vanity fair(名利场)-第5章

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at　home；　she　was　overheard　to　play　a　piece　so　well　that
Minerva　thought；　wisely；　she　could　spare　herself　the
expense　of　a　master　for　the　juniors；　and　intimated　to　Miss
Sharp　that　she　was　to　instruct　them　in　music　for　the
future。
The　girl　refused；　and　for　the　first　time；　and　to　the
astonishment　of　the　majestic　mistress　of　the　school。　　〃I
am　here　to　speak　French　with　the　children；〃　Rebecca
said　abruptly；　〃not　to　teach　them　music；　and　save　money
for　you。　　Give　me　money；　and　I　will　teach　them。〃
Minerva　was　obliged　to　yield；　and；　of　course；　disliked
her　from　that　day。　　〃For　five…and…thirty　years；〃　she　said；
and　with　great　justice；　〃I　never　have　seen　the　individual
who　has　dared　in　my　own　house　to　question　my
authority。　　I　have　nourished　a　viper　in　my　bosom。〃
〃A　vipera　fiddlestick；〃　said　Miss　Sharp　to　the　old
lady；　almost　fainting　with　astonishment。　　〃You　took　me
because　I　was　useful。　　There　is　no　question　of　gratitude
between　us。　　I　hate　this　place；　and　want　to　leave　it。　　I
will　do　nothing　here　but　what　I　am　obliged　to　do。〃
It　was　in　vain　that　the　old　lady　asked　her　if　she　was
aware　she　was　speaking　to　Miss　Pinkerton？　　Rebecca
laughed　in　her　face；　with　a　horrid　sarcastic　demoniacal
laughter；　that　almost　sent　the　schoolmistress　into　fits。
〃Give　me　a　sum　of　money；〃　said　the　girl；　〃and　get　rid
of　meor；　if　you　like　better；　get　me　a　good　place　as
governess　in　a　nobleman's　familyyou　can　do　so　if　you
please。〃　　And　in　their　further　disputes　she　always　returned
to　this　point；　〃Get　me　a　situationwe　hate　each　other；
and　I　am　ready　to　go。〃
Worthy　Miss　Pinkerton；　although　she　had　a　Roman
nose　and　a　turban；　and　was　as　tall　as　a　grenadier；　and
had　been　up　to　this　time　an　irresistible　princess；　had　no
will　or　strength　like　that　of　her　little　apprentice；　and　in
vain　did　battle　against　her；　and　tried　to　overawe　her。
Attempting　once　to　scold　her　in　public；　Rebecca　hit　upon
the　before…mentioned　plan　of　answering　her　in　French；
which　quite　routed　the　old　woman。　　In　order　to　maintain
authority　in　her　school；　it　became　necessary　to　remove
this　rebel；　this　monster；　this　serpent；　this　firebrand；　and
hearing　about　this　time　that　Sir　Pitt　Crawley's　family
was　in　want　of　a　governess；　she　actually　recommended
Miss　Sharp　for　the　situation；　firebrand　and　serpent　as
she　was。　　〃I　cannot；　certainly；〃　she　said；　〃find　fault　with
Miss　Sharp's　conduct；　except　to　myself；　and　must　allow
that　her　talents　and　accomplishments　are　of　a　high　order。
As　far　as　the　head　goes；　at　least；　she　does　credit　to　the
educational　system　pursued　at　my　establishment。''
And　so　the　schoolmistress　reconciled　the　recommendation
to　her　conscience；　and　the　indentures　were　cancelled；
and　the　apprentice　was　free。　　The　battle　here　described
in　a　few　lines；　of　course；　lasted　for　some　months。　　And
as　Miss　Sedley；　being　now　in　her　seventeenth　year；　was
about　to　leave　school；　and　had　a　friendship　for　Miss
Sharp　（〃'tis　the　only　point　in　Amelia's　behaviour；〃　said
Minerva；　〃which　has　not　been　satisfactory　to　her
mistress〃）；　Miss　Sharp　was　invited　by　her　friend　to
pass　a　week　with　her　at　home；　before　she　entered
upon　her　duties　as　governess　in　a　private　family。
Thus　the　world　began　for　these　two　young　ladies。　　For
Amelia　it　was　quite　a　new；　fresh；　brilliant　world；　with
all　the　bloom　upon　it。　　It　was　not　quite　a　new　one　for
Rebecca（indeed；　if　the　truth　must　be　told　with　respect
to　the　Crisp　affair；　the　tart…woman　hinted　to　somebody；
who　took　an　affidavit　of　the　fact　to　somebody　else；　that
there　was　a　great　deal　more　than　was　made　public
regarding　Mr。　Crisp　and　Miss　Sharp；　and　that　his　letter
was　in　answer　to　another　letter）。　　But　who　can　tell　you
the　real　truth　of　the　matter？　At　all　events；　if　Rebecca
was　not　beginning　the　world；　she　was　beginning　it　over
again。
By　the　time　the　young　ladies　reached　Kensington　turnpike；
Amelia　had　not　forgotten　her　companions；　but　had
dried　her　tears；　and　had　blushed　very　much　and　been
delighted　at　a　young　officer　of　the　Life　Guards；　who　spied
her　as　he　was　riding　by；　and　said；　〃A　dem　fine　gal；
egad！〃　and　before　the　carriage　arrived　in　Russell　Square；
a　great　deal　of　conversation　had　taken　place　about　the
Drawing…room；　and　whether　or　not　young　ladies　wore
powder　as　well　as　hoops　when　presented；　and　whether
she　was　to　have　that　honour：　to　the　Lord　Mayor's　ball
she　knew　she　was　to　go。　　And　when　at　length　home　was
reached；　Miss　Amelia　Sedley　skipped　out　on　Sambo's
arm；　as　happy　and　as　handsome　a　girl　as　any　in　the　whole
big　city　of　London。　　Both　he　and　coachman　agreed　on
this　point；　and　so　did　her　father　and　mother；　and　so　did
every　one　of　the　servants　in　the　house；　as　they　stood
bobbing；　and　curtseying；　and　smiling；　in　the　hall　to
welcome　their　young　mistress。
You　may　be　sure　that　she　showed　Rebecca　over　every
room　of　the　house；　and　everything　in　every　one　of　her
drawers；　and　her　books；　and　her　piano；　and　her　dresses；
and　all　her　necklaces；　brooches；　laces；　and　gimcracks。
She　insisted　upon　Rebecca　accepting　the　white　cornelian
and　the　turquoise　rings；　and　a　sweet　sprigged　muslin；
which　was　too　small　for　her　now；　though　it　would　fit
her　friend　to　a　nicety；　and　she　determined　in　her　heart
to　ask　her　mother's　permission　to　present　her　white
Cashmere　shawl　to　her　friend。　　Could　she　not　spare　it？　and
had　not　her　brother　Joseph　just　brought　her　two　from
India？
When　Rebecca　saw　the　two　magnificent　Cashmere
shawls　which　Joseph　Sedley　had　brought　home　to　his
sister；　she　said；　with　perfect　truth；　〃that　it　must　be
delightful　to　have　a　brother；〃　and　easily　got　the　pity　of　the
tender…hearted　Amelia　for　being　alone　in　the　world；　an
orphan　without　friends　or　kindred。
〃Not　alone；〃　said　Amelia；　〃you　know；　Rebecca；　I　shall
always　be　your　friend；　and　love　you　as　a　sisterindeed
I　will。〃
〃Ah；　but　to　have　parents；　as　you　havekind；　rich；
affectionate　parents；　who　give　you　everything　you…ask
for；　and　their　love；　which　is　more　precious　than　all！
My　poor　papa　could　give　me　nothing；　and　I　had　but　two
frocks　in　all　the　world！　And　then；　to　have　a　brother；　a
dear　brother！　Oh；　how　you　must　love　him！〃
Amelia　laughed。
〃What！　don't　you　love　him？　you；　who　say　you　love
everybody？〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　~；
〃Yes；　of　course；　I　doonly〃
〃Only　what？〃
〃Only　Joseph　doesn't　seem　to　care　much　whether　I
love　him　or　not。　　He　gave　me　two　fingers　to　shake　when
he　arrived　after　ten　years'　absence！　　He　is　very　kind　and
good；　but　he　scarcely　ever　speaks　to　me；　I　think　he
loves　his　pipe　a　great　deal　better　than　his〃but　here
Amelia　checked　herself；　for　why　should　she　speak　ill　of
her　brother？　〃He　was　very　kind　to　me　as　a　child；〃　she
added；　〃I　was　but　five　years　old　when　he　went　away。〃
〃Isn't　he　very　rich？〃　said　Rebecca。　　〃They　say　all　Indian
nabobs　are　enormously　rich。〃
〃I　believe　he　has　a　very　large　income。〃
〃And　is　your　sister…in…law　a　nice　pretty　woman？〃
　
〃La！　Joseph　is　not　married；〃　said　Amelia；　laughing
again。
　
Perhaps　she　had　mentioned　the　fact　already　to　Rebecca；
but　that　young　lady　did　not　appear　to　have　remembered
it；　indeed；　vowed　and　protested　that　she　expected　to　see
a　number　of　Amelia's　nephews　and　nieces。　　She　was　quite
disappointed　that　Mr。　Sedley　was　not　married；　she　was
sure　Amelia　had　said　he　was；　and　she　doted　so　on　little
children。
〃I　think　you　must　have　had　enough　of　them　at
Chiswick；〃　said　Amelia；　rather　wondering　at　the　sudden
tenderness　on　her　friend's　part；　and　indeed　in　later　days
Miss　Sharp　would　never　have　committed　herself　so　far
as　to　advance　opinions；　the　untruth　of　which　would　have
been　so　easily　detected。　　But　we　must　remember　that　she
is　but　nineteen　as　yet；　unused　to　the　art　of　deceiving；
poor　innocent　creature！　and　making　her　own　experience
in　her　own　person。　　The　meaning　of　the　above　series　of
queries；　as　translated　in　the　heart　of　this　ingenious　young
woman；　was　simply　this：　〃If　Mr。　Joseph　Sedley　is　rich
and　unmarried；　why　should　I　not　marry　him？　I　have
only　a　fortnight；　to　be　sure；　but　there　is　no　harm　in
trying。〃　And　she　determined　within　herself　to　make　this
laudable　attempt。　　She　redoubled　her　caresses　to　Amelia；
she　kissed　the　white　cornelian　necklace　as　she　put　it
on；　and　vowed　she　would　never；　never　part　with　it。　　When
the　dinner…b