vanity fair(名利场)-第208章

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womankind　in　early　youth；　namely；　to　be　thankful　because
we　are　better　off　than　somebody　else；　be　a　very　rational
religious　exercise）　and　then　she　began　to　think；　as　usual；
how　her　son　was　the　handsomest；　the　best；　and　the
cleverest　boy　in　the　whole　world。
〃You　will　see　my　Georgy；〃　was　the　best　thing　Emmy
could　think　of　to　console　Becky。　　If　anything　could　make
her　comfortable　that　would。
And　so　the　two　women　continued　talking　for　an　hour
or　more；　during　which　Becky　had　the　opportunity　of
giving　her　new　friend　a　full　and　complete　version　of　her
private　history。　　She　showed　how　her　marriage　with
Rawdon　Crawley　had　always　been　viewed　by　the　family　with
feelings　of　the　utmost　hostility；　how　her　sister…in…law
（an　artful　woman）　had　poisoned　her　husband's　mind
against　her；　how　he　had　formed　odious　connections；
which　had　estranged　his　affections　from　her：　　how　she　had
borne　everythingpoverty；　neglect；　coldness　from　the
being　whom　she　most　lovedand　all　for　the　sake　of　her
child；　how；　finally；　and　by　the　most　flagrant　outrage；　she
had　been　driven　into　demanding　a　separation　from　her
husband；　when　the　wretch　did　not　scruple　to　ask　that　she
should　sacrifice　her　own　fair　fame　so　that　he　might
procure　advancement　through　the　means　of　a　very　great　and
powerful　but　unprincipled　manthe　Marquis　of　Steyne；
indeed。　　The　atrocious　monster！
This　part　of　her　eventful　history　Becky　gave　with　the
utmost　feminine　delicacy　and　the　most　indignant　virtue。
Forced　to　fly　her　husband's　roof　by　this　insult；　the　coward
had　pursued　his　revenge　by　taking　her　child　from　her。
And　thus　Becky　said　she　was　a　wanderer；　poor；
unprotected；　friendless；　and　wretched。
Emmy　received　this　story；　which　was　told　at　some
length；　as　those　persons　who　are　acquainted　with　her
character　may　imagine　that　she　would。　　She　quivered
with　indignation　at　the　account　of　the　conduct　of　the
miserable　Rawdon　and　the　unprincipled　Steyne。　　Her　eyes
made　notes　of　admiration　for　every　one　of　the　sentences
in　which　Becky　described　the　persecutions　of　her
aristocratic　relatives　and　the　falling　away　of　her　husband。
（Becky　did　not　abuse　him。　　She　spoke　rather　in　sorrow
than　in　anger。　　She　had　loved　him　only　too　fondly：　　and
was　he　not　the　father　of　her　boy？）　And　as　for　the　separation
scene　from　the　child；　while　Becky　was　reciting　it；
Emmy　retired　altogether　behind　her　pocket…handkerchief；
so　that　the　consummate　little　tragedian　must　have　been
charmed　to　see　the　effect　which　her　performance
produced　on　her　audience。
Whilst　the　ladies　were　carrying　on　their　conversation；
Amelia's　constant　escort；　the　Major　（who；　of　course；
did　not　wish　to　interrupt　their　conference；　and　found
himself　rather　tired　of　creaking　about　the　narrow　stair
passage　of　which　the　roof　brushed　the　nap　from　his　hat）
descended　to　the　ground…floor　of　the　house　and　into　the
great　room　common　to　all　the　frequenters　of　the　Elephant；
out　of　which　the　stair　led。　　This　apartment　is　always
in　a　fume　of　smoke　and　liberally　sprinkled　with　beer。　　On
a　dirty　table　stand　scores　of　corresponding　brass
candlesticks　with　tallow　candles　for　the　lodgers；　whose　keys
hang　up　in　rows。over　the　candles。　　Emmy　had　passed
blushing　through　the　room　anon；　where　all　sorts　of
people　were　collected；　Tyrolese　glove…sellers　and　Danubian
linen…merchants；　with　their　packs；　students　recruiting
themselves　with　butterbrods　and　meat；　idlers；　playing
cards　or　dominoes　on　the　sloppy；　beery　tables；　tumblers
refreshing　during　the　cessation　of　their　performances
in　a　word；　all　the　fumum　and　strepitus　of　a　German　inn
in　fair　time。　　The　waiter　brought　the　Major　a　mug　of　beer；
as　a　matter　of　course；　and　he　took　out　a　cigar　and
amused　himself　with　that　pernicious　vegetable　and　a
newspaper　until　his　charge　should　come　down　to　claim　him。
Max　and　Fritz　came　presently　downstairs；　their　caps　on
one　side；　their　spurs　jingling；　their　pipes　splendid　with
coats　of　arms　and　full…blown　tassels；　and　they　hung　up　the
key　of　No。　　90　on　the　board　and　called　for　the　ration　of
butterbrod　and　beer。　　The　pair　sat　down　by　the　Major　and
fell　into　a　conversation　of　which　he　could　not　help　hearing
somewhat。　　It　was　mainly　about　〃Fuchs〃　and　〃Philister；〃
and　duels　and　drinking…bouts　at　the　neighbouring
University　of　Schoppenhausen；　from　which　renowned
seat　of　learning　they　had　just　come　in　the　Eilwagen；
with　Becky；　as　it　appeared；　by　their　side；　and　in　order
to　be　present　at　the　bridal　fetes　at　Pumpernickel。
〃The　title　Englanderinn　seems　to　be　en　bays　de
gonnoisance；〃　said　Max；　who　knew　the　French　language；
to　Fritz；　his　comrade。　　〃After　the　fat　grandfather　went
away；　there　came　a　pretty　little　compatriot。　　I　heard　them
chattering　and　whimpering　together　in　the　little　woman's
chamber。〃
〃We　must　take　the　tickets　for　her　concert；〃　Fritz　said。
〃Hast　thou　any　money；　Max？〃
〃Bah；〃　said　the　other；　〃the　concert　is　a　concert　in
nubibus。　　Hans　said　that　she　advertised　one　at　Leipzig；　and
the　Burschen　took　many　tickets。　　But　she　went　off　without
singing。　　She　said　in　the　coach　yesterday　that　her　pianist
had　fallen　ill　at　Dresden。　　She　cannot　sing；　it　is　my　belief：
her　voice　is　as　cracked　as　thine；　O　thou　beer…soaking
Renowner！〃
〃It　is　cracked；　I　hear　her　trying　out　of　her　window　a
schrecklich。　　English　ballad；　called　'De　Rose　upon　de
Balgony。'　〃
〃Saufen　and　singen　go　not　together；〃　observed　Fritz
with　the　red　nose；　who　evidently　preferred　the　former
amusement。　　〃No；　thou　shalt　take　none　of　her　tickets。
She　won　money　at　the　trente　and　quarante　last　night。　　I
saw　her：　　she　made　a　little　English　boy　play　for　her。　　We
will　spend　thy　money　there　or　at　the　theatre；　or　we　will
treat　her　to　French　wine　or　Cognac　in　the　Aurelius
Garden；　but　the　tickets　we　will　not　buy。　　What　sayest
thou？　Yet；　another　mug　of　beer？〃　and　one　and　another
successively　having　buried　their　blond　whiskers　in　the
mawkish　draught；　curled　them　and　swaggered　off　into
the　fair。
The　Major；　who　had　seen　the　key　of　No。　　90　put　up
on　its　hook　and　had　heard　the　conversation　of　the　two
young　University　bloods；　was　not　at　a　loss　to
understand　that　their　talk　related　to　Becky。　　〃The　little　devil
is　at　her　old　tricks；〃　he　thought；　and　he　smiled　as　he
recalled　old　days；　when　he　had　witnessed　the　desperate
flirtation　with　Jos　and　the　ludicrous　end　of　that　adventure。
He　and　George　had　often　laughed　over　it　subsequently；
and　until　a　few　weeks　after　George's　marriage；
when　he　also　was　caught　in　the　little　Circe's　toils；　and
had　an　understanding　with　her　which　his　comrade
certainly　suspected；　but　preferred　to　ignore。　　William　was
too　much　hurt　or　ashamed　to　ask　to　fathom　that
disgraceful　mystery；　although　once；　and　evidently　with
remorse　on　his　mind；　George　had　alluded　to　it。　　It　was　on
the　morning　of　Waterloo；　as　the　young　men　stood
together　in　front　of　their　line；　surveying　the　black　masses　of
Frenchmen　who　crowned　the　opposite　heights；　and　as　the
rain　was　coming　down；　〃I　have　been　mixing　in　a　foolish
intrigue　with　a　woman；〃　George　said。　　〃I　am　glad　we　were
marched　away。　　If　I　drop；　I　hope　Emmy　will　never　know
of　that　business。　　I　wish　to　God　it　had　never　been
begun！〃　And　William　was　pleased　to　think；　and　had　more
than　once　soothed　poor　George's　widow　with　the
narrative；　that　Osborne；　after　quitting　his　wife；　and　after
the　action　of　Quatre　Bras；　on　the　first　day；　spoke　gravely
and　affectionately　to　his　comrade　of　his　father　and　his
wife。　　On　these　facts；　too；　William　had　insisted　very
strongly　in　his　conversations　with　the　elder　Osborne；
and　had　thus　been　the　means　of　reconciling　the　old
gentleman　to　his　son's　memory；　just　at　the　close　of　the
elder　man's　life。
〃And　so　this　devil　is　still　going　on　with　her　intrigues；〃
thought　William。　　〃I　wish　she　were　a　hundred　miles　from
here。　　She　brings　mischief　wherever　she　goes。〃　And　he
was　pursuing　these　forebodings　and　this　uncomfortable
train　of　thought；　with　his　head　between　his　hands；　and
the　Pumpernickel　Gazette　of　last　week　unread　under　his
nose；　when　somebody　tapped　his　shoulder　with　a　parasol；
and　he　looked　up　and　saw　Mrs。　Amelia。
This　woman　had　a　way　of　tyrannizing　over　Major
Dobbin　（for　the　weakest　of　all　people　will　domineer
over　somebody）；　and　she　ordered　him　about；　and