第126章

“Iwillnothavethissortofthinginmyhouse。”Josagaininterposed。”IsayIwillnothaveit；andDobbin，I

beg，sir，you’llstopit。”Andhelookedround，tremblingandturningveryred，andgaveagreatpuff，andmadeforhisdoor。

“Dearfriend！”Rebeccasaidwithangelicsweetness。”dohearwhatMajorDobbinhastosayagainstme。”

“Iwillnothearit，Isay。”squeakedoutJosatthetopofhisvoice，and，gatheringuphisdressing-gown，hewasgone。

“Weareonlytwowomen。”Ameliasaid。”Youcanspeaknow，sir。”

“Thismannertowardsmeisonewhichscarcelybecomesyou，Amelia。”theMajoransweredhaughtily；“norIbelieveamIguiltyofhabitualharshnesstowomen。ItisnotapleasuretometodothedutywhichIamcometodo。”

“Prayproceedwithitquickly，ifyouplease，MajorDobbin。”saidAmelia，whowasmoreandmoreinapet。TheexpressionofDobbin’sface，asshespokeinthisimperiousmanner，wasnotpleasant。

“Icametosay——andasyoustay，Mrs。Crawley，Imustsayitinyourpresence——thatIthinkyou——yououghtnottoformamemberofthefamilyofmyfriends。A

ladywhoisseparatedfromherhusband，whotravelsnotunderherownname，whofrequentspublicgaming-

tables——“

“ItwastotheballIwent。”criedoutBecky。

“——isnotafitcompanionforMrs。Osborneandherson。”Dobbinwenton：“andImayaddthattherearepeopleherewhoknowyou，andwhoprofesstoknowthatregardingyourconductaboutwhichIdon’tevenwishtospeakbefore——beforeMrs。Osborne。”

“Yoursisaverymodestandconvenientsortofcalumny，MajorDobbin。”Rebeccasaid。”Youleavemeundertheweightofanaccusationwhich，afterall，isunsaid。

Whatisit？Isitunfaithfulnesstomyhusband？Iscornitanddefyanybodytoproveit——Idefyyou，Isay。Myhonourisasuntouchedasthatofthebitterestenemywhoevermalignedme。Isitofbeingpoor，forsaken，wretched，thatyouaccuseme？Yes，Iamguiltyofthosefaults，andpunishedforthemeveryday。Letmego，Emmy。ItisonlytosupposethatIhavenotmetyou，andIamnoworseto-daythanIwasyesterday。Itisonlytosupposethatthenightisoverandthepoorwandererisonherway。Don’tyourememberthesongweusedtosinginold，dearolddays？Ihavebeenwanderingeversincethen——apoorcastaway，scornedforbeingmiserable，andinsultedbecauseIamalone。Letmego：mystayhereinterfereswiththeplansofthisgentleman。”

“Indeeditdoes，madam。”saidtheMajor。”IfIhaveanyauthorityinthishouse——“

“Authority，none！”brokeoutAmelia“Rebecca，youstaywithme。Iwon’tdesertyoubecauseyouhavebeenpersecuted，orinsultyoubecause——becauseMajorDobbinchoosestodoso。Comeaway，dear。”Andthetwowomenmadetowardsthedoor。

Williamopenedit。Astheyweregoingout，however，hetookAmelia’shandandsaid——“Willyoustayamomentandspeaktome？”

“Hewishestospeaktoyouawayfromme。”saidBecky，lookinglikeamartyr。Ameliagrippedherhandinreply。

“UponmyhonouritisnotaboutyouthatIamgoingtospeak。”Dobbinsaid。”Comeback，Amelia。”andshecame。DobbinbowedtoMrs。Crawley，asheshutthedooruponher。Amelialookedathim，leaningagainsttheglass：herfaceandherlipswerequitewhite。

“IwasconfusedwhenIspokejustnow。”theMajorsaidafterapause，“andImisusedthewordauthority。”

“Youdid。”saidAmeliawithherteethchattering。

“AtleastIhaveclaimstobeheard。”Dobbincontinued。

“Itisgeneroustoremindmeofourobligationstoyou。”

thewomananswered。

“TheclaimsImeanarethoseleftmebyGeorge’sfather。”Williamsaid。

“Yes，andyouinsultedhismemory。Youdidyesterday。

Youknowyoudid。AndIwillneverforgiveyou。Never！”

saidAmelia。Sheshotouteachlittlesentenceinatremorofangerandemotion。

“Youdon’tmeanthat，Amelia？”Williamsaidsadly。

“Youdon’tmeanthatthesewords，utteredinahurriedmoment，aretoweighagainstawholelife’sdevotion？I

thinkthatGeorge’smemoryhasnotbeeninjuredbythewayinwhichIhavedealtwithit，andifwearecometobandyingreproaches，Iatleastmeritnonefromhiswidowandthem