appeared　in　his　flowered　dressing…gown
at　breakfast。
　
About　George's　absence；　his　brother…in…law　was　very
easy　in　mind。　　Perhaps　Jos　was　rather　pleased　in　his　heart
that　Osborne　was　gone；　for　during　George's　presence；　the
other　had　played　but　a　very　secondary　part　in　the
household；　and　Osborne　did　not　scruple　to　show　his　contempt
for　the　stout　civilian。　　But　Emmy　had　always　been　good
and　attentive　to　him。　　It　was　she　who　ministered　to　his
comforts；　who　superintended　the　dishes　that　he　liked；
who　walked　or　rode　with　him　（as　she　had　many；　too
many；　opportunities　of　doing；　for　where　was　George？）
and　who　interposed　her　sweet　face　between　his　anger
and　her　husband's　scorn。　　Many　timid　remonstrances　had
she　uttered　to　George　in　behalf　of　her　brother；　but　the
former　in　his　trenchant　way　cut　these　entreaties　short。
〃I'm　an　honest　man；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　I　have　a　feeling
I　show　it；　as　an　honest　man　will。　　How　the　deuce；　my
dear；　would　you　have　me　behave　respectfully　to　such　a
fool　as　your　brother？〃　　So　Jos　was　pleased　with　George's
absence。　　His　plain　hat；　and　gloves　on　a　sideboard；　and
the　idea　that　the　owner　was　away；　caused　Jos　I　don't
know　what　secret　thrill　of　pleasure。　　〃HE　won't　be
troubling　me　this　morning；〃　Jos　thought；　〃with　his
dandified　airs　and　his　impudence。〃
　
〃Put　the　Captain's　hat　into　the　ante…room；〃　he　said
to　Isidor；　the　servant。
　
〃Perhaps　he　won't　want　it　again；〃　replied　the　lackey；
looking　knowingly　at　his　master。　　He　hated　George　too；
whose　insolence　towards　him　was　quite　of　the　English
sort。
　
〃And　ask　if　Madame　is　coming　to　breakfast；〃　Mr。
Sedley　said　with　great　majesty；　ashamed　to　enter　with　a
servant　upon　the　subject　of　his　dislike　for　George。　　The
truth　is；　he　had　abused　his　brother　to　the　valet　a　score
of　times　before。
Alas！　　Madame　could　not　come　to　breakfast；　and　cut
the　tartines　that　Mr。　Jos　liked。　　Madame　was　a　great　deal
too　ill；　and　had　been　in　a　frightful　state　ever　since　her
husband's　departure；　so　her　bonne　said。　　Jos　showed　his
sympathy　by　pouring　her　out　a　large　cup　of　tea　It　was
his　way　of　exhibiting　kindness：　　and　he　improved　on　this；
he　not　only　sent　her　breakfast；　but　he　bethought　him
what　delicacies　she　would　most　like　for　dinner。
Isidor；　the　valet；　had　looked　on　very　sulkily；　while
Osborne's　servant　was　disposing　of　his　master's　baggage
previous　to　the　Captain's　departure：　　for　in　the　first　place
he　hated　Mr。　Osborne；　whose　conduct　to　him；　and　to
all　inferiors；　was　generally　overbearing　（nor　does　the
continental　domestic　like　to　be　treated　with　insolence　as
our　own　better…tempered　servants　do）；　and　secondly；　he
was　angry　that　so　many　valuables　should　be　removed
from　under　his　hands；　to　fall　into　other　people's　possession
when　the　English　discomfiture　should　arrive。　　Of　this
defeat　he　and　a　vast　number　of　other　persons　in　Brussels
and　Belgium　did　not　make　the　slightest　doubt。　　The　almost
universal　belief　was；　that　the　Emperor　would　divide
the　Prussian　and　English　armies；　annihilate　one　after　the
other；　and　march　into　Brussels　before　three　days　were
over：　　when　all　the　movables　of　his　present　masters；　who
would　be　killed；　or　fugitives；　or　prisoners；　would　lawfully
become　the　property　of　Monsieur　Isidor。
As　he　helped　Jos　through　his　toilsome　and　complicated
daily　toilette；　this　faithful　servant　would　calculate　what
he　should　do　with　the　very　articles　with　which　he　was
decorating　his　master's　person。　　He　would　make　a　present
of　the　silver　essence…bottles　and　toilet　knicknacks　to　a
young　lady　of　whom　he　was　fond；　and　keep　the　English
cutlery　and　the　large　ruby　pin　for　himself。　　It　would
look　very　smart　upon　one　of　the　fine　frilled　shirts；　which；
with　the　gold…laced　cap　and　the　frogged　frock　coat；　that
might　easily　be　cut　down　to　suit　his　shape；　and　the　Captain's
gold…headed　cane；　and　the　great　double　ring　with
the　rubies；　which　he　would　have　made　into　a　pair　of
beautiful　earrings；　he　calculated　would　make　a　perfect
Adonis　of　himself；　and　render　Mademoiselle　Reine　an
easy　prey。　　〃How　those　sleeve…buttons　will　suit　me！〃
thought　he；　as　he　fixed　a　pair　on　the　fat　pudgy　wrists　of
Mr。　Sedley。　　〃I　long　for　sleeve…buttons；　and　the　Captain's
boots　with　brass　spurs；　in　the　next　room；　corbleu！　　what
an　effect　they　will　make　in　the　Allee　Verte！〃　So　while
Monsieur　Isidor　with　bodily　fingers　was　holding　on　to　his
master's　nose；　and　shaving　the　lower　part　of　Jos's　face；
his　imagination　was　rambling　along　the　Green　Avenue；
dressed　out　in　a　frogged　coat　and　lace；　and　in　company
with　Mademoiselle　Reine；　he　was　loitering　in　spirit　on
the　banks；　and　examining　the　barges　sailing　slowly　under
the　cool　shadows　of　the　trees　by　the　canal；　or　refreshing
himself　with　a　mug　of　Faro　at　the　bench　of　a　beer…house
on　the　road　to　Laeken。
But　Mr。　Joseph　Sedley；　luckily　for　his　own　peace；　no
more　knew　what　was　passing　in　his　domestic's　mind　than
the　respected　reader；　and　I　suspect　what　John　or　Mary；
whose　wages　we　pay；　think　of　ourselves。　　What　our
servants　think　of　us！Did　we　know　what　our　intimates　and
dear　relations　thought　of　us；　we　should　live　in　a　world
that　we　should　be　glad　to　quit；　and　in　a　frame　of　mind
and　a　constant　terror；　that　would　be　perfectly　unbearable。
So　Jos's　man　was　marking　his　victim　down；　as　you
see　one　of　Mr。　Paynter's　assistants　in　Leadenhall　Street
ornament　an　unconscious　turtle　with　a　placard　on　which
is　written；　〃Soup　to…morrow。〃
Amelia's　attendant　was　much　less　selfishly　disposed。
Few　dependents　could　come　near　that　kind　and　gentle
creature　without　paying　their　usual　tribute　of　loyalty
and　affection　to　her　sweet　and　affectionate　nature。　　And
it　is　a　fact　that　Pauline；　the　cook；　consoled　her　mistress
more　than　anybody　whom　she　saw　on　this　wretched
morning；　for　when　she　found　how　Amelia　remained　for　hours；
silent；　motionless；　and　haggard；　by　the　windows　in　which
she　had　placed　herself　to　watch　the　last　bayonets　of　the
column　as　it　marched　away；　the　honest　girl　took　the
lady's　hand；　and　said；　Tenez；　Madame；　est…ce　qu'il　n'est
pas　aussi　a　l'armee；　mon　homme　a　moi？　　with　which
she　burst　into　tears；　and　Amelia　falling　into　her　arms；
did　likewise；　and　so　each　pitied　and　soothed　the　other。
Several　times　during　the　forenoon　Mr。　Jos's　Isidor
went　from　his　lodgings　into　the　town；　and　to　the　gates
of　the　hotels　and　lodging…houses　round　about　the　Parc；
where　the　English　were　congregated；　and　there　mingled
with　other　valets；　couriers；　and　lackeys；　gathered　such
news　as　was　abroad；　and　brought　back　bulletins　for　his
master's　information。　　Almost　all　these　gentlemen　were　in
heart　partisans　of　the　Emperor；　and　had　their　opinions
about　the　speedy　end　of　the　campaign。　　The　Emperor's