vanity fair(名利场)-第182节

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the　Hyde　Park　of　the　Roman　idlerspossibly　in　hopes　to
have　another　sight　of　Lord　Steyne。　　But　she　met　another
acquaintance　there：　　it　was　Mr。　Fiche；　his　lordship's
confidential　man；　who　came　up　nodding　to　her　rather
familiarly　and　putting　a　finger　to　his　hat。　　〃I　knew　that　Madame
was　here；〃　he　said；　〃I　followed　her　from　her　hotel。　　I　have
some　advice　to　give　Madame。〃
〃From　the　Marquis　of　Steyne？〃　Becky　asked；　resuming
as　much　of　her　dignity　as　she　could　muster；　and　not
a　little　agitated　by　hope　and　expectation。
〃No；〃　said　the　valet；　〃it　is　from　me。　　Rome　is　very
unwholesome。〃
〃Not　at　this　season；　Monsieur　Fichenot　till　after
Easter。〃
〃I　tell　Madame　it　is　unwholesome　now。　　There　is　always
malaria　for　some　people。　　That　cursed　marsh　wind　kills
many　at　all　seasons。　　Look；　Madame　Crawley；　you　were
always　bon　enfant；　and　I　have　an　interest　in　you；　parole
d'honneur。　　Be　warned。　　Go　away　from　Rome；　I　tell　you
or　you　will　be　ill　and　die。〃
Becky　laughed；　though　in　rage　and　fury。　　〃What！
assassinate　poor　little　me？〃　she　said。　　〃How　romantic！　　Does
my　lord　carry　bravos　for　couriers；　and　stilettos　in　the
fourgons？　Bah！　　I　will　stay；　if　but　to　plague　him。　　I　have
those　who　will　defend　me　whilst　I　am　here。〃
It　was　Monsieur　Fiche's　turn　to　laugh　now。　　〃Defend
you；〃　he　said；　〃and　who？　The　Major；　the　Captain；　any
one　of　those　gambling　men　whom　Madame　sees　would
take　her　life　for　a　hundred　louis。　　We　know　things　about
Major　Loder　（he　is　no　more　a　Major　than　I　am　my　Lord
the　Marquis）　which　would　send　him　to　the　galleys　or
worse。　　We　know　everything　and　have　friends　everywhere。
We　know　whom　you　saw　at　Paris；　and　what　relations　you
found　there。　　Yes；　Madame　may　stare；　but　we　do。　　How
was　it　that　no　minister　on　the　Continent　would　receive
Madame？　She　has　offended　somebody：　　who　never
forgiveswhose　rage　redoubled　when　he　saw　you。　　He　was
like　a　madman　last　night　when　he　came　home。　　Madame
de　Belladonna　made　him　a　scene　about　you　and　fired　off
in　one　of　her　furies。〃
〃Oh；　it　was　Madame　de　Belladonna；　was　it？〃　Becky
said；　relieved　a　little；　for　the　information　she　had　just　got
had　scared　her。
〃Noshe　does　not　mattershe　is　always　jealous。　　I
tell　you　it　was　Monseigneur。　　You　did　wrong　to　show
yourself　to　him。　　And　if　you　stay　here　you　will　repent　it。　　Mark
my　words。　　Go。　　Here　is　my　lord's　carriage〃and　seizing
Becky's　arm；　he　rushed　down　an　alley　of　the　garden　as
Lord　Steyne's　barouche；　blazing　with　heraldic　devices；
came　whirling　along　the　avenue；　borne　by　the　almost
priceless　horses；　and　bearing　Madame　de　Belladonna
lolling　on　the　cushions；　dark；　sulky；　and　blooming；　a　King
Charles　in　her　lap；　a　white　parasol　swaying　over　her
head；　and　old　Steyne　stretched　at　her　side　with　a　livid
face　and　ghastly　eyes。　　Hate；　or　anger；　or　desire　caused
them　to　brighten　now　and　then　still；　but　ordinarily；　they
gave　no　light；　and　seemed　tired　of　looking　out　on　a　world
of　which　almost　all　the　pleasure　and　all　the　best　beauty
had　palled　upon　the　worn…out　wicked　old　man。
〃Monseigneur　has　never　recovered　the　shock　of　that
night；　never；〃　Monsieur　Fiche　whispered　to　Mrs。　Crawley
as　the　carriage　flashed　by；　and　she　peeped　out　at　it
from　behind　the　shrubs　that　hid　her。　　〃That　was　a
consolation　at　any　rate；〃　Becky　thought。
Whether　my　lord　really　had　murderous　intentions
towards　Mrs。　Becky　as　Monsieur　Fiche　said　（since
Monseigneur's　death　he　has　returned　to　his　native　country；
where　he　lives　much　respected；　and　has　purchased　from
his　Prince　the　title　of　Baron　Ficci）；　and　the　factotum
objected　to　have　to　do　with　assassination；　or　whether　he
simply　had　a　commission　to　frighten　Mrs。　Crawley　out　of
a　city　where　his　Lordship　proposed　to　pass　the　winter；
and　the　sight　of　her　would　be　eminently　disagreeable　to
the　great　nobleman；　is　a　point　which　has　never　been
ascertained：　　but　the　threat　had　its　effect　upon　the　little
woman；　and　she　sought　no　more　to　intrude　herself　upon
the　presence　of　her　old　patron。
Everybody　knows　the　melancholy　end　of　that
nobleman；　which　befell　at　Naples　two　months　after　the　French
Revolution　of　1830；　when　the　Most　Honourable　George
Gustavus；　Marquis　of　Steyne；　Earl　of　Gaunt　and　of　Gaunt
Castle；　in　the　Peerage　of　Ireland；　Viscount　Hellborough；
Baron　Pitchley　and　Grillsby；　a　Knight　of　the　Most　Noble
Order　of　the　Garter；　of　the　Golden　Fleece　of　Spain；　of
the　Russian　Order　of　Saint　Nicholas　of　the　First　Class；　of
the　Turkish　Order　of　the　Crescent；　First　Lord　of　the
Powder　Closet　and　Groom　of　the　Back　Stairs；　Colonel　of
the　Gaunt　or　Regent's　Own　Regiment　of　Militia；　a　Trustee
of　the　British　Museum；　an　Elder　Brother　of　the　Trinity
House；　a　Governor　of　the　White　Friars；　and　D。C。L。
died　after　a　series　of　fits　brought　on；　as　the　papers　said；
by　the　shock　occasioned　to　his　lordship's　sensibilities　by
the　downfall　of　the　ancient　French　monarchy。
An　eloquent　catalogue　appeared　in　a　weekly　print；
describing　his　virtues；　his　magnificence；　his　talents；　and
his　good　actions。　　His　sensibility；　his　attachment　to　the
illustrious　House　of　Bourbon；　with　which　he　claimed　an
alliance；　were　such　that　he　could　not　survive　the
misfortunes　of　his　august　kinsmen。　　His　body　was　buried　at
Naples；　and　his　heartthat　heart　which　always　beat　with
every　generous　and　noble　emotion　was　brought　back　to
Castle　Gaunt　in　a　silver　urn。　　〃In　him；〃　Mr。　Wagg　said；
〃the　poor　and　the　Fine　Arts　have　lost　a　beneficent　patron；
society　one　of　its　most　brilliant　ornaments；　and　England
one　of　her　loftiest　patriots　and　statesmen；〃　&c。；　&c。
His　will　was　a　good　deal　disputed；　and　an　attempt　was
made　to　force　from　Madame　de　Belladonna　the
celebrated　jewel　called　the　〃Jew's…eye〃　diamond；　which　his
lordship　always　wore　on　his　forefinger；　and　which　it　was
said　that　she　removed　from　it　after　his　lamented　demise。
But　his　confidential　friend　and　attendant；　Monsieur　Fiche
proved　that　the　ring　had　been　presented　to　the　said
Madame　de　Belladonna　two　days　before　the　Marquis's
death；　as　were　the　bank…notes；　jewels；　Neapolitan　and
French　bonds；　&c。；　found　in　his　lordship's　secretaire　and
claimed　by　his　heirs　from　that　injured　woman。

CHAPTER　LXV
Full　of　Business　and　Pleasure
The　day　after　the　meeting　at　the　play…table；　Jos　had
himself　arrayed　with　unusual　care　and　splendour；　and
without　thinking　it　necessary　to　say　a　word　to　any
member　of　his　family　regarding　the　occurrences　of　the　previous
night；　or　asking　for　their　company　in　his　walk；　he　sallied
forth　at　an　early　hour；　and　was　presently　seen　making
inquiries　at　the　door　of　the　Elephant　Hotel。　　In　consequence
of　the　fetes　the　house　was　full　of　company；　the
tables　in　the　street　were　already　surrounded　by　persons
smoking　and　drinking　the　national　small…beer；　the　public
rooms　were　in　a　cloud　of　smoke；　and　Mr。　Jos　having；　in
his　pompous　way；　and　with　his　clumsy　German；　made
inquiries　for　the　person　of　whom　he　was　in　search；　was
directed　to　the　very　top　of　the　house；　above　the　first…floor
rooms　where　some　travelling　pedlars　had　lived；　and　were
exhibiting　their　jewellery　and　brocades；　above　the　second…
floor　apartments　occupied　by　the　etat　major　of　the
gambling　firm；　above　the　third…floor　rooms；　tenanted　by　the
band　of　renowned　Bohemian　vaulters　and　tumblers；　and
so　on　to　the　little　cabins　of　the　roof；　where；　among
students；　bagmen；　small　tradesmen；　and　country…folks　come
in　for　the　festival；　Becky　had　found　a　little　nestas　dirty
a　little　refuge　as　ever　beauty　lay　hid　in。
Becky　liked　the　life。　　She　was　at　home　with　everybody
in　the　place；　pedlars；　punters；　tumblers；　students　and　all。
She　was　of　a　wild；　roving　nature；　inherited　from　father
and　mother；　who　were　both　Bohemians；　by　taste　and
circumstance；　if　a　lord　was　not　by；　she　would　talk　to　his
courier　with　the　greatest　pleasure；　the　din；　the　stir；　the
drink；　the　smoke；　the　tattle　of　the　Hebrew　pedlars；　the
solemn；　braggart　ways　of　the　poor　tumblers；　the　sournois
talk　of　the　gambling…table　officials；　the　songs　and　swagger
of　the　students；　and　the　general　buzz　and　hum　of
the　place　had　pleased　and　tickled　the　little　woman；　even
when　her　luck　was　down　and　she　had　not　wherewithal　to
pay　her　bill。　　How　pleasant　was　all　the　bustle　to　her　now
that　her　purse　was　full　of　the　money　which　little　Georgy
had　won　for　her　the　night　before！
As　Jos　came　creaking　and　puffing　up　the　final　stairs；
and　was　speechless　when　he　got　to　the　landing；　and　began
to　wipe　his　face　and　then　to　look　for　No。　　92；　the　room
where　he　was　directed　to　seek　for　the　person　he　wanted；
the　door　of　the　opposite　chamber；　No。　　90；　was　open；
and　a　student；　in　jack…boots　and　a　dirty　schlafrock；　was
lying　on　the　bed　smoking　a　long　pipe；　whilst　another
student　in　long　yellow　hair　and　a　braided　coat；　exceeding
smart　and　dirty　too；　was　actually　on　his　knees　at　No。　　92；
bawling　through　the　keyhole　supplications　to　the　person
within。
〃Go　away；〃　said　a　well…known　voice；　which　made　Jos
thrill；　〃I　expect　somebody；　I　expect　my　grandpapa。　　He
mustn't　see　you　there。〃
〃Angel　Englanderinn！〃　bellowed　the　kneeling　student
with　the　whity…brown　ringlets　and　the　large　finger…ring；
〃do　take　compassion　upon　us。　　Make　an　appointment。
Dine　with　me　and　Fritz　at　the　inn　in　the　park。　　We　will
have　roast　pheasants　and　porter；　plum…pudding　and
Fr