vanity fair(名利场)-第94部分

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（such　as　Rawdon　Crawley；　whose　position　we　mentioned
before）　who　cut　a　good　figure　to　the　eyes　of　the　ignorant
world　and　to　the　apprentices　in　the　park；　who　behold
them　consorting　with　the　most　notorious　dandies　there；
so　there　are　ladies；　who　may　be　called　men's　women；
being　welcomed　entirely　by　all　the　gentlemen　and　cut
or　slighted　by　all　their　wives。　　Mrs。　Firebrace　is　of　this　sort；
the　lady　with　the　beautiful　fair　ringlets　whom　you　see
every　day　in　Hyde　Park；　surrounded　by　the　greatest　and
most　famous　dandies　of　this　empire。　　Mrs。　Rockwood　is
another；　whose　parties　are　announced　laboriously　in　the
fashionable　newspapers　and　with　whom　you　see　that　all
sorts　of　ambassadors　and　great　noblemen　dine；　and
many　more　might　be　mentioned　had　they　to　do　with　the
history　at　present　in　hand。　　But　while　simple　folks　who
are　out　of　the　world；　or　country　people　with　a　taste　for
the　genteel；　behold　these　ladies　in　their　seeming　glory　in
public　places；　or　envy　them　from　afar　off；　persons　who
are　better　instructed　could　inform　them　that　these　envied
ladies　have　no　more　chance　of　establishing　themselves
in　〃society；〃　than　the　benighted　squire's　wife　in
Somersetshire　who　reads　of　their　doings　in　the　Morning　Post。
Men　living　about　London　are　aware　of　these　awful　truths。
You　hear　how　pitilessly　many　ladies　of　seeming　rank　and
wealth　are　excluded　from　this　〃society。〃　The　frantic
efforts　which　they　make　to　enter　this　circle；　the　meannesses
to　which　they　submit；　the　insults　which　they　undergo；
are　matters　of　wonder　to　those　who　take　human　or
womankind　for　a　study；　and　the　pursuit　of　fashion　under
difficulties　would　be　a　fine　theme　for　any　very　great
person　who　had　the　wit；　the　leisure；　and　the　knowledge　of
the　English　language　necessary　for　the　compiling　of
such　a　history。
Now　the　few　female　acquaintances　whom　Mrs。　Crawley
had　known　abroad　not　only　declined　to　visit　her　when
she　came　to　this　side　of　the　Channel；　but　cut　her　severely
when　they　met　in　public　places。　　It　was　curious　to　see　how
the　great　ladies　forgot　her；　and　no　doubt　not　altogether
a　pleasant　study　to　Rebecca。　　When　Lady　Bareacres　met
her　in　the　waiting…room　at　the　opera；　she　gathered　her
daughters　about　her　as　if　they　would　be　contaminated
by　a　touch　of　Becky；　and　retreating　a　step　or　two；　placed
herself　in　front　of　them；　and　stared　at　her　little　enemy。
To　stare　Becky　out　of　countenance　required　a　severer
glance　than　even　the　frigid　old　Bareacres　could　shoot　out
of　her　dismal　eyes。　　When　Lady　de　la　Mole；　who　had　ridden
a　score　of　times　by　Becky's　side　at　Brussels；　met　Mrs。
Crawley's　open　carriage　in　Hyde　Park；　her　Ladyship　was
quite　blind；　and　could　not　in　the　least　recognize　her
former　friend。　　Even　Mrs。　Blenkinsop；　the　banker's　wife；
cut　her　at　church。　　Becky　went　regularly　to　church　now；　it
was　edifying　to　see　her　enter　there　with　Rawdon　by　her
side；　carrying　a　couple　of　large　gilt　prayer…books；　and
afterwards　going　through　the　ceremony　with　the　gravest
resignation。
Rawdon　at　first　felt　very　acutely　the　slights　which　were
passed　upon　his　wife；　and　was　inclined　to　be　gloomy　and
savage。　　He　talked　of　calling　out　the　husbands　or　brothers
of　every　one　of　the　insolent　women　who　did　not　pay　a
proper　respect　to　his　wife；　and　it　was　only　by　the　strongest　
commands　and　entreaties　on　her　part　that　he　was
brought　into　keeping　a　decent　behaviour。　　〃You　can't
shoot　me　into　society；〃　she　said　good…naturedly。　　〃Remember；
my　dear；　that　I　was　but　a　governess；　and　you；　you
poor　silly　old　man；　have　the　worst　reputation　for　debt；　and
dice；　and　all　sorts　of　wickedness。　　We　shall　get　quite　as
many　friends　as　we　want　by　and　by；　and　in　the　meanwhile
you　must　be　a　good　boy　and　obey　your　schoolmistress　in
everything　she　tells　you　to　do。　　When　we　heard　that　your
aunt　had　left　almost　everything　to　Pitt　and　his　wife；　do
you　remember　what　a　rage　you　were　in？　You　would
have　told　all　Paris；　if　I　had　not　made　you　keep　your
temper；　and　where　would　you　have　been　now？in
prison　at　Ste。　　Pelagie　for　debt；　and　not　established　in
London　in　a　handsome　house；　with　every　comfort　about
youyou　were　in　such　a　fury　you　were　ready　to　murder
your　brother；　you　wicked　Cain　you；　and　what　good
would　have　come　of　remaining　angry？　All　the　rage　in　the
world　won't　get　us　your　aunt's　money；　and　it　is　much
better　that　we　should　be　friends　with　your　brother's
family　than　enemies；　as　those　foolish　Butes　are。　　When
your　father　dies；　Queen's　Crawley　will　be　a　pleasant　house
for　you　and　me　to　pass　the　winter　in。　　If　we　are　ruined；
you　can　carve　and　take　charge　of　the　stable；　and　I　can
be　a　governess　to　Lady　Jane's　children。　　Ruined！
fiddlede…dee！　　I　will　get　you　a　good　place　before　that；　or　Pitt
and　his　little　boy　will　die；　and　we　will　be　Sir　Rawdon　and　my
lady。　　While　there　is　life；　there　is　hope；　my　dear；　and　I
intend　to　make　a　man　of　you　yet。　　Who　sold　your　horses　for
you？　Who　paid　your　debts　for　you？〃　Rawdon　was　obliged
to　confess　that　he　owed　all　these　benefits　to　his　wife；　and
to　trust　himself　to　her　guidance　for　the　future。
Indeed；　when　Miss　Crawley　quitted　the　world；　and　that
money　for　which　all　her　relatives　had　been　fighting　so
eagerly　was　finally　left　to　Pitt；　Bute　Crawley；　who　found
that　only　five　thousand　pounds　had　been　left　to　him
instead　of　the　twenty　upon　which　he　calculated；　was　in
such　a　fury　at　his　disappointment　that　he　vented　it　in
savage　abuse　upon　his　nephew；　and　the　quarrel　always
rankling　between　them　ended　in　an　utter　breach　of
intercourse。　　Rawdon　Crawley's　conduct；　on　the　other　hand；
who　got　but　a　hundred　pounds；　was　such　as　to　astonish
his　brother　and　delight　his　sister…in…law；　who　was
disposed　to　look　kindly　upon　all　the　members　of　her
husband's　family。　　He　wrote　to　his　brother　a　very　frank；　manly；
good…humoured　letter　from　Paris。　　He　was　aware；　he　said；
that　by　his　own　marriage　he　had　forfeited　his　aunt's
favour；　and　though　he　did　not　disguise　his　disappointment
that　she　should　have　been　so　entirely　relentless　towards
him；　he　was　glad　that　the　money　was　still　kept　in　their
branch　of　the　family；　and　heartily　congratulated　his　brother
on　his　good　fortune。　　He　sent　his　affectionate　remembrances
to　his　sister；　and　hoped　to　have　her　good…will　for
Mrs。　Rawdon；　and　the　letter　concluded　with　a　postscript
to　Pitt　in　the　latter　lady's　own　handwriting。　　She；　too；
begged　to　join　in　her　husband's　congratulations。　　She　should
ever　remember　Mr。　Crawley's　kindness　to　her　in　early
days　when　she　was　a　friendless　orphan；　the　instructress　of
his　little　sisters；　in　whose　welfare　she　still　took　the
tenderest　interest。　　She　wished　him　every　happiness　in　his
married　life；　and；　asking　his　permission　to　offer　her
remembrances　to　Lady　Jane　（of　whose　goodness　all　the
world　informed　her）；　she　hoped　that　one　day　she　might
be　allowed　to　present　her　little　boy　to　his　uncle　and　aunt；
and　begged　to　bespeak　for　him　their　good…will　and
protection。
Pitt　Crawley　received　this　communication　very
graciouslymore　graciously　than　Miss　Crawley　had　received
some　of　Rebecca's　previous　compositions　in　Rawdon's
handwriting；　and　as　for　Lady　Jane；　she　was　so　charmed
with　the　letter　that　she　expected　her　husband　would
instantly　divide　his　aunt's　legacy　into　two　equal　portions
and　send　off　one…half　to　his　brother　at　Paris。
To　her　Ladyship's　surprise；　however；　Pitt　declined　to
accommodate　his　brother　with　a　cheque　for　thirty
thousand　pounds。　　But　he　made　Rawdon　a　handsome　offer
of　his　hand　whenever　the　latter　should　come　to　England
and　choose　to　take　it；　and；　thanking　Mrs。　Crawley　for
her　good　opinion　of　himself　and　Lady　Jane；　he　graciously
pronounced　his　willingness　to　take　any　opportunity　to
serve　her　little　boy。
Thus　an　almost　reconciliation　was　brought　about
between　the　brothers。　　When　Rebecca　came　to　town　Pitt
and　his　wife　were　not　in　London。　　Many　a　time　she　drove
by　the　old　door　in　Park　Lane　to　see　whether　they　had
taken　possession　of　Miss　Crawley's　house　there。　　But　the
new　family　did　not　make　its　appearance；　it　was　only
through　Raggles　that　she　heard　of　their　movementshow
Miss　Crawley's　domestics　had　been　dismissed　with　decent
gratuities；　and　how　Mr。　Pitt　had　only　once　made　his
appearance　in　London；　when　he　stopped　for　a　few　days
at　the　house；　did　business　with　his　lawyers　there；　and　sold
off　all　Miss　Crawley's　French　novels　to　a　bookseller　out
of　Bond　Street。　　Becky　had　reasons　of　her　own　which
caused　her　to　long　for　the　arrival　of　her　new　relation。
〃When　Lady　Jane　comes；〃　thought　she；　〃she　shall　be　my
sponsor　in　London　society；　and　as　for　the　women！　bah！
the　women　will　ask　me　when　they　find　the　men　want　to
see　me。〃
An　article　as　necessary　to　a　lady　in　this　position　as　her
brougham　or　her　bouquet　is　her　companion。　　I　have
always　admired　the　way　in　which　the　tender　creatures；　who
cannot　exist　without　sympathy；　hire　an　exceedingly　plain
friend　of　their　own　sex　from　whom　they　are　almost
inseparable。　　The　sight　of　that　inevitable　woman　in　her
faded　gown　seated　behind　her　dear　friend　in　the　opera…
box；　or　occupying　the　back　seat　of　the　barouche；　is
always　a　wholesome　and　moral　one　to　me；　as　jolly　a
reminder　as　that　of　the　Death's…head　which　figured　in
the　repasts　of　Egyptian　bon…vivants；　a　strange　sardonic
memorial　of　Vanity　Fair。　　What？　even　battered；　brazen；
beautiful；　conscienceless；　heartless；　Mrs。　Firebrace；　whose
father　died　of　her　shame：　　even　lovely；　daring　Mrs。
Mantrap；　who　will　ride　at　any　fence　which　any　man　in
England　will　take；　and　who　drives　her　greys　in　the
park；　while　her　mother　keeps　a　huckster's　stall　in　Bath
stilleven　those　who　are　so　bold；　one　might　fancy
they　could　face　anything　dare　not　face　the　world　without
a　female　friend。　　They　must　have　somebody　to　cling　to；　the
affectionate　creatures！　　And　you　will　hardly　see　them　in
any　public　place　without　a　shabby　companion　in　a　dyed
silk；　sitting　somewhere　in　the　shade　close　behind　them。
〃Rawdon；〃　said　Becky；　very　late　one　night；　as　a　party
of　gentlemen　were　seated　round　her　crackling　drawing…
room　fire　（for　the　men　came　to　her　house　to　finish　the
night；　and　she　had　ice　and　coffee　for　them；　the　best　in
London）：　　〃I　must　have　a　sheep…dog。〃
〃A　what？〃　said　Rawdon；　looking　up　from　an　ecarte
table。
〃A　sheep…dog！〃　said　young　Lord