vanity fair(名利场)- 第11部分

　　
As　he　did　not　in　the　least　know　how　to　parry　the　blows
that　were　aimed　at　himself；　and　Cuff　had　begun　the　
attack　on　the　three　preceding　occasions；　without　ever
allowing　his　enemy　to　strike；　Figs　now　determined　that　he
would　commence　the　engagement　by　a　charge　on　his　own
part；　and　accordingly；　being　a　left…handed　man；　brought
that　arm　into　action；　and　hit　out　a　couple　of　times　with
all　his　mightonce　at　Mr。　Cuff's　left　eye；　and　once　on　his
beautiful　Roman　nose。
　　
Cuff　went　down　this　time；　to　the　astonishment　of　the
assembly。　　〃Well　hit；　by　Jove；〃　says　little　Osborne；　with
the　air　of　a　connoisseur；　clapping　his　man　on　the　back。
〃Give　it　him　with　the　left；　Figs　my　boy。〃
　　
Figs's　left　made　terrific　play　during　all　the　rest　of　the
combat。　　Cuff　went　down　every　time。　　At　the　sixth　round；
there　were　almost　as　many　fellows　shouting　out；　〃Go　it；
Figs；〃　as　there　were　youths　exclaiming；　〃Go　it；　Cuff。〃　At
the　twelfth　round　the　latter　champion　was　all　abroad；　as
the　saying　is；　and　had　lost　all　presence　of　mind　and　power
of　attack　or　defence。　　Figs；　on　the　contrary；　was　as　calm
as　a　quaker。　　His　face　being　quite　pale；　his　eyes　shining
open；　and　a　great　cut　on　his　underlip　bleeding　profusely；
gave　this　young　fellow　a　fierce　and　ghastly　air；　which
perhaps　struck　terror　into　many　spectators。　　Nevertheless；
his　intrepid　adversary　prepared　to　close　for　the
thirteenth　time。
　　
If　I　had　the　pen　of　a　Napier；　or　a　Bell's　Life；　I　should
like　to　describe　this　combat　properly。　　It　was　the　last
charge　of　the　Guard（that　is；　it　would　have　been；　only
Waterloo　had　not　yet　taken　place）it　was　Ney's　column
breasting　the　hill　of　La　Haye　Sainte；　bristling　with　ten
thousand　bayonets；　and　crowned　with　twenty　eaglesit
was　the　shout　of　the　beef…eating　British；　as　leaping　down
the　hill　they　rushed　to　hug　the　enemy　in　the　savage　arms
of　battlein　other　words；　Cuff　coming　up　full　of　pluck；
but　quite　reeling　and　groggy；　the　Fig…merchant　put　in　his
left　as　usual　on　his　adversary's　nose；　and　sent　him　down
for　the　last　time。
〃I　think　that　will　do　for　him；〃　Figs　said；　as　his　opponent
dropped　as　neatly　on　the　green　as　I　have　seen　Jack
Spot's　ball　plump　into　the　pocket　at　billiards；　and　the
fact　is；　when　time　was　called；　Mr。　Reginald　Cuff　was　not
able；　or　did　not　choose；　to　stand　up　again。
And　now　all　the　boys　set　up　such　a　shout　for　Figs　as
would　have　made　you　think　he　had　been　their　darling
champion　through　the　whole　battle；　and　as　absolutely
brought　Dr。　Swishtail　out　of　his　study；　curious　to　know
the　cause　of　the　uproar。　　He　threatened　to　flog　Figs
violently；　of　course；　but　Cuff；　who　had　come　to　himself
by　this　time；　and　was　washing　his　wounds；　stood　up　and
said；　〃It's　my　fault；　sirnot　Figs'not　Dobbin's。　　I　was
bullying　a　little　boy；　and　he　served　me　right。〃　By　which
magnanimous　speech　he　not　only　saved　his　conqueror　a
whipping；　but　got　back　all　his　ascendancy　over　the　boys
which　his　defeat　had　nearly　cost　him。
Young　Osborne　wrote　home　to　his　parents　an　account
of　the　transaction。
Sugarcane　House；　Richmond；　March；　18
DEAR　MAMA；I　hope　you　are　quite　well。　　I　should　be
much　obliged　to　you　to　send　me　a　cake　and　five　shillings。
There　has　been　a　fight　here　between　Cuff　&　Dobbin。
Cuff；　you　know；　was　the　Cock　of　the　School。　　They
fought　thirteen　rounds；　and　Dobbin　Licked。　　So　Cuff　is
now　Only　Second　Cock。　　The　fight　was　about　me。　　Cuff
was　licking　me　for　breaking　a　bottle　of　milk；　and　Figs
wouldn't　stand　it。　　We　call　him　Figs　because　his　father　is
a　GrocerFigs　&　Rudge；　Thames　St。；　CityI　think　as
he　fought　for　me　you　ought　to　buy　your　Tea　&　Sugar
at　his　father's。　　Cuff　goes　home　every　Saturday；　but　can't
this；　because　he　has　2　Black　Eyes。　　He　has　a　white　Pony
to　come　and　fetch　him；　and　a　groom　in　livery　on　a　bay
mare。　　I　wish　my　Papa　would　let　me　have　a　Pony；　and　I
am
Your　dutiful　Son；
GEORGE　SEDLEY　OSBORNE
　　P。S。Give　my　love　to　little　Emmy。　　I　am　cutting　her
out　a　Coach　in　cardboard。　　Please　not　a　seed…cake；　but　a
plum…cake。
In　consequence　of　Dobbin's　victory；　his　character　rose
prodigiously　in　the　estimation　of　all　his　schoolfellows；　and
the　name　of　Figs；　which　had　been　a　byword　of　reproach；
became　as　respectable　and　popular　a　nickname　as　any
other　in　use　in　the　school。　　〃After　all；　it's　not　his　fault
that　his　father's　a　grocer；〃　George　Osborne　said；　who；
though　a　little　chap；　had　a　very　high　popularity　among
the　Swishtail　youth；　and　his　opinion　was　received　with
great　applause。　　It　was　voted　low　to　sneer　at　Dobbin
about　this　accident　of　birth。　　〃Old　Figs〃　grew　to　be　a
name　of　kindness　and　endearment；　and　the　sneak　of　an
usher　jeered　at　him　no　longer。
And　Dobbin's　spirit　rose　with　his　altered　circumstances。
He　made　wonderful　advances　in　scholastic　learning。　　The
superb　Cuff　himself；　at　whose　condescension　Dobbin
could　only　blush　and　wonder；　helped　him　on　with　his
Latin　verses；　〃coached〃　him　in　play…hours：　carried　him
triumphantly　out　of　the　little…boy　class　into　the　middle…
sized　form；　and　even　there　got　a　fair　place　for　him。　　It
was　discovered；　that　although　dull　at　classical　learning；
at　mathematics　he　was　uncommonly　quick。　　To　the
contentment　of　all　he　passed　third　in　algebra；　and　got　a
French　prize…book　at　the　public　Midsummer　examination。
You　should　have　seen　his　mother's　face　when　Telemaque
（that　delicious　romance）　was　presented　to　him　by
the　Doctor　in　the　face　of　the　whole　school　and　the　parents
and　company；　with　an　inscription　to　Gulielmo　Dobbin。　　All
the　boys　clapped　hands　in　token　of　applause　and
sympathy。　　His　blushes；　his　stumbles；　his　awkwardness；　and
the　number　of　feet　which　he　crushed　as　he　went　back　to
his　place；　who　shall　describe　or　calculate？　Old　Dobbin；　his
father；　who　now　respected　him　for　the　first　time；　gave
him　two　guineas　publicly；　most　of　which　he　spent　in　a
general　tuck…out　for　the　school：　and　he　came　back　in　a
tail…coat　after　the　holidays。
Dobbin　was　much　too　modest　a　young　fellow　to
suppose　that　this　happy　change　in　all　his　circumstances
arose　from　his　own　generous　and　manly　disposition：　he
chose；　from　some　perverseness；　to　attribute　his　good
fortune　to　the　sole　agency　and　benevolence　of　little　George
Osborne；　to　whom　henceforth　he　vowed　such　a　love　and
affection　as　is　only　felt　by　childrensuch　an　affection；　as
we　read　in　the　charming　fairy…book；　uncouth　Orson　had
for　splendid　young　Valentine　his　conqueror。　　He　flung
himself　down　at　little　Osborne's　feet；　and　loved　him。
Even　before　they　were　acquainted；　he　had　admired
Osborne　in　secret。　　Now　he　was　his　valet；　his　dog；　his　man
Friday。　　He　believed　Osborne　to　be　the　possessor　of
every　perfection；　to　be　the　handsomest；　the　bravest；　the
most　active；　the　cleverest；　the　most　generous　of　created
boys。　　He　shared　his　money　with　him：　bought　him
uncountable　presents　of　knives；　pencil…cases；　gold　seals；
toffee；　Little　Warblers；　and　romantic　books；　with　large
coloured　pictures　of　knights　and　robbers；　in　many　of　which
latter　you　might　read　inscriptions　to　George　Sedley
Osborne；　Esquire；　from　his　attached　friend　William　Dobbin
the　which　tokens　of　homage　George　received　very
graciously；　as　became　his　superior　merit。
So　that　Lieutenant　Osborne；　when　coming　to　Russell
Square　on　the　day　of　the　Vauxhall　party；　said　to　the
ladies；　〃Mrs。　Sedley；　Ma'am；　I　hope　you　have　room；　I've
asked　Dobbin　of　ours　to　come　and　dine　here；　and　go　with
us　to　Vauxhall。　　He's　almost　as　modest　as　Jos。〃
〃Modesty！　pooh；〃　said　the　stout　gentleman；　casting　a
vainqueur　look　at　Miss　Sharp。
〃He　isbut　you　are　incomparably　more　graceful；
Sedley；〃　Osborne　added；　laughing。　　〃I　met　him　at　the
Bedford；　when　I　went　to　look　for　you；　and　I　told　him　that
Miss　Amelia　was　come　home；　and　that　we　were　all　bent
on　going　out　for　a　night's　pleasuring；　and　that　Mrs。　Sedley
had　forgiven　his　breaking　the　punch…bowl　at　the　child's
party。　　Don't　you　remember　the　catastrophe；　Ma'am；　seven
years　ago？〃
〃Over　Mrs。　Flamingo's　crimson　silk　gown；〃　said　good…
natured　Mrs。　Sedley。　　〃What　a　gawky　it　was！　And　his
sisters　are　not　much　more　graceful。　　Lady　Dobbin　was　at
Highbury　last　night　with　three　of　them。　　Such　figures！　my
dears。〃
〃The　Alderman's　very　rich；　isn't　he？〃　Osborne　said
archly。　　〃Don't　you　think　one　of　the　daughters　would　be　a
good　spec　for　me；　Ma'am？〃
〃You　foolish　creature！　Who　would　take　you；　I　should
like　to　know；　with　your　yellow　face？〃
〃Mine　a　yellow　face？　Stop　till　you　see　Dobbin。　　Why；　he
had　the　yellow　fever　three　times；　twice　at　Nassau；　and
once　at　St。　Kitts。〃
〃Well；　well；　yours　is　quite　yellow　enough　for　us。　　Isn't
it；　Emmy？〃　Mrs。　Sedley　said：　at　which　speech　Miss
Amelia　only　made　a　smile　and　a　blush；　and　looking　at　Mr。
George　Osborne's　pale　interesting　countenance；　and　those
beautiful　black；　curling；　shining　whiskers；　which　the　young
gentleman　himself　regarded　with　no　ordinary
complacency；　she　thought　in　her　little　heart　that　in
His　Majesty's　army；　or　in　the　wide　world；　there　never
was　such　a　face　or　such　a　hero。　　〃I　don't　care　about　Captain
Dobbin's　complexion；〃　she　said；　〃or　about　his　awkwardness。
I　shall　always　like　him；　I　know；〃　her　little　reason　being；
that　he　was　the　friend　and　champion　of　George。
〃There's　not　a　finer　fellow　in　the　service；〃　Osborne
said；　〃nor　a　better　officer；　though　he　is　not　an　Adonis；
certainly。〃　And　he　looked　towards　the　glass　himself　with
much　naivete；　and　in　so　doing；　caught　Miss　Sharp's　eye
fixed　keenly　upon　him；　at　which　he　blushed　a　little；　and
Rebecca　thought　in　her　heart；　〃Ah；　mon　beau　Monsieur！
I　think　I　have　YOUR　gauge〃the　little　artful　minx！
That　evening；　when　Amelia　came　tripping　into　the
drawing…room　in　a　white　muslin　frock；　prepared　for
conquest　at　Vauxhall；　singing　like　a　lark；　and　as　fresh　as　a
rosea　very　tall　ungainly　gentleman；　with　large　hands
and　feet；　and　large　ears；　set　off　by　a　closely　cropped　head
of　black　hair；　and　in　the　hideous　military　frogged　coat
and　cocked　hat　of　those　times；　advanced　to　meet　her；　and
made　her　one　of　the　clumsiest　bows　that　was　ever
performed　by　a　mortal。
This　was　no　other　than　Captain　William　Dobbin；　of
His　Majesty's　Regiment　of　Foot；　returned　from
yellow　fever；　in　the　West　Indies；　to　which　the　fortune
of　the　service　had　ordered　his　regiment；　whilst　so　many
of　his　gallant　comrades　were　reaping　glory