vanity fair(名利场)-第90章

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would　he　not　have　given　to　hold　it　in　his　own！　　A　second
prospectus　came　out；　informing　the　Major　that　J。　　Sedley
and　Company；　having　established　agencies　at　Oporto；
Bordeaux；　and　St。　　Mary's；　were　enabled　to　offer　to　their
friends　and　the　public　generally　the　finest　and　most
celebrated　growths　of　ports；　sherries；　and　claret　wines　at
reasonable　prices　and　under　extraordinary　advantages。
Acting　upon　this　hint；　Dobbin　furiously　canvassed　the
governor；　the　commander…in…chief；　the　judges；　the
regiments；　and　everybody　whom　he　knew　in　the　Presidency；
and　sent　home　to　Sedley　and　Co。　　orders　for　wine　which
perfectly　astonished　Mr。　Sedley　and　Mr。　Clapp；　who　was
the　Co。　　in　the　business。　　But　no　more　orders　came　after
that　first　burst　of　good　fortune；　on　which　poor　old　Sedley
was　about　to　build　a　house　in　the　City；　a　regiment　of
clerks；　a　dock　to　himself；　and　correspondents　all　over
the　world。　　The　old　gentleman's　former　taste　in　wine　had
gone：　　the　curses　of　the　mess…room　assailed　Major　Dobbin
for　the　vile　drinks　he　had　been　the　means　of　introducing
there；　and　he　bought　back　a　great　quantity　of　the　wine
and　sold　it　at　public　outcry；　at　an　enormous　loss　to　himself。
As　for　Jos；　who　was　by　this　time　promoted　to　a　seat
at　the　Revenue　Board　at　Calcutta；　he　was　wild　with　rage
when　the　post　brought　him　out　a　bundle　of　these
Bacchanalian　prospectuses；　with　a　private　note　from　his
father；　telling　Jos　that　his　senior　counted　upon　him　in
this　enterprise；　and　had　consigned　a　quantity　of　select
wines　to　him；　as　per　invoice；　drawing　bills　upon　him　for
the　amount　of　the　same。　　Jos；　who　would　no　more　have　it
supposed　that　his　father；　Jos　Sedley's　father；　of　the　Board
of　Revenue；　was　a　wine　merchant　asking　for　orders；　than
that　he　was　Jack　Ketch；　refused　the　bills　with　scorn；　wrote
back　contumeliously　to　the　old　gentleman；　bidding　him
to　mind　his　own　affairs；　and　the　protested　paper　coming
back；　Sedley　and　Co。　　had　to　take　it　up；　with　the　profits
which　they　had　made　out　of　the　Madras　venture；　and
with　a　little　portion　of　Emmy's　savings。
Besides　her　pension　of　fifty　pounds　a　year；　there　had
been　five　hundred　pounds；　as　her　husband's　executor
stated；　left　in　the　agent's　hands　at　the　time　of　Osborne's
demise；　which　sum；　as　George's　guardian；　Dobbin
proposed　to　put　out　at　8　per　cent　in　an　Indian　house　of
agency。　　Mr。　Sedley；　who　thought　the　Major　had　some
roguish　intentions　of　his　own　about　the　money；　was
strongly　against　this　plan；　and　he　went　to　the　agents　to
protest　personally　against　the　employment　of　the　money
in　question；　when　he　learned；　to　his　surprise；　that　there
had　been　no　such　sum　in　their　hands；　that　all　the　late
Captain's　assets　did　not　amount　to　a　hundred　pounds；
and　that　the　five　hundred　pounds　in　question　must　be　a
separate　sum；　of　which　Major　Dobbin　knew　the　particulars。
More　than　ever　convinced　that　there　was　some
roguery；　old　Sedley　pursued　the　Major。　　As　his　daughter's
nearest　friend；　he　demanded　with　a　high　hand　a　statement
of　the　late　Captain's　accounts。　　Dobbin's　stammering；
blushing；　and　awkwardness　added　to　the　other's
convictions　that　he　had　a　rogue　to　deal　with；　and　in　a
majestic　tone　he　told　that　officer　a　piece　of　his　mind；　as
he　called　it；　simply　stating　his　belief　that　the　Major　was
unlawfully　detaining　his　late　son…in…law's　money。
Dobbin　at　this　lost　all　patience；　and　if　his　accuser　had
not　been　so　old　and　so　broken；　a　quarrel　might　have
ensued　between　them　at　the　Slaughters'　Coffee…house；　in
a　box　of　which　place　of　entertainment　the　gentlemen　had
their　colloquy。　　〃Come　upstairs；　sir；〃　lisped　out　the
Major。　　〃I　insist　on　your　coming　up　the　stairs；　and　I　will
show　which　is　the　injured　party；　poor　George　or　I〃；　and；
dragging　the　old　gentleman　up　to　his　bedroom；　he
produced　from　his　desk　Osborne's　accounts；　and　a　bundle
of　IOU's　which　the　latter　had　given；　who；　to　do　him
justice；　was　always　ready　to　give　an　IOU。　　〃He　paid
his　bills　in　England；〃　Dobbin　added；　〃but　he　had　not　a
hundred　pounds　in　the　world　when　he　fell。　　I　and　one　or
two　of　his　brother　officers　made　up　the　little　sum；　which
was　all　that　we　could　spare；　and　you　dare　tell　us　that
we　are　trying　to　cheat　the　widow　and　the　orphan。〃
Sedley　was　very　contrite　and　humbled；　though　the　fact　is
that　William　Dobbin　had　told　a　great　falsehood　to　the　old
gentleman；　having　himself　given　every　shilling　of　the
money；　having　buried　his　friend；　and　paid　all　the　fees　and
charges　incident　upon　the　calamity　and　removal　of　poor
Amelia。
About　these　expenses　old　Osborne　had　never　given
himself　any　trouble　to　think；　nor　any　other　relative　of
Amelia；　nor　Amelia　herself；　indeed。　　She　trusted　to　Major
Dobbin　as　an　accountant；　took　his　somewhat　confused
calculations　for　granted；　and　never　once　suspected　how
much　she　was　in　his　debt。
Twice　or　thrice　in　the　year；　according　to　her　promise；
she　wrote　him　letters　to　Madras；　letters　all　about
little　Georgy。　　How　he　treasured　these　papers！　　Whenever
Amelia　wrote　he　answered；　and　not　until　then。　　But
he　sent　over　endless　remembrances　of　himself　to　his
godson　and　to　her。　　He　ordered　and　sent　a　box　of　scarfs
and　a　grand　ivory　set　of　chess…men　from　China。　　The
pawns　were　little　green　and　white　men；　with　real　swords
and　shields；　the　knights　were　on　horseback；　the　castles
were　on　the　backs　of　elephants。　　〃Mrs。　Mango's　own　set　at
the　Pineries　was　not　so　fine；〃　Mr。　Pestler　remarked。　　These
chess…men　were　the　delight　of　Georgy's　life；　who　printed
his　first　letter　in　acknowledgement　of　this　gift　of　his
godpapa。　　He　sent　over　preserves　and　pickles；　which　latter
the　young　gentleman　tried　surreptitiously　in　the　sideboard
and　half…killed　himself　with　eating。　　He　thought　it　was　a
judgement　upon　him　for　stealing；　they　were　so　hot。　　Emmy
wrote　a　comical　little　account　of　this　mishap　to　the
Major：　　it　pleased　him　to　think　that　her　spirits　were　rallying
and　that　she　could　be　merry　sometimes　now。　　He
sent　over　a　pair　of　shawls；　a　white　one　for　her　and　a　black
one　with　palm…leaves　for　her　mother；　and　a　pair　of　red
scarfs；　as　winter　wrappers；　for　old　Mr。　Sedley　and　George。
The　shawls　were　worth　fifty　guineas　apiece　at　the　very
least；　as　Mrs。　Sedley　knew。　　She　wore　hers　in　state　at
church　at　Brompton；　and　was　congratulated　by　her
female　friends　upon　the　splendid　acquisition。　　Emmy's；　too；
became　prettily　her　modest　black　gown。　　〃What　a　pity　it
is　she　won't　think　of　him！〃　Mrs。　Sedley　remarked　to
Mrs。　Clapp　and　to　all　her　friends　of　Brompton。　　〃Jos　never
sent　us　such　presents；　I　am　sure；　and　grudges　us
everything。　　It　is　evident　that　the　Major　is　over　head　and　ears
in　love　with　her；　and　yet；　whenever　I　so　much　as　hint　it；
she　turns　red　and　begins　to　cry　and　goes　and　sits　upstairs
with　her　miniature。　　I'm　sick　of　that　miniature。　　I　wish　we
had　never　seen　those　odious　purse…proud　Osbornes。〃
Amidst　such　humble　scenes　and　associates　George's
early　youth　was　passed；　and　the　boy　grew　up　delicate；
sensitive；　imperious；　woman…breddomineering　the
gentle　mother　whom　he　loved　with　passionate　affection。　　He
ruled　all　the　rest　of　the　little　world　round　about　him。
As　he　grew；　the　elders　were　amazed　at　his　haughty
manner　and　his　constant　likeness　to　his　father。　　He　asked
questions　about　everything；　as　inquiring　youth　will　do。　　The
profundity　of　his　remarks　and　interrogatories　astonished
his　old　grandfather；　who　perfectly　bored　the　club　at　the
tavern　with　stories　about　the　little　lad's　learning　and
genius。　　He　suffered　his　grandmother　with　a　good…humoured　
indifference。　　The　small　circle　round　about　him
believed　that　the　equal　of　the　boy　did　not　exist　upon　the
earth。　　Georgy　inherited　his　father's　pride；　and　perhaps
thought　they　were　not　wrong。
When　he　grew　to　be　about　six　years　old；　Dobbin　began
to　write　to　him　very　much。　　The　Major　wanted　to　hear
that　Georgy　was　going　to　a　school　and　hoped　he　would
acquit　himself　with　credit　there：　　or　would　he　have　a　good
tutor　at　home？　It　was　time　that　he　should　begin　to　learn；
and　his　godfather　and　guardian　hinted　that　he　hoped　to
be　allowed　to　defray　the　charges　of　the　boy's　education；
which　would　fall　heavily　upon　his　mother's　straitened
income。　　The　Major；　in　a　word；　was　always　thinking　about
Amelia　and　her　little　boy；　and　by　orders　to　his　agents
kept　the　latter　provided　with　picture…books；　paint…boxes；
desks；　and　all　conceivable　implements　of　amusement　and
instruction。　　Three　days　before　George's　sixth　birthday　a
gentleman　in　a　gig；　accompanied　by　a　servant；　drove
up　to　Mr。　Sedley's　house　and　asked　to　see　Master　George
Osborne：　　it　was　Mr。　Woolsey；　military　tailor；　of　Conduit
Street；　who　came　at　the　Major's　order　to　measure　the
young　gentleman　for　a　suit　of　clothes。　　He　had　had　the
honour　of　making　for　the　Captain；　the　young
gentleman's　father。
Sometimes；　too；　and　by　the　Major's　desire　no　doubt；
his　sisters；　the　Misses　Dobbin；　would　call　in　the　family
carriage　to　take　Amelia　and　the　little　boy　to　drive　if　they
were　so　inclined。　　The　patronage　and　kindness　of　these
ladies　was　very　uncomfortable　to　Amelia；　but　she　bore　it
meekly　enough；　for　her　nature　was　to　yield；　and；　besides；
the　carriage　and　its　splendours　gave　little　Georgy
immense　pleasure。　　The　ladies　begged　occasionally　that　the
child　might　pass　a　day　with　them；　and　he　was　always　glad
to　go　to　that　fine　garden…house　at　Denmark　Hill；　where
they　lived；　and　where　there　were　such　fine　grapes　in　the
hot…houses　and　peaches　on　the　walls。
One　day　they　kindly　came　over　to　Amelia　with　news
which　they　were　SURE　would　delight　hersomething　VERY
interesting　about　their　dear　William。
〃What　was　it：　　was　he　coming　home？〃　she　asked　with
pleasure　beaming　in　her　eyes。
〃Oh；　nonot　the　leastbut　they　had　very　good　reason
to　believe　that　dear　William　was　about　to　be　married
and　to　a　relation　of　a　very　dear　friend　of　Amelia'sto
Miss　Glorvina　O'Dowd；　Sir　Michael　O'Dowd's　sister；
who　had　gone　out　to　join　Lady　O'Dowd　at　Madrasa　very
beautiful　and　accomplished　girl；　everybody　said。〃
Amelia　said　〃Oh！〃　Amelia　was　very　VERY　happy　indeed。
But　she　supposed　Glorvina　could　not　be　like　her　old
acquaintance；　who　was　most　kindbutbut　she　was
very　happy　indeed。　　And　by　some　impulse　of　which　I
cannot　explain　the　meaning；　she　took　George　in　her　arms
and　kissed　him　with　an　extraordinary　tenderness。　　Her
eyes　were　quite　moist　when　she　put　the　child　down；　and
she　scarcely　spoke　a　word　during　the　whole　of　the
drivethough　she　was　so　very　happy　indeed。

CHAPTER　XXXIX
A　Cynical　Chapter
Our　duty　now　takes　us　back　for　a　brief　space　to　some　old
Hampshire　acquaintances　of　ours；　whose　hopes　respecting
the　disposal　of　their　rich　kinswoman's　property　were　so
woefully　disappointed。　　After　counting　upon　thirty　thousand
pounds　from　his　sister；　it　was　a　heavy　blow。　　to　Bute　Crawley
to　receive　but　five；　out　of　which　sum；　when　he　had　paid
his　own　debts　and　those　of　Jim；　his　son　at　college；　a　very
small　fragment　remained　to　portion　off　his　four　plain
daughters。　　Mrs。　Bute　never　knew；　or　at　least　never
acknowledged；　how　far　her　own　tyrannous　behaviour　had
tended　to　ruin　her　husband。　　All　that　woman　could　do；　she
vowed　and　protested　she　had　done。　　Was　it　her　fault　if
she　did　not　possess　those　sycophantic　arts　which　her
hypocritical　nephew；　Pitt　Crawley；　practised？　She　wishe