vanity fair(名利场)-第141章

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and　kissed　him；　Pitt　Binkie　Southdown；　the　son　and　heir；
stood　aloof　rather　and　examined　him　as　a　little　dog　does
a　big　dog。
Then　the　kind　hostess　conducted　her　guests　to　the　snug
apartments　blazing　with　cheerful　fires。　　Then　the　young
ladies　came　and　knocked　at　Mrs。　Rawdon's　door；　under
the　pretence　that　they　were　desirous　to　be　useful；　but　in
reality　to　have　the　pleasure　of　inspecting　the　contents　of
her　band　and　bonnet…boxes；　and　her　dresses　which；　though
black；　were　of　the　newest　London　fashion。　　And　they　told
her　how　much　the　Hall　was　changed　for　the　better；　and
how　old　Lady　Southdown　was　gone；　and　how　Pitt　was
taking　his　station　in　the　county；　as　became　a　Crawley　in
fact。　　Then　the　great　dinner…bell　having　rung；　the　family
assembled　at　dinner；　at　which　meal　Rawdon　Junior　was
placed　by　his　aunt；　the　good…natured　lady　of　the　house；
Sir　Pitt　being　uncommonly　attentive　to　his　sister…in…law　at
his　own　right　hand。
Little　Rawdon　exhibited　a　fine　appetite　and　showed　a
gentlemanlike　behaviour。
〃I　like　to　dine　here；〃　he　said　to　his　aunt　when　he　had
completed　his　meal；　at　the　conclusion　of　which；　and
after　a　decent　grace　by　Sir　Pitt；　the　younger　son　and
heir　was　introduced；　and　was　perched　on　a　high　chair
by　the　Baronet's　side；　while　the　daughter　took　possession
of　the　place　and　the　little　wine…glass　prepared　for　her
near　her　mother。　　〃I　like　to　dine　here；〃　said　Rawdon　Minor；
looking　up　at　his　relation's　kind　face。
〃Why？〃　said　the　good　Lady　Jane。
〃I　dine　in　the　kitchen　when　I　am　at　home；〃　replied
Rawdon　Minor；　〃or　else　with　Briggs。〃　But　Becky　was　so
engaged　with　the　Baronet；　her　host；　pouring　out　a　flood　of
compliments　and　delights　and　raptures；　and　admiring
young　Pitt　Binkie；　whom　she　declared　to　be　the　most
beautiful；　intelligent；　noble…looking　little　creature；　and　so
like　his　father；　that　she　did　not　hear　the　remarks　of　her
own　flesh　and　blood　at　the　other　end　of　the　broad
shining　table。
As　a　guest；　and　it　being　the　first　night　of　his　arrival；
Rawdon　the　Second　was　allowed　to　sit　up　until　the　hour
when　tea　being　over；　and　a　great　gilt　book　being　laid　on
the　table　before　Sir　Pitt；　all　the　domestics　of　the　family
streamed　in；　and　Sir　Pitt　read　prayers。　　It　was　the　first
time　the　poor　little　boy　had　ever　witnessed　or　heard　of
such　a　ceremonial。
The　house　had　been　much　improved　even　since　the
Baronet's　brief　reign；　and　was　pronounced　by　Becky　to　be
perfect；　charming；　delightful；　when　she　surveyed　it　in
his　company。　　As　for　little　Rawdon；　who　examined　it　with
the　children　for　his　guides；　it　seemed　to　him　a　perfect
palace　of　enchantment　and　wonder。　　There　were　long
galleries；　and　ancient　state　bedrooms；　there　were
pictures　and　old　China；　and　armour。　　There　were　the　rooms
in　which　Grandpapa　died；　and　by　which　the　children
walked　with　terrified　looks。　　〃Who　was　Grandpapa？〃　he
asked；　and　they　told　him　how　he　used　to　be　very　old；　and
used　to　be　wheeled　about　in　a　garden…chair；　and　they
showed　him　the　garden…chair　one　day　rotting　in　the
out…house　in　which　it　had　lain　since　the　old　gentleman　had
been　wheeled　away　yonder　to　the　church；　of　which　the
spire　was　glittering　over　the　park　elms。
The　brothers　had　good　occupation　for　several　mornings
in　examining　the　improvements　which　had　been　effected
by　Sir　Pitt's　genius　and　economy。　　And　as　they　walked
or　rode；　and　looked　at　them；　they　could　talk　without
too　much　boring　each　other。　　And　Pitt　took　care　to　tell
Rawdon　what　a　heavy　outlay　of　money　these　improvements
had　occasioned；　and　that　a　man　of　landed　and　funded
property　was　often　very　hard　pressed　for　twenty　pounds。
〃There　is　that　new　lodge…gate；〃　said　Pitt；　pointing　to
it　humbly　with　the　bamboo　cane；　〃I　can　no　more　pay　for　it
before　the　dividends　in　January　than　I　can　fly。〃
〃I　can　lend　you；　Pitt；　till　then；〃　Rawdon　answered　rather
ruefully；　and　they　went　in　and　looked　at　the　restored　lodge；
where　the　family　arms　were　just　new　scraped　in　stone；
and　where　old　Mrs。　Lock；　for　the　first　time　these　many
long　years；　had　tight　doors；　sound　roofs；　and　whole
windows。

CHAPTER　XLV
Between　Hampshire　and　London
Sir　Pitt　Crawley　had　done　more　than　repair　fences　and
restore　dilapidated　lodges　on　the　Queen's　Crawley　estate。
Like　a　wise　man　he　had　set　to　work　to　rebuild　the
injured　popularity　of　his　house　and　stop　up　the　gaps　and
ruins　in　which　his　name　had　been　left　by　his　disreputable
and　thriftless　old　predecessor。　　He　was　elected　for　the
borough　speedily　after　his　father's　demise；　a　magistrate；
a　member　of　parliament；　a　county　magnate　and　representative
of　an　ancient　family；　he　made　it　his　duty　to　show
himself　before　the　Hampshire　public；　subscribed
handsomely　to　the　county　charities；　called　assiduously　upon
all　the　county　folk；　and　laid　himself　out　in　a　word　to　take
that　position　in　Hampshire；　and　in　the　Empire　afterwards；
to　which　he　thought　his　prodigious　talents　justly
entitled　him。　　Lady　Jane　was　instructed　to　be　friendly　with
the　Fuddlestones；　and　the　Wapshots；　and　the　other
famous　baronets；　their　neighbours。　　Their　carriages　might
frequently　be　seen　in　the　Queen's　Crawley　avenue　now；
they　dined　pretty　frequently　at　the　Hall　（where　the　cookery
was　so　good　that　it　was　clear　Lady　Jane　very　seldom
had　a　hand　in　it）；　and　in　return　Pitt　and　his　wife　most
energetically　dined　out　in　all　sorts　of　weather　and　at　all
sorts　of　distances。　　For　though　Pitt　did　not　care　for　joviality；
being　a　frigid　man　of　poor　hearth　and　appetite；　yet　he
considered　that　to　be　hospitable　and　condescending
was　quite　incumbent　on…his　station；　and　every　time　that
he　got　a　headache　from　too　long　an　after…dinner　sitting；
he　felt　that　he　was　a　martyr　to　duty。　　He　talked　about
crops；　corn…laws；　politics；　with　the　best　country　gentlemen。
He　（who　had　been　formerly　inclined　to　be　a　sad
free…thinker　on　these　points）　entered　into　poaching　and
game　preserving　with　ardour。　　He　didn't　hunt；　he　wasn't
a　hunting　man；　he　was　a　man　of　books　and　peaceful
habits；　but　he　thought　that　the　breed　of　horses　must　be
kept　up　in　the　country；　and　that　the　breed　of　foxes　must
therefore　be　looked　to；　and　for　his　part；　if　his　friend；
Sir　Huddlestone　Fuddlestone；　liked　to　draw　his　country
and　meet　as　of　old　the　F。　　hounds　used　to　do　at　Queen's
Crawley；　he　should　be　happy　to　see　him　there；　and　the
gentlemen　of　the　Fuddlestone　hunt。　　And　to　Lady　Southdown's
dismay　too　he　became　more　orthodox　in　his　tendencies
every　day；　gave　up　preaching　in　public　and　attending
meeting…houses；　went　stoutly　to　church；　called
on　the　Bishop　and　all　the　Clergy　at　Winchester；　and　made
no　objection　when　the　Venerable　Archdeacon　Trumper
asked　for　a　game　of　whist。　　What　pangs　must　have　been
those　of　Lady　Southdown；　and　what　an　utter　castaway　she
must　have　thought　her　son…in…law　for　permitting　such
a　godless　diversion！　　And　when；　on　the　return　of　the　family
from　an　oratorio　at　Winchester；　the　Baronet　announced
to　the　young　ladies　that　he　should　next　year　very
probably　take　them　to　the　〃county　balls；〃　they　worshipped
him　for　his　kindness。　　Lady　Jane　was　only　too　obedient；　and
perhaps　glad　herself　to　go。　　The　Dowager　wrote　off　the
direst　descriptions　of　her　daughter's　worldly　behaviour　to
the　authoress　of　the　Washerwoman　of　Finchley　Common
at　the　Cape；　and　her　house　in　Brighton　being　about　this
time　unoccupied；　returned　to　that　watering…place；　her
absence　being　not　very　much　deplored　by　her　children。
We　may　suppose；　too；　that　Rebecca；　on　paying　a　second
visit　to　Queen's　Crawley；　did　not　feel　particularly　grieved
at　the　absence　of　the　lady　of　the　medicine　chest；　though
she　wrote　a　Christmas　letter　to　her　Ladyship；　in　which　she
respectfully　recalled　herself　to　Lady　Southdown's
recollection；　spoke　with　gratitude　of　the　delight　which　her
Ladyship's　conversation　had　given　her　on　the　former
visit；　dilated　on　the　kindness　with　which　her　Ladyship　had
treated　her　in　sickness；　and　declared　that　everything　at
Queen's　Crawley　reminded　her　of　her　absent　friend。
A　great　part　of　the　altered　demeanour　and　popularity
of　Sir　Pitt　Crawley　might　have　been　traced　to　the　counsels
of　that　astute　little　lady　of　Curzon　Street。　　〃You　remain　a
Baronetyou　consent　to　be　a　mere　country　gentleman；〃
she　said　to　him；　while　he　had　b