vanity fair(名利场)-第105部分

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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　regarded　Pitt　himself？　The　cunning
diplomatist　smiled　inwardly　as　he　owned　that　he　owed　his
fortune　to　it；　and　acknowledged　that　he　at　least　ought　not
to　cry　out　against　it。　　His　satisfaction　was　not　removed
by　Rebecca's　own　statements；　behaviour；　and
conversation。
She　doubled　the　deference　which　before　had　charmed
him；　calling　out　his　conversational　powers　in　such　a
manner　as　quite　to　surprise　Pitt　himself；　who；　always
inclined　to　respect　his　own　talents；　admired　them　the　more
when　Rebecca　pointed　them　out　to　him。　　With　her
sister…in…law；　Rebecca　was　satisfactorily　able　to　prove　that　it
was　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley　who　brought　about　the　marriage
which　she　afterwards　so　calumniated；　that　it　was　Mrs。
Bute's　avaricewho　hoped　to　gain　all　Miss　Crawley's
fortune　and　deprive　Rawdon　of　his　aunt's　favourwhich
caused　and　invented　all　the　wicked　reports　against
Rebecca。　　〃She　succeeded　in　making　us　poor；〃　Rebecca
said　with　an　air　of　angelical　patience；　〃but　how　can　I
be　angry　with　a　woman　who　has　given　me　one　of　the　best
husbands　in　the　world？　And　has　not　her　own　avarice
been　sufficiently　punished　by　the　ruin　of　her　own　hopes　and
the　loss　of　the　property　by　which　she　set　so　much
store？　Poor！〃　she　cried。　　〃Dear　Lady　Jane；　what　care　we
for　poverty？　I　am　used　to　it　from　childhood；　and　I　am
often　thankful　that　Miss　Crawley's　money　has　gone　to
restore　the　splendour　of　the　noble　old　family　of　which
I　am　so　proud　to　be　a　member。　　I　am　sure　Sir　Pitt　will
make　a　much　better　use　of　it　than　Rawdon　would。〃
All　these　speeches　were　reported　to　Sir　Pitt　by　the
most　faithful　of　wives；　and　increased　the　favourable
impression　which　Rebecca　made；　so　much　so　that　when；
on　the　third　day　after　the　funeral；　the　family　party　were
at　dinner；　Sir　Pitt　Crawley；　carving　fowls　at　the　head　of
the　table；　actually　said　to　Mrs。　Rawdon；　〃Ahem！　　Rebecca；
may　I　give　you　a　wing？〃a　speech　which　made　the　little
woman's　eyes　sparkle　with　pleasure。
While　Rebecca　was　prosecuting　the　above　schemes　and
hopes；　and　Pitt　Crawley　arranging　the　funeral　ceremonial
and　other　matters　connected　with　his　future　progress　and
dignity；　and　Lady　Jane　busy　with　her　nursery；　as　far　as
her　mother　would　let　her；　and　the　sun　rising　and　setting；
and　the　clock…tower　bell　of　the　Hall　ringing　to　dinner　and
to　prayers　as　usual；　the　body　of　the　late　owner　of　Queen's
Crawley　lay　in　the　apartment　which　he　had　occupied；
watched　unceasingly　by　the　professional　attendants　who
were　engaged　for　that　rite。　　A　woman　or　two；　and　three
or　four　undertaker's　men；　the　best　whom　Southampton
could　furnish；　dressed　in　black；　and　of　a　proper　stealthy
and　tragical　demeanour；　had　charge　of　the　remains　which
they　watched　turn　about；　having　the　housekeeper's　room
for　their　place　of　rendezvous　when　off　duty；　where　they
played　at　cards　in　privacy　and　drank　their　beer。
The　members　of　the　family　and　servants　of　the　house
kept　away　from　the　gloomy　spot；　where　the　bones　of　the
descendant　of　an　ancient　line　of　knights　and　gentlemen
lay；　awaiting　their　final　consignment　to　the　family　crypt。
No　regrets　attended　them；　save　those　of　the　poor　woman
who　had　hoped　to　be　Sir　Pitt's　wife　and　widow　and　who
had　fled　in　disgrace　from　the　Hall　over　which　she　had　so
nearly　been　a　ruler。　　Beyond　her　and　a　favourite　old　pointer
he　had；　and　between　whom　and　himself　an　attachment
subsisted　during　the　period　of　his　imbecility；　the　old　man
had　not　a　single　friend　to　mourn　him；　having　indeed；
during　the　whole　course　of　his　life；　never　taken　the　least
pains　to　secure　one。　　Could　the　best　and　kindest　of　us　who
depart　from　the　earth　have　an　opportunity　of　revisiting
it；　I　suppose　he　or　she　（assuming　that　any　Vanity　Fair
feelings　subsist　in　the　sphere　whither　we　are　bound）
would　have　a　pang　of　mortification　at　finding　how　soon
our　survivors　were　consoled。　　And　so　Sir　Pitt　was
forgottenlike　the　kindest　and　best　of　usonly　a　few
weeks　sooner。
Those　who　will　may　follow　his　remains　to　the　grave；
whither　they　were　borne　on　the　appointed　day；　in　the　most
becoming　manner；　the　family　in　black　coaches；　with　their
handkerchiefs　up　to　their　noses；　ready　for　the　tears　which
did　not　come；　the　undertaker　and　his　gentlemen　in　deep
tribulation；　the　select　tenantry　mourning　out　of
compliment　to　the　new　landlord；　the　neighbouring　gentry's
carriages　at　three　miles　an　hour；　empty；　and　in　profound
affliction；　the　parson　speaking　out　the　formula　about　〃our
dear　brother　departed。〃　As　long　as　we　have　a　man's　body；
we　play　our　Vanities　upon　it；　surrounding　it　with
humbug　and　ceremonies；　laying　it　in　state；　and　packing　it
up　in　gilt　nails　and　velvet；　and　we　finish　our　duty　by
placing　over　it　a　stone；　written　all　over　with　lies。　　Bute's
curate；　a　smart　young　fellow　from　Oxford；　and　Sir　Pitt
Crawley　composed　between　them　an　appropriate　Latin
epitaph　for　the　late　lamented　Baronet；　and　the　former
preached　a　classical　sermon；　exhorting　the　survivors　not
to　give　way　to　grief　and　informing　them　in　the　most
respectful　terms　that　they　also　would　be　one　day　called
upon　to　pass　that　gloomy　and　mysterious　portal　w