vanity fair(名利场)-第78章

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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　her　own　for　ever？　　Kind　mother！
how　patiently　and　tenderly　she　had　watched　round　that
bed！　　She　went　and　knelt　down　by　the　bedside；　and　there
this　wounded　and　timorous；　but　gentle　and　loving　soul；
sought　for　consolation；　where　as　yet；　it　must　be　owned；
our　little　girl　had　but　seldom　looked　for　it。　　Love　had
been　her　faith　hitherto；　and　the　sad；　bleeding　disappointed
heart　began　to　feel　the　want　of　another　consoler。
Have　we　a　right　to　repeat　or　to　overhear　her　prayers？
These；　brother；　are　secrets；　and　out　of　the　domain　of
Vanity　Fair；　in　which　our　story　lies。
But　this　may　be　said；　that　when　the　tea　was　finally
announced；　our　young　lady　came　downstairs　a　great　deal
more　cheerful；　that　she　did　not　despond；　or　deplore　her
fate；　or　think　about　George's　coldness；　or　Rebecca's　eyes；
as　she　had　been　wont　to　do　of　late。　　She　went　downstairs；
and　kissed　her　father　and　mother；　and　talked　to
the　old　gentleman；　and　made　him　more　merry　than　he
had　been　for　many　a　day。　　She　sate　down　at　the　piano
which　Dobbin　had　bought　for　her；　and　sang　over　all　her
father's　favourite　old　songs。　　She　pronounced　the　tea　to
be　excellent；　and　praised　the　exquisite　taste　in　which
the　marmalade　was　arranged　in　the　saucers。　　And　in
determining　to　make　everybody　else　happy；　she　found
herself　so；　and　was　sound　asleep　in　the　great　funereal
pavilion；　and　only　woke　up　with　a　smile　when　George
arrived　from　the　theatre。
For　the　next　day；　George　had　more　important　〃business〃
to　transact　than　that　which　took　him　to　see　Mr。
Kean　in　Shylock。　　Immediately　on　his　arrival　in　London
he　had　written　off　to　his　father's　solicitors；　signifying　his
royal　pleasure　that　an　interview　should　take　place　between
them　on　the　morrow。　　His　hotel　bill；　losses　at
billiards　and　cards　to　Captain　Crawley　had　almost　drained
the　young　man's　purse；　which　wanted　replenishing　before
he　set　out　on　his　travels；　and　he　had　no　resource　but
to　infringe　upon　the　two　thousand　pounds　which　the
attorneys　were　commissioned　to　pay　over　to　him。　　He
had　a　perfect　belief　in　his　own　mind　that　his　father
would　relent　before　very　long。　　How　could　any　parent
be　obdurate　for　a　length　of　time　against　such　a
paragon　as　he　was？　　If　his　mere　past　and　personal　merits　did
not　succeed　in　mollifying　his　father；　George　determined
that　he　would　distinguish　himself　so　prodigiously　in　the
ensuing　campaign　that　the　old　gentleman　must　give　in　to
him。　　And　if　not？　　Bah！　the　world　was　before　him。　　His
luck　might　change　at　cards；　and　there　was　a　deal　of
spending　in　two　thousand　pounds。
So　he　sent　off　Amelia　once　more　in　a　carriage　to　her
mamma；　with　strict　orders　and　carte　blanche　to　the　two
ladies　to　purchase　everything　requisite　for　a　lady　of　Mrs。
George　Osborne's　fashion；　who　was　going　on　a　foreign
tour。　　They　had　but　one　day　to　complete　the　outfit；　and
it　may　be　imagined　that　their　business　therefore　occupied
them　pretty　fully。　　In　a　carriage　once　more；　bustling
about　from　milliner　to　linen…draper；　escorted　back　to　the
carriage　by　obsequious　shopmen　or　polite　owners；　Mrs。
Sedley　was　herself　again　almost；　and　sincerely　happy　for
the　first　time　since　their　misfortunes。　　Nor　was　Mrs。
Amelia　at　all　above　the　pleasure　of　shopping；　and
bargaining；　and　seeing　and　buying　pretty　things。　　（Would
any　man；　the　most　philosophic；　give　twopence　for　a
woman　who　was？）　　She　gave　herself　a　little　treat；
obedient　to　her　husband's　orders；　and　purchased　a
quantity　of　lady's　gear；　showing　a　great　deal　of　taste　and
elegant　discernment；　as　all　the　shopfolks　said。
And　about　the　war　that　was　ensuing；　Mrs。　Osborne
was　not　much　alarmed；　Bonaparty　was　to　be　crushed
almost　without　a　struggle。　　Margate　packets　were　sailing
every　day；　filled　with　men　of　fashion　and　ladies　of　note；
on　their　way　to　Brussels　and　Ghent。　　People　were　going
not　so　much　to　a　war　as　to　a　fashionable　tour。　　The
newspapers　laughed　the　wretched　upstart　and　swindler　to
scorn。　　Such　a　Corsican　wretch　as　that　withstand　the
armies　of　Europe　and　the　genius　of　the　immortal
Wellington！　　Amelia　held　him　in　utter　contempt；　for　it　needs
not　to　be　said　that　this　soft　and　gentle　creature　took　her
opinions　from　those　people　who　surrounded　her；　such
fidelity　being　much　too　humble…minded　to　think　for　itself。
Well；　in　a　word；　she　and　her　mother　performed　a
great　day's　shopping；　and　she　acquitted　herself　with
considerable　liveliness　and　credit　on　this　her　first
appearance　in　the　genteel　world　of　London。
George　meanwhile；　with　his　hat　on　one　side；　his　elbows
squared；　and　his　swaggering　martial　air；　made　for
Bedford　Row；　and　stalked　into　the　attorney's　offices　as　if
he　was　lord　of　every　pale…faced　clerk　who　was　scribbling
there。　　He　ordered　somebody　to　inform　Mr。　Higgs　that
Captain　Osborne　was　waiting；　in　a　fierce　and　patronizing
way；　as　if　the　pekin　of　an　attorney；　who　had　thrice　his
brains；　fifty　times　his　money；　and　a　thousand　times　his
experience；　was　a　wretched　underling　who　should
instantly　leave　all　his　business　in　life　to　attend　on　the
Captain's　pleasure。　　He　did　not　see　the　sneer　of　contempt
which　passed　all　round　the　room；　from　the　first
clerk　to　the　articled　gents；　from　the　articled　gents　to　the
ragged　writers　and　white…faced　runners；　in　clothes　too
tight　for　them；　as　he　sate　there　tapping　his　boot　with　his
cane；　and　thinking　what　a　parcel　of　miserable　poor　devils
these　were。　　The　miserable　poor　devils　knew　all　about　his
affairs。　　They　talked　about　them　over　their　pints　of　beer
at　their　public…house　clubs　to　other　clerks　of　a　night。
Ye　gods；　what　do　not　attorneys　and　attorneys'　clerks
know　in　London！　　Nothing　is　hidden　from　their
inquisition；　and　their　families　mutely　rule　our　city。
Perhaps　George　expected；　when　he　entered　Mr。　Higgs's
apartment；　to　find　that　gentleman　commissioned　to　give
him　some　message　of　compromise　or　conciliation　from
his　father；　perhaps　his　haughty　and　cold　demeanour
was　adopted　as　a　sign　of　his　spirit　and　resolution：　　but　if
so；　his　fierceness　was　met　by　a　chilling　coolness　and
indifference　on　the　attorney's　part；　that　rendered
swaggering　absurd。　　He　pretended　to　be　writing　at　a　paper；
when　the　Captain　entered。　　〃Pray；　sit　down；　sir；〃　said　he；
〃and　I　will　attend　to　your　little　affair　in　a　moment。　　Mr。
Poe；　get　the　release　papers；　if　you　please〃；　and　then　he
fell　to　writing　again。
Poe　having　produced　those　papers；　his　chief　calculated
the　amount　of　two　thousand　pounds　stock　at　the　rate　of
the　day；　and　asked　Captain　Osborne　whether　he　would
take　the　sum　in　a　cheque　upon　the　bankers；　or　whether
he　should　direct　the　latter　to　purchase　stock　to　that
amount。　　〃One　of　the　late　Mrs。　Osborne's　trustees　is　out
of　town；〃　he　said　indifferently；　〃but　my　client　wishes　to
meet　your　wishes；　and　have　done　with　the　business　as
quick　as　possible。〃
〃Give　me　a　cheque；　sir；〃　said　the　Captain　very　surlily。
〃Damn　the　shillings　and　halfpence；　sir；〃　he　added；　as　the
lawyer　was　making　out　the　amount　of　the　draft；　and；
flattering　himself　that　by　this　stroke　of　magnanimity　he
had　put　the　old　quiz　to　the　blush；　he　stalked　out　of
the　office　with　the　paper　in　his　pocket。
〃That　chap　will　be　in　gaol　in　two　years；〃　Mr。　Higgs　said
to　Mr。　Poe。
〃Won't　O。　come　round；　sir；　don't　you　think？〃
〃Won't　the　monument　come　round；〃　Mr。　Higgs　replied。
〃He's　going　it　pretty　fast；〃　said　the　clerk。　　〃He's　only
married　a　week；　and　I　saw　him　and　some　other　military
chaps　handing　Mrs。　Highflyer　to　her　carriage　after　the
play。〃　And　then　another　case　was　called；　and　Mr。　George
Osborne　thenceforth　dismissed　from　these　worthy
gentlemen's　memory。
The　draft　was　upon　our　friends　Hulker　and　Bullock　of
Lombard　Street；　to　whose　house；　still　thinking　he　was
doing　business；　George　bent　his　way；　and　from　whom　he
received　his　money。　　Frederick　Bullock；　Esq。；　whose
yellow　face　was　over　a　ledger；　at　which　sate　a　demure　clerk；
happened　to　be　in　the　banking…room　when　George　entered。
His　yellow　face　turned　to　a　more　deadly　colour
when　he　saw　the　Captain；　and　he　slunk　back　guiltily　into
the　inmost　parlour。　　George　was　too　busy　gloating　over
the　money　（for　he　had　never　had　such　a