vanity fair(名利场)-第52节

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Dobbin；　with　a　great　deal　of　hesitation　and　stuttering；
protested　that　he　was　not　in　the　least　hungry　or　thirsty；
that　he　had　no　business　to　transact；　that　he　only　came
to　ask　if　Mr。　Sedley　was　well；　and　to　shake　hands　with
an　old　friend；　and；　he　added；　with　a　desperate　perversion
of　truth；　〃My　mother　is　very　wellthat　is；　she's　been　very
unwell；　and　is　only　waiting　for　the　first　fine　day　to　go　out
and　call　upon　Mrs。　Sedley。　　How　is　Mrs。　Sedley；　sir？　　I
hope　she's　quite　well。〃　　And　here　he　paused；　reflecting　on
his　own　consummate　hypocrisy；　for　the　day　was　as　fine；
and　the　sunshine　as　bright　as　it　ever　is　in　Coffin　Court；
where　the　Tapioca　Coffee…house　is　situated：　and　Mr。
Dobbin　remembered　that　he　had　seen　Mrs。　Sedley　himself
only　an　hour　before；　having　driven　Osborne　down　to　Fulham
in　his　gig；　and　left　him　there　tete…a…tete　with　Miss　Amelia。
〃My　wife　will　be　very　happy　to　see　her　ladyship；〃
Sedley　replied；　pulling　out　his　papers。　　〃I've　a　very　kind
letter　here　from　your　father；　sir；　and　beg　my　respectful
compliments　to　him。　　Lady　D。　will　find　us　in　rather　a
smaller　house　than　we　were　accustomed　to　receive　our
friends　in；　but　it's　snug；　and　the　change　of　air　does　good
to　my　daughter；　who　was　suffering　in　town　ratheryou
remember　little　Emmy；　sir？yes；　suffering　a　good　deal。〃
The　old　gentleman's　eyes　were　wandering　as　he　spoke；　and
he　was　thinking　of　something　else；　as　he　sate　thrumming
on　his　papers　and　fumbling　at　the　worn　red　tape。
〃You're　a　military　man；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　ask　you；　Bill
Dobbin；　could　any　man　ever　have　speculated　upon　the
return　of　that　Corsican　scoundrel　from　Elba？　　When　the
allied　sovereigns　were　here　last　year；　and　we　gave　'em
that　dinner　in　the　City；　sir；　and　we　saw　the　Temple　of
Concord；　and　the　fireworks；　and　the　Chinese　bridge　in
St。　James's　Park；　could　any　sensible　man　suppose　that
peace　wasn't　really　concluded；　after　we'd　actually　sung　Te
Deum　for　it；　sir？　　I　ask　you；　William；　could　I　suppose　that
the　Emperor　of　Austria　was　a　damned　traitora　traitor；
and　nothing　more？　　I　don't　mince　wordsa　double…faced
infernal　traitor　and　schemer；　who　meant　to　have　his　son…
in…law　back　all　along。　　And　I　say　that　the　escape　of　Boney
from　Elba　was　a　damned　imposition　and　plot；　sir；　in
which　half　the　powers　of　Europe　were　concerned；　to
bring　the　funds　down；　and　to　ruin　this　country。　　That's
why　I'm　here；　William。　　That's　why　my　name's　in　the
Gazette。　　Why；　sir？because　I　trusted　the　Emperor　of
Russia　and　the　Prince　Regent。　　Look　here。　　Look　at　my
papers。　　Look　what　the　funds　were　on　the　1st　of　March
what　the　French　fives　were　when　I　bought　for　the
count。　　And　what　they're　at　now。　　There　was　collusion；　sir；
or　that　villain　never　would　have　escaped。　　Where　was　the
English　Commissioner　who　allowed　him　to　get　away？　　He
ought　to　be　shot；　sirbrought　to　a　court…martial；　and
shot；　by　Jove。〃
〃We're　going　to　hunt　Boney　out；　sir；〃　Dobbin　said；
rather　alarmed　at　the　fury　of　the　old　man；　the　veins　of
whose　forehead　began　to　swell；　and　who　sate　drumming
his　papers　with　his　clenched　fist。　　〃We　are　going　to　hunt
him　out；　sirthe　Duke's　in　Belgium　already；　and　we
expect　marching　orders　every　day。〃
〃Give　him　no　quarter。　　Bring　back　the　villain's　head；　sir。
Shoot　the　coward　down；　sir；〃　Sedley　roared。　　〃I'd　enlist
myself；　by；　but　I'm　a　broken　old　manruined　by
that　damned　scoundreland　by　a　parcel　of　swindling
thieves　in　this　country　whom　I　made；　sir；　and　who　are
rolling　in　their　carriages　now；〃　he　added；　with　a　break　in
his　voice。
Dobbin　was　not　a　little　affected　by　the　sight　of　this　once
kind　old　friend；　crazed　almost　with　misfortune　and　raving
with　senile　anger。　　Pity　the　fallen　gentleman：　you　to　whom
money　and　fair　repute　are　the　chiefest　good；　and　so；
surely；　are　they　in　Vanity　Fair。
〃Yes；〃　he　continued；　〃there　are　some　vipers　that　you
warm；　and　they　sting　you　afterwards。　　There　are　some
beggars　that　you　put　on　horseback；　and　they're　the　first
to　ride　you　down。　　You　know　whom　I　mean；　William
Dobbin；　my　boy。　　I　mean　a　purse…proud　villain　in　Russell
Square；　whom　I　knew　without　a　shilling；　and　whom　I
pray　and　hope　to　see　a　beggar　as　he　was　when　I
befriended　him。〃
〃I　have　heard　something　of　this；　sir；　from　my　friend
George；〃　Dobbin　said；　anxious　to　come　to　his　point。　　〃The
quarrel　between　you　and　his　father　has　cut　him　up　a　great
deal；　sir。　　Indeed；　I'm　the　bearer　of　a　message　from　him。〃
〃O；　THAT'S　your　errand；　is　it？〃　cried　the　old　man；
jumping　up。　　〃What！　perhaps　he　condoles　with　me；　does　he？
Very　kind　of　him；　the　stiff…backed　prig；　with　his　dandified
airs　and　West　End　swagger。　　He's　hankering　about　my
house；　is　he　still？　　If　my　son　had　the　courage　of　a　man；
he'd　shoot　him。　　He's　as　big　a　villain　as　his　father。　　I　won't
have　his　name　mentioned　in　my　house。　　I　curse　the　day
that　ever　I　let　him　into　it；　and　I'd　rather　see　my　daughter
dead　at　my　feet　than　married　to　him。〃
〃His　father's　harshness　is　not　George's　fault；　sir。　　Your
daughter's　love　for　him　is　as　much　your　doing　as　his。　　Who
are　you；　that　you　are　to　play　with　two　young　people's
affections　and　break　their　hearts　at　your　will？〃
〃Recollect　it's　not　his　father　that　breaks　the　match　off；〃
old　Sedley　cried　out。　　〃It's　I　that　forbid　it。　　That　family　and
mine　are　separated　for　ever。　　I'm　fallen　low；　but　not　so
low　as　that：　no；　no。　　And　so　you　may　tell　the　whole　race
son；　and　father　and　sisters；　and　all。〃
〃It's　my　belief；　sir；　that　you　have　not　the　power　or　the
right　to　separate　those　two；〃　Dobbin　answered　in　a　low
voice；　〃and　that　if　you　don't　give　your　daughter　your
consent　it　will　be　her　duty　to　marry　without　it。　　There's　no
reason　she　should　die　or　live　miserably　because　you
are　wrong…headed。　　To　my　thinking；　she's　just　as　much
married　as　if　the　banns　had　been　read　in　all　the　churches　in
London。　　And　what　better　answer　can　there　be　to　Osborne's
charges　against　you；　as　charges　there　are；　than
that　his　son　claims　to　enter　your　family　and　marry　your
daughter？〃
A　light　of　something　like　satisfaction　seemed　to　break
over　old　Sedley　as　this　point　was　put　to　him：　but　he　still
persisted　that　with　his　consent　the　marriage　between
Amelia　and　George　should　never　take　place。
〃We　must　do　it　without；〃　Dobbin　said；　smiling；　and　told
Mr。　Sedley；　as　he　had　told　Mrs。　Sedley　in　the　day；　before；
the　story　of　Rebecca's　elopement　with　Captain　Crawley。　　It
evidently　amused　the　old　gentleman。　　〃You're　terrible
fellows；　you　Captains；〃　said　he；　tying　up　his　papers；　and　his
face　wore　something　like　a　smile　upon　it；　to　the　astonishment
of　the　blear…eyed　waiter　who　now　entered；　and　had
never　seen　such　an　expression　upon　Sedley's　countenance
since　he　had　used　the　dismal　coffee…house。
The　idea　of　hitting　his　enemy　Osborne　such　a　blow
soothed；　perhaps；　the　old　gentleman：　and；　their　colloquy
presently　ending；　he　and　Dobbin　parted　pretty　good　friends。
〃My　sisters　say　she　has　diamonds　as　big　as　pigeons'
eggs；〃　George　said；　laughing。　　〃How　they　must　set　off　her
complexion！　　A　perfect　illumination　it　must　be　when　her
jewels　are　on　her　neck。　　Her　jet…black　hair　is　as　curly　as
Sambo's。　　I　dare　say　she　wore　a　nose　ring　when　she　went
to　court；　and　with　a　plume　of　feathers　in　her　top…knot
she　would　look　a　perfect　Belle　Sauvage。〃
George；　in　conversation　with　Amelia；　was　rallying　the
appearance　of　a　young　lady　of　whom　his　father　and　sisters
had　lately　made　the　acquaintance；　and　who　was　an　object
of　vast　respect　to　the　Russell　Square　family。　　She　was　reported
to　have　I　don't　know　how　many　plantations　in　the
West　Indies；　a　deal　of　money　in　the　funds；　and　three
stars　to　her　name　in　the　East　India　stockholders'　list。　　She
had　a　mansion　in　Surrey；　and　a　house　in　Portland　Place。
The　name　of　the　rich　West　India　heiress　had　been　mentioned
with　applause　in　the　Morning　Post。　　Mrs。　Haggistoun；
Colonel　Haggistoun's　widow；　her　relative；　〃chaperoned〃
her；　and　kept　her　house。　　She　was　just　from　school；　where
she　had　completed　her　education；　and　George　and　his
sisters　had　met　her　at　an　evening　party　at　old　Hulker's
house；　Devonshire　Place　（Hulker；　Bullock；　and　Co。　were
long　the　correspondents　of　her　house　in　the　West　Indies）；
and　the　girls　had　made　the　most　cordial　advances　to　her；
which　the　heiress　had　received　with　great　good　humour。
An　orphan　in　her　positionwith　her　moneyso　interesting！
the　Misses　Osborne　said。　　They　were　full　of　their　new
friend　when　they　returned　from　the　Hulker　ball　to　Miss
Wirt；　their　companion；　they　had　made　arrangements　for
continually　meeting；　and　had　the　carriage　and　drove　to　see
her　the　very　next　day。　　Mrs。　Haggistoun；　Colonel　Haggistoun's
widow；　a　relation　of　Lord　Binkie；　and　always　talking
of　him；　struck　the　dear　unsophisticated　girls　as　rather
haughty；　and　too　much　inclined　to　talk　about　her　great
relations：　but　Rhoda　was　everything　they　could　wish
the　frankest；　kindest；　most　agreeable　creaturewanting　a
little　polish；　but　so　good…natured。　　The　girls　Christian…
named　each　other　at　once。
〃You　should　have　seen　her　dress　for　court；　Emmy；〃
Osborne　cried；　laughing。　　〃She　came　to　my　sisters　to　show
it　off；　before　she　was　presented　in　state　by　my　Lady
Binkie；　the　Haggistoun's　kinswoman。　　She's　related　to　every
one；　that　Haggistoun。　　Her　diamonds　blazed　out　like
Vauxhall