vanity fair(名利场)-第38章

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bad　character　indeed。
At　the　meetings　of　creditors；　then；　he　comported　himself
with　a　savageness　and　scorn　towards　Sedley；　which
almost　succeeded　in　breaking　the　heart　of　that　ruined
bankrupt　man。　　On　George's　intercourse　with　Amelia　he
put　an　instant　vetomenacing　the　youth　with　maledictions
if　he　broke　his　commands；　and　vilipending　the
poor　innocent　girl　as　the　basest　and　most　artful　of　vixens。
One　of　the　great　conditions　of　anger　and　hatred　is；　that
you　must　tell　and　believe　lies　against　the　hated　object；　in
order；　as　we　said；　to　be　consistent。
When　the　great　crash　camethe　announcement　of
ruin；　and　the　departure　from　Russell　Square；　and　the
declaration　that　all　was　over　between　her　and　Georgeall
over　between　her　and　love；　her　and　happiness；　her　and
faith　in　the　worlda　brutal　letter　from　John　Osborne
told　her　in　a　few　curt　lines　that　her　father's　conduct　had
been　of　such　a　nature　that　all　engagements　between　the
families　were　at　an　endwhen　the　final　award　came；　it
did　not　shock　her　so　much　as　her　parents；　as　her　mother
rather　expected　（for　John　Sedley　himself　was　entirely
prostrate　in　the　ruins　of　his　own　affairs　and　shattered
honour）。　　Amelia　took　the　news　very　palely　and　calmly。
It　was　only　the　confirmation　of　the　dark　presages　which
had　long　gone　before。　　It　was　the　mere　reading　of　the
sentenceof　the　crime　she　had　long　ago　been　guiltythe
crime　of　loving　wrongly；　too　violently；　against　reason。
She　told　no　more　of　her　thoughts　now　than　she　had
before。　　She　seemed　scarcely　more　unhappy　now　when
convinced　all　hope　was　over；　than　before　when　she　felt　but
dared　not　confess　that　it　was　gone。　　So　she　changed　from
the　large　house　to　the　small　one　without　any　mark　or
difference；　remained　in　her　little　room　for　the　most　part；
pined　silently；　and　died　away　day　by　day。　　I　do　not　mean
to　say　that　all　females　are　so。　　My　dear　Miss　Bullock；　I
do　not　think　your　heart　would　break　in　this　way。　　You　are
a　strong…minded　young　woman　with　proper　principles。
I　do　not　venture　to　say　that　mine　would；　it　has　suffered；
and；　it　must　be　confessed；　survived。　　But　there　are　some
souls　thus　gently　constituted；　thus　frail；　and　delicate；　and
tender。
Whenever　old　John　Sedley　thought　of　the　affair
between　George　and　Amelia；　or　alluded　to　it；　it　was　with
bitterness　almost　as　great　as　Mr。　Osborne　himself　had
shown。　　He　cursed　Osborne　and　his　family　as　heartless；
wicked；　and　ungrateful。　　No　power　on　earth；　he　swore；
would　induce　him　to　marry　his　daughter　to　the　son　of
such　a　villain；　and　he　ordered　Emmy　to　banish　George
from　her　mind；　and　to　return　all　the　presents　and　letters
which　she　had　ever　had　from　him。
She　promised　acquiescence；　and　tried　to　obey。　　She　put
up　the　two　or　three　trinkets：　and；　as　for　the　letters；　she
drew　them　out　of　the　place。where　she　kept　them；　and
read　them　overas　if　she　did　not　know　them　by　heart
already：　but　she　could　not　part　with　them。　　That　effort
was　too　much　for　her；　she　placed　them　back　in　her
bosom　againas　you　have　seen　a　woman　nurse　a　child
that　is　dead。　　Young　Amelia　felt　that　she　would　die　or　lose
her　senses　outright；　if　torn　away　from　this　last　consolation。
How　she　used　to　blush　and　lighten　up　when　those
letters　came！　　How　she　used　to　trip　away　with　a　beating
heart；　so　that　she　might　read　unseen！　　If　they　were　cold；
yet　how　perversely　this　fond　little　soul　interpreted　them
into　warmth。　　If　they　were　short　or　selfish；　what　excuses
she　found　for　the　writer！
It　was　over　these　few　worthless　papers　that　she　brooded
and　brooded。　　She　lived　in　her　past　lifeevery　letter
seemed　to　recall　some　circumstance　of　it。　　How　well　she
remembered　them　all！　　His　looks　and　tones；　his　dress；
what　he　said　and　howthese　relics　and　remembrances
of　dead　affection　were　all　that　were　left　her　in　the　world。
And　the　business　of　her　life；　wasto　watch　the　corpse
of　Love。
To　death　she　looked　with　inexpressible　longing。　　Then；
she　thought；　I　shall　always　be　able　to　follow　him。　　I　am　not
praising　her　conduct　or　setting　her　up　as　a　model　for
Miss　Bullock　to　imitate。　　Miss　B。　knows　how　to　regulate
her　feelings　better　than　this　poor　little　creature。　　Miss　B。
would　never　have　committed　herself　as　that　imprudent
Amelia　had　done；　pledged　her　love　irretrievably；
confessed　her　heart　away；　and　got　back　nothingonly　a
brittle　promise　which　was　snapt　and　worthless　in　a
moment。　　A　long　engagement　is　a　partnership　which　one
party　is　free　to　keep　or　to　break；　but　which　involves　all
the　capital　of　the　other。
Be　cautious　then；　young　ladies；　be　wary　how　you
engage。　　Be　shy　of　loving　frankly；　never　tell　all　you　feel；　or
（a　better　way　still）；　feel　very　little。　　See　the　consequences
of　being　prematurely　honest　and　confiding；　and　mistrust
yourselves　and　everybody。　　Get　yourselves　married　as　they
do　in　France；　where　the　lawyers　are　the　bridesmaids　and
confidantes。　　At　any　rate；　never　have　any　feelings　which
may　make　you　uncomfortable；　or　make　any　promises
which　you　cannot　at　any　required　moment　command　and
withdraw。　　That　is　the　way　to　get　on；　and　be　respected；
and　have　a　virtuous　character　in　Vanity　Fair。
If　Amelia　could　have　heard　the　comments　regarding
her　which　were　made　in　the　circle　from　which　her　father's
ruin　had　just　driven　her；　she　would　have　seen　what　her
own　crimes　were；　and　how　entirely　her　character　was
jeopardised。　　Such　criminal　imprudence　Mrs。　Smith　never
knew　of；　such　horrid　familiarities　Mrs。　Brown　had
always　condemned；　and　the　end　might　be　a　warning　to　HER
daughters。　　〃Captain　Osborne；　of　course；　could　not　marry
a　bankrupt's　daughter；〃　the　Misses　Dobbin　said。　　〃It　was
quite　enough　to　have　been　swindled　by　the　father。　　As　for
that　little　Amelia；　her　folly　had　really　passed　all〃
〃All　what？〃　Captain　Dobbin　roared　out。　　〃Haven't　they
been　engaged　ever　since　they　were　children？　　Wasn't　it
as　good　as　a　marriage？　　Dare　any　soul　on　earth　breathe　a
word　against　the　sweetest；　the　purest；　the　tenderest；　the
most　angelical　of　young　women？〃
〃La；　William；　don't　be　so　highty…tighty　with　US。　　We're
not　men。　　We　can't　fight　you；〃　Miss　Jane　said。　　〃We've　said
nothing　against　Miss　Sedley：　but　that　her　conduct
throughout　was　MOST　IMPRUDENT；　not　to　call　it　by　any
worse　name；　and　that　her　parents　are　people　who
certainly　merit　their　misfortunes。〃
〃Hadn't　you　better；　now　that　Miss　Sedley　is　free；
propose　for　her　yourself；　William？〃　Miss　Ann　asked
sarcastically。　　〃It　would　be　a　most　eligible　family
connection。　　He！　　he！〃
〃I　marry　her！〃　Dobbin　said；　blushing　very　much；　and
talking　quick。　　〃If　you　are　so　ready；　young　ladies；　to　chop
and　change；　do　you　suppose　that　she　is？　　Laugh　and　sneer
at　that　angel。　　She　can't　hear　it；　and　she's　miserable　and
unfortunate；　and　deserves　to　be　laughed　at。　　Go　on
joking；　Ann。　　You're　the　wit　of　the　family；　and　the　others
like　to　hear　it。〃
〃I　must　tell　you　again　we're　not　in　a　barrack；　William；〃
Miss　Ann　remarked。
〃In　a　barrack；　by　JoveI　wish　anybody　in　a　barrack
would　say　what　you　do；〃　cried　out　this　uproused　British
lion。　　〃I　should　like　to　hear　a　man　breathe　a　word　against
her；　by　Jupiter。　　But　men　don't　talk　in　this　way；　Ann：　it's
only　women；　who　get　together　and　hiss；　and　shriek；　and
cackle。　　There；　get　awaydon't　begin　to　cry。　　I　only　said
you　were　a　couple　of　geese；〃　Will　Dobbin　said；　perceiving
Miss　Ann's　pink　eyes　were　beginning　to　moisten　as
usual。　　〃Well；　you're　not　geese；　you're　swansanything
you　like；　only　do；　do　leave　Miss　Sedley　alone。〃
Anything　like　William's　infatuation　about　that　silly　little
flirting；　ogling　thing　was　never　known；　the　mamma
and　sisters　agreed　together　in　thinking：　and　they　trembled
lest；　her　engagement　being　off　with　Osborne；　she　should
take　up　immediately　her　other　admirer　and　Captain。
In　which　forebodings　these　worthy　young　women　no
doubt　judged　according　to　the　best　of　their　experience；　or
rather　（for　as　yet　they　had　had　no　opportunities　of
marrying　or　of　jilting）　according　to　their　own　notions　of
right　and　wrong。
〃It　is　a　mercy；　Mamma；　that　the　regiment　is　ordered
abroad；〃　the　girls　said。　　〃THIS　danger；　at　any　rate；　is
spared　our　brother。〃
Such；　indeed；　was　the　fact；　and　so　it　is　that　the　French
Emperor　comes　in　to　perform　a　part　in　this　domestic
comedy　of　Vanity　Fair　which　we　are　now　playing；　and
which　would　never　have　been　enacted　without　the
intervention　of　this　august　mute　personage。　　It　was　he
that　ruined　the　Bourbons　and　Mr。　John　Sedley。　　It　was
he　whose　arrival　in　his　capital　called　up　all　France　in
arms　to　defend　him　there；　and　all　Europe　to　oust　him。
While　the　French　nation　and　army　were　swearing　fidelity
round　the　eagles　in　the　Champ　de　Mars；　four　mighty
European　hosts　were　getting　in　motion　for　the　great
chasse　a　l'aigle；　and　one　of　these　was　a　British　army；　of
which　two　heroes　of　ours；　Captain　Dobbin　and　Captain
Osborne；　formed　a　portion。
The　news　of　Napoleon's　escape　and　landing　was
received　by　the　gallant　th　with　a　fiery　delight　and
enthusiasm；　which　everybody　can　understand　who　knows
that　famous　corps。　　From　the　colonel　to　the　smallest
drummer　in　the　regiment；　all　were　filled　with　hope　and
ambition　and　patriotic　fury；　and　thanked　the　French　Emperor
as　for　a　personal　kindness　in　coming　to　disturb　the　peace
of　Europe。　　Now　was　the　time　the　th　had　so　long
panted　for；　to　show　their　comrades　in　arms　that　they
could　fight　as　well　as　the　Peninsular　veterans；　and　that
all　the　pluck　and　valour　of　the　th　had　not　been　killed
by　the　West　Indies　and　the　yellow　fever。　　Stubble　and
Spooney　looked　to　get　their　companies　without　purchase。
Before　the　end　of　the　campaign　（which　she　resolved
to　share）；　Mrs。　Major　O'Dowd　hoped　to　write
herself　Mrs。　Colonel　O'Dowd；　C。B。　　Our　two　friends
（Dobbin　and　Osborne）　were　quite　as　much　excited　as　the
rest：　and　each　in　his　wayMr。　Dobbin　very　quietly；　Mr。
Osborne　very　loudly　and　energeticallywas　bent　upon
doing　his　duty；　and　gaining　his　share　of　honour　and
distinction。
The　agitation　thrilling　through　the　country　and　army
in　consequence　of　this　news　was　so　great；　that　private
matters　were　little　heeded：　and　hence　probably　George
Osborne；　just　gazetted　to　his　company；　busy　with　preparations
for　the　march；　which　must　come　inevitably；　and
panting　for　further　promotionwas　not　so　much　affected
by　other　incidents　which　would　have　interested　him　at　a
more　quiet　period。　　He　was　not；　it　must　be　confessed；
very　much　cast　down　by　good　old　Mr。　Sedley's　catastrophe。
He　tried　his　new　uniform；　which　became　him
very　handsomely；　on　the　day　when　the　first　meeting　of
the　creditors　of　the　unfortunate　gentleman　took　place。
His　father　told　him　of　the　wicked；　rascally；　shameful
conduct　of　the　bankrupt；　reminded　him　of　what　he　had
said　about　Amelia；　and　that　their　connection　was　broken
off　for　ever；　and　gave　him　that　evening　a　good　sum　of
money　to　pay　for　the　new　clothes　and　epaulets　in　which
he　looked　so　well。　　Money　was　always　useful　to　this　free…
handed　young　fellow；　and　he　took　it　without　many　words。
The　bills　were　up　in　the　Sedley　house；　where　he　had
passed　so　many；　many　happy　hours。　　He　could　see
them　as　he　walked　from　home　that　night　（to　the　Old
Slaughters'；　where　he　put　up　when　in　town）　shining　white
in　the　moon。　　That　comfortable　home　was　shut；　then；　upon
Amelia　and　her　parents：　where　had　they　taken　refuge？
The