vanity fair(名利场)-第50节

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〃Your　devotion；　it　must　be　confessed；　is　admirable；〃
Mr。　Clump　says；　with　a　low　bow；　〃but〃
〃I　have　scarcely　closed　my　eyes　since　my　arrival：　I
give　up　sleep；　health；　every　comfort；　to　my　sense　of　duty。
When　my　poor　James　was　in　the　smallpox；　did　I　allow　any
hireling　to　nurse　him？　　No。〃
〃You　did　what　became　an　excellent　mother；　my　dear
Madamthe　best　of　mothers；　but~'
〃As　the　mother　of　a　family　and　the　wife　of　an　English
clergyman；　I　humbly　trust　that　my　principles　are　good；〃
Mrs。　Bute　said；　with　a　happy　solemnity　of　conviction；
〃and；　as　long　as　Nature　supports　me；　never；　never；　Mr。
Clump；　will　I　desert　the　post　of　duty。　　Others　may　bring
that　grey　head　with　sorrow　to　the　bed　of　sickness　（here
Mrs。　Bute；　waving　her　hand；　pointed　to　one　of　old　Miss
Crawley's　coffee…coloured　fronts；　which　was　perched　on
a　stand　in　the　dressing…room）；　but　I　will　never　quit　it。
Ah；　Mr。　Clump！　　I　fear；　I　know；　that　the　couch　needs
spiritual　as　well　as　medical　consolation。〃
〃What　I　was　going　to　observe；　my　dear　Madam；〃
here　the　resolute　Clump　once　more　interposed　with　a
bland　air〃what　I　was　going　to　observe　when　you　gave
utterance　to　sentiments　which　do　you　so　much　honour；
was　that　I　think　you　alarm　yourself　needlessly　about　our
kind　friend；　and　sacrifice　your　own　health　too　prodigally
in　her　favour。〃
〃I　would　lay　down　my　life　for　my　duty；　or　for　any
member　of　my　husband's　family；〃　Mrs。　Bute　interposed。
〃Yes；　Madam；　if　need　were；　but　we　don't　want　Mrs
Bute　Crawley　to　be　a　martyr；〃　Clump　said　gallantly。　　〃Dr
Squills　and　myself　have　both　considered　Miss　Crawley's
case　with　every　anxiety　and　care；　as　you　may　suppose。　　We
see　her　low…spirited　and　nervous；　family　events　have
agitated　her。〃
〃Her　nephew　will　come　to　perdition；〃　Mrs。　Crawley
cried。
〃Have　agitated　her：　and　you　arrived　like　a　guardian
angel；　my　dear　Madam；　a　positive　guardian　angel；　I
assure　you；　to　soothe　her　under　the　pressure　of　calamity。
But　Dr。　Squills　and　I　were　thinking　that　our　amiable
friend　is　not　in　such　a　state　as　renders　confinement　to　her
bed　necessary。　　She　is　depressed；　but　this　confinement
perhaps　adds　to　her　depression。　　She　should　have　change；
fresh　air；　gaiety；　the　most　delightful　remedies　in　the
pharmacopoeia；〃　Mr。　Clump　said；　grinning　and　showing
his　handsome　teeth。　　〃Persuade　her　to　rise；　dear　Madam；
drag　her　from　her　couch　and　her　low　spirits；　insist　upon
her　taking　little　drives。　　They　will　restore　the　roses　too　to
your　cheeks；　if　I　may　so　speak　to　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley。〃
〃The　sight　of　her　horrid　nephew　casually　in　the　Park；
where　I　am　told　the　wretch　drives　with　the　brazen　partner
of　his　crimes；〃　Mrs。　Bute　said　（letting　the　cat　of　selfishness
out　of　the　bag　of　secrecy）；　〃would　cause　her　such
a　shock；　that　we　should　have　to　bring　her　back　to　bed
again。　　She　must　not　go　out；　Mr。　Clump。　　She　shall　not　go
out　as　long　as　I　remain　to　watch　over　her；　And　as　for　my
health；　what　matters　it？　　I　give　it　cheerfully；　sir。　　I　sacrifice
it　at　the　altar　of　my　duty。〃
〃Upon　my　word；　Madam；〃　Mr。　Clump　now　said　bluntly；
〃I　won't　answer　for　her　life　if　she　remains　locked　up
in　that　dark　room。　　She　is　so　nervous　that　we　may　lose
her　any　day；　and　if　you　wish　Captain　Crawley　to　be　her
heir；　I　warn　you　frankly；　Madam；　that　you　are　doing
your　very　best　to　serve　him。〃
〃Gracious　mercy！　is　her　life　in　danger？〃　Mrs。　Bute
cried。　　〃Why；　why；　Mr。　Clump；　did　you　not　inform　me
sooner？〃
The　night　before；　Mr。　Clump　and　Dr。　Squills　had　had　a
consultation　（over　a　bottle　of　wine　at　the　house　of　Sir
Lapin　Warren；　whose　lady　was　about　to　present　him
with　a　thirteenth　blessing）；　regarding　Miss　Crawley　and
her　case。
〃What　a　little　harpy　that　woman　from　Hampshire　is；
Clump；〃　Squills　remarked；　〃that　has　seized　upon　old
Tilly　Crawley。　　Devilish　good　Madeira。〃
〃What　a　fool　Rawdon　Crawley　has　been；〃　Clump　replied；
〃to　go　and　marry　a　governess！　　There　was　something
about　the　girl；　too。〃
〃Green　eyes；　fair　skin；　pretty　figure；　famous　frontal
development；〃　Squills　remarked。　　〃There　is　something
about　her；　and　Crawley　was　a　fool；　Squills。〃
〃A　d　foolalways　was；〃　the　apothecary　replied。
〃Of　course　the　old　girl　will　fling　him　over；〃　said　the
physician；　and　after　a　pause　added；　〃She'll　cut　up　well；　I
suppose。〃
〃Cut　up；〃　says　Clump　with　a　grin；　〃I　wouldn't　have　her
cut　up　for　two　hundred　a　year。〃
〃That　Hampshire　woman　will　kill　her　in　two　months；
Clump；　my　boy；　if　she　stops　about　her；〃　Dr。　Squills　said。
〃Old　woman；　full　feeder；　nervous　subject；　palpitation　of
the　heart；　pressure　on　the　brain；　apoplexy；　off　she　goes。
Get　her　up；　Clump；　get　her　out：　or　I　wouldn't　give　many
weeks'　purchase　for　your　two　hundred　a　year。〃　And　it　was
acting　upon　this　hint　that　the　worthy　apothecary　spoke
with　so　much　candour　to　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley。
Having　the　old　lady　under　her　hand：　in　bed：　with　nobody
near；　Mrs。　Bute　had　made　more　than　one　assault
upon　her；　to　induce　her　to　alter　her　will。　　But　Miss　Crawley's
usual　terrors　regarding　death　increased　greatly　when
such　dismal　propositions　were　made　to　her；　and　Mrs。
Bute　saw　that　she　must　get　her　patient　into　cheerful　spirits
and　health　before　she　could　hope　to　attain　the　pious　object
which　she　had　in　view。　　Whither　to　take　her　was　the
next　puzzle。　　The　only　place　where　she　is　not　likely　to
meet　those　odious　Rawdons　is　at　church；　and　that　won't
amuse　her；　Mrs。　Bute　justly　felt。　　〃We　must　go　and　visit
our　beautiful　suburbs　of　London；〃　she　then　thought。　　〃I
hear　they　are　the　most　picturesque　in　the　world〃；　and　so
she　had　a　sudden　interest　for　Hampstead；　and　Hornsey；
and　found　that　Dulwich　had　great　charms　for　her；　and
getting　her　victim　into　her　carriage；　drove　her　to　those
rustic　spots；　beguiling　the　little　journeys　with　conversations
about　Rawdon　and　his　wife；　and　telling　every　story
to　the　old　lady　which　could　add　to　her　indignation　against
this　pair　of　reprobates。
Perhaps　Mrs。　Bute　pulled　the　string　unnecessarily　tight。
For　though　she　worked　up　Miss　Crawley　to　a　proper　dislike
of　her　disobedient　nephew；　the　invalid　had　a　great
hatred　and　secret　terror　of　her　victimizer；　and　panted
to　escape　from　her。　　After　a　brief　space；　she　rebelled
against　Highgate　and　Hornsey　utterly。　　She　would　go　into
the　Park。　　Mrs。　Bute　knew　they　would　meet　the　abominable
Rawdon　there；　and　she　was　right。　　One　day　in　the
ring；　Rawdon's　stanhope　came　in　sight；　Rebecca　was
seated　by　him。　　In　the　enemy's　equipage　Miss　Crawley
occupied　her　usual　place；　with　Mrs。　Bute　on　her　left；　the
poodle　and　Miss　Briggs　on　the　back　seat。　　It　was　a　nervous
moment；　and　Rebecca's　heart　beat　quick　as　she　recognized　the
　carriage；　and　as　the　two　vehicles　crossed　each
other　in　a　line；　she　clasped　her　hands；　and　looked　towards
the　spinster　with　a　face　of　agonized　attachment　and　devotion。
　Rawdon　himself　trembled；　and　his　face　grew　purple
behind　his　dyed　mustachios。　　Only　old　Briggs　was　moved
in　the　other　carriage；　and　cast　her　great　eyes　nervously
towards　her　old　friends。　　Miss　Crawley's　bonnet　was　resolutely
turned　towards　the　Serpentine。　　Mrs。　Bute　happened　to
be　in　ecstasies　with　the　poodle；　and　was　calling　him　a　little
darling；　and　a　sweet　little　zoggy；　and　a　pretty　pet。　　The
carriages　moved　on；　each　in　his　line。
〃Done；　by　Jove；〃　Rawdon　said　to　his　wife。
〃Try　once　more；　Rawdon；〃　Rebecca　answered。　　〃Could
not　you　lock　your　wheels　into　theirs；　dearest？〃
Rawdon　had　not　the　heart　for　that　manoeuvre。　　When
the　carriages　met　again；　he　stood　up　in　his　stanhope；　he
raised　his　hand　ready　to　doff　his　hat；　he　looked　with　all
his　eyes。　　But　this　time　Miss　Crawley's　face　was　not　turned
away；　she　and　Mrs。　Bute　looked　him　full　in　the　face；
and　cut　their　nephew　pitilessly。　　He　sank　back　in　his　seat
with　an　oath；　and　striking　out　of　the　ring；　dashed　away
desperately　homewards。
It　was　a　gallant　and　decided　triumph　for　Mrs。　Bute。
But　she　felt　the　danger　of　many　such　meetings；　as　she
saw　the　evident　nervousness　of　Miss　Crawley；　and　she
determined　that　it　was　most　necessary　for　her　dear
friend's　health；　that　they　should　leave　town　for　a　while；
and　recommended　Brighton　very　strongly。

CHAPTER　XX
In　Which　Captain　Dobbin　Acts　as　the　Messenger　of　Hymen
Without　knowing　how；　Captain　William　Dobbin　found
himself　the　great　promoter；　arranger；　and　manager　of　the
match　between　George　Osborne　and　Amelia。　　But　for　him
it　never　would　have　taken　place：　　he　could　not　but
confess　as　much　to　himself；　and　smiled　rather　bitterly　as　he
thought　that　he　of　all　men　in　the　world　should　be　the
person　upon　whom　the　care　of　this　marriage　had　fallen。
But　though　indeed　the　conducting　of　this　negotiation　was
about　as　painful　a　task　as　could　be　set　to　him；　yet　when
he　had　a　duty　to　perform；　Captain　Dobbin　was　accustomed
to　go　through　it　without　many　words　or　much
hesitation：　　and；　having　made　up　his　mind　completely；
that　if　Miss　Sedley　was　balked　of　her　husband　she　would
die　of　the　disappointment；　he　was　determined　to　use　all
his　best　endeavours　to　keep　her　alive。
I　forbear　to　enter　into　minute　particulars　of　the　interview
between　George　and　Amelia；　when　the　former　was
brought　back　to　the　feet　（or　should　we　venture　to　say　the
arms？）　of　his　young　mistress　by　the　intervention　of　his
friend　honest　William。　　A　much　harder　heart　than
George's　wo