vanity fair(名利场)-第167节

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you　for　it　when　you　gave　it　me；　many；　many　years　ago；
before　I　was　married。　　I　thought　somebody　else　had　given
it。　　Thank　you；　William。〃　She　held　out　her　hand；　but　the
poor　little　woman's　heart　was　bleeding；　and　as　for　her
eyes；　of　course　they　were　at　their　work。
But　William　could　hold　no　more。　　〃Amelia；　Amelia；〃
he　said；　〃I　did　buy　it　for　you。　　I　loved　you　then　as　I
do　now。　　I　must　tell　you。　　I　think　I　loved　you　from　the
first　minute　that　I　saw　you；　when　George　brought　me　to
your　house；　to　show　me　the　Amelia　whom　he　was
engaged　to。　　You　were　but　a　girl；　in　white；　with　large
ringlets；　you　came　down　singingdo　you　remember？
and　we　went　to　Vauxhall。　　Since　then　I　have　thought　of
but　one　woman　in　the　world；　and　that　was　you。　　I
think　there　is　no　hour　in　the　day　has　passed　for　twelve
years　that　I　haven't　thought　of　you。　　I　came　to　tell　you
this　before　I　went　to　India；　but　you　did　not　care；　and
I　hadn't　the　heart　to　speak。　　You　did　not　care　whether
I　stayed　or　went。〃
〃I　was　very　ungrateful；〃　Amelia　said。
〃No；　only　indifferent；〃　Dobbin　continued　desperately。
〃I　have　nothing　to　make　a　woman　to　be　otherwise。　　I
know　what　you　are　feeling　now。　　You　are　hurt　in　your
heart　at　the　discovery　about　the　piano；　and　that　it　came
from　me　and　not　from　George。　　I　forgot；　or　I　should
never　have　spoken　of　it　so。　　It　is　for　me　to　ask　your
pardon　for　being　a　fool　for　a　moment；　and　thinking
that　years　of　constancy　and　devotion　might　have　pleaded
with　you。〃
〃It　is　you　who　are　cruel　now；〃　Amelia　said　with　some
spirit。　　〃George　is　my　husband；　here　and　in　heaven。　　How
could　I　love　any　other　but　him？　I　am　his　now　as　when
you　first　saw　me；　dear　William。　　It　was　he　who　told　me
how　good　and　generous　you　were；　and　who　taught　me
to　love　you　as　a　brother。　　Have　you　not　been　everything
to　me　and　my　boy？　Our　dearest；　truest；　kindest　friend
and　protector？　Had　you　come　a　few　months　sooner
perhaps　you　might　have　spared　me　thatthat　dreadful
parting。　　Oh；　it　nearly　killed　me；　Williambut　you　didn't
come；　though　I　wished　and　prayed　for　you　to　come；
and　they　took　him　too　away　from　me。　　Isn't　he　a　noble
boy；　William？　Be　his　friend　still　and　mine〃and　here　her
voice　broke；　and　she　hid　her　face　on　his　shoulder。
The　Major　folded　his　arms　round　her；　holding　her　to
him　as　if　she　was　a　child；　and　kissed　her　head。　　〃I　will
not　change；　dear　Amelia；〃　he　said。　　〃I　ask　for　no　more
than　your　love。　　I　think　I　would　not　have　it　otherwise。
Only　let　me　stay　near　you　and　see　you　often。〃
〃Yes；　often；〃　Amelia　said。　　And　so　William　was　at
liberty　to　look　and　longas　the　poor　boy　at　school
who　has　no　money　may　sigh　after　the　contents　of　the
tart…woman's　tray。

CHAPTER　LX
Returns　to　the　Genteel　World
Good　fortune　now　begins　to　smile　upon　Amelia。　　We　are
glad　to　get　her　out　of　that　low　sphere　in　which　she　has
been　creeping　hitherto　and　introduce　her　into　a　polite
circlenot　so　grand　and　refined　as　that　in　which　our
other　female　friend；　Mrs。　Becky；　has　appeared；　but　still
having　no　small　pretensions　to　gentility　and　fashion。　　Jos's
friends　were　all　from　the　three　presidencies；　and　his　new
house　was　in　the　comfortable　Anglo…Indian　district　of
which　Moira　Place　is　the　centre。　　Minto　Square；　Great
Clive　Street；　Warren　Street；　Hastings　Street；　Ochterlony
Place；　Plassy　Square；　Assaye　Terrace　（〃gardens〃　was
a　felicitous　word　not　applied　to　stucco　houses　with
asphalt　terraces　in　front；　so　early　as　1827）who　does　not
know　these　respectable　abodes　of　the　retired　Indian
aristocracy；　and　the　quarter　which　Mr。　Wenham　calls　the
Black　Hole；　in　a　word？　Jos's　position　in　life　was　not　grand
enough　to　entitle　him　to　a　house　in　Moira　Place；　where
none　can　live　but　retired　Members　of　Council；　and
partners　of　Indian　firms　（who　break；　after　having　settled　a
hundred　thousand　pounds　on　their　wives；　and　retire　into
comparative　penury　to　a　country　place　and　four　thousand
a　year）；　he　engaged　a　comfortable　house　of　a
second…　or　third…rate　order　in　Gillespie　Street；　purchasing　the
carpets；　costly　mirrors；　and　handsome　and　appropriate
planned　furniture　by　Seddons　from　the　assignees　of　Mr。
Scape；　lately　admitted　partner　into　the　great　Calcutta
House　of　Fogle；　Fake；　and　Cracksman；　in　which　poor
Scape　had　embarked　seventy　thousand　pounds；　the
earnings　of　a　long　and　honourable　life；　taking　Fake's　place；
who　retired　to　a　princely　park　in　Sussex　（the　Fogles　have
been　long　out　of　the　firm；　and　Sir　Horace　Fogle　is　about
to　be　raised　to　the　peerage　as　Baron　Bandanna）admitted；
I　say；　partner　into　the　great　agency　house　of　Fogle
and　Fake　two　years　before　it　failed　for　a　million　and
plunged　half　the　Indian　public　into　misery　and　ruin。
Scape；　ruined；　honest；　and　broken…hearted　at　sixty…five
years　of　age；　went　out　to　Calcutta　to　wind　up　the　affairs
of　the　house。　　Walter　Scape　was　withdrawn　from　Eton
and　put　into　a　merchant's　house。　　Florence　Scape；　Fanny
Scape；　and　their　mother　faded　away　to　Boulogne；　and
will　be　heard　of　no　more。　　To　be　brief；　Jos　stepped　in　and
bought　their　carpets　and　sideboards　and　admired
himself　in　the　mirrors　which　had　reflected　their　kind
handsome　faces。　　The　Scape　tradesmen；　all　honourably　paid；
left　their　cards；　and　were　eager　to　supply　the　new
household。　　The　large　men　in　white　waistcoats　who　waited　at
Scape's　dinners；　greengrocers；　bank…porters；　and
milkmen　in　their　private　capacity；　left　their　addresses　and
ingratiated　themselves　with　the　butler。　　Mr。　Chummy；　the
chimney…purifier；　who　had　swept　the　last　three　families；
tried　to　coax　the　butler　and　the　boy　under　him；　whose
duty　it　was　to　go　out　covered　with　buttons　and　with
stripes　down　his　trousers；　for　the　protection　of　Mrs。
Amelia　whenever　she　chose　to　walk　abroad。
It　was　a　modest　establishment。　　The　butler　was　Jos's
valet　also；　and　never　was　more　drunk　than　a　butler　in　a
small　family　should　be　who　has　a　proper　regard　for　his
master's　wine。　　Emmy　was　supplied　with　a　maid；　grown　on
Sir　William　Dobbin's　suburban　estate；　a　good　girl；　whose
kindness　and　humility　disarmed　Mrs。　Osborne；　who　was
at　first　terrified　at　the　idea　of　having　a　servant　to　wait
upon　herself；　who　did　not　in　the　least　know　how　to　use
one；　and　who　always　spoke　to　domestics　with　the　most
reverential　politeness。　　But　this　maid　was　very　useful　in
the　family；　in　dexterously　tending　old　Mr。　Sedley；　who
kept　almost　entirely　to　his　own　quarter　of　the　house
and　never　mixed　in　any　of　the　gay　doings　which　took
place　there。
Numbers　of　people　came　to　see　Mrs。　Osborne。　　Lady
Dobbin　and　daughters　were　delighted　at　her　change　of
fortune；　and　waited　upon　her。　　Miss　Osborne　from　Russell
Square　came　in　her　grand　chariot　with　the　flaming
hammer…cloth　emblazoned　with　the　Leeds　arms。　　Jos　was
reported　to　be　immensely　rich。　　Old　Osborne　had　no
objection　that　Georgy　should　inherit　his　uncle's　property　as
well　as　his　own。　　〃Damn　it；　we　will　make　a　man　of　the
feller；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'll　see　him　in　Parliament　before　I
die。　　You　may　go　and　see　his　mother；　Miss　O。；　though　I'll
never　set　eyes　on　her〃：　　and　Miss　Osborne　came。　　Emmy；
you　may　be　sure；　was　very　glad　to　see　her；　and　so　be
brought　nearer　to　George。　　That　young　fellow　was
allowed　to　come　much　more　frequently　than　before　to　visit
his　mother。　　He　dined　once　or　twice　a　week　in　Gillespie
Street　and　bullied　the　servants　and　his　relations　there；　just
as　he　did　in　Russell　Square。
He　was　always　respectful　to　Major　Dobbin；　however；
and　more　modest　in　his　demeanour　when　that　gentleman
was　present。　　He　was　a　clever　lad　and　afraid　of　the
Major。　　George　could　not　help　admiring　his　friend's
simplicity；　his　good　humour；　his　various　learning　quietly
imparted；　his　general　love　of　truth　and　justice。　　He　had　met
no　such　man　as　yet　in　the　course　of　his　experience；　and
he　had　an　instinctive　liking　for　a　gentleman。　　He　hung
fondly　by　his　godfather's　side；　and　it　was　his　delight　to
walk　in　the　parks　and　hear　Dobbin　talk。　　William　told
George　about　his　father；　about　India　and　Waterloo；　about
everything　but　himself。　　When　George　was　more　than
usually　pert　and　conceited；　the　Major　made　jokes　at　him；
which　Mrs。　Osborne　thought　very　cruel。　　One　day；　taking
him　to　the　play；　and　the　boy　declining　to　go　into　the　pit
because　it　was　vulgar；　the　Major　took　him　to　the　boxes；
left　him　there；　and　went　down　himself　to　the　pit。　　He
had　not　been　seated　there　very　long　before　he　felt　an　arm
thrust　under　his　and　a　dandy　little　hand　in　a　kid　glove
squeezing　his　arm。　　George　had　seen　the　absurdity　of　his
ways　and　come　down　from　the　upper　region。　　A　tender
laugh　of　benevolence　lighted　up　old　Dobbin's　face　and
eyes　as　he　looked　at　the　repentant　little　prodigal。　　He
loved　the　boy；　as　he　did　everything　that　belonged　to
Amelia。　　How　charmed　she　was　when　she　heard　of　this
instance　of　George's　goodness！　　Her　eyes　looked　more
kindly　on　Dobbin　than　they　ever　had　done。　　She　blushed；
he　thought；　after　looking　at　him　so。
Georgy　never　tired　of　his　praises　of　the　Major　to　his
mother。　　〃I　like　him；　Mamma；　because　he　knows　such　lots
of　things；　and　he　ain't　like　old　Veal；　who　is　always
bragging　and　using　such　long　words；　don't　you　know？　The
chaps　call　him　'Longtail'　at　school。　　I　gave　him　the　name；
ain't　it　capital？　But　Dob　reads　Latin　like　English；　and
French　and　tha