vanity fair(名利场)-第7章

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〃My　dear；〃　said　the　cotton…tassel　in　defence　of　his
conduct；　〃Jos　is　a　great　deal　vainer　than　you　ever　were
in　your　life；　and　that's　saying　a　good　deal。　　Though；　some
thirty　years　ago；　in　the　year　seventeen　hundred　and
eightywhat　was　it？perhaps　you　had　a　right　to　be
vainI　don't　say　no。　　But　I've　no　patience　with　Jos　and
his　dandified　modesty。　　It　is　out…Josephing　Joseph；　my　dear；
and　all　the　while　the　boy　is　only　thinking　of　himself；
and　what　a　fine　fellow　he　is。　　I　doubt；　Ma'am；　we　shall
have　some　trouble　with　him　yet。　　Here　is　Emmy's　little
friend　making　love　to　him　as　hard　as　she　can；　that's
quite　clear；　and　if　she　does　not　catch　him　some　other
will。　　That　man　is　destined　to　be　a　prey　to　woman；　as
I　am　to　go　on　'Change　every　day。　　It's　a　mercy　he　did
not　bring　us　over　a　black　daughter…in…law；　my　dear。　　But；
mark　my　words；　the　first　woman　who　fishes　for　him；
hooks　him。〃
〃She　shall　go　off　to…morrow；　the　little　artful　creature；〃
said　Mrs。　Sedley；　with　great　energy。
〃Why　not　she　as　well　as　another；　Mrs。　Sedley？　The
girl's　a　white　face　at　any　rate。　　I　don't　care　who　marries
him。　　Let　Joe　please　himself。〃
And　presently　the　voices　of　the　two　speakers　were
hushed；　or　were　replaced　by　the　gentle　but　unromantic
music　of　the　nose；　and　save　when　the　church　bells
tolled　the　hour　and　the　watchman　called　it；　all　was
silent　at　the　house　of　John　Sedley；　Esquire；　of　Russell
Square；　and　the　Stock　Exchange。
When　morning　came；　the　good…natured　Mrs。　Sedley　no
longer　thought　of　executing　her　threats　with　regard　to
Miss　Sharp；　for　though　nothing　is　more　keen；　nor　more
common；　nor　more　justifiable；　than　maternal　jealousy；
yet　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　suppose　that　the　little；
humble；　grateful；　gentle　governess　would　dare　to　look
up　to　such　a　magnificent　personage　as　the　Collector　of
Boggley　Wollah。　　The　petition；　too；　for　an　extension　of
the　young　lady's　leave　of　absence　had　already　been
despatched；　and　it　would　be　difficult　to　find　a　pretext　for
abruptly　dismissing　her。
And　as　if　all　things　conspired　in　favour　of　the　gentle
Rebecca；　the　very　elements　（although　she　was　not
inclined　at　first　to　acknowledge　their　action　in　her　behalf）
interposed　to　aid　her。　　For　on　the　evening　appointed　for
the　Vauxhall　party；　George　Osborne　having　come　to
dinner；　and　the　elders　of　the　house　having　departed；
according　to　invitation；　to　dine　with　Alderman　Balls　at
Highbury　Barn；　there　came　on　such　a　thunder…storm　as　only
happens　on　Vauxhall　nights；　and　as　obliged　the　young
people；　perforce；　to　remain　at　home。　　Mr。　Osborne　did
not　seem　in　the　least　disappointed　at　this　occurrence。
He　and　Joseph　Sedley　drank　a　fitting　quantity　of
port…wine；　tete…a…tete；　in　the　dining…room；　during　the
drinking　of　which　Sedley　told　a　number　of　his　best　Indian
stories；　for　he　was　extremely　talkative　in　man's　society；
and　afterwards　Miss　Amelia　Sedley　did　the　honours　of
the　drawing…room；　and　these　four　young　persons　passed
such　a　comfortable　evening　together；　that　they　declared
they　were　rather　glad　of　the　thunder…storm　than
otherwise；　which　had　caused　them　to　put　off　their
visit　to　Vauxhall。
Osborne　was　Sedley's　godson；　and　had　been　one　of　the
family　any　time　these　three…and…twenty　years。　　At　six
weeks　old；　he　had　received　from　John　Sedley　a　present
of　a　silver　cup；　at　six　months　old；　a　coral　with　gold
whistle　and　bells；　from　his　youth　upwards　he　was
〃tipped〃　regularly　by　the　old　gentleman　at　Christmas：
and　on　going　back　to　school；　he　remembered　perfectly
well　being　thrashed　by　Joseph　Sedley；　when　the　latter
was　a　big；　swaggering　hobbadyhoy；　and　George　an
impudent　urchin　of　ten　years　old。　　In　a　word；　George　was
as　familiar　with　the　family　as　such　daily　acts　of
kindness　and　intercourse　could　make　him。
〃Do　you　remember；　Sedley；　what　a　fury　you　were　in；
when　I　cut　off　the　tassels　of　your　Hessian　boots；　and
how　Misshem！how　Amelia　rescued　me　from　a
beating；　by　falling　down　on　her　knees　and　crying　out　to
her　brother　Jos；　not　to　beat　little　George？〃
Jos　remembered　this　remarkable　circumstance
perfectly　well；　but　vowed　that　he　had　totally
forgotten　it。
〃Well；　do　you　remember　coming　down　in　a　gig　to　Dr。
Swishtail's　to　see　me；　before　you　went　to　India；　and
giving　me　half　a　guinea　and　a　pat　on　the　head？　I　always
had　an　idea　that　you　were　at　least　seven　feet　high；　and
was　quite　astonished　at　your　return　from　India　to　find
you　no　taller　than　myself。〃
〃How　good　of　Mr。　Sedley　to　go　to　your　school　and
give　you　the　money！〃　exclaimed　Rebecca；　in　accents　of
extreme　delight。
〃Yes；　and　after　I　had　cut　the　tassels　of　his　boots　too。
Boys　never　forget　those　tips　at　school；　nor　the　givers。〃
〃I　delight　in　Hessian　boots；〃　said　Rebecca。　　Jos　Sedley；
who　admired　his　own　legs　prodigiously；　and　always
wore　this　ornamental　chaussure；　was　extremely　pleased
at　this　remark；　though　he　drew　his　legs　under　his　chair
as　it　was　made。
〃Miss　Sharp！〃　said　George　Osborne；　〃you　who　are
so　clever　an　artist；　you　must　make　a　grand　historical
picture　of　the　scene　of　the　boots。　　Sedley　shall　be
represented　in　buckskins；　and　holding　one　of　the
injured　boots　in　one　hand；　by　the　other　he　shall　have
hold　of　my　shirt…frill。　　Amelia　shall　be　kneeling　near　him；
with　her　little　hands　up；　and　the　picture　shall　have　a
grand　allegorical　title；　as　the　frontispieces　have　in　the
Medulla　and　the　spelling…book。〃
〃I　shan't　have　time　to　do　it　here；〃　said　Rebecca。　　'I'll
do　it　whenwhen　I'm　gone。〃　And　she　dropped　her　voice；
and　looked　so　sad　and　piteous；　that　everybody　felt　how
cruel　her　lot　was；　and　how　sorry　they　would　be　to
part　with　her。
〃O　that　you　could　stay　longer；　dear　Rebecca；〃　said
Amelia。
〃Why？〃　answered　the　other；　still　more　sadly。　　〃That
I　may　be　only　the　more　unhapunwilling　to　lose　you？〃
And　she　turned　away　her　head。　　Amelia　began　to　give
way　to　that　natural　infirmity　of　tears　which；　we　have
said；　was　one　of　the　defects　of　this　silly　little　thing。　　George
Osborne　looked　at　the　two　young　women　with　a　touched
curiosity；　and　Joseph　Sedley　heaved　something　very　like
a　sigh　out　of　his　big　chest；　as　he　cast　his　eyes　down
towards　his　favourite　Hessian　boots。
〃Let　us　have　some　music；　Miss　SedleyAmelia；〃　said
George；　who　felt　at　that　moment　an　extraordinary；
almost　irresistible　impulse　to　seize　the　above…mentioned
young　woman　in　his　arms；　and　to　kiss　her　in　the　face　of
the　company；　and　she　looked　at　him　for　a　moment；　and
if　I　should　say　that　they　fell　in　love　with　each　other　at
that　single　instant　of　time；　I　should　perhaps　be　telling
an　untruth；　for　the　fact　is　that　these　two　young　people
had　been　bred　up　by　their　parents　for　this　very　purpose；
and　their　banns　had；　as　it　were；　been　read　in　their
respective　families　any　time　these　ten　years。　　They　went
off　to　the　piano；　which　was　situated；　as　pianos　usually
are；　in　the　back　drawing…room；　and　as　it　was　rather　dark；
Miss　Amelia；　in　the　most　unaffected　way　in　the　world；
put　her　hand　into　Mr。　Osborne's；　who；　of　course；　could
see　the　way　among　the　chairs　and　ottomans　a　great　deal
better　than　she　could。　　But　this　arrangement　left　Mr。
Joseph　Sedley　tete…a…tete　with　Rebecca；　at　the
drawing…room　table；　where　the　latter　was　occupied
in　knitting　a　green　silk　purse。
〃There　is　no　need　to　ask　family　secrets；〃　said　Miss
Sharp。　　〃Those　two　have　told　theirs。〃
〃As　soon　as　he　gets　his　company；〃　said　Joseph；　〃I
believe　the　affair　is　settled。　　George　Osborne　is　a　capital
fellow。〃
〃And　your　sister　the　dearest　creature　in　the　world；〃
said　Rebecca。　　〃Happy　the　man　who　wins　her！〃　With
this；　Miss　Sharp　gave　a　great　sigh。
When　two　unmarried　persons　get　together；　and　talk
upon　such　delicate　subjects　as　the　present；　a　great　deal
of　confidence　and　intimacy　is　presently　established
between　them。　　There　is　no　need　of　giving　a　special　report
of　the　conversation　which　now　took　place　between　Mr。
Sedley　and　the　young　lady；　for　the　conversation；　as　may
be　judged　from　the　foregoing　specimen；　was　not　especially
witty　or　eloquent；　it　seldom　is　in　private　societies；　or
anywhere　except　in　very　high…flown　and　ingenious　novels。
As　there　was　music　in　the　next　room；　the　talk　was
carried　on；　of　course；　in　a　low　and　becoming　tone；　though；
for　the　matter　of　that；　the　couple　in　the　next　apartment
would　not　have　been　disturbed　had　the　talking　been　ever
so　loud；　so　occupied　were　they　with　their　own　pursuits。
Almost　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　Mr。　Sedley　found
himself　talking；　without　the　least　timidity　or　hesitation；
to　a　person　of　the　other　sex。　　Miss　Rebecca　asked　him　a
great　number　of　questions　about　India；　which　gave　him
an　opportunity　of　narrating　many　interesting　anecdotes
about　that　country　and　himself。　　He　described　the　balls
at　Government　House；　and　the　manner　in　which　they
kept　themselves　cool　in　the　hot　weather；　with　punkahs；
tatties；　and　other　contrivances；　and　he　was　very　witty
regarding　the　number　of　Scotchmen　whom　Lord　Minto；
the　Governor…General；　patronised；　and　then　he　described
a　tiger…hunt；　and　the　manner　in　which　the　mahout　of　his
elephant　had　been　pulled　off　his　seat　by　one　of　the
infuriated　animals。　　How　delighted　Miss　Rebecca　was　at
the　Government　balls；　and　how　she　laughed　at　the　stories
of　the　Scotch　aides…de…camp；　and　called　Mr。　Sedley　a
sad　wicked　satirical　creature；　and　how　frightened　she　was
Joseph　Sedley　tete…a…tete　with　Rebecca；　at　the
drawing…room　table；　where　the　latter　was　occupied
in　knitting　a　green　silk　purse。
〃There　is　no　need　to　ask　family　secrets；〃　said　Miss
Sharp。　　〃Those　two　have　told　theirs。〃
〃As　soon　as　he　gets　his　company；〃　said　Joseph；　〃I
believe　the　affair　is　settled。　　George　Osborne　is　a　capital
fellow。〃
〃And　your　sister　the　dearest　creature　in　the　world；〃
said　Rebecca。　　〃Happy　the　man　who　wins　her！〃　With
this；　Miss　Sharp　gave　a　great　sigh。
When　two　unmarried　persons　get　together；　and　talk
upon　such　delicate　subjects　as　the　present；　a　great　deal
of　confidence　and　intimacy　is　presently　established
between　them。　　There　is　no　need　of　giving　a　special　report
of　the　conversation　which　now　took　place　between　Mr。
Sedley　and　the　young　lady；　for　the　conversation；　as　may
be　judged　from　the　foregoing　specimen；　was　not　especially
witty　or　eloquent；　it　seldom　is　in　private　societies；　or
anywhere　except　in　very　high…flown　and　ingenious　novels。
As　there　was　music　in　the　next　room；　the　talk　was
carried　on；　of　course；　in　a　low　and　becoming　tone；　though；
for　the　matter　of　that；　the　couple　in　the　next　apartment
would　not　have　been　disturbed　had　the　talking　been　ever
so　loud；　so　occupied　were　they　with　their　own　pursuits。
Almost　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　Mr。　Sedley　found
himself　talking；　without　the　least　timidity　or　hesitation；
to　a　person　of　the　other　sex。　　Miss　Rebecca　asked　him　a
great　number　of　questions　about　India；　which　gave　him
an　opportunity　of　narrating　many　interesting　anecdotes
about　that　country　and　himself。　　He　described　the　balls
at　Government　House；　and　the　manner　in　which　they
kept　themselves　cool　in　the　hot　weather；　with　punkahs；
tatties；　and　other　contrivances；　and　he　was　very　witty
regarding　the　number　of　Scotchmen　whom　Lord　Minto；
the　Governor…General；　patronised；　and　then　he　described
a　tiger…hunt；　and　the　manner　in　which　the　mahout　of　his
elephant　had　been　pulled　off　his　seat　by　one　of　the
infur