vanity fair(名利场)-第127节

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motionless　on　three　legs；　to　the　faint　squeaking　of　the
rats　below。　　Desperately　bold　at　last；　the　persecuted
animals　bolted　above…groundthe　terrier　accounted　for　one；
the　keeper　for　another；　Rawdon；　from　flurry　and
excitement；　missed　his　rat；　but　on　the　other　hand　he
half…murdered　a　ferret。
But　the　greatest　day　of　all　was　that　on　which　Sir
Huddlestone　Fuddlestone's　hounds　met　upon　the　lawn
at　Queen's　Crawley。
That　was　a　famous　sight　for　little　Rawdon。　　At　half…past
ten；　Tom　Moody；　Sir　Huddlestone　Fuddlestone's
huntsman；　was　seen　trotting　up　the　avenue；　followed　by　the
noble　pack　of　hounds　in　a　compact　bodythe　rear　being
brought　up　by　the　two　whips　clad　in　stained　scarlet
frockslight　hard…featured　lads　on　well…bred　lean　horses；
possessing　marvellous　dexterity　in　casting　the　points　of
their　long　heavy　whips　at　the　thinnest　part　of　any　dog's
skin　who　dares　to　straggle　from　the　main　body；　or　to
take　the　slightest　notice；　or　even　so　much　as　wink；　at　the
hares　and　rabbits　starting　under　their　noses。
Next　comes　boy　Jack；　Tom　Moody's　son；　who　weighs
five　stone；　measures　eight…and…forty　inches；　and　will　never
be　any　bigger。　　He　is　perched　on　a　large　raw…boned　hunter；
half…covered　by　a　capacious　saddle。　　This　animal　is　Sir
Huddlestone　Fuddlestone's　favourite　horse　the　Nob。
Other　horses；　ridden　by　other　small　boys；　arrive　from
time　to　time；　awaiting　their　masters；　who　will　come
cantering　on　anon。
Tom　Moody　rides　up　to　the　door　of　the　Hall；　where　he
is　welcomed　by　the　butler；　who　offers　him　drink；　which　he
declines。　　He　and　his　pack　then　draw　off　into　a　sheltered
corner　of　the　lawn；　where　the　dogs　roll　on　the　grass；　and
play　or　growl　angrily　at　one　another；　ever　and　anon
breaking　out　into　furious　fight　speedily　to　be　quelled　by
Tom's　voice；　unmatched　at　rating；　or　the　snaky　thongs
of　the　whips。
Many　young　gentlemen　canter　up　on　thoroughbred
hacks；　spatter…dashed　to　the　knee；　and　enter　the　house　to
drink　cherry…brandy　and　pay　their　respects　to　the　ladies；
or；　more　modest　and　sportsmanlike；　divest　themselves
of　their　mud…boots；　exchange　their　hacks　for　their　hunters；
and　warm　their　blood　by　a　preliminary　gallop　round　the
lawn。　　Then　they　collect　round　the　pack　in　the　corner　and
talk　with　Tom　Moody　of　past　sport；　and　the　merits　of
Sniveller　and　Diamond；　and　of　the　state　of　the　country
and　of　the　wretched　breed　of　foxes。
Sir　Huddlestone　presently　appears　mounted　on　a　clever
cob　and　rides　up　to　the　Hall；　where　he　enters　and　does　the
civil　thing　by　the　ladies；　after　which；　being　a　man　of
few　words；　he　proceeds　to　business。　　The　hounds　are
drawn　up　to　the　hall…door；　and　little　Rawdon　descends
amongst　them；　excited　yet　half…alarmed　by　the　caresses
which　they　bestow　upon　him；　at　the　thumps　he　receives
from　their　waving　tails；　and　at　their　canine　bickerings；
scarcely　restrained　by　Tom　Moody's　tongue　and　lash。
Meanwhile；　Sir　Huddlestone　has　hoisted　himself
unwieldily　on　the　Nob：　　〃Let's　try　Sowster's　Spinney；　Tom；〃
says　the　Baronet；　〃Farmer　Mangle　tells　me　there　are　two
foxes　in　it。〃　Tom　blows　his　horn　and　trots　off；　followed　by
the　pack；　by　the　whips；　by　the　young　gents　from
Winchester；　by　the　farmers　of　the　neighbourhood；　by　the
labourers　of　the　parish　on　foot；　with　whom　the　day　is
a　great　holiday；　Sir　Huddlestone　bringing　up　the　rear　with
Colonel　Crawley；　and　the　whole　cortege　disappears
down　the　avenue。
The　Reverend　Bute　Crawley　（who　has　been　too　modest
to　appear　at　the　public　meet　before　his　nephew's
windows）；　whom　Tom　Moody　remembers　forty　years　back
a　slender　divine　riding　the　wildest　horses；　jumping　the
widest　brooks；　and　larking　over　the　newest　gates　in　the
countryhis　Reverence；　we　say；　happens　to　trot　out　from
the　Rectory　Lane　on　his　powerful　black　horse　just　as　Sir
Huddlestone　passes；　he　joins　the　worthy　Baronet。　　Hounds
and　horsemen　disappear；　and　little　Rawdon　remains　on　the
doorsteps；　wondering　and　happy。
During　the　progress　of　this　memorable　holiday；　little
Rawdon；　if　he　had　got　no　special　liking　for　his　uncle；
always　awful　and　cold　and　locked　up　in　his　study；　plunged
in　justice…business　and　surrounded　by　bailiffs　and　farmers
has　gained　the　good　graces　of　his　married　and　maiden
aunts；　of　the　two　little　folks　of　the　Hall；　and　of　Jim　of　the
Rectory；　whom　Sir　Pitt　is　encouraging　to　pay　his　addresses
to　one　of　the　young　ladies；　with　an　understanding　doubtless
that　he　shall　be　presented　to　the　living　when　it　shall
be　vacated　by　his　fox…hunting　old　sire。　　Jim　has　given　up
that　sport　himself　and　confines　himself　to　a　little　harmless
duck…　or　snipe…shooting；　or　a　little　quiet　trifling　with　the
rats　during　the　Christmas　holidays；　after　which　he　will
return　to　the　University　and　try　and　not　be　plucked；　once
more。　　He　has　already　eschewed　green　coats；　red
neckcloths；　and　other　worldly　ornaments；　and　is　preparing
himself　for　a　change　in　his　condition。　　In　this　cheap　and
thrifty　way　Sir　Pitt　tries　to　pay　off　his　debt　to　his　family。
Also　before　this　merry　Christmas　was　over；　the　Baronet
had　screwed　up　courage　enough　to　give　his　brother
another　draft　on　his　bankers；　and　for　no　less　a　sum　than　a
hundred　pounds；　an　act　which　caused　Sir　Pitt　cruel　pangs
at　first；　but　which　made　him　glow　afterwards　to　think
himself　one　of　the　most　generous　of　men。　　Rawdon　and　his
son　went　away　with　the　utmost　heaviness　of　heart。　　Becky
and　the　ladies　parted　with　some　alacrity；　however；　and　our
friend　returned　to　London　to　commence　those　avocations
with　which　we　find　her　occupied　when　this　chapter　begins。
Under　her　care　the　Crawley　House　in　Great　Gaunt　Street
was　quite　rejuvenescent　and　ready　for　the　reception　of
Sir　Pitt　and　his　family；　when　the　Baronet　came　to
London　to　attend　his　duties　in　Parliament　and　to　assume　that
position　in　the　country　for　which　his　vast　genius　fitted
him。
For　the　first　session；　this　profound　dissembler　hid　his
projects　and　never　opened　his　lips　but　to　present　a
petition　from　Mudbury。　　But　he　attended　assiduously　in　his
place　and　learned　thoroughly　the　routine　and　business　of
the　House。　　At　home　he　gave　himself　up　to　the　perusal　of
Blue　Books；　to　the　alarm　and　wonder　of　Lady　Jane；　who
thought　he　was　killing　himself　by　late　hours　and　intense
application。　　And　he　made　acquaintance　with　the　ministers；
and　the　chiefs　of　his　party；　determining　to　rank　as
one　of　them　before　many　years　were　over。
Lady　Jane's　sweetness　and　kindness　had　inspired
Rebecca　with　such　a　contempt　for　her　ladyship　as　the　little
woman　found　no　small　difficulty　in　concealing。　　That　sort
of　goodness　and　simplicity　which　Lady　Jane　possessed
annoyed　our　friend　Becky；　and　it　was　impossible　for　her　at
times　not　to　show；　or　to　let　the　other　divine；　her　scorn。
Her　presence；　too；　rendered　Lady　Jane　uneasy。　　Her
husband　talked　constantly　with　Becky。　　Signs　of　intelligence
seemed　to　pass　between　them；　and　Pitt　spoke　with　her　on
subjects　on　which　he　never　thought　of　discoursing　with
Lady　Jane。　　The　latter　did　not　understand　them；　to　be　sure；
but　it　was　mortifying　to　remain　silent；　still　more
mortifying　to　know　that　you　had　nothing　to　say；　and　hear　that
little　audacious　Mrs。　Rawdon　dashing　on　from　subject　to
subject；　with　a　word　for　every　man；　and　a　joke　always　pat；
and　to　sit　in　one's　own　house　alone；　by　the　fireside；　and
watching　all　the　men　round　your　rival。
In　the　country；　when　Lady　Jane　was　telling　stories　to
the　children；　who　clustered　about　her　knees　（little
Rawdon　into　the　bargain；　who　was　very　fond　of　her）；　and
Becky　came　into　the　room；　sneering　with　green　scornful
eyes；　poor　Lady　Jane　grew　silent　under　those　baleful
glances。　　Her　simple　little　fancies　shrank　away　tremulously；
as　fairies　in　the　story…books；　before　a　superior　bad
angel。　　She　could　not　go　on；　although　Rebecca；　with　the
smallest　inflection　of　sarcasm　in　her　voice；　besought　her
to　continue　that　charming　story。　　And　on　her　side　gentle
thoughts　and　simple　pleasures　were　odious　to　Mrs。　Becky；
they　discorded　with　her；　she　hated　people　for　liking　them；
she　spurned　children　and　children…lovers。　　〃I　have　no
taste　for　bread　and　butter；〃　she　would　say；　when
caricaturing　Lady　Jane　and　her　ways　to　my　Lord　Steyne。
〃No　more　has　a　certain　person　for　holy　water；〃　his
lordship　replied　with　a　bow　and　a　grin　and　a　great　jarring
laugh　afterwards。
So　these　two　ladies　did　not　see　much　of　each　other
except　upon　those　occasions　when　the　younger　brother's
wife；　having　an　object　to　gain　from　the　other；　frequented
her。　　They　my…loved　and　my…deared　each　other　assiduously；
but　kept　apart　generally；　whereas　Sir　Pitt；　in　the
midst　of　his　multiplied　avocations；　found　daily　time　to
see　his　sister…in…law。
On　the　occasion　of　his　first　Speaker's　dinner；　Sir　Pitt
took　the　opportunity　of　appearing　before　his　sister…in…law
in　his　uniformthat　old　diplomatic　suit　which　he　had
worn　when　attache　to　the　Pumpernickel　legation。
Becky　complimented　him　upon　that　dress　and　admired
him　almost　as　much　as　his　own　wife　and　children；　to
whom　he　displayed　himself　before　he　set　out。　　She　said
that　it　was　only　the　thoroughbred　gentleman　who　could
wear　the　Court　suit　with　advantage：　　it　was　only　your　men
of　ancient　race　whom　the　culotte　courte　became。　　Pitt
looked　down　with　complacency　at　his　legs；　which　had　not；
in