第37章

“Sothatyouwouldhavemeshownupasacoward，sir，andournamedishonouredforthesakeofMissSwartz’smoney。”Georgeinterposed。

Thisremarkstaggeredtheoldgentleman；butashehadtoreplytoit，andashismindwasneverthelessmadeup，hesaid，“Youwilldinehereto-morrow，sir，andeverydayMissSwartzcomes，youwillbeheretopayyourrespectstoher。Ifyouwantformoney，calluponMr。Chopper。”ThusanewobstaclewasinGeorge’sway，tointerferewithhisplansregardingAmelia；andaboutwhichheandDobbinhadmorethanoneconfidentialconsultation。Hisfriend’sopinionrespectingthelineofconductwhichheoughttopursue，weknowalready。AndasforOsborne，whenhewasoncebentonathing，afreshobstacleortwoonlyrenderedhimthemoreresolute。

ThedarkobjectoftheconspiracyintowhichthechiefsoftheOsbornefamilyhadentered，wasquiteignorantofalltheirplansregardingher(which，strangetosay，herfriendandchaperondidnotdivulge)，and，takingalltheyoungladies’flatteryforgenuinesentiment，andbeing，aswehavebeforehadoccasiontoshow，ofaverywarmandimpetuousnature，respondedtotheiraffectionwithquiteatropicalardour。Andifthetruthmaybetold，IdaresaythatshetoohadsomeselfishattractionintheRussellSquarehouse；andinaword，thoughtGeorgeOsborneaveryniceyoungman。Hiswhiskershadmadeanimpressionuponher，ontheveryfirstnightshebeheldthemattheballatMessrs。Hulkers；and，asweknow，shewasnotthefirstwomanwhohadbeencharmedbythem。Georgehadanairatonceswaggeringandmelancholy，languidandfierce。Helookedlikeamanwhohadpassions，secrets，andprivateharrowinggriefsandadventures。Hisvoicewasrichanddeep。Hewouldsayitwasawarmevening，oraskhispartnertotakeanice，withatoneassadandconfidentialasifhewerebreakinghermother’sdeathtoher，orpreludingadeclarationoflove。Hetrampledoveralltheyoungbucksofhisfather’scircle，andwastheheroamongthosethird-ratemen。Somefewsneeredathimandhatedhim。

Some，likeDobbin，fanaticallyadmiredhim。Andhiswhiskershadbeguntodotheirwork，andtocurlthemselvesroundtheaffectionsofMissSwartz。

WhenevertherewasachanceofmeetinghiminRussellSquare，thatsimpleandgood-naturedyoungwomanwasquiteinaflurrytoseeherdearMissesOsborne。Shewenttogreatexpensesinnewgowns，andbracelets，andbonnets，andinprodigiousfeathers。SheadornedherpersonwithherutmostskilltopleasetheConqueror，andexhibitedallhersimpleaccomplishmentstowinhisfavour。Thegirlswouldaskher，withthegreatestgravity，foralittlemusic，andshewouldsingherthreesongsandplayhertwolittlepiecesasoftenasevertheyasked，andwithanalwaysincreasingpleasuretoherself。Duringthesedelectableentertainments，MissWirtandthechaperonsateby，andconnedoverthepeerage，andtalkedaboutthenobility。

ThedayafterGeorgehadhishintfromhisfather，andashorttimebeforethehourofdinner，hewaslollinguponasofainthedrawing-roominaverybecomingandperfectlynaturalattitudeofmelancholy。Hehadbeen，athisfather’srequest，toMr。ChopperintheCity(theold-gentleman，thoughhegavegreatsumstohisson，wouldneverspecifyanyfixedallowanceforhim，andrewardedhimonlyashewasinthehumour)。HehadthenbeentopassthreehourswithAmelia，hisdearlittleAmelia，atFulham；andhecamehometofindhissistersspreadinstarchedmuslininthedrawing-

room，thedowagerscacklinginthebackground，andhonestSwartzinherfavouriteamber-colouredsatin，withturquoisebracelets，countlessrings，flowers，feathers，andallsortsoftagsandgimcracks，aboutaselegantlydecoratedasashechimney-sweeponMay-day。

Thegirls，aftervainattemptstoengagehiminconversation，talkedaboutfashionsandthelastdrawing-roomuntilhewasperfectlysickoftheirchatter。HecontrastedtheirbehaviourwithlittleEmmy’s——theirshrillvoiceswithhertenderringingtones；theirattitudesandtheirelbowsandtheirstarch，withherhumblesoftmovementsandmodestgraces。PoorSwa