vanity fair(名利场)-第33章

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whereof　the　beauty　escapes　the　eyes　of　many
connoisseurs。　　And　there　are　sweet　modest　little　souls　on
which　you　light；　fragrant　and　blooming　tenderly　in　quiet　shady
places；　and　there　are　garden…ornaments；　as　big　as　brass
warming…pans；　that　are　fit　to　stare　the　sun　itself　out　of
countenance。　　Miss　Sedley　was　not　of　the　sunflower　sort；
and　I　say　it　is　out　of　the　rules　of　all　proportion　to　draw
a　violet　of　the　size　of　a　double　dahlia。
　　
No；　indeed；　the　life　of　a　good　young　girl　who　is　in　the
paternal　nest　as　yet；　can't　have　many　of　those　thrilling
incidents　to　which　the　heroine　of　romance　commonly　lays
claim。　　Snares　or　shot　may　take　off　the　old　birds　foraging
withouthawks　may　be　abroad；　from　which　they　escape
or　by　whom　they　suffer；　but　the　young　ones　in　the　nest
have　a　pretty　comfortable　unromantic　sort　of　existence
in　the　down　and　the　straw；　till　it　comes　to　their　turn；
too；　to　get　on　the　wing。　　While　Becky　Sharp　was　on　her
own　wing　in　the　country；　hopping　on　all　sorts　of　twigs；
and　amid　a　multiplicity　of　traps；　and　pecking　up　her　food
quite　harmless　and　successful；　Amelia　lay　snug　in　her
home　of　Russell　Square；　if　she　went　into　the　world；　it
was　under　the　guidance　of　the　elders；　nor　did　it　seem
that　any　evil　could　befall　her　or　that　opulent　cheery
comfortable　home　in　which　she　was　affectionately　sheltered。
Mamma　had　her　morning　duties；　and　her　daily　drive；
and　the　delightful　round　of　visits　and　shopping　which
forms　the　amusement；　or　the　profession　as　you　may　call
it；　of　the　rich　London　lady。　　Papa　conducted　his
mysterious　operations　in　the　Citya　stirring　place　in　those
days；　when　war　was　raging　all　over　Europe；　and　empires
were　being　staked；　when　the　〃Courier〃　newspaper　had
tens　of　thousands　of　subscribers；　when　one　day　brought
you　a　battle　of　Vittoria；　another　a　burning　of　Moscow；　or
a　newsman's　horn　blowing　down　Russell　Square　about
dinner…time；　announced　such　a　fact　as〃Battle　of
Leipsicsix　hundred　thousand　men　engagedtotal
defeat　of　the　Frenchtwo　hundred　thousand　killed。〃　Old
Sedley　once　or　twice　came　home　with　a　very　grave　face；
and　no　wonder；　when　such　news　as　this　was　agitating　all
the　hearts　and　all　the　Stocks　of　Europe。
　　
Meanwhile　matters　went　on　in　Russell　Square；　Bloomsbury；
just　as　if　matters　in　Europe　were　not　in　the　least
disorganised。　　The　retreat　from　Leipsic　made　no
difference　in　the　number　of　meals　Mr。　Sambo　took　in　the
servants'　hall；　the　allies　poured　into　France；　and　the
dinner…belI　rang　at　five　o'clock　just　as　usual。　　I　don't　think
poor　Amelia　cared　anything　about　Brienne　and　Montmirail；
or　was　fairly　interested　in　the　war　until　the　abdication
of　the　Emperor；　when　she　clapped　her　hands　and　said
prayersoh；　how　grateful！　and　flung　herself　into　George
Osborne's　arms　with　all　her　soul；　to　the　astonishment　of
everybody　who　witnessed　that　ebullition　of　sentiment。
The　fact　is；　peace　was　declared；　Europe　was　going　to　be
at　rest；　the　Corsican　was　overthrown；　and　Lieutenant
Osborne's　regiment　would　not　be　ordered　on　service。　　That
was　the　way　in　which　Miss　Amelia　reasoned。　　The　fate　of
Europe　was　Lieutenant　George　Osborne　to　her。　　His
dangers　being　over；　she　sang　Te　Deum。　　He　was　her　Europe：
her　emperor：　her　allied　monarchs　and　august　prince
regent。　　He　was　her　sun　and　moon；　and　I　believe　she
thought　the　grand　illumination　and　ball　at　the　Mansion
House；　given　to　the　sovereigns；　were　especially　in　honour
of　George　Osborne。
　　
We　have　talked　of　shift；　self；　and　poverty；　as　those
dismal　instructors　under　whom　poor　Miss　Becky　Sharp
got　her　education。　　Now；　love　was　Miss　Amelia　Sedley's
last　tutoress；　and　it　was　amazing　what　progress　our　young
lady　made　under　that　popular　teacher。　　In　the　course　of
fifteen　or　eighteen　months'　daily　and　constant　attention　to
this　eminent　finishing　governess；　what　a　deal　of　secrets
Amelia　learned；　which　Miss　Wirt　and　the　black…eyed
young　ladies　over　the　way；　which　old　Miss　Pinkerton　of
Chiswick　herself；　had　no　cognizance　of！　　As；　indeed；　how
should　any　of　those　prim　and　reputable　virgins？　　With
Misses　P。　and　W。　the　tender　passion　is　out　of　the
question：　I　would　not　dare　to　breathe　such　an　idea　regarding
them。　　Miss　Maria　Osborne；　it　is　true；　was　〃attached〃　to
Mr。　Frederick　Augustus　Bullock；　of　the　firm　of　Hulker；
Bullock　&　Bullock；　but　hers　was　a　most　respectable
attachment；　and　she　would　have　taken　Bullock　Senior　just
the　same；　her　mind　being　fixedas　that　of　a　well…bred
young　woman　should　beupon　a　house　in　Park　Lane；
a　country　house　at　Wimbledon；　a　handsome　chariot；　and
two　prodigious　tall　horses　and　footmen；　and　a　fourth　of
the　annual　profits　of　the　eminent　firm　of　Hulker　&
Bullock；　all　of　which　advantages　were　represented　in　the
person　of　Frederick　Augustus。　　Had　orange　blossoms　been
invented　then　（those　touching　emblems　of　female　purity
imported　by　us　from　France；　where　people's　daughters
are　universally　sold　in　marriage）；　Miss　Maria；　I　say；
would　have　assumed　the　spotless　wreath；　and　stepped　into
the　travelling　carriage　by　the　side　of　gouty；　old；　bald…
headed；　bottle…nosed　Bullock　Senior；　and　devoted　her
beautiful　existence　to　his　happiness　with　perfect　modesty
only　the　old　gentleman　was　married　already；　so　she
bestowed　her　young　affections　on　the　junior　partner。
Sweet；　blooming；　orange　flowers！　　The　other　day　I　saw
Miss　Trotter　（that　was）；　arrayed　in　them；　trip　into　the
travelling　carriage　at　St。　George's；　Hanover　Square；　and
Lord　Methuselah　hobbled　in　after。　　With　what　an　engaging
modesty　she　pulled　down　the　blinds　of　the　chariotthe
dear　innocent！　　There　were　half　the　carriages　of　Vanity
Fair　at　the　wedding。
　　
This　was　not　the　sort　of　love　that　finished　Amelia's
education；　and　in　the　course　of　a　year　turned　a　good　young
girl　into　a　good　young　womanto　be　a　good　wife
presently；　when　the　happy　time　should　come。　　This　young
person　（perhaps　it　was　very　imprudent　in　her　parents　to
encourage　her；　and　abet　her　in　such　idolatry　and　silly
romantic　ideas）　loved；　with　all　her　heart；　the　young
officer　in　His　Majesty's　service　with　whom　we　have　made　a
brief　acquaintance。　　She　thought　about　him　the　very　first
moment　on　waking；　and　his　was　the　very　last　name
mentioned　m　her　prayers。　　She　never　had　seen　a　man　so
beautiful　or　so　clever：　such　a　figure　on　horseback：　such
a　dancer：　such　a　hero　in　general。　　Talk　of　the　Prince's
bow！　what　was　it　to　George's？　She　had　seen　Mr。
Brummell；　whom　everybody　praised　so。　　Compare　such　a　person
as　that　to　her　George！　Not　amongst　all　the　beaux　at　the
Opera　（and　there　were　beaux　in　those　days　with　actual
opera　hats）　was　there　any　one　to　equal　him。　　He　was　only
good　enough　to　be　a　fairy　prince；　and　oh；　what
magnanimity　to　stoop　to　such　a　humble　Cinderella！　　Miss
Pinkerton　would　have　tried　to　check　this　blind　devotion
very　likely；　had　she　been　Amelia's　confidante；　but　not
with　much　success；　depend　upon　it。　　It　is　in　the　nature　and
instinct　of　some　women。　　Some　are　made　to　scheme；　and
some　to　love；　and　I　wish　any　respected　bachelor　that
reads　this　may　take　the　sort　that　best　likes　him。
　　
While　under　this　overpowering　impression；　Miss　Amelia
neglected　her　twelve　dear　friends　at　Chiswick　most
cruelly；　as　such　selfish　people　commonly　will　do。　　She　had
but　this　subject；　of　course；　to　think　about；　and　Miss
Saltire　was　too　cold　for　a　confidante；　and　she　couldn't
bring　her　mind　to　tell　Miss　Swartz；　the　woolly…haired
young　heiress　from　St。　Kitt's。　　She　had　little　Laura　Martin
home　for　the　holidays；　and　my　belief　is；　she　made　a
confidante　of　her；　and　promised　that　Laura　should　come
and　live　with　her　when　she　was　married；　and　gave　Laura
a　great　deal　of　information　regarding　the　passion　of
love；　which　must　have　been　singularly　useful　and　novel
to　that　little　person。　　Alas；　alas！　　I　fear　poor　Emmy　had
not　a　well…regulated　mind。
　　
What　were　her　parents　doing；　not　to　keep　this　little
heart　from　beating　so　fast？　　Old　Sedley　did　not　seem　much
to　notice　matters。　　He　was　graver　of　late；　and　his　City
affairs　absorbed　him。　　Mrs。　Sedley　was　of　so　easy　and
uninquisitive　a　nature　that　she　wasn't　even　jealous。　　Mr。
Jos　was　away；　being　besieged　by　an　Irish　widow　at
Cheltenham。　　Amelia　had　the　house　to　herselfah！　too
much　to　herself　sometimesno