vanity fair(名利场)-第180节

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repent　of　her　good　humour。
Whenever　Becky　made　a　little　circle　for　herself　with
incredible　toils　and　labour；　somebody　came　and　swept　it
down　rudely；　and　she　had　all　her　work　to　begin　over
again。　　It　was　very　hard；　very　hard；　lonely　and
disheartening。
There　was　Mrs。　Newbright；　who　took　her　up　for　some
time；　attracted　by　the　sweetness　of　her　singing　at　church
and　by　her　proper　views　upon　serious　subjects；　concerning
which　in　former　days；　at　Queen's　Crawley；　Mrs。
Becky　had　had　a　good　deal　of　instruction。　　Well；　she　not
only　took　tracts；　but　she　read　them。　　She　worked　flannel
petticoats　for　the　Quashybooscotton　night…caps　for　the
Cocoanut　Indianspainted　handscreens　for　the
conversion　of　the　Pope　and　the　Jewssat　under　Mr。　Rowls
on　Wednesdays；　Mr。　Huggleton　on　Thursdays；　attended
two　Sunday　services　at　church；　besides　Mr。　Bawler；　the
Darbyite；　in　the　evening；　and　all　in　vain。　　Mrs。　Newbright
had　occasion　to　correspond　with　the　Countess　of　Southdown
about　the　Warmingpan　Fund　for　the　Fiji
Islanders　（for　the　management　of　which　admirable
charity　both　these　ladies　formed　part　of　a　female　committee）；
and　having　mentioned　her　〃sweet　friend；〃　Mrs。　Rawdon
Crawley；　the　Dowager　Countess　wrote　back　such　a
letter　regarding　Becky；　with　such　particulars；　hints；　facts；
falsehoods；　and　general　comminations；　that　intimacy
between　Mrs。　Newbright　and　Mrs。　Crawley　ceased　forthwith；
and　all　the　serious　world　of　Tours；　where　this　misfortune
took　place；　immediately　parted　company　with　the
reprobate。　　Those　who　know　the　English　Colonies　abroad
know　that　we　carry　with　us　us　our　pride；　pills；　prejudices；
Harvey…sauces；　cayenne…peppers；　and　other　Lares；
making　a　little　Britain　wherever　we　settle　down。
From　one　colony　to　another　Becky　fled　uneasily。　　From
Boulogne　to　Dieppe；　from　Dieppe　to　Caen；　from　Caen
to　Tourstrying　with　all　her　might　to　be　respectable；
and　alas！　　always　found　out　some　day　or　other　and
pecked　out　of　the　cage　by　the　real　daws。
Mrs。　Hook　Eagles　took　her　up　at　one　of　these　places
a　woman　without　a　blemish　in　her　character　and　a　house
in　Portman　Square。　　She　was　staying　at　the　hotel　at　Dieppe；
whither　Becky　fled；　and　they　made　each　other's　acquaintance
first　at　sea；　where　they　were　swimming　together；
and　subsequently　at　the　table　d'hote　of　the　hotel。　　Mrs
Eagles　had　heardwho　indeed　had　not？some　of　the
scandal　of　the　Steyne　affair；　but　after　a　conversation
with　Becky；　she　pronounced　that　Mrs。　Crawley　was　an
angel；　her　husband　a　ruffian；　Lord　Steyne　an
unprincipled　wretch；　as　everybody　knew；　and　the　whole　case
against　Mrs。　Crawley　an　infamous　and　wicked　conspiracy
of　that　rascal　Wenham。　　〃If　you　were　a　man　of
any　spirit；　Mr。　Eagles；　you　would　box　the　wretch's　ears
the　next　time　you　see　him　at　the　Club；〃　she　said　to　her
husband。　　But　Eagles　was　only　a　quiet　old　gentleman；
husband　to　Mrs。　Eagles；　with　a　taste　for　geology；　and　not　tall
enough　to　reach　anybody's　ears。
The　Eagles　then　patronized　Mrs。　Rawdon；　took　her　to
live　with　her　at　her　own　house　at　Paris；　quarrelled　with
the　ambassador's　wife　because　she　would　not　receive　her
protegee；　and　did　all　that　lay　in　woman's　power　to　keep
Becky　straight　in　the　paths　of　virtue　and　good　repute。
Becky　was　very　respectable　and　orderly　at　first；　but
the　life　of　humdrum　virtue　grew　utterly　tedious　to　her
before　long。　　It　was　the　same　routine　every　day；　the　same
dulness　and　comfort；　the　same　drive　over　the　same
stupid　Bois　de　Boulogne；　the　same　company　of　an
evening；　the　same　Blair's　Sermon　of　a　Sunday　nightthe
same　opera　always　being　acted　over　and　over　again；
Becky　was　dying　of　weariness；　when；　luckily　for　her；
young　Mr。　Eagles　came　from　Cambridge；　and　his　mother；
seeing　the　impression　which　her　little　friend　made　upon
him；　straightway　gave　Becky　warning。
Then　she　tried　keeping　house　with　a　female　friend；
then　the　double　menage　began　to　quarrel　and　get　into
debt。　　Then　she　determined　upon　a　boarding…house　existence
and　lived　for　some　time　at　that　famous　mansion
kept　by　Madame　de　Saint　Amour；　in　the　Rue　Royale；　at
Paris；　where　she　began　exercising　her　graces　and
fascinations　upon　the　shabby　dandies　and　fly…blown　beauties
who　frequented　her　landlady's　salons。　　Becky　loved
society　and；　indeed；　could　no　more　exist　without　it　than　an
opium…eater　without　his　dram；　and　she　was　happy
enough　at　the　period　of　her　boarding…house　life。　　〃The
women　here　are　as　amusing　as　those　in　May　Fair；〃　she
told　an　old　London　friend　who　met　her；　〃only；　their
dresses　are　not　quite　so　fresh。　　The　men　wear　cleaned
gloves；　and　are　sad　rogues；　certainly；　but　they　are　not
worse　than　Jack　This　and　Tom　That。　　The　mistress　of　the
house　is　a　little　vulgar；　but　I　don't　think　she　is　so　vulgar
as　Lady　〃　and　here　she　named　the　name　of　a
great　leader　of　fashion　that　I　would　die　rather　than
reveal。　　In　fact；　when　you　saw　Madame　de　Saint　Amour's
rooms　lighted　up　of　a　night；　men　with　plaques　and
cordons　at　the　ecarte　tables；　and　the　women　at　a　little
distance；　you　might　fancy　yourself　for　a　while　in　good
society；　and　that　Madame　was　a　real　Countess。　　Many
people　did　so　fancy；　and　Becky　was　for　a　while　one　of　the
most　dashing　ladies　of　the　Countess's　salons。
But　it　is　probable　that　her　old　creditors　of　1815　found
her　out　and　caused　her　to　leave　Paris；　for　the　poor　little
woman　was　forced　to　fly　from　the　city　rather　suddenly；
and　went　thence　to　Brussels。
How　well　she　remembered　the　place！　　She　grinned　as
she　looked　up　at　the　little　entresol　which　she　had
occupied；　and　thought　of　the　Bareacres　family；　bawling
for　horses　and　flight；　as　their　carriage　stood　in　the
porte…cochere　of　the　hotel。　　She　went　to　Waterloo　and　to
Laeken；　where　George　Osborne's　monument　much
struck　her。　　She　made　a　little　sketch　of　it。　　〃That　poor
Cupid！〃　she　said；　〃how　dreadfully　he　was　in　love　with
me；　and　what　a　fool　he　was！　　I　wonder　whether　little
Emmy　is　alive。　　It　was　a　good　little　creature；　and　that
fat　brother　of　hers。　　I　have　his　funny　fat　picture　still
among　my　papers。　　They　were　kind　simple　people。〃
At　Brussels　Becky　arrived；　recommended　by　Madame
de　Saint　Amour　to　her　friend；　Madame　la　Comtesse　de
Borodino；　widow　of　Napoleon's　General；　the　famous
Count　de　Borodino；　who　was　left　with　no　resource　by　the
deceased　hero　but　that　of　a　table　d'hote　and　an　ecarte
table。　　Second…rate　dandies　and　roues；　widow…ladies　who
always　have　a　lawsuit；　and　very　simple　English　folks；　who
fancy　they　see　〃Continental　society〃　at　these　houses；　put
down　their　money；　or　ate　their　meals；　at　Madame　de
Borodino's　tables。　　The　gallant　young　fellows　treated　the
company　round　to　champagne　at　the　table　d'hote；　rode
out　with　the　women；　or　hired　horses　on　country　excursions；
clubbed　money　to　take　boxes　at　the　play　or　the
opera；　betted　over　the　fair　shoulders　of　the　ladies　at　the
ecarte　tables；　and　wrote　home　to　their　parents　in
Devonshire　about　their　felicitous　introduction　to　foreign
society。
Here；　as　at　Paris；　Becky　was　a　boarding…house　queen；
and　ruled　in　select　pensions。　　She　never　refused　the
champagne；　or　the　bouquets；　or　the　drives　into　the　country；
or　the　private　boxes；　but　what　she　preferred　was　the
ecarte　at　night；and　she　played　audaciously。　　First　she
played　only　for　a　little；　then　for　five…franc　pieces；　then　for
Napoleons；　then　for　notes：　　then　she　would　not　be　able
to　pay　her　month's　pension：　　then　she　borrowed　from
the　young　gentlemen：　　then　she　got　into　cash　again　and
bullied　Madame　de　Borodino；　whom　she　had　coaxed　and
wheedled　before：　　then　she　was　playing　for　ten　sous　at　a
time；　and　in　a　dire　state　of　poverty：　　then　her　quarter's
allowance　would　come　in；　and　she　would　pay　off　Madame
de　Borodino's　score　and　would　once　more　take　the
cards　against　Monsieur　de　Rossignol；　or　the　Chevalier　de
Raff。
When　Becky　left　Brussels；　the　sad　truth　is　that　she
owed　three　months'　pension　to　Madame　de　Borodino；　of
which　fact；　and　of　the　gambling；　and　of　the　drinking；　and
of　the　going　down　on　her　knees　to　the　Reverend　Mr。
Muff；　Ministre　Anglican；　and　borrowing　money　of　him；
and　of　her　coaxing　and　flirting　with　Milor　Noodle；　son　of
Sir　Noodle；　pupil　of　the　Rev。　　Mr。　Muff；　whom　she　used
to　take　into　her　private　room；　and　of　whom　she　won
large　sums　at　ecarteof　which　fact；　I　say；　and　of　a
hundred　of　her　other　knaveries；　the　Countess　de
Borodino　informs　every　English　person　who　stops　at　her
establishment；　and　announces　that　Madame　Rawdon　was
no　better　than　a　vipere。
So　our　little　wanderer　went　about　setting　up　her　tent
in　various　cities　of　Europe；　as　restless　as　Ulysses　or
Bampfylde　Moore　Carew。　　Her　taste　for　disrespectability
grew　more　and　more　remarkable。　　She　became　a　perfect
Bohemian　ere　long；　herding　with　people　whom　it　would
make　your　hair　stand　on　end　to　meet。
There　is　no　town　of　any　mark　in　Europe　but　it　has　its
little　colony　of　English　raffsmen　whose　names　Mr。
Hemp　the　officer　reads　out　periodically　at　the　Sheriffs'
Courtyoung　gentlemen　of　very　good　family　often；　only
that　the　latter　disowns　them；　frequenters　of　billiard…
rooms　and　estaminets；　patrons　of　foreign　races　and
gaming…tables。　　They　people　the　debtors'　prisonsthey
drink　and　swaggerthey　fight　and　brawlthey　run　away
without　payingthey　have　duels　with　French　and　German
officersthey　chea