vanity fair(名利场)-第173节

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the　window　into　the　body　of　the　carriage；　to　the　applause
of　the　couriers　looking　on。
〃Nous　allons　avoir　une　belle　traversee；　Monsieur
George；〃　said　the　courier　with　a　grin；　as　he　lifted　his
gold…laced　cap。
〃D　your　French；〃　said　the　young　gentleman；　〃where's
the　biscuits；　ay？〃　Whereupon　Kirsch　answered　him　in　the
English　language　or　in　such　an　imitation　of　it　as　he　could
commandfor　though　he　was　familiar　with　all　languages；
Mr。　Kirsch　was　not　acquainted　with　a　single　one；　and
spoke　all　with　indifferent　volubility　and　incorrectness。
The　imperious　young　gentleman　who　gobbled　the
biscuits　（and　indeed　it　was　time　to　refresh　himself；　for　he
had　breakfasted　at　Richmond　full　three　hours　before）
was　our　young　friend　George　Osborne。　　Uncle　Jos　and　his
mamma　were　on　the　quarter…deck　with　a　gentleman　of
whom　they　used　to　see　a　good　deal；　and　the　four　were
about　to　make　a　summer　tour。
Jos　was　seated　at　that　moment　on　deck　under　the
awning；　and　pretty　nearly　opposite　to　the　Earl　of
Bareacres　and　his　family；　whose　proceedings　absorbed
the　Bengalee　almost　entirely。　　Both　the　noble　couple
looked　rather　younger　than　in　the　eventful　year　'15；　when
Jos　remembered　to　have　seen　them　at　Brussels　（indeed；
he　always　gave　out　in　India　that　he　was　intimately
acquainted　with　them）。　　Lady　Bareacres'　hair；　which　was
then　dark；　was　now　a　beautiful　golden　auburn；　whereas
Lord　Bareacres'　whiskers；　formerly　red；　were　at　present
of　a　rich　black　with　purple　and　green　reflections　in　the
light。　　But　changed　as　they　were；　the　movements　of　the
noble　pair　occupied　Jos's　mind　entirely。　　The　presence　of
a　Lord　fascinated　him；　and　he　could　look　at　nothing　else。
〃Those　people　seem　to　interest　you　a　good　deal；〃　said
Dobbin；　laughing　and　watching　him。　　Amelia　too　laughed。
She　was　in　a　straw　bonnet　with　black　ribbons；　and
otherwise　dressed　in　mourning；　but　the　little　bustle　and
holiday　of　the　journey　pleased　and　excited　her；　and　she
looked　particularly　happy。
〃What　a　heavenly　day！〃　Emmy　said　and　added；　with
great　originality；　〃I　hope　we　shall　have　a　calm　passage。〃
Jos　waved　his　hand；　scornfully　glancing　at　the　same
time　under　his　eyelids　at　the　great　folks　opposite。　　〃If　you
had　made　the　voyages　we　have；〃　he　said；　〃you　wouldn't
much　care　about　the　weather。〃　But　nevertheless；　traveller
as　he　was；　he　passed　the　night　direfully　sick　in　his
carriage；　where　his　courier　tended　him　with　brandy…and…
water　and　every　luxury。
In　due　time　this　happy　party　landed　at　the　quays　of
Rotterdam；　whence　they　were　transported　by　another
steamer　to　the　city　of　Cologne。　　Here　the　carriage　and
the　family　took　to　the　shore；　and　Jos　was　not　a　little
gratified　to　see　his　arrival　announced　in　the　Cologne
newspapers　as　〃Herr　Graf　Lord　von　Sedley　nebst
Begleitung　aus　London。〃　He　had　his　court　dress　with　him；
he　had　insisted　that　Dobbin　should　bring　his　regimental
paraphernalia；　he　announced　that　it　was　his　intention　to
be　presented　at　some　foreign　courts；　and　pay　his　respects
to　the　Sovereigns　of　the　countries　which　he　honoured
with　a　visit。
Wherever　the　party　stopped；　and　an　opportunity　was
offered；　Mr。　Jos　left　his　own　card　and　the　Major's　upon
〃Our　Minister。〃　It　was　with　great　difficulty　that　he　could
be　restrained　from　putting　on　his　cocked　hat　and　tights
to　wait　upon　the　English　consul　at　the　Free　City　of
Judenstadt；　when　that　hospitable　functionary　asked　our
travellers　to　dinner。　　He　kept　a　journal　of　his　voyage　and
noted　elaborately　the　defects　or　excellences　of　the　various
inns　at　which　he　put　up；　and　of　the　wines　and　dishes　of
which　he　partook。
As　for　Emmy；　she　was　very　happy　and　pleased。　　Dobbin
used　to　carry　about　for　her　her　stool　and　sketch…book；
and　admired　the　drawings　of　the　good…natured　little　artist
as　they　never　had　been　admired　before。　　She　sat　upon
steamers'　decks　and　drew　crags　and　castles；　or　she
mounted　upon　donkeys　and　ascended　to　ancient　robber…
towers；　attended　by　her　two　aides…de…camp；　Georgy　and
Dobbin。　　She　laughed；　and　the　Major　did　too；　at　his　droll
figure　on　donkey…back；　with　his　long　legs　touching　the
ground。　　He　was　the　interpreter　for　the　party；　having　a
good　military　knowledge　of　the　German　language；　and
he　and　the　delighted　George　fought　the　campaigns　of　the
Rhine　and　the　Palatinate。　　In　the　course　of　a　few　weeks；
and　by　assiduously　conversing　with　Herr　Kirsch　on　the
box　of　the　carriage；　Georgy　made　prodigious　advance　in
the　knowledge　of　High　Dutch；　and　could　talk　to　hotel
waiters　and　postilions　in　a　way　that　charmed　his　mother
and　amused　his　guardian。
Mr。　Jos　did　not　much　engage　in　the　afternoon
excursions　of　his　fellow…travellers。　　He　slept　a　good　deal
after　dinner；　or　basked　in　the　arbours　of　the　pleasant
inn…gardens。　　Pleasant　Rhine　gardens！　　Fair　scenes　of　peace
and　sunshinenoble　purple　mountains；　whose　crests　are
reflected　in　the　magnificent　streamwho　has　ever　seen
you　that　has　not　a　grateful　memory　of　those　scenes　of
friendly　repose　and　beauty？　To　lay　down　the　pen　and
even　to　think　of　that　beautiful　Rhineland　makes　one
happy。　　At　this　time　of　summer　evening；　the　cows　are
trooping　down　from　the　hills；　lowing　and　with　their　bells
tinkling；　to　the　old　town；　with　its　old　moats；　and　gates；
and　spires；　and　chestnut…trees；　with　long　blue　shadows
stretching　over　the　grass；　the　sky　and　the　river　below
flame　in…crimson　and　gold；　and　the　moon　is　already　out；
looking　pale　towards　the　sunset。　　The　sun　sinks　behind
the　great　castle…crested　mountains；　the　night　falls　suddenly；
the　river　grows　darker　and　darker；　lights　quiver　in　it
from　the　windows　in　the　old　ramparts；　and　twinkle
peacefully　in　the　villages　under　the　hills　on　the　opposite　shore。
So　Jos　used　to　go　to　sleep　a　good　deal　with　his　bandanna
over　his　face　and　be　very　comfortable；　and　read　all
the　English　news；　and　every　word　of　Galignani's　admirable　
newspaper　（may　the　blessings　of　all　Englishmen　who
have　ever　been　abroad　rest　on　the　founders　and　proprietors
of　that　piratical　print！　　）　and　whether　he　woke　or
slept；　his　friends　did　not　very　much　miss　him。　　Yes；　they
were　very　happy。　　They　went　to　the　opera　often　of
eveningsto　those　snug；　unassuming；　dear　old　operas　in　the
German　towns；　where　the　noblesse　sits　and　cries；　and
knits　stockings　on　the　one　side；　over　against　the　bourgeoisie
on　the　other；　and　His　Transparency　the　Duke　and　his
Transparent　family；　all　very　fat　and　good…natured；　come
and　occupy　the　great　box　in　the　middle；　and　the　pit　is
full　of　the　most　elegant　slim…waisted　officers　with　straw…
coloured　mustachios；　and　twopence　a　day　on　full　pay。
Here　it　was　that　Emmy　found　her　delight；　and　was
introduced　for　the　first　time　to　the　wonders　of　Mozart　and
Cimarosa。　　The　Major's　musical　taste　has　been　before
alluded　to；　and　his　performances　on　the　flute　commended。
But　perhaps　the　chief　pleasure　he　had　in　these　operas
was　in　watching　Emmy's　rapture　while　listening　to　them。
A　new　world　of　love　and　beauty　broke　upon　her　when
she　was　introduced　to　those　divine　compositions；　this
lady　had　the　keenest　and　finest　sensibility；　and　how　could
she　be　indifferent　when　she　heard　Mozart？　The　tender
parts　of　〃Don　Juan〃　awakened　in　her　raptures　so
exquisite　that　she　would　ask　herself　when　she　went　to　say
her　prayers　of　a　night　whether　it　was　not　wicked　to　feel
so　much　delight　as　that　with　which　〃Vedrai　Carino〃　and
〃Batti　Batti〃　filled　her　gentle　little　bosom？　But　the　Major；
whom　she　consulted　upon　this　head；　as　her　theological
adviser　（and　who　himself　had　a　pious　and　reverent　soul）；
said　that　for　his　part；　every　beauty　of　art　or　nature　made
him　thankful　as　well　as　happy；　and　that　the　pleasure　to
be　had　in　listening　to　fine　music；　as　in　looking　at　the　stars
in　the　sky；　or　at　a　beautiful　landscape　or　picture；　was　a
benefit　for　which　we　might　thank　Heaven　as　sincerely　as
for　any　other　worldly　blessing。　　And　in　reply　to　some　faint
objections　of　Mrs。　Amelia's　（taken　from　certain　theological
works　like　the　Washerwoman　of　Finchley　Common
and　others　of　that　school；　with　which　Mrs。　Osborne　had
been　furnished　during　her　life　at　Brompton）　he　told　her
an　Eastern　fable　of　the　Owl　who　thought　that　the
sunshine　was　unbearable　for　the　eyes　and　that　the
Nightingale　was　a　most　overrated　bird。　　〃It　is　one's　nature　to
sing　and　the　other's　to　hoot；〃　he　said；　laughing；　〃and
with　such　a　sweet　voice　as　you　have　yourself；　you　must
belong　to　the　Bulbul　faction。〃
I　like　to　dwell　upon　this　period　of　her　life　and　to　think
that　she　was　cheerful　and　happy。　　You　see；　she　has　not
had　too　much　of　that　sort　of　existence　as　yet；　and　has　not
fallen　in　the　way　of　means　to　educate　her　tastes　or　her
intelligence。　　She　has　been　domineered　over　hitherto　by
vulgar　intellects。　　It　is　the　lot　of　many　a　woman。　　And　as
every　one　of　the　dear　sex　is　the　rival　of　the　rest　of　her
kind；　timidity　passes　for　folly　in　their　charitable
judgments；　and　gentleness　for　dulness；　and　silencewhich　is
but　timid　denial　of　the　unwelcome　assertion　of　ruling
folks；　and　tacit　protestantismabove　all；　finds　no　mercy
at　the　hands　of　the　female　Inquisition。　　Thus；　my　dear　and
civilized　reader；　if　you　and　I　were　to　find　ourselves　this
evening　in　a　society　of　greengrocers；　let　us　say；　it　is
probable　that　our　conversation　would　not　be　brilliant；