vanity fair(名利场)-第76节

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have　promised　me；　any　time　these　hundred　years？〃　Dobbin
said　to　his　friend　a　few　days　after　the　night　at　the
Opera。　　〃When　do　you　intend　to　give　up　sermonising？〃
was　the　other's　reply。　　〃What　the　deuce；　man；　are　you
alarmed　about？　　We　play　low；　I　won　last　night。　　You
don't　suppose　Crawley　cheats？　　With　fair　play　it　comes
to　pretty　much　the　same　thing　at　the　year's　end。〃
〃But　I　don't　think　he　could　pay　if　he　lost；〃　Dobbin
said；　and　his　advice　met　with　the　success　which　advice
usually　commands。　　Osborne　and　Crawley　were　repeatedly
together　now。　　General　Tufto　dined　abroad　almost　constantly。
George　was　always　welcome　in　the　apartments
（very　close　indeed　to　those　of　the　General）　which　the
aide…de…camp　and　his　wife　occupied　in　the　hotel。
Amelia's　manners　were　such　when　she　and　George　visited
Crawley　and　his　wife　at　these　quarters；　that　they　had
very　nearly　come　to　their　first　quarrel；　that　is；　George
scolded　his　wife　violently　for　her　evident　unwillingness　to
go；　and　the　high　and　mighty　manner　in　which　she　comported
herself　towards　Mrs。　Crawley；　her　old　friend；　and
Amelia　did　not　say　one　single　word　in　reply；　but　with　her
husband's　eye　upon　her；　and　Rebecca　scanning　her　as　she
felt；　was；　if　possible；　more　bashful　and　awkward　on　the
second　visit　which　she　paid　to　Mrs。　Rawdon；　than　on　her
first　call。
Rebecca　was　doubly　affectionate；　of　course；　and　would
not　take　notice；　in　the　least；　of　her　friend's　coolness。　　〃I
think　Emmy　has　become　prouder　since　her　father's　name
was　in　thesince　Mr。　Sedley's　MISFORTUNES；〃　Rebecca
said；　softening　the　phrase　charitably　for　George's　ear。
〃Upon　my　word；　I　thought　when　we　were　at　Brighton
she　was　doing　me　the　honour　to　be　jealous　of　me；　and
now　I　suppose　she　is　scandalised　because　Rawdon；　and　I；
and　the　General　live　together。　　Why；　my　dear　creature；
how　could　we；　with　our　means；　live　at　all；　but　for　a　friend
to　share　expenses？　　And　do　you　suppose　that　Rawdon　is
not　big　enough　to　take　care　of　my　honour？　　But　I'm　very
much　obliged　to　Emmy；　very；〃　Mrs。　Rawdon　said。
〃Pooh；　jealousy！〃　answered　George；　〃all　women　are
jealous。〃
〃And　all　men　too。　　Weren't　you　jealous　of　General
Tufto；　and　the　General　of　you；　on　the　night　of　the　Opera？
Why；　he　was　ready　to　eat　me　for　going　with　you　to　visit
that　foolish　little　wife　of　yours；　as　if　I　care　a　pin　for
either　of　you；〃　Crawley's　wife　said；　with　a　pert　toss　of
her　head。　　〃Will　you　dine　here？　　The　dragon　dines　with　the
Commander…in…Chief。　　Great　news　is　stirring。　　They　say
the　French　have　crossed　the　frontier。　　We　shall　have　a
quiet　dinner。〃
George　accepted　the　invitation；　although　his　wife　was　a
little　ailing。　　They　were　now　not　quite　six　weeks　married。
Another　woman　was　laughing　or　sneering　at　her　expense；
and　he　not　angry。　　He　was　not　even　angry　with　himself；
this　good…natured　fellow。　　It　is　a　shame；　he　owned　to　himself；
but　hang　it；　if　a　pretty　woman　WILL　throw　herself　in
your　way；　why；　what　can　a　fellow　do；　you　know？　　I　AM
rather　free　about　women；　he　had　often　said；　smiling　and
nodding　knowingly　to　Stubble　and　Spooney；　and　other
comrades　of　the　mess…table；　and　they　rather　respected
him　than　otherwise　for　this　prowess。　　Next　to　conquering
in　war；　conquering　in　love　has　been　a　source　of　pride；
time　out　of　mind；　amongst　men　in　Vanity　Fair；　or　how
should　schoolboys　brag　of　their　amours；　or　Don　Juan　be
popular？
So　Mr。　Osborne；　having　a　firm　conviction　in　his　own
mind　that　he　was　a　woman…killer　and　destined　to　conquer；
did　not　run　counter　to　his　fate；　but　yielded　himself
up　to　it　quite　complacently。　　And　as　Emmy　did　not　say
much　or　plague　him　with　her　jealousy；　but　merely　became
unhappy　and　pined　over　it　miserably　in　secret；　he　chose
to　fancy　that　she　was　not　suspicious　of　what　all　his
acquaintance　were　perfectly　awarenamely；　that　he　was
carrying　on　a　desperate　flirtation　with　Mrs。　Crawley。　　He
rode　with　her　whenever　she　was　free。　　He　pretended
regimental　business　to　Amelia　（by　which　falsehood　she　was
not　in　the　least　deceived）；　and　consigning　his　wife　to
solitude　or　her　brother's　society；　passed　his　evenings　in
the　Crawleys'　company；　losing　money　to　the　husband　and
flattering　himself　that　the　wife　was　dying　of　love　for　him。
It　is　very　likely　that　this　worthy　couple　never　absolutely
conspired　and　agreed　together　in　so　many　words：　　the　one
to　cajole　the　young　gentleman；　whilst　the　other　won　his
money　at　cards：　but　they　understood　each　other　perfectly
well；　and　Rawdon　let　Osborne　come　and　go　with　entire
good　humour。
George　was　so　occupied　with　his　new　acquaintances
that　he　and　William　Dobbin　were　by　no　means　so　much
together　as　formerly。　　George　avoided　him　in　public　and
in　the　regiment；　and；　as　we　see；　did　not　like　those
sermons　which　his　senior　was　disposed　to　inflict　upon　him。
If　some　parts　of　his　conduct　made　Captain　Dobbin
exceedingly　grave　and　cool；　of　what　use　was　it　to　tell　George
that；　though　his　whiskers　were　large；　and　his　own
opinion　of　his　knowingness　great；　he　was　as　green　as　a
schoolboy？　that　Rawdon　was　making　a　victim　of　him　as　he　had
done　of　many　before；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　used　him
would　fling　him　off　with　scorn？　　He　would　not　listen：　　and
so；　as　Dobbin；　upon　those　days　when　he　visited　the
0sborne　house；　seldom　had　the　advantage　of　meeting　his
old　friend；　much　painful　and　unavailing　talk　between
them　was　spared。　　Our　friend　George　was　in　the　full　career
of　the　pleasures　of　Vanity　Fair。
There　never　was；　since　the　days　of　Darius；　such　a　brilliant
train　of　camp…followers　as　hung　round　the　Duke　of
Wellington's　army　in　the　Low　Countries；　in　1815；　and
led　it　dancing　and　feasting；　as　it　were；　up　to　the　very
brink　of　battle。　　A　certain　ball　which　a　noble　Duchess
gave　at　Brussels　on　the　15th　of　June　in　the　above…named
year　is　historical。　　All　Brussels　had　been　in　a　state　of
excitement　about　it；　and　I　have　heard　from　ladies　who
were　in　that　town　at　the　period；　that　the　talk　and　interest
of　persons　of　their　own　sex　regarding　the　ball　was　much
greater　even　than　in　respect　of　the　enemy　in　their　front。
The　struggles；　intrigues；　and　prayers　to　get　tickets　were
such　as　only　English　ladies　will　employ；　in　order　to　gain
admission　to　the　society　of　the　great　of　their　own　nation。
Jos　and　Mrs。　O'Dowd；　who　were　panting　to　be　asked；
strove　in　vain　to　procure　tickets；　but　others　of　our　friends
were　more　lucky。　　For　instance；　through　the　interest　of
my　Lord　Bareacres；　and　as　a　set…off　for　the　dinner　at　the
restaurateur's；　George　got　a　card　for　Captain　and　Mrs。
Osborne；　which　circumstance　greatly　elated　him。　　Dobbin；
who　was　a　friend　of　the　General　commanding　the　division
in　which　their　regiment　was；　came　laughing　one
day　to　Mrs。　Osborne；　and　displayed　a　similar　invitation；
which　made　Jos　envious；　and　George　wonder　how　the
deuce　he　should　be　getting　into　society。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。
Rawdon；　finally；　were　of　course　invited；　as　became　the
friends　of　a　General　commanding　a　cavalry　brigade。
On　the　appointed　night；　George；　having　commanded
new　dresses　and　ornaments　of　all　sorts　for　Amelia；　drove
to　the　famous　ball；　where　his　wife　did　not　know　a　single
soul。　　After　looking　about　for　Lady　Bareacres；　who　cut
him；　thinking　the　card　was　quite　enoughand　after
placing　Amelia　on　a　bench；　he　left　her　to　her　own
cogitations　there；　thinking；　on　his　own　part；　that　he　had
behaved　very　handsomely　in　getting　her　new　clothes；　and
bringing　her　to　the　ball；　where　she　was　free　to　amuse
herself　as　she　liked。　　Her　thoughts　were　not　of　the
pleasantest；　and　nobody　except　honest　Dobbin　came　to
disturb　them。
Whilst　her　appearance　was　an　utter　failure　（as　her
husband　felt　with　a　sort　of　rage）；　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley's
debut　was；　on　the　contrary；　very　brilliant。　　She　arrived
very　late。　　Her　face　was　radiant；　her　dress　perfection。　　In
the　midst　of　the　great　persons　assembled；　and　the　eye…
glasses　directed　to　her；　Rebecca　seemed　to　be　as　cool
and　collected　as　when　she　used　to　marshal　Miss　Pinkerton's
little　girls　to　church。　　Numbers　of　the　men　she　knew
already；　and　the　dandies　thronged　round　her。　　As　for　the
ladies；　it　was　whispered　among　them　that　Rawdon　had
run　away　with　her　from　out　of　a　convent；　and　that　she
was　a　relation　of　the　Montmorency　family。　　She　spoke
French　so　perfectly　that　there　might　be　some　truth　in
this　report；　and　it　was　agreed　that　her　manners　were
fine；　and　her　air　distingue。　　Fifty　would…be　partners
thronged　round　her　at　once；　and　pressed　to　have　the
honour　to　dance　with　her。　　But　she　said　she　was　engaged；
and　only　going　to　dance　very　little；　and　made　her　way　at
once　to　the　place　where　Emmy　sate　quite　unnoticed；　and
dismally　unhappy。　　And　so；　to　finish　the　poor　child　at
once；　Mrs。　Rawdon　ran　and　greeted　affectionately　her
dearest　Amelia；　and　began　forthwith　to　patronise　her。
She　found　fault　with　her　friend's　dress；　and　her
hairdresser；　and　wondered　how　she　could　be　so　chaussee；
and　vowed　that　she　must　send　her　corsetiere　the　next
morning。　　She　vowed　that　it　was　a　delightful　ball；　that
there　was　everybody　that　every　one　knew；　and　only　a
VERY　few　nobodies　in　the　whole　room。　　It　is　a　fact；　that
in　a　fortnight；　and　after　three　dinners　in　general　society；
this　young　woman　had　got　up　the　genteel　jargon　so　well；
that　a　native　could　not　speak　it　bet