vanity fair(名利场)-第98章

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christening　and　to　be　godfather；　contented　himself　with
sending　the　child　a　gold　cup；　with　twenty　guineas　inside　it
for　the　nurse。　　〃That's　more　than　any　of　your　Lords　will
give；　I'LL　warrant；〃　he　said　and　refused　to　attend　at　the
ceremony。
The　splendour　of　the　gift；　however；　caused　great
satisfaction　to　the　house　of　Bullock。　　Maria　thought　that　her
father　was　very　much　pleased　with　her；　and　Frederick
augured　the　best　for　his　little　son　and　heir。
One　can　fancy　the　pangs　with　which　Miss　Osborne　in　her
solitude　in　Russell　Square　read　the　Morning　Post；　where
her　sister's　name　occurred　every　now　and　then；　in　the
articles　headed　〃Fashionable　Reunions；〃　and　where　she　had
an　opportunity　of　reading　a　description　of　Mrs。　F。　　Bullock's
costume；　when　presented　at　the　drawing　room　by　Lady
Frederica　Bullock。　　Jane's　own　life；　as　we　have　said；
admitted　of　no　such　grandeur。　　It　was　an　awful　existence。
She　had　to　get　up　of　black　winter's　mornings　to　make
breakfast　for　her　scowling　old　father；　who　would　have
turned　the　whole　house　out　of　doors　if　his　tea　had　not　been
ready　at　half…past　eight。　　She　remained　silent　opposite　to
him；　listening　to　the　urn　hissing；　and　sitting　in　tremor
while　the　parent　read　his　paper　and　consumed　his
accustomed　portion　of　muffins　and　tea。　　At　half…past　nine
he　rose　and　went　to　the　City；　and　she　was　almost　free　till
dinner…time；　to　make　visitations　in　the　kitchen　and　to　scold
the　servants；　to　drive　abroad　and　descend　upon　the
tradesmen；　who　were　prodigiously　respectful；　to　leave　her
cards　and　her　papa's　at　the　great　glum　respectable　houses
of　their　City　friends；　or　to　sit　alone　in　the　large　drawing…
room；　expecting　visitors；　and　working　at　a　huge　piece　of
worsted　by　the　fire；　on　the　sofa；　hard　by　the　great
Iphigenia　clock；　which　ticked　and　tolled　with　mournful
loudness　in　the　dreary　room。　　The　great　glass　over　the
mantelpiece；　faced　by　the　other　great　console　glass　at　the
opposite　end　of　the　room；　increased　and　multiplied
between　them　the　brown　Holland　bag　in　which　the
chandelier　hung；　until　you　saw　these　brown　Holland　bags
fading　away　in　endless　perspectives；　and　this　apartment　of
Miss　Osborne's　seemed　the　centre　of　a　system　of
drawing…rooms。　　When　she　removed　the　cordovan　leather
from　the　grand　piano　and　ventured　to　play　a　few　notes　on
it；　it　sounded　with　a　mournful　sadness；　startling　the　dismal
echoes　of　the　house。　　George's　picture　was　gone；　and　laid
upstairs　in　a　lumber…room　in　the　garret；　and　though　there
was　a　consciousness　of　him；　and　father　and　daughter　often
instinctively　knew　that　they　were　thinking　of　him；　no
mention　was　ever　made　of　the　brave　and　once　darling　son。
At　five　o'clock　Mr。　Osborne　came　back　to　his　dinner；　which
he　and　his　daughter　took　in　silence　（seldom　broken；　except
when　he　swore　and　was　savage；　if　the　cooking　was　not　to
his　liking）；　or　which　they　shared　twice　in　a　month　with　a
party　of　dismal　friends　of　Osborne's　rank　and　age。　　Old　Dr。
Gulp　and　his　lady　from　Bloomsbury　Square；　old　Mr。
Frowser；　the　attorney；　from　Bedford　Row；　a　very　great
man；　and　from　his　business；　hand…in…glove　with　the　〃nobs
at　the　West　End〃；　old　Colonel　Livermore；　of　the　Bombay
Army；　and　Mrs。　Livermore；　from　Upper　Bedford　Place；　old
Sergeant　Toffy　and　Mrs。　Toffy；　and　sometimes　old　Sir
Thomas　Coffin　and　Lady　Coffin；　from　Bedford　Square。　　Sir
Thomas　was　celebrated　as　a　hanging　judge；　and　the
particular　tawny　port　was　produced　when　he　dined　with
Mr。　Osborne。
These　people　and　their　like　gave　the　pompous　Russell
Square　merchant　pompous　dinners　back　again。　　They　had
solemn　rubbers　of　whist；　when　they　went　upstairs　after
drinking；　and　their　carriages　were　called　at　half　past　ten。
Many　rich　people；　whom　we　poor　devils　are　in　the　habit　of
envying；　lead　contentedly　an　existence　like　that　above
described。　　Jane　Osborne　scarcely　ever　met　a　man　under
sixty；　and　almost　the　only　bachelor　who　appeared　in　their
society　was　Mr。　Smirk；　the　celebrated　ladies'　doctor。
I　can't　say　that　nothing　had　occurred　to　disturb　the
monotony　of　this　awful　existence：　　the　fact　is；　there　had
been　a　secret　in　poor　Jane's　life　which　had　made　her　father
more　savage　and　morose　than　even　nature；　pride；　and
over…feeding　had　made　him。　　This　secret　was　connected
with　Miss　Wirt；　who　had　a　cousin　an　artist；　Mr。　Smee；　very
celebrated　since　as　a　portrait…painter　and　R。A。；　but　who
once　was　glad　enough　to　give　drawing　lessons　to　ladies　of
fashion。　　Mr。　Smee　has　forgotten　where　Russell　Square　is
now；　but　he　was　glad　enough　to　visit　it　in　the　year　1818；
when　Miss　Osborne　had　instruction　from　him。
Smee　（formerly　a　pupil　of　Sharpe　of　Frith　Street；　a
dissolute；　irregular；　and　unsuccessful　man；　but　a　man　with
great　knowledge　of　his　art）　being　the　cousin　of　Miss　Wirt；
we　say；　and　introduced　by　her　to　Miss　Osborne；　whose
hand　and　heart　were　still　free　after　various　incomplete
love　affairs；　felt　a　great　attachment　for　this　lady；　and　it　is
believed　inspired　one　in　her　bosom。　　Miss　Wirt　was　the
confidante　of　this　intrigue。　　I　know　not　whether　she　used　to
leave　the　room　where　the　master　and　his　pupil　were
painting；　in　order　to　give　them　an　opportunity　for
exchanging　those　vows　and　sentiments　which　cannot　be
uttered　advantageously　in　the　presence　of　a　third　party；　I
know　not　whether　she　hoped　that　should　her　cousin
succeed　in　carrying　off　the　rich　merchant's　daughter；　he
would　give　Miss　Wirt　a　portion　of　the　wealth　which　she
had　enabled　him　to　winall　that　is　certain　is　that　Mr。
Osborne　got　some　hint　of　the　transaction；　came　back　from
the　City　abruptly；　and　entered　the　drawing…room　with　his
bamboo　cane；　found　the　painter；　the　pupil；　and　the
companion　all　looking　exceedingly　pale　there；　turned　the
former　out　of　doors　with　menaces　that　he　would　break
every　bone　in　his　skin；　and　half　an　hour　afterwards
dismissed　Miss　Wirt　likewise；　kicking　her　trunks　down　the
stairs；　trampling　on　her　bandboxes；　and　shaking　his　fist　at
her　hackney　coach　as　it　bore　her　away。
Jane　Osborne　kept　her　bedroom　for　many　days。　　She　was
not　allowed　to　have　a　companion　afterwards。　　Her　father
swore　to　her　that　she　should　not　have　a　shilling　of　his
money　if　she　made　any　match　without　his　concurrence；
and　as　he　wanted　a　woman　to　keep　his　house；　he　did　not
choose　that　she　should　marry；　so　that　she　was　obliged　to
give　up　all　projects　with　which　Cupid　had　any　share。
During　her　papa's　life；　then；　she　resigned　herself　to　the
manner　of　existence　here　described；　and　was　content　to　be
an　old　maid。　　Her　sister；　meanwhile；　was　having　children
with　finer　names　every　year　and　the　intercourse　between
the　two　grew　fainter　continually。　　〃Jane　and　I　do　not　move
in　the　same　sphere　of　life；〃　Mrs。　Bullock　said。　　〃I　regard　her
as　a　sister；　of　course〃which　meanswhat　does　it　mean
when　a　lady　says　that　she　regards　Jane　as　a　sister？
It　has　been　described　how　the　Misses　Dobbin　lived　with
their　father　at　a　fine　villa　at　Denmark　Hill；　where　there
were　beautiful　graperies　and　peach…trees　which　delighted
little　Georgy　Osborne。　　The　Misses　Dobbin；　who　drove　often
to　Brompton　to　see　our　dear　Amelia；　came　sometimes　to
Russell　Square　too；　to　pay　a　visit　to　their　old　acquaintance
Miss　Osborne。　　I　believe　it　was　in　consequence　of　the
commands　of　their　brother　the　Major　in　India　（for　whom
their　papa　had　a　prodigious　respect）；　that　they　paid
attention　to　Mrs。　George；　for　the　Major；　the　godfather　and
guardian　of　Amelia's　little　boy；　still　hoped　that　the　child's
grandfather　might　be　induced　to　relent　towards　him　and
acknowledge　him　for　the　sake　of　his　son。　　The　Misses
Dobbin　kept　Miss　Osborne　acquainted　with　the　state　of
Amelia's　affairs；　how　she　was　living　with　her　father　and
mother；　how　poor　they　were；　how　they　wondered　what
men；　and　such　men　as　their　brother　and　dear　Captain
Osborne；　could　find　in　such　an　insignificant　little　chit；　how
she　was　still；　as　heretofore；　a　namby…pamby　milk…and…
water　affected　creaturebut　how　the　boy　was　really　the
noblest　little　boy　ever　seenfor　the　hearts　of　all　women
warm　towards　young　children；　and　the　sourest　spinster　is
kind　to　them。
One　day；　after　great　entreaties　on　the　part　of　the　Misses
Dobbin；　Amelia　allowed　little　George　to　go　and　pass　a　day
with　them　at　Denmark　Hilla　part　of　which　day　she　spent
herself　in　writing　to　the　Major　in　India。　　She　congratulated
him　on　the　happy　news　which　his　sisters　had　just
conveyed　to　her。　　She　prayed　for　his　prosperity　and　that　of
the　bride　he　had　chosen。　　She　thanked　him　for　a　thousand
thousand　kind　offices　and　proofs　of　stead　fast　friendship　to
her　in　her　affliction。　　She　told　him　the　last　news　about　little
Georgy；　and　how　he　was　gone　to　spend　that　very　day　with
his　sisters　in　the　country。　　She　underlined　the　letter　a　great
deal；　and　she　signed　herself　affectionately　his　friend；
Amelia　Osborne。　　She　forgot　to　send　any　message　of
kindness　to　Lady　O'Dowd；　as　her　wont　wasand　did　not
mention　Glorvina　by　name；　and　only　in　italics；　as　the
Major's　BRIDE；　for　whom　she　begged　blessings。　　But　the
news　of　the　marriage　removed　the　reserve　which　she　had
kept　up　towards　him。　　She　was　glad　to　be　able　to　own　and
feel　how　warmly　and　gratefully　she　regarded　himand　as
for　the　idea　of　being　jealous　of　Glorvina　（Glorvina；　indeed！）；
Amelia　would　have　scouted　it；　if　an　angel　from　heaven　had
hinted　it　to　her。　　That　night；　when　Georgy　came　back　in　the
pony…carriage　in　which　he　rejoiced；　and　in　which　he　was
driven　by　Sir　Wm。　　Dobbin's　old　coachman；　he　had　round
his　neck　a　fine　gold　chain　and　watch。　　He　said　an　old　lady；
not　pretty；　had　given　it　him；　who　cried　and　kissed　him　a
great　deal。　　But　he　didn't　like　her。　　He　liked　grapes　very
much。　　And　he　only　liked　his　mamma。　　Amelia　shrank　and
started；　the　timid　soul　felt　a　presentiment　of　terror　when
she　heard　that　the　relations　of　the　child's　father　had　seen
him。
Miss　Osborne　came　back　to　give　her　father　his　dinner。　　He
had　made　a　good　speculation　in　the　City；　and　was　rather　in
a　good　humour　that　day；　and　chanced　to　remark　the
agitation　under　which　she　laboured。　　〃What's　the　matter；
Miss　Osborne？〃　he　deigned　to　say。
The　woman　burst　into　tears。　　〃Oh；　sir；〃　she　said；　〃I've　seen
little　George。　　He　is　as　beautiful　as　an　angeland　so　like
him！〃　The　old　man　opposite　to　her　did　not　say　a　word；　but
flushed　up　and　began　to　tremble　in　every　limb。

CHAPIER　XLIII
In　Which　the　Reader　Has　to　Double　the　Cape
The　astonished　reader　must　be　called　upon　to　transport
himself　ten　thousand　miles　to　the　military　station　of
Bundlegunge；　in　the　Madras　division　of　our　Indian　empire；
where　our　gallant　old　friends　of　the　th　regiment　are
quartered　under　the　command　of　the　brave　Colonel；
Sir　Michael　O'Dowd。　　Time　has　dealt　kindly　with　that
stout　officer；　as　it　does　ordinarily　with　men　who　have
good　stomachs　and　good　tempers　and　are　not　perplexed
over　much　by　fatigue　of　the　brain。　　The　Colonel　plays　a
good　knife　and　fork　at　tiffin　and　resumes　those　weapons
with　great　success　at　dinner。　　He　smokes　his　hookah　after
both　meals　and　puffs　as　quietly　while　his　wife　scolds
him　as　he　did　under　the　fire　of　the　French　at　Waterloo。　　Age
and　heat　have　not　diminished　the　activity　or　the　eloquence
of　the　descendant　of　the　Malonys　and　the　Molloys。　　Her
Ladyship；　our　old　acquaintance；　is　as　much　at　home　at
Madras　as　at　Brus