vanity fair(名利场)-第209章

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Dobbin　（for　the　weakest　of　all　people　will　domineer
over　somebody）；　and　she　ordered　him　about；　and　patted
him；　and　made　him　fetch　and　carry　just　as　if　he　was　a
great　Newfoundland　dog。　　He　liked；　so　to　speak；　to　jump
into　the　water　if　she　said　〃High；　Dobbin！〃　and　to　trot
behind　her　with　her　reticule　in　his　mouth。　　This　history
has　been　written　to　very　little　purpose　if　the　reader　has
not　perceived　that　the　Major　was　a　spooney。
〃Why　did　you　not　wait　for　me；　sir；　to　escort　me
downstairs？〃　she　said；　giving　a　little　toss　of　her　head
and　a　most　sarcastic　curtsey。
〃I　couldn't　stand　up　in　the　passage；〃　he　answered　with
a　comical　deprecatory　look；　and；　delighted　to　give　her　his
arm　and　to　take　her　out　of　the　horrid　smoky　place；　he
would　have　walked　off　without　even　so　much　as
remembering　the　waiter；　had　not　the　young　fellow　run　after
him　and　stopped　him　on　the　threshold　of　the　Elephant
to　make　him　pay　for　the　beer　which　he　had　not
consumed。　　Emmy　laughed：　　she　called　him　a　naughty　man；
who　wanted　to　run　away　in　debt；　and；　in　fact；　made
some　jokes　suitable　to　the　occasion　and　the　small…beer。
She　was　in　high　spirits　and　good　humour；　and　tripped
across　the　market…place　very　briskly。　　She　wanted　to　see
Jos　that　instant。　　The　Major　laughed　at　the　impetuous
affection　Mrs。　Amelia　exhibited；　for；　in　truth；　it　was　not
very　often　that　she　wanted　her　brother　〃that　instant。〃
They　found　the　civilian　in　his　saloon　on　the　first…floor；
he　had　been　pacing　the　room；　and　biting　his　nails；　and
looking　over　the　market…place　towards　the　Elephant　a
hundred　times　at　least　during　the　past　hour　whilst　Emmy
was　closeted　with　her　friend　in　the　garret　and　the　Major
was　beating　the　tattoo　on　the　sloppy　tables　of　the　public
room　below；　and　he　was；　on　his　side　too；　very　anxious　to
see　Mrs。　Osborne。
〃Well？〃　said　he。
〃The　poor　dear　creature；　how　she　has　suffered！〃
Emmy　said。
〃God　bless　my　soul；　yes；〃　Jos　said；　wagging　his　head；
so　that　his　cheeks　quivered　like　jellies。
〃She　may　have　Payne's　room；　who　can　go　upstairs；〃
Emmy　continued。　　Payne　was　a　staid　English　maid　and
personal　attendant　upon　Mrs。　Osborne；　to　whom　the
courier；　as　in　duty　bound；　paid　court；　and　whom　Georgy
used　to　〃lark〃　dreadfully　with　accounts　of　German
robbers　and　ghosts。　　She　passed　her　time　chiefly　in　grumbling；
in　ordering　about　her　mistress；　and　in　stating　her　intention
to　return　the　next　morning　to　her　native　village　of
Clapham。　　〃She　may　have　Payne's　room；〃　Emmy　said。
〃Why；　you　don't　mean　to　say　you　are　going　to　have
that　woman　into　the　house？〃　bounced　out　the　Major；
jumping　up。
　
〃Of　course　we　are；〃　said　Amelia　in　the　most　innocent
way　in　the　world。　　〃Don't　be　angry　and　break　the
furniture；　Major　Dobbin。　　Of　course　we　are　going　to　have　her
here。〃
　
〃Of　course；　my　dear；〃　Jos　said。
〃The　poor　creature；　after　all　her　sufferings；〃　Emmy
continued；　〃her　horrid　banker　broken　and　run　away；　her
husbandwicked　wretchhaving　deserted　her　and　taken
her　child　away　from　her〃　（here　she　doubled　her　two
little　fists　and　held　them　in　a　most　menacing　attitude
before　her；　so　that　the　Major　was　charmed　to　see
such　a　dauntless　virago）　〃the　poor　dear　thing！　　quite　alone
and　absolutely　forced　to　give　lessons　in　singing　to　get　her
breadand　not　have　her　here！〃
〃Take　lessons；　my　dear　Mrs。　George；〃　cried　the　Major；
〃but　don't　have　her　in　the　house。　　I　implore　you　don't。〃
〃Pooh；〃　said　Jos。
〃You　who　are　always　good　and　kindalways　used　to
be　at　any　rateI'm　astonished　at　you；　Major　William；〃
Amelia　cried。　　〃Why；　what　is　the　moment　to　help　her　but
when　she　is　so　miserable？　Now　is　the　time　to　be　of
service　to　her。　　The　oldest　friend　I　ever　had；　and　not〃
〃She　was　not　always　your　friend；　Amelia；〃　the　Major
said；　for　he　was　quite　angry。　　This　allusion　was　too　much
for　Emmy；　who；　looking　the　Major　almost　fiercely　in　the
face；　said；　〃For　shame；　Major　Dobbin！〃　and　after　having
fired　this　shot；　she　walked　out　of　the　room　with　a　most
majestic　air　and　shut　her　own　door　briskly　on　herself
and　her　outraged　dignity。
〃To　allude　to　THAT！〃　she　said；　when　the　door　was
closed。　　〃Oh；　it　was　cruel　of　him　to　remind　me　of　it；〃　and
she　looked　up　at　George's　picture；　which　hung　there　as
usual；　with　the　portrait　of　the　boy　underneath。　　〃It　was
cruel　of　him。　　If　I　had　forgiven　it；　ought　he　to　have
spoken？　No。　　And　it　is　from　his　own　lips　that　I　know　how
wicked　and　groundless　my　jealousy　was；　and　that　you
were　pureoh；　yes；　you　were　pure；　my　saint　in
heaven！〃
She　paced　the　room；　trembling　and　indignant。　　She　went
and　leaned　on　the　chest　of　drawers　over　which　the　picture
hung；　and　gazed　and　gazed　at　it。　　Its　eyes　seemed　to　look
down　on　her　with　a　reproach　that　deepened　as　she　looked。
The　early　dear；　dear　memories　of　that　brief　prime　of　love
rushed　back　upon　her。　　The　wound　which　years　had
scarcely　cicatrized　bled　afresh；　and　oh；　how　bitterly！　　She
could　not　bear　the　reproaches　of　the　husband　there
before　her。　　It　couldn't　be。　　Never；　never。
Poor　Dobbin；　poor　old　William！　　That　unlucky　word
had　undone　the　work　of　many　a　yearthe　long　laborious
edifice　of　a　life　of　love　and　constancyraised　too　upon
what　secret　and　hidden　foundations；　wherein　lay　buried
passions；　uncounted　struggles；　unknown　sacrificesa
little　word　was　spoken；　and　down　fell　the　fair　palace　of
hopeone　word；　and　away　flew　the　bird　which　he　had
been　trying　all　his　life　to　lure！
William；　though　he　saw　by　Amelia's　looks　that　a　great
crisis　had　come；　nevertheless　continued　to　implore　Sedley；
in　the　most　energetic　terms；　to　beware　of　Rebecca；　and　he
eagerly；　almost　frantically；　adjured　Jos　not　to　receive
her。　　He　besought　Mr。　Sedley　to　inquire　at　least　regarding
her；　told　him　how　he　had　heard　that　she　was　in　the
company　of　gamblers　and　people　of　ill　repute；　pointed
out　what　evil　she　had　done　in　former　days；　how　she
and　Crawley　had　misled　poor　George　into　ruin；　how　she
was　now　parted　from　her　husband；　by　her　own　confession；
and；　perhaps；　for　good　reason。　　What　a　dangerous
companion　she　would　be　for　his　sister；　who　knew　nothing
of　the　affairs　of　the　world！　　William　implored　Jos；　with
all　the　eloquence　which　he　could　bring　to　bear；　and　a
great　deal　more　energy　than　this　quiet　gentleman　was
ordinarily　in　the　habit　of　showing；　to　keep　Rebecca　out
of　his　household。
Had　he　been　less　violent；　or　more　dexterous；　he　might
have　succeeded　in　his　supplications　to　Jos；　but　the　civilian
was　not　a　little　jealous　of　the　airs　of　superiority
which　the　Major　constantly　exhibited　towards　him；　as
he　fancied　（indeed；　he　had　imparted　his　opinions　to　Mr。
Kirsch；　the　courier；　whose　bills　Major　Dobbin　checked　on
this　journey；　and　who　sided　with　his　master）；　and　he
began　a　blustering　speech　about　his　competency　to
defend　his　own　honour；　his　desire　not　to　have　his　affairs
meddled　with；　his　intention；　in　fine；　to　rebel　against　the
Major；　when　the　colloquyrather　a　long　and　stormy　one
was　put　an　end　to　in　the　simplest　way　possible；　namely；
by　the　arrival　of　Mrs。　Becky；　with　a　porter　from
the　Elephant　Hotel　in　charge　of　her　very　meagre　baggage。
She　greeted　her　host　with　affectionate　respect　and
made　a　shrinking；　but　amicable　salutation　to　Major
Dobbin；　who；　as　her　instinct　assured　her　at　once；　was
her　enemy；　and　had　been　speaking　against　her；　and　the
bustle　and　clatter　consequent　upon　her　arrival　brought
Amelia　out　of　her　room。　　Emmy　went　up　and　embraced
her　guest　with　the　greatest　warmth；　and　took　no　notice
of　the　Major；　except　to　fling　him　an　angry　lookthe
most　unjust　and　scornful　glance　that　had　perhaps　ever
appeared　in　that　poor　little　woman's　face　since　she　was
born。　　But　she　had　private　reasons　of　her　own；　and　was
bent　upon　being　angry　with　him。　　And　Dobbin；　indignant
at　the　injustice；　not　at　the　defeat；　went　off；　making　her　a
bow　quite　as　haughty　as　the　killing　curtsey　with　which
the　little　woman　chose　to　bid　him　farewell。
He　being　gone；　Emmy　was　particularly　lively　and
affectionate　to　Rebecca；　and　bustled　about　the　apartments
and　installed　her　guest　in　her　room　with　an　eagerness　and
activity　seldom　exhibited　by　our　placid　little　friend。　　But
when　an　act　of　injustice　is　to　be　done；　especially　by
weak　people；　it　is　best　that　it　should　be　done　quickly；
and　Emmy　thought　she　was　di