第60章

Myhorsesneverwereinharness。”addedthelady。

“Bullfinchwouldkickthecarriagetopieces，ifyouputhiminthetraces。”

“Butheisquiettoride？”askedthecivilian。

“Asquietasalamb，andasfastasahare。”answeredRebecca。

“Doyouthinkheisuptomyweight？”Jossaid。Hewasalreadyonhisback，inimagination，withouteversomuchasathoughtforpoorAmelia。Whatpersonwholovedahorse-speculationcouldresistsuchatemptation？

Inreply，Rebeccaaskedhimtocomeintoherroom，whitherhefollowedherquitebreathlesstoconcludethebargain。Josseldomspentahalf-hourinhislifewhichcosthimsomuchmoney。Rebecca，measuringthevalueofthegoodswhichshehadforsalebyJos’seagernesstopurchase，aswellasbythescarcityofthearticle，putuponherhorsesapricesoprodigiousastomakeeventheciviliandrawback。”Shewouldsellbothorneither。”

shesaid，resolutely。Rawdonhadorderedhernottopartwiththemforapricelessthanthatwhichshespecified。

LordBareacresbelowwouldgiveherthesamemoney——

andwithallherloveandregardfortheSedleyfamily，herdearMr。Josephmustconceivethatpoorpeoplemustlive——nobody，inaword，couldbemoreaffectionate，butmorefirmaboutthematterofbusiness。

Josendedbyagreeing，asmightbesupposedofhim。

Thesumhehadtogiveherwassolargethathewasobligedtoaskfortime；solargeastobealittlefortunetoRebecca，whorapidlycalculatedthatwiththissum，andthesaleoftheresidueofRawdon’seffects，andherpensionasawidowshouldhefall，shewouldnowbeabsolutelyindependentoftheworld，andmightlookherweedssteadilyintheface。

Onceortwiceinthedayshecertainlyhadherselfthoughtaboutflying。Butherreasongaveherbettercounsel。”SupposetheFrenchdocome。”thoughtBecky。”whatcantheydotoapoorofficer’swidow？Bah！thetimesofsacksandsiegesareover。Weshallbelettogohomequietly，orImaylivepleasantlyabroadwithasnuglittleincome。”

MeanwhileJosandIsidorwentofftothestablestoinspectthenewlypurchasedcattle。Josbadehismansaddlethehorsesatonce。Hewouldrideawaythatverynight，thatveryhour。Andheleftthevaletbusyingettingthehorsesready，andwenthomewardshimselftoprepareforhisdeparture。Itmustbesecret。Hewouldgotohischamberbythebackentrance。HedidnotcaretofaceMrs。O’DowdandAmelia，andowntothemthathewasabouttorun。

BythetimeJos’sbargainwithRebeccawascompleted，andhishorseshadbeenvisitedandexamined，itwasalmostmorningoncemore。Butthoughmidnightwaslongpassed，therewasnorestforthecity；thepeoplewereup，thelightsinthehousesflamed，crowdswerestillaboutthedoors，andthestreetswerebusy。Rumoursofvariousnatureswentstillfrommouthtomouth：onereportaverredthatthePrussianshadbeenutterlydefeated；anotherthatitwastheEnglishwhohadbeenattackedandconquered：athirdthatthelatterhadheldtheirground。Thislastrumourgraduallygotstrength。NoFrenchmenhadmadetheirappearance。Stragglershadcomeinfromthearmybringingreportsmoreandmorefavourable：atlastanaide-de-campactuallyreachedBrusselswithdespatchesfortheCommandantoftheplace，whoplacardedpresentlythroughthetownanofficialannouncementofthesuccessofthealliesatQuatreBras，andtheentirerepulseoftheFrenchunderNeyafterasixhours’battle。Theaide-de-campmusthavearrivedsometimewhileJosandRebeccaweremakingtheirbargaintogether，orthelatterwasinspectinghispurchase。Whenhereachedhisownhotel，hefoundascoreofitsnumerousinhabitantsonthethresholddiscoursingofthenews；therewasnodoubtastoitstruth。Andhewentuptocommunicateittotheladiesunderhischarge。

Hedidnotthinkitwasnecessarytotellthemhowhehadintendedtotakeleaveofthem，howhehadboughthorses，andwhatapricehehadpaidforthem。

Butsuccessordefeatwasaminormattertothem，whohadonlythoughtforthesafetyofthosetheyloved。

Amelia，atthenewsofthevictory，becamestillmoreagitatedeventhanbefore。Shewasforgoingthatmomenttothearmy。Shebesoughtherbrotherwithtearstoconductherthither。Herdoubtsandterrorsreachedtheirparoxysm；andthepoorgirl，whoformanyhourshadbeenplungedintostupor，ravedandranhitherandthitherinhystericinsanity——apiteoussight。Nomanwrithinginpainonthehard-foughtfieldfifteenmilesoff，wherelay，aftertheirstruggles，somanyofthebrave——nomansufferedmorekeenlythanthispoorharmlessvictimofthewar。Joscouldnotbearthesightofherpain。Helefthissisterinthechargeofherstouterfemalecompanion，anddescendedoncemoretothethresholdofthehotel，whereeverybodystilllingered，andtalked，andwaitedformorenews。

Itgrewtobebroaddaylightastheystoodhere，andfreshnewsbegantoarri