第48章

“OtherwisecalledPeggy，ladyofMajorMichaelO’Dowd，ofourregiment，anddaughterofFitzjurldBer’sforddeBurgoMalonyofGlenmalony，CountyKildare。”

“AndMuryanSqueer，Doblin。”saidtheladywithcalmsuperiority。

“AndMuryanSquare，sureenough。”theMajorwhispered。

“’Twasthereyecoortedme，Meejordear。”theladysaid；andtheMajorassentedtothisastoeveryotherpropositionwhichwasmadegenerallyincompany。

MajorO’Dowd，whohadservedhissovereignineveryquarteroftheworld，andhadpaidforeverystepinhisprofessionbysomemorethanequivalentactofdaringandgallantry，wasthemostmodest，silent，sheep-facedandmeekoflittlemen，andasobedienttohiswifeasifhehadbeenhertay-boy。Atthemess-tablehesatsilently，anddrankagreatdeal。Whenfullofliquor，hereeledsilentlyhome。Whenhespoke，itwastoagreewitheverybodyoneveryconceivablepoint；andhepassedthroughlifeinperfecteaseandgood-humour。ThehottestsunsofIndianeverheatedhistemper；andtheWalcherenaguenevershookit。Hewalkeduptoabatterywithjustasmuchindifferenceastoadinner-table；haddinedonhorse-fleshandturtlewithequalrelishandappetite；andhadanoldmother，Mrs。O’DowdofO’Dowdstownindeed，whomhehadneverdisobeyedbutwhenheranawayandenlisted，andwhenhepersistedinmarryingthatodiousPeggyMalony。

Peggywasoneoffivesisters，andelevenchildrenofthenoblehouseofGlenmalony；butherhusband，thoughherowncousin，wasofthemother’sside，andsohadnottheinestimableadvantageofbeingalliedtotheMalonys，whomshebelievedtobethemostfamousfamilyintheworld。HavingtriednineseasonsatDublinandtwoatBathandCheltenham，andnotfindingapartnerforlife，MissMalonyorderedhercousinMicktomarryherwhenshewasaboutthirty-threeyearsofage；andthehonestfellowobeying，carriedherofftotheWestIndies，topresideovertheladiesofthe——thregiment，intowhichhehadjustexchanged。

BeforeMrs。O’DowdwashalfanhourinAmelia’s(orindeedinanybodyelse’s)company，thisamiableladytoldallherbirthandpedigreetohernewfriend。”Mydear。”

saidshe，good-naturedly，“itwasmyintentionthatGargeshouldbeabrotherofmyown，andmysisterGlorvinawouldhavesuitedhimentirely。Butasbygonesarebygones，andhewasengagedtoyourself，why，I’mdeterminedtotakeyouasasisterinstead，andtolookuponyouassuch，andtoloveyouasoneofthefamily。Faith，you’vegotsuchanicegood-naturedfaceandwaywidgyou，thatI’msurewe’llagree；andthatyou’llbeanadditiontoourfamilyanyway。”

“’Deedandshewill。”saidO’Dowd，withanapprovingair，andAmeliafeltherselfnotalittleamusedandgratefultobethussuddenlyintroducedtosolargeapartyofrelations。

“We’reallgoodfellowshere。”theMajor’sladycontinued。

“There’snotaregimentintheservicewhereyou’llfindamoreunitedsocietynoramoreagreeablemess-

room。There’snoquarrelling，bickering，slandthering，norsmalltalkamongstus。Weallloveeachother。”

“EspeciallyMrs。Magenis。”saidGeorge，laughing。

“Mrs。CaptainMagenisandmehasmadeup，thoughhertreatmentofmewouldbringmegrayhairswithsorrowtothegrave。”

“Andyouwithsuchabeautifulfrontofblack，Peggy，mydear。”theMajorcried。

“Houldyourtongue，Mick，youbooby。Themhusbandsarealwaysintheway，Mrs。Osborne，mydear；andasformyMick，Ioftentellhimheshouldneveropenhismouthbuttogivethewordofcommand，ortoputmeatanddrinkintoit。I’lltellyouabouttheregiment，andwarnyouwhenwe’realone。Introducemetoyourbrothernow；surehe’samightyfineman，andremindsmeofmecousin，DanMalony(MalonyofBallymalony，mydear，youknowwhomar’iedOphaliaScully，ofOystherstown，owncousintoLordPoldoody)。Mr。Sedley，sir，I’mdeloightedtobemadeknownteye。Isupposeyou’lldineatthemessto-day。(Mindthatdivvleofadocther，Mick，andwhateveryedu，keepyourselfsoberformepartythisevening。)“

“It’sthe150thgivesusafarewelldinner，mylove。”

interposedtheMajor，“butwe’lleasygetacardforMr。

Sedley。”

“RunSimple(EnsignSimple，ofOurs，mydearAmelia。

Iforgottointrojuicehimtoye)。Runinahurry，withMrs。MajorO’Dowd’scomplimentstoColonelTavish，andCaptainOsbornehasbroughthisbrothernlawdown，andwillbringhimtothe150thmessatfiveo’clocksharp——whenyouand