vanity fair(名利场)-第57章

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darling；　and　a　sweet　little　zoggy；　and　a　pretty　pet。　　The
carriages　moved　on；　each　in　his　line。
〃Done；　by　Jove；〃　Rawdon　said　to　his　wife。
〃Try　once　more；　Rawdon；〃　Rebecca　answered。　　〃Could
not　you　lock　your　wheels　into　theirs；　dearest？〃
Rawdon　had　not　the　heart　for　that　manoeuvre。　　When
the　carriages　met　again；　he　stood　up　in　his　stanhope；　he
raised　his　hand　ready　to　doff　his　hat；　he　looked　with　all
his　eyes。　　But　this　time　Miss　Crawley's　face　was　not　turned
away；　she　and　Mrs。　Bute　looked　him　full　in　the　face；
and　cut　their　nephew　pitilessly。　　He　sank　back　in　his　seat
with　an　oath；　and　striking　out　of　the　ring；　dashed　away
desperately　homewards。
It　was　a　gallant　and　decided　triumph　for　Mrs。　Bute。
But　she　felt　the　danger　of　many　such　meetings；　as　she
saw　the　evident　nervousness　of　Miss　Crawley；　and　she
determined　that　it　was　most　necessary　for　her　dear
friend's　health；　that　they　should　leave　town　for　a　while；
and　recommended　Brighton　very　strongly。

CHAPTER　XX
In　Which　Captain　Dobbin　Acts　as　the　Messenger　of　Hymen
Without　knowing　how；　Captain　William　Dobbin　found
himself　the　great　promoter；　arranger；　and　manager　of　the
match　between　George　Osborne　and　Amelia。　　But　for　him
it　never　would　have　taken　place：　　he　could　not　but
confess　as　much　to　himself；　and　smiled　rather　bitterly　as　he
thought　that　he　of　all　men　in　the　world　should　be　the
person　upon　whom　the　care　of　this　marriage　had　fallen。
But　though　indeed　the　conducting　of　this　negotiation　was
about　as　painful　a　task　as　could　be　set　to　him；　yet　when
he　had　a　duty　to　perform；　Captain　Dobbin　was　accustomed
to　go　through　it　without　many　words　or　much
hesitation：　　and；　having　made　up　his　mind　completely；
that　if　Miss　Sedley　was　balked　of　her　husband　she　would
die　of　the　disappointment；　he　was　determined　to　use　all
his　best　endeavours　to　keep　her　alive。
I　forbear　to　enter　into　minute　particulars　of　the　interview
between　George　and　Amelia；　when　the　former　was
brought　back　to　the　feet　（or　should　we　venture　to　say　the
arms？）　of　his　young　mistress　by　the　intervention　of　his
friend　honest　William。　　A　much　harder　heart　than
George's　would　have　melted　at　the　sight　of　that　sweet
face　so　sadly　ravaged　by　grief　and　despair；　and　at　the
simple　tender　accents　in　which　she　told　her　little　broken…
hearted　story：　but　as　she　did　not　faint　when　her　mother；
trembling；　brought　Osborne　to　her；　and　as　she　only　gave
relief　to　her　overcharged　grief；　by　laying　her　head　on
her　lover's　shoulder　and　there　weeping　for　a　while　the
most　tender；　copious；　and　refreshing　tearsold　Mrs。
Sedley；　too　greatly　relieved；　thought　it　was　best　to　leave
the　young　persons　to　themselves；　and　so　quitted　Emmy
crying　over　George's　hand；　and　kissing　it　humbly；　as　if　he
were　her　supreme　chief　and　master；　and　as　if　she　were
quite　a　guilty　and　unworthy　person　needing　every　favour
and　grace　from　him。
This　prostration　and　sweet　unrepining　obedience
exquisitely　touched　and　flattered　George　Osborne。　　He　saw　a
slave　before　him　in　that　simple　yielding　faithful　creature；
and　his　soul　within　him　thrilled　secretly　somehow
at　the　knowledge　of　his　power。　　He　would　be　generous…
minded；　Sultan　as　he　was；　and　raise　up　this　kneeling
Esther　and　make　a　queen　of　her：　　besides；　her　sadness
and　beauty　touched　him　as　much　as　her　submission；　and
so　he　cheered　her；　and　raised　her　up　and　forgave　her；　so
to　speak。　　All　her　hopes　and　feelings；　which　were　dying
and　withering；　this　her　sun　having　been　removed　from
her；　bloomed　again　and　at　once；　its　light　being　restored。
You　would　scarcely　have　recognised　the　beaming　little
face　upon　Amelia's　pillow　that　night　as　the　one　that　was
laid　there　the　night　before；　so　wan；　so　lifeless；　so
careless　of　all　round　about。　　The　honest　Irish　maid…servant；
delighted　with　the　change；　asked　leave　to　kiss　the　face
that　had　grown　all　of　a　sudden　so　rosy。　　Amelia　put　her
arms　round　the　girl's　neck　and　kissed　her　with　all　her
heart；　like　a　child。　　She　was　little　more。　　She　had　that　night
a　sweet　refreshing　sleep；　like　oneand　what　a　spring　of
inexpressible　happiness　as　she　woke　in　the　morning　sunshine！
〃He　will　be　here　again　to…day；〃　Amelia　thought。　　〃He　is
the　greatest　and　best　of　men。〃　　And　the　fact　is；　that
George　thought　he　was　one　of　the　generousest　creatures
alive：　and　that　he　was　making　a　tremendous　sacrifice　in
marrying　this　young　creature。
While　she　and　Osborne　were　having　their　delightful
tete…a…tete　above　stairs；　old　Mrs。　Sedley　and　Captain
Dobbin　were　conversing　below　upon　the　state　of　the
affairs；　and　the　chances　and　future　arrangements　of　the
young　people。　　Mrs。　Sedley　having　brought　the　two　lovers
together　and　left　them　embracing　each　other　with　all　their
might；　like　a　true　woman；　was　of　opinion　that　no　power
on　earth　would　induce　Mr。　Sedley　to　consent　to　the　match
between　his　daughter　and　the　son　of　a　man　who　had　so
shamefully；　wickedly；　and　monstrously　treated　him。　　And
she　told　a　long　story　about　happier　days　and　their　earlier
splendours；　when　Osborne　lived　in　a　very　humble　way　in
the　New　Road；　and　his　wife　was　too　glad　to　receive　some
of　Jos's　little　baby　things；　with　which　Mrs。　Sedley
accommodated　her　at　the　birth　of　one　of　Osborne's　own
children。　　The　fiendish　ingratitude　of　that　man；　she　was
sure；　had　broken　Mr。　S。's　heart：　and　as　for　a　marriage；
he　would　never；　never；　never；　never　consent。
〃They　must　run　away　together；　Ma'am；〃　Dobbin　said；
laughing；　〃and　follow　the　example　of　Captain　Rawdon
Crawley；　and　Miss　Emmy's　friend　the　little　governess。〃
Was　it　possible？　Well　she　never！　　Mrs。　Sedley　was　all
excitement　about　this　news。　　She　wished　that　Blenkinsop　were
here　to　hear　it：　　Blenkinsop　always　mistrusted　that　Miss
Sharp。What　an　escape　Jos　had　had！　and　she　described
the　already　well…known　love…passages　between　Rebecca　and
the　Collector　of　Boggley　Wollah。
It　was　not；　however；　Mr。　Sedley's　wrath　which　Dobbin
feared；　so　much　as　that　of　the　other　parent　concerned；
and　he　owned　that　he　had　a　very　considerable　doubt
and　anxiety　respecting　the　behaviour　of　the　black…browed
old　tyrant　of　a　Russia　merchant　in　Russell　Square。　　He
has　forbidden　the　match　peremptorily；　Dobbin　thought。
He　knew　what　a　savage　determined　man　Osborne　was；　and
how　he　stuck　by　his　word。　　The　only　chance　George　has
of　reconcilement；〃　argued　his　friend；　〃is　by　distinguishing
himself　in　the　coming　campaign。　　If　he　dies　they　both　go
together。　　If　he　fails　in　distinctionwhat　then？　　He　has
some　money　from　his　mother；　I　have　heard　enough　to
purchase　his　majorityor　he　must　sell　out　and　go　and
dig　in　Canada；　or　rough　it　in　a　cottage　in　the　country。〃
With　such　a　partner　Dobbin　thought　he　would　not　mind
Siberiaand；　strange　to　say；　this　absurd　and　utterly
imprudent　young　fellow　never　for　a　moment　considered　that
the　want　of　means　to　keep　a　nice　carriage　and　horses；
and　of　an　income　which　should　enable　its　possessors　to
entertain　their　friends　genteelly；　ought　to　operate　as　bars
to　the　union　of　George　and　Miss　Sedley。
It　was　these　weighty　considerations　which　made　him
think　too　that　the　marriage　should　take　place　as　quickly
as　possible。　　Was　he　anxious　himself；　I　wonder；　to　have　it
over。？as　people；　when　death　has　occurred；　like　to　press
forward　the　funeral；　or　when　a　parting　is　resolved　upon；
hasten　it。　　It　is　certain　that　Mr。　Dobbin；　having　taken　the
matter　in　hand；　was　most　extraordinarily　eager　in　the
conduct　of　it。　　He　urged　on　George　the　necessity　of　immediate
action：　　he　showed　the　chances　of　reconciliation　with
his　father；　which　a　favourable　mention　of　his　name　in　the
Gazette　must　bring　about。　　If　need　were　he　would　go　himself
and　brave　both　the　fathers　in　the　business。　　At　all
events；　he　besought　George　to　go　through　with　it　before
the　orders　came；　which　everybody　expected；　for　the
departure　of　the　regiment　from　England　on　foreign　service。
Bent　upon　these　hymeneal　projects；　and　with　the　applause
and　consent　of　Mrs。　Sedley；　who　did　not　care　to
break　the　matter　personally　to　her　husband；　Mr。　Dobbin
went　to　seek　John　Sedley　at　his　house　of　call　in　the　City；
the　Tapioca　Coffee…house；　where；　since　his　own　offices
were　shut　up；　and　fate　had　overtaken　him；　the　poor
broken…down　old　gentleman　used　to　betake　himself　daily