vanity fair(名利场)-第212章

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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
benefits　upon　Amelia。　　Love　and　Liberty　are　interpreted
by　those　simple　Germans　in　a　way　which　honest　folks　in
Yorkshire　and　Somersetshire　little　understand；　and　a　lady
might；　in　some　philosophic　and　civilized　towns；　be
divorced　ever　so　many　times　from　her　respective　husbands
and　keep　her　character　in　society。　　Jos's　house　never　was
so　pleasant　since　he　had　a　house　of　his　own　as　Rebecca
caused　it　to　be。　　She　sang；　she　played；　she　laughed；　she
talked　in　two　or　three　languages；　she　brought　everybody
to　the　house；　and　she　made　Jos　believe　that　it　was　his
own　great　social　talents　and　wit　which　gathered　the
society　of　the　place　round　about　him。
As　for　Emmy；　who　found　herself　not　in　the　least
mistress　of　her　own　house；　except　when　the　bills　were
to　be　paid；　Becky　soon　discovered　the　way　to　soothe　and
please　her。　　She　talked　to　her　perpetually　about　Major
Dobbin　sent　about　his　business；　and　made　no　scruple
of　declaring　her　admiration　for　that　excellent；　high…
minded　gentleman；　and　of　telling　Emmy　that　she　had
behaved　most　cruelly　regarding　him。　　Emmy　defended　her
conduct　and　showed　that　it　was　dictated　only　by　the
purest　religious　principles；　that　a　woman　once；　&c。；　and　to
such　an　angel　as　him　whom　she　had　had　the　good
fortune　to　marry；　was　married　forever；　but　she　had　no
objection　to　hear　the　Major　praised　as　much　as　ever
Becky　chose　to　praise　him；　and　indeed；　brought　the
conversation　round　to　the　Dobbin　subject　a　score　of　times
every　day。
Means　were　easily　found　to　win　the　favour　of　Georgy
and　the　servants。　　Amelia's　maid；　it　has　been　said；　was
heart　and　soul　in　favour　of　the　generous　Major。　　Having　at
first　disliked　Becky　for　being　the　means　of　dismissing
him　from　the　presence　of　her　mistress；　she　was　reconciled
to　Mrs。　Crawley　subsequently；　because　the　latter
became　William's　most　ardent　admirer　and　champion。　　And
in　those　nightly　conclaves　in　which　the　two　ladies
indulged　after　their　parties；　and　while　Miss　Payne　was
〃brushing　their　'airs；〃　as　she　called　the　yellow　locks　of
the　one　and　the　soft　brown　tresses　of　the　other；　this
girl　always　put　in　her　word　for　that　dear　good　gentleman
Major　Dobbin。　　Her　advocacy　did　not　make　Amelia
angry　any　more　than　Rebecca's　admiration　of　him。　　She
made　George　write　to　him　constantly　and　persisted　in
sending　Mamma's　kind　love　in　a　postscript。　　And　as　she
looked　at　her　husband's　portrait　of　nights；　it　no　longer
reproached　herperhaps　she　reproached　it；　now
William　was　gone。
Emmy　was　not　very　happy　after　her　heroic　sacrifice。
She　was　very　distraite；　nervous；　silent；　and　ill　to　please。
The　family　had　never　known　her　so　peevish。　　She　grew
pale　and　ill。　　She　used　to　try　to　sing　certain　songs
（〃Einsam　bin　ich　nicht　alleine；〃　was　one　of　them；　that　tender
love…song　of　Weber's　which~　in　old…fashioned　days；
young　ladies；　and　when　you　were　scarcely　born；　showed
that　those　who　lived　before　you　knew　too　how　to　love
and　to　sing）　certain　songs；　I　say；　to　which　the　Major
was　partial；　and　as　she　warbled　them　in　the　twilight　in　the
drawing…room；　she　would　break　off　in　the　midst　of　the
song；　and　walk　into　her　neighbouring　apartment；　and
there；　no　doubt；　take　refuge　in　the　miniature　of　her
husband。
Some　books　still　subsisted；　after　Dobbin's　departure；
with　his　name　written　in　them；　a　German　dictionary；　for
instance；　with　〃William　Dobbin；　th　Reg。；〃　in　the　fly…leaf；
a　guide…book　with　his　initials；　and　one　or　two　other
volumes　which　belonged　to　the　Major。　　Emmy　cleared　these
away　and　put　them　on　the　drawers；　where　she　placed　her
work…box；　her　desk；　her　Bible；　and　prayer…book；　under
the　pictures　of　the　two　Georges。　　And　the　Major；　on　going
away；　having　left　his　gloves　behind　him；　it　is　a　fact　that
Georgy；　rummaging　his　mother's　desk　some　time
afterwards；　found　the　gloves　neatly　folded　up　and　put　away　in
what　they　call　the　secret…drawers　of　the　desk。
Not　caring　for　society；　and　moping　there　a　great　deal；
Emmy's　chief　pleasure　in　the　summer　evenings　was　to
take　long　walks　with　Georgy　（during　which　Rebecca