vanity fair(名利场)-第22章

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the　great　yellow　saloon　and　the　morning…rooms。　　I　think
there　are　at　least　twenty　bedrooms　on　the　first　floor；　one
of　them　has　the　bed　in　which　Queen　Elizabeth　slept；
and　I　have　been　taken　by　my　new　pupils　through　all
these　fine　apartments　this　morning。　　They　are　not
rendered　less　gloomy；　I　promise　you；　by　having　the　shutters
always　shut；　and　there　is　scarce　one　of　the　apartments；
but　when　the　light　was　let　into　it；　I　expected　to
see　a　ghost　in　the　room。　　We　have　a　schoolroom　on　the
second　floor；　with　my　bedroom　leading　into　it　on　one
side；　and　that　of　the　young　ladies　on　the　other。　　Then
there　are　Mr。　Pitt's　apartmentsMr。　Crawley；　he　is
calledthe　eldest　son；　and　Mr。　Rawdon　Crawley's　rooms
he　is　an　officer　like　SOMEBODY；　and　away　with　his
regiment。　　There　is　no　want　of　room　I　assure　you。　　You
might　lodge　all　the　people　in　Russell　Square　in　the
house；　I　think；　and　have　space　to　spare。
Half　an　hour　after　our　arrival；　the　great　dinner…bell
was　rung；　and　I　came　down　with　my　two　pupils　（they
are　very　thin　insignificant　little　chits　of　ten　and　eight
years　old）。　　I　came　down　in　your　dear　muslin　gown
（about　which　that　odious　Mrs。　Pinner　was　so　rude；　
because　you　gave　it　me）；　for　I　am　to　be　treated　as　one　of
the　family；　except　on　company　days；　when　the　young
ladies　and　I　are　to　dine　upstairs。
Well；　the　great　dinner…bell　rang；　and　we　all　assembled
in　the　little　drawing…room　where　my　Lady　Crawley
sits。　　She　is　the　second　Lady　Crawley；　and　mother　of　the
young　ladies。　　She　was　an　ironmonger's　daughter；　and
her　marriage　was　thought　a　great　match。　　She　looks　as
if　she　had　been　handsome　once；　and　her　eyes　are　always
weeping　for　the　loss　of　her　beauty。　　She　is　pale　and
meagre　and　high…shouldered；　and　has　not　a　word　to　say
for　herself；　evidently。　　Her　stepson　Mr。　Crawley；　was
likewise　in　the　room。　　He　was　in　full　dress；　as　pompous
as　an　undertaker。　　He　is　pale；　thin；　ugly；　silent；　he　has
thin　legs；　no　chest；　hay…coloured　whiskers；　and　straw…
coloured　hair。　　He　is　the　very　picture　of　his　sainted
mother　over　the　mantelpieceGriselda　of　the　noble
house　of　Binkie。
〃This　is　the　new　governess；　Mr。　Crawley；〃　said　Lady
Crawley；　coming　forward　and　taking　my　hand。　　〃Miss
Sharp。〃
〃0！〃　said　Mr。　Crawley；　and　pushed　his　head　once
forward　and　began　again　to　read　a　great　pamphlet
with　which　he　was　busy。
〃I　hope　you　will　be　kind　to　my　girls；〃　said　Lady
Crawley；　with　her　pink　eyes　always　full　of　tears。
〃Law；　Ma；　of　course　she　will；〃　said　the　eldest：　and　I
saw　at　a　glance　that　I　need　not　be　afraid　of　THAT　woman。
〃My　lady　is　served；〃　says　the　butler　in　black；　in　an
immense　white　shirt…frill；　that　looked　as　if　it　had　been
one　of　the　Queen　Elizabeth's　ruffs　depicted　in　the　hall；
and　so；　taking　Mr。　Crawley's　arm；　she　led　the　way　to　the
dining…room；　whither　I　followed　with　my　little　pupils　in
each　hand。
Sir　Pitt　was　already　in　the　room　with　a　silver　jug。　　He
had　just　been　to　the　cellar；　and　was　in　full　dress　too；
that　is；　he　had　taken　his　gaiters　off；　and　showed　his　little
dumpy　legs　in　black　worsted　stockings。　　The　sideboard
was　covered　with　glistening　old　plateold　cups；　both
gold　and　silver；　old　salvers　and　cruet…stands；　like
Rundell　and　Bridge's　shop。　　Everything　on　the　table　was　in
silver　too；　and　two　footmen；　with　red　hair　and　canary…
coloured　liveries；　stood　on　either　side　of　the　sideboard。
Mr。　Crawley　said　a　long　grace；　and　Sir　Pitt　said　amen；
and　the　great　silver　dish…covers　were　removed。
〃What　have　we　for　dinner；　Betsy？'　said　the　Baronet。
〃Mutton　broth；　I　believe；　Sir　Pitt；〃　answered　Lady
Crawley。
〃Mouton　aux　navets；〃　added　the　butler　gravely
（pronounce；　if　you　please；　moutongonavvy）；　〃and　the
soup　is　potage　de　mouton　a　l'Ecossaise。　　The　side…dishes
contain　pommes　de　terre　au　naturel；　and　choufleur　a　l'eau。〃
〃Mutton's　mutton；〃　said　the　Baronet；　〃and　a　devilish
good　thing。　　What　SHIP　was　it；　Horrocks；　and　when　did
you　kill？〃
〃One　of　the　black…faced　Scotch；　Sir　Pitt：　we　killed　on　Thursday。
〃Who　took　any？〃
〃Steel；　of　Mudbury；　took　the　saddle　and　two　legs；　Sir
Pitt；　but　he　says　the　last　was　too　young　and　confounded
woolly；　Sir　Pitt。〃
〃Will　you　take　some　potage；　Miss　ahMiss　Blunt？
said　Mr。　Crawley。
〃Capital　Scotch　broth；　my　dear；〃　said　Sir　Pitt；　〃though
they　call　it　by　a　French　name。〃　
〃I　believe　it　is　the　custom；　sir；　in　decent　society；〃　said
Mr。　Crawley；　haughtily；　〃to　call　the　dish　as　I　have　called
it〃；　and　it　was　served　to　us　on　silver　soup　plates　by　the
footmen　in　the　canary　coats；　with　the　mouton　aux
navets。　　Then　〃ale　and　water〃　were　brought；　and　served
to　us　young　ladies　in　wine…glasses。　　I　am　not　a　judge　of
ale；　but　I　can　say　with　a　clear　conscience　I　prefer　water。
While　we　were　enjoying　our　repast；　Sir　Pitt　took
occasion　to　ask　what　had　become　of　the　shoulders　of
the　mutton。
〃I　believe　they　were　eaten　in　the　servants'　hall；〃　said
my　lady；　humbly。
〃They　was；　my　lady；〃　said　Horrocks；　〃and　precious
little　else　we　get　there　neither。〃
Sir　Pitt　burst　into　a　horse…laugh；　and　continued　his
conversation　with　Mr。　Horrocks。　　〃That　there　little　black
pig　of　the　Kent　sow's　breed　must　be　uncommon　fat
now。〃
〃It's　not　quite　busting；　Sir　Pitt；〃　said　the　butler　with
the　gravest　air；　at　which　Sir　Pitt；　and　with　him　the　young
ladies；　this　time；　began　to　laugh　violently。
〃Miss　Crawley；　Miss　Rose　Crawley；〃　said　Mr。　Crawley；
〃your　laughter　strikes　me　as　being　exceedingly　out
of　place。〃
〃Never　mind；　my　lord；〃　said　the　Baronet；　〃we'll　try
the　porker　on　Saturday。　　Kill　un　on　Saturday　morning；
John　Horrocks。　　Miss　Sharp　adores　pork；　don't　you；　Miss
Sharp？〃
And　I　think　this　is　all　the　conversation　that　I　remember
at　dinner。　　When　the　repast　was　concluded　a　jug　of
hot　water　was　placed　before　Sir　Pitt；　with　a　case…bottle
containing；　I　believe；　rum。　　Mr。　Horrocks　served　myself
and　my　pupils　with　three　little　glasses　of　wine；　and　a
bumper　was　poured　out　for　my　lady。　　When　we　retired；
she　took　from　her　work…drawer　an　enormous　interminable
piece　of　knitting；　the　young　ladies　began　to　play　at
cribbage　with　a　dirty　pack　of　cards。　　We　had　but　one
candle　lighted；　but　it　was　in　a　magnificent　old　silver
candlestick；　and　after　a　very　few　questions　from　my　lady；
I　had　my　choice　of　amusement　between　a　volume　of
sermons；　and　a　pamphlet　on　the　corn…laws；　which　Mr。
Crawley　had　been　reading　before　dinner。
So　we　sat　for　an　hour　until　steps　were　heard。
〃Put　away　the　cards；　girls；〃　cried　my　lady；　in　a　great
tremor；　〃put　down　Mr。　Crawley's　books；　Miss　Sharp〃；
and　these　orders　had　been　scarcely　obeyed；　when　Mr。
Crawley　entered　the　room。
〃We　will　resume　yesterday's　discourse；　young　ladies；〃
said　he；　〃and　you　shall　each　read　a　page　by　turns；　so
that　Miss　aMiss　Short　may　have　an　opportunity　of
hearing　you〃；　and　the　poor　girls　began　to　spell　a　long
dismal　sermon　delivered　at　Bethesda　Chapel；　Liverpool；
on　behalf　of　the　mission　for　the　Chickasaw　Indians。
Was　it　not　a　charming　evening？
At　ten　the　servants　were　told　to　call　Sir　Pitt　and　the
household　to　prayers。　　Sir　Pitt　came　in　first；　very　much
flushed；　and　rather　unsteady　in　his　gait；　and　after　him
the　butler；　the　canaries；　Mr。　Crawley's　man；　three　other
men；　smelling　very　much　of　the　stable；　and　four　women；
one　of　whom；　I　remarked；　was　very　much　overdressed；
and　who　flung　me　a　look　of　great　scorn　as　she　plumped
down　on　her　knees。
After　Mr。　Crawley　had　done　haranguing　and
expounding；　we　received　our　candles；　and　then　we
went　to　bed；　and　then　I　was　disturbed　in　my　writing；　as
I　have　described　to　my　dearest　sweetest　Amelia。
Good　night。　　A　thousand；　thousand；　thousand　kisses！
Saturday。This　morning；　at　five；　I　heard　the
shrieking　of　the　little　black　pig。　　Rose　and　Violet　introduced
me　to　it　yesterday；　and　to　the　stables；　and　to　the　kennel；
and　to　the　gardener；　who　was　picking　fruit　to　send　to
market；　and　from　whom　they　begged　hard　a　bunch　of
hot…house　grapes；　but　he　said　that　Sir　Pitt　had　numbered
every　〃Man　Jack〃　of　them；　and　it　would　be　as　much　as
his　place　was　worth　to　give　any　away。　　The　darling　girls
caught　a　colt　in　a　paddock；　and　asked　me　if　I　would
ride；　and　began　to　ride　themselves；　when　the　groom；
coming　with　horrid　oaths；　drove　them　away。
Lady　Crawley　is　always　knitting　the　worsted。　　Sir　Pitt
is　alw