vanity fair(名利场)-第177节

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By　one　and　the　other；　he　has　won　over　creatures　of　the
Court　hereand；　in　fine；　Pumpernickel　will　not　be
quiet；　Germany　tranquil；　France　respected；　or　Europe
content　until　this　poisonous　viper　be　crushed　under
heel〃：　　and　so　on。　　When　one　side　or　the　other　had　written
any　particularly　spicy　dispatch；　news　of　it　was　sure　to
slip　out。
Before　the　winter　was　far　advanced；　it　is　actually　on
record　that　Emmy　took　a　night　and　received　company
with　great　propriety　and　modesty。　　She　had　a　French
master；　who　complimented　her　upon　the　purity　of　her
accent　and　her　facility　of　learning；　the　fact　is　she　had
learned　long　ago　and　grounded　herself　subsequently　in　the
grammar　so　as　to　be　able　to　teach　it　to　George；　and　Madam
Strumpff　came　to　give　her　lessons　in　singing；　which　she
performed　so　well　and　with　such　a　true　voice　that　the
Major's　windows；　who　had　lodgings　opposite　under　the
Prime　Minister；　were　always　open　to　hear　the　lesson。
Some　of　the　German　ladies；　who　are　very　sentimental　and
simple　in　their　tastes；　fell　in　love　with　her　and　began　to
call　her　du　at　once。　　These　are　trivial　details；　but　they
relate　to　happy　times。　　The　Major　made　himself　George's
tutor　and　read　Caesar　and　mathematics　with　him；　and
they　had　a　German　master　and　rode　out　of　evenings　by
the　side　of　Emmy's　carriageshe　was　always　too　timid；
and　made　a　dreadful　outcry　at　the　slightest　disturbance
on　horse…back。　　So　she　drove　about　with　one　of　her　dear
German　friends；　and　Jos　asleep　on　the　back…seat　of　the
barouche。
He　was　becoming　very　sweet　upon　the　Grafinn　Fanny
de　Butterbrod；　a　very　gentle　tender…hearted　and
unassuming　young　creature；　a　Canoness　and　Countess　in　her
own　right；　but　with　scarcely　ten　pounds　per　year　to　her
fortune；　and　Fanny　for　her　part　declared　that　to　be
Amelia's　sister　was　the　greatest　delight　that　Heaven　could
bestow　on　her；　and　Jos　might　have　put　a　Countess's　shield
and　coronet　by　the　side　of　his　own　arms　on　his　carriage
and　forks；　whenwhen　events　occurred；　and　those
grand　fetes　given　upon　the　marriage　of　the　Hereditary
Prince　of　Pumpernickel　with　the　lovely　Princess　Amelia
of　Humbourg…Schlippenschloppen　took　place。
At　this　festival　the　magnificence　displayed　was　such　as
had　not　been　known　in　the　little　German　place　since
the　days　of　the　prodigal　Victor　XIV。　　All　the　neighbouring
Princes；　Princesses；　and　Grandees　were　invited　to　the
feast。　　Beds　rose　to　half　a　crown　per　night　in　Pumpernickel；
and　the　Army　was　exhausted　in　providing　guards
of　honour　for　the　Highnesses；　Serenities；　and　Excellencies
who　arrived　from　all　quarters。　　The　Princess　was　married
by　proxy；　at　her　father's　residence；　by　the　Count　de
Schlusselback。　　Snuff…boxes　were　given　away　in　profusion
（as　we　learned　from　the　Court　jeweller；　who　sold
and　afterwards　bought　them　again）；　and　bushels　of　the
Order　of　Saint　Michael　of　Pumpernickel　were　sent　to
the　nobles　of　the　Court；　while　hampers　of　the　cordons
and　decorations　of　the　Wheel　of　St。　　Catherine　of
Schlippenschloppen　were　brought　to　ours。　　The　French　envoy
got　both。　　〃He　is　covered　with　ribbons　like　a　prize
cart…horse；〃　Tapeworm　said；　who　was　not　allowed　by　the　rules
of　his　service　to　take　any　decorations：　　〃Let　him　have
the　cordons；　but　with　whom　is　the　victory？〃　The　fact　is；
it　was　a　triumph　of　British　diplomacy；　the　French　party
having　proposed　and　tried　their　utmost　to　carry　a
marriage　with　a　Princess　of　the　House　of
Potztausend…Donnerwetter；　whom；　as　a　matter　of
course；　we　opposed。
Everybody　was　asked　to　the　fetes　of　the　marriage。
Garlands　and　triumphal　arches　were　hung　across　the　road
to　welcome　the　young　bride。　　The　great　Saint　Michael's
Fountain　ran　with　uncommonly　sour　wine；　while　that
in　the　Artillery　Place　frothed　with　beer。　　The　great　waters
played；　and　poles　were　put　up　in　the　park　and　gardens
for　the　happy　peasantry；　which　they　might　climb　at
their　leisure；　carrying　off　watches；　silver　forks；　prize
sausages　hung　with　pink　ribbon；　&c。；　at　the　top。　　Georgy
got　one；　wrenching　it　off；　having　swarmed　up　the　pole　to
the　delight　of　the　spectators；　and　sliding　down　with　the
rapidity　of　a　fall　of　water。　　But　it　was　for　the　glory's
sake　merely。　　The　boy　gave　the　sausage　to　a　peasant；
who　had　very　nearly　seized　it；　and　stood　at　the　foot　of
the　mast；　blubbering；　because　he　was　unsuccessful。
At　the　French　Chancellerie　they　had　six　more　lampions
in　their　illumination　than　ours　had；　but　our　transparency；
which　represented　the　young　Couple　advancing　and
Discord　flying　away；　with　the　most　ludicrous　likeness　to　the
French　Ambassador；　beat　the　French　picture　hollow；　and
I　have　no　doubt　got　Tapeworm　the　advancement　and　the
Cross　of　the　Bath　which　he　subsequently　attained。
Crowds　of　foreigners　arrived　for　the　fetes；　and　of
English；　of　course。　　Besides　the　Court　balls；　public　balls
were　given　at　the　Town　Hall　and　the　Redoute；　and　in　the
former　place　there　was　a　room　for　trente…et…quarante
and　roulette　established；　for　the　week　of　the　festivities
only；　and　by　one　of　the　great　German　companies　from
Ems　or　Aix…la…Chapelle。　　The　officers　or　inhabitants　of　the
town　were　not　allowed　to　play　at　these　games；　but
strangers；　peasants；　ladies　were　admitted；　and　any　one
who　chose　to　lose　or　win　money。
That　little　scapegrace　Georgy　Osborne　amongst　others；
whose　pockets　were　always　full　of　dollars　and　whose
relations　were　away　at　the　grand　festival　of　the　Court；
came　to　the　Stadthaus　Ball　in　company　of　his　uncle's
courier；　Mr。　Kirsch；　and　having　only　peeped　into　a
play…room　at　Baden…Baden　when　he　hung　on　Dobbin's　arm；
and　where；　of　course；　he　was　not　permitted　to　gamble；　came
eagerly　to　this　part　of　the　entertainment　and　hankered
round　the　tables　where　the　croupiers　and　the　punters
were　at　work。　　Women　were　playing；　they　were　masked；
some　of　them；　this　license　was　allowed　in　these　wild　times
of　carnival。
A　woman　with　light　hair；　in　a　low　dress　by　no　means
so　fresh　as　it　had　been；　and　with　a　black　mask　on；
through　the　eyelets　of　which　her　eyes　twinkled　strangely；
was　seated　at　one　of　the　roulette…tables　with　a　card　and
a　pin　and　a　couple　of　florins　before　her。　　As　the　croupier
called　out　the　colour　and　number；　she　pricked　on　the
card　with　great　care　and　regularity；　and　only　ventured　her
money　on　the　colours　after　the　red　or　black　had　come
up　a　certain　number　of　times。　　It　was　strange　to　look　at
her。
But　in　spite　of　her　care　and　assiduity　she　guessed
wrong　and　the　last　two　florins　followed　each　other　under
the　croupier's　rake；　as　he　cried　out　with　his　inexorable
voice　the　winning　colour　and　number。　　She　gave　a　sigh；　a
shrug　with　her　shoulders；　which　were　already　too　much
out　of　her　gown；　and　dashing　the　pin　through　the　card
on　to　the　table；　sat　thrumming　it　for　a　while。　　Then　she
looked　round　her　and　saw　Georgy's　honest　face　staring
at　the　scene。　　The　little　scamp！　　What　business　had　he
to　be　there？
When　she　saw　the　boy；　at　whose　face　she　looked　hard
through　her　shining　eyes　and　mask；　she　said；　〃Monsieur
n'est　pas　joueur？〃
〃Non；　Madame；〃　said　the　boy；　but　she　must　have
known；　from　his　accent；　of　what　country　he　was；　for　she
answered　him　with　a　slight　foreign　tone。　　〃You　have
nevare　playedwill　you　do　me　a　littl'　favor？〃
〃What　is　it？〃　said　Georgy；　blushing　again。　　Mr。　Kirsch
was　at　work　for　his　part　at　the　rouge　et　noir　and　did　not
see　his　young　master。
〃Play　this　for　me；　if　you　please；　put　it　on　any　number；
any　number。〃　And　she　took　from　her　bosom　a　purse；　and
out　of　it　a　gold　piece；　the　only　coin　there；　and　she　put　it
into　George's　hand。　　The　boy　laughed　and　did　as　he　was
bid。
The　number　came　up　sure　enough。　　There　is　a　power
that　arranges　that；　they　say；　for　beginners。
〃Thank　you；〃　said　she；　pulling　the　money　towards　her；
〃thank　you。　　What　is　your　name？〃
〃My　name's　Osborne；〃　said　Georgy；　and　was　fingering
in　his　own　pockets　for　dollars；　and　just　about　to　make　a
trial；　when　the　Major；　in　his　uniform；　and　Jos；　en　Marquis；
from　the　Court　ball；　made　their　appearance。　　Other
people；　finding　the　entertainment　stupid　and　preferring　the
fun　at　the　Stadthaus；　had　quitted　the　Palace　ball　earlier；
but　it　is　probable　the　Major　and　Jos　had　gone　home　and
found　the　boy's　absence；　for　the　former　instantly　went
up　to　him　and；　taking　him　by　the　shoulder；　pulled　him
briskly　back　from　the　place　of　temptation。　　Then；　looking
round　the　room；　he　saw　Kirsch　employed　as　we　have
said；　and　going　up　to　him；　asked　how　he　dared　to　bring
Mr。　George　to　such　a　place。
〃Laissez…moi　tranquille；〃　said　Mr。　Kirsch；　very　much
excited　by　play　and　wine。　　〃ll　faut　s'amuser；　parbleu。
Je　ne　suis　pas　au　service　de　Monsieur。〃
Seeing　his　condition　the　Major　did　not　choose　to　argue
with　the　man；　but　contented　himself　with　drawing　away
George　and　asking　Jos　if　he　would　come　away。　　He　was
standing　close　by　the　lady　in　the　mask；　who　was　playing
with　pretty　good　luck　now；　and　looking　on　much
interested　at　the　game。
〃Hadn't　you　better　come；　Jos；〃　the　Major　said；　〃with
George　and　me？〃
〃I'll　stop　and　go　home　with　that　rascal；　Kirsch；〃　Jos
said；　and　for　the　same　reason　of　modesty；　which　he
thought　ought　to　be　preserved　before　the　boy；　Dobbin
did　not　care　to　remonstrate　with　Jos；　but　left　him　and
walked　home　with　Georgy。
〃Did　you　play？〃　asked　the　Ma