vanity fair(名利场)-第69节

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when　you　get　home；　Trotter。〃
There　were　but　nine　days　past　since　Amelia　had　left
that　little　cottage　and　homeand　yet　how　far　off　the
time　seemed　since　she　had　bidden　it　farewell。　　What　a
gulf　lay　between　her　and　that　past　life。　　She　could　look
back　to　it　from　her　present　standing…place；　and　contemplate；
almost　as　another　being；　the　young　unmarried　girl
absorbed　in　her　love；　having　no　eyes　but　for　one　special
object；　receiving　parental　affection　if　not　ungratefully；
at　least　indifferently；　and　as　if　it　were　her　dueher
whole　heart　and　thoughts　bent　on　the　accomplishment　of
one　desire。　　The　review　of　those　days；　so　lately　gone　yet
so　far　away；　touched　her　with　shame；　and　the　aspect　of
the　kind　parents　filled　her　with　tender　remorse。　　Was　the
prize　gainedthe　heaven　of　lifeand　the　winner　still
doubtful　and　unsatisfied？　　As　his　hero　and　heroine　pass
the　matrimonial　barrier；　the　novelist　generally　drops　the
curtain；　as　if　the　drama　were　over　then：　　the　doubts　and
struggles　of　life　ended：　　as　if；　once　landed　in　the　marriage
country；　all　were　green　and　pleasant　there：　　and　wife
and　husband　had　nothing　to　do　but　to　link　each　other's
arms　together；　and　wander　gently　downwards　towards
old　age　in　happy　and　perfect　fruition。　　But　our　little
Amelia　was　just　on　the　bank　of　her　new　country；　and　was
already　looking　anxiously　back　towards　the　sad　friendly
figures　waving　farewell　to　her　across　the　stream；　from　the
other　distant　shore。
In　honour　of　the　young　bride's　arrival；　her　mother
thought　it　necessary　to　prepare　I　don't　know　what　festive
entertainment；　and　after　the　first　ebullition　of　talk；　took
leave　of　Mrs。　George　Osborne　for　a　while；　and　dived
down　to　the　lower　regions　of　the　house　to　a　sort　of
kitchen…parlour　（occupied　by　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Clapp；　and
in　the　evening；　when　her　dishes　were　washed　and　her
curl…papers　removed；　by　Miss　Flannigan；　the　Irish　servant）；
there　to　take　measures　for　the　preparing　of　a　magnificent
　ornamented　tea。　　All　people　have　their　ways　of
expressing　kindness；　and　it　seemed　to　Mrs。　Sedley　that　a
muffin　and　a　quantity　of　orange　marmalade　spread　out
in　a　little　cut…glass　saucer　would　be　peculiarly　agreeable
refreshments　to　Amelia　in　her　most　interesting　situation。
While　these　delicacies　were　being　transacted　below；
Amelia；　leaving　the　drawing…room；　walked　upstairs　and
found　herself；　she　scarce　knew　how；　in　the　little　room
which　she　had　occupied　before　her　marriage；　and　in　that
very　chair　in　which　she　had　passed　so　many　bitter　hours。
She　sank　back　in　its　arms　as　if　it　were　an　old　friend；
and　fell　to　thinking　over　the　past　week；　and　the　life
beyond　it。　　Already　to　be　looking　sadly　and　vaguely　back：
always　to　be　pining　for　something　which；　when　obtained；
brought　doubt　and　sadness　rather　than　pleasure；　here
was　the　lot　of　our　poor　little　creature　and　harmless　lost
wanderer　in　the　great　struggling　crowds　of　Vanity　Fair。
Here　she　sate；　and　recalled　to　herself　fondly　that　image
of　George　to　which　she　had　knelt　before　marriage。　　Did
she　own　to　herself　how　different　the　real　man　was　from
that　superb　young　hero　whom　she　had　worshipped？　　It
requires　many；　many　yearsand　a　man　must　be　very　bad
indeedbefore　a　woman's　pride　and　vanity　will　let　her
own　to　such　a　confession。　　Then　Rebecca's　twinkling
green　eyes　and　baleful　smile　lighted　upon　her；　and　filled
her　with　dismay。　　And　so　she　sate　for　awhile　indulging
in　her　usual　mood　of　selfish　brooding；　in　that　very
listless　melancholy　attitude　in　which　the　honest　maid…servant
had　found　her；　on　the　day　when　she　brought　up　the
letter　in　which　George　renewed　his　offer　of　marriage。
She　looked　at　the　little　white　bed；　which　had　been　hers
a　few　days　before；　and　thought　she　would　like　to　sleep
in　it　that　night；　and　wake；　as　formerly；　with　her　mother
smiling　over　her　in　the　morning：　　Then　she　thought　with
terror　of　the　great　funereal　damask　pavilion　in　the　vast
and　dingy　state　bedroom；　which　was　awaiting　her　at　the
grand　hotel　in　Cavendish　Square。　　Dear　little　white　bed！
how　many　a　long　night　had　she　wept　on　its　pillow！
How　she　had　despaired　and　hoped　to　die　there；　and　now
were　not　all　her　wishes　accomplished；　and　the　lover　of
whom　she　had　despaired　her　own　for　ever？　　Kind　mother！
how　patiently　and　tenderly　she　had　watched　round　that
bed！　　She　went　and　knelt　down　by　the　bedside；　and　there
this　wounded　and　timorous；　but　gentle　and　loving　soul；
sought　for　consolation；　where　as　yet；　it　must　be　owned；
our　little　girl　had　but　seldom　looked　for　it。　　Love　had
been　her　faith　hitherto；　and　the　sad；　bleeding　disappointed
heart　began　to　feel　the　want　of　another　consoler。
Have　we　a　right　to　repeat　or　to　overhear　her　prayers？
These；　brother；　are　secrets；　and　out　of　the　domain　of
Vanity　Fair；　in　which　our　story　lies。
But　this　may　be　said；　that　when　the　tea　was　finally
announced；　our　young　lady　came　downstairs　a　great　deal
more　cheerful；　that　she　did　not　despond；　or　deplore　her
fate；　or　think　about　George's　coldness；　or　Rebecca's　eyes；
as　she　had　been　wont　to　do　of　late。　　She　went　downstairs；
and　kissed　her　father　and　mother；　and　talked　to
the　old　gentleman；　and　made　him　more　merry　than　he
had　been　for　many　a　day。　　She　sate　down　at　the　piano
which　Dobbin　had　bought　for　her；　and　sang　over　all　her
father's　favourite　old　songs。　　She　pronounced　the　tea　to
be　excellent；　and　praised　the　exquisite　taste　in　which
the　marmalade　was　arranged　in　the　saucers。　　And　in
determining　to　make　everybody　else　happy；　she　found
herself　so；　and　was　sound　asleep　in　the　great　funereal
pavilion；　and　only　woke　up　with　a　smile　when　George
arrived　from　the　theatre。
For　the　next　day；　George　had　more　important　〃business〃
to　transact　than　that　which　took　him　to　see　Mr。
Kean　in　Shylock。　　Immediately　on　his　arrival　in　London
he　had　written　off　to　his　father's　solicitors；　signifying　his
royal　pleasure　that　an　interview　should　take　place　between
them　on　the　morrow。　　His　hotel　bill；　losses　at
billiards　and　cards　to　Captain　Crawley　had　almost　drained
the　young　man's　purse；　which　wanted　replenishing　before
he　set　out　on　his　travels；　and　he　had　no　resource　but
to　infringe　upon　the　two　thousand　pounds　which　the
attorneys　were　commissioned　to　pay　over　to　him。　　He
had　a　perfect　belief　in　his　own　mind　that　his　father
would　relent　before　very　long。　　How　could　any　parent
be　obdurate　for　a　length　of　time　against　such　a
paragon　as　he　was？　　If　his　mere　past　and　personal　merits　did
not　succeed　in　mollifying　his　father；　George　determined
that　he　would　distinguish　himself　so　prodigiously　in　the
ensuing　campaign　that　the　old　gentleman　must　give　in　to
him。　　And　if　not？　　Bah！　the　world　was　before　him。　　His
luck　might　change　at　cards；　and　there　was　a　deal　of
spending　in　two　thousand　pounds。
So　he　sent　off　Amelia　once　more　in　a　carriage　to　her
mamma；　with　strict　orders　and　carte　blanche　to　the　two
ladies　to　purchase　everything　requisite　for　a　lady　of　Mrs。
George　Osborne's　fashion；　who　was　going　on　a　foreign
tour。　　They　had　but　one　day　to　complete　the　outfit；　and
it　may　be　imagined　that　their　business　therefore　occupied
them　pretty　fully。　　In　a　carriage　once　more；　bustling
about　from　milliner　to　linen…draper；　escorted　back　to　the
carriage　by　obsequious　shopmen　or　polite　owners；　Mrs。
Sedley　was　herself　again　almost；　and　sincerely　happy　for
the　first　time　since　their　misfortunes。　　Nor　was　Mrs。
Amelia　at　all　above　the　pleasure　of　shopping；　and
bargaining；　and　seeing　and　buying　pretty　things。　　（Would
any　man；　the　most　philosophic；　give　twopence　for　a
woman　who　was？）　　She　gave　herself　a　little　treat；
obedient　to　her　husband's　orders；　and　purchased　a
quantity　of　lady's　gear；　showing　a　great　deal　of　taste　and
elegant　discernment；　as　all　the　shopfolks　said。
And　about　the　war　that　was　ensuing；　Mrs。　Osborne
was　not　much　alarmed；　Bonaparty　was　to　be　crushed
almost　without　a　struggle。　　Margate　packets　were　sailing
every　day；　filled　with　men　of　fashion　and　ladies　of　note；
on　their　way　to　Brussels　and　Ghent。　　People　were　going
not　so　much　to　a　war　as　to　a　fashionable　tour。　　The
newspapers　laughed　the　wretched　upstart　and　swindler　to
scorn。　　Such　a　Corsican　wretch　as　that　withstand　the
armies　of　Europe　and　the　genius　of　the　immortal
Wellington！　　Amelia　held　him　in　utter　contempt；　for　it　needs
not　to　be　said　that　this　soft　and　gentle　creature　took　her
opinions　from　those　people　who　surrounded　her；　such
fidelity　being　much　too　humble…minded　to　think　for　itself。
Well；　in　a　word；　she　and　her　mother　performed　a
great　day's　shopping；　and　she　acquitted　herself　with
considerable　liveliness　and　credit　on　this　her　first
appearance　in　the　genteel　world　of　London。
George　meanwhile；　with　his　hat　on　one　side；　his　elbows
squared；　and　his　swaggering　martial　air；　made　for
Bedford　Row；　and　stalked　into　the　attorney's　offices　as　if
he　was　lord　of　every　pale…faced　clerk　who　was　scribbling
there。　　He　ordered　somebody　to　inform　Mr。　Higgs　that
Captain　Osborne　was　waiting；　in　a　fierce　and　patronizing
way；　as　if　the　pekin　of　an　attorney；　who　had　thrice　his
brains；　fifty　times　his　money；　and　a　thousand　times　his
experience；　was　a　wretched　underling　who　should
instantly　leave　all　his　business　in　life　to　attend　on　the
Captain's　pleasure。　　He　did　not　see　the