vanity fair(名利场)-第183节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Dine　with　me　and　Fritz　at　the　inn　in　the　park。　　We　will
have　roast　pheasants　and　porter；　plum…pudding　and
French　wine。　　We　shall　die　if　you　don't。〃
〃That　we　will；〃　said　the　young　nobleman　on　the　bed；
and　this　colloquy　Jos　overheard；　though　he　did　not
comprehend　it；　for　the　reason　that　he　had　never　studied
the　language　in　which　it　was　carried　on。
〃Newmero　kattervang　dooze；　si　vous　plait；〃　Jos　said
in　his　grandest　manner；　when　he　was　able　to　speak。
〃Quater　fang　tooce！〃　said　the　student；　starting　up；　and
he　bounced　into　his　own　room；　where　he　locked　the　door；
and　where　Jos　heard　him　laughing　with　his　comrade　on
the　bed。
The　gentleman　from　Bengal　was　standing；　disconcerted
by　this　incident；　when　the　door　of　the　92　opened　of
itself　and　Becky's　little　head　peeped　out　full　of　archness
and　mischief。　　She　lighted　on　Jos。　　〃It's　you；〃　she　said；
coming　out。　　〃How　I　have　been　waiting　for　you！　　Stop！
not　yetin　one　minute　you　shall　come　in。〃　In　that　instant
she　put　a　rouge…pot；　a　brandy　bottle；　and　a　plate　of　broken
meat　into　the　bed；　gave　one　smooth　to　her　hair；　and
finally　let　in　her　visitor。
She　had；　by　way　of　morning　robe；　a　pink　domino；　a
trifle　faded　and　soiled；　and　marked　here　and　there　with
pomaturn；　but　her　arms　shone　out　from　the　loose　sleeves
of　the　dress　very　white　and　fair；　and　it　was　tied　round
her　little　waist　so　as　not　ill　to　set　off　the　trim　little　figure
of　the　wearer。　　She　led　Jos　by　the　hand　into　her　garret。
〃Come　in；〃　she　said。　　〃Come　and　talk　to　me。　　Sit　yonder
on　the　chair〃；　and　she　gave　the　civilian's　hand　a　little
squeeze　and　laughingly　placed　him　upon　it。　　As　for
herself；　she　placed　herself　on　the　bednot　on　the　bottle
and　plate；　you　may　be　sureon　which　Jos　might　have
reposed；　had　he　chosen　that　seat；　and　so　there　she　sat
and　talked　with　her　old　admirer。
　　〃How　little　years　have　changed　you；〃　she　said　with　a
look　of　tender　interest。　　〃I　should　have　known　you
anywhere。　　What　a　comfort　it　is　amongst　strangers　to　see
once　more　the　frank　honest　face　of　an　old　friend！〃
The　frank　honest　face；　to　tell　the　truth；　at　this
moment　bore　any　expression　but　one　of　openness　and
honesty：　　it　was；　on　the　contrary；　much　perturbed　and
puzzled　in　look。　　Jos　was　surveying　the　queer　little　apartment
in　which　he　found　his　old　flame。　　One　of　her　gowns　hung
over　the　bed；　another　depending　from　a　hook　of　the　door；
her　bonnet　obscured　half　the　looking…glass；　on　which；
too；　lay　the　prettiest　little　pair　of　bronze　boots；　a　French
novel　was　on　the　table　by　the　bedside；　with　a　candle；　not
of　wax。　　Becky　thought　of　popping　that　into　the　bed　too；
but　she　only　put　in　the　little　paper　night…cap　with　which
she　had　put　the　candle　out　on　going　to　sleep。
〃I　should　have　known　you　anywhere；〃　she　continued；
〃a　woman　never　forgets　some　things。　　And　you　were　the
first　man　I　everI　ever　saw。〃
〃Was　I　really？〃　said　Jos。　　〃God　bless　my　soul；　you
you　don't　say　so。〃
〃When　I　came　with　your　sister　from　Chiswick；　I　was
scarcely　more　than　a　child；〃　Becky　said。　　〃How　is　that；
dear　love？　Oh；　her　husband　was　a　sad　wicked　man；　and
of　course　it　was　of　me　that　the　poor　dear　was　jealous。
As　if　I　cared　about　him；　heigho！　　when　there　was
somebodybut　nodon't　let　us　talk　of　old　times〃；　and　she
passed　her　handkerchief　with　the　tattered　lace　across
her　eyelids。
〃Is　not　this　a　strange　place；〃　she　continued；　〃for　a
woman；　who　has　lived　in　a　very　different　world　too；　to　be
found　in？　I　have　had　so　many　griefs　and　wrongs；　Joseph
Sedley；　I　have　been　made　to　suffer　so　cruelly　that　I　am
almost　made　mad　sometimes。　　I　can't　stay　still　in　any
place；　but　wander　about　always　restless　and　unhappy。
All　my　friends　have　been　false　to　meall。　　There　is　no
such　thing　as　an　honest　man　in　the　world。　　I　was　the　truest
wife　that　ever　lived；　though　I　married　my　husband　out　of
pique；　because　somebody　elsebut　never　mind　that。　　I
was　true；　and　he　trampled　upon　me　and　deserted　me。　　I
was　the　fondest　mother。　　I　had　but　one　child；　one　darling；
one　hope；　one　joy；　which　I　held　to　my　heart　with　a　mother's
affection；　which　was　my　life；　my　prayer；　mymy
blessing；　and　theythey　tore　it　from　metore　it　from
me〃；　and　she　put　her　hand　to　her　heart　with　a　passionate
gesture　of　despair；　burying　her　face　for　a　moment　on　the
bed。
The　brandy…bottle　inside　clinked　up　against　the　plate
which　held　the　cold　sausage。　　Both　were　moved；　no　doubt；
by　the　exhibition　of　so　much　grief。　　Max　and　Fritz　were　at
the　door；　listening　with　wonder　to　Mrs。　Becky's　sobs　and
cries。　　Jos；　too；　was　a　good　deal　frightened　and　affected　at
seeing　his　old　flame　in　this　condition。　　And　she　began；
forthwith；　to　tell　her　storya　tale　so　neat；　simple；　and
artless　that　it　was　quite　evident　from　hearing　her　that　if
ever　there　was　a　white…robed　angel　escaped　from　heaven
to　be　subject　to　the　infernal　machinations　and　villainy　of
fiends　here　below；　that　spotless　beingthat　miserable
unsullied　martyr；　was　present　on　the　bed　before　Joson
the　bed；　sitting　on　the　brandy…bottle。
They　had　a　very　long；　amicable；　and　confidential　talk
there；　in　the　course　of　which　Jos　Sedley　was　somehow
made　aware　（but　in　a　manner　that　did　not　in　the　least
scare　or　offend　him）　that　Becky's　heart　had　first　learned
to　beat　at　his　enchanting　presence；　that　George　Osborne
had　certainly　paid　an　unjustifiable　court　to　HER；　which
might　account　for　Amelia's　jealousy　and　their　little
rupture；　but　that　Becky　never　gave　the　least　encouragement
to　the　unfortunate　officer；　and　that　she　had　never　ceased
to　think　about　Jos　from　the　very　first　day　she　had　seen
him；　though；　of　course；　her　duties　as　a　married　woman
were　paramountduties　which　she　had　always　preserved；
and　would；　to　her　dying　day；　or　until　the　proverbially　bad
climate　in　which　Colonel　Crawley　was　living　should
release　her　from　a　yoke　which　his　cruelty　had　rendered
odious　to　her。
Jos　went　away；　convinced　that　she　was　the　most　virtuous；
as　she　was　one　of　the　most　fascinating　of　women；
and　revolving　in　his　mind　all　sorts　of　benevolent　schemes
for　her　welfare。　　Her　persecutions　ought　to　be　ended：
she　ought　to　return　to　the　society　of　which　she　was　an
ornament。　　He　would　see　what　ought　to　be　done。　　She
must　quit　that　place　and　take　a　quiet　lodging。　　Amelia
must　come　and　see　her　and　befriend　her。　　He　would　go
and　settle　about　it；　and　consult　with　the　Major。　　She　wept
tears　of　heart…felt　gratitude　as　she　parted　from　him；　and
pressed　his　hand　as　the　gallant　stout　gentleman　stooped
down　to　kiss　hers。
So　Becky　bowed　Jos　out　of　her　little　garret　with　as
much　grace　as　if　it　was　a　palace　of　which　she　did　the
honours；　and　that　heavy　gentleman　having　disappeared
down　the　stairs；　Max　and　Fritz　came　out　of　their　hole；
pipe　in　mouth；　and　she　amused　herself　by　mimicking　Jos
to　them　as　she　munched　her　cold　bread　and　sausage　and
took　draughts　of　her　favourite　brandy…and…water。
Jos　walked　over　to　Dobbin's　lodgings　with　great
solemnity　and　there　imparted　to　him　the　affecting　history
with　which　he　had　just　been　made　acquainted；　without；
however；　mentioning　the　play　business　of　the　night　before。
And　the　two　gentlemen　were　laying　their　heads　together
and　consulting　as　to　the　best　means　of　being　useful　to
Mrs。　Becky；　while　she　was　finishing　her　interrupted
dejeuner　a　la　fourchette。
How　was　it　that　she　had　come　to　that　little　town？
How　was　it　that　she　had　no　friends　and　was　wandering
about　alone？　Little　boys　at　school　are　taught　in　their
earliest　Latin　book　that　the　path　of　Avernus　is　very　easy
of　descent。　　Let　us　skip　over　the　interval　in　the　history　of
her　downward　progress。　　She　was　not　worse　now　than　she
had　been　in　the　days　of　her　prosperityonly　a　little
down　on　her　luck。
As　for　Mrs。　Amelia；　she　was　a　woman　of　such　a　soft
and　foolish　disposition　that　when　she　heard　of　anybody
unhappy；　her　heart　straightway　melted　towards　the
sufferer；　and　as　she　had　never　thought　or　done　anything
mortally　guilty　herself；　she　had　not　that　abhorrence　for
wickedness　which　distinguishes　moralists　much　more
knowing。　　If　she　spoiled　everybody　who　came　near　her
with　kindness　and　complimentsif　she　begged　pardon
of　all　her　servants　for　troubling　them　to　answer　the　bell
if　she　apologized　to　a　shopboy　who　showed　her　a　piece
of　silk；　or　made　a　curtsey　to　a　street…sweeper　with　a
complimentary　remark　upon　the　elegant　state　of　his　crossing
and　she　was　almost　capable　of　every　one　of　these
folliesthe　notion　that　an　old　acquaintance　was　miserable
was　sure　to　soften　her　heart；　nor　would　she　hear　of
anybody's　being　deservedly　unhappy。　　A　world　under　such
legislation　as　hers　would　not　be　a　very　orderly　place　of
abode；　but　there　are　not　many　women；　at　least　not　of　the
rulers；　who　are　of　her　sort。　　This　lady；　I　believe；　would
have　abolished　all　gaols；　punishments；　handcuffs；
whippings；　poverty；　sickness；　hunger；　in　the　world；　and　was
such　a　mean…spirited　creature　thatwe　are　obliged　to
confess　itshe　could　even　forget　a　mortal　injury。
When　the　Major　heard　from　Jos　of　the　sentimental
adventure　which　had　just　befallen　the　latter；　he　was　not；
it　must　be　owned；　nearly　as　much　interested　as　the
gentleman　from　Bengal。　　On　the　contrary；　his　excitement　was
quite　the　reverse　from　a　pleasurable　one；　he　made　use　of
a　brief　but　improper　expression　regarding　a　po