vanity fair(名利场)-第91章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


We　do　not　claim　to　rank　among　the　military　novelists。
Our　place　is　with　the　non…combatants。　　When　the　decks
are　cleared　for　action　we　go　below　and　wait　meekly。　　We
should　only　be　in　the　way　of　the　manoeuvres　that　the
gallant　fellows　are　performing　overhead。　　We　shall　go　no
farther　with　the　th　than　to　the　city　gate：　　and　leaving
Major　O'Dowd　to　his　duty；　come　back　to　the　Major's
wife；　and　the　ladies　and　the　baggage。
Now　the　Major　and　his　lady；　who　had　not　been　invited
to　the　ball　at　which　in　our　last　chapter　other　of　our
friends　figured；　had　much　more　time　to　take　their
wholesome　natural　rest　in　bed；　than　was　accorded　to　people
who　wished　to　enjoy　pleasure　as　well　as　to　do　duty。　　〃It's
my　belief；　Peggy；　my　dear；〃　said　he；　as　he　placidly　pulled
his　nightcap　over　his　ears；　〃that　there　will　be　such　a　ball
danced　in　a　day　or　two　as　some　of　'em　has　never　heard
the　chune　of〃；　and　he　was　much　more　happy　to　retire　to
rest　after　partaking　of　a　quiet　tumbler；　than　to　figure　at
any　other　sort　of　amusement。　　Peggy；　for　her　part；　would
have　liked　to　have　shown　her　turban　and　bird　of
paradise　at　the　ball；　but　for　the　information　which　her
husband　had　given　her；　and　which　made　her　very　grave。
〃I'd　like　ye　wake　me　about　half　an　hour　before　the　assembly
beats；〃　the　Major　said　to　his　lady。　　〃Call　me　at　half…
past　one；　Peggy　dear；　and　see　me　things　is　ready。　　May　be
I'll　not　come　back　to　breakfast；　Mrs。　O'D。〃　　With　which
words；　which　signified　his　opinion　that　the　regiment　would
march　the　next　morning；　the　Major　ceased　talking；　and
fell　asleep。
Mrs。　O'Dowd；　the　good　housewife；　arrayed　in　curl
papers　and　a　camisole；　felt　that　her　duty　was　to　act；　and
not　to　sleep；　at　this　juncture。　　〃Time　enough　for　that；〃　she
said；　〃when　Mick's　gone〃；　and　so　she　packed　his　travelling
valise　ready　for　the　march；　brushed　his　cloak；　his　cap；　and
other　warlike　habiliments；　set　them　out　in　order　for　him；
and　stowed　away　in　the　cloak　pockets　a　light　package　of
portable　refreshments；　and　a　wicker…covered　flask　or
pocket…pistol；　containing　near　a　pint　of　a　remarkably
sound　Cognac　brandy；　of　which　she　and　the　Major　approved
very　much；　and　as　soon　as　the　hands　of　the
〃repayther〃　pointed　to　half…past　one；　and　its　interior
arrangements　（it　had　a　tone　quite　equal　to　a　cathaydral；　its
fair　owner　considered）　knelled　forth　that　fatal　hour；　Mrs。
O'Dowd　woke　up　her　Major；　and　had　as　comfortable　a
cup　of　coffee　prepared　for　him　as　any　made　that　morning
in　Brussels。　　And　who　is　there　will　deny　that　this　worthy
lady's　preparations　betokened　affection　as　much　as　the
fits　of　tears　and　hysterics　by　which　more　sensitive　females
exhibited　their　love；　and　that　their　partaking　of　this　coffee；
which　they　drank　together　while　the　bugles　were　sounding
the　turn…out　and　the　drums　beating　in　the　various　quarters
of　the　town；　was　not　more　useful　and　to　the　purpose　than
the　outpouring　of　any　mere　sentiment　could　be？　　The
consequence　was；　that　the　Major　appeared　on　parade　quite
trim；　fresh；　and　alert；　his　well…shaved　rosy　countenance；
as　he　sate　on　horseback；　giving　cheerfulness　and　confidence
to　the　whole　corps。　　All　the　officers　saluted　her
when　the　regiment　marched　by　the　balcony　on　which　this
brave　woman　stood；　and　waved　them　a　cheer　as　they
passed；　and　I　daresay　it　was　not　from　want　of　courage；
but　from　a　sense　of　female　delicacy　and　propriety；　that
she　refrained　from　leading　the　gallant　th　personally
into　action。
On　Sundays；　and　at　periods　of　a　solemn　nature；　Mrs。
O'Dowd　used　to　read　with　great　gravity　out　of　a　large
volume　of　her　uncle　the　Dean's　sermons。　　It　had　been　of
great　comfort　to　her　on　board　the　transport　as　they　were
coming　home；　and　were　very　nearly　wrecked；　on　their
return　from　the　West　Indies。　　After　the　regiment's
departure　she　betook　herself　to　this　volume　for　meditation；
perhaps　she　did　not　understand　much　of　what　she　was
reading；　and　her　thoughts　were　elsewhere：　　but　the　sleep
project；　with　poor　Mick's　nightcap　there　on　the　pillow；
was　quite　a　vain　one。　　So　it　is　in　the　world。　　Jack　or　Donald
marches　away　to　glory　with　his　knapsack　on　his　shoulder；
stepping　out　briskly　to　the　tune　of　〃The　Girl　I　Left　Behind
Me。〃　It　is　she　who　remains　and　suffersand　has　the
leisure　to　think；　and　brood；　and　remember。
Knowing　how　useless　regrets　are；　and　how　the　indulgence
of　sentiment　only　serves　to　make　people　more　miserable；
Mrs。　Rebecca　wisely　determined　to　give　way　to　no
vain　feelings　of　sorrow；　and　bore　the　parting　from　her
husband　with　quite　a　Spartan　equanimity。　　Indeed　Captain
Rawdon　himself　was　much　more　affected　at　the　leave…
taking　than　the　resolute　little　woman　to　whom　he　bade
farewell。　　She　had　mastered　this　rude　coarse　nature；
and　he　loved　and　worshipped　her　with　all　his　faculties　of
regard　and　admiration。　　In　all　his　life　he　had　never　been　so
happy；　as；　during　the　past　few　months；　his　wife　had　made
him。　　All　former　delights　of　turf；　mess；　hunting…field；　and
gambling…table；　all　previous　loves　and　courtships　of
milliners；　opera…dancers；　and　the　like　easy　triumphs　of　the
clumsy　military　Adonis；　were　quite　insipid　when
compared　to　the　lawful　matrimonial　pleasures　which　of　late　he
had　enjoyed。　　She　had　known　perpetually　how　to　divert
him；　and　he　had　found　his　house　and　her　society　a
thousand　times　more　pleasant　than　any　place　or　company
which　he　had　ever　frequented　from　his　childhood　until
now。　　And　he　cursed　his　past　follies　and　extravagances；
and　bemoaned　his　vast　outlying　debts　above　all；　which
must　remain　for　ever　as　obstacles　to　prevent　his　wife's
advancement　in　the　world。　　He　had　often　groaned　over
these　in　midnight　conversations　with　Rebecca；　although　as
a　bachelor　they　had　never　given　him　any　disquiet。　　He
himself　was　struck　with　this　phenomenon。　　〃Hang　it；〃
he　would　say　（or　perhaps　use　a　still　stronger　expression
out　of　his　simple　vocabulary）；　〃before　I　was　married　I
didn't　care　what　bills　I　put　my　name　to；　and　so　long　as
Moses　would　wait　or　Levy　would　renew　for　three　months；
I　kept　on　never　minding。　　But　since　I'm　married；　except
renewing；　of　course；　I　give　you　my　honour　I've　not
touched　a　bit　of　stamped　paper。〃
Rebecca　always　knew　how　to　conjure　away　these
moods　of　melancholy。　　〃Why；　my　stupid　love；〃　she　would
say；　〃we　have　not　done　with　your　aunt　yet。　　If　she　fails　us；
isn't　there　what　you　call　the　Gazette？　　or；　stop；　when　your
uncle　Bute's　life　drops；　I　have　another　scheme。　　The　living
has　always　belonged　to　the　younger　brother；　and　why
shouldn't　you　sell　out　and　go　into　the　Church？〃　　The　idea
of　this　conversion　set　Rawdon　into　roars　of　laughter：
you　might　have　heard　the　explosion　through　the　hotel　at
midnight；　and　the　haw…haws　of　the　great　dragoon's　voice。
General　Tufto　heard　him　from　his　quarters　on　the　first
floor　above　them；　and　Rebecca　acted　the　scene　with　great
spirit；　and　preached　Rawdon's　first　sermon；　to　the
immense　delight　of　the　General　at　breakfast。
But　these　were　mere　by…gone　days　and　talk。　　When　the
final　news　arrived　that　the　campaign　was　opened；　and　the
troops　were　to　march；　Rawdon's　gravity　became　such
that　Becky　rallied　him　about　it　in　a　manner　which　rather
hurt　the　feelings　of　the　Guardsman。　　〃You　don't　suppose
I'm　afraid；　Becky；　I　should　think；〃　he　said；　with　a　tremor
in　his　voice。　　〃But　I'm　a　pretty　good　mark　for　a　shot；　and
you　see　if　it　brings　me　down；　why　I　leave　one　and
perhaps　two　behind　me　whom　I　should　wish　to　provide　for；
as　I　brought　'em　into　the　scrape。　　It　is　no　laughing　matter
that；　Mrs。　C。；　anyways。〃
Rebecca　by　a　hundred　caresses　and　kind　words　tried
to　soothe　the　feelings　of　the　wounded　lover。　　It　was　only
when　her　vivacity　and　sense　of　humour　got　the　better　of
this　sprightly　creature　（as　they　would　do　under　most
circumstances　of　life　indeed）　that　she　would　break　out
with　her　satire；　but　she　could　soon　put　on　a　demure　face。
〃Dearest　love；〃　she　said；　〃do　you　suppose　I　feel　nothing？〃
and　hastily　dashing　something　from　her　eyes；　she
looked　up　in　her　husband's　face　with　a　smile。
〃Look　here；〃　said　he。　　〃If　I　drop；　let　us　see　what　there
is　for　you。　　I　have　had　a　pretty　good　run　of　luck　here；　and
here's　two　hundred　and　thirty　pounds。　　I　have　got　ten
Napoleons　in　my　pocket。　　That　is　as　much　as　I　shall　want；