vanity fair(名利场)-第191节

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anxious　to　go　to　England。
At　last　she　took　a　great　resolutionmade　the　great
plunge。　　She　wrote　off　a　letter　to　a　friend　whom　she　had
on　the　other　side　of　the　water；　a　letter　about　which　she
did　not　speak　a　word　to　anybody；　which　she　carried
herself　to　the　post　under　her　shawl；　nor　was　any　remark
made　about　it；　only　that　she　looked　very　much　flushed
and　agitated　when　Georgy　met　her；　and　she　kissed　him；
and　hung　over　him　a　great　deal　that　night。　　She　did　not
come　out　of　her　room　after　her　return　from　her　walk。
Becky　thought　it　was　Major　Loder　and　the　Captain　who
frightened　her。
〃She　mustn't　stop　here；〃　Becky　reasoned　with　herself。
〃She　must　go　away；　the　silly　little　fool。　　She　is　still
whimpering　after　that　gaby　of　a　husbanddead　（and
served　right！）　these　fifteen　years。　　She　shan't　marry　either
of　these　men。　　It's　too　bad　of　Loder。　　No；　she　shall　marry
the　bamboo　cane；　I'll　settle　it　this　very　night。〃
So　Becky　took　a　cup　of　tea　to　Amelia　in　her　private
apartment　and　found　that　lady　in　the　company　of　her
miniatures；　and　in　a　most　melancholy　and　nervous
condition。　　She　laid　down　the　cup　of　tea。
〃Thank　you；〃　said　Amelia。
〃Listen　to　me；　Amelia；〃　said　Becky；　marching　up　and
down　the　room　before　the　other　and　surveying　her　with
a　sort　of　contemptuous　kindness。　　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you。
You　must　go　away　from　here　and　from　the　impertinences
of　these　men。　　I　won't　have　you　harassed　by　them：　　and
they　will　insult　you　if　you　stay。　　I　tell　you　they　are　rascals：
men　fit　to　send　to　the　hulks。　　Never　mind　how　I　know
them。　　I　know　everybody。　　Jos　can't　protect　you；　he　is　too
weak　and　wants　a　protector　himself。　　You　are　no　more　fit
to　live　in　the　world　than　a　baby　in　arms。　　You　must　marry；
or　you　and　your　precious　boy　will　go　to　ruin。　　You　must
have　a　husband；　you　fool；　and　one　of　the　best　gentlemen
I　ever　saw　has　offered　you　a　hundred　times；　and　you　have
rejected　him；　you　silly；　heartless；　ungrateful　little
creature！〃
〃I　triedI　tried　my　best；　indeed　I　did；　Rebecca；〃　said
Amelia　deprecatingly；　〃but　I　couldn't　forget〃；　and　she
finished　the　sentence　by　looking　up　at　the　portrait。
〃Couldn't　forget　HIM！〃　cried　out　Becky；　〃that　selfish
humbug；　that　low…bred　cockney　dandy；　that　padded
booby；　who　had　neither　wit；　nor　manners；　nor　heart；　and
was　no　more　to　be　compared　to　your　friend　with　the
bamboo　cane　than　you　are　to　Queen　Elizabeth。　　Why；
the　man　was　weary　of　you；　and　would　have　jilted　you；　but
that　Dobbin　forced　him　to　keep　his　word。　　He　owned　it
to　me。　　He　never　cared　for　you。　　He　used　to　sneer　about
you　to　me；　time　after　time；　and　made　love　to　me　the
week　after　he　married　you。〃
〃It's　false！　　It's　false！　　Rebecca；〃　cried　out　Amelia；
starting　up。
〃Look　there；　you　fool；〃　Becky　said；　still　with　provoking
good　humour；　and　taking　a　little　paper　out　of　her
belt；　she　opened　it　and　flung　it　into　Emmy's　lap。　　〃You
know　his　handwriting。　　He　wrote　that　to　mewanted　me
to　run　away　with　himgave　it　me　under　your　nose；　the
day　before　he　was　shotand　served　him　right！〃　Becky
repeated。
Emmy　did　not　hear　her；　she　was　looking　at　the　letter。
It　was　that　which　George　had　put　into　the　bouquet　and
given　to　Becky　on　the　night　of　the　Duchess　of　Richmond's
ball。　　It　was　as　she　said：　　the　foolish　young　man
had　asked　her　to　fly。
Emmy's　head　sank　down；　and　for　almost　the　last　time
in　which　she　shall　be　called　upon　to　weep　in　this　history；
she　commenced　that　work。　　Her　head　fell　to　her　bosom；　and
her　hands　went　up　to　her　eyes；　and　there　for　a　while；　she
gave　way　to　her　emotions；　as　Becky　stood　on　and
regarded　her。　　Who　shall　analyse　those　tears　and　say
whether　they　were　sweet　or　bitter？　Was　she　most　grieved
because　the　idol　of　her　life　was　tumbled　down　and
shivered　at　her　feet；　or　indignant　that　her　love　had　been　so
despised；　or　glad　because　the　barrier　was　removed　which
modesty　had　placed　between　her　and　a　new；　a　real　affection？
〃There　is　nothing　to　forbid　me　now；〃　she　thought。
〃I　may　love　him　with　all　my　heart　now。　　Oh；　I　will；　I　will；
if　he　will　but　let　me　and　forgive　me。〃　I　believe　it　was　this
feeling　rushed　over　all　the　others　which　agitated　that
gentle　little　bosom。
Indeed；　she　did　not　cry　so　much　as　Becky　expected
the　other　soothed　and　kissed　hera　rare　mark　of
sympathy　with　Mrs。　Becky。　　She　treated　Emmy　like　a　child
and　patted　her　head。　　〃And　now　let　us　get　pen　and　ink
and　write　to　him　to　come　this　minute；〃　she　said。
〃II　wrote　to　him　this　morning；〃　Emmy　said；　blushing
exceedingly。　　Becky　screamed　with　laughter〃Un
biglietto；〃　she　sang　out　with　Rosina；　〃eccolo　qua！〃the
whole　house　echoed　with　her　shrill　singing。
Two　mornings　after　this　little　scene；　although　the　day
was　rainy　and　gusty；　and　Amelia　had　had　an　exceedingly
wakeful　night；　listening　to　the　wind　roaring；　and　pitying
all　travellers　by　land　and　by　water；　yet　she　got　up　early
and　insisted　upon　taking　a　walk　on　the　Dike　with　Georgy；
and　there　she　paced　as　the　rain　beat　into　her　face；　and
she　looked　out　westward　across　the　dark　sea　line　and
over　the　swollen　billows　which　came　tumbling　and　frothing
to　the　shore。　　Neither　spoke　much；　except　now　and
then；　when　the　boy　said　a　few　words　to　his　timid
companion；　indicative　of　sympathy　and　protection。
〃I　hope　he　won't　cross　in　such　weather；〃　Emmy　said。
〃I　bet　ten　to　one　he　does；〃　the　boy　answered。　　〃Look；
Mother；　there's　the　smoke　of　the　steamer。〃　It　was　that
signal；　sure　enough。
But　though　the　steamer　was　under　way；　he　might　not
be　on　board；　he　might　not　have　got　the　letter；　he　might
not　choose　to　come。　　A　hundred　fears　poured　one　over　the
other　into　the　little　heart；　as　fast　as　the　waves　on　to　the
Dike。
The　boat　followed　the　smoke　into　sight。　　Georgy　had　a
dandy　telescope　and　got　the　vessel　under　view　in　the　most
skilful　manner。　　And　he　made　appropriate　nautical
comments　upon　the　manner　of　the　approach　of　the　steamer
as　she　came　nearer　and　nearer；　dipping　and　rising　in　the
water。　　The　signal　of　an　English　steamer　in　sight　went
fluttering　up　to　the　mast　on　the　pier。　　I　daresay　Mrs。
Amelia's　heart　was　in　a　similar　flutter。
Emmy　tried　to　look　through　the　telescope　over
George's　shoulder；　but　she　could　make　nothing　of　it。
She　only　saw　a　black　eclipse　bobbing　up　and　down
before　her　eyes。
George　took　the　glass　again　and　raked　the　vessel。
〃How　she　does　pitch！〃　he　said。　　〃There　goes　a　wave　slap
over　her　bows。　　There's　only　two　people　on　deck　besides
the　steersman。　　There's　a　man　lying　down；　and　achap
in　acloak　with　aHooray！it's　Dob；　by　Jingo！〃
He　clapped　to　the　telescope　and　flung　his　arms　round
his　mother。　　As　for　that　lady；　let　us　say　what　she　did　in
the　words　of　a　favourite　poet〃Dakruoen　gelasasa。〃　She
was　sure　it　was　William。　　It　could　be　no　other。　　What　she
had　said　about　hoping　that　he　would　not　come　was　all
hypocrisy。　　Of　course　he　would　come；　what　could　he　do
else　but　come？　She　knew　he　would　come。
The　ship　came　swiftly　nearer　and　nearer。　　As　they　went
in　to　meet　her　at　the　landing…place　at　the　quay；　Emmy's
knees　trembled　so　that　she　scarcely　could　run。　　She　would
have　liked　to　kneel　down　and　say　her　prayers　of　thanks
there。　　Oh；　she　thought；　she　would　be　all　her　life　saying
them！
It　was　such　a　bad　day　that　as　the　vessel　came　alongside
of　the　quay　there　were　no　idlers　abroad；　scarcely
even　a　commissioner　on　the　look　out　for　the　few
passengers　in　the　steamer。　　That　young　scapegrace　George
had　fled　too；　and　as　the　gentleman　in　the　old　cloak　lined
with　red　stuff　stepped　on　to　the　shore；　there　was　scarcely
any　one　present　to　see　what　took　place；　which　was　briefly
this：
A　lady　in　a　dripping　white　bonnet　and　shawl；　with　her
two　little　hands　out　before　her；　went　up　to　him；　and　in
the　next　minute　she　had　altogether　disappeared　under　the
folds　of　the　old　cloak；　and　was　kissing　one　of　his　hands
with　all　her　might；　whilst　the　other；　I　suppose；　was
engaged　in　holding　her　to　his　heart　（which　her　head　just
about　reached）　and　in　preventing　her　from　tumbling
down。　　She　was　murmuring　something　aboutforgive
dear　Williamdear；　dear；　dearest　friendkiss；　kiss；　kiss；
and　so　forthand　in　fact　went　on　under　the　cloak　in　an
absurd　manner。
When　Emmy　emerged　from　it；　she　still　kept　tight　hold
of　one　of　William's　hands；　and　looked　up　in　his　face。　　It
was　full　of　sadness　and　tender　love　and　pity。　　She
understood　its　reproach　and　hung　down　her　head。
〃It　was　time　you　sent　for　me；　dear　Amelia；〃　he　said。
〃You　will　never　go　again；　William？〃
〃No；　never；〃　he　answered；　and　pressed　the　dear　little
soul　once　more　to　his　heart。
As　they　issued　out　of　the　custom…house　precincts；
Georgy　broke　out　on　them；　with　his　telescope　up　to　his
eye；　and　a　loud　laugh　of　welcome；　he　danced　round　the
couple　and　performed　many　facetious　antics　as　he　led
them　up　to　the　house。　　Jos　wasn't　up　yet；　Becky　not
visible　（though　she　looked　at　them　through　the　blinds）。
Georgy　ran　off　to　see　about　breakfast。　　Emmy；　whose
shawl　and　bonnet　were　off　in　the　passage　in　the　hands　of
Mrs。　Payne；　now　went　to　undo　the　clasp　of　William's
cloak；　andwe　will；　if　you　please；　go　with　George；　and
look　after　breakfast　for　the　Colonel。　　The　vessel　is　in　port。
He　has　got　the　prize　he　has　been　trying　for　all　his　life。
The　bird　has　come　in　at　last。　　There　it　is　with　its　head　on
his　shoulder；　billing　and