TheillnessofthatoldladyhadbeentheoccupationandperhapsthesafeguardofAmelia。Whatdomenknowaboutwomen’smartyrdoms？Weshouldgomadhadwetoendurethehundredthpartofthosedailypainswhicharemeeklybornebymanywomen。Ceaselessslaverymeetingwithnoreward；constantgentlenessandkindnessmetbycrueltyasconstant；love，labour，patience，watchfulness，withoutevensomuchastheacknowledgementofagoodword；allthis，howmanyofthemhavetobearinquiet，andappearabroadwithcheerfulfacesasiftheyfeltnothing。Tenderslavesthattheyare，theymustneedsbehypocritesandweak。

　　FromherchairAmelia’smotherhadtakentoherbed，whichshehadneverleft，andfromwhichMrs。OsborneherselfwasneverabsentexceptwhensherantoseeGeorge。Theoldladygrudgedhereventhoserarevisits；

　　she，whohadbeenakind，smiling，good-naturedmotheronce，inthedaysofherprosperity，butwhompovertyandinfirmitieshadbrokendown。HerillnessorestrangementdidnotaffectAmelia。Theyratherenabledhertosupporttheothercalamityunderwhichshewassuffering，andfromthethoughtsofwhichshewaskeptbytheceaselesscallsoftheinvalid。Ameliaboreherharshnessquitegently；smoothedtheuneasypillow；wasalwaysreadywithasoftanswertothewatchful，querulousvoice；soothedthesuffererwithwordsofhope，suchasherpioussimpleheartcouldbestfeelandutter，andclosedtheeyesthathadoncelookedsotenderlyuponher。

　　Thenallhertimeandtendernessweredevotedtotheconsolationandcomfortofthebereavedoldfather，whowasstunnedbytheblowwhichhadbefallenhim，andstoodutterlyaloneintheworld。Hiswife，hishonour，hisfortune，everythinghelovedbesthadfallenawayfromhim。TherewasonlyAmeliatostandbyandsupportwithhergentlearmsthetottering，heart-brokenoldman。

　　Wearenotgoingtowritethehistory：itwouldbetoodrearyandstupid。IcanseeVanityFairyawningoveritd’avance。

......

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