vanity fair(名利场)-第74节

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the　old　Earl　said。
〃Well；　my　dear　Blanche；〃　said　the　mother；　〃I　suppose；
as　Papa　wants　to　go；　we　must　go；　but　we　needn't　know
them　in　England；　you　know。〃　And　so；　determined　to　cut
their　new　acquaintance　in　Bond　Street；　these　great　folks
went　to　eat　his　dinner　at　Brussels；　and　condescending　to
make　him　pay　for　their　pleasure；　showed　their　dignity
by　making　his　wife　uncomfortable；　and　carefully　excluding
her　from　the　conversation。　　This　is　a　species　of　dignity
in　which　the　high…bred　British　female　reigns　supreme。　　To
watch　the　behaviour　of　a　fine　lady　to　other　and　humbler
women；　is　a　very　good　sport　for　a　philosophical　frequenter
of　Vanity　Fair。
This　festival；　on　which　honest　George　spent　a　great
deal　of　money；　was　the　very　dismallest　of　all　the
entertainments　which　Amelia　had　in　her　honeymoon。　　She
wrote　the　most　piteous　accounts　of　the　feast　home　to
her　mamma：　　how　the　Countess　of　Bareacres　would　not
answer　when　spoken　to；　how　Lady　Blanche　stared　at　her
with　her　eye…glass；　and　what　a　rage　Captain　Dobbin　was
in　at　their　behaviour；　and　how　my　lord；　as　they　came
away　from　the　feast；　asked　to　see　the　bill；　and　pronounced
it　a　d　bad　dinner；　and　d　dear。　　But　though　Amelia
told　all　these　stories；　and　wrote　home　regarding
her　guests'　rudeness；　and　her　own　discomfiture；
old　Mrs。　Sedley　was　mightily　pleased　nevertheless；
and　talked　about　Emmy's　friend；　the　Countess　of
Bareacres；　with　such　assiduity　that　the　news　how　his　son
was　entertaining　peers　and　peeresses　actually　came　to
Osborne's　ears　in　the　City。
Those　who　know　the　present　Lieutenant…General　Sir
George　Tufto；　K。C。B。；　and　have　seen　him；　as　they　may
on　most　days　in　the　season；　padded　and　in　stays；　strutting
down　Pall　Mall　with　a　rickety　swagger　on　his　high…heeled
lacquered　boots；　leering　under　the　bonnets　of　passers…
by；　or　riding　a　showy　chestnut；　and　ogling　broughams　in
the　Parksthose　who　know　the　present　Sir　George　Tufto
would　hardly　recognise　the　daring　Peninsular　and　Waterloo
officer。　　He　has　thick　curling　brown　hair　and　black
eyebrows　now；　and　his　whiskers　are　of　the　deepest
purple。　　He　was　light…haired　and　bald　in　1815；　and　stouter
in　the　person　and　in　the　limbs；　which　especially　have
shrunk　very　much　of　late。　　When　he　was　about　seventy
years　of　age　（he　is　now　nearly　eighty）；　his　hair；　which
was　very　scarce　and　quite　white；　suddenly　grew　thick；
and　brown；　and　curly；　and　his　whiskers　and　eyebrows
took　their　present　colour。　　Ill…natured　people　say　that
his　chest　is　all　wool；　and　that　his　hair；　because　it　never
grows；　is　a　wig。　　Tom　Tufto；　with　whose　father　he　quarrelled
ever　so　many　years　ago；　declares　that　Mademoiselle
de　Jaisey；　of　the　French　theatre；　pulled　his
grandpapa's　hair　off　in　the　green…room；　but　Tom　is
notoriously　spiteful　and　jealous；　and　the　General's　wig　has
nothing　to　do　with　our　story。
One　day；　as　some　of　our　friends　of　the　th　were
sauntering　in　the　flower…market　of　Brussels；　having　been
to　see　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　which　Mrs。　Major　O'Dowd
declared　was　not　near　so　large　or　handsome　as　her
fawther's　mansion　of　Glenmalony；　an　officer　of　rank；　with
an　orderly　behind　him；　rode　up　to　the　market；　and
descending　from　his　horse；　came　amongst　the　flowers；　and
selected　the　very　finest　bouquet　which　money　could　buy。
The　beautiful　bundle　being　tied　up　in　a　paper；　the　officer
remounted；　giving　the　nosegay　into　the　charge　of　his
military　groom；　who　carried　it　with　a　grin；　following　his
chief；　who　rode　away　in　great　state　and　self…satisfaction。
〃You　should　see　the　flowers　at　Glenmalony；〃　Mrs。
O'Dowd　was　remarking。　　〃Me　fawther　has　three　Scotch
garners　with　nine　helpers。　　We　have　an　acre　of　hot…houses；
and　pines　as　common　as　pays　in　the　sayson。　　Our　greeps
weighs　six　pounds　every　bunch　of　'em；　and　upon　me
honour　and　conscience　I　think　our　magnolias　is　as　big
as　taykettles。〃
Dobbin；　who　never　used　to　〃draw　out〃　Mrs。　O'Dowd
as　that　wicked　Osborne　delighted　in　doing　（much　to
Amelia's　terror；　who　implored　him　to　spare　her）；　fell
back　in　the　crowd；　crowing　and　sputtering　until　he
reached　a　safe　distance；　when　he　exploded　amongst　the
astonished　market…people　with　shrieks　of　yelling　laughter。
〃Hwhat's　that　gawky　guggling　about？〃　said　Mrs。
O'Dowd。　　〃Is　it　his　nose　bleedn？　　He　always　used　to　say
'twas　his　nose　bleedn；　till　he　must　have　pomped　all　the
blood　out　of　'um。　　An't　the　magnolias　at　Glenmalony
as　big　as　taykettles；　O'Dowd？〃
〃'Deed　then　they　are；　and　bigger；　Peggy；〃　the　Major
said。　　When　the　conversation　was　interrupted　in　the
manner　stated　by　the　arrival　of　the　officer　who　purchased
the　bouquet。
〃Devlish　fine　horsewho　is　it？〃　George　asked。
〃You　should　see　me　brother　Molloy　Malony's　horse；
Molasses；　that　won　the　cop　at　the　Curragh；〃　the　Major's
wife　was　exclaiming；　and　was　continuing　the　family
history；　when　her　husband　interrupted　her　by　saying
〃It's　General　Tufto；　who　commands　the　　cavalry
division〃；　adding　quietly；　〃he　and　I　were　both　shot　in
the　same　leg　at　Talavera。〃
〃Where　you　got　your　step；〃　said　George　with　a　laugh。
〃General　Tufto！　Then；　my　dear；　the　Crawleys　are　come。〃
Amelia's　heart　fellshe　knew　not　why。　　The　sun　did
not　seem　to　shine　so　bright。　　The　tall　old　roofs　and
gables　looked　less　picturesque　all　of　a　sudden；　though
it　was　a　brilliant　sunset；　and　one　of　the　brightest　and
most　beautiful　days　at　the　end　of　May。

CHAPTER　XXIX
Brussels
Mr。　Jos　had　hired　a　pair　of　horses　for　his　open　carriage；
with　which　cattle；　and　the　smart　London　vehicle；　he　made
a　very　tolerable　figure　in　the　drives　about　Brussels。
George　purchased　a　horse　for　his　private　riding；　and
he　and　Captain　Dobbin　would　often　accompany　the
carriage　in　which　Jos　and　his　sister　took　daily　excursions
of　pleasure。　　They　went　out　that　day　in　the　park　for　their
accustomed　diversion；　and　there；　sure　enough；　George's
remark　with　regard　to　the　arrival　of　Rawdon　Crawley　and
his　wife　proved　to　be　correct。　　In　the　midst　of　a　little
troop　of　horsemen；　consisting　of　some　of　the　very　greatest
persons　in　Brussels；　Rebecca　was　seen　in　the　prettiest
and　tightest　of　riding…habits；　mounted　on　a　beautiful
little　Arab；　which　she　rode　to　perfection　（having　acquired
the　art　at　Queen's　Crawley；　where　the　Baronet；　Mr。
Pitt；　and　Rawdon　himself　had　given　her　many　lessons）；
and　by　the　side　of　the　gallant　General　Tufto。
〃Sure　it's　the　Juke　himself；〃　cried　Mrs。　Major　O'Dowd
to　Jos；　who　began　to　blush　violently；　〃and　that's　Lord
Uxbridge　on　the　bay。　　How　elegant　he　looks！　　Me　brother；
Molloy　Malony；　is　as　like　him　as　two　pays。〃
Rebecca　did　not　make　for　the　carriage；　but　as　soon
as　she　perceived　her　old　acquaintance　Amelia　seated　in
it；　acknowledged　her　presence　by　a　gracious　nod　and
smile；　and　by　kissing　and　shaking　her　fingers　playfully
in　the　direction　of　the　vehicle。　　Then　she　resumed　her
conversation　with　General　Tufto；　who　asked　〃who　the
fat　officer　was　in　the　gold…laced　cap？〃　on　which　Becky
replied；　〃that　he　was　an　officer　in　the　East　Indian　service。〃
But　Rawdon　Crawley　rode　out　of　the　ranks　of　his
company；　and　came　up　and　shook　hands　heartily　with
Amelia；　and　said　to　Jos；　〃Well；　old　boy；　how　are　you？〃
and　stared　in　Mrs。　O'Dowd's　face　and　at。the　black　cock's
feathers　until　she　began　to　think　she　had　made　a
conquest　of　him。
George；　who　had　been　delayed　behind；　rode　up　almost
immediately　with　Dobbin；　and　they　touched　their　caps　to
the　august　personages；　among　whom　Osborne　at　once
perceived　Mrs。　Crawley。　　He　was　delighted　to　see　Rawdon
leaning　over　his　carriage　familiarly　and　talking　to　Amelia；
and　met　the　aide…de…camp's　cordial　greeting　with　more
than　corresponding　warmth。　　The　nods　between　Rawdon
and　Dobbin　were　of　the　very　faintest　specimens　of
politeness。
Crawley　told　George　where　they　were　stopping　with
General　Tufto　at　the　Hotel　du　Parc；　and　George　made
his　friend　promise　to　come　speedily　to　Osborne's　own
residence。　　〃Sorry　I　hadn't　seen　you　three　days　ago；〃
George　said。　　〃Had　a　dinner　at　the　Restaurateur'srather　a
nice　thing。　　Lord　Bareacres；　and　the　Countess；　and　Lady
Blanche；　were　good　enough　to　dine　with　uswish　we'd
had　you。〃　Having　thus　let　his　friend　know　his　claims　to　be
a　man　of　fashion；　Osborne　parted　from　Rawdon；　who
followed　the　august　squadron　down　an　alley　into　which
they　cantered；　while　George　and　Dobbin　resumed　their
places；　one　on　each　side　of　Amelia's　carriage。
〃How　well　the　Juke　looked；〃　Mrs。　O'Dowd　remarked。
〃The　Wellesleys　and　Malonys　are　related；　but；　of　course；
poor　I　would　never　dream　of　introjuicing　myself　unless
his　Grace　thought　proper　to　remember　our　family…tie。〃
〃He's　a　great　soldier；〃　Jos　said；　much　more　at　ease
now　the　great　man　was　gone。　　〃Was　there　ever　a　battle
won　like　Salamanca？　　Hey；　Dobbin？　　But　where　was　it　he
learnt　his　art？　　In　India；　my　boy！　　The　jungle's　the　school
for　a　general；　mark　me　that。　　I　knew　him　myself；　too；
Mrs。　O'Dowd：　　we　both　of　us　danced　the　same　evening
with　Miss　Cutler；　daughter　of　Cutler　of　the　Artillery；　and
a　devilish　fine　girl；　at　Dumdum。〃
The　apparition　of　the　great　personages　held　them
all　in　talk　during　the　drive；　and　at　dinner；　and　until　the
hour　came　when　they　were　all　to　go　to　the　Opera。
It　was　almost　like　Old　England。　　The　house　was　filled
with　familiar　British　faces；　and　those　toilettes　for　whic