第 160 节
作者:左思右想      更新:2021-02-19 19:48      字数:9322
  taken from her; her selfish; guilty love; in both instances;
  had been rebuked and bitterly chastised。  She strove to
  think it was right that she should be so punished。  She
  was such a miserable wicked sinner。  She was quite
  alone in the world。
  I know that the account of this kind of solitary
  imprisonment is insufferably tedious; unless there is some
  cheerful or humorous incident to enliven ita tender gaoler;
  for instance; or a waggish commandant of the fortress;
  or a mouse to come out and play about Latude's beard
  and whiskers; or a subterranean passage under the castle;
  dug by Trenck with his nails and a toothpick:  the historian
  has no such enlivening incident to relate in the narrative
  of Amelia's captivity。  Fancy her; if you please; during this
  period; very sad; but always ready to smile when spoken
  to; in a very mean; poor; not to say vulgar position of
  life; singing songs; making puddings; playing cards;
  mending stockings; for her old father's benefit。  So; never
  mind; whether she be a heroine or no; or you and I; however
  old; scolding; and bankruptmay we have in our last days
  a kind soft shoulder on which to lean and a gentle hand
  to soothe our gouty old pillows。
  Old Sedley grew very fond of his daughter after his
  wife's death; and Amelia had her consolation in doing her
  duty by the old man。
  But we are not going to leave these two people long in
  such a low and ungenteel station of life。  Better days; as
  far as worldly prosperity went; were in store for both。
  Perhaps the ingenious reader has guessed who was the
  stout gentleman who called upon Georgy at his school in
  company with our old friend Major Dobbin。  It was
  another old acquaintance returned to England; and at a time
  when his presence was likely to be of great comfort to
  his relatives there。
  Major Dobbin having easily succeeded in getting leave
  from his good…natured commandant to proceed to
  Madras; and thence probably to Europe; on urgent private
  affairs; never ceased travelling night and day until he
  reached his journey's end; and had directed his march
  with such celerity that he arrived at Madras in a high
  fever。  His servants who accompanied him brought him
  to the house of the friend with whom he had resolved to
  stay until his departure for Europe in a state of delirium;
  and it was thought for many; many days that he would
  never travel farther than the burying…ground of the church
  of St。  George's; where the troops should fire a salvo over
  his grave; and where many a gallant officer lies far away
  from his home。
  Here; as the poor fellow lay tossing in his fever; the
  people who watched him might have heard him raving
  about Amelia。  The idea that he should never see her again
  depressed him in his lucid hours。  He thought his last day
  was come; and he made his solemn preparations for
  departure; setting his affairs in this world in order and
  leaving the little property of which he was possessed to
  those whom he most desired to benefit。  The friend in
  whose house he was located witnessed his testament。  He
  desired to be buried with a little brown hair…chain which
  he wore round his neck and which; if the truth must be
  known; he had got from Amelia's maid at Brussels; when
  the young widow's hair was cut off; during the fever
  which prostrated her after the death of George Osborne
  on the plateau at Mount St。  John。
  He recovered; rallied; relapsed again; having undergone
  such a process of blood…letting and calomel as
  showed the strength of his original constitution。  He was
  almost a skeleton when they put him on board the
  Ramchunder East Indiaman; Captain Bragg; from Calcutta;
  touching at Madras; and so weak and prostrate that his
  friend who had tended him through his illness prophesied
  that the honest Major would never survive the voyage;
  and that he would pass some morning; shrouded in
  flag and hammock; over the ship's side; and carrying
  down to the sea with him the relic that he wore at his
  heart。  But whether it was the sea air; or the hope which
  sprung up in him afresh; from the day that the ship
  spread her canvas and stood out of the roads towards
  home; our friend began to amend; and he was quite
  well (though as gaunt as a greyhound) before they
  reached the Cape。  〃Kirk will be disappointed of his
  majority this time;〃 he said with a smile; 〃he will
  expect to find himself gazetted by the time the regiment
  reaches home。〃 For it must be premised that while the
  Major was lying ill at Madras; having made such
  prodigious haste to go thither; the gallant th; which had
  passed many years abroad; which after its return from
  the West Indies had been baulked of its stay at home by
  the Waterloo campaign; and had been ordered from
  Flanders to India; had received orders home; and the Major
  might have accompanied his comrades; had he chosen to
  wait for their arrival at Madras。
  Perhaps he was not inclined to put himself in his
  exhausted state again under the guardianship of Glorvina。
  〃I think Miss O'Dowd would have done for me;〃 he said
  laughingly to a fellow…passenger; 〃if we had had her on
  board; and when she had sunk me; she would have fallen
  upon you; depend upon it; and carried you in as a prize
  to Southampton; Jos; my boy。〃
  For indeed it was no other than our stout friend
  who was also a passenger on board the Ramchunder。  He
  had passed ten years in Bengal。  Constant dinners; tiffins;
  pale ale and claret; the prodigious labour of cutcherry;
  and the refreshment of brandy…pawnee which he was
  forced to take there; had their effect upon Waterloo Sedley。
  A voyage to Europe was pronounced necessary for him
  and having served his full time in India and had fine
  appointments which had enabled him to lay by a considerable
  sum of money; he was free to come home and stay
  with a good pension; or to return and resume that rank
  in the service to which his seniority and his vast talents
  entitled him。
  He was rather thinner than when we last saw him;
  but had gained in majesty and solemnity of demeanour。
  He had resumed the mustachios to which his services at
  Waterloo entitled him; and swaggered about on deck in a
  magnificent velvet cap with a gold band and a profuse
  ornamentation of pins and jewellery about his person。
  He took breakfast in his cabin and dressed as solemnly to
  appear on the quarter…deck as if he were going to turn out
  for Bond Street; or the Course at Calcutta。  He brought a
  native servant with him; who was his valet and pipe…
  bearer and who wore the Sedley crest in silver on his
  turban。  That oriental menial had a wretched life under
  the tyranny of Jos Sedley。  Jos was as vain of his person
  as a woman; and took as long a time at his toilette as
  any fading beauty。  The youngsters among the
  passengers; Young Chaffers of the 150th; and poor little
  Ricketts; coming home after his third fever; used to draw
  out Sedley at the cuddy…table and make him tell
  prodigious stories about himself and his exploits against tigers
  and Napoleon。  He was great when he visited the
  Emperor's tomb at Longwood; when to these gentlemen and
  the young officers of the ship; Major Dobbin not being by;
  he described the whole battle of Waterloo and all but
  announced that Napoleon never would have gone to Saint
  Helena at all but for him; Jos Sedley。
  After leaving St。  Helena he became very generous;
  disposing of a great quantity of ship stores; claret;
  preserved meats; and great casks packed with soda…water;
  brought out for his private delectation。  There were no
  ladies on board; the Major gave the pas of precedency
  to the civilian; so that he was the first dignitary at
  table; and treated by Captain Bragg and the officers of
  the Ramchunder with the respect which his rank
  warranted。  He disappeared rather in a panic during a two…
  days' gale; in which he had the portholes of his cabin
  battened down; and remained in his cot reading the
  Washerwoman of Finchley Common; left on board the
  Ramchunder by the Right Honourable the Lady Emily
  Hornblower; wife of the Rev。  Silas Hornblower; when on
  their passage out to the Cape; where the Reverend gentleman
  was a missionary; but; for common reading; he had
  brought a stock of novels and plays which he lent to the
  rest of the ship; and rendered himself agreeable to all by
  his kindness and condescension。
  Many and many a night as the ship was cutting through
  the roaring dark sea; the moon and stars shining
  overhead and the bell singing out the watch; Mr。 Sedley and
  the Major would sit on the quarter…deck of the vessel
  talking about home; as the Major smoked his cheroot and
  the civilian puffed at the hookah which his servant
  prepared for him。
  In these conversations it was wonderful with what
  perseverance and ingenuity Major Dobbin would manage
  to bring the talk round to the subject of Amelia and her
  little boy。  Jos; a little testy about his father's misfortunes
  and unceremonious applications to him; was soothed
  down by the Major; who pointed out the elder's ill
  fortunes and old age。  He would not perhaps like to live with
  the old couple; whose ways and hours might not agree
  with those of a younger man; accustomed to different
  society (Jos bowed at this compliment); but; the Major
  pointed out; how advantageous it would be