vanity fair(名利场)-第43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！


had；　and　what　a　noble　way　of　entertaining　them。　　How
witty　people　used　to　be　here　who　were　morose　when　they
got　out　of　the　door；　and　how　courteous　and　friendly　men
who　slandered　and　hated　each　other　everywhere　else！　　He
was　pompous；　but　with　such　a　cook　what　would　one　not
swallow？　he　was　rather　dull；　perhaps；　but　would　not
such　wine　make　any　conversation　pleasant？　　We　must　get
some　of　his　Burgundy　at　any　price；　the　mourners　cry　at
his　club。　　〃I　got　this　box　at　old　Dives's　sale；〃　Pincher　says；
handing　it　round；　〃one　of　Louis　XV's　mistressespretty
thing；　is　it　not？sweet　miniature；〃　and　they　talk　of　the
way　in　which　young　Dives　is　dissipating　his　fortune。
　　
How　changed　the　house　is；　though！　　The　front　is　patched
over　with　bills；　setting　forth　the　particulars　of　the　furniture
in　staring　capitals。　　They　have　hung　a　shred　of　carpet　out
of　an　upstairs　windowa　half　dozen　of　porters　are　lounging
on　the　dirty　stepsthe　hall　swarms　with　dingy　guests
of　oriental　countenance；　who　thrust　printed　cards　into
your　hand；　and　offer　to　bid。　　Old　women　and　amateurs
have　invaded　the　upper　apartments；　pinching　the　bed…
curtains；　poking　into　the　feathers；　shampooing　the
mattresses；　and　clapping　the　wardrobe　drawers　to　and　fro。
Enterprising　young　housekeepers　are　measuring　the
looking…glasses　and　hangings　to　see　if　they　will　suit　the　new
menage　（Snob　will　brag　for　years　that　he　has　purchased
this　or　that　at　Dives's　sale）；　and　Mr。　Hammerdown　is
sitting　on　the　great　mahogany　dining…tables；　in　the　dining…
room　below；　waving　the　ivory　hammer；　and　employing　all
the　artifices　of　eloquence；　enthusiasm；　entreaty；　reason；
despair；　shouting　to　his　people；　satirizing　Mr。　Davids　for
his　sluggishness；　inspiriting　Mr。　Moss　into　action；
imploring；　commanding；　bellowing；　until　down　comes　the
hammer　like　fate；　and　we　pass　to　the　next　lot。　　O　Dives；
who　would　ever　have　thought；　as　we　sat　round　the　broad
table　sparkling　with　plate　and　spotless　linen；　to　have　seen
such　a　dish　at　the　head　of　it　as　that　roaring　auctioneer？
　　
It　was　rather　late　in　the　sale。　　The　excellent　drawing…
room　furniture　by　the　best　makers；　the　rare　and　famous
wines　selected；　regardless　of　cost；　and　with　the　well…known
taste　of　the　purchaser；　the　rich　and　complete　set　of　family
plate　had　been　sold　on　the　previous　days。　　Certain　of　the
best　wines　（which　all　had　a　great　character　among
amateurs　in　the　neighbourhood）　had　been　purchased　for　his
master；　who　knew　them　very　well；　by　the　butler　of　our
friend　John　Osborne；　Esquire；　of　Russell　Square。　　A　small
portion　of　the　most　useful　articles　of　the　plate　had　been
bought　by　some　young　stockbrokers　from　the　City。　　And
now　the　public　being　invited　to　the　purchase　of　minor
objects；　it　happened　that　the　orator　on　the　table　was
expatiating　on　the　merits　of　a　picture；　which　he　sought
to　recommend　to　his　audience：　it　was　by　no　means　so
select　or　numerous　a　company　as　had　attended　the
previous　days　of　the　auction。
　　
〃No。　369；〃　roared　Mr。　Hammerdown。　　〃Portrait　of　a
gentleman　on　an　elephant。　　Who'll　bid　for　the　gentleman
on　the　elephant？　　Lift　up　the　picture；　Blowman；　and　let
the　company　examine　this　lot。〃　A　long；　pale；　military…
looking　gentleman；　seated　demurely　at　the　mahogany
table；　could　not　help　grinning　as　this　valuable　lot　was
shown　by　Mr。　Blowman。　　〃Turn　the　elephant　to　the
Captain；　Blowman。　　What　shall　we　say；　sir；　for　the　elephant？〃
but　the　Captain；　blushing　in　a　very　hurried　and　discomfited
manner；　turned　away　his　head。
　　
〃Shall　we　say　twenty　guineas　for　this　work　of　art？
fifteen；　five；　name　your　own　price。　　The　gentleman
without　the　elephant　is　worth　five　pound。〃
〃I　wonder　it　ain't　come　down　with　him；〃　said　a
professional　wag；　〃he's　anyhow　a　precious　big　one〃；　at
which　（for　the　elephant…rider　was　represented　as　of　a　very
stout　figure）　there　was　a　general　giggle　in　the　room。
　　
〃Don't　be　trying　to　deprecate　the　value　of　the　lot；　Mr。
Moss；〃　Mr。　Hammerdown　said；　〃let　the　company
examine　it　as　a　work　of　artthe　attitude　of　the　gallant
animal　quite　according　to　natur'；　the　gentleman　in　a
nankeen　jacket；　his　gun　in　his　hand；　is　going　to　the
chase；　in　the　distance　a　banyhann　tree　and　a　pagody；
most　likely　resemblances　of　some　interesting　spot　in　our
famous　Eastern　possessions。　　How　much　for　this　lot？
Come；　gentlemen；　don't　keep　me　here　all　day。〃
　　
Some　one　bid　five　shillings；　at　which　the　military
gentleman　looked　towards　the　quarter　from　which　this
splendid　offer　had　come；　and　there　saw　another　officer
with　a　young　lady　on　his　arm；　who　both　appeared　to　be
highly　amused　with　the　scene；　and　to　whom；　finally；　this
lot　was　knocked　down　for　half　a　guinea。　　He　at　the
table　looked　more　surprised　and　discomposed　than　ever
when　he　spied　this　pair；　and　his　head　sank　into　his
military　collar；　and　he　turned　his　back　upon　them；　so　as
to　avoid　them　altogether。
　　
Of　all　the　other　articles　which　Mr。　Hammerdown　had
the　honour　to　offer　for　public　competition　that　day　it　is
not　our　purpose　to　make　mention；　save　of　one　only；　a
little　square　piano；　which　came　down　from　the　upper
regions　of　the　house　（the　state　grand　piano　having
been　disposed　of　previously）；　this　the　young　lady　tried
with　a　rapid　and　skilful　hand　（making　the　officer　blush
and　start　again）；　and　for　it；　when　its　turn　came；　her
agent　began　to　bid。
　　
But　there　was　an　opposition　here。　　The　Hebrew　aide…de…
camp　in　the　service　of　the　officer　at　the　table　bid　against
the　Hebrew　gentleman　employed　by　the　elephant
purchasers；　and　a　brisk　battle　ensued　over　this　little　piano；
the　combatants　being　greatly　encouraged　by　Mr。
Hammerdown。
　　
At　last；　when　the　competition　had　been　prolonged　for
some　time；　the　elephant　captain　and　lady　desisted　from
the　race；　and　the　hammer　coming　down；　the　auctioneer
said：〃Mr。　Lewis；　twenty…five；〃　and　Mr。　Lewis's　chief
thus　became　the　proprietor　of　the　little　square　piano。
Having　effected　the　purchase；　he　sate　up　as　if　he　was
greatly　relieved；　and　the　unsuccessful　competitors
catching　a　glimpse　of　him　at　this　moment；　the　lady
said　to　her　friend；
〃Why；　Rawdon；　it's　Captain　Dobbin。〃
　　
I　suppose　Becky　was　discontented　with　the　new　piano
her　husband　had　hired　for　her；　or　perhaps　the
proprietors　of　that　instrument　had　fetched　it　away；
declining　farther　credit；　or　perhaps　she　had　a　particular
attachment　for　the　one　which　she　had　just　tried　to　purchase；
recollecting　it　in　old　days；　when　she　used　to　play　upon
it；　in　the　little　sitting…room　of　our　dear　Amelia　Sedley。
The　sale　was　at　the　old　house　in　Russell　Square；　where
we　passed　some　evenings　together　at　the　beginning　of
this　story。　　Good　old　John　Sedley　was　a　ruined　man。　　His
name　had　been　proclaimed　as　a　defaulter　on　the　Stock
Exchange；　and　his　bankruptcy　and　commercial　extermination
had　followed。　　Mr。　Osborne's　butler　came　to　buy　some　of　the
famous　port　wine　to　transfer　to　the　cellars　over　the　way。
As　for　one　dozen　well…manufactured　silver　spoons　and
forks　at　per　oz。；　and　one　dozen　dessert　ditto　ditto；
there　were　three　young　stockbrokers　（Messrs。　Dale；
Spiggot；　and　Dale；　of　Threadneedle　Street；　indeed）；
who；　having　had　dealings　with　the　old　man；　and
kindnesses　from　him　in　days　when　he　was　kind　to
everybody　with　whom　he　dealt；　sent　this　little　spar　out
of　the　wreck　with　their　love　to　good　Mrs。　Sedley；　and　with
respect　to　the　piano；　as　it　had　been　Amelia's；　and　as　she
might　miss　it　and　want　one　now；　and　as　Captain　William
Dobbin　could　no　more　play　upon　it　than　he　could　dance
on　the　tight　rope；　it　is　probable　that　he　did　not　purchase
the　instrument　for　his　own　use。
　　
In　a　word；　it　arrived　that　evening　at　a　wonderful　small
cottage　in　a　street　leading　from　the　Fulham　Roadone
of　those　streets　which　have　the　finest　romantic　names
（this　was　called　St。　Adelaide　Villas；　Anna…Maria　Road
West）；　where　the　houses　look　like　baby…houses；　where
the　people；　looking　out　of　the　first…floor　windows；　must
infallibly；　as　you　think；　sit　with　their　feet　in　the　parlours；
where　the　shrubs　in　the　little　gardens　in　front　bloom　with
a　perennial　display　of　little　children's　pinafores；　little　red
socks；　caps；　&c。　（polyandria　polygynia）；　whence　you
hear　the　sound　of　jingling　spinets　and　women　singing；
where　little　porter　pots　hang　on　the　railings　sunning
themselves；　whither　of　evenings　you　see　City　clerks
padding　wearily：　here　it　was　that　Mr。　Clapp；　the　clerk　of
Mr。　Sedley；　had　his　domicile；　and　in　this　asylum　the　good
old　gentleman　hid　his　head　with　his　wife　and　daughter
when　the　crash　came。
　　
Jos　Sedley　had　acted　as　a　man　of　his　disposition
would；　when　the　announcement　of　the　family　misfortune
reached　him。　　He　did　not　come　to　London；　but　he　wrote
to　his　mother　to　draw　upon　his　agents　for　whatever
money　was　wanted；　so　that　his　kind　broken…spirited　old
parents　had　no　present　poverty　to　fear。　　This　done；　Jos
went　on　at　the　boarding…house　at　Cheltenham　pretty
much　as　before。　　He　drove　his　curricle；　he　drank　his
claret；　he　played　his　rubber；　he　told　his　Indian　stories；
and　the　Irish　widow　consoled　and　flattered　him　as　usual。
His　present　of　money；　needful　as　it　was；　made　little
impression　on　his　parents；　and　I　have　heard　Amelia　say
that　the　first　day　on　which　she　saw　her　father　lift　up　his
head　after　the　failu