友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
飞读中文网 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

vanity fair(名利场)-第242章

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!



days said。  It had been new for the campaign of Waterloo
and had covered George and William after the night
of Quatre Bras。
Old Burcke; the landlord of the lodgings; came out;
then Francis; with more packagesfinal packagesthen
Major WilliamBurcke wanted to kiss him。  The Major
was adored by all people with whom he had to do。  It
was with difficulty he could escape from this
demonstration of attachment。
〃By Jove; I will go!〃 screamed out George。  〃Give him
this;〃 said Becky; quite interested; and put a paper into
the boy's hand。  He had rushed down the stairs and flung
across the street in a minutethe yellow postilion was
cracking his whip gently。
William had got into the carriage; released from the
embraces of his landlord。  George bounded in afterwards;
and flung his arms round the Major's neck (as they saw
from the window); and began asking him multiplied
questions。  Then he felt in his waistcoat pocket and gave him
a note。  William seized at it rather eagerly; he opened it
trembling; but instantly his countenance changed; and
he tore the paper in two and dropped it out of the
carriage。  He kissed Georgy on the head; and the boy got
out; doubling his fists into his eyes; and with the aid of
Francis。  He lingered with his hand on the panel。  Fort;
Schwager!  The yellow postilion cracked his whip
prodigiously; up sprang Francis to the box; away went the
schimmels; and Dobbin with his head on his breast。  He
never looked up as they passed under Amelia's window;
and Georgy; left alone in the street; burst out crying
in the face of all the crowd。
Emmy's maid heard him howling again during the
night and brought him some preserved apricots to
console him。  She mingled her lamentations with his。  All the
poor; all the humble; all honest folks; all good men who
knew him; loved that kind…hearted and simple gentleman。
As for Emmy; had she not done her duty? She had her
picture of George for a consolation。

CHAPTER LXVII
Which Contains Births; Marriages; and Deaths
Whatever Becky's private plan might be by which
Dobbin's true love was to be crowned with success; the
little woman thought that the secret might keep; and
indeed; being by no means so much interested about
anybody's welfare as about her own; she had a great
number of things pertaining to herself to consider; and
which concerned her a great deal more than Major
Dobbin's happiness in this life。
She found herself suddenly and unexpectedly in snug
comfortable quarters; surrounded by friends; kindness;
and good…natured simple people such as she had not met
with for many a long day; and; wanderer as she was by
force and inclination; there were moments when rest
was pleasant to her。  As the most hardened Arab that
ever careered across the desert over the hump of a
dromedary likes to repose sometimes under the date…
trees by the water; or to come into the cities; walk into
the bazaars; refresh himself in the baths; and say his
prayers in the mosques; before he goes out again
marauding; so Jos's tents and pilau were pleasant to this
little Ishmaelite。  She picketed her steed; hung up her
weapons; and warmed herself comfortably by his fire。  The
halt in that roving; restless life was inexpressibly soothing
and pleasant to her。
So; pleased herself; she tried with all her might to
please everybody; and we know that she was eminent
and successful as a practitioner in the art of giving
pleasure。  As for Jos; even in that little interview in the
garret at the Elephant Inn; she had found means to win
back a great deal of his good…will。  In the course of a
week; the civilian was her sworn slave and frantic
admirer。  He didn't go to sleep after dinner; as his
custom was in the much less lively society of Amelia。  He
drove out with Becky in his open carriage。  He asked little
parties and invented festivities to do her honour。
Tapeworm; the Charge d'Affaires; who had abused her
so cruelly; came to dine with Jos; and then came every
day to pay his respects to Becky。  Poor Emmy; who was
never very talkative; and more glum and silent than ever
after Dobbin's departure; was quite forgotten when this
superior genius made her appearance。  The French
Minister was as much charmed with her as his English rival。
The German ladies; never particularly squeamish as
regards morals; especially in English people; were delighted
with the cleverness and wit of Mrs。 Osborne's charming
friend; and though she did not ask to go to Court;
yet the most august and Transparent Personages there
heard of her fascinations and were quite curious to know
her。  When it became known that she was noble; of an
ancient English family; that her husband was a Colonel
of the Guard; Excellenz and Governor of an island; only
separated from his lady by one of those trifling differences
which are of little account in a country where
Werther is still read and the Wahlverwandtschaften of
Goethe is considered an edifying moral book; nobody
thought of refusing to receive her in the very highest
society of the little Duchy; and the ladies were even more
ready to call her du and to swear eternal friendship for
her than they had been to bestow the same inestimable
benefits upon Amelia。  Love and Liberty are interpreted
by those simple Germans in a way which honest folks in
Yorkshire and Somersetshire little understand; and a lady
might; in some philosophic and civilized towns; be
divorced ever so many times from her respective husbands
and keep her character in society。  Jos's house never was
so pleasant since he had a house of his own as Rebecca
caused it to be。  She sang; she played; she laughed; she
talked in two or three languages; she brought everybody
to the house; and she made Jos believe that it was his
own great social talents and wit which gathered the
society of the place round about him。
As for Emmy; who found herself not in the least
mistress of her own house; except when the bills were
to be paid; Becky soon discovered the way to soothe and
please her。  She talked to her perpetually about Major
Dobbin sent about his business; and made no scruple
of declaring her admiration for that excellent; high…
minded gentleman; and of telling Emmy that she had
behaved most cruelly regarding him。  Emmy defended her
conduct and showed that it was dictated only by the
purest religious principles; that a woman once; &c。; and to
such an angel as him whom she had had the good
fortune to marry; was married forever; but she had no
objection to hear the Major praised as much as ever
Becky chose to praise him; and indeed; brought the
conversation round to the Dobbin subject a score of times
every day。
Means were easily found to win the favour of Georgy
and the servants。  Amelia's maid; it has been said; was
heart and soul in favour of the generous Major。  Having at
first disliked Becky for being the means of dismissing
him from the presence of her mistress; she was reconciled
to Mrs。 Crawley subsequently; because the latter
became William's most ardent admirer and champion。  And
in those nightly conclaves in which the two ladies
indulged after their parties; and while Miss Payne was
〃brushing their 'airs;〃 as she called 
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!