vanity fair(名利场)-第94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！


he　lauded　both　her　idols；　and　by　that　single　speech　made
immense　progress　in　her　favour。
〃And　what　do　you　think；　my　dear？〃　Miss　Crawley　said
to　the　young　lady；　for　whom　she　had　taken　a　liking　at
first　sight；　as　she　always　did　for　pretty　and　modest　young
people；　though　it　must　be　owned　her　affections　cooled　as
rapidly　as　they　rose。
Lady　Jane　blushed　very　much；　and　said　〃that　she　did
not　understand　politics；　which　she　left　to　wiser　heads
than　hers；　but　though　Mamma　was；　no　doubt；　correct；
Mr。　Crawley　had　spoken　beautifully。〃　And　when　the　ladies
were　retiring　at　the　conclusion　of　their　visit；　Miss　Crawley
hoped　〃Lady　Southdown　would　be　so　kind　as　to　send
her　Lady　Jane　sometimes；　if　she　could　be　spared　to　come
down　and　console　a　poor　sick　lonely　old　woman。〃　This
promise　was　graciously　accorded；　and　they　separated
upon　great　terms　of　amity。
〃Don't　let　Lady　Southdown　come　again；　Pitt；〃　said　the
old　lady。　　〃She　is　stupid　and　pompous；　like　all　your　mother's
family；　whom　I　never　could　endure。　　But　bring　that　nice
good…natured　little　Jane　as　often　as　ever　you　please。〃　Pitt
promised　that　he　would　do　so。　　He　did　not　tell　the　Countess
of　Southdown　what　opinion　his　aunt　had　formed　of
her　Ladyship；　who；　on　the　contrary；　thought　that　she　had
made　a　most　delightful　and　majestic　impression　on　Miss
Crawley。
And　so；　nothing　loth　to　comfort　a　sick　lady；　and
perhaps　not　sorry　in　her　heart　to　be　freed　now　and　again
from　the　dreary　spouting　of　the　Reverend　Bartholomew
Irons；　and　the　serious　toadies　who　gathered　round　the
footstool　of　the　pompous　Countess；　her　mamma；　Lady
Jane　became　a　pretty　constant　visitor　to　Miss　Crawley；
accompanied　her　in　her　drives；　and　solaced　many　of　her
evenings。　　She　was　so　naturally　good　and　soft；　that　even
Firkin　was　not　jealous　of　her；　and　the　gentle　Briggs
thought　her　friend　was　less　cruel　to　her　when　kind　Lady
Jane　was　by。　　Towards　her　Ladyship　Miss　Crawley's
manners　were　charming。　　The　old　spinster　told　her　a　thousand
anecdotes　about　her　youth；　talking　to　her　in　a　very
different　strain　from　that　in　which　she　had　been　accustomed
to　converse　with　the　godless　little　Rebecca；　for　there　was
that　in　Lady　Jane's　innocence　which　rendered　light　talking
　impertinence　before　her；　and　Miss　Crawley　was　too
much　of　a　gentlewoman　to　offend　such　purity。　　The　young
lady　herself　had　never　received　kindness　except　from　this
old　spinster；　and　her　brother　and　father：　　and　she　repaid
Miss　Crawley's　engoument　by　artless　sweetness　and
friendship。
In　the　autumn　evenings　（when　Rebecca　was　flaunting
at　Paris；　the　gayest　among　the　gay　conquerors　there；　and
our　Amelia；　our　dear　wounded　Amelia；　ah！　where　was
she？）　Lady　Jane　would　be　sitting　in　Miss　Crawley's
drawing…room　singing　sweetly　to　her；　in　the　twilight；　her
little　simple　songs　and　hymns；　while　the　sun　was　setting
and　the　sea　was　roaring　on　the　beach。　　The　old　spinster
used　to　wake　up　when　these　ditties　ceased；　and　ask　for
more。　　As　for　Briggs；　and　the　quantity　of　tears　of　happiness
which　she　now　shed　as　she　pretended　to　knit；　and
looked　out　at　the　splendid　ocean　darkling　before　the
windows；　and　the　lamps　of　heaven　beginning　more　brightly　to
shinewho；　I　say　can　measure　the　happiness　and
sensibility　of　Briggs？
Pitt　meanwhile　in　the　dining…room；　with　a　pamphlet　on
the　Corn　Laws　or　a　Missionary　Register　by　his　side；　took
that　kind　of　recreation　which　suits　romantic　and　unromantic
men　after　dinner。　　He　sipped　Madeira：　　built　castles
in　the　air：　　thought　himself　a　fine　fellow：　　felt　himself　much
more　in　love　with　Jane　than　he　had　been　any　time　these
seven　years；　during　which　their　liaison　had　lasted　without
the　slightest　impatience　on　Pitt's　partand　slept　a　good
deal。　　When　the　time　for　coffee　came；　Mr。　Bowls　used　to
enter　in　a　noisy　manner；　and　summon　Squire　Pitt；　who
would　be　found　in　the　dark　very　busy　with　his　pamphlet。
〃I　wish；　my　love；　I　could　get　somebody　to　play　piquet
with　me；〃　Miss　Crawley　said　one　night　when　this　functionary
made　his　appearance　with　the　candles　and　the　coffee。
〃Poor　Briggs　can　no　more　play　than　an　owl；　she　is　so
stupid〃　（the　spinster　always　took　an　opportunity　of　abusing
Briggs　before　the　servants）；　〃and　I　think　I　should
sleep　better　if　I　had　my　game。〃
At　this　Lady　Jane　blushed　to　the　tips　of　her　little　ears；
and　down　to　the　ends　of　her　pretty　fingers；　and　when　Mr。
Bowls　had　quitted　the　room；　and　the　door　was　quite　shut；
she　said：
〃Miss　Crawley；　I　can　play　a　little。　　I　used　toto　play
a　little　with　poor　dear　papa。〃
〃Come　and　kiss　me。　　Come　and　kiss　me　this　instant；
you　dear　good　little　soul；〃　cried　Miss　Crawley　in　an　ecstasy：
and　in　this　picturesque　and　friendly　occupation　Mr。　Pitt
found　the　old　lady　and　the　young　one；　when　he　came
upstairs　with　him　pamphlet　in　his　hand。　　How　she　did　blush
all　the　evening；　that　poor　Lady　Jane！
It　must　not　be　imagined　that　Mr。　Pitt　Crawley's　artifices
escaped　the　attention　of　his　dear　relations　at　the
Rectory　at　Queen's　Crawley。　　Hampshire　and　Sussex　lie
very　close　together；　and　Mrs。　Bute　had　friends　in　the
latter　county　who　took　care　to　inform　her　of　all；　and　a　great
deal　more　than　all；　that　passed　at　Miss　Crawley's　house
at　Brighton。　　Pitt　was　there　more　and　more。　　He　did　not
come　for　months　together　to　the　Hall；　where　his　abominable
old　father　abandoned　himself　completely　to　rum…
and…water；　and　the　odious　society　of　the　Horrocks　family。
Pitt's　success　rendered　the　Rector's　family　furious；　and
Mrs。　Bute　regretted　more　（though　she　confessed　less）
than　ever　her　monstrous　fault　in　so　insulting　Miss　Briggs；
and　in　being　so　haughty　and　parsimonious　to　Bowls　and
Firkin；　that　she　had　not　a　single　person　left　in　Miss　
Crawley's　household　to　give　her　information　of　what　took　place
there。　　〃It　was　all　Bute's　collar…bone；〃　she　persisted　in
saying；　〃if　that　had　not　broke；　I　never　would　have　left　her。　　I
am　a　martyr　to　duty　and　to　your　odious　unclerical　habit
of　hunting；　Bute。〃
〃Hunting；　nonsense！　　It　was　you　that　frightened　her；
Barbara；〃　the　divine　interposed。　　〃You're　a　clever　woman；
but　you've　got　a　devil　of　a　temper；　and　you're　a　screw
with　your　money；　Barbara。〃
〃You'd　have　been　screwed　in　gaol；　Bute；　if　I　had　not
kept　your　money。〃
〃I　know　I　would；　my　dear；〃　said　the　Rector；　good…naturedly。
〃You　ARE　a　clever　woman；　but　you　manage　too
well；　you　know〃：　　and　the　pious　man　consoled　himself
with　a　big　glass　of　port。
〃What　the　deuce　can　she　find　in　that　spooney　of　a　Pitt
Crawley？〃　he　continued。　　〃The　fellow　has　not　pluck　enough
to　say　Bo　to　a　goose。　　I　remember　when　Rawdon；　who　is　a
man；　and　be　hanged　to　him；　used　to　flog　him　round　the
stables　as　if　he　was　a　whipping…top：　　and　Pitt　would　go
howling　home　to　his　maha；　ha！　　Why；　either　of　my　boys
would　whop　him　with　one　hand。　　Jim　says　he's
remembered　at　Oxford　as　Miss　Crawley　stillthe　spooney。
〃I　say；　Barbara；〃　his　reverence　continued；　after　a　pause。
〃What？〃　said　Barbara；　who　was　biting　her　nails；　and
drumming　the　table。
〃I　say；　why　not　send　Jim　over　to　Brighton　to　see　if　he
can　do　anything　with　the　old　lady。　　He's　very　near　getting
his　degree；　you　know。　　He's　only　been　plucked　twiceso
was　Ibut　he's　had　the　advantages　of　Oxford　and　a
university　education。　　He　knows　some　of　the　best　chaps　there。
He　pulls　stroke　in　the　Boniface　boat。　　He's　a　handsome
feller。　　D　it；　ma'am；　let's　put　him　on　the　old　woman；
hey；　and　tell　him　to　thrash　Pitt　if　he　says　anything。
Ha；　ha；　ha！
〃Jim　might　go　down　and　see　her；　certainly；〃　the　housewife
said；　adding　with　a　sigh；　〃If　we　could　but　get　one　of
the　girls　into　the　house；　but　she　could　never　endure　them；
because　they　are　not　pretty！〃　　Those　unfortunate　and
well…educated　women　made　themselves　heard　from　the
neighbouring　drawing…room；　where　they　were　thrumming
away；　with　hard　fingers；　an　elaborate　music…piece　on　the
piano…forte；　as　their　mother　spoke；　and　indeed；　they　were　at
music；　or　at　backboard；　or　at　geography；　or　at　history；
the　whole　day　long。　　But　what　avail　all　these　accomplishments；
in　Vanity　Fair；　to　girls　who　are　short；　poor；　plain；
and　have　a　bad　complexion？　　Mrs。　Bute　could　think　of
nobody　but　the　Curate　to　take　one　of　them　off　her　hands；
and　Jim　coming　in　from　the　stable　at　this　minute；　through
the　parlour　window；　with　a　short　pipe　stuck　in　his
oilskin　cap；　he　and　his　father　fell　to　talking　about　odds　on
the　St。　Leger；　and　the　colloquy　between　the　Rector　and　his
wife　ended。
Mrs。　Bute　did　not　augur　much　good　to　the　cause　from
the　sending　of　her　son　James　as　an　ambassador；　and　saw
him　depart　in　rather　a　despairing　mood。　　Nor　did　the
young　fellow　himself；　when　told　what　his　mission　was　to
be；　expect　much　pleasure　or　benefit　from　it；　but　he　was
consoled　by　the　thought　that　possibly　the　old　lady　would
give　him　some　handsome　remembrance　of　her；　which
would　pay　a　few　of　his　most　pressing　bills　at　the
commencement　of　the　ensuing　Oxford　term；　and　so　took　his
place　by　the　coach　from　Southampton；　and　was　safely
landed　at　Brighton　on　the　same　evening？　　with　his
portmanteau；　his　favourite　bull…dog　Towzer；　and　an
immense　basket　of　farm　and　garden　produce；　from　the　dear
Rectory　folks　to　the　dear　Miss　Crawley。　　Considering　it
was　too　late　to　disturb　the　invalid　lady　on　the　first　night
of　his　arrival；　he　put　up　at