vanity fair(名利场)-第3章

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Bonaparte！〃　was　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Long　live　Lucifer！〃
〃How　can　youhow　dare　you　have　such　wicked；
revengeful　thoughts？〃
〃Revenge　may　be　wicked；　but　it's　natural；〃　answered
Miss　Rebecca。　　〃I'm　no　angel。〃　And；　to　say　the　truth；　she
certainly　was　not。
For　it　may　be　remarked　in　the　course　of　this　little
conversation　（which　took　place　as　the　coach　rolled　along
lazily　by　the　river　side）　that　though　Miss　Rebecca　Sharp
has　twice　had　occasion　to　thank　Heaven；　it　has　been；　in
the　first　place；　for　ridding　her　of　some　person　whom　she
hated；　and　secondly；　for　enabling　her　to　bring　her
enemies　to　some　sort　of　perplexity　or　confusion；　neither
of　which　are　very　amiable　motives　for　religious　gratitude；
or　such　as　would　be　put　forward　by　persons　of　a　kind
and　placable　disposition。　　Miss　Rebecca　was　not；　then；　in
the　least　kind　or　placable。　　All　the　world　used　her　ill；　said
this　young　misanthropist；　and　we　may　be　pretty　certain
that　persons　whom　all　the　world　treats　ill；　deserve
entirely　the　treatment　they　get。　　The　world　is　a　looking…
glass；　and　gives　back　to　every　man　the　reflection　of　his
own　face。　　Frown　at　it；　and　it　will　in　turn　look　sourly
upon　you；　laugh　at　it　and　with　it；　and　it　is　a　jolly　kind
companion；　and　so　let　all　young　persons　take　their　choice。
This　is　certain；　that　if　the　world　neglected　Miss　Sharp；
she　never　was　known　to　have　done　a　good　action　in
behalf　of　anybody；　nor　can　it　be　expected　that　twenty…
four　young　ladies　should　all　be　as　amiable　as　the　heroine
of　this　work；　Miss　Sedley　（whom　we　have　selected　for
the　very　reason　that　she　was　the　best…natured　of　all；
otherwise　what　on　earth　was　to　have　prevented　us　from
putting　up　Miss　Swartz；　or　Miss　Crump；　or　Miss　Hopkins；
as　heroine　in　her　place！）it　could　not　be　expected　that
every　one　should　be　of　the　humble　and　gentle　temper
of　Miss　Amelia　Sedley；　should　take　every　opportunity　to
vanquish　Rebecca's　hard…heartedness　and　ill…humour；　and；
by　a　thousand　kind　words　and　offices；　overcome；　for　once
at　least；　her　hostility　to　her　kind。
Miss　Sharp's　father　was　an　artist；　and　in　that　quality
had　given　lessons　of　drawing　at　Miss　Pinkerton's　school。
He　was　a　clever　man；　a　pleasant　companion；　a　careless
student；　with　a　great　propensity　for　running　into　debt；
and　a　partiality　for　the　tavern。　　When　he　was　drunk；　he
used　to　beat　his　wife　and　daughter；　and　the　next　morning；
with　a　headache；　he　would　rail　at　the　world　for　its　neglect
of　his　genius；　and　abuse；　with　a　good　deal　of　cleverness；
and　sometimes　with　perfect　reason；　the　fools；　his　brother
painters。　　As　it　was　with　the　utmost　difficulty　that　he
could　keep　himself；　and　as　he　owed　money　for　a　mile
round　Soho；　where　he　lived；　he　thought　to　better　his
circumstances　by　marrying　a　young　woman　of　the　French
nation；　who　was　by　profession　an　opera…girl。　　The　humble
calling　of　her　female　parent　Miss　Sharp　never　alluded　to；
but　used　to　state　subsequently　that　the　Entrechats　were
a　noble　family　of　Gascony；　and　took　great　pride　in　her
descent　from　them。　　And　curious　it　is　that　as　she　advanced
in　life　this　young　lady's　ancestors　increased　in　rank　and
splendour。
Rebecca's　mother　had　had　some　education　somewhere；
and　her　daughter　spoke　French　with　purity　and　a　Parisian
accent。　　It　was　in　those　days　rather　a　rare　accomplishment；
and　led　to　her　engagement　with　the　orthodox　Miss
Pinkerton。　　For　her　mother　being　dead；　her　father；　finding
himself　not　likely　to　recover；　after　his　third　attack　of
delirium　tremens；　wrote　a　manly　and　pathetic　letter　to
Miss　Pinkerton；　recommending　the　orphan　child　to　her
protection；　and　so　descended　to　the　grave；　after　two
bailiffs　had　quarrelled　over　his　corpse。　　Rebecca　was
seventeen　when　she　came　to　Chiswick；　and　was　bound
over　as　an　articled　pupil；　her　duties　being　to　talk　French；
as　we　have　seen；　and　her　privileges　to　live　cost　free；　and；
with　a　few　guineas　a　year；　to　gather　scraps　of　knowledge
from　the　professors　who　attended　the　school。
She　was　small　and　slight　in　person；　pale；　sandy…haired；
and　with　eyes　habitually　cast　down：　when　they　looked　up
they　were　very　large；　odd；　and　attractive；　so　attractive
that　the　Reverend　Mr。　Crisp；　fresh　from　Oxford；　and
curate　to　the　Vicar　of　Chiswick；　the　Reverend　Mr。
Flowerdew；　fell　in　love　with　Miss　Sharp；　being　shot　dead
by　a　glance　of　her　eyes　which　was　fired　all　the　way　across
Chiswick　Church　from　the　school…pew　to　the　reading…
desk。　　This　infatuated　young　man　used　sometimes　to　take
tea　with　Miss　Pinkerton；　to　whom　he　had　been　presented
by　his　mamma；　and　actually　proposed　something　like
marriage　in　an　intercepted　note；　which　the　one…eyed
apple…woman　was　charged　to　deliver。　　Mrs。　Crisp　was
summoned　from　Buxton；　and　abruptly　carried　off　her　darling
boy；　but　the　idea；　even；　of　such　an　eagle　in　the　Chiswick
dovecot　caused　a　great　flutter　in　the　breast　of　Miss
Pinkerton；　who　would　have　sent　away　Miss　Sharp　but　that
she　was　bound　to　her　under　a　forfeit；　and　who　never
could　thoroughly　believe　the　young　lady's　protestations
that　she　had　never　exchanged　a　single　word　with　Mr。
Crisp；　except　under　her　own　eyes　on　the　two　occasions
when　she　had　met　him　at　tea。
By　the　side　of　many　tall　and　bouncing　young　ladies　in
the　establishment；　Rebecca　Sharp　looked　like　a　child。　　But
she　had　the　dismal　precocity　of　poverty。　　Many　a　dun　had
she　talked　to；　and　turned　away　from　her　father's　door；
many　a　tradesman　had　she　coaxed　and　wheedled　into
good…humour；　and　into　the　granting　of　one　meal　more。
She　sate　commonly　with　her　father；　who　was　very　proud
of　her　wit；　and　heard　the　talk　of　many　of　his　wild　
companionsoften　but　ill…suited　for　a　girl　to　hear。　　But　she
never　had　been　a　girl；　she　said；　she　had　been　a　woman
since　she　was　eight　years　old。　　Oh；　why　did　Miss　Pinkerton
let　such　a　dangerous　bird　into　her　cage？
The　fact　is；　the　old　lady　believed　Rebecca　to　be　the
meekest　creature　in　the　world；　so　admirably；　on　the
occasions　when　her　father　brought　her　to　Chiswick；　used
Rebecca　to　perform　the　part　of　the　ingenue；　and　only　a
year　before　the　arrangement　by　which　Rebecca　had　been
admitted　into　her　house；　and　when　Rebecca　was　sixteen
years　old；　Miss　Pinkerton　majestically；　and　with　a　little
speech；　made　her　a　present　of　a　dollwhich　was；　by
the　way；　the　confiscated　property　of　Miss　Swindle；
discovered　surreptitiously　nursing　it　in　school…hours。　　How
the　father　and　daughter　laughed　as　they　trudged　home
together　after　the　evening　party　（it　was　on　the　occasion　of
the　speeches；　when　all　the　professors　were　invited）　and
how　Miss　Pinkerton　would　have　raged　had　she　seen　the
caricature　of　herself　which　the　little　mimic；　Rebecca；
managed　to　make　out　of　her　doll。　　Becky　used　to　go
through　dialogues　with　it；　it　formed　the　delight　of
Newman　Street；　Gerrard　Street；　and　the　Artists'　quarter：
and　the　young　painters；　when　they　came　to　take　their　gin…
and…water　with　their　lazy；　dissolute；　clever；　jovial　senior；
used　regularly　to　ask　Rebecca　if　Miss　Pinkerton　was　at
home：　she　was　as　well　known　to　them；　poor　soul！　as
Mr。　Lawrence　or　President　West。　　Once　Rebecca　had　the
honour　to　pass　a　few　days　at　Chiswick；　after　which　she
brought　back　Jemima；　and　erected　another　doll　as　Miss
Jemmy：　for　though　that　honest　creature　had　made　and
given　her　jelly　and　cake　enough　for　three　children；　and
a　seven…shilling　piece　at　parting；　the　girl's　sense　of
ridicule　was　far　stronger　than　her　gratitude；　and　she
sacrificed　Miss　Jemmy　quite　as　pitilessly　as　her　sister。
The　catastrophe　came；　and　she　was　brought　to　the
Mall　as　to　her　home。　　The　rigid　formality　of　the　place
suffocated　her：　the　prayers　and　the　meals；　the　lessons
and　the　walks；　which　were　arranged　with　a　conventual
regularity；　oppressed　her　almost　beyond　endurance；　and
she　looked　back　to　the　freedom　and　the　beggary　of　the
old　studio　in　Soho　with　so　much　regret；　that　everybody；
herself　included；　fancied　she　was　consumed　with　grief
for　her　father。　　She　had　a　little　room　in　the　garret；　where
the　maids　heard　her　walking　and　sobbing　at　night；　but　it
was　with　rage；　and　not　with　grief。　　She　had　not　been　much
of　a　dissembler；　until　now　her　loneliness　taught　her　to
feign。　　She　had　never　mingled　in　the　society　of　women：
her　father；　reprobate　as　he　was；　was　a　man　of　talent；　his
conversation　was　a　thousand　times　more　agreeable　to　her
than　the　talk　of　such　of　her　own　sex　as　she　now　encountered。
The　pompous　vanity　of　the　old　schoolmistress；　the　foolish
good…humour　of　her　sister；　the　silly　chat　and　scandal　of　the
elder　girls；　and　the　frigid　correctness　of　the　governesses
equally　annoyed　her；　and　she　had　no　soft
maternal　heart；　this　unlucky　girl；　otherwise　the　prattle
and　talk　of　the　younger　children；　with　whose　care　she
was　chiefly　intrusted；　might　have　soothed　and　interested
her；　but　she　lived　among　them　two　years；　and　not　one
was　sorry　that　she　went　away。　　The　gentle　tender…
hearted　Amelia　Sedley　was　the　only　person　to　whom　she
could　attach　herself　in　the　least；　and　who　could　help
attaching　herself　to　Amelia？
The　happinessthe　superior　advantages　of　the　young
women　round　about　her；　gave　Rebecca　inexpressible
pangs　of　envy。　　〃What　airs　that　girl　gives　herself；　because
she　is　an　Earl's　grand…daughter；〃　she　said　of　one。　　〃How
they　cringe　and　bow　to　that　Creole；　because　of　her
hundred　thousand　pounds！　　I　am　a　thousand　times　cleverer
and　more　charming　than　that　creature；　for　all　her　wealth。
I　am　as　well　bred　as　the　Earl's　grand…daughter；　for　all　her
fine　pedigree；　and　yet　every　one　passes　me　by　here。　　And
yet；　when　I　was　at　my　father's；　did　not　the　men　give　up
their　gayest　balls　and　parties　in　order　to　pass　the　evening
with　me？〃　She　determined　at　any　rate　to　get　free　from
the　prison　in　which　she　found　herself；　and　now　began　to
act　for　herself；　and　for　the　first　time　to　make　connected
plans　for　the　future。
She　took　advantage；　therefore；　of　the　means　of　study
the　place　offered　her；　and　as　she　was　already　a　musician
and　a　good　linguist；　she　speedily　went　through　the　little
course　of　study　which　was　considered　necessary　for　ladies
in　those　days。　　Her　music　she　practised　incessantly；　and
one　day；　when　the　girls　were　out；　and　she　had　remained
at　home；　she　was　overheard　to　play　a　piece　so　well　that
Minerva　thought；　wisely；　she　could　spare　herself　the
expense　of　a　master　for　the　juniors；　and　intimated　to　Miss
Sharp　that　she　was　to　instruct　them　in　music　for　the
future。
The　girl　refused；　and　for　the　first　time；　and　to　the
astonishment　of　the　majestic　mistress　of　the　school。　　〃I
am　here　to　speak　French　with　the　children；〃　Rebecca
said　abruptly；　〃not　to　teach　them　music；　and　save　money
for　you。　　Give　me　money；　and　I　will　teach　them。〃
Minerva　was　obliged　to　yield；　and；　of　course；　disliked
her　from　that　day。　　〃For　five…and…thirty　years；〃　she　said；
and　with　great　justice；　〃I　never　have　seen　the　individual
who　has　dared　in　my　own　house　to　question　my
authority。　　I　have　nourished　a　viper　in　my　bosom。〃
〃A　vipera　fiddlestick；〃　said　Miss　Sharp　to　the　old
lady；　almost　fainting　with　astonishment。　　〃You　took　me
because　I　was　useful。　　There　is　no　question　of　gratitude
between　us。　　I　hate　this　place；　and　want　to　leave　it。　　I
will　do　nothing　here　but　what　I　am　obliged　to　do。〃
It　was　in　vain　that　the　old　lady　asked　her　if　she　was
aware　she　was　speaking