vanity fair(名利场)-第101节

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prize　governess　and　masters　for　the　girls；　the　trip
abroad；　or　to　Eastbourne　or　Worthing；　in　the　autumn；
the　annual　ball　with　a　supper　from　Gunter's　（who；　by　the
way；　supplies　most　of　the　first…rate　dinners　which　J。　　gives；
as　I　know　very　well；　having　been　invited　to　one　of　them　to
fill　a　vacant　place；　when　I　saw　at　once　that　these　repasts　are
very　superior　to　the　common　run　of　entertainments　for　which　the
humbler　sort　of　J。's　acquaintances　get　cards）who；　I　say；　with　the
most　good…natured　feelings　in　the　world；　can　help　wondering　how
the　Jenkinses　make　out　matters？　What　is　Jenkins？　We　all　know
Commissioner　of　the　Tape　and　Sealing　Wax　Office；　with
1200　pounds　a　year　for　a　salary。　　Had　his　wife　a　private
fortune？　Pooh！Miss　Flintone　of　eleven　children　of　a
small　squire　in　Buckinghamshire。　　All　she　ever　gets　from
her　family　is　a　turkey　at　Christmas；　in　exchange　for　which
she　has　to　board　two　or　three　of　her　sisters　in　the　off
season；　and　lodge　and　feed　her　brothers　when　they
come　to　town。　　How　does　Jenkins　balance　his　income？　I
say；　as　every　friend　of　his　must　say；　How　is　it　that　he
has　not　been　outlawed　long　since；　and　that　he　ever　came
back　（as　he　did　to　the　surprise　of　everybody）　last　year
from　Boulogne？
〃I〃　is　here　introduced　to　personify　the　world　in
generalthe　Mrs。　Grundy　of　each　respected　reader's　private
circleevery　one　of　whom　can　point　to　some　families
of　his　acquaintance　who　live　nobody　knows　how。　　Many
a　glass　of　wine　have　we　all　of　us　drunk；　I　have　very
little　doubt；　hob…and…nobbing　with　the　hospitable　giver
and　wondering　how　the　deuce　he　paid　for　it。
Some　three　or　four　years　after　his　stay　in　Paris；　when
Rawdon　Crawley　and　his　wife　were　established　in　a　very
small　comfortable　house　in　Curzon　Street；　May　Fair；　there
was　scarcely　one　of　the　numerous　friends　whom　they
entertained　at　dinner　that　did　not　ask　the　above　question
regarding　them。　　The　novelist；　it　has　been　said　before；
knows　everything；　and　as　I　am　in　a　situation　to　be
able　to　tell　the　public　how　Crawley　and　his　wife　lived
without　any　income；　may　I　entreat　the　public　newspapers
which　are　in　the　habit　of　extracting　portions　of　the
various　periodical　works　now　published　not　to　reprint
the　following　exact　narrative　and　calculationsof　which
I　ought；　as　the　discoverer　（and　at　some　expense；　too）；
to　have　the　benefit？　My　son；　I　would　say；　were　I　blessed
with　a　childyou　may　by　deep　inquiry　and　constant
intercourse　with　him　learn　how　a　man　lives　comfortably
on　nothing　a　year。　　But　it　is　best　not　to　be　intimate　with
gentlemen　of　this　profession　and　to　take　the　calculations
at　second　hand；　as　you　do　logarithms；　for　to　work
them　yourself；　depend　upon　it；　will　cost　you　something
considerable。
On　nothing　per　annum　then；　and　during　a　course　of
some　two　or　three　years；　of　which　we　can　afford　to
give　but　a　very　brief　history；　Crawley　and　his　wife　lived
very　happily　and　comfortably　at　Paris。　　It　was　in　this
period　that　he　quitted　the　Guards　and　sold　out　of　the
army。　　When　we　find　him　again；　his　mustachios　and　the
title　of　Colonel　on　his　card　are　the　only　relics　of　his
military　profession。
It　has　been　mentioned　that　Rebecca；　soon　after　her
arrival　in　Paris；　took　a　very　smart　and　leading　position　in
the　society　of　that　capital；　and　was　welcomed　at　some
of　the　most　distinguished　houses　of　the　restored　French
nobility。　　The　English　men　of　fashion　in　Paris　courted　her；
too；　to　the　disgust　of　the　ladies　their　wives；　who　could
not　bear　the　parvenue。　　For　some　months　the　salons
of　the　Faubourg　St。　　Germain；　in　which　her　place　was
secured；　and　the　splendours　of　the　new　Court；　where　she
was　received　with　much　distinction；　delighted　and
perhaps　a　little　intoxicated　Mrs。　Crawley；　who　may　have
been　disposed　during　this　period　of　elation　to　slight　the
peoplehonest　young　military　men　mostlywho　formed
her　husband's　chief　society。
But　the　Colonel　yawned　sadly　among　the　Duchesses
and　great　ladies　of　the　Court。　　The　old　women　who
played　ecarte　made　such　a　noise　about　a　five…franc
piece　that　it　was　not　worth　Colonel　Crawley's　while　to
sit　down　at　a　card…table。　　The　wit　of　their　conversation　he
could　not　appreciate；　being　ignorant　of　their　language。
And　what　good　could　his　wife　get；　he　urged；　by　making
curtsies　every　night　to　a　whole　circle　of　Princesses？　He
left　Rebecca　presently　to　frequent　these　parties　alone；
resuming　his　own　simple　pursuits　and　amusements
amongst　the　amiable　friends　of　his　own　choice。
The　truth　is；　when　we　say　of　a　gentleman　that　he
lives　elegantly　on　nothing　a　year；　we　use　the　word
〃nothing〃　to　signify　something　unknown；　meaning；　simply；
that　we　don't　know　how　the　gentleman　in　question　defrays
the　expenses　of　his　establishment。　　Now；　our　friend　the
Colonel　had　a　great　aptitude　for　all　games　of　chance：
and　exercising　himself；　as　he　continually　did；　with　the
cards；　the　dice…box；　or　the　cue；　it　is　natural　to　suppose
that　he　attained　a　much　greater　skill　in　the　use　of　these
articles　than　men　can　possess　who　only　occasionally
handle　them。　　To　use　a　cue　at　billiards　well　is　like　using　a
pencil；　or　a　German　flute；　or　a　small…swordyou　cannot
master　any　one　of　these　implements　at　first；　and　it　is　only
by　repeated　study　and　perseverance；　joined　to　a　natural
taste；　that　a　man　can　excel　in　the　handling　of　either。
Now　Crawley；　from　being　only　a　brilliant　amateur；　had
grown　to　be　a　consummate　master　of　billiards。　　Like　a
great　General；　his　genius　used　to　rise　with　the　danger；
and　when　the　luck　had　been　unfavourable　to　him　for　a
whole　game；　and　the　bets　were　consequently　against　him；
he　would；　with　consummate　skill　and　boldness；　make
some　prodigious　hits　which　would　restore　the　battle；　and
come　in　a　victor　at　the　end；　to　the　astonishment　of
everybodyof　everybody；　that　is；　who　was　a　stranger　to　his
play。　　Those　who　were　accustomed　to　see　it　were　cautious
how　they　staked　their　money　against　a　man　of　such
sudden　resources　and　brilliant　and　overpowering　skill。
At　games　of　cards　he　was　equally　skilful；　for　though
he　would　constantly　lose　money　at　the　commencement
of　an　evening；　playing　so　carelessly　and　making　such
blunders；　that　newcomers　were　often　inclined　to　think
meanly　of　his　talent；　yet　when　roused　to　action　and
awakened　to　caution　by　repeated　small　losses；　it　was
remarked　that　Crawley's　play　became　quite　different；　and
that　he　was　pretty　sure　of　beating　his　enemy　thoroughly
before　the　night　was　over。　　Indeed；　very　few　men　could
say　that　they　ever　had　the　better　of　him。
His　successes　were　so　repeated　that　no　wonder　the
envious　and　the　vanquished　spoke　sometimes　with
bitterness　regarding　them。　　And　as　the　French　say　of　the
Duke　of　Wellington；　who　never　suffered　a　defeat；　that
only　an　astonishing　series　of　lucky　accidents　enabled　him
to　be　an　invariable　winner；　yet　even　they　allow　that　he
cheated　at　Waterloo；　and　was　enabled　to　win　the　last
great　trick：　　so　it　was　hinted　at　headquarters　in　England
that　some　foul　play　must　have　taken　place　in　order　to
account　for　the　continuous　successes　of　Colonel　Crawley。
Though　Frascati's　and　the　Salon　were　open　at　that　time
in　Paris；　the　mania　for　play　was　so　widely　spread　that
the　public　gambling…rooms　did　not　suffice　for　the　general
ardour；　and　gambling　went　on　in　private　houses　as
much　as　if　there　had　been　no　public　means　for　gratifying
the　passion。　　At　Crawley's　charming　little　reunions　of　an
evening　this　fatal　amusement　commonly　was　practised
much　to　good…natured　little　Mrs。　Crawley's　annoyance。
She　spoke　about　her　husband's　passion　for　dice　with　the
deepest　grief；　she　bewailed　it　to　everybody　who　came　to
her　house。　　She　besought　the　young　fellows　never；　never
to　touch　a　box；　and　when　young　Green；　of　the　Rifles；
lost　a　very　considerable　sum　of　money；　Rebecca　passed　a
whole　night　in　tears；　as　the　servant　told　the　unfortunate
young　gentleman；　and　actually　went　on　her　knees　to　her
husband　to　beseech　him　to　remit　the　debt；　and　burn　the
acknowledgement。　　How　could　he？　He　had　lost　just　as
much　himself　to　Blackstone　of　the　Hussars；　and　Count
Punter　of　the　Hanoverian　Cavalry。　　Green　might　have　any
decent　time；　but　pay？of　course　he　must　pay；　to　talk
of　burning　IOU's　was　child's　play。
Other　officers；　chiefly　youngfor　the　young　fellows
gathered　round　Mrs。　Crawleycame　from　her　parties
with　long　faces；　having　dropped　more　or　less　money　at
her　fatal　card…tables。　　Her　house　began　to　have　an
unfortunate　reputation。　　The　old　hands　warned　the　less
experienced　of　their　danger。　　Colonel　O'Dowd；　of　the　th
regiment；　one　of　those　occupying　in　Paris；　warned
Lieutenant　Spooney　of　that　corps。　　A　loud　and　violent　fracas
took　place　between　the　infantry　Colonel　and　his　lady；
who　were　dining　at　the　Cafe　de　Paris；　and　Colonel　and
Mrs。　Crawley；　who　were　also　taking　their　meal　there。
The　ladies　engaged　on　both　sides。　　Mrs。　O'Dowd　snapped
her　fingers　in　Mrs。　Crawley's　face　and　called　her
husband　〃no　betther　than　a　black…leg。〃　Colonel　Crawley
challenged　Colonel　O'Dowd；　C。B。　　The　Commander…in…Chief
hearing　of　the　dispute　sent　for　Colonel　Crawley；　who　was
getting　ready　the　same　pistols　〃which　he　shot　Captain
Marker；〃　and　had　such　a　conversation　with　him　that　no
duel　took　place。　　If　Rebecca　had　not　gone　on　her　knees
to　General　Tuf