vanity fair(名利场)-第89章

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had　gone　to　his；　and　to　which　she　retired　now　for　many
long；　silent；　tearful；　but　happy　years。
In　this　room　was　all　Amelia's　heart　and　treasure。　　Here
it　was　that　she　tended　her　boy　and　watched　him　through
the　many　ills　of　childhood；　with　a　constant　passion　of
love。　　The　elder　George　returned　in　him　somehow；　only
improved；　and　as　if　come　back　from　heaven。　　In　a
hundred　little　tones；　looks；　and　movements；　the　child　was
so　like　his　father　that　the　widow's　heart　thrilled　as　she
held　him　to　it；　and　he　would　often　ask　the　cause　of　her
tears。　　It　was　because　of　his　likeness　to　his　father；　she
did　not　scruple　to　tell　him。　　She　talked　constantly　to　him
about　this　dead　father；　and　spoke　of　her　love　for　George
to　the　innocent　and　wondering　child；　much　more　than　she
ever　had　done　to　George　himself；　or　to　any　confidante　of
her　youth。　　To　her　parents　she　never　talked　about　this
matter；　shrinking　from　baring　her　heart　to　them。　　Little
George　very　likely　could　understand　no　better　than　they；
but　into　his　ears　she　poured　her　sentimental　secrets
unreservedly；　and　into　his　only。　　The　very　joy　of　this
woman　was　a　sort　of　grief；　or　so　tender；　at　least；　that
its　expression　was　tears。　　Her　sensibilities　were　so　weak
and　tremulous　that　perhaps　they　ought　not　to　be　talked
about　in　a　book。　　I　was　told　by　Dr。　Pestler　（now　a　most
flourishing　lady's　physician；　with　a　sumptuous　dark　green
carriage；　a　prospect　of　speedy　knighthood；　and　a　house
in　Manchester　Square）　that　her　grief　at　weaning　the　child
was　a　sight　that　would　have　unmanned　a　Herod。　　He　was
very　soft…hearted　many　years　ago；　and　his　wife　was
mortally　jealous　of　Mrs。　Amelia；　then　and　long　afterwards。
Perhaps　the　doctor's　lady　had　good　reason　for　her
jealousy：　　most　women　shared　it；　of　those　who　formed　the
small　circle　of　Amelia's　acquaintance；　and　were　quite
angry　at　the　enthusiasm　with　which　the　other　sex　regarded
her。　　For　almost　all　men　who　came　near　her　loved
her；　though　no　doubt　they　would　be　at　a　loss　to　tell　you
why。　　She　was　not　brilliant；　nor　witty；　nor　wise　over
much；　nor　extraordinarily　handsome。　　But　wherever　she
went　she　touched　and　charmed　every　one　of　the　male
sex；　as　invariably　as　she　awakened　the　scorn　and
incredulity　of　her　own　sisterhood。　　I　think　it　was　her
weakness　which　was　her　principal　charma　kind　of　sweet
submission　and　softness；　which　seemed　to　appeal　to
each　man　she　met　for　his　sympathy　and　protection。　　We
have　seen　how　in　the　regiment；　though　she　spoke　but　to
few　of　George's　comrades　there；　all　the　swords　of　the
young　fellows　at　the　mess…table　would　have　leapt　from
their　scabbards　to　fight　round　her；　and　so　it　was　in
the　little　narrow　lodging…house　and　circle　at　Fulham；　she
interested　and　pleased　everybody。　　If　she　had　been　Mrs。
Mango　herself；　of　the　great　house　of　Mango；　Plantain；
and　Co。；　Crutched　Friars；　and　the　magnificent　proprietress
of　the　Pineries；　Fulham；　who　gave　summer　dejeuners
frequented　by　Dukes　and　Earls；　and　drove　about
the　parish　with　magnificent　yellow　liveries　and　bay　horses；
such　as　the　royal　stables　at　Kensington　themselves　could
not　turn　outI　say　had　she　been　Mrs。　Mango　herself；　or
her　son's　wife；　Lady　Mary　Mango　（daughter　of　the
Earl　of　Castlemouldy；　who　condescended　to　marry　the
head　of　the　firm）；　the　tradesmen　of　the　neighbourhood
could　not　pay　her　more　honour　than　they　invariably
showed　to　the　gentle　young　widow；　when　she　passed　by
their　doors；　or　made　her　humble　purchases　at　their　shops。
Thus　it　was　not　only　Mr。　Pestler；　the　medical　man；　but
Mr。　Linton　the　young　assistant；　who　doctored　the　servant
maids　and　small　tradesmen；　and　might　be　seen　any　day
reading　the　Times　in　the　surgery；　who　openly　declared
himself　the　slave　of　Mrs。　Osborne。　　He　was　a　personable
young　gentleman；　more　welcome　at　Mrs。　Sedley's　lodgings
than　his　principal；　and　if　anything　went　wrong　with
Georgy；　he　would　drop　in　twice　or　thrice　in　the　day　to
see　the　little　chap；　and　without　so　much　as　the　thought
of　a　fee。　　He　would　abstract　lozenges；　tamarinds；　and
other　produce　from　the　surgery…drawers　for　little
Georgy's　benefit；　and　compounded　draughts　and　mixtures
for　him　of　miraculous　sweetness；　so　that　it　was　quite　a
pleasure　to　the　child　to　be　ailing。　　He　and　Pestler；　his
chief；　sat　up　two　whole　nights　by　the　boy　in　that
momentous　and　awful　week　when　Georgy　had　the　measles；　and
when　you　would　have　thought；　from　the　mother's　terror；
that　there　had　never　been　measles　in　the　world　before。
Would　they　have　done　as　much　for　other　people？　Did
they　sit　up　for　the　folks　at　the　Pineries；　when　Ralph
Plantagenet；　and　Gwendoline；　and　Guinever　Mango　had　the
same　juvenile　complaint？　Did　they　sit　up　for　little　Mary
Clapp；　the　landlord's　daughter；　who　actually　caught　the
disease　of　little　Georgy？　Truth　compels　one　to　say；　no。
They　slept　quite　undisturbed；　at　least　as　far　as　she　was
concernedpronounced　hers　to　be　a　slight　case；　which
would　almost　cure　itself；　sent　her　in　a　draught　or　two；
and　threw　in　bark　when　the　child　rallied；　with　perfect
indifference；　and　just　for　form's　sake。
Again；　there　was　the　little　French　chevalier　opposite；
who　gave　lessons　in　his　native　tongue　at　various　schools
in　the　neighbourhood；　aud　who　might　be　heard　in　his
apartment　of　nights　playing　tremulous　old　gavottes　and
minuets　on　a　wheezy　old　fiddle。　　Whenever　this　powdered
and　courteous　old　man；　who　never　missed　a　Sunday　at　the
convent　chapel　at　Hammersmith；　and　who　was　in　all
respects；　thoughts；　conduct；　and　bearing　utterly　unlike　the
bearded　savages　of　his　nation；　who　curse　perfidious
Albion；　and　scowl　at　you　from　over　their　cigars；　in　the
Quadrant　arcades　at　the　present　daywhenever　the
old　Chevalier　de　Talonrouge　spoke　of　Mistress　Osborne；
he　would　first　finish　his　pinch　of　snuff；　flick　away　the
remaining　particles　of　dust　with　a　graceful　wave　of　his
hand；　gather　up　his　fingers　again　into　a　bunch；　and；
bringing　them　up　to　his　mouth；　blow　them　open　with　a　kiss；
exclaiming；　Ah！　la　divine　creature！　　He　vowed　and
protested　that　when　Amelia　walked　in　the　Brompton　Lanes
flowers　grew　in　profusion　under　her　feet。　　He　called　little
Georgy　Cupid；　and　asked　him　news　of　Venus；　his　mamma；
and　told　the　astonished　Betty　Flanagan　that　she　was
one　of　the　Graces；　and　the　favourite　attendant　of　the
Reine　des　Amours。
Instances　might　be　multiplied　of　this　easily　gained　and
unconscious　popularity。　　Did　not　Mr。　Binny；　the　mild
and　genteel　curate　of　the　district　chapel；　which　the　family
attended；　call　assiduously　upon　the　widow；　dandle　the
little　boy　on　his　knee；　and　offer　to　teach　him　Latin；　to　the
anger　of　the　elderly　virgin；　his　sister；　who　kept　house
for　him？　〃There　is　nothing　in　her；　Beilby；〃　the　latter
lady　would　say。　　〃When　she　comes　to　tea　here　she　does
not　speak　a　word　during　the　whole　evening。　　She　is　but　a
poor　lackadaisical　creature；　and　it　is　my　belief　has　no
heart　at　all。　　It　is　only　her　pretty　face　which　all　you
gentlemen　admire　so。　　Miss　Grits；　who　has　five　thousand
pounds；　and　expectations　besides；　has　twice　as　much
character；　and　is　a　thousand　times　more　agreeable　to　my
taste；　and　if　she　were　good…looking　I　know　that　you　would
think　her　perfection。〃
Very　likely　Miss　Binny　was　right　to　a　great　extent。　　It
IS　the　pretty　face　which　creates　sympathy　in　the　hearts　of
men；　those　wicked　rogues。　　A　woman　may　possess　the
wisdom　and　chastity　of　Minerva；　and　we　give　no　heed　to
her；　if　she　has　a　plain　face。　　What　folly　will　not　a　pair　of
bright　eyes　make　pardonable？　What　dulness　may　not
red　lips　and　sweet　accents　render　pleasant？　And　so；　with
their　usual　sense　of　justice；　ladies　argue　that　because　a
woman　is　handsome；　therefore　she　is　a　fool。　　O　ladies；
ladies！　there　are　some　of　you　who　are　neither　handsome
nor　wise。
These　are　but　trivial　incidents　to　recount　in　the　life　of
our　heroine。　　Her　tale　does　not　deal　in　wonders；　as　the
gentle　reader　has　already　no　doubt　perceived；　and　if　a
journal　had　been　kept　of　her　proceedings　during　the
seven　years　after　the　birth　of　her　son；　there　would　be
found　few　incidents　more　remarkable　in　it　than　that　of
the　measles；　recorded　in　the　foregoing　page。　　Yes；　one
day；　and　greatly　to　her　wonder；　the　Reverend　Mr。　Binny；
just　mentioned；　asked　her　to　change　her　name　of　Osborne
for　his　own；　when；　with　deep　blushes　and　tears　in　her
eyes　and　voice；　she　thanked　him　for　his　regard　for　her；
expressed　gratitude　for　his　attentions　to　her　and　to　her
poor　little　boy；　but　said　that　she　never；　never　could
think　of　any　butbut　the　husband　whom　she　had　lost。
On　the　twenty…fifth　of　April；　and　the　eighteenth　of
June；　the　days　of　marriage　and　widowhood；　she　kept　her
room　entirely；　consecrating　them　（and　we　do　not　know
how　many　hours　of　solitary　night…thought；　her　little　boy
sleeping　in　his　crib　by　her　bedside）　to　the　memory　of　that
departed　friend。　　During　the　day　she　was　more　active。
She　had　to　teach　George　to　read　and　to　write　and　a　little
to　draw。　　She　read　books；　in　order　that　she　might　tell
him　stories　from　them。　　As　his　eyes　opened　and　his　mind
expanded　under　the　influence　of　the　outward　nature
round　about　him；　she　taught　the　child；　to　the　best　of
her　humble　power；　to　acknowledge　the　Maker　of　all；　and
every　night　and　every　morning　he　and　she（in　that
awful　and　touching　communion　which　I　think　must　bring
a　thrill　to　the　heart　of　every　man　who　witnesses　or　who
remembers　it）the　mother　and　the　little　boyprayed
to　Our　Father　together；　the　mother　pleading　with　all　her
gentle　heart；　the　child　lisping　after　her　as　she　spoke。　　And
each　time　they　prayed　to　God　to　bless　dear　Papa；　as
if　he　were　alive　and　in　the　room　with　them。
To　wash　and　dress　this　young　gentlemanto　take　him
for　a　run　of　the　mornings；　before　breakfast；　and　the
retreat　of　grandpapa　for　〃business〃to　make　for　him　the
most　wonderful　and　ingenious　dresses；　for　which　end　the
thrifty　widow　cut　up　and　altered　every　available　little　bit
of　finery　which　she　possessed　out　of　her　wardrobe　during
her　marriagefor　Mrs。　Osborne　herself　（greatly　to　her
mother's　vexation；　who　preferred　fine　clothes；　especially
since　her　misfortunes）　always　wore　a　black　gown　and　a
straw　bonnet　with　a　black　ribbonoccupied　her　many
hours　of　the　day。　　Others　she　had　to　spare；　at　the　service
of　her　mother　and　her　old　father。　　She　had　taken　the　pains
to　learn；　and　used　to　play　cribbage　with　this　gentleman
on　the　nights　when　he　did　not　go　to　his　club。　　She　sang
for　him　when　he　was　so　minded；　and　it　was　a　good
sign；　for　he　invariably　fell　into　a　comfortable　sleep　during
the　music。　　She　wrote　out　his　numerous　memorials；
letters；　prospectuses；　and　projects。　　It　was　in　her　
handwriting　that　most　of　the　old　gentleman's　former
acquaintances　were　informed　that　he　had　become　an　agent　for
the　Black　Diamond　and　Anti…Cinder　Coal　Company　and
could　supply　his　friends　and　the　public　with　the　best　coals
at　s。　　per　chaldron。　　All　he　did　was　to　sign　the　circulars
with　his　flourish　and　signature；　and　direct　them　in　a
shaky；　clerklike　hand。　　One　of　these　papers　was　sent　to
Major　Dobbin；　Regt。；　care　of　Messrs。　　Cox　and　Greenwood；
but　the　Major　being　in　Madras　at　the　time；　had　no
particular　call　for　coals。　　He　knew；　though；　the　hand
which　had　written　the　prospectus。　　Good　God！　what
would　he　not　have　given　to　hold　it　in　his　own！　　A　secon