vanity fair(名利场)-第142节

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coaxed　Rawdon　at　the　club。　　He　was　allowed　to　come　back
to　Gaunt　House　after　a　while。　　Becky　was　always　good　to
him；　always　amused；　never　angry。
His　lordship's　vizier　and　chief　confidential　servant
（with　a　seat　in　parliament　and　at　the　dinner　table）；　Mr。
Wenham；　was　much　more　prudent　in　his　behaviour　and
opinions　than　Mr。　Wagg。　　However　much　he　might　be
disposed　to　hate　all　parvenus　（Mr。　Wenham　himself　was　a
staunch　old　True　Blue　Tory；　and　his　father　a　small　coal…
merchant　in　the　north　of　England）；　this　aide…de…camp　of
the　Marquis　never　showed　any　sort　of　hostility　to　the
new　favourite；　but　pursued　her　with　stealthy　kindnesses
and　a　sly　and　deferential　politeness　which　somehow
made　Becky　more　uneasy　than　other　people's　overt
hostilities。
How　the　Crawleys　got　the　money　which　was　spent
upon　the　entertainments　with　which　they　treated　the
polite　world　was　a　mystery　which　gave　rise　to　some
conversation　at　the　time；　and　probably　added　zest　to　these
little　festivities。　　Some　persons　averred　that　Sir　Pitt　Crawley
gave　his　brother　a　handsome　allowance；　if　he　did；
Becky's　power　over　the　Baronet　must　have　been
extraordinary　indeed；　and　his　character　greatly　changed　in　his
advanced　age。　　Other　parties　hinted　that　it　was　Becky's
habit　to　levy　contributions　on　all　her　husband's　friends：
going　to　this　one　in　tears　with　an　account　that　there　was
an　execution　in　the　house；　falling　on　her　knees　to　that
one　and　declaring　that　the　whole　family　must　go　to　gaol
or　commit　suicide　unless　such　and　such　a　bill　could　be
paid。　　Lord　Southdown；　it　was　said；　had　been　induced　to
give　many　hundreds　through　these　pathetic　representations。
Young　Feltham；　of　the　th　Dragoons　（and　son　of　the　firm　of
Tiler　and　Feltham；　hatters　and　army　accoutrement　makers）；
and　whom　the　Crawleys　introduced　into　fashionable
life；　was　also　cited　as　one　of　Becky's　victims　in　the
pecuniary　way。　　People　declared　that　she　got　money
from　various　simply　disposed　persons；　under　pretence　of
getting　them　confidential　appointments　under　Government。
Who　knows　what　stories　were　or　were　not　told　of
our　dear　and　innocent　friend？　Certain　it　is　that　if　she　had
had　all　the　money　which　she　was　said　to　have　begged　or
borrowed　or　stolen；　she　might　have　capitalized　and　been
honest　for　life；　whereas；but　this　is　advancing　matters。
The　truth　is；　that　by　economy　and　good　management
by　a　sparing　use　of　ready　money　and　by　paying　scarcely
anybodypeople　can　manage；　for　a　time　at　least；　to
make　a　great　show　with　very　little　means：　　and　it　is　our
belief　that　Becky's　much…talked…of　parties；　which　were
not；　after　all　was　said；　very　numerous；　cost　this　lady　very
little　more　than　the　wax　candles　which　lighted　the　walls。
Stillbrook　and　Queen's　Crawley　supplied　her　with　game
and　fruit　in　abundance。　　Lord　Steyne's　cellars　were　at　her
disposal；　and　that　excellent　nobleman's　famous　cooks
presided　over　her　little　kitchen；　or　sent　by　my　lord's
order　the　rarest　delicacies　from　their　own。　　I　protest　it　is
quite　shameful　in　the　world　to　abuse　a　simple　creature；
as　people　of　her　time　abuse　Becky；　and　I　warn　the
public　against　believing　one…tenth　of　the　stories　against　her。
If　every　person　is　to　be　banished　from　society　who　runs
into　debt　and　cannot　payif　we　are　to　be　peering　into
everybody's　private　life；　speculating　upon　their　income；
and　cutting　them　if　we　don't　approve　of　their　expenditure
why；　what　a　howling　wilderness　and　intolerable　dwelling
Vanity　Fair　would　be！　　Every　man's　hand　would　be
against　his　neighbour　in　this　case；　my　dear　sir；　and　the
benefits　of　civilization　would　be　done　away　with。　　We
should　be　quarrelling；　abusing；　avoiding　one　another。　　Our
houses　would　become　caverns；　and　we　should　go　in　rags
because　we　cared　for　nobody。　　Rents　would　go　down。
Parties　wouldn't　be　given　any　more。　　All　the　tradesmen
of　the　town　would　be　bankrupt。　　Wine；　wax…lights；
comestibles；　rouge；　crinoline…petticoats；　diamonds；　wigs；
Louis…Quatorze　gimcracks；　and　old　china；　park　hacks；　and
splendid　high…stepping　carriage　horsesall　the　delights
of　life；　I　say；would　go　to　the　deuce；　if　people　did　but
act　upon　their　silly　principles　and　avoid　those　whom　they
dislike　and　abuse。　　Whereas；　by　a　little　charity　and　mutual
forbearance；　things　are　made　to　go　on　pleasantly
enough：　　we　may　abuse　a　man　as　much　as　we　like；　and
call　him　the　greatest　rascal　unhangedbut　do　we　wish
to　hang　him　therefore？　No。　　We　shake　hands　when　we
meet。　　If　his　cook　is　good　we　forgive　him　and　go　and　dine
with　him；　and　we　expect　he　will　do　the　same　by　us。　　Thus
trade　flourishescivilization　advances；　peace　is　kept；
new　dresses　are　wanted　for　new　assemblies　every　week；
and　the　last　year's　vintage　of　Lafitte　will　remunerate　the
honest　proprietor　who　reared　it。
At　the　time　whereof　we　are　writing；　though　the　Great
George　was　on　the　throne　and　ladies　wore　gigots　and
large　combs　like　tortoise…shell　shovels　in　their　hair；
instead　of　the　simple　sleeves　and　lovely　wreaths　which　are
actually　in　fashion；　the　manners　of　the　very　polite　world
were　not；　I　take　it；　essentially　different　from　those　of　the
present　day：　　and　their　amusements　pretty　similar。　　To　us；
from　the　outside；　gazing　over　the　policeman's　shoulders
at　the　bewildering　beauties　as　they　pass　into　Court　or
ball；　they　may　seem　beings　of　unearthly　splendour　and　in
the　enjoyment　of　an　exquisite　happiness　by　us　unattainable。
It　is　to　console　some　of　these　dissatisfied　beings
that　we　are　narrating　our　dear　Becky's　struggles；　and
triumphs；　and　disappointments；　of　all　of　which；　indeed；
as　is　the　case　with　all　persons　of　merit；　she　had　her　share。
At　this　time　the　amiable　amusement　of　acting　charades
had　come　among　us　from　France；　and　was　considerably
in　vogue　in　this　country；　enabling　the　many　ladies
amongst　us　who　had　beauty　to　display　their　charms；　and
the　fewer　number　who　had　cleverness　to　exhibit　their　wit。
My　Lord　Steyne　was　incited　by　Becky；　who　perhaps
believed　herself　endowed　with　both　the　above　qualifications；
to　give　an　entertainment　at　Gaunt　House；　which　should
include　some　of　these　little　dramasand　we　must　take
leave　to　introduce　the　reader　to　this　brilliant　reunion；
and；　with　a　melancholy　welcome　too；　for　it　will　be　among
the　very　last　of　the　fashionable　entertainments　to　which
it　will　be　our　fortune　to　conduct　him。
A　portion　of　that　splendid　room；　the　picture　gallery　of
Gaunt　House；　was　arranged　as　the　charade　theatre。　　It
had　been　so　used　when　George　III　was　king；　and　a
picture　of　the　Marquis　of　Gaunt　is　still　extant；　with　his　hair
in　powder　and　a　pink　ribbon；　in　a　Roman　shape；　as　it
was　called；　enacting　the　part　of　Cato　in　Mr。　Addison's
tragedy　of　that　name；　performed　before　their　Royal
Highnesses　the　Prince　of　Wales；　the　Bishop　of　Osnaburgh；
and　Prince　William　Henry；　then　children　like　the　actor。
One　or　two　of　the　old　properties　were　drawn　out　of　the
garrets；　where　they　had　lain　ever　since；　and　furbished　up
anew　for　the　present　festivities。
Young　Bedwin　Sands；　then　an　elegant　dandy　and　Eastern
traveller；　was　manager　of　the　revels。　　An　Eastern　traveller
was　somebody　in　those　days；　and　the　adventurous
Bedwin；　who　had　published　his　quarto　and　passed　some
months　under　the　tents　in　the　desert；　was　a　personage　of
no　small　importance。　　In　his　volume　there　were　several
pictures　of　Sands　in　various　oriental　costumes；　and　he
travelled　about　with　a　black　attendant　of　most
unprepossessing　appearance；　just　like　another　Brian　de　Bois
Guilbert。　　Bedwin；　his　costumes；　and　black　man；　were
hailed　at　Gaunt　House　as　very　valuable　acquisitions。
He　led　off　the　first　charade。　　A　Turkish　officer　with　an
immense　plume　of　feathers　（the　Janizaries　were
supposed　to　be　still　in　existence；　and　the　tarboosh　had　not
as　yet　displaced　the　ancient　and　majestic　head…dress　of
the　true　believers）　was　seen　couched　on　a　divan；　and
making　believe　to　puff　at　a　narghile；　in　which；　however；
for　the　sake　of　the　ladies；　only　a　fragrant　pastille　was
allowed　to　smoke。　　The　Turkish　dignitary　yawns　and
expresses　signs　of　weariness　and　idleness。　　He　claps　his　hands
and　Mesrour　the　Nubian　appears；　with　bare　arms；
bangles；　yataghans；　and　every　Eastern　ornamentgaunt；
tall；　and　hideous。　　He　makes　a　salaam　before　my　lord　the
Aga。
A　thrill　of　terror　and　delight　runs　through　the　assembly。
The　ladies　whisper　to　one　another。　　The　black　slave
was　given　to　Bedwin　Sands　by　an　Egyptian　pasha　in
exchange　for　three　dozen　of　Maraschino。　　He　has　sewn　up
ever　so　many　odalisques　in　sacks　and　tilted　them　into
the　Nile。
〃Bid　the　slave…merchant　enter；〃　says　the　Turkish
voluptuary　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　　Mesrour　conducts　the
slave…merchant　into　my　lord's　presence；　he　brings　a
veiled　female　with　him。　　He　removes　the　veil。　　A　thrill　of
applause　bursts　through　the　house。　　It　is　Mrs。　Winkworth
（she　was　a　Miss　Absolom）　with　the　beautiful　eyes　and
hair。　　She　is　in　a　gorgeous　oriental　costume；　the　black
braided　locks　are　twined　with　innumerable　jewels；　her
dress　is　covered　over　with　gold　piastres。　　The　odious
Mahometan　expresses　himself　charmed　by　her　beauty。　　She
falls　down　on　her　knees　and　entreats　him　to　restore　her
to　the　mountains　where　she　was　born；　and　where　her
Circassian　lover　is　still　deploring　the　absence　of　his　Zuleikah。
No