vanity fair(名利场)-第98节

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her　niece；　more　fond　and　terrified　every　day。　　Peace　to
thee；　kind　and　selfish；　vain　and　generous　old　heathen！
We　shall　see　thee　no　more。　　Let　us　hope　that　Lady　Jane
supported　her　kindly；　and　led　her　with　gentle　hand　out
of　the　busy　struggle　of　Vanity　Fair。

CHAPTER　XXXV
Widow　and　Mother
The　news　of　the　great　fights　of　Quatre　Bras　and　Waterloo
reached　England　at　the　same　time。　　The　Gazette　first
published　the　result　of　the　two　battles；　at　which　glorious
intelligence　all　England　thrilled　with　triumph　and　fear。
Particulars　then　followed；　and　after　the　announcement　of
the　victories　came　the　list　of　the　wounded　and　the　slain。
Who　can　tell　the　dread　with　which　that　catalogue　was
opened　and　read！　　Fancy；　at　every　village　and　homestead
almost　through　the　three　kingdoms；　the　great　news
coming　of　the　battles　in　Flanders；　and　the　feelings　of
exultation　and　gratitude；　bereavement　and　sickening　dismay；
when　the　lists　of　the　regimental　losses　were　gone　through；
and　it　became　known　whether　the　dear　friend　and　relative
had　escaped　or　fallen。　　Anybody　who　will　take　the　trouble
of　looking　back　to　a　file　of　the　newspapers　of　the
time；　must；　even　now；　feel　at　second…hand　this　breathless
pause　of　expectation。　　The　lists　of　casualties　are　carried
on　from　day　to　day：　　you　stop　in　the　midst　as　in　a　story
which　is　to　be　continued　in　our　next。　　Think　what　the
feelings　must　have　been　as　those　papers　followed　each
other　fresh　from　the　press；　and　if　such　an　interest　could
be　felt　in　our　country；　and　about　a　battle　where　but
twenty　thousand　of　our　people　were　engaged；　think　of
the　condition　of　Europe　for　twenty　years　before；　where
people　were　fighting；　not　by　thousands；　but　by　millions；
each　one　of　whom　as　he　struck　his　enemy　wounded
horribly　some　other　innocent　heart　far　away。
The　news　which　that　famous　Gazette　brought　to　the
Osbornes　gave　a　dreadful　shock　to　the　family　and　its　chief。
The　girls　indulged　unrestrained　in　their　grief。　　The
gloom…stricken　old　father　was　still　more　borne　down　by　his　fate
and　sorrow。　　He　strove　to　think　that　a　judgment　was　on
the　boy　for　his　disobedience。　　He　dared　not　own　that　the
severity　of　the　sentence　frightened　him；　and　that　its
fulfilment　had　come　too　soon　upon　his　curses。　　Sometimes　a
shuddering　terror　struck　him；　as　if　he　had　been　the　author
of　the　doom　which　he　had　called　down　on　his　son。　　There
was　a　chance　before　of　reconciliation。　　The　boy's　wife
might　have　died；　or　he　might　have　come　back　and　said；
Father　I　have　sinned。　　But　there　was　no　hope　now。　　He
stood　on　the　other　side　of　the　gulf　impassable；　haunting
his　parent　with　sad　eyes。　　He　remembered　them　once
before　so　in　a　fever；　when　every　one　thought　the　lad　was
dying；　and　he　lay　on　his　bed　speechless；　and　gazing　with　a
dreadful　gloom。　　Good　God！　how　the　father　clung　to　the
doctor　then；　and　with　what　a　sickening　anxiety　he
followed　him：　　what　a　weight　of　grief　was　off　his　mind　when；
after　the　crisis　of　the　fever；　the　lad　recovered；　and　looked
at　his　father　once　more　with　eyes　that　recognised　him。
But　now　there　was　no　help　or　cure；　or　chance　of
reconcilement：　　above　all；　there　were　no　humble　words　to
soothe　vanity　outraged　and　furious；　or　bring　to　its　natural
flow　the　poisoned；　angry　blood。　　And　it　is　hard　to　say
which　pang　it　was　that　tore　the　proud　father's　heart　most
keenlythat　his　son　should　have　gone　out　of　the　reach
of　his　forgiveness；　or　that　the　apology　which　his　own
pride　expected　should　have　escaped　him。
Whatever　his　sensations　might　have　been；　however；　the
stem　old　man　would　have　no　confidant。　　He　never
mentioned　his　son's　name　to　his　daughters；　but　ordered　the
elder　to　place　all　the　females　of　the　establishment　in
mourning；　and　desired　that　the　male　servants　should　be
similarly　attired　in　deep　black。　　All　parties　and　entertainments；
of　course；　were　to　be　put　off。　　No　communications
were　made　to　his　future　son…in…law；　whose　marriage…day
had　been　fixed：　　but　there　was　enough　in　Mr。　Osborne's
appearance　to　prevent　Mr。　Bullock　from　making　any
inquiries；　or　in　any　way　pressing　forward　that　ceremony。
He　and　the　ladies　whispered　about　it　under　their　voices
in　the　drawing…room　sometimes；　whither　the　father　never
came。　　He　remained　constantly　in　his　own　study；　the
whole　front　part　of　the　house　being　closed　until　some
time　after　the　completion　of　the　general　mourning。
About　three　weeks　after　the　18th　of　June；　Mr。
Osborne's　acquaintance；　Sir　William　Dobbin；　called　at　Mr。
Osborne's　house　in　Russell　Square；　with　a　very　pale　and
agitated　face；　and　insisted　upon　seeing　that　gentleman。
Ushered　into　his　room；　and　after　a　few　words；　which
neither　the　speaker　nor　the　host　understood；　the　former
produced　from　an　inclosure　a　letter　sealed　with　a　large
red　seal。　　〃My　son；　Major　Dobbin；〃　the　Alderman　said；
with　some　hesitation；　〃despatched　me　a　letter　by　an
officer　of　the　th；　who　arrived　in　town　to…day。　　My　son's
letter　contains　one　for　you；　Osborne。〃　The　Alderman
placed　the　letter　on　the　table；　and　Osborne　stared　at　him
for　a　moment　or　two　in　silence。　　His　looks　frightened　the
ambassador；　who　after　looking　guiltily　for　a　little　time　at
the　grief…stricken　man；　hurried　away　without　another
word。
The　letter　was　in　George's　well…known　bold　handwriting。
It　was　that　one　which　he　had　written　before　daybreak
on　the　16th　of　June；　and　just　before　he　took　leave
of　Amelia。　　The　great　red　seal　was　emblazoned　with　the
sham　coat　of　arms　which　Osborne　had　assumed　from
the　Peerage；　with　〃Pax　in　bello〃　for　a　motto；　that　of　the
ducal　house　with　which　the　vain　old　man　tried　to　fancy
himself　connected。　　The　hand　that　signed　it　would　never
hold　pen　or　sword　more。　　The　very　seal　that　sealed　it
had　been　robbed　from　George's　dead　body　as　it　lay　on　the
field　of　battle。　　The　father　knew　nothing　of　this；　but　sat　and
looked　at　the　letter　in　terrified　vacancy。　　He　almost　fell
when　he　went　to　open　it。
Have　you　ever　had　a　difference　with　a　dear　friend？
How　his　letters；　written　in　the　period　of　love　and
confidence；　sicken　and　rebuke　you！　　What　a　dreary　mourning
it　is　to　dwell　upon　those　vehement　protests　of　dead
affection！　　What　lying　epitaphs　they　make　over　the　corpse　of
love！　　What　dark；　cruel　comments　upon　Life　and　Vanities！
Most　of　us　have　got　or　written　drawers　full　of　them。
They　are　closet…skeletons　which　we　keep　and　shun。
Osborne　trembled　long　before　the　letter　from　his　dead
son。
The　poor　boy's　letter　did　not　say　much。　　He　had　been
too　proud　to　acknowledge　the　tenderness　which　his　heart
felt。　　He　only　said；　that　on　the　eve　of　a　great　battle；　he
wished　to　bid　his　father　farewell；　and　solemnly　to　implore
his　good　offices　for　the　wifeit　might　be　for　the　child
whom　he　left　behind　him。　　He　owned　with　contrition　that
his　irregularities　and　his　extravagance　had　already　wasted
a　large　part　of　his　mother's　little　fortune。　　He　thanked　his
father　for　his　former　generous　conduct；　and　he　promised
him　that　if　he　fell　on　the　field　or　survived　it；　he　would
act　in　a　manner　worthy　of　the　name　of　George　Osborne。
His　English　habit；　pride；　awkwardness　perhaps；　had
prevented　him　from　saying　more。　　His　father　could　not
see　the　kiss　George　had　placed　on　the　superscription　of
his　letter。　　Mr。　Osborne　dropped　it　with　the　bitterest；
deadliest　pang　of　balked　affection　and　revenge。　　His　son
was　still　beloved　and　unforgiven。
About　two　months　afterwards；　however；　as　the　young
ladies　of　the　family　went　to　church　with　their　father；　they
remarked　how　he　took　a　different　seat　from　that　which
he　usually　occupied　when　he　chose　to　attend　divine
worship；　and　that　from　his　cushion　opposite；　he　looked　up　at
the　wall　over　their　heads。　　This　caused　the　young　women
likewise　to　gaze　in　the　direction　towards　which　their
father's　gloomy　eyes　pointed：　　and　they　saw　an　elaborate
monument　upon　the　wall；　where　Britannia　was　represented
weeping　over　an　urn；　and　a　broken　sword　and　a
couchant　lion　indicated　that　the　piece　of　sculpture　had
been　erected　in　honour　of　a　deceased　warrior。　　The
sculptors　of　those　days　had　stocks　of　such　funereal
emblems　in　hand；　as　you　may　see　still　on　the　walls　of　St。
Paul's；　which　are　covered　with　hundreds　of　these
braggart　heathen　allegories。　　There　was　a　constant　demand
for　them　during　the　first　fifteen　years　of　the　present
century。
Under　the　memorial　in　question　were　emblazoned　the
well…known　and　pompous　Osborne　arms；　and　the
inscription　said；　that　the　monument　was　〃Sacred　to　the
memory　of　George　Osborne；　Junior；　Esq。；　late　a　Captain
in　his　Majesty's　th　regiment　of　foot；　who　fell　on　the
18th　of　June；　1815；　aged　28　years；　while　fighting　for　his
king　and　country　in　the　glorious　victory　of　Waterloo。
Dulce　et　decorum　est　pro　patria　mori。〃
The　sight　of　that　stone　agitated　the　nerves　of　the
sisters　so　much；　that　Miss　Maria　was　compelled　to　leave
the　church。　　The　congregation　made　way　respectfully　for
those　sobbing　girls　clothed　in　deep　black；　and　pitied　the
stern　old　father　seated　opposite　the　memorial　of　the　dead
soldier。　　〃Will　he　forgive　Mrs。　George？〃　the　girls　said　to
themselves　as　soon　as　their　ebullition　of　grief　was　over。
Much　conversation　passed　too　among　the　acquaintances
of　the　Osborne　family；　who　knew　of　the　rupture　between
the　son　and　father　caused　by　the