vanity fair(名利场)-第79节

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that　black　gulf。　　Who　has　not　remarked　the　readiness　with
which　the　closest　of　friends　and　honestest　of　men　suspect
and　accuse　each　other　of　cheating　when　they　fall　out
on　money　matters？　Everybody　does　it。　　Everybody　is　right；
I　suppose；　and　the　world　is　a　rogue。
Then　Osborne　had　the　intolerable　sense　of　former
benefits　to　goad　and　irritate　him：　these　are　always　a
cause　of　hostility　aggravated。　　Finally；　he　had　to　break　off
the　match　between　Sedley's　daughter　and　his　son；　and
as　it　had　gone　very　far　indeed；　and　as　the　poor　girl's
happiness　and　perhaps　character　were　compromised；　it　was
necessary　to　show　the　strongest　reasons　for　the　rupture；
and　for　John　Osborne　to　prove　John　Sedley　to　be　a　very
bad　character　indeed。
At　the　meetings　of　creditors；　then；　he　comported　himself
with　a　savageness　and　scorn　towards　Sedley；　which
almost　succeeded　in　breaking　the　heart　of　that　ruined
bankrupt　man。　　On　George's　intercourse　with　Amelia　he
put　an　instant　vetomenacing　the　youth　with　maledictions
if　he　broke　his　commands；　and　vilipending　the
poor　innocent　girl　as　the　basest　and　most　artful　of　vixens。
One　of　the　great　conditions　of　anger　and　hatred　is；　that
you　must　tell　and　believe　lies　against　the　hated　object；　in
order；　as　we　said；　to　be　consistent。
When　the　great　crash　camethe　announcement　of
ruin；　and　the　departure　from　Russell　Square；　and　the
declaration　that　all　was　over　between　her　and　Georgeall
over　between　her　and　love；　her　and　happiness；　her　and
faith　in　the　worlda　brutal　letter　from　John　Osborne
told　her　in　a　few　curt　lines　that　her　father's　conduct　had
been　of　such　a　nature　that　all　engagements　between　the
families　were　at　an　endwhen　the　final　award　came；　it
did　not　shock　her　so　much　as　her　parents；　as　her　mother
rather　expected　（for　John　Sedley　himself　was　entirely
prostrate　in　the　ruins　of　his　own　affairs　and　shattered
honour）。　　Amelia　took　the　news　very　palely　and　calmly。
It　was　only　the　confirmation　of　the　dark　presages　which
had　long　gone　before。　　It　was　the　mere　reading　of　the
sentenceof　the　crime　she　had　long　ago　been　guiltythe
crime　of　loving　wrongly；　too　violently；　against　reason。
She　told　no　more　of　her　thoughts　now　than　she　had
before。　　She　seemed　scarcely　more　unhappy　now　when
convinced　all　hope　was　over；　than　before　when　she　felt　but
dared　not　confess　that　it　was　gone。　　So　she　changed　from
the　large　house　to　the　small　one　without　any　mark　or
difference；　remained　in　her　little　room　for　the　most　part；
pined　silently；　and　died　away　day　by　day。　　I　do　not　mean
to　say　that　all　females　are　so。　　My　dear　Miss　Bullock；　I
do　not　think　your　heart　would　break　in　this　way。　　You　are
a　strong…minded　young　woman　with　proper　principles。
I　do　not　venture　to　say　that　mine　would；　it　has　suffered；
and；　it　must　be　confessed；　survived。　　But　there　are　some
souls　thus　gently　constituted；　thus　frail；　and　delicate；　and
tender。
Whenever　old　John　Sedley　thought　of　the　affair
between　George　and　Amelia；　or　alluded　to　it；　it　was　with
bitterness　almost　as　great　as　Mr。　Osborne　himself　had
shown。　　He　cursed　Osborne　and　his　family　as　heartless；
wicked；　and　ungrateful。　　No　power　on　earth；　he　swore；
would　induce　him　to　marry　his　daughter　to　the　son　of
such　a　villain；　and　he　ordered　Emmy　to　banish　George
from　her　mind；　and　to　return　all　the　presents　and　letters
which　she　had　ever　had　from　him。
She　promised　acquiescence；　and　tried　to　obey。　　She　put
up　the　two　or　three　trinkets：　and；　as　for　the　letters；　she
drew　them　out　of　the　place。where　she　kept　them；　and
read　them　overas　if　she　did　not　know　them　by　heart
already：　but　she　could　not　part　with　them。　　That　effort
was　too　much　for　her；　she　placed　them　back　in　her
bosom　againas　you　have　seen　a　woman　nurse　a　child
that　is　dead。　　Young　Amelia　felt　that　she　would　die　or　lose
her　senses　outright；　if　torn　away　from　this　last　consolation。
How　she　used　to　blush　and　lighten　up　when　those
letters　came！　　How　she　used　to　trip　away　with　a　beating
heart；　so　that　she　might　read　unseen！　　If　they　were　cold；
yet　how　perversely　this　fond　little　soul　interpreted　them
into　warmth。　　If　they　were　short　or　selfish；　what　excuses
she　found　for　the　writer！
It　was　over　these　few　worthless　papers　that　she　brooded
and　brooded。　　She　lived　in　her　past　lifeevery　letter
seemed　to　recall　some　circumstance　of　it。　　How　well　she
remembered　them　all！　　His　looks　and　tones；　his　dress；
what　he　said　and　howthese　relics　and　remembrances
of　dead　affection　were　all　that　were　left　her　in　the　world。
And　the　business　of　her　life；　wasto　watch　the　corpse
of　Love。
To　death　she　looked　with　inexpressible　longing。　　Then；
she　thought；　I　shall　always　be　able　to　follow　him。　　I　am　not
praising　her　conduct　or　setting　her　up　as　a　model　for
Miss　Bullock　to　imitate。　　Miss　B。　knows　how　to　regulate
her　feelings　better　than　this　poor　little　creature。　　Miss　B。
would　never　have　committed　herself　as　that　imprudent
Amelia　had　done；　pledged　her　love　irretrievably；
confessed　her　heart　away；　and　got　back　nothingonly　a
brittle　promise　which　was　snapt　and　worthless　in　a
moment。　　A　long　engagement　is　a　partnership　which　one
party　is　free　to　keep　or　to　break；　but　which　involves　all
the　capital　of　the　other。
Be　cautious　then；　young　ladies；　be　wary　how　you
engage。　　Be　shy　of　loving　frankly；　never　tell　all　you　feel；　or
（a　better　way　still）；　feel　very　little。　　See　the　consequences
of　being　prematurely　honest　and　confiding；　and　mistrust
yourselves　and　everybody。　　Get　yourselves　married　as　they
do　in　France；　where　the　lawyers　are　the　bridesmaids　and
confidantes。　　At　any　rate；　never　have　any　feelings　which
may　make　you　uncomfortable；　or　make　any　promises
which　you　cannot　at　any　required　moment　command　and
withdraw。　　That　is　the　way　to　get　on；　and　be　respected；
and　have　a　virtuous　character　in　Vanity　Fair。
If　Amelia　could　have　heard　the　comments　regarding
her　which　were　made　in　the　circle　from　which　her　father's
ruin　had　just　driven　her；　she　would　have　seen　what　her
own　crimes　were；　and　how　entirely　her　character　was
jeopardised。　　Such　criminal　imprudence　Mrs。　Smith　never
knew　of；　such　horrid　familiarities　Mrs。　Brown　had
always　condemned；　and　the　end　might　be　a　warning　to　HER
daughters。　　〃Captain　Osborne；　of　course；　could　not　marry
a　bankrupt's　daughter；〃　the　Misses　Dobbin　said。　　〃It　was
quite　enough　to　have　been　swindled　by　the　father。　　As　for
that　little　Amelia；　her　folly　had　really　passed　all〃
〃All　what？〃　Captain　Dobbin　roared　out。　　〃Haven't　they
been　engaged　ever　since　they　were　children？　　Wasn't　it
as　good　as　a　marriage？　　Dare　any　soul　on　earth　breathe　a
word　against　the　sweetest；　the　purest；　the　tenderest；　the
most　angelical　of　young　women？〃
〃La；　William；　don't　be　so　highty…tighty　with　US。　　We're
not　men。　　We　can't　fight　you；〃　Miss　Jane　said。　　〃We've　said
nothing　against　Miss　Sedley：　but　that　her　conduct
throughout　was　MOST　IMPRUDENT；　not　to　call　it　by　any
worse　name；　and　that　her　parents　are　people　who
certainly　merit　their　misfortunes。〃
〃Hadn't　you　better；　now　that　Miss　Sedley　is　free；
propose　for　her　yourself；　William？〃　Miss　Ann　asked
sarcastically。　　〃It　would　be　a　most　eligible　family
connection。　　He！　　he！〃
〃I　marry　her！〃　Dobbin　said；　blushing　very　much；　and
talking　quick。　　〃If　you　are　so　ready；　young　ladies；　to　chop
and　change；　do　you　suppose　that　she　is？　　Laugh　and　sneer
at　that　angel。　　She　can't　hear　it；　and　she's　miserable　and
unfortunate；　and　deserves　to　be　laughed　at。　　Go　on
joking；　Ann。　　You're　the　wit　of　the　family；　and　the　others
like　to　hear　it。〃
〃I　must　tell　you　again　we're　not　in　a　barrack；　William；〃
Miss　Ann　remarked。
〃In　a　barrack；　by　JoveI　wish　anybody　in　a　barrack
would　say　what　you　do；〃　cried　out　this　uproused　British
lion。　　〃I　should　like　to　hear　a　man　breathe　a　word　against
her；　by　Jupiter。　　But　men　don't　talk　in　this　way；　Ann：　it's
only　women；　who　get　together　and　hiss；　and　shriek；　and
cackle。　　There；　get　awaydon't　begin　to　cry。　　I　only　said
you　were　a　couple　of　geese；〃　Will　Dobbin　said；　perceiving
Miss　Ann's　pink　eyes　were　beginning　to　moisten　as
usual。　　〃Well；　you're　not　geese；　you're　swansanything
you　like；　only　do；　do　leave　Miss　Sedley　alone。〃
Anything　like　William's　infatuation　about　that　silly　little
flirting；　ogling　thing　was　never　known；　the　mamma
and　sisters　agreed　together　in　thinking：　and　they　trembled
lest；　her　engagement　being　off　with　Osborne；　she　should
take　up　immediately　her　other　admirer　and　Captain。
In　which　forebodings　these　worthy　young　women　no
doubt　judged　according　to　the　best　of　their　experience；　or
rather　（for　as　yet　they　had　had　no　opportunities　of
marrying　or　of　jilting）　according　to　their　own　notions　of
right　and　wrong。
〃It　is　a　mercy；　Mamma；　that　the　regiment　is　ordered
abroad；〃　the　girls　said。　　〃THIS　danger；　at　any　rate；　is
spared　our　brother。〃
Such；　indeed；　was　the　fact；　and　so　it　is　that　the　French
Emperor　comes　in　to　perform　a　part　in　this　domestic
comedy　of　Vanity　Fair　which　we　are　now　playing；　and
which　would　never　have　been　enacted　without　the
intervention　of　this　august　mute　personage。　　It　was　he
that　ruined　the　Bourbons　and　Mr。　John　Sedley。　　It　was
he　whose　arrival　in　his　capital　called　up　all　France　in
arms　to　defend　him　there；　and　all　Europe　to　oust　him。
While　t