vanity fair(名利场)-第138章

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Don't　the　very　greatest　ladies　of　all　talk　about　that　small
clique　of　persons　to　whom　they　belong？　And　why　should
our　Indian　friends　not　have　their　own　conversation？
only　I　admit　it　is　slow　for　the　laymen　whose　fate　it
sometimes　is　to　sit　by　and　listen。
Before　long　Emmy　had　a　visiting…book；　and　was　driving
about　regularly　in　a　carriage；　calling　upon　Lady　Bludyer
（wife　of　Major…General　Sir　Roger　Bludyer；　K。C。B。；　Bengal
Army）；　Lady　Huff；　wife　of　Sir　G。　　Huff；　Bombay　ditto；
Mrs。　Pice；　the　Lady　of　Pice　the　Director；　&c。　　We　are　not
long　in　using　ourselves　to　changes　in　life。　　That　carriage
came　round　to　Gillespie　Street　every　day；　that　buttony
boy　sprang　up　and　down　from　the　box　with　Emmy's　and
Jos's　visiting…cards；　at　stated　hours　Emmy　and　the
carriage　went　for　Jos　to　the　Club　and　took　him　an　airing；
or；　putting　old　Sedley　into　the　vehicle；　she　drove　the　old
man　round　the　Regent's　Park。　　The　lady's　maid　and　the
chariot；　the　visiting…book　and　the　buttony　page；　became
soon　as　familiar　to　Amelia　as　the　humble　routine　of
Brompton。　　She　accommodated　herself　to　one　as　to　the
other。　　If　Fate　had　ordained　that　she　should　be　a　Duchess；
she　would　even　have　done　that　duty　too。　　She　was　voted；　in
Jos's　female　society；　rather　a　pleasing　young　person
not　much　in　her；　but　pleasing；　and　that　sort　of　thing。
The　men；　as　usual；　liked　her　artless　kindness　and
simple　refined　demeanour。　　The　gallant　young　Indian　dandies
at　home　on　furloughimmense　dandies　thesechained
and　moustacheddriving　in　tearing　cabs；　the　pillars　of
the　theatres；　living　at　West　End　hotelsnevertheless
admired　Mrs。　Osborne；　liked　to　bow　to　her　carriage　in　the
park；　and　to　be　admitted　to　have　the　honour　of　paying
her　a　morning　visit。　　Swankey　of　the　Body　Guard
himself；　that　dangerous　youth；　and　the　greatest　buck　of　all
the　Indian　army　now　on　leave；　was　one　day　discovered
by　Major　Dobbin　tete…a…tete　with　Amelia；　and
describing　the　sport　of　pig…sticking　to　her　with　great　humour　and
eloquence；　and　he　spoke　afterwards　of　a　dd　king's
officer　that's　always　hanging　about　the　housea　long；
thin；　queer…looking；　oldish　fellowa　dry　fellow　though；
that　took　the　shine　out　of　a　man　in　the　talking　line。
Had　the　Major　possessed　a　little　more　personal　vanity
he　would　have　been　jealous　of　so　dangerous　a　young
buck　as　that　fascinating　Bengal　Captain。　　But　Dobbin　was
of　too　simple　and　generous　a　nature　to　have　any　doubts
about　Amelia。　　He　was　glad　that　the　young　men　should
pay　her　respect；　and　that　others　should　admire　her。　　Ever
since　her　womanhood　almost；　had　she　not　been
persecuted　and　undervalued？　It　pleased　him　to　see　how
kindness　bought　out　her　good　qualities　and　how　her　spirits
gently　rose　with　her　prosperity。　　Any　person　who
appreciated　her　paid　a　compliment　to　the　Major's　good
judgementthat　is；　if　a　man　may　be　said　to　have　good
judgement　who　is　under　the　influence　of　Love's　delusion。
After　Jos　went　to　Court；　which　we　may　be　sure　he
did　as　a　loyal　subject　of　his　Sovereign　（showing　himself
in　his　full　court　suit　at　the　Club；　whither　Dobbin　came
to　fetch　him　in　a　very　shabby　old　uniform）　he　who　had
always　been　a　staunch　Loyalist　and　admirer　of　George
IV；　became　such　a　tremendous　Tory　and　pillar　of　the
State　that　he　was　for　having　Amelia　to　go　to　a
Drawing…room；　too。　　He　somehow　had　worked　himself　up
to　believe　that　he　was　implicated　in　the　maintenance　of　the
public　welfare　and　that　the　Sovereign　would　not　be　happy
unless　Jos　Sedley　and　his　family　appeared　to　rally　round
him　at　St。　　James's。
Emmy　laughed。　　〃Shall　I　wear　the　family　diamonds；
Jos？〃　she　said。
〃I　wish　you　would　let　me　buy　you　some；〃　thought　the
Major。　　〃I　should　like　to　see　any　that　were　too　good　for
you。〃

CHAPTER　LXI
In　Which　Two　Lights　are　Put　Out
There　came　a　day　when　the　round　of　decorous　pleasures
and　solemn　gaieties　in　which　Mr。　Jos　Sedley's　family
indulged　was　interrupted　by　an　event　which　happens　in
most　houses。　　As　you　ascend　the　staircase　of　your　house
from　the　drawing　towards　the　bedroom　floors；　you　may
have　remarked　a　little　arch　in　the　wall　right　before　you；
which　at　once　gives　light　to　the　stair　which　leads　from
the　second　story　to　the　third　（where　the　nursery　and
servants'　chambers　commonly　are）　and　serves　for
another　purpose　of　utility；　of　which　the　undertaker's　men
can　give　you　a　notion。　　They　rest　the　coffins　upon　that
arch；　or　pass　them　through　it　so　as　not　to　disturb　in　any
unseemly　manner　the　cold　tenant　slumbering　within　the
black　ark。
That　second…floor　arch　in　a　London　house；　looking　up
and　down　the　well　of　the　staircase　and　commanding　the
main　thoroughfare　by　which　the　inhabitants　are　passing；
by　which　cook　lurks　down　before　daylight　to　scour　her
pots　and　pans　in　the　kitchen；　by　which　young　master
stealthily　ascends；　having　left　his　boots　in　the　hall；　and
let　himself　in　after　dawn　from　a　jolly　night　at　the　Club；
down　which　miss　comes　rustling　in　fresh　ribbons　and
spreading　muslins；　brilliant　and　beautiful；　and　prepared
for　conquest　and　the　ball；　or　Master　Tommy　slides；
preferring　the　banisters　for　a　mode　of　conveyance；　and
disdaining　danger　and　the　stair；　down　which　the　mother　is
fondly　carried　smiling　in　her　strong　husband's　arms；　as
he　steps　steadily　step　by　step；　and　followed　by　the　monthly
nurse；　on　the　day　when　the　medical　man　has　pronounced
that　the　charming　patient　may　go　downstairs；
up　which　John　lurks　to　bed；　yawning；　with　a　sputtering
tallow　candle；　and　to　gather　up　before　sunrise　the　boots
which　are　awaiting　him　in　the　passagesthat　stair；　up　or
down　which　babies　are　carried；　old　people　are　helped；
guests　are　marshalled　to　the　ball；　the　parson　walks　to　the
christening；　the　doctor　to　the　sick…room；　and　the
undertaker's　men　to　the　upper　floorwhat　a　memento　of　Life；
Death；　and　Vanity　it　isthat　arch　and　stairif　you
choose　to　consider　it；　and　sit　on　the　landing；　looking　up
and　down　the　well！　　The　doctor　will　come　up　to　us　too
for　the　last　time　there；　my　friend　in　motley。　　The　nurse
will　look　in　at　the　curtains；　and　you　take　no　noticeand
then　she　will　fling　open　the　windows　for　a　little　and　let　in
the　air。　　Then　they　will　pull　down　all　the　front　blinds　of　the
house　and　live　in　the　back　roomsthen　they　will　send
for　the　lawyer　and　other　men　in　black；　&c。　　Your　comedy
and　mine　will　have　been　played　then；　and　we　shall　be
removed；　oh；　how　far；　from　the　trumpets；　and　the　shouting；
and　the　posture…making。　　If　we　are　gentlefolks　they
will　put　hatchments　over　our　late　domicile；　with　gilt
cherubim；　and　mottoes　stating　that　there　is　〃Quiet　in
Heaven。〃　Your　son　will　new　furnish　the　house；　or
perhaps　let　it；　and　go　into　a　more　modern　quarter；　your
name　will　be　among　the　〃Members　Deceased〃　in　the
lists　of　your　clubs　next　year。　　However　much　you　may　be
mourned；　your　widow　will　like　to　have　her　weeds　neatly
madethe　cook　will　send　or　come　up　to　ask　about
dinnerthe　survivor　will　soon　bear　to　look　at　your　picture
over　the　mantelpiece；　which　will　presently　be　deposed
from　the　place　of　honour；　to　make　way　for　the　portrait　of
the　son　who　reigns。
Which　of　the　dead　are　most　tenderly　and　passionately
deplored？　Those　who　love　the　survivors　the　least；　I
believe。　　The　death　of　a　child　occasions　a　passion　of　grief
and　frantic　tears；　such　as　your　end；　brother　reader；　will
never　inspire。　　The　death　of　an　infant　which　scarce　knew
you；　which　a　week's　absence　from　you　would　have　caused
to　forget　you；　will　strike　you　down　more　than　the　loss　of
your　closest　friend；　or　your　first…born　sona　man　grown
like　yourself；　with　children　of　his　own。　　We　may　be　harsh
and　stern　with　Judah　and　Simeonour　love　and　pity　gush
out　for　Benjamin；　the　little　one。　　And　if　you　are　old；　as
some　reader　of　this　may　be　or　shall　be　old　and　rich；　or
old　and　pooryou　may　one　day　be　thinking　for　yourself
〃These　people　are　very　good　round　about　me；　but
they　won't　grieve　too　much　when　I　am　gone。　　I　am　very
rich；　and　they　want　my　inheritanceor　very　poor；　and
they　are　tired　of　supporting　me。〃
The　period　of　mourning　for　Mrs。　Sedley's　death　was
only　just　concluded；　and　Jos　scarcely　had　had　time　to
cast　off　his　black　and　appear　in　the　splendid　waistcoats
which　he　loved；　when　it　became　evident　to　those　about
Mr。　Sedley　that　another　event　was　at　hand；　and　that　the
old　man　was　about　to　go　seek　for　his　wife　in　the　dark　land
whither　she　had　preceded　him。　　〃The　state　of　my　father's
health；〃　Jos　Sedley　solemnly　remarked　at　the　Club；
〃prevents　me　from　giving　any　LARGE　parties　this　season：　　but　if
you　will　come　in　quietly　at　half…past　six；　Chutney；　my
boy；　and　fake　a　homely　dinner　with　one　or　two　of　the
old　setI　shall　be　always　glad　to　see　you。〃　So　Jos　and
his　acquaintances　dined　and　drank　their　claret　among
themselves　in　silence；　whilst　the　sands　of　life　were
running　out　in　the　old　man's　glass　upstairs。　　The　velvet…footed
butler　brought　them　their　wine；　and　they　composed
themselves　to　a　rubber　after　dinner；　at　which　Major　Dobbin
would　sometimes　come　and　take　a　hand；　and　Mrs。
Osborne　would　occasionally　descend；　when　her　patient
above　was　settled　for　the　night；　and　had　commenced　one
of　those　lightly　troubled　slumbers　which　visit　the　pillow
of　old　age。
The　old　man　clung　to　his　daughter　during　this
sickness。　　He　would　take　his　broths　and　medicines　from
scarcely　any　other　hand。　　To　tend　him　became　almost　the
sole　business　of　her　life。　　Her　bed　was　placed　close　by　the
door　which　opened　into　his　chamber；　and　she　was　alive
at　the　slightest　noise　or　disturbance　from　the　couch　of
the　querulous　invalid。　　Though；　to　do　him　justice；　he　lay
awake　many　an　hour；　silent　and　without　stirring；
unwilling　to　awaken　his　kind　and　vigilant　nurse。
He　loved　his　daughter　with　more　fondness　now；
perhaps；　than　ever　he　had　done　since　the　days　of　her
childhood。　　In　the　discharge　of　gentle　offices　and　kind　filial
duties；　this　simple　creature　shone　most　especially。　　〃She
walks　into　the　room　as　silently　as　a　sunbeam；〃　Mr。
Dobbin　thought　as　he　saw　her　passing　in　and　out　from　her
father's　room；　a　cheerful　sweetness　lighting　up　her　face
as　she　moved　to　and　fro；　graceful　and　noiseless。　　When
women　are　brooding　over　their　children；　or　busied　in　a
sick…room；　who　has　not　seen　in　their　faces　those　sweet
angelic　beams　of　love　and　pity？
A　secret　feud　of　some　years'　standing　was　thus
healed；　and　with　a　tacit　reconciliation。　　In　these　last
hours；　and　touched　by　her　love　and　goodness；　the　old
man　forgot　all　his　grief　against　her；　and　wrongs　which
he　and　his　wife　had　many　a　long　night　debated：　　how　she
had　given　up　everything　for　her　boy；　how　she　was
careless　of　her　parents　in　their　old　age　and　misfortune；　and
only　thought　of　the　child；　how　absurdly　and　foolishly；
impiously　indeed；　she　took　on　when　George　was
removed　from　her。　　Old　Sedley　forgot　these　charges　as　he
was　making　up　his　last　account；　and　did　justice　to　the
gentle　and　uncomplaining　little　martyr。　　One　night　when
she　stole　into　his　room；　she　found　him　awake；　when　the
broken　old　man　made　his　confession。　　〃Oh；　Emmy；　I've
been　thinking　we　were　very　unkind　and　unjust　to　you；〃
he　said　and　put　out　his　cold　and　feeble　hand　to　her。　　She
knelt　down　and　prayed　by　his　bedside；　as　he　did　too；
having　still　hold　of　her　hand。　　When　our　turn　comes；　friend；
may　we　have　such　company　in　our　prayers！
Perhaps