vanity fair(名利场)-第14节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　tradesmen；　so　that　Mr。　Jos's　marriage　was　now　talked
of　by　a　very　considerable　number　of　persons　in　the
Russell　Square　world。
It　was；　of　course；　Mrs。　Sedley's　opinion　that　her　son
would　demean　himself　by　a　marriage　with　an　artist's
daughter。　　〃But；　lor'；　Ma'am；〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Blenkinsop；
〃we　was　only　grocers　when　we　married　Mr。　S。；　who
was　a　stock…broker's　clerk；　and　we　hadn't　five　hundred
pounds　among　us；　and　we're　rich　enough　now。〃　And
Amelia　was　entirely　of　this　opinion；　to　which；　gradually；
the　good…natured　Mrs。　Sedley　was　brought。
Mr。　Sedley　was　neutral。　　〃Let　Jos　marry　whom　he　likes；〃
he　said；　〃it's　no　affair　of　mine。　　This　girl　has　no　fortune；
no　more　had　Mrs。　Sedley。　　She　seems　good…humoured　and
clever；　and　will　keep　him　in　order；　perhaps。　　Better　she；
my　dear；　than　a　black　Mrs。　Sedley；　and　a　dozen　of
mahogany　grandchildren。〃
So　that　everything　seemed　to　smile　upon　Rebecca's
fortunes。　　She　took　Jos's　arm；　as　a　matter　of　course；　on　going
to　dinner；　she　had　sate　by　him　on　the　box　of　his　open
carriage　（a　most　tremendous　〃buck〃　he　was；　as　he　sat
there；　serene；　in　state；　driving　his　greys）；　and　though
nobody　said　a　word　on　the　subject　of　the　marriage；
everybody　seemed　to　understand　it。　　All　she　wanted　was
the　proposal；　and　ah！　how　Rebecca　now　felt　the　want　of　a
mother！a　dear；　tender　mother；　who　would　have　managed
the　business　in　ten　minutes；　and；　in　the　course　of　a　little
delicate　confidential　conversation；　would　have　extracted
the　interesting　avowal　from　the　bashful　lips　of　the　young
man！
Such　was　the　state　of　affairs　as　the　carriage　crossed
Westminster　bridge。
The　party　was　landed　at　the　Royal　Gardens　in　due　time。
As　the　majestic　Jos　stepped　out　of　the　creaking　vehicle
the　crowd　gave　a　cheer　for　the　fat　gentleman；　who　blushed
and　looked　very　big　and　mighty；　as　he　walked　away　with
Rebecca　under　his　arm。　　George；　of　course；　took　charge　of
Amelia。　　She　looked　as　happy　as　a　rose…tree　in　sunshine。
〃I　say；　Dobbin；〃　says　George；　〃just　look　to　the　shawls
and　things；　there's　a　good　fellow。〃　And　so　while　he　paired
off　with　Miss　Sedley；　and　Jos　squeezed　through　the　gate
into　the　gardens　with　Rebecca　at　his　side；　honest　Dobbin
contented　himself　by　giving　an　arm　to　the　shawls；　and　by
paying　at　the　door　for　the　whole　party。
He　walked　very　modestly　behind　them。　　He　was　not
willing　to　spoil　sport。　　About　Rebecca　and　Jos　he　did　not
care　a　fig。　　But　he　thought　Amelia　worthy　even　of　the
brilliant　George　Osborne；　and　as　he　saw　that　good…looking
couple　threading　the　walks　to　the　girl's　delight　and
wonder；　he　watched　her　artless　happiness　with　a　sort　of
fatherly　pleasure。　　Perhaps　he　felt　that　he　would　have　liked
to　have　something　on　his　own　arm　besides　a　shawl　（the
people　laughed　at　seeing　the　gawky　young　officer　carrying
this　female　burthen）；　but　William　Dobbin　was　very　little
addicted　to　selfish　calculation　at　all；　and　so　long　as　his
friend　was　enjoying　himself；　how　should　he　be　discontented？
And　the　truth　is；　that　of　all　the　delights　of　the
Gardens；　of　the　hundred　thousand　extra　lamps；　which
were　always　lighted；　the　fiddlers　in　cocked　hats；　who
played　ravishing　melodies　under　the　gilded　cockle…shell　in
the　midst　of　the　gardens；　the　singers；　both　of　comic　and
sentimental　ballads；　who　charmed　the　ears　there；　the
country　dances；　formed　by　bouncing　cockneys　and
cockneyesses；　and　executed　amidst　jumping；　thumping　and
laughter；　the　signal　which　announced　that　Madame　Saqui
was　about　to　mount　skyward　on　a　slack…rope　ascending
to　the　stars；　the　hermit　that　always　sat　in　the　illuminated
hermitage；　the　dark　walks；　so　favourable　to　the　interviews
of　young　lovers；　the　pots　of　stout　handed　about　by　the
people　in　the　shabby　old　liveries；　and　the　twinkling　boxes；
in　which　the　happy　feasters　made…believe　to　eat　slices　of
almost　invisible　hamof　all　these　things；　and　of　the
gentle　Simpson；　that　kind　smiling　idiot；　who；　I　daresay；
presided　even　then　over　the　placeCaptain　William　Dobbin
did　not　take　the　slightest　notice。
He　carried　about　Amelia's　white　cashmere　shawl；　and
having　attended　under　the　gilt　cockle…shell；　while　Mrs。
Salmon　performed　the　Battle　of　Borodino　（a　savage
cantata　against　the　Corsican　upstart；　who　had　lately　met
with　his　Russian　reverses）Mr。　Dobbin　tried　to　hum　it
as　he　walked　away；　and　found　he　was　hummingthe　tune
which　Amelia　Sedley　sang　on　the　stairs；　as　she　came
down　to　dinner。
He　burst　out　laughing　at　himself；　for　the　truth　is；　he
could　sing　no　better　than　an　owl。
It　is　to　be　understood；　as　a　matter　of　course；　that　our
young　people；　being　in　parties　of　two　and　two；　made　the
most　solemn　promises　to　keep　together　during　the　evening；
and　separated　in　ten　minutes　afterwards。　　Parties　at
Vauxhall　always　did　separate；　but　'twas　only　to　meet
again　at　supper…time；　when　they　could　talk　of　their　mutual
adventures　in　the　interval。
　　
What　were　the　adventures　of　Mr。　Osborne　and　Miss
Amelia？　That　is　a　secret。　　But　be　sure　of　thisthey　were
perfectly　happy；　and　correct　in　their　behaviour；　and　as
they　had　been　in　the　habit　of　being　together　any　time　these
fifteen　years；　their　tete…a…tete　offered　no　particular
novelty。
But　when　Miss　Rebecca　Sharp　and　her　stout　companion
lost　themselves　in　a　solitary　walk；　in　which　there　were　not
above　five　score　more　of　couples　similarly　straying；　they
both　felt　that　the　situation　was　extremely　tender　and
critical；　and　now　or　never　was　the　moment　Miss　Sharp
thought；　to　provoke　that　declaration　which　was　trembling
on　the　timid　lips　of　Mr。　Sedley。　　They　had　previously　been
to　the　panorama　of　Moscow；　where　a　rude　fellow；　treading
on　Miss　Sharp's　foot；　caused　her　to　fall　back　with　a　little
shriek　into　the　arms　of　Mr。　Sedley；　and　this　little　incident
increased　the　tenderness　and　confidence　of　that　gentleman
to　such　a　degree；　that　he　told　her　several　of　his　favourite
Indian　stories　over　again　for；　at　least；　the　sixth　time。
〃How　I　should　like　to　see　India！〃　said　Rebecca。
〃SHOULD　you？〃　said　Joseph；　with　a　most　killing　tenderness；
and　was　no　doubt　about　to　follow　up　this　artful　
interrogatory　by　a　question　still　more　tender　（for　he　puffed
and　panted　a　great　deal；　and　Rebecca's　hand；　which　was
placed　near　his　heart；　could　count　the　feverish　pulsations
of　that　organ）；　when；　oh；　provoking！　the　bell　rang　for　the
fireworks；　and；　a　great　scuffling　and　running　taking　place；
these　interesting　lovers　were　obliged　to　follow　in　the
stream　of　people。
Captain　Dobbin　had　some　thoughts　of　joining　the　party
at　supper：　as；　in　truth；　he　found　the　Vauxhall
amusements　not　particularly　livelybut　he　paraded
twice　before　the　box　where　the　now　united　couples　were
met；　and　nobody　took　any　notice　of　him。　　Covers　were　laid　for
four。　　The　mated　pairs　were　prattling　away　quite　happily；
and　Dobbin　knew　he　was　as　clean　forgotten　as　if　he　had
never　existed　in　this　world。
〃I　should　only　be　de　trop；〃　said　the　Captain；　looking　at
them　rather　wistfully。　　〃I'd　best　go　and　talk　to　the　hermit；〃
and　so　he　strolled　off　out　of　the　hum　of　men；　and　noise；
and　clatter　of　the　banquet；　into　the　dark　walk；　at　the　end
of　which　lived　that　well…known　pasteboard　Solitary。　　It
wasn't　very　good　fun　for　Dobbinand；　indeed；　to　be
alone　at　Vauxhall；　I　have　found；　from　my　own　experience；
to　be　one　of　the　most　dismal　sports　ever　entered　into　by　a
bachelor。
The　two　couples　were　perfectly　happy　then　in　their
box：　where　the　most　delightful　and　intimate　conversation
took　place。　　Jos　was　in　his　glory；　ordering　about　the　waiters
with　great　majesty。　　He　made　the　salad；　and　uncorked
the　Champagne；　and　carved　the　chickens；　and　ate　and
drank　the　greater　part　of　the　refreshments　on　the　tables。
Finally；　he　insisted　upon　having　a　bowl　of　rack　punch；
everybody　had　rack　punch　at　Vauxhall。　　〃Waiter；　rack
punch。〃
That　bowl　of　rack　punch　was　the　cause　of　all　this
history。　　And　why　not　a　bowl　of　rack　punch　as　well　as　any
other　cause？　Was　not　a　bowl　of　prussic　acid　the　cause　of
Fair　Rosamond's　retiring　from　the　world？　Was　not　a　bowl
of　wine　the　cause　of　the　demise　of　Alexander　the　Great；
or；　at　least；　does　not　Dr。　Lempriere　say　so？so　did　this
bowl　of　rack　punch　influence　the　fates　of　all　the　principal
characters　in　this　〃Novel　without　a　Hero；〃　which　we　are
now　relating。　　It　influenced　their　life；　although　most　of
them　did　not　taste　a　drop　of　it。
The　young　ladies　did　not　drink　it；　Osborne　did　not
like　it；　and　the　consequence　was　that　Jos；　that　fat
gourmand；　drank　up　the　whole　contents　of　the　bowl；
and　the　consequence　of　his　drinking　up　the　whole　contents
of　the　bowl　was　a　liveliness　which　at　first　was　astonishing；
and　then　became　almost　painful；　for　he　talked　and　laughed　so
loud　as　to　bring　scores　of　listeners　round　the　box；　much
to　the　confusion　of　the　innocent　party　within　it；　and；
volunteering　to　sing　a　song　（which　he　did　in　that　maudlin
high　key　peculiar　to　gentlemen　in　an　inebriated　state）；　he
almost　drew　away　the　audience　who　were　gathered　round
the　musicians　in　the　gilt　scollop…shell；　and　received　from
his　hearers　a　great　deal　of　applause。
〃Brayvo；　Fat　un！〃　said　one；　〃Angcore；　Daniel　Lambert！〃
said　another；　〃What　a　figure　for　the　tight…rope！〃
exclaimed　another　wag；　to　the　inexpressible　alarm　of
the　ladies；　and　the　great　anger　of　Mr。　Os