vanity fair(名利场)-第157节

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which　charmed　his　old　grandfather。　　〃Look　at　him；〃　the
old　man　would　say；　nudging　his　neighbour　with　a
delighted　purple　face；　〃did　you　ever　see　such　a　chap？
Lord；　Lord！　　he'll　be　ordering　a　dressing…case　next；　and
razors　to　shave　with；　I'm　blessed　if　he　won't。〃
The　antics　of　the　lad　did　not；　however；　delight　Mr。
Osborne's　friends　so　much　as　they　pleased　the　old
gentleman。　　It　gave　Mr。　Justice　Coffin　no　pleasure　to　hear
Georgy　cut　into　the　conversation　and　spoil　his　stories。
Colonel　Fogey　was　not　interested　in　seeing　the　little　boy
half　tipsy。　　Mr。　Sergeant　Toffy's　lady　felt　no　particular
gratitude；　when；　with　a　twist　of　his　elbow；　he　tilted　a
glass　of　port…wine　over　her　yellow　satin　and　laughed　at
the　disaster；　nor　was　she　better　pleased；　although　old
Osborne　was　highly　delighted；　when　Georgy　〃whopped〃
her　third　boy　（a　young　gentleman　a　year　older　than
Georgy；　and　by　chance　home　for　the　holidays　from　Dr。
Tickleus's　at　Ealing　School）　in　Russell　Square。　　George's
grandfather　gave　the　boy　a　couple　of　sovereigns　for　that
feat　and　promised　to　reward　him　further　for　every　boy
above　his　own　size　and　age　whom　he　whopped　in　a
similar　manner。　　It　is　difficult　to　say　what　good　the　old　man
saw　in　these　combats；　he　had　a　vague　notion　that
quarrelling　made　boys　hardy；　and　that　tyranny　was　a　useful
accomplishment　for　them　to　learn。　　English　youth　have
been　so　educated　time　out　of　mind；　and　we　have
hundreds　of　thousands　of　apologists　and　admirers　of
injustice；　misery；　and　brutality；　as　perpetrated　among
children。　　Flushed　with　praise　and　victory　over　Master　Toffy；
George　wished　naturally　to　pursue　his　conquests　further；
and　one　day　as　he　was　strutting　about　in　prodigiously
dandified　new　clothes；　near　St。　　Pancras；　and　a　young
baker's　boy　made　sarcastic　comments　upon　his　appearance；
the　youthful　patrician　pulled　off　his　dandy　jacket
with　great　spirit；　and　giving　it　in　charge　to　the　friend
who　accompanied　him　（Master　Todd；　of　Great　Coram
Street；　Russell　Square；　son　of　the　junior　partner　of　the
house　of　Osborne　and　Co。）；　George　tried　to　whop　the
little　baker。　　But　the　chances　of　war　were　unfavourable
this　time；　and　the　little　baker　whopped　Georgy；　who
came　home　with　a　rueful　black　eye　and　all　his　fine　shirt
frill　dabbled　with　the　claret　drawn　from　his　own　little
nose。　　He　told　his　grandfather　that　he　had　been　in
combat　with　a　giant；　and　frightened　his　poor　mother　at
Brompton　with　long；　and　by　no　means　authentic；
accounts　of　the　battle。
This　young　Todd；　of　Coram　Street；　Russell　Square；
was　Master　George's　great　friend　and　admirer。　　They　both
had　a　taste　for　painting　theatrical　characters；　for
hardbake　and　raspberry　tarts；　for　sliding　and　skating　in　the
Regent's　Park　and　the　Serpentine；　when　the　weather
permitted；　for　going　to　the　play；　whither　they　were　often
conducted；　by　Mr。　Osborne's　orders；　by　Rowson；　Master
George's　appointed　body…servant；　with　whom　they　sat　in
great　comfort　in　the　pit。
In　the　company　of　this　gentleman　they　visited　all　the
principal　theatres　of　the　metropolis；　knew　the　names　of
all　the　actors　from　Drury　Lane　to　Sadler's　Wells；　and
performed；　indeed；　many　of　the　plays　to　the　Todd　family
and　their　youthful　friends；　with　West's　famous　characters；
on　their　pasteboard　theatre。　　Rowson；　the　footman；　who
was　of　a　generous　disposition；　would　not　unfrequently；
when　in　cash；　treat　his　young　master　to　oysters　after
the　play；　and　to　a　glass　of　rum…shrub　for　a　night…cap。
We　may　be　pretty　certain　that　Mr。　Rowson　profited　in
his　turn　by　his　young　master's　liberality　and　gratitude
for　the　pleasures　to　which　the　footman　inducted　him。
A　famous　tailor　from　the　West　End　of　the　town
Mr。　Osborne　would　have　none　of　your　City　or　Holborn
bunglers；　he　said；　for　the　boy　（though　a　City　tailor　was
good　enough　for　HIM）was　summoned　to　ornament　little
George's　person；　and　was　told　to　spare　no　expense　in　so
doing。　　So；　Mr。　Woolsey；　of　Conduit　Street；　gave　a　loose
to　his　imagination　and　sent　the　child　home　fancy　trousers；
fancy　waistcoats；　and　fancy　jackets　enough　to　furnish　a
school　of　little　dandies。　　Georgy　had　little　white
waistcoats　for　evening　parties；　and　little　cut　velvet　waistcoats
for　dinners；　and　a　dear　little　darling　shawl　dressing…gown；
for　all　the　world　like　a　little　man。　　He　dressed　for　dinner
every　day；　〃like　a　regular　West　End　swell；〃　as　his
grandfather　remarked；　one　of　the　domestics　was　affected　to
his　special　service；　attended　him　at　his　toilette；
answered　his　bell；　and　brought　him　his　letters　always　on　a
silver　tray。
Georgy；　after　breakfast；　would　sit　in　the　arm…chair　in
the　dining…room　and　read　the　Morning　Post；　just　like　a
grown…up　man。　　〃How　he　DU　dam　and　swear；〃　the
servants　would　cry；　delighted　at　his　precocity。　　Those　who
remembered　the　Captain　his　father；　declared　Master
George　was　his　Pa；　every　inch　of　him。　　He　made　the　house
lively　by　his　activity；　his　imperiousness；　his　scolding；　and
his　good…nature。
George's　education　was　confided　to　a　neighbouring
scholar　and　private　pedagogue　who　〃prepared　young
noblemen　and　gentlemen　for　the　Universities；　the　senate；
and　the　learned　professions：　　whose　system　did　not
embrace　the　degrading　corporal　severities　still　practised　at
the　ancient　places　of　education；　and　in　whose　family　the
pupils　would　find　the　elegances　of　refined　society　and
the　confidence　and　affection　of　a　home。〃　It　was　in　this
way　that　the　Reverend　Lawrence　Veal　of　Hart　Street；
Bloomsbury；　and　domestic　Chaplain　to　the　Earl　of
Bareacres；　strove　with　Mrs。　Veal　his　wife　to　entice　pupils。
By　thus　advertising　and　pushing　sedulously；　the
domestic　Chaplain　and　his　Lady　generally　succeeded　in
having　one　or　two　scholars　by　themwho　paid　a　high
figure　and　were　thought　to　be　in　uncommonly　comfortable
quarters。　　There　was　a　large　West　Indian；　whom
nobody　came　to　see；　with　a　mahogany　complexion；　a　woolly
head；　and　an　exceedingly　dandyfied　appearance；　there
was　another　hulking　boy　of　three…and…twenty　whose
education　had　been　neglected　and　whom　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Veal
were　to　introduce　into　the　polite　world；　there　were　two
sons　of　Colonel　Bangles　of　the　East　India　Company's
Service：　　these　four　sat　down　to　dinner　at　Mrs。　Veal's
genteel　board；　when　Georgy　was　introduced　to　her
establishment。
Georgy　was；　like　some　dozen　other　pupils；　only　a
day　boy；　he　arrived　in　the　morning　under　the
guardianship　of　his　friend　Mr。　Rowson；　and　if　it　was　fine；
would　ride　away　in　the　afternoon　on　his　pony；　followed　by
the　groom。　　The　wealth　of　his　grandfather　was　reported
in　the　school　to　be　prodigious。　　The　Rev。　　Mr。　Veal　used
to　compliment　Georgy　upon　it　personally；　warning　him
that　he　was　destined　for　a　high　station；　that　it　became
him　to　prepare；　by　sedulity　and　docility　in　youth；　for　the
lofty　duties　to　which　he　would　be　called　in　mature　age；
that　obedience　in　the　child　was　the　best　preparation　for
command　in　the　man；　and　that　he　therefore　begged　George
would　not　bring　toffee　into　the　school　and　ruin　the　health
of　the　Masters　Bangles；　who　had　everything　they　wanted
at　the　elegant　and　abundant　table　of　Mrs。　Veal。
With　respect　to　learning；　〃the　Curriculum；〃　as　Mr。
Veal　loved　to　call　it；　was　of　prodigious　extent；　and　the
young　gentlemen　in　Hart　Street　might　learn　a
something　of　every　known　science。　　The　Rev。　　Mr。　Veal　had
an　orrery；　an　electrifying　machine；　a　turning　lathe；　a
theatre　（in　the　wash…house）；　a　chemical　apparatus；　and
what　he　called　a　select　library　of　all　the　works　of　the
best　authors　of　ancient　and　modern　times　and　languages。
He　took　the　boys　to　the　British　Museum　and　descanted
upon　the　antiquities　and　the　specimens　of　natural　history
there；　so　that　audiences　would　gather　round　him　as　he
spoke；　and　all　Bloomsbury　highly　admired　him　as　a
prodigiously　well…informed　man。　　And　whenever　he　spoke
（which　he　did　almost　always）；　he　took　care　to　produce　the
very　finest　and　longest　words　of　which　the　vocabulary
gave　him　the　use；　rightly　judging　that　it　was　as　cheap　to
employ　a　handsome；　large；　and　sonorous　epithet；　as　to
use　a　little　stingy　one。
Thus　he　would　say　to　George　in　school；　〃I　observed
on　my　return　home　from　taking　the　indulgence　of　an
evening's　scientific　conversation　with　my　excellent　friend
Doctor　Buldersa　true　archaeologian；　gentlemen；　a　true
archaeologianthat　the　windows　of　your　venerated
grandfather's　almost　princely　mansion　in　Russell　Square　were
illuminated　as　if　for　the　purposes　of　festivity。　　Am　I　right
in　my　conjecture　that　Mr。　Osborne　entertained　a　society
of　chosen　spirits　round　his　sumptuous　board　last　night？〃
Little　Georgy；　who　had　considerable　humour；　and　used
to　mimic　Mr。　Veal　to　his　face　with　great　spirit　and
dexterity；　would　reply　that　Mr。　V。　　was　quite　correct
in　his　surmise。
〃Then　those　friends　who　had　the　honour　of　partaking
of　Mr。　Osborne's　hospitality；　gentlemen；　had　no　reason；
I　will　lay　any　wager；　to　complain　of　their　repast。　　I
myself　have　been　more　than　once　so　favoured。　　（By　the　way；
Master　Osborne；　you　came　a　little　late　this　morning；　and
have　been　a　defaulter　in　this　respect　more　than　once。）
I　myself；　I　say；　gentlemen；　humble　as　I　am；　have　been
found　not　unworthy　to　share　Mr。　Osborne's　elegant
hospitality。　　And　though　I　have　feasted　with　the　great　and
noble　of　the　wo