vanity fair(名利场)-第11节

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considered　that　the　selling　of　goods　by　retail　is　a　shameful
and　infamous　practice；　meriting　the　contempt　and　scorn
of　all　real　gentlemen。
〃Your　father's　only　a　merchant；　Osborne；〃　Dobbin　said
in　private　to　the　little　boy　who　had　brought　down　the
storm　upon　him。　　At　which　the　latter　replied　haughtily；
〃My　father's　a　gentleman；　and　keeps　his　carriage〃；　and
Mr。　William　Dobbin　retreated　to　a　remote　outhouse　in
the　playground；　where　he　passed　a　half…holiday　in　the
bitterest　sadness　and　woe。　　Who　amongst　us　is　there　that
does　not　recollect　similar　hours　of　bitter；　bitter　childish
grief？　Who　feels　injustice；　who　shrinks　before　a　slight；
who　has　a　sense　of　wrong　so　acute；　and　so　glowing　a
gratitude　for　kindness；　as　a　generous　boy？　and　how　many
of　those　gentle　souls　do　you　degrade；　estrange；　torture；
for　the　sake　of　a　little　loose　arithmetic；　and　miserable
dog…latin？
Now；　William　Dobbin；　from　an　incapacity　to　acquire
the　rudiments　of　the　above　language；　as　they　are
propounded　in　that　wonderful　book　the　Eton　Latin　Grammar；
was　compelled　to　remain　among　the　very　last　of　Doctor
Swishtail's　scholars；　and　was　〃taken　down〃　continually　by
little　fellows　with　pink　faces　and　pinafores　when　he
marched　up　with　the　lower　form；　a　giant　amongst　them；
with　his　downcast；　stupefied　look；　his　dog's…eared　primer；
and　his　tight　corduroys。　　High　and　low；　all　made　fun　of
him。　　They　sewed　up　those　corduroys；　tight　as　they　were。
They　cut　his　bed…strings。　　They　upset　buckets　and　benches；
so　that　he　might　break　his　shins　over　them；　which　he
never　failed　to　do。　　They　sent　him　parcels；　which；　when　
opened；　were　found　to　contain　the　paternal　soap　and
candles。　　There　was　no　little　fellow　but　had　his　jeer　and
joke　at　Dobbin；　and　he　bore　everything　quite　patiently；
and　was　entirely　dumb　and　miserable。
Cuff；　on　the　contrary；　was　the　great　chief　and　dandy　of
the　Swishtail　Seminary。　　He　smuggled　wine　in。　　He　fought
the　town…boys。　　Ponies　used　to　come　for　him　to　ride　home
on　Saturdays。　　He　had　his　top…boots　in　his　room；　in　which
he　used　to　hunt　in　the　holidays。　　He　had　a　gold　repeater：
and　took　snuff　like　the　Doctor。　　He　had　been　to　the　Opera；
and　knew　the　merits　of　the　principal　actors；　preferring
Mr。　Kean　to　Mr。　Kemble。　　He　could　knock　you　off　forty
Latin　verses　in　an　hour。　　He　could　make　French　poetry。
What　else　didn't　he　know；　or　couldn't　he　do？　They　said
even　the　Doctor　himself　was　afraid　of　him。
Cuff；　the　unquestioned　king　of　the　school；　ruled　over
his　subjects；　and　bullied　them；　with　splendid　superiority。
This　one　blacked　his　shoes：　that　toasted　his　bread；　others
would　fag　out；　and　give　him　balls　at　cricket　during　whole
summer　afternoons。　　〃Figs〃　was　the　fellow　whom　he
despised　most；　and　with　whom；　though　always　abusing　him；
and　sneering　at　him；　he　scarcely　ever　condescended　to
hold　personal　communication。
One　day　in　private；　the　two　young　gentlemen　had　had
a　difference。　　Figs；　alone　in　the　schoolroom；　was
blundering　over　a　home　letter；　when　Cuff；　entering；
bade　him　go　upon　some　message；　of　which　tarts　were
probably　the　subject。
〃I　can't；〃　says　Dobbin；　〃I　want　to　finish　my　letter。〃
〃You　CAN'T？〃　says　Mr。　Cuff；　laying　hold　of　that
document　（in　which　many　words　were　scratched　out；
many　were　mis…spelt；　on　which　had　been　spent　I　don't
know　how　much　thought；　and　labour；　and　tears；　for　the
poor　fellow　was　writing　to　his　mother；　who　was　fond　of
him；　although　she　was　a　grocer's　wife；　and　lived　in　a　back
parlour　in　Thames　Street）。　　〃You　CAN'T？〃　says　Mr。　Cuff：
〃I　should　like　to　know　why；　pray？　Can't　you　write　to　old
Mother　Figs　to…morrow？〃
〃Don't　call　names；〃　Dobbin　said；　getting　off　the　bench
very　nervous。
〃Well；　sir；　will　you　go？〃　crowed　the　cock　of　the　school。
〃Put　down　the　letter；〃　Dobbin　replied；　〃no　gentleman
readth　letterth。〃
〃Well；　NOW　will　you　go？〃　says　the　other。
〃No；　I　won't。　　Don't　strike；　or　I'll　THMASH　you；〃　roars
out　Dobbin；　springing　to　a　leaden　inkstand；　and　looking
so　wicked；　that　Mr。　Cuff　paused；　turned　down　his　coat
sleeves　again；　put　his　hands　into　his　pockets；　and　walked
away　with　a　sneer。　　But　he　never　meddled。personally　with
the　grocer's　boy　after　that；　though　we　must　do　him　the
justice　to　say　he　always　spoke　of　Mr。　Dobbin　with　con…
tempt　behind　his　back。
Some　time　after　this　interview；　it　happened　that　Mr。
Cuff；　on　a　sunshiny　afternoon；　was　in　the　neighbourhood
of　poor　William　Dobbin；　who　was　lying　under　a　tree　in
the　playground；　spelling　over　a　favourite　copy　of　the
Arabian　Nights　which　he　had　apart　from　the　rest　of　the
school；　who　were　pursuing　their　various　sportsquite
lonely；　and　almost　happy。　　If　people　would　but　leave
children　to　themselves；　if　teachers　would　cease　to　bully
them；　if　parents　would　not　insist　upon　directing　their
thoughts；　and　dominating　their　feelingsthose　feelings
and　thoughts　which　are　a　mystery　to　all　（for　how　much
do　you　and　I　know　of　each　other；　of　our　children；　of　our
fathers；　of　our　neighbour；　and　how　far　more　beautiful　and
sacred　are　the　thoughts　of　the　poor　lad　or　girl　whom　you
govern　likely　to　be；　than　those　of　the　dull　and　world…
corrupted　person　who　rules　him？）if；　I　say；　parents　and
masters　would　leave　their　children　alone　a　little　more；
small　harm　would　accrue；　although　a　less　quantity　of
as　in　praesenti　might　be　acquired。
Well；　William　Dobbin　had　for　once　forgotten　the　world；
and　was　away　with　Sindbad　the　Sailor　in　the　Valley　of
Diamonds；　or　with　Prince　Ahmed　and　the　Fairy　Peribanou
in　that　delightful　cavern　where　the　Prince　found　her；　and
whither　we　should　all　like　to　make　a　tour；　when　shrill
cries；　as　of　a　little　fellow　weeping；　woke　up　his　pleasant
reverie；　and　looking　up；　he　saw　Cuff　before　him；
belabouring　a　little　boy。
It　was　the　lad　who　had　peached　upon　him　about　the
grocer's　cart；　but　he　bore　little　malice；　not　at　least
towards　the　young　and　small。　　〃How　dare　you；　sir；　break
the　bottle？〃　says　Cuff　to　the　little　urchin；　swinging　a
yellow　cricket…stump　over　him。
The　boy　had　been　instructed　to　get　over　the　playground
wall　（at　a　selected　spot　where　the　broken　glass　had　been
removed　from　the　top；　and　niches　made　convenient　in
the　brick）；　to　run　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　to　purchase　a　pint
of　rum…shrub　on　credit；　to　brave　all　the　Doctor's　outlying
spies；　and　to　clamber　back　into　the　playground　again；
during　the　performance　of　which　feat；　his　foot　had　slipt；
and　the　bottle　was　broken；　and　the　shrub　had　been　spilt；
and　his　pantaloons　had　been　damaged；　and　he　appeared
before　his　employer　a　perfectly　guilty　and　trembling；
though　harmless；　wretch。
〃How　dare　you；　sir；　break　it？〃　says　Cuff；　〃you　blundering
little　thief。　　You　drank　the　shrub；　and　now　you　pretend
to　have　broken　the　bottle。　　Hold　out　your　hand；　sir。〃
Down　came　the　stump　with　a　great　heavy　thump　on
the　child's　hand。　　A　moan　followed。　　Dobbin　looked　up。
The　Fairy　Peribanou　had　fled　into　the　inmost　cavern
with　Prince　Ahmed：　the　Roc　had　whisked　away　Sindbad
the　Sailor　out　of　the　Valley　of　Diamonds　out　of　sight；　far
into　the　clouds：　and　there　was　everyday　life　before
honest　William；　and　a　big　boy　beating　a　little　one
without　cause。
〃Hold　out　your　other　hand；　sir；〃　roars　Cuff　to　his　little
schoolfellow；　whose　face　was　distorted　with　pain。
Dobbin　quivered；　and　gathered　himself　up　in　his　narrow　old
clothes。
〃Take　that；　you　little　devil！〃　cried　Mr。　Cuff；　and　down
came　the　wicket　again　on　the　child's　hand。Don't　be
horrified；　ladies；　every　boy　at　a　public　school　has　done　it。
Your　children　will　so　do　and　be　done　by；　in　all
probability。　　Down　came　the　wicket　again；　and　Dobbin
started　up。
　　
I　can't　tell　what　his　motive　was。　　Torture　in　a　public
school　is　as　much　licensed　as　the　knout　in　Russia。　　It
would　be　ungentlemanlike　（in　a　manner）　to　resist　it。
Perhaps　Dobbin's　foolish　soul　revolted　against　that　exercise
of　tyranny；　or　perhaps　he　had　a　hankering　feeling　of
revenge　in　his　mind；　and　longed　to　measure　himself
against　that　splendid　bully　and　tyrant；　who　had　all　the
glory；　pride；　pomp；　circumstance；　banners　flying；　drums
beating；　guards　saluting；　in　the　place。　　Whatever　may　have
been　his　incentive；　however；　up　he　sprang；　and　screamed
out；　〃Hold　off；　Cuff；　don't　bully　that　child　any　more；　or
I'll〃
〃Or　you'll　what？〃　Cuff　asked　in　amazement　at　this
interruption。　　〃Hold　out　your　hand；　you　little　beast。〃
〃I'll　give　you　the　worst　thrashing　you　ever　had　in　your
life；〃　Dobbin　said；　in　reply　to　the　first　part　of　Cuff's
sentence；　and　little　Osborne；　gasping　and　in　tears；　looked
up　with　wonder　and　incredulity　at　seeing　this　amazing
champion　put　up　suddenly　to　defend　him：　while　Cuff's
astonishment　was　scarcely　less。　　Fancy　our　late　monarch
George　III　when　he　heard　of　the　revolt　of　the　North
American　colonies：　fancy　brazen　Goliath　when　little
David　stepped　forward　and　claimed　a　meeting；　and　you
have　the　feelings　of　Mr。　Reginald　Cuff　when　this
rencontre　was　proposed　to　him。
〃After　school；〃　says　he；　of　course；　after　a　pause　and　a
look；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Make　your　will；　and
communicate　your　last　wishes　to　your　friends
between　this　time　and　that。〃
〃As　you　please；〃　Dobbin　said。　　〃You　must　be　my　bottle
holder；　Osborne。〃
〃Well；　if　you　like；〃　little　Osborne　replied；　for　you　see
his　papa　kept　a　carriage；　and　he　was　rather　asham