Vanity Fair

第78章

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第78章

Vanity Fair William Makepeace Thackeray

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Vanity Fair
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  Mrs。Bowls,lateFirkin,cameandlistenedgrimlyinthepassagetothehystericalsnifflingandgigglingwhichwentoninthefrontparlour。Beckyhadneverbeenafavouriteofhers。SincetheestablishmentofthemarriedcoupleinLondontheyhadfrequentedtheirformerfriendsofthehouseofRaggles,anddidnotlikethelatter’saccountoftheColonel’smenage。”Iwouldn’ttrusthim,Ragg,myboy。”Bowlsremarked;andhiswife,whenMrs。Rawdonissuedfromtheparlour,onlysalutedtheladywithaverysourcurtsey;andherfingerswerelikesomanysausages,coldandlifeless,whensheheldthemoutindeferencetoMrs。Rawdon,whopersistedinshakinghandswiththeretiredlady’smaid。ShewhirledawayintoPiccadilly,noddingwiththesweetestofsmilestowardsMissBriggs,whohungnoddingatthewindowcloseundertheadvertisement-card,andatthenextmomentwasintheparkwithahalf-dozenofdandiescanteringafterhercarriage。

  Whenshefoundhowherfriendwassituated,andhowhavingasnuglegacyfromMissCrawley,salarywasnoobjecttoourgentlewoman,Beckyinstantlyformedsomebenevolentlittledomesticplansconcerningher。Thiswasjustsuchacompanionaswouldsuitherestablishment,andsheinvitedBriggstocometodinnerwithherthatveryevening,whensheshouldseeBecky’sdearlittledarlingRawdon。

  Mrs。Bowlscautionedherlodgeragainstventuringintothelion’sden,“whereinyouwillrueit,MissB。,markmywords,andassureasmynameisBowls。”AndBriggspromisedtobeverycautious。TheupshotofwhichcautionwasthatshewenttolivewithMrs。Rawdonthenextweek,andhadlentRawdonCrawleysixhundredpoundsuponannuitybeforesixmonthswereover。

  InWhichBeckyRevisitstheHallsofHerAncestorsSothemourningbeingready,andSirPittCrawleywarnedoftheirarrival,ColonelCrawleyandhiswifetookacoupleofplacesinthesameoldHigh-flyercoachbywhichRebeccahadtravelledinthedefunctBaronet’scompany,onherfirstjourneyintotheworldsomenineyearsbefore。HowwellsherememberedtheInnYard,andtheostlertowhomsherefusedmoney,andtheinsinuatingCambridgeladwhowrappedherinhiscoatonthejourney!Rawdontookhisplaceoutside,andwouldhavelikedtodrive,buthisgriefforbadehim。Hesatbythecoachmanandtalkedabouthorsesandtheroadthewholeway;andwhokepttheinns,andwhohorsedthecoachbywhichhehadtravelledsomanyatime,whenheandPittwereboysgoingtoEton。AtMudburyacarriageandapairofhorsesreceivedthem,withacoachmaninblack。”It’stheolddrag,Rawdon。”Rebeccasaidastheygotin。”Thewormshaveeatentheclothagooddeal——there’sthestainwhichSirPitt——ha!IseeDawsontheIronmongerhashisshuttersup——whichSirPittmadesuchanoiseabout。ItwasabottleofcherrybrandyhebrokewhichwewenttofetchforyourauntfromSouthampton。Howtimeflies,tobesure!Thatcan’tbePollyTalboys,thatbouncinggirlstandingbyhermotheratthecottagethere。Irememberheramangylittleurchinpickingweedsinthegarden。”

  “Finegal。”saidRawdon,returningthesalutewhichthecottagegavehim,bytwofingersappliedtohiscrapehatband。Beckybowedandsaluted,andrecognizedpeoplehereandtheregraciously。Theserecognitionswereinexpressiblypleasanttoher。Itseemedasifshewasnotanimposteranymore,andwascomingtothehomeofherancestors。Rawdonwasratherabashedandcastdown,ontheotherhand。Whatrecollectionsofboyhoodandinnocencemighthavebeenflittingacrosshisbrain?

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