vanity fair(名利场)-第91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！


who　was　greatly　excited　by　the　Waterloo　proceedings；
and　loved　speaking　romantically　when　there　was　an
occasion。　　〃Has　not　the　Captainor　the　Colonel　as　I　may
now　style　himdone　deeds　which　make　the　name　of
Crawley　illustrious？〃
〃Briggs；　you　are　a　fool；〃　said　Miss　Crawley：　〃Colonel
Crawley　has　dragged　the　name　of　Crawley　through　the
mud；　Miss　Briggs。　　Marry　a　drawing…master's　daughter；
indeed！marry　a　dame　de　compagniefor　she　was　no
better；　Briggs；　no；　she　was　just　what　you　areonly　younger；
and　a　great　deal　prettier　and　cleverer。　　Were　you　an
accomplice　of　that　abandoned　wretch；　I　wonder；　of　whose
vile　arts　he　became　a　victim；　and　of　whom　you　used　to
be　such　an　admirer？　　Yes；　I　daresay　you　were　an　accomplice。
But　you　will　find　yourself　disappointed　in　my　will；
I　can　tell　you：　　and　you　will　have　the　goodness　to　write　to
Mr。　Waxy；　and　say　that　I　desire　to　see　him　immediately。〃
Miss　Crawley　was　now　in　the　habit　of　writing　to　Mr。
Waxy　her　solicitor　almost　every　day　in　the　week；　for　her
arrangements　respecting　her　property　were　all　revoked；
and　her　perplexity　was　great　as　to　the　future　disposition
of　her　money。
The　spinster　had；　however；　rallied　considerably；　as
was　proved　by　the　increased　vigour　and　frequency　of　her
sarcasms　upon　Miss　Briggs；　all　which　attacks　the　poor
companion　bore　with　meekness；　with　cowardice；　with　a
resignation　that　was　half　generous　and　half　hypocritical
with　the　slavish　submission；　in　a　word；　that　women　of
her　disposition　and　station　are　compelled　to　show。　　Who
has　not　seen　how　women　bully　women？　　What　tortures
have　men　to　endure；　comparable　to　those　daily　repeated
shafts　of　scorn　and　cruelty　with　which　poor　women　are
riddled　by　the　tyrants　of　their　sex？　　Poor　victims！　　But　we
are　starting　from　our　proposition；　which　is；　that　Miss
Crawley　was　always　particularly　annoying　and　savage
when　she　was　rallying　from　illnessas　they　say　wounds
tingle　most　when　they　are　about　to　heal。
While　thus　approaching；　as　all　hoped；　to　convalescence；
Miss　Briggs　was　the　only　victim　admitted　into　the
presence　of　the　invalid；　yet　Miss　Crawley's　relatives　afar
off　did　not　forget　their　beloved　kinswoman；　and　by　a
number　of　tokens；　presents；　and　kind　affectionate
messages；　strove　to　keep　themselves　alive　in　her
recollection。
In　the　first　place；　let　us　mention　her　nephew；　Rawdon
Crawley。　　A　few　weeks　after　the　famous　fight　of　Waterloo；
and　after　the　Gazette　had　made　known　to　her　the　promotion
and　gallantry　of　that　distinguished　officer；　the　Dieppe
packet　brought　over　to　Miss　Crawley　at　Brighton；　a　box
containing　presents；　and　a　dutiful　letter；　from　the
Colonel　her　nephew。　　In　the　box　were　a　pair　of　French
epaulets；　a　Cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honour；　and　the　hilt　of　a
swordrelics　from　the　field　of　battle：　　and　the　letter
described　with　a　good　deal　of　humour　how　the　latter
belonged　to　a　commanding　officer　of　the　Guard；　who　having
sworn　that　〃the　Guard　died；　but　never　surrendered；〃
was　taken　prisoner　the　next　minute　by　a　private　soldier；
who　broke　the　Frenchman's　sword　with　the　butt　of　his
musket；　when　Rawdon　made　himself　master　of　the
shattered　weapon。　　As　for　the　cross　and　epaulets；　they　came
from　a　Colonel　of　French　cavalry；　who　had　fallen　under
the　aide…de…camp's　arm　in　the　battle：　　and　Rawdon　Crawley
did　not　know　what　better　to　do　with　the　spoils　than
to　send　them　to　his　kindest　and　most　affectionate　old
friend。　　Should　he　continue　to　write　to　her　from　Paris；
whither　the　army　was　marching？　　He　might　be　able　to
give　her　interesting　news　from　that　capital；　and　of　some
of　Miss　Crawley's　old　friends　of　the　emigration；　to　whom
she　had　shown　so　much　kindness　during　their　distress。
The　spinster　caused　Briggs　to　write　back　to　the　Colonel
a　gracious　and　complimentary　letter；　encouraging
him　to　continue　his　correspondence。　　His　first　letter　was
so　excessively　lively　and　amusing　that　she　should　look
with　pleasure　for　its　successors。〃Of　course；　I　know；〃
she　explained　to；Miss　Briggs；　〃that　Rawdon　could　not
write　such　a　good　letter　any　more　than　you　could；　my
poor　Briggs；　and　that　it　is　that　clever　little　wretch　of　a
Rebecca；　who　dictates　every　word　to　him；　but　that　is　no
reason　why　my　nephew　should　not　amuse　me；　and　so　I
wish　to　let　him　understand　that　I　am　in　high　good
humour。〃
I　wonder　whether　she　knew　that　it　was　not　only　Becky
who　wrote　the　letters；　but　that　Mrs。　Rawdon　actually
took　and　sent　home　the　trophies　which　she　bought　for　a
few　francs；　from　one　of　the　innumerable　pedlars　who
immediately　began　to　deal　in　relics　of　the　war。　　The
novelist；　who　knows　everything；　knows　this　also。　　Be　this；
however；　as　it　may；　Miss　Crawley's　gracious　reply　greatly
encouraged　our　young　friends；　Rawdon　and　his　lady；　who
hoped　for　the　best　from　their　aunt's　evidently　pacified
humour：　　and　they　took　care　to　entertain　her　with　many
delightful　letters　from　Paris；　whither；　as　Rawdon　said；
they　had　the　good　luck　to　go　in　the　track　of　the
conquering　army。
To　the　rector's　lady；　who　went　off　to　tend　her
husband's　broken　collar…bone　at　the　Rectory　at　Queen's
Crawley；　the　spinster's　communications　were　by　no
means　so　gracious。　　Mrs。　Bute；　that　brisk；　managing；
lively；　imperious　woman；　had　committed　the　most　fatal　of
all　errors　with　regard　to　her　sister…in…law。　　She　had　not
merely　oppressed　her　and　her　householdshe　had　bored
Miss　Crawley；　and　if　poor　Miss　Briggs　had　been　a
woman　of　any　spirit；　she　might　have　been　made　happy
by　the　commission　which　her　principal　gave　her　to　write
a　letter　to　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley；　saying　that　Miss　Crawley's
health　was　greatly　improved　since　Mrs。　Bute　had　left　her；
and　begging　the　latter　on　no　account　to　put　herself　to
trouble；　or　quit　her　family　for　Miss　Crawley's　sake。　　This
triumph　over　a　lady　who　had　been　very　haughty　and
cruel　in　her　behaviour　to　Miss　Briggs；　would　have　rejoiced
most　women；　but　the　truth　is；　Briggs　was　a　woman　of　no
spirit　at　all；　and　the　moment　her　enemy　was　discomfited；
she　began　to　feel　compassion　in　her　favour。
〃How　silly　I　was；〃　Mrs。　Bute　thought；　and　with
reason；　〃ever　to　hint　that　I　was　coming；　as　I　did；　in　that
foolish　letter　when　we　sent　Miss　Crawley　the　guinea…
fowls。　I　ought　to　have　gone　without　a　word　to　the　poor
dear　doting　old　creature；　and　taken　her　out　of　the　hands
of　that　ninny　Briggs；　and　that　harpy　of　a　femme　de
chambre。　　Oh！　　Bute；　Bute；　why　did　you　break　your　collar…
bone？〃
Why；　indeed？　　We　have　seen　how　Mrs。　Bute；　having　the
game　in　her　hands；　had　really　played　her　cards　too　well。
She　had　ruled　over　Miss　Crawley's　household　utterly　and
completely；　to　be　utterly　and　completely　routed　when　a
favourable　opportunity　for　rebellion　came。　　She　and　her
household；　however；　considered　that　she　had　been　the
victim　of　horrible　selfishness　and　treason；　and　that　her
sacrifices　in　Miss　Crawley's　behalf　had　met　with　the　most
savage　ingratitude。　　Rawdon's　promotion；　and　the
honourable　mention　made　of　his　name　in　the　Gazette；　filled
this　good　Christian　lady　also　with　alarm。　　Would　his　aunt
relent　towards　him　now　that　he　was　a　Lieutenant…Colonel
and　a　C。B。？　and　would　that　odious　Rebecca　once　more
get　into　favour？　　The　Rector's　wife　wrote　a　sermon　for　her
husband　about　the　vanity　of　military　glory　and　the
prosperity　of　the　wicked；　which　the　worthy　parson　read　in
his　best　voice　and　without　understanding　one　syllable　of
it。　　He　had　Pitt　Crawley　for　one　of　his　auditorsPitt；　who
had　come　with　his　two　half…sisters　to　church；　which。the
old　Baronet　could　now　by　no　means　be　brought　to
frequent。
Since　the　departure　of　Becky　Sharp；　that　old　wretch
had　given　himself　up　entirely　to　his　bad　courses；　to　the
great　scandal　of　the　county　and　the　mute　horror　of　his
son。　　The　ribbons　in　Miss　Horrocks's　cap　became　more
splendid　than　ever。　　The　polite　families　fled　the　hall　and
its　owner　in　terror。　　Sir　Pitt　went　about　tippling　at　his
tenants'　houses；　and　drank　rum…and…water　with　the
farmers　at　Mudbury　and　the　neighbouring　places　on
market…days。　　He　drove　the　family　coach…and…four　to
Southampton　with　Miss　Horrocks　inside：　　and　the　county　people
expected；　every　week；　as　his　son　did　in　speechless　agony；
that　his　marriage　with　her　would　be　announced　in　the
provincial　paper。　　It　was　indeed　a　rude　burthen　for　Mr。
Crawley　to　bear。　　His　eloquence　was　palsied　at　the
missionary　meetings；　and　other　religious　assemblies　in　the
neighbourhood；　where　he　had　been　in　the　habit　of
presiding；　and　of　speaking　for　hours；　for　he　felt；　when　he　rose；
that　the　audience　said；　〃That　is　the　son　of　the　old
reprobate　Sir　Pitt；　who　is　very　likely　drinking　at　the　public
house　at　this　very　moment。〃　And　once　when　he　was
speaking　of　the　benighted　condition　of　the　king　of
Timbuctoo；　and　the　number　of　his　wives　who　were　likewise　in
darkness；　some　gipsy　miscreant　from　the　crowd　asked；
〃How　many　is　there　at　Queen's　Crawley；　Young
Squaretoes？〃　to　the　surprise　of　the　platform；　and　the　ruin
of　Mr。　Pitt's　speech。　　And　the　two　daughters　of　the　house　of
Queen's　Crawley　would　have　been　allowed　to　run　utterly
wild　（for　Sir　Pitt　swore　that　no　governess　should　ever
enter　into　his　doors　again）；　had　not　Mr。　Crawley；　by
threatening　the　old　gentleman；　forced　the　latter　to　send
them　to　school。
Meanwhile；　as　we　have　said；　whatever　individ