vanity fair(名利场)-第47节

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only　women；　who　get　together　and　hiss；　and　shriek；　and
cackle。　　There；　get　awaydon't　begin　to　cry。　　I　only　said
you　were　a　couple　of　geese；〃　Will　Dobbin　said；　perceiving
Miss　Ann's　pink　eyes　were　beginning　to　moisten　as
usual。　　〃Well；　you're　not　geese；　you're　swansanything
you　like；　only　do；　do　leave　Miss　Sedley　alone。〃
Anything　like　William's　infatuation　about　that　silly　little
flirting；　ogling　thing　was　never　known；　the　mamma
and　sisters　agreed　together　in　thinking：　and　they　trembled
lest；　her　engagement　being　off　with　Osborne；　she　should
take　up　immediately　her　other　admirer　and　Captain。
In　which　forebodings　these　worthy　young　women　no
doubt　judged　according　to　the　best　of　their　experience；　or
rather　（for　as　yet　they　had　had　no　opportunities　of
marrying　or　of　jilting）　according　to　their　own　notions　of
right　and　wrong。
〃It　is　a　mercy；　Mamma；　that　the　regiment　is　ordered
abroad；〃　the　girls　said。　　〃THIS　danger；　at　any　rate；　is
spared　our　brother。〃
Such；　indeed；　was　the　fact；　and　so　it　is　that　the　French
Emperor　comes　in　to　perform　a　part　in　this　domestic
comedy　of　Vanity　Fair　which　we　are　now　playing；　and
which　would　never　have　been　enacted　without　the
intervention　of　this　august　mute　personage。　　It　was　he
that　ruined　the　Bourbons　and　Mr。　John　Sedley。　　It　was
he　whose　arrival　in　his　capital　called　up　all　France　in
arms　to　defend　him　there；　and　all　Europe　to　oust　him。
While　the　French　nation　and　army　were　swearing　fidelity
round　the　eagles　in　the　Champ　de　Mars；　four　mighty
European　hosts　were　getting　in　motion　for　the　great
chasse　a　l'aigle；　and　one　of　these　was　a　British　army；　of
which　two　heroes　of　ours；　Captain　Dobbin　and　Captain
Osborne；　formed　a　portion。
The　news　of　Napoleon's　escape　and　landing　was
received　by　the　gallant　th　with　a　fiery　delight　and
enthusiasm；　which　everybody　can　understand　who　knows
that　famous　corps。　　From　the　colonel　to　the　smallest
drummer　in　the　regiment；　all　were　filled　with　hope　and
ambition　and　patriotic　fury；　and　thanked　the　French　Emperor
as　for　a　personal　kindness　in　coming　to　disturb　the　peace
of　Europe。　　Now　was　the　time　the　th　had　so　long
panted　for；　to　show　their　comrades　in　arms　that　they
could　fight　as　well　as　the　Peninsular　veterans；　and　that
all　the　pluck　and　valour　of　the　th　had　not　been　killed
by　the　West　Indies　and　the　yellow　fever。　　Stubble　and
Spooney　looked　to　get　their　companies　without　purchase。
Before　the　end　of　the　campaign　（which　she　resolved
to　share）；　Mrs。　Major　O'Dowd　hoped　to　write
herself　Mrs。　Colonel　O'Dowd；　C。B。　　Our　two　friends
（Dobbin　and　Osborne）　were　quite　as　much　excited　as　the
rest：　and　each　in　his　wayMr。　Dobbin　very　quietly；　Mr。
Osborne　very　loudly　and　energeticallywas　bent　upon
doing　his　duty；　and　gaining　his　share　of　honour　and
distinction。
The　agitation　thrilling　through　the　country　and　army
in　consequence　of　this　news　was　so　great；　that　private
matters　were　little　heeded：　and　hence　probably　George
Osborne；　just　gazetted　to　his　company；　busy　with　preparations
for　the　march；　which　must　come　inevitably；　and
panting　for　further　promotionwas　not　so　much　affected
by　other　incidents　which　would　have　interested　him　at　a
more　quiet　period。　　He　was　not；　it　must　be　confessed；
very　much　cast　down　by　good　old　Mr。　Sedley's　catastrophe。
He　tried　his　new　uniform；　which　became　him
very　handsomely；　on　the　day　when　the　first　meeting　of
the　creditors　of　the　unfortunate　gentleman　took　place。
His　father　told　him　of　the　wicked；　rascally；　shameful
conduct　of　the　bankrupt；　reminded　him　of　what　he　had
said　about　Amelia；　and　that　their　connection　was　broken
off　for　ever；　and　gave　him　that　evening　a　good　sum　of
money　to　pay　for　the　new　clothes　and　epaulets　in　which
he　looked　so　well。　　Money　was　always　useful　to　this　free…
handed　young　fellow；　and　he　took　it　without　many　words。
The　bills　were　up　in　the　Sedley　house；　where　he　had
passed　so　many；　many　happy　hours。　　He　could　see
them　as　he　walked　from　home　that　night　（to　the　Old
Slaughters'；　where　he　put　up　when　in　town）　shining　white
in　the　moon。　　That　comfortable　home　was　shut；　then；　upon
Amelia　and　her　parents：　where　had　they　taken　refuge？
The　thought　of　their　ruin　affected　him　not　a　little。　　He
was　very　melancholy　that　night　in　the　coffee…room　at
the　Slaughters'；　and　drank　a　good　deal；　as　his　comrades
remarked　there。
Dobbin　came　in　presently；　cautioned　him　about　the
drink；　which　he　only　took；　he　said；　because　he　was
deuced　low；　but　when　his　friend　began　to　put　to　him
clumsy　inquiries；　and　asked　him　for　news　in　a　significant
manner；　Osborne　declined　entering　into　conversation　with
him；　avowing；　however；　that　he　was　devilish　disturbed
and　unhappy。
Three　days　afterwards；　Dobbin　found　Osborne　in　his
room　at　the　barrackshis　head　on　the　table；　a　number
of　papers　about；　the　young　Captain　evidently　in　a　state
of　great　despondency。　　〃Sheshe's　sent　me　back　some
things　I　gave　hersome　damned　trinkets。　　Look　here！〃
There　was　a　little　packet　directed　in　the　well…known　hand
to　Captain　George　Osborne；　and　some　things　lying　about
a　ring；　a　silver　knife　he　had　bought；　as　a　boy；　for　her
at　a　fair；　a　gold　chain；　and　a　locket　with　hair　in　it。　　〃It's
all　over；〃　said　he；　with　a　groan　of　sickening　remorse。
〃Look；　Will；　you　may　read　it　if　you　like。〃
There　was　a　little　letter　of　a　few　lines；　to　which　he
pointed；　which　said：

My　papa　has　ordered　me　to　return　to　you　these
presents；　which　you　made　in　happier　days　to　me；　and　I
am　to　write　to　you　for　the　last　time。　　I　think；　I　know　you
feel　as　much　as　I　do　the　blow　which　has　come　upon　us。
It　is　I　that　absolve　you　from　an　engagement　which　is
impossible　in　our　present　misery。　　I　am　sure　you　had　no
share　in　it；　or　in　the　cruel　suspicions　of　Mr。　Osborne；
which　are　the　hardest　of　all　our　griefs　to　bear。　　Farewell。
Farewell。　　I　pray　God　to　strengthen　me　to　bear　this　and
other　calamities；　and　to　bless　you　always。　　　　　A。
I　shall　often　play　upon　the　pianoyour　piano。　　It　was
like　you　to　send　it。
Dobbin　was　very　soft…hearted。　　The　sight　of　women
and　children　in　pain　always　used　to　melt　him。　　The　idea
of　Amelia　broken…hearted　and　lonely　tore　that　good…
natured　soul　with　anguish。　　And　he　broke　out　into　an
emotion；　which　anybody　who　likes　may　consider　unmanly。
He　swore　that　Amelia　was　an　angel；　to　which　Osborne
said　aye　with　all　his　heart。　　He；　too；　had　been　reviewing
the　history　of　their　livesand　had　seen　her　from　her
childhood　to　her　present　age；　so　sweet；　so　innocent；
so　charmingly　simple；　and　artlessly　fond　and　tender。
What　a　pang　it　was　to　lose　all　that：　to　have　had　it　and
not　prized　it！　　A　thousand　homely　scenes　and　recollections
crowded　on　himin　which　he　always　saw　her　good
and　beautiful。　　And　for　himself；　he　blushed　with　remorse
and　shame；　as　the　remembrance　of　his　own　selfishness
and　indifference　contrasted　with　that　perfect　purity。　　For
a　while；　glory；　war；　everything　was　forgotten；　and　the
pair　of　friends　talked　about　her　only。
〃Where　are　they？〃　Osborne　asked；　after　a　long　talk；
and　a　long　pauseand；　in　truth；　with　no　little　shame　at
thinking　that　he　had　taken　no　steps　to　follow　her。　　〃Where
are　they？　There's　no　address　to　the　note。〃
Dobbin　knew。　　He　had　not　merely　sent　the　piano；　but
had　written　a　note　to　Mrs。　Sedley；　and　asked　permission
to　come　and　see　herand　he　had　seen　her；　and　Amelia
too；　yesterday；　before　he　came　down　to　Chatham；　and；
what　is　more；　he　had　brought　that　farewell　letter　and
packet　which　had　so　moved　them。
The　good…natured　fellow　had　found　Mrs。　Sedley　only
too　willing　to　receive　him；　and　greatly　agitated　by　the
arrival　of　the　piano；　which；　as　she　conjectured；　MUST　have
come　from　George；　and　was　a　signal　of　amity　on　his
part。　　Captain　Dobbin　did　not　correct　this　error　of　the
worthy　lady；　but　listened　to　all　her　story　of　complaints
and　misfortunes　with　great　sympathycondoled　with
her　losses　and　privations；　and　agreed　in　reprehending　the
cruel　conduct　of　Mr。　Osborne　towards　his　first　benefactor。　
When　she　had　eased　her　overflowing　bosom　somewhat；
and　poured　forth　many　of　her　sorrows；　he　had　the
courage　to　ask　actually　to　see　Amelia；　who　was　above　in
her　room　as　usual；　and　whom　her　mother　led　trembling
downstairs。
Her　appearance　was　so　ghastly；　and　her　look　of　despair
so　pathetic；　that　honest　William　Dobbin　was　frightened
as　he　beheld　it；　and　read　the　most　fatal　forebodings　in
that　pale　fixed　face。　　After　sitting　in　his　company　a　minute
or　two；　she　put　the　packet　into　his　hand；　and　said；
〃Take　this　to　Captain　Osborne；　if　you　please；　andand　I
hope　he's　quite　welland　it　was　very　kind　of　you　to
come　and　see　usand　we　like　our　new　house　very　much。
And　II　think　I'll　go　upstairs；　Mamma；　for　I'm　not　very
strong。〃　And　with　this；　and　a　curtsey　and　a　smile；　the
poor　child　went　her　way。　　The　mother；　as　she　led　her　up；
cast　back　looks　of　anguish　towards　Dobbin。　　The　good
fellow　wanted　no　such　appeal。　　He　loved　her　himself　too
fondly　for　that。　　Inexpressible　grief；　and　pity；　and　terror
pursued　him；　and　he　came　away　as　if　he　was　a　criminal
after　seeing　her。
When　Osborne　heard　that　his　friend　had　found　her；
he　made　hot　and　anxious　inquiries　regarding　the　poor
child。　　How　was　she？　　How　did　she　look？　　What　did　she
say？　　His　comrade　took　his　hand；　and　looked　h