vanity fair(名利场)-第31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！


　　
〃Who　the　deuce　asked　you　to　talk　about　my　affairs？〃
Osborne　shouted　indignantly。　　〃Why　the　devil　is　all　the
regiment　to　know　that　I　am　going　to　be　married？　Why　is
that　tattling　old　harridan；　Peggy　O'Dowd；　to　make　free
with　my　name　at　her　dd　supper…table；　and　advertise
my　engagement　over　the　three　kingdoms？　After　all；　what
right　have　you　to　say　I　am　engaged；　or　to　meddle　in　my
business　at　all；　Dobbin？〃
　　
〃It　seems　to　me；〃　Captain　Dobbin　began。
　　
〃Seems　be　hanged；　Dobbin；〃　his　junior　interrupted
him。　　〃I　am　under　obligations　to　you；　I　know　it；　a　dd
deal　too　well　too；　but　I　won't　be　always　sermonised　by
you　because　you're　five　years　my　senior。　　I'm　hanged　if
I'll　stand　your　airs　of　superiority　and　infernal　pity　and
patronage。　　Pity　and　patronage！　I　should　like　to　know　in
what　I'm　your　inferior？〃
　　
〃Are　you　engaged？〃　Captain　Dobbin　interposed。
　　
〃What　the　devil's　that　to　you　or　any　one　here　if　I　am？〃
　　
〃Are　you　ashamed　of　it？〃　Dobbin　resumed。
　　
〃What　right　have　you　to　ask　me　that　question；　sir？　I
should　like　to　know；〃　George　said。
　　
〃Good　God；　you　don't　mean　to　say　you　want　to　break
off？〃　asked　Dobbin；　starting　up。
　　
〃In　other　words；　you　ask　me　if　I'm　a　man　of　honour；〃
said　Osborne；　fiercely；　〃is　that　what　you　mean？　You've
adopted　such　a　tone　regarding　me　lately　that　I'm　
if　I'll　bear　it　any　more。〃
　　
〃What　have　I　done？　I've　told　you　you　were　neglecting
a　sweet　girl；　George。　　I've　told　you　that　when　you　go　to
town　you　ought　to　go　to　her；　and　not　to　the　gambling…
houses　about　St。　James's。〃
　　
〃You　want　your　money　back；　I　suppose；〃　said　George；
with　a　sneer。
　　
〃Of　course　I　doI　always　did；　didn't　I？〃　says　Dobbin。
〃You　speak　like　a　generous　fellow。〃
　　
〃No；　hang　it；　William；　I　beg　your　pardon〃here
George　interposed　in　a　fit　of　remorse；　〃you　have　been　my
friend　in　a　hundred　ways；　Heaven　knows。　　You've　got　me
out　of　a　score　of　scrapes。　　When　Crawley　of　the　Guards
won　that　sum　of　money　of　me　I　should　have　been　done
but　for　you：　I　know　I　should。　　But　you　shouldn't　deal　so
hardly　with　me；　you　shouldn't　be　always　catechising　me。
I　am　very　fond　of　Amelia；　I　adore　her；　and　that　sort　of
thing。　　Don't　look　angry。　　She's　faultless；　I　know　she　is。
But　you　see　there's　no　fun　in　winning　a　thing　unless　you
play　for　it。　　Hang　it：　the　regiment's　just　back　from　the
West　Indies；　I　must　have　a　little　fling；　and　then　when　I'm
married　I'll　reform；　I　will　upon　my　honour；　now。　　AndI
sayDobdon't　be　angry　with　me；　and　I'll　give　you　a
hundred　next　month；　when　I　know　my　father　will　stand
something　handsome；　and　I'll　ask　Heavytop　for　leave；
and　I'll　go　to　town；　and　see　Amelia　to…morrowthere
now；　will　that　satisfy　you？〃
　　
〃It　is　impossible　to　be　long　angry　with　you；　George；〃
said　the　good…natured　Captain；　〃and　as　for　the　money；
old　boy；　you　know　if　I　wanted　it　you'd　share　your　last
shilling　with　me。〃
　　
〃That　I　would；　by　Jove；　Dobbin；〃　George　said；　with
the　greatest　generosity；　though　by　the　way　he　never　had
any　money　to　spare。
　　
〃Only　I　wish　you　had　sown　those　wild　oats　of　yours；
George。　　If　you　could　have　seen　poor　little　Miss　Emmy's
face　when　she　asked　me　about　you　the　other　day；　you
would　have　pitched　those　billiard…balls　to　the　deuce。　　Go
and　comfort　her；　you　rascal。　　Go　and　write　her　a　long
letter。　　Do　something　to　make　her　happy；　a　very　little　will。〃
　　
〃I　believe　she's　dd　fond　of　me；〃　the　Lieutenant　said；
with　a　self…satisfied　air；　and　went　off　to　finish　the　evening
with　some　jolly　fellows　in　the　mess…room。
　　
Amelia　meanwhile；　in　Russell　Square；　was　looking　at
the　moon；　which　was　shining　upon　that　peaceful　spot；　as
well　as　upon　the　square　of　the　Chatham　barracks；　where
Lieutenant　Osborne　was　quartered；　and　thinking　to
herself　how　her　hero　was　employed。　　Perhaps　he　is　visiting
the　sentries；　thought　she；　perhaps　he　is　bivouacking；
perhaps　he　is　attending　the　couch　of　a　wounded　comrade；　or
studying　the　art　of　war　up　in　his　own　desolate　chamber。
And　her　kind　thoughts　sped　away　as　if　they　were　angels
and　had　wings；　and　flying　down　the　river　to　Chatham
and　Rochester；　strove　to　peep　into　the　barracks　where
George　was。　。　。　。　All　things　considered；　I　think　it　was
as　well　the　gates　were　shut；　and　the　sentry　allowed　no
one　to　pass；　so　that　the　poor　little　white…robed　angel
could　not　hear　the　songs　those　young　fellows　were
roaring　over　the　whisky…punch。
　　
The　day　after　the　little　conversation　at　Chatham
barracks；　young　Osborne；　to　show　that　he　would　be　as　good
as　his　word；　prepared　to　go　to　town；　thereby　incurring
Captain　Dobbin's　applause。　　〃I　should　have　liked　to　make　her
a　little　present；〃　Osborne　said　to　his　friend　in　confidence；
〃only　I　am　quite　out　of　cash　until　my　father　tips　up。〃　But
Dobbin　would　not　allow　this　good　nature　and　generosity
to　be　balked；　and　so　accommodated　Mr。　Osborne　with　a
few　pound　notes；　which　the　latter　took　after　a　little　faint
scruple。
　　
And　I　dare　say　he　would　have　bought　something　very
handsome　for　Amelia；　only；　getting　off　the　coach　in　Fleet
Street；　he　was　attracted　by　a　handsome　shirt…pin　in　a
jeweller's　window；　which　he　could　not　resist；　and　having
paid　for　that；　had　very　little　money　to　spare　for　indulging
in　any　further　exercise　of　kindness。　　Never　mind：　you　may
be　sure　it　was　not　his　presents　Amelia　wanted。　　When　he
came　to　Russell　Square；　her　face　lighted　up　as　if　he　had
been　sunshine。　　The　little　cares；　fears；　tears；　timid
misgivings；　sleepless　fancies　of　I　don't　know　how　many　days
and　nights；　were　forgotten；　under　one　moment's　influence
of　that　familiar；　irresistible　smile。　　He　beamed　on　her
from　the　drawing…room　doormagnificent；　with
ambrosial　whiskers；　like　a　god。　　Sambo；　whose　face　as　he
announced　Captain　Osbin　（having　conferred　a　brevet　rank
on　that　young　officer）　blazed　with　a　sympathetic　grin；　saw
the　little　girl　start；　and　flush；　and　jump　up　from　her
watching…place　in　the　window；　and　Sambo　retreated：　and
as　soon　as　the　door　was　shut；　she　went　fluttering　to
Lieutenant　George　Osborne's　heart　as　if　it　was　the　only　natural
home　for　her　to　nestle　in。　　Oh；　thou　poor　panting　little
soul！　　The　very　finest　tree　in　the　whole　forest；　with　the
straightest　stem；　and　the　strongest　arms；　and　the
thickest　foliage；　wherein　you　choose　to　build　and　coo；　may
be　marked；　for　what　you　know；　and　may　be　down　with　a
crash　ere　long。　　What　an　old；　old　simile　that　is；　between
man　and　timber！
　　
In　the　meanwhile；　George　kissed　her　very　kindly　on
her　forehead　and　glistening　eyes；　and　was　very　gracious
and　good；　and　she　thought　his　diamond　shirt…pin　（which
she　had　not　known　him　to　wear　before）　the　prettiest
ornament　ever　seen。
The　observant　reader；　who　has　marked　our　young
Lieutenant's　previous　behaviour；　and　has　preserved　our
report　of　the　brief　conversation　which　he　has　just　had
with　Captain　Dobbin；　has　possibly　come　to　certain
conclusions　regarding　the　character　of　Mr。　Osborne。　　Some
cynical　Frenchman　has　said　that　there　are　two　parties　to
a　love…transaction：　the　one　who　loves　and　the　other　who
condescends　to　be　so　treated。　　Perhaps　the　love　is
occasionally　on　the　man's　side；　perhaps　on　the　lady's。
Perhaps　some　infatuated　swain　has　ere　this　mistaken
insensibility　for　modesty；　dulness　for　maiden　reserve；　mere
vacuity　for　sweet　bashfulness；　and　a　goose；　in　a　word；
for　a　swan。　　Perhaps　some　beloved　female　subscriber　has
arrayed　an　ass　in　the　splendour　and　glory　of　her
imagination；　admired　his　dulness　as　manly　simplicity；
worshipped　his　selfishness　as　manly　superiority；　treated　his
stupidity　as　majestic　gravity；　and　used　him　as　the
brilliant　fairy　Titania　did　a　certain　weaver　at　Athens。　　I　think
I　have　seen　such　comedies　of　errors　going　on　in　the
world。　　But　this　is　certain；　that　Amelia　believed　her　lover
to　be　one　of　the　most　gallant　and　brilliant　men　in　the
empire：　and　it　is　possible　Lieutenant　Osborne　thought
so　too。
He　was　a　little　wild：　how　many　young　men　are；　and
don't　girls　like　a　rake　better　than　a　milksop？　　He　hadn't
sown　his　wild　oats　as　yet；　but　he　would　soon：　and　quit
the　army　now　that　peace　was　proclaimed；　the　Corsican
monster　locked　up　at　Elba；　promotion　by　consequence
over；　and　no　chance　left　for　the　display　of　his　undoubted
military　talents　and　valour：　and　his　allowance；　with
Amelia's　settlement；　would　enable　them　to　take　a　snug
place　in　the　country　somewhere；　in　a　good　sporting
neighbourhood；　and　he　would　hunt　a　little；　and　farm　a
little；　and　they　would　be　very　happy。　　As　for　remaining
in　the　army　as　a　married　man；　that　was　impossible。
Fancy　Mrs。　George　Osborne　in　lodgings　in　a　county
town；　or；　worse　still；　in　the　East　or　West　Indies；　with　a
society　of　officers；　and　patronized　by　Mrs。　Major　O'Dowd！
Amelia　died　with　laughing　at　Osborne's　stories　about
Mrs。　Major　O'Dowd。　　He　loved　her　much　too　fondly　to
subject　her　to　that　horrid　woman　and　her　vulgarities；
and　the　rough　treatment　of　a　soldier's　wife。　　He　didn't
care　for　himselfnot　he；　but　his　dear　little　girl　should
take　the　place　in　society　to　which；　as　his　wife；　she　was
entitled：　and　to　these　proposals　you　may　be　sure　she
acceded；　as　she　would　to　any　other　from　the　same　author。
　　　
Holding　this　kind　of　conversation；　and　building
numberless　castles　in　the　air　（which　Amelia　adorned　with　all