vanity fair(名利场)-第135章

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early　the　next　morning　and　be　with　his　father　and
mother　at　evening。　　Amelia；　as　she　read　out　the　letter　to
her　father；　paused　over　the　latter　word；　her　brother；　it
was　clear；　did　not　know　what　had　happened　in　the　family。
Nor　could　he；　for　the　fact　is　that；　though　the　Major
rightly　suspected　that　his　travelling　companion　never
would　be　got　into　motion　in　so　short　a　space　as　twenty…
four　hours；　and　would　find　some　excuse　for　delaying；　yet
Dobbin　had　not　written　to　Jos　to　inform　him　of　the
calamity　which　had　befallen　the　Sedley　family；　being
occupied　in　talking　with　Amelia　until　long　after　post…hour。
There　are　some　splendid　tailors'　shops　in　the　High
Street　of　Southampton；　in　the　fine　plate…glass　windows
of　which　hang　gorgeous　waistcoats　of　all　sorts；　of　silk
and　velvet；　and　gold　and　crimson；　and　pictures　of　the
last　new　fashions；　in　which　those　wonderful　gentlemen
with　quizzing　glasses；　and　holding　on　to　little　boys　with
the　exceeding　large　eyes　and　curly　hair；　ogle　ladies　in
riding　habits　prancing　by　the　Statue　of　Achilles　at　Apsley
House。　　Jos；　although　provided　with　some　of　the　most
splendid　vests　that　Calcutta　could　furnish；　thought　he
could　not　go　to　town　until　he　was　supplied　with　one　or
two　of　these　garments；　and　selected　a　crimson　satin；
embroidered　with　gold　butterflies；　and　a　black　and　red
velvet　tartan　with　white　stripes　and　a　rolling　collar；　with
which；　and　a　rich　blue　satin　stock　and　a　gold　pin；
consisting　of　a　five…barred　gate　with　a　horseman　in　pink
enamel　jumping　over　it；　he　thought　he　might　make　his
entry　into　London　with　some　dignity。　　For　Jos's　former
shyness　and　blundering　blushing　timidity　had　given　way
to　a　more　candid　and　courageous　self…assertion　of　his
worth。　　〃I　don't　care　about　owning　it；〃　Waterloo　Sedley
would　say　to　his　friends；　〃I　am　a　dressy　man〃；　and
though　rather　uneasy　if　the　ladies　looked　at　him　at　the
Government　House　balls；　and　though　he　blushed　and
turned　away　alarmed　under　their　glances；　it　was　chiefly
from　a　dread　lest　they　should　make　love　to　him　that　he
avoided　them；　being　averse　to　marriage　altogether。　　But
there　was　no　such　swell　in　Calcutta　as　Waterloo　Sedley；
I　have　heard　say；　and　he　had　the　handsomest　turn…out；
gave　the　best　bachelor　dinners；　and　had　the　finest　plate
in　the　whole　place。
To　make　these　waistcoats　for　a　man　of　his　size　and
dignity　took　at　least　a　day；　part　of　which　he　employed　in
hiring　a　servant　to　wait　upon　him　and　his　native　and　in
instructing　the　agent　who　cleared　his　baggage；　his　boxes；
his　books；　which　he　never　read；　his　chests　of　mangoes；
chutney；　and　curry…powders；　his　shawls　for　presents　to
people　whom　he　didn't　know　as　yet；　and　the　rest　of　his
Persicos　apparatus。
At　length；　he　drove　leisurely　to　London　on　the　third
day　and　in　the　new　waistcoat；　the　native；　with　chattering
teeth；　shuddering　in　a　shawl　on　the　box　by　the　side　of　the
new　European　servant；　Jos　puffing　his　pipe　at　intervals
within　and　looking　so　majestic　that　the　little　boys　cried
Hooray；　and　many　people　thought　he　must　be　a
Governor…General。　　HE；　I　promise；　did　not　decline　the
obsequious　invitation　of　the　landlords　to　alight　and　refresh
himself　in　the　neat　country　towns。　　Having　partaken　of　a
copious　breakfast；　with　fish；　and　rice；　and　hard　eggs；　at
Southampton；　he　had　so　far　rallied　at　Winchester　as　to
think　a　glass　of　sherry　necessary。　　At　Alton　he　stepped
out　of　the　carriage　at　his　servant's　request　and　imbibed
some　of　the　ale　for　which　the　place　is　famous。　　At　Farnham
he　stopped　to　view　the　Bishop's　Castle　and　to　partake
of　a　light　dinner　of　stewed　eels；　veal　cutlets；　and
French　beans；　with　a　bottle　of　claret。　　He　was　cold　over
Bagshot　Heath；　where　the　native　chattered　more　and
more；　and　Jos　Sahib　took　some　brandy…and…water；　in
fact；　when　he　drove　into　town　he　was　as　full　of　wine；
beer；　meat；　pickles；　cherry…brandy；　and　tobacco　as　the
steward's　cabin　of　a　steam…packet。　　It　was　evening　when
his　carriage　thundered　up　to　the　little　door　in　Brompton；
whither　the　affectionate　fellow　drove　first；　and　before
hieing　to　the　apartments　secured　for　him　by　Mr。　Dobbin
at　the　Slaughters'。
All　the　faces　in　the　street　were　in　the　windows；　the
little　maidservant　flew　to　the　wicket…gate；　the　Mesdames
Clapp　looked　out　from　the　casement　of　the　ornamented
kitchen；　Emmy；　in　a　great　flutter；　was　in　the　passage
among　the　hats　and　coats；　and　old　Sedley　in　the　parlour
inside；　shaking　all　over。　　Jos　descended　from　the　post…
chaise　and　down　the　creaking　swaying　steps　in　awful
state；　supported　by　the　new　valet　from　Southampton　and
the　shuddering　native；　whose　brown　face　was　now　livid
with　cold　and　of　the　colour　of　a　turkey's　gizzard。　　He
created　an　immense　sensation　in　the　passage　presently；
where　Mrs。　and　Miss　Clapp；　coming　perhaps　to　listen
at　the　parlour　door；　found　Loll　Jewab　shaking　upon　the
hall…bench　under　the　coats；　moaning　in　a　strange　piteous
way；　and　showing　his　yellow　eyeballs　and　white　teeth。
For；　you　see；　we　have　adroitly　shut　the　door　upon　the
meeting　between　Jos　and　the　old　father　and　the　poor　little
gentle　sister　inside。　　The　old　man　was　very　much　affected；
so；　of　course；　was　his　daughter；　nor　was　Jos　without
feeling。　　In　that　long　absence　of　ten　years；　the　most　selfish
will　think　about　home　and　early　ties。　　Distance　sanctifies
both。　　Long　brooding　over　those　lost　pleasures　exaggerates
their　charm　and　sweetness。　　Jos　was　unaffectedly　glad　to
see　and　shake　the　hand　of　his　father；　between　whom
and　himself　there　had　been　a　coolnessglad　to　see　his
little　sister；　whom　he　remembered　so　pretty　and　smiling；
and　pained　at　the　alteration　which　time；　grief；　and
misfortune　had　made　in　the　shattered　old　man。　　Emmy　had
come　out　to　the　door　in　her　black　clothes　and　whispered
to　him　of　her　mother's　death；　and　not　to　speak　of　it　to
their　father。　　There　was　no　need　of　this　caution；　for　the
elder　Sedley　himself　began　immediately　to　speak　of　the
event；　and　prattled　about　it；　and　wept　over　it　plenteously。
It　shocked　the　Indian　not　a　little　and　made　him　think　of
himself　less　than　the　poor　fellow　was　accustomed　to　do。
The　result　of　the　interview　must　have　been　very
satisfactory；　for　when　Jos　had　reascended　his　post…chaise
and　had　driven　away　to　his　hotel；　Emmy　embraced　her　father
tenderly；　appealing　to　him　with　an　air　of　triumph；　and
asking　the　old　man　whether　she　did　not　always　say　that
her　brother　had　a　good　heart？
Indeed；　Joseph　Sedley；　affected　by　the　humble　position
in　which　he　found　his　relations；　and　in　the　expansiveness
and　overflowing　of　heart　occasioned　by　the　first　meeting；
declared　that　they　should　never　suffer　want　or
discomfort　any　more；　that　he　was　at　home　for　some　time
at　any　rate；　during　which　his　house　and　everything　he
had　should　be　theirs：　　and　that　Amelia　would　look　very
pretty　at　the　head　of　his　tableuntil　she　would　accept
one　of　her　own。
She　shook　her　head　sadly　and　had；　as　usual；　recourse
to　the　waterworks。　　She　knew　what　he　meant。　　She　and
her　young　confidante；　Miss　Mary；　had　talked　over　the
matter　most　fully；　the　very　night　of　the　Major's　visit；
beyond　which　time　the　impetuous　Polly　could　not　refrain
from　talking　of　the　discovery　which　she　had　made；　and
describing　the　start　and　tremor　of　joy　by　which　Major
Dobbin　betrayed　himself　when　Mr。　Binny　passed　with　his
bride　and　the　Major　learned　that　he　had　no　longer　a
rival　to　fear。　　〃Didn't　you　see　how　he　shook　all　over
when　you　asked　if　he　was　married　and　he　said；　'Who　told
you　those　lies？'　Oh；　M'am；〃　Polly　said；　〃he　never　kept　his
eyes　off　you；　and　I'm　sure　he's　grown　grey　athinking　of
you。〃
But　Amelia；　looking　up　at　her　bed；　over　which　hung
the　portraits　of　her　husband　and　son；　told　her　young
protegee　never；　never；　to　speak　on　that　subject　again；
that　Major　Dobbin　had　been　her　husband's　dearest　friend
and　her　own　and　George's　most　kind　and　affectionate
guardian；　that　she　loved　him　as　a　brotherbut　that　a
woman　who　had　been　married　to　such　an　angel　as　that；
and　she　pointed　to　the　wall；　could　never　think　of　any
other　union。　　Poor　Polly　sighed：　　she　thought　what　she
should　do　if　young　Mr。　Tomkins；　at　the　surgery；　who
always　looked　at　her　so　at　church；　and　who；　by　those
mere　aggressive　glances　had　put　her　timorous　little　heart
into　such　a　flutter　that　she　was　ready　to　surrender　at
once；what　she　should　do　if　he　were　to　die？　She　knew
he　was　consumptive；　his　cheeks　were　so　red　and　he　was
so　uncommon　thin　in　the　waist。
Not　that　Emmy；　being　made　aware　of　the　honest
Major's　passion；　rebuffed　him　in　any　way；　or　felt
displeased　with　him。　　Such　an　attachment　from　so　true　and
loyal　a　gentleman　could　make　no　woman　angry。
Desdemona　was　not　angry　with　Cassio；　though　there　is
very　little　doubt　she　saw　the　Lieutenant's　partiality　for
her　（and　I　for　my　part　believe　that　many　more　things
took　place　in　that　sad　affair　than　the　worthy　Moorish
officer　ever　knew　of）；　why；　Miranda　was　even　very　kind
to　Caliban；　and　we　may　be　pretty　sure　for　the　same
reason。　　Not　that　she　would　encourage　him　in　the　least
the　poor　uncouth　monsterof　course　not。　　No　more
would　Emmy　by　any　means　encourage　her　admirer；　the
Major。　　She　would　give　him　that　friendly　regard；　which
so　much　excellence　and　fidelity　merited；　she　would　treat
him　with　perfect　cordiality　and　frankness　until　he　made
his　proposals；　and　THEN　it　would　be　time　enough　for　her
to　speak　and　to　put　an　end　to　hopes　which　never　could　be
realized。
She　slept；　therefore；　very　soundly　that　evening；　after
the　conversation　with　Miss　Polly；　and　was　more　than
ordinarily　happy；　in　spite　of　Jos's　delaying。　　〃I　am　glad
he　is　not　going　to　marry　that　Miss　O'Dowd；〃　she　thought。
〃Colonel　O'Dowd　never　could　have　a　sister　fit　for　such
an　accomplished　man　as　Major　William。〃　Who　was　there
amongst　her　little　circle　who　would　make　him　a　good
wife？　Not　Miss　Binny；　she　was　too　old　and　ill…tempered；
Miss　Osborne？　too　old　too。　　Little　Polly　was　too　young。
Mrs。　Osborne　could　not　find　anybody　to　suit　the　Major
before　she　went　to　sleep。
The　same　morning　brought　Major　Dobbin　a　letter　to　the
Slaughters'　Coffee…house　from　his　friend　at　Southampton；
begging　dear　Dob　to　excuse　Jos　for　being　in　a　rage　when
awakened　the　day　before　（he　had　a　confounded　headache；
and　was　just　in　his　first　sleep）；　and　entreating　Dob　to
engage　comfortable　rooms　at　the　Slaughters'　for　Mr。　Sedley
and　his　servants。　　The　Major　had　become　necessary　to
Jos　during　the　voyage。　　He　was　attached　to　him；　and　hung
upon　him。　　The　other　passengers　were　away　to　London。
Young　Ricketts　and　little　Chaffers　went　away　on　the
coach　that　dayRicketts　on　the　box；　and　taking　the
reins　from　Botley；　the　Doctor　was　off　to　his　family　at
Portsea；　Bragg　gone　to　town　to　his　co…partners；　and　the
first　mate　busy　in　the　unloading　of　the　Ramchunder。　　Mr。
Joe　was　very　lonely　at　Southampton；　and　got　the　landlord
of　the　George　to　take　a　glass　of　wine　with　him　that
day；　at　the　very　hour　at　which　Major　Dobbin　was
seated　at　the　table　of　his　father；　Sir　William；　where　his
sister　found　out　（for　it　was　impossible　for　the　Major　to
tell　fibs）　that　he　had　been　to　see　Mrs。　George　Osborne。
Jos　was　so　comfortably　situated　in　St。　　Martin's　Lane；　he
could　enjoy　his　hookah　there　with　such　perfect　ease；　and
could　swagger　down　to　the　theatres；　when　minded；　so
agreea