vanity fair(名利场)-第39节

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you　think　I　have　no　heart？　　Have　you　all　loved　me；　and
been　so　kind　to　the　poor　orphandesertedgirl；　and
am　I　to　feel　nothing？　　O　my　friends！　　O　my　benefactors！
may　not　my　love；　my　life；　my　duty；　try　to　repay　the
confidence　you　have　shown　me？　　Do　you　grudge　me　even
gratitude；　Miss　Crawley？　　It　is　too　muchmy　heart　is
too　full〃；　and　she　sank　down　in　a　chair　so　pathetically；
that　most　of　the　audience　present　were　perfectly　melted
with　her　sadness。
　　
〃Whether　you　marry　me　or　not；　you're　a　good　little
girl；　Becky；　and　I'm　your　vriend；　mind；〃　said　Sir　Pitt；　and
putting　on　his　crape…bound　hat；　he　walked　awaygreatly
to　Rebecca's　relief；　for　it　was　evident　that　her　secret
was　unrevealed　to　Miss　Crawley；　and　she　had　the
advantage　of　a　brief　reprieve。
　　
Putting　her　handkerchief　to　her　eyes；　and　nodding
away　honest　Briggs；　who　would　have　followed　her
upstairs；　she　went　up　to　her　apartment；　while　Briggs　and
Miss　Crawley；　in　a　high　state　of　excitement；　remained
to　discuss　the　strange　event；　and　Firkin；　not　less　moved；
dived　down　into　the　kitchen　regions；　and　talked　of　it
with　all　the　male　and　female　company　there。　　And　so
impressed　was　Mrs。　Firkin　with　the　news；　that　she　thought
proper　to　write　off　by　that　very　night's　post；　〃with　her
humble　duty　to　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley　and　the　family　at　the
Rectory；　and　Sir　Pitt　has　been　and　proposed　for　to　marry
Miss　Sharp；　wherein　she　has　refused　him；　to　the　wonder
of　all。〃
　　
The　two　ladies　in　the　dining…room　（where　worthy
Miss　Briggs　was　delighted　to　be　admitted　once　more　to
confidential　conversation　with　her　patroness）　wondered
to　their　hearts'　content　at　Sir　Pitt's　offer；　and　Rebecca's
refusal；　Briggs　very　acutely　suggesting　that　there　must
have　been　some　obstacle　in　the　shape　of　a　previous
attachment；　otherwise　no　young　woman　in　her　senses　would
ever　have　refused　so　advantageous　a　proposal。
〃You　would　have　accepted　it　yourself；　wouldn't　you；
Briggs？〃　Miss　Crawley　said；　kindly。
　　
〃Would　it　not　be　a　privilege　to　be　Miss　Crawley's
sister？〃　Briggs　replied；　with　meek　evasion。
　　
〃Well；　Becky　would　have　made　a　good　Lady　Crawley；
after　all；〃　Miss　Crawley　remarked　（who　was　mollified　by
the　girl's　refusal；　and　very　liberal　and　generous　now　there
was　no　call　for　her　sacrifices）。　　〃She　has　brains　in　plenty
（much　more　wit　in　her　little　finger　than　you　have；　my
poor　dear　Briggs；　in　all　your　head）。　　Her　manners　are
excellent；　now　I　have　formed　her。　　She　is　a　Montmorency；
Briggs；　and　blood　is　something；　though　I　despise　it　for
my　part；　and　she　would　have　held　her　own　amongst　those
pompous　stupid　Hampshire　people　much　better　than　that
unfortunate　ironmonger's　daughter。〃
　　
Briggs　coincided　as　usual；　and　the　〃previous　attachment〃
was　then　discussed　in　conjectures。　　〃You　poor
friendless　creatures　are　always　having　some　foolish
tendre；〃　Miss　Crawley　said。　　〃You　yourself；　you　know；
were　in　love　with　a　writing…master　（don't　cry；　Briggs
you're　always　crying；　and　it　won't　bring　him　to　life　again）；
and　I　suppose　this　unfortunate　Becky　has　been　silly
and　sentimental　toosome　apothecary；　or　house…steward；
or　painter；　or　young　curate；　or　something　of　that　sort。〃
　　
〃Poor　thing！　poor　thing！〃　says　Briggs　（who　was　thinking
of　twenty…four　years　back；　and　that　hectic　young
writing…master　whose　lock　of　yellow　hair；　and　whose
letters；　beautiful　in　their　illegibility；　she　cherished　in
her　old　desk　upstairs）。　　〃Poor　thing；　poor　thing！〃　says
Briggs。　　Once　more　she　was　a　fresh…cheeked　lass　of　eighteen；
she　was　at　evening　church；　and　the　hectic　writing…master
and　she　were　quavering　out　of　the　same　psalm…book。
　　
〃After　such　conduct　on　Rebecca's　part；〃　Miss　Crawley
said　enthusiastically；　〃our　family　should　do　something。
Find　out　who　is　the　objet；　Briggs。　　I'll　set　him　up　in　a
shop；　or　order　my　portrait　of　him；　you　know；　or　speak
to　my　cousin；　the　Bishopand　I'll　doter　Becky；　and
we'll　have　a　wedding；　Briggs；　and　you　shall　make　the
breakfast；　and　be　a　bridesmaid。〃
Briggs　declared　that　it　would　be　delightful；　and　vowed
that　her　dear　Miss　Crawley　was　always　kind　and　generous；
and　went　up　to　Rebecca's　bedroom　to　console　her
and　prattle　about　the　offer；　and　the　refusal；　and　the
cause　thereof；　and　to　hint　at　the　generous　intentions　of
Miss　Crawley；　and　to　find　out　who　was　the　gentleman
that　had　the　mastery　of　Miss　Sharp's　heart。
　　
Rebecca　was　very　kind；　very　affectionate　and　affected
responded　to　Briggs's　offer　of　tenderness　with　grateful
fervourowned　there　was　a　secret　attachmenta
delicious　mysterywhat　a　pity　Miss　Briggs　had　not
remained　half　a　minute　longer　at　the　keyhole！　　Rebecca
might；　perhaps；　have　told　more：　but　five　minutes　after
Miss　Briggs's　arrival　in　Rebecca's　apartment；　Miss　Crawley
actually　made　her　appearance　therean　unheard…of
honourher　impatience　had　overcome　her；　she　could　not
wait　for　the　tardy　operations　of　her　ambassadress：　so
she　came　in　person；　and　ordered　Briggs　out　of　the　room。
And　expressing　her　approval　of　Rebecca's　conduct；　she
asked　particulars　of　the　interview；　and　the　previous
transactions　which　had　brought　about　the　astonishing
offer　of　Sir　Pitt。
　　
Rebecca　said　she　had　long　had　some　notion　of　the
partiality　with　which　Sir　Pitt　honoured　her　（for　he　was
in　the　habit　of　making　his　feelings　known　in　a　very　frank
and　unreserved　manner）　but；　not　to　mention　private
reasons　with　which　she　would　not　for　the　present　trouble
Miss　Crawley；　Sir　Pitt's　age；　station；　and　habits　were
such　as　to　render　a　marriage　quite　impossible；　and
could　a　woman　with　any　feeling　of　self…respect　and　any
decency　listen　to　proposals　at　such　a　moment；　when
the　funeral　of　the　lover's　deceased　wife　had　not　actually
taken　place？
　　
〃Nonsense；　my　dear；　you　would　never　have　refused
him　had　there　not　been　some　one　else　in　the　case；〃　Miss
Crawley　said；　coming　to　her　point　at　once。　　〃Tell　me　the
private　reasons；　what　are　the　private　reasons？　　There　is
some　one；　who　is　it　that　has　touched　your　heart？〃
　　
Rebecca　cast　down　her　eyes；　and　owned　there　was。
〃You　have　guessed　right；　dear　lady；〃　she　said；　with　a
sweet　simple　faltering　voice。　　〃You　wonder　at　one　so
poor　and　friendless　having　an　attachment；　don't　you？
I　have　never　heard　that　poverty　was　any　safeguard
against　it。　　I　wish　it　were。〃
　　
〃My　poor　dear　child；〃　cried　Miss　Crawley；　who　was
always　quite　ready　to　be　sentimental；　〃is　our　passion
unrequited；　then？　　Are　we　pining　in　secret？　Tell　me　all；
and　let　me　console　you。〃
　　
〃I　wish　you　could；　dear　Madam；〃　Rebecca　said　in　the
same　tearful　tone。　　〃Indeed；　indeed；　I　need　it。〃　And　she
laid　her　head　upon　Miss　Crawley's　shoulder　and　wept
there　so　naturally　that　the　old　lady；　surprised　into
sympathy；　embraced　her　with　an　almost　maternal
kindness；　uttered　many　soothing　protests　of　regard　and
affection　for　her；　vowed　that　she　loved　her　as　a　daughter；
and　would　do　everything　in　her　power　to　serve　her。　　〃And
now　who　is　it；　my　dear？　　Is　it　that　pretty　Miss　Sedley's
brother？　　You　said　something　about　an　affair　with　him。
I'll　ask　him　here；　my　dear。　　And　you　shall　have　him：
indeed　you　shall。〃
　　
〃Don't　ask　me　now；〃　Rebecca　said。　　〃You　shall　know
all　soon。　　Indeed　you　shall。　　Dear　kind　Miss　Crawley
dear　friend；　may　I　say　so？〃
　　
〃That　you　may；　my　child；〃　the　old　lady　replied；　kissing
her。
　　
〃I　can't　tell　you　now；〃　sobbed　out　Rebecca；　〃I　am
very　miserable。　　But　O！　love　me　alwayspromise　you　will
love　me　always。〃　And　in　the　midst　of　mutual　tearsfor
the　emotions　of　the　younger　woman　had　awakened　the
sympathies　of　the　elderthis　promise　was　solemnly　given
by　Miss　Crawley；　who　left　her　little　protege；　blessing
and　admiring　her　as　a　dear；　artless；　tender…hearted；
affectionate；　incomprehensible　creature。
　　
And　now　she　was　left　alone　to　think　over　the　sudden
and　wonderful　events　of　the　day；　and　of　what　had　been
and　what　might　have　been。　　What　think　you　were　the
private　feelings　of　Miss；　no　（begging　her　pardon）　of
Mrs。　Rebecca？　　If；　a　few　pages　back；　the　present　writer
claimed　the　privilege　of　peeping　into　Miss　Amelia
Sedley's　bedroom；　and　understanding　with　the　omniscience
of　the　novelist　all　the　gentle　pains　and　passions　which
were　tossing　upon　that　innocent　pillow；　why　should　he
not　declare　himself　to　be　Rebecca's　confidante　too；
master　of　her　secrets；　and　seal…keeper　of　that　young
woman's　conscience？
　　
Well；　then；　in　the　first　place；　Rebecca　gave　way　to
some　very　sincere　and　touching　regrets　that　a　piece　of
marvellous　good　fortune　should　have　been　so　near　her；
and　she　actually　obliged　to　decline　it。　　In　this　natural
emotion　every　properly　regulated　mind　will　certainly
share。　　What　good　mother　is　there　that　would　not
commiserate　a　penniless　spinster；　who　might　have　been
my　lady；　and　have　shared　four　thousand　a　year？　　What
well…bred　young　person　is　there　in　all　Vanity　Fair；　who
will　not　feel　for　a　hard…working；　ingenious；　meritorious
girl；　who　gets　such　an　honourable；　advantageous；　provoking
offer；　just　at　the　very　moment　when　it　is　out　of　her
power　to　accept　it？　　I　am　sure　our　friend　Becky's
disappointment　deserves　and　will　command　every
sympathy。
　　
I　remember　one　night　being　in　the　Fair　myself；　at　an
evening　party。　　I　observed　old　Miss　Toady　there　also
present；　single　out　for　her　special　att