vanity fair(名利场)-第116章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Slingstone；　and　Lady　F。　　Macadam；　Major…General　and
Lady　G。　　Macbeth；　and　（2）　Miss　Macbeths；　Viscount
Paddington；　Sir　Horace　Fogey；　Hon。　　Sands　Bedwin；
Bobachy　Bahawder；〃　and　an　&c。；　which　the　reader　may　fill
at　his　pleasure　through　a　dozen　close　lines　of　small　type。
And　in　her　commerce　with　the　great　our　dear　friend
showed　the　same　frankness　which　distinguished　her
transactions　with　the　lowly　in　station。　　On　one　occasion；
when　out　at　a　very　fine　house；　Rebecca　was　（perhaps
rather　ostentatiously）　holding　a　conversation　in　the
French　language　with　a　celebrated　tenor　singer　of　that
nation；　while　the　Lady　Grizzel　Macbeth　looked　over　her
shoulder　scowling　at　the　pair。
〃How　very　well　you　speak　French；〃　Lady　Grizzel　said；
who　herself　spoke　the　tongue　in　an　Edinburgh　accent
most　remarkable　to　hear。
〃I　ought　to　know　it；〃　Becky　modestly　said；　casting
down　her　eyes。　　〃I　taught　it　in　a　school；　and　my　mother
was　a　Frenchwoman。〃
Lady　Grizzel　was　won　by　her　humility　and　was
mollified　towards　the　little　woman。　　She　deplored　the　fatal
levelling　tendencies　of　the　age；　which　admitted　persons
of　all　classes　into　the　society　of　their　superiors；　but　her
ladyship　owned　that　this　one　at　least　was　well　behaved
and　never　forgot　her　place　in　life。　　She　was　a　very　good
woman：　　good　to　the　poor；　stupid；　blameless；　unsuspicious。
It　is　not　her　ladyship's　fault　that　she　fancies　herself
better　than　you　and　me。　　The　skirts　of　her　ancestors'
garments　have　been　kissed　for　centuries；　it　is　a　thousand
years；　they　say；　since　the　tartans　of　the　head　of　the
family　were　embraced　by　the　defunct　Duncan's　lords　and
councillors；　when　the　great　ancestor　of　the　House
became　King　of　Scotland。
Lady　Steyne；　after　the　music　scene；　succumbed　before
Becky；　and　perhaps　was　not　disinclined　to　her。　　The
younger　ladies　of　the　house　of　Gaunt　were　also
compelled　into　submission。　　Once　or　twice　they　set　people　at
her；　but　they　failed。　　The　brilliant　Lady　Stunnington　tried
a　passage　of　arms　with　her；　but　was　routed　with　great
slaughter　by　the　intrepid　little　Becky。　　When　attacked
sometimes；　Becky　had　a　knack　of　adopting　a　demure
ingenue　air；　under　which　she　was　most　dangerous。　　She
said　the　wickedest　things　with　the　most　simple　unaffected
air　when　in　this　mood；　and　would　take　care　artlessly　to
apologize　for　her　blunders；　so　that　all　the　world　should
know　that　she　had　made　them。
Mr。　Wagg；　the　celebrated　wit；　and　a　led　captain　and
trencher…man　of　my　Lord　Steyne；　was　caused　by　the
ladies　to　charge　her；　and　the　worthy　fellow；　leering　at　his
patronesses　and　giving　them　a　wink；　as　much　as　to　say；
〃Now　look　out　for　sport；〃　one　evening　began　an　assault
upon　Becky；　who　was　unsuspiciously　eating　her　dinner。
The　little　woman；　attacked　on　a　sudden；　but　never
without　arms；　lighted　up　in　an　instant；　parried　and　riposted
with　a　home…thrust；　which　made　Wagg's　face　tingle　with
shame；　then　she　returned　to　her　soup　with　the　most
perfect　calm　and　a　quiet　smile　on　her　face。　　Wagg's　great
patron；　who　gave　him　dinners　and　lent　him　a　little　money
sometimes；　and　whose　election；　newspaper；　and　other
jobs　Wagg　did；　gave　the　luckless　fellow　such　a　savage
glance　with　the　eyes　as　almost　made　him　sink　under　the
table　and　burst　into　tears。　　He　looked　piteously　at　my
lord；　who　never　spoke　to　him　during　dinner；　and　at　the
ladies；　who　disowned　him。　　At　last　Becky　herself　took
compassion　upon　him　and　tried　to　engage　him　in　talk。
He　was　not　asked　to　dinner　again　for　six　weeks；　and
Fiche；　my　lord's　confidential　man；　to　whom　Wagg
naturally　paid　a　good　deal　of　court；　was　instructed　to　tell
him　that　if　he　ever　dared　to　say　a　rude　thing　to　Mrs。
Crawley　again；　or　make　her　the　butt　of　his　stupid　jokes；
Milor　would　put　every　one　of　his　notes　of　hand　into　his
lawyer's　hands　and　sell　him　up　without　mercy。　　Wagg
wept　before　Fiche　and　implored　his　dear　friend　to　intercede
for　him。　　He　wrote　a　poem　in　favour　of　Mrs。　R。　　C。；
which　appeared　in　the　very　next　number　of　the　Harum…
scarum　Magazine；　which　he　conducted。　　He　implored　her
good…will　at　parties　where　he　met　her。　　He　cringed　and
coaxed　Rawdon　at　the　club。　　He　was　allowed　to　come　back
to　Gaunt　House　after　a　while。　　Becky　was　always　good　to
him；　always　amused；　never　angry。
His　lordship's　vizier　and　chief　confidential　servant
（with　a　seat　in　parliament　and　at　the　dinner　table）；　Mr。
Wenham；　was　much　more　prudent　in　his　behaviour　and
opinions　than　Mr。　Wagg。　　However　much　he　might　be
disposed　to　hate　all　parvenus　（Mr。　Wenham　himself　was　a
staunch　old　True　Blue　Tory；　and　his　father　a　small　coal…
merchant　in　the　north　of　England）；　this　aide…de…camp　of
the　Marquis　never　showed　any　sort　of　hostility　to　the
new　favourite；　but　pursued　her　with　stealthy　kindnesses
and　a　sly　and　deferential　politeness　which　somehow
made　Becky　more　uneasy　than　other　people's　overt
hostilities。
How　the　Crawleys　got　the　money　which　was　spent
upon　the　entertainments　with　which　they　treated　the
polite　world　was　a　mystery　which　gave　rise　to　some
conversation　at　the　time；　and　probably　added　zest　to　these
little　festivities。　　Some　persons　averred　that　Sir　Pitt　Crawley
gave　his　brother　a　handsome　allowance；　if　he　did；
Becky's　power　over　the　Baronet　must　have　been
extraordinary　indeed；　and　his　character　greatly　changed　in　his
advanced　age。　　Other　parties　hinted　that　it　was　Becky's
habit　to　levy　contributions　on　all　her　husband's　friends：
going　to　this　one　in　tears　with　an　account　that　there　was
an　execution　in　the　house；　falling　on　her　knees　to　that
one　and　declaring　that　the　whole　family　must　go　to　gaol
or　commit　suicide　unless　such　and　such　a　bill　could　be
paid。　　Lord　Southdown；　it　was　said；　had　been　induced　to
give　many　hundreds　through　these　pathetic　representations。
Young　Feltham；　of　the　th　Dragoons　（and　son　of　the　firm　of
Tiler　and　Feltham；　hatters　and　army　accoutrement　makers）；
and　whom　the　Crawleys　introduced　into　fashionable
life；　was　also　cited　as　one　of　Becky's　victims　in　the
pecuniary　way。　　People　declared　that　she　got　money
from　various　simply　disposed　persons；　under　pretence　of
getting　them　confidential　appointments　under　Government。
Who　knows　what　stories　were　or　were　not　told　of
our　dear　and　innocent　friend？　Certain　it　is　that　if　she　had
had　all　the　money　which　she　was　said　to　have　begged　or
borrowed　or　stolen；　she　might　have　capitalized　and　been
honest　for　life；　whereas；but　this　is　advancing　matters。
The　truth　is；　that　by　economy　and　good　management
by　a　sparing　use　of　ready　money　and　by　paying　scarcely
anybodypeople　can　manage；　for　a　time　at　least；　to
make　a　great　show　with　very　little　means：　　and　it　is　our
belief　that　Becky's　much…talked…of　parties；　which　were
not；　after　all　was　said；　very　numerous；　cost　this　lady　very
little　more　than　the　wax　candles　which　lighted　the　walls。
Stillbrook　and　Queen's　Crawley　supplied　her　with　game
and　fruit　in　abundance。　　Lord　Steyne's　cellars　were　at　her
disposal；　and　that　excellent　nobleman's　famous　cooks
presided　over　her　little　kitchen；　or　sent　by　my　lord's
order　the　rarest　delicacies　from　their　own。　　I　protest　it　is
quite　shameful　in　the　world　to　abuse　a　simple　creature；
as　people　of　her　time　abuse　Becky；　and　I　warn　the
public　against　believing　one…tenth　of　the　stories　against　her。
If　every　person　is　to　be　banished　from　society　who　runs
into　debt　and　cannot　payif　we　are　to　be　peering　into
everybody's　private　life；　speculating　upon　their　income；
and　cutting　them　if　we　don't　approve　of　their　expenditure
why；　what　a　howling　wilderness　and　intolerable　dwelling
Vanity　Fair　would　be！　　Every　man's　hand　would　be
against　his　neighbour　in　this　case；　my　dear　sir；　and　the
benefits　of　civilization　would　be　done　away　with。　　We
should　be　quarrelling；　abusing；　avoiding　one　another。　　Our
houses　would　become　caverns；　and　we　should　go　in　rags
because　we　cared　for　nobody。　　Rents　would　go　down。
Parties　wouldn't　be　given　any　more。　　All　the　tradesmen
of　the　town　would　be　bankrupt。　　Wine；　wax…lights；
comestibles；　rouge；　crinoline…petticoats；　diamonds；　wigs；
Louis…Quatorze　gimcracks；　and　old　china；　park　hacks；　and
splendid　high…stepping　carriage　horsesall　the　delights
of　life；　I　say；would　go　to　the　deuce；　if　people　did　but
act　upon　their　silly　principles　and　avoid　those　whom　they
dislike　and　abuse。　　Whereas；　by　a　little　charity　and　mutual
forbearance；　things　are　made　to　go　on　pleasantly
enough：　　we　may　abuse　a　man　as　much　as　we　like；　and
call　him　the　greatest　rascal　unhangedbut　do　we　wish
to　hang　him　therefore？　No。　　We　shake　hands　when　we
meet。　　If　his　cook　is　good　we　forgive　him　and　go　and　dine
with　him；　and　we　expect　he　will　do　the　same　by　us。　　Thus
trade　flourishescivilization　advances；　peace　is　kept；
new　dresses　are　wanted　for　new　assemblies　every　week；
and　the　last　year's　vintage　of　Lafitte　will　remunerate　the
honest　proprietor　who　reared　it。
At　the　time　whereof　we　are　writing；　though　the　Great
George　was　on　the　throne　and　ladies　wore　gigots　and
large　combs　like　tortoise…shell　shovels　in　their　hair；
instead　of　the　simple　sleeves　and　lovely　wreaths　which　are
actually　in　fashion；　the　manners　of　the　very　polite　world
were　not；　I　take　it；　essentially　different　from　those　of　the
present　day：　　and　their　amusements　pretty　similar。　　To　us；
from　the　outside；　gazing　over　the　policeman's　shoulders
at　the　bewildering　beauties　as　they　pass　into　Court　or
ball；　they　may　seem　beings　of　unearthly　splendour　and　in
the　enjoyment　of　an　exquisite　happiness　by　us　unattainable。
It　is　to　console　some　of　these　dissatisfied　beings
that　we　are　narrating　our　dear　Becky's　struggles；　and
triumphs；　and　disappointments；　of　all　of　which；　indeed；
as　is　the　case　with　all　persons　of　merit；　she　had　her　share。
At　this　time　the　amiable　amusement　of　acting　charades
had　come　among　us　from　France；　and　was　considerably
in　vogue　in　this　country；　enabling　the　many　ladies
amongst　us　who　had　beauty　to　display　their　charms；　and
the　fewer　number　who　had　cleverness　to　exhibit　their　wit。
My　Lord　Steyne　was　incited　by　Becky；　who　perhaps
believed　herself　endowed　with　both　the　above　qualifications；
to　give　an　entertainment　at　Gaunt　House；　which　should
include　some　of　these　little　dramasand　we　must　take
leave　to　introduce　the　reader　to　this　brilliant　reunion；
and；　with　a　melancholy　welcome　too；　for　it　will　be　among
the　very　last　of　the　fashionable　entertainments　to　which
it　will　be　our　fortune　to　conduct　him。
A　portion　of　that　splendid　room；　the　picture　gallery　of
Gaunt　House；　was　arranged　as　the　charade　theatre。　　It
had　been　so　used　when　George　III　was　king；　and　a
picture　of　the　Marquis　of　Gaunt　is　still　extant；　with　his　hair
in　powder　and　a　pink　ribbon；　in　a　Roman　shape；　as　it
was　called；　enacting　the　part　of　Cato　in　Mr。　Addison's
tragedy　of　that　name；　performed　before　their　Royal
Highnesses　the　Prince　of　Wales；　the　Bishop　of　Osnaburgh；
and　Prince　William　Henry；　then　children　like　the　actor。
One　or　two　of　the　old　properties　were　drawn　out　of　the
garrets；　where　they　had　lain　ever　since；　and　furbished　up
anew　for　the　present　festivities。
Young　Bedwin　Sands；　then　an　elegant　dandy　and　Eastern
traveller；　was　manager　of　the　revels。　　An　Eastern　traveller
was　somebody　in　those　days；　and　the　adventurous
Bedwin；　who　had　published　his　quarto　and　passed　some
months