vanity fair(名利场)-第170节

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〃I　am　a　poor　blighted；　disappointed　old　fellow；　and　have
made　an　utter　failure　through　life。　　I　was　not　endowed
either　with　brains　or　with　good　fortune；　and　confess
that　I　have　committed　a　hundred　mistakes　and　blunders。
I　own　to　having　forgotten　my　duty　many　a　time。　　I　can't
pay　what　I　owe。　　On　my　last　bed　I　lie　utterly　helpless
and　humble；　and　I　pray　forgiveness　for　my　weakness　and
throw　myself；　with　a　contrite　heart；　at　the　feet　of　the
Divine　Mercy。〃　Which　of　these　two　speeches；　think
you；　would　be　the　best　oration　for　your　own　funeral？
Old　Sedley　made　the　last；　and　in　that　humble　frame　of
mind；　and　holding　by　the　hand　of　his　daughter；　life　and
disappointment　and　vanity　sank　away　from　under　him。
〃You　see；〃　said　old　Osborne　to　George；　〃what　comes
of　merit；　and　industry；　and　judicious　speculations；　and
that。　　Look　at　me　and　my　banker's　account。　　Look　at　your
poor　Grandfather　Sedley　and　his　failure。　　And　yet　he　was
a　better　man　than　I　was；　this　day　twenty　yearsa　better
man；　I　should　say；　by　ten　thousand　pound。〃
Beyond　these　people　and　Mr。　Clapp's　family；　who
came　over　from　Brompton　to　pay　a　visit　of　condolence；
not　a　single　soul　alive　ever　cared　a　penny　piece　about
old　John　Sedley；　or　remembered　the　existence　of　such　a
person。
When　old　Osborne　first　heard　from　his　friend　Colonel
Buckler　（as　little　Georgy　had　already　informed　us）　how
distinguished　an　officer　Major　Dobbin　was；　he　exhibited
a　great　deal　of　scornful　incredulity　and　expressed　his
surprise　how　ever　such　a　feller　as　that　should　possess
either　brains　or　reputation。　　But　he　heard　of　the　Major's
fame　from　various　members　of　his　society。　　Sir　William
Dobbin　had　a　great　opinion　of　his　son　and　narrated
many　stories　illustrative　of　the　Major's　learning；　valour；
and　estimation　in　the　world's　opinion。　　Finally；　his　name
appeared　in　the　lists　of　one　or　two　great　parties　of　the
nobility；　and　this　circumstance　had　a　prodigious　effect
upon　the　old　aristocrat　of　Russell　Square。
The　Major's　position；　as　guardian　to　Georgy；　whose
possession　had　been　ceded　to　his　grandfather；　rendered
some　meetings　between　the　two　gentlemen　inevitable；
and　it　was　in　one　of　these　that　old　Osborne；　a　keen　man
of　business；　looking　into　the　Major's　accounts　with　his
ward　and　the　boy's　mother；　got　a　hint；　which　staggered
him　very　much；　and　at　once　pained　and　pleased　him；
that　it　was　out　of　William　Dobbin's　own　pocket　that　a
part　of　the　fund　had　been　supplied　upon　which　the
poor　widow　and　the　child　had　subsisted。
When　pressed　upon　the　point；　Dobbin；　who　could　not
tell　lies；　blushed　and　stammered　a　good　deal　and　finally
confessed。　　〃The　marriage；〃　he　said　（at　which　his
interlocutor's　face　grew　dark）　〃was　very　much　my　doing。　　I
thought　my　poor　friend　had　gone　so　far　that　retreat　from
his　engagement　would　have　been　dishonour　to　him　and
death　to　Mrs。　Osborne；　and　I　could　do　no　less；　when　she
was　left　without　resources；　than　give　what　money　I　could
spare　to　maintain　her。〃
〃Major　D。；〃　Mr。　Osborne　said；　looking　hard　at　him　and
turning　very　red　too〃you　did　me　a　great　injury；　but
give　me　leave　to　tell　you；　sir；　you　are　an　honest　feller。
There's　my　hand；　sir；　though　I　little　thought　that　my
flesh　and　blood　was　living　on　you〃　and　the　pair　shook
hands；　with　great　confusion　on　Major　Dobbin's　part；　thus
found　out　in　his　act　of　charitable　hypocrisy。
He　strove　to　soften　the　old　man　and　reconcile　him
towards　his　son's　memory。　　〃He　was　such　a　noble　fellow；〃
he　said；　〃that　all　of　us　loved　him；　and　would　have　done
anything　for　him。　　I；　as　a　young　man　in　those　days；　was
flattered　beyond　measure　by　his　preference　for　me；　and
was　more　pleased　to　be　seen　in　his　company　than　in
that　of　the　Commander…in…Chief。　　I　never　saw　his　equal
for　pluck　and　daring　and　all　the　qualities　of　a　soldier〃；
and　Dobbin　told　the　old　father　as　many　stories　as　he
could　remember　regarding　the　gallantry　and　achievements
of　his　son。　　〃And　Georgy　is　so　like　him；〃　the
Major　added。
〃He's　so　like　him　that　he　makes　me　tremble　sometimes；〃
the　grandfather　said。
On　one　or　two　evenings　the　Major　came　to　dine　with
Mr。　Osborne　（it　was　during　the　time　of　the　sickness　of
Mr。　Sedley）；　and　as　the　two　sat　together　in　the　evening
after　dinner；　all　their　talk　was　about　the　departed　hero。
The　father　boasted　about　him　according　to　his　wont；
glorifying　himself　in　recounting　his　son's　feats　and
gallantry；　but　his　mood　was　at　any　rate　better　and　more
charitable　than　that　in　which　he　had　been　disposed　until
now　to　regard　the　poor　fellow；　and　the　Christian　heart　of
the　kind　Major　was　pleased　at　these　symptoms　of
returning　peace　and　good…will。　　On　the　second　evening　old
Osborne　called　Dobbin　William；　just　as　he　used　to　do　at
the　time　when　Dobbin　and　George　were　boys　together；
and　the　honest　gentleman　was　pleased　by　that　mark　of
reconciliation　。
On　the　next　day　at　breakfast；　when　Miss　Osborne；
with　the　asperity　of　her　age　and　character；　ventured　to
make　some　remark　reflecting　slightingly　upon　the　Major's
appearance　or　behaviourthe　master　of　the　house
interrupted　her。　　〃You'd　have　been　glad　enough　to　git　him
for　yourself；　Miss　O。　　But　them　grapes　are　sour。　　Ha！　　ha！
Major　William　is　a　fine　feller。〃
〃That　he　is；　Grandpapa；〃　said　Georgy　approvingly；
and　going　up　close　to　the　old　gentleman；　he　took　a　hold
of　his　large　grey　whiskers；　and　laughed　in　his　face
good…humouredly；　and　kissed　him。　　And　he　told　the　story　at
night　to　his　mother；　who　fully　agreed　with　the　boy。
〃Indeed　he　is；〃　she　said。　　〃Your　dear　father　always　said　so。
He　is　one　of　the　best　and　most　upright　of　men。〃　Dobbin
happened　to　drop　in　very　soon　after　this　conversation；
which　made　Amelia　blush　perhaps；　and　the　young
scapegrace　increased　the　confusion　by　telling　Dobbin
the　other　part　of　the　story。　　〃I　say；　Dob；〃　he　said；　〃there's
such　an　uncommon　nice　girl　wants　to　marry　you。　　She's
plenty　of　tin；　she　wears　a　front；　and　she　scolds　the
servants　from　morning　till　night。〃　〃Who　is　it？〃　asked
Dobbin。
　　〃It's　Aunt　O。；〃　the　boy　answered。　　〃Grandpapa　said
so。　　And　I　say；　Dob；　how　prime　it　would　be　to　have　you
for　my　uncle。〃　Old　Sedley's　quavering　voice　from　the
next　room　at　this　moment　weakly　called　for　Amelia；　and
the　laughing　ended。
That　old　Osborne's　mind　was　changing　was　pretty　clear。
He　asked　George　about　his　uncle　sometimes；　and　laughed
at　the　boy's　imitation　of　the　way　in　which　Jos　said
〃God…bless…my…soul〃　and　gobbled　his　soup。　　Then　he　said；
〃It's　not　respectful；　sir；　of　you　younkers　to　be　imitating　of
your　relations。　　Miss　O。；　when　you　go　out　adriving
to…day；　leave　my　card　upon　Mr。　Sedley；　do　you　hear？
There's　no　quarrel　betwigst　me　and　him　anyhow。〃
The　card　was　returned；　and　Jos　and　the　Major　were
asked　to　dinnerto　a　dinner　the　most　splendid　and
stupid　that　perhaps　ever　Mr。　Osborne　gave；　every　inch
of　the　family　plate　was　exhibited；　and　the　best　company
was　asked。　　Mr。　Sedley　took　down　Miss　O。　　to　dinner；
and　she　was　very　gracious　to　him；　whereas　she
hardly　spoke　to　the　Major；　who　sat　apart　from　her；　and
by　the　side　of　Mr。　Osborne；　very　timid。　　Jos　said；　with
great　solemnity；　it　was　the　best　turtle　soup　he　had　ever
tasted　in　his　life；　and　asked　Mr。　Osborne　where　he　got　his
Madeira。
〃It　is　some　of　Sedley's　wine；〃　whispered　the　butler　to
his　master。　　〃I've　had　it　a　long　time；　and　paid　a　good
figure　for　it；　too；〃　Mr。　Osborne　said　aloud　to　his　guest；
and　then　whispered　to　his　right…hand　neighbour　how
he　had　got　it　〃at　the　old　chap's　sale。〃
More　than　once　he　asked　the　Major　aboutabout　Mrs。
George　Osbornea　theme　on　which　the　Major　could　be
very　eloquent　when　he　chose。　　He　told　Mr。　Osborne　of
her　sufferingsof　her　passionate　attachment　to　her
husband；　whose　memory　she　worshipped　stillof　the　tender
and　dutiful　manner　in　which　she　had　supported　her
parents；　and　given　up　her　boy；　when　it　seemed　to　her　her
duty　to　do　so。　　〃You　don't　know　what　she　endured；　sir；〃
said　honest　Dobbin　with　a　tremor　in　his　voice；　〃and　I
hope　and　trust　you　will　be　reconciled　to　her。　　If　she
took　your　son　away　from　you；　she　gave　hers　to　you；
and　however　much　you　loved　your　George；　depend　on　it；
she　loved　hers　ten　times　more。〃
〃By　God；　you　are　a　good　feller；　sir；〃　was　all　Mr。　Os…
borne　said。　　It　had　never　struck　him　that　the　widow　would
feel　any　pain　at　parting　from　the　boy；　or　that　his　having
a　fine　fortune　could　grieve　her。　　A　reconciliation　was
announced　as　speedy　and　inevitable；　and　Amelia's　heart
already　began　to　beat　at　the　notion　of　the　awful　meeting
with　George's　father。
It　was　never；　however；　destined　to　take　place。　　Old
Sedley's　lingering　illness　and　death　supervened；　after
which　a　meeting　was　for　some　time　impossible。　　That
catastrophe　and　other　events　may　have　worked　upon　Mr。
Osborne。　　He　was　much　shaken　of　late；　and　aged；　and　his
mind　was　working　inwardly。　　He　had　sent　for　his　lawyers；
and　probably　changed　something　in　his　will。　　The　medical
man　who　looked　in　pronounced　him　shaky；　agitated；　and
talked　of　a　little　blood　and　the　seaside；　but　he　took
neither　of　these　remedies。
One　day　when　he　should　have　come　down　to　breakfast；
his　servant　missing　him；　went　into　his　dressing…room
and　found　him　lying　at　the　foot　of　the　dressing…table　in　a
fit。　　Miss　Osborne　was　apprised；　the　doctors　were　sen