vanity fair(名利场)-第24节

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never　at　home　togetherthey　hated　each　other　cordially：
indeed；　Rawdon　Crawley；　the　dragoon；　had　a　great
contempt　for　the　establishment　altogether；　and　seldom　came
thither　except　when　his　aunt　paid　her　annual　visit。
　　
The　great　good　quality　of　this　old　lady　has　been
mentioned。　　She　possessed　seventy　thousand　pounds；　and
had　almost　adopted　Rawdon。　　She　disliked　her　elder　nephew
exceedingly；　and　despised　him　as　a　milksop。　　In　return
he　did　not　hesitate　to　state　that　her　soul　was　irretrievably
lost；　and　was　of　opinion　that　his　brother's　chance
in　the　next　world　was　not　a　whit　better。　　〃She　is　a
godless　woman　of　the　world；〃　would　Mr。　Crawley　say；　〃she
lives　with　atheists　and　Frenchmen。　　My　mind　shudders
when　I　think　of　her　awful；　awful　situation；　and　that；
near　as　she　is　to　the　grave；　she　should　be　so　given　up
to　vanity；　licentiousness；　profaneness；　and　folly。〃　In　fact；
the　old　lady　declined　altogether　to　hear　his　hour's　lecture
of　an　evening；　and　when　she　came　to　Queen's　Crawley
alone；　he　was　obliged　to　pretermit　his　usual　devotional
exercises。
　　
〃Shut　up　your　sarmons；　Pitt；　when　Miss　Crawley
comes　down；〃　said　his　father；　〃she　has　written　to　say
that　she　won't　stand　the　preachifying。〃
　
〃O；　sir！　consider　the　servants。〃
　　
〃The　servants　be　hanged；〃　said　Sir　Pitt；　and　his　son
thought　even　worse　would　happen　were　they　deprived　of
the　benefit　of　his　instruction。
　　
〃Why；　hang　it；　Pitt！〃　said　the　father　to　his　remonstrance。
〃You　wouldn't　be　such　a　flat　as　to　let　three　thousand　a
year　go　out　of　the　family？〃
　　
〃What　is　money　compared　to　our　souls；　sir？〃　continued
Mr。　Crawley。
　　
〃You　mean　that　the　old　lady　won't　leave　the　money
to　you？〃and　who　knows　but　it　was　Mr。　Crawley's
meaning？
　　
Old　Miss　Crawley　was　certainly　one　of　the　reprobate。
She　had　a　snug　little　house　in　Park　Lane；　and；　as　she　ate
and　drank　a　great　deal　too　much　during　the　season　in
London；　she　went　to　Harrowgate　or　Cheltenham　for
the　summer。　　She　was　the　most　hospitable　and　jovial　of
old　vestals；　and　had　been　a　beauty　in　her　day；　she　said。
（All　old　women　were　beauties　once；　we　very　well　know。）
She　was　a　bel　esprit；　and　a　dreadful　Radical　for　those
days。　　She　had　been　in　France　（where　St。　Just；　they　say；
inspired　her　with　an　unfortunate　passion）；　and　loved；
ever　after；　French　novels；　French　cookery；　and　French
wines。　　She　read　Voltaire；　and　had　Rousseau　by　heart；
talked　very　lightly　about　divorce；　and　most　energetically
of　the　rights　of　women。　　She　had　pictures　of　Mr。　Fox
in　every　room　in　the　house：　when　that　statesman　was
in　opposition；　I　am　not　sure　that　she　had　not　flung　a
main　with　him；　and　when　he　came　into　office；　she　took
great　credit　for　bringing　over　to　him　Sir　Pitt　and　his
colleague　for　Queen's　Crawley；　although　Sir　Pitt　would
have　come　over　himself；　without　any　trouble　on　the　honest
lady's　part。　　It　is　needless　to　say　that　Sir　Pitt　was　brought
to　change　his　views　after　the　death　of　the　great　Whig
statesman。
　　
This　worthy　old　lady　took　a　fancy　to　Rawdon　Crawley
when　a　boy；　sent　him　to　Cambridge　（in　opposition　to
his　brother　at　Oxford）；　and；　when　the　young　man　was
requested　by　the　authorities　of　the　first…named　University
to　quit　after　a　residence　of　two　years；　she　bought　him
his　commission　in　the　Life　Guards　Green。
　　
A　perfect　and　celebrated　〃blood；〃　or　dandy　about　town；
was　this　young　officer。　　Boxing；　rat…hunting；　the　fives　court；
and　four…in…hand　driving　were　then　the　fashion　of　our
British　aristocracy；　and　he　was　an　adept　in　all　these
noble　sciences。　　And　though　he　belonged　to　the
household　troops；　who；　as　it　was　their　duty　to　rally　round　the
Prince　Regent；　had　not　shown　their　valour　in　foreign
service　yet；　Rawdon　Crawley　had　already　（apropos　of
play；　of　which　he　was　immoderately　fond）　fought　three
bloody　duels；　in　which　he　gave　ample　proofs　of　his
contempt　for　death。
　　
〃And　for　what　follows　after　death；〃　would　Mr。
Crawley　observe；　throwing　his　gooseberry…coloured　eyes
up　to　the　ceiling。　　He　was　always　thinking　of　his　brother's
soul；　or　of　the　souls　of　those　who　differed　with　him　in
opinion：　it　is　a　sort　of　comfort　which　many　of　the
serious　give　themselves。
　　
Silly；　romantic　Miss　Crawley；　far　from　being　horrified
at　the　courage　of　her　favourite；　always　used　to　pay　his
debts　after　his　duels；　and　would　not　listen　to　a　word
that　was　whispered　against　his　morality。　　〃He　will　sow
his　wild　oats；〃　she　would　say；　〃and　is　worth　far　more
than　that　puling　hypocrite　of　a　brother　of　his。〃

CHAPTER　XI
Arcadian　Simplicity
Besides　these　honest　folks　at　the　Hall　（whose　simplicity
and　sweet　rural　purity　surely　show　the　advantage　of　a
country　life　over　a　town　one）；　we　must　introduce　the
reader　to　their　relatives　and　neighbours　at　the　Rectory；
Bute　Crawley　and　his　wife。
　　
The　Reverend　Bute　Crawley　was　a　tall；　stately；　jolly；
shovel…hatted　man；　far　more　popular　in　his　county　than
the　Baronet　his　brother。　　At　college　he　pulled　stroke…oar
in　the　Christchurch　boat；　and　had　thrashed　all　the　best
bruisers　of　the　〃town。〃　He　carried　his　taste　for　boxing
and　athletic　exercises　into　private　life；　there　was　not　a
fight　within　twenty　miles　at　which　he　was　not　present；
nor　a　race；　nor　a　coursing　match；　nor　a　regatta；　nor　a
ball；　nor　an　election；　nor　a　visitation　dinner；　nor　indeed
a　good　dinner　in　the　whole　county；　but　he　found　means
to　attend　it。　　You　might　see　his　bay　mare　and　gig…lamps
a　score　of　miles　away　from　his　Rectory　House；　whenever
there　was　any　dinner…party　at　Fuddleston；　or　at　Roxby；
or　at　Wapshot　Hall；　or　at　the　great　lords　of　the　county；
with　all　of　whom　he　was　intimate。　　He　had　a　fine　voice；
sang　〃A　southerly　wind　and　a　cloudy　sky〃；　and　gave
the　〃whoop〃　in　chorus　with　general　applause。　　He　rode
to　hounds　in　a　pepper…and…salt　frock；　and　was　one　of　the
best　fishermen　in　the　county。
　　
Mrs。　Crawley；　the　rector's　wife；　was　a　smart　little　body；
who　wrote　this　worthy　divine's　sermons。　　Being　of　a
domestic　turn；　and　keeping　the　house　a　great　deal　with　her
daughters；　she　ruled　absolutely　within　the　Rectory；　wisely
giving　her　husband　full　liberty　without。　　He　was　welcome
to　come　and　go；　and　dine　abroad　as　many　days　as　his
fancy　dictated；　for　Mrs。　Crawley　was　a　saving　woman　and
knew　the　price　of　port　wine。　　Ever　since　Mrs。　Bute　carried
off　the　young　Rector　of　Queen's　Crawley　（she　was　of　a
good　family；　daughter　of　the　late　Lieut。…Colonel
Hector　McTavish；　and　she　and　her　mother　played　for
Bute　and　won　him　at　Harrowgate）；　she　had　been　a　prudent
and　thrifty　wife　to　him。　　In　spite　of　her　care；　however；　he
was　always　in　debt。　　It　took　him　at　least　ten　years　to　pay
off　his　college　bills　contracted　during　his　father's　lifetime。
In　the　year　179…；　when　he　was　just　clear　of　these
incumbrances；　he　gave　the　odds　of　100　to　1　（in　twenties）
against　Kangaroo；　who　won　the　Derby。　　The　Rector　was
obliged　to　take　up　the　money　at　a　ruinous　interest；　and
had　been　struggling　ever　since。　　His　sister　helped　him　with
a　hundred　now　and　then；　but　of　course　his　great　hope　was
in　her　deathwhen　〃hang　it〃　（as　he　would　say）；　〃Matilda
must　leave　me　half　her　money。〃
　　
So　that　the　Baronet　and　his　brother　had　every　reason
which　two　brothers　possibly　can　have　for　being　by　the
ears。　　Sir　Pitt　had　had　the　better　of　Bute　in　innumerable
family　transactions。　　Young　Pitt　not　only　did　not　hunt；　but
set　up　a　meeting　house　under　his　uncle's　very　nose。
Rawdon；　it　was　known；　was　to　come　in　for　the　bulk　of　Miss
Crawley's　property。　　These　money　transactionsthese
speculations　in　life　and　deaththese　silent　battles　for
reversionary　spoilmake　brothers　very　loving　towards
each　other　in　Vanity　Fair。　　I；　for　my　part；　have　known　a
five…pound　note　to　interpose　and　knock　up　a　half　century's
attachment　between　two　brethren；　and　can't　but　admire；
as　I　think　what　a　fine　and　durable　thing　Love　is　among
worldly　people。
　　
It　cannot　be　supposed　that　the　arrival　of　such　a
personage　as　Rebecca　at　Queen's　Crawley；　and　her　gradual
establishment　in　the　good　graces　of　all　people　there；　could
be　unremarked　by　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley。　　Mrs。　Bute；　who
knew　how　many　days　the　sirloin　of　beef　lasted　at　the　Hall；
how　much　linen　was　got　ready　at　the　great　wash；　how
many　peaches　were　on　the　south　wall；　how　many　doses
her　ladyship　took　when　she　was　illfor　such　points　are
matters　of　intense　interest　to　certain　persons　in　the
countryMrs。　Bute；　I　say；　could　not　pass　over　the　Hall
governess　without　making　every　inquiry　respecting　her
history　and　character。　　There　was　always　the　best　understanding
between　the　servants　at　the　Rectory　and　the　Hall。
There　was　always　a　good　glass　of　ale　in　the　kitchen　of　the
former　place　for　the　Hall　people；　whose　ordinary　drink
was　very　smalland；　indeed；　the　Rector's　lady　knew
exactly　how　much　malt　went　to　every　barrel　of　Hall　beer
ties　of　relationship　existed　between　the　Hall　and　Rectory
domestics；　as　between　their　masters；　and　through　these
channels　each　family　was　perfectly　well　acquainted　with
the　doings　of　the　other。　　That；　by　the　way；　may　be　set
down　as　a　general　remark。　　When　you　and　your　brother
are　friends；　his　doings　are　indifferent　to　you。　　When　you
have　quarrelled；　all　his　outgoings　and　incomings　you
know；　as　if　you　were　his　spy。
Very　soon　then　after　h