vanity fair(名利场)-第193章

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same　period　should　arrive。
One　day　Emmy；　with　George　in　her　hand　and　clad　in
deep　sables；　went　to　visit　the　deserted　mansion　which　she
had　not　entered　since　she　was　a　girl。　　The　place　in　front
was　littered　with　straw　where　the　vans　had　been　laden
and　rolled　off。　　They　went　into　the　great　blank　rooms；　the
walls　of　which　bore　the　marks　where　the　pictures　and
mirrors　had　hung。　　Then　they　went　up　the　great　blank
stone　staircases　into　the　upper　rooms；　into　that　where
grandpapa　died；　as　George　said　in　a　whisper；　and　then
higher　still　into　George's　own　room。　　The　boy　was　still
clinging　by　her　side；　but　she　thought　of　another　besides
him。　　She　knew　that　it　had　been　his　father's　room　as　well
as　his　own。
She　went　up　to　one　of　the　open　windows　（one　of
those　at　which　she　used　to　gaze　with　a　sick　heart　when
the　child　was　first　taken　from　her）；　and　thence　as　she
looked　out　she　could　see；　over　the　trees　of　Russell　Square；
the　old　house　in　which　she　herself　was　born；　and　where
she　had　passed　so　many　happy　days　of　sacred　youth。
They　all　came　back　to　her；　the　pleasant　holidays；
the　kind　faces；　the　careless；　joyful　past　times；　and　the
long　pains　and　trials　that　had　since　cast　her　down。
She　thought　of　these　and　of　the　man　who　had　been　her
constant　protector；　her　good　genius；　her　sole　benefactor；
her　tender　and　generous　friend。
〃Look　here；　Mother；〃　said　Georgy；　〃here's　a　G。O。
scratched　on　the　glass　with　a　diamond；　I　never　saw　it
before；　I　never　did　it。〃
〃It　was　your　father's　room　long　before　you　were　born；
George；〃　she　said；　and　she　blushed　as　she　kissed　the
boy。
She　was　very　silent　as　they　drove　back　to　Richmond；
where　they　had　taken　a　temporary　house：　　where　the
smiling　lawyers　used　to　come　bustling　over　to　see　her　（and
we　may　be　sure　noted　the　visit　in　the　bill）：　　and　where　of
course　there　was　a　room　for　Major　Dobbin　too；　who
rode　over　frequently；　having　much　business　to　transact
on　behalf　of　his　little　ward。

Georgy　at　this　time　was　removed　from　Mr。　Veal's　on
an　unlimited　holiday；　and　that　gentleman　was　engaged
to　prepare　an　inscription　for　a　fine　marble　slab；　to　be
placed　up　in　the　Foundling　under　the　monument　of
Captain　George　Osborne。
The　female　Bullock；　aunt　of　Georgy；　although
despoiled　by　that　little　monster　of　one…half　of　the　sum
which　she　expected　from　her　father；　nevertheless　showed
her　charitableness　of　spirit　by　being　reconciled　to　the
mother　and　the　boy。　　Roehampton　is　not　far　from
Richmond；　and　one　day　the　chariot；　with　the　golden　bullocks
emblazoned　on　the　panels；　and　the　flaccid　children　within；
drove　to　Amelia's　house　at　Richmond；　and　the　Bullock
family　made　an　irruption　into　the　garden；　where　Amelia
was　reading　a　book；　Jos　was　in　an　arbour　placidly
dipping　strawberries　into　wine；　and　the　Major　in　one　of
his　Indian　jackets　was　giving　a　back　to　Georgy；　who
chose　to　jump　over　him。　　He　went　over　his　head　and
bounded　into　the　little　advance　of　Bullocks；　with
immense　black　bows　in　their　hats；　and　huge　black　sashes；
accompanying　their　mourning　mamma。
〃He　is　just　of　the　age　for　Rosa；〃　the　fond　parent
thought；　and　glanced　towards　that　dear　child；　an
unwholesome　little　miss　of　seven　years　of　age。
〃Rosa；　go　and　kiss　your　dear　cousin；〃　Mrs。　Frederick
said。　　〃Don't　you　know　me；　George？　I　am　your　aunt。〃
〃I　know　you　well　enough；〃　George　said；　〃but　I　don't
like　kissing；　please〃；　and　he　retreated　from　the　obedient
caresses　of　his　cousin。
〃Take　me　to　your　dear　mamma；　you　droll　child；〃　Mrs。
Frederick　said；　and　those　ladies　accordingly　met；　after
an　absence　of　more　than　fifteen　years。　　During　Emmy's
cares　and　poverty　the　other　had　never　once　thought
about　coming　to　see　her；　but　now　that　she　was　decently
prosperous　in　the　world；　her　sister…in…law　came　to　her　as
a　matter　of　course。
So　did　numbers　more。　　Our　old　friend；　Miss　Swartz；　and
her　husband　came　thundering　over　from　Hampton　Court；
with　flaming　yellow　liveries；　and　was　as　impetuously　fond
of　Amelia　as　ever。　　Miss　Swartz　would　have　liked　her
always　if　she　could　have　seen　her。　　One　must　do　her　that
justice。　　But；　que　voulez　vous？in　this　vast　town　one
has　not　the　time　to　go　and　seek　one's　friends；　if　they
drop　out　of　the　rank　they　disappear；　and　we　march　on
without　them。　　Who　is　ever　missed　in　Vanity　Fair？
But　so；　in　a　word；　and　before　the　period　of　grief　for
Mr。　Osborne's　death　had　subsided；　Emmy　found　herself
in　the　centre　of　a　very　genteel　circle　indeed；　the
members　of　which　could　not　conceive　that　anybody
belonging　to　it　was　not　very　lucky。　　There　was　scarce　one
of　the　ladies　that　hadn't　a　relation　a　Peer；　though　the
husband　might　be　a　drysalter　in　the　City。　　Some　of　the
ladies　were　very　blue　and　well　informed；　reading　Mrs。
Somerville　and　frequenting　the　Royal　Institution；　others
were　severe　and　Evangelical；　and　held　by　Exeter　Hall。
Emmy；　it　must　be　owned；　found　herself　entirely　at　a　loss　in
the　midst　of　their　clavers；　and　suffered　woefully　on　the
one　or　two　occasions　on　which　she　was　compelled　to
accept　Mrs。　Frederick　Bullock's　hospitalities。　　That　lady
persisted　in　patronizing　her　and　determined　most　graciously
to　form　her。　　She　found　Amelia's　milliners　for　her　and
regulated　her　household　and　her　manners。　　She　drove
over　constantly　from　Roehampton　and　entertained　her
friend　with　faint　fashionable　fiddle…faddle　and　feeble
Court　slip…slop。　　Jos　liked　to　hear　it；　but　the　Major　used
to　go　off　growling　at　the　appearance　of　this　woman；　with
her　twopenny　gentility。　　He　went　to　sleep　under　Frederick
Bullock's　bald　head；　after　dinner；　at　one　of　the　banker's
best　parties　（Fred　was　still　anxious　that　the　balance　of
the　Osborne　property　should　be　transferred　from　Stumpy
and　Rowdy's　to　them）；　and　whilst　Amelia；　who　did　not
know　Latin；　or　who　wrote　the　last　crack　article　in　the
Edinburgh；　and　did　not　in　the　least　deplore；　or
otherwise；　Mr。　Peel's　late　extraordinary　tergiversation　on　the
fatal　Catholic　Relief　Bill；　sat　dumb　amongst　the　ladies　in
the　grand　drawing…room；　looking　out　upon　velvet　lawns；
trim　gravel　walks；　and　glistening　hot…houses。
〃She　seems　good…natured　but　insipid；〃　said　Mrs。
Rowdy；　〃that　Major　seems　to　be　particularly　epris。〃
〃She　wants　ton　sadly；〃　said　Mrs。　Hollyock。　　〃My　dear
creature；　you　never　will　be　able　to　form　her。〃
〃She　is　dreadfully　ignorant　or　indifferent；〃　said　Mrs。
Glowry　with　a　voice　as　if　from　the　grave；　and　a　sad
shake　of　the　head　and　turban。　　〃I　asked　her　if　she　thought
that　it　was　in　1836；　according　to　Mr。　Jowls；　or　in　1839；
according　to　Mr。　Wapshot；　that　the　Pope　was　to　fall：
and　she　said'Poor　Pope！　　I　hope　notWhat　has　he
done？'　〃
〃She　is　my　brother's　widow；　my　dear　friends；〃　Mrs。
Frederick　replied；　〃and　as　such　I　think　we're　all　bound　to
give　her　every　attention　and　instruction　on　entering　into
the　world。　　You　may　fancy　there　can　be　no　MERCENARY
motives　in　those　whose　DISAPPOINTMENTS　are　well　known。〃
〃That　poor　dear　Mrs。　Bullock；〃　said　Rowdy　to　Hollyock；
as　they　drove　away　together〃she　is　always　scheming
and　managing。　　She　wants　Mrs。　Osborne's　account
to　be　taken　from　our　house　to　hersand　the　way　in
which　she　coaxes　that　boy　and　makes　him　sit　by　that
blear…eyed　little　Rosa　is　perfectly　ridiculous。〃
〃I　wish　Glowry　was　choked　with　her　Man　of　Sin　and
her　Battle　of　Armageddon；〃　cried　the　other；　and　the
carriage　rolled　away　over　Putney　Bridge。
But　this　sort　of　society　was　too　cruelly　genteel　for
Emmy；　and　all　jumped　for　joy　when　a　foreign　tour　was
proposed。

CHAPTER　LXII
Am　Rhein
The　above　everyday　events　had　occurred；　and　a　few
weeks　had　passed；　when　on　one　fine　morning；　Parliament
being　over；　the　summer　advanced；　and　all　the　good
company　in　London　about　to　quit　that　city　for　their　annual
tour　in　search　of　pleasure　or　health；　the　Batavier　steamboat
left　the　Tower…stairs　laden　with　a　goodly　company　of　English
fugitives。　　The　quarter…deck　awnings　were　up；　and　the
benches　and　gangways　crowded　with　scores　of　rosy　children；
bustling　nursemaids；　ladies　in　the　prettiest　pink
bonnets　and　summer　dresses；　gentlemen　in　travelling　caps
and　linen…jackets；　whose　mustachios　had　just　begun　to
sprout　for　the　ensuing　tour；　and　stout　trim　old　veterans
with　starched　neckcloths　and　neat…brushed　hats；　such　as
have　invaded　Europe　any　time　since