vanity fair(名利场)-第97章

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world；　and　lived　with　great　people；　and　raised　herself　far
beyond　her　original　humble　station。
〃I　have　passed　beyond　it；　because　I　have　brains；〃　Becky
thought；　〃and　almost　all　the　rest　of　the　world　are　fools。
I　could　not　go　back　and　consort　with　those　people　now；
whom　I　used　to　meet　in　my　father's　studio。　　Lords　come　up
to　my　door　with　stars　and　garters；　instead　of　poor
artists　with　screws　of　tobacco　in　their　pockets。　　I　have　a
gentleman　for　my　husband；　and　an　Earl's　daughter　for　my
sister；　in　the　very　house　where　I　was　little　better　than　a
servant　a　few　years　ago。　　But　am　I　much　better　to　do　now
in　the　world　than　I　was　when　I　was　the　poor　painter's
daughter　and　wheedled　the　grocer　round　the　corner　for
sugar　and　tea？　Suppose　I　had　married　Francis　who　was
so　fond　of　meI　couldn't　have　been　much　poorer　than
I　am　now。　　Heigho！　　I　wish　I　could　exchange　my　position
in　society；　and　all　my　relations　for　a　snug　sum　in　the
Three　Per　Cent。　　Consols〃；　for　so　it　was　that　Becky　felt
the　Vanity　of　human　affairs；　and　it　was　in　those　securities
that　she　would　have　liked　to　cast　anchor。
It　may；　perhaps；　have　struck　her　that　to　have　been
honest　and　humble；　to　have　done　her　duty；　and　to　have
marched　straightforward　on　her　way；　would　have　brought
her　as　near　happiness　as　that　path　by　which　she　was
striving　to　attain　it。　　Butjust　as　the　children　at　Queen's
Crawley　went　round　the　room　where　the　body　of　their
father　layif　ever　Becky　had　these　thoughts；　she　was
accustomed　to　walk　round　them　and　not　look　in。　　She
eluded　them　and　despised　themor　at　least　she　was
committed　to　the　other　path　from　which　retreat　was　now
impossible。　　And　for　my　part　I　believe　that　remorse　is　the
least　active　of　all　a　man's　moral　sensesthe　very　easiest　to
be　deadened　when　wakened；　and　in　some　never　wakened
at　all。　　We　grieve　at　being　found　out　and　at　the　idea　of
shame　or　punishment；　but　the　mere　sense　of　wrong　makes
very　few　people　unhappy　in　Vanity　Fair。
So　Rebecca；　during　her　stay　at　Queen's　Crawley；　made　as
many　friends　of　the　Mammon　of　Unrighteousness　as　she
could　possibly　bring　under　control。　　Lady　Jane　and　her
husband　bade　her　farewell　with　the　warmest
demonstrations　of　good…will。　　They　looked　forward　with
pleasure　to　the　time　when；　the　family　house　in　Gaunt
Street　being　repaired　and　beautified；　they　were　to　meet
again　in　London。　　Lady　Southdown　made　her　up　a　packet　of
medicine　and　sent　a　letter　by　her　to　the　Rev。　　Lawrence
Grills；　exhorting　that　gentleman　to　save　the　brand　who
〃honoured〃　the　letter　from　the　burning。　　Pitt　accompanied
them　with　four　horses　in　the　carriage　to　Mudbury；　having
sent　on　their　baggage　in　a　cart　previously；　accompanied
with　loads　of　game。
〃How　happy　you　will　be　to　see　your　darling　little　boy
again！〃　Lady　Crawley　said；　taking　leave　of　her　kinswoman。
〃Oh　so　happy！〃　said　Rebecca；　throwing　up　the　green　eyes。
She　was　immensely　happy　to　be　free　of　the　place；　and　yet
loath　to　go。　　Queen's　Crawley　was　abominably　stupid；　and
yet　the　air　there　was　somehow　purer　than　that　which　she
had　been　accustomed　to　breathe。　　Everybody　had　been　dull；
but　had　been　kind　in　their　way。　　〃It　is　all　the　influence　of　a
long　course　of　Three　Per　Cents；〃　Becky　said　to　herself；　and
was　right　very　likely。
However；　the　London　lamps　flashed　joyfully　as　the　stage
rolled　into　Piccadilly；　and　Briggs　had　made　a　beautiful　fire
in　Curzon　Street；　and　little　Rawdon　was　up　to　welcome
back　his　papa　and　mamma。

CHAPTER　XLII
Which　Treats　of　the　Osborne　Family
Considerable　time　has　elapsed　since　we　have　seen　our
respectable　friend；　old　Mr。　Osborne　of　Russell　Square。　　He
has　not　been　the　happiest　of　mortals　since　last　we　met　him。
Events　have　occurred　which　have　not　improved　his
temper；　and　in　more　in　stances　than　one　he　has　not　been
allowed　to　have　his　own　way。　　To　be　thwarted　in　this
reasonable　desire　was　always　very　injurious　to　the　old
gentleman；　and　resistance　became　doubly　exasperating
when　gout；　age；　loneliness；　and　the　force　of　many
disappointments　combined　to　weigh　him　down。　　His　stiff
black　hair　began　to　grow　quite　white　soon　after　his　son's
death；　his…face　grew　redder；　his　hands　trembled　more　and
more　as　he　poured　out　his　glass　of　port　wine。　　He　led　his
clerks　a　dire　life　in　the　City：　　his　family　at　home　were　not
much　happier。　　I　doubt　if　Rebecca；　whom　we　have　seen
piously　praying　for　Consols；　would　have　exchanged　her
poverty　and　the　dare…devil　excitement　and　chances　of　her
life　for　Osborne's　money　and　the　humdrum　gloom　which
enveloped　him。　　He　had　proposed　for　Miss　Swartz；　but　had
been　rejected　scornfully　by　the　partisans　of　that　lady；　who
married　her　to　a　young　sprig　of　Scotch　nobility。　　He　was　a
man　to　have　married　a　woman　out　of　low　life　and　bullied
her　dreadfully　afterwards；　but　no　person　presented　herself
suitable　to　his　taste；　and；　instead；　he　tyrannized　over　his
unmarried　daughter；　at　home。　　She　had　a　fine　carriage　and
fine　horses　and　sat　at　the　head　of　a　table　loaded　with　the
grandest　plate。　　She　had　a　cheque…book；　a　prize　footman　to
follow　her　when　she　walked；　unlimited　credit；　and　bows
and　compliments　from　all　the　tradesmen；　and　all　the
appurtenances　of　an　heiress；　but　she　spent　a　woeful　time。
The　little　charity…girls　at　the　Foundling；　the　sweeperess　at
the　crossing；　the　poorest　under…kitchen…maid　in　the
servants'　hall；　was　happy　compared　to　that　unfortunate
and　now　middle…aged　young　lady。
Frederick　Bullock；　Esq。；　of　the　house　of　Bullock；　Hulker；　and
Bullock；　had　married　Maria　Osborne；　not　without　a　great
deal　of　difficulty　and　grumbling　on　Mr。　Bullock's　part。
George　being　dead　and　cut　out　of　his　father's　will；
Frederick　insisted　that　the　half　of　the　old　gentleman's
property　should　be　settled　upon　his　Maria；　and　indeed；　for
a　long　time；　refused；　〃to　come　to　the　scratch〃　（it　was　Mr。
Frederick's　own　expression）　on　any　other　terms。　　Osborne
said　Fred　had　agreed　to　take　his　daughter　with　twenty
thousand；　and　he　should　bind　himself　to　no　more。　　〃Fred
might　take　it；　and　welcome；　or　leave　it；　and　go　and　be
hanged。〃　Fred；　whose　hopes　had　been　raised　when　George
had　been　disinherited；　thought　himself　infamously
swindled　by　the　old　merchant；　and　for　some　time　made　as
if　he　would　break　off　the　match　altogether。　　Osborne
withdrew　his　account　from　Bullock　and　Hulker's；　went　on
'Change　with　a　horsewhip　which　he　swore　he　would　lay
across　the　back　of　a　certain　scoundrel　that　should　be
nameless；　and　demeaned　himself　in　his　usual　violent
manner。　　Jane　Osborne　condoled　with　her　sister　Maria
during　this　family　feud。　　〃I　always　told　you；　Maria；　that　it
was　your　money　he　loved　and　not　you；〃　she　said；
soothingly。
〃He　selected　me　and　my　money　at　any　rate；　he　didn't
choose　you　and　yours；〃　replied　Maria；　tossing　up　her　head。
The　rapture　was；　however；　only　temporary。　　Fred's　father
and　senior　partners　counselled　him　to　take　Maria；　even
with　the　twenty　thousand　settled；　half　down；　and　half　at
the　death　of　Mr。　Osborne；　with　the　chances　of　the　further
division　of　the　property。　　So　he　〃knuckled　down；〃　again　to
use　his　own　phrase；　and　sent　old　Hulker　with　peaceable
overtures　to　Osborne。　　It　was　his　father；　he　said；　who　would
not　hear　of　the　match；　and　had　made　the　difficulties；　he
was　most　anxious　to　keep　the　engagement。　　The　excuse　was
sulkily　accepted　by　Mr。　Osborne。　　Hulker　and　Bullock　were
a　high　family　of　the　City　aristocracy；　and　connected　with
the　〃nobs〃　at　the　West　End。　　It　was　something　for　the　old
man　to　be　able　to　say；　〃My　son；　sir；　of　the　house　of　Hulker；
Bullock；　and　Co。；　sir；　my　daughter's　cousin；　Lady　Mary
Mango；　sir；　daughter　of　the　Right　Hon。　　The　Earl　of
Castlemouldy。〃　In　his　imagination　he　saw　his　house
peopled　by　the　〃nobs。〃　So　he　forgave　young　Bullock　and
consented　that　the　marriage　should　take　place。
It　was　a　grand　affairthe　bridegroom's　relatives　giving　the
breakfast；　their　habitations　being　near　St。　　George's；
Hanover　Square；　where　the　business　took　place。　　The　〃nobs
of　the　West　End〃　were　invited；　and　many　of　them　signed
the　book。　　Mr。　Mango　and　Lady　Mary　Mango　were　there；
with　the　dear　young　Gwendoline　and　Guinever　Mango　as
bridesmaids；　Colonel　Bludyer　of　the　Dragoon　Guards　（eldest
son　of　the　house　of　Bludyer　Brothers；　Mincing　Lane）；
another　cousin　of　the　bridegroom；　and　the　Honourable　Mrs。
Bludyer；　the　Honourable　George　Boulter；　Lord　Levant's　son；
and　his　lady；　Miss　Mango　that　was；　Lord　Viscount
Castletoddy；　Honourable　James　McMull　and　Mrs。　McMull
（formerly　Miss　Swartz）；　and　a　host　of　fashionables；　who
have　all　married　into　Lombard　Street　and　done　a　great
deal　to　ennoble　Cornhill。
The　young　couple　had　a　house　near　Berkeley　Square　and　a
small　villa　at　Roehampton；　among　the　banking　colony
there。　　Fred　was　considered　to　have　made　rather　a
mesalliance　by　the　ladies　of　his　family；　whose　grandfather
had　been　in　a　Charity　School；　and　who　were　allied　through
the　husbands　with　some　of　the　best　blood　in　England。　　And
Maria　was　bound；　by　superior　pride　and　great　care　in　the
composition　of　her　visiting…book；　to　make　up　for　the
defects　of　birth；　and　felt　it　her　duty　to　see　her　father　and
sister　as　little　as　possible。
That　she　should　utterly　break　with　the　old　man；　who　had
still　so　many　scores　of　thousand　pounds　to　give　away；　is
absurd　to　suppose。　　Fred　Bullock　would　never　allow　her　to
do　that。　　But　she　was　still　young　and　incapable　of　hiding　her
feelings；　and　by　inviting　her　papa　and　sister　to　her　third…
rate　parties；　and　behaving　very　coldly　to　them　when　they
came；　and　by　avoiding　Russell　Square；　and　indiscreetly
begging　her　father　to　quit　that　odious　vulgar　place；　she　did
more　harm　than　all　Frederick's　diplomacy　could　repair；　and
perilled　her　chance　of　her　inheritance　like　a　giddy　heedless
creature　as　she　was。
So　Russell　Square　is　not　good　enough　for　Mrs。　Maria；　hay？〃
said　the　old　gentleman；　rattling　up　the　carriage　windows　as
he　and　his　daughter　drove　away　one　night　from　Mrs。
Frederick　Bullock's；　after　dinner。　　〃So　she　invites　her　father
and　sister　to　a　second　day's　dinner　（if　those　sides；　or
ontrys；　as　she　calls　'em；　weren't　served　yesterday；　I'm
dd）；　and　to　meet　City　folks　and　littery　men；　and　keeps
the　Earls　and　the　Ladies；　and　the　Honourables　to　herself。
Honourables？　Damn　Honourables。　　I　am　a　plain　British
merchant　I　am；　and　could　buy　the　beggarly　hounds　over
and　over。　　Lords；　indeed！why；　at　one　of　her　swarreys　I
saw　one　of　'em　speak　to　a　dam　fiddlera　fellar　I　despise。
And　they　won't　come　to　Russell　Square；　won't　they？　Why；
I'll　lay　my　life　I've　got　a　better　glass　of　wine；　and　pay　a
better　figure　for　it；　and　can　show　a　handsomer　service　of
silver；　and　can　lay　a　better　dinner　on　my　mahogany；　than
ever　they　see　on　theirsthe　cringing；　sneaking；　stuck…up
fools。　　Drive　on　quick；　James：　　I　want　to　get　back　to　Russell
Squareha；　ha！〃　and　he　sank　back　into　the　corner　with　a
furious　laugh。　　With　such　reflections　on　his　own　superior
merit；　it　was　the　custom　of　the　old　gentleman　not
unfrequently　to　console　himself。
Jane　Osborne　could　not　but　concur　in　these　opinions
respecting　her　sister's　conduct；　and　when　Mrs。　Frederick's
first…born；　Frederick　Augustus　Howard　Stanley　Devereux
Bullock；　was　born；　old　Osborne；　who　was　invited　to　the
christening　and　to　be　godfather；　contented　himself　with
sending　the　child　a　gold　c