vanity fair(名利场)-第100节

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〃From　that　woman？〃　said　Osborne；　fiercely。
〃No；〃　replied　the　other；　〃from　your　son〃；　at　which
Osborne　fell　back　into　the　corner　of　his　carriage；　and
Dobbin　allowing　it　to　pass　on；　rode　close　behind　it；　and
so　through　the　town　until　they　reached　Mr。　Osborne's
hotel；　and　without　a　word。　　There　he　followed　Osborne
up　to　his　apartments。　　George　had　often　been　in　the
rooms；　they　were　the　lodgings　which　the　Crawleys　had
occupied　during　their　stay　in　Brussels。
〃Pray；　have　you　any　commands　for　me；　Captain
Dobbin；　or；　I　beg　your　pardon；　I　should　say　MAJOR　Dobbin；
since　better　men　than　you　are　dead；　and　you　step　into
their　SHOES？〃　said　Mr。　Osborne；　in　that　sarcastic　tone
which　he　sometimes　was　pleased　to　assume。
〃Better　men　ARE　dead；〃　Dobbin　replied。　　〃I　want　to
speak　to　you　about　one。〃
〃Make　it　short；　sir；〃　said　the　other　with　an　oath；
scowling　at　his　visitor。
〃I　am　here　as　his　closest　friend；〃　the　Major　resumed；
〃and　the　executor　of　his　will。　　He　made　it　before　he　went
into　action。　　Are　you　aware　how　small　his　means　are；
and　of　the　straitened　circumstances　of　his　widow？〃
〃I　don't　know　his　widow；　sir；〃　Osborne　said。　　〃Let　her
go　back　to　her　father。〃　But　the　gentleman　whom　he
addressed　was　determined　to　remain　in　good　temper；　and
went　on　without　heeding　the　interruption。
〃Do　you　know；　sir；　Mrs。　Osborne's　condition？　Her　life
and　her　reason　almost　have　been　shaken　by　the　blow
which　has　fallen　on　her。　　It　is　very　doubtful　whether　she
will　rally。　　There　is　a　chance　left　for　her；　however；　and　it
is　about　this　I　came　to　speak　to　you。　　She　will　be　a　mother
soon。　　Will　you　visit　the　parent's　offence　upon　the　child's
head？　or　will　you　forgive　the　child　for　poor　George's
sake？〃
Osborne　broke　out　into　a　rhapsody　of　self…praise　and
imprecations；by　the　first；　excusing　himself　to　his　own
conscience　for　his　conduct；　by　the　second；　exaggerating
the　undutifulness　of　George。　　No　father　in　all　England
could　have　behaved　more　generously　to　a　son；　who　had
rebelled　against　him　wickedly。　　He　had　died　without　even
so　much　as　confessing　he　was　wrong。　　Let　him　take
the　consequences　of　his　undutifulness　and　folly。　　As　for
himself；　Mr。　Osborne；　he　was　a　man　of　his　word。　　He
had　sworn　never　to　speak　to　that　woman；　or　to　recognize
her　as　his　son's　wife。　　〃And　that's　what　you　may　tell
her；〃　he　concluded　with　an　oath；　〃and　that's　what　I　will
stick　to　to　the　last　day　of　my　life。〃
There　was　no　hope　from　that　quarter　then。　　The　widow
must　live　on　her　slender　pittance；　or　on　such　aid　as　Jos
could　give　her。　　〃I　might　tell　her；　and　she　would　not　heed
it；〃　thought　Dobbin；　sadly：　　for　the　poor　girl's　thoughts
were　not　here　at　all　since　her　catastrophe；　and；　stupefied
under　the　pressure　of　her　sorrow；　good　and　evil　were
alike　indifferent　to　her。
So；　indeed；　were　even　friendship　and　kindness。　　She
received　them　both　uncomplainingly；　and　having　accepted
them；　relapsed　into　her　grief。
Suppose　some　twelve　months　after　the　above　conversation
took　place　to　have　passed　in　the　life　of　our　poor
Amelia。　　She　has　spent　the　first　portion　of　that　time　in　a
sorrow　so　profound　and　pitiable；　that　we　who　have　been
watching　and　describing　some　of　the　emotions　of　that
weak　and　tender　heart；　must　draw　back　in　the　presence
of　the　cruel　grief　under　which　it　is　bleeding。　　Tread　silently
round　the　hapless　couch　of　the　poor　prostrate　soul。
Shut　gently　the　door　of　the　dark　chamber　wherein　she
suffers；　as　those　kind　people　did　who　nursed　her　through
the　first　months　of　her　pain；　and　never　left　her　until
heaven　had　sent　her　consolation。　　A　day　cameof
almost　terrified　delight　and　wonderwhen　the　poor
widowed　girl　pressed　a　child　upon　her　breasta　child；　with
the　eyes　of　George　who　was　gonea　little　boy；　as　beautiful
as　a　cherub。　　What　a　miracle　it　was　to　hear　its　first
cry！　　How　she　laughed　and　wept　over　ithow　love；　and
hope；　and　prayer　woke　again　in　her　bosom　as　the　baby
nestled　there。　　She　was　safe。　　The　doctors　who　attended
her；　and　had　feared　for　her　life　or　for　her　brain；　had
waited　anxiously　for　this　crisis　before　they　could
pronounce　that　either　was　secure。　　It　was　worth　the　long
months　of　doubt　and　dread　which　the　persons　who　had
constantly　been　with　her　had　passed；　to　see　her　eyes　once
more　beaming　tenderly　upon　them。
Our　friend　Dobbin　was　one　of　them。　　It　was　he　who
brought　her　back　to　England　and　to　her　mother's　house；
when　Mrs。　O'Dowd；　receiving　a　peremptory　summons
from　her　Colonel；　had　been　forced　to　quit　her　patient。
To　see　Dobbin　holding　the　infant；　and　to　hear　Amelia's
laugh　of　triumph　as　she　watched　him；　would　have　done
any　man　good　who　had　a　sense　of　humour。　　William　was
the　godfather　of　the　child；　and　exerted　his　ingenuity　in
the　purchase　of　cups；　spoons；　pap…boats；　and　corals　for
this　little　Christian。
How　his　mother　nursed　him；　and　dressed　him；　and
lived　upon　him；　how　she　drove　away　all　nurses；　and
would　scarce　allow　any　hand　but　her　own　to　touch　him；
how　she　considered　that　the　greatest　favour　she　could
confer　upon　his　godfather；　Major　Dobbin；　was　to　allow
the　Major　occasionally　to　dandle　him；　need　not　be　told
here。　　This　child　was　her　being。　　Her　existence　was　a
maternal　caress。　　She　enveloped　the　feeble　and　unconscious
creature　with　love　and　worship。　　It　was　her　life
which　the　baby　drank　in　from　her　bosom。　　Of　nights；　and
when　alone；　she　had　stealthy　and　intense　raptures　of
motherly　love；　such　as　God's　marvellous　care　has　awarded
to　the　female　instinctjoys　how　far　higher　and　lower
than　reasonblind　beautiful　devotions　which　only　women's
hearts　know。　　It　was　William　Dobbin's　task　to　muse
upon　these　movements　of　Amelia's；　and　to　watch　her
heart；　and　if　his　love　made　him　divine　almost　all　the　feelings
which　agitated　it；　alas！　he　could　see　with　a　fatal
perspicuity　that　there　was　no　place　there　for　him。　　And
so；　gently；　he　bore　his　fate；　knowing　it；　and　content　to
bear　it。
I　suppose　Amelia's　father　and　mother　saw　through　the
intentions　of　the　Major；　and　were　not　ill…disposed　to
encourage　him；　for　Dobbin　visited　their　house　daily；　and
stayed　for　hours　with　them；　or　with　Amelia；　or　with　the
honest　landlord；　Mr。　Clapp；　and　his　family。　　He　brought；
on　one　pretext　or　another；　presents　to　everybody；　and
almost　every　day；　and　went；　with　the　landlord's　little　girl；
who　was　rather　a　favourite　with　Amelia；　by　the　name　of
Major　Sugarplums。　　It　was　this　little　child　who　commonly
acted　as　mistress　of　the　ceremonies　to　introduce　him
to　Mrs。　Osborne。　　She　laughed　one　day　when　Major　Sugarplums'
cab　drove　up　to　Fulham；　and　he　descended　from
it；　bringing　out　a　wooden　horse；　a　drum；　a　trumpet；　and
other　warlike　toys；　for　little　Georgy；　who　was　scarcely
six　months　old；　and　for　whom　the　articles　in　question　were
entirely　premature。
The　child　was　asleep。　　〃Hush；〃　said　Amelia；　annoyed；
perhaps；　at　the　creaking　of　the　Major's　boots；　and　she
held　out　her　hand；　smiling　because　William　could　not
take　it　until　he　had　rid　himself　of　his　cargo　of　toys。　　〃Go
downstairs；　little　Mary；〃　said　he　presently　to　the　child；
〃I　want　to　speak　to　Mrs。　Osborne。〃　She　looked　up　rather
astonished；　and　laid　down　the　infant　on　its　bed。
〃I　am　come　to　say　good…bye；　Amelia；〃　said　he；　taking
her　slender　little　white　hand　gently。
〃Good…bye？　and　where　are　you　going？〃　she　said；　with
a　smile。
〃Send　the　letters　to　the　agents；〃　he　said；　〃they　will
forward　them；　for　you　will　write　to　me；　won't　you？　I
shall　be　away　a　long　time。〃
〃I'll　write　to　you　about　Georgy；〃　she　said。　　〃Dear'　William；
how　good　you　have　been　to　him　and　to　me。　　Look　at
him。　　Isn't　he　like　an　angel？〃
The　little　pink　hands　of　the　child　closed　mechanically
round　the　honest　soldier's　finger；　and　Amelia　looked　up
in　his　face　with　bright　maternal　pleasure。　　The　cruellest
looks　could　not　have　wounded　him　more　than　that　glance
of　hopeless　kindness。　　He　bent　over　the　child　and　mother。
He　could　not　speak　for　a　moment。　　And　it　was　only　with
all　his　strength　that　he　could　force　himself　to　say　a　God
bless　you。　　〃God　bless　you；〃　said　Amelia；　and　held　up　her
face　and　kissed　him。
〃Hush！　　Don't　wake　Georgy！〃　she　added；　as　William
Dobbin　went　to　the　door　with　heavy　steps。　　She　did　not
hear　the　noise　of　his　cab…wheels　as　he　drove　away：　　she
was　looking　at　the　child；　who　was　laughing　in　his　sleep。

CHAPTER　XXXVI
How　to　Live　Well　on　Nothing　a　Year
I　suppose　there　is　no　man　in　this　Vanity　Fair　of　ours　so
little　observant　as　not　to　think　sometimes　about　the
worldly　affairs　of　his　acquaintances；　or　so　extremely
charitable　as　not　to　wonder　how　his　neighbour　Jones；
or　his　neighbour　Smith；　can　make　both　ends　meet　at　the
end　of　the　year。　　With　the　utmost　regard　for　the　family；
for　instance　（for　I　dine　with　them　twice　or　thrice　in　the
season）；　I　cannot　but　own　that　the　appearance　of　the
Jenkinses　in　the　park；　in　the　large　barouche　with　the
grenadier…footmen；　will　surprise　and　mystify　me　to　my
dying　day：　　for　though　I　know　the　equipage　is　only
jobbed；　and　all　the　Jenkins　people　are　on　board　wages；
yet　those　three　men　and　the　carriage　must　represent　an
expense　of　six　hundred　a　year　at　the　very　leastand　then
there　are　the　splendid　dinners；　the　two　boys　at　Eton；　the
prize　governess　and　masters　for　the　girls；　the　trip
abroad；　or　to　Eastbourne　or　Worth