vanity fair(名利场)-第86章

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would　fling　him　off　with　scorn？　　He　would　not　listen：　　and
so；　as　Dobbin；　upon　those　days　when　he　visited　the
0sborne　house；　seldom　had　the　advantage　of　meeting　his
old　friend；　much　painful　and　unavailing　talk　between
them　was　spared。　　Our　friend　George　was　in　the　full　career
of　the　pleasures　of　Vanity　Fair。
There　never　was；　since　the　days　of　Darius；　such　a　brilliant
train　of　camp…followers　as　hung　round　the　Duke　of
Wellington's　army　in　the　Low　Countries；　in　1815；　and
led　it　dancing　and　feasting；　as　it　were；　up　to　the　very
brink　of　battle。　　A　certain　ball　which　a　noble　Duchess
gave　at　Brussels　on　the　15th　of　June　in　the　above…named
year　is　historical。　　All　Brussels　had　been　in　a　state　of
excitement　about　it；　and　I　have　heard　from　ladies　who
were　in　that　town　at　the　period；　that　the　talk　and　interest
of　persons　of　their　own　sex　regarding　the　ball　was　much
greater　even　than　in　respect　of　the　enemy　in　their　front。
The　struggles；　intrigues；　and　prayers　to　get　tickets　were
such　as　only　English　ladies　will　employ；　in　order　to　gain
admission　to　the　society　of　the　great　of　their　own　nation。
Jos　and　Mrs。　O'Dowd；　who　were　panting　to　be　asked；
strove　in　vain　to　procure　tickets；　but　others　of　our　friends
were　more　lucky。　　For　instance；　through　the　interest　of
my　Lord　Bareacres；　and　as　a　set…off　for　the　dinner　at　the
restaurateur's；　George　got　a　card　for　Captain　and　Mrs。
Osborne；　which　circumstance　greatly　elated　him。　　Dobbin；
who　was　a　friend　of　the　General　commanding　the　division
in　which　their　regiment　was；　came　laughing　one
day　to　Mrs。　Osborne；　and　displayed　a　similar　invitation；
which　made　Jos　envious；　and　George　wonder　how　the
deuce　he　should　be　getting　into　society。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。
Rawdon；　finally；　were　of　course　invited；　as　became　the
friends　of　a　General　commanding　a　cavalry　brigade。
On　the　appointed　night；　George；　having　commanded
new　dresses　and　ornaments　of　all　sorts　for　Amelia；　drove
to　the　famous　ball；　where　his　wife　did　not　know　a　single
soul。　　After　looking　about　for　Lady　Bareacres；　who　cut
him；　thinking　the　card　was　quite　enoughand　after
placing　Amelia　on　a　bench；　he　left　her　to　her　own
cogitations　there；　thinking；　on　his　own　part；　that　he　had
behaved　very　handsomely　in　getting　her　new　clothes；　and
bringing　her　to　the　ball；　where　she　was　free　to　amuse
herself　as　she　liked。　　Her　thoughts　were　not　of　the
pleasantest；　and　nobody　except　honest　Dobbin　came　to
disturb　them。
Whilst　her　appearance　was　an　utter　failure　（as　her
husband　felt　with　a　sort　of　rage）；　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley's
debut　was；　on　the　contrary；　very　brilliant。　　She　arrived
very　late。　　Her　face　was　radiant；　her　dress　perfection。　　In
the　midst　of　the　great　persons　assembled；　and　the　eye…
glasses　directed　to　her；　Rebecca　seemed　to　be　as　cool
and　collected　as　when　she　used　to　marshal　Miss　Pinkerton's
little　girls　to　church。　　Numbers　of　the　men　she　knew
already；　and　the　dandies　thronged　round　her。　　As　for　the
ladies；　it　was　whispered　among　them　that　Rawdon　had
run　away　with　her　from　out　of　a　convent；　and　that　she
was　a　relation　of　the　Montmorency　family。　　She　spoke
French　so　perfectly　that　there　might　be　some　truth　in
this　report；　and　it　was　agreed　that　her　manners　were
fine；　and　her　air　distingue。　　Fifty　would…be　partners
thronged　round　her　at　once；　and　pressed　to　have　the
honour　to　dance　with　her。　　But　she　said　she　was　engaged；
and　only　going　to　dance　very　little；　and　made　her　way　at
once　to　the　place　where　Emmy　sate　quite　unnoticed；　and
dismally　unhappy。　　And　so；　to　finish　the　poor　child　at
once；　Mrs。　Rawdon　ran　and　greeted　affectionately　her
dearest　Amelia；　and　began　forthwith　to　patronise　her。
She　found　fault　with　her　friend's　dress；　and　her
hairdresser；　and　wondered　how　she　could　be　so　chaussee；
and　vowed　that　she　must　send　her　corsetiere　the　next
morning。　　She　vowed　that　it　was　a　delightful　ball；　that
there　was　everybody　that　every　one　knew；　and　only　a
VERY　few　nobodies　in　the　whole　room。　　It　is　a　fact；　that
in　a　fortnight；　and　after　three　dinners　in　general　society；
this　young　woman　had　got　up　the　genteel　jargon　so　well；
that　a　native　could　not　speak　it　better；　and　it　was　only
from　her　French　being　so　good；　that　you　could　know　she
was　not　a　born　woman　of　fashion。
George；　who　had　left　Emmy　on　her　bench　on　entering
the　ball…room；　very　soon　found　his　way　back　when
Rebecca　was　by　her　dear　friend's　side。　　Becky　was　just
lecturing　Mrs。　Osborne　upon　the　follies　which　her
husband　was　committing。　　〃For　God's　sake；　stop　him　from
gambling；　my　dear；〃　she　said；　〃or　he　will　ruin　himself。
He　and　Rawdon　are　playing　at　cards　every　night；　and　you
know　he　is　very　poor；　and　Rawdon　will　win　every　shilling
from　him　if　he　does　not　take　care。　　Why　don't　you　prevent
him；　you　little　careless　creature？　　Why　don't　you
come　to　us　of　an　evening；　instead　of　moping　at　home
with　that　Captain　Dobbin？　　I　dare　say　he　is　tres　aimable；
but　how　could　one　love　a　man　with　feet　of　such　size？
Your　husband's　feet　are　darlingsHere　he　comes。　　Where
have　you　been；　wretch？　　Here　is　Emmy　crying　her　eyes
out　for　you。　　Are　you　coming　to　fetch　me　for　the　quadrille？〃
And　she　left　her　bouquet　and　shawl　by　Amelia's
side；　and　tripped　off　with　George　to　dance。　　Women　only
know　how　to　wound　so。　　There　is　a　poison　on　the　tips　of
their　little　shafts；　which　stings　a　thousand　times　more
than　a　man's　blunter　weapon。　　Our　poor　Emmy；　who　had
never　hated；　never　sneered　all　her　life；　was　powerless　in
the　hands　of　her　remorseless　little　enemy。
George　danced　with　Rebecca　twice　or　thricehow　many
times　Amelia　scarcely　knew。　　She　sat　quite　unnoticed　in
her　corner；　except　when　Rawdon　came　up　with　some
words　of　clumsy　conversation：　　and　later　in　the　evening；
when　Captain　Dobbin　made　so　bold　as　to　bring　her
refreshments　and　sit　beside　her。　　He　did　not　like　to　ask　her
why　she　was　so　sad；　but　as　a　pretext　for　the　tears　which
were　filling　in　her　eyes；　she　told　him　that　Mrs。　Crawley
had　alarmed　her　by　telling　her　that　George　would　go　on
playing。
〃It　is　curious；　when　a　man　is　bent　upon　play；　by　what
clumsy　rogues　he　will　allow　himself　to　be　cheated；〃
Dobbin　said；　and　Emmy　said；　〃Indeed。〃　She　was　thinking　of
something　else。　　It　was　not　the　loss　of　the　money　that
grieved　her。
At　last　George　came　back　for　Rebecca's　shawl　and
flowers。　　She　was　going　away。　　She　did　not　even
condescend　to　come　back　and　say　good…bye　to　Amelia。　　The
poor　girl　let　her　husband　come　and　go　without　saying　a
word；　and　her　head　fell　on　her　breast。　　Dobbin　had　been
called　away；　and　was　whispering　deep　in　conversation
with　the　General　of　the　division；　his　friend；　and　had　not
seen　this　last　parting。　　George　went　away　then　with　the
bouquet；　but　when　he　gave　it　to　the　owner；　there　lay　a
note；　coiled　like　a　snake　among　the　flowers。　　Rebecca's
eye　caught　it　at　once。　　She　had　been　used　to　deal　with
notes　in　early　life。　　She　put　out　her　hand　and　took　the
nosegay。　　He　saw　by　her　eyes　as　they　met；　that　she　was
aware　what　she　should　find　there。　　Her　husband　hurried　her
away；　still　too　intent　upon　his　own　thoughts；　seemingly；
to　take　note　of　any　marks　of　recognition　which　might
pass　between　his　friend　and　his　wife。　　These　were；
however；　but　trifling。　　Rebecca　gave　George　her　hand　with　one
of　her　usual　quick　knowing　glances；　and　made　a　curtsey
and　walked　away。　　George　bowed　over　the　hand；　said
nothing　in　reply　to　a　remark　of　Crawley's；　did　not　hear　it
even；　his　brain　was　so　throbbing　with　triumph　and
excitement；　and　allowed　them　to　go　away　without　a　word。
His　wife　saw　the　one　part　at　least　of　the　bouquet…scene。
It　was　quite　natural　that　George　should　come　at　Rebecca's
request　to　get　her　her　scarf　and　flowers：　　it　was　no
more　than　he　had　done　twenty　times　before　in　the　course
of　the　last　few　days；　but　now　it　was　too　much　for　her。
〃William；〃　she　said；　suddenly　clinging　to　Dobbin；　who　was
near　her；　〃you've　always　been　very　kind　to　meI'm
I'm　not　well。　　Take　me　home。〃　　She　did　not　know　she　called
him　by　his　Christian　name；　as　George　was　accustomed　to
do。　　He　went　away　with　her　quickly。　　Her　lodgings　were
hard　by；　and　they　threaded　through　the　crowd　without；
where　everything　seemed　to　be　more　astir　than　even　in　the
ball…room　within。
George　had　been　ang