第109章

Howhappyandgreenthecountrylookedasthechaisewhirledrapidlyfrommile-stonetomile-stone，throughneatcountrytownswherelandlordscameouttowelcomehimwithsmilesandbows；byprettyroadsideinns，wherethesignshungontheelms，andhorsesandwaggonersweredrinkingunderthechequeredshadowofthetrees；byoldhallsandparks；rustichamletsclusteredroundancientgreychurches——andthroughthecharmingfriendlyEnglishlandscape。Isthereanyintheworldlikeit？Toatravellerreturninghomeitlookssokind——

itseemstoshakehandswithyouasyoupassthroughit。

Well，MajorDobbinpassedthroughallthisfromSouthamptontoLondon，andwithoutnotingmuchbeyondthemilestonesalongtheroad。YouseehewassoeagertoseehisparentsatCamberwell。

HegrudgedthetimelostbetweenPiccadillyandhisoldhauntattheSlaughters’，whitherhedrovefaithfully。

Longyearshadpassedsincehesawitlast，sinceheandGeorge，asyoungmen，hadenjoyedmanyafeast，andheldmanyarevelthere。Hehadnowpassedintothestageofold-fellow-hood。Hishairwasgrizzled，andmanyapassionandfeelingofhisyouthhadgrowngreyinthatinterval。There，however，stoodtheoldwaiteratthedoor，inthesamegreasyblacksuit，withthesamedoublechinandflaccidface，withthesamehugebunchofsealsathisfob，rattlinghismoneyinhispocketsasbefore，andreceivingtheMajorasifhehadgoneawayonlyaweekago。”PuttheMajor’sthingsintwenty-three，that’shisroom。”Johnsaid，exhibitingnottheleastsurprise。”Roastfowlforyourdinner，Isuppose。Youain’tgotmarried？Theysaidyouwasmarried——theScotchsurgeonofyourswashere。No，itwasCaptainHumbyofthethirty-third，aswasquarteredwiththe——thinInjee。

Likeanywarmwater？~Whatdoyoucomeinachayfor——

ain’tthecoachgoodenough？”Andwiththis，thefaithfulwaiter，whoknewandrememberedeveryofficerwhousedthehouse，andwithwhomtenyearswerebutasyesterday，ledthewayuptoDobbin’soldroom，wherestoodthegreatmoreenbed，andtheshabbycarpet，athoughtmoredingy，andalltheoldblackfurniturecoveredwithfadedchintz，justastheMajorrecollectedtheminhisyouth。

HerememberedGeorgepacingupanddowntheroom，andbitinghisnails，andswearingthattheGovernormustcomeround，andthatifhedidn’t，hedidn’tcareastraw，onthedaybeforehewasmarried。Hecouldfancyhimwalkingin，bangingthedoorofDobbin’sroom，andhisownhardby——

“Youain’tgotyoung。”Johnsaid，calmlysurveyinghisfriendofformerdays。

Dobbinlaughed。”Tenyearsandafeverdon’tmakeamanyoung，John。”hesaid。”Itisyouthatarealwaysyoung——no，youarealwaysold。”

“WhatbecameofCaptainOsborne’swidow？”Johnsaid。”Fineyoungfellowthat。Lord，howheusedtospendhismoney。Henevercamebackafterthatdayhewasmarchedfromhere。Heowesmethreepoundatthisminute。Lookhere，Ihaveitinmybook。’April10，1815，CaptainOsborne：’3pounds。’Iwonderwhetherhisfatherwouldpayme。”andsosaying，JohnoftheSlaughters’

pulledouttheverymoroccopocket-bookinwhichhehadnotedhisloantotheCaptain，uponagreasyfadedpagestillextant，withmanyotherscrawledmemorandaregardingthebygonefrequentersofthehouse。

Havinginductedhiscustomerintotheroom，Johnretiredwithperfectcalmness；andMajorDobbin，notwithoutablushandagrinathisownabsurdity，choseoutofhiskittheverysmartestandmostbecomingcivilcostumehepossessed，andlaughedathisowntannedfaceandgreyhair，ashesurveyedtheminthedrearylittletoilet-glassonthedressing-table。

“I’mgladoldJohndidn’tforgetme。”hethought。

“She’llknowme，too，Ihope。”Andhesalliedoutoftheinn，bendinghisstepsoncemoreinthedirectionofBrompton。

EveryminuteincidentofhislastmeetingwithAmeliawaspresenttotheconstantman’smindashewalkedtowardsherhouse。ThearchandtheAchillesstatuewereupsincehehadlastbeeninPiccadilly；ahundredchangeshadoccurredwhichhiseyeandmindvaguelynoted。HebegantotrembleashewalkedupthelanefromBrompton，thatwell-rememberedlaneleadingtothestreetwhereshelived。Wasshegoingtobemarriedornot？Ifheweretomeetherwiththelittleboy——GoodGod，whatshouldhedo？Hesawawomancomingtohimwithachildoffiveyearsold——wasthatshe？Hebegantoshakeatthemerepossibility。Whenhecameuptotherowofhouses，atlast，whereshelived，andtothegate，hecaughtholdofitandpaused。Hemighthaveheardthethumpin