vanity fair(名利场)-第73章

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any　communication　with　me；　he　has　flung　us　off；　and
leaves　us　to　poverty。　　I　can　rough　it　well　enough；　but
you；　my　dear；　how　will　you　bear　it？　read　here。〃　And　he
handed　her　over　the　letter。
Amelia；　with　a　look　of　tender　alarm　in　her　eyes；
listened　to　her　noble　hero　as　he　uttered　the　above　generous
sentiments；　and　sitting　down　on　the　bed；　read　the　letter
which　George　gave　her　with　such　a　pompous　martyr…like
air。　　Her　face　cleared　up　as　she　read　the　document；　however。
The　idea　of　sharing　poverty　and　privation　in　company
with　the　beloved　object　is；　as　we　have　before　said；
far　from　being　disagreeable　to　a　warm…hearted　woman。
The　notion　was　actually　pleasant　to　little　Amelia。　　Then；
as　usual；　she　was　ashamed　of　herself　for　feeling　happy　at
such　an　indecorous　moment；　and　checked　her　pleasure；
saying　demurely；　〃O；　George；　how　your　poor　heart　must
bleed　at　the　idea　of　being　separated　from　your　papa！〃
〃It　does；〃　said　George；　with　an　agonised　countenance。
〃But　he　can't　be　angry　with　you　long；〃　she　continued。
〃Nobody　could；　I'm　sure。　　He　must　forgive　you；　my
dearest；　kindest　husband。　　O；　I　shall　never　forgive　myself
if　he　does　not。〃
〃What　vexes　me；　my　poor　Emmy；　is　not　my　misfortune；
but　yours；〃　George　said。　　〃I　don't　care　for　a　little
poverty；　and　I　think；　without　vanity；　I've　talents　enough
to　make　my　own　way。〃
〃That　you　have；〃　interposed　his　wife；　who　thought　that
war　should　cease；　and　her　husband　should　be　made　a
general　instantly。
〃Yes；　I　shall　make　my　way　as　well　as　another；〃　Osborne
went　on；　〃but　you；　my　dear　girl；　how　can　I　bear
your　being　deprived　of　the　comforts　and　station　in
society　which　my　wife　had　a　right　to　expect？　　My　dearest
girl　in　barracks；　the　wife　of　a　soldier　in　a　marching
regiment；　subject　to　all　sorts　of　annoyance　and　privation！
It　makes　me　miserable。〃
Emmy；　quite　at　ease；　as　this　was　her　husband's　only
cause　of　disquiet；　took　his　hand；　and　with　a　radiant　face
and　smile　began　to　warble　that　stanza　from　the　favourite
song　of　〃Wapping　Old　Stairs；〃　in　which　the　heroine；　after
rebuking　her　Tom　for　inattention；　promises　〃his　trousers
to　mend；　and　his　grog　too　to　make；〃　if　he　will　be　constant
and　kind；　and　not　forsake　her。　　〃Besides；〃　she　said；
after　a　pause；　during　which　she　looked　as　pretty　and
happy　as　any　young　woman　need；　〃isn't　two　thousand
pounds　an　immense　deal　of　money；　George？〃
George　laughed　at　her　naivete；　and　finally　they　went
down　to　dinner；　Amelia　clinging　to　George's　arm；　still
warbling　the　tune　of　〃Wapping　Old　Stairs；〃　and　more
pleased　and　light　of　mind　than　she　had　been　for　some
days　past。
Thus　the　repast；　which　at　length　came　off；　instead　of
being　dismal；　was　an　exceedingly　brisk　and　merry　one。
The　excitement　of　the　campaign　counteracted　in　George's
mind　the　depression　occasioned　by　the　disinheriting　letter。
Dobbin　still　kept　up　his　character　of　rattle。　　He　amused
the　company　with　accounts　of　the　army　in　Belgium；
where　nothing　but　fetes　and　gaiety　and　fashion　were
going　on。　　Then；　having　a　particular　end　in　view；　this
dexterous　captain　proceeded　to　describe　Mrs。　Major
O'Dowd　packing　her　own　and　her　Major's　wardrobe；　and
how　his　best　epaulets　had　been　stowed　into　a　tea　canister；
whilst　her　own　famous　yellow　turban；　with　the　bird　of
paradise　wrapped　in　brown　paper；　was　locked　up　in　the
Major's　tin　cocked…hat　case；　and　wondered　what　effect
it　would　have　at　the　French　king's　court　at　Ghent；　or　the
great　military　balls　at　Brussels。
〃Ghent！　Brussels！〃　cried　out　Amelia　with　a　sudden
shock　and　start。　　〃Is　the　regiment　ordered　away；　George
is　it　ordered　away？〃　A　look　of　terror　came　over　the
sweet　smiling　face；　and　she　clung　to　George　as　by　an
instinct。
〃Don't　be　afraid；　dear；〃　he　said　good…naturedly；　〃it
is　but　a　twelve　hours'　passage。　　It　won't　hurt　you。　　You
shall　go；　too；　Emmy。〃
〃I　intend　to　go；〃　said　Becky。　　〃I'm　on　the　staff。　　General
Tufto　is　a　great　flirt　of　mine。　　Isn't　he；　Rawdon？〃
Rawdon　laughed　out　with　his　usual　roar。　　William
Dobbin　flushed　up　quite　red。　　〃She　can't　go；〃　he　said；　〃think
of　theof　the　danger；〃　he　was　going　to　add；　but　had
not　all　his　conversation　during　dinner…time　tended　to
prove　there　was　none？　　He　became　very　confused　and
silent。
〃I　must　and　will　go；〃　Amelia　cried　with　the　greatest
spirit；　and　George；　applauding　her　resolution；　patted　her
under　the　chin；　and　asked　all　the　persons　present　if
they　ever　saw　such　a　termagant　of　a　wife；　and　agreed
that　the　lady　should　bear　him　company。　　〃We'll　have
Mrs。　O'Dowd　to　chaperon　you；〃　he　said。　　What　cared　she
so　long　as　her　husband　was　near　her？　　Thus　somehow
the　bitterness　of　a　parting　was　juggled　away。　　Though　war
and　danger　were　in　store；　war　and　danger　might　not
befall　for　months　to　come。　　There　was　a　respite　at　any　rate；
which　made　the　timid　little　Amelia　almost　as　happy　as
a　full　reprieve　would　have　done；　and　which　even　Dobbin
owned　in　his　heart　was　very　welcome。　　For；　to　be　permitted
to　see　her　was　now　the　greatest　privilege　and　hope
of　his　life；　and　he　thought　with　himself　secretly　how　he
would　watch　and　protect　her。　　I　wouldn't　have　let　her　go
if　I　had　been　married　to　her；　he　thought。　　But　George　was
the　master；　and　his　friend　did　not　think　fit　to　remonstrate。
Putting　her　arm　round　her　friend's　waist；　Rebecca　at
length　carried　Amelia　off　from　the　dinner…table　where　so
much　business　of　importance　had　been　discussed；　and
left　the　gentlemen　in　a　highly　exhilarated　state；　drinking
and　talking　very　gaily。
In　the　course　of　the　evening　Rawdon　got　a　little　family…
note　from　his　wife；　which；　although　he　crumpled　it　up
and　burnt　it　instantly　in　the　candle；　we　had　the　good
luck　to　read　over　Rebecca's　shoulder。　　〃Great　news；〃　she
wrote。　　〃Mrs。　Bute　is　gone。　　Get　the　money　from　Cupid　tonight；
as　he'll　be　off　to…morrow　most　likely。　　Mind　this。
R。〃　So　when　the　little　company　was　about　adjourning
to　coffee　in　the　women's　apartment；　Rawdon　touched
Osborne　on　the　elbow；　and　said　gracefully；　〃I　say；　Osborne；
my　boy；　if　quite　convenient；　I'll　trouble　you　for
that　'ere　small　trifle。〃　It　was　not　quite　convenient；　but
nevertheless　George　gave　him　a　considerable　present
instalment　in　bank…notes　from　his　pocket…book；　and　a　bill
on　his　agents　at　a　week's　date；　for　the　remaining　sum。
This　matter　arranged；　George；　and　Jos；　and　Dobbin；
held　a　council　of　war　over　their　cigars；　and　agreed　that　a
general　move　should　be　made　for　London　in　Jos's　open
carriage　the　next　day。　　Jos；　I　think；　would　have　preferred
staying　until　Rawdon　Crawley　quitted　Brighton；　but　Dobbin
and　George　overruled　him；　and　he　agreed　to　carry
the　party　to　town；　and　ordered　four　horses；　as　became　his
dignity。　　With　these　they　set　off　in　state；　after　breakfast；
the　next　day。　　Amelia　had　risen　very　early　in　the　morning；
and　packed　her　little　trunks　with　the　greatest　alacrity；
while　Osborne　lay　in　bed　deploring　that　she　had　not　a
maid　to　help　her。　　She　was　only　too　glad；　however；　to
perform　this　office　for　herself。　　A　dim　uneasy　sentiment
about　Rebecca　filled　her　mind　already；　and　although　they
kissed　each　other　most　tenderly　at　parting；　yet　we　know
what　jealousy　is；　and　Mrs。　Amelia　possessed　that　among
other　virtues　of　her　sex。
Besides　these　characters　who　are　coming　and　going
away；　we　must　remember　that　there　were　some　other　old
friends　of　ours　at　Brighton；　Miss　Crawley；　namely；　and
the　suite　in　attendance　upon　her。　　Now；　although　Rebecca
and　her　husband　were　but　at　a　few　stones'　throw　of　the
lodgings　which　the　invalid　Miss　Crawley　occupied；　the
old　lady's　door　remained　as　pitilessly　closed　to　them　as　it
had　been　heretofore　in　London。　　As　long　as　she　remained
by　the　side　of　her　sister…in…law；　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley　took
care　that　her　beloved　Matilda　should　not　be　agitated　by　a
meeting　with　her　nephew。　　When　the　spinster　took　her
drive；　the　faithful　Mrs。　Bute　sate　beside　her　in　the　carriage。
When　Miss　Crawley　took　the　air　in　a　chair；　Mrs。
Bute　marched　on　one　side　of　the　vehicle；　whilst　honest
Briggs　occupied　the　other　wing。　　And　if　they　met　Rawdon
and　his　wife　by　chancealthough　the　former　constantly
and　obsequiously　took　off　his　hat；　the　Miss…Crawley　party
passed　him　by　with　such　a　frigid　and　killing　indifference；
that　Rawdon　began　to　despair。
〃We　might　as