vanity fair(名利场)-第188节

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attachment　which　I　bore　you；　and　which　a　loftier　soul　than
yours　might　have　been　proud　to　share。　　Good…bye；　Amelia！
I　have　watched　your　struggle。　　Let　it　end。　　We　are　both
weary　of　it。〃
Amelia　stood　scared　and　silent　as　William　thus
suddenly　broke　the　chain　by　which　she　held　him　and
declared　his　independence　and　superiority。　　He　had　placed
himself　at　her　feet　so　long　that　the　poor　little　woman
had　been　accustomed　to　trample　upon　him。　　She　didn't
wish　to　marry　him；　but　she　wished　to　keep　him。　　She
wished　to　give　him　nothing；　but　that　he　should　give　her
all。　　It　is　a　bargain　not　unfrequently　levied　in　love。
William's　sally　had　quite　broken　and　cast　her　down。
HER　assault　was　long　since　over　and　beaten　back。
〃Am　I　to　understand　then；　that　you　are　goingaway；
William？〃　she　said。
He　gave　a　sad　laugh。　　〃I　went　once　before；〃　he　said；
〃and　came　back　after　twelve　years。　　We　were　young　then；
Amelia。　　Good…bye。　　I　have　spent　enough　of　my　life　at　this
play。〃
Whilst　they　had　been　talking；　the　door　into　Mrs。　Osborne's
room　had　opened　ever　so　little；　indeed；　Becky
had　kept　a　hold　of　the　handle　and　had　turned　it　on　the
instant　when　Dobbin　quitted　it；　and　she　heard　every　word
of　the　conversation　that　had　passed　between　these　two。
〃What　a　noble　heart　that　man　has；〃　she　thought；　and
how　shamefully　that　woman　plays　with　it！〃　She　admired
Dobbin；　she　bore　him　no　rancour　for　the　part　he　had
taken　against　her。　　It　was　an　open　move　in　the　game；
and　played　fairly。　　〃Ah！〃　she　thought；　〃if　I　could　have　had
such　a　husband　as　thata　man　with　a　heart　and　brains
too！　　I　would　not　have　minded　his　large　feet〃；　and　running
into　her　room；　she　absolutely　bethought　herself　of
something；　and　wrote　him　a　note；　beseeching　him　to　stop　for　a
few　daysnot　to　think　of　goingand　that　she　could
serve　him　with　A。
The　parting　was　over。　　Once　more　poor　William　walked
to　the　door　and　was　gone；　and　the　little　widow；　the
author　of　all　this　work；　had　her　will；　and　had　won　her
victory；　and　was　left　to　enjoy　it　as　she　best　might。　　Let
the　ladies　envy　her　triumph。
At　the　romantic　hour　of　dinner；　Mr。　Georgy　made　his
appearance　and　again　remarked　the　absence　of　〃Old
Dob。〃　The　meal　was　eaten　in　silence　by　the　party。　　Jos's
appetite　not　being　diminished；　but　Emmy　taking
nothing　at　all。
After　the　meal；　Georgy　was　lolling　in　the　cushions　of
the　old　window；　a　large　window；　with　three　sides　of　glass
abutting　from　the　gable；　and　commanding　on　one　side
the　market…place；　where　the　Elephant　is；　his　mother　being
busy　hard　by；　when　he　remarked　symptoms　of
movement　at　the　Major's　house　on　the　other　side　of　the　street。
〃Hullo！〃　said　he；　〃there's　Dob's　trapthey　are　bringing
it　out　of　the　court…yard。〃　The　〃trap〃　in　question
was　a　carriage　which　the　Major　had　bought　for　six　pounds
sterling；　and　about　which　they　used　to　rally　him　a　good
deal。
Emmy　gave　a　little　start；　but　said　nothing。
〃Hullo！〃　Georgy　continued；　〃there's　Francis　coming　out
with　the　portmanteaus；　and　Kunz；　the　one…eyed
postilion；　coming　down　the　market　with　three　schimmels。
Look　at　his　boots　and　yellow　jacketain't　he　a　rum
one？　Whythey're　putting　the　horses　to　Dob's　carriage。
Is　he　going　anywhere？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Emmy；　〃he　is　going　on　a　journey。〃
〃Going　on　a　journey；　and　when　is　he　coming　back？〃
〃He　isnot　coming　back；〃　answered　Emmy。
〃Not　coming　back！〃　cried　out　Georgy；　jumping　up。
〃Stay　here；　sir；〃　roared　out　Jos。　　〃Stay；　Georgy；〃　said　his
mother　with　a　very　sad　face。　　The　boy　stopped；　kicked
about　the　room；　jumped　up　and　down　from　the　window…
seat　with　his　knees；　and　showed　every　symptom　of
uneasiness　and　curiosity。
The　horses　were　put　to。　　The　baggage　was　strapped
on。　　Francis　came　out　with　his　master's　sword；　cane；
and　umbrella　tied　up　together；　and　laid　them　in　the
well；　and　his　desk　and　old　tin　cocked…hat　case；　which
he　placed　under　the　seat。　　Francis　brought　out　the
stained　old　blue　cloak　lined　with　red　camlet；　which　had
wrapped　the　owner　up　any　time　these　fifteen　years；　and
had　manchen　Sturm　erlebt；　as　a　favourite　song　of　those
days　said。　　It　had　been　new　for　the　campaign　of　Waterloo
and　had　covered　George　and　William　after　the　night
of　Quatre　Bras。
Old　Burcke；　the　landlord　of　the　lodgings；　came　out；
then　Francis；　with　more　packagesfinal　packagesthen
Major　WilliamBurcke　wanted　to　kiss　him。　　The　Major
was　adored　by　all　people　with　whom　he　had　to　do。　　It
was　with　difficulty　he　could　escape　from　this
demonstration　of　attachment。
〃By　Jove；　I　will　go！〃　screamed　out　George。　　〃Give　him
this；〃　said　Becky；　quite　interested；　and　put　a　paper　into
the　boy's　hand。　　He　had　rushed　down　the　stairs　and　flung
across　the　street　in　a　minutethe　yellow　postilion　was
cracking　his　whip　gently。
William　had　got　into　the　carriage；　released　from　the
embraces　of　his　landlord。　　George　bounded　in　afterwards；
and　flung　his　arms　round　the　Major's　neck　（as　they　saw
from　the　window）；　and　began　asking　him　multiplied
questions。　　Then　he　felt　in　his　waistcoat　pocket　and　gave　him
a　note。　　William　seized　at　it　rather　eagerly；　he　opened　it
trembling；　but　instantly　his　countenance　changed；　and
he　tore　the　paper　in　two　and　dropped　it　out　of　the
carriage。　　He　kissed　Georgy　on　the　head；　and　the　boy　got
out；　doubling　his　fists　into　his　eyes；　and　with　the　aid　of
Francis。　　He　lingered　with　his　hand　on　the　panel。　　Fort；
Schwager！　　The　yellow　postilion　cracked　his　whip
prodigiously；　up　sprang　Francis　to　the　box；　away　went　the
schimmels；　and　Dobbin　with　his　head　on　his　breast。　　He
never　looked　up　as　they　passed　under　Amelia's　window；
and　Georgy；　left　alone　in　the　street；　burst　out　crying
in　the　face　of　all　the　crowd。
Emmy's　maid　heard　him　howling　again　during　the
night　and　brought　him　some　preserved　apricots　to
console　him。　　She　mingled　her　lamentations　with　his。　　All　the
poor；　all　the　humble；　all　honest　folks；　all　good　men　who
knew　him；　loved　that　kind…hearted　and　simple　gentleman。
As　for　Emmy；　had　she　not　done　her　duty？　She　had　her
picture　of　George　for　a　consolation。

CHAPTER　LXVII
Which　Contains　Births；　Marriages；　and　Deaths
Whatever　Becky's　private　plan　might　be　by　which
Dobbin's　true　love　was　to　be　crowned　with　success；　the
little　woman　thought　that　the　secret　might　keep；　and
indeed；　being　by　no　means　so　much　interested　about
anybody's　welfare　as　about　her　own；　she　had　a　great
number　of　things　pertaining　to　herself　to　consider；　and
which　concerned　her　a　great　deal　more　than　Major
Dobbin's　happiness　in　this　life。
She　found　herself　suddenly　and　unexpectedly　in　snug
comfortable　quarters；　surrounded　by　friends；　kindness；
and　good…natured　simple　people　such　as　she　had　not　met
with　for　many　a　long　day；　and；　wanderer　as　she　was　by
force　and　inclination；　there　were　moments　when　rest
was　pleasant　to　her。　　As　the　most　hardened　Arab　that
ever　careered　across　the　desert　over　the　hump　of　a
dromedary　likes　to　repose　sometimes　under　the　date…
trees　by　the　water；　or　to　come　into　the　cities；　walk　into
the　bazaars；　refresh　himself　in　the　baths；　and　say　his
prayers　in　the　mosques；　before　he　goes　out　again
marauding；　so　Jos's　tents　and　pilau　were　pleasant　to　this
little　Ishmaelite。　　She　picketed　her　steed；　hung　up　her
weapons；　and　warmed　herself　comfortably　by　his　fire。　　The
halt　in　that　roving；　restless　life　was　inexpressibly　soothing
and　pleasant　to　her。
So；　pleased　herself；　she　tried　with　all　her　might　to
please　everybody；　and　we　know　that　she　was　eminent
and　successful　as　a　practitioner　in　the　art　of　giving
pleasure。　　As　for　Jos；　even　in　that　little　interview　in　the
garret　at　the　Elephant　Inn；　she　had　found　means　to　win
back　a　great　deal　of　his　good…will。　　In　the　course　of　a
week；　the　civilian　was　her　sworn　slave　and　frantic
admirer。　　He　didn't　go　to　sleep　after　dinner；　as　his
custom　was　in　the　much　less　lively　society　of　Amelia。　　He
drove　out　with　Becky　in　his　open　carriage。　　He　asked　little
parties　and　invented　festivities　to　do　her　honour。
Tapeworm；　the　Charge　d'Affaires；　who　had　abused　her
so　cruelly；　came　to　dine　with　Jos；　and　then　came　every
day　to　pay　his　respects　to　Becky。　　Poor　Emmy；　who　was
never　very　talkative；　and　more　glum　and　silent　than　ever
after　Dobbin's　departure；　was　quite　forgotten　when　this
superior　genius　made　her　appearance。　　The　French
Minister　was　as　much　charmed　with　her　as　his　English　rival。
The　German　ladies；　never　particularly　squeamish　as
regards　morals；　especially　in　English　people；　were　delighted
with　the　cleverness　and　wit　of　Mrs。　Osborne's　charming
friend；　and　though　she　did　not　ask　to　go　to　Court；
yet　the　most　august　and　Transparent　Personages　there
heard　of　her　fascinations　and　were　quite　curious　to　know
her。　　When　it　became　known　that　she　was　noble；　of　an
ancient　English　family；　that　her　husband　was　a　Colonel
of　the　Guard；　Excellenz　and　Governor　of　an　island；　only
separated　from　his　lady　by　one　of　those　trifling　differences
which　are　of　little　account　in　a　country　where
Werther　is　still　read　and　the　Wahlverwandtschaften　of
Goethe　is　considered　an　edifying　moral　book；　nobody
thought　of　refusing　to　receive　her　in　the　very　highest
society　of　the　little　Duchy；　and　the　ladies　were　even　more
ready　to　call　her　du　and　to　swear　eternal　friendship　for
her　than　they　had　been　to　bestow　the　same　inestimable