vanity fair(名利场)-第123部分

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Peterwaradin；　with　his　Princessa　nobleman　tightly
girthed；　with　a　large　military　chest；　on　which　the　plaque
of　his　order　shone　magnificently；　and　wearing　the　red
collar　of　the　Golden　Fleece　round　his　neck。　　He　was　the
owner　of　countless　flocks。　　〃Look　at　his　face。　　I　think　he
must　be　descended　from　a　sheep；〃　Becky　whispered　to
Lord　Steyne。　　Indeed；　his　Excellency's　countenance；　long；
solemn；　and　white；　with　the　ornament　round　his　neck；。
bore　some　resemblance　to　that　of　a　venerable　bell…wether。
There　was　Mr。　John　Paul　Jefferson　Jones；　titularly
attached　to　the　American　Embassy　and　correspondent
of　the　New　York　Demagogue；　who；　by　way　of　making
himself　agreeable　to　the　company；　asked　Lady　Steyne；
during　a　pause　in　the　conversation　at　dinner；　how　his
dear　friend；　George　Gaunt；　liked　the　Brazils？　He　and
George　had　been　most　intimate　at　Naples　and　had　gone
up　Vesuvius　together。　　Mr。　Jones　wrote　a　full　and
particular　account　of　the　dinner；　which　appeared　duly　in
the　Demagogue。　　He　mentioned　the　names　and　titles　of
all　the　guests；　giving　biographical　sketches　of　the　principal
people。　　He　described　the　persons　of　the　ladies　with
great　eloquence；　the　service　of　the　table；　the　size　and
costume　of　the　servants；　enumerated　the　dishes　and　wines
served；　the　ornaments　of　the　sideboard；　and　the　probable
value　of　the　plate。　　Such　a　dinner　he　calculated　could　not
be　dished　up　under　fifteen　or　eighteen　dollars　per　head。
And　he　was　in　the　habit；　until　very　lately；　of　sending
over　proteges；　with　letters　of　recommendation　to　the
present　Marquis　of　Steyne；　encouraged　to　do　so　by　the
intimate　terms　on　which　he　had　lived　with　his　dear
friend；　the　late　lord。　　He　was　most　indignant　that　a
young　and　insignificant　aristocrat；　the　Earl　of　Southdown；
should　have　taken　the　pas　of　him　in　their　procession　to
the　dining…room。　　〃Just　as　I　was　stepping　up　to　offer　my
hand　to　a　very　pleasing　and　witty　fashionable；　the
brilliant　and　exclusive　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley；〃he　wrote
〃the　young　patrician　interposed　between　me　and　the
lady　and　whisked　my　Helen　off　without　a　word　of　apology。
I　was　fain　to　bring　up　the　rear　with　the　Colonel；　the
lady's　husband；　a　stout　red…faced　warrior　who
distinguished　himself　at　Waterloo；　where　he　had　better　luck
than　befell　some　of　his　brother　redcoats　at　New　Orleans。〃
The　Colonel's　countenance　on　coming　into　this　polite
society　wore　as　many　blushes　as　the　face　of　a　boy　of
sixteen　assumes　when　he　is　confronted　with　his　sister's
schoolfellows。　　It　has　been　told　before　that　honest　Rawdon
had　not　been　much　used　at　any　period　of　his　life　to
ladies'　company。　　With　the　men　at　the　Club　or　the　mess
room；　he　was　well　enough；　and　could　ride；　bet；　smoke；
or　play　at　billiards　with　the　boldest　of　them。　　He　had　had
his　time　for　female　friendships　too；　but　that　was　twenty
years　ago；　and　the　ladies　were　of　the　rank　of　those　with
whom　Young　Marlow　in　the　comedy　is　represented　as
having　been　familiar　before　he　became　abashed　in　the
presence　of　Miss　Hardcastle。　　The　times　are　such　that
one　scarcely　dares　to　allude　to　that　kind　of　company
which　thousands　of　our　young　men　in　Vanity　Fair　are
frequenting　every　day；　which　nightly　fills　casinos　and
dancing…rooms；　which　is　known　to　exist　as　well　as　the
Ring　in　Hyde　Park　or　the　Congregation　at　St。　　James's
but　which　the　most　squeamish　if　not　the　most　moral
of　societies　is　determined　to　ignore。　　In　a　word；　although
Colonel　Crawley　was　now　five…and…forty　years　of　age；
it　had　not　been　his　lot　in　life　to　meet　with　a　half　dozen
good　women；　besides　his　paragon　of　a　wife。　　All　except
her　and　his　kind　sister　Lady　Jane；　whose　gentle　nature
had　tamed　and　won　him；　scared　the　worthy　Colonel；
and　on　occasion　of　his　first　dinner　at　Gaunt　House　he
was　not　heard　to　make　a　single　remark　except　to　state
that　the　weather　was　very　hot。　　Indeed　Becky　would　have
left　him　at　home；　but　that　virtue　ordained　that　her　
husband　should　be　by　her　side　to　protect　the　timid　and
fluttering　little　creature　on　her　first　appearance　in　polite
society。
On　her　first　appearance　Lord　Steyne　stepped　forward；
taking　her　hand；　and　greeting　her　with　great　courtesy；
and　presenting　her　to　Lady　Steyne；　and　their　ladyships；
her　daughters。　　Their　ladyships　made　three　stately　curtsies；
and　the　elder　lady　to　be　sure　gave　her　hand　to　the
newcomer；　but　it　was　as　cold　and　lifeless　as　marble。
Becky　took　it；　however；　with　grateful　humility；　and
performing　a　reverence　which　would　have　done　credit
to　the　best　dancer…master；　put　herself　at　Lady　Steyne's
feet；　as　it　were；　by　saying　that　his　Lordship　had　been
her　father's　earliest　friend　and　patron；　and　that　she；
Becky；　had　learned　to　honour　and　respect　the　Steyne
family　from　the　days　of　her　childhood。　　The　fact　is　that　Lord
Steyne　had　once　purchased　a　couple　of　pictures　of　the
late　Sharp；　and　the　affectionate　orphan　could　never
forget　her　gratitude　for　that　favour。
　
The　Lady　Bareacres　then　came　under　Becky's　cognizance
to　whom　the　Colonel's　lady　made　also　a　most　respectful
obeisance：　　it　was　returned　with　severe　dignity　by　the
exalted　person　in　question。
〃I　had　the　pleasure　of　making　your　Ladyship's
acquaintance　at　Brussels；　ten　years　ago；〃　Becky　said　in
the　most　winning　manner。　　〃I　had　the　good　fortune　to
meet　Lady　Bareacres　at　the　Duchess　of　Richmond's　ball；
the　night　before　the　Battle　of　Waterloo。　　And　I　recollect
your　Ladyship；　and　my　Lady　Blanche；　your　daughter；
sitting　in　the　carriage　in　the　porte…cochere　at　the　Inn；
waiting　for　horses。　　I　hope　your　Ladyship's　diamonds　are
safe。〃
Everybody's　eyes　looked　into　their　neighbour's。　　The
famous　diamonds　had　undergone　a　famous　seizure；　it
appears；　about　which　Becky；　of　course；　knew　nothing。
Rawdon　Crawley　retreated　with　Lord　Southdown　into　a
window；　where　the　latter　was　heard　to　laugh　immoderately；
as　Rawdon　told　him　the　story　of　Lady　Bareacres
wanting　horses　and　〃knuckling　down　by　Jove；〃　to　Mrs。
Crawley。　　〃I　think　I　needn't　be　afraid　of　THAT　woman；〃
Becky　thought。　　Indeed；　Lady　Bareacres　exchanged
terrified　and　angry　looks　with　her　daughter　and　retreated
to　a　table；　where　she　began　to　look　at　pictures　with
great　energy。
When　the　Potentate　from　the　Danube　made　his　appearance；
the　conversation　was　carried　on　in　the　French　language；
and　the　Lady　Bareacres　and　the　younger　ladies
found；　to　their　farther　mortification；　that　Mrs。　Crawley
was　much　better　acquainted　with　that　tongue；　and　spoke
it　with　a　much　better　accent　than　they。　　Becky　had　met
other　Hungarian　magnates　with　the　army　in　France　in
1816…17。　　She　asked　after　her　friends　with　great　interest
The　foreign　personages　thought　that　she　was　a　lady　of
great　distinction；　and　the　Prince　and　the　Princess　asked
severally　of　Lord　Steyne　and　the　Marchioness；　whom
they　conducted　to　dinner；　who　was　that　petite　dame　who
spoke　so　well？
Finally；　the　procession　being　formed　in　the　order
described　by　the　American　diplomatist；　they　marched　into
the　apartment　where　the　banquet　was　served；　and　which；
as　I　have　promised　the　reader　he　shall　enjoy　it；　he　shall
have　the　liberty　of　ordering　himself　so　as　to　suit　his
fancy。
But　it　was　when　the　ladies　were　alone　that　Becky
knew　the　tug　of　war　would　come。　　And　then　indeed　the
little　woman　found　herself　in　such　a　situation　as　made
her　acknowledge　the　correctness　of　Lord　Steyne's
caution　to　her　to　beware　of　the　society　of　ladies　above　her
own　sphere。　　As　they　say；　the　persons　who　hate　Irishmen
most　are　Irishmen；　so；　assuredly；　the　greatest　tyrants
over　women　are　women。　　When　poor　little　Becky；
alone　with　the　ladies；　went　up　to　the　fire…place　whither
the　great　ladies　had　repaired；　the　great　ladies　marched
away　and　took　possession　of　a　table　of　drawings。　　When
Becky　followed　them　to　the　table　of　drawings；　they
dropped　off　one　by　one　to　the　fire　again。　　She　tried　to
speak　to　one　of　the　children　（of　whom　she　was
commonly　fond　in　public　places）；　but　Master　George　Gaunt
was　called　away　by　his　mamma；　and　the　stranger　was
treated　with　such　cruelty　finally；　that　even　Lady　Steyne
herself　pitied　her　and　went　up　to　speak　to　the　friendless
little　woman。
〃Lord　Steyne；〃　said　her　Ladyship；　as　her　wan　cheeks
glowed　with　a　blush；　〃says　you　sing　and　play　very
beautifully；　Mrs。　CrawleyI　wish　you　would　do　me　the
kindness　to　sing　to　me。〃
〃I　will　do　anything　that　may　give　pleasure　to　my　Lord
Steyne　or　to　you；〃　said　Rebecca；　sincerely　grateful；　and
seating　herself　at　the　piano；　began　to　sing。
She　sang　religious　songs　of　Mozart；　which　had　been
early　favourites　of　Lady　Steyne；　and　with　such　sweetness
and　tenderness　that　the　lady；　lingering　round　the　piano；
sat　down　by　its　side　and　listened　until　the　tears　rolled
down　her　eyes。　　It　is　true　that　the　opposition　ladies　at
the　other　end　of　the　room　kept　up　a　loud　and　ceaseless
buzzing　and　talking；　but　the　Lady　Steyne　did　not　hear
those　rumours。　　She　was　a　child　againand　had
wandered　back　through　a　forty　years'　wilderness　to　her
convent　garden。　　The　chapel　organ　had　pealed　the　same　tones；
the　organist；　the　sister　whom　she　loved　best　of　the
community；　had　taught　them　to　her　in　those　early　happy
days。　　She　was　a　girl　once　more；　and　the　brief　period　of
her　happiness　bloomed　out　again　for　an　hourshe
started　when　the　jarring　doors　were　flung　open；　and　with
a　loud　laugh　from　Lord　Steyne；　the　men　of　the　party
entered　full　of　gaiety。
He　saw　at　a　glance　what　had　happened　in　his　absence；
and　was　grateful　to　his　wife　for　once。　　He　went
and　spoke　to　her；　and　called　her　by　her　Christian　name；
so　as　again　to　bring　blushes　to　her　pale　face〃My　wife
says　you　have　been　singing　like　an　angel；〃　he　said　to
Becky。　　Now　there　are　angels　of　two　kinds；　and　both　sorts；
it　is　said；　are　charming　in　their　way。
Whatever　the　previous　portion　of　the　evening　had
been；　the　rest　of　that　night　was　a　great　triumph　for
Becky。　　She　sang　her　very　best；　and　it　was　so　good　that
every　one　of　the　men　came　and　crowded　round　the
piano。　　The　women；　her　enemies；　were　left　quite　alone。
And　Mr。　Paul　Jefferson　Jones　thought　he　had　made　a
conquest　of　Lady　Gaunt　by　going　up　to　her　Ladyship
and　praising　her　delightful　friend's　first…rate　singing。

CHAPTER　L
Contains　a　Vulgar　Incident
The　Muse；　whoever　she　be；　who　presides　over　this
Comic　History　must　now　descend