vanity fair(名利场)-第130章

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the　coachman　and　talked　about　horses　and　the　road　the
whole　way；　and　who　kept　the　inns；　and　who　horsed　the
coach　by　which　he　had　travelled　so　many　a　time；　when
he　and　Pitt　were　boys　going　to　Eton。　　At　Mudbury　a
carriage　and　a　pair　of　horses　received　them；　with　a
coachman　in　black。　　〃It's　the　old　drag；　Rawdon；〃　Rebecca　said
as　they　got　in。　　〃The　worms　have　eaten　the　cloth　a　good
dealthere's　the　stain　which　Sir　Pittha！　　I　see　Dawson
the　Ironmonger　has　his　shutters　upwhich　Sir　Pitt　made
such　a　noise　about。　　It　was　a　bottle　of　cherry　brandy　he
broke　which　we　went　to　fetch　for　your　aunt　from
Southampton。　　How　time　flies；　to　be　sure！　　That　can't　be　Polly
Talboys；　that　bouncing　girl　standing　by　her　mother　at
the　cottage　there。　　I　remember　her　a　mangy　little　urchin
picking　weeds　in　the　garden。〃
〃Fine　gal；〃　said　Rawdon；　returning　the　salute　which　the
cottage　gave　him；　by　two　fingers　applied　to　his　crape
hatband。　　Becky　bowed　and　saluted；　and　recognized
people　here　and　there　graciously。　　These　recognitions　were
inexpressibly　pleasant　to　her。　　It　seemed　as　if　she　was
not　an　imposter　any　more；　and　was　coming　to　the　home
of　her　ancestors。　　Rawdon　was　rather　abashed　and　cast
down；　on　the　other　hand。　　What　recollections　of　boyhood
and　innocence　might　have　been　flitting　across　his　brain？
What　pangs　of　dim　remorse　and　doubt　and　shame？
〃Your　sisters　must　be　young　women　now；〃　Rebecca
said；　thinking　of　those　girls　for　the　first　time　perhaps
since　she　had　left　them。
〃Don't　know；　I'm　shaw；〃　replied　the　Colonel。　　〃Hullo！
here's　old　Mother　Lock。　　How…dy…do；　Mrs。　Lock？　Remember
me；　don't　you？　Master　Rawdon；　hey？　Dammy　how
those　old　women　last；　she　was　a　hundred　when　I　was　a
boy。〃
They　were　going　through　the　lodge…gates　kept　by　old
Mrs。　Lock；　whose　hand　Rebecca　insisted　upon　shaking；
as　she　flung　open　the　creaking　old　iron　gate；　and　the
carriage　passed　between　the　two　moss…grown　pillars
surmounted　by　the　dove　and　serpent。
〃The　governor　has　cut　into　the　timber；〃　Rawdon　said；
looking　about；　and　then　was　silentso　was　Becky。　　Both
of　them　were　rather　agitated；　and　thinking　of　old　times。
He　about　Eton；　and　his　mother；　whom　he　remembered；
a　frigid　demure　woman；　and　a　sister　who　died；　of　whom
he　had　been　passionately　fond；　and　how　he　used　to　thrash
Pitt；　and　about　little　Rawdy　at　home。　　And　Rebecca
thought　about　her　own　youth　and　the　dark　secrets　of
those　early　tainted　days；　and　of　her　entrance　into　life
by　yonder　gates；　and　of　Miss　Pinkerton；　and　Joe；　and
Amelia。
The　gravel　walk　and　terrace　had　been　scraped　quite
clean。　　A　grand　painted　hatchment　was　already　over　the
great　entrance；　and　two　very　solemn　and　tall　personages
in　black　flung　open　each　a　leaf　of　the　door　as　the
carriage　pulled　up　at　the　familiar　steps。　　Rawdon　turned　red；
and　Becky　somewhat　pale；　as　they　passed　through　the
old　hall；　arm　in　arm。　　She　pinched　her　husband's　arm
as　they　entered　the　oak　parlour；　where　Sir　Pitt　and　his
wife　were　ready　to　receive　them。　　Sir　Pitt　in　black；　Lady
Jane　in　black；　and　my　Lady　Southdown　with　a　large　black
head…piece　of　bugles　and　feathers；　which　waved　on　her
Ladyship's　head　like　an　undertaker's　tray。
Sir　Pitt　had　judged　correctly；　that　she　would　not　quit
the　premises。　　She　contented　herself　by　preserving　a
solemn　and　stony　silence；　when　in　company　of　Pitt　and
his　rebellious　wife；　and　by　frightening　the　children　in
the　nursery　by　the　ghastly　gloom　of　her　demeanour。
Only　a　very　faint　bending　of　the　head…dress　and　plumes
welcomed　Rawdon　and　his　wife；　as　those　prodigals
returned　to　their　family。
To　say　the　truth；　they　were　not　affected　very　much
one　way　or　other　by　this　coolness。　　Her　Ladyship　was　a
person　only　of　secondary　consideration　in　their　minds
just　thenthey　were　intent　upon　the　reception　which
the　reigning　brother　and　sister　would　afford　them。
Pitt；　with　rather　a　heightened　colour；　went　up　and
shook　his　brother　by　the　hand；　and　saluted　Rebecca　with
a　hand…shake　and　a　very　low　bow。　　But　Lady　Jane　took　both
the　hands　of　her　sister…in…law　and　kissed　her　affectionately。
The　embrace　somehow　brought　tears　into　the　eyes　of
the　little　adventuresswhich　ornaments；　as　we　know；
she　wore　very　seldom。　　The　artless　mark　of　kindness　and
confidence　touched　and　pleased　her；　and　Rawdon；
encouraged　by　this　demonstration　on　his　sister's　part；
twirled　up　his　mustachios　and　took　leave　to　salute　Lady
Jane　with　a　kiss；　which　caused　her　Ladyship　to　blush
exceedingly。
〃Dev'lish　nice　little　woman；　Lady　Jane；〃　was　his　verdict；
when　he　and　his　wife　were　together　again。　　〃Pitt's　got　fat；
too；　and　is　doing　the　thing　handsomely。〃　〃He　can　afford
it；〃　said　Rebecca　and　agreed　in　her　husband's　farther
opinion　〃that　the　mother…in…law　was　a　tremendous　old
Guyand　that　the　sisters　were　rather　well…looking
young　women。〃
They；　too；　had　been　summoned　from　school　to　attend
the　funeral　ceremonies。　　It　seemed　Sir　Pitt　Crawley；　for
the　dignity　of　the　house　and　family；　had　thought　right　to
have　about　the　place　as　many　persons　in　black　as　could
possibly　be　assembled。　　All　the　men　and　maids　of　the
house；　the　old　women　of　the　Alms　House；　whom　the　elder
Sir　Pitt　had　cheated　out　of　a　great　portion　of　their
due；　the　parish　clerk's　family；　and　the　special　retainers
of　both　Hall　and　Rectory　were　habited　in　sable；　added　to
these；　the　undertaker's　men；　at　least　a　score；　with　crapes
and　hatbands；　and　who　made　goodly　show　when　the
great　burying　show　took　placebut　these　are　mute
personages　in　our　drama；　and　having　nothing　to　do　or　say；
need　occupy　a　very　little　space　here。
With　regard　to　her　sisters…in…law　Rebecca　did　not
attempt　to　forget　her　former　position　of　Governess
towards　them；　but　recalled　it　frankly　and　kindly；　and　asked
them　about　their　studies　with　great　gravity；　and　told　them
that　she　had　thought　of　them　many　and　many　a　day；
and　longed　to　know　of　their　welfare。　　In　fact　you　would
have　supposed　that　ever　since　she　had　left　them　she　had
not　ceased　to　keep　them　uppermost　in　her　thoughts　and　to
take　the　tenderest　interest　in　their　welfare。　　So　supposed
Lady　Crawley　herself　and　her　young　sisters。
〃She's　hardly　changed　since　eight　years；〃　said　Miss
Rosalind　to　Miss　Violet；　as　they　were　preparing　for　dinner。
〃Those　red…haired　women　look　wonderfully　well；〃
replied　the　other。
〃Hers　is　much　darker　than　it　was；　I　think　she　must　dye
it；〃　Miss　Rosalind　added。　　〃She　is　stouter；　too；　and
altogether　improved；〃　continued　Miss　Rosalind；　who　was
disposed　to　be　very　fat。
〃At　least　she　gives　herself　no　airs　and　remembers　that
she　was　our　Governess　once；〃　Miss　Violet　said；　intimating
that　it　befitted　all　governesses　to　keep　their　proper　place；
and　forgetting　altogether　that　she　was　granddaughter　not
only　of　Sir　Walpole　Crawley；　but　of　Mr。　Dawson　of
Mudbury；　and　so　had　a　coal…scuttle　in　her　scutcheon。　　There
are　other　very　well…meaning　people　whom　one　meets
every　day　in　Vanity　Fair　who　are　surely　equally　oblivious。
〃It　can't　be　true　what　the　girls　at　the　Rectory　said；　that
her　mother　was　an　opera…dancer〃
〃A　person　can't　help　their　birth；〃　Rosalind　replied　with
great　liberality。　　〃And　I　agree　with　our　brother；　that　as　she
is　in　the　family；　of　course　we　are　bound　to　notice　her。
I　am　sure　Aunt　Bute　need　not　talk；　she　wants　to　marry
Kate　to　young　Hooper；　the　wine…merchant；　and　absolutely
asked　him　to　come　to　the　Rectory　for　orders。〃
〃I　wonder　whether　Lady　Southdown　will　go　away；　she
looked　very　glum　upon　Mrs。　Rawdon；〃　the　other　said。
〃I　wish　she　would。　　I　won't　read　the　Washerwoman
of　Finchley　Common；〃　vowed　Violet；　and　so　saying；　and
avoiding　a　passage　at　the　end　of　which　a　certain　coffin　was
placed　with　a　couple　of　watchers；　and　lights　perpetually
burning　in　the　closed　room；　these　young　women　came
down　to　the　family　dinner；　for　which　the　bell　rang　as
usual。
But　before　this；　Lady　Jane　conducted　Rebecca　to　the
apartments　prepared　for　her；　which；　with　the　rest　of　the
house；　had　assumed　a　very　much　improved　appearance
of　order　and　comfort　during　Pitt's　regency；　and　here
beholding　that　Mrs。　Rawdon's　modest　little　trunks　had
arrived；　and　were　placed　in　the　bedroom　and
dressing…room　adjoining；　helped　her　to　take　off　her　neat
black　bonnet　and　cloak；　and　asked　her　sister…in…law　in
what　more