vanity fair(名利场)-第141节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


although　I　have　a　shrewd　idea　that　it　is　a　humbug；
so　an　uninitiated　man　cannot　take　upon　himself　to
portray　the　great　world　accurately；　and　had　best　keep　his
opinions　to　himself；　whatever　they　are。
Becky　has　often　spoken　in　subsequent　years　of　this
season　of　her　life；　when　she　moved　among　the　very
greatest　circles　of　the　London　fashion。　　Her　success
excited；　elated；　and　then　bored　her。　　At　first　no　occupation
was　more　pleasant　than　to　invent　and　procure　（the　latter
a　work　of　no　small　trouble　and　ingenuity；　by　the　way；　in
a　person　of　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley's　very　narrow　means）
to　procure；　we　say；　the　prettiest　new　dresses　and
ornaments；　to　drive　to　fine　dinner　parties；　where　she　was
welcomed　by　great　people；　and　from　the　fine　dinner
parties　to　fine　assemblies；　whither　the　same　people　came
with　whom　she　had　been　dining；　whom　she　had　met　the
night　before；　and　would　see　on　the　morrowthe　young
men　faultlessly　appointed；　handsomely　cravatted；　with
the　neatest　glossy　boots　and　white　glovesthe　elders
portly；　brass…buttoned；　noble…looking；　polite；　and　prosy
the　young　ladies　blonde；　timid；　and　in　pinkthe
mothers　grand；　beautiful；　sumptuous；　solemn；　and　in
diamonds。　　They　talked　in　English；　not　in　bad　French；　as
they　do　in　the　novels。　　They　talked　about　each　others'
houses；　and　characters；　and　familiesjust　as　the　Joneses
do　about　the　Smiths。　　Becky's　former　acquaintances　hated
and　envied　her；　the　poor　woman　herself　was　yawning　in
spirit。　　〃I　wish　I　were　out　of　it；〃　she　said　to　herself。　　〃I
would　rather　be　a　parson's　wife　and　teach　a　Sunday
school　than　this；　or　a　sergeant's　lady　and　ride　in　the
regimental　waggon；　or；　oh；　how　much　gayer　it　would　be
to　wear　spangles　and　trousers　and　dance　before　a　booth
at　a　fair。〃
〃You　would　do　it　very　well；〃　said　Lord　Steyne；　laughing。
She　used　to　tell　the　great　man　her　ennuis　and
perplexities　in　her　artless　waythey　amused　him。
〃Rawdon　would　make　a　very　good　EcuyerMaster　of
the　Ceremonieswhat　do　you　call　himthe　man　in　the
large　boots　and　the　uniform；　who　goes　round　the　ring
cracking　the　whip？　He　is　large；　heavy；　and　of　a　military
figure。　　I　recollect；〃　Becky　continued　pensively；　〃my
father　took　me　to　see　a　show　at　Brookgreen　Fair　when　I
was　a　child；　and　when　we　came　home；　I　made　myself　a
pair　of　stilts　and　danced　in　the　studio　to　the　wonder　of
all　the　pupils。〃
〃I　should　have　liked　to　see　it；〃　said　Lord　Steyne。
〃I　should　like　to　do　it　now；〃　Becky　continued。　　〃How
Lady　Blinkey　would　open　her　eyes；　and　Lady　Grizzel
Macbeth　would　stare！　　Hush！　silence！　there　is　Pasta
beginning　to　sing。〃　Becky　always　made　a　point　of　being
conspicuously　polite　to　the　professional　ladies　and
gentlemen　who　attended　at　these　aristocratic　partiesof
following　them　into　the　corners　where　they　sat　in　silence；
and　shaking　hands　with　them；　and　smiling　in　the　view　of
all　persons。　　She　was　an　artist　herself；　as　she　said　very
truly；　there　was　a　frankness　and　humility　in　the　manner
in　which　she　acknowledged　her　origin；　which　provoked；
or　disarmed；　or　amused　lookers…on；　as　the　case　might
be。　　〃How　cool　that　woman　is；〃　said　one；　〃what　airs　of
independence　she　assumes；　where　she　ought　to　sit　still
and　be　thankful　if　anybody　speaks　to　her！〃　〃What　an
honest　and　good…natured　soul　she　is！〃　said　another。
〃What　an　artful　little　minx〃　said　a　third。　　They　were　all
right　very　likely；　but　Becky　went　her　own　way；　and　so
fascinated　the　professional　personages　that　they　would
leave　off　their　sore　throats　in　order　to　sing　at　her　parties
and　give　her　lessons　for　nothing。
Yes；　she　gave　parties　in　the　little　house　in　Curzon
Street。　　Many　scores　of　carriages；　with　blazing　lamps；
blocked　up　the　street；　to　the　disgust　of　No。　　100；　who
could　not　rest　for　the　thunder　of　the　knocking；　and　of
102；　who　could　not　sleep　for　envy。　　The　gigantic　footmen
who　accompanied　the　vehicles　were　too　big　to　be
contained　in　Becky's　little　hall；　and　were　billeted　off　in　the
neighbouring　public…houses；　whence；　when　they　were
wanted；　call…boys　summoned　them　from　their　beer。
Scores　of　the　great　dandies　of　London　squeezed　and
trod　on　each　other　on　the　little　stairs；　laughing　to　find
themselves　there；　and　many　spotless　and　severe　ladies　of
ton　were　seated　in　the　little　drawing…room；　listening　to
the　professional　singers；　who　were　singing　according　to
their　wont；　and　as　if　they　wished　to　blow　the　windows
down。　　And　the　day　after；　there　appeared　among　the
fashionable　reunions　in　the　Morning　Post　a　paragraph
to　the　following　effect：
〃Yesterday；　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Crawley　entertained　a
select　party　at　dinner　at　their　house　in　May　Fair。　　Their
Excellencies　the　Prince　and　Princess　of　Peterwaradin；
H。　　E。　　Papoosh　Pasha；　the　Turkish　Ambassador　（attended
by　Kibob　Bey；　dragoman　of　the　mission）；　the　Marquess
of　Steyne；　Earl　of　Southdown；　Sir　Pitt　and　Lady
Jane　Crawley；　Mr。　Wagg；　&c。　　After　dinner　Mrs。　Crawley
had　an　assembly　which　was　attended　by　the　Duchess
（Dowager）　of　Stilton；　Duc　de　la　Gruyere；　Marchioness
of　Cheshire；　Marchese　Alessandro　Strachino；　Comte　de
Brie；　Baron　Schapzuger；　Chevalier　Tosti；　Countess　of
Slingstone；　and　Lady　F。　　Macadam；　Major…General　and
Lady　G。　　Macbeth；　and　（2）　Miss　Macbeths；　Viscount
Paddington；　Sir　Horace　Fogey；　Hon。　　Sands　Bedwin；
Bobachy　Bahawder；〃　and　an　&c。；　which　the　reader　may　fill
at　his　pleasure　through　a　dozen　close　lines　of　small　type。
And　in　her　commerce　with　the　great　our　dear　friend
showed　the　same　frankness　which　distinguished　her
transactions　with　the　lowly　in　station。　　On　one　occasion；
when　out　at　a　very　fine　house；　Rebecca　was　（perhaps
rather　ostentatiously）　holding　a　conversation　in　the
French　language　with　a　celebrated　tenor　singer　of　that
nation；　while　the　Lady　Grizzel　Macbeth　looked　over　her
shoulder　scowling　at　the　pair。
〃How　very　well　you　speak　French；〃　Lady　Grizzel　said；
who　herself　spoke　the　tongue　in　an　Edinburgh　accent
most　remarkable　to　hear。
〃I　ought　to　know　it；〃　Becky　modestly　said；　casting
down　her　eyes。　　〃I　taught　it　in　a　school；　and　my　mother
was　a　Frenchwoman。〃
Lady　Grizzel　was　won　by　her　humility　and　was
mollified　towards　the　little　woman。　　She　deplored　the　fatal
levelling　tendencies　of　the　age；　which　admitted　persons
of　all　classes　into　the　society　of　their　superiors；　but　her
ladyship　owned　that　this　one　at　least　was　well　behaved
and　never　forgot　her　place　in　life。　　She　was　a　very　good
woman：　　good　to　the　poor；　stupid；　blameless；　unsuspicious。
It　is　not　her　ladyship's　fault　that　she　fancies　herself
better　than　you　and　me。　　The　skirts　of　her　ancestors'
garments　have　been　kissed　for　centuries；　it　is　a　thousand
years；　they　say；　since　the　tartans　of　the　head　of　the
family　were　embraced　by　the　defunct　Duncan's　lords　and
councillors；　when　the　great　ancestor　of　the　House
became　King　of　Scotland。
Lady　Steyne；　after　the　music　scene；　succumbed　before
Becky；　and　perhaps　was　not　disinclined　to　her。　　The
younger　ladies　of　the　house　of　Gaunt　were　also
compelled　into　submission。　　Once　or　twice　they　set　people　at
her；　but　they　failed。　　The　brilliant　Lady　Stunnington　tried
a　passage　of　arms　with　her；　but　was　routed　with　great
slaughter　by　the　intrepid　little　Becky。　　When　attacked
sometimes；　Becky　had　a　knack　of　adopting　a　demure
ingenue　air；　under　which　she　was　most　dangerous。　　She
said　the　wickedest　things　with　the　most　simple　unaffected
air　when　in　this　mood；　and　would　take　care　artlessly　to
apologize　for　her　blunders；　so　that　all　the　world　should
know　that　she　had　made　them。
Mr。　Wagg；　the　celebrated　wit；　and　a　led　captain　and
trencher…man　of　my　Lord　Steyne；　was　caused　by　the
ladies　to　charge　her；　and　the　worthy　fellow；　leering　at　his
patronesses　and　giving　them　a　wink；　as　much　as　to　say；
〃Now　look　out　for　sport；〃　one　evening　began　an　assault
upon　Becky；　who　was　unsuspiciously　eating　her　dinner。
The　little　woman；　attacked　on　a　sudden；　but　never
without　arms；　lighted　up　in　an　instant；　parried　and　riposted
with　a　home…thrust；　which　made　Wagg's　face　tingle　with
shame；　then　she　returned　to　her　soup　with　the　most
perfect　calm　and　a　quiet　smile　on　her　face。　　Wagg's　great
patron；　who　gave　him　dinners　and　lent　him　a　little　money
sometimes；　and　whose　election；　newspaper；　and　other
jobs　Wagg　did；　gave　the　luckless　fellow　such　a　savage
glance　with　the　eyes　as　almost　made　him　sink　under　the
table　and　burst　into　tears。　　He　looked　piteously　at　my
lord；　who　never　spoke　to　him　during　dinner；　and　at　the
ladies；　who　disowned　him。　　At　last　Becky　herself　took
compassion　upon　him　and　tried　to　engage　him　in　talk。
He　was　not　asked　to　dinner　again　for　six　weeks；　and
Fiche；　my　lord's　confidential　man；　to　whom　Wagg
naturally　paid　a　good　deal　of　court；　was　instructed　to　tell
him　that　if　he　ever　dared　to　say　a　rude　thing　to　Mrs。
Crawley　again；　or　make　her　the　butt　of　his　stupid　jokes；
Milor　would　put　every　one　of　his　notes　of　hand　into　his
lawyer's　hands　and　sell　him　up　without　mercy。　　Wagg
wept　before　Fiche　and　implored　his　dear　friend　to　intercede
for　him。　　He　wrote　a　poem　in　favour　of　Mrs。　R。　　C。；
which　appeared　in　the　very　next　number　of　the　Harum…
scarum　Magazine；　which　he　conducted。　　He　implored　her
good…will　at　parties　where　he　met　her。　　He　cringed　and
coaxed　Rawdon　at　the　club。　　He　was　allowed　to　come　back
to　G