vanity fair(名利场)-第63节

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him　if　he　would　leave　off　brandy　and　water　he　would
be　a　good　soldier；　as　he　always　was　a　gentlemanly　good…
hearted　fellow。　　Young　Stubble's　eyes　brightened　up　at　this；
for　Dobbin　was　greatly　respected　in　the　regiment；　as　the
best　officer　and　the　cleverest　man　in　it。
〃Thank　you；　Dobbin；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　eyes　with
his　knuckles；　〃I　was　justjust　telling　her　I　would。　　And；
O　Sir；　she's　so　dam　kind　to　me。〃　The　water　pumps　were
at　work　again；　and　I　am　not　sure　that　the　soft…hearted
Captain's　eyes　did　not　also　twinkle。
The　two　ensigns；　the　Captain；　and　Mr。　Chopper；　dined
together　in　the　same　box。　　Chopper　brought　the　letter　from
Mr。　Osborne；　in　which　the　latter　briefly　presented　his
compliments　to　Captain　Dobbin；　and　requested　him　to
forward　the　inclosed　to　Captain　George　Osborne。　　Chopper
knew　nothing　further；　he　described　Mr。　Osborne's　appearance；
it　is　true；　and　his　interview　with　his　lawyer；　wondered
how　the　governor　had　sworn　at　nobody；　andespecially
as　the　wine　circled　roundabounded　in　speculations
and　conjectures。　　But　these　grew　more　vague　with
every　glass；　and　at　length　became　perfectly　unintelligible。
At　a　late　hour　Captain　Dobbin　put　his　guest　into　a　hackney
coach；　in　a　hiccupping　state；　and　swearing　that　he　would
be　the　kickthe　kickCaptain's　friend　for　ever　and　ever。
When　Captain　Dobbin　took　leave　of　Miss　Osborne　we
have　said　that　he　asked　leave　to　come　and　pay　her
another　visit；　and　the　spinster　expected　him　for　some　hours
the　next　day；　when；　perhaps；　had　he　come；　and　had　he
asked　her　that　question　which　she　was　prepared　to　answer；
she　would　have　declared　herself　as　her　brother's
friend；　and　a　reconciliation　might　have　been　effected
between　George　and　his　angry　father。　　But　though　she　waited
at　home　the　Captain　never　came。　　He　had　his　own　affairs
to　pursue；　his　own　parents　to　visit　and　console；　and　at　an
early　hour　of　the　day　to　take　his　place　on　the　Lightning
coach；　and　go　down　to　his　friends　at　Brighton。　　In　the
course　of　the　day　Miss　Osborne　heard　her　father　give
orders　that　that　meddling　scoundrel；　Captain　Dobbin；
should　never　be　admitted　within　his　doors　again；　and　any
hopes　in　which　she　may　have　indulged　privately　were　thus
abruptly　brought　to　an　end。　　Mr。　Frederick　Bullock　came；
and　was　particularly　affectionate　to　Maria；　and　attentive
to　the　broken…spirited　old　gentleman。　　For　though　he　said
his　mind　would　be　easy；　the　means　which　he　had　taken　to
secure　quiet　did　not　seem　to　have　succeeded　as　yet；　and
the　events　of　the　past　two　days　had　visibly　shattered　him。

CHAPTER　XXV
In　Which　All　the　Principal　Personages　Think　Fit
to　Leave　Brighton
Conducted　to　the　ladies；　at　the　Ship　Inn；　Dobbin　assumed
a　jovial　and　rattling　manner；　which　proved　that　this
young　officer　was　becoming　a　more　consummate　hypocrite
every　day　of　his　life。　　He　was　trying　to　hide　his　own
private　feelings；　first　upon　seeing　Mrs。　George　Osborne
in　her　new　condition；　and　secondly　to　mask　the
apprehensions　he　entertained　as　to　the　effect　which
the　dismal　news　brought　down　by　him　would　certainly
have　upon　her。
〃It　is　my　opinion；　George；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　French
Emperor　will　be　upon　us；　horse　and　foot；　before　three
weeks　are　over；　and　will　give　the　Duke　such　a　dance　as
shall　make　the　Peninsula　appear　mere　child's　play。　　But
you　need　not　say　that　to　Mrs。　Osborne；　you　know。　　There
mayn't　be　any　fighting　on　our　side　after　all；　and　our
business　in　Belgium　may　turn　out　to　be　a　mere　military
occupation。　　Many　persons　think　so；　and　Brussels　is　full
of　fine　people　and　ladies　of　fashion。〃　So　it　was　agreed　to
represent　the　duty　of　the　British　army　in　Belgium　in　this
harmless　light　to　Amelia。
This　plot　being　arranged；　the　hypocritical　Dobbin　saluted
Mrs。　George　Osborne　quite　gaily；　tried　to　pay　her
one　or　two　compliments　relative　to　her　new　position　as　a
bride　（which　compliments；　it　must　be　confessed；　were
exceedingly　clumsy　and　hung　fire　woefully）；　and　then　fell
to　talking　about　Brighton；　and　the　sea…air；　and　the　gaieties
of　the　place；　and　the　beauties　of　the　road　and　the　merits
of　the　Lightning　coach　and　horsesall　in　a　manner
quite　incomprehensible　to　Amelia；　and　very　amusing　to
Rebecca；　who　was　watching　the　Captain；　as　indeed　she
watched　every　one　near　whom　she　came。
Little　Amelia；　it　must　be　owned；　had　rather　a　mean
opinion　of　her　husband's　friend；　Captain　Dobbin。　　He　lisped
he　was　very　plain　and　homely…looking：　and　exceedingly
awkward　and　ungainly。　　She　liked　him　for　his　attachment
to　her　husband　（to　be　sure　there　was　very　little　merit　in
that）；　and　she　thought　George　was　most　generous　and
kind　in　extending　his　friendship　to　his　brother　officer。
George　had　mimicked　Dobbin's　lisp　and　queer　manners
many　times　to　her；　though　to　do　him　justice；　he　always
spoke　most　highly　of　his　friend's　good　qualities。　　In　her
little　day　of　triumph；　and　not　knowing　him　intimately　as
yet；　she　made　light　of　honest　Williamand　he　knew　her
opinions　of　him　quite　well；　and　acquiesced　in　them　very
humbly。　　A　time　came　when　she　knew　him　better；　and
changed　her　notions　regarding　him；　but　that　was　distant　as
yet。
As　for　Rebecca；　Captain　Dobbin　had　not　been　two　hours
in　the　ladies'　company　before　she　understood　his　secret
perfectly。　　She　did　not　like　him；　and　feared　him　privately；
nor　was　he　very　much　prepossessed　in　her　favour。　　He
was　so　honest；　that　her　arts　and　cajoleries　did　not　affect
him；　and　he　shrank　from　her　with　instinctive　repulsion。
And；　as　she　was　by　no　means　so　far　superior　to　her　sex　as
to　be　above　jealousy；　she　disliked　him　the　more　for　his
adoration　of　Amelia。　　Nevertheless；　she　was　very　respectful
and　cordial　in　her　manner　towards　him。　　A　friend　to
the　Osbornes！　a　friend　to　her　dearest　benefactors！　　She
vowed　she　should　always　love　him　sincerely：　she　remembered
him　quite　well　on　the　Vauxhall　night；　as　she　told
Amelia　archly；　and　she　made　a　little　fun　of　him　when　the
two　ladies　went　to　dress　for　dinner。　　Rawdon　Crawley　paid
scarcely　any　attention　to　Dobbin；　looking　upon　him　as　a
good…natured　nincompoop　and　under…bred　City　man。　　Jos
patronised　him　with　much　dignity。
When　George　and　Dobbin　were　alone　in　the　latter's
room；　to　which　George　had　followed　him；　Dobbin　took
from　his　desk　the　letter　which　he　had　been　charged　by
Mr。　Osborne　to　deliver　to　his　son。　　〃It's　not　in　my　father's
handwriting；〃　said　George；　looking　rather　alarmed；　nor
was　it：　the　letter　was　from　Mr。　Osborne's　lawyer；　and　to
the　following　effect：
Bedford　Row；　May　7；　1815。
　　　　
SIR；
I　am　commissioned　by　Mr。　Osborne　to　inform　you；
that　he　abides　by　the　determination　which　he　before
expressed　to　you；　and　that　in　consequence　of　the　marriage
which　you　have　been　pleased　to　contract；　he　ceases　to
consider　you　henceforth　as　a　member　of　his　family。
This　determination　is　final　and　irrevocable。
Although　the　monies　expended　upon　you　in　your
minority；　and　the　bills　which　you　have　drawn　upon
him　so　unsparingly　of　late　years；　far　exceed　in　amount
the　sum　to　which　you　are　entitled　in　your　own　right
（being　the　third　part　of　the　fortune　of　your　mother；
the　late　Mrs。　Osborne　and　which　reverted　to　you　at　her
decease；　and　to　Miss　Jane　Osborne　and　Miss　Maria
Frances　Osborne）；　yet　I　am　instructed　by　Mr。　Osborne
to　say；　that　he　waives　all　claim　upon　your　estate；　and
that　the　sum　of　2；0001。；　4　per　cent。　annuities；　at　the
value　of　the　day　（being　your　one…third　share　of　the　sum
of　6；0001。）；　shall　be　paid　over　to　yourself　or　your　agents
upon　your　receipt　for　the　same；　by
Your　obedient　Servt。；
S。　HIGGS。
P。S。Mr。　Osborne　desires　me　to　say；　once　for　all；
that　he　declines　to　receive　any　messages；　letters；　or
communications　from　you　on　this　or　any　other　subject。
〃A　pretty　way　you　have　managed　the　affair；〃　said
George；　looking　savagely　at　William　Dobbin。　　〃Look　there；
Dobbin；〃　and　he　flung　over　to　the　latter　his　parent's　letter。
〃A　beggar；　by　Jove；　and　all　in　consequence　of　my　dd
sentimentality。　　Why　couldn't　we　have　waited？　　A　ball　might
have　done　for　me　in　the　course　of　the　war；　and　may　still；
and　how　will　Emmy　be　bettered　by　being　left　a　beggar's
widow？　　It　was　all　your　doing。　　You　were　never　easy　until
you　had　got　me　married　and　ruined。　　What　the　deuce　am
I　to　do　with　two　thousand　pounds？　　Such　a　sum　won't
last　two　years。　　I've　lost　a　hundred　and　forty　to　Crawley　at
cards　and　billiards　since　I've　been　down　here。　　A　pretty
manager　of　a　man's　matters　YOU　are；　forsooth。〃
〃There's　no　denying　that　the　position　is　a　hard　one；〃
Dobbin　replied；　after　reading　over　the　letter　with　a　blank
countenance；　〃and　as　you　say；　it　is　partly　of　my　making。
There　are　some　men　who　wouldn't　mind　changing　with
you；〃　he　added；　with　a　bitter　smile。　　〃How　many　captains
in　the　regiment　have　two　thousand　pounds　to　the　fore；
think　you？　　You　must　live　on　your　pay　till　your　father
relents；　and　if　you　die；　you　leave　your　wife　a　hundred　a
year。〃
〃Do　you　suppose　a　man　of　my　habits　call　live　on　his
pay　and　a　hundred　a　year？〃　George　cried　out　in　great
anger。　　〃You　must　be　a　fool　to　talk　so；　Dobbin。　　How　the
deuce　am　I　to　keep　up　my　position　in　the　world　upon
such　a　pitiful　pittance？　　I　can't　change　my　habits。　　I　must
have　my　comforts。　　I　wasn't　brought　up　on　porridge；　like
MacWhirter；　or　on　potatoes；　like　old　O'