vanity fair(名利场)-第164节

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was　mainly　a　desire　to　see　his　parent　which　brought　Jos
once　more　to　Europe。
At　his　accustomed　hour　Mr。　Sedley　began　to　doze　in
his　chair；　and　then　it　was　Amelia's　opportunity　to
commence　her　conversation；　which　she　did　with　great
eagernessit　related　exclusively　to　Georgy。　　She　did　not　talk
at　all　about　her　own　sufferings　at　breaking　from　him；　for
indeed；　this　worthy　woman；　though　she　was　half…killed
by　the　separation　from　the　child；　yet　thought　it　was　very
wicked　in　her　to　repine　at　losing　him；　but　everything
concerning　him；　his　virtues；　talents；　and　prospects；　she
poured　out。　　She　described　his　angelic　beauty；　narrated
a　hundred　instances　of　his　generosity　and　greatness　of
mind　whilst　living　with　her；　how　a　Royal　Duchess　had
stopped　and　admired　him　in　Kensington　Gardens；　how
splendidly　he　was　cared　for　now；　and　how　he　had　a
groom　and　a　pony；　what　quickness　and　cleverness　he
had；　and　what　a　prodigiously　well…read　and　delightful
person　the　Reverend　Lawrence　Veal　was；　George's
master。　　〃He　knows　EVERYTHING；〃　Amelia　said。　　〃He　has　the
most　delightful　parties。　　You　who　are　so　learned　yourself；
and　have　read　so　much；　and　are　so　clever　and
accomplisheddon't　shake　your　head　and　say　noHE
always　used　to　say　you　wereyou　will　be　charmed　with
Mr。　Veal's　parties。　　The　last　Tuesday　in　every　month。　　He
says　there　is　no　place　in　the　bar　or　the　senate　that
Georgy　may　not　aspire　to。　　Look　here；〃　and　she　went　to
the　piano…drawer　and　drew　out　a　theme　of　Georgy's
composition。　　This　great　effort　of　genius；　which　is　still
in　the　possession　of　George's　mother；　is　as　follows：
On　SelfishnessOf　all　the　vices　which　degrade　the
human　character；　Selfishness　is　the　most　odious　and
contemptible。　　An　undue　love　of　Self　leads　to　the　most
monstrous　crimes　and　occasions　the　greatest　misfortunes　both
in　States　and　Families。　　As　a　selfish　man　will　impoverish
his　family　and　often　bring　them　to　ruin；　so　a　selfish
king　brings　ruin　on　his　people　and　often　plunges　them
into　war。
Example：　　The　selfishness　of　Achilles；　as　remarked　by
the　poet　Homer；　occasioned　a　thousand　woes　to　the
Greeksmuri　Achaiois　alge　etheke（Hom。　Il。　A。　2）。
The　selfishness　of　the　late　Napoleon　Bonaparte
occasioned　innumerable　wars　in　Europe　and　caused　him　to
perish；　himself；　in　a　miserable　islandthat　of　Saint　Helena　in
the　Atlantic　Ocean。
We　see　by　these　examples　that　we　are　not　to　consult
our　own　interest　and　ambition；　but　that　we　are　to
consider　the　interests　of　others　as　well　as　our　own。
George　S。　　Osborne
Athene　House；　24　April；　1827
〃Think　of　him　writing　such　a　hand；　and　quoting　Greek
too；　at　his　age；〃　the　delighted　mother　said。　　〃Oh；　William；〃
she　added；　holding　out　her　hand　to　the　Major；　〃what　a
treasure　Heaven　has　given　me　in　that　boy！　　He　is　the
comfort　of　my　lifeand　he　is　the　image　ofof　him　that's
gone！〃
〃Ought　I　to　be　angry　with　her　for　being　faithful　to
him？〃　William　thought。　　〃Ought　I　to　be　jealous　of　my
friend　in　the　grave；　or　hurt　that　such　a　heart　as　Amelia's
can　love　only　once　and　for　ever？　Oh；　George；　George；
how　little　you　knew　the　prize　you　had；　though。〃　This
sentiment　passed　rapidly　through　William's　mind　as　he
was　holding　Amelia's　hand；　whilst　the　handkerchief　was
veiling　her　eyes。
〃Dear　friend；〃　she　said；　pressing　the　hand　which　held
hers；　〃how　good；　how　kind　you　always　have　been　to　me！
See！　　Papa　is　stirring。　　You　will　go　and　see　Georgy
tomorrow；　won't　you？〃
　
〃Not　to…morrow；〃　said　poor　old　Dobbin。　　〃I　have
business。〃　He　did　not　like　to　own　that　he　had　not　as　yet
been　to　his　parents'　and　his　dear　sister　Annea
remissness　for　which　I　am　sure　every　well…regulated
person　will　blame　the　Major。　　And　presently　he　took　his
leave；　leaving　his　address　behind　him　for　Jos；　against　the
latter's　arrival。　　And　so　the　first　day　was　over；　and　he
had　seen　her。
When　he　got　back　to　the　Slaughters'；　the　roast　fowl
was　of　course　cold；　in　which　condition　he　ate　it　for
supper。　　And　knowing　what　early　hours　his　family　kept；　and
that　it　would　be　needless　to　disturb　their　slumbers　at　so
late　an　hour；　it　is　on　record；　that　Major　Dobbin　treated
himself　to　half…price　at　the　Haymarket　Theatre　that
evening；　where　let　us　hope　he　enjoyed　himself。

CHAPTER　LIX
The　Old　Piano
The　Major's　visit　left　old　John　Sedley　in　a　great　state　of
agitation　and　excitement。　　His　daughter　could　not　induce
him　to　settle　down　to　his　customary　occupations　or
amusements　that　night。　　He　passed　the　evening　fumbling
amongst　his　boxes　and　desks；　untying　his　papers　with
trembling　hands；　and　sorting　and　arranging　them　against
Jos's　arrival。　　He　had　them　in　the　greatest　orderhis
tapes　and　his　files；　his　receipts；　and　his　letters　with
lawyers　and　correspondents；　the　documents　relative　to
the　wine　project　（which　failed　from　a　most　unaccountable
accident；　after　commencing　with　the　most　splendid
prospects）；　the　coal　project　（which　only　a　want　of　capital
prevented　from　becoming　the　most　successful　scheme
ever　put　before　the　public）；　the　patent　saw…mills　and
sawdust　consolidation　project；　&c。；　&c。　　All　night；　until　a
very　late　hour；　he　passed　in　the　preparation　of　these
documents；　trembling　about　from　one　room　to　another；
with　a　quivering　candle　and　shaky　hands。　　Here's　the　wine
papers；　here's　the　sawdust；　here's　the　coals；　here's　my
letters　to　Calcutta　and　Madras；　and　replies　from　Major
Dobbin；　C。B。；　and　Mr。　Joseph　Sedley　to　the　same。　　〃He
shall　find　no　irregularity　about　ME；　Emmy；〃　the　old
gentleman　said。
Emmy　smiled。　　〃I　don't　think　Jos　will　care　about　seeing
those　papers；　Papa；〃　she　said。
〃You　don't　know　anything　about　business；　my　dear；〃
answered　the　sire；　shaking　his　head　with　an　important
air。　　And　it　must　be　confessed　that　on　this　point　Emmy
was　very　ignorant；　and　that　is　a　pity　some　people　are　so
knowing。　　All　these　twopenny　documents　arranged　on　a
side　table；　old　Sedley　covered　them　carefully　over　with
a　clean　bandanna　handkerchief　（one　out　of　Major
Dobbin's　lot）　and　enjoined　the　maid　and　landlady　of　the
house；　in　the　most　solemn　way；　not　to　disturb　those
papers；　which　were　arranged　for　the　arrival　of　Mr。　Joseph
Sedley　the　next　morning；　〃Mr。　Joseph　Sedley　of　the
Honourable　East　India　Company's　Bengal　Civil　Service。〃
Amelia　found　him　up　very　early　the　next　morning；
more　eager；　more　hectic；　and　more　shaky　than　ever。　　〃I
didn't　sleep　much；　Emmy；　my　dear；〃　he　said。　　〃I　was
thinking　of　my　poor　Bessy。　　I　wish　she　was　alive；　to　ride
in　Jos's　carriage　once　again。　　She　kept　her　own　and
became　it　very　well。〃　And　his　eyes　filled　with　tears；　which
trickled　down　his　furrowed　old　face。　　Amelia　wiped　them
away；　and　smilingly　kissed　him；　and　tied　the　old　man's
neckcloth　in　a　smart　bow；　and　put　his　brooch　into　his
best　shirt　frill；　in　which；　in　his　Sunday　suit　of　mourning；
he　sat　from　six　o'clock　in　the　morning　awaiting　the
arrival　of　his　son。
However；　when　the　postman　made　his　appearance；　the
little　party　were　put　out　of　suspense　by　the　receipt　of　a
letter　from　Jos　to　his　sister；　who　announced　that　he　felt
a　little　fatigued　after　his　voyage；　and　should　not　be　able
to　move　on　that　day；　but　that　he　would　leave　Southampton
early　the　next　morning　and　be　with　his　father　and
mother　at　evening。　　Amelia；　as　she　read　out　the　letter　to
her　father；　paused　over　the　latter　word；　her　brother；　it
was　clear；　did　not　know　what　had　happened　in　the　family。
Nor　could　he；　for　the　fact　is　that；　though　the　Major
rightly　suspected　that　his　travelling　companion　never
would　be　got　into　motion　in　so　short　a　space　as　twenty…
four　hours；　and　would　find　some　excuse　for　delaying；　yet
Dobbin　had　not　written　to　Jos　to　inform　him　of　the
calamity　which　had　befallen　the　Sedley　family；　being
occupied　in　talking　with　Amelia　until　long　after　post…hour。
There　are　some　splendid　tailors'　shops　in　the　High
Street　of　Southampton；　in　the　fine　plate…glass　windows
of　which　hang　gorgeous　waistcoats　of　all　sorts；　of　silk
and　velvet；　and　gold　and　crimson；　and　pictures　of　the
last　new　fashions；　in　which　those　wonderful　gentlemen
with　quizzing　glasses；　and　holding　on　to　little　boys　with
the　exceeding　large　eyes　and　curly　hair；　ogle　ladies　in
riding　habits　prancing　by　the　Statue　of　Achilles　at　Apsley
House。　　Jos；　although　provided　with　some　of　the　most
splendid　vests　that　Calcutta　could　furnish；　thought　he
could　not　go　to　town　until　he　was　supplied　with　one　or
two　of　these　garments；　and　selected　a　crimson　satin；
embroidered　with　gold　butterflies；　and　a　black　and　red
velvet　tartan　with　white　stripes　and　a　rolling　collar；　with
which；　and　a　rich　blue　satin　stock　and　a　gold　pin；
consisting　of　a　five…barred　gate　with　a　horseman　in　pink
enamel　jumping　over　it；　he　thought　he　might　make　his
entry　into　London　with　some　dignity。　　For　Jos's　former
shyness　and　blundering　blushing　timidity　had　given　way
to　a　more　candid　and　courageous　self…assertion　of　his
worth。　　〃I　don't　care　about　owning　it；〃　Waterloo　Sedley
would　say　to　his　friends；　〃I　am　a　dressy　man〃；　and
though　rather　uneasy　if　the　ladies　looked　at　him　at　the
Government　House　balls；　and　though　he　blushed　and
turned　away　alarmed　under　their　glances；　it　was　chiefly
from　a　dread　lest　they　should　make　love　to　him　that　he
avoided　them；　being　averse　to　marriage　altogether。　　But
there　was　no　such　sw