vanity fair(名利场)-第151节

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enjoined　him　particularly　to　send　it　in　to　Lord　Steyne；
and　to　mark　the　address　written　on　it；　and　say　that
Colonel　Crawley　would　be　all　day　after　one　o'clock　at　the
Regent　Club　in　St。　　James's　Streetnot　at　home。　　The　fat
red…faced　man　looked　after　him　with　astonishment　as　he
strode　away；　so　did　the　people　in　their　Sunday　clothes
who　were　out　so　early；　the　charity…boys　with　shining
faces；　the　greengrocer　lolling　at　his　door；　and　the　publican
shutting　his　shutters　in　the　sunshine；　against　service
commenced。　　The　people　joked　at　the　cab…stand　about
his　appearance；　as　he　took　a　carriage　there；　and　told　the
driver　to　drive　him　to　Knightsbridge　Barracks。
All　the　bells　were　jangling　and　tolling　as　he　reached
that　place。　　He　might　have　seen　his　old　acquaintance
Amelia　on　her　way　from　Brompton　to　Russell　Square；
had　he　been　looking　out。　　Troops　of　schools　were　on
their　march　to　church；　the　shiny　pavement　and　outsides
of　coaches　in　the　suburbs　were　thronged　with　people　out
upon　their　Sunday　pleasure；　but　the　Colonel　was　much
too　busy　to　take　any　heed　of　these　phenomena；　and；
arriving　at　Knightsbridge；　speedily　made　his　way　up　to　the
room　of　his　old　friend　and　comrade　Captain　Macmurdo；
who　Crawley　found；　to　his　satisfaction；　was　in　barracks。
Captain　Macmurdo；　a　veteran　officer　and　Waterloo
man；　greatly　liked　by　his　regiment；　in　which　want　of
money　alone　prevented　him　from　attaining　the　highest
ranks；　was　enjoying　the　forenoon　calmly　in　bed。　　He　had
been　at　a　fast　supper…party；　given　the　night　before　by
Captain　the　Honourable　George　Cinqbars；　at　his　house
in　Brompton　Square；　to　several　young　men　of　the
regiment；　and　a　number　of　ladies　of　the　corps　de　ballet；　and
old　Mac；　who　was　at　home　with　people　of　all　ages　and
ranks；　and　consorted　with　generals；　dog…fanciers；　opera…
dancers；　bruisers；　and　every　kind　of　person；　in　a　word；
was　resting　himself　after　the　night's　labours；　and；　not
being　on　duty；　was　in　bed。
His　room　was　hung　round　with　boxing；　sporting；　and
dancing　pictures；　presented　to　him　by　comrades　as　they
retired　from　the　regiment；　and　married　and　settled　into
quiet　life。　　And　as　he　was　now　nearly　fifty　years　of　age；
twenty…four　of　which　he　had　passed　in　the　corps；　he　had
a　singular　museum。　　He　was　one　of　the　best　shots　in
England；　and；　for　a　heavy　man；　one　of　the　best　riders；
indeed；　he　and　Crawley　had　been　rivals　when　the　latter
was　in　the　Army。　　To　be　brief；　Mr。　Macmurdo　was　lying
in　bed；　reading　in　Bell's　Life　an　account　of　that　very
fight　between　the　Tutbury　Pet　and　the　Barking　Butcher；
which　has　been　before　mentioneda　venerable　bristly
warrior；　with　a　little　close…shaved　grey　head；　with　a　silk
nightcap；　a　red　face　and　nose；　and　a　great　dyed
moustache。
When　Rawdon　told　the　Captain　he　wanted　a　friend；　the
latter　knew　perfectly　well　on　what　duty　of　friendship　he
was　called　to　act；　and　indeed　had　conducted　scores　of
affairs　for　his　acquaintances　with　the　greatest　prudence
and　skill。　　His　Royal　Highness　the　late　lamented
Commander…in…Chief　had　had　the　greatest　regard　for
Macmurdo　on　this　account；　and　he　was　the　common　refuge
of　gentlemen　in　trouble。
〃What's　the　row　about；　Crawley；　my　boy？〃　said　the
old　warrior。　　〃No　more　gambling　business；　hay；　like　that
when　we　shot　Captain　Marker？〃
〃It's　aboutabout　my　wife；〃　Crawley　answered；
casting　down　his　eyes　and　turning　very　red。
The　other　gave　a　whistle。　　〃I　always　said　she'd　throw
you　over；〃　he　beganindeed　there　were　bets　in　the
regiment　and　at　the　clubs　regarding　the　probable　fate　of
Colonel　Crawley；　so　lightly　was　his　wife's　character
esteemed　by　his　comrades　and　the　world；　but　seeing　the
savage　look　with　which　Rawdon　answered　the　expression
of　this　opinion；　Macmurdo　did　not　think　fit　to　enlarge
upon　it　further。
〃Is　there　no　way　out　of　it；　old　boy？〃　the　Captain
continued　in　a　grave　tone。　　〃Is　it　only　suspicion；　you　know；
oror　what　is　it？　Any　letters？　Can't　you　keep　it　quiet？
Best　not　make　any　noise　about　a　thing　of　that　sort　if　you
can　help　it。〃　〃Think　of　his　only　finding　her　out　now；〃　the
Captain　thought　to　himself；　and　remembered　a　hundred
particular　conversations　at　the　mess…table；　in　which　Mrs。
Crawley's　reputation　had　been　torn　to　shreds。
〃There's　no　way　but　one　out　of　it；〃　Rawdon　replied
〃and　there's　only　a　way　out　of　it　for　one　of　us；　Macdo
you　understand？　I　was　put　out　of　the　wayarrestedI
found　'em　alone　together。　　I　told　him　he　was　a　liar　and　a
coward；　and　knocked　him　down　and　thrashed　him。〃
〃Serve　him　right；〃　Macmurdo　said。　　〃Who　is　it？〃
Rawdon　answered　it　was　Lord　Steyne。
〃The　deuce！　　a　Marquis！　　they　said　hethat　is；　they
said　you〃
〃What　the　devil　do　you　mean？〃　roared　out　Rawdon；
〃do　you　mean　that　you　ever　heard　a　fellow　doubt　about
my　wife　and　didn't　tell　me；　Mac？〃
〃The　world's　very　censorious；　old　boy；〃　the　other
replied。　　〃What　the　deuce　was　the　good　of　my　telling　you
what　any　tom…fools　talked　about？〃
〃It　was　damned　unfriendly；　Mac；〃　said　Rawdon；　quite
overcome；　and；　covering　his　face　with　his　hands；　he　gave
way　to　an　emotion；　the　sight　of　which　caused　the　tough
old　campaigner　opposite　him　to　wince　with　sympathy。
〃Hold　up；　old　boy；〃　he　said；　〃great　man　or　not；　we'll　put
a　bullet　in　him；　damn　him。　　As　for　women；　they're　all　so。〃
〃You　don't　know　how　fond　I　was　of　that　one；〃
Rawdon　said；　half…inarticulately。　　〃Damme；　I　followed　her　like
a　footman。　　I　gave　up　everything　I　had　to　her。　　I'm　a
beggar　because　I　would　marry　her。　　By　Jove；　sir；　I've　pawned
my　own　watch　in　order　to　get　her　anything　she　fancied；
and　she　she's　been　making　a　purse　for　herself　all　the
time；　and　grudged　me　a　hundred　pound　to　get　me　out　of
quod。〃　He　then　fiercely　and　incoherently；　and　with　an
agitation　under　which　his　counsellor　had　never　before
seen　him　labour；　told　Macmurdo　the　circumstances　of
the　story。　　His　adviser　caught　at　some　stray　hints　in　it。
〃She　may　be　innocent；　after　all；〃　he　said。　　〃She　says
so。　　Steyne　has　been　a　hundred　times　alone　with　her　in
the　house　before。〃
〃It　may　be　so；〃　Rawdon　answered　sadly；　〃but　this　don't
look　very　innocent〃：　　and　he　showed　the　Captain　the
thousand…pound　note　which　he　had　found　in　Becky's
pocket…book。　　〃This　is　what　he　gave　her；　Mac；　and　she
kep　it　unknown　to　me；　and　with　this　money　in　the　house；
she　refused　to　stand　by　me　when　I　was　locked　up。〃　The
Captain　could　not　but　own　that　the　secreting　of　the
money　had　a　very　ugly　look。
Whilst　they　were　engaged　in　their　conference；　Rawdon
dispatched　Captain　Macmurdo's　servant　to　Curzon　Street；
with　an　order　to　the　domestic　there　to　give　up　a　bag　of
clothes　of　which　the　Colonel　had　great　need。　　And　during
the　man's　absence；　and　with　great　labour　and　a　Johnson's
Dictionary；　which　stood　them　in　much　stead；　Rawdon
and　his　second　composed　a　letter；　which　the　latter
was　to　send　to　Lord　Steyne。　　Captain　Macmurdo　had　the
honour　of　waiting　upon　the　Marquis　of　Steyne；　on　the　part
of　Colonel　Rawdon　Crawley；　and　begged　to　intimate　that
he　was　empowered　by　the　Colonel　to　make　any　arrangements
for　the　meeting　which；　he　had　no　doubt；　it　was　his
Lordship's　intention　to　demand；　and　which　the　circumstances
of　the　morning　had　rendered　inevitable。　　Captain
Macmurdo　begged　Lord　Steyne；　in　the　most　polite
manner；　to　appoint　a　friend；　with　whom　he　（Captain　M'M。）
might　communicate；　and　desired　that　the　meeting　might
take　place　with　as　little　delay　as　possible。
In　a　postscript　the　Captain　stated　that　he　had　in　his
possession　a　bank…note　for　a　large　amount；　which
Colonel　Crawley　had　reason　to　suppose　was　the　property　of
the　Marquis　of　Steyne。　　And　he　was　anxious；　on　the
Colonel's　behalf；　to　give　up　the　note　to　its　owner。
By　the　time　this　note　was　composed；　the　Captain's
servant　returned　from　his　mission　to　Colonel　Crawley's
house　in　Curzon　Street；　but　without　the　carpet…bag　and
portmanteau；　for　which　he　had　been　sent；　and　with　a
very　puzzled　and　odd　face。
〃They　won't　give　'em　up；〃　said　the　man；　〃there's　a
regular　shinty　in　the　house；　and　everything　at　sixes　and
sevens。　　The　landlord's　come　in　and　took　possession。　　The
servants　was　a　drinkin'　up　in　the　drawingroom。　　They
saidthey　said　you　had　gone　off　with　the　plate；
Colonel〃the　man　added　after　a　pause〃One　of　the
servants　is　off　already。　　And　Simpson；　the　man　as　was　very
noisy　and　drunk　indeed；　says　nothing　shall　go　out　of　the
house　until　his　wages　is　paid　up。〃
The　account　of　this　little　revolution　in　May　Fair
astonished　and　gave　a　little　gaiety　to　an　otherwise　very
triste　conversation。　　The　two　officers　laughed　at　Rawdon's
discomfiture。
〃I'm　glad　the　little　'un　isn't　at　home；〃　Rawdon　said；
biting　his　nails。　　〃You　remember　him；　Mac；　don't　you；　in
the　Riding　School？　How　he　sat　the　kicker　to　be　sure！
didn't　he？〃
〃That　he　did；　old　boy；〃　said　the　good…natured　Captain。
Little　Rawdon　was　then　sitting；　one　of　fifty　gown　boys；
in　the　Chapel　of　Whitefriars　School；　thinking；　not　about
the　sermon；　but　about　going　home　next　Saturday；　when
his　father　would　certainly　tip　him　and　perhaps　would
take　him　to　the　play。
〃He's　a　regular　trump；　that　boy；〃　the　father　went　on；
still　musing　about　his　son。　　〃I　say；　Mac；　if　anything　goes
wrongif　I　dropI　should　like　you　toto　go　and　see
him；　you　know；　and　say　that　I　was　very　fond　of　him；　and
that。　　Anddash　itold