vanity fair(名利场)-第6章

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she　kissed　the　white　cornelian　necklace　as　she　put　it
on；　and　vowed　she　would　never；　never　part　with　it。　　When
the　dinner…bell　rang　she　went　downstairs　with　her　arm
round　her　friend's　waist；　as　is　the　habit　of　young　ladies。
She　was　so　agitated　at　the　drawing…room　door；　that　she
could　hardly　find　courage　to　enter。　　〃Feel　my　heart；　how
it　beats；　dear！〃　said　she　to　her　friend。
〃No；　it　doesn't；〃　said　Amelia。　　〃Come　in；　don't　be
frightened。　　Papa　won't　do　you　any　harm。〃

CHAPTER　III
Rebecca　Is　in　Presence　of　the　Enemy
　A　VERY　stout；　puffy　man；　in　buckskins　and　Hessian
boots；　with　several　immense　neckcloths　that　rose　almost
to　his　nose；　with　a　red　striped　waistcoat　and　an　apple
green　coat　with　steel　buttons　almost　as　large　as　crown
pieces　（it　was　the　morning　costume　of　a　dandy　or　blood
of　those　days）　was　reading　the　paper　by　the　fire　when
the　two　girls　entered；　and　bounced　off　his　arm…chair；
and　blushed　excessively；　and　hid　his　entire　face　almost
in　his　neckcloths　at　this　apparition。
〃It's　only　your　sister；　Joseph；〃　said　Amelia；　laughing
and　shaking　the　two　fingers　which　he　held　out。　　〃I've
come　home　FOR　GOOD；　you　know；　and　this　is　my　friend；
Miss　Sharp；　whom　you　have　heard　me　mention。〃
〃No；　never；　upon　my　word；〃　said　the　head　under　the
neckcloth；　shaking　very　much〃that　is；　yeswhat
abominably　cold　weather；　Miss〃and　herewith　he　fell
to　poking　the　fire　with　all　his　might；　although　it　was　in　the
middle　of　June。
〃He's　very　handsome；〃　whispered　Rebecca　to　Amelia；
rather　loud。
〃Do　you　think　so？〃　said　the　latter。　　〃I'll　tell　him。〃
〃Darling！　not　for　worlds；〃　said　Miss　Sharp；　starting
back　as　timid　as　a　fawn。　　She　had　previously　made　a
respectful　virgin…like　curtsey　to　the　gentleman；　and　her
modest　eyes　gazed　so　perseveringly　on　the　carpet　that　it
was　a　wonder　how　she　should　have　found　an　opportunity
to　see　him。
〃Thank　you　for　the　beautiful　shawls；　brother；〃　said
Amelia　to　the　fire　poker。　　〃Are　they　not　beautiful；　Rebecca？〃
〃O　heavenly！〃　said　Miss　Sharp；　and　her　eyes　went
from　the　carpet　straight　to　the　chandelier。
Joseph　still　continued　a　huge　clattering　at　the　poker
and　tongs；　puffing　and　blowing　the　while；　and　turning
as　red　as　his　yellow　face　would　allow　him。　　〃I　can't
make　you　such　handsome　presents；　Joseph；〃　continued
his　sister；　〃but　while　I　was　at　school；　I　have　embroidered
for　you　a　very　beautiful　pair　of　braces。〃
〃Good　Gad！　Amelia；〃　cried　the　brother；　in　serious
alarm；　〃what　do　you　mean？〃　and　plunging　with　all　his
might　at　the　bell…rope；　that　article　of　furniture　came
away　in　his　hand；　and　increased　the　honest　fellow's
confusion。　　〃For　heaven's　sake　see　if　my　buggy's　at　the
door。　　I　CAN'T　wait。　　I　must　go。　　D　that　groom　of　mine。
I　must　go。〃
At　this　minute　the　father　of　the　family　walked　in；
rattling　his　seals　like　a　true　British　merchant。　　〃What's
the　matter；　Emmy？〃　says　he。
〃Joseph　wants　me　to　see　if　hishis　buggy　is　at　the
door。　　What　is　a　buggy；　Papa？〃
〃It　is　a　one…horse　palanquin；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；
who　was　a　wag　in　his　way。
Joseph　at　this　burst　out　into　a　wild　fit　of　laughter；
in　which；　encountering　the　eye　of　Miss　Sharp；　he　stopped
all　of　a　sudden；　as　if　he　had　been　shot。
〃This　young　lady　is　your　friend？　Miss　Sharp；　I　am
very　happy　to　see　you。　　Have　you　and　Emmy　been
quarrelling　already　with　Joseph；　that　he　wants　to　be　off？〃
〃I　promised　Bonamy　of　our　service；　sir；〃　said　Joseph；
〃to　dine　with　him。〃
〃O　fie！　didn't　you　tell　your　mother　you　would　dine
here？〃
〃But　in　this　dress　it's　impossible。〃
〃Look　at　him；　isn't　he　handsome　enough　to　dine
anywhere；　Miss　Sharp？〃
On　which；　of　course；　Miss　Sharp　looked　at　her　friend；
and　they　both　set　off　in　a　fit　of　laughter；　highly
agreeable　to　the　old　gentleman。
〃Did　you　ever　see　a　pair　of　buckskins　like　those　at
Miss　Pinkerton's？〃　continued　he；　following　up　his
advantage。
〃Gracious　heavens！　Father；〃　cried　Joseph。
〃There　now；　I　have　hurt　his　feelings。　　Mrs。　Sedley；
my　dear；　I　have　hurt　your　son's　feelings。　　I　have　alluded
to　his　buckskins。　　Ask　Miss　Sharp　if　I　haven't？　Come；
Joseph；　be　friends　with　Miss　Sharp；　and　let　us　all　go　to
dinner。〃
〃There's　a　pillau；　Joseph；　just　as　you　like　it；　and　Papa
has　brought　home　the　best　turbot　in　Billingsgate。〃
〃Come；　come；　sir；　walk　downstairs　with　Miss　Sharp；
and　I　will　follow　with　these　two　young　women；〃　said
the　father；　and　he　took　an　arm　of　wife　and　daughter
and　walked　merrily　off。
If　Miss　Rebecca　Sharp　had　determined　in　her　heart
upon　making　the　conquest　of　this　big　beau；　I　don't
think；　ladies；　we　have　any　right　to　blame　her；　for　though
the　task　of　husband…hunting　is　generally；　and　with
becoming　modesty；　entrusted　by　young　persons　to　their
mammas；　recollect　that　Miss　Sharp　had　no　kind　parent
to　arrange　these　delicate　matters　for　her；　and　that　if
she　did　not　get　a　husband　for　herself；　there　was　no　one
else　in　the　wide　world　who　would　take　the　trouble　off
her　hands。　　What　causes　young　people　to　〃come　out；〃
but　the　noble　ambition　of　matrimony？　What　sends　them
trooping　to　watering…places？　What　keeps　them　dancing
till　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　through　a　whole　mortal
season？　What　causes　them　to　labour　at　pianoforte　sonatas；
and　to　learn　four　songs　from　a　fashionable　master　at　a
guinea　a　lesson；　and　to　play　the　harp　if　they　have
handsome　arms　and　neat　elbows；　and　to　wear　Lincoln
Green　toxophilite　hats　and　feathers；　but　that　they　may　bring
down　some　〃desirable〃　young　man　with　those　killing　bows
and　arrows　of　theirs？　What　causes　respectable　parents
to　take　up　their　carpets；　set　their　houses　topsy…turvy；　and
spend　a　fifth　of　their　year's　income　in　ball　suppers　and
iced　champagne？　Is　it　sheer　love　of　their　species；　and
an　unadulterated　wish　to　see　young　people　happy　and
dancing？　Psha！　they　want　to　marry　their　daughters；　and；
as　honest　Mrs。　Sedley　has；　in　the　depths　of　her　kind
heart；　already　arranged　a　score　of　little　schemes　for　the
settlement　of　her　Amelia；　so　also　had　our　beloved　but
unprotected　Rebecca　determined　to　do　her　very　best　to
secure　the　husband；　who　was　even　more　necessary　for
her　than　for　her　friend。　　She　had　a　vivid　imagination；　she
had；　besides；　read　the　Arabian　Nights　and　Guthrie's
Geography；　and　it　is　a　fact　that　while　she　was　dressing　for
dinner；　and　after　she　had　asked　Amelia　whether　her
brother　was　very　rich；　she　had　built　for　herself　a　most
magnificent　castle　in　the　air；　of　which　she　was　mistress；
with　a　husband　somewhere　in　the　background　（she　had
not　seen　him　as　yet；　and　his　figure　would　not　therefore
be　very　distinct）；　she　had　arrayed　herself　in　an　infinity
of　shawls；　turbans；　and　diamond　necklaces；　and　had
mounted　upon　an　elephant　to　the　sound　of　the　march　in
Bluebeard；　in　order　to　pay　a　visit　of　ceremony　to　the
Grand　Mogul。　　Charming　Alnaschar　visions！　it　is　the
happy　privilege　of　youth　to　construct　you；　and　many
a　fanciful　young　creature　besides　Rebecca　Sharp　has
indulged　in　these　delightful　day…dreams　ere　now！
Joseph　Sedley　was　twelve　years　older　than　his　sister
Amelia。　　He　was　in　the　East　India　Company's　Civil
Service；　and　his　name　appeared；　at　the　period　of　which
we　write；　in　the　Bengal　division　of　the　East　India　Register；
as　collector　of　Boggley　Wollah；　an　honourable　and
lucrative　post；　as　everybody　knows：　in　order　to　know
to　what　higher　posts　Joseph　rose　in　the　service；　the
reader　is　referred　to　the　same　periodical。
Boggley　Wollah　is　situated　in　a　fine；　lonely；　marshy；
jungly　district；　famous　for　snipe…shooting；　and　where
not　unfrequently　you　may　flush　a　tiger。　　Ramgunge；　where
there　is　a　magistrate；　is　only　forty　miles　off；　and　there
is　a　cavalry　station　about　thirty　miles　farther；　so　Joseph
wrote　home　to　his　parents；　when　he　took　possession　of
his　collectorship。　　He　had　lived　for　about　eight　years　of
his　life；　quite　alone；　at　this　charming　place；　scarcely
seeing　a　Christian　face　except　twice　a　year；　when　the
detachment　arrived　to　carry　off　the　revenues　which　he
had　collected；　to　Calcutta。
Luckily；　at　this　time　he　caught　a　liver　complaint；　for
the　cure　of　which　he　returned　to　Europe；　and　which
was　the　source　of　great　comfort　and　amusement　to　him
in　his　native　country。　　He　did　not　live　with　his　family
while　in　London；　but　had　lodgings　of　his　own；　like
a　gay　young　bachelor