第 188 节
作者:
左思右想 更新:2021-02-19 19:48 字数:9321
attachment which I bore you; and which a loftier soul than
yours might have been proud to share。 Good…bye; Amelia!
I have watched your struggle。 Let it end。 We are both
weary of it。〃
Amelia stood scared and silent as William thus
suddenly broke the chain by which she held him and
declared his independence and superiority。 He had placed
himself at her feet so long that the poor little woman
had been accustomed to trample upon him。 She didn't
wish to marry him; but she wished to keep him。 She
wished to give him nothing; but that he should give her
all。 It is a bargain not unfrequently levied in love。
William's sally had quite broken and cast her down。
HER assault was long since over and beaten back。
〃Am I to understand then; that you are goingaway;
William?〃 she said。
He gave a sad laugh。 〃I went once before;〃 he said;
〃and came back after twelve years。 We were young then;
Amelia。 Good…bye。 I have spent enough of my life at this
play。〃
Whilst they had been talking; the door into Mrs。 Osborne's
room had opened ever so little; indeed; Becky
had kept a hold of the handle and had turned it on the
instant when Dobbin quitted it; and she heard every word
of the conversation that had passed between these two。
〃What a noble heart that man has;〃 she thought; and
how shamefully that woman plays with it!〃 She admired
Dobbin; she bore him no rancour for the part he had
taken against her。 It was an open move in the game;
and played fairly。 〃Ah!〃 she thought; 〃if I could have had
such a husband as thata man with a heart and brains
too! I would not have minded his large feet〃; and running
into her room; she absolutely bethought herself of
something; and wrote him a note; beseeching him to stop for a
few daysnot to think of goingand that she could
serve him with A。
The parting was over。 Once more poor William walked
to the door and was gone; and the little widow; the
author of all this work; had her will; and had won her
victory; and was left to enjoy it as she best might。 Let
the ladies envy her triumph。
At the romantic hour of dinner; Mr。 Georgy made his
appearance and again remarked the absence of 〃Old
Dob。〃 The meal was eaten in silence by the party。 Jos's
appetite not being diminished; but Emmy taking
nothing at all。
After the meal; Georgy was lolling in the cushions of
the old window; a large window; with three sides of glass
abutting from the gable; and commanding on one side
the market…place; where the Elephant is; his mother being
busy hard by; when he remarked symptoms of
movement at the Major's house on the other side of the street。
〃Hullo!〃 said he; 〃there's Dob's trapthey are bringing
it out of the court…yard。〃 The 〃trap〃 in question
was a carriage which the Major had bought for six pounds
sterling; and about which they used to rally him a good
deal。
Emmy gave a little start; but said nothing。
〃Hullo!〃 Georgy continued; 〃there's Francis coming out
with the portmanteaus; and Kunz; the one…eyed
postilion; coming down the market with three schimmels。
Look at his boots and yellow jacketain't he a rum
one? Whythey're putting the horses to Dob's carriage。
Is he going anywhere?〃
〃Yes;〃 said Emmy; 〃he is going on a journey。〃
〃Going on a journey; and when is he coming back?〃
〃He isnot coming back;〃 answered Emmy。
〃Not coming back!〃 cried out Georgy; jumping up。
〃Stay here; sir;〃 roared out Jos。 〃Stay; Georgy;〃 said his
mother with a very sad face。 The boy stopped; kicked
about the room; jumped up and down from the window…
seat with his knees; and showed every symptom of
uneasiness and curiosity。
The horses were put to。 The baggage was strapped
on。 Francis came out with his master's sword; cane;
and umbrella tied up together; and laid them in the
well; and his desk and old tin cocked…hat case; which
he placed under the seat。 Francis brought out the
stained old blue cloak lined with red camlet; which had
wrapped the owner up any time these fifteen years; and
had manchen Sturm erlebt; as a favourite song of those
days said。 It had been new for the campaign of Waterloo
and had covered George and William after the night
of Quatre Bras。
Old Burcke; the landlord of the lodgings; came out;
then Francis; with more packagesfinal packagesthen
Major WilliamBurcke wanted to kiss him。 The Major
was adored by all people with whom he had to do。 It
was with difficulty he could escape from this
demonstration of attachment。
〃By Jove; I will go!〃 screamed out George。 〃Give him
this;〃 said Becky; quite interested; and put a paper into
the boy's hand。 He had rushed down the stairs and flung
across the street in a minutethe yellow postilion was
cracking his whip gently。
William had got into the carriage; released from the
embraces of his landlord。 George bounded in afterwards;
and flung his arms round the Major's neck (as they saw
from the window); and began asking him multiplied
questions。 Then he felt in his waistcoat pocket and gave him
a note。 William seized at it rather eagerly; he opened it
trembling; but instantly his countenance changed; and
he tore the paper in two and dropped it out of the
carriage。 He kissed Georgy on the head; and the boy got
out; doubling his fists into his eyes; and with the aid of
Francis。 He lingered with his hand on the panel。 Fort;
Schwager! The yellow postilion cracked his whip
prodigiously; up sprang Francis to the box; away went the
schimmels; and Dobbin with his head on his breast。 He
never looked up as they passed under Amelia's window;
and Georgy; left alone in the street; burst out crying
in the face of all the crowd。
Emmy's maid heard him howling again during the
night and brought him some preserved apricots to
console him。 She mingled her lamentations with his。 All the
poor; all the humble; all honest folks; all good men who
knew him; loved that kind…hearted and simple gentleman。
As for Emmy; had she not done her duty? She had her
picture of George for a consolation。
CHAPTER LXVII
Which Contains Births; Marriages; and Deaths
Whatever Becky's private plan might be by which
Dobbin's true love was to be crowned with success; the
little woman thought that the secret might keep; and
indeed; being by no means so much interested about
anybody's welfare as about her own; she had a great
number of things pertaining to herself to consider; and
which concerned her a great deal more than Major
Dobbin's happiness in this life。
She found herself suddenly and unexpectedly in snug
comfortable quarters; surrounded by friends; kindness;
and good…natured simple people such as she had not met
with for many a long day; and; wanderer as she was by
force and inclination; there were moments when rest
was pleasant to her。 As the most hardened Arab that
ever careered across the desert over the hump of a
dromedary likes to repose sometimes under the date…
trees by the water; or to come into the cities; walk into
the bazaars; refresh himself in the baths; and say his
prayers in the mosques; before he goes out again
marauding; so Jos's tents and pilau were pleasant to this
little Ishmaelite。 She picketed her steed; hung up her
weapons; and warmed herself comfortably by his fire。 The
halt in that roving; restless life was inexpressibly soothing
and pleasant to her。
So; pleased herself; she tried with all her might to
please everybody; and we know that she was eminent
and successful as a practitioner in the art of giving
pleasure。 As for Jos; even in that little interview in the
garret at the Elephant Inn; she had found means to win
back a great deal of his good…will。 In the course of a
week; the civilian was her sworn slave and frantic
admirer。 He didn't go to sleep after dinner; as his
custom was in the much less lively society of Amelia。 He
drove out with Becky in his open carriage。 He asked little
parties and invented festivities to do her honour。
Tapeworm; the Charge d'Affaires; who had abused her
so cruelly; came to dine with Jos; and then came every
day to pay his respects to Becky。 Poor Emmy; who was
never very talkative; and more glum and silent than ever
after Dobbin's departure; was quite forgotten when this
superior genius made her appearance。 The French
Minister was as much charmed with her as his English rival。
The German ladies; never particularly squeamish as
regards morals; especially in English people; were delighted
with the cleverness and wit of Mrs。 Osborne's charming
friend; and though she did not ask to go to Court;
yet the most august and Transparent Personages there
heard of her fascinations and were quite curious to know
her。 When it became known that she was noble; of an
ancient English family; that her husband was a Colonel
of the Guard; Excellenz and Governor of an island; only
separated from his lady by one of those trifling differences
which are of little account in a country where
Werther is still read and the Wahlverwandtschaften of
Goethe is considered an edifying moral book; nobody
thought of refusing to receive her in the very highest
society of the little Duchy; and the ladies were even more
ready to call her du and to swear eternal friendship for
her than they had been to bestow the same inestimable