vanity fair(名利场)-第62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！


perfect　coolness　and　appetite　before　the　engagement
began。　　Old　Osborne；　on　the　contrary；　was　nervous；　and
drank　much。　　He　floundered　in　his　conversation　with　the
ladies；　his　neighbours：　George's　coolness　only　rendering
him　more　angry。　　It　made　him　half　mad　to　see　the　calm
way　in　which　George；　flapping　his　napkin；　and　with　a
swaggering　bow；　opened　the　door　for　the　ladies　to　leave
the　room；　and　filling　himself　a　glass　of　wine；　smacked　it；
and　looked　his　father　full　in　the　face；　as　if　to　say；
〃Gentlemen　of　the　Guard；　fire　first。〃　The　old　man　also　took　a
supply　of　ammunition；　but　his　decanter　clinked　against
the　glass　as　he　tried　to　fill　it。
After　giving　a　great　heave；　and　with　a　purple　choking
face；　he　then　began。　　〃How　dare　you；　sir；　mention　that
person's　name　before　Miss　Swartz　to…day；　in　my　drawing…
room？　I　ask　you；　sir；　how　dare　you　do　it？〃
〃Stop；　sir；〃　says　George；　〃don't　say　dare；　sir。　　Dare
isn't　a　word　to　be　used　to　a　Captain　in　the　British　Army。〃
〃I　shall　say　what　I　like　to　my　son；　sir。　　I　can　cut　him　off
with　a　shilling　if　I　like。　　I　can　make　him　a　beggar　if　I　like。
I　WILL　say　what　I　like；〃　the　elder　said。
〃I'm　a　gentleman　though　I　AM　your　son；　sir；〃　George
answered　haughtily。　　〃Any　communications　which　you
have　to　make　to　me；　or　any　orders　which　you　may
please　to　give；　I　beg　may　be　couched　in　that　kind　of
language　which　I　am　accustomed　to　hear。〃
Whenever　the　lad　assumed　his　haughty　manner；　it
always　created　either　great　awe　or　great　irritation　in　the
parent。　　Old　Osborne　stood　in　secret　terror　of　his　son　as　a
better　gentleman　than　himself；　and　perhaps　my　readers
may　have　remarked　in　their　experience　of　this　Vanity　Fair
of　ours；　that　there　is　no　character　which　a　low…minded
man　so　much　mistrusts　as　that　of　a　gentleman。
〃My　father　didn't　give　me　the　education　you　have　had；
nor　the　advantages　you　have　had；　nor　the　money　you
have　had。　　If　I　had　kept　the　company　SOME　FOLKS　have
had　through　MY　MEANS；　perhaps　my　son　wouldn't　have
any　reason　to　brag；　sir；　of　his　SUPERIORITY　and　WEST　END
AIRS　（these　words　were　uttered　in　the　elder　Osborne's
most　sarcastic　tones）。　　But　it　wasn't　considered　the　part
of　a　gentleman；　in　MY　time；　for　a　man　to　insult　his　father。
If　I'd　done　any　such　thing；　mine　would　have　kicked　me
downstairs；　sir。〃
〃I　never　insulted　you；　sir。　　I　said　I　begged　you　to
remember　your　son　was　a　gentleman　as　well　as　yourself。
I　know　very　well　that　you　give　me　plenty　of　money；〃
said　George　（fingering　a　bundle　of　notes　which　he　had
got　in　the　morning　from　Mr。　Chopper）。　　〃You　tell　it　me
often　enough；　sir。　　There's　no　fear　of　my　forgetting　it。〃
〃I　wish　you'd　remember　other　things　as　well；　sir；〃　the
sire　answered。　　〃I　wish　you'd　remember　that　in　this　house
so　long　as　you　choose　to　HONOUR　it　with　your　COMPANY；
CaptainI'm　the　master；　and　that　name；　and　that
thatthat　youthat　I　say〃
〃That　what；　sir？〃　George　asked；　with　scarcely　a　sneer；
filling　another　glass　of　claret。
〃！〃　burst　out　his　father　with　a　screaming　oath
〃that　the　name　of　those　Sedleys　never　be　mentioned
here；　sirnot　one　of　the　whole　damned　lot　of　'em；　sir。〃
〃It　wasn't　I；　sir；　that　introduced　Miss　Sedley's　name。　　It
was　my　sisters　who　spoke　ill　of　her　to　Miss　Swartz；　and
by　Jove　I'll　defend　her　wherever　I　go。　　Nobody　shall
speak　lightly　of　that　name　in　my　presence。　　Our　family
has　done　her　quite　enough　injury　already；　I　think；　and
may　leave　off　reviling　her　now　she's　down。　　I'll　shoot　any
man　but　you　who　says　a　word　against　her。〃
〃Go　on；　sir；　go　on；〃　the　old　gentleman　said；　his　eyes
starting　out　of　his　head。
〃Go　on　about　what；　sir？　about　the　way　in　which　we've
treated　that　angel　of　a　girl？　　Who　told　me　to　love　her？　　It
was　your　doing。　　I　might　have　chosen　elsewhere；　and
looked　higher；　perhaps；　than　your　society：　but　I　obeyed
you。　　And　now　that　her　heart's　mine　you　give　me　orders
to　fling　it　away；　and　punish　her；　kill　her　perhapsfor
the　faults　of　other　people。　　It's　a　shame；　by　Heavens；〃
said　George；　working　himself　up　into　passion　and
enthusiasm　as　he　proceeded；　〃to　play　at　fast　and　loose　with
a　young　girl's　affectionsand　with　such　an　angel　as　that
one　so　superior　to　the　people　amongst　whom　she　lived；
that　she　might　have　excited　envy；　only　she　was　so　good
and　gentle；　that　it's　a　wonder　anybody　dared　to　hate　her。
If　I　desert　her；　sir；　do　you　suppose　she　forgets　me？〃
〃I　ain't　going　to　have　any　of　this　dam　sentimental　nonsense
and　humbug　here；　sir；〃　the　father　cried　out。　　〃There
shall　be　no　beggar…marriages　in　my　family。　　If　you　choose
to　fling　away　eight　thousand　a　year；　which　you　may　have
for　the　asking；　you　may　do　it：　but　by　Jove　you　take　your
pack　and　walk　out　of　this　house；　sir。　　Will　you　do　as　I　tell
you；　once　for　all；　sir；　or　will　you　not？〃
〃Marry　that　mulatto　woman？〃　George　said；　pulling　up
his　shirt…collars。　　〃I　don't　like　the　colour；　sir。　　Ask　the
black　that　sweeps　opposite　Fleet　Market；　sir。　　I'm　not
going　to　marry　a　Hottentot　Venus。〃
Mr。　Osborne　pulled　frantically　at　the　cord　by　which　he
was　accustomed　to　summon　the　butler　when　he　wanted
wineand　almost　black　in　the　face；　ordered　that　functionary
to　call　a　coach　for　Captain　Osborne。
〃I've　done　it；〃　said　George；　coming　into　the　Slaughters'
an　hour　afterwards；　looking　very　pale。
〃What；　my　boy？〃　says　Dobbin。
George　told　what　had　passed　between　his　father　and
himself。
〃I'll　marry　her　to…morrow；〃　he　said　with　an　oath。　　〃I
love　her　more　every　day；　Dobbin。〃

CHAPTER　XXII
A　Marriage　and　Part　of　a　Honeymoon
Enemies　the　most　obstinate　and　courageous　can't　hold
out　against　starvation；　so　the　elder　Osborne　felt　himself
pretty　easy　about　his　adversary　in　the　encounter　we　have
just　described；　and　as　soon　as　George's　supplies　fell
short；　confidently　expected　his　unconditional　submission。
It　was　unlucky；　to　be　sure；　that　the　lad　should　have　secured
a　stock　of　provisions　on　the　very　day　when　the　first
encounter　took　place；　but　this　relief　was　only　temporary；
old　Osborne　thought；　and　would　but　delay　George's
surrender。　　No　communication　passed　between　father　and
son　for　some　days。　　The　former　was　sulky　at　this　silence；
but　not　disquieted；　for；　as　he　said；　he　knew　where　he
could　put　the　screw　upon　George；　and　only　waited　the
result　of　that　operation。　　He　told　the　sisters　the　upshot　of
the　dispute　between　them；　but　ordered　them　to　take　no
notice　of　the　matter；　and　welcome　George　on　his　return
as　if　nothing　had　happened。　　His　cover　was　laid　as　usual
every　day；　and　perhaps　the　old　gentleman　rather　anxiously
expected　him；　but　he　never　came。　　Some　one　inquired
at　the　Slaughters'　regarding　him；　where　it　was　said
that　he　and　his　friend　Captain　Dobbin　had　left　town。
One　gusty；　raw　day　at　the　end　of　Aprilthe　rain　whipping
the　pavement　of　that　ancient　street　where　the　old
Slaughters'　Coffee…house　was　once　situatedGeorge　Osborne
came　into　the　coffee…room；　looking　very　haggard
and　pale；　although　dressed　rather　smartly　in　a　blue　coat
and　brass　buttons；　and　a　neat　buff　waistcoat　of　the　fashion
of　those　days。　　Here　was　his　friend　Captain　Dobbin；
in　blue　and　brass　too；　having　abandoned　the　military
frock　and　French…grey　trousers；　which　were　the　usual
coverings　of　his　lanky　person。
Dobbin　had　been　in　the　coffee…room　for　an　hour　or
more。　　He　had　tried　all　the　papers；　but　could　not　read
them。　　He　had　looked　at　the　clock　many　scores　of　times；
and　at　the　street；　where　the　rain　was　pattering　down；
and　the　people　as　they　clinked　by　in　pattens；　left　long
reflections　on　the　shining　stone：　he　tattooed　at　the　table：
he　bit　his　nails　most　completely；　and　nearly　to　the　quick
（he　was　accustomed　to　ornament　his　great　big　hands　in
this　way）：　he　balanced　the　tea…spoon　dexterously　on　the
milk　jug：　upset　it；　&c。；　&c。；　and　in　fact　showed　those
signs　of　disquietude；　and　practised　those　desperate
attempts　at　amusement；　which　men　are　accustomed　to
employ　when　very　anxious；　and　expectant；　and　perturbed
in　mind。
Some　of　his　comrades；　gentlemen　who　used　the　room；
joked　him　about　the　splendour　of　his　costume　and　his
agitation　of　manner。　　One　asked　him　if　he　was　going　to　be
married？　　Dobbin　laughed；　and　said　he　would　send　his
acquaintance　（Major　Wagstaff　of　the　Engineers）　a　piece　of
cake　when　that　event　took　place。　　At　length