vanity fair(名利场)-第179节

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for　the　payment　of　certain　outstanding　debts　and
liabilities；　the　charges　incident　on　his　high　situation
required　considerable　expense；　finally；　it　was　found　that
he　could　not　spare　to　his　wife　more　than　three　hundred
pounds　a　year；　which　he　proposed　to　pay　to　her　on
an　undertaking　that　she　would　never　trouble　him。
Otherwise；　scandal；　separation；　Doctors'　Commons　would
ensue。　　But　it　was　Mr。　Wenham's　business；　Lord　Steyne's
business；　Rawdon's；　everybody'sto　get　her　out　of　the
country；　and　hush　up　a　most　disagreeable　affair。
She　was　probably　so　much　occupied　in　arranging　these
affairs　of　business　with　her　husband's　lawyers　that　she
forgot　to　take　any　step　whatever　about　her　son；　the　little
Rawdon；　and　did　not　even　once　propose　to　go　and　see
him。　　That　young　gentleman　was　consigned　to　the　entire
guardianship　of　his　aunt　and　uncle；　the　former　of　whom
had　always　possessed　a　great　share　of　the　child's
affection。　　His　mamma　wrote　him　a　neat　letter　from　Boulogne；
when　she　quitted　England；　in　which　she　requested　him　to
mind　his　book；　and　said　she　was　going　to　take　a
Continental　tour；　during　which　she　would　have　the　pleasure
of　writing　to　him　again。　　But　she　never　did　for　a　year
afterwards；　and　not；　indeed；　until　Sir　Pitt's　only　boy；
always　sickly；　died　of　hooping…cough　and　measlesthen
Rawdon's　mamma　wrote　the　most　affectionate　composition
to　her　darling　son；　who　was　made　heir　of　Queen's
Crawley　by　this　accident；　and　drawn　more　closely　than
ever　to　the　kind　lady；　whose　tender　heart　had　already
adopted　him。　　Rawdon　Crawley；　then　grown　a　tall；　fine
lad；　blushed　when　he　got　the　letter。　　〃Oh；　Aunt　Jane；　you
are　my　mother！〃　he　said；　〃and　notand　not　that　one。〃
But　he　wrote　back　a　kind　and　respectful　letter　to　Mrs。
Rebecca；　then　living　at　a　boarding…house　at　Florence。
But　we　are　advancing　matters。
Our　darling　Becky's　first　flight　was　not　very　far。　　She
perched　upon　the　French　coast　at　Boulogne；　that　refuge
of　so　much　exiled　English　innocence；　and　there　lived　in
rather　a　genteel；　widowed　manner；　with　a　femme　de
chambre　and　a　couple　of　rooms；　at　an　hotel。　　She　dined
at　the　table　d'hote；　where　people　thought　her　very　pleasant；
and　where　she　entertained　her　neighbours　by　stories
of　her　brother；　Sir　Pitt；　and　her　great　London　acquaintance；
talking　that　easy；　fashionable　slip…slop　which　has
so　much　effect　upon　certain　folks　of　small　breeding。　　She
passed　with　many　of　them　for　a　person　of　importance；
she　gave　little　tea…parties　in　her　private　room　and　shared
in　the　innocent　amusements　of　the　place　in　sea…bathing；
and　in　jaunts　in　open　carriages；　in　strolls　on　the　sands；
and　in　visits　to　the　play。　　Mrs。　Burjoice；　the　printer's
lady；　who　was　boarding　with　her　family　at　the　hotel　for
the　summer；　and　to　whom　her　Burjoice　came　of　a
Saturday　and　Sunday；　voted　her　charming；　until　that　little
rogue　of　a　Burjoice　began　to　pay　her　too　much
attention。　　But　there　was　nothing　in　the　story；　only　that
Becky　was　always　affable；　easy；　and　good…naturedand
with　men　especially。
Numbers　of　people　were　going　abroad　as　usual　at　the
end　of　the　season；　and　Becky　had　plenty　of　opportunities
of　finding　out　by　the　behaviour　of　her　acquaintances　of
the　great　London　world　the　opinion　of　〃society〃　as
regarded　her　conduct。　　One　day　it　was　Lady　Partlet　and　her
daughters　whom　Becky　confronted　as　she　was　walking
modestly　on　Boulogne　pier；　the　cliffs　of　Albion　shining
in　the　distance　across　the　deep　blue　sea。　　Lady　Partlet
marshalled　all　her　daughters　round　her　with　a　sweep　of
her　parasol　and　retreated　from　the　pier；　darting　savage
glances　at　poor　little　Becky　who　stood　alone　there。
On　another　day　the　packet　came　in。　　It　had　been
blowing　fresh；　and　it　always　suited　Becky's　humour　to
see　the　droll　woe…begone　faces　of　the　people　as　they
emerged　from　the　boat。　　Lady　Slingstone　happened　to　be
on　board　this　day。　　Her　ladyship　had　been　exceedingly　ill
in　her　carriage；　and　was　greatly　exhausted　and　scarcely
fit　to　walk　up　the　plank　from　the　ship　to　the　pier。　　But
all　her　energies　rallied　the　instant　she　saw　Becky　smiling
roguishly　under　a　pink　bonnet；　and　giving　her　a
glance　of　scorn　such　as　would　have　shrivelled　up　most
women；　she　walked　into　the　Custom　House　quite
unsupported。　　Becky　only　laughed：　　but　I　don't　think　she　liked
it。　　She　felt　she　was　alone；　quite　alone；　and　the　far…off
shining　cliffs　of　England　were　impassable　to　her。
The　behaviour　of　the　men　had　undergone　too　I　don't
know　what　change。　　Grinstone　showed　his　teeth　and
laughed　in　her　face　with　a　familiarity　that　was　not　pleasant。
Little　Bob　Suckling；　who　was　cap　in　hand　to　her
three　months　before；　and　would　walk　a　mile　in　the　rain
to　see　for　her　carriage　in　the　line　at　Gaunt　House；　was
talking　to　Fitzoof　of　the　Guards　（Lord　Heehaw's　son）
one　day　upon　the　jetty；　as　Becky　took　her　walk　there。
Little　Bobby　nodded　to　her　over　his　shoulder；　without
moving　his　hat；　and　continued　his　conversation　with　the
heir　of　Heehaw。　　Tom　Raikes　tried　to　walk　into　her
sitting…room　at　the　inn　with　a　cigar　in　his　mouth；　but　she
closed　the　door　upon　him；　and　would　have　locked　it；
only　that　his　fingers　were　inside。　　She　began　to　feel　that
she　was　very　lonely　indeed。　　〃If　HE'D　been　here；〃　she　said；
〃those　cowards　would　never　have　dared　to　insult　me。〃
She　thought　about　〃him〃　with　great　sadness　and
perhaps　longingabout　his　honest；　stupid；　constant　kindness
and　fidelity；　his　never…ceasing　obedience；　his　good
humour；　his　bravery　and　courage。　　Very　likely　she　cried；
for　she　was　particularly　lively；　and　had　put　on　a　little
extra　rouge；　when　she　came　down　to　dinner。
She　rouged　regularly　now；　andand　her　maid　got
Cognac　for　her　besides　that　which　was　charged　in　the
hotel　bill。
Perhaps　the　insults　of　the　men　were　not；　however；　so
intolerable　to　her　as　the　sympathy　of　certain　women。
Mrs。　Crackenbury　and　Mrs。　Washington　White　passed
through　Boulogne　on　their　way　to　Switzerland。　　~The　party
were　protected　by　Colonel　Horner；　young　Beaumoris；　and
of　course　old　Crackenbury；　and　Mrs。　White's　little　girl。）
THEY　did　not　avoid　her。　　They　giggled；　cackled；　tattled；
condoled；　consoled；　and　patronized　her　until　they　drove
her　almost　wild　with　rage。　　To　be　patronized　by　THEM！
she　thought；　as　they　went　away　simpering　after　kissing
her。　　And　she　heard　Beaumoris's　laugh　ringing　on　the
stair　and　knew　quite　well　how　to　interpret　his　hilarity。
It　was　after　this　visit　that　Becky；　who　had　paid　her
weekly　bills；　Becky　who　had　made　herself　agreeable　to
everybody　in　the　house；　who　smiled　at　the　landlady；
called　the　waiters　〃monsieur；〃　and　paid　the　chambermaids
in　politeness　and　apologies；　what　far　more　than
compensated　for　a　little　niggardliness　in　point　of　money
（of　which　Becky　never　was　free）；　that　Becky；　we　say；
received　a　notice　to　quit　from　the　landlord；　who　had
been　told　by　some　one　that　she　was　quite　an　unfit
person　to　have　at　his　hotel；　where　English　ladies　would　not
sit　down　with　her。　　And　she　was　forced　to　fly　into　lodgings
of　which　the　dulness　and　solitude　were　most　wearisome
to　her。
Still　she　held　up；　in　spite　of　these　rebuffs；　and　tried　to
make　a　character　for　herself　and　conquer　scandal。　　She
went　to　church　very　regularly　and　sang　louder　than
anybody　there。　　She　took　up　the　cause　of　the　widows　of　the
shipwrecked　fishermen；　and　gave　work　and　drawings　for
the　Quashyboo　Mission；　she　subscribed　to　the　Assembly
and　WOULDN'T　waltz。　　In　a　word；　she　did　everything　that
was　respectable；　and　that　is　why　we　dwell　upon　this
part　of　her　career　with　more　fondness　than　upon
subsequent　parts　of　her　history；　which　are　not　so　pleasant。
She　saw　people　avoiding　her；　and　still　laboriously　smiled
upon　them；　you　never　could　suppose　from　her
countenance　what　pangs　of　humiliation　she　might　be
enduring　inwardly。
Her　history　was　after　all　a　mystery。　　Parties　were
divided　about　her。　　Some　people　who　took　the　trouble　to
busy　themselves　in　the　matter　said　that　she　was　the
criminal；　whilst　others　vowed　that　she　was　as　innocent
as　a　lamb　and　that　her　odious　husband　was　in　fault。
She　won　over　a　good　many　by　bursting　into　tears
about　her　boy　and　exhibiting　the　most　frantic　grief
when　his　name　was　mentioned；　or　she　saw　anybody　like
him。　　She　gained　good　Mrs。　Alderney's　heart　in　that　way；
who　was　rather　the　Queen　of　British　Boulogne　and　gave
the　most　dinners　and　balls　of　all　the　residents　there；　by
weeping　when　Master　Alderney　came　from　Dr。　Swishtail's
academy　to　pass　his　holidays　with　his　mother。　　〃He　and
her　Rawdon　were　of　the　same　age；　and　so　like；〃　Becky
said　in　a　voice　choking　with　agony；　whereas　there　was
five　years'　difference　between　the　boys'　ages；　and　no
more　likeness　between　them　than　between　my　respected
reader　and　his　humble　servant。　　Wenham；　when　he　was
going　abroad；　on　his　way　to　Kissingen　to　join　Lord
Steyne；　enlightened　Mrs。　Alderney　on　this　point　and　told
her　how　he　was　much　more　able　to　describe　little
Rawdon　than　his　mamma；　who　notoriously　hated　him　and
never　saw　him；　how　he　was　thirteen　years　old；　while
little　Alderney　was　but　nine；　fair；　while　the　other　darling
was　darkin　a　word；　caused　the　lady　in　question　to
repent　of　her　good　humour。
Whenever　Becky　made　a　little　circle　for　herself　with
incredible　toils　and　labour；　somebody　cam