vanity fair(名利场)-第4节

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Crisp；　except　under　her　own　eyes　on　the　two　occasions
when　she　had　met　him　at　tea。
By　the　side　of　many　tall　and　bouncing　young　ladies　in
the　establishment；　Rebecca　Sharp　looked　like　a　child。　　But
she　had　the　dismal　precocity　of　poverty。　　Many　a　dun　had
she　talked　to；　and　turned　away　from　her　father's　door；
many　a　tradesman　had　she　coaxed　and　wheedled　into
good…humour；　and　into　the　granting　of　one　meal　more。
She　sate　commonly　with　her　father；　who　was　very　proud
of　her　wit；　and　heard　the　talk　of　many　of　his　wild　
companionsoften　but　ill…suited　for　a　girl　to　hear。　　But　she
never　had　been　a　girl；　she　said；　she　had　been　a　woman
since　she　was　eight　years　old。　　Oh；　why　did　Miss　Pinkerton
let　such　a　dangerous　bird　into　her　cage？
The　fact　is；　the　old　lady　believed　Rebecca　to　be　the
meekest　creature　in　the　world；　so　admirably；　on　the
occasions　when　her　father　brought　her　to　Chiswick；　used
Rebecca　to　perform　the　part　of　the　ingenue；　and　only　a
year　before　the　arrangement　by　which　Rebecca　had　been
admitted　into　her　house；　and　when　Rebecca　was　sixteen
years　old；　Miss　Pinkerton　majestically；　and　with　a　little
speech；　made　her　a　present　of　a　dollwhich　was；　by
the　way；　the　confiscated　property　of　Miss　Swindle；
discovered　surreptitiously　nursing　it　in　school…hours。　　How
the　father　and　daughter　laughed　as　they　trudged　home
together　after　the　evening　party　（it　was　on　the　occasion　of
the　speeches；　when　all　the　professors　were　invited）　and
how　Miss　Pinkerton　would　have　raged　had　she　seen　the
caricature　of　herself　which　the　little　mimic；　Rebecca；
managed　to　make　out　of　her　doll。　　Becky　used　to　go
through　dialogues　with　it；　it　formed　the　delight　of
Newman　Street；　Gerrard　Street；　and　the　Artists'　quarter：
and　the　young　painters；　when　they　came　to　take　their　gin…
and…water　with　their　lazy；　dissolute；　clever；　jovial　senior；
used　regularly　to　ask　Rebecca　if　Miss　Pinkerton　was　at
home：　she　was　as　well　known　to　them；　poor　soul！　as
Mr。　Lawrence　or　President　West。　　Once　Rebecca　had　the
honour　to　pass　a　few　days　at　Chiswick；　after　which　she
brought　back　Jemima；　and　erected　another　doll　as　Miss
Jemmy：　for　though　that　honest　creature　had　made　and
given　her　jelly　and　cake　enough　for　three　children；　and
a　seven…shilling　piece　at　parting；　the　girl's　sense　of
ridicule　was　far　stronger　than　her　gratitude；　and　she
sacrificed　Miss　Jemmy　quite　as　pitilessly　as　her　sister。
The　catastrophe　came；　and　she　was　brought　to　the
Mall　as　to　her　home。　　The　rigid　formality　of　the　place
suffocated　her：　the　prayers　and　the　meals；　the　lessons
and　the　walks；　which　were　arranged　with　a　conventual
regularity；　oppressed　her　almost　beyond　endurance；　and
she　looked　back　to　the　freedom　and　the　beggary　of　the
old　studio　in　Soho　with　so　much　regret；　that　everybody；
herself　included；　fancied　she　was　consumed　with　grief
for　her　father。　　She　had　a　little　room　in　the　garret；　where
the　maids　heard　her　walking　and　sobbing　at　night；　but　it
was　with　rage；　and　not　with　grief。　　She　had　not　been　much
of　a　dissembler；　until　now　her　loneliness　taught　her　to
feign。　　She　had　never　mingled　in　the　society　of　women：
her　father；　reprobate　as　he　was；　was　a　man　of　talent；　his
conversation　was　a　thousand　times　more　agreeable　to　her
than　the　talk　of　such　of　her　own　sex　as　she　now　encountered。
The　pompous　vanity　of　the　old　schoolmistress；　the　foolish
good…humour　of　her　sister；　the　silly　chat　and　scandal　of　the
elder　girls；　and　the　frigid　correctness　of　the　governesses
equally　annoyed　her；　and　she　had　no　soft
maternal　heart；　this　unlucky　girl；　otherwise　the　prattle
and　talk　of　the　younger　children；　with　whose　care　she
was　chiefly　intrusted；　might　have　soothed　and　interested
her；　but　she　lived　among　them　two　years；　and　not　one
was　sorry　that　she　went　away。　　The　gentle　tender…
hearted　Amelia　Sedley　was　the　only　person　to　whom　she
could　attach　herself　in　the　least；　and　who　could　help
attaching　herself　to　Amelia？
The　happinessthe　superior　advantages　of　the　young
women　round　about　her；　gave　Rebecca　inexpressible
pangs　of　envy。　　〃What　airs　that　girl　gives　herself；　because
she　is　an　Earl's　grand…daughter；〃　she　said　of　one。　　〃How
they　cringe　and　bow　to　that　Creole；　because　of　her
hundred　thousand　pounds！　　I　am　a　thousand　times　cleverer
and　more　charming　than　that　creature；　for　all　her　wealth。
I　am　as　well　bred　as　the　Earl's　grand…daughter；　for　all　her
fine　pedigree；　and　yet　every　one　passes　me　by　here。　　And
yet；　when　I　was　at　my　father's；　did　not　the　men　give　up
their　gayest　balls　and　parties　in　order　to　pass　the　evening
with　me？〃　She　determined　at　any　rate　to　get　free　from
the　prison　in　which　she　found　herself；　and　now　began　to
act　for　herself；　and　for　the　first　time　to　make　connected
plans　for　the　future。
She　took　advantage；　therefore；　of　the　means　of　study
the　place　offered　her；　and　as　she　was　already　a　musician
and　a　good　linguist；　she　speedily　went　through　the　little
course　of　study　which　was　considered　necessary　for　ladies
in　those　days。　　Her　music　she　practised　incessantly；　and
one　day；　when　the　girls　were　out；　and　she　had　remained
at　home；　she　was　overheard　to　play　a　piece　so　well　that
Minerva　thought；　wisely；　she　could　spare　herself　the
expense　of　a　master　for　the　juniors；　and　intimated　to　Miss
Sharp　that　she　was　to　instruct　them　in　music　for　the
future。
The　girl　refused；　and　for　the　first　time；　and　to　the
astonishment　of　the　majestic　mistress　of　the　school。　　〃I
am　here　to　speak　French　with　the　children；〃　Rebecca
said　abruptly；　〃not　to　teach　them　music；　and　save　money
for　you。　　Give　me　money；　and　I　will　teach　them。〃
Minerva　was　obliged　to　yield；　and；　of　course；　disliked
her　from　that　day。　　〃For　five…and…thirty　years；〃　she　said；
and　with　great　justice；　〃I　never　have　seen　the　individual
who　has　dared　in　my　own　house　to　question　my
authority。　　I　have　nourished　a　viper　in　my　bosom。〃
〃A　vipera　fiddlestick；〃　said　Miss　Sharp　to　the　old
lady；　almost　fainting　with　astonishment。　　〃You　took　me
because　I　was　useful。　　There　is　no　question　of　gratitude
between　us。　　I　hate　this　place；　and　want　to　leave　it。　　I
will　do　nothing　here　but　what　I　am　obliged　to　do。〃
It　was　in　vain　that　the　old　lady　asked　her　if　she　was
aware　she　was　speaking　to　Miss　Pinkerton？　　Rebecca
laughed　in　her　face；　with　a　horrid　sarcastic　demoniacal
laughter；　that　almost　sent　the　schoolmistress　into　fits。
〃Give　me　a　sum　of　money；〃　said　the　girl；　〃and　get　rid
of　meor；　if　you　like　better；　get　me　a　good　place　as
governess　in　a　nobleman's　familyyou　can　do　so　if　you
please。〃　　And　in　their　further　disputes　she　always　returned
to　this　point；　〃Get　me　a　situationwe　hate　each　other；
and　I　am　ready　to　go。〃
Worthy　Miss　Pinkerton；　although　she　had　a　Roman
nose　and　a　turban；　and　was　as　tall　as　a　grenadier；　and
had　been　up　to　this　time　an　irresistible　princess；　had　no
will　or　strength　like　that　of　her　little　apprentice；　and　in
vain　did　battle　against　her；　and　tried　to　overawe　her。
Attempting　once　to　scold　her　in　public；　Rebecca　hit　upon
the　before…mentioned　plan　of　answering　her　in　French；
which　quite　routed　the　old　woman。　　In　order　to　maintain
authority　in　her　school；　it　became　necessary　to　remove
this　rebel；　this　monster；　this　serpent；　this　firebrand；　and
hearing　about　this　time　that　Sir　Pitt　Crawley's　family
was　in　want　of　a　governess；　she　actually　recommended
Miss　Sharp　for　the　situation；　firebrand　and　serpent　as
she　was。　　〃I　cannot；　certainly；〃　she　said；　〃find　fault　with
Miss　Sharp's　conduct；　except　to　myself；　and　must　allow
that　her　talents　and　accomplishments　are　of　a　high　order。
As　far　as　the　head　goes；　at　least；　she　does　credit　to　the
educational　system　pursued　at　my　establishment。''
And　so　the　schoolmistress　reconciled　the　recommendation
to　her　conscience；　and　the　indentures　were　cancelled；
and　the　apprentice　was　free。　　The　battle　here　described
in　a　few　lines；　of　course；　lasted　for　some　months。　　And
as　Miss　Sedley；　being　now　in　her　seventeenth　year；　was
about　to　leave　school；　and　had　a　friendship　for　Miss
Sharp　（〃'tis　the　only　point　in　Amelia's　behaviour；〃　said
Minerva；　〃which　has　not　been　satisfactory　to　her
mistress〃）；　Miss　Sharp　was　invited　by　her　friend　to
pass　a　week　with　her　at　home；　before　she　entered
upon　her　duties　as　governess　in　a　private　family。
Thus　the　world　began　for　these　two　young　ladies。　　For
Amelia　it　was　quite　a　new；　fresh；　brilliant　world；　with
all　the　bloom　upon　it。　　It　was　not　quite　a　new　one　for
Rebecca（indeed；　if　the　truth　must　be　told　with　respect
to　the　Crisp　affair；　the　tart…woman　hinted　to　somebody；
who　took　an　affidavit　of　the　fact　to　somebody　else；　that
there　was　a　great　deal　more　than　was　made　public
regarding　Mr。　Crisp　and　Miss　Sharp；　and　that　his　letter
was　in　answer　to　another　letter）。　　But　who　can　tell　you
the　real　truth　of　the　matter？　At　all　events；　if　Rebecca
was　not　beginning　the　world；　she　was　beginning　it　over
again。
By　the　time　the　young　ladies　reached　Kensington　turnpike；
Amelia　had　not　forgotten　her　companions；　but　had
dried　her　tears；　and　had　blushed　very　much　and　been
delighted　at　a　young　officer　of　the　Life　Guards；　who　spied
her　as　he　was　riding　by；　and　said；　〃A　dem　fine　gal；
egad！〃　and　before　the　carriage　arrived　in　Russell　Square；
a　great　deal　of　conversation　ha