vanity fair(名利场)-第58节

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tune　on　the　hornthe　Lightning　came　tearing
down　the　street；　and　pulled　up　at　the　coach…office。
〃Hullo！　there's　old　Dobbin；〃　George　cried；　quite　delighted
to　see　his　old　friend　perched　on　the　roof；　and
whose　promised　visit　to　Brighton　had　been　delayed　until
now。　　〃How　are　you；　old　fellow？　　Glad　you're　come　down。
Emmy'll　be　delighted　to　see　you；〃　Osborne　said；　shaking
his　comrade　warmly　by　the　hand　as　soon　as　his　descent
from　the　vehicle　was　effectedand　then　he　added；　in　a
lower　and　agitated　voice；　〃What's　the　news？　　Have　you
been　in　Russell　Square？　　What　does　the　governor　say？
Tell　me　everything。〃
Dobbin　looked　very　pale　and　grave。　　〃I've　seen　your
father；〃　said　he。　　〃How's　AmeliaMrs。　George？　　I'll　tell
you　all　the　news　presently：　but　I've　brought　the　great
news　of　all：　and　that　is〃
〃Out　with　it；　old　fellow；〃　George　said。
〃We're　ordered　to　Belgium。　　All　the　army　goesguards
and　all。　　Heavytop's　got　the　gout；　and　is　mad　at　not　being
able　to　move。　　O'Dowd　goes　in　command；　and　we　embark
from　Chatham　next　week。〃　This　news　of　war　could
not　but　come　with　a　shock　upon　our　lovers；　and　caused
all　these　gentlemen　to　look　very　serious。

CHAPTER　XXIII
Captain　Dobbin　Proceeds　on　His　Canvass
What　is　the　secret　mesmerism　which　friendship
possesses；　and　under　the　operation　of　which　a　person
ordinarily　sluggish；　or　cold；　or　timid；　becomes　wise；
active；　and　resolute；　in　another's　behalf？　　As　Alexis；
after　a　few　passes　from　Dr。　Elliotson；　despises　pain；
reads　with　the　back　of　his　head；　sees　miles　off；
looks　into　next　week；　and　performs　other　wonders；
of　which；　in　his　own　private　normal　condition；　he　is
quite　incapable；　so　you　see；　in　the　affairs　of　the　world
and　under　the　magnetism　of　friendships；　the　modest
man　becomes　bold；　the　shy　confident；　the　lazy　active；　or
the　impetuous　prudent　and　peaceful。　　What　is　it；　on　the
other　hand；　that　makes　the　lawyer　eschew　his　own　cause；
and　call　in　his　learned　brother　as　an　adviser？　　And　what　causes
the　doctor；　when　ailing；　to　send　for　his　rival；　and　not　sit
down　and　examine　his　own　tongue　in　the　chimney　Bass；
or　write　his　own　prescription　at　his　study…table？　　I　throw
out　these　queries　for　intelligent　readers　to　answer；　who
know；　at　once；　how　credulous　we　are；　and　how　sceptical；
how　soft　and　how　obstinate；　how　firm　for　others　and　how
diffident　about　ourselves：　　meanwhile；　it　is　certain　that
our　friend　William　Dobbin；　who　was　personally　of　so
complying　a　disposition　that　if　his　parents　had　pressed
him　much；　it　is　probable　he　would　have　stepped　down
into　the　kitchen　and　married　the　cook；　and　who；　to　further
his　own　interests；　would　have　found　the　most　insuperable
difficulty　in　walking　across　the　street；　found　himself　as
busy　and　eager　in　the　conduct　of　George　Osborne's
affairs；　as　the　most　selfish　tactician　could　be　in　the　pursuit
of　his　own。
Whilst　our　friend　George　and　his　young　wife　were
enjoying　the　first　blushing　days　of　the　honeymoon　at
Brighton；　honest　William　was　left　as　George's　plenipotentiary
in　London；　to　transact　all　the　business　part　of　the　marriage。
His　duty　it　was　to　call　upon　old　Sedley　and　his
wife；　and　to　keep　the　former　in　good　humour：　　to　draw　Jos
and　his　brother…in…law　nearer　together；　so　that　Jos's　position
and　dignity；　as　collector　of　Boggley　Wollah；　might
compensate　for　his　father's　loss　of　station；　and　tend　to
reconcile　old　Osborne　to　the　alliance：　　and　finally；　to
communicate　it　to　the　latter　in　such　a　way　as　should　least
irritate　the　old　gentleman。
Now；　before　he　faced　the　head　of　the　Osborne　house
with　the　news　which　it　was　his　duty　to　tell；　Dobbin　bethought
him　that　it　would　be　politic　to　make　friends　of　the
rest　of　the　family；　and；　if　possible；　have　the　ladies　on　his
side。　They　can't　be　angry　in　their　hearts；　thought　he。　　No
woman　ever　was　really　angry　at　a　romantic　marriage。　　A
little　crying　out；　and　they　must　come　round　to　their
brother；　when　the　three　of　us　will　lay　siege　to　old　Mr。
Osborne。　　So　this　Machiavellian　captain　of　infantry　cast
about　him　for　some　happy　means　or　stratagem　by　which
he　could　gently　and　gradually　bring　the　Misses　Osborne
to　a　knowledge　of　their　brother's　secret。
By　a　little　inquiry　regarding　his　mother's　engagements；
he　was　pretty　soon　able　to　find　out　by　whom　of　her　ladyship's
　friends　parties　were　given　at　that　season；　where
he　would　be　likely　to　meet　Osborne's　sisters；　and；　though
he　had　that　abhorrence　of　routs　and　evening　parties
which　many　sensible　men；　alas！　entertain；　he　soon　found
one　where　the　Misses　Osborne　were　to　be　present。
Making　his　appearance　at　the　ball；　where　he　danced　a　couple
of　sets　with　both　of　them；　and　was　prodigiously　polite；　he
actually　had　the　courage　to　ask　Miss　Osborne　for　a　few
minutes'　conversation　at　an　early　hour　the　next　day；　when
he　had；　he　said；　to　communicate　to　her　news　of　the
very　greatest　interest。
What　was　it　that　made　her　start　back；　and　gaze　upon
him　for　a　moment；　and　then　on　the　ground　at　her　feet；
and　make　as　if　she　would　faint　on　his　arm；　had　he　not　by
opportunely　treading　on　her　toes；　brought　the　young　lady
back　to　self…control？　　Why　was　she　so　violently　agitated
at　Dobbin's　request？　　This　can　never　be　known。　　But　when
he　came　the　next　day；　Maria　was　not　in　the　drawing…room
with　her　sister；　and　Miss　Wirt　went　off　for　the　purpose
of　fetching　the　latter；　and　the　Captain　and　Miss　Osborne
were　left　together。　　They　were　both　so　silent　that　the　ticktock
of　the　Sacrifice　of　Iphigenia　clock　on　the　mantelpiece
became　quite　rudely　audible。
〃What　a　nice　party　it　was　last　night；〃　Miss　Osborne　at
length　began；　encouragingly；　〃andand　how　you're
improved　in　your　dancing；　Captain　Dobbin。　　Surely　somebody
has　taught　you；〃　she　added；　with　amiable　archness。
〃You　should　see　me　dance　a　reel　with　Mrs。　Major
O'Dowd　of　ours；　and　a　jigdid　you　ever　see　a　jig？　　But
I　think　anybody　could　dance　with　you；　Miss　Osborne；
who　dance　so　well。〃
〃Is　the　Major's　lady　young　and　beautiful；　Captain？〃　the
fair　questioner　continued。　　〃Ah；　what　a　terrible　thing　it
must　be　to　be　a　soldier's　wife！　　I　wonder　they　have　any
spirits　to　dance；　and　in　these　dreadful　times　of　war；　too！
O　Captain　Dobbin；　I　tremble　sometimes　when　I　think　of
our　dearest　George；　and　the　dangers　of　the　poor　soldier。
Are　there　many　married　officers　of　the　th；　Captain
Dobbin？〃
〃Upon　my　word；　she's　playing　her　hand　rather　too
openly；〃　Miss　Wirt　thought；　but　this　observation　is　merely
　parenthetic；　and　was　not　heard　through　the　crevice　of
the　door　at　which　the　governess　uttered　it。
〃One　of　our　young　men　is　just　married；〃　Dobbin　said；
now　coming　to　the　point。　　〃It　was　a　very　old　attachment；
and　the　young　couple　are　as　poor　as　church　mice。〃
〃O；　how　delightful！　O；　how　romantic！〃　Miss　Osborne
cried；　as　the　Captain　said　〃old　attachment〃　and　〃poor。〃
Her　sympathy　encouraged　him。
〃The　finest　young　fellow　in　the　regiment；〃　he　continued。
〃Not　a　braver　or　handsomer　officer　in　the　army；　and
such　a　charming　wife！　　How　you　would　like　her！　　how
you　will　like　her　when　you　know　her；　Miss　Osborne。〃　　The
young　lady　thought　the　actual　moment　had　arrived；　and
that　Dobbin's　nervousness　which　now　came　on　and　was
visible　in　many　twitchings　of　his　face；　in　his　manner　of
beating　the　ground　with　his　great　feet；　in　the　rapid
buttoning　and　unbuttoning　of　his　frock…coat；　&c。Miss
Osborne；　I　say；　thought　that　when　he　had　given　himself　a
little　air；　he　would　unbosom　himself　entirely；　and
prepared　eagerly　to　listen。　　And　the　clock；　in　the　altar　on
which　Iphigenia　was　situated；　beginning；　after　a　preparatory　
convulsion；　to　toll　twelve；　the　mere　tolling　seemed
as　if　it　would　last　until　oneso　prolonged　was　the　knell
to　the　anxious　spinster。
〃But　it's　not　about　marriage　that　I　came　to　speak
that　is　that　marriagethat　isno；　I　meanmy　dear
Miss　Osborne；　it's　about　our　dear　friend　George；〃
Dobbin　said。
〃About　George？〃　she　said　in　a　tone　so　discomfited
that　Maria　and　Miss　Wirt　laughed　at　the　other　side　of
the　door；　and　even　that　abandoned　wretch　of　a　Dobbin
felt　inclined　to　smile　himself；　for　he　was　not　altogether
unconscious　of　the　state　of　affairs：　　George　having　often
bantered　him　gracefully　and　said；　〃Hang　it；　Will；　why
don't　you　take　old　Jane？　　She'll　have　you　if　you　ask　her。
I'll　bet　you　five　to　two　she　will。〃
〃Yes；　about　George；　then；〃　he　continued。　　〃There　has
been　a　difference　between　him　and　Mr。　Osborne。　　And　I
regard　him　so　muchfor　you　know　we　have　been　like
brothersthat　I　hope　and　pray　the　quarrel　may　be
settled。　　We　must　go　abroad；　Miss　Osborne。　　We　may　be
ordered　off　at　a　day's　warning。　　Who　knows　what　may
happen　in　the　campaign？　　Don't　be　agitated；　dear　Miss
Osborne；　and　those　two　at　least　should　part　friends。〃
〃There　has　been　no　quarrel；　Captain　Dobbin；　except
a　little　usual　scene　with　Papa；〃　the　lady　said。　　〃We　are
expecting　George　back　daily。　　What　Papa　wanted　was　only
for　his　good。　　He　has　but　to　come　back；　and　I'm　sure　all
will　be　well；　and　dear　Rhoda；　who　went　away　from　here
in　sad　sad　anger；　I　know　will　forgive　him。　　Woman　forgives
but　too　readily；　Captain。〃
〃Such　an　angel　as　YOU　I　am　sure　would；〃　Mr。　Dobbin
said；　with　atrocious　astuteness。　　〃And　no　man　can　pardon
himself　for　giving　a　woman　pain。　　What　would　you　feel；
if　a　man　were　faithless　to