vanity fair(名利场)-第105章

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Emily；　who　is　too　enthusiastic；　but　rather　that　you　should
be　accompanied　by　our　sweet　and　dear　Lady　Jane。〃
〃Most　certainly；　Emily　would　ruin　everything；〃　Lady
Southdown　said；　and　this　time　agreed　to　forego　her　usual
practice；　which　was；　as　we　have　said；　before　she　bore
down　personally　upon　any　individual　whom　she　proposed
to　subjugate；　to　fire　in　a　quantity　of　tracts　upon　the
menaced　party　（as　a　charge　of　the　French　was　always
preceded　by　a　furious　cannonade）。　　Lady　Southdown；　we
say；　for　the　sake　of　the　invalid's　health；　or　for　the　sake
of　her　soul's　ultimate　welfare；　or　for　the　sake　of　her
money；　agreed　to　temporise。
The　next　day；　the　great　Southdown　female　family
carriage；　with　the　Earl's　coronet　and　the　lozenge　（upon
which　the　three　lambs　trottant　argent　upon　the　field　vert
of　the　Southdowns；　were　quartered　with　sable　on　a　bend
or；　three　snuff…mulls　gules；　the　cognizance　of　the　house　of
Binkie）；　drove　up　in　state　to　Miss　Crawley's　door；　and
the　tall　serious　footman　handed　in　to　Mr。　Bowls　her
Ladyship's　cards　for　Miss　Crawley；　and　one　likewise　for
Miss　Briggs。　　By　way　of　compromise；　Lady　Emily　sent　in　a
packet　in　the　evening　for　the　latter　lady；　containing
copies　of　the　〃Washerwoman；〃　and　other　mild　and　favourite
tracts　for　Miss　B。's　own　perusal；　and　a　few　for　the
servants'　hall；　viz。：　　〃Crumbs　from　the　Pantry；〃　〃The
Frying　Pan　and　the　Fire；〃　and　〃The　Livery　of　Sin；〃　of　a
much　stronger　kind。

CHAPTER　XXXIV
James　Crawley's　Pipe　Is　Put　Out
The　amiable　behaviour　of　Mr。　Crawley；　and　Lady　Jane's
kind　reception　of　her；　highly　flattered　Miss　Briggs；　who
was　enabled　to　speak　a　good　word　for　the　latter；　after
the　cards　of　the　Southdown　family　had　been　presented　to
Miss　Crawley。　　A　Countess's　card　left　personally　too　for
her；　Briggs；　was　not　a　little　pleasing　to　the　poor　friendless
companion。　　〃What　could　Lady　Southdown　mean　by
leaving　a　card　upon　you；　I　wonder；　Miss　Briggs？〃　said
the　republican　Miss　Crawley；　upon　which　the　companion
meekly　said　〃that　she　hoped　there　could　be　no　harm　in　a
lady　of　rank　taking　notice　of　a　poor　gentlewoman；〃　and
she　put　away　this　card　in　her　work…box　amongst　her　most
cherished　personal　treasures。　　Furthermore；　Miss　Briggs
explained　how　she　had　met　Mr。　Crawley　walking　with　his
cousin　and　long　affianced　bride　the　day　before：　　and　she
told　how　kind　and　gentle…looking　the　lady　was；　and　what
a　plain；　not　to　say　common；　dress　she　had；　all　the　articles
of　which；　from　the　bonnet　down　to　the　boots；　she
described　and　estimated　with　female　accuracy。
Miss　Crawley　allowed　Briggs　to　prattle　on　without
interrupting　her　too　much。　　As　she　got　well；　she　was　pining
for　society。　　Mr。　Creamer；　her　medical　man；　would　not
hear　of　her　returning　to　her　old　haunts　and　dissipation　in
London。　　The　old　spinster　was　too　glad　to　find　any
companionship　at　Brighton；　and　not　only　were　the　cards
acknowledged　the　very　next　day；　but　Pitt　Crawley　was
graciously　invited　to　come　and　see　his　aunt。　　He　came；
bringing　with　him　Lady　Southdown　and　her　daughter。　　The
dowager　did　not　say　a　word　about　the　state　of　Miss
Crawley's　soul；　but　talked　with　much　discretion　about　the
weather：　　about　the　war　and　the　downfall　of　the　monster
Bonaparte：　　and　above　all；　about　doctors；　quacks；　and　the
particular　merits　of　Dr。　Podgers；　whom　she　then
patronised。
During　their　interview　Pitt　Crawley　made　a　great
stroke；　and　one　which　showed　that；　had　his　diplomatic
career　not　been　blighted　by　early　neglect；　he　might　have
risen　to　a　high　rank　in　his　profession。　　When　the　Countess
Dowager　of　Southdown　fell　foul　of　the　Corsican　upstart；
as　the　fashion　was　in　those　days；　and　showed　that　he　was
a　monster　stained　with　every　conceivable　crime；　a　coward
and　a　tyrant　not　fit　to　live；　one　whose　fall　was　predicted；
&c。；　Pitt　Crawley　suddenly　took　up　the　cudgels　in　favour
of　the　man　of　Destiny。　　He　described　the　First　Consul　as
he　saw　him　at　Paris　at　the　peace　of　Amiens；　when　he；　Pitt
Crawley；　had　the　gratification　of　making　the　acquaintance
of　the　great　and　good　Mr。　Fox；　a　statesman　whom；
however　much　he　might　differ　with　him；　it　was　impossible　not
to　admire　ferventlya　statesman　who　had　always　had
the　highest　opinion　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon。　　And　he
spoke　in　terms　of　the　strongest　indignation　of　the　faithless
conduct　of　the　allies　towards　this　dethroned　monarch；
who；　after　giving　himself　generously　up　to　their　mercy；
was　consigned　to　an　ignoble　and　cruel　banishment；　while
a　bigoted　Popish　rabble　was　tyrannising　over　France　in
his　stead。
This　orthodox　horror　of　Romish　superstition　saved
Pitt　Crawley　in　Lady　Southdown's　opinion；　whilst　his
admiration　for　Fox　and　Napoleon　raised　him　immeasurably
in　Miss　Crawley's　eyes。　　Her　friendship　with　that
defunct　British　statesman　was　mentioned　when　we　first
introduced　her　in　this　history。　　A　true　Whig；　Miss　Crawley
had　been　in　opposition　all　through　the　war；　and　though；　to
be　sure；　the　downfall　of　the　Emperor　did　not　very　much
agitate　the　old　lady；　or　his　ill…treatment　tend　to　shorten
her　life　or　natural　rest；　yet　Pitt　spoke　to　her　heart　when
he　lauded　both　her　idols；　and　by　that　single　speech　made
immense　progress　in　her　favour。
〃And　what　do　you　think；　my　dear？〃　Miss　Crawley　said
to　the　young　lady；　for　whom　she　had　taken　a　liking　at
first　sight；　as　she　always　did　for　pretty　and　modest　young
people；　though　it　must　be　owned　her　affections　cooled　as
rapidly　as　they　rose。
Lady　Jane　blushed　very　much；　and　said　〃that　she　did
not　understand　politics；　which　she　left　to　wiser　heads
than　hers；　but　though　Mamma　was；　no　doubt；　correct；
Mr。　Crawley　had　spoken　beautifully。〃　And　when　the　ladies
were　retiring　at　the　conclusion　of　their　visit；　Miss　Crawley
hoped　〃Lady　Southdown　would　be　so　kind　as　to　send
her　Lady　Jane　sometimes；　if　she　could　be　spared　to　come
down　and　console　a　poor　sick　lonely　old　woman。〃　This
promise　was　graciously　accorded；　and　they　separated
upon　great　terms　of　amity。
〃Don't　let　Lady　Southdown　come　again；　Pitt；〃　said　the
old　lady。　　〃She　is　stupid　and　pompous；　like　all　your　mother's
family；　whom　I　never　could　endure。　　But　bring　that　nice
good…natured　little　Jane　as　often　as　ever　you　please。〃　Pitt
promised　that　he　would　do　so。　　He　did　not　tell　the　Countess
of　Southdown　what　opinion　his　aunt　had　formed　of
her　Ladyship；　who；　on　the　contrary；　thought　that　she　had
made　a　most　delightful　and　majestic　impression　on　Miss
Crawley。
And　so；　nothing　loth　to　comfort　a　sick　lady；　and
perhaps　not　sorry　in　her　heart　to　be　freed　now　and　again
from　the　dreary　spouting　of　the　Reverend　Bartholomew
Irons；　and　the　serious　toadies　who　gathered　round　the
footstool　of　the　pompous　Countess；　her　mamma；　Lady
Jane　became　a　pretty　constant　visitor　to　Miss　Crawley；
accompanied　her　in　her　drives；　and　solaced　many　of　her
evenings。　　She　was　so　naturally　good　and　soft；　that　even
Firkin　was　not　jealous　of　her；　and　the　gentle　Briggs
thought　her　friend　was　less　cruel　to　her　when　kind　Lady
Jane　was　by。　　Towards　her　Ladyship　Miss　Crawley's
manners　were　charming。　　The　old　spinster　told　her　a　thousand
anecdotes　about　her　youth；　talking　to　her　in　a　very
different　strain　from　that　in　which　she　had　been　accustomed
to　converse　with　the　godless　little　Rebecca；　for　there　was
that　in　Lady　Jane's　innocence　which　rendered　light　talking
　impertinence　before　her；　and　Miss　Crawley　was　too
much　of　a　gentlewoman　to　offend　such　purity。　　The　young
lady　herself　had　never　received　kindness　except　from　this
old　spinster；　and　her　brother　and　father：　　and　she　repaid
Miss　Crawley's　engoument　by　artless　sweetness　and
friendship。
In　the　autumn　evenings　（when　Rebecca　was　flaunting
at　Paris；　the　gayest　among　the　gay　conquerors　there；　and
our　Amelia；　our　dear　wounded　Amelia；　ah！　where　was
she？）　Lady　Jane　would　be　sitting　in　Miss　Crawley's
drawing…room　singing　sweetly　to　her；　in　the　twilight；　her
little　simple　songs　and　hymns；　while　the　sun　was　setting
and　the　sea　was　roaring　on　the　beach。　　The　old　spinster
used　to　wake　up　when　these　ditties　ceased；　and　ask　for
more。　　As　for　Briggs；　and　the　quantity　of　tears　of　happiness
which　she　now　shed　as　she　pretended　to　knit；　and
looked　out　at　the　splendid　ocean　darkling　before　the
windows；　and　the　lamps　of　heaven　beginn