第 3 节
作者:古诗乐      更新:2022-07-12 16:20      字数:9322
  ucy Gorgon; in white muslin; his son; George Augustus Frederick Grimsby Gorgon; in a blue velvet jacket; sugar…loaf buttons; and nankeens; entered the north door of the ballroom; to much cheering; and the sound of 〃God save the King!〃 At that very same moment; and from the south door; issued William Pitt Scully; Esquire; M。P。; and his staff。  Mr。 Scully had a brand…new blue coat and brass buttons; buff waistcoat; white kerseymere tights; pumps with large rosettes; and pink silk stockings。 〃This wool;〃 said he to a friend; 〃was grown on Oldborough sheep; this cloth was spun in Oldborough looms; these buttons were cast in an Oldborough manufactory; these shoes were made by an Oldborough tradesman; this HEART first beat in Oldborough town; and pray Heaven may be buried there!〃 Could anything resist a man like this?  John Perkins; who had come down as one of Scully's aides…de…camp; in a fit of generous enthusiasm; leaped on a whist…table; flung up a pocket…handkerchief; and shrieked〃SCULLY FOR EVER!〃 Heeltap; who was generally drunk; fairly burst into tears; and the grave tradesmen and Whig gentry; who had dined with the Member at his inn; and accompanied him thence to the 〃Gorgon Arms;〃 lifted their deep voices and shouted 〃Hear!〃 〃Good!〃 〃Bravo!〃 〃Noble!〃 〃Scully for ever!〃 〃God bless him!〃 and 〃Hurrah!〃 The scene was tumultuously affecting; and when young Perkins sprang down from the table and came blushing up to the Member; that gentleman said; 〃Thank you; Jack!  THANK you; my boy!  THANK you;〃 in a way which made Perkins think that his supreme cup of bliss was quaffed; that he had but to die:  for that life had no other such joy in store for him。  Scully was Perkins's Napoleonhe yielded himself up to the attorney; body and soul。 Whilst this scene was going on under one chandelier of the ballroom; beneath the other scarlet little General Gorgon; sumptuous Lady Gorgon; the daughters and niece Gorgons; were standing surrounded by their Tory court; who affected to sneer and titter at the Whig demonstrations which were taking place。 〃What a howwid thmell of whithkey!〃 lisped Cornet Fitch; of the Dragoons; to Miss Lucy; confidentially。  〃And thethe are what they call Whigth; are they?  He! he!〃 〃They are drunk; … me;drunk; by …!〃 said the General to the Mayor。 〃WHICH is Scully?〃 said Lady Gorgon; lifting her glass gravely (she was at that very moment thinking of the syllabubs)。  〃Is it that tipsy man in the green coat; or that vulgar creature in the blue one?〃 〃Law; my Lady;〃 said the Mayoress; 〃have you forgotten him?  Why; that's him in blue and buff。〃 〃And a monthous fine man; too;〃 said Cornet Fitch。  〃I wish we had him in our twoophe'th thix feet thwee; if he'th an inch; ain't he; Genewal?〃 No reply。 〃And heavens! Mamma;〃 shrieked the three Gorgons in a breath; 〃see; one creature is on the whist…table。  Oh; the wretch! 〃I'm sure he's very good…looking;〃 said Lucy; simply。 Lady Gorgon darted at her an angry look; and was about to say something very contemptuous; when; at that instant; John Perkins's shout taking effect; Master George Augustus Frederick Grimsby Gorgon; not knowing better; incontinently raised a small shout on his side。 〃Hear! good! bravo!〃 exclaimed he; 〃Scully for ever!  Hurra…a…a…ay!〃 and fell skipping about like the Whigs opposite。 〃Silence; you brute you!〃 groaned Lady Gorgon; and seizing him by the shirt…frill and coat…collar; carried him away to his nurse; who; with many other maids of the Whig and Tory parties; stood giggling and peeping at the landing…place。 Fancy how all these small incidents augmented the heap of Lady Gorgon's anger and injuries!  She was a dull phlegmatic woman for the most part; and contented herself generally with merely despising her neighbours; but oh! what a fine active hatred raged in her bosom for victorious Scully!  At this moment Mr。 Perkins had finished shaking hands with his NapoleonNapoleon seemed bent upon some tremendous enterprise。  He was looking at Lady Gorgon very hard。 〃She's a fine woman;〃 said Scully; thoughtfully; he was still holding the hand of Perkins。  And then; after a pause; 〃Gad! I think I'll try。〃 〃Try what; sir?〃 〃She's a DEUCED fine woman!〃 burst out again the tender solicitor。 〃I WILL go。  Springer; tell the fiddlers to strike up。〃 Springer scuttled across the room; and gave the leader of the band a knowing nod。  Suddenly; 〃God save the King〃 ceased; and 〃Sir Roger de Coverley〃 began。  The rival forces eyed each other; Mr。 Scully; accompanied by his friend; came forward; looking very red; and fumbling two large kid gloves。 〃HE'S GOING TO ASK ME TO DANCE;〃 hissed out Lady Gorgon; with a dreadful intuition; and she drew back behind her lord。 〃D… it; madam; THEN DANCE with him!〃 said the General。  〃Don't you see that the scoundrel is carrying it all his own way!  … him! and … him! and … him!〃  (All of which dashes the reader may fill up with oaths of such strength as may be requisite)。 〃General!〃 cried Lady Gorgon; but could say no more。  Scully was before her。 〃Madam!〃 exclaimed the Liberal Member for Oldborough; 〃in a moment like thisI saythat isthat on the present occasionyour Ladyshipunaccustomed as I ampooh; pshaWILL your Ladyship give me the distinguished honour and pleasure of going down the country…dance with your Ladyship?〃 An immense heave of her Ladyship's ample chest was perceptible。 Yards of blond lace; which might be compared to a foam of the sea; were agitated at the same moment; and by the same mighty emotion。 The river of diamonds which flowed round her Ladyship's neck; seemed to swell and to shine more than ever。  The tall plumes on her ambrosial head bowed down beneath the storm。  In other words; Lady Gorgon; in a furious rage; which she was compelled to restrain; trembled; drew up; and bowing majestically; said; 〃Sir; I shall have much pleasure。〃  With this; she extended her hand。  Scully; trembling; thrust forward one of his huge kid…gloves; and led her to the head of the country…dance。  John Perkinswho I presume had been drinking pretty freely; so as to have forgotten his ordinary bashfulnesslooked at the three Gorgons in blue; then at the pretty smiling one in white; and stepping up to her; without the smallest hesitation; asked her if she would dance with him。 The young lady smilingly agreed。  The great example of Scully and Lady Gorgon was followed by all dancing men and women。  Political enmities were forgotten。  Whig voters invited Tory voters' wives to the dance。  The daughters of Reform accepted the hands of the sons of Conservatism。  The reconciliation of the Romans and Sabines was not more touching than this sweet fusion。  Whackwhack!  Springer clapped his hands; and the fiddlers adroitly obeying the cheerful signal; began playing 〃Sir Roger de Coverley〃 louder than ever。 I do not know by what extraordinary charm (nescio qua praeter solitum; etc。); but young Perkins; who all his life had hated country…dances; was delighted with this one; and skipped and laughed; poussetting; crossing; down…the…middling; with his merry little partner; till every one of the bettermost sort of the thirty…nine couples had dropped panting away; and till the youngest Miss Gorgon; coming up to his partner; said in a loud hissing scornful whisper; 〃Lucy; Mamma thinks you have danced quite enough with thisthis person。〃  And Lucy; blushing; starting back; and looking at Perkins in a very melancholy way; made him a little curtsey; and went off to the Gorgonian party with her cousin。 Perkins was too frightened to lead her back to her placetoo frightened at first; and then too angry。  〃Person!〃 said he:  his soul swelled with a desperate republicanism:  he went back to his patron more of a Radical than ever。 He found that gentleman in the solitary tea…room; pacing up and down before the observant landlady and handmaidens of the 〃Gorgon Arms;〃 wiping his brows; gnawing his fingershis ears looming over his stiff white shirt…collar as red as fire。  Once more the great man seized John Perkins's hand as the latter came up。 〃D… the aristocrats!〃 roared the ex…follower of Squaretoes。 〃And so say I! but what's the matter; sir?〃 〃What's the matter?Why; that womanthat infernal; haughty; straitlaced; cold…blooded brewer's daughter!  I loved that woman; sirI KISSED that woman; sir; twenty years ago:  we were all but engaged; sir:  we've walked for hours and hours; sirus and the governessI've got a lock of her hair; sir; among my papers now; and to…night; would you believe it?as soon as she got to the bottom of the set; away she wentnot one word would she speak to me all the way down:  and when I wanted to lead her to her place; and asked her if she would have a glass of negus; 'Sir;' says she; 'I have done my duty; I bear no malice:  but I consider you a traitor to Sir George Gorgon's familya traitor and an upstart!  I consider your speaking to me as a piece of insolent vulgarity; and beg you will leave me to myself!'  There's her speech; sir。  Twenty people heard it; and all of her Tory set too。  I'll tell you what; Jack: at the next election I'll put YOU up。  Oh that woman! that woman!… …and to think that I love her still!〃  Here Mr。 Scully paused; and fiercely consoled himself by swallowing three cups of Mrs。 Rincer's green tea。 The fact is; that Lady Gorgon's passion had co