vanity fair(名利场)-第81章

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The　regiment　with　its　officers　was　to　be　transported　in
ships　provided　by　His　Majesty's　government　for　the
occasion：　　and　in　two　days　after　the　festive　assembly　at　Mrs。
O'Dowd's　apartments；　in　the　midst　of　cheering　from　all
the　East　India　ships　in　the　river；　and　the　military　on　shore；
the　band　playing　〃God　Save　the　King；〃　the　officers　waving
their　hats；　and　the　crews　hurrahing　gallantly；　the　transports
went　down　the　river　and　proceeded　under　convoy　to
Ostend。　　Meanwhile　the　gallant　Jos　had　agreed　to　escort
his　sister　and　the　Major's　wife；　the　bulk　of　whose　goods
and　chattels；　including　the　famous　bird　of　paradise　and
turban；　were　with　the　regimental　baggage：　so　that　our
two　heroines　drove　pretty　much　unencumbered　to
Ramsgate；　where　there　were　plenty　of　packets　plying；　in
one　of　which　they　had　a　speedy　passage　to　Ostend。
That　period　of　Jos's　life　which　now　ensued　was　so　full
of　incident；　that　it　served　him　for　conversation　for
many　years　after；　and　even　the　tiger…hunt　story　was　put
aside　for　more　stirring　narratives　which　he　had　to　tell
about　the　great　campaign　of　Waterloo。　　As　soon　as　he
had　agreed　to　escort　his　sister　abroad；　it　was　remarked
that　he　ceased　shaving　his　upper　lip。　　At　Chatham　he
followed　the　parades　and　drills　with　great　assiduity。　　He
listened　with　the　utmost　attention　to　the　conversation　of
his　brother　officers　（as　he　called　them　in　after　days
sometimes）；　and　learned　as　many　military　names　as　he　could。
In　these　studies　the　excellent　Mrs。　O'Dowd　was　of　great
assistance　to　him；　and　on　the　day　finally　when　they
embarked　on　board　the　Lovely　Rose；　which　was　to　carry
them　to　their　destination；　he　made　his　appearance　in　a
braided　frock…coat　and　duck　trousers；　with　a　foraging
cap　ornamented　with　a　smart　gold　band。　　Having　his
carriage　with　him；　and　informing　everybody　on　board
confidentially　that　he　was　going　to　join　the　Duke　of
Wellington's　army；　folks　mistook　him　for　a　great　personage；　a
commissary…general；　or　a　government　courier　at　the　very
least。
He　suffered　hugely　on　the　voyage；　during　which　the
ladies　were　likewise　prostrate；　but　Amelia　was　brought　to
life　again　as　the　packet　made　Ostend；　by　the　sight　of
the　transports　conveying　her　regiment；　which　entered　the
harbour　almost　at　the　same　time　with　the　Lovely　Rose。
Jos　went　in　a　collapsed　state　to　an　inn；　while　Captain
Dobbin　escorted　the　ladies；　and　then　busied　himself　in
freeing　Jos's　carriage　and　luggage　from　the　ship　and　the
custom…house；　for　Mr。　Jos　was　at　present　without　a
servant；　Osborne's　man　and　his　own　pampered　menial
having　conspired　together　at　Chatham；　and　refused　point…
blank　to　cross　the　water。　　This　revolt；　which　came　very
suddenly；　and　on　the　last　day；　so　alarmed　Mr。　Sedley；
junior；　that　he　was　on　the　point　of　giving　up　the　expedition；
but　Captain　Dobbin　（who　made　himself　immensely
officious　in　the　business；　Jos　said）；　rated　him　and
laughed　at　him　soundly：　　the　mustachios　were　grown　in
advance；　and　Jos　finally　was　persuaded　to　embark。　　In
place　of　the　well…bred　and　well…fed　London　domestics；
who　could　only　speak　English；　Dobbin　procured　for　Jos's
party　a　swarthy　little　Belgian　servant　who　could　speak
no　language　at　all；　but　who；　by　his　bustling　behaviour；
and　by　invariably　addressing　Mr。　Sedley　as　〃My　lord；〃
speedily　acquired　that　gentleman's　favour。　　Times　are
altered　at　Ostend　now；　of　the　Britons　who　go　thither；
very　few　look　like　lords；　or　act　like　those　members　of
our　hereditary　aristocracy。　　They　seem　for　the　most　part
shabby　in　attire；　dingy　of　linen；　lovers　of　billiards　and
brandy；　and　cigars　and　greasy　ordinaries。
But　it　may　be　said　as　a　rule；　that　every　Englishman
in　the　Duke　of　Wellington's　army　paid　his　way。　　The
remembrance　of　such　a　fact　surely　becomes　a　nation　of
shopkeepers。　　It　was　a　blessing　for　a　commerce…loving
country　to　be　overrun　by　such　an　army　of　customers：
and　to　have　such　creditable　warriors　to　feed。　　And　the
country　which　they　came　to　protect　is　not　military。　　For
a　long　period　of　history　they　have　let　other　people　fight
there。　　When　the　present　writer　went　to　survey　with　eagle
glance　the　field　of　Waterloo；　we　asked　the　conductor　of
the　diligence；　a　portly　warlike…looking　veteran；　whether
he　had　been　at　the　battle。　　〃Pas　si　bete〃such　an
answer　and　sentiment　as　no　Frenchman　would　own　to
was　his　reply。　　But；　on　the　other　hand；　the　postilion
who　drove　us　was　a　Viscount；　a　son　of　some　bankrupt
Imperial　General；　who　accepted　a　pennyworth　of　beer
on　the　road。　　The　moral　is　surely　a　good　one。
This　flat；　flourishing；　easy　country　never　could　have
looked　more　rich　and　prosperous　than　in　that　opening
summer　of　1815；　when　its　green　fields　and　quiet　cities
were　enlivened　by　multiplied　red…coats：　when　its　wide
chaussees　swarmed　with　brilliant　English　equipages：
when　its　great　canal…boats；　gliding　by　rich　pastures　and
pleasant　quaint　old　villages；　by　old　chateaux　lying
amongst　old　trees；　were　all　crowded　with　well…to…do　English
　travellers：　when　the　soldier　who　drank　at　the　village
inn；　not　only　drank；　but　paid　his　score；　and　Donald；
the　Highlander；　billeted　in　the　Flemish　farm…house；
rocked　the　baby's　cradle；　while　Jean　and　Jeannette　were
out　getting　in　the　hay。　　As　our　painters　are　bent　on　military
subjects　just　now；　I　throw　out　this　as　a　good　subject
for　the　pencil；　to　illustrate　the　principle　of　an　honest
English　war。　　All　looked　as　brilliant　and　harmless　as　a
Hyde　Park　review。　　Meanwhile；　Napoleon　screened　behind
his　curtain　of　frontier…fortresses；　was　preparing　for
the　outbreak　which　was　to　drive　all　these　orderly　people
into　fury　and　blood；　and　lay　so　many　of　them　low。
Everybody　had　such　a　perfect　feeling　of　confidence
in　the　leader　（for　the　resolute　faith　which　the　Duke　of
Wellington　had　inspired　in　the　whole　English　nation　was
as　intense　as　that　more　frantic　enthusiasm　with　which
at　one　time　the　French　regarded　Napoleon）；　the　country
seemed　in　so　perfect　a　state　of　orderly　defence；　and　the
help　at　hand　in　case　of　need　so　near　and　overwhelming；
that　alarm　was　unknown；　and　our　travellers；　among
whom　two　were　naturally　of　a　very　timid　sort；　were；
like　all　the　other　multiplied　English　tourists；　entirely　at
ease。　　The　famous　regiment；　with　so　many　of　whose
officers　we　have　made　acquaintance；　was　drafted　in　canal
boats　to　Bruges　and　Ghent；　thence　to　march　to　Brussels。
Jos　accompanied　the　ladies　in　the　public　boats；　the　which
all　old　travellers　in　Flanders　must　remember　for　the
luxury　and　accommodation　they　afforded。　　So　prodigiously
good　was　the　eating　and　drinking　on　board　these
sluggish　but　most　comfortable　vessels；　that　there　are　legends
extant　of　an　English　traveller；　who；　coming　to　Belgium
for　a　week；　and　travelling　in　one　of　these　boats；　was　so
delighted　with　the　fare　there　that　he　went　backwards
and　forwards　from　Ghent　to　Bruges　perpetually　until　the
railroads　were　invented；　when　he　drowned　himself　on　the
last　trip　of　the　passage…boat。　　Jos's　death　was　not　to　be
of　this　sort；　but　his　comfort　was　exceeding；　and　Mrs。
O'Dowd　insisted　that　he　only　wanted　her　sister　Glorvina
to　make　his　happiness　complete。　　He　sate　on　the　roof
of　the　cabin　all　day　drinking　Flemish　beer；　shouting　for
Isidor；　his　servant；　and　talking　gallantly　to　the　ladies。
His　courage　was　prodigious。　　〃Boney　attack　us！〃　he
cried。　　〃My　dear　creature；　my　poor　Emmy；　don't　be
frightened。　　There's　no　danger。　　The　allies　will　be　in　Paris
in　two　months；　I　tell　you；　when　I'll　take　you　to　dine
in　the　Palais　Royal；　by　Jove！　　There　are　three　hundred
thousand　Rooshians；　I　tell　you；　now　entering　France　by
Mayence　and　the　Rhinethree　hundred　thousand　under
Wittgenstein　and　Barclay　de　Tolly；　my　poor　love。　　You
don't　know　military　affairs；　my　dear。　　I　do；　and　I　tell
you　there's　no　infantry　in　France　can　stand　against
Rooshian　infantry；　and　no　general　of　Boney's　that's　fit
to　hold　a　candle　to　Wittgenstein。　　Then　there　are　the
Austrians；　they　are　five　hundred　thousand　if　a　man；　and
they　are　within　ten　marches　of　the　frontier　by　this　time；
under　Schwartzenberg　and　Prince　Charles。　　Then　there　are
the　Prooshians　under　the　gallant　Prince　Marshal。　　Show
me　a　cavalry　chief　like　him　now　that　Murat　is　gone。
Hey；　Mrs。　O'Dowd？　　Do　you　think　our　littl