第74章

Thesearebuttrivialincidentstorecountinthelifeofourheroine。Hertaledoesnotdealinwonders，asthegentlereaderhasalreadynodoubtperceived；andifajournalhadbeenkeptofherproceedingsduringthesevenyearsafterthebirthofherson，therewouldbefoundfewincidentsmoreremarkableinitthanthatofthemeasles，recordedintheforegoingpage。Yes，oneday，andgreatlytoherwonder，theReverendMr。Binny，justmentioned，askedhertochangehernameofOsborneforhisown；when，withdeepblushesandtearsinhereyesandvoice，shethankedhimforhisregardforher，expressedgratitudeforhisattentionstoherandtoherpoorlittleboy，butsaidthatshenever，nevercouldthinkofanybut——butthehusbandwhomshehadlost。

Onthetwenty-fifthofApril，andtheeighteenthofJune，thedaysofmarriageandwidowhood，shekeptherroomentirely，consecratingthem(andwedonotknowhowmanyhoursofsolitarynight-thought，herlittleboysleepinginhiscribbyherbedside)tothememoryofthatdepartedfriend。Duringthedayshewasmoreactive。

ShehadtoteachGeorgetoreadandtowriteandalittletodraw。Shereadbooks，inorderthatshemighttellhimstoriesfromthem。Ashiseyesopenedandhismindexpandedundertheinfluenceoftheoutwardnatureroundabouthim，shetaughtthechild，tothebestofherhumblepower，toacknowledgetheMakerofall，andeverynightandeverymorningheandshe——(inthatawfulandtouchingcommunionwhichIthinkmustbringathrilltotheheartofeverymanwhowitnessesorwhoremembersit)——themotherandthelittleboy——prayedtoOurFathertogether，themotherpleadingwithallhergentleheart，thechildlispingafterherasshespoke。AndeachtimetheyprayedtoGodtoblessdearPapa，asifhewerealiveandintheroomwiththem。

Towashanddressthisyounggentleman——totakehimforarunofthemornings，beforebreakfast，andtheretreatofgrandpapafor“business“——tomakeforhimthemostwonderfulandingeniousdresses，forwhichendthethriftywidowcutupandalteredeveryavailablelittlebitoffinerywhichshepossessedoutofherwardrobeduringhermarriage——forMrs。Osborneherself(greatlytohermother’svexation，whopreferredfineclothes，especiallysincehermisfortunes)alwaysworeablackgownandastrawbonnetwithablackribbon——occupiedhermanyhoursoftheday。Othersshehadtospare，attheserviceofhermotherandheroldfather。Shehadtakenthepainstolearn，andusedtoplaycribbagewiththisgentlemanonthenightswhenhedidnotgotohisclub。Shesangforhimwhenhewassominded，anditwasagoodsign，forheinvariablyfellintoacomfortablesleepduringthemusic。Shewroteouthisnumerousmemorials，letters，prospectuses，andprojects。Itwasinherhandwritingthatmostoftheoldgentleman’sformeracquaintanceswereinformedthathehadbecomeanagentfortheBlackDiamondandAnti-CinderCoalCompanyandcouldsupplyhisfriendsandthepublicwiththebestcoalsat——s。perchaldron。Allhedidwastosignthecircularswithhisflourishandsignature，anddirecttheminashaky，clerklikehand。OneofthesepaperswassenttoMajorDobbin，——Regt。，careofMessrs。CoxandGreenwood；

buttheMajorbeinginMadrasatthetime，hadnoparticularcallforcoals。Heknew，though，thehandwhichhadwrittentheprospectus。GoodGod！whatwouldhenothavegiventoholditinhisown！Asecondprospectuscameout，informingtheMajorthatJ。SedleyandCompany，havingestablishedagenciesatOporto，Bordeaux，andSt。Mary’s，wereenabledtooffertotheirfriendsandthepublicgenerallythefinestandmostcelebratedgrowthsofports，sherries，andclaretwinesatreasonablepricesandunderextraordinaryadvantages。

Actinguponthishint，Dobbinfuriouslycanvassedthegovernor，thecommander-in-chief，thejudges，theregiments，andeverybodywhomheknewinthePresidency，andsenthometoSedleyandCo。ordersforwinewhichperfectlyastonishedMr。SedleyandMr。Clapp，whowastheCo。inthebusiness。Butnomoreorderscameafterthatfirstburstofgoodfortune，onwhichpooroldSedleywasabouttobuildahouseintheCity，aregimentofclerks，adocktohimself，andcorrespondentsallovertheworld。Theoldgentleman’sformertasteinwinehadgone：thecursesofthemess-roomassailedMajorDobbinfortheviledrinkshehadbeenthemeansofintroducingthere；andheboughtbackagreatquantityofthewineandsolditatpublicoutcry，atanenormousloss