vanity fair(名利场)-第67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！


anything　happen　to　the　former；　all　would　be　well。　　At　all
events；　to　have　Mrs。　Bute's　designs　exposed；　and　herself
well　abused；　was　a　satisfaction；　and　might　be　advantageous
to　Rawdon's　interest；　and　Rebecca；　after　an　hour's
chat　with　her　recovered　friend；　left　her　with　the　most
tender　demonstrations　of　regard；　and　quite　assured　that
the　conversation　they　had　had　together　would　be
reported　to　Miss　Crawley　before　many　hours　were　over。
This　interview　ended；　it　became　full　time　for　Rebecca
to　return　to　her　inn；　where　all　the　party　of　the　previous
day　were　assembled　at　a　farewell　breakfast。　　Rebecca　took
such　a　tender　leave　of　Amelia　as　became　two　women　who
loved　each　other　as　sisters；　and　having　used　her　handkerchief　
plentifully；　and　hung　on　her　friend's　neck　as　if　they
were　parting　for　ever；　and　waved　the　handkerchief
（which　was　quite　dry；　by　the　way）　out　of　window；　as　the
carriage　drove　off；　she　came　back　to　the　breakfast　table；
and　ate　some　prawns　with　a　good　deal　of　appetite；
considering　her　emotion；　and　while　she　was　munching　these
delicacies；　explained　to　Rawdon　what　had　occurred　in　her
morning　walk　between　herself　and　Briggs。　　Her　hopes
were　very　high：　　she　made　her　husband　share　them。　　She
generally　succeeded　in　making　her　husband　share　all　her
opinions；　whether　melancholy　or　cheerful。
〃You　will　now；　if　you　please；　my　dear；　sit　down　at　the
writing…table　and　pen　me　a　pretty　little　letter　to　Miss
Crawley；　in　which　you'll　say　that　you　are　a　good　boy；
and　that　sort　of　thing。〃　　So　Rawdon　sate　down；　and　wrote
off；　〃Brighton；　Thursday；〃　and　〃My　dear　Aunt；〃　with
great　rapidity：　but　there　the　gallant　officer's　imagination
failed　him。　　He　mumbled　the　end　of　his　pen；　and　looked
up　in　his　wife's　face。　　She　could　not　help　laughing　at　his
rueful　countenance；　and　marching　up　and　down　the　room
with　her　hands　behind　her；　the　little　woman　began　to
dictate　a　letter；　which　he　took　down。
〃Before　quitting　the　country　and　commencing　a　campaign；
which　very　possibly　may　be　fatal。〃
〃What？〃　said　Rawdon；　rather　surprised；　but　took　the
humour　of　the　phrase；　and　presently　wrote　it　down　with
a　grin。
〃Which　very　possibly　may　be　fatal；　I　have　come
hither〃
〃Why　not　say　come　here；　Becky？　　Come　here's　grammar；〃
the　dragoon　interposed。
〃I　have　come　hither；〃　Rebecca　insisted；　with　a　stamp
of　her　foot；　〃to　say　farewell　to　my　dearest　and　earliest
friend。　　I　beseech　you　before　I　go；　not　perhaps　to
return；　once　more　to　let　me　press　the　hand　from　which
I　have　received　nothing　but　kindnesses　all　my　life。〃
〃Kindnesses　all　my　life；〃　echoed　Rawdon；　scratching
down　the　words；　and　quite　amazed　at　his　own　facility　of
composition。
〃I　ask　nothing　from　you　but　that　we　should　part　not　in
anger。　　I　have　the　pride　of　my　family　on　some　points；
though　not　on　all。　　I　married　a　painter's　daughter；　and　am
not　ashamed　of　the　union。〃
〃No；　run　me　through　the　body　if　I　am！〃　Rawdon　ejaculated。
〃You　old　booby；〃　Rebecca　said；　pinching　his　ear　and
looking　over　to　see　that　he　made　no　mistakes　in　spelling
〃beseech　is　not　spelt　with　an　a；　and　earliest　is。〃　　So　he
altered　these　words；　bowing　to　the　superior　knowledge　of
his　little　Missis。
〃I　thought　that　you　were　aware　of　the　progress　of　my
attachment；〃　Rebecca　continued：　　〃I　knew　that　Mrs。　Bute
Crawley　confirmed　and　encouraged　it。　　But　I　make　no
reproaches。　　I　married　a　poor　woman；　and　am　content　to
abide　by　what　I　have　done。　　Leave　your　property；　dear
Aunt；　as　you　will。　　I　shall　never　complain　of　the　way　in
which　you　dispose　of　it。　　I　would　have　you　believe　that　I
love　you　for　yourself；　and　not　for　money's　sake。　　I　want　to
be　reconciled　to　you　ere　I　leave　England。　　Let　me；　let
me　see　you　before　I　go。　　A　few　weeks　or　months　hence　it
may　be　too　late；　and　I　cannot　bear　the　notion　of　quitting
the　country　without　a　kind　word　of　farewell　from　you。〃
〃She　won't　recognise　my　style　in　that；〃　said　Becky。　　〃I
made　the　sentences　short　and　brisk　on　purpose。〃　And
this　authentic　missive　was　despatched　under　cover　to　Miss
Briggs。
Old　Miss　Crawley　laughed　when　Briggs；　with　great
mystery；　handed　her　over　this　candid　and　simple
statement。　　〃We　may　read　it　now　Mrs。　Bute　is　away；〃
she　said。　　〃Read　it　to　me；　Briggs。〃
When　Briggs　had　read　the　epistle　out；　her　patroness
laughed　more。　　〃Don't　you　see；　you　goose；〃　she　said　to
Briggs；　who　professed　to　be　much　touched　by　the　honest
affection　which　pervaded　the　composition；　〃don't　you
see　that　Rawdon　never　wrote　a　word　of　it。　　He　never
wrote　to　me　without　asking　for　money　in　his　life；　and　all
his　letters　are　full　of　bad　spelling；　and　dashes；　and　bad
grammar。　　It　is　that　little　serpent　of　a　governess　who　rules
him。〃　They　are　all　alike；　Miss　Crawley　thought　in　her
heart。　　They　all　want　me　dead；　and　are　hankering　for　my
money。
〃I　don't　mind　seeing　Rawdon；〃　she　added；　after　a
pause；　and　in　a　tone　of　perfect　indifference。　　〃I　had　just
as　soon　shake　hands　with　him　as　not。　　Provided　there　is
no　scene；　why　shouldn't　we　meet？　　I　don't　mind。　　But
human　patience　has　its　limits；　and　mind；　my　dear；　I
respectfully　decline　to　receive　Mrs。　RawdonI　can't
support　that　quite〃and　Miss　Briggs　was　fain　to　be　content
with　this　half…message　of　conciliation；　and　thought　that
the　best　method　of　bringing　the　old　lady　and　her　nephew
together；　was　to　warn　Rawdon　to　be　in　waiting　on　the
Cliff；　when　Miss　Crawley　went　out　for　her　air　in　her
chair。
There　they　met。　　I　don't　know　whether　Miss　Crawley
had　any　private　feeling　of　regard　or　emotion　upon　seeing
her　old　favourite；　but　she　held　out　a　couple　of　fingers
to　him　with　as　smiling　and　good…humoured　an　air；　as　if
they　had　met　only　the　day　before。　　And　as　for　Rawdon；
he　turned　as　red　as　scarlet；　and　wrung　off　Briggs's　hand；
so　great　was　his　rapture　and　his　confusion　at　the　meeting。
Perhaps　it　was　interest　that　moved　him：　　or　perhaps
affection：　　perhaps　he　was　touched　by　the　change　which
the　illness　of　the　last　weeks　had　wrought　in　his　aunt。
〃The　old　girl　has　always　acted　like　a　trump　to　me；〃　he
said　to　his　wife；　as　he　narrated　the　interview；　〃and　I　felt；
you　know；　rather　queer；　and　that　sort　of　thing。　　I　walked
by　the　side　of　the　what…dy'e…call…'em；　you　know；　and　to
her　own　door；　where　Bowls　came　to　help　her　in。　　And　I
wanted　to　go　in　very　much；　only〃
〃YOU　DIDN'T　GO　IN；　Rawdon！〃　screamed　his　wife。
〃No；　my　dear；　I'm　hanged　if　I　wasn't　afraid　when　it
came　to　the　point。〃
〃You　fool！　you　ought　to　have　gone　in；　and　never　come
out　again；〃　Rebecca　said。
〃Don't　call　me　names；〃　said　the　big　Guardsman；　sulkily。
〃Perhaps　I　WAS　a　fool；　Becky；　but　you　shouldn't　say
so〃；　and　he　gave　his　wife　a　look；　such　as　his　countenance
could　wear　when　angered；　and　such　as　was　not　pleasant
to　face。
〃Well；　dearest；　to…morrow　you　must　be　on　the　look…out；
and　go　and　see　her；　mind；　whether　she　asks　you　or　no；〃
Rebecca　said；　trying　to　soothe　her　angry　yoke…mate。　　On
which　he　replied；　that　he　would　do　exactly　as　he　liked；
and　would　just　thank　her　to　keep　a　civil　tongue　in　her
headand　the　wounded　husband　went　away；　and　passed
the　forenoon　at　the　billiard…room；　sulky；　silent；　and
suspicious。
But　before　the　night　was　over　he　was　compelled　to
give　in；　and　own；　as　usual；　to　his　wife's　superior　prudence
and　foresight；　by　the　most　melancholy　confirmation　of　the
presentiments　which　she　had　regarding　the　consequences
of　the　mistake　which　he　had　made。　　Miss　Crawley　must
have　had　some　emotion　upon　seeing　him　and　shaking
hands　with　him　after　so　long　a　rupture。　　She　mused　upon
the　meeting　a　considerable　time。　　〃Rawdon　is　getting　very
fat　and　old；　Briggs；〃　she　said　to　her　companion。　　〃His
nose　has　become　red；　and　he　is　exceedingly　coarse　in
appearance。　　His　marriage　to　that　woman　has　hopelessly
vulgarised　him。　　Mrs。　Bute　always　said　they　drank　together；
and　I　have　no　doubt　they　do。　　Yes：　　he　smelt　of　gin
abominably。　　I　remarked　it。　　Didn't　you？〃
In　vain　Briggs　interposed　that　Mrs。　Bute　spoke　ill　of
everybody：　and；　as　far　as　a　person　in　her　humble　position
could　judge；　was　an
〃An　artful　designing　woman？　　Yes；　so　she　is；　and　she
does　speak　ill　of　every　onebut　I　am　certain　that　woman
has　made　Rawdon　drink。　　All　those　low　people　do〃
〃He　was　very　much　affected　at　seeing　you；　ma'am；〃　the
companion　said；　〃and　I　am　sure；　when　you　remember　that
he　is　going　to　the　field　of　danger〃
〃How　much　money　has　he　promised　you；　Briggs？〃　the
old　spinster　cried　out；　working　herself　into　a　nervous
rage〃there　now；　of　course　you　begin　to　cry。　　I　hate
scenes。　　Why　am　I　always　to　be　worried？　　Go　and　cry　up　in
your　own　room；　and　send　Firkin　to　me　no；　stop；　sit
down　and　blow　your　nose；　and　leave　off　crying；　and　write
a　letter　to　Captain　Crawley。〃　Poor　Briggs　went　and
placed　herself　obediently　at　the　writing…book。　　Its　leaves
were　blotted　all　over　with　relics　of　the　firm；　strong；　rapid
handwriting　of　the　spinster's　late　amanuensis；　Mrs。　Bute
Crawley。
〃Begin　'My　dear　sir；'　or　'Dear　sir；'　that　will　be　better；
and　say　you　are　desired　by　Miss　Crawleyno；　by　Miss
Crawley's　medical　man；　by　Mr。　Creamer；　to　state　that
my　health　is　such　that　all　strong　emotions　would　be
dangerous　in　my　present　delicate　conditionand　that　I　must
decline　any　family　discussions　or　interviews　whatever。
And　thank　him　for　coming　to　Brighton；　and　so　fo