vanity fair(名利场)-第135章

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leave　the　room　where　the　master　and　his　pupil　were
painting；　in　order　to　give　them　an　opportunity　for
exchanging　those　vows　and　sentiments　which　cannot　be
uttered　advantageously　in　the　presence　of　a　third　party；　I
know　not　whether　she　hoped　that　should　her　cousin
succeed　in　carrying　off　the　rich　merchant's　daughter；　he
would　give　Miss　Wirt　a　portion　of　the　wealth　which　she
had　enabled　him　to　winall　that　is　certain　is　that　Mr。
Osborne　got　some　hint　of　the　transaction；　came　back　from
the　City　abruptly；　and　entered　the　drawing…room　with　his
bamboo　cane；　found　the　painter；　the　pupil；　and　the
companion　all　looking　exceedingly　pale　there；　turned　the
former　out　of　doors　with　menaces　that　he　would　break
every　bone　in　his　skin；　and　half　an　hour　afterwards
dismissed　Miss　Wirt　likewise；　kicking　her　trunks　down　the
stairs；　trampling　on　her　bandboxes；　and　shaking　his　fist　at
her　hackney　coach　as　it　bore　her　away。
Jane　Osborne　kept　her　bedroom　for　many　days。　　She　was
not　allowed　to　have　a　companion　afterwards。　　Her　father
swore　to　her　that　she　should　not　have　a　shilling　of　his
money　if　she　made　any　match　without　his　concurrence；
and　as　he　wanted　a　woman　to　keep　his　house；　he　did　not
choose　that　she　should　marry；　so　that　she　was　obliged　to
give　up　all　projects　with　which　Cupid　had　any　share。
During　her　papa's　life；　then；　she　resigned　herself　to　the
manner　of　existence　here　described；　and　was　content　to　be
an　old　maid。　　Her　sister；　meanwhile；　was　having　children
with　finer　names　every　year　and　the　intercourse　between
the　two　grew　fainter　continually。　　〃Jane　and　I　do　not　move
in　the　same　sphere　of　life；〃　Mrs。　Bullock　said。　　〃I　regard　her
as　a　sister；　of　course〃which　meanswhat　does　it　mean
when　a　lady　says　that　she　regards　Jane　as　a　sister？
It　has　been　described　how　the　Misses　Dobbin　lived　with
their　father　at　a　fine　villa　at　Denmark　Hill；　where　there
were　beautiful　graperies　and　peach…trees　which　delighted
little　Georgy　Osborne。　　The　Misses　Dobbin；　who　drove　often
to　Brompton　to　see　our　dear　Amelia；　came　sometimes　to
Russell　Square　too；　to　pay　a　visit　to　their　old　acquaintance
Miss　Osborne。　　I　believe　it　was　in　consequence　of　the
commands　of　their　brother　the　Major　in　India　（for　whom
their　papa　had　a　prodigious　respect）；　that　they　paid
attention　to　Mrs。　George；　for　the　Major；　the　godfather　and
guardian　of　Amelia's　little　boy；　still　hoped　that　the　child's
grandfather　might　be　induced　to　relent　towards　him　and
acknowledge　him　for　the　sake　of　his　son。　　The　Misses
Dobbin　kept　Miss　Osborne　acquainted　with　the　state　of
Amelia's　affairs；　how　she　was　living　with　her　father　and
mother；　how　poor　they　were；　how　they　wondered　what
men；　and　such　men　as　their　brother　and　dear　Captain
Osborne；　could　find　in　such　an　insignificant　little　chit；　how
she　was　still；　as　heretofore；　a　namby…pamby　milk…and…
water　affected　creaturebut　how　the　boy　was　really　the
noblest　little　boy　ever　seenfor　the　hearts　of　all　women
warm　towards　young　children；　and　the　sourest　spinster　is
kind　to　them。
One　day；　after　great　entreaties　on　the　part　of　the　Misses
Dobbin；　Amelia　allowed　little　George　to　go　and　pass　a　day
with　them　at　Denmark　Hilla　part　of　which　day　she　spent
herself　in　writing　to　the　Major　in　India。　　She　congratulated
him　on　the　happy　news　which　his　sisters　had　just
conveyed　to　her。　　She　prayed　for　his　prosperity　and　that　of
the　bride　he　had　chosen。　　She　thanked　him　for　a　thousand
thousand　kind　offices　and　proofs　of　stead　fast　friendship　to
her　in　her　affliction。　　She　told　him　the　last　news　about　little
Georgy；　and　how　he　was　gone　to　spend　that　very　day　with
his　sisters　in　the　country。　　She　underlined　the　letter　a　great
deal；　and　she　signed　herself　affectionately　his　friend；
Amelia　Osborne。　　She　forgot　to　send　any　message　of
kindness　to　Lady　O'Dowd；　as　her　wont　wasand　did　not
mention　Glorvina　by　name；　and　only　in　italics；　as　the
Major's　BRIDE；　for　whom　she　begged　blessings。　　But　the
news　of　the　marriage　removed　the　reserve　which　she　had
kept　up　towards　him。　　She　was　glad　to　be　able　to　own　and
feel　how　warmly　and　gratefully　she　regarded　himand　as
for　the　idea　of　being　jealous　of　Glorvina　（Glorvina；　indeed！）；
Amelia　would　have　scouted　it；　if　an　angel　from　heaven　had
hinted　it　to　her。　　That　night；　when　Georgy　came　back　in　the
pony…carriage　in　which　he　rejoiced；　and　in　which　he　was
driven　by　Sir　Wm。　　Dobbin's　old　coachman；　he　had　round
his　neck　a　fine　gold　chain　and　watch。　　He　said　an　old　lady；
not　pretty；　had　given　it　him；　who　cried　and　kissed　him　a
great　deal。　　But　he　didn't　like　her。　　He　liked　grapes　very
much。　　And　he　only　liked　his　mamma。　　Amelia　shrank　and
started；　the　timid　soul　felt　a　presentiment　of　terror　when
she　heard　that　the　relations　of　the　child's　father　had　seen
him。
Miss　Osborne　came　back　to　give　her　father　his　dinner。　　He
had　made　a　good　speculation　in　the　City；　and　was　rather　in
a　good　humour　that　day；　and　chanced　to　remark　the
agitation　under　which　she　laboured。　　〃What's　the　matter；
Miss　Osborne？〃　he　deigned　to　say。
The　woman　burst　into　tears。　　〃Oh；　sir；〃　she　said；　〃I've　seen
little　George。　　He　is　as　beautiful　as　an　angeland　so　like
him！〃　The　old　man　opposite　to　her　did　not　say　a　word；　but
flushed　up　and　began　to　tremble　in　every　limb。

CHAPIER　XLIII
In　Which　the　Reader　Has　to　Double　the　Cape
The　astonished　reader　must　be　called　upon　to　transport
himself　ten　thousand　miles　to　the　military　station　of
Bundlegunge；　in　the　Madras　division　of　our　Indian　empire；
where　our　gallant　old　friends　of　the　th　regiment　are
quartered　under　the　command　of　the　brave　Colonel；
Sir　Michael　O'Dowd。　　Time　has　dealt　kindly　with　that
stout　officer；　as　it　does　ordinarily　with　men　who　have
good　stomachs　and　good　tempers　and　are　not　perplexed
over　much　by　fatigue　of　the　brain。　　The　Colonel　plays　a
good　knife　and　fork　at　tiffin　and　resumes　those　weapons
with　great　success　at　dinner。　　He　smokes　his　hookah　after
both　meals　and　puffs　as　quietly　while　his　wife　scolds
him　as　he　did　under　the　fire　of　the　French　at　Waterloo。　　Age
and　heat　have　not　diminished　the　activity　or　the　eloquence
of　the　descendant　of　the　Malonys　and　the　Molloys。　　Her
Ladyship；　our　old　acquaintance；　is　as　much　at　home　at
Madras　as　at　Brussels　in　the　cantonment　as　under　the
tents。　　On　the　march　you　saw　her　at　the　head　of　the
regiment　seated　on　a　royal　elephant；　a　noble　sight。
Mounted　on　that　beast；　she　has　been　into　action　with　tigers
in　the　jungle；　she　has　been　received　by　native　princes；　who
have　welcomed　her　and　Glorvina　into　the　recesses　of　their
zenanas　and　offered　her　shawls　and　jewels　which　it　went
to　her　heart　to　refuse。　　The　sentries　of　all　arms　salute　her
wherever　she　makes　her　appearance；　and　she　touches　her
hat　gravely　to　their　salutation。　　Lady　O'Dowd　is　one　of　the
greatest　ladies　in　the　Presidency　of　Madrasher　quarrel
with　Lady　Smith；　wife　of　Sir　Minos　Smith　the　puisne　judge；
is　still　remembered　by　some　at　Madras；　when　the　Colonel's
lady　snapped　her　fingers　in　the　Judge's　lady's　face　and　said
SHE'D　never　walk　behind　ever　a　beggarly　civilian。　　Even
now；　though　it　is　five…and…twenty　years　ago；　people
remember　Lady　O'Dowd　performing　a　jig　at　Government
House；　where　she　danced　down　two　Aides…de…Camp；　a
Major　of　Madras　cavalry；　and　two　gentlemen　of　the　Civil
Service；　and；　persuaded　by　Major　Dobbin；　C。B。；　second　in
command　of　the　th；　to　retire　to　the　supper…room；　lassata
nondum　satiata　recessit。
Peggy　O'Dowd　is　indeed　the　same　as　ever；　kind　in　act　and
thought；　impetuous　in　temper；　eager　to　command；　a　tyrant
over　her　Michael；　a　dragon　amongst　all　the　ladies　of　the
regiment；　a　mother　to　all　the　young　men；　whom　she　tends
in　their　sickness；　defends　in　all　their　scrapes；　and　with
whom　Lady　Peggy　is　immensely　popular。　　But　the
Subalterns'　and　Captains'　ladies　（the　Major　is　unmarried）
cabal　against　her　a　good　deal。　　They　say　that　Glorvina　gives
herself　airs　and　that　Peggy　herself　is　ill　tolerably
domineering。　　She　interfered　with　a　little　congregation
which　Mrs。　Kirk　had　got　up　and　laughed　the　young　men
away　from　her　sermons；　stating　that　a　soldier's　wife　had　no
business　to　be　a　parsonthat　Mrs。　Kirk　would　be　much
better　mending　her　husband's　clothes；　and；　if　the　regiment
wanted