vanity fair(名利场)-第66节

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for　everything。
Through　Rawdon's　valet；　who　still　kept　up　a　trifling
acquaintance　with　the　male　inhabitants　of　Miss　Crawley's
servants'　hall；　and　was　instructed　to　treat　the　coachman
to　drink　whenever　they　met；　old　Miss　Crawley's　movements
were　pretty　well　known　by　our　young　couple；　and
Rebecca　luckily　bethought　herself　of　being　unwell；　and　of
calling　in　the　same　apothecary　who　was　in　attendance
upon　the　spinster；　so　that　their　information　was　on　the
whole　tolerably　complete。　　Nor　was　Miss　Briggs；　although
forced　to　adopt　a　hostile　attitude；　secretly　inimical　to
Rawdon　and　his　wife。　　She　was　naturally　of　a　kindly　and
forgiving　disposition。　　Now　that　the　cause　of　jealousy　was
removed；　her　dislike　for　Rebecca　disappeared　also；　and
she　remembered　the　latter's　invariable　good　words
and　good　humour。　　And；　indeed；　she　and　Mrs。
Firkin；　the　lady's…maid；　and　the　whole　of　Miss　Crawley's
household；　groaned　under　the　tyranny　of　the
triumphant　Mrs。　Bute。
As　often　will　be　the　case；　that　good　but　imperious
woman　pushed　her　advantages　too　far；　and　her　successes
quite　unmercifully。　　She　had　in　the　course　of　a　few　weeks
brought　the　invalid　to　such　a　state　of　helpless　docility；
that　the　poor　soul　yielded　herself　entirely　to　her　sister's
orders；　and　did　not　even　dare　to　complain　of　her　slavery
to　Briggs　or　Firkin。　　Mrs。　Bute　measured　out　the　glasses
of　wine　which　Miss　Crawley　was　daily　allowed　to　take；
with　irresistible　accuracy；　greatly　to　the　annoyance　of
Firkin　and　the　butler；　who　found　themselves　deprived　of
control　over　even　the　sherry…bottle。　　She　apportioned　the
sweetbreads；　jellies；　chickens；　their　quantity　and　order。
Night　and　noon　and　morning　she　brought　the　abominable
drinks　ordained　by　the　Doctor；　and　made　her　patient
swallow　them　with　so　affecting　an　obedience　that　Firkin
said　〃my　poor　Missus　du　take　her　physic　like　a　lamb。〃　She
prescribed　the　drive　in　the　carriage　or　the　ride　in　the
chair；　and；　in　a　word；　ground　down　the　old　lady　in　her
convalescence　in　such　a　way　as　only　belongs　to　your
proper…managing；　motherly　moral　woman。　　If　ever　the
patient　faintly　resisted；　and　pleaded　for　a　little　bit　more
dinner　or　a　little　drop　less　medicine；　the　nurse　threatened
her　with　instantaneous　death；　when　Miss　Crawley
instantly　gave　in。　　〃She's　no　spirit　left　in　her；〃　Firkin
remarked　to　Briggs；　〃she　ain't　ave　called　me　a　fool　these
three　weeks。〃　Finally；　Mrs。　Bute　had　made　up　her　mind
to　dismiss　the　aforesaid　honest　lady's…maid；　Mr。　Bowls
the　large　confidential　man；　and　Briggs　herself；　and　to
send　for　her　daughters　from　the　Rectory；　previous　to
removing　the　dear　invalid　bodily　to　Queen's　Crawley；　when
an　odious　accident　happened　which　called　her　away　from
duties　so　pleasing。　　The　Reverend　Bute　Crawley；　her
husband；　riding　home　one　night；　fell　with　his　horse　and
broke　his　collar…bone。　　Fever　and　inflammatory　symptoms
set　in；　and　Mrs。　Bute　was　forced　to　leave　Sussex　for
Hampshire。　　As　soon　as　ever　Bute　was　restored；　she
promised　to　return　to　her　dearest　friend；　and　departed；
leaving　the　strongest　injunctions　with　the　household
regarding　their　behaviour　to　their　mistress；　and　as　soon　as
she　got　into　the　Southampton　coach；　there　was　such　a
jubilee　and　sense　of　relief　in　all　Miss　Crawley's　house；
as　the　company　of　persons　assembled　there　had　not
experienced　for　many　a　week　before。　　That　very　day　Miss
Crawley　left　off　her　afternoon　dose　of　medicine：　　that
afternoon　Bowls　opened　an　independent　bottle　of　sherry
for　himself　and　Mrs。　Firkin：　　that　night　Miss　Crawley
and　Miss　Briggs　indulged　in　a　game　of　piquet　instead
of　one　of　Porteus's　sermons。　　It　was　as　in　the　old　nursery…
story；　when　the　stick　forgot　to　beat　the　dog；　and　the
whole　course　of　events　underwent　a　peaceful　and　happy
revolution。
At　a　very　early　hour　in　the　morning；　twice　or　thrice　a
week；　Miss　Briggs　used　to　betake　herself　to　a　bathing…
machine；　and　disport　in　the　water　in　a　flannel　gown　and
an　oilskin　cap。　　Rebecca；　as　we　have　seen；　was　aware　of
this　circumstance；　and　though　she　did　not　attempt　to
storm　Briggs　as　she　had　threatened；　and　actually　dive
into　that　lady's　presence　and　surprise　her　under　the
sacredness　of　the　awning；　Mrs。　Rawdon　determined　to
attack　Briggs　as　she　came　away　from　her　bath；　refreshed
and　invigorated　by　her　dip；　and　likely　to　be　in　good
humour。
So　getting　up　very　early　the　next　morning；　Becky
brought　the　telescope　in　their　sitting…room；　which　faced
the　sea；　to　bear　upon　the　bathing…machines　on　the　beach；
saw　Briggs　arrive；　enter　her　box；　and　put　out　to　sea；
and　was　on　the　shore　just　as　the　nymph　of　whom　she
came　in　quest　stepped　out　of　the　little　caravan　on　to　the
shingles。　　It　was　a　pretty　picture：　　the　beach；　the　bathing…
women's　faces；　the　long　line　of　rocks　and　building　were
blushing　and　bright　in　the　sunshine。　　Rebecca　wore　a　kind；
tender　smile　on　her　face；　and　was　holding　out　her　pretty
white　hand　as　Briggs　emerged　from　the　box。　　What　could
Briggs　do　but　accept　the　salutation？
〃Miss　ShMrs。　Crawley；〃　she　said。
Mrs。　Crawley　seized　her　hand；　pressed　it　to　her　heart；
and　with　a　sudden　impulse；　flinging　her　arms　round
Briggs；　kissed　her　affectionately。　　〃Dear；　dear　friend！〃　she
said；　with　a　touch　of　such　natural　feeling；　that　Miss
Briggs　of　course　at　once　began　to　melt；　and　even　the
bathing…woman　was　mollified。
Rebecca　found　no　difficulty　in　engaging　Briggs　in　a　long；
intimate；　and　delightful　conversation。　　Everything　that　had
passed　since　the　morning　of　Becky's　sudden　departure
from　Miss　Crawley's　house　in　Park　Lane　up　to　the　present
day；　and　Mrs。　Bute's　happy　retreat；　was　discussed　and
described　by　Briggs。　　All　Miss　Crawley's　symptoms；　and
the　particulars　of　her　illness　and　medical　treatment；　were
narrated　by　the　confidante　with　that　fulness　and
accuracy　which　women　delight　in。　　About　their　complaints
and　their　doctors　do　ladies　ever　tire　of　talking　to　each
other？　　Briggs　did　not　on　this　occasion；　nor　did　Rebecca
weary　of　listening。　　She　was　thankful；　truly　thankful；　that
the　dear　kind　Briggs；　that　the　faithful；　the　invaluable
Firkin；　had　been　permitted　to　remain　with　their　benefactress
through　her　illness。　　Heaven　bless　her！　though　she；
Rebecca；　had　seemed　to　act　undutifully　towards　Miss
Crawley；　yet　was　not　her　fault　a　natural　and　excusable　one？
Could　she　help　giving　her　hand　to　the　man　who　had　won
her　heart？　　Briggs；　the　sentimental；　could　only　turn　up
her　eyes　to　heaven　at　this　appeal；　and　heave　a
sympathetic　sigh；　and　think　that　she；　too；　had　given
away　her　affections　long　years　ago；　and　own　that　Rebecca
was　no　very　great　criminal。
〃Can　I　ever　forget　her　who　so　befriended　the　friendless
orphan？　　No；　though　she　has　cast　me　off；〃　the　latter
said；　〃I　shall　never　cease　to　love　her；　and　I　would　devote
my　life　to　her　service。　　As　my　own　benefactress；　as　my
beloved　Rawdon's　adored　relative；　I　love　and　admire　Miss
Crawley；　dear　Miss　Briggs；　beyond　any　woman　in　the
world；　and　next　to　her　I　love　all　those　who　are　faithful
to　her。　　I　would　never　have　treated　Miss　Crawley's
faithful　friends　as　that　odious　designing　Mrs。　Bute　has
done。　　Rawdon；　who　was　all　heart；〃　Rebecca　continued；
〃although　his　outward　manners　might　seem　rough　and
careless；　had　said　a　hundred　times；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；
that　he　blessed　Heaven　for　sending　his　dearest　Aunty　two
such　admirable　nurses　as　her　attached　Firkin　and　her
admirable　Miss　Briggs。　　Should　the　machinations　of　the
horrible　Mrs。　Bute　end；　as　she　too　much　feared　they　would；
in　banishing　everybody　that　Miss　Crawley　loved　from　her
side；　and　leaving　that　poor　lady　a　victim　to　those　harpies
at　the　Rectory；　Rebecca　besought　her　（Miss　Briggs）　to
remember　that　her　own　home；　humble　as　it　was；　was
always　open　to　receive　Briggs。　　Dear　friend；〃　she
exclaimed；　in　a　transport　of　enthusiasm；　〃some　hearts
can　never　forget　benefits；　all　women　are　not　Bute
Crawleys！　　Though　why　should　I　complain　of　her；〃　Rebecca
added；　〃though　I　have　been　her　tool　and　the　victim　to　her
arts；　do　I　not　owe　my　dearest　Rawdon　to　her？〃　　And
Rebecca　unfolded　to　Briggs　all　Mrs。　Bute's　conduct　at
Queen's　Crawley；　which；　though　unintelligible　to　her　then；
was　clearly　enough　explained　by　the　events　nownow
that　the　attachment　had　sprung　up　which　Mrs。　Bute　had
encouraged　by　a　thousand　artificesnow　that　two
innocent　people　had　fallen　into　the　snares　which　she　had
laid　for　them；　and　loved　and　married　and　been　ruined
through　her　schemes。
It　was　all　very　true。　　Briggs　saw　the　stratagems　as
clearly　as　possible。　　Mrs。　Bute　had　made　the　match
between　Rawdon　and　Rebecca。　　Yet；　though　the　latter　was　a
perfectly　innocent　victim；　Miss　Briggs　could　not　disguise
from　her　friend　her　fear　that　Miss　Crawley's　affections
were　hopelessly　estranged　from　Rebecca；　and　that　the　old
lady　would　never　forgive　her　nephew　for　making　so
imprudent　a　marriage。
On　this　point　Rebecca　had　her　own　opinion；　and
still　kept　up　a　good　heart。　　If　Miss　Crawley　did　not
forgive　them　at　present；　she　might　at　least　relent　on　a
future　day。　　Even　now；　there　was　only　that　puling；　sickly
Pitt　Crawley　between　Rawdon　and　a　baronetcy；　and　should
anything　happen　to　the　former；　all　would　be　well。　　At　all
events；　to　have　Mrs。　Bute's　designs　exposed；　and　herself
well　abused；　w