In the meanwhile, George kissed her very kindly on her forehead and

glistening eyes, and was very gracious and good; and she thought his

diamond shirt-pin (which she had not known him to wear before) the

prettiest ornament ever seen.

The observant reader, who has marked our young Lieutenant's previous

behaviour, and has preserved our report of the brief conversation which

he has just had with Captain Dobbin, has possibly come to certain

conclusions regarding the character of Mr. Osborne. Some cynical

Frenchman has said that there are two parties to a love-transaction:

the one who loves and the other who condescends to be so treated.

Perhaps the love is occasionally on the man's side; perhaps on the

lady's. Perhaps some infatuated swain has ere this mistaken

insensibility for modesty, dulness for maiden reserve, mere vacuity for

sweet bashfulness, and a goose, in a word, for a swan. Perhaps some

beloved female subscriber has arrayed an ass in the splendour and glory

of her imagination; admired his dulness as manly simplicity; worshipped

his selfishness as manly superiority; treated his stupidity as majestic

gravity, and used him as the brilliant fairy Titania did a certain

weaver at Athens. I think I have seen such comedies of errors going on

in the world. But this is certain, that Amelia believed her lover to

be one of the most gallant and brilliant men in the empire: and it is

possible Lieutenant Osborne thought so too.

He was a little wild: how many young men are; and don't girls like a

rake better than a milksop? He hadn't sown his wild oats as yet, but

he would soon: and quit the army now that peace was proclaimed; the

Corsican monster locked up at Elba; promotion by consequence over; and

no chance left for the display of his undoubted military talents and

valour: and his allowance, with Amelia's settlement, would enable them

to take a snug place in the country somewhere, in a good sporting

neighbourhood; and he would hunt a little, and farm a little; and they

would be very happy. As for remaining in the army as a married man,

that was impossible. Fancy Mrs. George Osborne in lodgings in a county

town; or, worse still, in the East or West Indies, with a society of

officers, and patronized by Mrs. Major O'Dowd! Amelia died with

laughing at Osborne's stories about Mrs. Major O'Dowd. He loved her

much too fondly to subject her to that horrid woman and her

vulgarities, and the rough treatment of a soldier's wife. He didn't

care for himself--not he; but his dear little girl should take the

place in society to which, as his wife, she was entitled: and to these

proposals you may be sure she acceded, as she would to any other from

the same author.

Holding this kind of conversation, and building numberless castles in

the air (which Amelia adorned with all sorts of flower-gardens, rustic

walks, country churches, Sunday schools, and the like; while George had

his mind's eye directed to the stables, the kennel, and the cellar),

this young pair passed away a couple of hours very pleasantly; and as

the Lieutenant had only that single day in town, and a great deal of

most important business to transact, it was proposed that Miss Emmy

should dine with her future sisters-in-law. This invitation was

accepted joyfully. He conducted her to his sisters; where he left her

talking and prattling in a way that astonished those ladies, who

thought that George might make something of her; and he then went off

to transact his business.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024