vanity fair(名利场)-第40章

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foreign　accent；　which　gave　a　great　charm　to　her　clear
ringing　voice。　　〃No；〃　she　continued；　kindling　as　she　spoke　to
the　Captain；　〃I　can　endure　poverty；　but　not　shame
neglect；　but　not　insult；　and　insult　fromfrom　you。〃
　　
Her　feelings　gave　way；　and　she　burst　into　tears。
　　
〃Hang　it；　Miss　SharpRebeccaby　Joveupon　my
soul；　I　wouldn't　for　a　thousand　pounds。　　Stop；　Rebecca！〃
　　
She　was　gone。　　She　drove　out　with　Miss　Crawley　that
day。　　It　was　before　the　latter's　illness。　　At　dinner　she　was
unusually　brilliant　and　lively；　but　she　would　take　no
notice　of　the　hints；　or　the　nods；　or　the　clumsy　expostulations
of　the　humiliated；　infatuated　guardsman。　　Skirmishes
of　this　sort　passed　perpetually　during　the　little　campaign
tedious　to　relate；　and　similar　in　result。　　The　Crawley
heavy　cavalry　was　maddened　by　defeat；　and　routed
every　day。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
If　the　Baronet　of　Queen's　Crawley　had　not　had　the
fear　of　losing　his　sister's　legacy　before　his　eyes；　he　never
would　have　permitted　his　dear　girls　to　lose　the　educational
blessings　which　their　invaluable　governess　was　conferring
upon　them。　　The　old　house　at　home　seemed　a　desert
without　her；　so　useful　and　pleasant　had　Rebecca
made　herself　there。　　Sir　Pitt's　letters　were　not　copied　and
corrected；　his　books　not　made　up；　his　household
business　and　manifold　schemes　neglected；　now　that　his　little
secretary　was　away。　　And　it　was　easy　to　see　how　necessary
such　an　amanuensis　was　to　him；　by　the　tenor　and
spelling　of　the　numerous　letters　which　he　sent　to　her；
entreating　her　and　commanding　her　to　return。　　Almost　every
day　brought　a　frank　from　the　Baronet；　enclosing　the
most　urgent　prayers　to　Becky　for　her　return；　or　conveying
pathetic　statements　to　Miss　Crawley；　regarding　the
neglected　state　of　his　daughters'　education；　of　which
documents　Miss　Crawley　took　very　little　heed。
　　
Miss　Briggs　was　not　formally　dismissed；　but　her　place
as　companion　was　a　sinecure　and　a　derision；　and　her
company　was　the　fat　spaniel　in　the　drawing…room；　or
occasionally　the　discontented　Firkin　in　the　housekeeper's
closet。　　Nor　though　the　old　lady　would　by　no　means
hear　of　Rebecca's　departure；　was　the　latter　regularly
installed　in　office　in　Park　Lane。　　Like　many　wealthy　people；
it　was　Miss　Crawley's　habit　to　accept　as　much　service　as
she　could　get　from　her　inferiors；　and　good…naturedly　to
take　leave　of　them　when　she　no　longer　found　them
useful。　　Gratitude　among　certain　rich　folks　is　scarcely　natural
or　to　be　thought　of。　　They　take　needy　people's　services
as　their　due。　　Nor　have　you；　O　poor　parasite　and　humble
hanger…on；　much　reason　to　complain！　　Your　friendship
for　Dives　is　about　as　sincere　as　the　return　which　it　usually
gets。　　It　is　money　you　love；　and　not　the　man；　and　were
Croesus　and　his　footman　to　change　places　you　know；
you　poor　rogue；　who　would　have　the　benefit　of　your
allegiance。
　　
And　I　am　not　sure　that；　in　spite　of　Rebecca's　simplicity
and　activity；　and　gentleness　and　untiring　good
humour；　the　shrewd　old　London　lady；　upon　whom　these
treasures　of　friendship　were　lavished；　had　not　a　lurking
suspicion　all　the　while　of　her　affectionate　nurse　and　friend。
It　must　have　often　crossed　Miss　Crawley's　mind　that
nobody　does　anything　for　nothing。　　If　she　measured　her　own
feeling　towards　the　world；　she　must　have　been　pretty
well　able　to　gauge　those　of　the　world　towards　herself；
and　perhaps　she　reflected　that　it　is　the　ordinary　lot　of
people　to　have　no　friends　if　they　themselves　care　for
nobody。
　　
Well；　meanwhile　Becky　was　the　greatest　comfort　and
convenience　to　her；　and　she　gave　her　a　couple　of　new
gowns；　and　an　old　necklace　and　shawl；　and　showed　her
friendship　by　abusing　all　her　intimate　acquaintances　to
her　new　confidante　（than　which　there　can't　be　a　more
touching　proof　of　regard）；　and　meditated　vaguely　some
great　future　benefitto　marry　her　perhaps　to　Clump；
the　apothecary；　or　to　settle　her　in　some　advantageous
way　of　life；　or　at　any　rate；　to　send　her　back　to　Queen's
Crawley　when　she　had　done　with　her；　and　the　full
London　season　had　begun。
　　
When　Miss　Crawley　was　convalescent　and　descended
to　the　drawing…room；　Becky　sang　to　her；　and　otherwise
amused　her；　when　she　was　well　enough　to　drive　out；
Becky　accompanied　her。　　And　amongst　the　drives　which
they　took；　whither；　of　all　places　in　the　world；　did　Miss
Crawley's　admirable　good…nature　and　friendship　actually
induce　her　to　penetrate；　but　to　Russell　Square；
Bloomsbury；　and　the　house　of　John　Sedley；　Esquire。
　　
Ere　that　event；　many　notes　had　passed；　as　may　be
imagined；　between　the　two　dear　friends。　　During　the
months　of　Rebecca's　stay　in　Hampshire；　the　eternal
friendship　had　（must　it　be　owned？）　suffered　considerable
diminution；　and　grown　so　decrepit　and　feeble　with　old
age　as　to　threaten　demise　altogether。　　The　fact　is；　both
girls　had　their　own　real　affairs　to　think　of：　Rebecca　her
advance　with　her　employersAmelia　her　own　absorbing
topic。　　When　the　two　girls　met；　and　flew　into　each　other's
arms　with　that　impetuosity　which　distinguishes　the
behaviour　of　young　ladies　towards　each　other；　Rebecca
performed　her　part　of　the　embrace　with　the　most　perfect
briskness　and　energy。　　Poor　little　Amelia　blushed　as　she
kissed　her　friend；　and　thought　she　had　been　guilty　of
something　very　like　coldness　towards　her。
　　
Their　first　interview　was　but　a　very　short　one。　　Amelia
was　just　ready　to　go　out　for　a　walk。　　Miss　Crawley　was
waiting　in　her　carriage　below；　her　people　wondering　at
the　locality　in　which　they　found　themselves；　and　gazing
upon　honest　Sambo；　the　black　footman　of　Bloomsbury；
as　one　of　the　queer　natives　of　the　place。　　But　when　Amelia
came　down　with　her　kind　smiling　looks　（Rebecca　must
introduce　her　to　her　friend；　Miss　Crawley　was　longing
to　see　her；　and　was　too　ill　to　leave　her　carriage）when；
I　say；　Amelia　came　down；　the　Park　Lane　shoulder…knot
aristocracy　wondered　more　and　more　that　such　a　thing
could　come　out　of　Bloomsbury；　and　Miss　Crawley　was
fairly　captivated　by　the　sweet　blushing　face　of　the　young
lady　who　came　forward　so　timidly　and　so　gracefully　to
pay　her　respects　to　the　protector　of　her　friend。
〃What　a　complexion；　my　dear！　What　a　sweet　voice！〃
Miss　Crawley　said；　as　they　drove　away　westward　after
the　little　interview。　　〃My　dear　Sharp；　your　young　friend
is　charming。　　Send　for　her　to　Park　Lane；　do　you　hear？〃
Miss　Crawley　had　a　good　taste。　　She　liked　natural
mannersa　little　timidity　only　set　them　off。　　She　liked　pretty
faces　near　her；　as　she　liked　pretty　pictures　and　nice
china。　　She　talked　of　Amelia　with　rapture　half　a　dozen
times　that　day。　　She　mentioned　her　to　Rawdon　Crawley；
who　came　dutifully　to　partake　of　his　aunt's　chicken。
　　
Of　course；　on　this　Rebecca　instantly　stated　that　Amelia
was　engaged　to　be　marriedto　a　Lieutenant　Osborne
a　very　old　flame。
　　
〃Is　he　a　man　in　a　line…regiment？〃　Captain　Crawley
asked；　remembering　after　an　effort；　as　became　a
guardsman；　the　number　of　the　regiment；　the　th。
　　
Rebecca　thought　that　was　the　regiment。　　〃The
Captain's　name；〃　she　said；　〃was　Captain　Dobbin。〃
　　
〃A　lanky　gawky　fellow；〃　said　Crawley；　〃tumbles　over
everybody。　　I　know　him；　and　Osborne's　a　goodish…looking
fellow；　with　large　black　whiskers？〃
　　
〃Enormous；〃　Miss　Rebecca　Sharp　said；　〃and
enormously　proud　of　them；　I　assure　you。〃
　　
Captain　Rawdon　Crawley　burst　into　a　horse…laugh　by
way　of　reply；　and　being　pressed　by　the　ladies　to　explain；
did　so　when　the　explosion　of　hilarity　was　over。　　〃He
fancies　he　can　play　at　billiards；〃　said　he。　　〃I　won　two
hundred　of　him　at　the　Cocoa…Tree。　　HE　play；　the　young
flat！　　He'd　have　played　for　anything　that　day；　but　his　friend
Captain　Dobbin　carried　him　off；　hang　him！〃
　　
〃Rawdon；　Rawdon；　don't　be　so　wicked；〃　Miss　Crawley
remarked；　highly　pleased。
　　
〃Why；　ma'am；　of　all　the　young　fellows　I've　seen　out
of　the　line；　I　think　this　fellow's　the　greenest。　　Tarquin　and
Deuceace　get　what　money　they　like　out　of　him。　　He'd　go
to　the　deuce　to　be　seen　with　a　lord。　　He　pays　their
dinners　at　Greenwich；　and　they　invite　the　company。〃
　　
〃And　very　pretty　company　too；　I　dare　say。〃
　　
〃Quite　right；　Miss　Sharp。　　Right；　as　usual；　Miss　Sharp。
Uncommon　pretty　companyhaw；　haw！〃　and　the
Captain　laughed　more　and　more；　th