第38章

IfIdeserther，sir，doyousupposesheforgetsme？”

“Iain’tgoingtohaveanyofthisdamsentimentalnonsenseandhumbughere，sir。”thefathercriedout。”Thereshallbenobeggar-marriagesinmyfamily。Ifyouchoosetoflingawayeightthousandayear，whichyoumayhavefortheasking，youmaydoit：butbyJoveyoutakeyourpackandwalkoutofthishouse，sir。WillyoudoasItellyou，onceforall，sir，orwillyounot？”

“Marrythatmulattowoman？”Georgesaid，pullinguphisshirt-collars。”Idon’tlikethecolour，sir。AsktheblackthatsweepsoppositeFleetMarket，sir。I’mnotgoingtomarryaHottentotVenus。”

Mr。Osbornepulledfranticallyatthecordbywhichhewasaccustomedtosummonthebutlerwhenhewantedwine——andalmostblackintheface，orderedthatfunctionarytocallacoachforCaptainOsborne。

“I’vedoneit。”saidGeorge，comingintotheSlaughters’

anhourafterwards，lookingverypale。

“What，myboy？”saysDobbin。

Georgetoldwhathadpassedbetweenhisfatherandhimself。

“I’llmarryherto-morrow。”hesaidwithanoath。”I

lovehermoreeveryday，Dobbin。”

AMarriageandPartofaHoneymoonEnemiesthemostobstinateandcourageouscan’tholdoutagainststarvation；sotheelderOsbornefelthimselfprettyeasyabouthisadversaryintheencounterwehavejustdescribed；andassoonasGeorge’ssuppliesfellshort，confidentlyexpectedhisunconditionalsubmission。

Itwasunlucky，tobesure，thattheladshouldhavesecuredastockofprovisionsontheverydaywhenthefirstencountertookplace；butthisreliefwasonlytemporary，oldOsbornethought，andwouldbutdelayGeorge’ssurrender。Nocommunicationpassedbetweenfatherandsonforsomedays。Theformerwassulkyatthissilence，butnotdisquieted；for，ashesaid，heknewwherehecouldputthescrewuponGeorge，andonlywaitedtheresultofthatoperation。Hetoldthesisterstheupshotofthedisputebetweenthem，butorderedthemtotakenonoticeofthematter，andwelcomeGeorgeonhisreturnasifnothinghadhappened。Hiscoverwaslaidasusualeveryday，andperhapstheoldgentlemanratheranxiouslyexpectedhim；buthenevercame。SomeoneinquiredattheSlaughters’regardinghim，whereitwassaidthatheandhisfriendCaptainDobbinhadlefttown。

Onegusty，rawdayattheendofApril——therainwhippingthepavementofthatancientstreetwheretheoldSlaughters’Coffee-housewasoncesituated——GeorgeOsbornecameintothecoffee-room，lookingveryhaggardandpale；althoughdressedrathersmartlyinabluecoatandbrassbuttons，andaneatbuffwaistcoatofthefashionofthosedays。HerewashisfriendCaptainDobbin，inblueandbrasstoo，havingabandonedthemilitaryfrockandFrench-greytrousers，whichweretheusualcoveringsofhislankyperson。

Dobbinhadbeeninthecoffee-roomforanhourormore。Hehadtriedallthepapers，butcouldnotreadthem。Hehadlookedattheclockmanyscoresoftimes；

andatthestreet，wheretherainwaspatteringdown，andthepeopleastheyclinkedbyinpattens，leftlongreflectionsontheshiningstone：hetattooedatthetable：

hebithisnailsmostcompletely，andnearlytothequick(hewasaccustomedtoornamenthisgreatbighandsinthisway)：hebalancedthetea-spoondexterouslyonthemilkjug：upsetit，&c。，&c。；andinfactshowedthosesignsofdisquietude，andpractisedthosedesperateattemptsatamusement，whichmenareaccustomedtoemploywhenveryanxious，andexpectant，andperturbedinmind。

Someofhiscomrades，gentlemenwhousedtheroom，jokedhimaboutthesplendourofhiscostumeandhisagitationofmanner。Oneaskedhimifhewasgoingtobemarried？Dobbinlaughed，andsaidhewouldsendhisacquaintance(MajorWagstaffoftheEngineers)apieceofcakewhenthateventtookplace。AtlengthCaptainOsbornemadehisappearance，verysmartlydressed，butverypaleandagitatedaswehavesaid。Hewipedhispalefacewithalargeyellowbandannapocket-handkerchiefthatwasprodigiouslyscented。HeshookhandswithDobbin，lookedattheclock，andtoldJohn，thewaiter，tobringhimsomecuracao。Oft