vanity fair(名利场)-第192章

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tasted　in　his　life；　and　asked　Mr。　Osborne　where　he　got　his
Madeira。
〃It　is　some　of　Sedley's　wine；〃　whispered　the　butler　to
his　master。　　〃I've　had　it　a　long　time；　and　paid　a　good
figure　for　it；　too；〃　Mr。　Osborne　said　aloud　to　his　guest；
and　then　whispered　to　his　right…hand　neighbour　how
he　had　got　it　〃at　the　old　chap's　sale。〃
More　than　once　he　asked　the　Major　aboutabout　Mrs。
George　Osbornea　theme　on　which　the　Major　could　be
very　eloquent　when　he　chose。　　He　told　Mr。　Osborne　of
her　sufferingsof　her　passionate　attachment　to　her
husband；　whose　memory　she　worshipped　stillof　the　tender
and　dutiful　manner　in　which　she　had　supported　her
parents；　and　given　up　her　boy；　when　it　seemed　to　her　her
duty　to　do　so。　　〃You　don't　know　what　she　endured；　sir；〃
said　honest　Dobbin　with　a　tremor　in　his　voice；　〃and　I
hope　and　trust　you　will　be　reconciled　to　her。　　If　she
took　your　son　away　from　you；　she　gave　hers　to　you；
and　however　much　you　loved　your　George；　depend　on　it；
she　loved　hers　ten　times　more。〃
〃By　God；　you　are　a　good　feller；　sir；〃　was　all　Mr。　Os…
borne　said。　　It　had　never　struck　him　that　the　widow　would
feel　any　pain　at　parting　from　the　boy；　or　that　his　having
a　fine　fortune　could　grieve　her。　　A　reconciliation　was
announced　as　speedy　and　inevitable；　and　Amelia's　heart
already　began　to　beat　at　the　notion　of　the　awful　meeting
with　George's　father。
It　was　never；　however；　destined　to　take　place。　　Old
Sedley's　lingering　illness　and　death　supervened；　after
which　a　meeting　was　for　some　time　impossible。　　That
catastrophe　and　other　events　may　have　worked　upon　Mr。
Osborne。　　He　was　much　shaken　of　late；　and　aged；　and　his
mind　was　working　inwardly。　　He　had　sent　for　his　lawyers；
and　probably　changed　something　in　his　will。　　The　medical
man　who　looked　in　pronounced　him　shaky；　agitated；　and
talked　of　a　little　blood　and　the　seaside；　but　he　took
neither　of　these　remedies。
One　day　when　he　should　have　come　down　to　breakfast；
his　servant　missing　him；　went　into　his　dressing…room
and　found　him　lying　at　the　foot　of　the　dressing…table　in　a
fit。　　Miss　Osborne　was　apprised；　the　doctors　were　sent
for；　Georgy　stopped　away　from　school；　the　bleeders
and　cuppers　came。　　Osborne　partially　regained　cognizance；
but　never　could　speak　again；　though　he　tried
dreadfully　once　or　twice；　and　in　four　days　he　died。　　The
doctors　went　down；　and　the　undertaker's　men　went　up
the　stairs；　and　all　the　shutters　were　shut　towards　the
garden　in　Russell　Square。　　Bullock　rushed　from　the　City
in　a　hurry。　　〃How　much　money　had　he　left　to　that　boy？
Not　half；　surely？　Surely　share　and　share　alike　between
the　three？〃　It　was　an　agitating　moment。
What　was　it　that　poor　old　man　tried　once　or　twice
in　vain　to　say？　I　hope　it　was　that　he　wanted　to　see
Amelia　and　be　reconciled　before　he　left　the　world　to　one
dear　and　faithful　wife　of　his　son：　　it　was　most　likely
that；　for　his　will　showed　that　the　hatred　which　he　had
so　long　cherished　had　gone　out　of　his　heart。
They　found　in　the　pocket　of　his　dressing…gown　the
letter　with　the　great　red　seal　which　George　had　written
him　from　Waterloo。　　He　had　looked　at　the　other　papers
too；　relative　to　his　son；　for　the　key　of　the　box　in　which
he　kept　them　was　also　in　his　pocket；　and　it　was　found
the　seals　and　envelopes　had　been　brokenvery　likely　on
the　night　before　the　seizurewhen　the　butler　had　taken
him　tea　into　his　study；　and　found　him　reading　in　the
great　red　family　Bible。
When　the　will　was　opened；　it　was　found　that　half　the
property　was　left　to　George；　and　the　remainder　between
the　two　sisters。　　Mr。　Bullock　to　continue；　for　their　joint
benefit；　the　affairs　of　the　commercial　house；　or　to　go　out；
as　he　thought　fit。　　An　annuity　of　five　hundred　pounds；
chargeable　on　George's　property；　was　left　to　his　mother；
〃the　widow　of　my　beloved　son；　George　Osborne；〃　who
was　to　resume　the　guardianship　of　the　boy。
〃Major　William　Dobbin；　my　beloved　son's　friend；〃　was
appointed　executor；　〃and　as　out　of　his　kindness　and
bounty；　and　with　his　own　private　funds；　he　maintained
my　grandson　and　my　son's　widow；　when　they　were
otherwise　without　means　of　support〃　（the　testator　went　on
to　say）　〃I　hereby　thank　him　heartily　for　his　love　and
regard　for　them；　and　beseech　him　to　accept　such　a　sum
as　may　be　sufficient　to　purchase　his　commission　as　a
Lieutenant…Colonel；　or　to　be　disposed　of　in　any　way　he
may　think　fit。〃
When　Amelia　heard　that　her　father…in…law　was
reconciled　to　her；　her　heart　melted；　and　she　was　grateful
for　the　fortune　left　to　her。　　But　when　she　heard　how
Georgy　was　restored　to　her；　and　knew　how　and　by
whom；　and　how　it　was　William's　bounty　that　supported
her　in　poverty；　how　it　was　William　who　gave　her　her
husband　and　her　sonoh；　then　she　sank　on　her　knees；
and　prayed　for　blessings　on　that　constant　and　kind　heart；
she　bowed　down　and　humbled　herself；　and　kissed　the
feet；　as　it　were；　of　that　beautiful　and　generous　affection。
And　gratitude　was　all　that　she　had　to　pay　back　for
such　admirable　devotion　and　benefitsonly　gratitude！　　If
she　thought　of　any　other　return；　the　image　of　George
stood　up　out　of　the　grave　and　said；　〃You　are　mine；
and　mine　only；　now　and　forever。〃
William　knew　her　feelings：　　had　he　not　passed　his
whole　life　in　divining　them？
When　the　nature　of　Mr。　Osborne's　will　became　known
to　the　world；　it　was　edifying　to　remark　how　Mrs。　George
Osborne　rose　in　the　estimation　of　the　people　forming　her
circle　of　acquaintance。　　The　servants　of　Jos's　establishment；
who　used　to　question　her　humble　orders　and　say
they　would　〃ask　Master〃　whether　or　not　they　could　obey；
never　thought　now　of　that　sort　of　appeal。　　The　cook
forgot　to　sneer　at　her　shabby　old　gowns　（which；　indeed；
were　quite　eclipsed　by　that　lady's　finery　when　she　was
dressed　to　go　to　church　of　a　Sunday　evening）；　the　others
no　longer　grumbled　at　the　sound　of　her　bell；　or　delayed
to　answer　that　summons。　　The　coachman；　who　grumbled
that　his　'osses　should　be　brought　out　and　his
carriage　made　into　an　hospital　for　that　old　feller　and
Mrs。　O。；　drove　her　with　the　utmost　alacrity　now；　and
trembling　lest　he　should　be　superseded　by　Mr。　Osborne's
coachman；　asked　〃what　them　there　Russell　Square
coachmen　knew　about　town；　and　whether　they　was　fit　to　sit
on　a　box　before　a　lady？〃　Jos's　friends；　male　and　female；
suddenly　became　interested　about　Emmy；　and　cards
of　condolence　multiplied　on　her　hall　table。　　Jos　himself；
who　had　looked　on　her　as　a　good…natured　harmless
pauper；　to　whom　it　was　his　duty　to　give　victuals　and
shelter；　paid　her　and　the　rich　little　boy；　his　nephew；　the
greatest　respectwas　anxious　that　she　should　have
change　and　amusement　after　her　troubles　and　trials；
〃poor　dear　girl〃and　began　to　appear　at　the　breakfast…
table；　and　most　particularly　to　ask　how　she　would　like
to　dispose　of　the　day。
In　her　capacity　of　guardian　to　Georgy；　she；　with　the
consent　of　the　Major；　her　fellow…trustee；　begged　Miss
Osborne　to　live　in　the　Russell　Square　house　as　long　as
ever　she　chose　to　dwell　there；　but　that　lady；　with　thanks；
declared　that　she　never　could　think　of　remaining　alone
in　that　melancholy　mansion；　and　departed　in　deep　mourning
to　Cheltenham；　with　a　couple　of　her　old　domestics。
The　rest　were　liberally　paid　and　dismissed；　the　faithful
old　butler；　whom　Mrs。　Osborne　proposed　to　retain；
resigning　and　preferring　to　invest　his　savings　in　a　public…
house；　where；　let　us　hope；　he　was　not　unprosperous。
Miss　Osborne　not　choosing　to　live　in　Russell　Square；　Mrs。
Osborne　also；　after　consultation；　declined　to　occupy　the
gloomy　old　mansion　there。　　The　house　was　dismantled；
the　rich　furniture　and　effects；　the　awful　chandeliers　and
dreary　blank　mirrors　packed　away　and　hidden；　the　rich
rosewood　drawing…room　suite　was　muffled　in　straw；　the
carpets　were　rolled　up　and　corded；　the　small　select
library　of　well…bound　books　was　stowed　into　two　wine…
chests；　and　the　whole　paraphernalia　rolled　away　in
several　enormous　vans　to　the　Pantechnicon；　where　they
were　to　lie　until　Georgy's　majority。　　And　the　great　heavy
dark　plate…chests　went　off　to　Messrs。　　Stumpy　and　Rowdy；
to　lie　in　the　cellars　of　those　eminent　bankers　until　the
same　period　should　arrive。
One　day　Emmy；　with　George　in　her　hand　and　clad　in
deep　sables；　went　to　visit　the　deserted　ma