vanity fair(名利场)-第34节

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neat　little　meal。
　　
Briggs　was　so　much　choked　by　emotion　that　she　could
hardly　take　a　morsel　of　meat。　　The　young　person　carved　a
fowl　with　the　utmost　delicacy；　and　asked　so　distinctly　for
egg…sauce；　that　poor　Briggs；　before　whom　that　delicious
condiment　was　placed；　started；　made　a　great　clattering
with　the　ladle；　and　once　more　fell　back　in　the　most
gushing　hysterical　state。
　　
〃Had　you　not　better　give　Miss　Briggs　a　glass　of　wine？〃
said　the　person　to　Mr。　Bowls；　the　large　confidential　man。
He　did　so。　　Briggs　seized　it　mechanically；　gasped　it　down
convulsively；　moaned　a　little；　and　began　to　play　with　the
chicken　on　her　plate。
　　
〃I　think　we　shall　be　able　to　help　each　other；〃　said
the　person　with　great　suavity：　〃and　shall　have　no　need
of　Mr。　Bowls's　kind　services。　　Mr。　Bowls；　if　you　please；
we　will　ring　when　we　want　you。〃　He　went　downstairs；
where；　by　the　way；　he　vented　the　most　horrid　curses
upon　the　unoffending　footman；　his　subordinate。
　　
〃It　is　a　pity　you　take　on　so；　Miss　Briggs；〃　the　young
lady　said；　with　a　cool；　slightly　sarcastic；　air。
　　
〃My　dearest　friend　is　so　ill；　and　wooon't　see
me；〃　gurgled　out　Briggs　in　an　agony　of　renewed　grief。
　　
〃She's　not　very　ill　any　more。　　Console　yourself；　dear
Miss　Briggs。　　She　has　only　overeaten　herselfthat　is　all。
She　is　greatly　better。　　She　will　soon　be　quite　restored　again。
She　is　weak　from　being　cupped　and　from　medical
treatment；　but　she　will　rally　immediately。　　Pray　console
yourself；　and　take　a　little　more　wine。〃
　　
〃But　why；　why　won't　she　see　me　again？〃　Miss　Briggs
bleated　out。　　〃Oh；　Matilda；　Matilda；　after　three…and…
twenty　years'　tenderness！　is　this　the　return　to　your　poor；
poor　Arabella？〃
　　
〃Don't　cry　too　much；　poor　Arabella；〃　the　other　said
（with　ever　so　little　of　a　grin）；　〃she　only　won't　see　you；
because　she　says　you　don't　nurse　her　as　well　as　I　do。
It's　no　pleasure　to　me　to　sit　up　all　night。　　I　wish　you
might　do　it　instead。〃
　　
〃Have　I　not　tended　that　dear　couch　for　years？〃
Arabella　said；　〃and　now〃
　　
〃Now　she　prefers　somebody　else。　　Well；　sick　people
have　these　fancies；　and　must　be　humoured。　　When　she's
well　I　shall　go。〃
　　
〃Never；　never；〃　Arabella　exclaimed；　madly　inhaling　her
salts…bottle。
　　
〃Never　be　well　or　never　go；　Miss　Briggs？〃　the　other
said；　with　the　same　provoking　good…nature。　　〃Poohshe
will　be　well　in　a　fortnight；　when　I　shall　go　back　to　my
little　pupils　at　Queen's　Crawley；　and　to　their　mother；
who　is　a　great　deal　more　sick　than　our　friend。　　You　need
not　be　jealous　about　me；　my　dear　Miss　Briggs。　　I　am　a
poor　little　girl　without　any　friends；　or　any　harm　in　me。
I　don't　want　to　supplant　you　in　Miss　Crawley's　good
graces。　　She　will　forget　me　a　week　after　I　am　gone：　and
her　affection　for　you　has　been　the　work　of　years。　　Give
me　a　little　wine　if　you　please；　my　dear　Miss　Briggs；
and　let　us　be　friends。　　I'm　sure　I　want　friends。〃
　　
The　placable　and　soft…hearted　Briggs　speechlessly
pushed　out　her　hand　at　this　appeal；　but　she　felt　the
desertion　most　keenly　for　all　that；　and　bitterly；　bitterly
moaned　the　fickleness　of　her　Matilda。　　At　the　end　of　half
an　hour；　the　meal　over；　Miss　Rebecca　Sharp　（for　such；
astonishing　to　state；　is　the　name　of　her　who　has　been
described　ingeniously　as　〃the　person〃　hitherto）；　went
upstairs　again　to　her　patient's　rooms；　from　which；　with
the　most　engaging　politeness；　she　eliminated　poor　Firkin。
〃Thank　you；　Mrs。　Firkin；　that　will　quite　do；　how　nicely
you　make　it！　I　will　ring　when　anything　is　wanted。〃　〃Thank
you〃；　and　Firkin　came　downstairs　in　a　tempest　of
jealousy；　only　the　more　dangerous　because　she　was　forced
to　confine　it　in　her　own　bosom。
　　
Could　it　be　the　tempest　which；　as　she　passed　the
landing　of　the　first　floor；　blew　open　the　drawing…room　door？
No；　it　was　stealthily　opened　by　the　hand　of　Briggs。
Briggs　had　been　on　the　watch。　Briggs　too　well　heard　the
creaking　Firkin　descend　the　stairs；　and　the　clink　of　the
spoon　and　gruel…basin　the　neglected　female　carried。
　　
〃Well；　Firkin？〃　says　she；　as　the　other　entered　the
apartment。　〃Well；　Jane？〃
　　
〃Wuss　and　wuss；　Miss　B。；〃　Firkin　said；　wagging　her
head。
　　
〃Is　she　not　better　then？〃
　　
〃She　never　spoke　but　once；　and　I　asked　her　if　she　felt
a　little　more　easy；　and　she　told　me　to　hold　my　stupid
tongue。　Oh；　Miss　B。；　I　never　thought　to　have　seen　this
day！〃　　And　the　water…works　again　began　to　play。
　　
〃What　sort　of　a　person　is　this　Miss　Sharp；　Firkin？　I
little　thought；　while　enjoying　my　Christmas　revels　in　the
elegant　home　of　my　firm　friends；　the　Reverend　Lionel
Delamere　and　his　amiable　lady；　to　find　a　stranger　had
taken　my　place　in　the　affections　of　my　dearest；　my　still
dearest　Matilda！〃　　Miss　Briggs；　it　will　be　seen　by　her
language；　was　of　a　literary　and　sentimental　turn；　and　had
once　published　a　volume　of　poems〃Trills　of　the
Nightingale〃by　subscription。
　　
〃Miss　B。；　they　are　all　infatyated　about　that　young
woman；〃　Firkin　replied。　〃Sir　Pitt　wouldn't　have　let　her
go；　but　he　daredn't　refuse　Miss　Crawley　anything。　Mrs。
Bute　at　the　Rectory　jist　as　badnever　happy　out　of　her
sight。　The　Capting　quite　wild　about　her。　Mr。　Crawley
mortial　jealous。　Since　Miss　C。　was　took　ill；　she　won't
have　nobody　near　her　but　Miss　Sharp；　I　can't　tell　for
where　nor　for　why；　and　I　think　somethink　has　bewidged
everybody。〃
　　
Rebecca　passed　that　night　in　constant　watching　upon
Miss　Crawley；　the　next　night　the　old　lady　slept　so
comfortably；　that　Rebecca　had　time　for　several　hours'
comfortable　repose　herself　on　the　sofa；　at　the　foot　of　her
patroness's　bed；　very　soon；　Miss　Crawley　was　so　well
that　she　sat　up　and　laughed　heartily　at　a　perfect
imitation　of　Miss　Briggs　and　her　grief；　which　Rebecca
described　to　her。　Briggs'　weeping　snuffle；　and　her　manner
of　using　the　handkerchief；　were　so　completely　rendered
that　Miss　Crawley　became　quite　cheerful；　to　the
admiration　of　the　doctors　when　they　visited　her；　who　usually
found　this　worthy　woman　of　the　world；　when　the　least
sickness　attacked　her；　under　the　most　abject　depression
and　terror　of　death。
　　
Captain　Crawley　came　every　day；　and　received　bulletins
from　Miss　Rebecca　respecting　his　aunt's　health。
This　improved　so　rapidly；　that　poor　Briggs　was　allowed
to　see　her　patroness；　and　persons　with　tender　hearts
may　imagine　the　smothered　emotions　of　that　sentimental
female；　and　the　affecting　nature　of　the　interview。
　　
Miss　Crawley　liked　to　have　Briggs　in　a　good　deal
soon。　　Rebecca　used　to　mimic　her　to　her　face　with　the
most　admirable　gravity；　thereby　rendering　the　imitation
doubly　piquant　to　her　worthy　patroness。
The　causes　which　had　led　to　the　deplorable　illness　of
Miss　Crawley；　and　her　departure　from　her　brother's
house　in　the　country；　were　of　such　an　unromantic　nature
that　they　are　hardly　fit　to　be　explained　in　this　genteel
and　sentimental　novel。　　For　how　is　it　possible　to　hint　of　a
delicate　female；　living　in　good　society；　that　she　ate　and
drank　too　much；　and　that　a　hot　supper　of　lobsters
profusely　enjoyed　at　the　Rectory　was　the　reason　of　an
indisposition　which　Miss　Crawley　herself　persisted　was
solely　attributable　to　the　dampness　of　the　weather？　　The
attack　was　so　sharp　that　Matildaas　his　Reverence
expressed　itwas　very　nearly　〃off　the　hooks〃；　all　the
family　were　in　a　fever　of　expectation　regarding　the　will；
and　Rawdon　Crawley　was　making　sure　of　at　least　forty
thousand　pounds　before　the　commencement　of　the
London　season。　　Mr。　Crawley　sent　over　a　choice　parcel　of
tracts；　to　prepare　her　for　the　change　from　Vanity　Fair
and　Park　Lane　for　another　world；　but　a　good　doctor
from　Southampton　being　called　in　in　time；　vanquished
the　lobster　which　was　so　nearly　fatal　to　her；　and　gave
her　sufficient　strength　to　enable　her　to　return　to　London。
The　Baronet　did　not　disguise　his　exceeding　mortification
at　the　turn　which　affairs　took。
　　
While　everybody　was　attending　on　Miss　Crawley；　and
messengers　every　hour　from　the　Rectory　were　carrying
news　of　her　health　to　the　affectionate　folks　there；　there
was　a　lady　in　another　part　of　the　house；　being　exceedingly
ill；　of　whom　no　one　took　any　notice　at　all；　and　this　was
the　lady　of　Crawley　herself。　　The　good　doctor　shook　his
head　after　seeing　her；　to　which　visit　Sir　Pitt　consented；
as　it　could　be　paid　without　a　fee；　and　she　was　left　fading
away　in　her　lonely　chamber；　with　no　more　heed　paid　to
her　than　to　a　weed　in　the　park。
　　
The　young　ladies；　too；　lost　much　of　the　inestimable
benefit　of　their　governess's　instruction；　So　affectionate　a
nurse　was　Miss　Sharp；　that　Miss　Crawley　would　take
her　medicines　from　no　other　hand。　　Firkin　had　been
deposed　long　before　her　mistress's　departure　from　the
country。　　That　faithful　attendant　found　a　gloomy　consolation
on　returning　to　London；　in　seeing　Miss　Briggs　suffer
the　same　pangs　of　jealousy　and　undergo　the　same
faithless　treatment　to　which　she　herself　had　been　subject。
　　
Captain　Rawdon　got　an　extension　of　leave　on　his
aunt's　illness；　and　remained　dutifully　at　home。　　He　was
always　in　her　antechamber。　　（She　lay　sick　in　the　state
bedroom；　into　which　you　entered　by　the　little　blue
saloon。）　His　father　was　always　meeting　him　there；　or　if　he
came　down　the　corridor　ever　so　quietly；　his　father's
door　was　sure　to　open；　and　the　hyena　face　of　the　old
gentleman