vanity fair(名利场)-第155节

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〃I　tried　my　utmost　to　calm　Lord　Steyne。　　Good　God！
sir；〃　I　said；　〃how　I　regret　that　Mrs。　Wenham　and　myself
had　not　accepted　Mrs。　Crawley's　invitation　to　sup　with
her！〃
〃She　asked　you　to　sup　with　her？〃　Captain　Macmurdo
said。
〃After　the　opera。　　Here's　the　note　of　invitationstop
no；　this　is　another　paperI　thought　I　had　h；　but　it's
of　no　consequence；　and　I　pledge　you　my　word　to　the
fact。　　If　we　had　comeand　it　was　only　one　of　Mrs。
Wenham's　headaches　which　prevented　usshe　suffers
under　them　a　good　deal；　especially　in　the　springif　we
had　come；　and　you　had　returned　home；　there　would　have
been　no　quarrel；　no　insult；　no　suspicionand　so　it　is
positively　because　my　poor　wife　has　a　headache　that　you
are　to　bring　death　down　upon　two　men　of　honour　and
plunge　two　of　the　most　excellent　and　ancient　families
in　the　kingdom　into　disgrace　and　sorrow。〃
Mr。　Macmurdo　looked　at　his　principal　with　the　air
of　a　man　profoundly　puzzled；　and　Rawdon　felt　with　a
kind　of　rage　that　his　prey　was　escaping　him。　　He　did　not
believe　a　word　of　the　story；　and　yet；　how　discredit　or
disprove　it？
Mr。　Wenham　continued　with　the　same　fluent　oratory；
which　in　his　place　in　Parliament　he　had　so　often
practised〃I　sat　for　an　hour　or　more　by　Lord　Steyne's
bedside；　beseeching；　imploring　Lord　Steyne　to　forego　his
intention　of　demanding　a　meeting。　　I　pointed　out　to　him
that　the　circumstances　were　after　all　suspiciousthey
were　suspicious。　　I　acknowledge　itany　man　in　your
position　might　have　been　taken　inI　said　that　a　man
furious　with　jealousy　is　to　all　intents　and　purposes　a
madman；　and　should　be　as　such　regardedthat　a　duel
between　you　must　lead　to　the　disgrace　of　all　parties
concernedthat　a　man　of　his　Lordship's　exalted　station　had
no　right　in　these　days；　when　the　most　atrocious
revolutionary　principles；　and　the　most　dangerous　levelling
doctrines　are　preached　among　the　vulgar；　to　create　a
public　scandal；　and　that；　however　innocent；　the　common
people　would　insist　that　he　was　guilty。　　In　fine；　I
implored　him　not　to　send　the　challenge。〃
〃I　don't　believe　one　word　of　the　whole　story；〃　said
Rawdon；　grinding　his　teeth。　　〃I　believe　it　a　d　lie；　and
that　you're　in　it；　Mr。　Wenham。　　If　the　challenge　don't
come　from　him；　by　Jove　it　shall　come　from　me。〃
Mr。　Wenham　turned　deadly　pale　at　this　savage
interruption　of　the　Colonel　and　looked　towards　the　door。
But　he　found　a　champion　in　Captain　Macmurdo。　　That
gentleman　rose　up　with　an　oath　and　rebuked　Rawdon
for　his　language。　　〃You　put　the　affair　into　my　hands；　and
you　shall　act　as　I　think　fit；　by　Jove；　and　not　as　you　do。
You　have　no　right　to　insult　Mr。　Wenham　with　this　sort
of　language；　and　dammy；　Mr。　Wenham；　you　deserve　an
apology。　　And　as　for　a　challenge　to　Lord　Steyne；　you
may　get　somebody　else　to　carry　it；　I　won't。　　If　my　lord；
after　being　thrashed；　chooses　to　sit　still；　dammy　let　him。
And　as　for　the　affair　withwith　Mrs。　Crawley；　my
belief　is；　there's　nothing　proved　at　all：　　that　your　wife's
innocent；　as　innocent　as　Mr。　Wenham　says　she　is；　and　at
any　rate　that　you　would　be　a　dfool　not　to　take　the
place　and　hold　your　tongue。〃
〃Captain　Macmurdo；　you　speak　like　a　man　of　sense；〃
Mr。　Wenham　cried　out；　immensely　relieved〃I　forget
any　words　that　Colonel　Crawley　has　used　in　the
irritation　of　the　moment。〃
〃I　thought　you　would；〃　Rawdon　said　with　a　sneer。
〃Shut　your　mouth；　you　old　stoopid；〃　the　Captain　said
good…naturedly。　　〃Mr。　Wenham　ain't　a　fighting　man；　and
quite　right；　too。〃
〃This　matter；　in　my　belief；〃　the　Steyne　emissary　cried；
〃ought　to　be　buried　in　the　most　profound　oblivion。　　A
word　concerning　it　should　never　pass　these　doors。　　I
speak　in　the　interest　of　my　friend；　as　well　as　of　Colonel
Crawley；　who　persists　in　considering　me　his　enemy。〃
〃I　suppose　Lord　Steyne　won't　talk　about　it　very
much；〃　said　Captain　Macmurdo；　〃and　I　don't　see　why
our　side　should。　　The　affair　ain't　a　very　pretty　one；　any
way　you　take　it；　and　the　less　said　about　it　the　better。
It's　you　are　thrashed；　and　not　us；　and　if　you　are　satisfied；
why；　I　think；　we　should　be。〃
Mr。　Wenham　took　his　hat；　upon　this；　and　Captain
Macmurdo　following　him　to　the　door；　shut　it　upon
himself　and　Lord　Steyne's　agent；　leaving　Rawdon　chafing
within。　　When　the　two　were　on　the　other　side；　Macmurdo
looked　hard　at　the　other　ambassador　and　with　an
expression　of　anything　but　respect　on　his　round　jolly　face。
〃You　don't　stick　at　a　trifle；　Mr。　Wenham；〃　he　said。
〃You　flatter　me；　Captain　Macmurdo；〃　answered　the
other　with　a　smile。　　〃Upon　my　honour　and　conscience
now；　Mrs。　Crawley　did　ask　us　to　sup　after　the　opera。〃
〃Of　course；　and　Mrs。　Wenham　had　one　of　her　head…
aches。　　I　say；　I've　got　a　thousand…pound　note　here；　which
I　will　give　you　if　you　will　give　me　a　receipt；　please；　and
I　will　put　the　note　up　in　an　envelope　for　Lord　Steyne。
My　man　shan't　fight　him。　　But　we　had　rather　not　take
his　money。〃
〃It　was　all　a　mistakeall　a　mistake；　my　dear　sir；〃　the
other　said　with　the　utmost　innocence　of　manner；　and　was
bowed　down　the　Club　steps　by　Captain　Macmurdo；　just
as　Sir　Pitt　Crawley　ascended　them。　　There　was　a　slight
acquaintance　between　these　two　gentlemen；　and　the
Captain；　going　back　with　the　Baronet　to　the　room　where　the
latter's　brother　was；　told　Sir　Pitt；　in　confidence；　that　he
had　made　the　affair　all　right　between　Lord　Steyne　and
the　Colonel。
Sir　Pitt　was　well　pleased；　of　course；　at　this　intelligence；
and　congratulated　his　brother　warmly　upon　the　peaceful
issue　of　the　affair；　making　appropriate　moral　remarks
upon　the　evils　of　duelling　and　the　unsatisfactory　nature
of　that　sort　of　settlement　of　disputes。
And　after　this　preface；　he　tried　with　all　his　eloquence
to　effect　a　reconciliation　between　Rawdon　and　his　wife。
He　recapitulated　the　statements　which　Becky　had　made；
pointed　out　the　probabilities　of　their　truth；　and　asserted
his　own　firm　belief　in　her　innocence。
But　Rawdon　would　not　hear　of　it。　　〃She　has　kep　money
concealed　from　me　these　ten　years；〃　he　said　〃She　swore；
last　night　only；　she　had　none　from　Steyne。　　She　knew　it
was　all　up；　directly　I　found　it。　　If　she's　not　guilty；　Pitt；
she's　as　bad　as　guilty；　and　I'll　never　see　her　again
never。〃　His　head　sank　down　on　his　chest　as　he　spoke
the　words；　and　he　looked　quite　broken　and　sad。
〃Poor　old　boy；〃　Macmurdo　said；　shaking　his　head。
Rawdon　Crawley　resisted　for　some　time　the　idea　of
taking　the　place　which　had　been　procured　for　him　by　so
odious　a　patron；　and　was　also　for　removing　the　boy
from　the　school　where　Lord　Steyne's　interest　had　placed
him。　　He　was　induced；　however；　to　acquiesce　in　these
benefits　by　the　entreaties　of　his　brother　and　Macmurdo；
but　mainly　by　the　latter；　pointing　out　to　him　what　a
fury　Steyne　would　be　in　to　think　that　his　enemy's
fortune　was　made　through　his　means。
When　the　Marquis　of　Steyne　came　abroad　after　his
accident；　the　Colonial　Secretary　bowed　up　to　him　and
congratulated　himself　and　the　Service　upon　having　made
so　excellent　an　appointment。　　These　congratulations　were
received　with　a　degree　of　gratitude　which　may　be
imagined　on　the　part　of　Lord　Steyne。
The　secret　of　the　rencontre　between　him　and　Colonel
Crawley　was　buried　in　the　profoundest　oblivion；　as
Wenham　said；　that　is；　by　the　seconds　and　the　principals。
But　before　that　evening　was　over　it　was　talked　of　at　fifty
dinner…tables　in　Vanity　Fair。　　Little　Cackleby　himself
went　to　seven　evening　parties　and　told　the　story　with
comments　and　emendations　at　each　place。　　How　Mrs。
Washington　White　revelled　in　it！　　The　Bishopess　of　Ealing
was　shocked　beyond　expression；　the　Bishop　went　and
wrote　his　name　down　in　the　visiting…book　at　Gaunt　House
that　very　day。　　Little　Southdown　was　sorry；　so　you　may
be　sure　was　his　sister　Lady　Jane；　very　sorry。　　Lady
Southdown　wrote　it　off　to　her　other　daughter　at　the　Cape　of
Good　Hope。　　It　was　town…talk　for　at　least　three　days；
and　was　only　kept　out　of　the　newspapers　by　the　exertions
of　Mr。　Wagg；　acting　upon　a　hint　from　Mr。　Wenham。
The　bailiffs　and　brokers　seized　upon　poor　Raggles　in
Curzon　Street；　and　the　late　fair　tenant　of　that　poor　little
mansion　was　in　the　meanwhilewhere？　Who　cared！　　Who
asked　after　a　day　or　two？　Was　she　guilty　or　not？　We　all
know　how　charitable　the　world　is；　and　how　the　verdict
of　Vanity　Fair　goes　when　there　is　a　doubt。　　Some　people
said　she　had　gone　to　Naples　in　pursuit　of　Lord　Steyne；
whilst　others　averred　that　his　Lordship　quitted　that　city
and　fled　to　Palermo　on　hearing　of　Becky's　arrival；　some
said　she　was　living　in　Bierstadt；　and　had　become　a　dame
d'honneur　to　the　Queen　of　Bulgaria；　some　that　she　was
at　Boulogne；　and　others；　at　a　boarding…house　at
Cheltenham。
Rawdon　made　her　a　tolerable　annuity；　and　we　may
be　sure　that　she　was　a　woman　who　could　make　a　little
money　go　a　great　way；　as　the　saying　is。　　He　would　have
paid　his　debts　on　leaving　England；　could　he　have　got　any
Insurance　Office　to　take　his　life；　but　the　climate　of
Coventry　Island　was　so　bad　that　he　could　borrow　no
money　on　the　strength　of　his　salary。　　He　remitted；
however；　to　his　brother　punctually；　and　wrote　to　his　little
boy　regularly　every　mail。　　He　kept　Macmurdo　in　cigars
and　sent　over　quantities　of　shells；　cayenne　pepper；　hot
pickles；　guava　jelly；　and　colonial　produce　to　Lady　Jane。
He　sent　his　brother　home　the　Swamp　To