vanity fair(名利场)-第148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！


in　the　same　dingy　and　gorgeous　plated　ware。　　Miss　Moss；
a　dark…eyed　maid　in　curl…papers；　appeared　with　the
teapot；　and；　smiling；　asked　the　Colonel　how　he　had　slep？
And　she　brought　him　in　the　Morning　Post；　with　the
names　of　all　the　great　people　who　had　figured　at　Lord
Steyne's　entertainment　the　night　before。　　It　contained　a
brilliant　account　of　the　festivities　and　of　the　beautiful
and　accomplished　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley's　admirable
personifications。
After　a　lively　chat　with　this　lady　（who　sat　on　the
edge　of　the　breakfast　table　in　an　easy　attitude　displaying
the　drapery　of　her　stocking　and　an　ex…white　satin　shoe；
which　was　down　at　heel）；　Colonel　Crawley　called　for
pens　and　ink；　and　paper；　and　being　asked　how　many
sheets；　chose　one　which　was　brought　to　him　between
Miss　Moss's　own　finger　and　thumb。　　Many　a　sheet　had
that　dark…eyed　damsel　brought　in；　many　a　poor　fellow
had　scrawled　and　blotted　hurried　lines　of　entreaty　and
paced　up　and　down　that　awful　room　until　his　messenger
brought　back　the　reply。　　Poor　men　always　use　messengers
instead　of　the　post。　　Who　has　not　had　their　letters；　with
the　wafers　wet；　and　the　announcement　that　a　person
is　waiting　in　the　hall？
Now　on　the　score　of　his　application；　Rawdon　had　not
many　misgivings。
DEAR　BECKY；　（Rawdon　wrote）
I　HOPE　YOU　SLEPT　WELL。　　Don't　be　FRIGHTENED　if　I　don't
bring　you　in　your　COFFY。　　Last　night　as　I　was　coming
home　smoaking；　I　met　with　an　ACCADENT。　　I　was　NABBED
by　Moss　of　Cursitor　Streetfrom　whose　GILT　AND　SPLENDID
PARLER　I　write　thisthe　same　that　had　me　this　time
two　years。　　Miss　Moss　brought　in　my　teashe　is　grown
very　FAT；　and；　as　usual；　had　her　STOCKENS　DOWN　AT　HEAL。
It's　Nathan's　businessa　hundred…and…fiftywith
costs；　hundred…and…seventy。　　Please　send　me　my　desk　and
some　CLOTHSI'm　in　pumps　and　a　white　tye　（something
like　Miss　M's　stockings）I've　seventy　in　it。　　And　as
soon　as　you　get　this；　Drive　to　Nathan'soffer　him
seventy…five　down；　and　ASK　HIM　TO　RENEWsay　I'll　take
winewe　may　as　well　have　some　dinner　sherry；　but　not
PICTURS；　they're　too　dear。
If　he　won't　stand　it。　　Take　my　ticker　and　such　of　your
things　as　you　can　SPARE；　and　send　them　to　Ballswe
must；　of　coarse；　have　the　sum　to…night。　　It　won't　do　to
let　it　stand　over；　as　to…morrow's　Sunday；　the　beds　here
are　not　very　CLEAN；　and　there　may　be　other　things　out
against　meI'm　glad　it　an't　Rawdon's　Saturday　for
coming　home。　　God　bless　you。
Yours　in　haste；
R。　　C。
P。S。　　Make　haste　and　come。
This　letter；　sealed　with　a　wafer；　was　dispatched　by
one　of　the　messengers　who　are　always　hanging　about
Mr。　Moss's　establishment；　and　Rawdon；　having　seen　him
depart；　went　out　in　the　court…yard　and　smoked　his　cigar
with　a　tolerably　easy　mindin　spite　of　the　bars
overheadfor　Mr。　Moss's　court…yard　is　railed　in　like　a　cage；
lest　the　gentlemen　who　are　boarding　with　him　should
take　a　fancy　to　escape　from　his　hospitality。
Three　hours；　he　calculated；　would　be　the　utmost　time
required；　before　Becky　should　arrive　and　open　his　prison
doors；　and　he　passed　these　pretty　cheerfully　in　smoking；
in　reading　the　paper；　and　in　the　coffee…room　with　an
acquaintance；　Captain　Walker；　who　happened　to　be　there；
and　with　whom　he　cut　for　sixpences　for　some　hours；
with　pretty　equal　luck　on　either　side。
But　the　day　passed　away　and　no　messenger　returned
no　Becky。　　Mr。　Moss's　tably…dy…hoty　was　served　at　the
appointed　hour　of　half…past　five；　when　such　of　the　gentlemen
lodging　in　the　house　as　could　afford　to　pay　for　the
banquet　came　and　partook　of　it　in　the　splendid　front
parlour　before　described；　and　with　which　Mr。　Crawley's
temporary　lodging　communicated；　when　Miss　M。　　（Miss
Hem；　as　her　papa　called　her）　appeared　without　the　curl…
papers　of　the　morning；　and　Mrs。　Hem　did　the　honours
of　a　prime　boiled　leg　of　mutton　and　turnips；　of　which
the　Colonel　ate　with　a　very　faint　appetite。　　Asked　whether
he　would　〃stand〃　a　bottle　of　champagne　for　the
company；　he　consented；　and　the　ladies　drank　to　his　'ealth；
and　Mr。　Moss；　in　the　most　polite　manner；　〃looked　towards
him。〃
In　the　midst　of　this　repast；　however；　the　doorbell　was
heardyoung　Moss　of　the　ruddy　hair　rose　up　with　the
keys　and　answered　the　summons；　and　coming　back；　told
the　Colonel　that　the　messenger　had　returned　with　a　bag；
a　desk　and　a　letter；　which　he　gave　him。　　〃No　ceramony；
Colonel；　I　beg；〃　said　Mrs。　Moss　with　a　wave　of　her
hand；　and　he　opened　the　letter　rather　tremulously。　　It
was　a　beautiful　letter；　highly　scented；　on　a　pink　paper；
and　with　a　light　green　seal。
MON　PAUVRE　CHER　PETIT；　（Mrs。　Crawley　wrote）
I　could　not　sleep　ONE　WINK　for　thinking　of　what　had
become　of　my　odious　old　monstre；　and　only　got　to　rest
in　the　morning　after　sending　for　Mr。　Blench　（for　I　was
in　a　fever）；　who　gave　me　a　composing　draught　and　left
orders　with　Finette　that　I　should　be　disturbed　ON　NO
ACCOUNT。　　So　that　my　poor　old　man's　messenger；　who　had
bien　mauvaise　mine　Finette　says；　and　sentoit　le　Genievre；
remained　in　the　hall　for　some　hours　waiting　my　bell。
You　may　fancy　my　state　when　I　read　your　poor　dear
old　ill…spelt　letter。
Ill　as　I　was；　I　instantly　called　for　the　carriage；　and
as　soon　as　I　was　dressed　（though　I　couldn't　drink　a　drop
of　chocolateI　assure　you　I　couldn't　without　my
monstre　to　bring　it　to　me）；　I　drove　ventre　a　terre　to
Nathan's。　　I　saw　himI　weptI　criedI　fell　at　hi~
odious　knees。　　Nothing　would　mollify　the　horrid　man。
He　would　have　all　the　money；　he　said；　or　keep　my　poor
monstre　in　prison。　　I　drove　home　with　the　intention　of
paying　that　triste　visite　chez　mon　oncle　（when　every
trinket　I　have　should　be　at　your　disposal　though　they
would　not　fetch　a　hundred　pounds；　for　some；　you　know；
are　with　ce　cher　oncle　already）；　and　found　Milor　there
with　the　Bulgarian　old　sheep…faced　monster；　who　had
come　to　compliment　me　upon　last　night's　performances。
Paddington　came　in；　too；　drawling　and　lisping　and
twiddling　his　hair；　so　did　Champignac；　and　his　chef
everybody　with　foison　of　compliments　and　pretty　speeches
plaguing　poor　me；　who　longed　to　be　rid　of　them；　and
was　thinking　every　moment　of　the　time　of　mon　pauvre
prisonnier。
When　they　were　gone；　I　went　down　on　my　knees　to
Milor；　told　him　we　were　going　to　pawn　everything；　and
begged　and　prayed　him　to　give　me　two　hundred　pounds。
He　pish'd　and　psha'd　in　a　furytold　me　not　to　be　such
a　fool　as　to　pawnand　said　he　would　see　whether　he
could　lend　me　the　money。　　At　last　he　went　away；
promising　that　he　would　send　it　me　in　the　morning：　　when
I　will　bring　it　to　my　poor　old　monster　with　a　kiss　fro
his　affectionate
BECKY
I　am　writing　in　bed。　　Oh　I　have　such　a　headache　and
such　a　heartache！
When　Rawdon　read　over　this　letter；　he　turned　so　red
and　looked　so　savage　that　the　company　at　the　table
d'hote　easily　perceived　that　bad　news　had　reached
him。　　All　his　suspicions；　which　he　had　been　trying　to
banish；　returned　upon　him。　　She　could　not　even　go　out
and　sell　her　trinkets　to　free　him。　　She　could　laugh　and
talk　about　compliments　paid　to　her；　whilst　he　was　in
prison。　　Who　had　put　him　there？　Wenham　had　walked
with　him。　　Was　there。。。。　　He　could　hardly　bear　to　think
of　what　he　suspected。　　Leaving　the　room　hurriedly；　he　ran
into　his　ownopened　his　desk；　wrote　two　hurried　lines；
which　he　directed　to　Sir　Pitt　or　Lady　Crawley；　and
bade　the　messenger　carry　them　at　once　to　Gaunt　Street；
bidding　him　to　take　a　cab；　and　promising　him　a　guinea
if　he　was　back　in　an　hour。
In　the　note　he　besought　his　dear　brother　and　sister；
for　the　sake　of　God；　for　the　sake　of　his　dear　child　and
his　honour；　to　come　to　him　and　relieve　him　from　his
difficulty。　　He　was　in　prison；　he　wanted　a　hundred　pounds
to　set　him　freehe　entreated　them　to　come　to　him。
He　went　back　to　the　dining…room　after　dispatching　his
messenger　and　called　for　more　wine。　　He　laughed　and
talked　with　a　strange　boisterousness；　as　the　people
thought。　　Sometimes　he　laughed　madly　at　his　own　fears
and　went　on　drinking　for　an　hour；　listening　all　the　while
for　the　carriage　which　was　to　bring　his　fate　back。
At　the　expiration　of　that　time；　wheels　were　heard
whirling　up　to　the　gatethe　young　janitor　went　out
with　his　gate…keys。　　It　was　a　lady　whom　he　let　in　at　the
bailiff's　door。
〃Colonel　Crawley；〃　she　said；　trembling　very　much。　　He；
with　a　knowing　look；　locked　the　outer　door　upon　her
then　unlocked　and　opened　the　inner　one；　and　calling　out；
〃Colonel；　you're　wanted；〃　led　her　into　the　back　parlour；
which　he　occupied。
Rawdon　came　in　from　the　dining…parlour　where　all
those　people　were　carousing；　into　his　back　room；　a　flare
of　coarse　light　following　him　into　the　apartment　where
the　lady　stood；　still　very　nervous。
〃It　is　I；　Rawdon；〃　she　said　in　a　timid　voice；　which
she　strove　to　render　cheerful。　　〃It　is　Jane。〃　Rawdon　was
quite　overcome　by　that　kind　voice　and　presence。　　He　ran
up　to　hercaught　her　in　his　armsgasped　out　some
inarticulate　words　of　thanks　and　fairly　sobbed　on　her
shoulder。　　She　did　not　know　the　cause　of　his　emotion。
The　bills　of　Mr。　Moss　were　quickly　settled；　perhaps
to　the　disappointment　of　that　gentleman；　who　had　counted
on　having　the　Colonel　as　his　guest　over　Sunday　at　least；
and　Jane；　with　beaming　smiles　and　happiness　in　her　eyes；
carried　away　Rawdon　from　the　bailiff's　house；　and　they
went　homewards　in　the　cab　in　which　she　had