vanity fair(名利场)-第157章

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maltreat　those　who　are　humblest　before　them。
So　poor　Amelia　had　been　getting　ready　in　silent　misery
for　her　son's　departure；　and　had　passed　many　and　many
a　long　solitary　hour　in　making　preparations　for　the　end。
George　stood　by　his　mother；　watching　her　arrangements
without　the　least　concern。　　Tears　had　fallen　into　his　boxes；
passages　had　been　scored　in　his　favourite　books；　old　toys；
relics；　treasures　had　been　hoarded　away　for　him；　and
packed　with　strange　neatness　and　careand　of　all　these
things　the　boy　took　no　note。　　The　child　goes　away　smiling
as　the　mother　breaks　her　heart。　　By　heavens　it　is　pitiful；
the　bootless　love　of　women　for　children　in　Vanity　Fair。
A　few　days　are　past；　and　the　great　event　of　Amelia's
life　is　consummated。　　No　angel　has　intervened。　　The　child
is　sacrificed　and　offered　up　to　fate；　and　the　widow　is
quite　alone。
The　boy　comes　to　see　her　often；　to　be　sure。　　He　rides
on　a　pony　with　a　coachman　behind　him；　to　the　delight
of　his　old　grandfather；　Sedley；　who　walks　proudly　down
the　lane　by　his　side。　　She　sees　him；　but　he　is　not　her　boy
any　more。　　Why；　he　rides　to　see　the　boys　at　the　little
school；　too；　and　to　show　off　before　them　his　new　wealth
and　splendour。　　In　two　days　he　has　adopted　a　slightly
imperious　air　and　patronizing　manner。　　He　was　born　to
command；　his　mother　thinks；　as　his　father　was　before
him。
It　is　fine　weather　now。　　Of　evenings　on　the　days　when
he　does　not　come；　she　takes　a　long　walk　into　London
yes；　as　far　as　Russell　Square；　and　rests　on　the　stone
by　the　railing　of　the　garden　opposite　Mr。　Osborne's　house。
It　is　so　pleasant　and　cool。　　She　can　look　up　and　see　the
drawing…room　windows　illuminated；　and；　at　about　nine
o'clock；　the　chamber　in　the　upper　story　where　Georgy
sleeps。　　She　knowshe　has　told　her。　　She　prays　there
as　the　light　goes　out；　prays　with　an　humble　heart；
and　walks　home　shrinking　and　silent。　　She　is　very　tired
when　she　comes　home。　　Perhaps　she　will　sleep　the　better
for　that　long　weary　walk；　and　she　may　dream　about
Georgy。
One　Sunday　she　happened　to　be　walking　in　Russell
Square；　at　some　distance　from　Mr。　Osborne's　house　（she
could　see　it　from　a　distance　though）　when　all　the　bells
of　Sabbath　were　ringing；　and　George　and　his　aunt　came
out　to　go　to　church；　a　little　sweep　asked　for　charity；
and　the　footman；　who　carried　the　books；　tried　to　drive
him　away；　but　Georgy　stopped　and　gave　him　money。　　May
God's　blessing　be　on　the　boy！　　Emmy　ran　round　the　square
and；　coming　up　to　the　sweep；　gave　him　her　mite　too。
All　the　bells　of　Sabbath　were　ringing；　and　she　followed
them　until　she　came　to　the　Foundling　Church；　into　which
she　went。　　There　she　sat　in　a　place　whence　she　could
see　the　head　of　the　boy　under　his　father's　tombstone。
Many　hundred　fresh　children's　voices　rose　up　there　and
sang　hymns　to　the　Father　Beneficent；　and　little　George's
soul　thrilled　with　delight　at　the　burst　of　glorious
psalmody。　　His　mother　could　not　see　him　for　awhile；
through　the　mist　that　dimmed　her　eyes。

CHAPTER　LI
In　Which　a　Charade　Is　Acted　Which　May　or　May
Not　Puzzle　the　Reader
After　Becky's　appearance　at　my　Lord　Steyne's　private
and　select　parties；　the　claims　of　that　estimable　woman
as　regards　fashion　were　settled；　and　some　of　the　very
greatest　and　tallest　doors　in　the　metropolis　were
speedily　opened　to　herdoors　so　great　and　tall　that　the
beloved　reader　and　writer　hereof　may　hope　in　vain　to
enter　at　them。　　Dear　brethren；　let　us　tremble　before
those　august　portals。　　I　fancy　them　guarded　by　grooms
of　the　chamber　with　flaming　silver　forks　with　which　they
prong　all　those　who　have　not　the　right　of　the　entree。
They　say　the　honest　newspaper…fellow　who　sits　in　the
hall　and　takes　down　the　names　of　the　great　ones　who
are　admitted　to　the　feasts　dies　after　a　little　time。　　He
can't　survive　the　glare　of　fashion　long。　　It　scorches　him
up；　as　the　presence　of　Jupiter　in　full　dress　wasted　that
poor　imprudent　Semelea　giddy　moth　of　a　creature　who
ruined　herself　by　venturing　out　of　her　natural　atmosphere。
Her　myth　ought　to　be　taken　to　heart　amongst　the
Tyburnians；　the　Belgraviansher　story；　and　perhaps
Becky's　too。　　Ah；　ladies！ask　the　Reverend　Mr。　Thurifer
if　Belgravia　is　not　a　sounding　brass　and　Tyburnia　a
tinkling　cymbal。　　These　are　vanities。　　Even　these　will　pass
away。　　And　some　day　or　other　（but　it　will　be　after　our
time；　thank　goodness）　Hyde　Park　Gardens　will　be　no
better　known　than　the　celebrated　horticultural　outskirts
of　Babylon；　and　Belgrave　Square　will　be　as　desolate　as
Baker　Street；　or　Tadmor　in　the　wilderness。
Ladies；　are　you　aware　that　the　great　Pitt　lived　in　Baker
Street？　What　would　not　your　grandmothers　have　given
to　be　asked　to　Lady　Hester's　parties　in　that　now
decayed　mansion？　I　have　dined　in　itmoi　qui　vous　parle；
I　peopled　the　chamber　with　ghosts　of　the　mighty　dead。
As　we　sat　soberly　drinking　claret　there　with　men　of
to…day；　the　spirits　of　the　departed　came　in　and　took　their
places　round　the　darksome　board。　　The　pilot　who
weathered　the　storm　tossed　off　great　bumpers　of　spiritual
port；　the　shade　of　Dundas　did　not　leave　the　ghost　of　a
heeltap。　　Addington　sat　bowing　and　smirking　in　a　ghastly
manner；　and　would　not　be　behindhand　when　the
noiseless　bottle　went　round；　Scott；　from　under　bushy　eyebrows；
winked　at　the　apparition　of　a　beeswing；　Wilberforce's
eyes　went　up　to　the　ceiling；　so　that　he　did　not　seem　to
know　how　his　glass　went　up　full　to　his　mouth　and　came
down　empty；　up　to　the　ceiling　which　was　above　us　only
yesterday；　and　which　the　great　of　the　past　days　have　all
looked　at。　　They　let　the　house　as　a　furnished　lodging
now。　　Yes；　Lady　Hester　once　lived　in　Baker　Street；　and
lies　asleep　in　the　wilderness。　　Eothen　saw　her　there
not　in　Baker　Street；　but　in　the　other　solitude。
It　is　all　vanity　to　be　sure；　but　who　will　not　own　to
liking　a　little　of　it？　I　should　like　to　know　what　well…
constituted　mind；　merely　because　it　is　transitory；　dislikes
roast　beef？　That　is　a　vanity；　but　may　every　man　who
reads　this　have　a　wholesome　portion　of　it　through　life；
I　beg：　　aye；　though　my　readers　were　five　hundred
thousand。　　Sit　down；　gentlemen；　and　fall　to；　with　a　good　hearty
appetite；　the　fat；　the　lean；　the　gravy；　the　horse…radish
as　you　like　itdon't　spare　it。　　Another　glass　of　wine；
Jones；　my　boya　little　bit　of　the　Sunday　side。　　Yes；　let
us　eat　our　fill　of　the　vain　thing　and　be　thankful　therefor。
And　let　us　make　the　best　of　Becky's　aristocratic
pleasures　likewisefor　these　too；　like　all　other　mortal
delights；　were　but　transitory。
The　upshot　of　her　visit　to　Lord　Steyne　was　that　His
Highness　the　Prince　of　Peterwaradin　took　occasion　to
renew　his　acquaintance　with　Colonel　Crawley；　when
they　met　on　the　next　day　at　the　Club；　and　to　compliment
Mrs。　Crawley　in　the　Ring　of　Hyde　Park　with　a
profound　salute　of　the　hat。　　She　and　her　husband　were
invited　immediately　to　one　of　the　Prince's　small　parties
at　Levant　House；　then　occupied　by　His　Highness　during
the　temporary　absence　from　England　of　its　noble
proprietor。　　She　sang　after　dinner　to　a　very　little　comite。
The　Marquis　of　Steyne　was　present；　paternally
superintending　the　progress　of　his　pupil。
At　Levant　House　Becky　met　one　of　the　finest　gentlemen
and　greatest　ministers　that　Europe　has　produced
the　Duc　de　la　Jabotiere；　then　Ambassador　from　the　Most
Christian　King；　and　subsequently　Minister　to　that
monarch。　　I　declare　I　swell　with　pride　as　these　august　names
are　transcribed　by　my　pen；　and　I　think　in　what　brilliant
company　my　dear　Becky　is　moving。　　She　became　a
constant　guest　at　the　French　Embassy；　where　no　party　was
considered　to　be　complete　without　the　presence　of　the
charming　Madame　Ravdonn　Cravley。
Messieurs　de　Truffigny　（of　the　Perigord　family）　and
Champignac；　both　attaches　of　the　Embassy；　were
straightway　smitten　by　the　charms　of　the　fair　Colonel's
wife；　and　both　declared；　according　to　the　wont　of　their
nation　（for　who　ever　yet　met　a　Frenchman；　come　out　of
England；　that　has　not　left　half　a　dozen　families　miserable；
and　brought　away　as　many　hearts　in　his　pocket…book？）；
both；　I　say；　declared　that　they　were　au　mieux　with　the
charming　Madame　Ravdonn。
But　I　doubt　the　correctness　of　the　assertion。　　Champignac
was　very　fond　of　ecarte；　and　made　many　parties
with　the