vanity fair(名利场)-第103部分
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who had been waiting for a sign of weakness or
vacillation on the part of her son…in…law； rose and； with a
scared look； left the library。 Lady Jane looked up to
her husband as if she would fain follow and soothe her
mamma； but Pitt forbade his wife to move。
〃She won't go away；〃 he said。 〃She has let her house
at Brighton and has spent her last half…year's dividends。
A Countess living at an inn is a ruined woman。 I have
been waiting long for an opportunityto take thisthis
decisive step； my love； for； as you must perceive； it is
impossible that there should be two chiefs in a family：
and now； if you please； we will resume the dictation。 'My
dear brother； the melancholy intelligence which it is my
duty to convey to my family must have been long
anticipated by；' 〃 &c。
In a word； Pitt having come to his kingdom； and having
by good luck； or desert rather； as he considered； assumed
almost all the fortune which his other relatives
had expected； was determined to treat his family kindly
and respectably and make a house of Queen's Crawley
once more。 It pleased him to think that he should be its
chief。 He proposed to use the vast influence that his
commanding talents and position must speedily acquire
for him in the county to get his brother placed and his
cousins decently provided for； and perhaps had a little
sting of repentance as he thought that he was the
proprietor of all that they had hoped for。 In the course of
three or four days' reign his bearing was changed and
his plans quite fixed： he determined to rule justly and
honestly； to depose Lady Southdown； and to be on the
friendliest possible terms with all the relations of his
blood。
So he dictated a letter to his brother Rawdona solemn
and elaborate letter； containing the profoundest
observations； couched in the longest words； and filling with
wonder the simple little secretary； who wrote under her
husband's order。 〃What an orator this will be；〃 thought
she； 〃when he enters the House of Commons〃 （on which
point； and on the tyranny of Lady Southdown； Pitt had
sometimes dropped hints to his wife in bed）； 〃how wise
and good； and what a genius my husband is！ I fancied
him a little cold； but how good； and what a genius！〃
The fact is； Pitt Crawley had got every word of the
letter by heart and had studied it； with diplomatic
secrecy； deeply and perfectly； long before he thought fit to
communicate it to his astonished wife。
This letter； with a huge black border and seal； was
accordingly despatched by Sir Pitt Crawley to his brother
the Colonel； in London。 Rawdon Crawley was but
half…pleased at the receipt of it。 〃What's the use of going
down to that stupid place？〃 thought he。 〃I can't stand
being alone with Pitt after dinner； and horses there
and back will cost us twenty pound。〃
He carried the letter； as he did all difficulties； to Becky；
upstairs in her bedroomwith her chocolate； which he
always made and took to her of a morning。
He put the tray with the breakfast and the letter on
the dressing…table； before which Becky sat combing her
yellow hair。 She took up the black…edged missive； and
having read it； she jumped up from the chair； crying
〃Hurray！〃 and waving the note round her head。
〃Hurray？〃 said Rawdon； wondering at the little figure
capering about in a streaming flannel dressing…gown； with
tawny locks dishevelled。 〃He's not left us anything；
Becky。 I had my share when I came of age。〃
〃You'll never be of age； you silly old man；〃 Becky
replied。 〃Run out now to Madam Brunoy's； for I must
have some mourning： and get a crape on your hat； and a
black waistcoatI don't think you've got one； order it
to be brought home to…morrow； so that we may be able
to start on Thursday。〃
〃You don't mean to go？〃 Rawdon interposed。
〃Of course I mean to go。 I mean that Lady Jane shall
present me at Court next year。 I mean that your brother
shall give you a seat in Parliament； you stupid old
creature。 I mean that Lord Steyne shall have your vote and
his； my dear； old silly man； and that you shall be an Irish
Secretary； or a West Indian Governor： or a Treasurer；
or a Consul； or some such thing。〃
〃Posting will cost a dooce of a lot of money；〃 grumbled
Rawdon。
〃We might take Southdown's carriage； which ought to
be present at the funeral； as he is a relation of the
family： but； noI intend that we shall go by the coach。
They'll like it better。 It seems more humble〃
〃Rawdy goes； of course？〃 the Colonel asked。
〃No such thing； why pay an extra place？ He's too big to
travel bodkin between you and me。 Let him stay here in
the nursery； and Briggs can make him a black frock。 Go
you； and do as I bid you。 And you had best tell Sparks；
your man； that old Sir Pitt is dead and that you will
come in for something considerable when the affairs are
arranged。 He'll tell this to Raggles； who has been pressing
for money； and it will console poor Raggles。〃 And so
Becky began sipping her chocolate。
When the faithful Lord Steyne arrived in the evening；
he found Becky and her companion； who was no other
than our friend Briggs； busy cutting； ripping； snipping；
and tearing all sorts of black stuffs available for the
melancholy occasion。
〃Miss Briggs and I are plunged in grief and despondency
for the death of our Papa；〃 Rebecca said。 〃Sir Pitt
Crawley is dead； my lord。 We have been tearing our hair
all the morning； and now we are tearing up our old
clothes。〃
〃Oh； Rebecca； how can you〃 was all that Briggs could
say as she turned up her eyes。
〃Oh； Rebecca； how can you〃 echoed my Lord。 〃So
that old scoundrel's dead； is he？ He might have been a
Peer if he had played his cards better。 Mr。 Pitt had very
nearly made him； but he ratted always at the wrong
time。 What an old Silenus it was！〃
〃I might have been Silenus's widow；〃 said Rebecca。
〃Don't you remember； Miss Briggs； how you peeped in
at the door and saw old Sir Pitt on his knees to me？〃
Miss Briggs； our old friend； blushed very much at this
reminiscence； and was glad when Lord Steyne ordered
her to go downstairs and make him a cup of tea。
Briggs was the house…dog whom Rebecca had provided
as guardian of her innocence and reputation。 Miss Crawley
had left her a little annuity。 She would have been
content to remain in the Crawley family with Lady Jane；
who was good to her and to everybody； but Lady
Southdown dismissed poor Briggs as quickly as decency
permitted； and Mr。 Pitt （who thought himself much injured
by the uncalled…for generosity of his deceased relative
towards a lady who had only been Miss Crawley's
faithful retainer a score of years） made no objection to that
exercise of the dowager's authority。 Bowls and Firkin
likewise received their legacies and their dismissals； and
married and set up a lodging…house； according to the
custom of their kind。
Briggs tried to live with her relations in the country；
but found that attempt was vain after the better society
to which she had been accustomed。 Briggs's friends； small
tradesmen； in a country town； quarrelled over Miss
Briggs's forty pounds a year as eagerly and more openly
than Miss Crawley's kinsfolk had for that lady's
inheritance。 Briggs's brother； a radical hatter and grocer； called
his sister a purse…proud aristocrat； because she would not
advance a part of her capital to stock his shop； and she
would have done so most likely； but that their sister； a
dissenting shoemaker's lady； at variance with the hatter
and grocer； who went to another chapel； showed how
their brother was on the verge of bankruptcy； and took
possession of Briggs for a while。 The dissenting
shoemaker wanted Miss Briggs to send his son to college
and make a gentleman of him。 Between them the two
families got a great portion of her private savings out of
her； and finally she fled to London followed by the
anathemas of both； and determined to seek for servitude
again as infinitely less onerous than liberty。 And advertising
in the papers that a 〃Gentlewoman of agreeable
manners； and accustomed to the best society； was anxious
to；〃 &c。； she took up her residence with Mr。 Bowls
in Half Moon Street； and waited the result of the
advertisement。
So it was that she fell in with Rebecca。 Mrs。 Rawdon's
dashing little carriage and ponies was whirling down the
street one day； just as Miss Briggs； fatigued； had
reached Mr。 Bowls's door； after a weary walk to the
Times Office in the City to insert her advertisement for
the sixth time。 Rebecca was driving； and at once
recognized the gentlewoman with agreeable manners； and
being a perfectly good…humoured woman； as we have
seen； and having a regard for Briggs； she pulled up the
ponies at the doorsteps； gave the reins to the groom；
and jumping out； had hold of both Briggs's hands； before
she of the agreeable manners had recovered from the
shock of seeing an old friend。
Briggs cried； and Becky laughed a great deal and
kissed the gentlewoman as soon as they got into the
passage； and thence into Mrs。 Bowls's front parlour； with
the red moreen curtains； and the round looking…glass；
with the chained eagle above； gazing upon the back of
the ticket in the window which announced 〃Apartments
to Let。〃
Briggs told all her history amidst those perfectly
uncalled…for sobs and ejaculations of wonder with which
women of her soft nature salute an old acquaintance； or
regard a rencontre in the street； for though people meet
other people every day； yet some there are who insist
upon discovering miracles； and women； even though they
have disliked each other； begin to cry when they meet；
deploring and remembering the time when they last
quarrelled。 So； in a word； Briggs told all her history； and
Becky gave a narrative of her own life； with her usual
artlessness and candour。
Mrs。 Bowls； late Firkin； came and listened grimly in
the passage to the hysterical sniffling and giggling which
went on in the front parlour。 Becky had never been a
favourite of hers。 Since the establishment of the married
couple in London they had frequented their former
friends of the house of Raggles； and did not like the
latter's account of the Colonel's menage。 〃I wouldn't trust
him； Ragg； my boy；〃 Bowls remarked； and his wife；
when Mrs。 Rawdon issued
