vanity fair(名利场)-第59节

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himself　for　giving　a　woman　pain。　　What　would　you　feel；
if　a　man　were　faithless　to　you？〃
〃I　should　perishI　should　throw　myself　out　of　window
I　should　take　poisonI　should　pine　and　die。　　I
know　I　should；〃　Miss　cried；　who　had　nevertheless　gone
through　one　or　two　affairs　of　the　heart　without　any　idea
of　suicide。
〃And　there　are　others；〃　Dobbin　continued；　〃as　true
and　as　kind…hearted　as　yourself。　　I'm　not　speaking　about
the　West　Indian　heiress；　Miss　Osborne；　but　about　a　poor
girl　whom　George　once　loved；　and　who　was　bred　from
her　childhood　to　think　of　nobody　but　him。　　I've　seen　her
in　her　poverty　uncomplaining；　broken…hearted；　without　a
fault。　　It　is　of　Miss　Sedley　I　speak。　　Dear　Miss　Osborne；
can　your　generous　heart　quarrel　with　your　brother　for
being　faithful　to　her？　　Could　his　own　conscience　ever
forgive　him　if　he　deserted　her？　　Be　her　friendshe　always
loved　youandand　I　am　come　here　charged　by　George
to　tell　you　that　he　holds　his　engagement　to　her　as　the
most　sacred　duty　he　has；　and　to　entreat　you；　at　least；
to　be　on　his　side。〃
When　any　strong　emotion　took　possession　of　Mr。　Dobbin；
and　after　the　first　word　or　two　of　hesitation；　he　could
speak　with　perfect　fluency；　and　it　was　evident　that　his
eloquence　on　this　occasion　made　some　impression　upon
the　lady　whom　he　addressed。
〃Well；〃　said　she；　〃this　ismost　surprisingmost　painful
most　extraordinarywhat　will　Papa　say？that
George　should　fling　away　such　a　superb　establishment　as
was　offered　to　himbut　at　any　rate　he　has　found　a　very
brave　champion　in　you；　Captain　Dobbin。　　It　is　of　no　use；
however；〃　she　continued；　after　a　pause；　〃I　feel　for　poor
Miss　Sedley；　most　certainlymost　sincerely；　you　know。
We　never　thought　the　match　a　good　one；　though　we　were
always　very　kind　to　her　herevery。　　But　Papa　will　never
consent；　I　am　sure。　　And　a　well　brought　up　young　woman；
you　knowwith　a　well…regulated　mind；　mustGeorge
must　give　her　up；　dear　Captain　Dobbin；　indeed　he　must。〃
〃Ought　a　man　to　give　up　the　woman　he　loved；　just
when　misfortune　befell　her？〃　Dobbin　said；　holding　out
his　hand。　　〃Dear　Miss　Osborne；　is　this　the　counsel　I　hear
from　you？　　My　dear　young　lady！　you　must　befriend　her。
He　can't　give　her　up。　　He　must　not　give　her　up。　　Would　a
man；　think　you；　give　YOU　up　if　you　were　poor？〃
This　adroit　question　touched　the　heart　of　Miss　Jane
Osborne　not　a　little。　　〃I　don't　know　whether　we　poor　girls
ought　to　believe　what　you　men　say；　Captain；〃　she　said。
〃There　is　that　in　woman's　tenderness　which　induces　her
to　believe　too　easily。　　I'm　afraid　you　are　cruel；　cruel
deceivers；〃and　Dobbin　certainly　thought　he　felt　a
pressure　of　the　hand　which　Miss　Osborne　had　extended
to　him。
He　dropped　it　in　some　alarm。　　〃Deceivers！〃　said　he。
〃No；　dear　Miss　Osborne；　all　men　are　not；　your　brother
is　not；　George　has　loved　Amelia　Sedley　ever　since　they
were　children；　no　wealth　would　make　him　marry　any　but
her。　　Ought　he　to　forsake　her？　　Would　you　counsel　him　to
do　so？〃
What　could　Miss　Jane　say　to　such　a　question；　and　with
her　own　peculiar　views？　　She　could　not　answer　it；　so　she
parried　it　by　saying；　〃Well；　if　you　are　not　a　deceiver；　at
least　you　are　very　romantic〃；　and　Captain　William　let
this　observation　pass　without　challenge。
At　length　when；　by　the　help　of　farther　polite　speeches；
he　deemed　that　Miss　Osborne　was　sufficiently　prepared　to
receive　the　whole　news；　he　poured　it　into　her　ear。
〃George　could　not　give　up　AmeliaGeorge　was　married
to　her〃and　then　he　related　the　circumstances　of　the
marriage　as　we　know　them　already：　　how　the　poor　girl
would　have　died　had　not　her　lover　kept　his　faith：　　how
Old　Sedley　had　refused　all　consent　to　the　match；　and　a
licence　had　been　got：　and　Jos　Sedley　had　come　from
Cheltenham　to　give　away　the　bride：　how　they　had　gone
to　Brighton　in　Jos's　chariot…and…four　to　pass　the　honeymoon：
and　how　George　counted　on　his　dear　kind　sisters　to
befriend　him　with　their　father；　as　womenso　true
and　tender　as　they　wereassuredly　would　do。　　And　so；
asking　permission　（readily　granted）　to　see　her　again；　and
rightly　conjecturing　that　the　news　he　had　brought　would
be　told　in　the　next　five　minutes　to　the　other　ladies；
Captain　Dobbin　made　his　bow　and　took　his　leave。
He　was　scarcely　out　of　the　house；　when　Miss　Maria
and　Miss　Wirt　rushed　in　to　Miss　Osborne；　and　the
whole　wonderful　secret　was　imparted　to　them　by　that
lady。　　To　do　them　justice；　neither　of　the　sisters　was　very
much　displeased。　　There　is　something　about　a　runaway
match　with　which　few　ladies　can　be　seriously　angry；　and
Amelia　rather　rose　in　their　estimation；　from　the　spirit
which　she　had　displayed　in　consenting　to　the　union。　　As
they　debated　the　story；　and　prattled　about　it；　and　wondered
what　Papa　would　do　and　say；　came　a　loud　knock；
as　of　an　avenging　thunder…clap；　at　the　door；　which　made
these　conspirators　start。　　It　must　be　Papa；　they　thought。
But　it　was　not　he。　　It　was　only　Mr。　Frederick　Bullock；
who　had　come　from　the　City　according　to　appointment；
to　conduct　the　ladies　to　a　flower…show。
This　gentleman；　as　may　be　imagined；　was　not　kept
long　in　ignorance　of　the　secret。　　But　his　face；　when　he
heard　it；　showed　an　amazement　which　was　very　different
to　that　look　of　sentimental　wonder　which　the　countenances
of　the　sisters　wore。　　Mr。　Bullock　was　a　man　of　the　world；
and　a　junior　partner　of　a　wealthy　firm。　　He　knew　what
money　was；　and　the　value　of　it：　and　a　delightful　throb
of　expectation　lighted　up　his　little　eyes；　and　caused　him
to　smile　on　his　Maria；　as　he　thought　that　by　this　piece
of　folly　of　Mr。　George's　she　might　be　worth　thirty
thousand　pounds　more　than　he　had　ever　hoped　to
get　with　her。
〃Gad！　　Jane；〃　said　he；　surveying　even　the　elder　sister
with　some　interest；　〃Eels　will　be　sorry　he　cried　off。　　You
may　be　a　fifty　thousand　pounder　yet。〃
The　sisters　had　never　thought　of　the　money　question
up　to　that　moment；　but　Fred　Bullock　bantered　them
with　graceful　gaiety　about　it　during　their　forenoon's
excursion；　and　they　had　risen　not　a　little　in　their　own
esteem　by　the　time　when；　the　morning　amusement　over；
they　drove　back　to　dinner。　　And　do　not　let　my　respected
reader　exclaim　against　this　selfishness　as　unnatural。　　It
was　but　this　present　morning；　as　he　rode　on　the　omnibus
from　Richmond；　while　it　changed　horses；　this　present
chronicler；　being　on　the　roof；　marked　three　little　children
playing　in　a　puddle　below；　very　dirty；　and　friendly；　and
happy。　　To　these　three　presently　came　another　little　one。
〃POLLY；〃　says　she；　〃YOUR　SISTER'S　GOT　A　PENNY。〃　　At　which
the　children　got　up　from　the　puddle　instantly；　and　ran
off　to　pay　their　court　to　Peggy。　　And　as　the　omnibus　drove
off　I　saw　Peggy　with　the　infantine　procession　at　her
tail；　marching　with　great　dignity　towards　the　stall　of　a
neighbouring　lollipop…woman。

CHAPTER　XXIV
In　Which　Mr。　Osborne　Takes　Down　the　Family　Bible
So　having　prepared　the　sisters；　Dobbin　hastened　away
to　the　City　to　perform　the　rest　and　more　difficult　part
of　the　task　which　he　had　undertaken。　　The　idea　of　facing
old　Osborne　rendered　him　not　a　little　nervous；　and　more
than　once　he　thought　of　leaving　the　young　ladies　to
communicate　the　secret；　which；　as　he　was　aware；　they　could
not　long　retain。　　But　he　had　promised　to　report　to　George
upon　the　manner　in　which　the　elder　Osborne　bore　the
intelligence；　so　going　into　the　City　to　the　paternal
counting…house　in　Thames　Street；　he　despatched　thence
a　note　to　Mr。　Osborne　begging　for　a　half…hour's　conversation
relative　to　the　affairs　of　his　son　George。　　Dobbin's　messenger
returned　from　Mr。　Osborne's　house　of　business；　with　the
compliments　of　the　latter；　who　would　be　very　happy　to　see　the
Captain　immediately；　and　away　accordingly　Dobbin　went
to　confront　him。
The　Captain；　with　a　half…guilty　secret　to　confess；　and
with　the　prospect　of　a　painful　and　stormy　interview
before　him；　entered　Mr。　Osborne's　offices　with　a　most
dismal　countenance　and　abashed　gait；　and；　passing　through
the　outer　room　where　Mr。　Chopper　presided；　was　greeted
by　that　functionary　from　his　desk　with　a　waggish　air
which　farther　discomfited　him。　　Mr。　Chopper　winked　and
nodded　and　pointed　his　pen　towards　his　patron's　door；
and　said；　〃You'll　find　the　governor　all　right；〃　with　the
most　provoking　good　humour。
Osborne　rose　too；　and　shook　him　heartily　by　the　hand；
and　said；　〃How　do；　my　dear　boy？〃　with　a　cordiality　that
made　poor　George's　ambassador　feel　doubly　guilty。　　His
hand　lay　as　if　dead　in　the　old　gentleman's　grasp。　　He　felt
that　he；　Dobbin；　was　more　or　less　the　cause　of　all　that
had　happened。　　It　was　he　had　brought　back　George　to
Amelia：　it　was　he　had　applauded；　encouraged；　transacted
almost　the　marriage　which　he　was　come　to　reveal　to
George's　father：　　and　the　latter　was　receiving　him　with
smiles　of　welcome；　patting　him　on　the　shoulder；　and　calling
him　〃Dobbin；　my　dear　boy。〃　The　envoy　had　indeed
good　reason　to　hang　his　head。
Osborne　fully　believed　that　Dobbin　had　come　to
announce　his　son's　surrender。　　Mr。　Chopper　and　his
principal　were　talking　over　the　matter　between　George　and
his　father；　at　the　very　moment　when　Dobbin's　messenger
arrived。　　Both　agreed　that　George　was　sending　in　his
submission。　　Both　had　been　expecting　it　for　some　daysand
〃Lord！　Chopper；　what　a　marriage　we'll　have！〃　Mr。
Osborne　s