vanity fair(名利场)-第87章

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where　everything　seemed　to　be　more　astir　than　even　in　the
ball…room　within。
George　had　been　angry　twice　or　thrice　at　finding　his
wife　up　on　his　return　from　the　parties　which　he
frequented：　　so　she　went　straight　to　bed　now；　but　although
she　did　not　sleep；　and　although　the　din　and　clatter；　and
the　galloping　of　horsemen　were　incessant；　she　never　heard
any　of　these　noises；　having　quite　other　disturbances　to
keep　her　awake。
Osborne　meanwhile；　wild　with　elation；　went　off　to　a
play…table；　and　began　to　bet　frantically。　　He　won　repeatedly。
　〃Everything　succeeds　with　me　to…night；〃　he　said。
But　his　luck　at　play　even　did　not　cure　him　of　his　restlessness；
and　he　started　up　after　awhile；　pocketing　his　winnings；
and　went　to　a　buffet；　where　he　drank　off　many
bumpers　of　wine。
Here；　as　he　was　rattling　away　to　the　people　around；
laughing　loudly　and　wild　with　spirits；　Dobbin　found　him。
He　had　been　to　the　card…tables　to　look　there　for　his
friend。　　Dobbin　looked　as　pale　and　grave　as　his　comrade
was　flushed　and　jovial。
''Hullo；　Dob！　　Come　and　drink；　old　Dob！　　The　Duke's
wine　is　famous。　　Give　me　some　more；　you　sir〃；　and　he
held　out　a　trembling　glass　for　the　liquor。
〃Come　out；　George；〃　said　Dobbin；　still　gravely；　〃don't
drink。〃
〃Drink！　　there's　nothing　like　it。　　Drink　yourself；　and
light　up　your　lantern　jaws；　old　boy。　　Here's　to　you。〃
Dobbin　went　up　and　whispered　something　to　him；　at
which　George；　giving　a　start　and　a　wild　hurray；　tossed　off
his　glass；　clapped　it　on　the　table；　and　walked　away
speedily　on　his　friend's　arm。　　〃The　enemy　has　passed　the
Sambre；〃　William　said；　〃and　our　left　is　already　engaged。
Come　away。　　We　are　to　march　in　three　hours。〃
Away　went　George；　his　nerves　quivering　with　excitement
at　the　news　so　long　looked　for；　so　sudden　when　it
came。　　What　were　love　and　intrigue　now？　　He　thought
about　a　thousand　things　but　these　in　his　rapid　walk　to　his
quartershis　past　life　and　future　chancesthe　fate　which
might　be　before　himthe　wife；　the　child　perhaps；　from
whom　unseen　he　might　be　about　to　part。　　Oh；　how　he
wished　that　night's　work　undone！　　and　that　with　a　clear
conscience　at　least　he　might　say　farewell　to　the　tender
and　guileless　being　by　whose　love　he　had　set　such　little
store！
He　thought　over　his　brief　married　life。　　In　those　few
weeks　he　had　frightfully　dissipated　his　little　capital。　　How
wild　and　reckless　he　had　been！　　Should　any　mischance
befall　him：　　what　was　then　left　for　her？　　How　unworthy　he
was　of　her。　　Why　had　he　married　her？　　He　was　not　fit　for
marriage。　　Why　had　he　disobeyed　his　father；　who　had　been
always　so　generous　to　him？　　Hope；　remorse；　ambition；
tenderness；　and　selfish　regret　filled　his　heart。　　He　sate
down　and　wrote　to　his　father；　remembering　what　he　had
said　once　before；　when　he　was　engaged　to　fight　a　duel。
Dawn　faintly　streaked　the　sky　as　he　closed　this　farewell
letter。　　He　sealed　it；　and　kissed　the　superscription。　　He
thought　how　he　had　deserted　that　generous　father；　and　of
the　thousand　kindnesses　which　the　stern　old　man　had
done　him。
He　had　looked　into　Amelia's　bedroom　when　he　entered；
she　lay　quiet；　and　her　eyes　seemed　closed；　and　he
was　glad　that　she　was　asleep。　　On　arriving　at　his　quarters
from　the　ball；　he　had　found　his　regimental　servant　already
making　preparations　for　his　departure：　　the　man
had　understood　his　signal　to　be　still；　and　these　arrangements
were　very　quickly　and　silently　made。　　Should　he　go
in　and　wake　Amelia；　he　thought；　or　leave　a　note　for　her
brother　to　break　the　news　of　departure　to　her？　　He　went
in　to　look　at　her　once　again。
She　had　been　awake　when　he　first　entered　her　room；
but　had　kept　her　eyes　closed；　so　that　even　her　wakefulness
should　not　seem　to　reproach　him。　　But　when　he　had
returned；　so　soon　after　herself；　too；　this　timid　little　heart
had　felt　more　at　ease；　and　turning　towards　him　as　he
stept　softly　out　of　the　room；　she　had　fallen　into　a　light
sleep。　　George　came　in　and　looked　at　her　again；　entering
still　more　softly。　　By　the　pale　night…lamp　he　could　see　her
sweet；　pale　facethe　purple　eyelids　were　fringed　and
closed；　and　one　round　arm；　smooth　and　white；　lay　outside
of　the　coverlet。　　Good　God！　　how　pure　she　was；　how
gentle；　how　tender；　and　how　friendless！　　and　he；　how
selfish；　brutal；　and　black　with　crime！　　Heart…stained；　and
shame…stricken；　he　stood　at　the　bed's　foot；　and　looked　at
the　sleeping　girl。　　How　dared　hewho　was　he；　to　pray　for
one　so　spotless！　　God　bless　her！　　God　bless　her！　　He　came　to
the　bedside；　and　looked　at　the　hand；　the　little　soft　hand；
lying　asleep；　and　he　bent　over　the　pillow　noiselessly
towards　the　gentle　pale　face。
Two　fair　arms　closed　tenderly　round　his　neck　as　he
stooped　down。　　〃I　am　awake；　George；〃　the　poor　child　said；
with　a　sob　fit　to　break　the　little　heart　that　nestled　so
closely　by　his　own。　　She　was　awake；　poor　soul；　and　to
railings　and　the　beadle：　who；　if　she　walked　ever　so　short
a　distance　to　buy　a　ribbon　in　Southampton　Row；　was
followed　by　Black　Sambo　with　an　enormous　cane：　who
was　always　cared　for；　dressed；　put　to　bed；　and　watched
over　by　ever　so　many　guardian　angels；　with　and　without
wages？　　Bon　Dieu；　I　say；　is　it　not　hard　that　the　fateful
rush　of　the　great　Imperial　struggle　can't　take　place　without
affecting　a　poor　little　harmless　girl　of　eighteen；　who
is　occupied　in　billing　and　cooing；　or　working　muslin
collars　in　Russell　Square？　　You　too；　kindly；　homely　flower！
is　the　great　roaring　war　tempest　coming　to　sweep　you
down；　here；　although　cowering　under　the　shelter　of
Holborn？　　Yes；　Napoleon　is　flinging　his　last　stake；　and　poor
little　Emmy　Sedley's　happiness　forms；　somehow；　part　of　it。
　　
In　the　first　place；　her　father's　fortune　was　swept　down
with　that　fatal　news。　　All　his　speculations　had　of　late　gone
wrong　with　the　luckless　old　gentleman。　　Ventures　had
failed；　merchants　had　broken；　funds　had　risen　when　he
calculated　they　would　fall。　　What　need　to　particularize？
If　success　is　rare　and　slow；　everybody　knows　how　quick
and　easy　ruin　is。　　Old　Sedley　had　kept　his　own　sad　counsel。
Everything　seemed　to　go　on　as　usual　in　the　quiet；
opulent　house；　the　good…natured　mistress　pursuing；　quite
unsuspiciously；　her　bustling　idleness；　and　daily　easy
avocations；　the　daughter　absorbed　still　in　one　selfish；　tender
thought；　and　quite　regardless　of　all　the　world　besides；
when　that　final　crash　came；　under　which　the　worthy
family　fell。
　　
One　night　Mrs。　Sedley　was　writing　cards　for　a　party；
the　Osbornes　had　given　one；　and　she　must　not　be
behindhand；　John　Sedley；　who　had　come　home　very　late　from
the　City；　sate　silent　at　the　chimney　side；　while　his　wife
was　prattling　to　him；　Emmy　had　gone　up　to　her　room
ailing　and　low…spirited。　　〃She's　not　happy；〃　the　mother
went　on。　　〃George　Osborne　neglects　her。　　I've　no　patience
with　the　airs　of　those　people。　　The　girls　have　not　been　in
the　house　these　three　weeks；　and　George　has　been　twice
in　town　without　coming。　　Edward　Dale　saw　him　at　the
Opera。　　Edward　would　marry　her　I'm　sure：　and　there's
Captain　Dobbin　who；　I　think；　wouldonly　I　hate　all
army　men。　　Such　a　dandy　as　George　has　become。　　With
his　military　airs；　indeed！　　We　must　show　some　folks　that
we're　as　good　as　they。　　Only　give　Edward　Dale　any
encouragement；　and　you'll　see。　　We　must　have　a　party；　Mr。
S。　　Why　don't　you　speak；　John？　　Shall　I　say　Tuesday　fortnight？
Why　don't　you　answer？　Good　God；　John；　what　has　happened？〃
　　
John　Sedley　sprang　up　out　of　his　chair　to　meet　his
wife；　who　ran　to　him。　　He　seized　her　in　his　arms；　and
said　with　a　hasty　voice；　〃We're　ruined；　Mary。　　We've
got　the　world　to　begin　over　again；　dear。　　It's　best　that　you
should　know　all；　and　at　once。〃　　As　he　spoke；　he　trembled
in　every　limb；　and　almost　fell。　　He　thought　the　news　would
have　overpowered　his　wifehis　wife；　to　whom　he　had
never　said　a　hard　word。　　But　it　was　he　that　was　the　most
moved；　sudden　as　the　shock　was　to　her。　　When　he　sank
back　into　his　seat；　it　was　the　wife　that　took　the　office　of
consoler。　　She　took　his　trembling　hand；　and　kissed　it；　and
put　it　round　her　neck：　she　called　him　her　Johnher　dear
Johnher　old　manher　kind　old　man；　she　poured　out　a
hundred　words　of　incoherent　love　and　tenderness；　her
faithful　voice　and　simple　caresses　wrought　this　sad　heart
up　to