vanity fair(名利场)-第168节

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ain't　it　capital？　But　Dob　reads　Latin　like　English；　and
French　and　that；　and　when　we　go　out　together　he　tells　me
stories　about　my　Papa；　and　never　about　himself；　though　I
heard　Colonel　Buckler；　at　Grandpapa's；　say　that　he　was
one　of　the　bravest　officers　in　the　army；　and　had
distinguished　himself　ever　so　much。　　Grandpapa　was　quite
surprised；　and　said；　'THAT　feller！　　Why；　I　didn't　think　he　could
say　Bo　to　a　goose'but　l　know　he　could；　couldn't　he；
Mamma？〃
Emmy　laughed：　　she　thought　it　was　very　likely　the
Major　could　do　thus　much。
If　there　was　a　sincere　liking　between　George　and　the
Major；　it　must　be　confessed　that　between　the　boy　and　his
uncle　no　great　love　existed。　　George　had　got　a　way　of
blowing　out　his　cheeks；　and　putting　his　hands　in　his
waistcoat　pockets；　and　saying；　〃God　bless　my　soul；　you　don't
say　so；〃　so　exactly　after　the　fashion　of　old　Jos　that　it　was
impossible　to　refrain　from　laughter。　　The　servants　would
explode　at　dinner　if　the　lad；　asking　for　something　which
wasn't　at　table；　put　on　that　countenance　and　used　that
favourite　phrase。　　Even　Dobbin　would　shoot　out　a　sudden
peal　at　the　boy's　mimicry。　　If　George　did　not　mimic　his
uncle　to　his　face；　it　was　only　by　Dobbin's　rebukes　and
Amelia's　terrified　entreaties　that　the　little　scapegrace　was
induced　to　desist。　　And　the　worthy　civilian　being　haunted
by　a　dim　consciousness　that　the　lad　thought　him　an　ass；
and　was　inclined　to　turn　him　into　ridicule；　used　to　be
extremely　timorous　and；　of　course；　doubly　pompous　and
dignified　in　the　presence　of　Master　Georgy。　　When　it　was
announced　that　the　young　gentleman　was　expected　in
Gillespie　Street　to　dine　with　his　mother；　Mr。　Jos
commonly　found　that　he　had　an　engagement　at　the　Club。
Perhaps　nobody　was　much　grieved　at　his　absence。　　On
those　days　Mr。　Sedley　would　commonly　be　induced　to
come　out　from　his　place　of　refuge　in　the　upper　stories；
and　there　would　be　a　small　family　party；　whereof　Major
Dobbin　pretty　generally　formed　one。　　He　was　the　ami　de
la　maisonold　Sedley's　friend；　Emmy's　friend；　Georgy's
friend；　Jos's　counsel　and　adviser。　　〃He　might　almost　as
well　be　at　Madras　for　anything　WE　see　of　him；〃　Miss
Ann　Dobbin　remarked　at　Camberwell。　　Ah！　　Miss　Ann；　did
it　not　strike　you　that　it　was　not　YOU　whom　the　Major
wanted　to　marry？
Joseph　Sedley　then　led　a　life　of　dignified　otiosity　such
as　became　a　person　of　his　eminence。　　His　very　first　point；
of　course；　was　to　become　a　member　of　the　Oriental　Club；
where　he　spent　his　mornings　in　the　company　of　his
brother　Indians；　where　he　dined；　or　whence　he　brought
home　men　to　dine。
Amelia　had　to　receive　and　entertain　these　gentlemen
and　their　ladies。　　From　these　she　heard　how　soon　Smith
would　be　in　Council；　how　many　lacs　Jones　had　brought
home　with　him；　how　Thomson's　House　in　London　had
refused　the　bills　drawn　by　Thomson；　Kibobjee；　and　Co。；
the　Bombay　House；　and　how　it　was　thought　the　Calcutta
House　must　go　too；　how　very　imprudent；　to　say　the
least　of　it；　Mrs。　Brown's　conduct　（wife　of　Brown　of　the
Ahmednuggur　Irregulars）　had　been　with　young　Swankey
of　the　Body　Guard；　sitting　up　with　him　on　deck　until　all
hours；　and　losing　themselves　as　they　were　riding　out　at
the　Cape；　how　Mrs。　Hardyman　had　had　out　her　thirteen
sisters；　daughters　of　a　country　curate；　the　Rev：　　Felix
Rabbits；　and　married　eleven　of　them；　seven　high　up　in
the　service；　how　Hornby　was　wild　because　his　wife
would　stay　in　Europe；　and　Trotter　was　appointed
Collector　at　Ummerapoora。　　This　and　similar　talk　took　place
at　the　grand　dinners　all　round。　　They　had　the　same
conversation；　the　same　silver　dishes；　the　same　saddles　of
mutton；　boiled　turkeys；　and　entrees。　　Politics　set　in　a
short　time　after　dessert；　when　the　ladies　retired　upstairs
and　talked　about　their　complaints　and　their　children。
Mutato　nomine；　it　is　all　the　same。　　Don't　the　barristers'
wives　talk　about　Circuit？　Don't　the　soldiers'　ladies
gossip　about　the　Regiment？　Don't　the　clergymen's　ladies
discourse　about　Sunday…schools　and　who　takes　whose　duty？
Don't　the　very　greatest　ladies　of　all　talk　about　that　small
clique　of　persons　to　whom　they　belong？　And　why　should
our　Indian　friends　not　have　their　own　conversation？
only　I　admit　it　is　slow　for　the　laymen　whose　fate　it
sometimes　is　to　sit　by　and　listen。
Before　long　Emmy　had　a　visiting…book；　and　was　driving
about　regularly　in　a　carriage；　calling　upon　Lady　Bludyer
（wife　of　Major…General　Sir　Roger　Bludyer；　K。C。B。；　Bengal
Army）；　Lady　Huff；　wife　of　Sir　G。　　Huff；　Bombay　ditto；
Mrs。　Pice；　the　Lady　of　Pice　the　Director；　&c。　　We　are　not
long　in　using　ourselves　to　changes　in　life。　　That　carriage
came　round　to　Gillespie　Street　every　day；　that　buttony
boy　sprang　up　and　down　from　the　box　with　Emmy's　and
Jos's　visiting…cards；　at　stated　hours　Emmy　and　the
carriage　went　for　Jos　to　the　Club　and　took　him　an　airing；
or；　putting　old　Sedley　into　the　vehicle；　she　drove　the　old
man　round　the　Regent's　Park。　　The　lady's　maid　and　the
chariot；　the　visiting…book　and　the　buttony　page；　became
soon　as　familiar　to　Amelia　as　the　humble　routine　of
Brompton。　　She　accommodated　herself　to　one　as　to　the
other。　　If　Fate　had　ordained　that　she　should　be　a　Duchess；
she　would　even　have　done　that　duty　too。　　She　was　voted；　in
Jos's　female　society；　rather　a　pleasing　young　person
not　much　in　her；　but　pleasing；　and　that　sort　of　thing。
The　men；　as　usual；　liked　her　artless　kindness　and
simple　refined　demeanour。　　The　gallant　young　Indian　dandies
at　home　on　furloughimmense　dandies　thesechained
and　moustacheddriving　in　tearing　cabs；　the　pillars　of
the　theatres；　living　at　West　End　hotelsnevertheless
admired　Mrs。　Osborne；　liked　to　bow　to　her　carriage　in　the
park；　and　to　be　admitted　to　have　the　honour　of　paying
her　a　morning　visit。　　Swankey　of　the　Body　Guard
himself；　that　dangerous　youth；　and　the　greatest　buck　of　all
the　Indian　army　now　on　leave；　was　one　day　discovered
by　Major　Dobbin　tete…a…tete　with　Amelia；　and
describing　the　sport　of　pig…sticking　to　her　with　great　humour　and
eloquence；　and　he　spoke　afterwards　of　a　dd　king's
officer　that's　always　hanging　about　the　housea　long；
thin；　queer…looking；　oldish　fellowa　dry　fellow　though；
that　took　the　shine　out　of　a　man　in　the　talking　line。
Had　the　Major　possessed　a　little　more　personal　vanity
he　would　have　been　jealous　of　so　dangerous　a　young
buck　as　that　fascinating　Bengal　Captain。　　But　Dobbin　was
of　too　simple　and　generous　a　nature　to　have　any　doubts
about　Amelia。　　He　was　glad　that　the　young　men　should
pay　her　respect；　and　that　others　should　admire　her。　　Ever
since　her　womanhood　almost；　had　she　not　been
persecuted　and　undervalued？　It　pleased　him　to　see　how
kindness　bought　out　her　good　qualities　and　how　her　spirits
gently　rose　with　her　prosperity。　　Any　person　who
appreciated　her　paid　a　compliment　to　the　Major's　good
judgementthat　is；　if　a　man　may　be　said　to　have　good
judgement　who　is　under　the　influence　of　Love's　delusion。
After　Jos　went　to　Court；　which　we　may　be　sure　he
did　as　a　loyal　subject　of　his　Sovereign　（showing　himself
in　his　full　court　suit　at　the　Club；　whither　Dobbin　came
to　fetch　him　in　a　very　shabby　old　uniform）　he　who　had
always　been　a　staunch　Loyalist　and　admirer　of　George
IV；　became　such　a　tremendous　Tory　and　pillar　of　the
State　that　he　was　for　having　Amelia　to　go　to　a
Drawing…room；　too。　　He　somehow　had　worked　himself　up
to　believe　that　he　was　implicated　in　the　maintenance　of　the
public　welfare　and　that　the　Sovereign　would　not　be　happy
unless　Jos　Sedley　and　his　family　appeared　to　rally　round
him　at　St。　　James's。
Emmy　laughed。　　〃Shall　I　wear　the　family　diamonds；
Jos？〃　she　said。
〃I　wish　you　would　let　me　buy　you　some；〃　thought　the
Major。　　〃I　should　like　to　see　any　that　were　too　good　for
you。〃

CHAPTER　LXI
In　Which　Two　Lights　are　Put　Out
There　came　a　day　when　the　round　of　decorous　pleasures
and　solemn　gaieties　in　which　Mr。　Jos　Sedley's　family
indulged　was　interrupted　by　an　event　which　happens　in
most　houses。　　As　you　ascend　the　staircase　of　your　house
from　the　drawing　towards　the　bedroom　floors；　you　may
have　remarked　a　little　arch　in　the　wall　right　before　you；
which　at　once　gives　light　to　the　stair　which　leads　from
the　second　story　to　the　third　（where　the　nursery　and
servants'　chambers　commonly　are）　and　serves　for
another　purpose　of　utility；　of　which　the　undertaker's　men
can　give　you　a　notion。　　They　rest　the　coffins　upon　that
arch；　or　pass　them　through　it　so　as　not　to　disturb　in　any
unseemly　manner　the　cold　tenant　slumbering　within　the
black　ark。
That　second…floor　arch　in　a　London　house；　looking　up
and　down　the　well　of　the　staircase　and　commanding　the
main　thoroughfare　by　which　the　inhabitants　are　passing；
by　which　cook　lurks　down　before　daylight　to　scour　her
pots　and　pans　in　the　kitchen；　by　which　young　master
stealthily　ascends；　having　left　his　boots　in　the　hall；　and
let　himself　in　after　dawn　from　a　jolly　night　at　the　Club；
down　which　miss　comes　rustling　in　fresh　ribbons　and
spreading　muslins；　brilliant　and　beautiful；　and　prepared
for　conquest　and　the　ball；　or　Master　Tommy　slides；
preferring　the　banisters　for　a　mode　of　conveyance；　and
disdaining　danger　and　the　stair；　down　which　the　mother　is
fondly　carried　smiling　in　her　strong　husband's　arms；　as
he　steps　steadily　step　by　step