vanity fair(名利场)-第61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！


the　signal；　nor　did　the　servants　at　first　understand　it。
〃Take　that　plate　away；〃　at　last　he　said；　getting　up　with
an　oathand　with　this　pushing　his　chair　back；　he　walked
into　his　own　room。
Behind　Mr。　Osborne's　dining…room　was　the　usual
apartment　which　went　in　his　house　by　the　name　of　the
study；　and　was　sacred　to　the　master　of　the　house。　　Hither
Mr。　Osborne　would　retire　of　a　Sunday　forenoon　when
not　minded　to　go　to　church；　and　here　pass　the　morning
in　his　crimson　leather　chair；　reading　the　paper。　　A　couple
of　glazed　book…cases　were　here；　containing　standard
works　in　stout　gilt　bindings。　　The　〃Annual　Register；〃　the
〃Gentleman's　Magazine；〃　〃Blair's　Sermons；〃　and　〃Hume
and　Smollett。〃　From　year's　end　to　year's　end　he　never
took　one　of　these　volumes　from　the　shelf；　but　there　was
no　member　of　the　family　that　would　dare　for　his　life　to
touch　one　of　the　books；　except　upon　those　rare　Sunday
evenings　when　there　was　no　dinner…party；　and　when　the
great　scarlet　Bible　and　Prayer…book　were　taken　out　from
the　corner　where　they　stood　beside　his　copy　of　the　Peerage；
and　the　servants　being　rung　up　to　the　dining　parlour；
Osborne　read　the　evening　service　to　his　family　in　a
loud　grating　pompous　voice。　　No　member　of　the　household；
child；　or　domestic；　ever　entered　that　room　without
a　certain　terror。　　Here　he　checked　the　housekeeper's　accounts；
and　overhauled　the　butler's　cellar…book。　　Hence　he
could　command；　across　the　clean　gravel　court…yard；　the
back　entrance　of　the　stables　with　which　one　of　his　bells
communicated；　and　into　this　yard　the　coachman　issued
from　his　premises　as　into　a　dock；　and　Osborne　swore　at
him　from　the　study　window。　　Four　times　a　year　Miss
Wirt　entered　this　apartment　to　get　her　salary；　and　his
daughters　to　receive　their　quarterly　allowance。　　George
as　a　boy　had　been　horsewhipped　in　this　room　many
times；　his　mother　sitting　sick　on　the　stair　listening　to　the
cuts　of　the　whip。　　The　boy　was　scarcely　ever　known　to
cry　under　the　punishment；　the　poor　woman　used　to
fondle　and　kiss　him　secretly；　and　give　him　money　to
soothe　him　when　he　came　out。
There　was　a　picture　of　the　family　over　the　mantelpiece；
removed　thither　from　the　front　room　after　Mrs。　Osborne's
deathGeorge　was　on　a　pony；　the　elder　sister
holding　him　up　a　bunch　of　flowers；　the　younger　led　by
her　mother's　hand；　all　with　red　cheeks　and　large　red
mouths；　simpering　on　each　other　in　the　approved　family…
portrait　manner。　　The　mother　lay　underground　now；　long
since　forgottenthe　sisters　and　brother　had　a　hundred
different　interests　of　their　own；　and；　familiar　still；　were
utterly　estranged　from　each　other。　　Some　few　score　of
years　afterwards；　when　all　the　parties　represented　are
grown　old；　what　bitter　satire　there　is　in　those　flaunting
childish　family…portraits；　with　their　farce　of　sentiment　and
smiling　lies；　and　innocence　so　self…conscious　and　self…
satisfied。　　Osborne's　own　state　portrait；　with　that　of　his
great　silver　inkstand　and　arm…chair；　had　taken　the　place
of　honour　in　the　dining…room；　vacated　by　the　family…
piece。
To　this　study　old　Osborne　retired　then；　greatly　to　the
relief　of　the　small　party　whom　he　left。　　When　the
servants　had　withdrawn；　they　began　to　talk　for　a　while
volubly　but　very　low；　then　they　went　upstairs　quietly；
Mr。　Bullock　accompanying　them　stealthily　on　his　creaking
shoes。　　He　had　no　heart　to　sit　alone　drinking　wine；
and　so　close　to　the　terrible　old　gentleman　in　the　study
hard　at　hand。
An　hour　at　least　after　dark；　the　butler；　not　having
received　any　summons；　ventured　to　tap　at　his　door　and
take　him　in　wax　candles　and　tea。　　The　master　of　the
house　sate　in　his　chair；　pretending　to　read　the　paper；
and　when　the　servant；　placing　the　lights　and　refreshment
on　the　table　by　him；　retired；　Mr。　Osborne　got　up　and
locked　the　door　after　him。　　This　time　there　was　no　mistaking
the　matter；　all　the　household　knew　that　some　great
catastrophe　was　going　to　happen　which　was　likely　direly
to　affect　Master　George。
In　the　large　shining　mahogany　escritoire　Mr。　Osborne
had　a　drawer　especially　devoted　to　his　son's　affairs　and
papers。　　Here　he　kept　all　the　documents　relating　to　him
ever　since　he　had　been　a　boy：　here　were　his　prize　copy…
books　and　drawing…books；　all　bearing　George's　hand；
and　that　of　the　master：　　here　were　his　first　letters　in　large
round…hand　sending　his　love　to　papa　and　mamma；　and
conveying　his　petitions　for　a　cake。　　His　dear　godpapa
Sedley　was　more　than　once　mentioned　in　them。　　Curses
quivered　on　old　Osborne's　livid　lips；　and　horrid　hatred
and　disappointment　writhed　in　his　heart；　as　looking
through　some　of　these　papers　he　came　on　that　name。
They　were　all　marked　and　docketed；　and　tied　with　red　tape。
It　wasFrom　Georgy；　requesting　5s。；　April　23；　18；
answered；　April　25〃or　〃Georgy　about　a　pony；　October
13〃and　so　forth。　In　another　packet　were　〃Dr。　S。's　accounts〃
〃G。's　tailor's　bills　and　outfits；　drafts　on　me　by
G。　Osborne；　jun。；〃　&c。his　letters　from　the　West　Indies
his　agent's　letters；　and　the　newspapers　containing　his
commissions：　here　was　a　whip　he　had　when　a　boy；　and　in
a　paper　a　locket　containing　his　hair；　which　his　mother
used　to　wear。
Turning　one　over　after　another；　and　musing　over　these
memorials；　the　unhappy　man　passed　many　hours。　　His
dearest　vanities；　ambitious　hopes；　had　all　been　here。　　What
pride　he　had　in　his　boy！　　He　was　the　handsomest　child
ever　seen。　　Everybody　said　he　was　like　a　nobleman's
son。　　A　royal　princess　had　remarked　him；　and　kissed
him；　and　asked　his　name　in　Kew　Gardens。　　What　City
man　could　show　such　another？　　Could　a　prince　have　been
better　cared　for？　　Anything　that　money　could　buy　had
been　his　son's。　　He　used　to　go　down　on　speech…days　with
four　horses　and　new　liveries；　and　scatter　new　shillings
among　the　boys　at　the　school　where　George　was：　　when
he　went　with　George　to　the　depot　of　his　regiment；　before
the　boy　embarked　for　Canada；　he　gave　the　officers
such　a　dinner　as　the　Duke　of　York　might　have　sat　down
to。　　Had　he　ever　refused　a　bill　when　George　drew　one？
There　they　werepaid　without　a　word。　　Many　a　general
in　the　army　couldn't　ride　the　horses　he　had！　　He　had　the
child　before　his　eyes；　on　a　hundred　different　days　when
he　remembered　George　after　dinner；　when　he　used
to　come　in　as　bold　as　a　lord　and　drink　off　his　glass　by
his　father's　side；　at　the　head　of　the　tableon　the　pony
at　Brighton；　when　he　cleared　the　hedge　and　kept　up　with
the　huntsmanon　the　day　when　he　was　presented　to
the　Prince　Regent　at　the　levee；　when　all　Saint　James's
couldn't　produce　a　finer　young　fellow。　　And　this；　this　was
the　end　of　all！to　marry　a　bankrupt　and　fly　in　the　face
of　duty　and　fortune！　　What　humiliation　and　fury：　　what
pangs　of　sickening　rage；　balked　ambition　and　love；　what
wounds　of　outraged　vanity；　tenderness　even；　had　this
old　worldling　now　to　suffer　under！
Having　examined　these　papers；　and　pondered　over　this
one　and　the　other；　in　that　bitterest　of　all　helpless　woe；
with　which　miserable　men　think　of　happy　past　times
George's　father　took　the　whole　of　the　documents　out　of
the　drawer　in　which　he　had　kept　them　so　long；　and　locked
them　into　a　writing…box；　which　he　tied；　and　sealed　with
his　seal。　　Then　he　opened　the　book…case；　and　took　down
the　great　red　Bible　we　have　spoken　of　a　pompous
book；　seldom　looked　at；　and　shining　all　over　with　gold。
There　was　a　frontispiece　to　the　volume；　representing
Abraham　sacrificing　Isaac。　　Here；　according　to　custom；
Osborne　had　recorded　on　the　fly…leaf；　and　in　his　large
clerk…like　hand；　the　dates　of　his　marriage　and　his　wife's
death；　and　the　births　and　Christian　names　of　his　children。
Jane　came　first；　then　George　Sedley　Osborne；　then　Maria
Frances；　and　the　days　of　the　christening　of　each。　　Taking
a　pen；　he　carefully　obliterated　George's　names　from
the　page；　and　when　the　leaf　was　quite　dry；　restored　the
volume　to　the　place　from　which　he　had　moved　it。　　Then
he　took　a　document　out　of　another　drawer；　where　his
own　private　papers　were　kept；　and　having　read　it；　crumpled
it　up　and　lighted　it　at　one　of　the　candles；　and　saw　it
burn　entirely　away　in　the　grate。　　It　was　his　will；　which
being　burned；　he　sate　down　and　wrote　off　a　letter；　and
rang　for　his　servant；　whom　he　charged　to　deliver　it　in　the
morning。　　It　was　morning　already：　as　he　went　up　to　bed；
the　whole　house　was　alight　with　the　sunshine；　and　the
birds　were　singing　among　the　fresh　green　leaves　in
Russell　Square。
Anxious　to　keep　all　Mr。　Osborne's　family　and　dependants
in　good　humour；　and　to　make　as　many　friends　as
possible　for　George　in　his　hour　of　adversity；　William　Dobbin；
who　knew　the　effect　which　good　dinners　and　good
wines　have　upon　the　soul　of　man；　wrote　off　immediately
on　his　return　to　his　inn　the　most　hospitable　of　invitations
to　Thomas　Chopper；　Esquire；　begging　that　gentleman　to
dine　with　him　at　the　Slaughters'　next　day。　　The　note
reached　Mr。　Chopper　before　he　left　the　City；　and　the
instant　reply　was；　that　〃Mr。　Chopper　presents　his
respectful　compliments；　and　will　have　the　honour　and
pleasure　of　waiting　on　Captain　D。〃　　The　invitation　and　the
rough　draft　of　the　answer　were　shown　to　Mrs。　Chopper
and　her　daughters　on　his　return　to　Somers'　Town　that
evening；　and　they　talked　about　military　gents　and　West
End　men　with　great　exultation　as　t