vanity fair(名利场)-第159节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


chaplain　to　the　Right　Honourable　the　Earl　of　Bareacres
was　spouting　away　as　usual；　a　smart　carriage　drove　up
to　the　door　decorated　with　the　statue　of　Athene；　and　two
gentlemen　stepped　out。　　The　young　Masters　Bangles　rushed
to　the　window　with　a　vague　notion　that　their　father
might　have　arrived　from　Bombay。　　The　great　hulking
scholar　of　three…and…twenty；　who　was　crying　secretly　over　a
passage　of　Eutropius；　flattened　his　neglected　nose　against
the　panes　and　looked　at　the　drag；　as　the　laquais　de　place
sprang　from　the　box　and　let　out　the　persons　in　the　carriage。
〃It's　a　fat　one　and　a　thin　one；〃　Mr。　Bluck　said　as　a
thundering　knock　came　to　the　door。
Everybody　was　interested；　from　the　domestic　chaplain
himself；　who　hoped　he　saw　the　fathers　of　some　future
pupils；　down　to　Master　Georgy；　glad　of　any　pretext　for
laying　his　book　down。
The　boy　in　the　shabby　livery　with　the　faded　copper
buttons；　who　always　thrust　himself　into　the　tight　coat
to　open　the　door；　came　into　the　study　and　said；　〃Two
gentlemen　want　to　see　Master　Osborne。〃　The　professor
had　had　a　trifling　altercation　in　the　morning　with　that
young　gentleman；　owing　to　a　difference　about　the
introduction　of　crackers　in　school…time；　but　his　face
resumed　its　habitual　expression　of　bland　courtesy　as　he
said；　〃Master　Osborne；　I　give　you　full　permission　to　go
and　see　your　carriage　friendsto　whom　I　beg　you　to
convey　the　respectful　compliments　of　myself　and　Mrs。
Veal。〃
Georgy　went　into　the　reception…room　and　saw　two
strangers；　whom　he　looked　at　with　his　head　up；　in　his
usual　haughty　manner。　　One　was　fat；　with　mustachios；
and　the　other　was　lean　and　long；　in　a　blue　frock…coat；
with　a　brown　face　and　a　grizzled　head。
〃My　God；　how　like　he　is！〃　said　the　long　gentleman
with　a　start。　　〃Can　you　guess　who　we　are；　George？〃
The　boy's　face　flushed　up；　as　it　did　usually　when　he
was　moved；　and　his　eyes　brightened。　　〃I　don't　know　the
other；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　should　think　you　must　be　Major
Dobbin。〃
Indeed　it　was　our　old　friend。　　His　voice　trembled
with　pleasure　as　he　greeted　the　boy；　and　taking　both　the
other's　hands　in　his　own；　drew　the　lad　to　him。
〃Your　mother　has　talked　to　you　about　mehas
she？〃　he　said。
〃That　she　has；〃　Georgy　answered；　〃hundreds　and
hundreds　of　times。〃

CHAPTER　LVII
Eothen
It　was　one　of　the　many　causes　for　personal　pride
with　which　old　Osborne　chose　to　recreate　himself
that　Sedley；　his　ancient　rival；　enemy；　and　benefactor；
was　in　his　last　days　so　utterly　defeated　and　humiliated
as　to　be　forced　to　accept　pecuniary　obligations　at　the
hands　of　the　man　who　had　most　injured　and　insulted
him。　　The　successful　man　of　the　world　cursed　the　old
pauper　and　relieved　him　from　time　to　time。　　As　he
furnished　George　with　money　for　his　mother；　he　gave
the　boy　to　understand　by　hints；　delivered　in　his　brutal；
coarse　way；　that　George's　maternal　grandfather　was
but　a　wretched　old　bankrupt　and　dependant；　and　that
John　Sedley　might　thank　the　man　to　whom　he　already
owed　ever　so　much　money　for　the　aid　which　his　generosity
now　chose　to　administer。　　George　carried　the　pompous
supplies　to　his　mother　and　the　shattered　old　widower　whom
it　was　now　the　main　business　of　her　life　to　tend　and
comfort。　　The　little　fellow　patronized　the　feeble　and
disappointed　old　man。
It　may　have　shown　a　want　of　〃proper　pride〃　in
Amelia　that　she　chose　to　accept　these　money　benefits　at
the　hands　of　her　father's　enemy。　　But　proper　pride　and
this　poor　lady　had　never　had　much　acquaintance　together。
A　disposition　naturally　simple　and　demanding　protection；
a　long　course　of　poverty　and　humility；　of　daily　privations；
and　hard　words；　of　kind　offices　and　no　returns；　had　been
her　lot　ever　since　womanhood　almost；　or　since　her
luckless　marriage　with　George　Osborne。　　You　who　see　your
betters　bearing　up　under　this　shame　every　day；　meekly
suffering　under　the　slights　of　fortune；　gentle　and　unpitied；
poor；　and　rather　despised　for　their　poverty；　do　you　ever
step　down　from　your　prosperity　and　wash　the　feet　of
these　poor　wearied　beggars？　The　very　thought　of　them　is
odious　and　low。　　〃There　must　be　classesthere　must　be
rich　and　poor；〃　Dives　says；　smacking　his　claret　（it　is
well　if　he　even　sends　the　broken　meat　out　to　Lazarus
sitting　under　the　window）。　　Very　true；　but　think　how
mysterious　and　often　unaccountable　it　isthat　lottery
of　life　which　gives　to　this　man　the　purple　and　fine　linen
and　sends　to　the　other　rags　for　garments　and　dogs　for
comforters。
So　I　must　own　that；　without　much　repining；　on　the
contrary　with　something　akin　to　gratitude；　Amelia　took　the
crumbs　that　her　father…in…law　let　drop　now　and　then；
and　with　them　fed　her　own　parent。　　Directly　she　understood
it　to　be　her　duty；　it　was　this　young　woman's　nature
（ladies；　she　is　but　thirty　still；　and　we　choose　to　call　her
a　young　woman　even　at　that　age）　it　was；　I　say；　her
nature　to　sacrifice　herself　and　to　fling　all　that　she　had　at
the　feet　of　the　beloved　object。　　During　what　long　thankless
nights　had　she　worked　out　her　fingers　for　little　Georgy
whilst　at　home　with　her；　what　buffets；　scorns；　privations；
poverties　had　she　endured　for　father　and　mother！　　And
in　the　midst　of　all　these　solitary　resignations　and　unseen
sacrifices；　she　did　not　respect　herself　any　more　than　the
world　respected　her；　but　I　believe　thought　in　her　heart
that　she　was　a　poor…spirited；　despicable　little　creature；
whose　luck　in　life　was　only　too　good　for　her　merits。　　O
you　poor　women！　　O　you　poor　secret　martyrs　and　victims；
whose　life　is　a　torture；　who　are　stretched　on　racks　in
your　bedrooms；　and　who　lay　your　heads　down　on　the
block　daily　at　the　drawing…room　table；　every　man　who
watches　your　pains；　or　peers　into　those　dark　places　where
the　torture　is　administered　to　you；　must　pity　youand
and　thank　God　that　he　has　a　beard。　　I　recollect　seeing；
years　ago；　at　the　prisons　for　idiots　and　madmen　at
Bicetre；　near　Paris；　a　poor　wretch　bent　down　under
the　bondage　of　his　imprisonment　and　his　personal
infirmity；　to　whom　one　of　our　party　gave　a　halfpenny　worth
of　snuff　in　a　cornet　or　〃screw〃　of　paper。　　The　kindness
was　too　much　for　the　poor　epileptic　creature。　　He　cried
in　an　anguish　of　delight　and　gratitude：　　if　anybody　gave
you　and　me　a　thousand　a　year；　or　saved　our　lives；　we
could　not　be　so　affected。　　And　so；　if　you　properly　tyrannize
over　a　woman；　you　will　find　a　h'p'orth　of　kindness　act
upon　her　and　bring　tears　into　her　eyes；　as　though　you
were　an　angel　benefiting　her。
Some　such　boons　as　these　were　the　best　which　Fortune
allotted　to　poor　little　Amelia。　　Her　life；　begun　not
unprosperously；　had　come　down　to　thisto　a　mean　prison
and　a　long；　ignoble　bondage。　　Little　George　visited　her
captivity　sometimes　and　consoled　it　with　feeble　gleams
of　encouragement。　　Russell　Square　was　the　boundary　of
her　prison：　　she　might　walk　thither　occasionally；　but　was
always　back　to　sleep　in　her　cell　at　night；　to　perform
cheerless　duties；　to　watch　by　thankless　sick…beds；　to
suffer　the　harassment　and　tyranny　of　querulous
disappointed　old　age。　　How　many　thousands　of　people　are
there；　women　for　the　most　part；　who　are　doomed　to　endure
this　long　slavery？who　are　hospital　nurses　without
wagessisters　of　Charity；　if　you　like；　without　the
romance　and　the　sentiment　of　sacrificewho　strive；　fast；
watch；　and　suffer；　unpitied；　and　fade　away　ignobly　and
unknown。
The　hidden　and　awful　Wisdom　which　apportions　the
destinies　of　mankind　is　pleased　so　to　humiliate　and　cast
down　the　tender；　good；　and　wise；　and　to　set　up　the　selfish；
the　foolish；　or　the　wicked。　　Oh；　be　humble；　my　brother；
in　your　prosperity！　　Be　gentle　with　those　who　are　less
lucky；　if　not　more　deserving。　　Think；　what　right　have　you
to　be　scornful；　whose　virtue　is　a　deficiency　of　temptation；
whose　success　may　be　a　chance；　whose　rank　may　be
an　ancestor's　accident；　whose　prosperity　is　very　likely
a　satire。
They　buried　Amelia's　mother　in　the　churchyard　at
Brompton；　upon　just　such　a　rainy；　dark　day　as　Amelia
recollected　when　first　she　had　been　there　to　marry　George。
Her　little　boy　sat　by　her　side　in　pompous　new　sables。
She　remembered　the　old　pew…woman　and　clerk。　　Her
thoughts　were　away　in　other　times　as　the　parson　read。
But　that　she　held　George's　hand　in　her　own；　perhaps　she
would　have　liked　to　change　places　with。。。。　　Then；　as
usual；　she　felt　ashamed　of　her　selfish　thoughts　and　prayed
inwardly　to　be　strengthened　to　do　her　duty。
So　she　determined　with　all　her　might　and　strength　to
try　and　make　her　old　father　happy。　　She　slaved；　toiled；
patched；　and　mended；　sang　and　played　backgammon；　read
out　the　newspaper；　cooked　dishes；　for　old　Sedley；　walked
him　out　sedulously　into　Kensington　Gardens　or　the　Brompton
Lanes；　listened　to　his　stories　with　untiring　smiles　and
affectionate　hypocrisy；　or　sat　musing　by　his　side　and
communing　with　her　own　thoughts　and　reminiscences；
as　the　old　man；　feeble　and　querulous；　sunned　himself　on
the　garden　benches　and　prattled　about　his　wrongs　or　his
sorrows。　　What　sad；　unsatisfactory　thoughts　those　of　the
widow　were！　　The　children　running　up　and　down　the
slopes　and　broad　paths　in　the　gardens　reminded　her　of
George；　who　was　taken　from　her；　the　first　George　was
taken　from　her；　her　selfish；　guilty　love；　in　both　instances；
had　been　rebuked　and　bitterly　ch