vanity fair(名利场)-第33节

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in　him　as　a　Neapolitan　beggar　does　in　the　sun。　　George
was　alarmed　when　he　heard　the　names。　　He　feared　his
father　might　have　been　informed　of　certain　transactions
at　play。　　But　the　old　moralist　eased　him　by　saying
serenely：
　　
〃Well；　well；　young　men　will　be　young　men。　　And　the
comfort　to　me　is；　George；　that　living　in　the　best　society
in　England；　as　I　hope　you　do；　as　I　think　you　do；　as　my
means　will　allow　you　to　do〃
〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　says　George；　making　his　point　at
once。　　〃One　can't　live　with　these　great　folks　for　nothing；
and　my　purse；　sir；　look　at　it〃；　and　he　held　up　a　little
token　which　had　been　netted　by　Amelia；　and　contained
the　very　last　of　Dobbin's　pound　notes。
　
〃You　shan't　want；　sir。　　The　British　merchant's　son
shan't　want；　sir。　　My　guineas　are　as　good　as　theirs；
George；　my　boy；　and　I　don't　grudge　'em。　　Call　on　Mr。
Chopper　as　you　go　through　the　City　to…morrow；　he'll
have　something　for　you。　　I　don't　grudge　money　when　I
know　you're　in　good　society；　because　I　know　that　good
society　can　never　go　wrong。　　There's　no　pride　in　me。　　I
was　a　humbly　born　manbut　you　have　had　advantages。
Make　a　good　use　of　'em。　　Mix　with　the　young　nobility。
There's　many　of　'em　who　can't　spend　a　dollar　to　your
guinea；　my　boy。　　And　as　for　the　pink　bonnets　（here　from
under　the　heavy　eyebrows　there　came　a　knowing　and　not
very　pleasing　leer）why　boys　will　be　boys。　　Only　there's
one　thing　I　order　you　to　avoid；　which；　if　you　do　not；　I'll
cut　you　off　with　a　shilling；　by　Jove；　and　that's　gambling；
　
〃Oh；　of　course；　sir；〃　said　George。
　　
〃But　to　return　to　the　other　business　about　Amelia：
why　shouldn't　you　marry　higher　than　a　stockbroker's
daughter；　Georgethat's　what　I　want　to　know？〃
　　
〃It's　a　family　business；　sir；〃。says　George；　cracking
filberts。　　〃You　and　Mr。　Sedley　made　the　match　a　hundred
years　ago。〃
　
〃I　don't　deny　it；　but　people's　positions　alter；　sir。　　I　don't
deny　that　Sedley　made　my　fortune；　or　rather　put　me　in
the　way　of　acquiring；　by　my　own　talents　and　genius；　that
proud　position；　which；　I　may　say；　I　occupy　in　the　tallow
trade　and　the　City　of　London。　　I've　shown　my　gratitude
to　Sedley；　and　he's　tried　it　of　late；　sir；　as　my　cheque…book
can　show。　　George！　　I　tell　you　in　confidence　I　don't
like　the　looks　of　Mr。　Sedley's　affairs。　　My　chief　clerk；
Mr。　Chopper；　does　not　like　the　looks　of　'em；　and　he's　an
old　file；　and　knows　'Change　as　well　as　any　man　in
London。　　Hulker　&　Bullock　are　looking　shy　at　him。　　He's　been
dabbling　on　his　own　account　I　fear。　　They　say　the　Jeune
Amelie　was　his；　which　was　taken　by　the　Yankee
privateer　Molasses。　　And　that's　flatunless　I　see　Amelia's　ten
thousand　down　you　don't　marry　her。　　I'll　have　no　lame
duck's　daughter　in　my　family。　　Pass　the　wine；　siror
ring　for　coffee。〃
　　
With　which　Mr。　Osborne　spread　out　the　evening
paper；　and　George　knew　from　this　signal　that　the
colloquy　was　ended；　and　that　his　papa　was　about　to
take　a　nap。
　　
He　hurried　upstairs　to　Amelia　in　the　highest　spirits。
What　was　it　that　made　him　more　attentive　to　her　on　that
night　than　he　had　been　for　a　long　timemore　eager　to
amuse　her；　more　tender；　more　brilliant　in　talk？　　Was　it
that　his　generous　heart　warmed　to　her　at　the　prospect　of
misfortune；　or　that　the　idea　of　losing　the　dear　little　prize
made　him　value　it　more？
　　
She　lived　upon　the　recollections　of　that　happy　evening
for　many　days　afterwards；　remembering　his　words；　his
looks；　the　song　he　sang；　his　attitude；　as　he　leant　over　her
or　looked　at　her　from　a　distance。　　As　it　seemed　to　her；
no　night　ever　passed　so　quickly　at　Mr。　Osborne's　house
before；　and　for　once　this　young　person　was　almost
provoked　to　be　angry　by　the　premature　arrival　of　Mr。
Sambo　with　her　shawl。
　　
George　came　and　took　a　tender　leave　of　her　the　next
morning；　and　then　hurried　off　to　the　City；　where　he
visited　Mr。　Chopper；　his　father's　head　man；　and　received
from　that　gentleman　a　document　which　he　exchanged　at
Hulker　&　Bullock's　for　a　whole　pocketful　of　money。　　As
George　entered　the　house；　old　John　Sedley　was　passing
out　of　the　banker's　parlour；　looking　very　dismal。　　But　his
godson　was　much　too　elated　to　mark　the　worthy
stockbroker's　depression；　or　the　dreary　eyes　which　the　kind
old　gentleman　cast　upon　him。　　Young　Bullock　did　not
come　grinning　out　of　the　parlour　with　him　as　had　been
his　wont　in　former　years。
　　
And　as　the　swinging　doors　of　Hulker；　Bullock　&　Co。
closed　upon　Mr。　Sedley；　Mr。　Quill；　the　cashier　（whose
benevolent　occupation　it　is　to　hand　out　crisp　bank…notes
from　a　drawer　and　dispense　sovereigns　out　of　a　copper
shovel）；　winked　at　Mr。　Driver；　the　clerk　at　the　desk　on
his　right。　　Mr。　Driver　winked　again。
　　
〃No　go；〃　Mr。　D。　whispered。
〃Not　at　no　price；〃　Mr。　Q。　said。　　〃Mr。　George　Osborne；
　sir；　how　will　you　take　it？〃　George　crammed　eagerly　a
quantity　of　notes　into　his　pockets；　and　paid　Dobbin　fifty
pounds　that　very　evening　at　mess。
　　
That　very　evening　Amelia　wrote　him　the　tenderest　of
long　letters。　　Her　heart　was　overflowing　with　tenderness；
but　it　still　foreboded　evil。　　What　was　the　cause　of　Mr。
Osborne's　dark　looks？　she　asked。　　Had　any　difference
arisen　between　him　and　her　papa？　Her　poor　papa
returned　so　melancholy　from　the　City；　that　all　were
alarmed　about　him　at　homein　fine；　there　were　four
pages　of　loves　and　fears　and　hopes　and　forebodings。
　　
〃Poor　little　Emmydear　little　Emmy。　　How　fond　she
is　of　me；〃　George　said；　as　he　perused　the　missive〃and
Gad；　what　a　headache　that　mixed　punch　has　given　me！〃
Poor　little　Emmy；　indeed。

CHAPTER　XIV
Miss　Crawley　at　Home
About　this　time　there　drove　up　to　an　exceedingly　snug
and　well…appointed　house　in　Park　Lane；　a　travelling　chariot
with　a　lozenge　on　the　panels；　a　discontented　female　in　a
green　veil　and　crimped　curls　on　the　rumble；　and　a　large
and　confidential　man　on　the　box。　　It　was　the　equipage　of
our　friend　Miss　Crawley；　returning　from　Hants。　　The
carriage　windows　were　shut；　the　fat　spaniel；　whose　head　and
tongue　ordinarily　lolled　out　of　one　of　them；　reposed　on　the
lap　of　the　discontented　female。　　When　the　vehicle　stopped；
a　large　round　bundle　of　shawls　was　taken　out　of　the
carriage　by　the　aid　of　various　domestics　and　a　young
lady　who　accompanied　the　heap　of　cloaks。　　That　bundle
contained　Miss　Crawley；　who　was　conveyed　upstairs
forthwith；　and　put　into　a　bed　and　chamber　warmed　properly
as　for　the　reception　of　an　invalid。　　Messengers　went　off
for　her　physician　and　medical　man。　　They　came；
consulted；　prescribed；　vanished。　　The　young　companion　of
Miss　Crawley；　at　the　conclusion　of　their　interview；　came
in　to　receive　their　instructions；　and　administered　those
antiphlogistic　medicines　which　the　eminent　men　ordered。
　　
Captain　Crawley　of　the　Life　Guards　rode　up　from
Knightsbridge　Barracks　the　next　day；　his　black　charger
pawed　the　straw　before　his　invalid　aunt's　door。　　He　was
most　affectionate　in　his　inquiries　regarding　that　amiable
relative。　　There　seemed　to　be　much　source　of　apprehension。
He　found　Miss　Crawley's　maid　（the　discontented
female）　unusually　sulky　and　despondent；　he　found　Miss
Briggs；　her　dame　de　compagnie；　in　tears　alone　in　the
drawing…room。　　She　had　hastened　home；　hearing　of　her
beloved　friend's　illness。　　She　wished　to　fly　to　her　couch；
that　couch　which　she；　Briggs；　had　so　often　smoothed　in
the　hour　of　sickness。　　She　was　denied　admission　to　Miss
Crawley's　apartment。　　A　stranger　was　administering　her
medicinesa　stranger　from　the　countryan　odious　Miss
。　。　。tears　choked　the　utterance　of　the　dame　de
compagnie；　and　she　buried　her　crushed　affections　and　her
poor　old　red　nose　in　her　pocket　handkerchief。
　　
Rawdon　Crawley　sent　up　his　name　by　the　sulky　femme
de　chambre；　and　Miss　Crawley's　new　companion；　coming
tripping　down　from　the　sick…room；　put　a　little　hand　into
his　as　he　stepped　forward　eagerly　to　meet　her；　gave　a
glance　of　great　scorn　at　the　bewildered　Briggs；　and
beckoning　the　young　Guardsman　out　of　the　back　drawing…
room；　led　him　downstairs　into　that　now　desolate　dining…
parlour；　where　so　many　a　good　dinner　had　been
celebrated。
　　
Here　these　two　talked　for　ten　minutes；　discussing；　no
doubt；　the　symptoms　of　the　old　invalid　above　stairs；　at
the　end　of　which　period　the　parlour　bell　was　rung　briskly；
and　answered　on　that　instant　by　Mr。　Bowls；　Miss
Crawley's　large　confidential　butler　（who；　indeed；　happened　to
be　at　the　keyhole　during　the　most　part　of　the　interview）；
and　the　Captain　coming　out；　curling　his　mustachios；
mounted　the　black　charger　pawing　among　the　straw；　to
the　admiration　of　the　little　blackguard　boys　collected　in
the　street。　　He　looked　in　at　the　dining…room　window；
managing　his　horse；　which　curvetted　and　capered　beautifully
for　one　instant　the　young　person　might　be　seen　at　the
window；　when　her　figure　vanished；　and；　doubtless；　she
went　upstairs　again　to　resume　the　affecting　duties　of
benevolence。
　　
Who　could　this　young　woman　be；　I　wonder？　　That
evening　a　little　dinner　for　two　persons　was　laid　in　the　dining…
roomwhen　Mrs。　Firkin；　the　lady's　maid；　pushed　into　her
mistress's　apartment；　and　bustled　about　there　during
the　vacancy　occasioned　by　the　departure　of　the　new
nurseand　the　latter　and　Miss　Briggs　sat　down　to　the
neat　little　meal。
　　
Briggs　was　so　much　choked　by　emotion　that　she　could
hardly　ta