vanity fair(名利场)-第68章

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suppose　that　he　wants　to　marry　HER？　　Marry　HER；　that　IS
a　good　one。　　My　son　and　heir　marry　a　beggar's　girl　out　of
a　gutter。　　D　him；　if　he　does；　let　him　buy　a　broom
and　sweep　a　crossing。　　She　was　always　dangling　and　ogling
after　him；　I　recollect　now；　and　I've　no　doubt　she　was
put　on　by　her　old　sharper　of　a　father。〃
〃Mr。　Sedley　was　your　very　good　friend；　sir；〃　Dobbin
interposed；　almost　pleased　at　finding　himself　growing
angry。　　〃Time　was　you　called　him　better　names　than
rogue　and　swindler。　　The　match　was　of　your　making。
George　had　no　right　to　play　fast　and　loose〃
〃Fast　and　loose！〃　howled　out　old　Osborne。　　〃Fast　and
loose！　　Why；　hang　me；　those　are　the　very　words　my
gentleman　used　himself　when　he　gave　himself　airs；　last
Thursday　was　a　fortnight；　and　talked　about　the　British　army
to　his　father　who　made　him。　　What；　it's　you　who　have
been　a　setting　of　him　upis　it？　and　my　service　to　you；
CAPTAIN。　　It's　you　who　want　to　introduce　beggars　into　my
family。　　Thank　you　for　nothing；　Captain。　　Marry　HER　indeed
he；　he！　why　should　he？　　I　warrant　you　she'd　go　to　him
fast　enough　without。〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Dobbin；　starting　up　in　undisguised　anger；
〃no　man　shall　abuse　that　lady　in　my　hearing；　and　you
least　of　all。〃
〃O；　you're　a…going　to　call　me　out；　are　you？　　Stop；　let　me
ring　the　bell　for　pistols　for　two。　　Mr。　George　sent　you
here　to　insult　his　father；　did　he？〃　Osborne　said；　pulling
at　the　bell…cord。
〃Mr。　Osborne；〃　said　Dobbin；　with　a　faltering　voice；
〃it's　you　who　are　insulting　the　best　creature　in　the　world。
You　had　best　spare　her；　sir；　for　she's　your　son's　wife。〃
And　with　this；　feeling　that　he　could　say　no　more；　Dobbin
went　away；　Osborne　sinking　back　in　his　chair；　and
looking　wildly　after　him。　　A　clerk　came　in；　obedient　to　the
bell；　and　the　Captain　was　scarcely　out　of　the　court　where
Mr。　Osborne's　offices　were；　when　Mr。　Chopper　the　chief
clerk　came　rushing　hatless　after　him。
〃For　God's　sake；　what　is　it？〃　Mr。　Chopper　said；　catching
the　Captain　by　the　skirt。　　〃The　governor's　in　a　fit。
What　has　Mr。　George　been　doing？〃
〃He　married　Miss　Sedley　five　days　ago；〃　Dobbin　replied。
〃I　was　his　groomsman；　Mr。　Chopper；　and　you　must
stand　his　friend。〃
The　old　clerk　shook　his　head。　　〃If　that's　your　news；
Captain；　it's　bad。　　The　governor　will　never　forgive　him。〃
Dobbin　begged　Chopper　to　report　progress　to　him　at
the　hotel　where　he　was　stopping；　and　walked　off　moodily
westwards；　greatly　perturbed　as　to　the　past　and　the
future。
When　the　Russell　Square　family　came　to　dinner　that
evening；　they　found　the　father　of　the　house　seated　in　his
usual　place；　but　with　that　air　of　gloom　on　his　face；　which；
whenever　it　appeared　there；　kept　the　whole　circle　silent。
The　ladies；　and　Mr。　Bullock　who　dined　with　them；　felt
that　the　news　had　been　communicated　to　Mr。　Osborne。
His　dark　looks　affected　Mr。　Bullock　so　far　as　to　render
him　still　and　quiet：　but　he　was　unusually　bland　and
attentive　to　Miss　Maria；　by　whom　he　sat；　and　to　her　sister
presiding　at　the　head　of　the　table。
Miss　Wirt；　by　consequence；　was　alone　on　her　side　of
the　board；　a　gap　being　left　between　her　and　Miss　Jane
Osborne。　　Now　this　was　George's　place　when　he　dined　at
home；　and　his　cover；　as　we　said；　was　laid　for　him　in
expectation　of　that　truant's　return。　　Nothing　occurred
during　dinner…time　except　smiling　Mr。　Frederick's　flagging
confidential　whispers；　and　the　clinking　of　plate　and　china；
to　interrupt　the　silence　of　the　repast。　　The　servants　went
about　stealthily　doing　their　duty。　　Mutes　at　funerals　could
not　look　more　glum　than　the　domestics　of　Mr。　Osborne
The　neck　of　venison　of　which　he　had　invited　Dobbin　to
partake；　was　carved　by　him　in　perfect　silence；　but　his
own　share　went　away　almost　untasted；　though　he　drank
much；　and　the　butler　assiduously　filled　his　glass。
At　last；　just　at　the　end　of　the　dinner；　his　eyes；　which
had　been　staring　at　everybody　in　turn；　fixed　themselves
for　a　while　upon　the　plate　laid　for　George。　　He　pointed
to　it　presently　with　his　left　hand。　　His　daughters　looked　at
him　and　did　not　comprehend；　or　choose　to　comprehend；
the　signal；　nor　did　the　servants　at　first　understand　it。
〃Take　that　plate　away；〃　at　last　he　said；　getting　up　with
an　oathand　with　this　pushing　his　chair　back；　he　walked
into　his　own　room。
Behind　Mr。　Osborne's　dining…room　was　the　usual
apartment　which　went　in　his　house　by　the　name　of　the
study；　and　was　sacred　to　the　master　of　the　house。　　Hither
Mr。　Osborne　would　retire　of　a　Sunday　forenoon　when
not　minded　to　go　to　church；　and　here　pass　the　morning
in　his　crimson　leather　chair；　reading　the　paper。　　A　couple
of　glazed　book…cases　were　here；　containing　standard
works　in　stout　gilt　bindings。　　The　〃Annual　Register；〃　the
〃Gentleman's　Magazine；〃　〃Blair's　Sermons；〃　and　〃Hume
and　Smollett。〃　From　year's　end　to　year's　end　he　never
took　one　of　these　volumes　from　the　shelf；　but　there　was
no　member　of　the　family　that　would　dare　for　his　life　to
touch　one　of　the　books；　except　upon　those　rare　Sunday
evenings　when　there　was　no　dinner…party；　and　when　the
great　scarlet　Bible　and　Prayer…book　were　taken　out　from
the　corner　where　they　stood　beside　his　copy　of　the　Peerage；
and　the　servants　being　rung　up　to　the　dining　parlour；
Osborne　read　the　evening　service　to　his　family　in　a
loud　grating　pompous　voice。　　No　member　of　the　household；
child；　or　domestic；　ever　entered　that　room　without
a　certain　terror。　　Here　he　checked　the　housekeeper's　accounts；
and　overhauled　the　butler's　cellar…book。　　Hence　he
could　command；　across　the　clean　gravel　court…yard；　the
back　entrance　of　the　stables　with　which　one　of　his　bells
communicated；　and　into　this　yard　the　coachman　issued
from　his　premises　as　into　a　dock；　and　Osborne　swore　at
him　from　the　study　window。　　Four　times　a　year　Miss
Wirt　entered　this　apartment　to　get　her　salary；　and　his
daughters　to　receive　their　quarterly　allowance。　　George
as　a　boy　had　been　horsewhipped　in　this　room　many
times；　his　mother　sitting　sick　on　the　stair　listening　to　the
cuts　of　the　whip。　　The　boy　was　scarcely　ever　known　to
cry　under　the　punishment；　the　poor　woman　used　to
fondle　and　kiss　him　secretly；　and　give　him　money　to
soothe　him　when　he　came　out。
There　was　a　picture　of　the　family　over　the　mantelpiece；
removed　thither　from　the　front　room　after　Mrs。　Osborne's
deathGeorge　was　on　a　pony；　the　elder　sister
holding　him　up　a　bunch　of　flowers；　the　younger　led　by
her　mother's　hand；　all　with　red　cheeks　and　large　red
mouths；　simpering　on　each　other　in　the　approved　family…
portrait　manner。　　The　mother　lay　underground　now；　long
since　forgottenthe　sisters　and　brother　had　a　hundred
different　interests　of　their　own；　and；　familiar　still；　were
utterly　estranged　from　each　other。　　Some　few　score　of
years　afterwards；　when　all　the　parties　represented　are
grown　old；　what　bitter　satire　there　is　in　those　flaunting
childish　family…portraits；　with　their　farce　of　sentiment　and
smiling　lies；　and　innocence　so　self…conscious　and　self…
satisfied。　　Osborne's　own　state　portrait；　with　that　of　his
great　silver　inkstand　and　arm…chair；　had　taken　the　place
of　honour　in　the　dining…room；　vacated　by　the　family…
piece。
To　this　study　old　Osborne　retired　then；　greatly　to　the
relief　of　the　small　party　whom　he　left。　　When　the
servants　had　withdrawn；　they　began　to　talk　for　a　while
volubly　but　very　low；　then　they　went　upstairs　quietly；
Mr。　Bullock　accompanying　them　stealthily　on　his　creaking
shoes。　　He　had　no　heart　to　sit　alone　drinking　wine；
and　so　close　to　the　terrible　old　gentleman　in　the　study
hard　at　hand。
An　hour　at　least　after　dark；　the　butler；　not　having
received　any　summons；　ventured　to　tap　at　his　door　and
take　him　in　wax　candles　and　tea。　　The　master　of　the
house　sate　in　his　chair；　pretending　to　read　the　paper；
and　when　the　servant；　placing　the　lights　and　refreshment
on　the　table　by　him；　retired；　Mr。　Osborne　got　up　and
locked　the　door　after　him。　　This　time　there　was　no　mistaking
the　matter；　all　the　household　knew　that　some　great
catastrophe　was　going　to　happen　which　was　likely　direly
to　affect　Master　George。
In　the　large　shining　mahogany　escritoire　Mr。　Osborne
had　a　drawer　especially　devoted　to　his　son's　affairs　and
papers。　　Here　he　kept　all　the　documents　relating　to　him
ever　since　he　had　been　a　b