vanity fair(名利场)-第163节

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walking　down　the　lane；　en　sandwichhaving　a　lady；　that
is；　on　each　arm。　　One　was　a　tall　and　commanding　middle…
aged　female；　with　features　and　a　complexion　similar　to
those　of　the　clergyman　of　the　Church　of　England　by
whose　side　she　marched；　and　the　other　a　stunted　little
woman　with　a　dark　face；　ornamented　by　a　fine　new　bonnet
and　white　ribbons；　and　in　a　smart　pelisse；　with　a　rich
gold　watch　in　the　midst　of　her　person。　　The　gentleman；
pinioned　as　he　was　by　these　two　ladies；　carried　further　a
parasol；　shawl；　and　basket；　so　that　his　arms　were　entirely
engaged；　and　of　course　he　was　unable　to　touch　his　hat　in
acknowledgement　of　the　curtsey　with　which　Miss　Mary
Clapp　greeted　him。
He　merely　bowed　his　head　in　reply　to　her　salutation；
which　the　two　ladies　returned　with　a　patronizing　air；　and
at　the　same　time　looking　severely　at　the　individual　in　the
blue　coat　and　bamboo　cane　who　accompanied　Miss　Polly。
〃Who's　that？〃　asked　the　Major；　amused　by　the　group；
and　after　he　had　made　way　for　the　three　to　pass　up　the
lane。　　Mary　looked　at　him　rather　roguishly。
〃That　is　our　curate；　the　Reverend　Mr。　Binny　（a　twitch
from　Major　Dobbin）；　and　his　sister　Miss　B。　　Lord　bless　us；
how　she　did　use　to　worret　us　at　Sunday…school；　and　the
other　lady；　the　little　one　with　a　cast　in　her　eye　and　the
handsome　watch；　is　Mrs。　BinnyMiss　Grits　that　was；
her　pa　was　a　grocer；　and　kept　the　Little　Original　Gold
Tea　Pot　in　Kensington　Gravel　Pits。　　They　were　married　last
month；　and　are　just　come　back　from　Margate。　　She's　five
thousand　pound　to　her　fortune；　but　her　and　Miss　B。；　who
made　the　match；　have　quarrelled　already。〃
If　the　Major　had　twitched　before；　he　started　now；　and
slapped　the　bamboo　on　the　ground　with　an　emphasis
which　made　Miss　Clapp　cry；　〃Law；〃　and　laugh　too。　　He
stood　for　a　moment；　silent；　with　open　mouth；　looking
after　the　retreating　young　couple；　while　Miss　Mary　told
their　history；　but　he　did　not　hear　beyond　the　announcement
of　the　reverend　gentleman's　marriage；　his　head　was
swimming　with　felicity。　　After　this　rencontre　he　began　to
walk　double　quick　towards　the　place　of　his　destination
and　yet　they　were　too　soon　（for　he　was　in　a　great
tremor　at　the　idea　of　a　meeting　for　which　he　had　been
longing　any　time　these　ten　years）through　the　Brompton
lanes；　and　entering　at　the　little　old　portal　in　Kensington
Garden　wall。
〃There　they　are；〃　said　Miss　Polly；　and　she　felt　him
again　start　back　on　her　arm。　　She　was　a　confidante　at　once
of　the　whole　business。　　She　knew　the　story　as　well　as　if
she　had　read　it　in　one　of　her　favourite　novel…books
Fatherless　Fanny；　or　the　Scottish　Chiefs。
〃Suppose　you　were　to　run　on　and　tell　her；〃　the　Major
said。　　Polly　ran　forward；　her　yellow　shawl　streaming　in　the
breeze。
Old　Sedley　was　seated　on　a　bench；　his　handkerchief
placed　over　his　knees；　prattling　away；　according　to　his
wont；　with　some　old　story　about　old　times　to　which
Amelia　had　listened　and　awarded　a　patient　smile　many
a　time　before。　　She　could　of　late　think　of　her　own　affairs；
and　smile　or　make　other　marks　of　recognition　of　her
father's　stories；　scarcely　hearing　a　word　of　the　old　man's
tales。　　As　Mary　came　bouncing　along；　and　Amelia　caught
sight　of　her；　she　started　up　from　her　bench。　　Her　first
thought　was　that　something　had　happened　to　Georgy；
but　the　sight　of　the　messenger's　eager　and　happy　face
dissipated　that　fear　in　the　timorous　mother's　bosom。
〃News！　　News！〃　cried　the　emissary　of　Major　Dobbin。
〃He's　come！　　He's　come！〃
〃Who　is　come？〃　said　Emmy；　still　thinking　of　her　son。
〃Look　there；〃　answered　Miss　Clapp；　turning　round　and
pointing；　in　which　direction　Amelia　looking；　saw
Dobbin's　lean　figure　and　long　shadow　stalking　across　the
grass。　　Amelia　started　in　her　turn；　blushed　up；　and；　of
course；　began　to　cry。　　At　all　this　simple　little　creature's
fetes；　the　grandes　eaux　were　accustomed　to　play。
He　looked　at　heroh；　how　fondlyas　she　came
running　towards　him；　her　hands　before　her；　ready　to　give
them　to　him。　　She　wasn't　changed。　　She　was　a　little　pale；
a　little　stouter　in　figure。　　Her　eyes　were　the　same；　the
kind　trustful　eyes。　　There　were　scarce　three　lines　of　silver
in　her　soft　brown　hair。　　She　gave　him　both　her　hands　as
she　looked　up　flushing　and　smiling　through　her　tears　into
his　honest　homely　face。　　He　took　the　two　little　hands
between　his　two　and　held　them　there。　　He　was　speechless
for　a　moment。　　Why　did　he　not　take　her　in　his　arms　and
swear　that　he　would　never　leave　her？　She　must　have
yielded：　　she　could　not　but　have　obeyed　him。
〃II've　another　arrival　to　announce；〃　he　said　after　a
pause。
〃Mrs。　Dobbin？〃　Amelia　said；　making　a　movement
backwhy　didn't　he　speak？
〃No；〃　he　said；　letting　her　hands　go：　　〃Who　has　told
you　those　lies？　I　mean；　your　brother　Jos　came　in　the
same　ship　with　me；　and　is　come　home　to　make　you　all
happy。〃
〃Papa；　Papa！〃　Emmy　cried　out；　〃here　are　news！　　My
brother　is　in　England。　　He　is　come　to　take　care　of　you。
Here　is　Major　Dobbin。〃
Mr。　Sedley　started　up；　shaking　a　great　deal　and　gathering
up　his　thoughts。　　Then　he　stepped　forward　and　made　an
old…fashioned　bow　to　the　Major；　whom　he　called　Mr。
Dobbin；　and　hoped　his　worthy　father；　Sir　William；　was
quite　well。　　He　proposed　to　call　upon　Sir　William；　who　had
done　him　the　honour　of　a　visit　a　short　time　ago。　　Sir
William　had　not　called　upon　the　old　gentleman　for　eight
yearsit　was　that　visit　he　was　thinking　of　returning。
〃He　is　very　much　shaken；〃　Emmy　whispered　as　Dobbin
went　up　and　cordially　shook　hands　with　the　old　man。
Although　he　had　such　particular　business　in　London
that　evening；　the　Major　consented　to　forego　it　upon　Mr。
Sedley's　invitation　to　him　to　come　home　and　partake　of
tea。　　Amelia　put　her　arm　under　that　of　her　young　friend
with　the　yellow　shawl　and　headed　the　party　on　their
return　homewards；　so　that　Mr。　Sedley　fell　to　Dobbin's　share。
The　old　man　walked　very　slowly　and　told　a　number　of
ancient　histories　about　himself　and　his　poor　Bessy；　his
former　prosperity；　and　his　bankruptcy。　　His　thoughts；　as　is
usual　with　failing　old　men；　were　quite　in　former　times。
The　present；　with　the　exception　of　the　one　catastrophe
which　he　felt；　he　knew　little　about。　　The　Major　was　glad　to
let　him　talk　on。　　His　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　figure　in
front　of　himthe　dear　little　figure　always　present　to　his
imagination　and　in　his　prayers；　and　visiting　his　dreams
wakeful　or　slumbering。
Amelia　was　very　happy；　smiling；　and　active　all　that
evening；　performing　her　duties　as　hostess　of　the　little
entertainment　with　the　utmost　grace　and　propriety；　as
Dobbin　thought。　　His　eyes　followed　her　about　as　they　sat
in　the　twilight。　　How　many　a　time　had　he　longed　for　that
moment　and　thought　of　her　far　away　under　hot　winds
and　in　weary　marches；　gentle　and　happy；　kindly　ministering
to　the　wants　of　old　age；　and　decorating　poverty　with
sweet　submissionas　he　saw　her　now。　　I　do　not　say　that
his　taste　was　the　highest；　or　that　it　is　the　duty　of　great
intellects　to　be　content　with　a　bread…and…butter　paradise；
such　as　sufficed　our　simple　old　friend；　but　his　desires
were　of　this　sort；　whether　for　good　or　bad；　and；　with
Amelia　to　help　him；　he　was　as　ready　to　drink　as　many
cups　of　tea　as　Doctor　Johnson。
Amelia　seeing　this　propensity；　laughingly　encouraged
it　and　looked　exceedingly　roguish　as　she　administered　to
him　cup　after　cup。　　It　is　true　she　did　not　know　that　the
Major　had　had　no　dinner　and　that　the　cloth　was　laid　for
him　at　the　Slaughters'；　and　a　plate　laid　thereon　to　mark
that　the　table　was　retained；　in　that　very　box　in　which
the　Major　and　George　had　sat　many　a　time　carousing；
when　she　was　a　child　just　come　home　from　Miss
Pinkerton's　school。
The　first　thing　Mrs。　Osborne　showed　the　Major　was
Georgy's　miniature；　for　which　she　ran　upstairs　on　her
arrival　at　home。　　It　was　not　half　handsome　enough　of
course　for　the　boy；　but　wasn't　it　noble　of　him　to　think　of
bringing　it　to　his　mother？　Whilst　her　papa　was　awake　she
did　not　talk　much　about　Georgy。　　To　hear　about　Mr。
Osborne　and　Russell　Square　was　not　agreeable　to　the
old　man；　who　very　likely　was　unconscious　that　he　had
been　living　for　some　months　past　mainly　on　the　bounty
of　his　richer　rival；　and　lost　his　temper　if　allusion　was
made　to　the　other。
Dobbin　told　him　all；　and　a　little　more　perhaps　than
all；　that　had　happened　on　board　the　Ramchunder；　and
exaggerated　Jos's　benevolent　dispositions　towards　his
father　and　resolution　to　make　him　comfortable　in　his
old　days。　　The　truth　is　that　during　the　voyage　the　Major
had　impressed　this　duty　most　strongly　upon　his　fellow…
passenger　and　extorted　promises　from　him　that　he　would
take　charge　of　his　sister　and　her　child。　　He　soothed　Jos's
irritation　with　regard　to　the　bills　which　the　old　gentleman
had　drawn　upon　him；　gave　a　laughing　account　of　his
own　sufferings　on　the　same　score　and　of　the　famous
consignment　of　wine　with　which　the　old　man　had　favoured
him；　and　brought　Mr。　Jos；　who　was　by　no　means　an　ill…
natured　person　when　well…pleased　and　moderately
flattered；　to　a　very　good　state　of　feeling　regarding　his
relatives　in　Europe。
And　in　fine　I　am　ashamed　to　say　that　the　Major
stretched　the　truth　so　far　as　to　tell　old　Mr。　Sedley　that　it
was　mainly　a　desire　to　see　his　parent　which　brought　Jos
once　more　to　Europe。
At　his　accustom