vanity fair(名利场)-第145节

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brought　thither　convenient　for　burning　hard　by。　　Henry
VIII；　the　Defender　of　the　Faith；　seized　upon　the
monastery　and　its　possessions　and　hanged　and　tortured　some
of　the　monks　who　could　not　accommodate　themselves　to
the　pace　of　his　reform。　　Finally；　a　great　merchant　bought
the　house　and　land　adjoining；　in　which；　and　with　the　help
of　other　wealthy　endowments　of　land　and　money；　he
established　a　famous　foundation　hospital　for　old　men
and　children。　　An　extern　school　grew　round　the　old　almost
monastic　foundation；　which　subsists　still　with　its
middle…age　costume　and　usagesand　all　Cistercians　pray
that　it　may　long　flourish。
Of　this　famous　house；　some　of　the　greatest　noblemen；
prelates；　and　dignitaries　in　England　are　governors：　　and
as　the　boys　are　very　comfortably　lodged；　fed；　and
educated；　and　subsequently　inducted　to　good　scholarships
at　the　University　and　livings　in　the　Church；　many　little
gentlemen　are　devoted　to　the　ecclesiastical　profession
from　their　tenderest　years；　and　there　is　considerable
emulation　to　procure　nominations　for　the　foundation。　　It
was　originally　intended　for　the　sons　of　poor　and
deserving　clerics　and　laics；　but　many　of　the　noble　governors
of　the　Institution；　with　an　enlarged　and　rather　capricious
benevolence；　selected　all　sorts　of　objects　for　their　bounty。
To　get　an　education　for　nothing；　and　a　future　livelihood
and　profession　assured；　was　so　excellent　a　scheme　that
some　of　the　richest　people　did　not　disdain　it；　and　not
only　great　men's　relations；　but　great　men　themselves；　sent
their　sons　to　profit　by　the　chanceRight　Rev。　　prelates
sent　their　own　kinsmen　or　the　sons　of　their　clergy；　while；
on　the　other　hand；　some　great　noblemen　did　not　disdain
to　patronize　the　children　of　their　confidential　servants
so　that　a　lad　entering　this　establishment　had　every
variety　of　youthful　society　wherewith　to　mingle。
Rawdon　Crawley；　though　the　only　book　which　he　studied
was　the　Racing　Calendar；　and　though　his　chief
recollections　of　polite　learning　were　connected　with　the
floggings　which　he　received　at　Eton　in　his　early　youth；
had　that　decent　and　honest　reverence　for　classical　learning
which　all　English　gentlemen　feel；　and　was　glad　to　think
that　his　son　was　to　have　a　provision　for　life；　perhaps；
and　a　certain　opportunity　of　becoming　a　scholar。　　And
although　his　boy　was　his　chief　solace　and　companion；　and
endeared　to　him　by　a　thousand　small　ties；　about　which
he　did　not　care　to　speak　to　his　wife；　who　had　all　along
shown　the　utmost　indifference　to　their　son；　yet　Rawdon
agreed　at　once　to　part　with　him　and　to　give　up　his　own
greatest　comfort　and　benefit　for　the　sake　of　the　welfare
of　the　little　lad。　　He　did　not　know　how　fond　he　was　of
the　child　until　it　became　necessary　to　let　him　go　away。
When　he　was　gone；　he　felt　more　sad　and　downcast　than
he　cared　to　ownfar　sadder　than　the　boy　himself；　who
was　happy　enough　to　enter　a　new　career　and　find
companions　of　his　own　age。　　Becky　burst　out　laughing　once
or　twice　when　the　Colonel；　in　his　clumsy；　incoherent　way；
tried　to　express　his　sentimental　sorrows　at　the　boy's
departure。　　The　poor　fellow　felt　that　his　dearest　pleasure
and　closest　friend　was　taken　from　him。　　He　looked　often
and　wistfully　at　the　little　vacant　bed　in　his　dressing…room；
where　the　child　used　to　sleep。　　He　missed　him　sadly　of
mornings　and　tried　in　vain　to　walk　in　the　park　without
him。　　He　did　not　know　how　solitary　he　was　until　little
Rawdon　was　gone。　　He　liked　the　people　who　were　fond　of
him；　and　would　go　and　sit　for　long　hours　with　his
good…natured　sister　Lady　Jane；　and　talk　to　her　about
the　virtues；　and　good　looks；　and　hundred　good　qualities
of　the　child。
Young　Rawdon's　aunt；　we　have　said；　was　very　fond
of　him；　as　was　her　little　girl；　who　wept　copiously　when
the　time　for　her　cousin's　departure　came。　　The　elder
Rawdon　was　thankful　for　the　fondness　of　mother　and
daughter。　　The　very　best　and　honestest　feelings　of　the
man　came　out　in　these　artless　outpourings　of　paternal
feeling　in　which　he　indulged　in　their　presence；　and
encouraged　by　their　sympathy。　　He　secured　not　only　Lady
Jane's　kindness；　but　her　sincere　regard；　by　the　feelings
which　he　manifested；　and　which　he　could　not　show　to　his
own　wife。　　The　two　kinswomen　met　as　seldom　as　possible。
Becky　laughed　bitterly　at　Jane's　feelings　and　softness；
the　other's　kindly　and　gentle　nature　could　not　but　revolt
at　her　sister's　callous　behaviour。
It　estranged　Rawdon　from　his　wife　more　than　he　knew
or　acknowledged　to　himself。　　She　did　not　care　for　the
estrangement。　　Indeed；　she　did　not　miss　him　or　anybody。
She　looked　upon　him　as　her　errand…man　and　humble
slave。　　He　might　be　ever　so　depressed　or　sulky；　and　she
did　not　mark　his　demeanour；　or　only　treated　it　with　a
sneer。　　She　was　busy　thinking　about　her　position；　or　her
pleasures；　or　her　advancement　in　society；　she　ought　to
have　held　a　great　place　in　it；　that　is　certain。
It　was　honest　Briggs　who　made　up　the　little　kit　for　the
boy　which　he　was　to　take　to　school。　　Molly；　the　housemaid；
blubbered　in　the　passage　when　he　went　away
Molly　kind　and　faithful　in　spite　of　a　long　arrear　of
unpaid　wages。　　Mrs。　Becky　could　not　let　her　husband　have
the　carriage　to　take　the　boy　to　school。　　Take　the　horses
into　the　City！such　a　thing　was　never　heard　of。　　Let　a
cab　be　brought。　　She　did　not　offer　to　kiss　him　when　he
went；　nor　did　the　child　propose　to　embrace　her；　but
gave　a　kiss　to　old　Briggs　（whom；　in　general；　he　was　very
shy　of　caressing）；　and　consoled　her　by　pointing　out　that
he　was　to　come　home　on　Saturdays；　when　she　would
have　the　benefit　of　seeing　him。　　As　the　cab　rolled　towards
the　City；　Becky's　carriage　rattled　off　to　the　park。　　She
was　chattering　and　laughing　with　a　score　of　young　dandies
by　the　Serpentine　as　the　father　and　son　entered　at　the
old　gates　of　the　schoolwhere　Rawdon　left　the　child
and　came　away　with　a　sadder　purer　feeling　in　his　heart
than　perhaps　that　poor　battered　fellow　had　ever　known
since　he　himself　came　out　of　the　nursery。
He　walked　all　the　way　home　very　dismally；　and　dined
alone　with　Briggs。　　He　was　very　kind　to　her　and　grateful
for　her　love　and　watchfulness　over　the　boy。　　His
conscience　smote　him　that　he　had　borrowed　Briggs's　money
and　aided　in　deceiving　her。　　They　talked　about　little
Rawdon　a　long　time；　for　Becky　only　came　home　to　dress
and　go　out　to　dinnerand　then　he　went　off　uneasily　to
drink　tea　with　Lady　Jane；　and　tell　her　of　what　had
happened；　and　how　little　Rawdon　went　off　like　a　trump；　and
how　he　was　to　wear　a　gown　and　little　knee…breeches；　and
how　young　Blackball；　Jack　Blackball's　son；　of　the　old
regiment；　had　taken　him　in　charge　and　promised　to　be
kind　to　him。
In　the　course　of　a　week；　young　Blackball　had
constituted　little　Rawdon　his　fag；　shoe…black；　and　breakfast
toaster；　initiated　him　into　the　mysteries　of　the　Latin
Grammar；　and　thrashed　him　three　or　four　times；　but　not
severely。　　The　little　chap's　good…natured　honest　face　won
his　way　for　him。　　He　only　got　that　degree　of　beating　which
was；　no　doubt；　good　for　him；　and　as　for　blacking　shoes；
toasting　bread；　and　fagging　in　general；　were　these　offices
not　deemed　to　be　necessary　parts　of　every　young　English
gentleman's　education？
Our　business　does　not　lie　with　the　second　generation
and　Master　Rawdon's　life　at　school；　otherwise　the　present
tale　might　be　carried　to　any　indefinite　length。　　The　Colonel
went　to　see　his　son　a　short　time　afterwards　and　found
the　lad　sufficiently　well　and　happy；　grinning　and　laughing
in　his　little　black　gown　and　little　breeches。
His　father　sagaciously　tipped　Blackball；　his　master；　a
sovereign；　and　secured　that　young　gentleman's　good…will
towards　his　fag。　　As　a　protege　of　the　great　Lord　Steyne；
the　nephew　of　a　County　member；　and　son　of　a　Colonel
and　C。B。；　whose　name　appeared　in　some　of　the　most
fashionable　parties　in　the　Morning　Post；　perhaps　the
school　authorities　were　disposed　not　to　look　unkindly　on
the　child。　　He　had　plenty　of　pocket…money；　which　he
spent　in　treating　his　comrades　royally　to　raspberry　tarts；
and　he　was　often　allowed　to　come　home　on　Saturdays
to　his　father；　who　always　made　a　jubilee　of　that　day。
When　free；　Rawdon　would　take　him　to　the　play；　or　send
him　thither　with　the　footman；　and　on　Sundays　he　went　to
church　with　Briggs　and　Lady　Jane　and　his　cousins。
Rawdon　marvelled　over　his　stories　about　school；　and
fights；　and　fagging。　　Before　long；　he　knew　the　names　of　all
the　masters　and　the　principal　boys　as　well　as　little
Rawdon　himself。　　He　invited　little　Rawdon's　crony　from
school；　and　made　both　the　children　sick　with　pastry；　and
oysters；　and　porter　after　the　play。　　He　tried　to　look　knowing
over　the　Latin　grammar　when　little　Rawdon　showed
him　what　part　of　that　work　he　was　〃in。〃　〃Stick　to　it；　my
boy；〃　he　said　to　him　with　much　gravity；　〃there's　nothing
like　a　good　classical　education！　　Nothing！〃
Becky's　contempt　for　her　husband　grew　greater　every
day。　　〃Do　what　you　likedine　where　you　pleasego　and
have　ginger…beer　and　sawdust　at　Astley's；　or　psalm…
singing　with　Lady　Janeonly　don't　expect　me　to　busy
myself　with　the　boy。　　I　have　your　interests　to　attend　to；
as　you　can't　attend　to　them　yourself。　　I　should　like　to
know　where　you　would　have　been　now；　and　in　what　sort
of　a　position　in　socie