vanity fair(名利场)-第99章

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Earl　himself　kept　up　a　sly　occasional　acquaintance　with
her；　when　out　of　the　jurisdiction　of　his　ladies。
Rebecca　had　her　revenge　now　upon　these　insolent
enemies。　　If　became　known　in　the　hotel　that　Captain
Crawley's　horses　had　been　left　behind；　and　when　the
panic　began；　Lady　Bareacres　condescended　to　send　her
maid　to　the　Captain's　wife　with　her　Ladyship's　compliments；
and　a　desire　to　know　the　price　of　Mrs。　Crawley's
horses。　　Mrs。　Crawley　returned　a　note　with　her　compliments；
and　an　intimation　that　it　was　not　her　custom　to
transact　bargains　with　ladies'　maids。
This　curt　reply　brought　the　Earl　in　person　to　Becky's
apartment；　but　he　could　get　no　more　success　than　the
first　ambassador。　　〃Send　a　lady's　maid　to　ME！〃　Mrs。
Crawley　cried　in　great　anger；　〃why　didn't　my　Lady
Bareacres　tell　me　to　go　and　saddle　the　horses！　　Is　it　her
Ladyship　that　wants　to　escape；　or　her　Ladyship's　femme
de　chambre？〃　　And　this　was　all　the　answer　that　the　Earl
bore　back　to　his　Countess。
What　will　not　necessity　do？　　The　Countess　herself
actually　came　to　wait　upon　Mrs。　Crawley　on　the　failure
of　her　second　envoy。　　She　entreated　her　to　name　her　own
price；　she　even　offered　to　invite　Becky　to　Bareacres
House；　if　the　latter　would　but　give　her　the　means　of
returning　to　that　residence。　　Mrs。　Crawley　sneered　at　her。
〃I　don't　want　to　be　waited　on　by　bailiffs　in　livery；〃　she
said；　〃you　will　never　get　back　though　most　probably
at　least　not　you　and　your　diamonds　together。　　The　French
will　have　those　They　will　be　here　in　two　hours；　and　I
shall　be　half　way　to　Ghent　by　that　time。　　I　would　not　sell
you　my　horses；　no；　not　for　the　two　largest　diamonds　that
your　Ladyship　wore　at　the　ball。〃　　Lady　Bareacres　trembled
with　rage　and　terror。　　The　diamonds　were　sewed　into　her
habit；　and　secreted　in　my　Lord's　padding　and　boots。
〃Woman；　the　diamonds　are　at　the　banker's；　and　I　WILL
have　the　horses；〃　she　said。　　Rebecca　laughed　in　her　face。
The　infuriate　Countess　went　below；　and　sate　in　her
carriage；　her　maid；　her　courier；　and　her　husband　were　sent
once　more　through　the　town；　each　to　look　for　cattle；　and
woe　betide　those　who　came　last！　　Her　Ladyship　was
resolved　on　departing　the　very　instant　the　horses　arrived
from　any　quarterwith　her　husband　or　without　him。
Rebecca　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　her　Ladyship　in
the　horseless　carriage；　and　keeping　her　eyes　fixed　upon
her；　and　bewailing；　in　the　loudest　tone　of　voice；　the
Countess's　perplexities。　　〃Not　to　be　able　to　get　horses！〃
she　said；　〃and　to　have　all　those　diamonds　sewed　into　the
carriage　cushions！　　What　a　prize　it　will　be　for　the　French
when　they　come！the　carriage　and　the　diamonds；　I　mean；
not　the　lady！〃　　She　gave　this　information　to　the　landlord；
to　the　servants；　to　the　guests；　and　the　innumerable
stragglers　about　the　courtyard。　　Lady　Bareacres　could　have
shot　her　from　the　carriage　window。
It　was　while　enjoying　the　humiliation　of　her　enemy　that
Rebecca　caught　sight　of　Jos；　who　made　towards　her
directly　he　perceived　her。
That　altered；　frightened；　fat　face；　told　his　secret　well
enough。　　He　too　wanted　to　fly；　and　was　on　the　look…out
for　the　means　of　escape。　　〃HE　shall　buy　my　horses；〃
thought　Rebecca；　〃and　I'll　ride　the　mare。〃
Jos　walked　up　to　his　friend；　and　put　the　question　for
the　hundredth　time　during　the　past　hour；　〃Did　she　know
where　horses　were　to　be　had？〃
〃What；　YOU　fly？〃　said　Rebecca；　with　a　laugh。　　〃I
thought　you　were　the　champion　of　all　the　ladies；　Mr。
Sedley。〃
〃II'm　not　a　military　man；〃　gasped　he。
〃And　Amelia？Who　is　to　protect　that　poor　little　sister
of　yours？〃　asked　Rebecca。　　〃You　surely　would　not　desert
her？〃
〃What　good　can　I　do　her；　supposesuppose　the　enemy
arrive？〃　Jos　answered。　　〃They'll　spare　the　women；　but　my
man　tells　me　that　they　have　taken　an　oath　to　give　no
quarter　to　the　menthe　dastardly　cowards。〃
〃Horrid！〃　cried　Rebecca；　enjoying　his　perplexity。
〃Besides；　I　don't　want　to　desert　her；〃　cried　the　brother。
〃She　SHAN'T　be　deserted。　　There　is　a　seat　for　her　in　my
carriage；　and　one　for　you；　dear　Mrs。　Crawley；　if　you　will
come；　and　if　we　can　get　horses〃　sighed　he
〃I　have　two　to　sell；〃　the　lady　said。　　Jos　could　have
flung　himself　into　her　arms　at　the　news。　　〃Get　the　carriage；
Isidor；〃　he　cried；　〃we've　found　themwe　have　found
them。〃
My　horses　never　were　in　harness；〃　added　the　lady。
〃Bullfinch　would　kick　the　carriage　to　pieces；　if　you　put
him　in　the　traces。〃
〃But　he　is　quiet　to　ride？〃　asked　the　civilian。
〃As　quiet　as　a　lamb；　and　as　fast　as　a　hare；〃　answered
Rebecca。
〃Do　you　think　he　is　up　to　my　weight？〃　Jos　said。　　He
was　already　on　his　back；　in　imagination；　without　ever　so
much　as　a　thought　for　poor　Amelia。　　What　person　who
loved　a　horse…speculation　could　resist　such　a　temptation？
In　reply；　Rebecca　asked　him　to　come　into　her　room；
whither　he　followed　her　quite　breathless　to　conclude　the
bargain。　　Jos　seldom　spent　a　half…hour　in　his　life　which
cost　him　so　much　money。　　Rebecca；　measuring　the　value
of　the　goods　which　she　had　for　sale　by　Jos's　eagerness　to
purchase；　as　well　as　by　the　scarcity　of　the　article；　put
upon　her　horses　a　price　so　prodigious　as　to　make　even
the　civilian　draw　back。　　〃She　would　sell　both　or　neither；〃
she　said；　resolutely。　　Rawdon　had　ordered　her　not　to　part
with　them　for　a　price　less　than　that　which　she　specified。
Lord　Bareacres　below　would　give　her　the　same　money
and　with　all　her　love　and　regard　for　the　Sedley　family；
her　dear　Mr。　Joseph　must　conceive　that　poor　people　must
livenobody；　in　a　word；　could　be　more　affectionate；　but
more　firm　about　the　matter　of　business。
Jos　ended　by　agreeing；　as　might　be　supposed　of　him。
The　sum　he　had　to　give　her　was　so　large　that　he　was
obliged　to　ask　for　time；　so　large　as　to　be　a　little　fortune
to　Rebecca；　who　rapidly　calculated　that　with　this　sum；
and　the　sale　of　the　residue　of　Rawdon's　effects；　and　her
pension　as　a　widow　should　he　fall；　she　would　now　be
absolutely　independent　of　the　world；　and　might　look　her
weeds　steadily　in　the　face。
Once　or　twice　in　the　day　she　certainly　had　herself
thought　about　flying。　　But　her　reason　gave　her　better
counsel。　　〃Suppose　the　French　do　come；〃　thought　Becky；
〃what　can　they　do　to　a　poor　officer's　widow？　　Bah！　　the
times　of　sacks　and　sieges　are　over。　　We　shall　be　let　to　go
home　quietly；　or　I　may　live　pleasantly　abroad　with　a　snug
little　income。〃
Meanwhile　Jos　and　Isidor　went　off　to　the　stables　to
inspect　the　newly　purchased　cattle。　　Jos　bade　his　man
saddle　the　horses　at　once。　　He　would　ride　away　that　very
night；　that　very　hour。　　And　he　left　the　valet　busy　in　getting
the　horses　ready；　and　went　homewards　himself　to
prepare　for　his　departure。　　It　must　be　secret。　　He　would　go　to
his　chamber　by　the　back　entrance。　　He　did　not　care　to　face
Mrs。　O'Dowd　and　Amelia；　and　own　to　them　that　he　was
about　to　run。
By　the　time　Jos's　bargain　with　Rebecca　was　completed；
and　his　horses　had　been　visited　and　examined；　it　was
almost　morning　once　more。　　But　though　midnight　was　long
passed；　there　was　no　rest　for　the　city；　the　people　were
up；　the　lights　in　the　houses　flamed；　crowds　were　still
about　the　doors；　and　the　streets　were　busy。　　Rumours　of
various　natures　went　still　from　mouth　to　mouth：　　one
report　averred　that　the　Prussians　had　been　utterly
defeated；　another　that　it　was　the　English　who　had　been
attacked　and　conquered：　　a　third　that　the　latter　had　held
their　ground。　　This　last　rumour　gradually　got　strength。　　No
Frenchmen　had　made　their　appearance。　　Stragglers　had
come　in　from　the　army　bringing　reports　more　and　more
favourable：　　at　last　an　aide…de…camp　actually　reached
Brussels　with　despatches　for　the　Commandant　of　the
place；　who　placarded　presently　through　the　town　an
official　announcement　of　the　success　of　the　allies　at　Quatre
Bras；　and　the　entire　repulse　of　the　French　under　Ney
after　a　six　hours'　battle。　　The　aide…de…camp　must　have
arrived　sometime　while　Jos　and　Rebecca　were　making　their
bargain　together；　or　the　latter　was　inspecting　his
purchase。　　When　he　reached　his　own　hotel；　he　found　a　score
of　its　numerous　inhabitants　on　the　threshold　discoursing
of　the　news；　there　was　no　doubt　as　to　its　truth。　　And　he
went　up　to　communicate　it　to　the　ladies　under　his　charge。
He　did　not　think　it　was　necessary　to　tell　them　how