vanity fair(名利场)-第148章

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in　their　hearts。　　Pooh！　sir；　they　know　the　world。〃　And
here；　haply；　a　great　man　coming　up；　Tom　Eaves's　hat
would　drop　off　his　head；　and　he　would　rush　forward　with
a　bow　and　a　grin；　which　showed　that　he　knew　the　world
tooin　the　Tomeavesian　way；　that　is。　　And　having　laid
out　every　shilling　of　his　fortune　on　an　annuity；　Tom
could　afford　to　bear　no　malice　to　his　nephews　and　nieces；
and　to　have　no　other　feeling　with　regard　to　his　betters
but　a　constant　and　generous　desire　to　dine　with　them。
Between　the　Marchioness　and　the　natural　and　tender
regard　of　mother　for　children；　there　was　that　cruel
barrier　placed　of　difference　of　faith。　　The　very　love　which　she
might　feel　for　her　sons　only　served　to　render　the　timid
and　pious　lady　more　fearful　and　unhappy。　　The　gulf　which
separated　them　was　fatal　and　impassable。　　She　could　not
stretch　her　weak　arms　across　it；　or　draw　her　children
over　to　that　side　away　from　which　her　belief　told　her
there　was　no　safety。　　During　the　youth　of　his　sons；　Lord
Steyne；　who　was　a　good　scholar　and　amateur　casuist；
had　no　better　sport　in　the　evening　after　dinner　in　the
country　than　in　setting　the　boys'　tutor；　the　Reverend
Mr。　Trail　（now　my　Lord　Bishop　of　Ealing）　on　her
ladyship's　director；　Father　Mole；　over　their　wine；　and　in
pitting　Oxford　against　St。　　Acheul。　　He　cried　〃Bravo；
Latimer！　　Well　said；　Loyola！〃　alternately；　he　promised
Mole　a　bishopric　if　he　would　come　over；　and　vowed　he
would　use　all　his　influence　to　get　Trail　a　cardinal's　hat
if　he　would　secede。　　Neither　divine　allowed　himself　to　be
conquered；　and　though　the　fond　mother　hoped　that　her
youngest　and　favourite　son　would　be　reconciled　to　her
churchhis　mother　churcha　sad　and　awful　disappointment
awaited　the　devout　ladya　disappointment　which
seemed　to　be　a　judgement　upon　her　for　the　sin　of　her
marriage。
My　Lord　Gaunt　married；　as　every　person　who　frequents
the　Peerage　knows；　the　Lady　Blanche　Thistlewood；
a　daughter　of　the　noble　house　of　Bareacres；　before
mentioned　in　this　veracious　history。　　A　wing　of
Gaunt　House　was　assigned　to　this　couple；　for　the　head
of　the　family　chose　to　govern　it；　and　while　he　reigned　to
reign　supreme；　his　son　and　heir；　however；　living　little　at
home；　disagreeing　with　his　wife；　and　borrowing　upon
post…obits　such　moneys　as　he　required　beyond　the　very
moderate　sums　which　his　father　was　disposed　to　allow
him。　　The　Marquis　knew　every　shilling　of　his　son's　debts。
At　his　lamented　demise；　he　was　found　himself　to　be
possessor　of　many　of　his　heir's　bonds；　purchased　for　their
benefit；　and　devised　by　his　Lordship　to　the　children　of
his　younger　son。
As；　to　my　Lord　Gaunt's　dismay；　and　the　chuckling
delight　of　his　natural　enemy　and　father；　the　Lady　Gaunt
had　no　childrenthe　Lord　George　Gaunt　was　desired　to
return　from　Vienna；　where　he　was　engaged　in　waltzing
and　diplomacy；　and　to　contract　a　matrimonial　alliance
with　the　Honourable　Joan；　only　daughter　of　John　Johnes；
First　Baron　Helvellyn；　and　head　of　the　firm　of　Jones；
Brown；　and　Robinson；　of　Threadneedle　Street；　Bankers；
from　which　union　sprang　several　sons　and　daughters；
whose　doings　do　not　appertain　to　this　story。
The　marriage　at　first　was　a　happy　and　prosperous　one。
My　Lord　George　Gaunt　could　not　only　read；　but　write
pretty　correctly。　　He　spoke　French　with　considerable
fluency；　and　was　one　of　the　finest　waltzers　in　Europe。　　With
these　talents；　and　his　interest　at　home；　there　was　little
doubt　that　his　lordship　would　rise　to　the　highest　dignities
in　his　profession。　　The　lady；　his　wife；　felt　that　courts　were
her　sphere；　and　her　wealth　enabled　her　to　receive
splendidly　in　those　continental　towns　whither　her　husband's
diplomatic　duties　led　him。　　There　was　talk　of　appointing
him　minister；　and　bets　were　laid　at　the　Travellers'　that
he　would　be　ambassador　ere　long；　when　of　a　sudden；
rumours　arrived　of　the　secretary's　extraordinary　behaviour。
At　a　grand　diplomatic　dinner　given　by　his　chief；　he
had　started　up　and　declared　that　a　pate　de　foie　gras　was
poisoned。　　He　went　to　a　ball　at　the　hotel　of　the　Bavarian
envoy；　the　Count　de　Springbock…Hohenlaufen；　with　his
head　shaved　and　dressed　as　a　Capuchin　friar。　　It　was　not
a　masked　ball；　as　some　folks　wanted　to　persuade　you。　　It
was　something　queer；　people　whispered。　　His　grandfather
was　so。　　It　was　in　the　family。
His　wife　and　family　returned　to　this　country　and　took
up　their　abode　at　Gaunt　House。　　Lord　George　gave　up
his　post　on　the　European　continent；　and　was　gazetted　to
Brazil。　　But　people　knew　better；　he　never　returned　from
that　Brazil　expeditionnever　died　therenever　lived
therenever　was　there　at　all。　　He　was　nowhere；　he　was
gone　out　altogether。　　〃Brazil；〃　said　one　gossip　to　another；
with　a　grin〃Brazil　is　St。　　John's　Wood。　　Rio　de　Janeiro
is　a　cottage　surrounded　by　four　walls；　and　George　Gaunt
is　accredited　to　a　keeper；　who　has　invested　him　with　the
order　of　the　Strait…Waistcoat。〃　These　are　the　kinds　of
epitaphs　which　men　pass　over　one　another　in　Vanity
Fair。
Twice　or　thrice　in　a　week；　in　the　earliest　morning；　the
poor　mother　went　for　her　sins　and　saw　the　poor　invalid。
Sometimes　he　laughed　at　her　（and　his　laughter　was　more
pitiful　than　to　hear　him　cry）；　sometimes　she　found　the
brilliant　dandy　diplomatist　of　the　Congress　of　Vienna
dragging　about　a　child's　toy；　or　nursing　the　keeper's
baby's　doll。　　Sometimes　he　knew　her　and　Father　Mole；
her　director　and　companion；　oftener　he　forgot　her；　as　he
had　done　wife；　children；　love；　ambition；　vanity。　　But　he
remembered　his　dinner…hour；　and　used　to　cry　if　his
wine…and…water　was　not　strong　enough。
It　was　the　mysterious　taint　of　the　blood；　the　poor
mother　had　brought　it　from　her　own　ancient　race。　　The
evil　had　broken　out　once　or　twice　in　the　father's　family；
long　before　Lady　Steyne's　sins　had　begun；　or　her　fasts
and　tears　and　penances　had　been　offered　in　their
expiation。　　The　pride　of　the　race　was　struck　down　as　the
first…born　of　Pharaoh。　　The　dark　mark　of　fate　and　doom　was
on　the　thresholdthe　tall　old　threshold　surmounted　by
coronets　and　caned　heraldry。
The　absent　lord's　children　meanwhile　prattled　and
grew　on　quite　unconscious　that　the　doom　was　over　them
too。　　First　they　talked　of　their　father　and　devised　plans
against　his　return。　　Then　the　name　of　the　living　dead　man
was　less　frequently　in　their　mouththen　not　mentioned
at　all。　　But　the　stricken　old　grandmother　trembled　to　think
that　these　too　were　the　inheritors　of　their　father's　shame
as　well　as　of　his　honours；　and　watched　sickening　for　the
day　when　the　awful　ancestral　curse　should　come　down
on　them。
This　dark　presentiment　also　haunted　Lord　Steyne。　　He
tried　to　lay　the　horrid　bedside　ghost　in　Red　Seas　of　wine
and　jollity；　and　lost　sight　of　it　sometimes　in　the　crowd
and　rout　of　his　pleasures。　　But　it　always　came　back　to
him　when　alone；　and　seemed　to　grow　more　threatening
with　years。　　〃I　have　taken　your　son；〃　it　said；　〃why　not
you？　I　may　shut　you　up　in　a　prison　some　day　like　your
son　George。　　I　may　tap　you　on　the　head　to…morrow；　and
away　go　pleasure　and　honours；　feasts　and　beauty；　friends；
flatterers；　French　cooks；　fine　horses　and　housesin
exchange　for　a　prison；　a　keeper；　and　a　straw　mattress　like
George　Gaunt's。〃　And　then　my　lord　would　defy　the　ghost
which　threatened　him；　for　he　knew　of　a　remedy　by　which
he　could　baulk　his　enemy。
So　there　was　splendour　and　wealth；　but　no　great
happiness　perchance；　behind　the　tall　caned　portals　of　Gaunt
House　with　its　smoky　coronets　and　ciphers。　　The　feasts
there　were　of　the　grandest　in　London；　but　there　was　not
overmuch　content　therewith；　except　among　the　guests
who　sat　at　my　lord's　table。　　Had　he　not　been　so　great　a
Prince　very　few　possibly　would　have　visited　him；　but　in
Vanity　Fair　the　sins　of　very　great　personages　are　looked
at　indulgently。　　〃Nous　regardons　a　deux　fois〃　（as　the
French　lady　said）　before　we　condemn　a　person　of　my
lord's　undoubted　quality。　　Some　notorious　carpers　and
squeamish　moralists　might　be　sulky　with　Lord　Steyne；
but　they　were　glad　enough　to　come　when　he　asked　them。
〃Lord　Steyne　is　really　too　bad；〃　Lady　Slingstone　said；
〃but　everybody　goes；　and　of　course　I　shall　see　that　my
girls　come　to　no　harm。〃　〃His　lordship　is　a　man　to　whom
I　owe　much；　everything　in　life；〃　said　the