vanity fair(名利场)-第119章

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had　that　decent　and　honest　reverence　for　classical　learning
which　all　English　gentlemen　feel；　and　was　glad　to　think
that　his　son　was　to　have　a　provision　for　life；　perhaps；
and　a　certain　opportunity　of　becoming　a　scholar。　　And
although　his　boy　was　his　chief　solace　and　companion；　and
endeared　to　him　by　a　thousand　small　ties；　about　which
he　did　not　care　to　speak　to　his　wife；　who　had　all　along
shown　the　utmost　indifference　to　their　son；　yet　Rawdon
agreed　at　once　to　part　with　him　and　to　give　up　his　own
greatest　comfort　and　benefit　for　the　sake　of　the　welfare
of　the　little　lad。　　He　did　not　know　how　fond　he　was　of
the　child　until　it　became　necessary　to　let　him　go　away。
When　he　was　gone；　he　felt　more　sad　and　downcast　than
he　cared　to　ownfar　sadder　than　the　boy　himself；　who
was　happy　enough　to　enter　a　new　career　and　find
companions　of　his　own　age。　　Becky　burst　out　laughing　once
or　twice　when　the　Colonel；　in　his　clumsy；　incoherent　way；
tried　to　express　his　sentimental　sorrows　at　the　boy's
departure。　　The　poor　fellow　felt　that　his　dearest　pleasure
and　closest　friend　was　taken　from　him。　　He　looked　often
and　wistfully　at　the　little　vacant　bed　in　his　dressing…room；
where　the　child　used　to　sleep。　　He　missed　him　sadly　of
mornings　and　tried　in　vain　to　walk　in　the　park　without
him。　　He　did　not　know　how　solitary　he　was　until　little
Rawdon　was　gone。　　He　liked　the　people　who　were　fond　of
him；　and　would　go　and　sit　for　long　hours　with　his
good…natured　sister　Lady　Jane；　and　talk　to　her　about
the　virtues；　and　good　looks；　and　hundred　good　qualities
of　the　child。
Young　Rawdon's　aunt；　we　have　said；　was　very　fond
of　him；　as　was　her　little　girl；　who　wept　copiously　when
the　time　for　her　cousin's　departure　came。　　The　elder
Rawdon　was　thankful　for　the　fondness　of　mother　and
daughter。　　The　very　best　and　honestest　feelings　of　the
man　came　out　in　these　artless　outpourings　of　paternal
feeling　in　which　he　indulged　in　their　presence；　and
encouraged　by　their　sympathy。　　He　secured　not　only　Lady
Jane's　kindness；　but　her　sincere　regard；　by　the　feelings
which　he　manifested；　and　which　he　could　not　show　to　his
own　wife。　　The　two　kinswomen　met　as　seldom　as　possible。
Becky　laughed　bitterly　at　Jane's　feelings　and　softness；
the　other's　kindly　and　gentle　nature　could　not　but　revolt
at　her　sister's　callous　behaviour。
It　estranged　Rawdon　from　his　wife　more　than　he　knew
or　acknowledged　to　himself。　　She　did　not　care　for　the
estrangement。　　Indeed；　she　did　not　miss　him　or　anybody。
She　looked　upon　him　as　her　errand…man　and　humble
slave。　　He　might　be　ever　so　depressed　or　sulky；　and　she
did　not　mark　his　demeanour；　or　only　treated　it　with　a
sneer。　　She　was　busy　thinking　about　her　position；　or　her
pleasures；　or　her　advancement　in　society；　she　ought　to
have　held　a　great　place　in　it；　that　is　certain。
It　was　honest　Briggs　who　made　up　the　little　kit　for　the
boy　which　he　was　to　take　to　school。　　Molly；　the　housemaid；
blubbered　in　the　passage　when　he　went　away
Molly　kind　and　faithful　in　spite　of　a　long　arrear　of
unpaid　wages。　　Mrs。　Becky　could　not　let　her　husband　have
the　carriage　to　take　the　boy　to　school。　　Take　the　horses
into　the　City！such　a　thing　was　never　heard　of。　　Let　a
cab　be　brought。　　She　did　not　offer　to　kiss　him　when　he
went；　nor　did　the　child　propose　to　embrace　her；　but
gave　a　kiss　to　old　Briggs　（whom；　in　general；　he　was　very
shy　of　caressing）；　and　consoled　her　by　pointing　out　that
he　was　to　come　home　on　Saturdays；　when　she　would
have　the　benefit　of　seeing　him。　　As　the　cab　rolled　towards
the　City；　Becky's　carriage　rattled　off　to　the　park。　　She
was　chattering　and　laughing　with　a　score　of　young　dandies
by　the　Serpentine　as　the　father　and　son　entered　at　the
old　gates　of　the　schoolwhere　Rawdon　left　the　child
and　came　away　with　a　sadder　purer　feeling　in　his　heart
than　perhaps　that　poor　battered　fellow　had　ever　known
since　he　himself　came　out　of　the　nursery。
He　walked　all　the　way　home　very　dismally；　and　dined
alone　with　Briggs。　　He　was　very　kind　to　her　and　grateful
for　her　love　and　watchfulness　over　the　boy。　　His
conscience　smote　him　that　he　had　borrowed　Briggs's　money
and　aided　in　deceiving　her。　　They　talked　about　little
Rawdon　a　long　time；　for　Becky　only　came　home　to　dress
and　go　out　to　dinnerand　then　he　went　off　uneasily　to
drink　tea　with　Lady　Jane；　and　tell　her　of　what　had
happened；　and　how　little　Rawdon　went　off　like　a　trump；　and
how　he　was　to　wear　a　gown　and　little　knee…breeches；　and
how　young　Blackball；　Jack　Blackball's　son；　of　the　old
regiment；　had　taken　him　in　charge　and　promised　to　be
kind　to　him。
In　the　course　of　a　week；　young　Blackball　had
constituted　little　Rawdon　his　fag；　shoe…black；　and　breakfast
toaster；　initiated　him　into　the　mysteries　of　the　Latin
Grammar；　and　thrashed　him　three　or　four　times；　but　not
severely。　　The　little　chap's　good…natured　honest　face　won
his　way　for　him。　　He　only　got　that　degree　of　beating　which
was；　no　doubt；　good　for　him；　and　as　for　blacking　shoes；
toasting　bread；　and　fagging　in　general；　were　these　offices
not　deemed　to　be　necessary　parts　of　every　young　English
gentleman's　education？
Our　business　does　not　lie　with　the　second　generation
and　Master　Rawdon's　life　at　school；　otherwise　the　present
tale　might　be　carried　to　any　indefinite　length。　　The　Colonel
went　to　see　his　son　a　short　time　afterwards　and　found
the　lad　sufficiently　well　and　happy；　grinning　and　laughing
in　his　little　black　gown　and　little　breeches。
His　father　sagaciously　tipped　Blackball；　his　master；　a
sovereign；　and　secured　that　young　gentleman's　good…will
towards　his　fag。　　As　a　protege　of　the　great　Lord　Steyne；
the　nephew　of　a　County　member；　and　son　of　a　Colonel
and　C。B。；　whose　name　appeared　in　some　of　the　most
fashionable　parties　in　the　Morning　Post；　perhaps　the
school　authorities　were　disposed　not　to　look　unkindly　on
the　child。　　He　had　plenty　of　pocket…money；　which　he
spent　in　treating　his　comrades　royally　to　raspberry　tarts；
and　he　was　often　allowed　to　come　home　on　Saturdays
to　his　father；　who　always　made　a　jubilee　of　that　day。
When　free；　Rawdon　would　take　him　to　the　play；　or　send
him　thither　with　the　footman；　and　on　Sundays　he　went　to
church　with　Briggs　and　Lady　Jane　and　his　cousins。
Rawdon　marvelled　over　his　stories　about　school；　and
fights；　and　fagging。　　Before　long；　he　knew　the　names　of　all
the　masters　and　the　principal　boys　as　well　as　little
Rawdon　himself。　　He　invited　little　Rawdon's　crony　from
school；　and　made　both　the　children　sick　with　pastry；　and
oysters；　and　porter　after　the　play。　　He　tried　to　look　knowing
over　the　Latin　grammar　when　little　Rawdon　showed
him　what　part　of　that　work　he　was　〃in。〃　〃Stick　to　it；　my
boy；〃　he　said　to　him　with　much　gravity；　〃there's　nothing
like　a　good　classical　education！　　Nothing！〃
Becky's　contempt　for　her　husband　grew　greater　every
day。　　〃Do　what　you　likedine　where　you　pleasego　and
have　ginger…beer　and　sawdust　at　Astley's；　or　psalm…
singing　with　Lady　Janeonly　don't　expect　me　to　busy
myself　with　the　boy。　　I　have　your　interests　to　attend　to；
as　you　can't　attend　to　them　yourself。　　I　should　like　to
know　where　you　would　have　been　now；　and　in　what　sort
of　a　position　in　society；　if　I　had　not　looked　after　you。〃
Indeed；　nobody　wanted　poor　old　Rawdon　at　the　parties
whither　Becky　used　to　go。　　She　was　often　asked　without
him　now。　　She　talked　about　great　people　as　if　she　had　the
fee…simple　of　May　Fair；　and　when　the　Court　went　into
mourning；　she　always　wore　black。
Little　Rawdon　being　disposed　of；　Lord　Steyne；　who
took　such　a　parental　interest　in　the　affairs　of　this　amiable
poor　family；　thought　that　their　expenses　might　be　very
advantageously　curtailed　by　the　departure　of　Miss　Briggs；
and　that　Becky　was　quite　clever　enough　to　take　the
management　of　her　own　house。　　It　has　been　narrated　in　a
former　chapter　how　the　benevolent　nobleman　had　given
his　protegee　money。to　pay　off　her　little　debt　to　Miss
Briggs；　who　however　still　remained　behind　with　her
friends；　whence　my　lord　came　to　the　painful　conclusion
that　Mrs。　Crawley　had　made　some　other　use　of　the
money　confided　to　her　than　that　for　which　her　generous
patron　had　given　the　loan。　　However；　Lord　Steyne　was
not　so　rude　as　to　impart　his　suspicions　upon　this　head　to
Mrs。　Becky；　whose　feelings　might　be　hurt　by　any
controversy　on　the　money…question；　and　who　might　have　a
thousand　painful　reasons　for　disposing　otherwise　of　his
lordship's　generous　loan。　　But　he　determined　to　satisfy
himself　of　the　real　state　of　the　case；　and　instituted　the
necessary　inquiries　in　a　most　cautious　and　delicate
manner。
In　the　first　place　he　took　an　early　opportunity　of
pumping　Miss　Briggs。　　That　was　not　a　difficult　operation。
A　very　little　encouragement　would　set　that　worthy　woman
to　talk　volubly　and　pour　out　all　within　her。　　And　one　day
when　Mrs。　Rawdon　had　gone　out　to　drive　（as　Mr。　Fiche；
his　lordship's　confidential　servant；　easily　learned　at　the
livery　stables　where　the　Crawleys　kept　their　carriage　and
horses；　or　rather；　where　the　livery…man　kept　a　carriage
and　horses　for　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Crawley）my　lord　dropped
in　upon　the　Curzon　Street　houseasked　Briggs　for　a　cup
of　coffeetold　her　that　he　had　good　accounts　of　the　little
boy　at　schooland　in　five　minutes　found　out　from　her
that　Mrs。　Rawdon　had　given　her　nothing　except　a　black
silk　gown；　for　which　Miss　Briggs　was　immensely　grateful。
He　laughed　within　himself　at　this　artless　story。　　For　the
truth　is；　our　dear　friend　Rebecca　had　given　him　a　most
circumstantial　narration　of　Briggs's　delight　at　receiving
her　moneyeleven　hundred　and　twenty…five　pounds
and　in　what　securities　she　had　invested　it；　and　what　a
pang　Becky　herself　felt　in　being　obliged　to　pay　away　such
a　delightful　sum　of　money。　　〃Who　knows；〃　the　dear
woman　may　have　thought　within　herself；　〃perhaps　he
may　give　me　a　little　more？〃　My　lord；　however；　made　no
such　proposal　to　the　little　schemervery　likely　thinking
that　he　had　been　sufficiently　generous　already。
He　had　the　curiosity；　then；　to　ask　Miss　Briggs　about
the　state　of　her　private　affairsand　she　told　his　lordship
candidly　what　her　position　washow　Miss　Crawley　had
left　her　a　legacyhow　her　relatives　had　had　part　of　it
how　Colonel　Crawley　had　put　out　another　portion；　for
which　she　had　the　best　security　and　interestand　how
Mr。　and　Mrs。　Rawdon　had　kindly　busied　themselves　with
Sir　Pitt；　who　was　to　dispose　of　the　remainder　most
advantageously　for　her；　when　he　had　time。　　My　lord　asked
how　much　the　Colonel　had　already　invested　for　her；　and
Miss　Briggs　at　once　and　truly　told　him　that　the　sum　was
six　hundred　and　odd　pounds。
But　as　soon　as　she　had　told　her　story；　the　voluble
Briggs　repented　of　her　frankness　and　besought　my　lord
not　to　tell　Mr。　Crawley　of　the　confessions　which　she　had
made。　　〃The　Colonel　was　so　kindMr。　Crawley　might
be　offended　and　pay　back　the　money；　for　which　she
could　get　no　such　good　interest　anywhere　else。〃　Lord
Steyne；　laughing；　promised　he　never　would　divulge　their
conversation；　and　when　he　and　Miss　Briggs　parted　he
laughed　still　more。
〃What　an　accomplished　little　devil　it　is！〃　thought　he。
〃What　a　splendid　actress　and　manager！　　She　had　almost
got　a　second　supply　out　of　me　the　other　day；　with　her
coaxing　ways。　　She　beats　all　the　women　I　have　ever　seen
in　the　course　of　all　my　well…spent　life