vanity fair(名利场)-第93节

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dear　General　Glanders；　who　was　dying　under　the　hands　of
that　ignorant　mandying。　　He　rallied　a　little　under　the
Podgers'　pills　which　I　administered　to　him；　but　alas！　　it
was　too　late。　　His　death　was　delightful；　however；　and　his
change　was　only　for　the　better；　Creamer；　my　dear　Pitt；
must　leave　your　aunt。〃
Pitt　expressed　his　perfect　acquiescence。　　He；　too；　had
been　carried　along　by　the　energy　of　his　noble　kinswoman；
and　future　mother…in…law。　　He　had　been　made　to　accept
Saunders　McNitre；　Luke　Waters；　Giles　Jowls；　Podgers'
Pills；　Rodgers'　Pills；　Pokey's　Elixir；　every　one　of　her
Ladyship's　remedies　spiritual　or　temporal。　　He　never　left
her　house　without　carrying　respectfully　away　with　him
piles　of　her　quack　theology　and　medicine。　　O；　my　dear
brethren　and　fellow…sojourners　in　Vanity　Fair；　which
among　you　does　not　know　and　suffer　under　such
benevolent　despots？　　It　is　in　vain　you　say　to　them；　〃Dear
Madam；　I　took　Podgers'　specific　at　your　orders　last　year；
and　believe　in　it。　　Why；　why　am　I　to　recant　and　accept　the
Rodgers'　articles　now？〃　　There　is　no　help　for　it；　the　faithful　
proselytizer；　if　she　cannot　convince　by　argument；
bursts　into　tears；　and　the　refusant　finds　himself；　at　the
end　of　the　contest；　taking　down　the　bolus；　and　saying；
〃Well；　well；　Rodgers'　be　it。〃
〃And　as　for　her　spiritual　state；〃　continued　the　Lady；
〃that　of　course　must　be　looked　to　immediately：　　with
Creamer　about　her；　she　may　go　off　any　day：　　and　in　what
a　condition；　my　dear　Pitt；　in　what　a　dreadful　condition！
I　will　send　the　Reverend　Mr。　Irons　to　her　instantly。　　Jane；
write　a　line　to　the　Reverend　Bartholomew　Irons；　in　the
third　person；　and　say　that　I　desire　the　pleasure　of　his
company　this　evening　at　tea　at　half…past　six。　　He　is　an
awakening　man；　he　ought　to　see　Miss　Crawley　before　she
rests　this　night。　　And　Emily；　my　love；　get　ready　a　packet
of　books　for　Miss　Crawley。　　Put　up　'A　Voice　from　the
Flames；'　'A　Trumpet…warning　to　Jericho；'　and　the
'Fleshpots　Broken；　or；　the　Converted　Cannibal。'　〃
〃And　the　'Washerwoman　of　Finchley　Common；'
Mamma；〃　said　Lady　Emily。　　〃It　is　as　well　to　begin
soothingly　at　first。〃
〃Stop；　my　dear　ladies；〃　said　Pitt；　the　diplomatist。
〃With　every　deference　to　the　opinion　of　my　beloved　and
respected　Lady　Southdown；　I　think　it　would　be　quite
unadvisable　to　commence　so　early　upon　serious　topics　with
Miss　Crawley。　　Remember　her　delicate　condition；　and　how
little；　how　very　little　accustomed　she　has　hitherto　been
to　considerations　connected　with　her　immortal　welfare。〃
〃Can　we　then　begin　too　early；　Pitt？〃　said　Lady　Emily；
rising　with　six　little　books　already　in　her　hand。
〃If　you　begin　abruptly；　you　will　frighten　her　altogether。
I　know　my　aunt's　worldly　nature　so　well　as　to　be　sure
that　any　abrupt　attempt　at　conversion　will　be　the　very
worst　means　that　can　be　employed　for　the　welfare　of　that
unfortunate　lady。　　You　will　only　frighten　and　annoy　her。
She　will　very　likely　fling　the　books　away；　and　refuse　all
acquaintance　with　the　givers。〃
〃You　are　as　worldly　as　Miss　Crawley；　Pitt；〃　said　Lady
Emily；　tossing　out　of　the　room；　her　books　in　her　hand。
〃And　I　need　not　tell　you；　my　dear　Lady　Southdown；〃
Pitt　continued；　in　a　low　voice；　and　without　heeding　the
interruption；　〃how　fatal　a　little　want　of　gentleness　and
caution　may　be　to　any　hopes　which　we　may　entertain　with
regard　to　the　worldly　possessions　of　my　aunt。　　Remember
she　has　seventy　thousand　pounds；　think　of　her　age；　and
her　highly　nervous　and　delicate　condition；　I　know　that　she
has　destroyed　the　will　which　was　made　in　my　brother's
（Colonel　Crawley's）　favour：　　it　is　by　soothing　that
wounded　spirit　that　we　must　lead　it　into　the　right　path；
and　not　by　frightening　it；　and　so　I　think　you　will　agree
with　me　thatthat'
〃Of　course；　of　course；〃　Lady　Southdown　remarked。
〃Jane；　my　love；　you　need　not　send　that　note　to　Mr。　Irons。
If　her　health　is　such　that　discussions　fatigue　her；　we　will
wait　her　amendment。　　I　will　call　upon　Miss　Crawley
tomorrow。〃
〃And　if　I　might　suggest；　my　sweet　lady；〃　Pitt　said　in　a
bland　tone；　〃it　would　be　as　well　not　to　take　our　precious
Emily；　who　is　too　enthusiastic；　but　rather　that　you　should
be　accompanied　by　our　sweet　and　dear　Lady　Jane。〃
〃Most　certainly；　Emily　would　ruin　everything；〃　Lady
Southdown　said；　and　this　time　agreed　to　forego　her　usual
practice；　which　was；　as　we　have　said；　before　she　bore
down　personally　upon　any　individual　whom　she　proposed
to　subjugate；　to　fire　in　a　quantity　of　tracts　upon　the
menaced　party　（as　a　charge　of　the　French　was　always
preceded　by　a　furious　cannonade）。　　Lady　Southdown；　we
say；　for　the　sake　of　the　invalid's　health；　or　for　the　sake
of　her　soul's　ultimate　welfare；　or　for　the　sake　of　her
money；　agreed　to　temporise。
The　next　day；　the　great　Southdown　female　family
carriage；　with　the　Earl's　coronet　and　the　lozenge　（upon
which　the　three　lambs　trottant　argent　upon　the　field　vert
of　the　Southdowns；　were　quartered　with　sable　on　a　bend
or；　three　snuff…mulls　gules；　the　cognizance　of　the　house　of
Binkie）；　drove　up　in　state　to　Miss　Crawley's　door；　and
the　tall　serious　footman　handed　in　to　Mr。　Bowls　her
Ladyship's　cards　for　Miss　Crawley；　and　one　likewise　for
Miss　Briggs。　　By　way　of　compromise；　Lady　Emily　sent　in　a
packet　in　the　evening　for　the　latter　lady；　containing
copies　of　the　〃Washerwoman；〃　and　other　mild　and　favourite
tracts　for　Miss　B。's　own　perusal；　and　a　few　for　the
servants'　hall；　viz。：　　〃Crumbs　from　the　Pantry；〃　〃The
Frying　Pan　and　the　Fire；〃　and　〃The　Livery　of　Sin；〃　of　a
much　stronger　kind。

CHAPTER　XXXIV
James　Crawley's　Pipe　Is　Put　Out
The　amiable　behaviour　of　Mr。　Crawley；　and　Lady　Jane's
kind　reception　of　her；　highly　flattered　Miss　Briggs；　who
was　enabled　to　speak　a　good　word　for　the　latter；　after
the　cards　of　the　Southdown　family　had　been　presented　to
Miss　Crawley。　　A　Countess's　card　left　personally　too　for
her；　Briggs；　was　not　a　little　pleasing　to　the　poor　friendless
companion。　　〃What　could　Lady　Southdown　mean　by
leaving　a　card　upon　you；　I　wonder；　Miss　Briggs？〃　said
the　republican　Miss　Crawley；　upon　which　the　companion
meekly　said　〃that　she　hoped　there　could　be　no　harm　in　a
lady　of　rank　taking　notice　of　a　poor　gentlewoman；〃　and
she　put　away　this　card　in　her　work…box　amongst　her　most
cherished　personal　treasures。　　Furthermore；　Miss　Briggs
explained　how　she　had　met　Mr。　Crawley　walking　with　his
cousin　and　long　affianced　bride　the　day　before：　　and　she
told　how　kind　and　gentle…looking　the　lady　was；　and　what
a　plain；　not　to　say　common；　dress　she　had；　all　the　articles
of　which；　from　the　bonnet　down　to　the　boots；　she
described　and　estimated　with　female　accuracy。
Miss　Crawley　allowed　Briggs　to　prattle　on　without
interrupting　her　too　much。　　As　she　got　well；　she　was　pining
for　society。　　Mr。　Creamer；　her　medical　man；　would　not
hear　of　her　returning　to　her　old　haunts　and　dissipation　in
London。　　The　old　spinster　was　too　glad　to　find　any
companionship　at　Brighton；　and　not　only　were　the　cards
acknowledged　the　very　next　day；　but　Pitt　Crawley　was
graciously　invited　to　come　and　see　his　aunt。　　He　came；
bringing　with　him　Lady　Southdown　and　her　daughter。　　The
dowager　did　not　say　a　word　about　the　state　of　Miss
Crawley's　soul；　but　talked　with　much　discretion　about　the
weather：　　about　the　war　and　the　downfall　of　the　monster
Bonaparte：　　and　above　all；　about　doctors；　quacks；　and　the
particular　merits　of　Dr。　Podgers；　whom　she　then
patronised。
During　their　interview　Pitt　Crawley　made　a　great
stroke；　and　one　which　showed　that；　had　his　diplomatic
career　not　been　blighted　by　early　neglect；　he　might　have
risen　to　a　high　rank　in　his　profession。　　When　the　Countess
Dowager　of　Southdown　fell　foul　of　the　Corsican　upstart；
as　the　fashion　was　in　those　days；　and　showed　that　he　was
a　monster　stained　with　every　conceivable　crime；　a　coward
and　a　tyrant　not　fit　to　live；　one　whose　fall　was　predicted；
&c。；　Pitt　Crawley　suddenly　took　up　the　cudgels　in　favour
of　the　man　of　Destiny。　　He　described　the　First　Consul　as
he　saw　him　at　Paris　at　the　peace　of　Amiens；　when　he；　Pitt
Crawley；　had　the　gratification　of　making　the　acquaintance
of　the　great　and　good　Mr。　Fox；　a　statesman　whom；
however　much　he　might　differ　with　him；　it　was　impossible　not
to　admire　ferventlya　statesman　who　had　always　had
the　highest　opinion　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon。　　And　he
spoke　in　terms　of　the　strongest　indignation　of　the　faithless
conduct　of　the　allies　towards　this　dethroned　monarch；
who；　after　giving　himself　generously　up　to　their　mercy；
was　consigned　to　an　ignoble　and　cruel　banishment；　while
a　bigoted　Popish　rabble　was　tyrannising　over　France　in
his　stead。
This　orthodox　horror　of　Romish　superstition　saved
Pitt　Crawley　in　Lady　Southdown's　opinion；　whilst　his
admiration　for　Fox　and　Napoleon　raised　him　immeasurably
in　Miss　Crawley's　eyes。　　Her　friendship　with　that
defunct　British　statesman　was　mentioned　when　we　first
introduced　her　in　this　history。　　A　true　Whig；　Miss　Crawley
had　been　in　opposition　all　through　the　war；　and　though；　to
be　sure；　the　downfall　of　the　Emperor　did　not　very　much
agitate　the　old　lady；　or　his　ill…treatment　tend　to　shorten
her　life　or　natural　rest；　yet　Pitt　spoke　to　her　heart　when
he　lauded　both　her　idols；　and　by　that　single　speech　made
immense　progress　i