vanity fair(名利场)-第106节

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him。
Rebecca；　my　Lord　Steyne；　and　one　or　two　more　were
in　the　drawing…room　taking　tea　after　the　opera；　when　this
shouting　was　heard　overhead。　　〃It's　my　cherub　crying　for
his　nurse；〃　she　said。　　She　did　not　offer　to　move　to　go　and
see　the　child。　　〃Don't　agitate　your　feelings　by　going　to　look
for　him；〃　said　Lord　Steyne　sardonically。　　〃Bah！〃　replied
the　other；　with　a　sort　of　blush；　〃he'll　cry　himself　to　sleep〃；
and　they　fell　to　talking　about　the　opera。
Rawdon　had　stolen　off　though；　to　look　after　his　son
and　heir；　and　came　back　to　the　company　when　he　found
that　honest　Dolly　was　consoling　the　child。　　The　Colonel's
dressing…room　was　in　those　upper　regions。　　He　used　to　see
the　boy　there　in　private。　　They　had　interviews　together
every　morning　when　he　shaved；　Rawdon　minor　sitting　on　a
box　by　his　father's　side　and　watching　the　operation　with
never…ceasing　pleasure。　　He　and　the　sire　were　great　friends。
The　father　would　bring　him　sweetmeats　from　the　dessert
and　hide　them　in　a　certain　old　epaulet　box；　where　the
child　went　to　seek　them；　and　laughed　with　joy　on
discovering　the　treasure；　laughed；　but　not　too　loud：　　for　mamma
was　below　asleep　and　must　not　be　disturbed。　　She　did　not
go　to　rest　till　very　late　and　seldom　rose　till　after　noon。
Rawdon　bought　the　boy　plenty　of　picture…books　and
crammed　his　nursery　with　toys。　　Its　walls　were　covered　with
pictures　pasted　up　by　the　father's　own　hand　and　purchased
by　him　for　ready　money。　　When　he　was　off　duty　with
Mrs。　Rawdon　in　the　park；　he　would　sit　up　here；　passing
hours　with　the　boy；　who　rode　on　his　chest；　who　pulled　his
great　mustachios　as　if　they　were　driving…reins；　and　spent
days　with　him　in　indefatigable　gambols。　　The　room　was
a　low　room；　and　once；　when　the　child　was　not　five　years
old；　his　father；　who　was　tossing　him　wildly　up　in　his
arms；　hit　the　poor　little　chap's　skull　so　violently　against
the　ceiling　that　he　almost　dropped　the　child；　so　terrified
was　he　at　the　disaster。
Rawdon　minor　had　made　up　his　face　for　a　tremendous
howlthe　severity　of　the　blow　indeed　authorized　that
indulgence；　but　just　as　he　was　going　to　begin；　the　father
interposed。
〃For　God's　sake；　Rawdy；　don't　wake　Mamma；〃　he
cried。　　And　the　child；　looking　in　a　very　hard　and　piteous
way　at　his　father；　bit　his　lips；　clenched　his　hands；　and
didn't　cry　a　bit。　　Rawdon　told　that　story　at　the　clubs；　at
the　mess；　to　everybody　in　town。　　〃By　Gad；　sir；〃　he
explained　to　the　public　in　general；　〃what　a　good　plucked　one
that　boy　of　mine　iswhat　a　trump　he　is！　　I　half…sent　his
head　through　the　ceiling；　by　Gad；　and　he　wouldn't　cry　for
fear　of　disturbing　his　mother。〃
Sometimesonce　or　twice　in　a　weekthat　lady　visited
the　upper　regions　in　which　the　child　lived。　　She　came　like
a　vivified　figure　out　of　the　Magasin　des　Modesblandly
smiling　in　the　most　beautiful　new　clothes　and　little　gloves
and　boots。　　Wonderful　scarfs；　laces；　and　jewels　glittered
about　her。　　She　had　always　a　new　bonnet　on；　and　flowers
bloomed　perpetually　in　it；　or　else　magnificent　curling
ostrich　feathers；　soft　and　snowy　as　camellias。　　She　nodded
twice　or　thrice　patronizingly　to　the　little　boy；　who　looked
up　from　his　dinner　or　from　the　pictures　of　soldiers　he　was
painting。　　When　she　left　the　room；　an　odour　of　rose；　or
some　other　magical　fragrance；　lingered　about　the　nursery。
She　was　an　unearthly　being　in　his　eyes；　superior　to　his
fatherto　all　the　world：　　to　be　worshipped　and　admired
at　a　distance。　　To　drive　with　that　lady　in　the　carriage　was
an　awful　rite：　　he　sat　up　in　the　back　seat　and　did　not　dare
to　speak：　　he　gazed　with　all　his　eyes　at　the　beautifully
dressed　Princess　opposite　to　him。　　Gentlemen　on　splendid
prancing　horses　came　up　and　smiled　and　talked　with　her。
How　her　eyes　beamed　upon　all　of　them！　　Her　hand　used
to　quiver　and　wave　gracefully　as　they　passed。　　When
he　went　out　with　her　he　had　his　new　red　dress　on。　　His　old
brown　holland　was　good　enough　when　he　stayed　at　home。
Sometimes；　when　she　was　away；　and　Dolly　his　maid　was
making　his　bed；　he　came　into　his　mother's　room。　　It　was　as
the　abode　of　a　fairy　to　hima　mystic　chamber　of
splendour　and　delights。　　There　in　the　wardrobe　hung　those
wonderful　robespink　and　blue　and　many…tinted。　　There
was　the　jewel…case；　silver…clasped；　and　the　wondrous
bronze　hand　on　the　dressing…table；　glistening　all　over
with　a　hundred　rings。　　There　was　the　cheval…glass；　that
miracle　of　art；　in　which　he　could　just　see　his　own
wondering　head　and　the　reflection　of　Dolly　（queerly
distorted；　and　as　if　up　in　the　ceiling）；　plumping　and　patting
the　pillows　of　the　bed。　　Oh；　thou　poor　lonely　little
benighted　boy！　　Mother　is　the　name　for　God　in　the　lips　and
hearts　of　little　children；　and　here　was　one　who　was
worshipping　a　stone！
Now　Rawdon　Crawley；　rascal　as　the　Colonel　was；　had
certain　manly　tendencies　of　affection　in　his　heart　and
could　love　a　child　and　a　woman　still。　　For　Rawdon　minor
he　had　a　great　secret　tenderness　then；　which　did　not
escape　Rebecca；　though　she　did　not　talk　about　it　to　her
husband。　　It　did　not　annoy　her：　　she　was　too　good…
natured。　　It　only　increased　her　scorn　for　him。　　He　felt
somehow　ashamed　of　this　paternal　softness　and　hid　it
from　his　wifeonly　indulging　in　it　when　alone　with　the
boy。
He　used　to　take　him　out　of　mornings　when　they　would
go　to　the　stables　together　and　to　the　park。　　Little　Lord
Southdown；　the　best…natured　of　men；　who　would　make
you　a　present　of　the　hat　from　his　head；　and　whose　main
occupation　in　life　was　to　buy　knick…knacks　that　he　might
give　them　away　afterwards；　bought　the　little　chap　a
pony　not　much　bigger　than　a　large　rat；　the　donor　said；
and　on　this　little　black　Shetland　pygmy　young　Rawdon's
great　father　was　pleased　to　mount　the　boy；　and　to　walk
by　his　side　in　the　park。　　It　pleased　him　to　see　his　old
quarters；　and　his　old　fellow…guardsmen　at　Knightsbridge：
he　had　begun　to　think　of　his　bachelorhood　with
something　like　regret。　　The　old　troopers　were　glad　to　recognize
their　ancient　officer　and　dandle　the　little　colonel。
Colonel　Crawley　found　dining　at　mess　and　with　his
brother…officers　very　pleasant。　　〃Hang　it；　I　ain't　clever
enough　for　herI　know　it。　　She　won't　miss　me；〃　he　used　to
say：　　and　he　was　right；　his　wife　did　not　miss　him。
Rebecca　was　fond　of　her　husband。　　She　was　always
perfectly　good…humoured　and　kind　to　him。　　She　did　not
even　show　her　scorn　much　for　him；　perhaps　she　liked
him　the　better　for　being　a　fool。　　He　was　her　upper　servant
and　maitre　d'hotel。　　He　went　on　her　errands；　obeyed
her　orders　without　question；　drove　in　the　carriage　in　the
ring　with　her　without　repining；　took　her　to　the　opera…box；
solaced　himself　at　his　club　during　the　performance；　and
came　punctually　back　to　fetch　her　when　due。　　He　would
have　liked　her　to　be　a　little　fonder　of　the　boy；　but　even
to　that　he　reconciled　himself。　　〃Hang　it；　you　know　she's　so
clever；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'm　not　literary　and　that；　you
know。〃　For；　as　we　have　said　before；　it　requires　no　great
wisdom　to　be　able　to　win　at　cards　and　billiards；　and
Rawdon　made　no　pretensions　to　any　other　sort　of　skill。
When　the　companion　came；　his　domestic　duties　became
very　light。　　His　wife　encouraged　him　to　dine
abroad：　　she　would　let　him　off　duty　at　the　opera。　　〃Don't
stay　and　stupefy　yourself　at　home　to…night；　my　dear；〃
she　would　say。　　〃Some　men　are　coming　who　will　only　bore
you。　　I　would　not　ask　them；　but　you　know　it's　for　your
good；　and　now　I　have　a　sheep…dog；　I　need　not　be　afraid
to　be　alone。〃
〃A　sheep…doga　companion！　　Becky　Sharp　with　a
companion！　　Isn't　it　good　fun？〃　thought　Mrs。　Crawley　to
herself。　　The　notion　tickled　hugely　her　sense　of　humour。
One　Sunday　morning；　as　Rawdon　Crawley；　his　little
son；　and　the　pony　were　taking　their　accustomed　walk　in
the　park；　they　passed　by　an　old　acquaintance　of　the
Colonel's；　Corporal　Clink；　of　the　regiment；　who　was　in
conversation　with　a　friend；　an　old　gentleman；　who　held
a　boy　in　his　arms　about　the　age　of　little　Rawdon。　　This
other　youngster　had　seized　hold　of　the　Waterloo　medal
which　the　Corporal　wore；　and　was　examining　it　with
delight。
〃Good　morning；　your　Honour；〃　said　Clink；　in　reply　to
the　〃How　do；　Clink？〃　of　the　Colonel。　　〃This　ere　young
gentleman　is　about　the　little　Colonel's　age；　sir；〃
continued　the　corporal。
〃His　father　was　a　Waterloo　man；　too；〃　said　the　old
gentleman；　who　carried　the　boy。　　〃Wasn't　he；　Georgy？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Georgy。　　He　and　the　little　chap　on　the　pony
were　looking　at　each　other　with　all　their　mightsolemnly
scanning　each　other　as　children　do。
〃In　a　line　regiment；〃　Clink　said　with　a　patronizing　air。
〃He　was　a　Captain　in　the　th　regiment；〃　said　the　old
gentleman　rather　pompously。　　〃Captain　George　Osborne；
sirperhaps　you　knew　him。　　He　died　the　death　of　a
hero；　sir；　fighting　against　the　Corsican　tyrant。〃
Colonel　Crawley　blushed　quite　red。　　〃I　knew　him　very
well；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃and　his　wife；　his　dear　little　wife；
sirhow　is　she？〃
　
〃She　is　my　daughter；　sir；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；
putting　down　the　boy　and　taking　out　a　card　with　great
solemnity；　which　he　handed　to　the　Colonel。　　On　it
written
　
〃Mr。　Sedley；　Sole　Agent　for　the　Black　Diamond　and
Anti…Cinder　Coal　Association；　Bunker's　Wharf；　Thames
Street；　and　Anna…Maria　Cottages；　Fulham　Road　West。〃
Little　Georgy　went　up　and　looked