vanity fair(名利场)-第106章

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reconciled　to　him。　　Surely；　Amelia　could　not　refuse　such
advantageous　chances　for　the　boy。　　Nor　could　she；　but
she　acceded　to　their　overtures　with　a　very　heavy　and
suspicious　heart；　was　always　uneasy　during　the　child's
absence　from　her；　and　welcomed　him　back　as　if　he　was
rescued　out　of　some　danger。　　He　brought　back　money　and
toys；　at　which　the　widow　looked　with　alarm　and　jealousy；
she　asked　him　always　if　he　had　seen　any　gentleman
〃Only　old　Sir　William；　who　drove　him　about　in　the　four…
wheeled　chaise；　and　Mr。　Dobbin；　who　arrived　on　the
beautiful　bay　horse　in　the　afternoonin　the　green　coat
and　pink　neck…cloth；　with　the　gold…headed　whip；　who
promised　to　show　him　the　Tower　of　London　and　take
him　out　with　the　Surrey　hounds。〃　At　last；　he　said；　〃There
was　an　old　gentleman；　with　thick　eyebrows；　and　a　broad
hat；　and　large　chain　and　seals。〃　He　came　one　day　as　the
coachman　was　lunging　Georgy　round　the　lawn　on　the
gray　pony。　　〃He　looked　at　me　very　much。　　He　shook　very
much。　　I　said　'My　name　is　Norval'　after　dinner。　　My　aunt
began　to　cry。　　She　is　always　crying。〃　Such　was　George's
report　on　that　night。
Then　Amelia　knew　that　the　boy　had　seen　his
grandfather；　and　looked　out　feverishly　for　a　proposal
which　she　was　sure　would　follow；　and　which　came；　in　fact；
in　a　few　days　afterwards。　　Mr。　Osborne　formally　offered　to
take　the　boy　and　make　him　heir　to　the　fortune　which　he
had　intended　that　his　father　should　inherit。　　He　would
make　Mrs。　George　Osborne　an　allowance；　such　as　to
assure　her　a　decent　competency。　　If　Mrs。　George　Osborne
proposed　to　marry　again；　as　Mr。　O。　　heard　was　her
intention；　he　would　not　withdraw　that　allowance。　　But　it
must　be　understood　that　the　child　would　live　entirely　with
his　grandfather　in　Russell　Square；　or　at　whatever　other
place　Mr。　O。　　should　select；　and　that　he　would　be
occasionally　permitted　to　see　Mrs。　George　Osborne　at　her
own　residence。　　This　message　was　brought　or　read　to　her
in　a　letter　one　day；　when　her　mother　was　from　home
and　her　father　absent　as　usual　in　the　City。
She　was　never　seen　angry　but　twice　or　thrice　in　her
life；　and　it　was　in　one　of　these　moods　that　Mr。　Osborne's
attorney　had　the　fortune　to　behold　her。　　She　rose　up
trembling　and　flushing　very　much　as　soon　as；　after
reading　the　letter；　Mr。　Poe　handed　it　to　her；　and　she　tore　the
paper　into　a　hundred　fragments；　which　she　trod　on。　　〃I
marry　again！　　I　take　money　to　part　from　my　child！　　Who
dares　insult　me　by　proposing　such　a　thing？　Tell　Mr。
Osborne　it　is　a　cowardly　letter；　sira　cowardly　letter
I　will　not　answer　it。　　I　wish　you　good　morning；　sirand
she　bowed　me　out　of　the　room　like　a　tragedy　Queen；〃
said　the　lawyer　who　told　the　story。
Her　parents　never　remarked　her　agitation　on　that　day；
and　she　never　told　them　of　the　interview。　　They　had　their
own　affairs　to　interest　them；　affairs　which　deeply
interested　this　innocent　and　unconscious　lady。　　The　old
gentleman；　her　father；　was　always　dabbling　in　speculation。
We　have　seen　how　the　wine　company　and　the　coal
company　had　failed　him。　　But；　prowling　about　the　City
always　eagerly　and　restlessly　still；　he　lighted　upon　some
other　scheme；　of　which　he　thought　so　well　that　he
embarked　in　it　in　spite　of　the　remonstrances　of　Mr。　Clapp；
to　whom　indeed　he　never　dared　to　tell　how　far　he　had
engaged　himself　in　it。　　And　as　it　was　always　Mr。　Sedley's
maxim　not　to　talk　about　money　matters　before　women；
they　had　no　inkling　of　the　misfortunes　that　were　in　store
for　them　until　the　unhappy　old　gentleman　was　forced　to
make　gradual　confessions。
The　bills　of　the　little　household；　which　had　been　settled
weekly；　first　fell　into　arrear。　　The　remittances　had　not
arrived　from　India；　Mr。　Sedley　told　his　wife　with　a　disturbed
face。　　As　she　had　paid　her　bills　very　regularly　hitherto；
one　or　two　of　the　tradesmen　to　whom　the　poor　lady　was
obliged　to　go　round　asking　for　time　were　very　angry　at
a　delay　to　which　they　were　perfectly　used　from　more
irregular　customers。　　Emmy's　contribution；　paid　over
cheerfully　without　any　questions；　kept　the　little　company
in　half…rations　however。　　And　the　first　six　months　passed
away　pretty　easily；　old　Sedley　still　keeping　up　with　the
notion　that　his　shares　must　rise　and　that　all　would　be
well。
No　sixty　pounds；　however；　came　to　help　the　household
at　the　end　of　the　half　year；　and　it　fell　deeper　and　deeper
into　troubleMrs。　Sedley；　who　was　growing　infirm　and
was　much　shaken；　remained　silent　or　wept　a　great　deal
with　Mrs。　Clapp　in　the　kitchen。　　The　butcher　was
particularly　surly；　the　grocer　insolent：　　once　or　twice　little
Georgy　had　grumbled　about　the　dinners；　and　Amelia；　who
still　would　have　been　satisfied　with　a　slice　of　bread　for
her　own　dinner；　could　not　but　perceive　that　her　son　was
neglected　and　purchased　little　things　out　of　her　private
purse　to　keep　the　boy　in　health。
At　last　they　told　her；　or　told　her　such　a　garbled　story
as　people　in　difficulties　tell。　　One　day；　her　own　money
having　been　received；　and　Amelia　about　to　pay　it　over；
she；　who　had　kept　an　account　of　the　moneys　expended
by　her；　proposed　to　keep　a　certain　portion　back　out　of
her　dividend；　having　contracted　engagements　for　a　new
suit　for　Georgy。
Then　it　came　out　that　Jos's　remittances　were　not　paid；
that　the　house　was　in　difficulties；　which　Amelia　ought　to
have　seen　before；　her　mother　said；　but　she　cared　for
nothing　or　nobody　except　Georgy。　　At　this　she　passed　all
her　money　across　the　table；　without　a　word；　to　her
mother；　and　returned　to　her　room　to　cry　her　eyes　out。
She　had　a　great　access　of　sensibility　too　that　day；　when
obliged　to　go　and　countermand　the　clothes；　the　darling
clothes　on　which　she　had　set　her　heart　for　Christmas
Day；　and　the　cut　and　fashion　of　which　she　had　arranged
in　many　conversations　with　a　small　milliner；　her　friend。
Hardest　of　all；　she　had　to　break　the　matter　to　Georgy；
who　made　a　loud　outcry。　　Everybody　had　new　clothes　at
Christmas。　　The　others　would　laugh　at　him。　　He　would
have　new　clothes。　　She　had　promised　them　to　him。　　The
poor　widow　had　only　kisses　to　give　him。　　She　darned　the
old　suit　in　tears。　　She　cast　about　among　her　little　ornaments
to　see　if　she　could　sell　anything　to　procure　the　desired
novelties。　　There　was　her　India　shawl　that　Dobbin　had
sent　her。　　She　remembered　in　former　days　going　with　her
mother　to　a　fine　India　shop　on　Ludgate　Hill；　where　the
ladies　had　all　sorts　of　dealings　and　bargains　in　these
articles。　　Her　cheeks　flushed　and　her　eyes　shone　with
pleasure　as　she　thought　of　this　resource；　and　she　kissed
away　George　to　school　in　the　morning；　smiling　brightly
after　him。　　The　boy　felt　that　there　was　good　news　in　her
look。
Packing　up　her　shawl　in　a　handkerchief　（another　of
the　gifts　of　the　good　Major）；　she　hid　them　under　her
cloak　and　walked　flushed　and　eager　all　the　way　to
Ludgate　Hill；　tripping　along　by　the　park　wall　and　running
over　the　crossings；　so　that　many　a　man　turned　as　she
hurried　by　him　and　looked　after　her　rosy　pretty　face。　　She
calculated　how　she　should　spend　the　proceeds　of　her
shawlhow；　besides　the　clothes；　she　would　buy　the　books
that　he　longed　for；　and　pay　his　half…year's　schooling；　and
how　she　would　buy　a　cloak　for　her　father　instead　of
that　old　great…coat　which　he　wore。　　She　was　not　mistaken
as　to　the　value　of　the　Major's　gift。　　It　was　a　very　fine　and
beautiful　web；　and　the　merchant　made　a　very　good
bargain　when　he　gave　her　twenty　guineas　for　her　shawl。
She　ran　on　amazed　and　flurried　with　her　riches　to
Darton's　shop；　in　St。　　Paul's　Churchyard；　and　there
purchased　the　Parents'　Assistant　and　the　Sandford　and
Merton　Georgy　longed　for；　and　got　into　the　coach　there
with　her　parcel；　and　went　home　exulting。　　And　she　pleased
herself　by　writing　in　the　fly…leaf　in　her　neatest　little
hand；　〃George　Osborne；　A　Christmas　gift　from　his
affectionate…mother。〃　The　books　are　extant　to　this　day；
with　the　fair　delicate　superscription。
She　was　going　from　her　own　room　with　the　books　in
her　hand　to　place　them　on　George's　table；　where　he
might　find　them　on　his　return　from　school；　when　in
the　passage；　she　and　her　mother　met。　　The　gilt　bindings
of　the　seven　handsome　little　volumes　caught　the　old　lady's
eye。
〃What　are　those？〃　she　said。
〃Some　books　for　Georgy；〃　Amelia　repliedII
promised　them　to　him　at　Christmas。〃
〃Books！〃　cried　the　elder　lady　indignantly；　〃Books；
when　the　whole　house　wants　bread！　　Books；　when　to　keep
you　and　your　son　in　luxury；　and　your　dear　father　out　of
gaol；　I've　sold　every　trinket　I　had；　the　India　shawl　from
my　back　even　down　to　the　very　spoons；　that　our　tradesmen
mightn't　insult　us；　and　that　Mr。　Clapp；　which　indeed
he　is　justly　entitled；　being　not　a　hard　landlord；　and　a
civil　man；　and　a　father；　might　have　his　rent。　　Oh；　Amelia！
you　break　my　heart　with　your　books　and　that　boy　of
yours；　whom　you　are　ruining；　though　part　with　him　you
will　not。　　Oh；　Amelia；　may　God　send　you　a　more　dutiful
child　than　I　have　had！　　There's　Jos；　deserts　his　father　in
his　old　age；　and　there's　George；　who　might　be　provided
for；　and　who　might　be　rich；　going　to　school　like　a　lord；
with　a　gold　watch　and　chain　round　his　neckwhile　my
dear；　dear　old　man　is　without　a　shshilling。〃　Hysteric
sobs　and　cries　ended　Mrs。　Sedley's　speechit　echoed
through　every　room　in　the　small　house；　whereof　the　other
female　inmates　heard　every　word　of　the　colloquy。
〃Oh；　Mother；　Mother！〃　cried　poor　Amelia　in　reply。
〃You　told　me　nothingII　promised　him　the　books。
II　only　sold　my　shawl　this　morning。　　Take　the　money
take　everything〃and　with　quivering　hands　she　took
out　her　silver；　and　her　sovereignsher　precious　golden
sovereigns；　which　she　thrust　into　the　hands　of　her
mother；　whence　they　overflowed　and　tumbled；　rolling
down　the　stairs。
And　then　she　went　into　her　room；　and　sank　down　in
despair　and　utter　misery。　　She　saw　it　all　now。　　Her
selfishness　was　sacrificing　the　boy。　　But　for　her　he　might　have
wealth；　station；　education；　and　his　father's　place；　which
the　elder　George　had　forfeited　for　her　sake。　　She　had　but
to　speak　the　words；　and　her　father　was　restored　to
competency　and　the　boy　raised　to　fortune。　　Oh；　what　a
conviction　it　was　to　that　tender　and　stricken　heart！

CHAPTER　XLVII
Gaunt　House
All　the　world　knows　that　Lord　Steyne's　town　palace
stands　in　Gaunt　Square；　out　of　which　Great　Gaunt　Street
leads；　whither　we　first　conducted　Rebecca；　in　the　time
of　the　departed　Sir　Pitt　Crawley。　　Peering　over　the　railings
and　through　the　black　trees　into　the　garden　of　the
Square；　you　see　a　few　miserable　governesses　with
wan…faced　pupils　wandering　round　and　round　it；　and　round
the　dreary　grass…plot　in　the　centre　of　which　rises　the
statue　of　Lord　Gaunt；　who　fought　at　Minden；　in　a
three…tailed　wig；　and　otherwise　habited　like　a　Roman
Emperor。　　Gaunt　House　occupies　nearly　a　side　of　the　Square。
The　remaining　three　sides　are　composed　of　mansions　that
have　passed　away　into　dowagerismtall；　dark　houses；
with　window…frames　of　stone；　or　picked　out　of　a　lighter
red。　　Little　light　seems　to　be　behind　those　lean；
comfortless　casements　now；　and　hospitality　to　have　passed
away　from　those　doors　as　much　as　the　laced　lacqueys
and　link…boys　of　old　times；　who　used　to　put　out　their
torches　in　the　blank　iron　extinguishers　that　still　flank　the
lamps　over　the　steps。　　Brass　plates　have　penetrated　into
the　sq