vanity fair(名利场)-第139节

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it。　　He　chuckled　and　swore　to　himself　behind　the　sheet。
At　last　he　flung　it　down　and；　scowling　at　his　daughter；
as　his　wont　was；　went　out　of　the　room　into　his　study
adjoining；　from　whence　he　presently　returned　with　a
key。　　He　flung　it　to　Miss　Osborne。
〃Get　the　room　over　minehis　room　that　wasready；〃
he　said。　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　his　daughter　replied　in　a　tremble。
It　was　George's　room。　　It　had　not　been　opened　for　more
than　ten　years。　　Some　of　his　clothes；　papers；　handkerchiefs；
whips　and　caps；　fishing…rods　and　sporting　gear；
were　still　there。　　An　Army　list　of　1814；　with　his　name
written　on　the　cover；　a　little　dictionary　he　was　wont　to
use　in　writing；　and　the　Bible　his　mother　had　given　him；
were　on　the　mantelpiece；　with　a　pair　of　spurs　and　a
dried　inkstand　covered　with　the　dust　of　ten　years。　　Ah！
since　that　ink　was　wet；　what　days　and　people　had　passed
away！　　The　writing…book；　still　on　the　table；　was　blotted
with　his　hand。
Miss　Osborne　was　much　affected　when　she　first
entered　this　room　with　the　servants　under　her。　　She　sank
quite　pale　on　the　little　bed。　　〃This　is　blessed　news；　m'am
indeed；　m'am；〃　the　housekeeper　said；　〃and　the　good
old　times　is　returning；　m'am。　　The　dear　little　feller；　to　be
sure；　m'am；　how　happy　he　will　be！　　But　some　folks　in
May　Fair；　m'am；　will　owe　him　a　grudge；　m'am〃；　and
she　clicked　back　the　bolt　which　held　the　window…sash
and　let　the　air　into　the　chamber。
〃You　had　better　send　that　woman　some　money；〃　Mr。
Osborne　said；　before　he　went　out。　　〃She　shan't　want　for
nothing。　　Send　her　a　hundred　pound。〃
〃And　I'll　go　and　see　her　to…morrow？〃　Miss　Osborne
asked。
〃That's　your　look　out。　　She　don't　come　in　here；　mind。
No；　by　；　not　for　all　the　money　in　London。　　But　she
mustn't　want　now。　　So　look　out；　and　get　things　right。〃　With
which　brief　speeches　Mr。　Osborne　took　leave　of　his
daughter　and　went　on　his　accustomed　way　into　the　City。
〃Here；　Papa；　is　some　money；〃　Amelia　said　that
night；　kissing　the　old　man；　her　father；　and　putting　a　bill
for　a　hundred　pounds　into　his　hands。　　〃Andand；　Mamma；
don't　be　harsh　with　Georgy。　　Hehe　is　not　going　to　stop
with　us　long。〃　She　could　say　nothing　more；　and　walked
away　silently　to　her　room。　　Let　us　close　it　upon　her
prayers　and　her　sorrow。　　I　think　we　had　best　speak　little
about　so　much　love　and　grief。
Miss　Osborne　came　the　next　day；　according　to　the
promise　contained　in　her　note；　and　saw　Amelia。　　The
meeting　between　them　was　friendly。　　A　look　and　a　few　words
from　Miss　Osborne　showed　the　poor　widow　that；　with
regard　to　this　woman　at　least；　there　need　be　no　fear
lest　she　should　take　the　first　place　in　her　son's　affection。
She　was　cold；　sensible；　not　unkind。　　The　mother　had
not　been　so　well　pleased；　perhaps；　had　the　rival　been
better　looking；　younger；　more　affectionate；　warmer…
hearted。　　Miss　Osborne；　on　the　other　hand；　thought　of　old
times　and　memories　and　could　not　but　be　touched　with
the　poor　mother's　pitiful　situation。　　She　was　conquered；
and　laying　down　her　arms；　as　it　were；　she　humbly
submitted。　　That　day　they　arranged　together　the
preliminaries　of　the　treaty　of　capitulation。
George　was　kept　from　school　the　next　day；　and　saw
his　aunt。　　Amelia　left　them　alone　together　and　went　to
her　room。　　She　was　trying　the　separationas　that　poor
gentle　Lady　Jane　Grey　felt　the　edge　of　the　axe　that　was
to　come　down　and　sever　her　slender　life。　　Days　were
passed　in　parleys；　visits；　preparations。　　The　widow　broke
the　matter　to　Georgy　with　great　caution；　she　looked　to
see　him　very　much　affected　by　the　intelligence。　　He　was
rather　elated　than　otherwise；　and　the　poor　woman
turned　sadly　away。　　He　bragged　about　the　news　that　day
to　the　boys　at　school；　told　them　how　he　was　going　to
live　with　his　grandpapa　his　father's　father；　not　the　one
who　comes　here　sometimes；　and　that　he　would　be　very
rich；　and　have　a　carriage；　and　a　pony；　and　go　to　a　much
finer　school；　and　when　he　was　rich　he　would　buy　Leader's
pencil…case　and　pay　the　tart…woman。　　The　boy　was　the
image　of　his　father；　as　his　fond　mother　thought。
Indeed　I　have　no　heart；　on　account　of　our　dear
Amelia's　sake；　to　go　through　the　story　of　George's　last
days　at　home。
At　last　the　day　came；　the　carriage　drove　up；　the　little
humble　packets　containing　tokens　of　love　and　remembrance
were　ready　and　disposed　in　the　hall　long　since
George　was　in　his　new　suit；　for　which　the　tailor　had
come　previously　to　measure　him。　　He　had　sprung　up　with
the　sun　and　put　on　the　new　clothes；　his　mother　hearing
him　from　the　room　close　by；　in　which　she　had　been
lying；　in　speechless　grief　and　watching。　　Days　before　she
had　been　making　preparations　for　the　end；　purchasing
little　stores　for　the　boy's　use；　marking　his　books　and
linen；　talking　with　him　and　preparing　him　for　the　change
fondly　fancying　that　he　needed　preparation。
So　that　he　had　change；　what　cared　he？　He　was　longing
for　it。　　By　a　thousand　eager　declarations　as　to　what
he　would　do；　when　he　went　to　live　with　his　grandfather；
he　had　shown　the　poor　widow　how　little　the　idea　of
parting　had　cast　him　down。　　〃He　would　come　and　see
his　mamma　often　on　the　pony；〃　he　said。　　〃He　would
come　and　fetch　her　in　the　carriage；　they　would　drive
in　the　park；　and　she　should　have　everything　she　wanted。〃
The　poor　mother　was　fain　to　content　herself　with　these
selfish　demonstrations　of　attachment；　and　tried　to
convince　herself　how　sincerely　her　son　loved　her。　　He　must
love　her。　　All　children　were　so：　　a　little　anxious　for　novelty；
andno；　not　selfish；　but　self…willed。　　Her　child　must
have　his　enjoyments　and　ambition　in　the　world。　　She
herself；　by　her　own　selfishness　and　imprudent　love　for　him
had　denied　him　his　just　rights　and　pleasures　hitherto。
I　know　few　things　more　affecting　than　that　timorous
debasement　and　self…humiliation　of　a　woman。　　How　she
owns　that　it　is　she　and　not　the　man　who　is　guilty；　how
she　takes　all　the　faults　on　her　side；　how　she　courts　in　a
manner　punishment　for　the　wrongs　which　she　has　not
committed　and　persists　in　shielding　the　real　culprit！　　It
is　those　who　injure　women　who　get　the　most　kindness
from　themthey　are　born　timid　and　tyrants　and
maltreat　those　who　are　humblest　before　them。
So　poor　Amelia　had　been　getting　ready　in　silent　misery
for　her　son's　departure；　and　had　passed　many　and　many
a　long　solitary　hour　in　making　preparations　for　the　end。
George　stood　by　his　mother；　watching　her　arrangements
without　the　least　concern。　　Tears　had　fallen　into　his　boxes；
passages　had　been　scored　in　his　favourite　books；　old　toys；
relics；　treasures　had　been　hoarded　away　for　him；　and
packed　with　strange　neatness　and　careand　of　all　these
things　the　boy　took　no　note。　　The　child　goes　away　smiling
as　the　mother　breaks　her　heart。　　By　heavens　it　is　pitiful；
the　bootless　love　of　women　for　children　in　Vanity　Fair。
A　few　days　are　past；　and　the　great　event　of　Amelia's
life　is　consummated。　　No　angel　has　intervened。　　The　child
is　sacrificed　and　offered　up　to　fate；　and　the　widow　is
quite　alone。
The　boy　comes　to　see　her　often；　to　be　sure。　　He　rides
on　a　pony　with　a　coachman　behind　him；　to　the　delight
of　his　old　grandfather；　Sedley；　who　walks　proudly　down
the　lane　by　his　side。　　She　sees　him；　but　he　is　not　her　boy
any　more。　　Why；　he　rides　to　see　the　boys　at　the　little
school；　too；　and　to　show　off　before　them　his　new　wealth
and　splendour。　　In　two　days　he　has　adopted　a　slightly
imperious　air　and　patronizing　manner。　　He　was　born　to
command；　his　mother　thinks；　as　his　father　was　before
him。
It　is　fine　weather　now。　　Of　evenings　on　the　days　when
he　does　not　come；　she　takes　a　long　walk　into　London
yes；　as　far　as　Russell　Square；　and　rests　on　the　stone
by　the　railing　of　the　garden　opposite　Mr。　Osborne's　house。
It　is　so　pleasant　and　cool。　　She　can　look　up　and　see　the
drawing…room　windows　illuminated；　and；　at　about　nine
o'clock；　the　chamber　in　the　upper　story　where　Georgy
sleeps。　　She　knowshe　has　told　her。　　She　prays　there
as　the　light　goes　out；　prays　with　an　humble　heart；
and　walks　home　shrinking　and　silent。　　She　is　very　tired
when　she　comes　home。　　Perhaps　she　will　sleep　the　better
for　that　long　weary　walk；　and　she　may　dream　about
Georgy。
One　Sunday　she　happened　to　be　walking　in　Russell
Square；　at　some　distance　from　Mr。　Osborne's　house　（she
could　see　it　from　a　distance　though）　when　all　the　bells
of　Sabbath　were　ringing；　and　George　and　his　aunt　came
out　to　go　to　church；　a　little　sweep　asked　for　charity；
and　the　footman；　who　carried　the　books；　tried　to　drive
him　away；　but　Georgy　stopped　and　gave　him　money。　　May
God's　blessing　be　on　the　boy！　　Emmy　ran　round　the　square
and；　coming　up　to　the　sweep；　gave　him　her　mite　too。
All　the　bells　of　Sabbath　were　ringing；　and　she　followed
them　until　she　came　to　the　Foundling　Church；　into　which
she　went。　　There　she　sat　in　a　place　whence　she　could
see　the　head　of　the　boy　under　his　father's　tombstone。
Many　hundred　fresh　children's　voices　rose　up　there　and
sang　hymns　to　the　Father　Beneficent；　and　little　George's
soul　thrilled　with　delight　at　the　burst　of　glorious
psalmody。　　His　mother　could　not　see　him　for　awhile；
through　the　mist　that　dimmed　her　eyes。

CHAPTER　LI
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