vanity fair(名利场)-第115节

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Briggs　was　the　house…dog　whom　Rebecca　had　provided
as　guardian　of　her　innocence　and　reputation。　　Miss　Crawley
had　left　her　a　little　annuity。　　She　would　have　been
content　to　remain　in　the　Crawley　family　with　Lady　Jane；
who　was　good　to　her　and　to　everybody；　but　Lady
Southdown　dismissed　poor　Briggs　as　quickly　as　decency
permitted；　and　Mr。　Pitt　（who　thought　himself　much　injured
by　the　uncalled…for　generosity　of　his　deceased　relative
towards　a　lady　who　had　only　been　Miss　Crawley's
faithful　retainer　a　score　of　years）　made　no　objection　to　that
exercise　of　the　dowager's　authority。　　Bowls　and　Firkin
likewise　received　their　legacies　and　their　dismissals；　and
married　and　set　up　a　lodging…house；　according　to　the
custom　of　their　kind。
Briggs　tried　to　live　with　her　relations　in　the　country；
but　found　that　attempt　was　vain　after　the　better　society
to　which　she　had　been　accustomed。　　Briggs's　friends；　small
tradesmen；　in　a　country　town；　quarrelled　over　Miss
Briggs's　forty　pounds　a　year　as　eagerly　and　more　openly
than　Miss　Crawley's　kinsfolk　had　for　that　lady's
inheritance。　　Briggs's　brother；　a　radical　hatter　and　grocer；　called
his　sister　a　purse…proud　aristocrat；　because　she　would　not
advance　a　part　of　her　capital　to　stock　his　shop；　and　she
would　have　done　so　most　likely；　but　that　their　sister；　a
dissenting　shoemaker's　lady；　at　variance　with　the　hatter
and　grocer；　who　went　to　another　chapel；　showed　how
their　brother　was　on　the　verge　of　bankruptcy；　and　took
possession　of　Briggs　for　a　while。　　The　dissenting
shoemaker　wanted　Miss　Briggs　to　send　his　son　to　college
and　make　a　gentleman　of　him。　　Between　them　the　two
families　got　a　great　portion　of　her　private　savings　out　of
her；　and　finally　she　fled　to　London　followed　by　the
anathemas　of　both；　and　determined　to　seek　for　servitude
again　as　infinitely　less　onerous　than　liberty。　　And　advertising
in　the　papers　that　a　〃Gentlewoman　of　agreeable
manners；　and　accustomed　to　the　best　society；　was　anxious
to；〃　&c。；　she　took　up　her　residence　with　Mr。　Bowls
in　Half　Moon　Street；　and　waited　the　result　of　the
advertisement。
So　it　was　that　she　fell　in　with　Rebecca。　　Mrs。　Rawdon's
dashing　little　carriage　and　ponies　was　whirling　down　the
street　one　day；　just　as　Miss　Briggs；　fatigued；　had
reached　Mr。　Bowls's　door；　after　a　weary　walk　to　the
Times　Office　in　the　City　to　insert　her　advertisement　for
the　sixth　time。　　Rebecca　was　driving；　and　at　once
recognized　the　gentlewoman　with　agreeable　manners；　and
being　a　perfectly　good…humoured　woman；　as　we　have
seen；　and　having　a　regard　for　Briggs；　she　pulled　up　the
ponies　at　the　doorsteps；　gave　the　reins　to　the　groom；
and　jumping　out；　had　hold　of　both　Briggs's　hands；　before
she　of　the　agreeable　manners　had　recovered　from　the
shock　of　seeing　an　old　friend。
Briggs　cried；　and　Becky　laughed　a　great　deal　and
kissed　the　gentlewoman　as　soon　as　they　got　into　the
passage；　and　thence　into　Mrs。　Bowls's　front　parlour；　with
the　red　moreen　curtains；　and　the　round　looking…glass；
with　the　chained　eagle　above；　gazing　upon　the　back　of
the　ticket　in　the　window　which　announced　〃Apartments
to　Let。〃
Briggs　told　all　her　history　amidst　those　perfectly
uncalled…for　sobs　and　ejaculations　of　wonder　with　which
women　of　her　soft　nature　salute　an　old　acquaintance；　or
regard　a　rencontre　in　the　street；　for　though　people　meet
other　people　every　day；　yet　some　there　are　who　insist
upon　discovering　miracles；　and　women；　even　though　they
have　disliked　each　other；　begin　to　cry　when　they　meet；
deploring　and　remembering　the　time　when　they　last
quarrelled。　　So；　in　a　word；　Briggs　told　all　her　history；　and
Becky　gave　a　narrative　of　her　own　life；　with　her　usual
artlessness　and　candour。
Mrs。　Bowls；　late　Firkin；　came　and　listened　grimly　in
the　passage　to　the　hysterical　sniffling　and　giggling　which
went　on　in　the　front　parlour。　　Becky　had　never　been　a
favourite　of　hers。　　Since　the　establishment　of　the　married
couple　in　London　they　had　frequented　their　former
friends　of　the　house　of　Raggles；　and　did　not　like　the
latter's　account　of　the　Colonel's　menage。　　〃I　wouldn't　trust
him；　Ragg；　my　boy；〃　Bowls　remarked；　and　his　wife；
when　Mrs。　Rawdon　issued　from　the　parlour；　only　saluted
the　lady　with　a　very　sour　curtsey；　and　her　fingers
were　like　so　many　sausages；　cold　and　lifeless；　when　she
held　them　out　in　deference　to　Mrs。　Rawdon；　who　persisted
in　shaking　hands　with　the　retired　lady's　maid。　　She　whirled
away　into　Piccadilly；　nodding　with　the　sweetest　of　smiles
towards　Miss　Briggs；　who　hung　nodding　at　the　window
close　under　the　advertisement…card；　and　at　the　next
moment　was　in　the　park　with　a　half…dozen　of　dandies
cantering　after　her　carriage。
When　she　found　how　her　friend　was　situated；　and　how
having　a　snug　legacy　from　Miss　Crawley；　salary　was　no
object　to　our　gentlewoman；　Becky　instantly　formed　some
benevolent　little　domestic　plans　concerning　her。　　This
was　just　such　a　companion　as　would　suit　her　establishment；
and　she　invited　Briggs　to　come　to　dinner　with　her
that　very　evening；　when　she　should　see　Becky's　dear　little
darling　Rawdon。
Mrs。　Bowls　cautioned　her　lodger　against　venturing　into
the　lion's　den；　〃wherein　you　will　rue　it；　Miss　B。；　mark　my
words；　and　as　sure　as　my　name　is　Bowls。〃　And　Briggs
promised　to　be　very　cautious。　　The　upshot　of　which
caution　was　that　she　went　to　live　with　Mrs。　Rawdon　the　next
week；　and　had　lent　Rawdon　Crawley　six　hundred　pounds
upon　annuity　before　six　months　were　over。

CHAPTER　XLI
In　Which　Becky　Revisits　the　Halls　of　Her　Ancestors
So　the　mourning　being　ready；　and　Sir　Pitt　Crawley　warned
of　their　arrival；　Colonel　Crawley　and　his　wife　took　a
couple　of　places　in　the　same　old　High…flyer　coach　by
which　Rebecca　had　travelled　in　the　defunct　Baronet's
company；　on　her　first　journey　into　the　world　some　nine
years　before。　　How　well　she　remembered　the　Inn　Yard；
and　the　ostler　to　whom　she　refused　money；　and　the
insinuating　Cambridge　lad　who　wrapped　her　in　his　coat　on
the　journey！　　Rawdon　took　his　place　outside；　and　would
have　liked　to　drive；　but　his　grief　forbade　him。　　He　sat　by
the　coachman　and　talked　about　horses　and　the　road　the
whole　way；　and　who　kept　the　inns；　and　who　horsed　the
coach　by　which　he　had　travelled　so　many　a　time；　when
he　and　Pitt　were　boys　going　to　Eton。　　At　Mudbury　a
carriage　and　a　pair　of　horses　received　them；　with　a
coachman　in　black。　　〃It's　the　old　drag；　Rawdon；〃　Rebecca　said
as　they　got　in。　　〃The　worms　have　eaten　the　cloth　a　good
dealthere's　the　stain　which　Sir　Pittha！　　I　see　Dawson
the　Ironmonger　has　his　shutters　upwhich　Sir　Pitt　made
such　a　noise　about。　　It　was　a　bottle　of　cherry　brandy　he
broke　which　we　went　to　fetch　for　your　aunt　from
Southampton。　　How　time　flies；　to　be　sure！　　That　can't　be　Polly
Talboys；　that　bouncing　girl　standing　by　her　mother　at
the　cottage　there。　　I　remember　her　a　mangy　little　urchin
picking　weeds　in　the　garden。〃
〃Fine　gal；〃　said　Rawdon；　returning　the　salute　which　the
cottage　gave　him；　by　two　fingers　applied　to　his　crape
hatband。　　Becky　bowed　and　saluted；　and　recognized
people　here　and　there　graciously。　　These　recognitions　were
inexpressibly　pleasant　to　her。　　It　seemed　as　if　she　was
not　an　imposter　any　more；　and　was　coming　to　the　home
of　her　ancestors。　　Rawdon　was　rather　abashed　and　cast
down；　on　the　other　hand。　　What　recollections　of　boyhood
and　innocence　might　have　been　flitting　across　his　brain？
What　pangs　of　dim　remorse　and　doubt　and　shame？
〃Your　sisters　must　be　young　women　now；〃　Rebecca
said；　thinking　of　those　girls　for　the　first　time　perhaps
since　she　had　left　them。
〃Don't　know；　I'm　shaw；〃　replied　the　Colonel。　　〃Hullo！
here's　old　Mother　Lock。　　How…dy…do；　Mrs。　Lock？　Remember
me；　don't　you？　Master　Rawdon；　hey？　Dammy　how
those　old　women　last；　she　was　a　hundred　when　I　was　a
boy。〃
They　were　going　through　the　lodge…gates　kept　by　old
Mrs。　Lock；　whose　hand　Rebecca　insisted　upon　shaking；
as　she　flung　open　the　creaking　old　iron　gate；　and　the
carriage　passed　between　the　two　moss…grown　pillars
surmounted　by　the　dove　and　serpent。
〃The　governor　has　cut　into　the　timber；〃　Rawdon　said；
looking　about；　and　then　was　silentso　was　Becky。　　Both
of　them　were　rather　agitated；　and　thinking　of　old　times。
He　about　Eton；　and　his　mother；　whom　he　remembered；
a　frigid　demure　woman；　and　a　sister　who　died；　of　whom
he　had　been　passionately　fond；　and　how　he　used　to　thrash
Pitt；　and　about　little　Rawdy　at　home。　　And　Rebecca
thought　about　her　own　youth　and　the　dark　secrets　of
those　early　tainted　days；　and　of　her　entrance　into　life
by　yonder　gates；　and　of　Miss　Pinkerton；　and　Joe；　and
Amelia。
The　gravel　walk　and　terrace　had　been　scraped　quite
clean。　　A　grand　painted　hatchment　was　already　over　the
great　entrance；　and　two　very　solemn　and　tall　personages
in　black　flung　open　each　a　leaf　of　the　door　as　the
carriage　pulled　up　at　the　familiar　steps。　　Rawdon　turned　red；
and　Becky　somewhat　pale；　as　they　passed　through　the
old　hall；　arm　in　arm。　　She　pinched　her　husband's　arm
as　they　entered　the　oak　parlour；　where　Sir　Pitt　and　his
wife　were　ready　to　receive　them。　　Sir　Pitt　in　black；　Lady
Jane　in　black；　and　my　Lady　Southdown　with　a　large　black
head…piece　of　bugles　and　feathers；　which　waved　on　her
Ladyship's　head　like　an　undertaker's　tray。
Sir　Pitt　had　judg