vanity fair(名利场)-第69章

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papers。　　Here　he　kept　all　the　documents　relating　to　him
ever　since　he　had　been　a　boy：　here　were　his　prize　copy…
books　and　drawing…books；　all　bearing　George's　hand；
and　that　of　the　master：　　here　were　his　first　letters　in　large
round…hand　sending　his　love　to　papa　and　mamma；　and
conveying　his　petitions　for　a　cake。　　His　dear　godpapa
Sedley　was　more　than　once　mentioned　in　them。　　Curses
quivered　on　old　Osborne's　livid　lips；　and　horrid　hatred
and　disappointment　writhed　in　his　heart；　as　looking
through　some　of　these　papers　he　came　on　that　name。
They　were　all　marked　and　docketed；　and　tied　with　red　tape。
It　wasFrom　Georgy；　requesting　5s。；　April　23；　18；
answered；　April　25〃or　〃Georgy　about　a　pony；　October
13〃and　so　forth。　In　another　packet　were　〃Dr。　S。's　accounts〃
〃G。's　tailor's　bills　and　outfits；　drafts　on　me　by
G。　Osborne；　jun。；〃　&c。his　letters　from　the　West　Indies
his　agent's　letters；　and　the　newspapers　containing　his
commissions：　here　was　a　whip　he　had　when　a　boy；　and　in
a　paper　a　locket　containing　his　hair；　which　his　mother
used　to　wear。
Turning　one　over　after　another；　and　musing　over　these
memorials；　the　unhappy　man　passed　many　hours。　　His
dearest　vanities；　ambitious　hopes；　had　all　been　here。　　What
pride　he　had　in　his　boy！　　He　was　the　handsomest　child
ever　seen。　　Everybody　said　he　was　like　a　nobleman's
son。　　A　royal　princess　had　remarked　him；　and　kissed
him；　and　asked　his　name　in　Kew　Gardens。　　What　City
man　could　show　such　another？　　Could　a　prince　have　been
better　cared　for？　　Anything　that　money　could　buy　had
been　his　son's。　　He　used　to　go　down　on　speech…days　with
four　horses　and　new　liveries；　and　scatter　new　shillings
among　the　boys　at　the　school　where　George　was：　　when
he　went　with　George　to　the　depot　of　his　regiment；　before
the　boy　embarked　for　Canada；　he　gave　the　officers
such　a　dinner　as　the　Duke　of　York　might　have　sat　down
to。　　Had　he　ever　refused　a　bill　when　George　drew　one？
There　they　werepaid　without　a　word。　　Many　a　general
in　the　army　couldn't　ride　the　horses　he　had！　　He　had　the
child　before　his　eyes；　on　a　hundred　different　days　when
he　remembered　George　after　dinner；　when　he　used
to　come　in　as　bold　as　a　lord　and　drink　off　his　glass　by
his　father's　side；　at　the　head　of　the　tableon　the　pony
at　Brighton；　when　he　cleared　the　hedge　and　kept　up　with
the　huntsmanon　the　day　when　he　was　presented　to
the　Prince　Regent　at　the　levee；　when　all　Saint　James's
couldn't　produce　a　finer　young　fellow。　　And　this；　this　was
the　end　of　all！to　marry　a　bankrupt　and　fly　in　the　face
of　duty　and　fortune！　　What　humiliation　and　fury：　　what
pangs　of　sickening　rage；　balked　ambition　and　love；　what
wounds　of　outraged　vanity；　tenderness　even；　had　this
old　worldling　now　to　suffer　under！
Having　examined　these　papers；　and　pondered　over　this
one　and　the　other；　in　that　bitterest　of　all　helpless　woe；
with　which　miserable　men　think　of　happy　past　times
George's　father　took　the　whole　of　the　documents　out　of
the　drawer　in　which　he　had　kept　them　so　long；　and　locked
them　into　a　writing…box；　which　he　tied；　and　sealed　with
his　seal。　　Then　he　opened　the　book…case；　and　took　down
the　great　red　Bible　we　have　spoken　of　a　pompous
book；　seldom　looked　at；　and　shining　all　over　with　gold。
There　was　a　frontispiece　to　the　volume；　representing
Abraham　sacrificing　Isaac。　　Here；　according　to　custom；
Osborne　had　recorded　on　the　fly…leaf；　and　in　his　large
clerk…like　hand；　the　dates　of　his　marriage　and　his　wife's
death；　and　the　births　and　Christian　names　of　his　children。
Jane　came　first；　then　George　Sedley　Osborne；　then　Maria
Frances；　and　the　days　of　the　christening　of　each。　　Taking
a　pen；　he　carefully　obliterated　George's　names　from
the　page；　and　when　the　leaf　was　quite　dry；　restored　the
volume　to　the　place　from　which　he　had　moved　it。　　Then
he　took　a　document　out　of　another　drawer；　where　his
own　private　papers　were　kept；　and　having　read　it；　crumpled
it　up　and　lighted　it　at　one　of　the　candles；　and　saw　it
burn　entirely　away　in　the　grate。　　It　was　his　will；　which
being　burned；　he　sate　down　and　wrote　off　a　letter；　and
rang　for　his　servant；　whom　he　charged　to　deliver　it　in　the
morning。　　It　was　morning　already：　as　he　went　up　to　bed；
the　whole　house　was　alight　with　the　sunshine；　and　the
birds　were　singing　among　the　fresh　green　leaves　in
Russell　Square。
Anxious　to　keep　all　Mr。　Osborne's　family　and　dependants
in　good　humour；　and　to　make　as　many　friends　as
possible　for　George　in　his　hour　of　adversity；　William　Dobbin；
who　knew　the　effect　which　good　dinners　and　good
wines　have　upon　the　soul　of　man；　wrote　off　immediately
on　his　return　to　his　inn　the　most　hospitable　of　invitations
to　Thomas　Chopper；　Esquire；　begging　that　gentleman　to
dine　with　him　at　the　Slaughters'　next　day。　　The　note
reached　Mr。　Chopper　before　he　left　the　City；　and　the
instant　reply　was；　that　〃Mr。　Chopper　presents　his
respectful　compliments；　and　will　have　the　honour　and
pleasure　of　waiting　on　Captain　D。〃　　The　invitation　and　the
rough　draft　of　the　answer　were　shown　to　Mrs。　Chopper
and　her　daughters　on　his　return　to　Somers'　Town　that
evening；　and　they　talked　about　military　gents　and　West
End　men　with　great　exultation　as　the　family　sate　and
partook　of　tea。　　When　the　girls　had　gone　to　rest；　Mr。　and
Mrs。　C。　discoursed　upon　the　strange　events　which　were
occurring　in　the　governor's　family。　　Never　had　the　clerk
seen　his　principal　so　moved。　　When　he　went　in　to　Mr。
Osborne；　after　Captain　Dobbin's　departure；　Mr。　Chopper
found　his　chief　black　in　the　face；　and　all　but　in　a　fit：
some　dreadful　quarrel；　he　was　certain；　had　occurred
between　Mr。　O。　and　the　young　Captain。　　Chopper　had　been
instructed　to　make　out　an　account　of　all　sums　paid　to
Captain　Osborne　within　the　last　three　years。　　〃And　a
precious　lot　of　money　he　has　had　too；〃　the　chief　clerk　said；
and　respected　his　old　and　young　master　the　more；　for
the　liberal　way　in　which　the　guineas　had　been　flung　about。
The　dispute　was　something　about　Miss　Sedley。　　Mrs。
Chopper　vowed　and　declared　she　pitied　that　poor　young
lady　to　lose　such　a　handsome　young　fellow　as　the　Capting。
As　the　daughter　of　an　unlucky　speculator；　who　had　paid　a
very　shabby　dividend；　Mr。　Chopper　had　no　great　regard
for　Miss　Sedley。　　He　respected　the　house　of　Osborne
before　all　others　in　the　City　of　London：　and　his　hope　and
wish　was　that　Captain　George　should　marry　a　nobleman's
daughter。　　The　clerk　slept　a　great　deal　sounder　than
his　principal　that　night；　and；　cuddling　his　children　after
breakfast　（of　which　he　partook　with　a　very　hearty
appetite；　though　his　modest　cup　of　life　was　only
sweetened　with　brown　sugar）；　he　set　off　in　his　best　Sunday
suit　and　frilled　shirt　for　business；　promising　his　admiring
wife　not　to　punish　Captain　D。's　port　too　severely　that
evening。
Mr。　Osborne's　countenance；　when　he　arrived　in　the
City　at　his　usual　time；　struck　those　dependants　who　were
accustomed；　for　good　reasons；　to　watch　its　expression；
as　peculiarly　ghastly　and　worn。　　At　twelve　o'clock　Mr。
Higgs　（of　the　firm　of　Higgs　&　Blatherwick；　solicitors；
Bedford　Row）　called　by　appointment；　and　was　ushered
into　the　governor's　private　room；　and　closeted　there　for
more　than　an　hour。　　At　about　one　Mr。　Chopper
received　a　note　brought　by　Captain　Dobbin's　man；　and
containing　an　inclosure　for　Mr。　Osborne；　which　the　clerk
went　in　and　delivered。　　A　short　time　afterwards　Mr。
Chopper　and　Mr。　Birch；　the　next　clerk；　were　summoned；　and
requested　to　witness　a　paper。　　〃I've　been　making　a　new
will；〃　Mr。　Osborne　said；　to　which　these　gentlemen
appended　their　names　accordingly。　　No　conversation
passed。　　Mr。　Higgs　looked　exceedingly　grave　as　he　came
into　the　outer　rooms；　and　very　hard　in　Mr。　Chopper's
face；　but　there　were　not　any　explanations。　　It　was
remarked　that　Mr。　Osborne　was　particularly　quiet　and
gentle　all　day；　to　the　surprise　of　those　who　had　augured　ill
from　his　darkling　demeanour。　　He　called　no　man　names
that　day；　and　was　not　heard　to　swear　once。　　He　left　business
early；　and　before　going　away；　summoned　his　chief
clerk　once　more；　and　having　given　him　general　instructions；
asked　him；　after　some　seeming　hesitation　and　reluctance
to　speak；　if　he　knew　whether　Captain　Dobbin　was　in　town？
Chopper　said　he　believed　he　was。　　Indeed　both　o