vanity fair(名利场)-第172节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


thought；　and　glanced　towards　that　dear　child；　an
unwholesome　little　miss　of　seven　years　of　age。
〃Rosa；　go　and　kiss　your　dear　cousin；〃　Mrs。　Frederick
said。　　〃Don't　you　know　me；　George？　I　am　your　aunt。〃
〃I　know　you　well　enough；〃　George　said；　〃but　I　don't
like　kissing；　please〃；　and　he　retreated　from　the　obedient
caresses　of　his　cousin。
〃Take　me　to　your　dear　mamma；　you　droll　child；〃　Mrs。
Frederick　said；　and　those　ladies　accordingly　met；　after
an　absence　of　more　than　fifteen　years。　　During　Emmy's
cares　and　poverty　the　other　had　never　once　thought
about　coming　to　see　her；　but　now　that　she　was　decently
prosperous　in　the　world；　her　sister…in…law　came　to　her　as
a　matter　of　course。
So　did　numbers　more。　　Our　old　friend；　Miss　Swartz；　and
her　husband　came　thundering　over　from　Hampton　Court；
with　flaming　yellow　liveries；　and　was　as　impetuously　fond
of　Amelia　as　ever。　　Miss　Swartz　would　have　liked　her
always　if　she　could　have　seen　her。　　One　must　do　her　that
justice。　　But；　que　voulez　vous？in　this　vast　town　one
has　not　the　time　to　go　and　seek　one's　friends；　if　they
drop　out　of　the　rank　they　disappear；　and　we　march　on
without　them。　　Who　is　ever　missed　in　Vanity　Fair？
But　so；　in　a　word；　and　before　the　period　of　grief　for
Mr。　Osborne's　death　had　subsided；　Emmy　found　herself
in　the　centre　of　a　very　genteel　circle　indeed；　the
members　of　which　could　not　conceive　that　anybody
belonging　to　it　was　not　very　lucky。　　There　was　scarce　one
of　the　ladies　that　hadn't　a　relation　a　Peer；　though　the
husband　might　be　a　drysalter　in　the　City。　　Some　of　the
ladies　were　very　blue　and　well　informed；　reading　Mrs。
Somerville　and　frequenting　the　Royal　Institution；　others
were　severe　and　Evangelical；　and　held　by　Exeter　Hall。
Emmy；　it　must　be　owned；　found　herself　entirely　at　a　loss　in
the　midst　of　their　clavers；　and　suffered　woefully　on　the
one　or　two　occasions　on　which　she　was　compelled　to
accept　Mrs。　Frederick　Bullock's　hospitalities。　　That　lady
persisted　in　patronizing　her　and　determined　most　graciously
to　form　her。　　She　found　Amelia's　milliners　for　her　and
regulated　her　household　and　her　manners。　　She　drove
over　constantly　from　Roehampton　and　entertained　her
friend　with　faint　fashionable　fiddle…faddle　and　feeble
Court　slip…slop。　　Jos　liked　to　hear　it；　but　the　Major　used
to　go　off　growling　at　the　appearance　of　this　woman；　with
her　twopenny　gentility。　　He　went　to　sleep　under　Frederick
Bullock's　bald　head；　after　dinner；　at　one　of　the　banker's
best　parties　（Fred　was　still　anxious　that　the　balance　of
the　Osborne　property　should　be　transferred　from　Stumpy
and　Rowdy's　to　them）；　and　whilst　Amelia；　who　did　not
know　Latin；　or　who　wrote　the　last　crack　article　in　the
Edinburgh；　and　did　not　in　the　least　deplore；　or
otherwise；　Mr。　Peel's　late　extraordinary　tergiversation　on　the
fatal　Catholic　Relief　Bill；　sat　dumb　amongst　the　ladies　in
the　grand　drawing…room；　looking　out　upon　velvet　lawns；
trim　gravel　walks；　and　glistening　hot…houses。
〃She　seems　good…natured　but　insipid；〃　said　Mrs。
Rowdy；　〃that　Major　seems　to　be　particularly　epris。〃
〃She　wants　ton　sadly；〃　said　Mrs。　Hollyock。　　〃My　dear
creature；　you　never　will　be　able　to　form　her。〃
〃She　is　dreadfully　ignorant　or　indifferent；〃　said　Mrs。
Glowry　with　a　voice　as　if　from　the　grave；　and　a　sad
shake　of　the　head　and　turban。　　〃I　asked　her　if　she　thought
that　it　was　in　1836；　according　to　Mr。　Jowls；　or　in　1839；
according　to　Mr。　Wapshot；　that　the　Pope　was　to　fall：
and　she　said'Poor　Pope！　　I　hope　notWhat　has　he
done？'　〃
〃She　is　my　brother's　widow；　my　dear　friends；〃　Mrs。
Frederick　replied；　〃and　as　such　I　think　we're　all　bound　to
give　her　every　attention　and　instruction　on　entering　into
the　world。　　You　may　fancy　there　can　be　no　MERCENARY
motives　in　those　whose　DISAPPOINTMENTS　are　well　known。〃
〃That　poor　dear　Mrs。　Bullock；〃　said　Rowdy　to　Hollyock；
as　they　drove　away　together〃she　is　always　scheming
and　managing。　　She　wants　Mrs。　Osborne's　account
to　be　taken　from　our　house　to　hersand　the　way　in
which　she　coaxes　that　boy　and　makes　him　sit　by　that
blear…eyed　little　Rosa　is　perfectly　ridiculous。〃
〃I　wish　Glowry　was　choked　with　her　Man　of　Sin　and
her　Battle　of　Armageddon；〃　cried　the　other；　and　the
carriage　rolled　away　over　Putney　Bridge。
But　this　sort　of　society　was　too　cruelly　genteel　for
Emmy；　and　all　jumped　for　joy　when　a　foreign　tour　was
proposed。

CHAPTER　LXII
Am　Rhein
The　above　everyday　events　had　occurred；　and　a　few
weeks　had　passed；　when　on　one　fine　morning；　Parliament
being　over；　the　summer　advanced；　and　all　the　good
company　in　London　about　to　quit　that　city　for　their　annual
tour　in　search　of　pleasure　or　health；　the　Batavier　steamboat
left　the　Tower…stairs　laden　with　a　goodly　company　of　English
fugitives。　　The　quarter…deck　awnings　were　up；　and　the
benches　and　gangways　crowded　with　scores　of　rosy　children；
bustling　nursemaids；　ladies　in　the　prettiest　pink
bonnets　and　summer　dresses；　gentlemen　in　travelling　caps
and　linen…jackets；　whose　mustachios　had　just　begun　to
sprout　for　the　ensuing　tour；　and　stout　trim　old　veterans
with　starched　neckcloths　and　neat…brushed　hats；　such　as
have　invaded　Europe　any　time　since　the　conclusion　of　the
war；　and　carry　the　national　Goddem　into　every　city　of
the　Continent。　　The　congregation　of　hat…boxes；　and
Bramah　desks；　and　dressing…cases　was　prodigious。　　There
were　jaunty　young　Cambridge…men　travelling　with　their
tutor；　and　going　for　a　reading　excursion　to　Nonnenwerth
or　Konigswinter；　there　were　Irish　gentlemen；　with　the
most　dashing　whiskers　and　jewellery；　talking　about
horses　incessantly；　and　prodigiously　polite　to　the　young
ladies　on　board；　whom；　on　the　contrary；　the　Cambridge
lads　and　their　pale…faced　tutor　avoided　with　maiden
coyness；　there　were　old　Pall　Mall　loungers　bound　for　Ems
and　Wiesbaden　and　a　course　of　waters　to　clear　off　the
dinners　of　the　season；　and　a　little　roulette　and　trente…
et…quarante　to　keep　the　excitement　going；　there　was　old
Methuselah；　who　had　married　his　young　wife；　with　Captain
Papillon　of　the　Guards　holding　her　parasol　and
guide…books；　there　was　young　May　who　was　carrying　off
his　bride　on　a　pleasure　tour　（Mrs。　Winter　that　was；　and
who　had　been　at　school　with　May's　grandmother）；　there
was　Sir　John　and　my　Lady　with　a　dozen　children；　and
corresponding　nursemaids；　and　the　great　grandee
Bareacres　family　that　sat　by　themselves　near　the　wheel；
stared　at　everybody；　and　spoke　to　no　one。　　Their
carriages；　emblazoned　with　coronets　and　heaped　with
shining　imperials；　were　on　the　foredeck；　locked　in　with　a
dozen　more　such　vehicles：　　it　was　difficult　to　pass　in　and
out　amongst　them；　and　the　poor　inmates　of　the
fore…cabin　had　scarcely　any　space　for　locomotion。　　These
consisted　of　a　few　magnificently　attired　gentlemen　from
Houndsditch；　who　brought　their　own　provisions；　and
could　have　bought　half　the　gay　people　in　the　grand
saloon；　a　few　honest　fellows　with　mustachios　and　portfolios；
who　set　to　sketching　before　they　had　been　half　an　hour
on　board；　one　or　two　French　femmes　de　chambre　who
began　to　be　dreadfully　ill　by　the　time　the　boat　had
passed　Greenwich；　a　groom　or　two　who　lounged　in　the
neighbourhood　of　the　horse…boxes　under　their　charge；　or
leaned　over　the　side　by　the　paddle…wheels；　and　talked
about　who　was　good　for　the　Leger；　and　what　they　stood
to　win　or　lose　for　the　Goodwood　cup。
All　the　couriers；　when　they　had　done　plunging　about
the　ship　and　had　settled　their　various　masters　in　the
cabins　or　on　the　deck；　congregated　together　and　began　to
chatter　and　smoke；　the　Hebrew　gentlemen　joining　them
and　looking　at　the　carriages。　　There　was　Sir　John's　great
carriage　that　would　hold　thirteen　people；　my　Lord
Methuselah's　carriage；　my　Lord　Bareacres'　chariot；
britzska；　and　fourgon；　that　anybody　might　pay　for　who　liked。
It　was　a　wonder　how　my　Lord　got　the　ready　money　to
pay　for　the　expenses　of　the　journey。　　The　Hebrew　gentlemen
knew　how　he　got　it。　　They　knew　what　money　his
Lordship　had　in　his　pocket　at　that　instant；　and　what
interest　he　paid　for　it；　and　who　gave　it　him。　　Finally　there
was　a　very　neat；　handsome　travelling　carriage；　about
which　the　gentlemen　speculated。
〃A　qui　cette　voiture　la？〃　said　one　gentleman…courier
with　a　large　morocco　money…bag　and　ear…rings　to　another
with　ear…rings　and　a　large　morocco　money…bag。
〃C'est　a　Kirsch　je　benseje　l'ai　vu　toute　a　l'heure
qui　brenoit　des　sangviches　dans　la　voiture；〃　said　the
courier　in　a　fine　German　French。
Kirsch　emerging　presently　from　the　neighbourhood　of
the　hold；　where　he　had　been　bellowing　instructions
intermingled　with　polyglot　oaths　to　the　ship's　men　engaged
in　secreting　the　passengers'　luggage；　came　to　give　an
account　of　himself　to　his　brother　interpreters。　　He
informed　them　that　the　carriage　belonged　to　a　Nabob　from
Calcutta　and　Jamaica　enormously　rich；　and　with　whom
he　was　engaged　to　travel；　and　at　this　moment　a　young
gentleman　who　had　been　warned　off　the　bridge　between
the　paddle…boxes；　and　who　had　dropped　thence　on　to　the
roof　of　Lord　Methuselah's　carriage；　from　which　he　made
his　way　over　other　carriages　and　imperials　until　he　had
clambered　on　to　his　own；　descended　thence　and　through
the　window　into　the　body　of　the　carriage；　to　the　applause
of　the　couriers　looking　on。
〃Nous　allons　avoir　une　b