按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
creature； as she was。
〃To…night is not the night；〃 said Joe。
〃Well； to…morrow。〃
〃To…morrow your Papa and I dine out；〃 said Mrs。
Sedley。
〃You don't suppose that I'm going； Mrs。 Sed？〃 said
her husband； 〃and that a woman of your years and size
is to catch cold； in such an abominable damp place？〃
'The children must have someone with them；〃 cried
Mrs。 Sedley。
〃Let Joe go；〃 said…his father； laughing。 〃He's big
enough。〃 At which speech even Mr。 Sambo at the
sideboard burst out laughing； and poor fat Joe felt
inclined to become a parricide almost。
〃Undo his stays！〃 continued the pitiless old gentleman。
〃Fling some water in his face； Miss Sharp； or carry him
upstairs： the dear creature's fainting。 Poor victim！ carry
him up； he's as light as a feather！〃
〃If I stand this； sir； I'm d！〃 roared Joseph。
〃Order Mr。 Jos's elephant； Sambo！〃 cried the father。
〃Send to Exeter 'Change； Sambo〃； but seeing Jos ready
almost to cry with vexation； the old joker stopped his
laughter； and said； holding out his hand to his son； 〃It's
all fair on the Stock Exchange； Josand； Sambo； never
mind the elephant； but give me and Mr。 Jos a glass of
Champagne。 Boney himself hasn't got such in his cellar；
my boy！〃
A goblet of Champagne restored Joseph's equanimity；
and before the bottle was emptied； of which as an invalid
he took two…thirds； he had agreed to take the young
ladies to Vauxhall。
〃The girls must have a gentleman apiece；〃 said the old
gentleman。 〃Jos will be sure to leave Emmy in the crowd；
he will be so taken up with Miss Sharp here。 Send to 96；
and ask George Osborne if he'll come。〃
At this； I don't know in the least for what reason；
Mrs。 Sedley looked at her husband and laughed。 Mr。
Sedley's eyes twinkled in a manner indescribably
roguish； and he looked at Amelia； and Amelia； hanging
down her head； blushed as only young ladies of seventeen
know how to blush； and as Miss Rebecca Sharp never
blushed in her lifeat least not since she was eight
years old； and when she was caught stealing jam out of
a cupboard by her godmother。 〃Amelia had better write
a note；〃 said her father； 〃and let George Osborne see
what a beautiful handwriting we have brought back from
Miss Pinkerton's。 Do you remember when you wrote to
him to come on Twelfth…night； Emmy； and spelt twelfth
without the f？〃
〃That was years ago；〃 said Amelia。
〃It seems like yesterday； don't it； John？〃 said Mrs。
Sedley to her husband； and that night in a conversation
which took place in a front room in the second floor；
in a sort of tent； hung round with chintz of a rich and
fantastic India pattern； and double with calico of a
tender rose…colour； in the interior of which species of
marquee was a featherbed； on which were two pillows；
on which were two round red faces； one in a laced
nightcap； and one in a simple cotton one； ending in a tassel
in A CURTAIN LECTURE； I say； Mrs。 Sedley took her
husband to task for his cruel conduct to poor Joe。
〃It was quite wicked of you； Mr。 Sedley；〃 said she；
〃to torment the poor boy so。〃
〃My dear；〃 said the cotton…tassel in defence of his
conduct； 〃Jos is a great deal vainer than you ever were
in your life； and that's saying a good deal。 Though； some
thirty years ago； in the year seventeen hundred and
eightywhat was it？perhaps you had a right to be
vainI don't say no。 But I've no patience with Jos and
his dandified modesty。 It is out…Josephing Joseph； my dear；
and all the while the boy is only thinking of himself；
and what a fine fellow he is。 I doubt； Ma'am； we shall
have some trouble with him yet。 Here is Emmy's little
friend making love to him as hard as she can； that's
quite clear； and if she does not catch him some other
will。 That man is destined to be a prey to woman； as
I am to go on 'Change every day。 It's a mercy he did
not bring us over a black daughter…in…law； my dear。 But；
mark my words； the first woman who fishes for him；
hooks him。〃
〃She shall go off to…morrow； the little artful creature；〃
said Mrs。 Sedley； with great energy。
〃Why not she as well as another； Mrs。 Sedley？ The
girl's a white face at any rate。 I don't care who marries
him。 Let Joe please himself。〃
And presently the voices of the two speakers were
hushed； or were replaced by the gentle but unromantic
music of the nose； and save when the church bells
tolled the hour and the watchman called it； all was
silent at the house of John Sedley； Esquire； of Russell
Square； and the Stock Exchange。
When morning came； the good…natured Mrs。 Sedley no
longer thought of executing her threats with regard to
Miss Sharp； for though nothing is more keen； nor more
common； nor more justifiable； than maternal jealousy；
yet she could not bring herself to suppose that the little；
humble； grateful； gentle governess would dare to look
up to such a magnificent personage as the Collector of
Boggley Wollah。 The petition； too； for an extension of
the young lady's leave of absence had already been
despatched； and it would be difficult to find a pretext for
abruptly dismissing her。
And as if all things conspired in favour of the gentle
Rebecca； the very elements （although she was not
inclined at first to acknowledge their action in her behalf）
interposed to aid her。 For on the evening appointed for
the Vauxhall party； George Osborne having come to
dinner； and the elders of the house having departed；
according to invitation； to dine with Alderman Balls at
Highbury Barn； there came on such a thunder…storm as only
happens on Vauxhall nights； and as obliged the young
people； perforce； to remain at home。 Mr。 Osborne did
not seem in the least disappointed at this occurrence。
He and Joseph Sedley drank a fitting quantity of
port…wine； tete…a…tete； in the dining…room； during the
drinking of which Sedley told a number of his best Indian
stories； for he was extremely talkative in man's society；
and afterwards Miss Amelia Sedley did the honours of
the drawing…room； and these four young persons passed
such a comfortable evening together； that they declared
they were rather glad of the thunder…storm than
otherwise； which had caused them to put off their
visit to Vauxhall。
Osborne was Sedley's godson； and had been one of the
family any time these three…and…twenty years。 At six
weeks old； he had received from John Sedley a present
of a silver cup； at six months old； a coral with gold
whistle and bells； from his youth upwards he was
〃tipped〃 regularly by the old gentleman at Christmas：
and on going back to school； he remembered perfectly
well being thrashed by Joseph Sedley； when the latter
was a big； swaggering hobbadyhoy； and George an
impudent urchin of ten years old。 In a word； George was
as familiar with the family as such daily acts of
kindness and intercourse could make him。
〃Do you remember； Sedley； what a fury you were in；
when I cut off the tassels of your Hessian boots； and
how Misshem！how Amelia rescued me from a
beating； by falling down on her knees and crying out to
her brother Jos； not to beat little George？〃
Jos remembered this remarkable circumstance
perfectly well； but vowed that he had totally
forgotten it。
〃Well； do you remember coming down in a gig to Dr。