vanity fair(名利场)-第44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！


impression　on　his　parents；　and　I　have　heard　Amelia　say
that　the　first　day　on　which　she　saw　her　father　lift　up　his
head　after　the　failure　was　on　the　receipt　of　the　packet
of　forks　and　spoons　with　the　young　stockbrokers'　love；
over　which　he　burst　out　crying　like　a　child；　being　greatly
more　affected　than　even　his　wife；　to　whom　the　present
was　addressed。　　Edward　Dale；　the　junior　of　the　house；
who　purchased　the　spoons　for　the　firm；　was；　in　fact；　very
sweet　upon　Amelia；　and　offered　for　her　in　spite　of　all。
He　married　Miss　Louisa　Cutts　（daughter　of　Higham　and
Cutts；　the　eminent　cornfactors）　with　a　handsome　fortune
in　1820；　and　is　now　living　in　splendour；　and　with　a
numerous　family；　at　his　elegant　villa；　Muswell　Hill。　　But
we　must　not　let　the　recollections　of　this　good　fellow
cause　us　to　diverge　from　the　principal　history。
I　hope　the　reader　has　much　too　good　an　opinion　of
Captain　and　Mrs。　Crawley　to　suppose　that　they　ever
would　have　dreamed　of　paying　a　visit　to　so　remote　a
district　as　Bloomsbury；　if　they　thought　the　family　whom
they　proposed　to　honour　with　a　visit　were　not　merely
out　of　fashion；　but　out　of　money；　and　could　be
serviceable　to　them　in　no　possible　manner。　　Rebecca　was
entirely　surprised　at　the　sight　of　the　comfortable　old　house
where　she　had　met　with　no　small　kindness；　ransacked　by
brokers　and　bargainers；　and　its　quiet　family　treasures
given　up　to　public　desecration　and　plunder。　　A　month
after　her　flight；　she　had　bethought　her　of　Amelia；　and
Rawdon；　with　a　horse…laugh；　had　expressed　a　perfect
willingness　to　see　young　George　Osborne　again。　　〃He's　a
very　agreeable　acquaintance；　Beck；〃　the　wag　added。　　〃I'd
like　to　sell　him　another　horse；　Beck。　　I'd　like　to　play　a
few　more　games　at　billiards　with　him。　　He'd　be　what　I
call　useful　just　now；　Mrs。　C。ha；　ha！〃　by　which　sort　of
speech　it　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　Rawdon　Crawley　had
a　deliberate　desire　to　cheat　Mr。　Osborne　at　play；　but　only
wished　to　take　that　fair　advantage　of　him　which　almost
every　sporting　gentleman　in　Vanity　Fair　considers　to　be
his　due　from　his　neighbour。
　　
The　old　aunt　was　long　in　〃coming…to。〃　A　month　had
elapsed。　　Rawdon　was　denied　the　door　by　Mr。　Bowls；　his
servants　could　not　get　a　lodgment　in　the　house　at　Park
Lane；　his　letters　were　sent　back　unopened。　　Miss　Crawley
never　stirred　outshe　was　unwelland　Mrs。　Bute
remained　still　and　never　left　her。　　Crawley　and　his　wife　both
of　them　augured　evil　from　the　continued　presence　of
Mrs。　Bute。
　　
〃Gad；　I　begin　to　perceive　now　why　she　was　always
bringing　us　together　at　Queen's　Crawley；〃　Rawdon　said。
　　
〃What　an　artful　little　woman！〃　ejaculated　Rebecca。
　　
〃Well；　I　don't　regret　it；　if　you　don't；〃　the　Captain
cried；　still　in　an　amorous　rapture　with　his　wife；　who
rewarded　him　with　a　kiss　by　way　of　reply；　and　was
indeed　not　a　little　gratified　by　the　generous　confidence
of　her　husband。
　　
〃If　he　had　but　a　little　more　brains；〃　she　thought　to
herself；　〃I　might　make　something　of　him〃；　but　she　never
let　him　perceive　the　opinion　she　had　of　him；　listened
with　indefatigable　complacency　to　his　stories　of　the
stable　and　the　mess；　laughed　at　all　his　jokes；　felt　the
greatest　interest　in　Jack　Spatterdash；　whose　cab…horse
had　come　down；　and　Bob　Martingale；　who　had　been
taken　up　in　a　gambling…house；　and　Tom　Cinqbars；　who
was　going　to　ride　the　steeplechase。　　When　he　came　home
she　was　alert　and　happy：　when　he　went　out　she　pressed
him　to　go：　when　he　stayed　at　home；　she　played　and
sang　for　him；　made　him　good　drinks；　superintended　his
dinner；　warmed　his　slippers；　and　steeped　his　soul　in
comfort。　　The　best　of　women　（I　have　heard　my　grandmother
say）　are　hypocrites。　　We　don't　know　how　much
they　hide　from　us：　how　watchful　they　are　when　they
seem　most　artless　and　confidential：　how　often　those　frank
smiles　which　they　wear　so　easily；　are　traps　to　cajole　or
elude　or　disarmI　don't　mean　in　your　mere　coquettes；
but　your　domestic　models；　and　paragons　of　female　virtue。
Who　has　not　seen　a　woman　hide　the　dulness　of　a　stupid
husband；　or　coax　the　fury　of　a　savage　one？　　We　accept
this　amiable　slavishness；　and　praise　a　woman　for　it：　we
call　this　pretty　treachery　truth。　　A　good　housewife　is　of
necessity　a　humbug；　and　Cornelia's　husband　was
hoodwinked；　as　Potiphar　wasonly　in　a　different　way。
　　
By　these　attentions；　that　veteran　rake；　Rawdon　Crawley；
found　himself　converted　into　a　very　happy　and　submissive
married　man。　　His　former　haunts　knew　him　not。
They　asked　about　him　once　or　twice　at　his　clubs；　but　did
not　miss　him　much：　in　those　booths　of　Vanity　Fair　people
seldom　do　miss　each　other。　　His　secluded　wife　ever　smiling
and　cheerful；　his　little　comfortable　lodgings；　snug
meals；　and　homely　evenings；　had　all　the　charms　of　novelty
and　secrecy。　　The　marriage　was　not　yet　declared　to　the
world；　or　published　in　the　Morning　Post。　　All　his　creditors
would　have　come　rushing　on　him　in　a　body；　had　they
known　that　he　was　united　to　a　woman　without　fortune。
〃My　relations　won't　cry　fie　upon　me；〃　Becky　said；　with
rather　a　bitter　laugh；　and　she　was　quite　contented　to　wait
until　the　old　aunt　should　be　reconciled；　before　she　claimed
her　place　in　society。　　So　she　lived　at　Brompton；　and
meanwhile　saw　no　one；　or　only　those　few　of　her　husband's
male　companions　who　were　admitted　into　her　little
dining…room。　　These　were　all　charmed　with　her。　　The　little
dinners；　the　laughing　and　chatting；　the　music　afterwards；
delighted　all　who　participated　in　these　enjoyments。　　Major
Martingale　never　thought　about　asking　to
see　the　marriage　licence；　Captain　Cinqbars　was　perfectly
enchanted　with　her　skill　in　making　punch。　　And　young
Lieutenant　Spatterdash　（who　was　fond　of　piquet；　and
whom　Crawley　would　often　invite）　was　evidently　and
quickly　smitten　by　Mrs。　Crawley；　but　her　own
circumspection　and　modesty　never　forsook　her　for　a
moment；　and　Crawley's　reputation　as　a　fire…eating　and
jealous　warrior　was　a　further　and　complete　defence　to
his　little　wife。
　　
There　are　gentlemen　of　very　good　blood　and　fashion
in　this　city；　who　never　have　entered　a　lady's　drawing…
room；　so　that　though　Rawdon　Crawley's　marriage　might
be　talked　about　in　his　county；　where；　of　course；　Mrs。
Bute　had　spread　the　news；　in　London　it　was　doubted；　or
not　heeded；　or　not　talked　about　at　all。　　He　lived　comfortably
on　credit。　　He　had　a　large　capital　of　debts；　which
laid　out　judiciously；　will　carry　a　man　along　for　many
years；　and　on　which　certain　men　about　town　contrive
to　live　a　hundred　times　better　than　even　men　with　ready
money　can　do。　　Indeed　who　is　there　that　walks　London
streets；　but　can　point　out　a　half…dozen　of　men　riding
by　him　splendidly；　while　he　is　on　foot；　courted　by　fashion；
bowed　into　their　carriages　by　tradesmen；　denying
themselves　nothing；　and　living　on　who　knows　what？　　We
see　Jack　Thriftless　prancing　in　the　park；　or　darting　in　his
brougham　down　Pall　Mall：　we　eat　his　dinners　served　on
his　miraculous　plate。　　〃How　did　this　begin；〃　we　say；　〃or
where　will　it　end？〃　〃My　dear　fellow；〃　I　heard　Jack　once
say；　〃I　owe　money　in　every　capital　in　Europe。〃　　The　end
must　come　some　day；　but　in　the　meantime　Jack　thrives
as　much　as　ever；　people　are　glad　enough　to　shake　him　by
the　hand；　ignore　the　little　dark　stories　that　are　whispered
every　now　and　then　against　him；　and　pronounce　him　a
good…natured；　jovial；　reckless　fellow。
　　
Truth　obliges　us　to　confess　that　Rebecca　had　married　a
gentleman　of　this　order。　　Everything　was　plentiful　in　his
house　but　ready　money；　of　which　their　menage　pretty
early　felt　the　want；　and　reading　the　Gazette　one　day；
and　coming　upon　the　announcement　of　〃Lieutenant　G。
Osborne　to　be　Captain　by　purchase；　vice　Smith；　who
exchanges；〃　Rawdon　uttered　that　sentiment　regarding
Amelia's　lover；　which　ended　in　the　visit　to　Russell　Square。
　　
When　Rawdon　and　his　wife　wished　to　communicate
with　Captain　Dobbin　at　the　sale；　and　to　know　particulars
of　the　catastrophe　which　had　befallen　Rebecca's
old　acquaintances；　the　Captain　had　vanished；　and　such
information　as　they　got　was　from　a　stray　porter　or　broker
at　the　auction。
　　
〃Look　at　them　with　their　hooked　beaks；〃　Becky　said；
getting　into　the　buggy；　her　picture　under　her　arm；　in
great　glee。　　〃They're　like　vultures　after　a　battle。〃
　　
〃Don't　know。　　Never　was　in　action；　my　dear。　　Ask
Martingale；　he　was　in　Spain；　aide…de…camp　to　General
Blazes。〃
　　
〃He　was　a　very　kind　old　man；　Mr。　Sedley；〃　Rebecca
said；　〃I'm　really　sorry　he's　gone　wrong。〃
　　
〃O　stockbrokersbankruptsused　to　it；　you　know；〃
Rawdon　replied；　cutting　a　fly　off　the　horse's　ear。
　　
〃I　wish　we　could　have　afforded　some　of　the　plate；
Rawdon；〃　the　wife　continued　sentimentally。　　〃Five…and…
twenty　guineas　was　monstrously　dear　for　that　little　piano。
We　chose　it　at　Broadwood's　for　Amelia；　when　she　came
from　school。　　It　only　cost　five…and…thirty　then。〃
　　
〃What…d'…ye…call'em'Osborne；'　will　cry　off　now；　I
suppose；　since　the　family　is　smashed。　　How　cut　up　your
pretty　little　friend　will　be；　hey；　Becky？〃
　　
〃I　daresay　she'll　recover　it；〃　Becky　said　with　a　smile
and　they　drove　on　and　talked　about　something　else。

CHAPTER　XVIII
Who　Played　on　the　Piano　Captain　Dobbin　Bought
Our　surprised　story　now　finds　itself　for　a　moment
among　very　famous　events　and　personages；　and
hangi