第114章

Theoldmanclungtohisdaughterduringthissickness。Hewouldtakehisbrothsandmedicinesfromscarcelyanyotherhand。Totendhimbecamealmostthesolebusinessofherlife。Herbedwasplacedclosebythedoorwhichopenedintohischamber，andshewasaliveattheslightestnoiseordisturbancefromthecouchofthequerulousinvalid。Though，todohimjustice，helayawakemanyanhour，silentandwithoutstirring，unwillingtoawakenhiskindandvigilantnurse。

Helovedhisdaughterwithmorefondnessnow，perhaps，thaneverhehaddonesincethedaysofherchildhood。Inthedischargeofgentleofficesandkindfilialduties，thissimplecreatureshonemostespecially。”Shewalksintotheroomassilentlyasasunbeam。”Mr。

Dobbinthoughtashesawherpassinginandoutfromherfather’sroom，acheerfulsweetnesslightingupherfaceasshemovedtoandfro，gracefulandnoiseless。Whenwomenarebroodingovertheirchildren，orbusiedinasick-room，whohasnotseenintheirfacesthosesweetangelicbeamsofloveandpity？

Asecretfeudofsomeyears’standingwasthushealed，andwithatacitreconciliation。Intheselasthours，andtouchedbyherloveandgoodness，theoldmanforgotallhisgriefagainsther，andwrongswhichheandhiswifehadmanyalongnightdebated：howshehadgivenupeverythingforherboy；howshewascarelessofherparentsintheiroldageandmisfortune，andonlythoughtofthechild；howabsurdlyandfoolishly，impiouslyindeed，shetookonwhenGeorgewasremovedfromher。OldSedleyforgotthesechargesashewasmakinguphislastaccount，anddidjusticetothegentleanduncomplaininglittlemartyr。Onenightwhenshestoleintohisroom，shefoundhimawake，whenthebrokenoldmanmadehisconfession。”Oh，Emmy，I’vebeenthinkingwewereveryunkindandunjusttoyou。”

hesaidandputouthiscoldandfeeblehandtoher。Shekneltdownandprayedbyhisbedside，ashedidtoo，havingstillholdofherhand。Whenourturncomes，friend，maywehavesuchcompanyinourprayers！

Perhapsashewaslyingawakethen，hislifemayhavepassedbeforehim——hisearlyhopefulstruggles，hismanlysuccessesandprosperity，hisdownfallinhisdecliningyears，andhispresenthelplesscondition——nochanceofrevengeagainstFortune，whichhadhadthebetterofhim——neithernamenormoneytobequeath——aspent-out，bootlesslifeofdefeatanddisappointment，andtheendhere！Which，Iwonder，brotherreader，isthebetterlot，todieprosperousandfamous，orpooranddisappointed？Tohave，andtobeforcedtoyield；ortosinkoutoflife，havingplayedandlostthegame？Thatmustbeastrangefeeling，whenadayofourlifecomesandwesay，“To-morrow，successorfailurewon’tmattermuch，andthesunwillrise，andallthemyriadsofmankindgototheirworkortheirpleasureasusual，butIshallbeoutoftheturmoil。”

Sotherecameonemorningandsunrisewhenalltheworldgotupandsetaboutitsvariousworksandpleasures，withtheexceptionofoldJohnSedley，whowasnottofightwithfortune，ortohopeorschemeanymore，buttogoandtakeupaquietandutterlyunknownresidenceinachurchyardatBromptonbythesideofhisoldwife。

MajorDobbin，Jos，andGeorgyfollowedhisremainstothegrave，inablackclothcoach。JoscameonpurposefromtheStarandGarteratRichmond，whitherheretreatedafterthedeplorableevent。Hedidnotcaretoremaininthehouse，withthe——underthecircumstances，youunderstand。ButEmmystayedanddidherdutyasusual。Shewasboweddownbynoespecialgrief，andrathersolemnthansorrowful。Sheprayedthatherownendmightbeascalmandpainless，andthoughtwithtrustandreverenceofthewordswhichshehadheardfromherfatherduringhisillness，indicativeofhisfaith，hisresignation，andhisfuturehope。

Yes，Ithinkthatwillbethebetterendingofthetwo，afterall。Supposeyouareparticularlyrichandwell-to-

doandsayonthatlastday，“Iamveryrich；Iamtolerablywellknown；Ihavelivedallmylifeinthebestsociety，andthankHeaven，comeofamostrespectablefamily。IhaveservedmyKingandcountrywithhonour。

IwasinParliamentforseveralyears，where，Imaysay，myspeecheswerelistenedtoandprettywellreceived。

Idon’toweanymanashil