vanity fair(名利场)-第3节

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Sambo　of　the　bandy　legs　slammed　the　carriage　door
on　his　young　weeping　mistress。　　He　sprang　up　behind　the
carriage。　　〃Stop！〃　cried　Miss　Jemima；　rushing　to　the　gate
with　a　parcel。
〃It's　some　sandwiches；　my　dear；〃　said　she　to　Amelia。
〃You　may　be　hungry；　you　know；　and　Becky；　Becky
Sharp；　here's　a　book　for　you　that　my　sisterthat　is；　I
Johnson's　Dixonary；　you　know；　you　mustn't　leave　us
without　that。　　Good…by。　　Drive　on；　coachman。　　God　bless
you！〃
And　the　kind　creature　retreated　into　the　garden；
overcome　with　emotion。
But；　lo！　and　just　as　the　coach　drove　off；　Miss　Sharp　put
her　pale　face　out　of　the　window　and　actually　flung　the
book　back　into　the　garden。
This　almost　caused　Jemima　to　faint　with　terror。　　〃Well；
I　never〃said　she〃what　an　audacious〃Emotion
prevented　her　from　completing　either　sentence。　　The
carriage　rolled　away；　the　great　gates　were　closed；　the　bell
rang　for　the　dancing　lesson。　　The　world　is　before　the　two
young　ladies；　and　so；　farewell　to　Chiswick　Mall。

CHAPTER　II
In　Which　Miss　Sharp　and　Miss　Sedley
Prepare　to　Open　the　Campaign
When　Miss　Sharp　had　performed　the　heroical　act
mentioned　in　the　last　chapter；　and　had　seen　the　Dixonary；
flying　over　the　pavement　of　the　little　garden；　fall　at　length
at　the　feet　of　the　astonished　Miss　Jemima；　the　young
lady's　countenance；　which　had　before　worn　an　almost
livid　look　of　hatred；　assumed　a　smile　that　perhaps　was
scarcely　more　agreeable；　and　she　sank　back　in　the
carriage　in　an　easy　frame　of　mind；　saying〃So　much　for
the　Dixonary；　and；　thank　God；　I'm　out　of　Chiswick。〃
Miss　Sedley　was　almost　as　flurried　at　the　act　of　defiance
as　Miss　Jemima　had　been；　for；　consider；　it　was　but　one
minute　that　she　had　left　school；　and　the　impressions　of
six　years　are　not　got　over　in　that　space　of　time。　　Nay；
with　some　persons　those　awes　and　terrors　of　youth　last
for　ever　and　ever。　　I　know；　for　instance；　an　old　gentleman
of　sixty…eight；　who　said　to　me　one　morning　at　breakfast；
with　a　very　agitated　countenance；　〃I　dreamed　last
night　that　I　was　flogged　by　Dr。　Raine。〃　Fancy　had　carried
him　back　five…and…fifty　years　in　the　course　of　that
evening。　　Dr。　Raine　and　his　rod　were　just　as　awful　to　him
in　his　heart；　then；　at　sixty…eight；　as　they　had　been　at
thirteen。　　If　the　Doctor；　with　a　large　birch；　had　appeared
bodily　to　him；　even　at　the　age　of　threescore　and　eight；
and　had　said　in　awful　voice；　〃Boy；　take　down　your
pant〃？　Well；　well；　Miss　Sedley　was　exceedingly
alarmed　at　this　act　of　insubordination。
〃How　could　you　do　so；　Rebecca？〃　at　last　she　said；
after　a　pause。
〃Why；　do　you　think　Miss　Pinkerton　will　come　out　and
order　me　back　to　the　black…hole？〃　said　Rebecca；　laughing。
〃No：　but〃
〃I　hate　the　whole　house；〃　continued　Miss　Sharp　in　a
fury。　　〃I　hope　I　may　never　set　eyes　on　it　again。　　I　wish　it
were　in　the　bottom　of　the　Thames；　I　do；　and　if　Miss
Pinkerton　were　there；　I　wouldn't　pick　her　out；　that　I
wouldn't。　　O　how　I　should　like　to　see　her　floating　in　the
water　yonder；　turban　and　all；　with　her　train　streaming
after　her；　and　her　nose　like　the　beak　of　a　wherry。〃
〃Hush！〃　cried　Miss　Sedley。
〃Why；　will　the　black　footman　tell　tales？〃　cried　Miss
Rebecca；　laughing。　　〃He　may　go　back　and　tell　Miss
Pinkerton　that　I　hate　her　with　all　my　soul；　and　I　wish　he
would；　and　I　wish　I　had　a　means　of　proving　it；　too。　　For
two　years　I　have　only　had　insults　and　outrage　from　her。
I　have　been　treated　worse　than　any　servant　in　the　kitchen。
I　have　never　had　a　friend　or　a　kind　word；　except　from
you。　　I　have　been　made　to　tend　the　little　girls　in　the　lower
schoolroom；　and　to　talk　French　to　the　Misses；　until　I
grew　sick　of　my　mother　tongue。　　But　that　talking　French
to　Miss　Pinkerton　was　capital　fun；　wasn't　it？　She　doesn't
know　a　word　of　French；　and　was　too　proud　to　confess
it。　　I　believe　it　was　that　which　made　her　part　with　me；
and　so　thank　Heaven　for　French。　　Vive　la　France！　Vive
l'Empereur！　Vive　Bonaparte！〃
〃O　Rebecca；　Rebecca；　for　shame！〃　cried　Miss　Sedley；
for　this　was　the　greatest　blasphemy　Rebecca　had　as　yet
uttered；　and　in　those　days；　in　England；　to　say；　〃Long　live
Bonaparte！〃　was　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Long　live　Lucifer！〃
〃How　can　youhow　dare　you　have　such　wicked；
revengeful　thoughts？〃
〃Revenge　may　be　wicked；　but　it's　natural；〃　answered
Miss　Rebecca。　　〃I'm　no　angel。〃　And；　to　say　the　truth；　she
certainly　was　not。
For　it　may　be　remarked　in　the　course　of　this　little
conversation　（which　took　place　as　the　coach　rolled　along
lazily　by　the　river　side）　that　though　Miss　Rebecca　Sharp
has　twice　had　occasion　to　thank　Heaven；　it　has　been；　in
the　first　place；　for　ridding　her　of　some　person　whom　she
hated；　and　secondly；　for　enabling　her　to　bring　her
enemies　to　some　sort　of　perplexity　or　confusion；　neither
of　which　are　very　amiable　motives　for　religious　gratitude；
or　such　as　would　be　put　forward　by　persons　of　a　kind
and　placable　disposition。　　Miss　Rebecca　was　not；　then；　in
the　least　kind　or　placable。　　All　the　world　used　her　ill；　said
this　young　misanthropist；　and　we　may　be　pretty　certain
that　persons　whom　all　the　world　treats　ill；　deserve
entirely　the　treatment　they　get。　　The　world　is　a　looking…
glass；　and　gives　back　to　every　man　the　reflection　of　his
own　face。　　Frown　at　it；　and　it　will　in　turn　look　sourly
upon　you；　laugh　at　it　and　with　it；　and　it　is　a　jolly　kind
companion；　and　so　let　all　young　persons　take　their　choice。
This　is　certain；　that　if　the　world　neglected　Miss　Sharp；
she　never　was　known　to　have　done　a　good　action　in
behalf　of　anybody；　nor　can　it　be　expected　that　twenty…
four　young　ladies　should　all　be　as　amiable　as　the　heroine
of　this　work；　Miss　Sedley　（whom　we　have　selected　for
the　very　reason　that　she　was　the　best…natured　of　all；
otherwise　what　on　earth　was　to　have　prevented　us　from
putting　up　Miss　Swartz；　or　Miss　Crump；　or　Miss　Hopkins；
as　heroine　in　her　place！）it　could　not　be　expected　that
every　one　should　be　of　the　humble　and　gentle　temper
of　Miss　Amelia　Sedley；　should　take　every　opportunity　to
vanquish　Rebecca's　hard…heartedness　and　ill…humour；　and；
by　a　thousand　kind　words　and　offices；　overcome；　for　once
at　least；　her　hostility　to　her　kind。
Miss　Sharp's　father　was　an　artist；　and　in　that　quality
had　given　lessons　of　drawing　at　Miss　Pinkerton's　school。
He　was　a　clever　man；　a　pleasant　companion；　a　careless
student；　with　a　great　propensity　for　running　into　debt；
and　a　partiality　for　the　tavern。　　When　he　was　drunk；　he
used　to　beat　his　wife　and　daughter；　and　the　next　morning；
with　a　headache；　he　would　rail　at　the　world　for　its　neglect
of　his　genius；　and　abuse；　with　a　good　deal　of　cleverness；
and　sometimes　with　perfect　reason；　the　fools；　his　brother
painters。　　As　it　was　with　the　utmost　difficulty　that　he
could　keep　himself；　and　as　he　owed　money　for　a　mile
round　Soho；　where　he　lived；　he　thought　to　better　his
circumstances　by　marrying　a　young　woman　of　the　French
nation；　who　was　by　profession　an　opera…girl。　　The　humble
calling　of　her　female　parent　Miss　Sharp　never　alluded　to；
but　used　to　state　subsequently　that　the　Entrechats　were
a　noble　family　of　Gascony；　and　took　great　pride　in　her
descent　from　them。　　And　curious　it　is　that　as　she　advanced
in　life　this　young　lady's　ancestors　increased　in　rank　and
splendour。
Rebecca's　mother　had　had　some　education　somewhere；
and　her　daughter　spoke　French　with　purity　and　a　Parisian
accent。　　It　was　in　those　days　rather　a　rare　accomplishment；
and　led　to　her　engagement　with　the　orthodox　Miss
Pinkerton。　　For　her　mother　being　dead；　her　father；　finding
himself　not　likely　to　recover；　after　his　third　attack　of
delirium　tremens；　wrote　a　manly　and　pathetic　letter　to
Miss　Pinkerton；　recommending　the　orphan　child　to　her
protection；　and　so　descended　to　the　grave；　after　two
bailiffs　had　quarrelled　over　his　corpse。　　Rebecca　was
seventeen　when　she　came　to　Chiswick；　and　was　bound
over　as　an　articled　pupil；　her　duties　being　to　talk　French；
as　we　have　seen；　and　her　privileges　to　live　cost　free；　and；
with　a　few　guineas　a　year；　to　gather　scraps　of　knowledge
from　the　professors　who　attended　the　school。
She　was　small　and　slight　in　person；　pale；　sandy…haired；
and　with　eyes　habitually　cast　down：　when　they　looked　up
they　were　very　large；　odd；　and　attractive；　so　attractive
that　the　Reverend　Mr。　Crisp；　fresh　from　Oxford；　and
curate　to　the　Vicar　of　Chiswick；　the　Reverend　Mr。
Flowerdew；　fell　in　love　with　Miss　Sharp；　being　shot　dead
by　a　glance　of　her　eyes　which　was　fired　all　the　way　across
Chiswick　Church　from　the　school…pew　to　the　reading…
desk。　　This　infatuated　young　man　used　sometimes　to　take
tea　with　Miss　Pinkerton；　to　whom　he　had　been　presented
by　his　mamma；　and　actually　proposed　something　like
marriage　in　an　intercepted　note；　which　the　one…eyed
apple…woman　was　charged　to　deliver。　　Mrs。　Crisp　was
summoned　from　Buxton；　and　abruptly　carried　off　her　darling
boy；　but　the　idea；　even；　of　such　an　eagle　in　the　Chiswick
dovecot　caused　a　great　flutter　in　the　breast　of　Miss
Pinkerton；　who　would　have　sent　away　Miss　Sharp　but　that
she　was　bound　to　her　under　a　forfeit；　and　who　never
could　thoroughly　believe　the　young　lady's　protestations
that　she　had　never　exchanged　a　single　word　with　Mr。
Crisp；　except　under　her　own　eyes　on　the　two　occasions
when　she　had　met　him　at　tea。
By　the　side　of　many　ta