首页 >出版文学> Vanity Fair>第81章

第81章

  knownotwhethershehopedthatshouldhercousinsucceedincarryingofftherichmerchant’sdaughter,hewouldgiveMissWirtaportionofthewealthwhichshehadenabledhimtowin——allthatiscertainisthatMr。
  Osbornegotsomehintofthetransaction,camebackfromtheCityabruptly,andenteredthedrawing-roomwithhisbamboocane;foundthepainter,thepupil,andthecompanionalllookingexceedinglypalethere;turnedtheformeroutofdoorswithmenacesthathewouldbreakeveryboneinhisskin,andhalfanhourafterwardsdismissedMissWirtlikewise,kickinghertrunksdownthestairs,tramplingonherbandboxes,andshakinghisfistatherhackneycoachasitboreheraway。
  JaneOsbornekeptherbedroomformanydays。Shewasnotallowedtohaveacompanionafterwards。Herfathersworetoherthatsheshouldnothaveashillingofhismoneyifshemadeanymatchwithouthisconcurrence;
  andashewantedawomantokeephishouse,hedidnotchoosethatsheshouldmarry,sothatshewasobligedtogiveupallprojectswithwhichCupidhadanyshare。
  Duringherpapa’slife,then,sheresignedherselftothemannerofexistenceheredescribed,andwascontenttobeanoldmaid。Hersister,meanwhile,washavingchildrenwithfinernameseveryyearandtheintercoursebetweenthetwogrewfaintercontinually。”JaneandIdonotmoveinthesamesphereoflife。”Mrs。Bullocksaid。”Iregardherasasister,ofcourse“——whichmeans——whatdoesitmeanwhenaladysaysthatsheregardsJaneasasister?
  IthasbeendescribedhowtheMissesDobbinlivedwiththeirfatheratafinevillaatDenmarkHill,wheretherewerebeautifulgraperiesandpeach-treeswhichdelightedlittleGeorgyOsborne。TheMissesDobbin,whodroveoftentoBromptontoseeourdearAmelia,camesometimestoRussellSquaretoo,topayavisittotheiroldacquaintanceMissOsborne。IbelieveitwasinconsequenceofthecommandsoftheirbrothertheMajorinIndiaforwhomtheirpapahadaprodigiousrespect,thattheypaidattentiontoMrs。George;fortheMajor,thegodfatherandguardianofAmelia’slittleboy,stillhopedthatthechild’sgrandfathermightbeinducedtorelenttowardshimandacknowledgehimforthesakeofhisson。TheMissesDobbinkeptMissOsborneacquaintedwiththestateofAmelia’saffairs;howshewaslivingwithherfatherandmother;howpoortheywere;howtheywonderedwhatmen,andsuchmenastheirbrotheranddearCaptainOsborne,couldfindinsuchaninsignificantlittlechit;howshewasstill,asheretofore,anamby-pambymilk-and-
  wateraffectedcreature——buthowtheboywasreallythenoblestlittleboyeverseen——fortheheartsofallwomenwarmtowardsyoungchildren,andthesourestspinsteriskindtothem。
  Oneday,aftergreatentreatiesonthepartoftheMissesDobbin,AmeliaallowedlittleGeorgetogoandpassadaywiththematDenmarkHill——apartofwhichdayshespentherselfinwritingtotheMajorinIndia。Shecongratulatedhimonthehappynewswhichhissistershadjustconveyedtoher。Sheprayedforhisprosperityandthatofthebridehehadchosen。Shethankedhimforathousandthousandkindofficesandproofsofsteadfastfriendshiptoherinheraffliction。ShetoldhimthelastnewsaboutlittleGeorgy,andhowhewasgonetospendthatverydaywithhissistersinthecountry。Sheunderlinedtheletteragreatdeal,andshesignedherselfaffectionatelyhisfriend,AmeliaOsborne。SheforgottosendanymessageofkindnesstoLadyO’Dowd,asherwontwas——anddidnotmentionGlorvinabyname,andonlyinitalics,astheMajor’sBRIDE,forwhomshebeggedblessings。Butthenewsofthemarriageremovedthereservewhichshehadkeptuptowardshim。Shewasgladtobeabletoownandfeelhowwarmlyandgratefullysheregardedhim——andasfortheideaofbeingjealousofGlorvinaGlorvina,indeed!,Ameliawouldhavescoutedit,ifanangelfromheavenhadhintedittoher。Thatnight,whenGeorgycamebackinthepony-carriageinwhichherejoiced,andinwhichhewasdrivenbySirWm。Dobbin’soldcoachman,hehadroundhisneckafinegoldchainandwatch。Hesaidanoldlady,notpretty,hadgivenithim,whocriedandkissedhimagreatdeal。Buthedidn’tlikeher。Helikedgrapesverymuch。Andheonlylikedhismamma。Ameliashrankandstarted;thetimidsoulfeltapresentimentofterrorwhensheheardthattherelationsofthechild’sfatherhadseenhim。
  MissOsbornecamebacktogiveherfatherhisdinner。HehadmadeagoodspeculationintheCity,andwasratherinagoodhumourthatday,andchancedtoremarktheagitationunderwhichshelaboured。”What’sthematter,MissOsborne?”hedeignedtosay。
  Thewomanburstintotears。”Oh,sir。”shesaid,“I’veseenlittleGeorge。Heisasbeautifulasanangel——andsolikehim!”Theoldmanoppositetoherdidnotsayaword,butflushedupandbegantotrembleineverylimb。
  InWhichtheReaderHastoDoubletheCapeTheastonishedreadermustbecalledupontotransporthimselftenthousandmilestothemilitarystationofBundlegunge,intheMadrasdivisionofourIndianempire,whereourgallantoldfriendsofthe——thregimentarequarteredunderthecommandofthebraveColonel,SirMichaelO’Dowd。Timehasdealtkindlywiththatstoutofficer,asitdoesordinarilywithmenwhohavegoodstomachsandgoodtempersandarenotperplexedovermuchbyfatigueofthebrain。TheColonelplaysagoodknifeandforkattiffinandresumesthoseweaponswithgreatsuccessatdinner。HesmokeshishookahafterbothmealsandpuffsasquietlywhilehiswifescoldshimashedidunderthefireoftheFrenchatWaterloo。AgeandheathavenotdiminishedtheactivityortheeloquenceofthedescendantoftheMalonysandtheMolloys。HerLadyship,ouroldacquaintance,isasmuchathomeatMadrasasatBrusselsinthecantonmentasunderthetents。Onthemarchyousawherattheheadoftheregimentseatedonaroyalelephant,anoblesight。
  Mountedonthatbeast,shehasbeenintoactionwithtigersinthejungle,shehasbeenreceivedbynativeprinces,whohavewelcomedherandGlorvinaintotherecessesoftheirzenanasandofferedhershawlsandjewelswhichitwenttoherhearttorefuse。Thesentriesofallarmssaluteherwherevershemakesherappearance,andshetouchesherhatgravelytotheirsalutation。LadyO’DowdisoneofthegreatestladiesinthePresidencyofMadras——herquarrelwithLadySmith,wifeofSirMinosSmiththepuisnejudge,isstillrememberedbysomeatMadras,whentheColonel’sladysnappedherfingersintheJudge’slady’sfaceandsaidSHE’Dneverwalkbehindeverabeggarlycivilian。Evennow,thoughitisfive-and-twentyyearsago,peoplerememberLadyO’DowdperformingajigatGovernmentHouse,whereshedanceddowntwoAides-de-Camp,aMajorofMadrascavalry,andtwogentlemenoftheCivilService;and,persuadedbyMajorDobbin,C。B。,secondincommandofthe——th,toretiretothesupper-room,lassatanondumsatiatarecessit。
  PeggyO’Dowdisindeedthesameasever,kindinactandthought;impetuousintemper;eagertocommand;atyrantoverherMichael;adragonamongstalltheladiesoftheregiment;amothertoalltheyoungmen,whomshetendsintheirsickness,defendsinalltheirscrapes,andwithwhomLadyPeggyisimmenselypopular。ButtheSubalterns’andCaptains’ladiestheMajorisunmarried
  cabalagainstheragooddeal。TheysaythatGlorvinagivesherselfairsandthatPeggyherselfisilltolerablydomineering。SheinterferedwithalittlecongregationwhichMrs。Kirkhadgotupandlaughedtheyoungmenawayfromhersermons,statingthatasoldier’swifehadnobusinesstobeaparson——thatMrs。Kirkwouldbemuchbettermendingherhusband’sclothes;and,iftheregimentwantedsermons,thatshehadthefinestintheworld,thoseofheruncle,theDean。SheabruptlyputaterminationtoaflirtationwhichLieutenantStubbleoftheregimenthadcommencedwiththeSurgeon’swife,threateningtocomedownuponStubbleforthemoneywhichhehadborrowedfromherfortheyoungfellowwasstillofanextravagantturnunlesshebrokeoffatonceandwenttotheCapeonsickleave。Ontheotherhand,shehousedandshelteredMrs。Posky,whofledfromherbungalowonenight,pursuedbyherinfuriatehusband,wieldinghissecondbrandybottle,andactuallycarriedPoskythroughthedeliriumtremensandbrokehimofthehabitofdrinking,whichhadgrownuponthatofficer,asallevilhabitswillgrowuponmen。Inaword,inadversityshewasthebestofcomforters,ingoodfortunethemosttroublesomeoffriends,havingaperfectlygoodopinionofherselfalwaysandanindomitableresolutiontohaveherownway。
  Amongotherpoints,shehadmadeuphermindthatGlorvinashouldmarryouroldfriendDobbin。Mrs。O’DowdknewtheMajor’sexpectationsandappreciatedhisgoodqualitiesandthehighcharacterwhichheenjoyedinhisprofession。Glorvina,averyhandsome,fresh-coloured,black-haired,blue-eyedyounglady,whocouldrideahorse,orplayasonatawithanygirloutoftheCountyCork,seemedtobetheverypersondestinedtoinsureDobbin’shappiness——muchmorethanthatpoorgoodlittleweak-spur’tedAmelia,aboutwhomheusedtotakeonso——
  “LookatGlorvinaenteraroom。”Mrs。O’Dowdwouldsay。”andcompareherwiththatpoorMrs。Osborne,whocouldn’tsaybootoagoose。She’dbeworthyofyou,Major——
  you’reaquietmanyourself,andwantsomeonetotalkforye。AndthoughshedoesnotcomeofsuchgoodbloodastheMalonysorMolloys,letmetellye,she’sofanancientfamilythatanynoblemanmightbeproudtomarryinto。”
  ButbeforeshehadcometosucharesolutionanddeterminedtosubjugateMajorDobbinbyherendearments,itmustbeownedthatGlorvinahadpractisedthemagooddealelsewhere。ShehadhadaseasoninDublin,andwhoknowshowmanyinCork,Killarney,andMallow?Shehadflirtedwithallthemarriageableofficerswhomthedepotsofhercountryafforded,andallthebachelorsquireswhoseemedeligible。Shehadbeenengagedtobemarriedahalf-scoretimesinIreland,besidestheclergymanatBathwhousedhersoill。ShehadflirtedallthewaytoMadraswiththeCaptainandchiefmateoftheRamchunderEastIndiaman,andhadaseasonatthePresidencywithherbrotherandMrs。O’Dowd,whowasstayingthere,whiletheMajoroftheregimentwasincommandatthestation。Everybodyadmiredherthere;
  everybodydancedwithher;butnooneproposedwhowasworththemarrying——oneortwoexceedinglyyoungsubalternssighedafterher,andabeardlesscivilianortwo,butsherejectedtheseasbeneathherpretensions——andotherandyoungervirginsthanGlorvinaweremarriedbeforeher。Therearewomen,andhandsomewomentoo,whohavethisfortuneinlife。Theyfallinlovewiththeutmostgenerosity;theyrideandwalkwithhalftheArmy-list,thoughtheydrawneartoforty,andyettheMissesO’GradyaretheMissesO’Gradystill:GlorvinapersistedthatbutforLadyO’Dowd’sunluckyquarrelwiththeJudge’slady,shewouldhavemadeagoodmatchatMadras,whereoldMr。Chutney,whowasattheheadofthecivilserviceandwhoafterwardsmarriedMissDolby,ayoungladyonlythirteenyearsofagewhohadjustarrivedfromschoolinEurope,wasjustatthepointofproposingtoher。