vanity fair(名利场)-第44章

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which　does　them　honour。　　I'm　a　plain；　simple；　humble
British　merchantan　honest　one；　as　my　respected　friends
Hulker　and　Bullock　will　vouch；　who　were　the　correspondents
of　your　late　lamented　father。　　You'll　find　us　a
united；　simple；　happy；　and　I　think　I　may　say　respected；
familya　plain　table；　a　plain　people；　but　a　warm　welcome；
my　dear　Miss　RhodaRhoda；　let　me　say；　for　my
heart　warms　to　you；　it　does　really。　　I'm　a　frank　man；　and
I　like　you。　　A　glass　of　Champagne！　　Hicks；　Champagne　to
Miss　Swartz。〃
There　is　little　doubt　that　old　Osborne　believed　all　he
said；　and　that　the　girls　were　quite　earnest　in　their
protestations　of　affection　for　Miss　Swartz。　　People　in　Vanity
Fair　fasten　on　to　rich　folks　quite　naturally。　　If　the　simplest
people　are　disposed　to　look　not　a　little　kindly　on
great　Prosperity　（for　I　defy　any　member　of　the　British
public　to　say　that　the　notion　of　Wealth　has　not　something
awful　and　pleasing　to　him；　and　you；　if　you　are　told　that
the　man　next　you　at　dinner　has　got　half　a　million；　not　to
look　at　him　with　a　certain　interest）if　the　simple　look
benevolently　on　money；　how　much　more　do　your　old
worldlings　regard　it！　　Their　affections　rush　out　to　meet　and
welcome　money。　　Their　kind　sentiments　awaken　spontaneously
　towards　the　interesting　possessors　of　it。　　I　know
some　respectable　people　who　don't　consider　themselves
at　liberty　to　indulge　in　friendship　for　any　individual　who
has　not　a　certain　competency；　or　place　in　society。　　They
give　a　loose　to　their　feelings　on　proper　occasions。　　And
the　proof　is；　that　the　major　part　of　the　Osborne　family；
who　had　not；　in　fifteen　years；　been　able　to　get　up　a
hearty　regard　for　Amelia　Sedley；　became　as　fond　of　Miss
Swartz　in　the　course　of　a　single　evening　as　the　most
romantic　advocate　of　friendship　at　first　sight　could　desire。
What　a　match　for　George　she'd　be　（the　sisters　and
Miss　Wirt　agreed）；　and　how　much　better　than　that
insignificant　little　Amelia！　　Such　a　dashing　young　fellow　as
he　is；　with　his　good　looks；　rank；　and　accomplishments；
would　be　the　very　husband　for　her。　　Visions　of　balls　in
Portland　Place；　presentations　at　Court；　and　introductions
to　half　the　peerage；　filled　the　minds　of　the　young　ladies；
who　talked　of　nothing　but　George　and　his　grand
acquaintances　to　their　beloved　new　friend。
Old　Osborne　thought　she　would　be　a　great　match；　too；
for　his　son。　　He　should　leave　the　army；　he　should　go　into
Parliament；　he　should　cut　a　figure　in　the　fashion　and　in
the　state。　　His　blood　boiled　with　honest　British　exultation；
as　he　saw　the　name　of　Osborne　ennobled　in　the　person
of　his　son；　and　thought　that　he　might　be　the　progenitor　of
a　glorious　line　of　baronets。　　He　worked　in　the　City　and　on
'Change；　until　he　knew　everything　relating　to　the　fortune
of　the　heiress；　how　her　money　was　placed；　and　where　her
estates　lay。　　Young　Fred　Bullock；　one　of　his　chief　informants；
would　have　liked　to　make　a　bid　for　her　himself
（it　was　so　the　young　banker　expressed　it）；　only　he　was
booked　to　Maria　Osborne。　　But　not　being　able　to　secure
her　as　a　wife；　the　disinterested　Fred　quite　approved　of　her
as　a　sister…in…law。　　〃Let　George　cut　in　directly　and　win
her；〃　was　his　advice。　　〃Strike　while　the　iron's　hot；　you
knowwhile　she's　fresh　to　the　town：　in　a　few　weeks
some　d　fellow　from　the　West　End　will　come　in　with　a
title　and　a　rotten　rent…roll　and　cut　all　us　City　men　out；　as
Lord　Fitzrufus　did　last　year　with　Miss　Grogram；　who　was
actually　engaged　to　Podder；　of　Podder　&　Brown's。　　The
sooner　it　is　done　the　better；　Mr。　Osborne；　them's　my
sentiments；〃　the　wag　said；　though；　when　Osborne　had　left
the　bank　parlour；　Mr。　Bullock　remembered　Amelia；　and
what　a　pretty　girl　she　was；　and　how　attached　to　George
Osborne；　and　he　gave　up　at　least　ten　seconds　of　his
valuable　time　to　regretting　the　misfortune　which　had
befallen　that　unlucky　young　woman。
While　thus　George　Osborne's　good　feelings；　and　his
good　friend　and　genius；　Dobbin；　were　carrying　back　the
truant　to　Amelia's　feet；　George's　parent　and　sisters　were
arranging　this　splendid　match　for　him；　which　they　never
dreamed　he　would　resist。
When　the　elder　Osborne　gave　what　he　called　〃a　hint；〃
there　was　no　possibility　for　the　most　obtuse　to　mistake
his　meaning。　　He　called　kicking　a　footman　downstairs　a
hint　to　the　latter　to　leave　his　service。　　With　his　usual
frankness　and　delicacy　he　told　Mrs。　Haggistoun　that　he
would　give　her　a　cheque　for　five　thousand　pounds　on　the
day　his　son　was　married　to　her　ward；　and　called　that
proposal　a　hint；　and　considered　it　a　very　dexterous　piece
of　diplomacy。　　He　gave　George　finally　such　another　hint
regarding　the　heiress；　and　ordered　him　to　marry　her　out
of　hand；　as　he　would　have　ordered　his　butler　to　draw　a
cork；　or　his　clerk　to　write　a　letter。
This　imperative　hint　disturbed　George　a　good　deal。　　He
was　in　the　very　first　enthusiasm　and　delight　of　his　second
courtship　of　Amelia；　which　was　inexpressibly　sweet
to　him。　　The　contrast　of　her　manners　and　appearance　with
those　of　the　heiress；　made　the　idea　of　a　union　with　the
latter　appear　doubly　ludicrous　and　odious。　　Carriages　and
opera…boxes；　thought　he；　fancy　being　seen　in　them　by　the
side　of　such　a　mahogany　charmer　as　that！　　Add　to　all
that　the　junior　Osborne　was　quite　as　obstinate　as　the
senior：　when　he　wanted　a　thing；　quite　as　firm　in　his
resolution　to　get　it；　and　quite　as　violent　when　angered；
as　his　father　in　his　most　stern　moments。
On　the　first　day　when　his　father　formally　gave　him　the
hint　that　he　was　to　place　his　affections　at　Miss　Swartz's
feet；　George　temporised　with　the　old　gentleman。　　〃You
should　have　thought　of　the　matter　sooner；　sir；〃　he　said。
〃It　can't　be　done　now；　when　we're　expecting　every　day
to　go　on　foreign　service。　　Wait　till　my　return；　if　I　do
return〃；　and　then　he　represented；　that　the　time　when　the
regiment　was　daily　expecting　to　quit　England；　was
exceedingly　ill…chosen：　that　the　few　days　or　weeks　during
which　they　were　still　to　remain　at　home；　must　be
devoted　to　business　and　not　to　love…making：　time　enough
for　that　when　he　came　home　with　his　majority；　〃for；　I
promise　you；〃　said　he；　with　a　satisfied　air；　〃that　one
way　or　other　you　shall　read　the　name　of　George　Osborne
in　the　Gazette。〃
The　father's　reply　to　this　was　founded　upon　the
information　which　he　had　got　in　the　City：　that　the　West
End　chaps　would　infallibly　catch　hold　of　the　heiress　if
any　delay　took　place：　that　if　he　didn't　marry　Miss　S。；　he
might　at　least　have　an　engagement　in　writing；　to　come
into　effect　when　he　returned　to　England；　and　that　a　man
who　could　get　ten　thousand　a　year　by　staying　at　home；
was　a　fool　to　risk　his　life　abroad。
〃So　that　you　would　have　me　shown　up　as　a　coward；　sir；
and　our　name　dishonoured　for　the　sake　of　Miss　Swartz's
money；〃　George　interposed。
This　remark　staggered　the　old　gentleman；　but　as　he
had　to　reply　to　it；　and　as　his　mind　was　nevertheless
made　up；　he　said；　〃You　will　dine　here　to…morrow；　sir；
and　every　day　Miss　Swartz　comes；　you　will　be　here　to
pay　your　respects　to　her。　　If　you　want　for　money；　call
upon　Mr。　Chopper。〃　Thus　a　new　obstacle　was　in　George's
way；　to　interfere　with　his　plans　regarding　Amelia；　and
about　which　he　and　Dobbin　had　more　than　one　confidential
　consultation。　　His　friend's　opinion　respecting　the
line　of　conduct　which　he　ought　to　pursue；　we　know
already。　　And　as　for　Osborne；　when　he　was　once　bent　on　a
thing；　a　fresh　obstacle　or　two　only　rendered　him　the
more　resolute。
The　dark　object　of　the　conspiracy　into　which　the　chiefs
of　the　Osborne　family　had　entered；　was　quite　ignorant　of
all　their　plans　regarding　her　（which；　strange　to　say；　her
friend　and　chaperon　did　not　divulge）；　and；　taking　all　the
young　ladies'　flattery　for　genuine　sentiment；　and　being；
as　we　have　before　had　occasion　to　show；　of　a　very
warm　and　impetuous　nature；　responded　to　their　affection
with　quite　a　tropical　ardour。　　And　if　the　truth　may　be　told；
I　dare　say　that　she　too　had　some　selfish　attraction　in　the
Russell　Square　house；　and　in　a　word；　thought　George
Osborne　a　very　nice　young　man。　　His　whiskers　had　made
an　impression　upon　her；　on　the　very　first　night　she
beheld　them　at　the　ball　at　Messrs。　Hulkers；　and；　as　we
know；　she　was　not　the　first　woman　who　had　been
charmed　by　them。　　George　had　an　air　at　once　swaggering
and　melancholy；　languid　and　fierce。　　He　looked　like　a
man　who　had　passions；　secrets；　and　private　harrowing
griefs　and　adventures。　　His　voice　was　rich　and　deep。　　He
would　say　it　was　a　warm　evening；　or　ask　his　partner　to
take　an　ice；　with　a　tone　as　sad　and　confidential　as　if　he
were　breaking　her　mother's　death　to　her；　or　preluding　a
declaration　of　love。　　He　trampled　over　all　the　young　bucks
of　his　father's　circle；　and　was　the　hero　among　those
third…rate　men。　　Some　few　sneered　at　him　and　hated　him。
Some；　like　Dobbin；　fanatically　admired　him。　　And　his　whiskers
had　begun　to　do　their　work；　and　to　curl　themselves
round　the　affections　of　Miss　Swartz。
Whenever　there　was　a　chance　of　meeting　him　in　Russell
Square；　that　simple　and　good…natured　young　woman
was　quite　in　a　flurry　to　see　her　dear　Misses　Osborne。　　She
went　to　great　expenses　in　new　gowns；　and　bracelets；　and
bonnets；　and　in　prodigious　feathers。　　She　adorned　her
person　with　her　utmost　skill　to　please　the　Conqueror；
and　exhibited　all　her　simple　accomplishments　to　win　his
favour。　　The　girls　would　ask　her；　with　the　greatest
gravity；　for　a　little　music；　and　she　would　sing　her　three
songs　and　play　her　two　little　pieces　as　often　as　ever
they　asked；　and　with　an　always　increasing　pleasure　to
herself。　　During　these　delectable　entertainments；　Miss
Wirt　and　the　chaperon　sate　by；　and　conned　over　the
peerage；　and　talked　about　the　nobility。
The　day　after　George　had　his　hint　from　his　father；　and
a　short　time　before　the　hour　of　dinner；　he　was　lolling
upon　a　sofa　in　the　drawing…room　in　a　very　becoming
and　perfectly　natural　attitude　of　melancholy。　　He　had
been；　at　his　father's　request；　to　Mr。　Chopper　in　the　City
（the　old…gentleman；　though　he　gave　great　sums　to　his
son；　would　never　specify　any　fixed　allowance　for　him；
and　rewarded　him　only　as　he　was　in　the　humour）。　　He
had　then　been　to　pass　three　hours　with　Amelia；　his
dear　little　Amelia；　at　Fulham；　and　he　came　home　to
find　his　sisters　spread　in　starched　muslin　in　the　drawing…
room；　the　dowagers　cackling　in　the　background；　and
honest　Swartz　in　her　favourite　amber…coloured　satin；　with
turquoise　bracelets；　countless　rings；　flowers；　feathers；　and
all　sorts　of　tags　and　gimcracks；　about　as　elegantly
decorated　as　a　she　chimney…sweep　on　May…day。
The　girls；　after　vain　attempts　to　engage　him　in　conversation；
talked　about　fashions　and　the　last　drawing…room
until　he　was　perfectly　sick　of　their　chatter。　　He
contrasted　their　behaviour　with　little　Emmy'stheir
shrill　voices　with　her　tender　ringing　tones；　their　attitudes
and　their　elbows　and　their　starch；　with　her　humble　soft
movements　and　modest　graces。　　Poor　Swartz　was　seated
in　a　place　where　Emmy　had　been　accustomed　to　sit。
Her　bejewelled　hands　lay　sprawling　in　her　amber　satin
lap。　　Her　tags　and　ear…rings　twinkled；　and　her　big　eyes
rolled　about。　　She　was　doing　nothing　with　perfect　contentment；
and　thinking　herself　charming。　　Anything　so　becoming
as　the　satin　the　sisters　had　never　seen。
〃Dammy；〃　George　said