vanity fair(名利场)-第25节

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have　quarrelled；　all　his　outgoings　and　incomings　you
know；　as　if　you　were　his　spy。
Very　soon　then　after　her　arrival；　Rebecca　began　to　take
a　regular　place　in　Mrs。　Crawley's　bulletin　from　the　Hall。
It　was　to　this　effect：　〃The　black　porker's　killedweighed
x　stonesalted　the　sidespig's　pudding　and　leg　of　pork
for　dinner。　　Mr。　Cramp　from　Mudbury；　over　with　Sir　Pitt
about　putting　John　Blackmore　in　gaolMr。　Pitt　at
meeting　（with　all　the　names　of　the　people　who　attended）
my　lady　as　usualthe　young　ladies　with　the　governess。〃
　　
Then　the　report　would　comethe　new　governess　be　a
rare　managerSir　Pitt　be　very　sweet　on　herMr。
Crawley　tooHe　be　reading　tracts　to　her〃What　an
abandoned　wretch！〃　said　little；　eager；　active；　black…faced　Mrs。
Bute　Crawley。
　　
Finally；　the　reports　were　that　the　governess　had　〃come
round〃　everybody；　wrote　Sir　Pitt's　letters；　did　his　business；
managed　his　accountshad　the　upper　hand　of　the　whole
house；　my　lady；　Mr。　Crawley；　the　girls　and　allat　which
Mrs。　Crawley　declared　she　was　an　artful　hussy；　and　had
some　dreadful　designs　in　view。　　Thus　the　doings　at　the
Hall　were　the　great　food　for　conversation　at　the　Rectory；
and　Mrs。　Bute's　bright　eyes　spied　out　everything　that　took
place　in　the　enemy's　campeverything　and　a　great　deal
besides。
　　　　　　
Mrs。　Bute　Crawley　to　Miss　Pinkerton；
The　Mall；　Chiswick。
Rectory；　Queen's　Crawley；　December。
My　Dear　Madam；Although　it　is　so　many　years　since
I　profited　by　your　delightful　and　invaluable　instructions；
yet　I　have　ever　retained　the　FONDEST　and　most　reverential
regard　for　Miss　Pinkerton；　and　DEAR　Chiswick。　　I　hope
your　health　is　GOOD。　　The　world　and　the　cause　of
education　cannot　afford　to　lose　Miss　Pinkerton　for　MANY　MANY
YEARS。　　When　my　friend；　Lady　Fuddleston；　mentioned　that
her　dear　girls　required　an　instructress　（I　am　too　poor　to
engage　a　governess　for　mine；　but　was　I　not　educated　at
Chiswick？）〃Who；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃can　we　consult　but
the　excellent；　the　incomparable　Miss　Pinkerton？〃　In　a
word；　have　you；　dear　madam；　any　ladies　on　your　list；
whose　services　might　be　made　available　to　my　kind
friend　and　neighbour？　I　assure　you　she　will　take　no
governess　BUT　OF　YOUR　CHOOSING。
　　
My　dear　husband　is　pleased　to　say　that　he　likes　
EVERYTHING　WHICH　COMES　FROM　MISS　PINKERTON'S
SCHOOL。　　How　I　wish　I　could　present　him　and　my　beloved
girls　to　the　friend　of　my　youth；　and　the　ADMIRED　of　the
great　lexicographer　of　our　country！　If　you　ever　travel　into
Hampshire；　Mr。　Crawley　begs　me　to　say；　he　hopes　you　will
adorn　our　RURAL　RECTORY　with　your　presence。　　'Tis　the
humble　but　happy　home　of
Your　affectionate
Martha　Crawley
P。S。　　Mr。　Crawley's　brother；　the　baronet；　with　whom
we　are　not；　alas！　upon　those　terms　of　UNITY　in　which　it
BECOMES　BRETHREN　TO　DWELL；　has　a　governess　for　his
little　girls；　who；　I　am　told；　had　the　good　fortune　to　be
educated　at　Chiswick。　　I　hear　various　reports　of　her；
and　as　I　have　the　tenderest　interest　in　my　dearest　little
nieces；　whom　I　wish；　in　spite　of　family　differences；　to
see　among　my　own　childrenand　as　I　long　to　be
attentive　to　ANY　PUPIL　OF　YOURSdo；　my　dear　Miss
Pinkerton；　tell　me　the　history　of　this　young　lady；　whom；
for　YOUR　SAKE；　I　am　most　anxious　to　befriend。M。　C。
Miss　Pinkerton　to　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley。
Johnson　House；　Chiswick；　Dec。　18。
Dear　Madam；I　have　the　honour　to　acknowledge
your　polite　communication；　to　which　I　promptly　reply。
'Tis　most　gratifying　to　one　in　my　most　arduous　position
to　find　that　my　maternal　cares　have　elicited　a　responsive
affection；　and　to　recognize　in　the　amiable　Mrs。　Bute
Crawley　my　excellent　pupil　of　former　years；　the　sprightly
and　accomplished　Miss　Martha　MacTavish。　　I　am　happy
to　have　under　my　charge　now　the　daughters　of　many　of
those　who　were　your　contemporaries　at　my　establishment
what　pleasure　it　would　give　me　if　your　own
beloved　young　ladies　had　need　of　my　instructive
superintendence！
　　
Presenting　my　respectful　compliments　to　Lady
Fuddleston；　I　have　the　honour　（epistolarily）　to　introduce
to　her　ladyship　my　two　friends；　Miss　Tuffin　and　Miss　Hawky。
　　
Either　of　these　young　ladies　is　PERFECTLY　QUALIFIED　to
instruct　in　Greek；　Latin；　and　the　rudiments　of　Hebrew；
in　mathematics　and　history；　in　Spanish；　French；　Italian；
and　geography；　in　music；　vocal　and　instrumental；　in
dancing；　without　the　aid　of　a　master；　and　in　the
elements　of　natural　sciences。　　In　the　use　of　the　globes　both
are　proficients。　　In　addition　to　these　Miss　Tuffin；　who　is
daughter　of　the　late　Reverend　Thomas　Tuffin　（Fellow
of　Corpus　College；　Cambridge）；　can　instruct　in　the
Syriac　language；　and　the　elements　of　Constitutional　law。
But　as　she　is　only　eighteen　years　of　age；　and　of
exceedingly　pleasing　personal　appearance；　perhaps　this
young　lady　may　be　objectionable　in　Sir　Huddleston
Fuddleston's　family。
　　
Miss　Letitia　Hawky；　on　the　other　hand；　is　not
personally　well…favoured。　　She　is…twenty…nine；　her　face
is　much　pitted　with　the　small…pox。　　She　has　a　halt　in　her
gait；　red　hair；　and　a　trifling　obliquity　of　vision。　　Both
ladies　are　endowed　with　EVERY　MORAL　AND　RELIGIOUS
VIRTUE。　　Their　terms；　of　course；　are　such　as　their
accomplishments　merit。　　With　my　most　grateful　respects
to　the　Reverend　Bute　Crawley；　I　have　the　honour　to　be；
Dear　Madam；
　　　　　　
Your　most　faithful　and　obedient　servant；
Barbara　Pinkerton。
P。S。　　The　Miss　Sharp；　whom　you　mention　as
governess　to　Sir　Pitt　Crawley；　Bart。；　M。P。；　was　a　pupil
of　mine；　and　I　have　nothing　to　say　in　her　disfavour。
Though　her　appearance　is　disagreeable；　we　cannot
control　the　operations　of　nature：　and　though　her　parents
were　disreputable　（her　father　being　a　painter；　several
times　bankrupt；　and　her　mother；　as　I　have　since　learned；
with　horror；　a　dancer　at　the　Opera）；　yet　her　talents　are
considerable；　and　I　cannot　regret　that　I　received　her
OUT　OF　CHARITY。　　My　dread　is；　lest　the　principles　of　the
motherwho　was　represented　to　me　as　a　French
Countess；　forced　to　emigrate　in　the　late　revolutionary　horrors；
but　who；　as　I　have　since　found；　was　a　person　of　the
very　lowest　order　and　moralsshould　at　any　time　prove
to　be　HEREDITARY　in　the　unhappy　young　woman　whom　I
took　as　AN　OUTCAST。　　But　her　principles　have　hitherto
been　correct　（I　believe）；　and　I　am　sure　nothing　will
occur　to　injure　them　in　the　elegant　and　refined　circle
of　the　eminent　Sir　Pitt　Crawley。
Miss　Rebecca　Sharp　to　Miss　Amelia　Sedley。
I　have　not　written　to　my　beloved　Amelia　for　these
many　weeks　past；　for　what　news　was　there　to　tell　of　the
sayings　and　doings　at　Humdrum　Hall；　as　I　have
christened　it；　and　what　do　you　care　whether　the　turnip　crop
is　good　or　bad；　whether　the　fat　pig　weighed　thirteen
stone　or　fourteen；　and　whether　the　beasts　thrive　well
upon　mangelwurzel？　Every　day　since　I　last　wrote　has
been　like　its　neighbour。　　Before　breakfast；　a　walk　with
Sir　Pitt　and　his　spud；　after　breakfast　studies　（such　as
they　are）　in　the　schoolroom；　after　schoolroom；　reading
and　writing　about　lawyers；　leases；　coal…mines；　canals；
with　Sir　Pitt　（whose　secretary　I　am　become）；　after
dinner；　Mr。　Crawley's　discourses　on　the　baronet's
backgammon；　during　both　of　which　amusements　my　lady
looks　on　with　equal　placidity。　　She　has　become　rather
more　interesting　by　being　ailing　of　late；　which　has
brought　a　new　visitor　to　the　Hall；　in　the　person　of　a
young　doctor。　　Well；　my　dear；　young　women　need　never
despair。　　The　young　doctor　gave　a　certain　friend　of　yours
to　understand　that；　if　she　chose　to　be　Mrs。　Glauber；　she
was　welcome　to　ornament　the　surgery！　I　told　his
impudence　that　the　gilt　pestle　and　mortar　was　quite
ornament　enough；　as　if　I　was　born；　indeed；　to　be　a　country
surgeon's　wife！　Mr。　Glauber　went　home　seriously
indisposed　at　his　rebuff；　took　a　cooling　draught；　and　is　now
quite　cured。　　Sir　Pitt　applauded　my　resolution　highly；
he　would　be　sorry　to　lose　his　little　secretary；　I　think；
and　I　believe　the　old　wretch　likes　me　as　much　as　it　is　in
his　nature　to　like　any　one。　　Marry；　indeed！　and　with　a
country　apothecary；　afterNo；　no；　one　cannot　so
soon　forget　old　associations；　about　which　I　will　talk　no
more。　　Let　us　return　to　Humdrum　Hall。
For　some　time　past　it　is　Humdrum　Hall　no　longer。
My　dear；　Miss　Crawley　has　arrived　with　her　fat　horses；
fat　servants；　fat　spanielthe　great　rich　Miss　Crawley；
with　seventy　thousand　pounds　in　the　five　per　cents。；
whom；　or　I　had　better　say　WHICH；　her　two　brothers
adore。　　She　looks　very　apoplectic；　the　dear　soul；　no
wonder　her　brothers　are　anxious　about　her。　　You　should　see
them　struggling　to　settle　her　cushions；　or　to　hand　her
coffee！　〃When　I　come　into　the　country；〃　she　says　（for
she　has　a　great　deal　of　humour）；　〃I　leave　my　toady；
Miss　Briggs；　at　home。　　My　brothers　are　my　toadies　here；
my　dear；　and　a　pretty　pair　they　are！〃
　　
When　she　comes　into　the　country　our　hall　is　thrown
open；　and　for　a　month；　at　least；　you　would　fancy　old
Sir　Walpole　was　come　to　life　again。　　We　have　dinner…
parties；　and　drive　out　in　the　coach…and…fourthe
footmen　put　on　their　newest　canary…coloured　liveries；　we
drink　claret　and　champagne　as　if　we　were　accustomed
to　it　every　day。　　We　have　wax　candles　in　the　schoolroom；
and　fires　to　warm　ourselves　with。　　Lady　Crawley　is　made
to　put　on　the　brightest　pea…green　in　her　wardrobe；　and
my　pupils　leave　off　their　thick