vanity fair(名利场)-第140节

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Not　Puzzle　the　Reader
After　Becky's　appearance　at　my　Lord　Steyne's　private
and　select　parties；　the　claims　of　that　estimable　woman
as　regards　fashion　were　settled；　and　some　of　the　very
greatest　and　tallest　doors　in　the　metropolis　were
speedily　opened　to　herdoors　so　great　and　tall　that　the
beloved　reader　and　writer　hereof　may　hope　in　vain　to
enter　at　them。　　Dear　brethren；　let　us　tremble　before
those　august　portals。　　I　fancy　them　guarded　by　grooms
of　the　chamber　with　flaming　silver　forks　with　which　they
prong　all　those　who　have　not　the　right　of　the　entree。
They　say　the　honest　newspaper…fellow　who　sits　in　the
hall　and　takes　down　the　names　of　the　great　ones　who
are　admitted　to　the　feasts　dies　after　a　little　time。　　He
can't　survive　the　glare　of　fashion　long。　　It　scorches　him
up；　as　the　presence　of　Jupiter　in　full　dress　wasted　that
poor　imprudent　Semelea　giddy　moth　of　a　creature　who
ruined　herself　by　venturing　out　of　her　natural　atmosphere。
Her　myth　ought　to　be　taken　to　heart　amongst　the
Tyburnians；　the　Belgraviansher　story；　and　perhaps
Becky's　too。　　Ah；　ladies！ask　the　Reverend　Mr。　Thurifer
if　Belgravia　is　not　a　sounding　brass　and　Tyburnia　a
tinkling　cymbal。　　These　are　vanities。　　Even　these　will　pass
away。　　And　some　day　or　other　（but　it　will　be　after　our
time；　thank　goodness）　Hyde　Park　Gardens　will　be　no
better　known　than　the　celebrated　horticultural　outskirts
of　Babylon；　and　Belgrave　Square　will　be　as　desolate　as
Baker　Street；　or　Tadmor　in　the　wilderness。
Ladies；　are　you　aware　that　the　great　Pitt　lived　in　Baker
Street？　What　would　not　your　grandmothers　have　given
to　be　asked　to　Lady　Hester's　parties　in　that　now
decayed　mansion？　I　have　dined　in　itmoi　qui　vous　parle；
I　peopled　the　chamber　with　ghosts　of　the　mighty　dead。
As　we　sat　soberly　drinking　claret　there　with　men　of
to…day；　the　spirits　of　the　departed　came　in　and　took　their
places　round　the　darksome　board。　　The　pilot　who
weathered　the　storm　tossed　off　great　bumpers　of　spiritual
port；　the　shade　of　Dundas　did　not　leave　the　ghost　of　a
heeltap。　　Addington　sat　bowing　and　smirking　in　a　ghastly
manner；　and　would　not　be　behindhand　when　the
noiseless　bottle　went　round；　Scott；　from　under　bushy　eyebrows；
winked　at　the　apparition　of　a　beeswing；　Wilberforce's
eyes　went　up　to　the　ceiling；　so　that　he　did　not　seem　to
know　how　his　glass　went　up　full　to　his　mouth　and　came
down　empty；　up　to　the　ceiling　which　was　above　us　only
yesterday；　and　which　the　great　of　the　past　days　have　all
looked　at。　　They　let　the　house　as　a　furnished　lodging
now。　　Yes；　Lady　Hester　once　lived　in　Baker　Street；　and
lies　asleep　in　the　wilderness。　　Eothen　saw　her　there
not　in　Baker　Street；　but　in　the　other　solitude。
It　is　all　vanity　to　be　sure；　but　who　will　not　own　to
liking　a　little　of　it？　I　should　like　to　know　what　well…
constituted　mind；　merely　because　it　is　transitory；　dislikes
roast　beef？　That　is　a　vanity；　but　may　every　man　who
reads　this　have　a　wholesome　portion　of　it　through　life；
I　beg：　　aye；　though　my　readers　were　five　hundred
thousand。　　Sit　down；　gentlemen；　and　fall　to；　with　a　good　hearty
appetite；　the　fat；　the　lean；　the　gravy；　the　horse…radish
as　you　like　itdon't　spare　it。　　Another　glass　of　wine；
Jones；　my　boya　little　bit　of　the　Sunday　side。　　Yes；　let
us　eat　our　fill　of　the　vain　thing　and　be　thankful　therefor。
And　let　us　make　the　best　of　Becky's　aristocratic
pleasures　likewisefor　these　too；　like　all　other　mortal
delights；　were　but　transitory。
The　upshot　of　her　visit　to　Lord　Steyne　was　that　His
Highness　the　Prince　of　Peterwaradin　took　occasion　to
renew　his　acquaintance　with　Colonel　Crawley；　when
they　met　on　the　next　day　at　the　Club；　and　to　compliment
Mrs。　Crawley　in　the　Ring　of　Hyde　Park　with　a
profound　salute　of　the　hat。　　She　and　her　husband　were
invited　immediately　to　one　of　the　Prince's　small　parties
at　Levant　House；　then　occupied　by　His　Highness　during
the　temporary　absence　from　England　of　its　noble
proprietor。　　She　sang　after　dinner　to　a　very　little　comite。
The　Marquis　of　Steyne　was　present；　paternally
superintending　the　progress　of　his　pupil。
At　Levant　House　Becky　met　one　of　the　finest　gentlemen
and　greatest　ministers　that　Europe　has　produced
the　Duc　de　la　Jabotiere；　then　Ambassador　from　the　Most
Christian　King；　and　subsequently　Minister　to　that
monarch。　　I　declare　I　swell　with　pride　as　these　august　names
are　transcribed　by　my　pen；　and　I　think　in　what　brilliant
company　my　dear　Becky　is　moving。　　She　became　a
constant　guest　at　the　French　Embassy；　where　no　party　was
considered　to　be　complete　without　the　presence　of　the
charming　Madame　Ravdonn　Cravley。
Messieurs　de　Truffigny　（of　the　Perigord　family）　and
Champignac；　both　attaches　of　the　Embassy；　were
straightway　smitten　by　the　charms　of　the　fair　Colonel's
wife；　and　both　declared；　according　to　the　wont　of　their
nation　（for　who　ever　yet　met　a　Frenchman；　come　out　of
England；　that　has　not　left　half　a　dozen　families　miserable；
and　brought　away　as　many　hearts　in　his　pocket…book？）；
both；　I　say；　declared　that　they　were　au　mieux　with　the
charming　Madame　Ravdonn。
But　I　doubt　the　correctness　of　the　assertion。　　Champignac
was　very　fond　of　ecarte；　and　made　many　parties
with　the　Colonel　of　evenings；　while　Becky　was　singing　to
Lord　Steyne　in　the　other　room；　and　as　for　Truffigny；　it　is
a　well…known　fact　that　he　dared　not　go　to　the　Travellers'；
where　he　owed　money　to　the　waiters；　and　if　he　had　not
had　the　Embassy　as　a　dining…place；　the　worthy　young
gentleman　must　have　starved。　　I　doubt；　I　say；　that　Becky
would　have　selected　either　of　these　young　men　as　a
person　on　whom　she　would　bestow　her　special　regard。　　They
ran　of　her　messages；　purchased　her　gloves　and　flowers；
went　in　debt　for　opera…boxes　for　her；　and　made
themselves　amiable　in　a　thousand　ways。　　And　they　talked
English　with　adorable　simplicity；　and　to　the　constant
amusement　of　Becky　and　my　Lord　Steyne；　she　would　mimic
one　or　other　to　his　face；　and　compliment　him　on　his
advance　in　the　English　language　with　a　gravity　which　never
failed　to　tickle　the　Marquis；　her　sardonic　old　patron。
Truffigny　gave　Briggs　a　shawl　by　way　of　winning　over
Becky's　confidante；　and　asked　her　to　take　charge　of　a
letter　which　the　simple　spinster　handed　over　in　public
to　the　person　to　whom　it　was　addressed；　and　the
composition　of　which　amused　everybody　who　read　it　greatly。
Lord　Steyne　read　it；　everybody　but　honest　Rawdon；　to
whom　it　was　not　necessary　to　tell　everything　that　passed
in　the　little　house　in　May　Fair。
Here；　before　long；　Becky　received　not　only　〃the　best〃
foreigners　（as　the　phrase　is　in　our　noble　and　admirable
society　slang）；　but　some　of　the　best　English　people　too。
I　don't　mean　the　most　virtuous；　or　indeed　the　least
virtuous；　or　the　cleverest；　or　the　stupidest；　or　the　richest；　or
the　best　born；　but　〃the　best；〃in　a　word；　people　about
whom　there　is　no　questionsuch　as　the　great　Lady　Fitz…
Willis；　that　Patron　Saint　of　Almack's；　the　great　Lady
Slowbore；　the　great　Lady　Grizzel　Macbeth　（she　was
Lady　G。　　Glowry；　daughter　of　Lord　Grey　of　Glowry）；
and　the　like。　　When　the　Countess　of　Fitz…Willis　（her
Ladyship　is　of　the　Kingstreet　family；　see　Debrett　and
Burke）　takes　up　a　person；　he　or　she　is　safe。　　There　is　no
question　about　them　any　more。　　Not　that　my　Lady　Fitz…
Willis　is　any　better　than　anybody　else；　being；　on　the
contrary；　a　faded　person；　fifty…seven　years　of　age；　and
neither　handsome；　nor　wealthy；　nor　entertaining；　but　it　is
agreed　on　all　sides　that　she　is　of　the　〃best　people。〃
Those　who　go　to　her　are　of　the　best：　　and　from　an　old
grudge　probably　to　Lady　Steyne　（for　whose　coronet　her
ladyship；　then　the　youthful　Georgina　Frederica；　daughter
of　the　Prince　of　Wales's　favourite；　the　Earl　of　Portansherry；
had　once　tried）；　this　great　and　famous　leader　of
the　fashion　chose　to　acknowledge　Mrs。　Rawdon
Crawley；　made　her　a　most　marked　curtsey　at　the　assembly
over　which　she　presided；　and　not　only　encouraged　her
son；　St。　　Kitts　（his　lordship　got　his　place　through　Lord
Steyne's　interest）；　to　frequent　Mrs。　Crawley's　house；　but
asked　her　to　her　own　mansion　and　spoke　to　her　twice　in
the　most　public　and　condescending　manner　during
dinner。　　The　important　fact　was　known　all　over　London　that
night。　　People　who　had　been　crying　fie　about　Mrs。
Crawley　were　silent。　　Wenham；　the　wit　and　lawyer；　Lord
Steyne's　right…hand　man；　went　about　everywhere　praising
her：　　some　who　had　hesitated；　came　forward　at　once
and　welcomed　her；　little　Tom　Toady；　who　had　warned
Southdown　about　visiting　such　an　abandoned　woman；
now　besought　to　be　introduced　to　her。　　In　a　word；　she
was　admitted　to　be　among　the　〃best〃　people。　　Ah；　my
beloved　readers　and　brethren；　do　not　envy　poor　Becky
prematurelyglory　like　this　is　said　to　be　fugitive。　　It　is
currently　reported　that　even　in　the　very　inmost　circles；
they　are　no　happier　than　the　poor　wanderers　outside　the
zone；　and　Becky；　who　penetrated　into　the　very　centre　of
fashion　and　saw　the　great　George　IV　face　to　face；　has
owned　since　that　there　too　was　Vanity。
We　must　be　brief　in　descanting　upon　this　part　of　her
career。　　As　I　cannot　describe　the　mysteries　of　freemasonry；
although　I　have　a　shrewd　idea　that　it　is　a　humbug；
so　an　uninitiated　man　cannot　take　upon　himself　to
portray　the　great　world　accurately；　and