首页 >出版文学> Vanity Fair>第127章

第127章

  So,pleasedherself,shetriedwithallhermighttopleaseeverybody;andweknowthatshewaseminentandsuccessfulasapractitionerintheartofgivingpleasure。AsforJos,eveninthatlittleinterviewinthegarretattheElephantInn,shehadfoundmeanstowinbackagreatdealofhisgood-will。Inthecourseofaweek,thecivilianwasherswornslaveandfranticadmirer。Hedidn’tgotosleepafterdinner,ashiscustomwasinthemuchlesslivelysocietyofAmelia。HedroveoutwithBeckyinhisopencarriage。Heaskedlittlepartiesandinventedfestivitiestodoherhonour。
  Tapeworm,theCharged’Affaires,whohadabusedhersocruelly,cametodinewithJos,andthencameeverydaytopayhisrespectstoBecky。PoorEmmy,whowasneververytalkative,andmoreglumandsilentthaneverafterDobbin’sdeparture,wasquiteforgottenwhenthissuperiorgeniusmadeherappearance。TheFrenchMinisterwasasmuchcharmedwithherashisEnglishrival。
  TheGermanladies,neverparticularlysqueamishasregardsmorals,especiallyinEnglishpeople,weredelightedwiththeclevernessandwitofMrs。Osborne’scharmingfriend,andthoughshedidnotasktogotoCourt,yetthemostaugustandTransparentPersonagesthereheardofherfascinationsandwerequitecurioustoknowher。Whenitbecameknownthatshewasnoble,ofanancientEnglishfamily,thatherhusbandwasaColoneloftheGuard,ExcellenzandGovernorofanisland,onlyseparatedfromhisladybyoneofthosetriflingdifferenceswhichareoflittleaccountinacountrywhereWertherisstillreadandtheWahlverwandtschaftenofGoetheisconsideredanedifyingmoralbook,nobodythoughtofrefusingtoreceiveherintheveryhighestsocietyofthelittleDuchy;andtheladieswereevenmorereadytocallherduandtosweareternalfriendshipforherthantheyhadbeentobestowthesameinestimablebenefitsuponAmelia。LoveandLibertyareinterpretedbythosesimpleGermansinawaywhichhonestfolksinYorkshireandSomersetshirelittleunderstand,andaladymight,insomephilosophicandcivilizedtowns,bedivorcedeversomanytimesfromherrespectivehusbandsandkeephercharacterinsociety。Jos’shouseneverwassopleasantsincehehadahouseofhisownasRebeccacausedittobe。Shesang,sheplayed,shelaughed,shetalkedintwoorthreelanguages,shebroughteverybodytothehouse,andshemadeJosbelievethatitwashisowngreatsocialtalentsandwitwhichgatheredthesocietyoftheplaceroundabouthim。
  AsforEmmy,whofoundherselfnotintheleastmistressofherownhouse,exceptwhenthebillsweretobepaid,Beckysoondiscoveredthewaytosootheandpleaseher。ShetalkedtoherperpetuallyaboutMajorDobbinsentabouthisbusiness,andmadenoscrupleofdeclaringheradmirationforthatexcellent,high-
  mindedgentleman,andoftellingEmmythatshehadbehavedmostcruellyregardinghim。Emmydefendedherconductandshowedthatitwasdictatedonlybythepurestreligiousprinciples;thatawomanonce,&c。,andtosuchanangelashimwhomshehadhadthegoodfortunetomarry,wasmarriedforever;butshehadnoobjectiontoheartheMajorpraisedasmuchaseverBeckychosetopraisehim,andindeed,broughttheconversationroundtotheDobbinsubjectascoreoftimeseveryday。
  MeanswereeasilyfoundtowinthefavourofGeorgyandtheservants。Amelia’smaid,ithasbeensaid,washeartandsoulinfavourofthegenerousMajor。HavingatfirstdislikedBeckyforbeingthemeansofdismissinghimfromthepresenceofhermistress,shewasreconciledtoMrs。Crawleysubsequently,becausethelatterbecameWilliam’smostardentadmirerandchampion。Andinthosenightlyconclavesinwhichthetwoladiesindulgedaftertheirparties,andwhileMissPaynewas“brushingtheir’airs。”asshecalledtheyellowlocksoftheoneandthesoftbrowntressesoftheother,thisgirlalwaysputinherwordforthatdeargoodgentlemanMajorDobbin。HeradvocacydidnotmakeAmeliaangryanymorethanRebecca’sadmirationofhim。ShemadeGeorgewritetohimconstantlyandpersistedinsendingMamma’skindloveinapostscript。Andasshelookedatherhusband’sportraitofnights,itnolongerreproachedher——perhapsshereproachedit,nowWilliamwasgone。
  Emmywasnotveryhappyafterherheroicsacrifice。
  Shewasverydistraite,nervous,silent,andilltoplease。
  Thefamilyhadneverknownhersopeevish。Shegrewpaleandill。Sheusedtotrytosingcertainsongs“Einsambinichnichtalleine。”wasoneofthem,thattenderlove-songofWeber’swhich~inold-fashioneddays,youngladies,andwhenyouwerescarcelyborn,showedthatthosewholivedbeforeyouknewtoohowtoloveandtosingcertainsongs,Isay,towhichtheMajorwaspartial;andasshewarbledtheminthetwilightinthedrawing-room,shewouldbreakoffinthemidstofthesong,andwalkintoherneighbouringapartment,andthere,nodoubt,takerefugeintheminiatureofherhusband。
  Somebooksstillsubsisted,afterDobbin’sdeparture,withhisnamewritteninthem;aGermandictionary,forinstance,with“WilliamDobbin,——thReg……”inthefly-leaf;
  aguide-bookwithhisinitials;andoneortwoothervolumeswhichbelongedtotheMajor。Emmyclearedtheseawayandputthemonthedrawers,wheresheplacedherwork-box,herdesk,herBible,andprayer-book,underthepicturesofthetwoGeorges。AndtheMajor,ongoingaway,havinglefthisglovesbehindhim,itisafactthatGeorgy,rummaginghismother’sdesksometimeafterwards,foundtheglovesneatlyfoldedupandputawayinwhattheycallthesecret-drawersofthedesk。
  Notcaringforsociety,andmopingthereagreatdeal,Emmy’schiefpleasureinthesummereveningswastotakelongwalkswithGeorgyduringwhichRebeccawaslefttothesocietyofMr。Joseph,andthenthemotherandsonusedtotalkabouttheMajorinawaywhichevenmadetheboysmile。ShetoldhimthatshethoughtMajorWilliamwasthebestmaninalltheworld——thegentlestandthekindest,thebravestandthehumblest。Overandoveragainshetoldhimhowtheyowedeverythingwhichtheypossessedintheworldtothatkindfriend’sbenevolentcareofthem;howhehadbefriendedthemallthroughtheirpovertyandmisfortunes;
  watchedoverthemwhennobodycaredforthem;howallhiscomradesadmiredhimthoughheneverspokeofhisowngallantactions;howGeorgy’sfathertrustedhimbeyondallothermen,andhadbeenconstantlybefriendedbythegoodWilliam。”Why,whenyourpapawasalittleboy。”shesaid,“heoftentoldmethatitwasWilliamwhodefendedhimagainstatyrantattheschoolwheretheywere;andtheirfriendshipneverceasedfromthatdayuntilthelast,whenyourdearfatherfell。”
  “DidDobbinkillthemanwhokilledPapa?”Georgysaid。”I’msurehedid,orhewouldifhecouldhavecaughthim,wouldn’the,Mother?WhenI’mintheArmy,won’tIhatetheFrench?——that’sall。”
  Insuchcolloquiesthemotherandthechildpassedagreatdealoftheirtimetogether。Theartlesswomanhadmadeaconfidantoftheboy。HewasasmuchWilliam’sfriendaseverybodyelsewhoknewhimwell。
  Bytheway,Mrs。Becky,nottobebehindhandinsentiment,hadgotaminiaturetoohangingupinherroom,tothesurpriseandamusementofmostpeople,andthedelightoftheoriginal,whowasnootherthanourfriendJos。OnherfirstcomingtofavourtheSedleyswithavisit,thelittlewoman,whohadarrivedwitharemarkablysmallshabbykit,wasperhapsashamedofthemeannessofhertrunksandbandboxes,andoftenspokewithgreatrespectaboutherbaggageleftbehindatLeipzig,whichshemusthavefromthatcity。Whenatravellertalkstoyouperpetuallyaboutthesplendourofhisluggage,whichhedoesnothappentohavewithhim,myson,bewareofthattraveller!Heis,tentoone,animpostor。
  NeitherJosnorEmmyknewthisimportantmaxim。ItseemedtothemofnoconsequencewhetherBeckyhadaquantityofveryfineclothesininvisibletrunks;butasherpresentsupplywasexceedinglyshabby,Emmysuppliedheroutofherownstores,ortookhertothebestmillinerinthetownandtherefittedherout。Itwasnomoretorncollarsnow,Ipromiseyou,andfadedsilkstrailingoffattheshoulder。Beckychangedherhabitswithhersituationinlife——therouge-potwassuspended——anotherexcitementtowhichshehadaccustomedherselfwasalsoputaside,oratleastonlyindulgedininprivacy,aswhenshewasprevailedonbyJosofasummerevening,Emmyandtheboybeingabsentontheirwalks,totakealittlespirit-and-water。Butifshedidnotindulge——thecourierdid:thatrascalKirschcouldnotbekeptfromthebottle,norcouldhetellhowmuchhetookwhenheappliedtoit。HewassometimessurprisedhimselfatthewayinwhichMr。Sedley’sCognacdiminished。Well,well,thisisapainfulsubject。Beckydidnotverylikelyindulgesomuchassheusedbeforesheenteredadecorousfamily。
  Atlastthemuch-bragged-aboutboxesarrivedfromLeipzig;threeofthemnotbyanymeanslargeorsplendid;
  nordidBeckyappeartotakeoutanysortofdressesorornamentsfromtheboxeswhentheydidarrive。Butoutofone,whichcontainedamassofherpapersitwasthatveryboxwhichRawdonCrawleyhadransackedinhisfurioushuntforBecky’sconcealedmoney,shetookapicturewithgreatglee,whichshepinnedupinherroom,andtowhichsheintroducedJos。Itwastheportraitofagentlemaninpencil,hisfacehavingtheadvantageofbeingpaintedupinpink。Hewasridingonanelephantawayfromsomecocoa-nuttreesandapagoda:itwasanEasternscene。
  “Godblessmysoul,itismyportrait。”Joscriedout。
  Itwasheindeed,bloominginyouthandbeauty,inanankeenjacketofthecutof1804。ItwastheoldpicturethatusedtohangupinRussellSquare。
  “Iboughtit。”saidBeckyinavoicetremblingwithemotion;“IwenttoseeifIcouldbeofanyusetomykindfriends。Ihaveneverpartedwiththatpicture——Ineverwill。”
  “Won’tyou?”Joscriedwithalookofunutterableraptureandsatisfaction。”Didyoureallynowvalueitformysake?”
  “YouknowIdid,wellenough。”saidBecky;“butwhyspeak——whythink——whylookback!Itistoolatenow!”
  Thatevening’sconversationwasdeliciousforJos。
  Emmyonlycameintogotobedverytiredandunwell。
  Josandhisfairguesthadacharmingtete-a-tete,andhissistercouldhear,asshelayawakeinheradjoiningchamber,RebeccasingingovertoJostheoldsongsof1815。Hedidnotsleep,forawonder,thatnight,anymorethanAmelia。
  ItwasJune,and,byconsequence,highseasoninLondon;Jos,whoreadtheincomparableGalignanitheexile’sbestfriendthrougheveryday,usedtofavourtheladieswithextractsfromhispaperduringtheirbreakfast。Everyweekinthispaperthereisafullaccountofmilitarymovements,inwhichJos,asamanwhohadseenservice,wasespeciallyinterested。Ononeoccasionhereadout——“Arrivalofthe——thregiment。Gravesend,June20——TheRamchunder,EastIndiaman,cameintotheriverthismorning,havingonboard14officers,and132
  rankandfileofthisgallantcorps。TheyhavebeenabsentfromEnglandfourteenyears,havingbeenembarkedtheyearafterWaterloo,inwhichgloriousconflicttheytookanactivepart,andhavingsubsequentlydistinguishedthemselvesintheBurmesewar。Theveterancolonel,SirMichaelO’Dowd,K。C。B。,withhisladyandsister,landedhereyesterday,withCaptainsPosky,Stubble,Macraw,Malony;LieutenantsSmith,Jones,Thompson,F。Thomson;
  EnsignsHicksandGrady;thebandonthepierplayingthenationalanthem,andthecrowdloudlycheeringthegallantveteransastheywentintoWayte’shotel,whereasumptuousbanquetwasprovidedforthedefendersofOldEngland。Duringtherepast,whichweneednotsaywasservedupinWayte’sbeststyle,thecheeringcontinuedsoenthusiasticallythatLadyO’DowdandtheColonelcameforwardtothebalconyanddrankthehealthsoftheirfellow-countrymeninabumperofWayte’sbestclaret。”
  OnasecondoccasionJosreadabriefannouncement——MajorDobbinhadjoinedthe——thregimentatChatham;
  andsubsequentlyhepromulgatedaccountsofthepresentationsattheDrawing-roomofColonelSirMichaelO’Dowd,K。C。B。,LadyO’DowdbyMrs。MalloyMalonyofBallymalony,andMissGlorvinaO’DowdbyLadyO’Dowd。Almostdirectlyafterthis,Dobbin’snameappearedamongtheLieutenant-Colonels:foroldMarshalTiptoffhaddiedduringthepassageofthe——thfromMadras,andtheSovereignwaspleasedtoadvanceColonelSirMichaelO’DowdtotherankofMajor-GeneralonhisreturntoEngland,withanintimationthatheshouldbeColonelofthedistinguishedregimentwhichhehadsolongcommanded。
  Ameliahadbeenmadeawareofsomeofthesemovements。ThecorrespondencebetweenGeorgeandhisguardianhadnotceasedbyanymeans:Williamhadevenwrittenonceortwicetohersincehisdeparture,butinamannersounconstrainedlycoldthatthepoorwomanfeltnowinherturnthatshehadlostherpoweroverhimandthat,ashehadsaid,hewasfree。Hehadlefther,andshewaswretched。Thememoryofhisalmostcountlessservices,andloftyandaffectionateregard,nowpresenteditselftoherandrebukedherdayandnight。Shebroodedoverthoserecollectionsaccordingtoherwont,sawthepurityandbeautyoftheaffectionwithwhichshehadtrifled,andreproachedherselfforhavingflungawaysuchatreasure。