vanity fair(名利场)-第131节

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the　old　creed　of　his　family；　and　they　continued　to　fight
for　it；　and　ruin　themselves　for　it；　as　long　as　there　was　a
Stuart　left　to　head　or　to　instigate　a　rebellion。
Lady　Mary　Caerlyon　was　brought　up　at　a　Parisian
convent；　the　Dauphiness　Marie　Antoinette　was　her
godmother。　　In　the　pride　of　her　beauty　she　had　been
marriedsold；　it　was　saidto　Lord　Gaunt；　then　at　Paris；
who　won　vast　sums　from　the　lady's　brother　at　some　of
Philip　of　Orleans's　banquets。　　The　Earl　of　Gaunt's　famous
duel　with　the　Count　de　la　Marche；　of　the　Grey
Musqueteers；　was　attributed　by　common　report　to　the
pretensions　of　that　officer　（who　had　been　a　page；　and
remained　a　favourite　of　the　Queen）　to　the　hand　of　the
beautiful　Lady　Mary　Caerlyon。　　She　was　married　to　Lord
Gaunt　while　the　Count　lay　ill　of　his　wound；　and　came　to
dwell　at　Gaunt　House；　and　to　figure　for　a　short　time　in
the　splendid　Court　of　the　Prince　of　Wales。　　Fox　had
toasted　her。　　Morris　and　Sheridan　had　written　songs　about
her。　　Malmesbury　had　made　her　his　best　bow；　Walpole
had　pronounced　her　charming；　Devonshire　had　been
almost　jealous　of　her；　but　she　was　scared　by　the　wild
pleasures　and　gaieties　of　the　society　into　which　she　was
flung；　and　after　she　had　borne　a　couple　of　sons；　shrank
away　into　a　life　of　devout　seclusion。　　No　wonder　that
my　Lord　Steyne；　who　liked　pleasure　and　cheerfulness；
was　not　often　seen　after　their　marriage　by　the　side　of
this　trembling；　silent；　superstitious；　unhappy　lady。
The　before…mentioned　Tom　Eaves　（who　has　no　part
in　this　history；　except　that　he　knew　all　the　great　folks　in
London；　and　the　stories　and　mysteries　of　each　family）
had　further　information　regarding　my　Lady　Steyne；
which　may　or　may　not　be　true。　　〃The　humiliations；〃　Tom
used　to　say；　〃which　that　woman　has　been　made　to
undergo；　in　her　own　house；　have　been　frightful；　Lord
Steyne　has　made　her　sit　down　to　table　with　women　with
whom　I　would　rather　die　than　allow　Mrs。　Eaves　to　
associatewith　Lady　Crackenbury；　with　Mrs。　Chippenham；
with　Madame　de　la　Cruchecassee；　the　French　secretary's
wife　（from　every　one　of　which　ladies　Tom　Eaves
who　would　have　sacrificed　his　wife　for　knowing　them
was　too　glad　to　get　a　bow　or　a　dinner）　with　the　REIGNING
FAVOURITE　in　a　word。　　And　do　you　suppose　that　that
woman；　of　that　family；　who　are　as　proud　as　the　Bourbons；
and　to　whom　the　Steynes　are　but　lackeys；　mushrooms　of
yesterday　（for　after　all；　they　are　not　of　the　Old　Gaunts；
but　of　a　minor　and　doubtful　branch　of　the　house）；　do
you　suppose；　I　say　（the　reader　must　bear　in　mind　that
it　is　always　Tom　Eaves　who　speaks）　that　the　Marchioness
of　Steyne；　the　haughtiest　woman　in　England；　would
bend　down　to　her　husband　so　submissively　if　there　were
not　some　cause？　Pooh！　　I　tell　you　there　are　secret　reasons。
I　tell　you　that；　in　the　emigration；　the　Abbe　de　la
Marche　who　was　here　and　was　employed　in　the
Quiberoon　business　with　Puisaye　and　Tinteniac；　was　the
same　Colonel　of　Mousquetaires　Gris　with　whom　Steyne
fought　in　the　year　'86that　he　and　the　Marchioness　met
againthat　it　was　after　the　Reverend　Colonel　was　shot
in　Brittany　that　Lady　Steyne　took　to　those　extreme
practices　of　devotion　which　she　carries　on　now；　for　she　is
closeted　with　her　director　every　dayshe　is　at　service
at　Spanish　Place；　every　morning；　I've　watched　her　there
that　is；　I've　happened　to　be　passing　thereand
depend　on　it；　there's　a　mystery　in　her　case。　　People　are　not
so　unhappy　unless　they　have　something　to　repent　of；〃
added　Tom　Eaves　with　a　knowing　wag　of　his　head；　〃and
depend　on　it；　that　woman　would　not　be　so　submissive
as　she　is　if　the　Marquis　had　not　some　sword　to　hold
over　her。〃
So；　if　Mr。　Eaves's　information　be　correct；　it　is　very
likely　that　this　lady；　in　her　high　station；　had　to　submit
to　many　a　private　indignity　and　to　hide　many　secret
griefs　under　a　calm　face。　　And　let　us；　my　brethren　who
have　not　our　names　in　the　Red　Book；　console　ourselves
by　thinking　comfortably　how　miserable　our　betters　may
be；　and　that　Damocles；　who　sits　on　satin　cushions　and
is　served　on　gold　plate；　has　an　awful　sword　hanging
over　his　head　in　the　shape　of　a　bailiff；　or　an　hereditary
disease；　or　a　family　secret；　which　peeps　out　every　now
and　then　from　the　embroidered　arras　in　a　ghastly
manner；　and　will　be　sure　to　drop　one　day　or　the　other　in　the
right　place。
In　comparing；　too；　the　poor　man's　situation　with　that
of　the　great；　there　is　（always　according　to　Mr。　Eaves）
another　source　of　comfort　for　the　former。　　You　who　have
little　or　no　patrimony　to　bequeath　or　to　inherit；　may　be
on　good　terms　with　your　father　or　your　son；　whereas　the
heir　of　a　great　prince；　such　as　my　Lord　Steyne；　must
naturally　be　angry　at　being　kept　out　of　his　kingdom；　and
eye　the　occupant　of　it　with　no　very　agreeable　glances。
〃Take　it　as　a　rule；〃　this　sardonic　old　Laves　would　say；
〃the　fathers　and　elder　sons　of　all　great　families　hate　each
other。　　The　Crown　Prince　is　always　in　opposition　to　the
crown　or　hankering　after　it。　　Shakespeare　knew　the　world；
my　good　sir；　and　when　he　describes　Prince　Hal　（from
whose　family　the　Gaunts　pretend　to　be　descended；　though
they　are　no　more　related　to　John　of　Gaunt　than　you　are）
trying　on　his　father's　coronet；　he　gives　you　a　natural
description　of　all　heirs　apparent。　　If　you　were　heir　to　a
dukedom　and　a　thousand　pounds　a　day；　do　you　mean　to
say　you　would　not　wish　for　possession？　Pooh！　　And　it
stands　to　reason　that　every　great　man；　having　experienced
this　feeling　towards　his　father；　must　be　aware　that　his
son　entertains　it　towards　himself；　and　so　they　can't　but
be　suspicious　and　hostile。
〃Then　again；　as　to　the　feeling　of　elder　towards　younger
sons。　　My　dear　sir；　you　ought　to　know　that　every　elder
brother　looks　upon　the　cadets　of　the　house　as　his　natural
enemies；　who　deprive　him　of　so　much　ready　money　which
ought　to　be　his　by　right。　　I　have　often　heard　George　Mac
Turk；　Lord　Bajazet's　eldest　son；　say　that　if　he　had　his
will　when　he　came　to　the　title；　he　would　do　what　the
sultans　do；　and　clear　the　estate　by　chopping　off　all　his
younger　brothers'　heads　at　once；　and　so　the　case　is；
more　or　less；　with　them　all。　　I　tell　you　they　are　all　Turks
in　their　hearts。　　Pooh！　sir；　they　know　the　world。〃　And
here；　haply；　a　great　man　coming　up；　Tom　Eaves's　hat
would　drop　off　his　head；　and　he　would　rush　forward　with
a　bow　and　a　grin；　which　showed　that　he　knew　the　world
tooin　the　Tomeavesian　way；　that　is。　　And　having　laid
out　every　shilling　of　his　fortune　on　an　annuity；　Tom
could　afford　to　bear　no　malice　to　his　nephews　and　nieces；
and　to　have　no　other　feeling　with　regard　to　his　betters
but　a　constant　and　generous　desire　to　dine　with　them。
Between　the　Marchioness　and　the　natural　and　tender
regard　of　mother　for　children；　there　was　that　cruel
barrier　placed　of　difference　of　faith。　　The　very　love　which　she
might　feel　for　her　sons　only　served　to　render　the　timid
and　pious　lady　more　fearful　and　unhappy。　　The　gulf　which
separated　them　was　fatal　and　impassable。　　She　could　not
stretch　her　weak　arms　across　it；　or　draw　her　children
over　to　that　side　away　from　which　her　belief　told　her
there　was　no　safety。　　During　the　youth　of　his　sons；　Lord
Steyne；　who　was　a　good　scholar　and　amateur　casuist；
had　no　better　sport　in　the　evening　after　dinner　in　the
country　than　in　setting　the　boys'　tutor；　the　Reverend
Mr。　Trail　（now　my　Lord　Bishop　of　Ealing）　on　her
ladyship's　director；　Father　Mole；　over　their　wine；　and　in
pitting　Oxford　against　St。　　Acheul。　　He　cried　〃Bravo；
Latimer！　　Well　said；　Loyola！〃　alternately；　he　promised
Mole　a　bishopric　if　he　would　come　over；　and　vowed　he
would　use　all　his　influence　to　get　Trail　a　cardinal's　hat
if　he　would　secede。　　Neither　divine　allowed　himself　to　be
conquered；　and　though　the　fond　mother　hoped　that　her
youngest　and　favourite　son　would　be　reconciled　to　her
churchhis　mother　churcha　sad　and　awful　disappointment
awaited　the　devout　ladya　disappointment　which
seemed　to　be　a　judgement　upon　her　for　the　sin　of　her
marriage。
My　Lord　Gaunt　married；　as　every　person　who　frequents
the　Peerage　knows；　the　Lady　Blanche　Thistlewood；
a　daughter　of　the　noble　house　of　Bareacres；　before
mentioned　in　this　veracious　history。　　A　wing　of
Gaunt　House　was　assigned　to　this　couple；　for　the　head
of　the　family　chose　to　govern　it；　and　while　he　reigned　to
reign　supreme；　his　son　and　heir；　however；　living　little　at
home；　disagreeing　with　his　wife；　and　borrowing　upon
post…obits　such　moneys　as　he　required　beyond　the　very
moderate　sums　which　his　father　was　disposed　to　allow
him。　　The　Marquis　knew　every　shilling　of　his　son's　debts。
At　his　lamented　demise；　he　was　found　himself　to　be
possessor　of　many　of　his　heir's　bonds；　purchased　for　their
benefit；　and　devised　by　his　Lordship　to　the　children　of
his　younger　son。
As；　to　my　Lord　Gaunt's　dismay；　and　the　chuckling
delight　of　his　natural　enemy　and　father；　the　Lady　Gaunt
had　no　childrenthe　Lord　George　Gaunt　was　desired　to
return　from　Vienna；　where　he　was　engaged　in　waltzing
and　diplomacy；　and　to　contract　a　matrimonial　alliance
with　the　Honourable　Joan；　only　daughter　of　John　Johnes；
First　Baron　Helvellyn；　and　head　of　the　firm　of　Jones；
Brown；　and　Robinson；　of　Threadneedle　Street；　Bankers；
from　which　union　sprang　several　sons　and　daughters；
whose　doings　do　n