vanity fair(名利场)-第85章

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together；　a　look　which　might　have　been　interpreted；
〃Don't　you　see　the　state　of　affairs；　and　what　a　fool　I'm
making　of　him？〃　　But　he　did　not　perceive　it。　　He　was
thinking　of　his　own　plans；　and　lost　in　pompous　admiration
of　his　own　irresistible　powers　of　pleasing。
The　curses　to　which　the　General　gave　a　low　utterance；
as　soon　as　Rebecca　and　her　conqueror　had　quitted　him；
were　so　deep；　that　I　am　sure　no　compositor　would
venture　to　print　them　were　they　written　down。　　They　came
from　the　General's　heart；　and　a　wonderful　thing　it　is　to
think　that　the　human　heart　is　capable　of　generating　such
produce；　and　can　throw　out；　as　occasion　demands；　such
a　supply　of　lust　and　fury；　rage　and　hatred。
Amelia's　gentle　eyes；　too；　had　been　fixed　anxiously　on
the　pair；　whose　conduct　had　so　chafed　the　jealous　General；
but　when　Rebecca　entered　her　box；　she　flew　to　her
friend　with　an　affectionate　rapture　which　showed　itself；　in
spite　of　the　publicity　of　the　place；　for　she　embraced　her
dearest　friend　in　the　presence　of　the　whole　house；　at　least
in　full　view　of　the　General's　glass；　now　brought　to　bear
upon　the　Osborne　party。　　Mrs。　Rawdon　saluted　Jos；　too；
with　the　kindliest　greeting：　she　admired　Mrs。　O'Dowd's
large　Cairngorm　brooch　and　superb　Irish　diamonds；　and
wouldn't　believe　that　they　were　not　from　Golconda　direct。
She　bustled；　she　chattered；　she　turned　and　twisted；
and　smiled　upon　one；　and　smirked　on　another；　all　in　full
view　of　the　jealous　opera…glass　opposite。　　And　when　the
time　for　the　ballet　came　（in　which　there　was　no　dancer
that　went　through　her　grimaces　or　performed　her　comedy
of　action　better）；　she　skipped　back　to　her　own　box；　leaning
on　Captain　Dobbin's　arm　this　time。　　No；　she　would
not　have　George's：　he　must　stay　and　talk　to　his　dearest；
best；　little　Amelia。
〃What　a　humbug　that　woman　is！〃　honest　old　Dobbin
mumbled　to　George；　when　he　came　back　from　Rebecca's
box；　whither　he　had　conducted　her　in　perfect　silence；　and
with　a　countenance　as　glum　as　an　undertaker's。　　〃She
writhes　and　twists　about　like　a　snake。　　All　the　time　she
was　here；　didn't　you　see；　George；　how　she　was　acting　at
the　General　over　the　way？〃
〃Humbugacting！　　Hang　it；　she's　the　nicest　little
woman　in　England；〃　George　replied；　showing　his　white
teeth；　and　giving　his　ambrosial　whiskers　a　twirl。　　〃You
ain't　a　man　of　the　world；　Dobbin。　　Dammy；　look　at　her
now；　she's　talked　over　Tufto　in　no　time。　　Look　how　he's
laughing！　　Gad；　what　a　shoulder　she　has！　　Emmy；　why
didn't　you　have　a　bouquet？　　Everybody　has　a　bouquet。〃
〃Faith；　then；　why　didn't　you　BOY　one？〃　Mrs。　O'Dowd
said；　and　both　Amelia　and　William　Dobbin　thanked　her
for　this　timely　observation。　　But　beyond　this　neither　of
the　ladies　rallied。　　Amelia　was　overpowered　by　the　flash
and　the　dazzle　and　the　fashionable　talk　of　her　worldly　rival。
Even　the　O'Dowd　was　silent　and　subdued　after　Becky's
brilliant　apparition；　and　scarcely　said　a　word　more　about
Glenmalony　all　the　evening。
〃When　do　you　intend　to　give　up　play；　George；　as　you
have　promised　me；　any　time　these　hundred　years？〃　Dobbin
said　to　his　friend　a　few　days　after　the　night　at　the
Opera。　　〃When　do　you　intend　to　give　up　sermonising？〃
was　the　other's　reply。　　〃What　the　deuce；　man；　are　you
alarmed　about？　　We　play　low；　I　won　last　night。　　You
don't　suppose　Crawley　cheats？　　With　fair　play　it　comes
to　pretty　much　the　same　thing　at　the　year's　end。〃
〃But　I　don't　think　he　could　pay　if　he　lost；〃　Dobbin
said；　and　his　advice　met　with　the　success　which　advice
usually　commands。　　Osborne　and　Crawley　were　repeatedly
together　now。　　General　Tufto　dined　abroad　almost　constantly。
George　was　always　welcome　in　the　apartments
（very　close　indeed　to　those　of　the　General）　which　the
aide…de…camp　and　his　wife　occupied　in　the　hotel。
Amelia's　manners　were　such　when　she　and　George　visited
Crawley　and　his　wife　at　these　quarters；　that　they　had
very　nearly　come　to　their　first　quarrel；　that　is；　George
scolded　his　wife　violently　for　her　evident　unwillingness　to
go；　and　the　high　and　mighty　manner　in　which　she　comported
herself　towards　Mrs。　Crawley；　her　old　friend；　and
Amelia　did　not　say　one　single　word　in　reply；　but　with　her
husband's　eye　upon　her；　and　Rebecca　scanning　her　as　she
felt；　was；　if　possible；　more　bashful　and　awkward　on　the
second　visit　which　she　paid　to　Mrs。　Rawdon；　than　on　her
first　call。
Rebecca　was　doubly　affectionate；　of　course；　and　would
not　take　notice；　in　the　least；　of　her　friend's　coolness。　　〃I
think　Emmy　has　become　prouder　since　her　father's　name
was　in　thesince　Mr。　Sedley's　MISFORTUNES；〃　Rebecca
said；　softening　the　phrase　charitably　for　George's　ear。
〃Upon　my　word；　I　thought　when　we　were　at　Brighton
she　was　doing　me　the　honour　to　be　jealous　of　me；　and
now　I　suppose　she　is　scandalised　because　Rawdon；　and　I；
and　the　General　live　together。　　Why；　my　dear　creature；
how　could　we；　with　our　means；　live　at　all；　but　for　a　friend
to　share　expenses？　　And　do　you　suppose　that　Rawdon　is
not　big　enough　to　take　care　of　my　honour？　　But　I'm　very
much　obliged　to　Emmy；　very；〃　Mrs。　Rawdon　said。
〃Pooh；　jealousy！〃　answered　George；　〃all　women　are
jealous。〃
〃And　all　men　too。　　Weren't　you　jealous　of　General
Tufto；　and　the　General　of　you；　on　the　night　of　the　Opera？
Why；　he　was　ready　to　eat　me　for　going　with　you　to　visit
that　foolish　little　wife　of　yours；　as　if　I　care　a　pin　for
either　of　you；〃　Crawley's　wife　said；　with　a　pert　toss　of
her　head。　　〃Will　you　dine　here？　　The　dragon　dines　with　the
Commander…in…Chief。　　Great　news　is　stirring。　　They　say
the　French　have　crossed　the　frontier。　　We　shall　have　a
quiet　dinner。〃
George　accepted　the　invitation；　although　his　wife　was　a
little　ailing。　　They　were　now　not　quite　six　weeks　married。
Another　woman　was　laughing　or　sneering　at　her　expense；
and　he　not　angry。　　He　was　not　even　angry　with　himself；
this　good…natured　fellow。　　It　is　a　shame；　he　owned　to　himself；
but　hang　it；　if　a　pretty　woman　WILL　throw　herself　in
your　way；　why；　what　can　a　fellow　do；　you　know？　　I　AM
rather　free　about　women；　he　had　often　said；　smiling　and
nodding　knowingly　to　Stubble　and　Spooney；　and　other
comrades　of　the　mess…table；　and　they　rather　respected
him　than　otherwise　for　this　prowess。　　Next　to　conquering
in　war；　conquering　in　love　has　been　a　source　of　pride；
time　out　of　mind；　amongst　men　in　Vanity　Fair；　or　how
should　schoolboys　brag　of　their　amours；　or　Don　Juan　be
popular？
So　Mr。　Osborne；　having　a　firm　conviction　in　his　own
mind　that　he　was　a　woman…killer　and　destined　to　conquer；
did　not　run　counter　to　his　fate；　but　yielded　himself
up　to　it　quite　complacently。　　And　as　Emmy　did　not　say
much　or　plague　him　with　her　jealousy；　but　merely　became
unhappy　and　pined　over　it　miserably　in　secret；　he　chose
to　fancy　that　she　was　not　suspicious　of　what　all　his
acquaintance　were　perfectly　awarenamely；　that　he　was
carrying　on　a　desperate　flirtation　with　Mrs。　Crawley。　　He
rode　with　her　whenever　she　was　free。　　He　pretended
regimental　business　to　Amelia　（by　which　falsehood　she　was
not　in　the　least　deceived）；　and　consigning　his　wife　to
solitude　or　her　brother's　society；　passed　his　evenings　in
the　Crawleys'　company；　losing　money　to　the　husband　and
flattering　himself　that　the　wife　was　dying　of　love　for　him。
It　is　very　likely　that　this　worthy　couple　never　absolutely
conspired　and　agreed　together　in　so　many　words：　　the　one
to　cajole　the　young　gentleman；　whilst　the　other　won　his
money　at　cards：　but　they　understood　each　other　perfectly
well；　and　Rawdon　let　Osborne　come　and　go　with　entire
good　humour。
George　was　so　occupied　with　his　new　acquaintances
that　he　and　William　Dobbin　were　by　no　means　so　much
together　as　formerly。　　George　avoided　him　in　public　and
in　the　regiment；　and；　as　we　see；　did　not　like　those
sermons　which　his　senior　was　disposed　to　inflict　upon　him。
If　some　parts　of　his　conduct　made　Captain　Dobbin
exceedingly　grave　and　cool；　of　what　use　was　it　to　tell　George
that；　though　his　whiskers　were　large；　and　his　own
opinion　of　his　knowingness　great；　he　was　as　green　as　a
schoolboy？　that　Rawdon　was　making　a　victim　of　him　as　he　had
done　of　many　before；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　used　him
would　fling　him　off　with　scorn？　　He　would　not　listen：　　and
so；　as　Dobbin；　upon　those　days　when　he　visited　the
0sborn