vanity fair(名利场)-第84章

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and　stared　in　Mrs。　O'Dowd's　face　and　at。the　black　cock's
feathers　until　she　began　to　think　she　had　made　a
conquest　of　him。
George；　who　had　been　delayed　behind；　rode　up　almost
immediately　with　Dobbin；　and　they　touched　their　caps　to
the　august　personages；　among　whom　Osborne　at　once
perceived　Mrs。　Crawley。　　He　was　delighted　to　see　Rawdon
leaning　over　his　carriage　familiarly　and　talking　to　Amelia；
and　met　the　aide…de…camp's　cordial　greeting　with　more
than　corresponding　warmth。　　The　nods　between　Rawdon
and　Dobbin　were　of　the　very　faintest　specimens　of
politeness。
Crawley　told　George　where　they　were　stopping　with
General　Tufto　at　the　Hotel　du　Parc；　and　George　made
his　friend　promise　to　come　speedily　to　Osborne's　own
residence。　　〃Sorry　I　hadn't　seen　you　three　days　ago；〃
George　said。　　〃Had　a　dinner　at　the　Restaurateur'srather　a
nice　thing。　　Lord　Bareacres；　and　the　Countess；　and　Lady
Blanche；　were　good　enough　to　dine　with　uswish　we'd
had　you。〃　Having　thus　let　his　friend　know　his　claims　to　be
a　man　of　fashion；　Osborne　parted　from　Rawdon；　who
followed　the　august　squadron　down　an　alley　into　which
they　cantered；　while　George　and　Dobbin　resumed　their
places；　one　on　each　side　of　Amelia's　carriage。
〃How　well　the　Juke　looked；〃　Mrs。　O'Dowd　remarked。
〃The　Wellesleys　and　Malonys　are　related；　but；　of　course；
poor　I　would　never　dream　of　introjuicing　myself　unless
his　Grace　thought　proper　to　remember　our　family…tie。〃
〃He's　a　great　soldier；〃　Jos　said；　much　more　at　ease
now　the　great　man　was　gone。　　〃Was　there　ever　a　battle
won　like　Salamanca？　　Hey；　Dobbin？　　But　where　was　it　he
learnt　his　art？　　In　India；　my　boy！　　The　jungle's　the　school
for　a　general；　mark　me　that。　　I　knew　him　myself；　too；
Mrs。　O'Dowd：　　we　both　of　us　danced　the　same　evening
with　Miss　Cutler；　daughter　of　Cutler　of　the　Artillery；　and
a　devilish　fine　girl；　at　Dumdum。〃
The　apparition　of　the　great　personages　held　them
all　in　talk　during　the　drive；　and　at　dinner；　and　until　the
hour　came　when　they　were　all　to　go　to　the　Opera。
It　was　almost　like　Old　England。　　The　house　was　filled
with　familiar　British　faces；　and　those　toilettes　for　which
the　British　female　has　long　been　celebrated。　　Mrs。
O'Dowd's　was　not　the　least　splendid　amongst　these；　and
she　had　a　curl　on　her　forehead；　and　a　set　of　Irish　diamonds
and　Cairngorms；　which　outshone　all　the　decorations
in　the　house；　in　her　notion。　　Her　presence　used　to
excruciate　Osborne；　but　go　she　would　upon　all　parties　of
pleasure　on　which　she　heard　her　young　friends　were　bent。
It　never　entered　into　her　thought　but　that　they　must　be
charmed　with　her　company。
〃She's　been　useful　to　you；　my　dear；〃　George　said　to
his　wife；　whom　he　could　leave　alone　with　less　scruple
when　she　had　this　society。　　〃But　what　a　comfort　it　is　that
Rebecca's　come：　　you　will　have　her　for　a　friend；　and　we
may　get　rid　now　of　this　damn'd　Irishwoman。〃　　To　this
Amelia　did　not　answer；　yes　or　no：　　and　how　do　we　know
what　her　thoughts　were？
The　coup　d'oeil　of　the　Brussels　opera…house　did　not
strike　Mrs。　O'Dowd　as　being　so　fine　as　the　theatre　in
Fishamble　Street；　Dublin；　nor　was　French　music　at　all
equal；　in　her　opinion；　to　the　melodies　of　her　native　country。
She　favoured　her　friends　with　these　and　other　opinions
in　a　very　loud　tone　of　voice；　and　tossed　about　a
great　clattering　fan　she　sported；　with　the　most　splendid
complacency。
〃Who　is　that　wonderful　woman　with　Amelia；　Rawdon；
love？〃　said　a　lady　in　an　opposite　box　（who；　almost　always
civil　to　her　husband　in　private；　was　more　fond　than
ever　of　him　in　company）。
〃Don't　you　see　that　creature　with　a　yellow　thing　in
her　turban；　and　a　red　satin　gown；　and　a　great　watch？〃
〃Near　the　pretty　little　woman　in　white？〃　asked　a
middle…aged　gentleman　seated　by　the　querist's　side；　with
orders　in　his　button；　and　several　under…waistcoats；　and
a　great；　choky；　white　stock。
〃That　pretty　woman　in　white　is　Amelia；　General：　　you
are　remarking　all　the　pretty　women；　you　naughty　man。〃
〃Only　one；　begad；　in　the　world！〃　said　the　General；　delighted；
and　the　lady　gave　him　a　tap　with　a　large　bouquet
which　she　had。
〃Bedad　it's　him；〃　said　Mrs。　O'Dowd；　〃and　that's　the
very　bokay　he　bought　in　the　Marshy　aux　Flures！〃　and
when　Rebecca；　having　caught　her　friend's　eye；　performed
the　little　hand…kissing　operation　once　more；　Mrs。　Major
O'D。；　taking　the　compliment　to　herself；　returned　the　salute
with　a　gracious　smile；　which　sent　that　unfortunate
Dobbin　shrieking　out　of　the　box　again。
At　the　end　of　the　act；　George　was　out　of　the　box　in　a
moment；　and　he　was　even　going　to　pay　his　respects　to
Rebecca　in　her　loge。　　He　met　Crawley　in　the　lobby；　however；
where　they　exchanged　a　few　sentences　upon　the
occurrences　of　the　last　fortnight。
〃You　found　my　cheque　all　right　at　the　agent's？
George　said；　with　a　knowing　air。
〃All　right；　my　boy；〃　Rawdon　answered。　　〃Happy　to　give
you　your　revenge。　　Governor　come　round？〃
〃Not　yet；〃　said　George；　〃but　he　will；　and　you　know　I've
some　private　fortune　through　my　mother。　　Has　Aunty
relented？〃
〃Sent　me　twenty　pound；　damned　old　screw。　　When　shall
we　have　a　meet？　　The　General　dines　out　on　Tuesday。
Can't　you　come　Tuesday？　　I　say；　make　Sedley　cut　off　his
moustache。　　What　the　devil　does　a　civilian　mean　with　a
moustache　and　those　infernal　frogs　to　his　coat！　　By…bye。
Try　and　come　on　Tuesday〃；　and　Rawdon　was　going…off
with　two　brilliant　young　gentlemen　of　fashion；　who　were；
like　himself；　on　the　staff　of　a　general　officer。
George　was　only　half　pleased　to　be　asked　to　dinner　on
that　particular　day　when　the　General　was　not　to　dine。　　〃I
will　go　in　and　pay　my　respects　to　your　wife；〃　said　he；　at
which　Rawdon　said；　〃Hm；　as　you　please；〃　looking　very
glum；　and　at　which　the　two　young　officers　exchanged
knowing　glances。　　George　parted　from　them　and　strutted
down　the　lobby　to　the　General's　box；　the　number　of　which
he　had　carefully　counted。
〃Entrez；〃　said　a　clear　little　voice；　and　our　friend　found
himself　in　Rebecca's　presence；　who　jumped　up；　clapped
her　hands　together；　and　held　out　both　of　them　to　George；
so　charmed　was　she　to　see　him。　　The　General；　with　the
orders　in　his　button；　stared　at　the　newcomer　with　a　sulky
scowl；　as　much　as　to　say；　who　the　devil　are　you？
〃My　dear　Captain　George！〃　cried　little　Rebecca　in　an
ecstasy。　　〃How　good　of　you　to　come。　　The　General　and　I
were　moping　together　tete…a…tete。　　General；　this　is　my
Captain　George　of　whom　you　heard　me　talk。〃
〃Indeed；〃　said　the　General；　with　a　very　small　bow；　〃of
what　regiment　is　Captain　George？〃
George　mentioned　the　th：　　how　he　wished　he　could
have　said　it　was　a　crack　cavalry　corps。
〃Come　home　lately　from　the　West　Indies；　I　believe。
Not　seen　much　service　in　the　late　war。　　Quartered　here；
Captain　George？〃the　General　went　on　with　killing
haughtiness。
〃Not　Captain　George；　you　stupid　man；　Captain　Osborne；〃
Rebecca　said。　　The　General　all　the　while　was　looking
savagely　from　one　to　the　other。
〃Captain　Osborne；　indeed！　Any　relation　to　the　L
Osbornes？〃
〃We　bear　the　same　arms；〃　George　said；　as　indeed　was
the　fact；　Mr。　Osborne　having　consulted　with　a　herald　in
Long　Acre；　and　picked　the　L　arms　out　of　the　peerage；
when　he　set　up　his　carriage　fifteen　years　before。　　The
General　made　no　reply　to　this　announcement；　but　took
up　his　opera…glassthe　double…barrelled　lorgnon　was　not
invented　in　those　daysand　pretended　to　examine　the
house；　but　Rebecca　saw　that　his　disengaged　eye　was
working　round　in　her　direction；　and　shooting　out
bloodshot　glances　at　her　and　George。
She　redoubled　in　cordiality。　　〃How　is　dearest　Amelia？
But　I　needn't　ask：　how　pretty　she　looks！　　And　who　is　that
nice　good…natured　looking　creature　with　hera　flame　of
yours？　　O；　you　wicked　men！　　And　there　is　Mr。　Sedley
eating　ice；　I　declare：　how　he　seems　to　enjoy　it！　　General；　why
have　we　not　had　any　ices？〃
〃Shall　I　go　and　fetch　you　some？〃　said　the　General；
bursting　with　wrath。
〃Let　ME　go；　I　entreat　you；〃　George　said。
〃No；　I　will　go　to　Amelia's　box。　　Dear；　sweet　girl！　　Give
me　your　arm；　Captain　George〃；　and　so　saying；　and　with　a
nod　to　the　General；　she　tripped　into　the　lobby。　　She　gave
George　the　queerest；　knowingest　look；　when　they　were
together；　a　look　which　might　have　been　interpreted；
〃Don't　you　see　the　state　of　affairs；　and　what　a　fool　I'