登陆注册
19465800000092

第92章

A Quarrel About an HeiressLove may be felt for any young lady endowed with such qualities as Miss Swartz possessed; and a great dream of ambition entered into old Mr.Osborne's soul, which she was to realize.He encouraged, with the utmost enthusiasm and friendliness, his daughters' amiable attachment to the young heiress, and protested that it gave him the sincerest pleasure as a father to see the love of his girls so well disposed.

"You won't find," he would say to Miss Rhoda, "that splendour and rank to which you are accustomed at the West End, my dear Miss, at our humble mansion in Russell Square.My daughters are plain, disinterested girls, but their hearts are in the right place, and they've conceived an attachment for you which does them honour--I say, which does them honour.I'm a plain, simple, humble British merchant--an honest one, as my respected friends Hulker and Bullock will vouch, who were the correspondents of your late lamented father.You'll find us a united, simple, happy, and I think I may say respected, family--a plain table, a plain people, but a warm welcome, my dear Miss Rhoda--Rhoda, let me say, for my heart warms to you, it does really.I'm a frank man, and I like you.A glass of Champagne! Hicks, Champagne to Miss Swartz."There is little doubt that old Osborne believed all he said, and that the girls were quite earnest in their protestations of affection for Miss Swartz.People in Vanity Fair fasten on to rich folks quite naturally.If the simplest people are disposed to look not a little kindly on great Prosperity (for I defy any member of the British public to say that the notion of Wealth has not something awful and pleasing to him; and you, if you are told that the man next you at dinner has got half a million, not to look at him with a certain interest)--if the simple look benevolently on money, how much more do your old worldlings regard it! Their affections rush out to meet and welcome money.Their kind sentiments awaken spontaneously towards the interesting possessors of it.I know some respectable people who don't consider themselves at liberty to indulge in friendship for any individual who has not a certain competency, or place in society.They give a loose to their feelings on proper occasions.And the proof is, that the major part of the Osborne family, who had not, in fifteen years, been able to get up a hearty regard for Amelia Sedley, became as fond of Miss Swartz in the course of a single evening as the most romantic advocate of friendship at first sight could desire.

What a match for George she'd be (the sisters and Miss Wirt agreed), and how much better than that insignificant little Amelia! Such a dashing young fellow as he is, with his good looks, rank, and accomplishments, would be the very husband for her.Visions of balls in Portland Place, presentations at Court, and introductions to half the peerage, filled the minds of the young ladies;who talked of nothing but George and his grand acquaintances to their beloved new friend.

Old Osborne thought she would be a great match, too, for his son.He should leave the army; he should go into Parliament; he should cut a figure in the fashion and in the state.His blood boiled with honest British exultation, as he saw the name of Osborne ennobled in the person of his son, and thought that he might be the progenitor of a glorious line of baronets.He worked in the City and on 'Change, until he knew everything relating to the fortune of the heiress, how her money was placed, and where her estates lay.Young Fred Bullock, one of his chief informants, would have liked to make a bid for her himself (it was so the young banker expressed it), only he was booked to Maria Osborne.But not being able to secure her as a wife, the disinterested Fred quite approved of her as a sister-in-law."Let George cut in directly and win her," was his advice."Strike while the iron's hot, you know--while she's fresh to the town: in a few weeks some d-- fellow from the West End will come in with a title and a rotten rent-roll and cut all us City men out, as Lord Fitzrufus did last year with Miss Grogram, who was actually engaged to Podder, of Podder & Brown's.The sooner it is done the better, Mr.Osborne; them's my sentiments," the wag said; though, when Osborne had left the bank parlour, Mr.Bullock remembered Amelia, and what a pretty girl she was, and how attached to George Osborne; and he gave up at least ten seconds of his valuable time to regretting the misfortune which had befallen that unlucky young woman.

While thus George Osborne's good feelings, and his good friend and genius, Dobbin, were carrying back the truant to Amelia's feet, George's parent and sisters were arranging this splendid match for him, which they never dreamed he would resist.

When the elder Osborne gave what he called "a hint,"there was no possibility for the most obtuse to mistake his meaning.He called kicking a footman downstairs a hint to the latter to leave his service.With his usual frankness and delicacy he told Mrs.Haggistoun that he would give her a cheque for five thousand pounds on the day his son was married to her ward; and called that proposal a hint, and considered it a very dexterous piece of diplomacy.He gave George finally such another hint regarding the heiress; and ordered him to marry her out of hand, as he would have ordered his butler to draw a cork, or his clerk to write a letter.

同类推荐
  • 器经

    器经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Personal Memoirs

    Personal Memoirs

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 搔首问

    搔首问

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 御制孝慈录序

    御制孝慈录序

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 大法炬陀罗尼经

    大法炬陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 喜劫良缘,摄政王的小娇妃

    喜劫良缘,摄政王的小娇妃

    穿越三好,吃好喝好睡好。穿越三早,早嫁人早生子早死。有此秘笈,回现代有望。想她傅家小姐谨记上面几条人生格言,正职看书绣花聊家常,偶尔兼职当公主太傅,已然小心翼翼,自求多福,没空招惹变态。娶妻三能,能下饭能陪喝能暖床。娶妻三有,有胆识有心计有他。得此女子,娶妻有望。想他当朝摄政王爷心有标尺碍于无人,正职养虎为猖陷害忠良,偶尔兼职扰乱民生,无敌是他最大的痛,若是有人引了他的兴致,自然是没理由放弃啊。某女受虐多次狂怒,“你是不是有病,遛狗一样一收一放!”某男依然不动声色,“姑娘如此自贬,本王自然不敢反驳,其实,都是玩物,可本王是把你当风筝!”【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 玄天手机

    玄天手机

    一场阴谋之下,落魄公子古月得到穿越者改装的超级手机,一条前人已定好的修炼之路,让古月开始一场精彩旅程,带领家族逐渐崛起。
  • 天尘血月

    天尘血月

    天地开辟以来,人类是最后诞生的生物,万物之末的人类总是受到欺压、排挤。而身为人类的少年正处于这个时代的洪流中,阴差阳错下与天生强大的万物们一同争夺天道的顶点。
  • 得意无南北

    得意无南北

    莫北北说:“简皓南,你看,我们一个北,一个南,命定相克相对。”“天和地不是也相对?你没听过天长地久么?”“那不一样,不然你能给举个南北的例子?”简皓南笑:“那还不简单?南来北往,我来你往,我们注定会在命途中相遇。”
  • 神魔天机变

    神魔天机变

    上万年前,神魔大战,天崩地裂,以致天地碎裂成无数板块,散落在各个位面。十八前年,北冥域突降天灾,以致位面破损,落入次元之海,与世隔绝。五年前,天地骤变,灵力枯萎,异族倾入,末世将至。一生一死一执念,几生几世几轮回。时间与空间的隔绝,种族与爱恨的纠缠,一切将会何去何从?
  • 荒古天穹

    荒古天穹

    在这荒古大乱的年代,他天生经脉错乱,不能修炼,同样也受尽了屈辱,他不能死,也不想死!所有屈辱他的人都会死!这是他唯一的信念,他要一路高歌走向世界的顶峰!看林天如何在这荒古大乱的年代生存下去,他要让所有敌人颤抖!---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------这其实就是一篇爽文,朋友们看的舒心,我写的放心,其中可能有很多穿插的地方,希望你们不要建议!编辑啥的就别来了,除了创世别无去处(∩_∩)O哈哈
  • 弑神台

    弑神台

    杀神,不但可以杀人,还可以杀真正的神,杀神惩罚神灵的地方就叫做弑神台。孤儿罗隐天赋神龙血统,在天遗神珠帮助下,继承杀神传承,成为天澜大陆最强杀手——真正的杀神,他是正义的杀神,是光明的杀神,杀尽一切可杀之人。
  • 父母应掌握的教子智慧

    父母应掌握的教子智慧

    在家庭教育的过程中,父母有很多的困惑,例如孩子早恋、学习 不专心、以自我为中心、不懂得体会父母的苦心等等。廖康强编著的《父母应掌握的教子智慧》列举了父母在教育孩子时最应 该懂得的几十种智慧,提供了各种解决家庭教育中存在问题的方法,帮助父母解决这些困惑。《父母应掌 握的教子智慧》内容 简单实用,能起到很好的指导作用。
  • 极乐天尊

    极乐天尊

    超级佣兵,穿越元央大陆,变身猥琐胖子,横行霸道,大杀四方。是英雄?还是流氓?这个来历不明的胖子,看似外表憨厚,其实内心腹黑,他比坏人更坏,比好人更像好人,一身魂武闯天下,努力泡妞无耻境,在烽火连天的元央大陆,他从小混混到大混混,最终成为一代混世魔王。
  • 腹黑萌宝俏妈咪

    腹黑萌宝俏妈咪

    四年前,安心错遇一个男人,一夜激情满身吻痕另附送萌宝一个。四年后,安心再次偶遇他,顿时天雷勾动地火!安心打定了主意远离他。谁想,他却是三番四次的缠上来……说好的总裁冷酷霸道呢,怎么分分钟变忠犬?!!人前,他是四方胆寒的顾三少。冷冽,嗜血,唯我独尊!人后,他是惟妻是从的大忠犬。卖萌,献宝,博妻一笑。