Vanity Fair

第111章

fourhours,andwouldfindsomeexcusefordelaying,yetDobbinhadnotwrittentoJostoinformhimofthecalamitywhichhadbefallentheSedleyfamily,beingoccupiedintalkingwithAmeliauntillongafterpost-hour。

Therearesomesplendidtailors’shopsintheHighStreetofSouthampton,inthefineplate-glasswindowsofwhichhanggorgeouswaistcoatsofallsorts,ofsilkandvelvet,andgoldandcrimson,andpicturesofthelastnewfashions,inwhichthosewonderfulgentlemenwithquizzingglasses,andholdingontolittleboyswiththeexceedinglargeeyesandcurlyhair,ogleladiesinridinghabitsprancingbytheStatueofAchillesatApsleyHouse。Jos,althoughprovidedwithsomeofthemostsplendidveststhatCalcuttacouldfurnish,thoughthecouldnotgototownuntilhewassuppliedwithoneortwoofthesegarments,andselectedacrimsonsatin,embroideredwithgoldbutterflies,andablackandredvelvettartanwithwhitestripesandarollingcollar,withwhich,andarichbluesatinstockandagoldpin,consistingofafive-barredgatewithahorsemaninpinkenameljumpingoverit,hethoughthemightmakehisentryintoLondonwithsomedignity。ForJos’sformershynessandblunderingblushingtimidityhadgivenwaytoamorecandidandcourageousself-assertionofhisworth。”Idon’tcareaboutowningit。”WaterlooSedleywouldsaytohisfriends,“Iamadressyman“;andthoughratheruneasyiftheladieslookedathimattheGovernmentHouseballs,andthoughheblushedandturnedawayalarmedundertheirglances,itwaschieflyfromadreadlesttheyshouldmakelovetohimthatheavoidedthem,beingaversetomarriagealtogether。ButtherewasnosuchswellinCalcuttaasWaterlooSedley,Ihaveheardsay,andhehadthehandsomestturn-out,gavethebestbachelordinners,andhadthefinestplateinthewholeplace。

Tomakethesewaistcoatsforamanofhissizeanddignitytookatleastaday,partofwhichheemployedinhiringaservanttowaituponhimandhisnativeandininstructingtheagentwhoclearedhisbaggage,hisboxes,hisbooks,whichheneverread,hischestsofmangoes,chutney,andcurry-powders,hisshawlsforpresentstopeoplewhomhedidn’tknowasyet,andtherestofhisPersicosapparatus。

Atlength,hedroveleisurelytoLondononthethirddayandinthenewwaistcoat,thenative,withchatteringteeth,shudderinginashawlontheboxbythesideofthenewEuropeanservant;JospuffinghispipeatintervalswithinandlookingsomajesticthatthelittleboyscriedHooray,andmanypeoplethoughthemustbeaGovernor-General。HE,Ipromise,didnotdeclinetheobsequiousinvitationofthelandlordstoalightandrefreshhimselfintheneatcountrytowns。Havingpartakenofacopiousbreakfast,withfish,andrice,andhardeggs,atSouthampton,hehadsofarralliedatWinchesterastothinkaglassofsherrynecessary。AtAltonhesteppedoutofthecarriageathisservant’srequestandimbibedsomeofthealeforwhichtheplaceisfamous。AtFarnhamhestoppedtoviewtheBishop’sCastleandtopartakeofalightdinnerofstewedeels,vealcutlets,andFrenchbeans,withabottleofclaret。HewascoldoverBagshotHeath,wherethenativechatteredmoreandmore,andJosSahibtooksomebrandy-and-water;infact,whenhedroveintotownhewasasfullofwine,beer,meat,pickles,cherry-brandy,andtobaccoasthesteward’scabinofasteam-packet。ItwaseveningwhenhiscarriagethundereduptothelittledoorinBrompton,whithertheaffectionatefellowdrovefirst,andbeforehieingtotheapartmentssecuredforhimbyMr。DobbinattheSlaughters’。

Allthefacesinthestreetwereinthewindows;thelittlemaidservantflewtothewicket-gate;theMesdamesClapplookedoutfromthecasementoftheornamentedkitchen;Emmy,inagreatflutter,wasinthepassageamongthehatsandcoats;andoldSedleyintheparlourinside,shakingallover。Josdescendedfromthepost-

chaiseanddownthecreakingswayingstepsinawfulstate,supportedbythenewvaletfromSouthamptonandtheshudderingnative,whosebrownfacewasnowlividwithcoldandofthecolourofaturkey’sgizzard。Hecreatedanimmensesensationinthepassagepresently,whereMrs。andMissClapp,comingperhapstolistenattheparlourdoor,foundLollJewabshakinguponthehall-benchunderthecoats,moaninginastrangepiteousway,andshowinghisyelloweyeballsandwhiteteeth。

For,yousee,wehaveadroitlyshutthedooruponthemeetingbetweenJosandtheoldfatherandthepoorlittlegentlesisterinside。Theoldmanwasverymuchaffected;

so,ofcourse,washisdaughter;norwasJoswithoutfeeling。Inthatlongabsenceoftenyears,themostselfishwillthinkabouthomeandearlyties。Distancesanctifiesboth。Longbroodingover

这是VIP章节,可购买本章或开通会员后阅读
开通会员
字体大小
背景颜色