Sheknewhoweachtenantofthecottagespaidorowedhislittlerent。ShesteppedasidewhenMrs。

　　Rougemonttheactresspassedwithherdubiousfamily。SheflungupherheadwhenMrs。Pestler，theapothecary’slady，drovebyinherhusband’sprofessionalone-horsechaise。ShehadcolloquieswiththegreengroceraboutthepennorthofturnipswhichMr。Sedleyloved；shekeptaneyeuponthemilkmanandthebaker’sboy；andmadevisitationstothebutcher，whosoldhundredsofoxenverylikelywithlessadothanwasmadeaboutMrs。Sedley’sloinofmutton：andshecountedthepotatoesunderthejointonSundays，onwhichdays，dressedinherbest，shewenttochurchtwiceandreadBlair’sSermonsintheevening。

　　Onthatday，for“business“preventedhimonweekdaysfromtakingsuchapleasure，itwasoldSedley’sdelighttotakeouthislittlegrandsonGeorgytotheneighbouringparksorKensingtonGardens，toseethesoldiersortofeedtheducks。Georgylovedtheredcoats，andhisgrandpapatoldhimhowhisfatherhadbeenafamoussoldier，andintroducedhimtomanysergeantsandotherswithWaterloomedalsontheirbreasts，towhomtheoldgrandfatherpompouslypresentedthechildasthesonofCaptainOsborneofthe——th，whodiedgloriouslyonthegloriouseighteenth。Hehasbeenknowntotreatsomeofthesenon-commissionedgentlementoaglassofporter，and，indeed，intheirfirstSundaywalkswasdisposedtospoillittleGeorgy，sadlygorgingtheboywithapplesandparliament，tothedetrimentofhishealth——

　　untilAmeliadeclaredthatGeorgeshouldnevergooutwithhisgrandpapaunlessthelatterpromisedsolemnly，andonhishonour，nottogivethechildanycakes，lollipops，orstallproducewhatever。

　　BetweenMrs。Sedleyandherdaughtertherewasasortofcoolnessaboutthisboy，andasecretjealousy——foroneeveninginGeorge’sveryearlydays，Amelia，whohadbeenseatedatworkintheirlittleparlourscarcelyremarkingthattheoldladyhadquittedtheroom，ranupstairsinstinctivelytothenurseryatthecriesofthechild，whohadbeenasleepuntilthatmoment——andtherefoundMrs。SedleyintheactofsurreptitiouslyadministeringDaffy’sElixirtotheinfant。Amelia，thegentlestandsweetestofeverydaymortals，whenshefoundthismeddlingwithhermaternalauthority，thrilledandtrembledalloverwithanger。Hercheeks，ordinarilypale，nowflushedup，untiltheywereasredastheyusedtobewhenshewasachildoftwelveyearsold。Sheseizedthebabyoutofhermother’sarmsandthengraspedatthebottle，leavingtheoldladygapingather，furious，andholdingtheguiltytea-spoon。

......

购买会员看全站小说，或者下载APP免费观看所有作品 点击立即下载，搜索"Vanity Fair",免费读到尾