vanity fair(名利场)-第133节

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person；　covered　with　orders；　and　in　a　rich　curling　head　of
hairhow　we　sang　God　save　him！　　How　the　house　rocked
and　shouted　with　that　magnificent　music。　　How　they
cheered；　and　cried；　and　waved　handkerchiefs。　　Ladies
wept；　mothers　clasped　their　children；　some　fainted　with
emotion。　　People　were　suffocated　in　the　pit；　shrieks　and
groans　rising　up　amidst　the　writhing　and　shouting　mass
there　of　his　people　who　were；　and　indeed　showed　them…
selves　almost　to　be；　ready　to　die　for　him。　　Yes；　we　saw
him。　　Fate　cannot　deprive　us　of　THAT。　　Others　have　seen
Napoleon。　　Some　few　still　exist　who　have　beheld　Frederick
the　Great；　Doctor　Johnson；　Marie　Antoinette；　&c。be　it
our　reasonable　boast　to　our　children；　that　we　saw　George
the　Good；　the　Magnificent；　the　Great。
Well；　there　came　a　happy　day　in　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley's
existence　when　this　angel　was　admitted　into　the
paradise　of　a　Court　which　she　coveted；　her　sister…in…law
acting　as　her　godmother。　　On　the　appointed　day；　Sir　Pitt
and　his　lady；　in　their　great　family　carriage　（just　newly
built；　and　ready　for　the　Baronet's　assumption　of　the
office　of　High　Sheriff　of　his　county）；　drove　up　to　the　little
house　in　Curzon　Street；　to　the　edification　of　Raggles；　who
was　watching　from　his　greengrocer's　shop；　and　saw　fine
plumes　within；　and　enormous　bunches　of　flowers　in　the
breasts　of　the　new　livery…coats　of　the　footmen。
Sir　Pitt；　in　a　glittering　uniform；　descended　and　went
into　Curzon　Street；　his　sword　between　his　legs。　　Little
Rawdon　stood　with　his　face　against　the　parlour　window…
panes；　smiling　and　nodding　with　all　his　might　to　his　aunt
in　the　carriage　within；　and　presently　Sir　Pitt　issued　forth
from　the　house　again；　leading　forth　a　lady　with　grand
feathers；　covered　in　a　white　shawl；　and　holding　up
daintily　a　train　of　magnificent　brocade。　　She　stepped　into　the
vehicle　as　if　she　were　a　princess　and　accustomed　all　her
life　to　go　to　Court；　smiling　graciously　on　the　footman　at
the　door　and　on　Sir　Pitt；　who　followed　her　into　the
carriage。
Then　Rawdon　followed　in　his　old　Guards'　uniform；
which　had　grown　woefully　shabby；　and　was　much　too
tight。　　He　was　to　have　followed　the　procession　and　waited
upon　his　sovereign　in　a　cab；　but　that　his　good…natured
sister…in…law　insisted　that　they　should　be　a　family　party。
The　coach　was　large；　the　ladies　not　very　big；　they　would
hold　their　trains　in　their　lapsfinally；　the　four　went
fraternally　together；　and　their　carriage　presently　joined
the　line　of　royal　equipages　which　was　making　its　way
down　Piccadilly　and　St。　　James's　Street；　towards　the　old
brick　palace　where　the　Star　of　Brunswick　was　in　waiting
to　receive　his　nobles　and　gentlefolks。
Becky　felt　as　if　she　could　bless　the　people　out　of　the
carriage　windows；　so　elated　was　she　in　spirit；　and　so
strong　a　sense　had　she　of　the　dignified　position　which
she　had　at　last　attained　in　life。　　Even　our　Becky　had　her
weaknesses；　and　as　one　often　sees　how　men　pride
themselves　upon　excellences　which　others　are　slow　to
perceive：　　how；　for　instance；　Comus　firmly　believes　that　he
is　the　greatest　tragic　actor　in　England；　how　Brown；　the
famous　novelist；　longs　to　be　considered；　not　a　man　of
genius；　but　a　man　of　fashion；　while　Robinson；　the　great
lawyer；　does　not　in　the　least　care　about　his　reputation　in
Westminster　Hall；　but　believes　himself　incomparable
across　country　and　at　a　five…barred　gateso　to　be；　and
to　be　thought；　a　respectable　woman　was　Becky's　aim　in
life；　and　she　got　up　the　genteel　with　amazing　assiduity；
readiness；　and　success。　　We　have　said；　there　were　times
when　she　believed　herself　to　be　a　fine　lady　and　forgot
that　there　was　no　money　in　the　chest　at　homeduns
round　the　gate；　tradesmen　to　coax　and　wheedleno
ground　to　walk　upon；　in　a　word。　　And　as　she　went　to
Court　in　the　carriage；　the　family　carriage；　she　adopted　a
demeanour　so　grand；　self…satisfied；　deliberate；　and
imposing　that　it　made　even　Lady　Jane　laugh。　　She　walked
into　the　royal　apartments　with　a　toss　of　the　head　which
would　have　befitted　an　empress；　and　I　have　no　doubt　had
she　been　one；　she　would　have　become　the　character
perfectly。
We　are　authorized　to　state　that　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley's
costume　de　cour　on　the　occasion　of　her　presentation
to　the　Sovereign　was　of　the　most　elegant　and　brilliant
description。　　Some　ladies　we　may　have　seenwe
who　wear　stars　and　cordons　and　attend　the　St。　　James's
assemblies；　or　we；　who；　in　muddy　boots；　dawdle　up　and
down　Pall　Mall　and　peep　into　the　coaches　as　they　drive
up　with　the　great　folks　in　their　featherssome　ladies　of
fashion；　I　say；　we　may　have　seen；　about　two　o'clock　of
the　forenoon　of　a　levee　day；　as　the　laced…jacketed　band
of　the　Life　Guards　are　blowing　triumphal　marches　seated
on　those　prancing　music…stools；　their　cream…coloured
chargerswho　are　by　no　means　lovely　and　enticing
objects　at　that　early　period　of　noon。　　A　stout　countess　of
sixty；　decolletee；　painted；　wrinkled　with　rouge　up　to　her
drooping　eyelids；　and　diamonds　twinkling　in　her　wig；　is　a
wholesome　and　edifying；　but　not　a　pleasant　sight。　　She
has　the　faded　look　of　a　St。　　James's　Street　illumination；　as
it　may　be　seen　of　an　early　morning；　when　half　the　lamps
are　out；　and　the　others　are　blinking　wanly；　as　if　they
were　about　to　vanish　like　ghosts　before　the　dawn。　　Such
charms　as　those　of　which　we　catch　glimpses　while　her
ladyship's　carriage　passes　should　appear　abroad　at　night
alone。　　If　even　Cynthia　looks　haggard　of　an　afternoon；　as
we　may　see　her　sometimes　in　the　present　winter　season；
with　Phoebus　staring　her　out　of　countenance　from　the
opposite　side　of　the　heavens；　how　much　more　can　old
Lady　Castlemouldy　keep　her　head　up　when　the　sun　is
shining　full　upon　it　through　the　chariot　windows；　and
showing　all　the　chinks　and　crannies　with　which　time　has
marked　her　face！　　No。　　Drawing…rooms　should　be
announced　for　November；　or　the　first　foggy　day；　or　the
elderly　sultanas　of　our　Vanity　Fair　should　drive　up　in
closed　litters；　descend　in　a　covered　way；　and　make　their
curtsey　to　the　Sovereign　under　the　protection　of　lamplight。
Our　beloved　Rebecca　had　no　need；　however；　of　any
such　a　friendly　halo　to　set　off　her　beauty。　　Her　complexion
could　bear　any　sunshine　as　yet；　and　her　dress；　though　if
you　were　to　see　it　now；　any　present　lady　of　Vanity　Fair
would　pronounce　it　to　be　the　most　foolish　and　preposterous
attire　ever　worn；　was　as　handsome　in　her　eyes
and　those　of　the　public；　some　five…and…twenty　years　since；
as　the　most　brilliant　costume　of　the　most　famous　beauty
of　the　present　season。　　A　score　of　years　hence　that　too；
that　milliner's　wonder；　will　have　passed　into　the　domain
of　the　absurd；　along　with　all　previous　vanities。　　But　we
are　wandering　too　much。　　Mrs。　Rawdon's　dress　was
pronounced　to　be　charmante　on　the　eventful　day　of　her
presentation。　　Even　good　little　Lady　Jane　was　forced　to
acknowledge　this　effect；　as　she　looked　at　her　kinswoman；
and　owned　sorrowfully　to　herself　that　she　was　quite
inferior　in　taste　to　Mrs。　Becky。
She　did　not　know　how　much　care；　thought；　and　genius
Mrs。　Rawdon　had　bestowed　upon　that　garment。　　Rebecca
had　as　good　taste　as　any　milliner　in　Europe；　and　such　a
clever　way　of　doing　things　as　Lady　Jane　little　understood。
The　latter　quickly　spied　out　the　magnificence　of　the
brocade　of　Becky's　train；　and　the　splendour　of　the　lace　on
her　dress。
The　brocade　was　an　old　remnant；　Becky　said；　and　as
for　the　lace；　it　was　a　great　bargain。　　She　had　had　it　these
hundred　years。
〃My　dear　Mrs。　Crawley；　it　must　have　cost　a　little
fortune；〃　Lady　Jane　said；　looking　down　at　her　own　lace；
which　was　not　nearly　so　good；　and　then　examining　the
quality　of　the　ancient　brocade　which　formed　the
material　of　Mrs。　Rawdon's　Court　dress；　she　felt　inclined　to
say　that　she　could　not　afford　such　fine　clothing；　but
checked　that　speech；　with　an　effort；　as　one　uncharitable
to　her　kinswoman。
And　yet；　if　Lady　Jane　had　known　all；　I　think　even　her
kindly　temper　would　have　failed　her。　　The　fact　is；　when
she　was　putting　Sir　Pitt's　house　in　order；　Mrs。　Rawdon
had　found　the　lace　and　the　brocade　in　old　wardrobes；
the　property　of　the　former　ladies　of　the　house；　and　had
quietly　carried　the　goods　home；　and　had　suited　them　to
her　own　little　person。　　Briggs　saw　her　take　them；　asked
no　questions；　told　no　stories；　but　I　believe　quite
sympathised　with　her　on　this　matter；　and　so　would
many　another　honest　woman。
　
And　the　diamonds〃Where　the　doose　did　you　get　the
diamonds；　Becky？〃　said　her　husband；　admiring　some
jewels　which　he　had　never　seen　before　and　which　sparkled
in　her　ears　and　on　her　neck　with　brilliance　and　profusion。
　
Becky　blushed　a　little　and　looked　at　him　hard　for　a
moment。　　Pitt　Crawley　blushed　a　little　too；　and　looked
out　of　window。　　The　fact　is；　he　had　given　her　a　very
small　portion　of　the　brilliants；　a　pretty　diamond　clasp；
which　confined　a　pearl　necklace　which　she　wore…　and　the
Baronet　had　omitted　to　mention　the　circumstance　to
his　lady。
Becky　looked　at　her　husband；　and　then　at　Sir　Pitt；
with　an　air　of　saucy　triumphas　much　as　to　say；　〃Shall
I　betray　you？〃
〃Guess！〃　she　said　to　her　husband。　　〃Why；　you　silly
man；〃　she　continued；　〃where　do　you　suppose　I　got　them？
all　except　the　little　clasp；　which　a　dear　friend　of　mine
gave　me　long　ago。　　I　hired　them；　to　be　su