vanity fair(名利场)-第181节

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without　payingthey　have　duels　with　French　and　German
officersthey　cheat　Mr。　Spooney　at　ecartethey　get
the　money　and　drive　off　to　Baden　in　magnificent　britzkas
they　try　their　infallible　martingale　and　lurk　about　the
tables　with　empty　pockets；　shabby　bullies；　penniless
bucks；　until　they　can　swindle　a　Jew　banker　with　a　sham
bill　of　exchange；　or　find　another　Mr。　Spooney　to　rob。
The　alternations　of　splendour　and　misery　which　these
people　undergo　are　very　queer　to　view。　　Their　life　must
be　one　of　great　excitement。　　Beckymust　it　be　owned？
took　to　this　life；　and　took　to　it　not　unkindly。　　She　went
about　from　town　to　town　among　these　Bohemians。　　The
lucky　Mrs。　Rawdon　was　known　at　every　play…table　in
Germany。　　She　and　Madame　de　Cruchecassee　kept　house　at
Florence　together。　　It　is　said　she　was　ordered　out　of
Munich；　and　my　friend　Mr。　Frederick　Pigeon　avers　that　it
was　at　her　house　at　Lausanne　that　he　was　hocussed　at
supper　and　lost　eight　hundred　pounds　to　Major　Loder
and　the　Honourable　Mr。　Deuceace。　　We　are　bound；　you
see；　to　give　some　account　of　Becky's　biography；　but　of
this　part；　the　less；　perhaps；　that　is　said　the　better。
They　say　that；　when　Mrs。　Crawley　was　particularly
down　on　her　luck；　she　gave　concerts　and　lessons　in　music
here　and　there。　　There　was　a　Madame　de　Raudon；　who
certainly　had　a　matinee　musicale　at　Wildbad；
accompanied　by　Herr　Spoff；　premier　pianist　to　the　Hospodar　of
Wallachia；　and　my　little　friend　Mr。　Eaves；　who　knew
everybody　and　had　travelled　everywhere；　always　used　to
declare　that　he　was　at　Strasburg　in　the　year　1830；　when　a
certain　Madame　Rebecque　made　her　appearance　in　the
opera　of　the　Dame　Blanche；　giving　occasion　to　a　furious
row　in　the　theatre　there。　　She　was　hissed　off　the　stage　by
the　audience；　partly　from　her　own　incompetency；　but
chiefly　from　the　ill…advised　sympathy　of　some　persons　in
the　parquet；　（where　the　officers　of　the　garrison　had　their
admissions）；　and　Eaves　was　certain　that　the　unfortunate
debutante　in　question　was　no　other　than　Mrs。
Rawdon　Crawley。
She　was；　in　fact；　no　better　than　a　vagabond　upon　this
earth。　　When　she　got　her　money　she　gambled；　when　she
had　gambled　it　she　was　put　to　shifts　to　live；　who　knows
how　or　by　what　means　she　succeeded？　It　is　said　that　she
was　once　seen　at　St。　　Petersburg；　but　was　summarily
dismissed　from　that　capital　by　the　police；　so　that　there
cannot　be　any　possibility　of　truth　in　the　report　that　she　was
a　Russian　spy　at　Toplitz　and　Vienna　afterwards。　　I　have
even　been　informed　that　at　Paris　she　discovered　a
relation　of　her　own；　no　less　a　person　than　her　maternal
grandmother；　who　was　not　by　any　means　a
Montmorenci；　but　a　hideous　old　box…opener　at　a　theatre　on
the　Boulevards。　　The　meeting　between　them；　of　which
other　persons；　as　it　is　hinted　elsewhere；　seem　to　have
been　acquainted；　must　have　been　a　very　affecting
interview。　　The　present　historian　can　give　no　certain　details
regarding　the　event。
It　happened　at　Rome　once　that　Mrs。　de　Rawdon's　half…
year's　salary　had　just　been　paid　into　the　principal
banker's　there；　and；　as　everybody　who　had　a　balance　of
above　five　hundred　scudi　was　invited　to　the　balls　which
this　prince　of　merchants　gave　during　the　winter；　Becky
had　the　honour　of　a　card；　and　appeared　at　one　of　the
Prince　and　Princess　Polonia's　splendid　evening　entertainments。
The　Princess　was　of　the　family　of　Pompili；　lineally
descended　from　the　second　king　of　Rome；　and　Egeria
of　the　house　of　Olympus；　while　the　Prince's　grandfather；
Alessandro　Polonia；　sold　wash…balls；　essences；
tobacco；　and　pocket…handkerchiefs；　ran　errands　for
gentlemen；　and　lent　money　in　a　small　way。　　All　the　great
company　in　Rome　thronged　to　his　saloonsPrinces；
Dukes；　Ambassadors；　artists；　fiddlers；　monsignori；　young
bears　with　their　leadersevery　rank　and　condition　of
man。　　His　halls　blazed　with　light　and　magnificence；　were
resplendent　with　gilt　frames　（containing　pictures）；　and
dubious　antiques；　and　the　enormous　gilt　crown　and　arms
of　the　princely　owner；　a　gold　mushroom　on　a　crimson
field　（the　colour　of　the　pocket…handkerchiefs　which　he
sold）；　and　the　silver　fountain　of　the　Pompili　family　shone
all　over　the　roof；　doors；　and　panels　of　the　house；　and
over　the　grand　velvet　baldaquins　prepared　to　receive
Popes　and　Emperors。
So　Becky；　who　had　arrived　in　the　diligence　from
Florence；　and　was　lodged　at　an　inn　in　a　very　modest　way；
got　a　card　for　Prince　Polonia's　entertainment；　and　her
maid　dressed　her　with　unusual　care；　and　she　went　to　this
fine　ball　leaning　on　the　arm　of　Major　Loder；　with　whom
she　happened　to　be　travelling　at　the　time（the　same
man　who　shot　Prince　Ravoli　at　Naples　the　next　year；　and
was　caned　by　Sir　John　Buckskin　for　carrying　four　kings
in　his　hat　besides　those　which　he　used　in　playing　at
ecarte　）and　this　pair　went　into　the　rooms　together；
and　Becky　saw　a　number　of　old　faces　which　she
remembered　in　happier　days；　when　she　was　not　innocent；
but　not　found　out。　　Major　Loder　knew　a　great　number
of　foreigners；　keen…looking　whiskered　men　with　dirty
striped　ribbons　in　their　buttonholes；　and　a　very　small
display　of　linen；　but　his　own　countrymen；　it　might　be
remarked；　eschewed　the　Major。　　Becky；　too；　knew　some
ladies　here　and　thereFrench　widows；　dubious　Italian
countesses；　whose　husbands　had　treated　them　illfaugh
what　shall　we　say；　we　who　have　moved　among
some　of　the　finest　company　of　Vanity　Fair；　of　this　refuse
and　sediment　of　rascals？　If　we　play；　let　it　be　with　clean
cards；　and　not　with　this　dirty　pack。　　But　every　man　who
has　formed　one　of　the　innumerable　army　of　travellers
has　seen　these　marauding　irregulars　hanging　on；　like
Nym　and　Pistol；　to　the　main　force；　wearing　the　king's
colours　and　boasting　of　his　commission；　but　pillaging
for　themselves；　and　occasionally　gibbeted　by　the　roadside。
Well；　she　was　hanging　on　the　arm　of　Major　Loder；
and　they　went　through　the　rooms　together；　and　drank　a
great　quantity　of　champagne　at　the　buffet；　where　the
people；　and　especially　the　Major's　irregular　corps；
struggled　furiously　for　refreshments；　of　which　when　the
pair　had　had　enough；　they　pushed　on　until　they　reached
the　Duchess's　own　pink　velvet　saloon；　at　the　end　of　the
suite　of　apartments　（where　the　statue　of　the　Venus　is；
and　the　great　Venice　looking…glasses；　framed　in　silver）；
and　where　the　princely　family　were　entertaining　their
most　distinguished　guests　at　a　round　table　at　supper。　　It
was　just　such　a　little　select　banquet　as　that　of　which
Becky　recollected　that　she　had　partaken　at　Lord　Steyne's
and　there　he　sat　at　Polonia's　table；　and　she　saw　him。
The　scar　cut　by　the　diamond　on　his　white；　bald；
shining　forehead　made　a　burning　red　mark；　his　red　whiskers
were　dyed　of　a　purple　hue；　which　made　his　pale　face
look　still　paler。　　He　wore　his　collar　and　orders；　his　blue
ribbon　and　garter。　　He　was　a　greater　Prince　than　any
there；　though　there　was　a　reigning　Duke　and　a　Royal
Highness；　with　their　princesses；　and　near　his　Lordship
was　seated　the　beautiful　Countess　of　Belladonna；　nee
de　Glandier；　whose　husband　（the　Count　Paolo　della
Belladonna）；　so　well　known　for　his　brilliant　entomological
collections；　had　been　long　absent　on　a　mission　to　the
Emperor　of　Morocco。
When　Becky　beheld　that　familiar　and　illustrious　face；
how　vulgar　all　of　a　sudden　did　Major　Loder　appear　to
her；　and　how　that　odious　Captain　Rook　did　smell　of
tobacco！　　In　one　instant　she　reassumed　her　fine…ladyship
and　tried　to　look　and　feel　as　if　she　were　in　May　Fair
once　more。　　〃That　woman　looks　stupid　and　ill…humoured；〃
she　thought；　〃I　am　sure　she　can't　amuse　him。　　No；　he　must
be　bored　by　herhe　never　was　by　me。〃　A　hundred　such
touching　hopes；　fears；　and　memories　palpitated　in　her
little　heart；　as　she　looked　with　her　brightest　eyes　（the
rouge　which　she　wore　up　to　her　eyelids　made　them
twinkle）　towards　the　great　nobleman。　　Of　a　Star　and　Garter
night　Lord　Steyne　used　also　to　put　on　his　grandest
manner　and　to　look　and　speak　like　a　great　prince；　as　he　was。
Becky　admired　him　smiling　sumptuously；　easy；　lofty；　and
stately。　　Ah；　bon　Dieu；　what　a　pleasant　companion　he
was；　what　a　brilliant　wit；　what　a　rich　fund　of　talk；　what
a　grand　manner！and　she　had　exchanged　this　for　Major
Loder；　reeking　of　cigars　and　brandy…and…water；　and
Captain　Rook　with　his　horsejockey　jokes　and　prize…ring
slang；　and　their　like。　　〃I　wonder　whether　he　will　know
me；〃　she　thought。　　Lord　Steyne　was　talking　and　laughing
with　a　great　and　illustrious　lady　at　his　side；　when　he
looked　up　and　saw　Becky。
She　was　all　over　in　a　flutter　as　their　eyes　met；　and　she
put　on　the　very　best　smile　she　could　muster；　and　dropped
him　a　little；　timid；　imploring　curtsey。　　He　stared　aghast
at　her　for　a　minute；　as　Macbeth　might　on　beholding
Banquo's　sudden　appearance　at　his　ball…supper；　and　remained
looking　at　her　with　open　mouth；　when　that　horrid　Major
Loder　pulled　her　away。
〃Come　away　into　the　supper…room；　Mrs。　R。；〃　was　that
gentleman's　remark：　　〃seeing　these　nobs　grubbing　away
has　made　me　peckish　too。　　Let's　go　and　try　the　old
governor's　champagne。〃　Becky　thought　the　Major　had　had
a　great　deal　too　much　already。
The　day　after　she　went　to　walk　on　the　Pincian　Hill
the　Hyde　Park　of　the　Roman　idlerspossibly　in　hopes　to
have　another　sight　of　Lord　Steyne。　　But　she　met　anot