vanity fair(名利场)-第114章

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sit　down　at　a　card…table。　　The　wit　of　their　conversation　he
could　not　appreciate；　being　ignorant　of　their　language。
And　what　good　could　his　wife　get；　he　urged；　by　making
curtsies　every　night　to　a　whole　circle　of　Princesses？　He
left　Rebecca　presently　to　frequent　these　parties　alone；
resuming　his　own　simple　pursuits　and　amusements
amongst　the　amiable　friends　of　his　own　choice。
The　truth　is；　when　we　say　of　a　gentleman　that　he
lives　elegantly　on　nothing　a　year；　we　use　the　word
〃nothing〃　to　signify　something　unknown；　meaning；　simply；
that　we　don't　know　how　the　gentleman　in　question　defrays
the　expenses　of　his　establishment。　　Now；　our　friend　the
Colonel　had　a　great　aptitude　for　all　games　of　chance：
and　exercising　himself；　as　he　continually　did；　with　the
cards；　the　dice…box；　or　the　cue；　it　is　natural　to　suppose
that　he　attained　a　much　greater　skill　in　the　use　of　these
articles　than　men　can　possess　who　only　occasionally
handle　them。　　To　use　a　cue　at　billiards　well　is　like　using　a
pencil；　or　a　German　flute；　or　a　small…swordyou　cannot
master　any　one　of　these　implements　at　first；　and　it　is　only
by　repeated　study　and　perseverance；　joined　to　a　natural
taste；　that　a　man　can　excel　in　the　handling　of　either。
Now　Crawley；　from　being　only　a　brilliant　amateur；　had
grown　to　be　a　consummate　master　of　billiards。　　Like　a
great　General；　his　genius　used　to　rise　with　the　danger；
and　when　the　luck　had　been　unfavourable　to　him　for　a
whole　game；　and　the　bets　were　consequently　against　him；
he　would；　with　consummate　skill　and　boldness；　make
some　prodigious　hits　which　would　restore　the　battle；　and
come　in　a　victor　at　the　end；　to　the　astonishment　of
everybodyof　everybody；　that　is；　who　was　a　stranger　to　his
play。　　Those　who　were　accustomed　to　see　it　were　cautious
how　they　staked　their　money　against　a　man　of　such
sudden　resources　and　brilliant　and　overpowering　skill。
At　games　of　cards　he　was　equally　skilful；　for　though
he　would　constantly　lose　money　at　the　commencement
of　an　evening；　playing　so　carelessly　and　making　such
blunders；　that　newcomers　were　often　inclined　to　think
meanly　of　his　talent；　yet　when　roused　to　action　and
awakened　to　caution　by　repeated　small　losses；　it　was
remarked　that　Crawley's　play　became　quite　different；　and
that　he　was　pretty　sure　of　beating　his　enemy　thoroughly
before　the　night　was　over。　　Indeed；　very　few　men　could
say　that　they　ever　had　the　better　of　him。
His　successes　were　so　repeated　that　no　wonder　the
envious　and　the　vanquished　spoke　sometimes　with
bitterness　regarding　them。　　And　as　the　French　say　of　the
Duke　of　Wellington；　who　never　suffered　a　defeat；　that
only　an　astonishing　series　of　lucky　accidents　enabled　him
to　be　an　invariable　winner；　yet　even　they　allow　that　he
cheated　at　Waterloo；　and　was　enabled　to　win　the　last
great　trick：　　so　it　was　hinted　at　headquarters　in　England
that　some　foul　play　must　have　taken　place　in　order　to
account　for　the　continuous　successes　of　Colonel　Crawley。
Though　Frascati's　and　the　Salon　were　open　at　that　time
in　Paris；　the　mania　for　play　was　so　widely　spread　that
the　public　gambling…rooms　did　not　suffice　for　the　general
ardour；　and　gambling　went　on　in　private　houses　as
much　as　if　there　had　been　no　public　means　for　gratifying
the　passion。　　At　Crawley's　charming　little　reunions　of　an
evening　this　fatal　amusement　commonly　was　practised
much　to　good…natured　little　Mrs。　Crawley's　annoyance。
She　spoke　about　her　husband's　passion　for　dice　with　the
deepest　grief；　she　bewailed　it　to　everybody　who　came　to
her　house。　　She　besought　the　young　fellows　never；　never
to　touch　a　box；　and　when　young　Green；　of　the　Rifles；
lost　a　very　considerable　sum　of　money；　Rebecca　passed　a
whole　night　in　tears；　as　the　servant　told　the　unfortunate
young　gentleman；　and　actually　went　on　her　knees　to　her
husband　to　beseech　him　to　remit　the　debt；　and　burn　the
acknowledgement。　　How　could　he？　He　had　lost　just　as
much　himself　to　Blackstone　of　the　Hussars；　and　Count
Punter　of　the　Hanoverian　Cavalry。　　Green　might　have　any
decent　time；　but　pay？of　course　he　must　pay；　to　talk
of　burning　IOU's　was　child's　play。
Other　officers；　chiefly　youngfor　the　young　fellows
gathered　round　Mrs。　Crawleycame　from　her　parties
with　long　faces；　having　dropped　more　or　less　money　at
her　fatal　card…tables。　　Her　house　began　to　have　an
unfortunate　reputation。　　The　old　hands　warned　the　less
experienced　of　their　danger。　　Colonel　O'Dowd；　of　the　th
regiment；　one　of　those　occupying　in　Paris；　warned
Lieutenant　Spooney　of　that　corps。　　A　loud　and　violent　fracas
took　place　between　the　infantry　Colonel　and　his　lady；
who　were　dining　at　the　Cafe　de　Paris；　and　Colonel　and
Mrs。　Crawley；　who　were　also　taking　their　meal　there。
The　ladies　engaged　on　both　sides。　　Mrs。　O'Dowd　snapped
her　fingers　in　Mrs。　Crawley's　face　and　called　her
husband　〃no　betther　than　a　black…leg。〃　Colonel　Crawley
challenged　Colonel　O'Dowd；　C。B。　　The　Commander…in…Chief
hearing　of　the　dispute　sent　for　Colonel　Crawley；　who　was
getting　ready　the　same　pistols　〃which　he　shot　Captain
Marker；〃　and　had　such　a　conversation　with　him　that　no
duel　took　place。　　If　Rebecca　had　not　gone　on　her　knees
to　General　Tufto；　Crawley　would　have　been　sent　back
to　England；　and　he　did　not　play；　except　with　civilians；
for　some　weeks　after。
But；　in　spite　of　Rawdon's　undoubted　skill　and　constant
successes；　it　became　evident　to　Rebecca；　considering
these　things；　that　their　position　was　but　a　precarious
one；　and　that；　even　although　they　paid　scarcely　anybody；
their　little　capital　would　end　one　day　by　dwindling　into
zero。　　〃Gambling；〃　she　would　say；　〃dear；　is　good　to　help
your　income；　but　not　as　an　income　itself。　　Some　day
people　may　be　tired　of　play；　and　then　where　are　we？〃
Rawdon　acquiesced　in　the　justice　of　her　opinion；　and　in
truth　he　had　remarked　that　after　a　few　nights　of　his
little　suppers；　&c。；　gentlemen　were　tired　of　play　with　him；
and；　in　spite　of　Rebecca's　charms；　did　not　present
themselves　very　eagerly。
Easy　and　pleasant　as　their　life　at　Paris　was；　it　was
after　all　only　an　idle　dalliance　and　amiable　trifling；　and
Rebecca　saw　that　she　must　push　Rawdon's　fortune　in
their　own　country。　　She　must　get　him　a　place　or　appointment
at　home　or　in　the　colonies；　and　she　determined　to
make　a　move　upon　England　as　soon　as　the　way　could　be
cleared　for　her。　　As　a　first　step　she　had　made　Crawley
sell　out　of　the　Guards　and　go　on　half…pay。　　His　function
as　aide…de…camp　to　General　Tufto　had　ceased　previously。
Rebecca　laughed　in　all　companies　at　that　officer；　at　his
toupee　（which　he　mounted　on　coming　to　Paris）；　at　his
waistband；　at　his　false　teeth；　at　his　pretensions　to　be　a
lady…killer　above　all；　and　his　absurd　vanity　in　fancying
every　woman　whom　he　came　near　was　in　love　with
him。　　It　was　to　Mrs。　Brent；　the　beetle…browed　wife　of
Mr。　Commissary　Brent；　to　whom　the　general　transferred
his　attentions　nowhis　bouquets；　his　dinners　at　the
restaurateurs'；　his　opera…boxes；　and　his　knick…knacks。　　Poor
Mrs。　Tufto　was　no　more　happy　than　before；　and　had　still
to　pass　long　evenings　alone　with　her　daughters；　knowing
that　her　General　was　gone　off　scented　and　curled　to
stand　behind　Mrs。　Brent's　chair　at　the　play。　　Becky　had　a
dozen　admirers　in　his　place；　to　be　sure；　and　could　cut
her　rival　to　pieces　with　her　wit。　　But；　as　we　have　said；　she。
was　growing　tired　of　this　idle　social　life：　　opera…boxes　and
restaurateur　dinners　palled　upon　her：　　nosegays　could　not
be　laid　by　as　a　provision　for　future　years：　　and　she　could
not　live　upon　knick…knacks；　laced　handkerchiefs；　and　kid
gloves。　　She　felt　the　frivolity　of　pleasure　and　longed　for
more　substantial　benefits。
At　this　juncture　news　arrived　which　was　spread　among
the　many　creditors　of　the　Colonel　at　Paris；　and　which
caused　them　great　satisfaction。　　Miss　Crawley；　the　rich
aunt　from　whom　he　expected　his　immense　inheritance；
was　dying；　the　Colonel　must　haste　to　her　bedside。　　Mrs。
Crawley　and　her　child　would　remain　behind　until　he
came　to　reclaim　them。　　He　departed　for　Calais；　and　having
reached　that　place　in　safety；　it　might　have　been
supposed　that　he　went　to　Dover；　but　instead　he　took　the
diligence　to　Dunkirk；　and　thence　travelled　to　Brussels；
for　which　place　he　had　a　former　predilection。　　Th