第 71 节
作者:左思右想      更新:2021-02-19 19:46      字数:9322
  through life in perfect ease and good…humour。  The
  hottest suns of India never heated his temper; and the
  Walcheren ague never shook it。  He walked up to a battery
  with just as much indifference as to a dinner…table; had
  dined on horse…flesh and turtle with equal relish and
  appetite; and had an old mother; Mrs。 O'Dowd of
  O'Dowdstown indeed; whom he had never disobeyed
  but when he ran away and enlisted; and when he persisted
  in marrying that odious Peggy Malony。
  Peggy was one of five sisters; and eleven children of the
  noble house of Glenmalony; but her husband; though her
  own cousin; was of the mother's side; and so had not the
  inestimable advantage of being allied to the Malonys;
  whom she believed to be the most famous family in the
  world。  Having tried nine seasons at Dublin and two at
  Bath and Cheltenham; and not finding a partner for life;
  Miss Malony ordered her cousin Mick to marry her when
  she was about thirty…three years of age; and the honest
  fellow obeying; carried her off to the West Indies; to
  preside over the ladies of the th regiment; into which he
  had just exchanged。
  Before Mrs。 O'Dowd was half an hour in Amelia's (or
  indeed in anybody else's) company; this amiable lady told
  all her birth and pedigree to her new friend。  〃My dear;〃
  said she; good…naturedly; 〃it was my intention that Garge
  should be a brother of my own; and my sister Glorvina
  would have suited him entirely。  But as bygones are
  bygones; and he was engaged to yourself; why; I'm
  determined to take you as a sister instead; and to look upon
  you as such; and to love you as one of the family。  Faith;
  you've got such a nice good…natured face and way widg
  you; that I'm sure we'll agree; and that you'll be an
  addition to our family anyway。〃
  〃'Deed and she will;〃 said O'Dowd; with an approving
  air; and Amelia felt herself not a little amused and
  grateful to be thus suddenly introduced to so large a
  party of relations。
  〃We're all good fellows here;〃 the Major's lady continued。
  〃There's not a regiment in the service where you'll
  find a more united society nor a more agreeable mess…
  room。  There's no quarrelling; bickering; slandthering; nor
  small talk amongst us。  We all love each other。〃
  〃Especially Mrs。 Magenis;〃 said George; laughing。
  〃Mrs。 Captain Magenis and me has made up; though
  her treatment of me would bring me gray hairs with
  sorrow to the grave。〃
  〃And you with such a beautiful front of black; Peggy;
  my dear;〃 the Major cried。
  〃Hould your tongue; Mick; you booby。  Them husbands
  are always in the way; Mrs。 Osborne; my dear; and as
  for my Mick; I often tell him he should never open his
  mouth but to give the word of command; or to put meat
  and drink into it。  I'll tell you about the regiment; and
  warn you when we're alone。  Introduce me to your brother
  now; sure he's a mighty fine man; and reminds me of me
  cousin; Dan Malony (Malony of Ballymalony; my dear;
  you know who mar'ied Ophalia Scully; of Oystherstown;
  own cousin to Lord Poldoody)。  Mr。 Sedley; sir; I'm
  deloighted to be made known te ye。  I suppose you'll dine
  at the mess to…day。  (Mind that divvle of a docther; Mick;
  and whatever ye du; keep yourself sober for me party
  this evening。)〃
  〃It's the 150th gives us a farewell dinner; my love;〃
  interposed the Major; 〃but we'll easy get a card for Mr。
  Sedley。〃
  〃Run Simple (Ensign Simple; of Ours; my dear Amelia。
  I forgot to introjuice him to ye)。  Run in a hurry; with
  Mrs。 Major O'Dowd's compliments to Colonel Tavish;
  and Captain Osborne has brought his brothernlaw down;
  and will bring him to the 150th mess at five o'clock sharp
  when you and I; my dear; will take a snack here; if you
  like。〃  Before Mrs。 O'Dowd's speech was concluded; the
  young Ensign was trotting downstairs on his commission。
  〃Obedience is the soul of the army。  We will go to our
  duty while Mrs。 O'Dowd will stay and enlighten you;
  Emmy;〃 Captain Osborne said; and the two gentlemen;
  taking each a wing of the Major; walked out with that
  officer; grinning at each other over his head。
  And; now having her new friend to herself; the impetuous
  Mrs: O'Dowd proceeded to pour out such a
  quantity of information as no poor little woman's memory
  could ever tax itself to bear。  She told Amelia a thousand
  particulars relative to the very numerous family of which
  the amazed young lady found herself a member。  〃Mrs。
  Heavytop; the Colonel's wife; died in Jamaica of the
  yellow faver and a broken heart comboined; for the horrud
  old Colonel; with a head as bald as a cannon…ball; was
  making sheep's eyes at a half…caste girl there。  Mrs。
  Magenis; though without education; was a good woman;
  but she had the divvle's tongue; and would cheat her own
  mother at whist。  Mrs。 Captain Kirk must turn up her
  lobster eyes forsooth at the idea of an honest round game
  (wherein me fawther; as pious a man as ever went to
  church; me uncle Dane Malony; and our cousin the
  Bishop; took a hand at loo; or whist; every night of their
  lives)。  Nayther of 'em's goin' with the regiment this time;〃
  Mrs。 O'Dowd added。  〃Fanny Magenis stops with her
  mother; who sells small coal and potatoes; most likely;
  in Islington…town; hard by London; though she's always
  bragging of her father's ships; and pointing them out to us
  as they go up the river:  and Mrs。 Kirk and her children
  will stop here in Bethesda Place; to be nigh to her favourite
  preacher; Dr。 Ramshorn。  Mrs。 Bunny's in an interesting
  situationfaith; and she always is; thenand has
  given the Lieutenant seven already。  And Ensign Posky's
  wife; who joined two months before you; my dear; has
  quarl'd with Tom Posky a score of times; till you can
  hear'm all over the bar'ck (they say they're come to
  broken pleets; and Tom never accounted for his black oi);
  and she'll go back to her mother; who keeps a ladies'
  siminary at Richmondbad luck to her for running away
  from it!  Where did ye get your finishing; my dear?  I had
  moin; and no expince spared; at Madame Flanahan's; at
  Ilyssus Grove; Booterstown; near Dublin; wid a Marchioness
  to teach us the true Parisian pronunciation; and a retired
  Mejor…General of the French service to put us
  through the exercise。〃
  Of this incongruous family our astonished Amelia found
  herself all of a sudden a member:  with Mrs。 O'Dowd as
  an elder sister。  She was presented to her other female
  relations at tea…time; on whom; as she was quiet; good…
  natured; and not too handsome; she made rather an
  agreeable impression until the arrival of the gentlemen from
  the mess of the 150th; who all admired her so; that her
  sisters began; of course; to find fault with her。
  〃I hope Osborne has sown his wild oats;〃 said Mrs。
  Magenis to Mrs。 Bunny。  〃If a reformed rake makes a
  good husband; sure it's she will have the fine chance with
  Garge;〃 Mrs。 O'Dowd remarked to Posky; who had lost
  her position as bride in the regiment; and was quite angry
  with the usurper。  And as for Mrs。 Kirk:  that disciple of
  Dr。 Ramshorn put one or two leading professional
  questions to Amelia; to see whether she was awakened;
  whether she was a professing Christian and so forth; and
  finding from the simplicity of Mrs。 Osborne's replies that
  she was yet in utter darkness; put into her hands three
  little penny books with pictures; viz。; the 〃Howling
  Wilderness;〃 the 〃Washerwoman of Wandsworth Common;〃
  and the 〃British Soldier's best Bayonet;〃 which; bent upon
  awakening her before she slept; Mrs。 Kirk begged Amelia
  to read that night ere she went to bed。
  But all the men; like good fellows as they were; rallied
  round their comrade's pretty wife; and paid her their
  court with soldierly gallantry。  She had a little triumph;
  which flushed her spirits and made her eyes sparkle。
  George was proud of her popularity; and pleased with the
  manner (which was very gay and graceful; though naive
  and a little timid) with which she received the gentlemen's
  attentions; and answered their compliments。  And
  he in his uniformhow much handsomer he was than
  any man in the room!  She felt that he was affectionately
  watching her; and glowed with pleasure at his kindness。  〃I
  will make all his friends welcome;〃 she resolved in her
  heart。  〃I will love all as I love him。  I will always try and
  be gay and good…humoured and make his home happy。〃
  The regiment indeed adopted her with acclamation。
  The Captains approved; the Lieutenants applauded; the
  Ensigns admired。  Old Cutler; the Doctor; made one or
  two jokes; which; being professional; need not be repeated;
  and Cackle; the Assistant M。D。 of Edinburgh; condescended
  to examine her upon leeterature; and tried her
  with his three best French quotations。  Young Stubble went
  about from man to man whispering; 〃Jove; isn't she a
  pretty gal?〃 and never took his eyes off her except when
  the negus came in。
  As for Captain Dobbin; he never so much as spoke to
  her during the whole evening。  But he and Captain Porter
  of the l50th took home Jos to the hotel; who was in a
  very maudlin state; and had told his tiger…hunt story with
  great effect; both at the mess…table and at the soiree; to
  Mrs。 O'Dowd in her turban and bird of paradise。  Having
  put the Collector into the hands of his servant; Dobbin
  loitered about; smoking his cigar before the