vanity fair(名利场)-第149章

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girls　come　to　no　harm。〃　〃His　lordship　is　a　man　to　whom
I　owe　much；　everything　in　life；〃　said　the　Right　Reverend
Doctor　Trail；　thinking　that　the　Archbishop　was　rather
shaky；　and　Mrs。　Trail　and　the　young　ladies　would　as
soon　have　missed　going　to　church　as　to　one　of　his
lordship's　parties。　　〃His　morals　are　bad；〃　said　little　Lord
Southdown　to　his　sister；　who　meekly　expostulated；
having　heard　terrific　legends　from　her　mamma　with　respect
to　the　doings　at　Gaunt　House；　〃but　hang　it；　he's　got　the
best　dry　Sillery　in　Europe！〃　And　as　for　Sir　Pitt　Crawley；
Bart。Sir　Pitt　that　pattern　of　decorum；　Sir　Pitt　who
had　led　off　at　missionary　meetingshe　never　for　one
moment　thought　of　not　going　too。　　〃Where　you　see　such
persons　as　the　Bishop　of　Ealing　and　the　Countess　of
Slingstone；　you　may　be　pretty　sure；　Jane；〃　the　Baronet
would　say；　〃that　we　cannot　be　wrong。　　The　great　rank
and　station　of　Lord　Steyne　put　him　in　a　position　to
command　people　in　our　station　in　life。　　The　Lord　Lieutenant
of　a　County；　my　dear；　is　a　respectable　man。　　Besides；
George　Gaunt　and　I　were　intimate　in　early　life；　he　was
my　junior　when　we　were　attaches　at　Pumpernickel
together。〃
In　a　word　everybody　went　to　wait　upon　this　great　man
everybody　who　was　asked；　as　you　the　reader　（do　not
say　nay）　or　I　the　writer　hereof　would　go　if　we　had　an
invitation。

CHAPTER　XLVIII
In　Which　the　Reader　Is　Introduced　to　the　Very
Best　of　Company
At　last　Becky's　kindness　and　attention　to　the　chief　of
her　husband's　family　were　destined　to　meet　with　an
exceeding　great　reward；　a　reward　which；　though　certainly
somewhat　unsubstantial；　the　little　woman　coveted　with
greater　eagerness　than　more　positive　benefits。　　If　she　did
not　wish　to　lead　a　virtuous　life；　at　least　she　desired　to
enjoy　a　character　for　virtue；　and　we　know　that　no　lady
in　the　genteel　world　can　possess　this　desideratum；　until
she　has　put　on　a　train　and　feathers　and　has　been
presented　to　her　Sovereign　at　Court。　　From　that　august
interview　they　come　out　stamped　as　honest　women。　　The
Lord　Chamberlain　gives　them　a　certificate　of　virtue。　　And
as　dubious　goods　or　letters　are　passed　through　an　oven
at　quarantine；　sprinkled　with　aromatic　vinegar；　and　then
pronounced　clean；　many　a　lady；　whose　reputation　would
be　doubtful　otherwise　and　liable　to　give　infection；　passes
through　the　wholesome　ordeal　of　the　Royal　presence　and
issues　from　it　free　from　all　taint。
It　might　be　very　well　for　my　Lady　Bareacres；　my
Lady　Tufto；　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley　in　the　country；　and　other
ladies　who　had　come　into　contact　with　Mrs。　Rawdon
Crawley　to　cry　fie　at　the　idea　of　the　odious　little
adventuress　making　her　curtsey　before　the　Sovereign；　and
to　declare　that；　if　dear　good　Queen　Charlotte　had　been
alive；　she　never　would　have　admitted　such　an　extremely
ill…regulated　personage　into　her　chaste　drawing…room。　　But
when　we　consider　that　it　was　the　First　Gentleman　in
Europe　in　whose　high　presence　Mrs。　Rawdon　passed　her
examination；　and　as　it　were；　took　her　degree　in　reputation；
it　surely　must　be　flat　disloyalty　to　doubt　any　more
about　her　virtue。　　I；　for　my　part；　look　back　with　love　and
awe　to　that　Great　Character　in　history。　　Ah；　what　a　high
and　noble　appreciation　of　Gentlewomanhood　there　must
have　been　in　Vanity　Fair；　when　that　revered　and　august
being　was　invested；　by　the　universal　acclaim　of　the
refined　and　educated　portion　of　this　empire；　with　the　title
of　Premier　Gentilhomme　of　his　Kingdom。　　Do　you
remember；　dear　M；　oh　friend　of　my　youth；　how　one
blissful　night　five…and…twenty　years　since；　the　〃Hypocrite〃
being　acted；　Elliston　being　manager；　Dowton　and　Liston
performers；　two　boys　had　leave　from　their　loyal　masters
to　go　out　from　Slaughter…House　School　where　they　were
educated　and　to　appear　on　Drury　Lane　stage；　amongst　a
crowd　which　assembled　there　to　greet　the　king。　　THE
KING？　There　he　was。　　Beefeaters　were　before　the
august　box；　the　Marquis　of　Steyne　（Lord　of　the　Powder
Closet）　and　other　great　officers　of　state　were　behind　the
chair　on　which　he　sat；　HE　satflorid　of　face；　portly　of
person；　covered　with　orders；　and　in　a　rich　curling　head　of
hairhow　we　sang　God　save　him！　　How　the　house　rocked
and　shouted　with　that　magnificent　music。　　How　they
cheered；　and　cried；　and　waved　handkerchiefs。　　Ladies
wept；　mothers　clasped　their　children；　some　fainted　with
emotion。　　People　were　suffocated　in　the　pit；　shrieks　and
groans　rising　up　amidst　the　writhing　and　shouting　mass
there　of　his　people　who　were；　and　indeed　showed　them…
selves　almost　to　be；　ready　to　die　for　him。　　Yes；　we　saw
him。　　Fate　cannot　deprive　us　of　THAT。　　Others　have　seen
Napoleon。　　Some　few　still　exist　who　have　beheld　Frederick
the　Great；　Doctor　Johnson；　Marie　Antoinette；　&c。be　it
our　reasonable　boast　to　our　children；　that　we　saw　George
the　Good；　the　Magnificent；　the　Great。
Well；　there　came　a　happy　day　in　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley's
existence　when　this　angel　was　admitted　into　the
paradise　of　a　Court　which　she　coveted；　her　sister…in…law
acting　as　her　godmother。　　On　the　appointed　day；　Sir　Pitt
and　his　lady；　in　their　great　family　carriage　（just　newly
built；　and　ready　for　the　Baronet's　assumption　of　the
office　of　High　Sheriff　of　his　county）；　drove　up　to　the　little
house　in　Curzon　Street；　to　the　edification　of　Raggles；　who
was　watching　from　his　greengrocer's　shop；　and　saw　fine
plumes　within；　and　enormous　bunches　of　flowers　in　the
breasts　of　the　new　livery…coats　of　the　footmen。
Sir　Pitt；　in　a　glittering　uniform；　descended　and　went
into　Curzon　Street；　his　sword　between　his　legs。　　Little
Rawdon　stood　with　his　face　against　the　parlour　window…
panes；　smiling　and　nodding　with　all　his　might　to　his　aunt
in　the　carriage　within；　and　presently　Sir　Pitt　issued　forth
from　the　house　again；　leading　forth　a　lady　with　grand
feathers；　covered　in　a　white　shawl；　and　holding　up
daintily　a　train　of　magnificent　brocade。　　She　stepped　into　the
vehicle　as　if　she　were　a　princess　and　accustomed　all　her
life　to　go　to　Court；　smiling　graciously　on　the　footman　at
the　door　and　on　Sir　Pitt；　who　followed　her　into　the
carriage。
Then　Rawdon　followed　in　his　old　Guards'　uniform；
which　had　grown　woefully　shabby；　and　was　much　too
tight。　　He　was　to　have　followed　the　procession　and　waited
upon　his　sovereign　in　a　cab；　but　that　his　good…natured
sister…in…law　insisted　that　they　should　be　a　family　party。
The　coach　was　large；　the　ladies　not　very　big；　they　would
hold　their　trains　in　their　lapsfinally；　the　four　went
fraternally　together；　and　their　carriage　presently　joined
the　line　of　royal　equipages　which　was　making　its　way
down　Piccadilly　and　St。　　James's　Street；　towards　the　old
brick　palace　where　the　Star　of　Brunswick　was　in　waiting
to　receive　his　nobles　and　gentlefolks。
Becky　felt　as　if　she　could　bless　the　people　out　of　the
carriage　windows；　so　elated　was　she　in　spirit；　and　so
strong　a　sense　had　she　of　the　dignified　position　which
she　had　at　last　attained　in　life。　　Even　our　Becky　had　her
weaknesses；　and　as　one　often　sees　how　men　pride
themselves　upon　excellences　which　others　are　slow　to
perceive：　　how；　for　instance；　Comus　firmly　believes　that　he
is　the　greatest　tragic　actor　in　England；　how　Brown；　the
famous　novelist；　longs　to　be　considered；　not　a　man　of
genius；　but　a　man　of　fashion；　while　Robinson；　the　great
lawyer；　does　not　in　the　least　care　about　his　reputation　in
Westminster　Hall；　but　believes　himself　incomparable
across　country　and　at　a　five…barred　gateso　to　be；　and
to　be　thought；　a　respectable　woman　was　Becky's　aim　in
life；　and　she　got　up　the　genteel　with　amazing　assiduity；
readiness；　and　success。　　We　have　said；　there　were　times
when　she　believed　herself　to　be　a　fine　lady　and　forgot
that　there　was　no　money　in　the　chest　at　homeduns
round　the　gate；　tradesmen　to　coax　and　wheedleno
ground　to　walk　upon；　in　a　word。　　And　as　she　went　to
Court　in　the　carriage；　the　family　carriage；　she　adopted　a
demeanour　so　grand；　self…satisfied；　deliberate；　and
imposing　that　it　made　even　Lady　Jane　laugh。　　She　walked
into　the　royal　apartments　with　a　toss　of　the　head　which
would　have　befitted　an　empress；　and　I　have　no　doubt　had
she　been　one；　she　would　have　become　the　character
perfectly。
We　are　authorized　to　state　that　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley's
costume　de　cour　on　the　oc