vanity fair(名利场)-第129节

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of　the　beautiful　little　boy；　her　brother's　son；　whom　she
had　seen。　　She　longed　to　be　allowed　to　drive　in　the　fine
carriage　to　the　house　in　which　he　lived；　and　she　used
to　look　out　day　after　day　as　she　took　her　solitary　drive
in　the　park；　in　hopes　that　she　might　see　him。　　Her　sister；
the　banker's　lady；　occasionally　condescended　to　pay　her
old　home　and　companion　a　visit　in　Russell　Square。　　She
brought　a　couple　of　sickly　children　attended　by　a　prim
nurse；　and　in　a　faint　genteel　giggling　tone　cackled　to　her
sister　about　her　fine　acquaintance；　and　how　her　little
Frederick　was　the　image　of　Lord　Claud　Lollypop　and
her　sweet　Maria　had　been　noticed　by　the　Baroness　as　they
were　driving　in　their　donkey…chaise　at　Roehampton。　　She
urged　her　to　make　her　papa　do　something　for　the　darlings。
Frederick　she　had　determined　should　go　into　the　Guards；
and　if　they　made　an　elder　son　of　him　（and　Mr。　Bullock
was　positively　ruining　and　pinching　himself　to　death　to
buy　land）；　how　was　the　darling　girl　to　be　provided　for？
〃I　expect　YOU；　dear；〃　Mrs。　Bullock　would　say；　〃for　of
course　my　share　of　our　Papa's　property　must　go　to　the
head　of　the　house；　you　know。　　Dear　Rhoda　McMull　will
disengage　the　whole　of　the　Castletoddy　property　as　soon
as　poor　dear　Lord　Castletoddy　dies；　who　is　quite
epileptic；　and　little　Macduff　McMull　will　be　Viscount
Castletoddy。　　Both　the　Mr。　Bludyers　of　Mincing　Lane　have
settled　their　fortunes　on　Fanny　Bludyer's　little　boy。　　My
darling　Frederick　must　positively　be　an　eldest　son；　and
and　do　ask　Papa　to　bring　us　back　his　account　in
Lombard　Street；　will　you；　dear？　It　doesn't　look　well；　his　going
to　Stumpy　and　Rowdy's。〃　After　which　kind　of　speeches；
in　which　fashion　and　the　main　chance　were　blended
together；　and　after　a　kiss；　which　was　like　the　contact　of　an
oysterMrs。　Frederick　Bullock　would　gather　her
starched　nurslings　and　simper　back　into　her　carriage。
Every　visit　which　this　leader　of　ton　paid　to　her　family
was　more　unlucky　for　her。　　Her　father　paid　more　money
into　Stumpy　and　Rowdy's。　　Her　patronage　became　more
and　more　insufferable。　　The　poor　widow　in　the　little
cottage　at　Brompton；　guarding　her　treasure　there；　little
knew　how　eagerly　some　people　coveted　it。
On　that　night　when　Jane　Osborne　had　told　her　father
that　she　had　seen　his　grandson；　the　old　man　had　made
her　no　reply；　but　he　had　shown　no　angerand　had　bade
her　good…night　on　going　himself　to　his　room　in　rather　a
kindly　voice。　　And　he　must　have　meditated　on　what　she
said　and　have　made　some　inquiries　of　the　Dobbin　family
regarding　her　visit；　for　a　fortnight　after　it　took　place；　he
asked　her　where　was　her　little　French　watch　and　chain
she　used　to　wear？
〃I　bought　it　with　my　money；　sir；〃　she　said　in　a　great
fright。
〃Go　and　order　another　like　it；　or　a　better　if　you　can
get　it；〃　said　the　old　gentleman　and　lapsed　again　into
silence。
Of　late　the　Misses　Dobbin　more　than　once　repeated
their　entreaties　to　Amelia；　to　allow　George　to　visit　them。
His　aunt　had　shown　her　inclination；　perhaps　his
grandfather　himself；　they　hinted；　might　be　disposed　to　be
reconciled　to　him。　　Surely；　Amelia　could　not　refuse　such
advantageous　chances　for　the　boy。　　Nor　could　she；　but
she　acceded　to　their　overtures　with　a　very　heavy　and
suspicious　heart；　was　always　uneasy　during　the　child's
absence　from　her；　and　welcomed　him　back　as　if　he　was
rescued　out　of　some　danger。　　He　brought　back　money　and
toys；　at　which　the　widow　looked　with　alarm　and　jealousy；
she　asked　him　always　if　he　had　seen　any　gentleman
〃Only　old　Sir　William；　who　drove　him　about　in　the　four…
wheeled　chaise；　and　Mr。　Dobbin；　who　arrived　on　the
beautiful　bay　horse　in　the　afternoonin　the　green　coat
and　pink　neck…cloth；　with　the　gold…headed　whip；　who
promised　to　show　him　the　Tower　of　London　and　take
him　out　with　the　Surrey　hounds。〃　At　last；　he　said；　〃There
was　an　old　gentleman；　with　thick　eyebrows；　and　a　broad
hat；　and　large　chain　and　seals。〃　He　came　one　day　as　the
coachman　was　lunging　Georgy　round　the　lawn　on　the
gray　pony。　　〃He　looked　at　me　very　much。　　He　shook　very
much。　　I　said　'My　name　is　Norval'　after　dinner。　　My　aunt
began　to　cry。　　She　is　always　crying。〃　Such　was　George's
report　on　that　night。
Then　Amelia　knew　that　the　boy　had　seen　his
grandfather；　and　looked　out　feverishly　for　a　proposal
which　she　was　sure　would　follow；　and　which　came；　in　fact；
in　a　few　days　afterwards。　　Mr。　Osborne　formally　offered　to
take　the　boy　and　make　him　heir　to　the　fortune　which　he
had　intended　that　his　father　should　inherit。　　He　would
make　Mrs。　George　Osborne　an　allowance；　such　as　to
assure　her　a　decent　competency。　　If　Mrs。　George　Osborne
proposed　to　marry　again；　as　Mr。　O。　　heard　was　her
intention；　he　would　not　withdraw　that　allowance。　　But　it
must　be　understood　that　the　child　would　live　entirely　with
his　grandfather　in　Russell　Square；　or　at　whatever　other
place　Mr。　O。　　should　select；　and　that　he　would　be
occasionally　permitted　to　see　Mrs。　George　Osborne　at　her
own　residence。　　This　message　was　brought　or　read　to　her
in　a　letter　one　day；　when　her　mother　was　from　home
and　her　father　absent　as　usual　in　the　City。
She　was　never　seen　angry　but　twice　or　thrice　in　her
life；　and　it　was　in　one　of　these　moods　that　Mr。　Osborne's
attorney　had　the　fortune　to　behold　her。　　She　rose　up
trembling　and　flushing　very　much　as　soon　as；　after
reading　the　letter；　Mr。　Poe　handed　it　to　her；　and　she　tore　the
paper　into　a　hundred　fragments；　which　she　trod　on。　　〃I
marry　again！　　I　take　money　to　part　from　my　child！　　Who
dares　insult　me　by　proposing　such　a　thing？　Tell　Mr。
Osborne　it　is　a　cowardly　letter；　sira　cowardly　letter
I　will　not　answer　it。　　I　wish　you　good　morning；　sirand
she　bowed　me　out　of　the　room　like　a　tragedy　Queen；〃
said　the　lawyer　who　told　the　story。
Her　parents　never　remarked　her　agitation　on　that　day；
and　she　never　told　them　of　the　interview。　　They　had　their
own　affairs　to　interest　them；　affairs　which　deeply
interested　this　innocent　and　unconscious　lady。　　The　old
gentleman；　her　father；　was　always　dabbling　in　speculation。
We　have　seen　how　the　wine　company　and　the　coal
company　had　failed　him。　　But；　prowling　about　the　City
always　eagerly　and　restlessly　still；　he　lighted　upon　some
other　scheme；　of　which　he　thought　so　well　that　he
embarked　in　it　in　spite　of　the　remonstrances　of　Mr。　Clapp；
to　whom　indeed　he　never　dared　to　tell　how　far　he　had
engaged　himself　in　it。　　And　as　it　was　always　Mr。　Sedley's
maxim　not　to　talk　about　money　matters　before　women；
they　had　no　inkling　of　the　misfortunes　that　were　in　store
for　them　until　the　unhappy　old　gentleman　was　forced　to
make　gradual　confessions。
The　bills　of　the　little　household；　which　had　been　settled
weekly；　first　fell　into　arrear。　　The　remittances　had　not
arrived　from　India；　Mr。　Sedley　told　his　wife　with　a　disturbed
face。　　As　she　had　paid　her　bills　very　regularly　hitherto；
one　or　two　of　the　tradesmen　to　whom　the　poor　lady　was
obliged　to　go　round　asking　for　time　were　very　angry　at
a　delay　to　which　they　were　perfectly　used　from　more
irregular　customers。　　Emmy's　contribution；　paid　over
cheerfully　without　any　questions；　kept　the　little　company
in　half…rations　however。　　And　the　first　six　months　passed
away　pretty　easily；　old　Sedley　still　keeping　up　with　the
notion　that　his　shares　must　rise　and　that　all　would　be
well。
No　sixty　pounds；　however；　came　to　help　the　household
at　the　end　of　the　half　year；　and　it　fell　deeper　and　deeper
into　troubleMrs。　Sedley；　who　was　growing　infirm　and
was　much　shaken；　remained　silent　or　wept　a　great　deal
with　Mrs。　Clapp　in　the　kitchen。　　The　butcher　was
particularly　surly；　the　grocer　insolent：　　once　or　twice　little
Georgy　had　grumbled　about　the　dinners；　and　Amelia；　who
still　would　have　been　satisfied　with　a　slice　of　bread　for
her　own　dinner；　could　not　but　perceive　that　her　son　was
neglected　and　purchased　little　things　out　of　her　private
purse　to　keep　the　boy　in　health。
At　last　they　told　her；　or　told　her　such　a　garbled　story
as　people　in　difficulties　tell。　　One　day；　her　own　money
having　been　received；　and　Amelia　about　to　pay　it　over；
she；　who　had　kept　an　account　of　the　moneys　expended
by　her；　proposed　to　keep　a　certain　portion　back　out　of
her　dividend；　having　contracted　engagements　for　a　new
suit　for　Georgy。
Then　it　came　out　that　Jos's　remittances　were　not　paid；
that　the　house　was　in　difficulties；　which　Amelia　ought　to
have　seen　before；　her　mother　said；　but　she　cared　for
nothing　or　nobody　except　Georgy。　　At　this　she　passed　all
her　money　across　the　table；　without　a　word；　to　her
mother；　and　returned　to　her　room　to　cry　her　eyes　out。
She　had　a　great　access　of　sensibility　too　that　day；　when
obliged　to　go　and　countermand　the　clothes；　the　darling
clothes　on　which　she　had　set　her　heart　for　Christmas
Day；　and　the　cut　and　fashion　of　which　she　had　arranged
in　many　conversations　with　a　small　milliner；　her　friend。
Hardest　of　all；　she　had　to　break　the　matter　to　Georgy；
who　made　a　loud　outcry。　　Everybody　had　new　clothes　at
Christmas。　　The　others　would　laugh　at　him。　　He　would
have　new　clothes。　　She　had　promised　them　to　him。　　The
poor　widow　had　only　kisses　to　give　him。　　She　darned　the
old　suit　in　tears。　　She　cast　about　among　her　little　ornaments
to　see　if　she　could　sell　anything　to　procure　the　d