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！
that he loved her。 Tossing in his bed； he spoke out to her。
〃Good God； Amelia！〃 he said； 〃don't you know that I
only love you in the worldyou； who are a stone to me
you； whom I tended through months and months of
illness and grief； and who bade me farewell with a smile
on your face； and forgot me before the door shut between
us！〃 The native servants lying outside his verandas beheld
with wonder the Major； so cold and quiet ordinarily；
at present so passionately moved and cast down。 Would
she have pitied him had she seen him？ He read over and
over all the letters which he ever had from herletters
of business relative to the little property which he had
made her believe her husband had left to herbrief notes
of invitationevery scrap of writing that she had ever
sent to himhow cold； how kind； how hopeless； how
selfish they were！
Had there been some kind gentle soul near at hand who
could read and appreciate this silent generous heart； who
knows but that the reign of Amelia might have been over；
and that friend William's love might have flowed into a
kinder channel？ But there was only Glorvina of the jetty
ringlets with whom his intercourse was familiar； and this
dashing young woman was not bent upon loving the
Major； but rather on making the Major admire HERa
most vain and hopeless task； too； at least considering
the means that the poor girl possessed to carry
it out。 She curled her hair and showed her shoulders
at him； as much as to say； did ye ever see such jet
ringlets and such a complexion？ She grinned at him so
that he might see that every tooth in her head was
soundand he never heeded all these charms。 Very soon
after the arrival of the box of millinery； and perhaps indeed
in honour of it； Lady O'Dowd and the ladies of
the King's Regiment gave a ball to the Company's
Regiments and the civilians at the station。 Glorvina
sported the killing pink frock； and the Major； who attended
the party and walked very ruefully up and down
the rooms； never so much as perceived the pink garment。
Glorvina danced past him in a fury with all the young
subalterns of the station； and the Major was not in the
least jealous of her performance； or angry because Captain
Bangles of the Cavalry handed her to supper。 It was
not jealousy； or frocks； or shoulders that could move him；
and Glorvina had nothing more。
So these two were each exemplifying the Vanity of this
life； and each longing for what he or she could not get。
Glorvina cried with rage at the failure。 She had set her
mind on the Major 〃more than on any of the others；〃
she owned； sobbing。 〃He'll break my heart； he will；
Peggy；〃 she would whimper to her sister…in…law when
they were good friends； 〃sure every one of me frocks
must be taken init's such a skeleton I'm growing。〃
Fat or thin； laughing or melancholy； on horseback or the
music…stool； it was all the same to the Major。 And the
Colonel； puffing his pipe and listening to these complaints；
would suggest that Glory should have some black frocks
out in the next box from London； and told a mysterious
story of a lady in Ireland who died of grief for the loss of
her husband before she got ere a one。
While the Major was going on in this tantalizing way；
not proposing； and declining to fall in love； there came
another ship from Europe bringing letters on board； and
amongst them some more for the heartless man。 These
were home letters bearing an earlier postmark than that
of the former packets； and as Major Dobbin recognized
among his the handwriting of his sister； who always
crossed and recrossed her letters to her brothergathered
together all the possible bad news which she could
collect； abused him and read him lectures with sisterly
frankness； and always left him miserable for the day after
〃dearest William〃 had achieved the perusal of one of her
epistlesthe truth must be told that dearest William did
not hurry himself to break the seal of Miss Dobbin's
letter； but waited for a particularly favourable day and
mood for doing so。 A fortnight before； moreover； he
had written to scold her for telling those absurd stories
to Mrs。 Osborne； and had despatched a letter in reply
to that lady； undeceiving her with respect to the reports
concerning him and assuring her that 〃he had no sort of
present intention of altering his condition。〃
Two or three nights after the arrival of the second
package of letters； the Major had passed the evening
pretty cheerfully at Lady O'Dowd's house； where Glorvina
thought that he listened with rather more attention
than usual to the Meeting of the Wathers； the Minsthrel
Boy； and one or two other specimens of song with which
she favoured him （the truth is； he was no more listening
to Glorvina than to the howling of the jackals in the
moonlight outside； and the delusion was hers as usual）；
and having played his game at chess with her （cribbage
with the surgeon was Lady O'Dowd's favourite evening
pastime）； Major Dobbin took leave of the Colonel's family
at his usual hour and retired to his own house。
There on his table； his sister's letter lay reproaching
him。 He took it up； ashamed rather of his negligence
regarding it； and prepared himself for a disagreeable hour's
communing with that crabbed…handed absent relative。
。 。 。 It may have been an hour after the Major's departure
from the Colonel's houseSir Michael was sleeping
the sleep of the just； Glorvina had arranged her
black ringlets in the innumerable little bits of paper； in
which it was her habit to confine them； Lady O'Dowd；
too； had gone to her bed in the nuptial chamber； on the
ground…floor； and had tucked her musquito curtains
round her fair form； when the guard at the gates of the
Commanding…Officer's compound beheld Major Dobbin；
in the moonlight； rushing towards the house with a swift
step and a very agitated countenance； and he passed the
sentinel and went up to the windows of the Colonel's
bedchamber。
〃O'DowdColonel！〃 said Dobbin and kept up a great
shouting。
〃Heavens； Meejor！〃 said Glorvina of the curl…papers；
putting out her head too； from her window。
〃What is it； Dob； me boy？〃 said the Colonel； expecting
there was a fire in the station； or that the route had
come from headquarters。
〃II must have leave of absence。 I must go to England
on the most urgent private affairs；〃 Dobbin said。
〃Good heavens； what has happened！〃 thought Glorvina；
trembling with all the papillotes。
〃I want to be offnowto…night；〃 Dobbin continued；
and the Colonel getting up； came out to parley with him。
In the postscript of Miss Dobbin's cross…letter； the
Major had just come upon a paragraph； to the following
effect：〃I drove yesterday to see your old ACQUAINTANCE；
Mrs。 Osborne。 The wretched place they live at； since
they were bankrupts； you knowMr。 S。； to judge from
a BRASS PLATE on the door of his hut （it is little better）
is a coal…merchant。 The little boy； your godson； is
certainly a fine child； though forward； and inclined to be
saucy and self…willed。 But we have taken notice of him
as you wish it； and have introduced him to his aunt；
Miss O。； who was rather pleased with him。 Perhaps his
grandpapa； not the bankrupt one； who is almost do