vanity fair(名利场)-第168章

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him。　　She　admired　her　husband；　strong；　brave；　and
victorious。
〃Come　here；〃　he　said。　　She　came　up　at　once。
〃Take　off　those　things。〃　She　began；　trembling；　pulling
the　jewels　from　her　arms；　and　the　rings　from　her　shaking
fingers；　and　held　them　all　in　a　heap；　quivering　and　looking
up　at　him。　　〃Throw　them　down；〃　he　said；　and　she
dropped　them。　　He　tore　the　diamond　ornament　out　of　her
breast　and　flung　it　at　Lord　Steyne。　　It　cut　him　on　his
bald　forehead。　　Steyne　wore　the　scar　to　his　dying　day。
〃Come　upstairs；〃　Rawdon　said　to　his　wife。　　〃Don't　kill
me；　Rawdon；〃　she　said。　　He　laughed　savagely。　　〃I　want
to　see　if　that　man　lies　about　the　money　as　he　has　about
me。　　Has　he　given　you　any？〃
〃No；〃　said　Rebecca；　〃that　is〃
〃Give　me　your　keys；〃　Rawdon　answered；　and　they
went　out　together。
Rebecca　gave　him　all　the　keys　but　one；　and　she　was　in
hopes　that　he　would　not　have　remarked　the　absence　of
that。　　It　belonged　to　the　little　desk　which　Amelia　had
given　her　in　early　days；　and　which　she　kept　in　a　secret
place。　　But　Rawdon　flung　open　boxes　and　wardrobes；
throwing　the　multifarious　trumpery　of　their　contents　here
and　there；　and　at　last　he　found　the　desk。　　The　woman　was
forced　to　open　it。　　It　contained　papers；　love…letters　many
years　oldall　sorts　of　small　trinkets　and　woman's
memoranda。　　And　it　contained　a　pocket…book　with　bank…notes。
Some　of　these　were　dated　ten　years　back；　too；　and　one
was　quite　a　fresh　onea　note　for　a　thousand　pounds
which　Lord　Steyne　had　given　her。
〃Did　he　give　you　this？〃　Rawdon　said。
〃Yes；〃　Rebecca　answered。
〃I'll　send　it　to　him　to…day；〃　Rawdon　said　（for　day　had
dawned　again；　and　many　hours　had　passed　in　this　search）；
〃and　I　will　pay　Briggs；　who　was　kind　to　the　boy；　and
some　of　the　debts。　　You　will　let　me　know　where　I　shall
send　the　rest　to　you。　　You　might　have　spared　me　a
hundred　pounds；　Becky；　out　of　all　thisI　have　always
shared　with　you。〃
〃I　am　innocent；〃　said　Becky。　　And　he　left　her　without
another　word。
What　were　her　thoughts　when　he　left　her？　She
remained　for　hours　after　he　was　gone；　the　sunshine
pouring　into　the　room；　and　Rebecca　sitting　alone　on　the
bed's　edge。　　The　drawers　were　all　opened　and　their　contents
scattered　aboutdresses　and　feathers；　scarfs　and　trinkets；
a　heap　of　tumbled　vanities　lying　in　a　wreck。　　Her　hair
was　falling　over　her　shoulders；　her　gown　was　torn　where
Rawdon　had　wrenched　the　brilliants　out　of　it。　　She　heard
him　go　downstairs　a　few　minutes　after　he　left　her；　and
the　door　slamming　and　closing　on　him。　　She　knew　he
would　never　come　back。　　He　was　gone　forever。　　Would
he　kill　himself？she　thoughtnot　until　after　he　had
met　Lord　Steyne。　　She　thought　of　her　long　past　life；　and
all　the　dismal　incidents　of　it。　　Ah；　how　dreary　it　seemed；
how　miserable；　lonely　and　profitless！　　Should　she　take
laudanum；　and　end　it；　to　have　done　with　all　hopes；
schemes；　debts；　and　triumphs？　The　French　maid　found
her　in　this　positionsitting　in　the　midst　of　her　miserable
ruins　with　clasped　hands　and　dry　eyes。　　The　woman　was
her　accomplice　and　in　Steyne's　pay。　　〃Mon　Dieu；
madame；　what　has　happened？〃　she　asked。
What　had　happened？　Was　she　guilty　or　not？　She　said
not；　but　who　could　tell　what　was　truth　which　came　from
those　lips；　or　if　that　corrupt　heart　was　in　this　case　pure？
All　her　lies　and　her　schemes；　an　her　selfishness　and　her
wiles；　all　her　wit　and　genius　had　come　to　this
bankruptcy。　　The　woman　closed　the　curtains　and；　with　some
entreaty　and　show　of　kindness；　persuaded　her　mistress
to　lie　down　on　the　bed。　　Then　she　went　below　and
gathered　up　the　trinkets　which　had　been　lying　on　the　floor
since　Rebecca　dropped　them　there　at　her　husband's
orders；　and　Lord　Steyne　went　away。

CHAPTER　LIV
Sunday　After　the　Battle
The　mansion　of　Sir　Pitt　Crawley；　in　Great　Gaunt　Street；
was　just　beginning　to　dress　itself　for　the　day；　as　Rawdon；
in　his　evening　costume；　which　he　had　now　worn
two　days；　passed　by　the　scared　female　who　was　scouring
the　steps　and　entered　into　his　brother's　study。　　Lady
Jane；　in　her　morning…gown；　was　up　and　above　stairs　in
the　nursery　superintending　the　toilettes　of　her　children
and　listening　to　the　morning　prayers　which　the　little
creatures　performed　at　her　knee。　　Every　morning　she　and
they　performed　this　duty　privately；　and　before　the　public
ceremonial　at　which　Sir　Pitt　presided　and　at　which　all　the
people　of　the　household　were　expected　to　assemble。
Rawdon　sat　down　in　the　study　before　the　Baronet's　table；
set　out　with　the　orderly　blue　books　and　the　letters；　the
neatly　docketed　bills　and　symmetrical　pamphlets；　the
locked　account…books；　desks；　and　dispatch　boxes；　the
Bible；　the　Quarterly　Review；　and　the　Court　Guide；　which
all　stood　as　if　on　parade　awaiting　the　inspection　of　their
chief。
A　book　of　family　sermons；　one　of　which　Sir　Pitt　was
in　the　habit　of　administering　to　his　family　on　Sunday
mornings；　lay　ready　on　the　study　table；　and　awaiting　his
judicious　selection。　　And　by　the　sermon…book　was　the
Observer　newspaper；　damp　and　neatly　folded；　and　for
Sir　Pitt's　own　private　use。　　His　gentleman　alone　took　the
opportunity　of　perusing　the　newspaper　before　he　laid　it
by　his　master's　desk。　　Before　he　had　brought　it　into　the
study　that　morning；　he　had　read　in　the　journal　a　flaming
account　of　〃Festivities　at　Gaunt　House；〃　with　the　names
of　all　the　distinguished　personages　invited　by　tho　Marquis
of　Steyne　to　meet　his　Royal　Highness。　　Having　made
comments　upon　this　entertainment　to　the　housekeeper
and　her　niece　as　they　were　taking　early　tea　and　hot
buttered　toast　in　the　former　lady's　apartment；　and
wondered　how　the　Rawding　Crawleys　could　git　on；　the　valet
had　damped　and　folded　the　paper　once　more；　so　that　it
looked　quite　fresh　and　innocent　against　the　arrival　of
the　master　of　the　house。
Poor　Rawdon　took　up　the　paper　and　began　to　try　and
read　it　until　his　brother　should　arrive。　　But　the　print　fell
blank　upon　his　eyes；　and　he　did　not　know　in　the　least
what　he　was　reading。　　The　Government　news　and
appointments　（which　Sir　Pitt　as　a　public　man　was　bound
to　peruse；　otherwise　he　would　by　no　means　permit　the
introduction　of　Sunday　papers　into　his　household）；　the
theatrical　criticisms；　the　fight　for　a　hundred　pounds
a　side　between　the　Barking　Butcher　and　the　Tutbury
Pet；　the　Gaunt　House　chronicle　itself；　which　contained　a
most　complimentary　though　guarded　account　of　the
famous　charades　of　which　Mrs。　Becky　had　been　the
heroineall　these　passed　as　in　a　haze　before　Rawdon；　as　he
sat　waiting　the　arrival　of　the　chief　of　the　family。
Punctually；　as　the　shrill…toned　bell　of　the　black　marble
study　clock　began　to　chime　nine；　Sir　Pitt　made　his
appearance；　fresh；　neat；　smugly　shaved；　with　a　waxy　clean
face；　and　stiff　shirt　collar；　his　scanty　hair　combed　and
oiled；　trimming　his　nails　as　he　descended　the　stairs
majestically；　in　a　starched　cravat　and　a　grey　flannel
dressing…gowna　real　old　English　gentleman；　in　a　word
a　model　of　neatness　and　every　propriety。　　He　started　when
he　saw　poor　Rawdon　in　his　study　in　tumbled　clothes；　with
blood…shot　eyes；　and　his　hair　over　his　face。　　He　thought
his　brother　was　not　sober；　and　had　been　out　all　night　on
some　orgy。　　〃Good　gracious；　Rawdon；〃　he　said；　with　a
blank　face；　〃what　brings　you　here　at　this　time　of　the
morning？　Why　ain't　you　at　home？〃
〃Home；〃　said　Rawdon　with　a　wild　laugh。　　〃Don't　be
frightened；　Pitt。　　I'm　not　drunk。　　Shut　the　door；　I　want　to
speak　to　you。〃
Pitt　closed　the　door　and　came　up　to　the　table；　where
he　sat　down　in　the　other　arm…chairthat　one　placed　for
the　reception　of　the　steward；　agent；　or　confidential
visitor　who　came　to　transact　business　with　the　Baronet
and　trimmed　his　nails　more　vehemently　than　ever。
〃Pitt；　it's　all　over　with　me；〃　the　Colonel　said　after　a
pause。　　〃I'm　done。〃
〃I　always　said　it　would　come　to　this；〃　the　Baronet
cried　peevishly；　and　beating　a　tune　with　his　clean…
trimmed　nails。　　〃I　warned　you　a　thousand　times。　　I　can't
help　you　any　more。　　Every　shilling　of　my　money　is　tied
up。　　Even　the　hundred　pounds　that　Jane　took　you　last
night　were　promised　to　my　lawyer　to…morrow　morning；
and　the　want　of　it　will　put　me　to　great　inconvenience。
I　don't　mean　to　say　that　I　won't　assist　you　ultimately。
But　as　for　paying　your　creditors　in　full；　I　might　as　well