第82章

Well，althoughLadyO’DowdandGlorvinaquarrelledagreatnumberoftimeseveryday，anduponalmosteveryconceivablesubject——indeed，ifMickO’Dowdhadnotpossessedthetemperofanangeltwosuchwomenconstantlyabouthisearswouldhavedrivenhimoutofhissenses——yettheyagreedbetweenthemselvesonthispoint，thatGlorvinashouldmarryMajorDobbin，andweredeterminedthattheMajorshouldhavenorestuntilthearrangementwasbroughtabout。Undismayedbyfortyorfiftypreviousdefeats，Glorvinalaidsiegetohim。ShesangIrishmelodiesathimunceasingly。Sheaskedhimsofrequentlyandpathetically，Willyecometothebower？

thatitisawonderhowanymanoffeelingcouldhaveresistedtheinvitation。Shewasnevertiredofinquiring，ifSorrowhadhisyoungdaysfaded，andwasreadytolistenandweeplikeDesdemonaatthestoriesofhisdangersandhiscampaigns。Ithasbeensaidthatourhonestanddearoldfriendusedtoperformonthefluteinprivate；Glorvinainsisteduponhavingduetswithhim，andLadyO’Dowdwouldriseandartlesslyquittheroomwhentheyoungcoupleweresoengaged。

GlorvinaforcedtheMajortoridewithherofmornings。Thewholecantonmentsawthemsetoutandreturn。Shewasconstantlywritingnotesovertohimathishouse，borrowinghisbooks，andscoringwithhergreatpencil-markssuchpassagesofsentimentorhumourasawakenedhersympathy。Sheborrowedhishorses，hisservants，hisspoons，andpalanquin——nowonderthatpublicrumourassignedhertohim，andthattheMajor’ssistersinEnglandshouldfancytheywereabouttohaveasister-in-

law。

Dobbin，whowasthusvigorouslybesieged，wasinthemeanwhileinastateofthemostodioustranquillity。HeusedtolaughwhentheyoungfellowsoftheregimentjokedhimaboutGlorvina’smanifestattentionstohim。

“Bah！”saidhe，“sheisonlykeepingherhandin——shepractisesuponmeasshedoesuponMrs。Tozer’spiano，becauseit’sthemosthandyinstrumentinthestation。IammuchtoobatteredandoldforsuchafineyoungladyasGlorvina。”Andsohewentonridingwithher，andcopyingmusicandversesintoheralbums，andplayingatchesswithherverysubmissively；foritiswiththesesimpleamusementsthatsomeofficersinIndiaareaccustomedtowhileawaytheirleisuremoments，whileothersofalessdomesticturnhunthogs，andshootsnipes，orgambleandsmokecheroots，andbetakethemselvestobrandy-and-

water。AsforSirMichaelO’Dowd，thoughhisladyandhersisterbothurgedhimtocallupontheMajortoexplainhimselfandnotkeepontorturingapoorinnocentgirlinthatshamefulway，theoldsoldierrefusedpoint-blanktohaveanythingtodowiththeconspiracy。”Faith，theMajor’sbigenoughtochooseforhimself。”SirMichaelsaid；“he’llaskyewhenhewantsye“；orelsehewouldturnthematteroffjocularly，declaringthat“Dobbinwastooyoungtokeephouse，andhadwrittenhometoasklaveofhismamma。”Nay，hewentfarther，andinprivatecommunicationswithhisMajorwouldcautionandrallyhim，crying，“Mindyouroi，Dob，myboy，themgirlsisbentonmischief——meLadyhasjustgotaboxofgownsfromEurope，andthere’sapinksatinforGlorvina，whichwillfinishye，Dob，ifit’sinthepowerofwomanorsatintomoveye。”

Butthetruthis，neitherbeautynorfashioncouldconquerhim。Ourhonestfriendhadbutoneideaofawomaninhishead，andthatonedidnotintheleastresembleMissGlorvinaO’Dowdinpinksatin。Agentlelittlewomaninblack，withlargeeyesandbrownhair，seldomspeaking，savewhenspokento，andtheninavoicenottheleastresemblingMissGlorvina’s——asoftyoungmothertendinganinfantandbeckoningtheMajorupwithasmiletolookathim——arosy-cheekedlasscomingsingingintotheroominRussellSquareorhangingonGeorgeOsborne’sarm，happyandloving——therewasbutthisimagethatfilledourhonestMajor’smind，bydayandbynight，andreignedoveritalways。VerylikelyAmeliawasnotliketheportraittheMajorhadformedofher：therewasafigureinabookoffashionswhichhissistershadinEngland，andwithwhichWilliamhadmadeawayprivately，pastingitintothelidofhisdesk，andfancyinghesawsomeresemblancetoMrs。Osborneintheprint，whereasIhaveseenit，andcanvouchthatitisbutthepictureofahigh-waistedgownwithanimpossibledoll’sfacesimperingoverit——