vanity fair(名利场)-第64章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


over　by　ever　so　many　guardian　angels；　with　and　without
wages？　　Bon　Dieu；　I　say；　is　it　not　hard　that　the　fateful
rush　of　the　great　Imperial　struggle　can't　take　place　without
affecting　a　poor　little　harmless　girl　of　eighteen；　who
is　occupied　in　billing　and　cooing；　or　working　muslin
collars　in　Russell　Square？　　You　too；　kindly；　homely　flower！
is　the　great　roaring　war　tempest　coming　to　sweep　you
down；　here；　although　cowering　under　the　shelter　of
Holborn？　　Yes；　Napoleon　is　flinging　his　last　stake；　and　poor
little　Emmy　Sedley's　happiness　forms；　somehow；　part　of　it。
　　
In　the　first　place；　her　father's　fortune　was　swept　down
with　that　fatal　news。　　All　his　speculations　had　of　late　gone
wrong　with　the　luckless　old　gentleman。　　Ventures　had
failed；　merchants　had　broken；　funds　had　risen　when　he
calculated　they　would　fall。　　What　need　to　particularize？
If　success　is　rare　and　slow；　everybody　knows　how　quick
and　easy　ruin　is。　　Old　Sedley　had　kept　his　own　sad　counsel。
Everything　seemed　to　go　on　as　usual　in　the　quiet；
opulent　house；　the　good…natured　mistress　pursuing；　quite
unsuspiciously；　her　bustling　idleness；　and　daily　easy
avocations；　the　daughter　absorbed　still　in　one　selfish；　tender
thought；　and　quite　regardless　of　all　the　world　besides；
when　that　final　crash　came；　under　which　the　worthy
family　fell。
　　
One　night　Mrs。　Sedley　was　writing　cards　for　a　party；
the　Osbornes　had　given　one；　and　she　must　not　be
behindhand；　John　Sedley；　who　had　come　home　very　late　from
the　City；　sate　silent　at　the　chimney　side；　while　his　wife
was　prattling　to　him；　Emmy　had　gone　up　to　her　room
ailing　and　low…spirited。　　〃She's　not　happy；〃　the　mother
went　on。　　〃George　Osborne　neglects　her。　　I've　no　patience
with　the　airs　of　those　people。　　The　girls　have　not　been　in
the　house　these　three　weeks；　and　George　has　been　twice
in　town　without　coming。　　Edward　Dale　saw　him　at　the
Opera。　　Edward　would　marry　her　I'm　sure：　and　there's
Captain　Dobbin　who；　I　think；　wouldonly　I　hate　all
army　men。　　Such　a　dandy　as　George　has　become。　　With
his　military　airs；　indeed！　　We　must　show　some　folks　that
we're　as　good　as　they。　　Only　give　Edward　Dale　any
encouragement；　and　you'll　see。　　We　must　have　a　party；　Mr。
S。　　Why　don't　you　speak；　John？　　Shall　I　say　Tuesday　fortnight？
Why　don't　you　answer？　Good　God；　John；　what　has　happened？〃
　　
John　Sedley　sprang　up　out　of　his　chair　to　meet　his
wife；　who　ran　to　him。　　He　seized　her　in　his　arms；　and
said　with　a　hasty　voice；　〃We're　ruined；　Mary。　　We've
got　the　world　to　begin　over　again；　dear。　　It's　best　that　you
should　know　all；　and　at　once。〃　　As　he　spoke；　he　trembled
in　every　limb；　and　almost　fell。　　He　thought　the　news　would
have　overpowered　his　wifehis　wife；　to　whom　he　had
never　said　a　hard　word。　　But　it　was　he　that　was　the　most
moved；　sudden　as　the　shock　was　to　her。　　When　he　sank
back　into　his　seat；　it　was　the　wife　that　took　the　office　of
consoler。　　She　took　his　trembling　hand；　and　kissed　it；　and
put　it　round　her　neck：　she　called　him　her　Johnher　dear
Johnher　old　manher　kind　old　man；　she　poured　out　a
hundred　words　of　incoherent　love　and　tenderness；　her
faithful　voice　and　simple　caresses　wrought　this　sad　heart
up　to　an　inexpressible　delight　and　anguish；　and　cheered
and　solaced　his　over…burdened　soul。
　　
Only　once　in　the　course　of　the　long　night　as　they　sate
together；　and　poor　Sedley　opened　his　pent…up　soul；　and
told　the　story　of　his　losses　and　embarrassmentsthe
treason　of　some　of　his　oldest　friends；　the　manly　kindness
of　some；　from　whom　he　never　could　have　expected　itin
a　general　confessiononly　once　did　the　faithful　wife　give
way　to　emotion。
　　
〃My　God；　my　God；　it　will　break　Emmy's　heart；〃　she
said。
　　
The　father　had　forgotten　the　poor　girl。　　She　was　lying；
awake　and　unhappy；　overhead。　　In　the　midst　of　friends；
home；　and　kind　parents；　she　was　alone。　　To　how　many
people　can　any　one　tell　all？　　Who　will　be　open　where　there
is　no　sympathy；　or　has　call　to　speak　to　those　who　never
can　understand？　　Our　gentle　Amelia　was　thus　solitary。　　She
had　no　confidante；　so　to　speak；　ever　since　she　had　anything
to　confide。　　She　could　not　tell　the　old　mother　her
doubts　and　cares；　the　would…be　sisters　seemed　every　day
more　strange　to　her。　　And　she　had　misgivings　and　fears
which　she　dared　not　acknowledge　to　herself；　though　she
was　always　secretly　brooding　over　them。
Her　heart　tried　to　persist　in　asserting　that　George
Osborne　was　worthy　and　faithful　to　her；　though　she　knew
otherwise。　　How　many　a　thing　had　she　said；　and　got　no
echo　from　him。　　How　many　suspicions　of　selfishness　and
indifference　had　she　to　encounter　and　obstinately
overcome。　　To　whom　could　the　poor　little　martyr　tell　these
daily　struggles　and　tortures？　　Her　hero　himself　only　half
understood　her。　　She　did　not　dare　to　own　that　the　man　she
loved　was　her　inferior；　or　to　feel　that　she　had　given　her
heart　away　too　soon。　　Given　once；　the　pure　bashful
maiden　was　too　modest；　too　tender；　too　trustful；　too
weak；　too　much　woman　to　recall　it。　　We　are　Turks　with
the　affections　of　our　women；　and　have　made　them
subscribe　to　our　doctrine　too。　　We　let　their　bodies　go　abroad
liberally　enough；　with　smiles　and　ringlets　and　pink
bonnets　to　disguise　them　instead　of　veils　and　yakmaks。　　But
their　souls　must　be　seen　by　only　one　man；　and　they　obey
not　unwillingly；　and　consent　to　remain　at　home　as　our
slavesministering　to　us　and　doing　drudgery　for　us。
So　imprisoned　and　tortured　was　this　gentle　little　heart；
when　in　the　month　of　March；　Anno　Domini　1815；
Napoleon　landed　at　Cannes；　and　Louis　XVIII　fled；　and　all
Europe　was　in　alarm；　and　the　funds　fell；　and　old　John
Sedley　was　ruined。
We　are　not　going　to　follow　the　worthy　old　stockbroker
through　those　last　pangs　and　agonies　of　ruin　through
which　he　passed　before　his　commercial　demise　befell。
They　declared　him　at　the　Stock　Exchange；　he　was
absent　from　his　house　of　business：　his　bills　were　protested：
his　act　of　bankruptcy　formal。　　The　house　and　furniture　of
Russell　Square　were　seized　and　sold　up；　and　he　and　his
family　were　thrust　away；　as　we　have　seen；　to　hide　their
heads　where　they　might。
John　Sedley　had　not　the　heart　to　review　the　domestic
establishment　who　have　appeared　now　and　anon　in　our
pages　and　of　whom　he　was　now　forced　by　poverty　to
take　leave。　　The　wages　of　those　worthy　people　were
discharged　with　that　punctuality　which　men　frequently　show
who　only　owe　in　great　sumsthey　were　sorry　to　leave
good　placesbut　they　did　not　break　their　hearts　at　parting
from　their　adored　master　and　mistress。　　Amelia's　maid
was　profuse　in　condolences；　but　went　off　quite　resigned
to　better　herself　in　a　genteeler　quarter　of　the　town。　　Black
Sambo；　with　the　infatuation　of　his　profession；　determined
on　setting　up　a　public…house。　　Honest　old　Mrs。　Blenkinsop
indeed；　who　had　seen　the　birth　of　Jos　and　Amelia；　and
the　wooing　of　John　Sedley　and　his　wife；　was　for　staying
by　them　without　wages；　having　amassed　a　considerable
sum　in　their　service：　and　she　accompanied　the　fallen
people　into　their　new　and　humble　place　of　refuge；　where
she　tended　them　and　grumbled　against　them　for　a　while。
Of　all　Sedley's　opponents　in　his　debates　with　his　creditors
which　now　ensued；　and　harassed　the　feelings　of　the
humiliated　old　gentleman　so　severely；　that　in　six　weeks　he
oldened　more　than　he　had　done　for　fifteen　years　before
the　most　determined　and　obstinate　seemed　to　be　John
Osborne；　his　old　friend　and　neighbourJohn　Osborne；
whom　he　had　set　up　in　lifewho　was　under　a　hundred
obligations　to　himand　whose　son　was　to　marry　Sedley's
daughter。　　Any　one　of　these　circumstances　would　account
for　the　bitterness　of　Osborne's　opposition。
When　one　man　has　been　under　very　remarkable
obligations　to　another；　with　whom　he　subsequently　quarrels；
a　common　sense　of　decency；　as　it　were；　makes　of　the
former　a　much　severer　enemy　than　a　mere　stranger
would　be。　　To　account　for　your　own　hard…heartedness　and
ingratitude　in　such　a　case；　you　are　bound　to　prove　the
other　party's　crime。　　It　is　not　that　you　are　selfish；　brutal；
and　angry　at　the　failure　of　a　speculationno；　noit　is
that　your　partner　has　led　you　into　it　by　the　basest　treachery
and　with　the　most　sinister　motives。　　From　a　mere
sense　of　consistency；　a　persecutor　is　bound　to　show　that
the　fallen　man　is　a　villainotherwise　he；　the　persecutor；
is　a　wretch　himself。
And　as　a　general　rule；　which　may　make　all　creditors
who　are　inclined　to　be　severe　pretty　comfortable　in　their
minds；　no　men　embarrassed　are　altogether　honest；　very
likely。　　They　conceal　something；　they　exaggerate　chances
of　good　luck；　hide　away　the　real　state　of　affairs；　say　that
things　are　flourishing　when　they　are　hopeless；　keep　a
smiling　face　（a　dreary　smile　it　is）　upon　the　verge　of
bankruptcyare　ready　to　lay　hold　of　any　pretext　for
delay　or　of　any　money；　so　as　to　stave　off　the　inevitable
ruin　a　few　days　longer。　　〃Down　with　such　dishonesty；〃
says　the　creditor　in　triumph；　and　reviles　his　sinking
enemy。　　〃You　fool；　why　do　you　catch　at　a　straw？〃　calm
good　sense　says　to　the　man　that　is　drowning。　　〃You　villain；
why　do　you　shrink　from　plunging　into　the　irretrievable
Gazette？〃　says　prosperity　to　the　poor　devil　battling　in
that　black　gulf。　　Who　has　not　remarked　the　readiness　with
which　the　closest　of　friends　and　honestest　of　men　suspect
and　accuse　each　other　of　cheating　when　they　fall　out
on　money　matters？　Everybody　does　it。　　Everybody　is　right；
I　suppose；　and　the　world　is　a　rogue。
Then　Osborne　had　the　intolerable　sense　of　former
benefits　to　goad　and　irritate　him：　these　are　always　a
cause　of　hostility　aggravated。　　Finally；　he　had　to　break　off
the　match　between　Sedley's　daughter　and　his　son；　and
as　it　had　gone　very　far　indeed；　and　as　the　poor　girl's
happiness　and　perhaps　character　were　compromised；　it　was
necessary　to　show　the　strongest　reasons　for　the　rupture；
and　for　John　Osborne　to　prove　John　Sedley　to　be　a　very
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