第 171 节
作者:左思右想      更新:2021-02-19 19:48      字数:9322
  fit。  Miss Osborne was apprised; the doctors were sent
  for; Georgy stopped away from school; the bleeders
  and cuppers came。  Osborne partially regained cognizance;
  but never could speak again; though he tried
  dreadfully once or twice; and in four days he died。  The
  doctors went down; and the undertaker's men went up
  the stairs; and all the shutters were shut towards the
  garden in Russell Square。  Bullock rushed from the City
  in a hurry。  〃How much money had he left to that boy?
  Not half; surely? Surely share and share alike between
  the three?〃 It was an agitating moment。
  What was it that poor old man tried once or twice
  in vain to say? I hope it was that he wanted to see
  Amelia and be reconciled before he left the world to one
  dear and faithful wife of his son:  it was most likely
  that; for his will showed that the hatred which he had
  so long cherished had gone out of his heart。
  They found in the pocket of his dressing…gown the
  letter with the great red seal which George had written
  him from Waterloo。  He had looked at the other papers
  too; relative to his son; for the key of the box in which
  he kept them was also in his pocket; and it was found
  the seals and envelopes had been brokenvery likely on
  the night before the seizurewhen the butler had taken
  him tea into his study; and found him reading in the
  great red family Bible。
  When the will was opened; it was found that half the
  property was left to George; and the remainder between
  the two sisters。  Mr。 Bullock to continue; for their joint
  benefit; the affairs of the commercial house; or to go out;
  as he thought fit。  An annuity of five hundred pounds;
  chargeable on George's property; was left to his mother;
  〃the widow of my beloved son; George Osborne;〃 who
  was to resume the guardianship of the boy。
  〃Major William Dobbin; my beloved son's friend;〃 was
  appointed executor; 〃and as out of his kindness and
  bounty; and with his own private funds; he maintained
  my grandson and my son's widow; when they were
  otherwise without means of support〃 (the testator went on
  to say) 〃I hereby thank him heartily for his love and
  regard for them; and beseech him to accept such a sum
  as may be sufficient to purchase his commission as a
  Lieutenant…Colonel; or to be disposed of in any way he
  may think fit。〃
  When Amelia heard that her father…in…law was
  reconciled to her; her heart melted; and she was grateful
  for the fortune left to her。  But when she heard how
  Georgy was restored to her; and knew how and by
  whom; and how it was William's bounty that supported
  her in poverty; how it was William who gave her her
  husband and her sonoh; then she sank on her knees;
  and prayed for blessings on that constant and kind heart;
  she bowed down and humbled herself; and kissed the
  feet; as it were; of that beautiful and generous affection。
  And gratitude was all that she had to pay back for
  such admirable devotion and benefitsonly gratitude!  If
  she thought of any other return; the image of George
  stood up out of the grave and said; 〃You are mine;
  and mine only; now and forever。〃
  William knew her feelings:  had he not passed his
  whole life in divining them?
  When the nature of Mr。 Osborne's will became known
  to the world; it was edifying to remark how Mrs。 George
  Osborne rose in the estimation of the people forming her
  circle of acquaintance。  The servants of Jos's establishment;
  who used to question her humble orders and say
  they would 〃ask Master〃 whether or not they could obey;
  never thought now of that sort of appeal。  The cook
  forgot to sneer at her shabby old gowns (which; indeed;
  were quite eclipsed by that lady's finery when she was
  dressed to go to church of a Sunday evening); the others
  no longer grumbled at the sound of her bell; or delayed
  to answer that summons。  The coachman; who grumbled
  that his 'osses should be brought out and his
  carriage made into an hospital for that old feller and
  Mrs。 O。; drove her with the utmost alacrity now; and
  trembling lest he should be superseded by Mr。 Osborne's
  coachman; asked 〃what them there Russell Square
  coachmen knew about town; and whether they was fit to sit
  on a box before a lady?〃 Jos's friends; male and female;
  suddenly became interested about Emmy; and cards
  of condolence multiplied on her hall table。  Jos himself;
  who had looked on her as a good…natured harmless
  pauper; to whom it was his duty to give victuals and
  shelter; paid her and the rich little boy; his nephew; the
  greatest respectwas anxious that she should have
  change and amusement after her troubles and trials;
  〃poor dear girl〃and began to appear at the breakfast…
  table; and most particularly to ask how she would like
  to dispose of the day。
  In her capacity of guardian to Georgy; she; with the
  consent of the Major; her fellow…trustee; begged Miss
  Osborne to live in the Russell Square house as long as
  ever she chose to dwell there; but that lady; with thanks;
  declared that she never could think of remaining alone
  in that melancholy mansion; and departed in deep mourning
  to Cheltenham; with a couple of her old domestics。
  The rest were liberally paid and dismissed; the faithful
  old butler; whom Mrs。 Osborne proposed to retain;
  resigning and preferring to invest his savings in a public…
  house; where; let us hope; he was not unprosperous。
  Miss Osborne not choosing to live in Russell Square; Mrs。
  Osborne also; after consultation; declined to occupy the
  gloomy old mansion there。  The house was dismantled;
  the rich furniture and effects; the awful chandeliers and
  dreary blank mirrors packed away and hidden; the rich
  rosewood drawing…room suite was muffled in straw; the
  carpets were rolled up and corded; the small select
  library of well…bound books was stowed into two wine…
  chests; and the whole paraphernalia rolled away in
  several enormous vans to the Pantechnicon; where they
  were to lie until Georgy's majority。  And the great heavy
  dark plate…chests went off to Messrs。  Stumpy and Rowdy;
  to lie in the cellars of those eminent bankers until the
  same period should arrive。
  One day Emmy; with George in her hand and clad in
  deep sables; went to visit the deserted mansion which she
  had not entered since she was a girl。  The place in front
  was littered with straw where the vans had been laden
  and rolled off。  They went into the great blank rooms; the
  walls of which bore the marks where the pictures and
  mirrors had hung。  Then they went up the great blank
  stone staircases into the upper rooms; into that where
  grandpapa died; as George said in a whisper; and then
  higher still into George's own room。  The boy was still
  clinging by her side; but she thought of another besides
  him。  She knew that it had been his father's room as well
  as his own。
  She went up to one of the open windows (one of
  those at which she used to gaze with a sick heart when
  the child was first taken from her); and thence as she
  looked out she could see; over the trees of Russell Square;
  the old house in which she herself was born; and where
  she had passed so many happy days of sacred youth。
  They all came back to her; the pleasant holidays;
  the kind faces; the careless; joyful past times; and the
  long pains and trials that had since cast her down。
  She thought of these and of the man who had been her
  constant protector; her good genius; her sole benefactor;
  her tender and generous friend。
  〃Look here; Mother;〃 said Georgy; 〃here's a G。O。
  scratched on the glass with a diamond; I never saw it
  before; I never did it。〃
  〃It was your father's room long before you were born;
  George;〃 she said; and she blushed as she kissed the
  boy。
  She was very silent as they drove back to Richmond;
  where they had taken a temporary house:  where the
  smiling lawyers used to come bustling over to see her (and
  we may be sure noted the visit in the bill):  and where of
  course there was a room for Major Dobbin too; who
  rode over frequently; having much business to transact
  on behalf of his little ward。
  Georgy at this time was removed from Mr。 Veal's on
  an unlimited holiday; and that gentleman was engaged
  to prepare an inscription for a fine marble slab; to be
  placed up in the Foundling under the monument of
  Captain George Osborne。
  The female Bullock; aunt of Georgy; although
  despoiled by that little monster of one…half of the sum
  which she expected from her father; nevertheless showed
  her charitableness of spirit by being reconciled to the
  mother and the boy。  Roehampton is not far from
  Richmond; and one day the chariot; with the golden bullocks
  emblazoned on the panels; and the flaccid children within;
  drove to Amelia's house at Richmond; and the Bullock
  family made an irruption into the garden; where Amelia
  was reading a book; Jos was in an arbour placidly
  dipping strawberries into wine; and the Major in one of
  his Indian jackets was giving a back to Georgy; who
  chose to jump over him。  He went over his head and
  bounded into the little advance of Bullocks; with
  immense black bows in their hats; and huge black sashes;
  accompanying their mourning mamma。
  〃He is just of the age for Rosa;〃 the fond parent
  thought; and glanced towards that dear child; an
  unwholesome little miss of seven years of age。
  〃Rosa; go an