vanity fair(名利场)-第124章

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godson　and　to　her。　　He　ordered　and　sent　a　box　of　scarfs
and　a　grand　ivory　set　of　chess…men　from　China。　　The
pawns　were　little　green　and　white　men；　with　real　swords
and　shields；　the　knights　were　on　horseback；　the　castles
were　on　the　backs　of　elephants。　　〃Mrs。　Mango's　own　set　at
the　Pineries　was　not　so　fine；〃　Mr。　Pestler　remarked。　　These
chess…men　were　the　delight　of　Georgy's　life；　who　printed
his　first　letter　in　acknowledgement　of　this　gift　of　his
godpapa。　　He　sent　over　preserves　and　pickles；　which　latter
the　young　gentleman　tried　surreptitiously　in　the　sideboard
and　half…killed　himself　with　eating。　　He　thought　it　was　a
judgement　upon　him　for　stealing；　they　were　so　hot。　　Emmy
wrote　a　comical　little　account　of　this　mishap　to　the
Major：　　it　pleased　him　to　think　that　her　spirits　were　rallying
and　that　she　could　be　merry　sometimes　now。　　He
sent　over　a　pair　of　shawls；　a　white　one　for　her　and　a　black
one　with　palm…leaves　for　her　mother；　and　a　pair　of　red
scarfs；　as　winter　wrappers；　for　old　Mr。　Sedley　and　George。
The　shawls　were　worth　fifty　guineas　apiece　at　the　very
least；　as　Mrs。　Sedley　knew。　　She　wore　hers　in　state　at
church　at　Brompton；　and　was　congratulated　by　her
female　friends　upon　the　splendid　acquisition。　　Emmy's；　too；
became　prettily　her　modest　black　gown。　　〃What　a　pity　it
is　she　won't　think　of　him！〃　Mrs。　Sedley　remarked　to
Mrs。　Clapp　and　to　all　her　friends　of　Brompton。　　〃Jos　never
sent　us　such　presents；　I　am　sure；　and　grudges　us
everything。　　It　is　evident　that　the　Major　is　over　head　and　ears
in　love　with　her；　and　yet；　whenever　I　so　much　as　hint　it；
she　turns　red　and　begins　to　cry　and　goes　and　sits　upstairs
with　her　miniature。　　I'm　sick　of　that　miniature。　　I　wish　we
had　never　seen　those　odious　purse…proud　Osbornes。〃
Amidst　such　humble　scenes　and　associates　George's
early　youth　was　passed；　and　the　boy　grew　up　delicate；
sensitive；　imperious；　woman…breddomineering　the
gentle　mother　whom　he　loved　with　passionate　affection。　　He
ruled　all　the　rest　of　the　little　world　round　about　him。
As　he　grew；　the　elders　were　amazed　at　his　haughty
manner　and　his　constant　likeness　to　his　father。　　He　asked
questions　about　everything；　as　inquiring　youth　will　do。　　The
profundity　of　his　remarks　and　interrogatories　astonished
his　old　grandfather；　who　perfectly　bored　the　club　at　the
tavern　with　stories　about　the　little　lad's　learning　and
genius。　　He　suffered　his　grandmother　with　a　good…humoured　
indifference。　　The　small　circle　round　about　him
believed　that　the　equal　of　the　boy　did　not　exist　upon　the
earth。　　Georgy　inherited　his　father's　pride；　and　perhaps
thought　they　were　not　wrong。
When　he　grew　to　be　about　six　years　old；　Dobbin　began
to　write　to　him　very　much。　　The　Major　wanted　to　hear
that　Georgy　was　going　to　a　school　and　hoped　he　would
acquit　himself　with　credit　there：　　or　would　he　have　a　good
tutor　at　home？　It　was　time　that　he　should　begin　to　learn；
and　his　godfather　and　guardian　hinted　that　he　hoped　to
be　allowed　to　defray　the　charges　of　the　boy's　education；
which　would　fall　heavily　upon　his　mother's　straitened
income。　　The　Major；　in　a　word；　was　always　thinking　about
Amelia　and　her　little　boy；　and　by　orders　to　his　agents
kept　the　latter　provided　with　picture…books；　paint…boxes；
desks；　and　all　conceivable　implements　of　amusement　and
instruction。　　Three　days　before　George's　sixth　birthday　a
gentleman　in　a　gig；　accompanied　by　a　servant；　drove
up　to　Mr。　Sedley's　house　and　asked　to　see　Master　George
Osborne：　　it　was　Mr。　Woolsey；　military　tailor；　of　Conduit
Street；　who　came　at　the　Major's　order　to　measure　the
young　gentleman　for　a　suit　of　clothes。　　He　had　had　the
honour　of　making　for　the　Captain；　the　young
gentleman's　father。
Sometimes；　too；　and　by　the　Major's　desire　no　doubt；
his　sisters；　the　Misses　Dobbin；　would　call　in　the　family
carriage　to　take　Amelia　and　the　little　boy　to　drive　if　they
were　so　inclined。　　The　patronage　and　kindness　of　these
ladies　was　very　uncomfortable　to　Amelia；　but　she　bore　it
meekly　enough；　for　her　nature　was　to　yield；　and；　besides；
the　carriage　and　its　splendours　gave　little　Georgy
immense　pleasure。　　The　ladies　begged　occasionally　that　the
child　might　pass　a　day　with　them；　and　he　was　always　glad
to　go　to　that　fine　garden…house　at　Denmark　Hill；　where
they　lived；　and　where　there　were　such　fine　grapes　in　the
hot…houses　and　peaches　on　the　walls。
One　day　they　kindly　came　over　to　Amelia　with　news
which　they　were　SURE　would　delight　hersomething　VERY
interesting　about　their　dear　William。
〃What　was　it：　　was　he　coming　home？〃　she　asked　with
pleasure　beaming　in　her　eyes。
〃Oh；　nonot　the　leastbut　they　had　very　good　reason
to　believe　that　dear　William　was　about　to　be　married
and　to　a　relation　of　a　very　dear　friend　of　Amelia'sto
Miss　Glorvina　O'Dowd；　Sir　Michael　O'Dowd's　sister；
who　had　gone　out　to　join　Lady　O'Dowd　at　Madrasa　very
beautiful　and　accomplished　girl；　everybody　said。〃
Amelia　said　〃Oh！〃　Amelia　was　very　VERY　happy　indeed。
But　she　supposed　Glorvina　could　not　be　like　her　old
acquaintance；　who　was　most　kindbutbut　she　was
very　happy　indeed。　　And　by　some　impulse　of　which　I
cannot　explain　the　meaning；　she　took　George　in　her　arms
and　kissed　him　with　an　extraordinary　tenderness。　　Her
eyes　were　quite　moist　when　she　put　the　child　down；　and
she　scarcely　spoke　a　word　during　the　whole　of　the
drivethough　she　was　so　very　happy　indeed。

CHAPTER　XXXIX
A　Cynical　Chapter
Our　duty　now　takes　us　back　for　a　brief　space　to　some　old
Hampshire　acquaintances　of　ours；　whose　hopes　respecting
the　disposal　of　their　rich　kinswoman's　property　were　so
woefully　disappointed。　　After　counting　upon　thirty　thousand
pounds　from　his　sister；　it　was　a　heavy　blow。　　to　Bute　Crawley
to　receive　but　five；　out　of　which　sum；　when　he　had　paid
his　own　debts　and　those　of　Jim；　his　son　at　college；　a　very
small　fragment　remained　to　portion　off　his　four　plain
daughters。　　Mrs。　Bute　never　knew；　or　at　least　never
acknowledged；　how　far　her　own　tyrannous　behaviour　had
tended　to　ruin　her　husband。　　All　that　woman　could　do；　she
vowed　and　protested　she　had　done。　　Was　it　her　fault　if
she　did　not　possess　those　sycophantic　arts　which　her
hypocritical　nephew；　Pitt　Crawley；　practised？　She　wished
him　all　the　happiness　which　he　merited　out　of　his
ill…gotten　gains。　　〃At　least　the　money　will　remain　in　the
family；〃　she　said　charitably。　　〃Pitt　will　never　spend　it；　my
dear；　that　is　quite　certain；　for　a　greater　miser　does　not
exist　in　England；　and　he　is　as　odious；　though　in　a
different　way；　as　his　spendthrift　brother；　the　abandoned
Rawdon。〃
So　Mrs。　Bute；　after　the　first　shock　of　rage　and
disappointment；　began　to　accommodate　herself　as　best
she　could　to　her　altered　fortunes　and　to　save　and　retrench
with　all　her　might。　　She　instructed　her　daughters　how　to
bear　poverty　cheerfully；　and　invented　a　thousand　notable
methods　to　conceal　or　evade　it。　　She　took　them　about　to
balls　and　public　places　in　the　neighbourhood；　with
praiseworthy　energy；　nay；　she　entertained　her　friends　in　a
hospitable　comfortable　manner　at　the　Rectory；　and　much
more　frequently　than　before　dear　Miss　Crawley's　legacy
had　fallen　in。　　From　her　outward　bearing　nobody　would
have　supposed　that　the　family　had　been　disappointed
in　their　expectations；　or　have　guessed　from　her　frequent
appearance　in　public　how　she　pinched　and　starved　at
home。　　Her　girls　had　more　milliners'　furniture　than　they
had　ever　enjoyed　before。　　They　appeared　perseveringly
at　the　Winchester　and　Southampton　assemblies；　they
penetrated　to　Cowes　for　the　race…balls　and　regatta…gaieties
there；　and　their　carriage；　with　the　horses　taken　from　the
plough；　was　at　work　perpetually；　until　it　began　almost　to
be　believed　that　the　four　sisters　had　had　fortunes　left　them
by　their　aunt；　whose　name　the　family　never　mentioned　in
public　but　with　the　most　tender　gratitude　and　regard。　　I
know　no　sort　of　lying　which　is　more　frequent　in　Vanity
Fair　than　this；　and　it　may　be　remarked　how　people　who
practise　it　take　credit　to　themselves　for　their　hypocrisy；
and　fancy　that　they　are　exceedingly　virtuous　and
praiseworthy；　because　they　are　able　to　deceive　the　world
with　regard　to　the　extent　of　their　means。
Mrs。　Bute　certainly　thought　herself　one　of　the　most
virtuous　wome