vanity fair(名利场)-第107章

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Pitt　was　in　the　room　with　Miss　Crawley　when　the　lad
was　announced；　and　looked　very　blank　when　his　name
was　mentioned。　　The　old　lady　had　plenty　of　humour；　and
enjoyed　her　correct　nephew's　perplexity。　　She　asked　after
all　the　people　at　the　Rectory　with　great　interest；　and　said
she　was　thinking　of　paying　them　a　visit。　　She　praised　the
lad　to　his　face；　and　said　he　was　well…grown　and　very　much
improved；　and　that　it　was　a　pity　his　sisters　had　not　some
of　his　good　looks；　and　finding；　on　inquiry；　that　he　had
taken　up　his　quarters　at　an　hotel；　would　not　hear　of　his
stopping　there；　but　bade　Mr。　Bowls　send　for　Mr。　James
Crawley's　things　instantly；　〃and　hark　ye；　Bowls；〃　she
added；　with　great　graciousness；　〃you　will　have　the
goodness　to　pay　Mr。　James's　bill。〃
She　flung　Pitt　a　look　of　arch　triumph；　which　caused
that　diplomatist　almost　to　choke　with　envy。　　Much　as　he
had　ingratiated　himself　with　his　aunt；　she　had　never　yet
invited　him　to　stay　under　her　roof；　and　here　was　a　young
whipper…snapper；　who　at　first　sight　was　made　welcome
there。
〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　says　Bowls；　advancing　with　a
profound　bow；　〃what　otel；　sir；　shall　Thomas　fetch　the
luggage　from？〃
〃O；　dam；〃　said　young　James；　starting　up；　as　if　in　some
alarm；　〃I'll　go。〃
〃What！〃　said　Miss　Crawley。
〃The　Tom　Cribb's　Arms；〃　said　James；　blushing　deeply。
Miss　Crawley　burst　out　laughing　at　this　title。　　Mr。
Bowls　gave　one　abrupt　guffaw；　as　a　confidential　servant
of　the　family；　but　choked　the　rest　of　the　volley；　the
diplomatist　only　smiled。
〃II　didn't　know　any　better；〃　said　James；　looking　down。
〃I've　never　been　here　before；　it　was　the　coachman　told
me。〃　The　young　story…teller！　　The　fact　is；　that　on　the
Southampton　coach；　the　day　previous；　James　Crawley　had
met　the　Tutbury　Pet；　who　was　coming　to　Brighton　to
make　a　match　with　the　Rottingdean　Fibber；　and　enchanted
by　the　Pet's　conversation；　had　passed　the　evening　in
company　with　that　scientific　man　and　his　friends；　at　the　inn
in　question。
〃II'd　best　go　and　settle　the　score；〃　James　continued。
〃Couldn't　think　of　asking　you；　Ma'am；〃　he　added；
generously。
This　delicacy　made　his　aunt　laugh　the　more。
〃Go　and　settle　the　bill；　Bowls；〃　she　said；　with　a　wave　of
her　hand；　〃and　bring　it　to　me。〃
Poor　lady；　she　did　not　know　what　she　had　done！　　〃There
there's　a　little　dawg；〃　said　James；　looking　frightfully
guilty。　　〃I'd　best　go　for　him。　　He　bites　footmen's　calves。〃
All　the　party　cried　out　with　laughing　at　this　description；
even　Briggs　and　Lady　Jane；　who　was　sitting　mute
during　the　interview　between　Miss　Crawley　and　her
nephew：　　and　Bowls；　without　a　word；　quitted　the　room。
Still；　by　way　of　punishing　her　elder　nephew；　Miss
Crawley　persisted　in　being　gracious　to　the　young　Oxonian。
There　were　no　limits　to　her　kindness　or　her　compliments
when　they　once　began。　　She　told　Pitt　he　might　come　to
dinner；　and　insisted　that　James　should　accompany　her
in　her　drive；　and　paraded　him　solemnly　up　and　down　the
cliff；　on　the　back　seat　of　the　barouche。　　During　all　this
excursion；　she　condescended　to　say　civil　things　to　him：
she　quoted　Italian　and　French　poetry　to　the　poor
bewildered　lad；　and　persisted　that　he　was　a　fine　scholar；
and　was　perfectly　sure　he　would　gain　a　gold　medal；　and
be　a　Senior　Wrangler。
〃Haw；　haw；〃　laughed　James；　encouraged　by　these
compliments；　〃Senior　Wrangler；　indeed；　that's　at　the　other
shop。〃
〃What　is　the　other　shop；　my　dear　child？〃　said　the　lady。
〃Senior　Wranglers　at　Cambridge；　not　Oxford；〃　said　the
scholar；　with　a　knowing　air；　and　would　probably　have
been　more　confidential；　but　that　suddenly　there
appeared　on　the　cliff　in　a　tax…cart；　drawn　by　a　bang…up
pony；　dressed　in　white　flannel　coats；　with　mother…of…pearl
buttons；　his　friends　the　Tutbury　Pet　and　the　Rottingdean
Fibber；　with　three　other　gentlemen　of　their　acquaintance；
who　all　saluted　poor　James　there　in　the　carriage　as　he
sate。　　This　incident　damped　the　ingenuous　youth's　spirits；
and　no　word　of　yea　or　nay　could　he　be　induced　to　utter
during　the　rest　of　the　drive。
On　his　return　he　found　his　room　prepared；　and　his
portmanteau　ready；　and　might　have　remarked　that　Mr。
Bowls's　countenance；　when　the　latter　conducted　him　to
his　apartments；　wore　a　look　of　gravity；　wonder；　and
compassion。　　But　the　thought　of　Mr。　Bowls　did　not　enter
his　head。　　He　was　deploring　the　dreadful　predicament
in　which　he　found　himself；　in　a　house　full　of　old　women；
jabbering　French　and　Italian；　and　talking　poetry　to　him。
〃Reglarly　up　a　tree；　by　jingo！〃　exclaimed　the　modest
boy；　who　could　not　face　the　gentlest　of　her　sexnot
even　Briggswhen　she　began　to　talk　to　him；　whereas；
put　him　at　Iffley　Lock；　and　he　could　out…slang　the
boldest　bargeman。
At　dinner；　James　appeared　choking　in　a　white
neckcloth；　and　had　the　honour　of　handing　my　Lady　Jane
downstairs；　while　Briggs　and　Mr。　Crawley　followed
afterwards；　conducting　the　old　lady；　with　her　apparatus　of
bundles；　and　shawls；　and　cushions。　　Half　of　Briggs's　time
at　dinner　was　spent　in　superintending　the　invalid's
comfort；　and　in　cutting　up　chicken　for　her　fat　spaniel。　　James
did　not　talk　much；　but　he　made　a　point　of　asking　all
the　ladies　to　drink　wine；　and　accepted　Mr。　Crawley's
challenge；　and　consumed　the　greater　part　of　a　bottle　of
champagne　which　Mr。　Bowls　was　ordered　to　produce　in
his　honour。　　The　ladies　having　withdrawn；　and　the　two
cousins　being　left　together；　Pitt；　the　ex…diplomatist；　be
came　very　communicative　and　friendly。　　He　asked　after
James's　career　at　collegewhat　his　prospects　in　life
werehoped　heartily　he　would　get　on；　and；　in　a　word；
was　frank　and　amiable。　　James's　tongue　unloosed　with
the　port；　and　he　told　his　cousin　his　life；　his　prospects；
his　debts；　his　troubles　at　the　little…go；　and　his　rows　with
the　proctors；　filling　rapidly　from　the　bottles　before　him；
and　flying　from　Port　to　Madeira　with　joyous　activity。
〃The　chief　pleasure　which　my　aunt　has；〃　said　Mr。
Crawley；　filling　his　glass；　〃is　that　people　should　do　as　they
like　in　her　house。　　This　is　Liberty　Hall；　James；　and　you
can't　do　Miss　Crawley　a　greater　kindness　than　to　do
as　you　please；　and　ask　for　what　you　will。　　I　know　you
have　all　sneered　at　me　in　the　country　for　being　a　Tory。
Miss　Crawley　is　liberal　enough　to　suit　any　fancy。　　She
is　a　Republican　in　principle；　and　despises　everything　like
rank　or　title。〃
〃Why　are　you　going　to　marry　an　Earl's　daughter？〃
said　James。
〃My　dear　friend；　remember　it　is　not　poor　Lady　Jane's
fault　that　she　is　well　born；〃　Pitt　replied；　with　a　courtly
air。　　〃She　cannot　help　being　a　lady。　　Besides；　I　am　a
Tory；　you　know。〃
〃Oh；　as　for　that；〃　said　Jim；　〃there's　nothing　like　old
blood；　no；　dammy；　nothing　like　it。　　I'm　none　of　your
radicals。　　I　know　what　it　is　to　be　a　gentleman；　dammy。
See　the　chaps　in　a　boat…race；　look　at　the　fellers　in　a
fight；　aye；　look　at　a　dawg　killing　ratswhich　is　it　wins？
the　good…blooded　ones。　　Get　some　more　port；　Bowls；　old
boy；　whilst　I　buzz　this　bottle…here。　　What　was　I　asaying？〃
〃I　think　you　were　speaking　of　dogs　killing　rats；〃　Pitt
remarked　mildly；　handing　his　cousin　the　decanter　to
〃buzz。~
〃Killing　rats　was　I？　Well；　Pitt；　are　you　a　sporting
man？　Do　you　want　to　see　a　dawg　as　CAN　kill　a　rat？
If　you　do；　come　down　with　me　to　Tom　Corduroy's；　in
Castle　Street　Mews；　and　I'll　show　you　such　a　bull…terrier
asPooh！　gammon；〃　cried　James；　bursting　out　laughing
at　his　own　absurdity〃YOU　don't　care　about　a　dawg
or　rat；　it's　all　nonsense。　　I'm　blest　if　I　think　you　know
the　difference　between　a　dog　and　a　duck。〃
〃No；　by　the　way；〃　Pitt　continued　with　increased　blandness；
〃it　was　about　blood　you　were　talking；　and　the
personal　advantages　which　people　derive　from　patrician
birth。　　Here's　the　fresh　bottle。〃
〃Blood's　the　word；〃　said　James；　gulping　the　ruby　fluid
down。　　〃Nothing　like　blood；　sir；　in　hosses；　dawgs；　AND
men。　　Why；　only　last　term；　just　before　I　was　rusticated；
that　is；　I　mean　just　before　I　had　the　measles；　ha；　hathere
was　me　and　Ringwood　of　Christchurch；　Bob　Ringwood；
Lord　Cinqbars'　son；　having　our　beer　at　the　Bell　at
Blenheim；　when　the　Banbury　bargeman　offered　to　fight　either
of　us　for　a　bowl　of　punch。　　I　couldn't。　　My　arm　was　in　a
sling；　couldn't　even　take　the　drag　downa　brute　of　a
mare　of　mine　had　fell　with　me　only　two　days　before；