vanity fair(名利场)-第137节

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taking　her　hand；　and　greeting　her　with　great　courtesy；
and　presenting　her　to　Lady　Steyne；　and　their　ladyships；
her　daughters。　　Their　ladyships　made　three　stately　curtsies；
and　the　elder　lady　to　be　sure　gave　her　hand　to　the
newcomer；　but　it　was　as　cold　and　lifeless　as　marble。
Becky　took　it；　however；　with　grateful　humility；　and
performing　a　reverence　which　would　have　done　credit
to　the　best　dancer…master；　put　herself　at　Lady　Steyne's
feet；　as　it　were；　by　saying　that　his　Lordship　had　been
her　father's　earliest　friend　and　patron；　and　that　she；
Becky；　had　learned　to　honour　and　respect　the　Steyne
family　from　the　days　of　her　childhood。　　The　fact　is　that　Lord
Steyne　had　once　purchased　a　couple　of　pictures　of　the
late　Sharp；　and　the　affectionate　orphan　could　never
forget　her　gratitude　for　that　favour。
　
The　Lady　Bareacres　then　came　under　Becky's　cognizance
to　whom　the　Colonel's　lady　made　also　a　most　respectful
obeisance：　　it　was　returned　with　severe　dignity　by　the
exalted　person　in　question。
〃I　had　the　pleasure　of　making　your　Ladyship's
acquaintance　at　Brussels；　ten　years　ago；〃　Becky　said　in
the　most　winning　manner。　　〃I　had　the　good　fortune　to
meet　Lady　Bareacres　at　the　Duchess　of　Richmond's　ball；
the　night　before　the　Battle　of　Waterloo。　　And　I　recollect
your　Ladyship；　and　my　Lady　Blanche；　your　daughter；
sitting　in　the　carriage　in　the　porte…cochere　at　the　Inn；
waiting　for　horses。　　I　hope　your　Ladyship's　diamonds　are
safe。〃
Everybody's　eyes　looked　into　their　neighbour's。　　The
famous　diamonds　had　undergone　a　famous　seizure；　it
appears；　about　which　Becky；　of　course；　knew　nothing。
Rawdon　Crawley　retreated　with　Lord　Southdown　into　a
window；　where　the　latter　was　heard　to　laugh　immoderately；
as　Rawdon　told　him　the　story　of　Lady　Bareacres
wanting　horses　and　〃knuckling　down　by　Jove；〃　to　Mrs。
Crawley。　　〃I　think　I　needn't　be　afraid　of　THAT　woman；〃
Becky　thought。　　Indeed；　Lady　Bareacres　exchanged
terrified　and　angry　looks　with　her　daughter　and　retreated
to　a　table；　where　she　began　to　look　at　pictures　with
great　energy。
When　the　Potentate　from　the　Danube　made　his　appearance；
the　conversation　was　carried　on　in　the　French　language；
and　the　Lady　Bareacres　and　the　younger　ladies
found；　to　their　farther　mortification；　that　Mrs。　Crawley
was　much　better　acquainted　with　that　tongue；　and　spoke
it　with　a　much　better　accent　than　they。　　Becky　had　met
other　Hungarian　magnates　with　the　army　in　France　in
1816…17。　　She　asked　after　her　friends　with　great　interest
The　foreign　personages　thought　that　she　was　a　lady　of
great　distinction；　and　the　Prince　and　the　Princess　asked
severally　of　Lord　Steyne　and　the　Marchioness；　whom
they　conducted　to　dinner；　who　was　that　petite　dame　who
spoke　so　well？
Finally；　the　procession　being　formed　in　the　order
described　by　the　American　diplomatist；　they　marched　into
the　apartment　where　the　banquet　was　served；　and　which；
as　I　have　promised　the　reader　he　shall　enjoy　it；　he　shall
have　the　liberty　of　ordering　himself　so　as　to　suit　his
fancy。
But　it　was　when　the　ladies　were　alone　that　Becky
knew　the　tug　of　war　would　come。　　And　then　indeed　the
little　woman　found　herself　in　such　a　situation　as　made
her　acknowledge　the　correctness　of　Lord　Steyne's
caution　to　her　to　beware　of　the　society　of　ladies　above　her
own　sphere。　　As　they　say；　the　persons　who　hate　Irishmen
most　are　Irishmen；　so；　assuredly；　the　greatest　tyrants
over　women　are　women。　　When　poor　little　Becky；
alone　with　the　ladies；　went　up　to　the　fire…place　whither
the　great　ladies　had　repaired；　the　great　ladies　marched
away　and　took　possession　of　a　table　of　drawings。　　When
Becky　followed　them　to　the　table　of　drawings；　they
dropped　off　one　by　one　to　the　fire　again。　　She　tried　to
speak　to　one　of　the　children　（of　whom　she　was
commonly　fond　in　public　places）；　but　Master　George　Gaunt
was　called　away　by　his　mamma；　and　the　stranger　was
treated　with　such　cruelty　finally；　that　even　Lady　Steyne
herself　pitied　her　and　went　up　to　speak　to　the　friendless
little　woman。
〃Lord　Steyne；〃　said　her　Ladyship；　as　her　wan　cheeks
glowed　with　a　blush；　〃says　you　sing　and　play　very
beautifully；　Mrs。　CrawleyI　wish　you　would　do　me　the
kindness　to　sing　to　me。〃
〃I　will　do　anything　that　may　give　pleasure　to　my　Lord
Steyne　or　to　you；〃　said　Rebecca；　sincerely　grateful；　and
seating　herself　at　the　piano；　began　to　sing。
She　sang　religious　songs　of　Mozart；　which　had　been
early　favourites　of　Lady　Steyne；　and　with　such　sweetness
and　tenderness　that　the　lady；　lingering　round　the　piano；
sat　down　by　its　side　and　listened　until　the　tears　rolled
down　her　eyes。　　It　is　true　that　the　opposition　ladies　at
the　other　end　of　the　room　kept　up　a　loud　and　ceaseless
buzzing　and　talking；　but　the　Lady　Steyne　did　not　hear
those　rumours。　　She　was　a　child　againand　had
wandered　back　through　a　forty　years'　wilderness　to　her
convent　garden。　　The　chapel　organ　had　pealed　the　same　tones；
the　organist；　the　sister　whom　she　loved　best　of　the
community；　had　taught　them　to　her　in　those　early　happy
days。　　She　was　a　girl　once　more；　and　the　brief　period　of
her　happiness　bloomed　out　again　for　an　hourshe
started　when　the　jarring　doors　were　flung　open；　and　with
a　loud　laugh　from　Lord　Steyne；　the　men　of　the　party
entered　full　of　gaiety。
He　saw　at　a　glance　what　had　happened　in　his　absence；
and　was　grateful　to　his　wife　for　once。　　He　went
and　spoke　to　her；　and　called　her　by　her　Christian　name；
so　as　again　to　bring　blushes　to　her　pale　face〃My　wife
says　you　have　been　singing　like　an　angel；〃　he　said　to
Becky。　　Now　there　are　angels　of　two　kinds；　and　both　sorts；
it　is　said；　are　charming　in　their　way。
Whatever　the　previous　portion　of　the　evening　had
been；　the　rest　of　that　night　was　a　great　triumph　for
Becky。　　She　sang　her　very　best；　and　it　was　so　good　that
every　one　of　the　men　came　and　crowded　round　the
piano。　　The　women；　her　enemies；　were　left　quite　alone。
And　Mr。　Paul　Jefferson　Jones　thought　he　had　made　a
conquest　of　Lady　Gaunt　by　going　up　to　her　Ladyship
and　praising　her　delightful　friend's　first…rate　singing。

CHAPTER　L
Contains　a　Vulgar　Incident
The　Muse；　whoever　she　be；　who　presides　over　this
Comic　History　must　now　descend　from　the　genteel　heights
in　which　she　has　been　soaring　and　have　the　goodness
to　drop　down　upon　the　lowly　roof　of　John　Sedley　at
Brompton；　and　describe　what　events　are　taking　place
there。　　Here；　too；　in　this　humble　tenement；　live　care；　and
distrust；　and　dismay。　　Mrs。　Clapp　in　the　kitchen　is
grumbling　in　secret　to　her　husband　about　the　rent；　and
urging　the　good　fellow　to　rebel　against　his　old　friend
and　patron　and　his　present　lodger。　　Mrs。　Sedley　has
ceased　to　visit　her　landlady　in　the　lower　regions　now；
and　indeed　is　in　a　position　to　patronize　Mrs。　Clapp
no　longer。　　How　can　one　be　condescending　to　a　lady　to
whom　one　owes　a　matter　of　forty　pounds；　and　who　is
perpetually　throwing　out　hints　for　the　money？　The　Irish
maidservant　has　not　altered　in　the　least　in　her　kind　and
respectful　behaviour；　but　Mrs。　Sedley　fancies　that　she
is　growing　insolent　and　ungrateful；　and；　as　the　guilty
thief　who　fears　each　bush　an　officer；　sees　threatening
innuendoes　and　hints　of　capture　in　all　the　girl's　speeches
and　answers。　　Miss　Clapp；　grown　quite　a　young　woman
now；　is　declared　by　the　soured　old　lady　to　be　an　unbearable
and　impudent　little　minx。　　Why　Amelia　can　be　so
fond　of　her；　or　have　her　in　her　room　so　much；　or　walk
out　with　her　so　constantly；　Mrs。　Sedley　cannot　conceive。
The　bitterness　of　poverty　has　poisoned　the　life　of　the
once　cheerful　and　kindly　woman。　　She　is　thankless　for
Amelia's　constant　and　gentle　bearing　towards　her；　carps
at　her　for　her　efforts　at　kindness　or　service；　rails　at　her
for　her　silly　pride　in　her　child　and　her　neglect　of　her
parents。　　Georgy's　house　is　not　a　very　lively　one　since
Uncle　Jos's　annuity　has　been　withdrawn　and　the　little
family　are　almost　upon　famine　diet。
Amelia　thinks；　and　thinks；　and　racks　her　brain；　to　find
some　means　of　increasing　the　small　pittance　upon　which
the　household　is　starving。　　Can　she　give　lessons　in
anything？　paint　card…racks？　do　fine　work？　She　finds　that
women　are　working　hard；　and　better　than　she　can；　for
twopence　a　day。　　She　buys　a　couple　of　begilt　Bristol
boards　at　the　Fancy　Stationer's　and　paints　her　very　best
upon　thema　shepherd　with　a　red　waistcoat　on　one；　and
a　pink　face　smiling　in　the　midst　of　a　pencil　landscape
a　shepherdess　on　the　other；　crossing　a　little　bridge；
with　a　little　dog；　nicely　shaded。　　The　man　of　the　Fancy
Repository　and　Brompton　Emporium　of　Fine　Arts　（of
whom　she　bought　the　screens；　vainly　hoping　that　he
would　repurchase　them　when　ornamented　by　her　hand）
can　hardly　hide　the　sneer　with　which　he　examines　these
feeble　works　of　art。　　He　looks　askance　at　the　lady　who
waits　in　the　shop；　and　ties　up　the　cards　again　in　their
envelope　of　whitey…brown　paper；　and　hands　them　to　the
poor　widow　and　Miss　Clapp；　who　had　never　seen　such
beautiful　things　in　her　life；　and　had　been　quite
confident　that　the　man　must　give　at　least　two　guineas　for
the　screens。　　They　try　at　other　shops　in　the　interior　of
London；　with　faint　sickening　hopes。　　〃Don't　want　'em；〃
says　one。　　〃Be　off；〃　says　another　fiercely。　　Three…and…sixpence
has　been　spent　in　vainthe　screens　ret