vanity fair(名利场)-第171节

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fit。　　Miss　Osborne　was　apprised；　the　doctors　were　sent
for；　Georgy　stopped　away　from　school；　the　bleeders
and　cuppers　came。　　Osborne　partially　regained　cognizance；
but　never　could　speak　again；　though　he　tried
dreadfully　once　or　twice；　and　in　four　days　he　died。　　The
doctors　went　down；　and　the　undertaker's　men　went　up
the　stairs；　and　all　the　shutters　were　shut　towards　the
garden　in　Russell　Square。　　Bullock　rushed　from　the　City
in　a　hurry。　　〃How　much　money　had　he　left　to　that　boy？
Not　half；　surely？　Surely　share　and　share　alike　between
the　three？〃　It　was　an　agitating　moment。
What　was　it　that　poor　old　man　tried　once　or　twice
in　vain　to　say？　I　hope　it　was　that　he　wanted　to　see
Amelia　and　be　reconciled　before　he　left　the　world　to　one
dear　and　faithful　wife　of　his　son：　　it　was　most　likely
that；　for　his　will　showed　that　the　hatred　which　he　had
so　long　cherished　had　gone　out　of　his　heart。
They　found　in　the　pocket　of　his　dressing…gown　the
letter　with　the　great　red　seal　which　George　had　written
him　from　Waterloo。　　He　had　looked　at　the　other　papers
too；　relative　to　his　son；　for　the　key　of　the　box　in　which
he　kept　them　was　also　in　his　pocket；　and　it　was　found
the　seals　and　envelopes　had　been　brokenvery　likely　on
the　night　before　the　seizurewhen　the　butler　had　taken
him　tea　into　his　study；　and　found　him　reading　in　the
great　red　family　Bible。
When　the　will　was　opened；　it　was　found　that　half　the
property　was　left　to　George；　and　the　remainder　between
the　two　sisters。　　Mr。　Bullock　to　continue；　for　their　joint
benefit；　the　affairs　of　the　commercial　house；　or　to　go　out；
as　he　thought　fit。　　An　annuity　of　five　hundred　pounds；
chargeable　on　George's　property；　was　left　to　his　mother；
〃the　widow　of　my　beloved　son；　George　Osborne；〃　who
was　to　resume　the　guardianship　of　the　boy。
〃Major　William　Dobbin；　my　beloved　son's　friend；〃　was
appointed　executor；　〃and　as　out　of　his　kindness　and
bounty；　and　with　his　own　private　funds；　he　maintained
my　grandson　and　my　son's　widow；　when　they　were
otherwise　without　means　of　support〃　（the　testator　went　on
to　say）　〃I　hereby　thank　him　heartily　for　his　love　and
regard　for　them；　and　beseech　him　to　accept　such　a　sum
as　may　be　sufficient　to　purchase　his　commission　as　a
Lieutenant…Colonel；　or　to　be　disposed　of　in　any　way　he
may　think　fit。〃
When　Amelia　heard　that　her　father…in…law　was
reconciled　to　her；　her　heart　melted；　and　she　was　grateful
for　the　fortune　left　to　her。　　But　when　she　heard　how
Georgy　was　restored　to　her；　and　knew　how　and　by
whom；　and　how　it　was　William's　bounty　that　supported
her　in　poverty；　how　it　was　William　who　gave　her　her
husband　and　her　sonoh；　then　she　sank　on　her　knees；
and　prayed　for　blessings　on　that　constant　and　kind　heart；
she　bowed　down　and　humbled　herself；　and　kissed　the
feet；　as　it　were；　of　that　beautiful　and　generous　affection。
And　gratitude　was　all　that　she　had　to　pay　back　for
such　admirable　devotion　and　benefitsonly　gratitude！　　If
she　thought　of　any　other　return；　the　image　of　George
stood　up　out　of　the　grave　and　said；　〃You　are　mine；
and　mine　only；　now　and　forever。〃
William　knew　her　feelings：　　had　he　not　passed　his
whole　life　in　divining　them？
When　the　nature　of　Mr。　Osborne's　will　became　known
to　the　world；　it　was　edifying　to　remark　how　Mrs。　George
Osborne　rose　in　the　estimation　of　the　people　forming　her
circle　of　acquaintance。　　The　servants　of　Jos's　establishment；
who　used　to　question　her　humble　orders　and　say
they　would　〃ask　Master〃　whether　or　not　they　could　obey；
never　thought　now　of　that　sort　of　appeal。　　The　cook
forgot　to　sneer　at　her　shabby　old　gowns　（which；　indeed；
were　quite　eclipsed　by　that　lady's　finery　when　she　was
dressed　to　go　to　church　of　a　Sunday　evening）；　the　others
no　longer　grumbled　at　the　sound　of　her　bell；　or　delayed
to　answer　that　summons。　　The　coachman；　who　grumbled
that　his　'osses　should　be　brought　out　and　his
carriage　made　into　an　hospital　for　that　old　feller　and
Mrs。　O。；　drove　her　with　the　utmost　alacrity　now；　and
trembling　lest　he　should　be　superseded　by　Mr。　Osborne's
coachman；　asked　〃what　them　there　Russell　Square
coachmen　knew　about　town；　and　whether　they　was　fit　to　sit
on　a　box　before　a　lady？〃　Jos's　friends；　male　and　female；
suddenly　became　interested　about　Emmy；　and　cards
of　condolence　multiplied　on　her　hall　table。　　Jos　himself；
who　had　looked　on　her　as　a　good…natured　harmless
pauper；　to　whom　it　was　his　duty　to　give　victuals　and
shelter；　paid　her　and　the　rich　little　boy；　his　nephew；　the
greatest　respectwas　anxious　that　she　should　have
change　and　amusement　after　her　troubles　and　trials；
〃poor　dear　girl〃and　began　to　appear　at　the　breakfast…
table；　and　most　particularly　to　ask　how　she　would　like
to　dispose　of　the　day。
In　her　capacity　of　guardian　to　Georgy；　she；　with　the
consent　of　the　Major；　her　fellow…trustee；　begged　Miss
Osborne　to　live　in　the　Russell　Square　house　as　long　as
ever　she　chose　to　dwell　there；　but　that　lady；　with　thanks；
declared　that　she　never　could　think　of　remaining　alone
in　that　melancholy　mansion；　and　departed　in　deep　mourning
to　Cheltenham；　with　a　couple　of　her　old　domestics。
The　rest　were　liberally　paid　and　dismissed；　the　faithful
old　butler；　whom　Mrs。　Osborne　proposed　to　retain；
resigning　and　preferring　to　invest　his　savings　in　a　public…
house；　where；　let　us　hope；　he　was　not　unprosperous。
Miss　Osborne　not　choosing　to　live　in　Russell　Square；　Mrs。
Osborne　also；　after　consultation；　declined　to　occupy　the
gloomy　old　mansion　there。　　The　house　was　dismantled；
the　rich　furniture　and　effects；　the　awful　chandeliers　and
dreary　blank　mirrors　packed　away　and　hidden；　the　rich
rosewood　drawing…room　suite　was　muffled　in　straw；　the
carpets　were　rolled　up　and　corded；　the　small　select
library　of　well…bound　books　was　stowed　into　two　wine…
chests；　and　the　whole　paraphernalia　rolled　away　in
several　enormous　vans　to　the　Pantechnicon；　where　they
were　to　lie　until　Georgy's　majority。　　And　the　great　heavy
dark　plate…chests　went　off　to　Messrs。　　Stumpy　and　Rowdy；
to　lie　in　the　cellars　of　those　eminent　bankers　until　the
same　period　should　arrive。
One　day　Emmy；　with　George　in　her　hand　and　clad　in
deep　sables；　went　to　visit　the　deserted　mansion　which　she
had　not　entered　since　she　was　a　girl。　　The　place　in　front
was　littered　with　straw　where　the　vans　had　been　laden
and　rolled　off。　　They　went　into　the　great　blank　rooms；　the
walls　of　which　bore　the　marks　where　the　pictures　and
mirrors　had　hung。　　Then　they　went　up　the　great　blank
stone　staircases　into　the　upper　rooms；　into　that　where
grandpapa　died；　as　George　said　in　a　whisper；　and　then
higher　still　into　George's　own　room。　　The　boy　was　still
clinging　by　her　side；　but　she　thought　of　another　besides
him。　　She　knew　that　it　had　been　his　father's　room　as　well
as　his　own。
She　went　up　to　one　of　the　open　windows　（one　of
those　at　which　she　used　to　gaze　with　a　sick　heart　when
the　child　was　first　taken　from　her）；　and　thence　as　she
looked　out　she　could　see；　over　the　trees　of　Russell　Square；
the　old　house　in　which　she　herself　was　born；　and　where
she　had　passed　so　many　happy　days　of　sacred　youth。
They　all　came　back　to　her；　the　pleasant　holidays；
the　kind　faces；　the　careless；　joyful　past　times；　and　the
long　pains　and　trials　that　had　since　cast　her　down。
She　thought　of　these　and　of　the　man　who　had　been　her
constant　protector；　her　good　genius；　her　sole　benefactor；
her　tender　and　generous　friend。
〃Look　here；　Mother；〃　said　Georgy；　〃here's　a　G。O。
scratched　on　the　glass　with　a　diamond；　I　never　saw　it
before；　I　never　did　it。〃
〃It　was　your　father's　room　long　before　you　were　born；
George；〃　she　said；　and　she　blushed　as　she　kissed　the
boy。
She　was　very　silent　as　they　drove　back　to　Richmond；
where　they　had　taken　a　temporary　house：　　where　the
smiling　lawyers　used　to　come　bustling　over　to　see　her　（and
we　may　be　sure　noted　the　visit　in　the　bill）：　　and　where　of
course　there　was　a　room　for　Major　Dobbin　too；　who
rode　over　frequently；　having　much　business　to　transact
on　behalf　of　his　little　ward。

Georgy　at　this　time　was　removed　from　Mr。　Veal's　on
an　unlimited　holiday；　and　that　gentleman　was　engaged
to　prepare　an　inscription　for　a　fine　marble　slab；　to　be
placed　up　in　the　Foundling　under　the　monument　of
Captain　George　Osborne。
The　female　Bullock；　aunt　of　Georgy；　although
despoiled　by　that　little　monster　of　one…half　of　the　sum
which　she　expected　from　her　father；　nevertheless　showed
her　charitableness　of　spirit　by　being　reconciled　to　the
mother　and　the　boy。　　Roehampton　is　not　far　from
Richmond；　and　one　day　the　chariot；　with　the　golden　bullocks
emblazoned　on　the　panels；　and　the　flaccid　children　within；
drove　to　Amelia's　house　at　Richmond；　and　the　Bullock
family　made　an　irruption　into　the　garden；　where　Amelia
was　reading　a　book；　Jos　was　in　an　arbour　placidly
dipping　strawberries　into　wine；　and　the　Major　in　one　of
his　Indian　jackets　was　giving　a　back　to　Georgy；　who
chose　to　jump　over　him。　　He　went　over　his　head　and
bounded　into　the　little　advance　of　Bullocks；　with
immense　black　bows　in　their　hats；　and　huge　black　sashes；
accompanying　their　mourning　mamma。
〃He　is　just　of　the　age　for　Rosa；〃　the　fond　parent
thought；　and　glanced　towards　that　dear　child；　an
unwholesome　little　miss　of　seven　years　of　age。
〃Rosa；　go　an