vanity fair(名利场)-第95章

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of　them　were　rather　agitated；　and　thinking　of　old　times。
He　about　Eton；　and　his　mother；　whom　he　remembered；
a　frigid　demure　woman；　and　a　sister　who　died；　of　whom
he　had　been　passionately　fond；　and　how　he　used　to　thrash
Pitt；　and　about　little　Rawdy　at　home。　　And　Rebecca
thought　about　her　own　youth　and　the　dark　secrets　of
those　early　tainted　days；　and　of　her　entrance　into　life
by　yonder　gates；　and　of　Miss　Pinkerton；　and　Joe；　and
Amelia。
The　gravel　walk　and　terrace　had　been　scraped　quite
clean。　　A　grand　painted　hatchment　was　already　over　the
great　entrance；　and　two　very　solemn　and　tall　personages
in　black　flung　open　each　a　leaf　of　the　door　as　the
carriage　pulled　up　at　the　familiar　steps。　　Rawdon　turned　red；
and　Becky　somewhat　pale；　as　they　passed　through　the
old　hall；　arm　in　arm。　　She　pinched　her　husband's　arm
as　they　entered　the　oak　parlour；　where　Sir　Pitt　and　his
wife　were　ready　to　receive　them。　　Sir　Pitt　in　black；　Lady
Jane　in　black；　and　my　Lady　Southdown　with　a　large　black
head…piece　of　bugles　and　feathers；　which　waved　on　her
Ladyship's　head　like　an　undertaker's　tray。
Sir　Pitt　had　judged　correctly；　that　she　would　not　quit
the　premises。　　She　contented　herself　by　preserving　a
solemn　and　stony　silence；　when　in　company　of　Pitt　and
his　rebellious　wife；　and　by　frightening　the　children　in
the　nursery　by　the　ghastly　gloom　of　her　demeanour。
Only　a　very　faint　bending　of　the　head…dress　and　plumes
welcomed　Rawdon　and　his　wife；　as　those　prodigals
returned　to　their　family。
To　say　the　truth；　they　were　not　affected　very　much
one　way　or　other　by　this　coolness。　　Her　Ladyship　was　a
person　only　of　secondary　consideration　in　their　minds
just　thenthey　were　intent　upon　the　reception　which
the　reigning　brother　and　sister　would　afford　them。
Pitt；　with　rather　a　heightened　colour；　went　up　and
shook　his　brother　by　the　hand；　and　saluted　Rebecca　with
a　hand…shake　and　a　very　low　bow。　　But　Lady　Jane　took　both
the　hands　of　her　sister…in…law　and　kissed　her　affectionately。
The　embrace　somehow　brought　tears　into　the　eyes　of
the　little　adventuresswhich　ornaments；　as　we　know；
she　wore　very　seldom。　　The　artless　mark　of　kindness　and
confidence　touched　and　pleased　her；　and　Rawdon；
encouraged　by　this　demonstration　on　his　sister's　part；
twirled　up　his　mustachios　and　took　leave　to　salute　Lady
Jane　with　a　kiss；　which　caused　her　Ladyship　to　blush
exceedingly。
〃Dev'lish　nice　little　woman；　Lady　Jane；〃　was　his　verdict；
when　he　and　his　wife　were　together　again。　　〃Pitt's　got　fat；
too；　and　is　doing　the　thing　handsomely。〃　〃He　can　afford
it；〃　said　Rebecca　and　agreed　in　her　husband's　farther
opinion　〃that　the　mother…in…law　was　a　tremendous　old
Guyand　that　the　sisters　were　rather　well…looking
young　women。〃
They；　too；　had　been　summoned　from　school　to　attend
the　funeral　ceremonies。　　It　seemed　Sir　Pitt　Crawley；　for
the　dignity　of　the　house　and　family；　had　thought　right　to
have　about　the　place　as　many　persons　in　black　as　could
possibly　be　assembled。　　All　the　men　and　maids　of　the
house；　the　old　women　of　the　Alms　House；　whom　the　elder
Sir　Pitt　had　cheated　out　of　a　great　portion　of　their
due；　the　parish　clerk's　family；　and　the　special　retainers
of　both　Hall　and　Rectory　were　habited　in　sable；　added　to
these；　the　undertaker's　men；　at　least　a　score；　with　crapes
and　hatbands；　and　who　made　goodly　show　when　the
great　burying　show　took　placebut　these　are　mute
personages　in　our　drama；　and　having　nothing　to　do　or　say；
need　occupy　a　very　little　space　here。
With　regard　to　her　sisters…in…law　Rebecca　did　not
attempt　to　forget　her　former　position　of　Governess
towards　them；　but　recalled　it　frankly　and　kindly；　and　asked
them　about　their　studies　with　great　gravity；　and　told　them
that　she　had　thought　of　them　many　and　many　a　day；
and　longed　to　know　of　their　welfare。　　In　fact　you　would
have　supposed　that　ever　since　she　had　left　them　she　had
not　ceased　to　keep　them　uppermost　in　her　thoughts　and　to
take　the　tenderest　interest　in　their　welfare。　　So　supposed
Lady　Crawley　herself　and　her　young　sisters。
〃She's　hardly　changed　since　eight　years；〃　said　Miss
Rosalind　to　Miss　Violet；　as　they　were　preparing　for　dinner。
〃Those　red…haired　women　look　wonderfully　well；〃
replied　the　other。
〃Hers　is　much　darker　than　it　was；　I　think　she　must　dye
it；〃　Miss　Rosalind　added。　　〃She　is　stouter；　too；　and
altogether　improved；〃　continued　Miss　Rosalind；　who　was
disposed　to　be　very　fat。
〃At　least　she　gives　herself　no　airs　and　remembers　that
she　was　our　Governess　once；〃　Miss　Violet　said；　intimating
that　it　befitted　all　governesses　to　keep　their　proper　place；
and　forgetting　altogether　that　she　was　granddaughter　not
only　of　Sir　Walpole　Crawley；　but　of　Mr。　Dawson　of
Mudbury；　and　so　had　a　coal…scuttle　in　her　scutcheon。　　There
are　other　very　well…meaning　people　whom　one　meets
every　day　in　Vanity　Fair　who　are　surely　equally　oblivious。
〃It　can't　be　true　what　the　girls　at　the　Rectory　said；　that
her　mother　was　an　opera…dancer〃
〃A　person　can't　help　their　birth；〃　Rosalind　replied　with
great　liberality。　　〃And　I　agree　with　our　brother；　that　as　she
is　in　the　family；　of　course　we　are　bound　to　notice　her。
I　am　sure　Aunt　Bute　need　not　talk；　she　wants　to　marry
Kate　to　young　Hooper；　the　wine…merchant；　and　absolutely
asked　him　to　come　to　the　Rectory　for　orders。〃
〃I　wonder　whether　Lady　Southdown　will　go　away；　she
looked　very　glum　upon　Mrs。　Rawdon；〃　the　other　said。
〃I　wish　she　would。　　I　won't　read　the　Washerwoman
of　Finchley　Common；〃　vowed　Violet；　and　so　saying；　and
avoiding　a　passage　at　the　end　of　which　a　certain　coffin　was
placed　with　a　couple　of　watchers；　and　lights　perpetually
burning　in　the　closed　room；　these　young　women　came
down　to　the　family　dinner；　for　which　the　bell　rang　as
usual。
But　before　this；　Lady　Jane　conducted　Rebecca　to　the
apartments　prepared　for　her；　which；　with　the　rest　of　the
house；　had　assumed　a　very　much　improved　appearance
of　order　and　comfort　during　Pitt's　regency；　and　here
beholding　that　Mrs。　Rawdon's　modest　little　trunks　had
arrived；　and　were　placed　in　the　bedroom　and
dressing…room　adjoining；　helped　her　to　take　off　her　neat
black　bonnet　and　cloak；　and　asked　her　sister…in…law　in
what　more　she　could　be　useful。
〃What　I　should　like　best；〃　said　Rebecca；　〃would　be　to
go　to　the　nursery　and　see　your　dear　little　children。〃　On
which　the　two　ladies　looked　very　kindly　at　each　other
and　went　to　that　apartment　hand　in　hand。
Becky　admired　little　Matilda；　who　was　not　quite　four
years　old；　as　the　most　charming　little　love　in　the　world；
and　the　boy；　a　little　fellow　of　two　yearspale；　heavy…eyed；
and　large…headedshe　pronounced　to　be　a　perfect
prodigy　in　point　of　size；　intelligence；　and　beauty。
〃I　wish　Mamma　would　not　insist　on　giving　him　so　much
medicine；〃　Lady　Jane　said　with　a　sigh。　　〃I　often　think　we
should　all　be　better　without　it。〃　And　then　Lady　Jane　and
her　new…found　friend　had　one　of　those　confidential　medical　
conversations　about　the　children；　which　all　mothers；
and　most　women；　as　I　am　given　to　understand；　delight　in。
Fifty　years　ago；　and　when　the　present　writer；　being　an
interesting　little　boy；　was　ordered　out　of　the　room　with
the　ladies　after　dinner；　I　remember　quite　well　that　their
talk　was　chiefly　about　their　ailments；　and　putting　this
question　directly　to　two　or　three　since；　I　have　always　got
from　them　the　acknowledgement　that　times　are　not
changed。　　Let　my　fair　readers　remark　for　themselves　this
very　evening　when　they　quit　the　dessert…table　and
assemble　to　celebrate　the　drawing…room　mysteries。　　Well
in　half　an　hour　Becky　and　Lady　Jane　were　close　and
intimate　friendsand　in　the　course　of　the　evening　her
Ladyship　informed　Sir　Pitt　that　she　thought　her　new
sister…in…law　was　a　kind；　frank；　unaffected；　and　affectionate
young　woman。
And　so　having　easily　won　the　daughter's　good…will；　the
indefatigable　little　woman　bent　herself　to　conciliate　the
august　Lady　Southdown。　　As　soon　as　she　found　her　Ladyship
alone；　Rebecca　attacked　her　on　the　nursery　question
at　once　and　said　that　her　own　little　boy　was　saved；
actually　saved；　by　calomel；　freely　administered；　when　all　the
physicians　in　Paris　had　given　the　dear　child　up。　　And　then
she　mentioned　how　often　she　had　heard　of　Lady　Southdown
from　that　excellent　man　the　Reverend　Lawrence
Grills；　Minister　of　the　chapel　in　May　Fair；　which　she
frequented；　and　how　her　views　were　very　much　changed
by　circumstances　and　misfortunes；　and　how　she　hoped　that
a　past　life　spent　in　worldliness　and　error　might　not
incapacitate　her　from　more　serious　thought　for　the　future。
She　described　how　in　former　days　she　had　been　indebted
to　Mr。　Crawley　for　religious　instruction；　touched　upon
the　Washerwoman　of　Finchley　Common；　which　she　had
read　with　the　greatest　profit；　and　asked　about　Lady
Emily；　its　gifted　author；　now　Lady　Emily　Hornblower；　at
Cape　Town；　where　her　husband　had　strong　hopes　of
becoming　Bishop　of　Caffraria。
But　she　crowned　all；　and　confirmed　herself　in　Lady
Southdown's　favour；　by　feeling　very　much　agitated　and
unwell　after　the　funeral　and　requesting　her　Ladyship's
medical　advice；　which　the　Dowager　not　only　gave；　but；
wrapped　up　in　a　bed…gown　and　looking　more　like　Lady
Macbeth　than　ever；　came　privately　in　the　night　to　Becky's
room　with　a　parcel　of　favourite　tracts；　and　a　medicine
of　her　own　composition；　which　she　insisted　that　Mrs。
Rawdon　should　take。
Becky　first　accepted　the　tracts　and　began　to　examine
them　with　great　interest；　engaging　the　Dowager　in　a
conversation　concerning　them　and　the　welfare　of　her　soul；
by　which　means　she　hoped　that　her　body　might　escape
medication。　　But　after　the　religious　topics　were　exhausted；
Lady　Macbeth　would　not　quit　Becky's　chamber　until　her
cup　of　night…drink　was　emptied　too；　and　poor　Mrs。　Rawdon
was　compelled　actually　to　assume　a　look　of　gratitude；　and
to　swallow　the　medicine　under　the　unyielding　old　Dowager's
nose；　who　left　her　victim　finally　with　a　benediction。
It　did　not　much　comfort　Mrs。　Rawdon；　her　countenance
was　very　queer　when　Rawdon　came　in　and　heard　what
had　happened；　and。　　his　explosions　of　laughter　were　as
loud　as　usual；　when　Becky；　with　a　fun　which　she　could
not　disguise；　even　though　it　was　at　her　own　expense；
described　the　occurrence　and　how　she　had　been　victimized
by　Lady　Southdown。　　Lord　Steyne；　and　her　son　in
London；　had　many　a　laugh　over　the　story　when　Rawdon
and　his　wife　returned　to　their　quarters　in　May　Fair。　　Becky
acted　the　whole　scene　for　them。　　She　put　on　a　night…cap
and　gown。　　She　preached　a　great　sermon　in　the　true　serious
manner；　she　lectured　on　the　virtue　of　the　medicine
which　she　pretended　to　administer；　with　a　gravity　of
imitation　so　perfect　that　you　would　have　thought　it　was
the　Countess's　own　Roman　nose　through　which　she　snuffled。
〃Give　us　Lady　Southdown　and　the　black　dose；〃　was
a　constant　cry　amongst　the　folks　in　Becky's　little
drawing…room　in　May　Fair。　　And　for　the　first　time　in　her
life　the　Dowager　Countess　of　Southdown　was　made　amusing。
Sir　Pitt　remembered　the　testimonies　of　respect　and
veneration　which　Rebecca　had　paid　personally　to　himself
in　early　days；　and　was　tolerably　well　disposed　towards
her。　　The　marriage；　ill…advised　as　it　was；　had　improved
Rawdon　very　muchthat　was　clear　from　the　Colonel's
altered　habits　and　demeanourand　had　it　not　been　a
lucky　union　as