vanity fair(名利场)-第20章
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travelling companion to…morrow。〃
〃He's always at law business；〃 said Mrs。 Tinker；
taking up the pot of porter。
〃Drink and drink about；〃 said the Baronet。 〃Yes； my
dear； Tinker is quite right： I've lost and won more
lawsuits than any man in England。 Look here at Crawley；
Bart。 v。 Snaffle。 I'll throw him over； or my name's not
Pitt Crawley。 Podder and another versus Crawley； Bart。
Overseers of Snaily parish against Crawley； Bart。 They
can't prove it's common： I'll defy 'em； the land's mine。
It no more belongs to the parish than it does to you or
Tinker here。 I'll beat 'em； if it cost me a thousand guineas。
Look over the papers； you may if you like； my dear。
Do you write a good hand？ I'll make you useful when
we're at Queen's Crawley； depend on it； Miss Sharp。
Now the dowager's dead I want some one。〃
〃She was as bad as he；〃 said Tinker。 〃She took the
law of every one of her tradesmen； and turned away
forty…eight footmen in four year。〃
〃She was closevery close；〃 said the Baronet； simply；
〃but she was a valyble woman to me； and saved me a
steward。〃And in this confidential strain； and much to
the amusement of the new…comer； the conversation
continued for a considerable time。 Whatever Sir Pitt
Crawley's qualities might be； good or bad； he did not make
the least disguise of them。 He talked of himself incessantly；
sometimes in the coarsest and vulgarest Hampshire accent；
sometimes adopting the tone of a man of the world。 And so；
with injunctions to Miss Sharp to be ready at five in the
morning； he bade her good night。 〃You'll sleep with Tinker
to…night；〃 he said； 〃it's a big bed； and there's room for two。
Lady Crawley died in it。 Good night。〃
Sir Pitt went off after this benediction； and the solemn
Tinker； rushlight in hand； led the way up the great
bleak stone stairs； past the great dreary drawing…room
doors； with the handles muffled up in paper； into the
great front bedroom； where Lady Crawley had slept her
last。 The bed and chamber were so funereal and gloomy；
you might have fancied； not only that Lady Crawley died
in the room； but that her ghost inhabited it。 Rebecca
sprang about the apartment； however； with the greatest
liveliness； and had peeped into the huge wardrobes； and
the closets； and the cupboards； and tried the drawers
which were locked； and examined the dreary pictures
and toilette appointments； while the old charwoman
was saying her prayers。 〃I shouldn't like to sleep in this
yeer bed without a good conscience； Miss；〃 said the old
woman。 〃There's room for us and a half…dozen of ghosts
in it；〃 says Rebecca。 〃Tell me all about Lady Crawley
and Sir Pitt Crawley； and everybody； my DEAR Mrs。
Tinker。〃
But old Tinker was not to be pumped by this little
cross…questioner； and signifying to her that bed was a
place for sleeping； not conversation； set up in her corner
of the bed such a snore as only the nose of innocence
can produce。 Rebecca lay awake for a long； long time；
thinking of the morrow； and of the new world into which
she was going； and of her chances of success there。 The
rushlight flickered in the basin。 The mantelpiece cast up
a great black shadow； over half of a mouldy old sampler；
which her defunct ladyship had worked； no doubt； and
over two little family pictures of young lads； one in a
college gown； and the other in a red jacket like a soldier。
When she went to sleep； Rebecca chose that one to
dream about。
At four o'clock； on such a roseate summer's morning
as even made Great Gaunt Street look cheerful； the
faithful Tinker； having wakened her bedfellow； and bid her
prepare for departure； unbarred and unbolted the great
hall door （the clanging and clapping whereof startled
the sleeping echoes in the street）； and taking her way
into Oxford Street； summoned a coach from a stand
there。 It is needless to particularize the number of the
vehicle； or to state that the driver was stationed thus
early in the neighbourhood of Swallow Street； in hopes
that some young buck； reeling homeward from the tavern；
might need the aid of his vehicle； and pay him with
the generosity of intoxication。
It is likewise needless to say that the driver； if he had
any such hopes as those。above stated； was grossly
disappointed； and that the worthy Baronet whom he drove
to the City did not give him one single penny more than
his fare。 It was in vain that Jehu appealed and stormed；
that he flung down Miss Sharp's bandboxes in the gutter
at the 'Necks； and swore he would take the law of his
fare。
〃You'd better not；〃 said one of the ostlers； 〃it's Sir
Pitt Crawley。〃
〃So it is； Joe；〃 cried the Baronet； approvingly； 〃and
I'd like to see the man can do me。〃
〃So should oi；〃 said Joe； grinning sulkily； and
mounting the Baronet's baggage on the roof of the coach。
〃Keep the box for me； Leader；〃 exclaims the Member
of Parliament to the coachman； who replied； 〃Yes；
Sir Pitt；〃 with a touch of his hat； and rage in his soul
（for he had promised the box to a young gentleman
from Cambridge； who would have given a crown to a
certainty）； and Miss Sharp was accommodated with a
back seat inside the carriage； which might be said to be
carrying her into the wide world。
How the young man from Cambridge sulkily put his
five great…coats in front； but was reconciled when little
Miss Sharp was made to quit the carriage； and mount
up beside himwhen he covered her up in one of his
Benjamins； and became perfectly good…humouredhow
the asthmatic gentleman； the prim lady； who declared
upon her sacred honour she had never travelled in a
public carriage before （there is always such a lady in a
coachAlas！ was； for the coaches； where are they？）；
and the fat widow with the brandy…bottle； took their
places insidehow the porter asked them all for money；
and got sixpence from the gentleman and five greasy
halfpence from the fat widowand how the carriage
at length drove awaynow threading the dark lanes of
Aldersgate； anon clattering by the Blue Cupola of St。
Paul's； jingling rapidly by the strangers' entry of Fleet…
Market； which； with Exeter 'Change； has now departed
to the world of shadowshow they passed the White
Bear in Piccadilly； and saw the dew rising up from the
market…gardens of Knightsbridgehow Turnhamgreen；
Brentwood； Bagshot； were passedneed not be told here。
But the writer of these pages； who has pursued in former
days； and in the same bright weather； the same remarkable
journey； cannot but think of it with a sweet and
tender regret。 Where is the road now； and its merry
incidents of life？ Is there no Chelsea or Greenwich for
the old honest pimple…nosed coachmen？ I wonder where
are they； those good fellows？ Is old Weller alive or dead？
and the waiters； yea； and the inns at which they waited；
and the cold rounds of beef inside； and the stunted ostler；
with his blue nose and clinking pail； where is he； and
where is his generation？ To those great geniuses now in
petticoats； who shall write novels for the beloved reader's
children； these men and things will be as much legend
and history as Nineveh； or Coeur de Lion； or Jack
Sheppard。 For them stage…coaches will have become romances
a team of four bays as fabulous as Bucephalus or Black
Bess。 Ah； how their coats shone； as the stable…men pulled
their clothes off； and away they wentah； how their
tails shook； as with smoking sides at the stage's end
they demurely walked away into the inn…yard。 Alas！ we
shall never hear the horn sing at midnight； or see the
pike…gates fly open any more。 Whither； however； is the
light four…inside Trafalgar coach carrying us？ Let us be
set down at Queen's Crawley without further divagation；
and see how Miss Rebecca Sharp speeds there。
CHAPTER VIII
Miss Rebecca Sharp to Miss Amelia Sedley；
Russell Square； London。
（Free。Pitt Crawley。）
MY DEAREST； SWEETEST AMELIA；
With what mingled joy and sorrow do I take up the
pen to write to my dearest friend！ Oh； what a change
between to…day and yesterday！ Now I am friendless and
alone； yesterday I was at home； in the sweet company
of a sister； whom I shall ever； ever cherish！
I will not tell you in what tears and sadness I passed
the fatal nig
