按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃What d'you mean； pretty clear； sir？〃
〃Why； hang it； sir； don't push me too hard。 I'm a
modest man。 IahI don't set up to be a lady…killer；
but I do own that she's as devilish fond of me as she
can be。 Anybody can see that with half an eye。〃
〃And you yourself？〃
〃Why； sir； didn't you order me to marry her； and ain't
I a good boy？ Haven't our Papas settled it ever so long？〃
〃A pretty boy； indeed。 Haven't I heard of your doings；
sir； with Lord Tarquin； Captain Crawley of the Guards；
~the Honourable Mr。 Deuceace and that set。 Have a care
sir； have a care。〃
The old gentleman pronounced these aristocratic
names with the greatest gusto。 Whenever he met a great
man he grovelled before him； and my…lorded him as only
a free…born Briton can do。 He came home and looked
out his history in the Peerage： he introduced his name
into his daily conversation； he bragged about his
Lordship to his daughters。 He fell down prostrate and basked
in him as a Neapolitan beggar does in the sun。 George
was alarmed when he heard the names。 He feared his
father might have been informed of certain transactions
at play。 But the old moralist eased him by saying
serenely：
〃Well； well； young men will be young men。 And the
comfort to me is； George； that living in the best society
in England； as I hope you do； as I think you do； as my
means will allow you to do〃
〃Thank you； sir；〃 says George； making his point at
once。 〃One can't live with these great folks for nothing；
and my purse； sir； look at it〃； and he held up a little
token which had been netted by Amelia； and contained
the very last of Dobbin's pound notes。
〃You shan't want； sir。 The British merchant's son
shan't want； sir。 My guineas are as good as theirs；
George； my boy； and I don't grudge 'em。 Call on Mr。
Chopper as you go through the City to…morrow； he'll
have something for you。 I don't grudge money when I
know you're in good society； because I know that good
society can never go wrong。 There's no pride in me。 I
was a humbly born manbut you have had advantages。
Make a good use of 'em。 Mix with the young nobility。
There's many of 'em who can't spend a dollar to your
guinea； my boy。 And as for the pink bonnets （here from
under the heavy eyebrows there came a knowing and not
very pleasing leer）why boys will be boys。 Only there's
one thing I order you to avoid； which； if you do not； I'll
cut you off with a shilling； by Jove； and that's gambling；
〃Oh； of course； sir；〃 said George。
〃But to return to the other business about Amelia：
why shouldn't you marry higher than a stockbroker's
daughter； Georgethat's what I want to know？〃
〃It's a family business； sir；〃。says George； cracking
filberts。 〃You and Mr。 Sedley made the match a hundred
years ago。〃
〃I don't deny it； but people's positions alter； sir。 I don't
deny that Sedley made my fortune； or rather put me in
the way of acquiring； by my own talents and genius； that
proud position； which； I may say； I occupy in the tallow
trade and the City of London。 I've shown my gratitude
to Sedley； and he's tried it of late； sir； as my cheque…book
can show。 George！ I tell you in confidence I don't
like the looks of Mr。 Sedley's affairs。 My chief clerk；
Mr。 Chopper； does not like the looks of 'em； and he's an
old file； and knows 'Change as well as any man in
London。 Hulker & Bullock are looking shy at him。 He's been
dabbling on his own account I fear。 They say the Jeune
Amelie was his； which was taken by the Yankee
privateer Molasses。 And that's flatunless I see Amelia's ten
thousand down you don't marry her。 I'll have no lame
duck's daughter in my family。 Pass the wine； siror
ring for coffee。〃
With which Mr。 Osborne spread out the evening
paper； and George knew from this signal that the
colloquy was ended； and that his papa was about to
take a nap。
He hurried upstairs to Amelia in the highest spirits。
What was it that made him more attentive to her on that
night than he had been for a long timemore eager to
amuse her； more tender； more brilliant in talk？ Was it
that his generous heart warmed to her at the prospect of
misfortune； or that the idea of losing the dear little prize
made him value it more？
She lived upon the recollections of that happy evening
for many days afterwards； remembering his words； his
looks； the song he sang； his attitude； as he leant over her
or looked at her from a distance。 As it seemed to her；
no night ever passed so quickly at Mr。 Osborne's house
before； and for once this young person was almost
provoked to be angry by the premature arrival of Mr。
Sambo with her shawl。
George came and took a tender leave of her the next
morning； and then hurried off to the City； where he
visited Mr。 Chopper； his father's head man； and received
from that gentleman a document which he exchanged at
Hulker & Bullock's for a whole pocketful of money。 As
George entered the house； old John Sedley was passing
out of the banker's parlour； looking very dismal。 But his
godson was much too elated to mark the worthy
stockbroker's depression； or the dreary eyes which the kind
old gentleman cast upon him。 Young Bullock did not
come grinning out of the parlour with him as had been
his wont in former years。
And as the swinging doors of Hulker； Bullock & Co。
closed upon Mr。 Sedley； Mr。 Quill； the cashier （whose
benevolent occupation it is to hand out crisp bank…notes
from a drawer and dispense sovereigns out of a copper
shovel）； winked at Mr。 Driver； the clerk at the desk on
his right。 Mr。 Driver winked again。
〃No go；〃 Mr。 D。 whispered。
〃Not at no price；〃 Mr。 Q。 said。 〃Mr。 George Osborne；
sir； how will you take it？〃 George crammed eagerly a
quantity of notes into his pockets； and paid Dobbin fifty
pounds that very evening at mess。
That very evening Amelia wrote him the tenderest of
long letters。 Her heart was overflowing with tenderness；
but it still foreboded evil。 What was the cause of Mr。
Osborne's dark looks？ she asked。 Had any difference
arisen between him and her papa？ Her poor papa
returned so melancholy from the City； that all were
alarmed about him at homein fine； there were four
pages of loves and fears and hopes and forebodings。
〃Poor little Emmydear little Emmy。 How fond she
is of me；〃 George said； as he perused the missive〃and
Gad； what a headache that mixed punch has given me！〃
Poor little Emmy； indeed。
CHAPTER XIV
Miss Crawley at Home
About this time there drove up to an exceedingly snug
and well…appointed house in Park Lane； a travelling chariot
with a lozenge on the panels； a discontented female in a
green veil and crimped curls on the rumble； and a large
and confidential man on the box。 It was the equipage of
our friend Miss Crawley； returning from Hants。 The
carriage windows were shut； the fat spaniel； whose head and
tongue ordinarily lolled out of one of them； reposed on the
lap of the discontented female。 When the vehicle stopped；
a large round bundle of shawls was taken out of the
carriage by the aid of various domestics and a young
lady who accompanied the heap of cloaks。 That bundle
contained Miss Cra