vanity fair(名利场)-第135节

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world。　　You　won't　be　able　to　hold　your　own　there；　you
silly　little　fool。　　You've　got　no　money。〃
〃You　will　get　us　a　place；〃　interposed　Becky；　〃as　quick
as　possible。〃
〃You've　got　no　money；　and　you　want　to　compete　with
those　who　have。　　You　poor　little　earthenware　pipkin；　you
want　to　swim　down　the　stream　along　with　the　great　cop…
per　kettles。　　All　women　are　alike。　　Everybody　is　striving
for　what　is　not　worth　the　having！　　Gad！　　I　dined　with　the
King　yesterday；　and　we　had　neck　of　mutton　and　turnips。
A　dinner　of　herbs　is　better　than　a　stalled　ox　very　often。
You　will　go　to　Gaunt　House。　　You　give　an　old　fellow　no
rest　until　you　get　there。　　It's　not　half　so　nice　as　here。
You'll　be　bored　there。　　I　am。　　My　wife　is　as　gay　as　Lady
Macbeth；　and　my　daughters　as　cheerful　as　Regan　and
Goneril。　　I　daren't　sleep　in　what　they　call　my　bedroom。
The　bed　is　like　the　baldaquin　of　St。　　Peter's；　and　the
pictures　frighten　me。　　I　have　a　little　brass　bed　in　a
dressing…room；　and　a　little　hair　mattress　like　an　anchorite。
I　am　an　anchorite。　　Ho！　　ho！　　You'll　be　asked　to　dinner　next
week。　　And　gare　aux　femmes；　look　out　and　hold　your
own！　　How　the　women　will　bully　you！〃　This　was　a　very
long　speech　for　a　man　of　few　words　like　my　Lord　Steyne；
nor　was　it　the　first　which　he　uttered　for　Becky's　benefit
on　that　day。
Briggs　looked　up　from　the　work…table　at　which　she
was　seated　in　the　farther　room　and　gave　a　deep　sigh
as　she　heard　the　great　Marquis　speak　so　lightly　of　her　sex。
〃If　you　don't　turn　off　that　abominable　sheep…dog；〃　said
Lord　Steyne；　with　a　savage　look　over　his　shoulder　at
her；　〃I　will　have　her　poisoned。〃
〃I　always　give　my　dog　dinner　from　my　own　plate；〃
said　Rebecca；　laughing　mischievously；　and　having
enjoyed　for　some　time　the　discomfiture　of　my　lord；　who
hated　poor　Briggs　for　interrupting　his　tete…a…tete
with　the　fair　Colonel's　wife；　Mrs。　Rawdon　at　length　had
pity　upon　her　admirer；　and　calling　to　Briggs；　praised　the
fineness　of　the　weather　to　her　and　bade　her　to　take　out
the　child　for　a　walk。
〃I　can't　send　her　away；〃　Becky　said　presently；　after
a　pause；　and　in　a　very　sad　voice。　　Her　eyes　filled　with
tears　as　she　spoke；　and　she　turned　away　her　head。
〃You　owe　her　her　wages；　I　suppose？〃　said　the　Peer。
〃Worse　than　that；〃　said　Becky；　still　casting　down　her
eyes；　〃I　have　ruined　her。〃
〃Ruined　her？　Then　why　don't　you　turn　her　out？〃　the
gentleman　asked。
〃Men　do　that；〃　Becky　answered　bitterly。　　〃Women　are
not　so　bad　as　you。　　Last　year；　when　we　were　reduced
to　our　last　guinea；　she　gave　us　everything。　　She　shall
never　leave　me；　until　we　are　ruined　utterly　ourselves；
which　does　not　seem　far　off；　or　until　I　can　pay　her　the
utmost　farthing。〃
it；　how　much　is　it？〃　said　the　Peer　with　an　oath。
And　Becky；　reflecting　on　the　largeness　of　his　means；
mentioned　not　only　the　sum　which　she　had　borrowed　from
Miss　Briggs；　but　one　of　nearly　double　the　amount。
This　caused　the　Lord　Steyne　to　break　out　in　another
brief　and　energetic　expression　of　anger；　at　which　Rebecca
held　down　her　head　the　more　and　cried　bitterly。　　〃I　could
not　help　it。　　It　was　my　only　chance。　　I　dare　not　tell　my
husband。　　He　would　kill　me　if　I　told　him　what　I　have
done。　　I　have　kept　it　a　secret　from　everybody　but　you
and　you　forced　it　from　me。　　Ah；　what　shall　I　do；　Lord
Steyne？　for　I　am　very；　very　unhappy！〃
Lord　Steyne　made　no　reply　except　by　beating　the
devil's　tattoo　and　biting　his　nails。　　At　last　he　clapped
his　hat　on　his　head　and　flung　out　of　the　room。　　Rebecca
did　not　rise　from　her　attitude　of　misery　until　the　door
slammed　upon　him　and　his　carriage　whirled　away。　　Then
she　rose　up　with　the　queerest　expression　of　victorious
mischief　glittering　in　her　green　eyes。　　She　burst　out　laughing
once　or　twice　to　herself；　as　she　sat　at　work；　and
sitting　down　to　the　piano；　she　rattled　away　a　triumphant
voluntary　on　the　keys；　which　made　the　people　pause
under　her　window　to　listen　to　her　brilliant　music。
That　night；　there　came　two　notes　from　Gaunt　House
for　the　little　woman；　the　one　containing　a　card　of
invitation　from　Lord　and　Lady　Steyne　to　a　dinner　at　Gaunt
House　next　Friday；　while　the　other　enclosed　a　slip　of
gray　paper　bearing　Lord　Steyne's　signature　and　the
address　of　Messrs。　　Jones；　Brown；　and　Robinson；　Lombard
Street。
Rawdon　heard　Becky　laughing　in　the　night　once　or
twice。　　It　was　only　her　delight　at　going　to　Gaunt　House
and　facing　the　ladies　there；　she　said；　which　amused　her
so。　　But　the　truth　was　that　she　was　occupied　with　a　great
number　of　other　thoughts。　　Should　she　pay　off　old　Briggs
and　give　her　her　conge？　Should　she　astonish　Raggles
by　settling　his　account？　She　turned　over　all　these　thoughts
on　her　pillow；　and　on　the　next　day；　when　Rawdon　went
out　to　pay　his　morning　visit　to　the　Club；　Mrs。　Crawley
（in　a　modest　dress　with　a　veil　on）　whipped　off　in　a
hackney…coach　to　the　City：　　and　being　landed　at　Messrs。
Jones　and　Robinson's　bank；　presented　a　document　there
to　the　authority　at　the　desk；　who；　in　reply；　asked　her
〃How　she　would　take　it？〃
She　gently　said　〃she　would　take　a　hundred　and　fifty
pounds　in　small　notes　and　the　remainder　in　one　note〃：
and　passing　through　St。　　Paul's　Churchyard　stopped　there
and　bought　the　handsomest　black　silk　gown　for　Briggs
which　money　could　buy；　and　which；　with　a　kiss　and　the
kindest　speeches；　she　presented　to　the　simple　old
spinster。
Then　she　walked　to　Mr。　Raggles；　inquired　about　his
children　affectionately；　and　gave　him　fifty　pounds　on
account。　　Then　she　went　to　the　livery…man　from　whom
she　jobbed　her　carriages　and　gratified　him　with　a　similar
sum。　　〃And　I　hope　this　will　be　a　lesson　to　you；　Spavin；〃
she　said；　〃and　that　on　the　next　drawing…room　day　my
brother；　Sir　Pitt；　will　not　be　inconvenienced　by　being
obliged　to　take　four　of　us　in　his　carriage　to　wait　upon
His　Majesty；　because　my　own　carriage　is　not　forthcoming。〃
It　appears　there　had　been　a　difference　on　the　last
drawing…room　day。　　Hence　the　degradation　which　the
Colonel　had　almost　suffered；　of　being　obliged　to　enter
the　presence　of　his　Sovereign　in　a　hack　cab。
These　arrangements　concluded；　Becky　paid　a　visit
upstairs　to　the　before…mentioned　desk；　which　Amelia
Sedley　had　given　her　years　and　years　ago；　and　which
contained　a　number　of　useful　and　valuable　little　thingsin
which　private　museum　she　placed　the　one　note　which
Messrs。　　Jones　and　Robinson's　cashier　had　given　her。

CHAPTER　XLIX
In　Which　We　Enjoy　Three　Courses　and　a　Dessert
When　the　ladies　of　Gaunt　House　were　at　breakfast　that
morning；　Lord　Steyne　（who　took　his　chocolate　in　private
and　seldom　disturbed　the　females　of　his　household；
or　saw　them　except　upon　public　days；　or　when　they
crossed　each　other　in　the　hall；　or　when　from　his
pit…box　at　the　opera　he　surveyed　them　in　their　box　on　the
grand　tier）　his　lordship；　we　say；　appeared　among　the
ladies　and　the　children　who　were　assembled　over　the
tea　and　toast；　and　a　battle　royal　ensued　apropos　of
Rebecca。
〃My　Lady　Steyne；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　to　see　the　list
for　your　dinner　on　Friday；　and　I　want　you；　if　you　please；
to　write　a　card　for　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Crawley。〃
〃Blanche　writes　them；〃　Lady　Steyne　said　in　a　flutter。
〃Lady　Gaunt　writes　them。〃
〃I　will　not　write　to　that　person；〃　Lady　Gaunt　said；
a　tall　and　stately　lady；　who　looked　up　for　an　instant
and　then　down　again　after　she　had　spoken。　　It　was　not
good　to　meet　Lord　Steyne's　eyes　for　those　who　had
offended　him。
〃Send　the　children　out　of　the　room。　　Go！〃　said　he
pulling　at　the　bell…rope。　　The　urchins；　always　frightened
before　him；　retired：　　their　mother　would　have　followed
too。　　〃Not　you；〃　he　said。　　〃You　stop。〃
〃My　Lady　Steyne；〃　he　said；　〃once　more　will　you　have
the　goodness　to　go　to　the　desk　and　write　that　card　for
your　dinner　on　Friday？〃
〃My　Lord；　I　will　not　be　present　at　it；〃　Lady　Gaunt
said；　〃I　will　go　home。〃
〃I　wish　you　would；　and　stay　there。　　You　will　find
the　bailiffs　at　Bareacres　very　pleasant　company；　and　I
shall　be　freed　from　lending　money　to　your　relations　and
from　your　own　damned　tragedy　airs。　　Who　are　you　to
give　orders　here？　You　have　no　money。　　You've　got　no
brains。　　You　were　here　to　have　children；　and　you　have
not　had　any。　　Gaunt's　tired　of　you；　and　George's　wife
is　the　only　person　in　the　family　who　doesn't　wish　you
were　dead。　　Gaunt　would　marry　again　if　you　were。〃
〃I　wish　I　were；〃　her　Ladyship　answered　with　tears
and　rage　in　her　eyes。
〃You；　forsooth；　must　give　yourself　airs　of　virtue；　while
my　wife；　who　is　an　immaculate　saint；　as　everybody　knows；
and　never　did　wrong　in　her　life；　has　no　objection　to　meet
my　young　friend　Mrs。　Crawley。　　My　Lady　Steyne　knows
that　appearances　are　sometimes　against　the　best　of
women；　that　lies　are　often　told　about　the　most　innocent
of　them。　　Pray；　madam；　shall　I　tell　you　some　little
anecdotes　about　my　Lady　Bareacres；　your　mamma？〃
〃You　may　strike　me　if　you　like；　sir；　or　hit　any　cruel
blow；〃　Lady　Gaunt　said。　　To　see　his　wife　and　daughter
suffering　always　put　his　Lordship　into　a　good　humour。
〃My　sweet　Blanche；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　a　gentleman；　and
never　lay　my　hand　upon　a　woman；　save　in　the　way　of
kindness。　　I　only　wish　to　correct　little　faults　in　your
character。　　You　women　are　too　proud；　and　sadly　lack
humility；　as　Father　Mole；　I'm　sure；　would　tell　my　Lady
Steyne　if　he　were　here。　　You　mustn't