vanity fair(名利场)-第18章

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as　she　could。　　〃Joke　away；　Mr。　George；　there's　nobody
to　defend　ME。〃　And　George　Osborne；　as　she　walked　away
and　Amelia　looked　reprovingly　at　himfelt　some　little
manly　compunction　for　having　inflicted　any　unnecessary
unkindness　upon　this　helpless　creature。　　〃My　dearest
Amelia；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　too　goodtoo　kind。　　You
don't　know　the　world。　　I　do。　　And　your　little　friend　Miss
Sharp　must　learn　her　station。〃
〃Don't　you　think　Jos　will〃
〃Upon　my　word；　my　dear；　I　don't　know。　　He　may；　or
may　not。　　I'm　not　his　master。　　I　only　know　he　is　a　very
foolish　vain　fellow；　and　put　my　dear　little　girl　into　a　very
painful　and　awkward　position　last　night。　　My　dearest
diddle…diddle…darling！〃　He　was　off　laughing　again；　and　he
did　it　so　drolly　that　Emmy　laughed　too。
All　that　day　Jos　never　came。　　But　Amelia　had　no　fear
about　this；　for　the　little　schemer　had　actually　sent　away
the　page；　Mr。　Sambo's　aide…de…camp；　to　Mr。　Joseph's
lodgings；　to　ask　for　some　book　he　had　promised；　and　how
he　was；　and　the　reply　through　Jos's　man；　Mr。　Brush；　was；
that　his　master　was　ill　in　bed；　and　had　just　had　the　doctor
with　him。　　He　must　come　to…morrow；　she　thought；　but　she
never　had　the　courage　to　speak　a　word　on　the　subject
to　Rebecca；　nor　did　that　young　woman　herself　allude
to　it　in　any　way　during　the　whole　evening　after　the　night
at　Vauxhall。
The　next　day；　however；　as　the　two　young　ladies　sate　on
the　sofa；　pretending　to　work；　or　to　write　letters；　or　to
read　novels；　Sambo　came　into　the　room　with　his　usual
engaging　grin；　with　a　packet　under　his　arm；　and　a　note
on　a　tray。　　〃Note　from　Mr。　Jos；　Miss；〃　says　Sambo。
How　Amelia　trembled　as　she　opened　it！
So　it　ran：
Dear　Amelia；I　send　you　the　〃Orphan　of　the　Forest。〃
I　was　too　ill　to　come　yesterday。　　I　leave　town　to…day
for　Cheltenham。　　Pray　excuse　me；　if　you　can；　to　the
amiable　Miss　Sharp；　for　my　conduct　at　Vauxhall；　and
entreat　her　to　pardon　and　forget　every　word　I　may　have
uttered　when　excited　by　that　fatal　supper。　　As　soon　as
I　have　recovered；　for　my　health　is　very　much　shaken；　I
shall　go　to　Scotland　for　some　months；　and　am
Truly　yours；
Jos　Sedley

It　was　the　death…warrant。　　All　was　over。　　Amelia　did
not　dare　to　look　at　Rebecca's　pale　face　and　burning　eyes；
but　she　dropt　the　letter　into　her　friend's　lap；　and　got　up；
and　went　upstairs　to　her　room；　and　cried　her　little　heart
out。
Blenkinsop；　the　housekeeper；　there　sought　her　presently
with　consolation；　on　whose　shoulder　Amelia　wept
confidentially；　and　relieved　herself　a　good　deal。　　〃Don't　take
on；　Miss。　　I　didn't　like　to　tell　you。　　But　none　of　us　in　the
house　have　liked　her　except　at　fust。　　I　sor　her　with　my
own　eyes　reading　your　Ma's　letters。　　Pinner　says　she's
always　about　your　trinket…box　and　drawers；　and
everybody's　drawers；　and　she's　sure　she's　put　your　white
ribbing　into　her　box。〃
〃I　gave　it　her；　I　gave　it　her；〃　Amelia　said。
But　this　did　not　alter　Mrs。　Blenkinsop's　opinion　of　Miss
Sharp。　　〃I　don't　trust　them　governesses；　Pinner；〃　she
remarked　to　the　maid。　　〃They　give　themselves　the　hairs　and
hupstarts　of　ladies；　and　their　wages　is　no　better　than
you　nor　me。〃
It　now　became　clear　to　every　soul　in　the　house；　except
poor　Amelia；　that　Rebecca　should　take　her　departure；
and　high　and　low　（always　with　the　one　exception）　agreed
that　that　event　should　take　place　as　speedily　as　possible。
Our　good　child　ransacked　all　her　drawers；　cupboards；
reticules；　and　gimcrack　boxespassed　in　review　all　her
gowns；　fichus；　tags；　bobbins；　laces；　silk　stockings；　and
fallalsselecting　this　thing　and　that　and　the　other；　to
make　a　little　heap　for　Rebecca。　　And　going　to　her　Papa；
that　generous　British　merchant；　who　had　promised　to
give　her　as　many　guineas　as　she　was　years　oldshe
begged　the　old　gentleman　to　give　the　money　to　dear
Rebecca；　who　must　want　it；　while　she　lacked　for　nothing。
She　even　made　George　Osborne　contribute；　and
nothing　loth　（for　he　was　as　free…handed　a　young　fellow
as　any　in　the　army）；　he　went　to　Bond　Street；　and　bought
the　best　hat　and　spenser　that　money　could　buy。
〃That's　George's　present　to　you；　Rebecca；　dear；〃　said
Amelia；　quite　proud　of　the　bandbox　conveying　these
gifts。　　〃What　a　taste　he　has！　There's　nobody　like　him。〃
〃Nobody；〃　Rebecca　answered。　　〃How　thankful　I　am　to
him！〃　She　was　thinking　in　her　heart；　〃It　was　George
Osborne　who　prevented　my　marriage。〃And　she　loved
George　Osborne　accordingly。
She　made　her　preparations　for　departure　with　great
equanimity；　and　accepted　all　the　kind　little　Amelia's
presents；　after　just　the　proper　degree　of　hesitation　and
reluctance。　　She　vowed　eternal　gratitude　to　Mrs。　Sedley；
of　course；　but　did　not　intrude　herself　upon　that　good
lady　too　much；　who　was　embarrassed；　and　evidently
wishing　to　avoid　her。　　She　kissed　Mr。　Sedley's　hand；　when
he　presented　her　with　the　purse；　and　asked　permission　to
consider　him　for　the　future　as　her　kind；　kind　friend　and
protector。　　Her　behaviour　was　so　affecting　that　he　was
going　to　write　her　a　cheque　for　twenty　pounds　more；
but　he　restrained　his　feelings：　the　carriage　was　in　waiting
to　take　him　to　dinner；　so　he　tripped　away　with　a　〃God
bless　you；　my　dear；　always　come　here　when　you　come　to
town；　you　know。Drive　to　the　Mansion　House；　James。〃
Finally　came　the　parting　with　Miss　Amelia；　over　which
picture　I　intend　to　throw　a　veil。　　But　after　a　scene　in
which　one　person　was　in　earnest　and　the　other　a　perfect
performerafter　the　tenderest　caresses；　the　most　pathetic
tears；　the　smelling…bottle；　and　some　of　the　very　best
feelings　of　the　heart；　had　been　called　into　requisition
Rebecca　and　Amelia　parted；　the　former　vowing　to　love
her　friend　for　ever　and　ever　and　ever。

CHAPTER　VII
Crawley　of　Queen's　Crawley
Among　the　most　respected　of　the　names　beginning　in　C
which　the　Court…Guide　contained；　in　the　year　18；　was
that　of　Crawley；　Sir　Pitt；　Baronet；　Great　Gaunt　Street；
and　Queen's　Crawley；　Hants。　　This　honourable　name　had
figured　constantly　also　in　the　Parliamentary　list　for　many
years；　in　conjunction　with　that　of　a　number　of　other
worthy　gentlemen　who　sat　in　turns　for　the　borough。
It　is　related；　with　regard　to　the　borough　of　Queen's
Crawley；　that　Queen　Elizabeth　in　one　of　her　progresses；
stopping　at　Crawley　to　breakfast；　was　so　delighted　with
some　remarkably　fine　Hampshire　beer　which　was　then
presented　to　her　by　the　Crawley　of　the　day　（a　handsome
gentleman　with　a　trim　beard　and　a　good　leg）；　that　she
forthwith　erected　Crawley　into　a　borough　to　send　two
members　to　Parliament；　and　the　place；　from　the　day　of
that　illustrious　visit；　took　the　name　of　Queen's　Crawley；
which　it　holds　up　to　the　present　moment。　　And　though；　by
the　lapse　of　time；　and　those　mutations　which　age　produces
in　empires；　cities；　and　boroughs；　Queen's　Crawley　was　no
longer　so　populous　a　place　as　it　had　been　in　Queen　Bess's
timenay；　was　come　down　to　that　condition　of　borough
which　used　to　be　denominated　rottenyet；　as　Sir　Pitt
Crawley　would　say　with　perfect　justice　in　his　elegant
way；　〃Rotten！　be　hangedit　produces　me　a　good　fifteen
hundred　a　year。〃
Sir　Pitt　Crawley　（named　after　the　great　Commoner）
was　the　son　of　Walpole　Crawley；　first　Baronet；　of　the
Tape　and　Sealing…Wax　Office　in　the　reign　of　George　II。；
when　he　was　impeached　for　peculation；　as　were　a　great
number　of　other　honest　gentlemen　of　those　days；　and
Walpole　Crawley　was；　as　need　scarcely　be　said；　son　of
John　Churchill　Crawley；　named　after　the　celebrated
military　commander　of　the　reign　of　Queen　Anne。　　The　family
tree　（which　hangs　up　at　Queen's　Crawley）　furthermore
mentions　Charles　Stuart；　afterwards　called　Barebones
Crawley；　son　of　the　Crawley　of　James　the　First's　time；
and　finally；　Queen　Elizabeth's　Crawley；　who　is　represented
as　the　foreground　of　the　picture　in　his　forked　beard　and
armour。　　Out　of　his　waistcoat；　as　usual；　grows　a　tree；　on
the　main　branches　of　which　the　above　illustrious　names
are　inscribed。　　Close　by　the　name　of　Sir　Pitt　Crawley；
Baronet　（the　subject　of　the　present　memoir）；　are　written
that　of　his　brother；　the　Reverend　Bute　Crawley　（the　great
Commoner　was　in　disgrace　when　the　reverend　gentleman
was　born）；　rector　of　Crawley…cum…Snailby；　and　of　various
other　male　and　female　members　of　the　Crawley　family。
Sir　Pitt　was　first　married　to　Grizzel；　sixth　da