vanity fair(名利场)-第77章

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claret　when　she　returned　to　the　dining…room；　and　made
no　signs　of　moving。　　〃Ar'n't　you　coming　with　me；　dearest？〃
she　asked　him。　　No；　the　〃dearest〃　had　〃business〃
that　night。　　His　man　should　get　her　a　coach　and　go　with
her。　　And　the　coach　being　at　the　door　of　the　hotel；　Amelia
made　George　a　little　disappointed　curtsey　after　looking
vainly　into　his　face　once　or　twice；　and　went　sadly　down
the　great　staircase；　Captain　Dobbin　after；　who　handed　her
into　the　vehicle；　and　saw　it　drive　away　to　its　destination。
The　very　valet　was　ashamed　of　mentioning　the　address　to
the　hackney…coachman　before　the　hotel　waiters；　and
promised　to　instruct　him　when　they　got　further　on。
Dobbin　walked　home　to　his　old　quarters　and　the
Slaughters'；　thinking　very　likely　that　it　would　be　delightful
to　be　in　that　hackney…coach；　along　with　Mrs。　Osborne。
George　was　evidently　of　quite　a　different　taste；　for　when
he　had　taken　wine　enough；　he　went　off　to　half…price　at
the　play；　to　see　Mr。　Kean　perform　in　Shylock。　　Captain
Osborne　was　a　great　lover　of　the　drama；　and　had　himself
performed　high…comedy　characters　with　great　distinction
in　several　garrison　theatrical　entertainments。　　Jos　slept　on
until　long　after　dark；　when　he　woke　up　with　a　start　at
the　motions　of　his　servant；　who　was　removing　and
emptying　the　decanters　on　the　table；　and　the　hackney…coach
stand　was　again　put　into　requisition　for　a　carriage　to
convey　this　stout　hero　to　his　lodgings　and　bed。
Mrs。　Sedley；　you　may　be　sure；　clasped　her　daughter　to
her　heart　with　all　maternal　eagerness　and　affection；
running　out　of　the　door　as　the　carriage　drew　up　before　the
little　garden…gate；　to　welcome　the　weeping；　trembling；
young　bride。　　Old　Mr。　Clapp；　who　was　in　his　shirt…sleeves；
trimming　the　garden…plot；　shrank　back　alarmed。　　The　Irish
servant…lass　rushed　up　from　the　kitchen　and　smiled　a
〃God　bless　you。〃　　Amelia　could　hardly　walk　along　the
flags　and　up　the　steps　into　the　parlour。
How　the　floodgates　were　opened；　and　mother　and
daughter　wept；　when　they　were　together　embracing　each
other　in　this　sanctuary；　may　readily　be　imagined　by　every
reader　who　possesses　the　least　sentimental　turn。　　When
don't　ladies　weep？　　At　what　occasion　of　joy；　sorrow；　or
other　business　of　life；　and；　after　such　an　event　as　a
marriage；　mother　and　daughter　were　surely　at　liberty　to　give
way　to　a　sensibility　which　is　as　tender　as　it　is　refreshing。
About　a　question　of　marriage　I　have　seen　women
who　hate　each　other　kiss　and　cry　together　quite　fondly。
How　much　more　do　they　feel　when　they　love！　　Good　mothers
are　married　over　again　at　their　daughters'　weddings：
and　as　for　subsequent　events；　who　does　not　know　how
ultra…maternal　grandmothers　are？in　fact　a　woman；　until
she　is　a　grandmother；　does　not　often　really　know　what　to
be　a　mother　is。　　Let　us　respect　Amelia　and　her　mamma
whispering　and　whimpering　and　laughing　and　crying　in
the　parlour　and　the　twilight。　　Old　Mr。　Sedley　did。　　HE　had
not　divined　who　was　in　the　carriage　when　it　drove　up。　　He
had　not　flown　out　to　meet　his　daughter；　though　he　kissed
her　very　warmly　when　she　entered　the　room　（where　he
was　occupied；　as　usual；　with　his　papers　and　tapes　and
statements　of　accounts）；　and　after　sitting　with　the　mother
and　daughter　for　a　short　time；　he　very　wisely　left　the
little　apartment　in　their　possession。
George's　valet　was　looking　on　in　a　very　supercilious
manner　at　Mr。　Clapp　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　watering　his
rose…bushes。　　He　took　off　his　hat；　however；　with　much
condescension　to　Mr。　Sedley；　who　asked　news　about
his　son…in…law；　and　about　Jos's　carriage；　and　whether　his
horses　had　been　down　to　Brighton；　and　about　that
infernal　traitor　Bonaparty；　and　the　war；　until　the　Irish
maid…servant　came　with　a　plate　and　a　bottle　of　wine；
from　which　the　old　gentleman　insisted　upon　helping　the
valet。　　He　gave　him　a　half…guinea　too；　which　the　servant
pocketed　with　a　mixture　of　wonder　and　contempt。　　〃To
the　health　of　your　master　and　mistress；　Trotter；〃　Mr。
Sedley　said；　〃and　here's　something　to　drink　your　health
when　you　get　home；　Trotter。〃
There　were　but　nine　days　past　since　Amelia　had　left
that　little　cottage　and　homeand　yet　how　far　off　the
time　seemed　since　she　had　bidden　it　farewell。　　What　a
gulf　lay　between　her　and　that　past　life。　　She　could　look
back　to　it　from　her　present　standing…place；　and　contemplate；
almost　as　another　being；　the　young　unmarried　girl
absorbed　in　her　love；　having　no　eyes　but　for　one　special
object；　receiving　parental　affection　if　not　ungratefully；
at　least　indifferently；　and　as　if　it　were　her　dueher
whole　heart　and　thoughts　bent　on　the　accomplishment　of
one　desire。　　The　review　of　those　days；　so　lately　gone　yet
so　far　away；　touched　her　with　shame；　and　the　aspect　of
the　kind　parents　filled　her　with　tender　remorse。　　Was　the
prize　gainedthe　heaven　of　lifeand　the　winner　still
doubtful　and　unsatisfied？　　As　his　hero　and　heroine　pass
the　matrimonial　barrier；　the　novelist　generally　drops　the
curtain；　as　if　the　drama　were　over　then：　　the　doubts　and
struggles　of　life　ended：　　as　if；　once　landed　in　the　marriage
country；　all　were　green　and　pleasant　there：　　and　wife
and　husband　had　nothing　to　do　but　to　link　each　other's
arms　together；　and　wander　gently　downwards　towards
old　age　in　happy　and　perfect　fruition。　　But　our　little
Amelia　was　just　on　the　bank　of　her　new　country；　and　was
already　looking　anxiously　back　towards　the　sad　friendly
figures　waving　farewell　to　her　across　the　stream；　from　the
other　distant　shore。
In　honour　of　the　young　bride's　arrival；　her　mother
thought　it　necessary　to　prepare　I　don't　know　what　festive
entertainment；　and　after　the　first　ebullition　of　talk；　took
leave　of　Mrs。　George　Osborne　for　a　while；　and　dived
down　to　the　lower　regions　of　the　house　to　a　sort　of
kitchen…parlour　（occupied　by　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Clapp；　and
in　the　evening；　when　her　dishes　were　washed　and　her
curl…papers　removed；　by　Miss　Flannigan；　the　Irish　servant）；
there　to　take　measures　for　the　preparing　of　a　magnificent
　ornamented　tea。　　All　people　have　their　ways　of
expressing　kindness；　and　it　seemed　to　Mrs。　Sedley　that　a
muffin　and　a　quantity　of　orange　marmalade　spread　out
in　a　little　cut…glass　saucer　would　be　peculiarly　agreeable
refreshments　to　Amelia　in　her　most　interesting　situation。
While　these　delicacies　were　being　transacted　below；
Amelia；　leaving　the　drawing…room；　walked　upstairs　and
found　herself；　she　scarce　knew　how；　in　the　little　room
which　she　had　occupied　before　her　marriage；　and　in　that
very　chair　in　which　she　had　passed　so　many　bitter　hours。
She　sank　back　in　its　arms　as　if　it　were　an　old　friend；
and　fell　to　thinking　over　the　past　week；　and　the　life
beyond　it。　　Already　to　be　looking　sadly　and　vaguely　back：
always　to　be　pining　for　something　which；　when　obtained；
brought　doubt　and　sadness　rather　than　pleasure；　here
was　the　lot　of　our　poor　little　creature　and　harmless　lost
wanderer　in　the　great　struggling　crowds　of　Vanity　Fair。
Here　she　sate；　and　recalled　to　herself　fondly　that　image
of　George　to　which　she　had　knelt　before　marriage。　　Did
she　own　to　herself　how　different　the　real　man　was　from
that　superb　young　hero　whom　she　had　worshipped？　　It
requires　many；　many　yearsand　a　man　must　be　very　bad
indeedbefore　a　woman's　pride　and　vanity　will　let　her
own　to　such　a　confession。　　Then　Rebecca's　twinkling
green　eyes　and　baleful　smile　lighted　upon　her；　and　filled
her　with　dismay。　　And　so　she　sate　for　awhile　indulging
in　her　usual　mood　of　selfish　brooding；　in　that　very
listless　melancholy　attitude　in　which　the　honest　maid…servant
had　found　her；　on　the　day　when　she　brought　up　the
letter　in　which　George　renewed　his　offer　of　marriage。
She　looked　at　the　little　white　bed；　which　had　been　hers
a　few　days　before；　and　thought　she　would　like　to　sleep
in　it　that　night；　and　wake；　as　formerly；　with　her　mother
smiling　over　her　in　the　morning：　　Then　she　thought　with
terror　of　the　great　funereal　damask　pavilion　in　the　vast
and　dingy　state　bedroom；　which　was　awaiting　her　at　the
grand　hotel　in　Cavendish　Square。　　Dear　little　white　bed！
how　many　a　long　night　had　she　wept　on　its　pillow！
How　she　had　despaired　and　hoped　to　die　there；　and　now
were　not　all　her　wishes　accomplished；　and　the　lover　of
whom　she　had　despaired　he