vanity fair(名利场)-第73节

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me　a　cavalry　chief　like　him　now　that　Murat　is　gone。
Hey；　Mrs。　O'Dowd？　　Do　you　think　our　little　girl　here
need　be　afraid？　　Is　there　any　cause　for　fear；　Isidor？　　Hey；
sir？　　Get　some　more　beer。〃
Mrs。　O'Dowd　said　that　her　〃Glorvina　was　not　afraid
of　any　man　alive；　let　alone　a　Frenchman；〃　and　tossed
off　a　glass　of　beer　with　a　wink　which　expressed　her
liking　for　the　beverage。
Having　frequently　been　in　presence　of　the　enemy；　or；
in　other　words；　faced　the　ladies　at　Cheltenham　and　Bath；
our　friend；　the　Collector；　had　lost　a　great　deal　of　his
pristine　timidity；　and　was　now；　especially　when　fortified
with　liquor；　as　talkative　as　might　be。　　He　was　rather　a
favourite　with　the　regiment；　treating　the　young　officers
with　sumptuosity；　and　amusing　them　by　his　military　airs。
And　as　there　is　one　well…known　regiment　of　the　army
which　travels　with　a　goat　heading　the　column；　whilst
another　is　led　by　a　deer；　George　said　with　respect　to　his
brother…in…law；　that　his　regiment　marched　with　an
elephant。
Since　Amelia's　introduction　to　the　regiment；　George
began　to　be　rather　ashamed　of　some　of　the　company　to
which　he　had　been　forced　to　present　her；　and　determined；
as　he　told　Dobbin　（with　what　satisfaction　to　the　latter
it　need　not　be　said）；　to　exchange　into　some　better　regiment
soon；　and　to　get　his　wife　away　from　those　damned
vulgar　women。　　But　this　vulgarity　of　being　ashamed　of
one's　society　is　much　more　common　among　men　than
women　（except　very　great　ladies　of　fashion；　who；　to　be
sure；　indulge　in　it）；　and　Mrs。　Amelia；　a　natural　and
unaffected　person；　had　none　of　that　artificial　shamefacedness
which　her　husband　mistook　for　delicacy　on　his　own
part。　　Thus　Mrs。　O'Dowd　had　a　cock's　plume　in　her　hat；
and　a　very　large　〃repayther〃　on　her　stomach；　which　she
used　to　ring　on　all　occasions；　narrating　how　it　had　been
presented　to　her　by　her　fawther；　as　she　stipt　into　the
car'ge　after　her　mar'ge；　and　these　ornaments；　with　other
outward　peculiarities　of　the　Major's　wife；　gave　excruciating
agonies　to　Captain　Osborne；　when　his　wife　and　the
Major's　came　in　contact；　whereas　Amelia　was　only
amused　by　the　honest　lady's　eccentricities；　and　not　in
the　least　ashamed　of　her　company。
As　they　made　that　well…known　journey；　which　almost
every　Englishman　of　middle　rank　has　travelled　since；
there　might　have　been　more　instructive；　but　few　more
entertaining；　companions　than　Mrs。　Major　O'Dowd。　　〃Talk
about　kenal　boats；　my　dear！　　Ye　should　see　the　kenal
boats　between　Dublin　and　Ballinasloe。　　It's　there　the　rapid
travelling　is；　and　the　beautiful　cattle。　　Sure　me　fawther
got　a　goold　medal　（and　his　Excellency　himself　eat　a　slice
of　it；　and　said　never　was　finer　mate　in　his　loif）　for　a
four…year…old　heifer；　the　like　of　which　ye　never　saw　in
this　country　any　day。〃　And　Jos　owned　with　a　sigh；　〃that
for　good　streaky　beef；　really　mingled　with　fat　and　lean；
there　was　no　country　like　England。〃
〃Except　Ireland；　where　all　your　best　mate　comes　from；〃
said　the　Major's　lady；　proceeding；　as　is　not　unusual　with
patriots　of　her　nation；　to　make　comparisons　greatly　in
favour　of　her　own　country。　　The　idea　of　comparing　the
market　at　Bruges　with　those　of　Dublin；　although　she　had
suggested　it　herself；　caused　immense　scorn　and　derision
on　her　part。　　〃I'll　thank　ye　tell　me　what　they　mean　by
that　old　gazabo　on　the　top　of　the　market…place；〃　said
she；　in　a　burst　of　ridicule　fit　to　have　brought　the　old
tower　down。　　The　place　was　full　of　English　soldiery　as
they　passed。　　English　bugles　woke　them　in　the　morning；
at　nightfall　they　went　to　bed　to　the　note　of　the　British
fife　and　drum：　　all　the　country　and　Europe　was　in　arms；
and　the　greatest　event　of　history　pending：　　and　honest
Peggy　O'Dowd；　whom　it　concerned　as　well　as　another；
went　on　prattling　about　Ballinafad；　and　the　horses　in　the
stables　at　Glenmalony；　and　the　clar't　drunk　there；　and
Jos　Sedley　interposed　about　curry　and　rice　at　Dumdum；
and　Amelia　thought　about　her　husband；　and　how　best
she　should　show　her　love　for　him；　as　if　these　were
the　great　topics　of　the　world。
Those　who　like　to　lay　down　the　History…book；　and　to
speculate　upon　what　MIGHT　have　happened　in　the　world；
but　for　the　fatal　occurrence　of　what　actually　did　take
place　（a　most　puzzling；　amusing；　ingenious；　and　profitable
kind　of　meditation）；　have　no　doubt　often　thought　to
themselves　what　a　specially　bad　time　Napoleon　took　to
come　back　from　Elba；　and　to　let　loose　his　eagle　from
Gulf　San　Juan　to　Notre　Dame。　　The　historians　on　our
side　tell　us　that　the　armies　of　the　allied　powers　were
all　providentially　on　a　war…footing；　and　ready　to　bear
down　at　a　moment's　notice　upon　the　Elban　Emperor。
The　august　jobbers　assembled　at　Vienna；　and　carving
out　the　kingdoms　of　Europe　according　to　their　wisdom；
had　such　causes　of　quarrel　among　themselves　as　might
have　set　the　armies　which　had　overcome　Napoleon　to
fight　against　each　other；　but　for　the　return　of　the　object
of　unanimous　hatred　and　fear。　　This　monarch　had　an　army
in　full　force　because　he　had　jobbed　to　himself　Poland；
and　was　determined　to　keep　it：　　another　had　robbed　half
Saxony；　and　was　bent　upon　maintaining　his　acquisition：
Italy　was　the　object　of　a　third's　solicitude。　　Each　was
protesting　against　the　rapacity　of　the　other；　and　could　the
Corsican　but　have　waited　in　prison　until　all　these　parties
were　by　the　ears；　he　might　have　returned　and　reigned
unmolested。　　But　what　would　have　become　of　our　story
and　all　our　friends；　then？　　If　all　the　drops　in　it　were　dried
up；　what　would　become　of　the　sea？
In　the　meanwhile　the　business　of　life　and　living；　and
the　pursuits　of　pleasure；　especially；　went　on　as　if　no　end
were　to　be　expected　to　them；　and　no　enemy　in　front。
When　our　travellers　arrived　at　Brussels；　in　which　their
regiment　was　quartered；　a　great　piece　of　good　fortune；
as　all　said；　they　found　themselves　in　one　of　the　gayest
and　most　brilliant　little　capitals　in　Europe；　and　where
all　the　Vanity　Fair　booths　were　laid　out　with　the　most
tempting　liveliness　and　splendour。　　Gambling　was　here　in
profusion；　and　dancing　in　plenty：　　feasting　was　there　to
fill　with　delight　that　great　gourmand　of　a　Jos：　　there
was　a　theatre　where　a　miraculous　Catalani　was　delighting
all　hearers：　　beautiful　rides；　all　enlivened　with　martial
splendour；　a　rare　old　city；　with　strange　costumes　and
wonderful　architecture；　to　delight　the　eyes　of　little　Amelia；
who　had　never　before　seen　a　foreign　country；　and　fill
her　with　charming　surprises：　so　that　now　and　for　a　few
weeks'　space　in　a　fine　handsome　lodging；　whereof　the
expenses　were　borne　by　Jos　and　Osborne；　who　was　flush
of　money　and　full　of　kind　attentions　to　his　wifefor
about　a　fortnight；　I　say；　during　which　her　honeymoon
ended；　Mrs。　Amelia　was　as　pleased　and　happy　as　any
little　bride　out　of　England。
Every　day　during　this　happy　time　there　was　novelty
and　amusement　for　all　parties。　　There　was　a　church　to
see；　or　a　picture…gallerythere　was　a　ride；　or　an　opera。
The　bands　of　the　regiments　were　making　music　at　all
hours。　　The　greatest　folks　of　England　walked　in　the　Park
there　was　a　perpetual　military　festival。　　George；　taking
out　his　wife　to　a　new　jaunt　or　junket　every　night；　was
quite　pleased　with　himself　as　usual；　and　swore　he　was
becoming　quite　a　domestic　character。　　And　a　jaunt　or
a　junket　with　HIM！　　Was　it　not　enough　to　set　this　little
heart　beating　with　joy？　　Her　letters　home　to　her　mother
were　filled　with　delight　and　gratitude　at　this　season。　　Her
husband　bade　her　buy　laces；　millinery；　jewels；　and
gimcracks　of　all　sorts。　　Oh；　he　was　the　kindest；　best；　and
most　generous　of　men！
The　sight　of　the　very　great　company　of　lords　and　ladies
and　fashionable　persons　who　thronged　the　town；　and
appeared　in　every　public　place；　filled　George's　truly　British
soul　with　intense　delight。　　They　flung　off　that　happy
frigidity　and　insolence　of　demeanour　which　occasionally
characterises　the　great　at　home；　and　appearing　in
numberless　public　places；　condescended　to　mingle　with　the
rest　of　the　company　whom　they　met　there。　　One　night
at　a　party　given　by　the　general　of　the　division　to　which
George's　regiment　belonged；　he　had　the　honour　of　dancing
with　Lady　Blanche　Thistlewood；　Lord　Bareacres'
daughter；　he　bustled　for　ices　and　refreshments　for　the
two　noble　ladies；　he　pushed　and　squeezed　for　Lady
Bareacres'　carriage；　he　bragged　about　the　Countess　when
he　got　home；　in　a　way　which　his　own　father　could　not
have　surpassed。　　He　called　upon　the　ladies　the　next　day；
he　rode　by　their　side　in　the　Park；　he　asked　their　party
to　a　great　dinner　at　a　restaurateur's；　and　was　quite
wild　with　exultation　when　they　agreed　to　come。　　Old
Bareacres；　who　had　not　much　pride　and　a　large　appetite；
would　go　for　a　dinner　anywhere。
〃I。hope　there　will　be　no　women　besides　our　own
party；〃　Lady　Bareacres　said；　after　reflecting　upon　the
invitation　which　had　been　made；　and　accepted　with　too
much　precipitancy。
〃Gracious　Heaven；　Mammayou　don't　suppose　the
man　would　bring　his　wife；〃　shrieked　Lady　Blanche；　who
had　been　languishing　in　George's　arms　in　the　newly
imported　waltz　for　hours　the　night　before。　　〃The　men　are
bearable；　but　their　women〃
〃Wife；　just　married；　dev'lish　pretty　woman；　I　hear；〃
the　old　Earl　said。
〃Well；　my　dear　Blanche；〃　said　the　mother；　〃I