vanity fair(名利场)-第102章

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dark　rolling　column　pressed　on　and　up　the　hill。　　It　seemed
almost　to　crest　the　eminence；　when　it　began　to　wave　and
falter。　　Then　it　stopped；　still　facing　the　shot。　　Then　at　last
the　English　troops　rushed　from　the　post　from　which　no
enemy　had　been　able　to　dislodge　them；　and　the　Guard
turned　and　fled。
No　more　firing　was　heard　at　Brusselsthe　pursuit
rolled　miles　away。　　Darkness　came　down　on　the　field　and
city：　　and　Amelia　was　praying　for　George；　who　was　lying
on　his　face；　dead；　with　a　bullet　through　his　heart。

CHAPTER　XXXIII
In　Which　Miss　Crawley's　Relations　Are　Very　Anxious　About　Her
The　kind　reader　must　please　to　rememberwhile　the
army　is　marching　from　Flanders；　and；　after　its　heroic
actions　there；　is　advancing　to　take　the　fortifications　on　the
frontiers　of　France；　previous　to　an　occupation　of　that
countrythat　there　are　a　number　of　persons　living
peaceably　in　England　who　have　to　do　with　the　history　at
present　in　hand；　and　must　come　in　for　their　share　of　the
chronicle。　　During　the　time　of　these　battles　and　dangers；
old　Miss　Crawley　was　living　at　Brighton；　very　moderately
moved　by　the　great　events　that　were　going　on。　　The　great
events　rendered　the　newspapers　rather　interesting；　to　be
sure；　and　Briggs　read　out　the　Gazette；　in　which　Rawdon
Crawley's　gallantry　was　mentioned　with　honour；　and　his
promotion　was　presently　recorded。
〃What　a　pity　that　young　man　has　taken　such　an
irretrievable　step　in　the　world！〃　his　aunt　said；　〃with　his　rank
and　distinction　he　might　have　married　a　brewer's
daughter　with　a　quarter　of　a　millionlike　Miss　Grains；　or　have
looked　to　ally　himself　with　the　best　families　in　England。
He　would　have　had　my　money　some　day　or　other；　or　his
children　wouldfor　I'm　not　in　a　hurry　to　go；　Miss　Briggs；
although　you　may　be　in　a　hurry　to　be　rid　of　me；　and
instead　of　that；　he　is　a　doomed　pauper；　with　a　dancing…girl
for　a　wife。〃
〃Will　my　dear　Miss　Crawley　not　cast　an　eye　of
compassion　upon　the　heroic　soldier；　whose　name　is　inscribed
in　the　annals　of　his　country's　glory？〃　said　Miss　Briggs；
who　was　greatly　excited　by　the　Waterloo　proceedings；
and　loved　speaking　romantically　when　there　was　an
occasion。　　〃Has　not　the　Captainor　the　Colonel　as　I　may
now　style　himdone　deeds　which　make　the　name　of
Crawley　illustrious？〃
〃Briggs；　you　are　a　fool；〃　said　Miss　Crawley：　〃Colonel
Crawley　has　dragged　the　name　of　Crawley　through　the
mud；　Miss　Briggs。　　Marry　a　drawing…master's　daughter；
indeed！marry　a　dame　de　compagniefor　she　was　no
better；　Briggs；　no；　she　was　just　what　you　areonly　younger；
and　a　great　deal　prettier　and　cleverer。　　Were　you　an
accomplice　of　that　abandoned　wretch；　I　wonder；　of　whose
vile　arts　he　became　a　victim；　and　of　whom　you　used　to
be　such　an　admirer？　　Yes；　I　daresay　you　were　an　accomplice。
But　you　will　find　yourself　disappointed　in　my　will；
I　can　tell　you：　　and　you　will　have　the　goodness　to　write　to
Mr。　Waxy；　and　say　that　I　desire　to　see　him　immediately。〃
Miss　Crawley　was　now　in　the　habit　of　writing　to　Mr。
Waxy　her　solicitor　almost　every　day　in　the　week；　for　her
arrangements　respecting　her　property　were　all　revoked；
and　her　perplexity　was　great　as　to　the　future　disposition
of　her　money。
The　spinster　had；　however；　rallied　considerably；　as
was　proved　by　the　increased　vigour　and　frequency　of　her
sarcasms　upon　Miss　Briggs；　all　which　attacks　the　poor
companion　bore　with　meekness；　with　cowardice；　with　a
resignation　that　was　half　generous　and　half　hypocritical
with　the　slavish　submission；　in　a　word；　that　women　of
her　disposition　and　station　are　compelled　to　show。　　Who
has　not　seen　how　women　bully　women？　　What　tortures
have　men　to　endure；　comparable　to　those　daily　repeated
shafts　of　scorn　and　cruelty　with　which　poor　women　are
riddled　by　the　tyrants　of　their　sex？　　Poor　victims！　　But　we
are　starting　from　our　proposition；　which　is；　that　Miss
Crawley　was　always　particularly　annoying　and　savage
when　she　was　rallying　from　illnessas　they　say　wounds
tingle　most　when　they　are　about　to　heal。
While　thus　approaching；　as　all　hoped；　to　convalescence；
Miss　Briggs　was　the　only　victim　admitted　into　the
presence　of　the　invalid；　yet　Miss　Crawley's　relatives　afar
off　did　not　forget　their　beloved　kinswoman；　and　by　a
number　of　tokens；　presents；　and　kind　affectionate
messages；　strove　to　keep　themselves　alive　in　her
recollection。
In　the　first　place；　let　us　mention　her　nephew；　Rawdon
Crawley。　　A　few　weeks　after　the　famous　fight　of　Waterloo；
and　after　the　Gazette　had　made　known　to　her　the　promotion
and　gallantry　of　that　distinguished　officer；　the　Dieppe
packet　brought　over　to　Miss　Crawley　at　Brighton；　a　box
containing　presents；　and　a　dutiful　letter；　from　the
Colonel　her　nephew。　　In　the　box　were　a　pair　of　French
epaulets；　a　Cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honour；　and　the　hilt　of　a
swordrelics　from　the　field　of　battle：　　and　the　letter
described　with　a　good　deal　of　humour　how　the　latter
belonged　to　a　commanding　officer　of　the　Guard；　who　having
sworn　that　〃the　Guard　died；　but　never　surrendered；〃
was　taken　prisoner　the　next　minute　by　a　private　soldier；
who　broke　the　Frenchman's　sword　with　the　butt　of　his
musket；　when　Rawdon　made　himself　master　of　the
shattered　weapon。　　As　for　the　cross　and　epaulets；　they　came
from　a　Colonel　of　French　cavalry；　who　had　fallen　under
the　aide…de…camp's　arm　in　the　battle：　　and　Rawdon　Crawley
did　not　know　what　better　to　do　with　the　spoils　than
to　send　them　to　his　kindest　and　most　affectionate　old
friend。　　Should　he　continue　to　write　to　her　from　Paris；
whither　the　army　was　marching？　　He　might　be　able　to
give　her　interesting　news　from　that　capital；　and　of　some
of　Miss　Crawley's　old　friends　of　the　emigration；　to　whom
she　had　shown　so　much　kindness　during　their　distress。
The　spinster　caused　Briggs　to　write　back　to　the　Colonel
a　gracious　and　complimentary　letter；　encouraging
him　to　continue　his　correspondence。　　His　first　letter　was
so　excessively　lively　and　amusing　that　she　should　look
with　pleasure　for　its　successors。〃Of　course；　I　know；〃
she　explained　to；Miss　Briggs；　〃that　Rawdon　could　not
write　such　a　good　letter　any　more　than　you　could；　my
poor　Briggs；　and　that　it　is　that　clever　little　wretch　of　a
Rebecca；　who　dictates　every　word　to　him；　but　that　is　no
reason　why　my　nephew　should　not　amuse　me；　and　so　I
wish　to　let　him　understand　that　I　am　in　high　good
humour。〃
I　wonder　whether　she　knew　that　it　was　not　only　Becky
who　wrote　the　letters；　but　that　Mrs。　Rawdon　actually
took　and　sent　home　the　trophies　which　she　bought　for　a
few　francs；　from　one　of　the　innumerable　pedlars　who
immediately　began　to　deal　in　relics　of　the　war。　　The
novelist；　who　knows　everything；　knows　this　also。　　Be　this；
however；　as　it　may；　Miss　Crawley's　gracious　reply　greatly
encouraged　our　young　friends；　Rawdon　and　his　lady；　who
hoped　for　the　best　from　their　aunt's　evidently　pacified
humour：　　and　they　took　care　to　entertain　her　with　many
delightful　letters　from　Paris；　whither；　as　Rawdon　said；
they　had　the　good　luck　to　go　in　the　track　of　the
conquering　army。
To　the　rector's　lady；　who　went　off　to　tend　her
husband's　broken　collar…bone　at　the　Rectory　at　Queen's
Crawley；　the　spinster's　communications　were　by　no
means　so　gracious。　　Mrs。　Bute；　that　brisk；　managing；
lively；　imperious　woman；　had　committed　the　most　fatal　of
all　errors　with　regard　to　her　sister…in…law。　　She　had　not
merely　oppressed　her　and　her　householdshe　had　bored
Miss　Crawley；　and　if　poor　Miss　Briggs　had　been　a
woman　of　any　spirit；　she　might　have　been　made　happy
by　the　commission　which　her　principal　gave　her　to　write
a　letter　to　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley；　saying　that　Miss　Crawley's
health　was　greatly　improved　since　Mrs。　Bute　had　left　her；
and　begging　the　latter　on　no　account　to　put　herself　to
trouble；　or　quit　her　family　for　Miss　Crawley's　sake。　　This
triumph　over　a　lady　who　had　been　very　haughty　and
cruel　in　her　behaviour　to　Miss　Briggs；　would　have　rejoiced
most　women；　but　the　truth　is；　Briggs　was　a　woman　of　no
spirit　at　all；　and　the　moment　her　enemy　was　discomfited；
she　began　to　feel　compassion　in　her　favour。
〃How　silly　I　was；〃　Mrs。　Bute　thought；　and　with
reason；　〃ever　to　hint　that　I　was　coming；　as　I　did；　in　that
foolish　letter　when　we　sent　Miss　Crawley　the　guinea…
fowls。　I　ought　to　have　gon