vanity fair(名利场)-第130节

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to　see　if　she　could　sell　anything　to　procure　the　desired
novelties。　　There　was　her　India　shawl　that　Dobbin　had
sent　her。　　She　remembered　in　former　days　going　with　her
mother　to　a　fine　India　shop　on　Ludgate　Hill；　where　the
ladies　had　all　sorts　of　dealings　and　bargains　in　these
articles。　　Her　cheeks　flushed　and　her　eyes　shone　with
pleasure　as　she　thought　of　this　resource；　and　she　kissed
away　George　to　school　in　the　morning；　smiling　brightly
after　him。　　The　boy　felt　that　there　was　good　news　in　her
look。
Packing　up　her　shawl　in　a　handkerchief　（another　of
the　gifts　of　the　good　Major）；　she　hid　them　under　her
cloak　and　walked　flushed　and　eager　all　the　way　to
Ludgate　Hill；　tripping　along　by　the　park　wall　and　running
over　the　crossings；　so　that　many　a　man　turned　as　she
hurried　by　him　and　looked　after　her　rosy　pretty　face。　　She
calculated　how　she　should　spend　the　proceeds　of　her
shawlhow；　besides　the　clothes；　she　would　buy　the　books
that　he　longed　for；　and　pay　his　half…year's　schooling；　and
how　she　would　buy　a　cloak　for　her　father　instead　of
that　old　great…coat　which　he　wore。　　She　was　not　mistaken
as　to　the　value　of　the　Major's　gift。　　It　was　a　very　fine　and
beautiful　web；　and　the　merchant　made　a　very　good
bargain　when　he　gave　her　twenty　guineas　for　her　shawl。
She　ran　on　amazed　and　flurried　with　her　riches　to
Darton's　shop；　in　St。　　Paul's　Churchyard；　and　there
purchased　the　Parents'　Assistant　and　the　Sandford　and
Merton　Georgy　longed　for；　and　got　into　the　coach　there
with　her　parcel；　and　went　home　exulting。　　And　she　pleased
herself　by　writing　in　the　fly…leaf　in　her　neatest　little
hand；　〃George　Osborne；　A　Christmas　gift　from　his
affectionate…mother。〃　The　books　are　extant　to　this　day；
with　the　fair　delicate　superscription。
She　was　going　from　her　own　room　with　the　books　in
her　hand　to　place　them　on　George's　table；　where　he
might　find　them　on　his　return　from　school；　when　in
the　passage；　she　and　her　mother　met。　　The　gilt　bindings
of　the　seven　handsome　little　volumes　caught　the　old　lady's
eye。
〃What　are　those？〃　she　said。
〃Some　books　for　Georgy；〃　Amelia　repliedII
promised　them　to　him　at　Christmas。〃
〃Books！〃　cried　the　elder　lady　indignantly；　〃Books；
when　the　whole　house　wants　bread！　　Books；　when　to　keep
you　and　your　son　in　luxury；　and　your　dear　father　out　of
gaol；　I've　sold　every　trinket　I　had；　the　India　shawl　from
my　back　even　down　to　the　very　spoons；　that　our　tradesmen
mightn't　insult　us；　and　that　Mr。　Clapp；　which　indeed
he　is　justly　entitled；　being　not　a　hard　landlord；　and　a
civil　man；　and　a　father；　might　have　his　rent。　　Oh；　Amelia！
you　break　my　heart　with　your　books　and　that　boy　of
yours；　whom　you　are　ruining；　though　part　with　him　you
will　not。　　Oh；　Amelia；　may　God　send　you　a　more　dutiful
child　than　I　have　had！　　There's　Jos；　deserts　his　father　in
his　old　age；　and　there's　George；　who　might　be　provided
for；　and　who　might　be　rich；　going　to　school　like　a　lord；
with　a　gold　watch　and　chain　round　his　neckwhile　my
dear；　dear　old　man　is　without　a　shshilling。〃　Hysteric
sobs　and　cries　ended　Mrs。　Sedley's　speechit　echoed
through　every　room　in　the　small　house；　whereof　the　other
female　inmates　heard　every　word　of　the　colloquy。
〃Oh；　Mother；　Mother！〃　cried　poor　Amelia　in　reply。
〃You　told　me　nothingII　promised　him　the　books。
II　only　sold　my　shawl　this　morning。　　Take　the　money
take　everything〃and　with　quivering　hands　she　took
out　her　silver；　and　her　sovereignsher　precious　golden
sovereigns；　which　she　thrust　into　the　hands　of　her
mother；　whence　they　overflowed　and　tumbled；　rolling
down　the　stairs。
And　then　she　went　into　her　room；　and　sank　down　in
despair　and　utter　misery。　　She　saw　it　all　now。　　Her
selfishness　was　sacrificing　the　boy。　　But　for　her　he　might　have
wealth；　station；　education；　and　his　father's　place；　which
the　elder　George　had　forfeited　for　her　sake。　　She　had　but
to　speak　the　words；　and　her　father　was　restored　to
competency　and　the　boy　raised　to　fortune。　　Oh；　what　a
conviction　it　was　to　that　tender　and　stricken　heart！

CHAPTER　XLVII
Gaunt　House
All　the　world　knows　that　Lord　Steyne's　town　palace
stands　in　Gaunt　Square；　out　of　which　Great　Gaunt　Street
leads；　whither　we　first　conducted　Rebecca；　in　the　time
of　the　departed　Sir　Pitt　Crawley。　　Peering　over　the　railings
and　through　the　black　trees　into　the　garden　of　the
Square；　you　see　a　few　miserable　governesses　with
wan…faced　pupils　wandering　round　and　round　it；　and　round
the　dreary　grass…plot　in　the　centre　of　which　rises　the
statue　of　Lord　Gaunt；　who　fought　at　Minden；　in　a
three…tailed　wig；　and　otherwise　habited　like　a　Roman
Emperor。　　Gaunt　House　occupies　nearly　a　side　of　the　Square。
The　remaining　three　sides　are　composed　of　mansions　that
have　passed　away　into　dowagerismtall；　dark　houses；
with　window…frames　of　stone；　or　picked　out　of　a　lighter
red。　　Little　light　seems　to　be　behind　those　lean；
comfortless　casements　now；　and　hospitality　to　have　passed
away　from　those　doors　as　much　as　the　laced　lacqueys
and　link…boys　of　old　times；　who　used　to　put　out　their
torches　in　the　blank　iron　extinguishers　that　still　flank　the
lamps　over　the　steps。　　Brass　plates　have　penetrated　into
the　squareDoctors；　the　Diddlesex　Bank　Western
Branchthe　English　and　European　Reunion；　&c。it　has
a　dreary　looknor　is　my　Lord　Steyne's　palace　less
dreary。　　All　I　have　ever　seen　of　it　is　the　vast　wall　in
front；　with　the　rustic　columns　at　the　great　gate；　through
which　an　old　porter　peers　sometimes　with　a　fat　and
gloomy　red　faceand　over　the　wall　the　garret　and
bedroom　windows；　and　the　chimneys；　out　of　which　there
seldom　comes　any　smoke　now。　　For　the　present　Lord
Steyne　lives　at　Naples；　preferring　the　view　of　the　Bay
and　Capri　and　Vesuvius　to　the　dreary　aspect　of　the　wall
in　Gaunt　Square。
A　few　score　yards　down　New　Gaunt　Street；　and　leading
into　Gaunt　Mews　indeed；　is　a　little　modest　back
door；　which　you　would　not　remark　from　that　of　any　of
the　other　stables。　　But　many　a　little　close　carriage　has
stopped　at　that　door；　as　my　informant　（little　Tom　Eaves；
who　knows　everything；　and　who　showed　me　the　place）
told　me。　　〃The　Prince　and　Perdita　have　been　in　and　out
of　that　door；　sir；〃　he　had　often　told　me；　〃Marianne
Clarke　has　entered　it　with　the　Duke　of　。　　It　conducts
to　the　famous　petits　appartements　of　Lord　Steyneone；
sir；　fitted　up　all　in　ivory　and　white　satin；　another　in
ebony　and　black　velvet；　there　is　a　little　banqueting…room
taken　from　Sallust's　house　at　Pompeii；　and　painted　by
Coswaya　little　private　kitchen；　in　which　every　saucepan
was　silver　and　all　the　spits　were　gold。　　It　was　there
that　Egalite　Orleans　roasted　partridges　on　the　night
when　he　and　the　Marquis　of　Steyne　won　a　hundred
thousand　from　a　great　personage　at　ombre。　　Half　of　the
money　went　to　the　French　Revolution；　half　to　purchase
Lord　Gaunt's　Marquisate　and　Garterand　the
remainder〃　but　it　forms　no　part　of　our　scheme　to　tell
what　became　of　the　remainder；　for　every　shilling　of
which；　and　a　great　deal　more；　little　Tom　Eaves；　who
knows　everybody's　affairs；　is　ready　to　account。
Besides　his　town　palace；　the　Marquis　had　castles　and
palaces　in　various　quarters　of　the　three　kingdoms；
whereof　the　descriptions　may　be　found　in　the　road…books
Castle　Strongbow；　with　its　woods；　on　the　Shannon
shore；　Gaunt　Castle；　in　Carmarthenshire；　where　Richard
II　was　taken　prisonerGauntly　Hall　in　Yorkshire；　where
I　have　been　informed　there　were　two　hundred　silver
teapots　for　the　breakfasts　of　the　guests　of　the　house；　with
everything　to　correspond　in　splendour；　and　Stillbrook　in
Hampshire；　which　was　my　lord's　farm；　an　humble　place
of　residence；　of　which　we　all　remember　the　wonderful
furniture　which　was　sold　at　my　lord's　demise　by　a　late
celebrated　auctioneer。
The　Marchioness　of　Steyne　was　of　the　renowned　and
ancient　family　of　the　Caerlyons；　Marquises　of　Camelot；
who　have　preserved　the　old　faith　ever　since　the
conversion　of　the　venerable　Druid；　their　first　ancestor；　and
whose　pedigree　goes　far　beyond　the　date　of　the　arrival　of
King　Brute　in　these　islands。　　Pendragon　is　the　title　of　the
eldest　son　of　the　house。　　The　sons　have　been　called
Arthurs；　Uthers；　and　Caradocs；　from　immemorial　time。
Their　heads　have　fallen　in　many　a　loyal　conspiracy。
Elizabeth　chopped　off　the　head　of　the　Arthur　of　her　day；
who　had　been　Chamberlain　to　Philip　and　Mary；　and
carried　letters　between　the　Queen　of　Scots　and　her　uncles
the　Guises。　　A　cadet　of　the　house　was　an　officer　of　the
great　Duke　and　distinguished　in　the　famous　Saint
Bartholomew　conspiracy。　　During　the　whole　of　Mary's
confinement；　the　house　of　Camelot　conspired　in　her　behalf。
It　was　as　much　injured　by　its　charges　in　fitting　out　an
armament　against　the　Spaniards；　during　the　time　of　the
Armada；　as　by　the　fines　and　confiscations　levied　on　it
by　Elizabeth　for　harbouring　of　priests；　obstinate
recusancy；　and　popish　misdoings。　　A　recreant　of　James's　time
was　momentarily　perverted　from　his　religion　by　the
arguments　of　that　great　theologian；　and　the　fortunes　of　the
family　somewhat　restored　by　his　timely　weakness。　　But
the　Earl　of　Camelot；　of　the　reign　of　Charles；　returned　to
the　old　creed　of　his　family；　and　they　continued　to　fight
for　it；　and　ruin　themselves　for　it；　as　long　as　there　was　a
Stuart　left　to　head　or　to　instigate　a