vanity fair(名利场)-第153节

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difference　between　us　this　morning。　　You　all　seem　to
know　it。　　I　promise　you　upon　my　word　that　you　shall　all
be　paid。　　He　has　got　a　good　appointment。　　Let　me　go　out
and　find　him。''
This　audacious　statement　caused　Raggles　and　the　other
personages　present　to　look　at　one　another　with　a　wild
surprise；　and　with　it　Rebecca　left　them。　　She　went　upstairs
and　dressed　herself　this　time　without　the　aid　of　her　French
maid。　　She　went　into　Rawdon's　room；　and　there　saw　that
a　trunk　and　bag　were　packed　ready　for　removal；　with　a
pencil　direction　that　they　should　be　given　when　called
for；　then　she　went　into　the　Frenchwoman's　garret；
everything　was　clean；　and　all　the　drawers　emptied　there。
She　bethought　herself　of　the　trinkets　which　had　been　left　on
the　ground　and　felt　certain　that　the　woman　had　fled。
〃Good　Heavens！　　was　ever　such　ill　luck　as　mine？〃　she
said；　〃to　be　so　near；　and　to　lose　all。　　Is　it　all　too　late？〃
No；　there　was　one　chance　more。
She　dressed　herself　and　went　away　unmolested　this
time；　but　alone。　　It　was　four　o'clock。　　She　went　swiftly
down　the　streets　（she　had　no　money　to　pay　for　a
carriage）；　and　never　stopped　until　she　came　to　Sir　Pitt
Crawley's　door；　in　Great　Gaunt　Street。　　Where　was　Lady
Jane　Crawley？　She　was　at　church。　　Becky　was　not　sorry。
Sir　Pitt　was　in　his　study；　and　had　given　orders　not　to　be
disturbedshe　must　see　himshe　slipped　by　the　sentinel
in　livery　at　once；　and　was　in　Sir　Pitt's　room　before　the
astonished　Baronet　had　even　laid　down　the　paper。
He　turned　red　and　started　back　from　her　with　a　look
of　great　alarm　and　horror。
〃Do　not　look　so；〃　she　said。　　〃I　am　not　guilty；　Pitt；　dear
Pitt；　you　were　my　friend　once。　　Before　God；　I　am　not
guilty。　　I　seem　so。　　Everything　is　against　me。　　And　oh！　　at
such　a　moment！　　just　when　all　my　hopes　were　about　to　be
realized：　　just　when　happiness　was　in　store　for　us。〃
〃Is　this　true；　what　I　see　in　the　paper　then？〃　Sir　Pitt
saida　paragraph　in　which　had　greatly　surprised　him。
〃It　is　true。　　Lord　Steyne　told　me　on　Friday　night；　the
night　of　that　fatal　ball。　　He　has　been　promised　an
appointment　any　time　these　six　months。　　Mr。　Martyr；　the
Colonial　Secretary；　told　him　yesterday　that　it　was　made　out。
That　unlucky　arrest　ensued；　that　horrible　meeting。　　I　was　only
guilty　of　too　much　devotedness　to　Rawdon's　service。　　I
have　received　Lord　Steyne　alone　a　hundred　times　before。
I　confess　I　had　money　of　which　Rawdon　knew　nothing。
Don't　you　know　how　careless　he　is　of　it；　and　could　I　dare
to　confide　it　to　him？〃　And　so　she　went　on　with　a
perfectly　connected　story；　which　she　poured　into　the　ears
of　her　perplexed　kinsman。
It　was　to　the　following　effect。　　Becky　owned；　and　with
prefect　frankness；　but　deep　contrition；　that　having
remarked　Lord　Steyne's　partiality　for　her　（at　the　mention
of　which　Pitt　blushed）；　and　being　secure　of　her　own
virtue；　she　had　determined　to　turn　the　great　peer's
attachment　to　the　advantage　of　herself　and　her　family。　　〃I
looked　for　a　peerage　for　you；　Pitt；〃　she　said　（the　brother…
in…law　again　turned　red）。　　〃We　have　talked　about　it。　　Your
genius　and　Lord　Steyne's　interest　made　it　more　than
probable；　had　not　this　dreadful　calamity　come　to　put　an
end　to　all　our　hopes。　　But；　first；　I　own　that　it　was　my
object　to　rescue　my　dear　husbandhim　whom　I　love　in
spite　of　all　his　ill　usage　and　suspicions　of　meto　remove
him　from　the　poverty　and　ruin　which　was　impending　over
us。　　I　saw　Lord　Steyne's　partiality　for　me；〃　she　said；
casting　down　her　eyes。　　〃I　own　that　I　did　everything　in
my　power　to　make　myself　pleasing　to　him；　and　as　far　as
an　honest　woman　may；　to　secure　hishis　esteem。　　It　was
only　on　Friday　morning　that　the　news　arrived　of　the
death　of　the　Governor　of　Coventry　Island；　and　my　Lord
instantly　secured　the　appointment　for　my　dear　husband。
It　was　intended　as　a　surprise　for　himhe　was　to　see　it　in
the　papers　to…day。　　Even　after　that　horrid　arrest　took
place　（the　expenses　of　which　Lord　Steyne　generously
said　he　would　settle；　so　that　I　was　in　a　manner　prevented
from　coming　to　my　husband's　assistance）；　my　Lord　was
laughing　with　me；　and　saying　that　my　dearest　Rawdon
would　be　consoled　when　he　read　of　his　appointment　in
the　paper；　in　that　shocking　spunbailiff's　house。　　And
thenthen　he　came　home。　　His　suspicions　were　excited；
the　dreadful　scene　took　place　between　my　Lord　and
my　cruel；　cruel　Rawdonand；　O　my　God；　what　will
happen　next？　Pitt；　dear　Pitt！　　pity　me；　and　reconcile　us！〃
And　as　she　spoke　she　flung　herself　down　on　her　knees；
and　bursting　into　tears；　seized　hold　of　Pitt's　hand；　which
she　kissed　passionately。
It　was　in　this　very　attitude　that　Lady　Jane；　who；
returning　from　church；　ran　to　her　husband's　room　directly
she　heard　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley　was　closeted　there；
found　the　Baronet　and　his　sister…in…law。
〃I　am　surprised　that　woman　has　the　audacity　to　enter
this　house；〃　Lady　Jane　said；　trembling　in　every　limb
and　turning　quite　pale。　　（Her　Ladyship　had　sent　out　her
maid　directly　after　breakfast；　who　had　communicated
with　Raggles　and　Rawdon　Crawley's　household；　who　had
told　her　all；　and　a　great　deal　more　than　they　knew；　of
that　story；　and　many　others　besides）。　　〃How　dare　Mrs。
Crawley　to　enter　the　house　ofof　an　honest　family？〃
Sir　Pitt　started　back；　amazed　at　his　wife's　display　of
vigour。　　Becky　still　kept　her　kneeling　posture　and　clung
to　Sir　Pitt's　hand。
〃Tell　her　that　she　does　not　know　all：　　Tell　her　that　I
am　innocent；　dear　Pitt；〃　she　whimpered　out。
〃Upon…my　word；　my　love；　I　think　you　do　Mrs。　Crawley
injustice；〃　Sir　Pitt　said；　at　which　speech　Rebecca　was
vastly　relieved。　　〃Indeed　I　believe　her　to　be〃
〃To　be　what？〃　cried　out　Lady　Jane；　her　clear　voice
thrilling　and；　her　heart　beating　violently　as　she　spoke。
〃To　be　a　wicked　womana　heartless　mother；　a　false
wife？　She　never　loved　her　dear　little　boy；　who　used　to
fly　here　and　tell　me　of　her　cruelty　to　him。　　She　never
came　into　a　family　but　she　strove　to　bring　misery　with
her　and　to　weaken　the　most　sacred　affections　with　her
wicked　flattery　and　falsehoods。　　She　has　deceived　her
husband；　as　she　has　deceived　everybody；　her　soul　is　black
with　vanity；　worldliness；　and　all　sorts　of　crime。　　I　tremble
when　I　touch　her。　　I　keep　my　children　out　of　her　sight。
〃Lady　Jane！〃　cried　Sir　Pitt；　starting　up；　〃this　is　really
language〃
〃I　have　been　a　true　and　faithful　wife　to　you；　Sir
Pitt；〃　Lady　Jane　continued；　intrepidly；　〃I　have　kept　my
marriage　vow　as　I　made　it　to　God　and　have　been
obedient　and　gentle　as　a　wife　should。　　But　righteous
obedience　has　its　limits；　and　I　declare　that　I　will　not　bear
thatthat　woman　again　under　my　roof；　if　she　enters　it；
I　and　my　children　will　leave　it。　　She　is　not　worthy　to　sit
down　with　Christian　people。　　Youyou　must　choose；　sir；
between　her　and　me〃；　and　with　this　my　Lady　swept　out
of　the　room；　fluttering　with　her　own　audacity；　and　leaving
Rebecca　and　Sir　Pitt　not　a　little　astonished　at　it。
As　for　Becky；　she　was　not　hurt；　nay；　she　was　pleased。
〃It　was　the　diamond…clasp　you　gave　me；〃　she　said　to　Sir
Pitt；　reaching　him　out　her　hand；　and　before　she　left　him
（for　which　event　you　may　be　sure　my　Lady　Jane　was
looking　out　from　her　dressing…room　window　in　the　upper
story）　the　Baronet　had　promised　to　go　and　seek　out　his
brother；　and　endeavour　to　bring　about　a　reconciliation。
Rawdon　found　some　of　the　young　fellows　of　the　regiment
seated　in　the　mess…room　at　breakfast；　and　was
induced　without　much　difficulty　to　partake　of　that　meal；
and　of　the　devilled　legs　of　fowls　and　soda…water　with
which　these　young　gentlemen　fortified　themselves。　　Then
they　had　a　conversation　befitting　the　day　and　their　time
of　life：　　about　the　next　pigeon…match　at　Battersea；　with
relative　bets　upon　Ross　and　Osbaldiston；　about
Mademoiselle　Ariane　of　the　French　Opera；　and　who　had　left
her；　and　how　she　was　consoled　by　Panther　Carr；　and
about　the　fight　between　the　Butcher　and　the　Pet；　and　the
probabilities　that　it　was　a　cross。　　Young　Tandyman；　a
hero　of　seventeen；　laboriously　endeavouring　to　get　up　a
pair　of　mustachios；　had　seen　the　fight；　and　spoke　in　the
most　scientific　manner　about　the　battle　and　the　condition
of　the　men。　　It　was　he　who　had　driven　the　Butcher　on　to
the　ground　in　his　drag　and　passed　the　whole　of　the
previous　night　with　him。　　Had　there　not　been　foul　play
he　must　have　won　it。　　All　the　old　files　of　the　Ring　were　in
it；　and　Tandyman　wouldn't　pay；　no；　dammy；　he　wouldn't
pay。　　It　was　but　a　year　since　the　young　Cornet；　now　so
knowing　a　hand　in　Cribb's　parlour；　had　a　still　lingering
liking　for　toffy；　and　used　to　be　birched　at　Eton。
So　they　went　on　talking　about　dancers；　fights；　drinking；
demireps；　until　Macmurdo　came　down　and　joined　the
boys　and　the　conversation。　　He　did　not　appear　to　think
that　any　especial　reverence　was　due　to　their　boyhood；
the　old　fellow　cut　in　with　stories；　to　the　full　as　choice
as　any　the　youngest　rake　present　had　to　tellnor　did　his
own　grey　hairs　nor　their　smooth　faces　detain　him。　　Old
Mac　was　famous　for　his　good　stories。　　He　was　not　exactly
a　lady's　man；　that　is；　men　asked　him　to　dine　rather　at
the　houses　of　their　mistresses　than　of　their　mothers。
There　can　scarcely　be　a　life　lower；　perhaps；　than　his；
but　he　was　quite　contented　with　it；　such　as　it　was；　and
led　it　in　perfect　good　nature；　simplicity