vanity fair(名利场)-第58章

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were　shut　up；　and　fate　had　overtaken　him；　the　poor
broken…down　old　gentleman　used　to　betake　himself　daily；
and　write　letters　and　receive　them；　and　tie　them　up　into
mysterious　bundles；　several　of　which　he　carried　in　the
flaps　of　his　coat。　　I　don't　know　anything　more　dismal　than
that　business　and　bustle　and　mystery　of　a　ruined　man：　　those
letters　from　the　wealthy　which　he　shows　you：　　those　worn
greasy　documents　promising　support　and　offering
condolence　which　he　places　wistfully　before　you；　and　on
which　he　builds　his　hopes　of　restoration　and　future　fortune。
My　beloved　reader　has　no　doubt　in　the　course　of
his　experience　been　waylaid　by　many　such　a　luckless
companion。　　He　takes　you　into　the　corner；　he　has　his　bundle
of　papers　out　of　his　gaping　coat　pocket；　and　the　tape　off；
and　the　string　in　his　mouth；　and　the　favourite　letters
selected　and　laid　before　you；　and　who　does　not　know　the
sad　eager　half…crazy　look　which　he　fixes　on　you　with　his
hopeless　eyes？
Changed　into　a　man　of　this　sort；　Dobbin　found　the
once　florid；　jovial；　and　prosperous　John　Sedley。　　His
coat；　that　used　to　be　so　glossy　and　trim；　was　white　at　the
seams；　and　the　buttons　showed　the　copper。　　His　face　had
fallen　in；　and　was　unshorn；　his　frill　and　neckcloth　hung
limp　under　his　bagging　waistcoat。　　When　he　used　to　treat
the　boys　in　old　days　at　a　coffee…house；　he　would　shout
and　laugh　louder　than　anybody　there；　and　have　all　the
waiters　skipping　round　him；　it　was　quite　painful　to　see
how　humble　and　civil　he　was　to　John　of　the　Tapioca；　a
blear…eyed　old　attendant　in　dingy　stockings　and　cracked
pumps；　whose　business　it　was　to　serve　glasses　of　wafers；
and　bumpers　of　ink　in　pewter；　and　slices　of　paper　to　the
frequenters　of　this　dreary　house　of　entertainment；　where
nothing　else　seemed　to　be　consumed。　　As　for　William
Dobbin；　whom　he　had　tipped　repeatedly　in　his　youth；　and
who　had　been　the　old　gentleman's　butt　on　a　thousand
occasions；　old　Sedley　gave　his　hand　to　him　in　a　very
hesitating　humble　manner　now；　and　called　him　〃Sir。〃　A
feeling　of　shame　and　remorse　took　possession　of　William
Dobbin　as　the　broken　old　man　so　received　and　addressed
him；　as　if　he　himself　had　been　somehow　guilty　of　the
misfortunes　which　had　brought　Sedley　so　low。
〃I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；　Captain　Dobbin；　sir；〃　says
he；　after　a　skulking　look　or　two　at　his　visitor　（whose　lanky
figure　and　military　appearance　caused　some　excitement
likewise　to　twinkle　in　the　blear　eyes　of　the　waiter　in　the
cracked　dancing　pumps；　and　awakened　the　old　lady　in
black；　who　dozed　among　the　mouldy　old　coffee…cups　in　the
bar）。　　〃How　is　the　worthy　alderman；　and　my　lady；　your
excellent　mother；　sir？〃　　He　looked　round　at　the　waiter　as
he　said；　〃My　lady；〃　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Hark　ye；　John；　I
have　friends　still；　and　persons　of　rank　and　reputation；
too。〃　　〃Are　you　come　to　do　anything　in　my　way；　sir？　　My
young　friends　Dale　and　Spiggot　do　all　my　business　for　me
now；　until　my　new　offices　are　ready；　for　I'm　only　here
temporarily；　you　know；　Captain。　　What　can　we　do　for　you。
sir？　　Will　you　like　to　take　anything？〃
Dobbin；　with　a　great　deal　of　hesitation　and　stuttering；
protested　that　he　was　not　in　the　least　hungry　or　thirsty；
that　he　had　no　business　to　transact；　that　he　only　came
to　ask　if　Mr。　Sedley　was　well；　and　to　shake　hands　with
an　old　friend；　and；　he　added；　with　a　desperate　perversion
of　truth；　〃My　mother　is　very　wellthat　is；　she's　been　very
unwell；　and　is　only　waiting　for　the　first　fine　day　to　go　out
and　call　upon　Mrs。　Sedley。　　How　is　Mrs。　Sedley；　sir？　　I
hope　she's　quite　well。〃　　And　here　he　paused；　reflecting　on
his　own　consummate　hypocrisy；　for　the　day　was　as　fine；
and　the　sunshine　as　bright　as　it　ever　is　in　Coffin　Court；
where　the　Tapioca　Coffee…house　is　situated：　and　Mr。
Dobbin　remembered　that　he　had　seen　Mrs。　Sedley　himself
only　an　hour　before；　having　driven　Osborne　down　to　Fulham
in　his　gig；　and　left　him　there　tete…a…tete　with　Miss　Amelia。
〃My　wife　will　be　very　happy　to　see　her　ladyship；〃
Sedley　replied；　pulling　out　his　papers。　　〃I've　a　very　kind
letter　here　from　your　father；　sir；　and　beg　my　respectful
compliments　to　him。　　Lady　D。　will　find　us　in　rather　a
smaller　house　than　we　were　accustomed　to　receive　our
friends　in；　but　it's　snug；　and　the　change　of　air　does　good
to　my　daughter；　who　was　suffering　in　town　ratheryou
remember　little　Emmy；　sir？yes；　suffering　a　good　deal。〃
The　old　gentleman's　eyes　were　wandering　as　he　spoke；　and
he　was　thinking　of　something　else；　as　he　sate　thrumming
on　his　papers　and　fumbling　at　the　worn　red　tape。
〃You're　a　military　man；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　ask　you；　Bill
Dobbin；　could　any　man　ever　have　speculated　upon　the
return　of　that　Corsican　scoundrel　from　Elba？　　When　the
allied　sovereigns　were　here　last　year；　and　we　gave　'em
that　dinner　in　the　City；　sir；　and　we　saw　the　Temple　of
Concord；　and　the　fireworks；　and　the　Chinese　bridge　in
St。　James's　Park；　could　any　sensible　man　suppose　that
peace　wasn't　really　concluded；　after　we'd　actually　sung　Te
Deum　for　it；　sir？　　I　ask　you；　William；　could　I　suppose　that
the　Emperor　of　Austria　was　a　damned　traitora　traitor；
and　nothing　more？　　I　don't　mince　wordsa　double…faced
infernal　traitor　and　schemer；　who　meant　to　have　his　son…
in…law　back　all　along。　　And　I　say　that　the　escape　of　Boney
from　Elba　was　a　damned　imposition　and　plot；　sir；　in
which　half　the　powers　of　Europe　were　concerned；　to
bring　the　funds　down；　and　to　ruin　this　country。　　That's
why　I'm　here；　William。　　That's　why　my　name's　in　the
Gazette。　　Why；　sir？because　I　trusted　the　Emperor　of
Russia　and　the　Prince　Regent。　　Look　here。　　Look　at　my
papers。　　Look　what　the　funds　were　on　the　1st　of　March
what　the　French　fives　were　when　I　bought　for　the
count。　　And　what　they're　at　now。　　There　was　collusion；　sir；
or　that　villain　never　would　have　escaped。　　Where　was　the
English　Commissioner　who　allowed　him　to　get　away？　　He
ought　to　be　shot；　sirbrought　to　a　court…martial；　and
shot；　by　Jove。〃
〃We're　going　to　hunt　Boney　out；　sir；〃　Dobbin　said；
rather　alarmed　at　the　fury　of　the　old　man；　the　veins　of
whose　forehead　began　to　swell；　and　who　sate　drumming
his　papers　with　his　clenched　fist。　　〃We　are　going　to　hunt
him　out；　sirthe　Duke's　in　Belgium　already；　and　we
expect　marching　orders　every　day。〃
〃Give　him　no　quarter。　　Bring　back　the　villain's　head；　sir。
Shoot　the　coward　down；　sir；〃　Sedley　roared。　　〃I'd　enlist
myself；　by；　but　I'm　a　broken　old　manruined　by
that　damned　scoundreland　by　a　parcel　of　swindling
thieves　in　this　country　whom　I　made；　sir；　and　who　are
rolling　in　their　carriages　now；〃　he　added；　with　a　break　in
his　voice。
Dobbin　was　not　a　little　affected　by　the　sight　of　this　once
kind　old　friend；　crazed　almost　with　misfortune　and　raving
with　senile　anger。　　Pity　the　fallen　gentleman：　you　to　whom
money　and　fair　repute　are　the　chiefest　good；　and　so；
surely；　are　they　in　Vanity　Fair。
〃Yes；〃　he　continued；　〃there　are　some　vipers　that　you
warm；　and　they　sting　you　afterwards。　　There　are　some
beggars　that　you　put　on　horseback；　and　they're　the　first
to　ride　you　down。　　You　know　whom　I　mean；　William
Dobbin；　my　boy。　　I　mean　a　purse…proud　villain　in　Russell
Square；　whom　I　knew　without　a　shilling；　and　whom　I
pray　and　hope　to　see　a　beggar　as　he　was　when　I
befriended　him。〃
〃I　have　heard　something　of　this；　sir；　from　my　friend
George；〃　Dobbin　said；　anxious　to　come　to　his　point。　　〃The
quarrel　between　you　and　his　father　has　cut　him　up　a　great
deal；　sir。　　Indeed；　I'm　the　bearer　of　a　message　from　him。〃
〃O；　THAT'S　your　errand；　is　it？〃　cried　the　old　man；
jumping　up。　　〃What！　perhaps　he　condoles　with　me；　does　he？
Very　kind　of　him；　the　stiff…backed　prig；　with　his　dandified
airs　and　West　End　swagger。　　He's　hankering　about　my
house；　is　he　still？　　If　my　son　had　the　courage　of　a　man；
he'd　shoot　him。　　He's　as　big　a　villain　as　his　father。　　I　won't
have　his　name　mentioned　in　my　house。　　I　curse　the　day
that　ever　I　let　him　into　it；　and　I'd　rather　see　my　daughter
dead　at　my　feet　than　married　to　him。〃
〃His　father's　harshness　is　not　George's　fault；　sir。　　Your
daughter's　love　for　him　is　as　much　your　doing　as　his。　　Who
are　you；　that　you　are　to　play　with　two　young　people's
affections　and　break　their　hearts　at　your　will？〃
〃Recollect　it's　not　his　father　th