vanity fair(名利场)-第138章

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had　written　to　scold　her　for　telling　those　absurd　stories
to　Mrs。　Osborne；　and　had　despatched　a　letter　in　reply
to　that　lady；　undeceiving　her　with　respect　to　the　reports
concerning　him　and　assuring　her　that　〃he　had　no　sort　of
present　intention　of　altering　his　condition。〃
Two　or　three　nights　after　the　arrival　of　the　second
package　of　letters；　the　Major　had　passed　the　evening
pretty　cheerfully　at　Lady　O'Dowd's　house；　where　Glorvina
thought　that　he　listened　with　rather　more　attention
than　usual　to　the　Meeting　of　the　Wathers；　the　Minsthrel
Boy；　and　one　or　two　other　specimens　of　song　with　which
she　favoured　him　（the　truth　is；　he　was　no　more　listening
to　Glorvina　than　to　the　howling　of　the　jackals　in　the
moonlight　outside；　and　the　delusion　was　hers　as　usual）；
and　having　played　his　game　at　chess　with　her　（cribbage
with　the　surgeon　was　Lady　O'Dowd's　favourite　evening
pastime）；　Major　Dobbin　took　leave　of　the　Colonel's　family
at　his　usual　hour　and　retired　to　his　own　house。
There　on　his　table；　his　sister's　letter　lay　reproaching
him。　　He　took　it　up；　ashamed　rather　of　his　negligence
regarding　it；　and　prepared　himself　for　a　disagreeable　hour's
communing　with　that　crabbed…handed　absent　relative。
。　　。　　。　　It　may　have　been　an　hour　after　the　Major's　departure
from　the　Colonel's　houseSir　Michael　was　sleeping
the　sleep　of　the　just；　Glorvina　had　arranged　her
black　ringlets　in　the　innumerable　little　bits　of　paper；　in
which　it　was　her　habit　to　confine　them；　Lady　O'Dowd；
too；　had　gone　to　her　bed　in　the　nuptial　chamber；　on　the
ground…floor；　and　had　tucked　her　musquito　curtains
round　her　fair　form；　when　the　guard　at　the　gates　of　the
Commanding…Officer's　compound　beheld　Major　Dobbin；
in　the　moonlight；　rushing　towards　the　house　with　a　swift
step　and　a　very　agitated　countenance；　and　he　passed　the
sentinel　and　went　up　to　the　windows　of　the　Colonel's
bedchamber。
〃O'DowdColonel！〃　said　Dobbin　and　kept　up　a　great
shouting。
〃Heavens；　Meejor！〃　said　Glorvina　of　the　curl…papers；
putting　out　her　head　too；　from　her　window。
〃What　is　it；　Dob；　me　boy？〃　said　the　Colonel；　expecting
there　was　a　fire　in　the　station；　or　that　the　route　had
come　from　headquarters。
〃II　must　have　leave　of　absence。　　I　must　go　to　England
on　the　most　urgent　private　affairs；〃　Dobbin　said。
〃Good　heavens；　what　has　happened！〃　thought　Glorvina；
trembling　with　all　the　papillotes。
〃I　want　to　be　offnowto…night；〃　Dobbin　continued；
and　the　Colonel　getting　up；　came　out　to　parley　with　him。
In　the　postscript　of　Miss　Dobbin's　cross…letter；　the
Major　had　just　come　upon　a　paragraph；　to　the　following
effect：〃I　drove　yesterday　to　see　your　old　ACQUAINTANCE；
Mrs。　Osborne。　　The　wretched　place　they　live　at；　since
they　were　bankrupts；　you　knowMr。　S。；　to　judge　from
a　BRASS　PLATE　on　the　door　of　his　hut　（it　is　little　better）
is　a　coal…merchant。　　The　little　boy；　your　godson；　is
certainly　a　fine　child；　though　forward；　and　inclined　to　be
saucy　and　self…willed。　　But　we　have　taken　notice　of　him
as　you　wish　it；　and　have　introduced　him　to　his　aunt；
Miss　O。；　who　was　rather　pleased　with　him。　　Perhaps　his
grandpapa；　not　the　bankrupt　one；　who　is　almost　doting；
but　Mr。　Osborne；　of　Russell　Square；　may　be　induced　to
relent　towards　the　child　of　your　friend；　HIS　ERRING　AND
SELF…WILLED　SON。　　And　Amelia　will　not　be　ill…disposed　to
give　him　up。　　The　widow　is　CONSOLED；　and　is　about　to
marry　a　reverend　gentleman；　the　Rev。　　Mr。　Binny；　one
of　the　curates　of　Brompton。　　A　poor　match。　　But　Mrs。　O。
is　getting　old；　and　I　saw　a　great　deal　of　grey　in　her　hair
she　was　in　very　good　spirits：　　and　your　little　godson　overate
himself　at　our　house。　　Mamma　sends　her　love　with
that　of　your　affectionate；　Ann　Dobbin。〃

CHAPTER　XLIV
A　Round…about　Chapter　between　London　and　Hampshire
Our　old　friends　the　Crawleys'　family　house；　in　Great
Gaunt　Street；　still　bore　over　its　front　the　hatchment　which
had　been　placed　there　as　a　token　of　mourning　for　Sir
Pitt　Crawley's　demise；　yet　this　heraldic　emblem　was　in
itself　a　very　splendid　and　gaudy　piece　of　furniture；　and
all　the　rest　of　the　mansion　became　more　brilliant　than　it
had　ever　been　during　the　late　baronet's　reign。　　The　black
outer…coating　of　the　bricks　was　removed；　and　they
appeared　with　a　cheerful；　blushing　face　streaked　with　white：
the　old　bronze　lions　of　the　knocker　were　gilt　handsomely；
the　railings　painted；　and　the　dismallest　house　in　Great
Gaunt　Street　became　the　smartest　in　the　whole　quarter；
before　the　green　leaves　in　Hampshire　had　replaced　those
yellowing　ones　which　were　on　the　trees　in　Queen's　Crawley
Avenue　when　old　Sir　Pitt　Crawley　passed　under　them
for　the　last　time。
A　little　woman；　with　a　carriage　to　correspond；　was
perpetually　seen　about　this　mansion；　an　elderly　spinster；
accompanied　by　a　little　boy；　also　might　be　remarked
coming　thither　daily。　　It　was　Miss　Briggs　and　little　Rawdon；
whose　business　it　was　to　see　to　the　inward　renovation
of　Sir　Pitt's　house；　to　superintend　the　female　band
engaged　in　stitching　the　blinds　and　hangings；　to　poke
and　rummage　in　the　drawers　and　cupboards　crammed
with　the　dirty　relics　and　congregated　trumperies　of　a
couple　of　generations　of　Lady　Crawleys；　and　to　take
inventories　of　the　china；　the　glass；　and　other　properties
in　the　closets　and　store…rooms。
Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley　was　general…in…chief　over　these
arrangements；　with　full　orders　from　Sir　Pitt　to　sell；　barter；
confiscate；　or　purchase　furniture；　and　she　enjoyed　herself
not　a　little　in　an　occupation　which　gave　full　scope　to　her
taste　and　ingenuity。　　The　renovation　of　the　house　was
determined　upon　when　Sir　Pitt　came　to　town　in　November
to　see　his　lawyers；　and　when　he　passed　nearly　a　week　in
Curzon　Street；　under　the　roof　of　his　affectionate　brother
and　sister。
He　had　put　up　at　an　hotel　at　first；　but；　Becky；　as　soon
as　she　heard　of　the　Baronet's　arrival；　went　off　alone　to
greet　him；　and　returned　in　an　hour　to　Curzon　Street
with　Sir　Pitt　in　the　carriage　by　her　side。　　It　was　impossible
sometimes　to　resist　this　artless　little　creature's　hospitalities；
so　kindly　were　they　pressed；　so　frankly　and　amiably
offered。　　Becky　seized　Pitt's　hand　in　a　transport　of
gratitude　when　he　agreed　to　come。　　〃Thank　you；〃　she
said；　squeezing　it　and　looking　into　the　Baronet's　eyes；
who　blushed　a　good　deal；　〃how　happy　this　will　make
Rawdon！〃　She　bustled　up　to　Pitt's　bedroom；　leading
on　the　servants；　who　were　carrying　his　trunks　thither。　　She
came　in　herself　laughing；　with　a　coal…scuttle　out　of
her　own　room。
A　fire　was　blazing　already　in　Sir　Pitt's　apartment　（it
was　Miss　Briggs's　room；　by　the　way；　who　was　sent
upstairs　to　sleep　with　the　maid）。　　〃I　knew　I　should　bring
you；〃　she　said　with　pleasure　beaming　in　her　glance。　　Indeed；
she　was　really　sincerely　happy　at　having　him　for　a　guest。
Becky　made　Rawdon　dine　out　once　or　twice　on　business；
while　Pitt　stayed　with　them；　and　the　Baronet　passed
the　happy　evening　alone　with　her　and　Briggs。　　She　went
downstairs　to　the　kitchen　and　actually　cooked　little
dishes　for　him。　　〃Isn't　it　a　good　salmi？〃　she　said；　〃I
made　it　for　you。　　I　can　make　you　better　dishes　than　that；
and　will　when　you　come　to　see　me。〃
〃Everything　you　do；　you　do　well；〃　said　the　Baronet
gallantly。　　〃The　salmi　is　excellent　indeed。〃
〃A　poor　man's　wife；〃　Rebecca　replied　gaily；　〃must
make　herself　useful；　you　know〃；　on　which　her　brother…
in…law　vowed　that　〃she　was　fit　to　be　the　wife　of　an
Emperor；　and　that　to　be　skilful　in　domestic　duties　was
surely　one　of　the　most　charming　of　woman's　qualities。〃
And　Sir　Pitt　thought；　with　something　like　mortification；
of　Lady　Jane　at　home；　and　of　a　certain　pie　which　she　had
insisted　on　making；　and　serving　to　him　at　dinnera
most　abominable　pie。
Besides　the　salmi；　which　was　made　of　Lord　Steyne's
pheasants　from　his　lordship's　cottage　of　Stillbrook；　Becky
gave　her　brother…in…law　a　bottle　of　white　wine；　some
that　Rawdon　had　brought　with　him　from　France；　and　had
picked　up　for　nothing；　the　little　story…teller　said；　whereas
the　liquor　was；　in　truth；　some　White　Hermitage　from
the　Marquis　of　Steyne's　famous　cellars；　which　brought　fire
into　the　Baronet's　pallid　cheeks　and　a　glow　into　his　feeble
frame。
Then　when　he　had　drunk　up　the　bottle　of　petit　vin
blanc；　she　gave　him　her　hand；　and　too