vanity fair(名利场)-第213章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Emmy's　chief　pleasure　in　the　summer　evenings　was　to
take　long　walks　with　Georgy　（during　which　Rebecca
was　left　to　the　society　of　Mr。　Joseph）；　and　then　the
mother　and　son　used　to　talk　about　the　Major　in　a　way
which　even　made　the　boy　smile。　　She　told　him　that　she
thought　Major　William　was　the　best　man　in　all　the　world
the　gentlest　and　the　kindest；　the　bravest　and　the
humblest。　　Over　and　over　again　she　told　him　how　they　owed
everything　which　they　possessed　in　the　world　to　that
kind　friend's　benevolent　care　of　them；　how　he　had
befriended　them　all　through　their　poverty　and　misfortunes；
watched　over　them　when　nobody　cared　for　them；　how　all
his　comrades　admired　him　though　he　never　spoke　of　his
own　gallant　actions；　how　Georgy's　father　trusted　him
beyond　all　other　men；　and　had　been　constantly　befriended
by　the　good　William。　　〃Why；　when　your　papa　was　a　little
boy；〃　she　said；　〃he　often　told　me　that　it　was　William
who　defended　him　against　a　tyrant　at　the　school　where
they　were；　and　their　friendship　never　ceased　from　that
day　until　the　last；　when　your　dear　father　fell。〃
〃Did　Dobbin　kill　the　man　who　killed　Papa？〃　Georgy
said。　　〃I'm　sure　he　did；　or　he　would　if　he　could　have
caught　him；　wouldn't　he；　Mother？　When　I'm　in　the　Army；
won't　I　hate　the　French？that's　all。〃
In　such　colloquies　the　mother　and　the　child　passed　a
great　deal　of　their　time　together。　　The　artless　woman　had
made　a　confidant　of　the　boy。　　He　was　as　much　William's
friend　as　everybody　else　who　knew　him　well。
By　the　way；　Mrs。　Becky；　not　to　be　behind　hand　in
sentiment；　had　got　a　miniature　too　hanging　up　in　her
room；　to　the　surprise　and　amusement　of　most　people；
and　the　delight　of　the　original；　who　was　no　other　than
our　friend　Jos。　　On　her　first　coming　to　favour　the　Sedleys
with　a　visit；　the　little　woman；　who　had　arrived　with　a
remarkably　small　shabby　kit；　was　perhaps　ashamed　of　the
meanness　of　her　trunks　and　bandboxes；　and　often　spoke
with　great　respect　about　her　baggage　left　behind　at
Leipzig；　which　she　must　have　from　that　city。　　When　a　traveller
talks　to　you　perpetually　about　the　splendour　of　his
luggage；　which　he　does　not　happen　to　have　with　him；　my
son；　beware　of　that　traveller！　　He　is；　ten　to　one；　an
impostor。
Neither　Jos　nor　Emmy　knew　this　important　maxim。　　It
seemed　to　them　of　no　consequence　whether　Becky　had　a
quantity　of　very　fine　clothes　in　invisible　trunks；　but
as　her　present　supply　was　exceedingly　shabby；　Emmy
supplied　her　out　of　her　own　stores；　or　took　her　to　the
best　milliner　in　the　town　and　there　fitted　her　out。　　It　was
no　more　torn　collars　now；　I　promise　you；　and　faded　silks
trailing　off　at　the　shoulder。　　Becky　changed　her　habits
with　her　situation　in　lifethe　rouge…pot　was　suspended
another　excitement　to　which　she　had　accustomed
herself　was　also　put　aside；　or　at　least　only　indulged　in　in
privacy；　as　when　she　was　prevailed　on　by　Jos　of　a
summer　evening；　Emmy　and　the　boy　being　absent　on　their
walks；　to　take　a　little　spirit…and…water。　　But　if　she　did　not
indulgethe　courier　did：　　that　rascal　Kirsch　could　not
be　kept　from　the　bottle；　nor　could　he　tell　how　much
he　took　when　he　applied　to　it。　　He　was　sometimes
surprised　himself　at　the　way　in　which　Mr。　Sedley's　Cognac
diminished。　　Well；　well；　this　is　a　painful　subject。　　Becky
did　not　very　likely　indulge　so　much　as　she　used　before
she　entered　a　decorous　family。
At　last　the　much…bragged…about　boxes　arrived　from
Leipzig；　three　of　them　not　by　any　means　large　or　splendid；
nor　did　Becky　appear　to　take　out　any　sort　of　dresses
or　ornaments　from　the　boxes　when　they　did　arrive。　　But
out　of　one；　which　contained　a　mass　of　her　papers　（it
was　that　very　box　which　Rawdon　Crawley　had
ransacked　in　his　furious　hunt　for　Becky's　concealed　money）；
she　took　a　picture　with　great　glee；　which　she　pinned　up
in　her　room；　and　to　which　she　introduced　Jos。　　It　was
the　portrait　of　a　gentleman　in　pencil；　his　face　having　the
advantage　of　being　painted　up　in　pink。　　He　was　riding
on　an　elephant　away　from　some　cocoa…nut　trees　and　a
pagoda：　　it　was　an　Eastern　scene。
〃God　bless　my　soul；　it　is　my　portrait；〃　Jos　cried　out。
It　was　he　indeed；　blooming　in　youth　and　beauty；　in　a
nankeen　jacket　of　the　cut　of　1804。　　It　was　the　old　picture
that　used　to　hang　up　in　Russell　Square。
〃I　bought　it；〃　said　Becky　in　a　voice　trembling　with
emotion；　〃I　went　to　see　if　I　could　be　of　any　use　to　my　kind
friends。　　I　have　never　parted　with　that　pictureI　never
will。〃
〃Won't　you？〃　Jos　cried　with　a　look　of　unutterable
rapture　and　satisfaction。　　〃Did　you　really　now　value　it
for　my　sake？〃
〃You　know　I　did；　well　enough；〃　said　Becky；　〃but
why　speakwhy　thinkwhy　look　back！　　It　is　too　late
now！〃
That　evening's　conversation　was　delicious　for　Jos。
Emmy　only　came　in　to　go　to　bed　very　tired　and　unwell。
Jos　and　his　fair　guest　had　a　charming　tete…a…tete；　and
his　sister　could　hear；　as　she　lay　awake　in　her　adjoining
chamber；　Rebecca　singing　over　to　Jos　the　old　songs　of
1815。　　He　did　not　sleep；　for　a　wonder；　that　night；　any
more　than　Amelia。
It　was　June；　and；　by　consequence；　high　season　in
London；　Jos；　who　read　the　incomparable　Galignani　（the
exile's　best　friend）　through　every　day；　used　to　favour　the
ladies　with　extracts　from　his　paper　during　their
breakfast。　　Every　week　in　this　paper　there　is　a　full　account　of
military　movements；　in　which　Jos；　as　a　man　who　had
seen　service；　was　especially　interested。　　On　one　occasion
he　read　out〃Arrival　of　the　th　regiment。　　Gravesend；
June　20。The　Ramchunder；　East　Indiaman；　came　into　the
river　this　morning；　having　on　board　14　officers；　and　132
rank　and　file　of　this　gallant　corps。　　They　have　been
absent　from　England　fourteen　years；　having　been　embarked
the　year　after　Waterloo；　in　which　glorious　conflict　they
took　an　active　part；　and　having　subsequently　distinguished
themselves　in　the　Burmese　war。　　The　veteran　colonel；　Sir
Michael　O'Dowd；　K。C。B。；　with　his　lady　and　sister；　landed
here　yesterday；　with　Captains　Posky；　Stubble；　Macraw；
Malony；　Lieutenants　Smith；　Jones；　Thompson；　F。　　Thomson；
Ensigns　Hicks　and　Grady；　the　band　on　the　pier
playing　the　national　anthem；　and　the　crowd　loudly　cheering
the　gallant　veterans　as　they　went　into　Wayte's　hotel；
where　a　sumptuous　banquet　was　provided　for　the　defenders
of　Old　England。　　During　the　repast；　which　we　need　not
say　was　served　up　in　Wayte's　best　style；　the　cheering
continued　so　enthusiastically　that　Lady　O'Dowd　and　the
Colonel　came　forward　to　the　balcony　and　drank　the
healths　of　their　fellow…countrymen　in　a　bumper　of　Wayte's
best　claret。〃
On　a　second　occasion　Jos　read　a　brief　announcement
Major　Dobbin　had　joined　the　th　regiment　at　Chatham；
and　subsequently　he　promulgated　accounts　of　the
presentations　at　the　Drawing…room　of　Colonel　Sir
Michael　O'Dowd；　K。C。B。；　Lady　O'Dowd　（by　Mrs。　Malloy
Malony　of　Ballymalony）；　and　Miss　Glorvina　O'Dowd　（by
Lady　O'Dowd）。　　Almost　directly　after　this；　Dobbin's　name
appeared　among　the　Lieutenant…Colonels：　　for　old　Marshal
Tiptoff　had　died　during　the　passage　of　the　th　from
Madras；　and　the　Sovereign　was　pleased　to　advance
Colonel　Sir　Michael　O'Dowd　to　the　rank　of　Major…General　on
his　return　to　England；　with　an　intimation　that　he　should
be　Colonel　of　the　distinguished　regiment　which　he　had　so
long　commanded。
Amelia　had　been　made　aware　of　some　of　these
movements。　　The　correspondence　between　George　and　his
guardian　had　not　ceased　by　any　means：　　William　had　even
written　once　or　twice　to　her　since　his　departure；　but　in　a
manner　so　unconstrainedly　cold　that　the　poor　woman　felt
now　in　her　turn　that　she　had　lost　her　power　over　him
and　that；　as　he　had　said；　he　was　free。　　He　had　left　her；
and　she　was　wretched。　　The　memory　of　his　almost　countless
services；　and　lofty　and　affectionate　regard；　now
presented　itself　to　her　and　rebuked　her　day　and　night。　　She
brooded　over　those　recollections　according　to　her　wont；
saw　the　purity　and　beauty　of　the　affection　with　which　she
had　trifled；　and　reproached　herself　for　having　flung　away
such　a　treasure。
It　was　gone　indeed。　　William　had　spent　it　all　out。　　He
loved　her　no　more；　he　thought；　as　he　had　loved　her。
He　never　could　again。　　That　sort　of　regard；　which　he　had
proffered　to　her　for　so　many　faithful　years；　can't　be　flung
down　and　shatter