vanity fair(名利场)-第54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！


arranging　this　splendid　match　for　him；　which　they　never
dreamed　he　would　resist。
When　the　elder　Osborne　gave　what　he　called　〃a　hint；〃
there　was　no　possibility　for　the　most　obtuse　to　mistake
his　meaning。　　He　called　kicking　a　footman　downstairs　a
hint　to　the　latter　to　leave　his　service。　　With　his　usual
frankness　and　delicacy　he　told　Mrs。　Haggistoun　that　he
would　give　her　a　cheque　for　five　thousand　pounds　on　the
day　his　son　was　married　to　her　ward；　and　called　that
proposal　a　hint；　and　considered　it　a　very　dexterous　piece
of　diplomacy。　　He　gave　George　finally　such　another　hint
regarding　the　heiress；　and　ordered　him　to　marry　her　out
of　hand；　as　he　would　have　ordered　his　butler　to　draw　a
cork；　or　his　clerk　to　write　a　letter。
This　imperative　hint　disturbed　George　a　good　deal。　　He
was　in　the　very　first　enthusiasm　and　delight　of　his　second
courtship　of　Amelia；　which　was　inexpressibly　sweet
to　him。　　The　contrast　of　her　manners　and　appearance　with
those　of　the　heiress；　made　the　idea　of　a　union　with　the
latter　appear　doubly　ludicrous　and　odious。　　Carriages　and
opera…boxes；　thought　he；　fancy　being　seen　in　them　by　the
side　of　such　a　mahogany　charmer　as　that！　　Add　to　all
that　the　junior　Osborne　was　quite　as　obstinate　as　the
senior：　when　he　wanted　a　thing；　quite　as　firm　in　his
resolution　to　get　it；　and　quite　as　violent　when　angered；
as　his　father　in　his　most　stern　moments。
On　the　first　day　when　his　father　formally　gave　him　the
hint　that　he　was　to　place　his　affections　at　Miss　Swartz's
feet；　George　temporised　with　the　old　gentleman。　　〃You
should　have　thought　of　the　matter　sooner；　sir；〃　he　said。
〃It　can't　be　done　now；　when　we're　expecting　every　day
to　go　on　foreign　service。　　Wait　till　my　return；　if　I　do
return〃；　and　then　he　represented；　that　the　time　when　the
regiment　was　daily　expecting　to　quit　England；　was
exceedingly　ill…chosen：　that　the　few　days　or　weeks　during
which　they　were　still　to　remain　at　home；　must　be
devoted　to　business　and　not　to　love…making：　time　enough
for　that　when　he　came　home　with　his　majority；　〃for；　I
promise　you；〃　said　he；　with　a　satisfied　air；　〃that　one
way　or　other　you　shall　read　the　name　of　George　Osborne
in　the　Gazette。〃
The　father's　reply　to　this　was　founded　upon　the
information　which　he　had　got　in　the　City：　that　the　West
End　chaps　would　infallibly　catch　hold　of　the　heiress　if
any　delay　took　place：　that　if　he　didn't　marry　Miss　S。；　he
might　at　least　have　an　engagement　in　writing；　to　come
into　effect　when　he　returned　to　England；　and　that　a　man
who　could　get　ten　thousand　a　year　by　staying　at　home；
was　a　fool　to　risk　his　life　abroad。
〃So　that　you　would　have　me　shown　up　as　a　coward；　sir；
and　our　name　dishonoured　for　the　sake　of　Miss　Swartz's
money；〃　George　interposed。
This　remark　staggered　the　old　gentleman；　but　as　he
had　to　reply　to　it；　and　as　his　mind　was　nevertheless
made　up；　he　said；　〃You　will　dine　here　to…morrow；　sir；
and　every　day　Miss　Swartz　comes；　you　will　be　here　to
pay　your　respects　to　her。　　If　you　want　for　money；　call
upon　Mr。　Chopper。〃　Thus　a　new　obstacle　was　in　George's
way；　to　interfere　with　his　plans　regarding　Amelia；　and
about　which　he　and　Dobbin　had　more　than　one　confidential
　consultation。　　His　friend's　opinion　respecting　the
line　of　conduct　which　he　ought　to　pursue；　we　know
already。　　And　as　for　Osborne；　when　he　was　once　bent　on　a
thing；　a　fresh　obstacle　or　two　only　rendered　him　the
more　resolute。
The　dark　object　of　the　conspiracy　into　which　the　chiefs
of　the　Osborne　family　had　entered；　was　quite　ignorant　of
all　their　plans　regarding　her　（which；　strange　to　say；　her
friend　and　chaperon　did　not　divulge）；　and；　taking　all　the
young　ladies'　flattery　for　genuine　sentiment；　and　being；
as　we　have　before　had　occasion　to　show；　of　a　very
warm　and　impetuous　nature；　responded　to　their　affection
with　quite　a　tropical　ardour。　　And　if　the　truth　may　be　told；
I　dare　say　that　she　too　had　some　selfish　attraction　in　the
Russell　Square　house；　and　in　a　word；　thought　George
Osborne　a　very　nice　young　man。　　His　whiskers　had　made
an　impression　upon　her；　on　the　very　first　night　she
beheld　them　at　the　ball　at　Messrs。　Hulkers；　and；　as　we
know；　she　was　not　the　first　woman　who　had　been
charmed　by　them。　　George　had　an　air　at　once　swaggering
and　melancholy；　languid　and　fierce。　　He　looked　like　a
man　who　had　passions；　secrets；　and　private　harrowing
griefs　and　adventures。　　His　voice　was　rich　and　deep。　　He
would　say　it　was　a　warm　evening；　or　ask　his　partner　to
take　an　ice；　with　a　tone　as　sad　and　confidential　as　if　he
were　breaking　her　mother's　death　to　her；　or　preluding　a
declaration　of　love。　　He　trampled　over　all　the　young　bucks
of　his　father's　circle；　and　was　the　hero　among　those
third…rate　men。　　Some　few　sneered　at　him　and　hated　him。
Some；　like　Dobbin；　fanatically　admired　him。　　And　his　whiskers
had　begun　to　do　their　work；　and　to　curl　themselves
round　the　affections　of　Miss　Swartz。
Whenever　there　was　a　chance　of　meeting　him　in　Russell
Square；　that　simple　and　good…natured　young　woman
was　quite　in　a　flurry　to　see　her　dear　Misses　Osborne。　　She
went　to　great　expenses　in　new　gowns；　and　bracelets；　and
bonnets；　and　in　prodigious　feathers。　　She　adorned　her
person　with　her　utmost　skill　to　please　the　Conqueror；
and　exhibited　all　her　simple　accomplishments　to　win　his
favour。　　The　girls　would　ask　her；　with　the　greatest
gravity；　for　a　little　music；　and　she　would　sing　her　three
songs　and　play　her　two　little　pieces　as　often　as　ever
they　asked；　and　with　an　always　increasing　pleasure　to
herself。　　During　these　delectable　entertainments；　Miss
Wirt　and　the　chaperon　sate　by；　and　conned　over　the
peerage；　and　talked　about　the　nobility。
The　day　after　George　had　his　hint　from　his　father；　and
a　short　time　before　the　hour　of　dinner；　he　was　lolling
upon　a　sofa　in　the　drawing…room　in　a　very　becoming
and　perfectly　natural　attitude　of　melancholy。　　He　had
been；　at　his　father's　request；　to　Mr。　Chopper　in　the　City
（the　old…gentleman；　though　he　gave　great　sums　to　his
son；　would　never　specify　any　fixed　allowance　for　him；
and　rewarded　him　only　as　he　was　in　the　humour）。　　He
had　then　been　to　pass　three　hours　with　Amelia；　his
dear　little　Amelia；　at　Fulham；　and　he　came　home　to
find　his　sisters　spread　in　starched　muslin　in　the　drawing…
room；　the　dowagers　cackling　in　the　background；　and
honest　Swartz　in　her　favourite　amber…coloured　satin；　with
turquoise　bracelets；　countless　rings；　flowers；　feathers；　and
all　sorts　of　tags　and　gimcracks；　about　as　elegantly
decorated　as　a　she　chimney…sweep　on　May…day。
The　girls；　after　vain　attempts　to　engage　him　in　conversation；
talked　about　fashions　and　the　last　drawing…room
until　he　was　perfectly　sick　of　their　chatter。　　He
contrasted　their　behaviour　with　little　Emmy'stheir
shrill　voices　with　her　tender　ringing　tones；　their　attitudes
and　their　elbows　and　their　starch；　with　her　humble　soft
movements　and　modest　graces。　　Poor　Swartz　was　seated
in　a　place　where　Emmy　had　been　accustomed　to　sit。
Her　bejewelled　hands　lay　sprawling　in　her　amber　satin
lap。　　Her　tags　and　ear…rings　twinkled；　and　her　big　eyes
rolled　about。　　She　was　doing　nothing　with　perfect　contentment；
and　thinking　herself　charming。　　Anything　so　becoming
as　the　satin　the　sisters　had　never　seen。
〃Dammy；〃　George　said　to　a　confidential　friend；　〃she
looked　like　a　China　doll；　which　has　nothing　to　do　all　day
but　to　grin　and　wag　its　head。　　By　Jove；　Will；　it　was　all　I
I　could　do　to　prevent　myself　from　throwing　the　sofa…
cushion　at　her。〃　He　restrained　that　exhibition　of
sentiment；　however。
The　sisters　began　to　play　the　Battle　of　Prague。　　〃Stop
that　d　thing；〃　George　howled　out　in　a　fury　from　the
sofa。　　〃It　makes　me　mad。　　You　play　us　something；　Miss
Swartz；　do。　　Sing　something；　anything　but　the　Battle　of
Prague。〃
〃Shall　I　sing　'Blue　Eyed　Mary'　or　the　air　from　the
Cabinet？〃　Miss　Swartz　asked。
〃That　sweet　thing　from　the　Cabinet；〃　the　sisters　said。
〃We've　had　that；〃　replied　the　misanthrope　on　the　sofa
〃I　can　sing　'Fluvy　du　Tajy；'　〃　Swartz　said；　in　a　meek
voice；　〃if　I　had　the　words。〃　It　was　the　last　of　the　worthy
young　woman's　collection。
〃O；　'Fleuve　du　Tage；'　〃　Miss　Maria　cried；　〃we　have　the
song；〃　and　went　off　to　fetch　the　book　in　which　it　was。
Now　it　happened　that　this　song；　then　in　the　height　of
the　fashion；　had　been　given　to　the　young　ladies　by　a　young
friend　of　theirs；　whose　name　was　on　the　title；　and　Miss
Swartz；　having　concluded　the　ditty　with　George's　applause
（for　he　remembered　that　it　was　a　favourite　of　Amelia's）；
was　hoping　for　an　encore　perhaps；　and　fiddling　with　the
leaves　of　the　music；　when　her　eye　fell　upon　the　title；　and
she　saw　〃Amelia　Sedley〃　written　in　the　comer。
〃Lor！〃　cried　Miss　Swartz；　spinning　swiftly　round　on
the　music…stool；　〃is　it　my　Amelia？　　Amelia　that　was　at
Miss　P。's　at　Hammersmith？　　I　know　it　is。　　It's　her。　　and
Tell　me　about　herwhere　is　she？〃
〃Don't　mention　her；〃　Miss　Maria　Osborne　said
hastily。　　〃Her　family　has　disgraced　itself。　　Her　father
cheated　Papa；　and　as　for　her；　she　is　never　to　be　mentioned
HERE。〃　This　was　Miss　Maria's　return　for　George's
rudeness　about　the　Battle　of　Prague。
〃Are　you　a　friend　of　Amelia's？〃　George　said；　bouncing
up。　　〃God　bless　you　for　it；　Miss　Swartz。　　Don't　believe
what；the　girls　say。　　SHE'S　n