vanity fair(名利场)-第108章

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mare　of　mine　had　fell　with　me　only　two　days　before；
out　with　the　Abingdon；　and　I　thought　my　arm　was　broke。
Well；　sir；　I　couldn't　finish　him；　but　Bob　had　his　coat
off　at　oncehe　stood　up　to　the　Banbury　man　for　three
minutes；　and　polished　him　off　in　four　rounds　easy。　　Gad；
how　he　did　drop；　sir；　and　what　was　it？　Blood；　sir；　all
blood。〃
〃You　don't　drink；　James；〃　the　ex…attache　continued。
〃In　my　time　at　Oxford；　the　men　passed　round　the　bottle
a　little　quicker　than　you　young　fellows　seem　to　do。〃
〃Come；　come；〃　said　James；　putting　his　hand　to　his
nose　and　winking　at　his　cousin　with　a　pair　of　vinous
eyes；　〃no　jokes；　old　boy；　no　trying　it　on　on　me。　　You
want　to　trot　me　out；　but　it's　no　go。　　In　vino　veritas；　old
boy。　　Mars；　Bacchus；　Apollo　virorum；　hey？　I　wish　my
aunt　would　send　down　some　of　this　to　the　governor；　it's
a　precious　good　tap。〃
〃You　had　better　ask　her；〃　Machiavel　continued；　〃or
make　the　best　of　your　time　now。　　What　says　the　bard？
'Nunc　vino　pellite　curas；　Cras　ingens　iterabimus　aequor；'　〃
and　the　Bacchanalian；　quoting　the　above　with　a　House
of　Commons　air；　tossed　off　nearly　a　thimbleful　of　wine
with　an　immense　flourish　of　his　glass。
At　the　Rectory；　when　the　bottle　of　port　wine　was
opened　after　dinner；　the　young　ladies　had　each　a　glass
from　a　bottle　of　currant　wine。　　Mrs。　Bute　took　one　glass
of　port；　honest　James　had　a　couple　commonly；　but　as
his　father　grew　very　sulky　if　he　made　further　inroads
on　the　bottle；　the　good　lad　generally　refrained　from
trying　for　more；　and　subsided　either　into　the　currant　wine；
or　to　some　private　gin…and…water　in　the　stables；　which
he　enjoyed　in　the　company　of　the　coachman　and　his
pipe。　　At　Oxford；　the　quantity　of　wine　was　unlimited；
but　the　quality　was　inferior：　　but　when　quantity　and
quality　united　as　at　his　aunt's　house；　James　showed　that
he　could　appreciate　them　indeed；　and　hardly　needed　any
of　his　cousin's　encouragement　in　draining　off　the
second　bottle　supplied　by　Mr。　Bowls。
When　the　time　for　coffee　came；　however；　and　for　a
return　to　the　ladies；　of　whom　he　stood　in　awe；　the　young
gentleman's　agreeable　frankness　left　him；　and　he　relapsed
into　his　usual　surly　timidity；　contenting　himself　by
saying　yes　and　no；　by　scowling　at　Lady　Jane；　and　by
upsetting　one　cup　of　coffee　during　the　evening。
If　he　did　not　speak　he　yawned　in　a　pitiable　manner；
and　his　presence　threw　a　damp　upon　the　modest
proceedings　of　the　evening；　for　Miss　Crawley　and　Lady　Jane
at　their　piquet；　and　Miss　Briggs　at　her　work；　felt　that
his　eyes　were　wildly　fixed　on　them；　and　were　uneasy
under　that　maudlin　look。
〃He　seems　a　very　silent；　awkward；　bashful　lad；〃　said
Miss　Crawley　to　Mr。　Pitt。
〃He　is　more　communicative　in　men's　society　than　with
ladies；〃　Machiavel　dryly　replied：　　perhaps　rather
disappointed　that　the　port　wine　had　not　made　Jim
speak　more。
He　had　spent　the　early　part　of　the　next　morning　in
writing　home　to　his　mother　a　most　flourishing　account
of　his　reception　by　Miss　Crawley。　　But　ah！　he　little　knew
what　evils　the　day　was　bringing　for　him；　and　how　short　his
reign　of　favour　was　destined　to　be。　　A　circumstance
which　Jim　had　forgottena　trivial　but　fatal　circumstance
had　taken　place　at　the　Cribb's　Arms　on　the　night
before　he　had　come　to　his　aunt's　house。　　It　was　no　other
than　thisJim；　who　was　always　of　a　generous　disposition；
and　when　in　his　cups　especially　hospitable；　had　in　the
course　of　the　night　treated　the　Tutbury　champion　and
the　Rottingdean　man；　and　their　friends；　twice　or　thrice
to　the　refreshment　of　gin…and…waterso　that　no　less　than
eighteen　glasses　of　that　fluid　at　eightpence　per　glass　were
charged　in　Mr。　James　Crawley's　bill。　　It　was　not　the
amount　of　eightpences；　but　the　quantity　of　gin　which
told　fatally　against　poor　James's　character；　when　his
aunt's　butler；　Mr。　Bowls；　went　down　at　his　mistress's
request　to　pay　the　young　gentleman's　bill。　　The　landlord；
fearing　lest　the　account　should　be　refused　altogether；
swore　solemnly　that　the　young　gent　had　consumed
personally　every　farthing's　worth　of　the　liquor：　　and　Bowls
paid　the　bill　finally；　and　showed　it　on　his　return　home
to　Mrs。　Firkin；　who　was　shocked　at　the　frightful
prodigality　of　gin；　and　took　the　bill　to　Miss　Briggs　as
accountant…general；　who　thought　it　her　duty　to　mention
the　circumstance　to　her　principal；　Miss　Crawley。
Had　he　drunk　a　dozen　bottles　of　claret；　the　old
spinster　could　have　pardoned　him。　　Mr。　Fox　and　Mr。
Sheridan　drank　claret。　　Gentlemen　drank　claret。　　But　eighteen
glasses　of　gin　consumed　among　boxers　in　an　ignoble
pot…houseit　was　an　odious　crime　and　not　to　be
pardoned　readily。　　Everything　went　against　the　lad：　　he　came
home　perfumed　from　the　stables；　whither　he　had　been
to　pay　his　dog　Towzer　a　visitand　whence　he　was
going　to　take　his　friend　out　for　an　airing；　when　he　met
Miss　Crawley　and　her　wheezy　Blenheim　spaniel；　which
Towzer　would　have　eaten　up　had　not　the　Blenheim　fled
squealing　to　the　protection　of　Miss　Briggs；　while　the
atrocious　master　of　the　bull…dog　stood　laughing　at　the
horrible　persecution。
This　day　too　the　unlucky　boy's　modesty　had　likewise
forsaken　him。　　He　was　lively　and　facetious　at　dinner。
During　the　repast　he　levelled　one　or　two　jokes　against　Pitt
Crawley：　　he　drank　as　much　wine　as　upon　the　previous
day；　and　going　quite　unsuspiciously　to　the　drawing…room；
began　to　entertain　the　ladies　there　with　some　choice
Oxford　stories。　　He　described　the　different　pugilistic　qualities
of　Molyneux　and　Dutch　Sam；　offered　playfully　to　give
Lady　Jane　the　odds　upon　the　Tutbury　Pet　against　the
Rottingdean　man；　or　take　them；　as　her　Ladyship　chose：
and　crowned　the　pleasantry　by　proposing　to　back
himself　against　his　cousin　Pitt　Crawley；　either　with　or　without
the　gloves。　　〃And　that's　a　fair　offer；　my　buck；〃　he　said；
with　a　loud　laugh；　slapping　Pitt　on　the　shoulder；　〃and
my　father　told　me　to　make　it　too；　and　he'll　go　halves
in　the　bet；　ha；　ha！〃　So　saying；　the　engaging　youth　nodded
knowingly　at　poor　Miss　Briggs；　and　pointed　his　thumb
over　his　shoulder　at　Pitt　Crawley　in　a　jocular　and
exulting　manner。
Pitt　was　not　pleased　altogether　perhaps；　but　still　not
unhappy　in　the　main。　　Poor　Jim　had　his　laugh　out：　　and
staggered　across　the　room　with　his　aunt's　candle；　when
the　old　lady　moved　to　retire；　and　offered　to　salute　her
with　the　blandest　tipsy　smile：　　and　he　took　his　own　leave
and　went　upstairs　to　his　bedroom　perfectly　satisfied　with
himself；　and　with　a　pleased　notion　that　his　aunt's　money
would　be　left　to　him　in　preference　to　his　father　and　all
the　rest　of　the　family。
Once　up　in　the　bedroom；　one　would　have　thought　he
could　not　make　matters　worse；　and　yet　this　unlucky　boy
did。　　The　moon　was　shining　very　pleasantly　out　on　the
sea；　and　Jim；　attracted　to　the　window　by　the　romantic
appearance　of　the　ocean　and　the　heavens；　thought　he
would　further　enjoy　them　while　smoking。　　Nobody　would
smell　the　tobacco；　he　thought；　if　he　cunningly　opened
the　window　and　kept　his　head　and　pipe　in　the　fresh　air。
This　he　did：　　but　being　in　an　excited　state；　poor　Jim
had　forgotten　that　his　door　was　open　all　this　time；　so
that　the　breeze　blowing　inwards　and　a　fine　thorough
draught　being　established；　the　clouds　of　tobacco　were
carried　downstairs；　and　arrived　with　quite　undiminished
fragrance　to　Miss　Crawley　and　Miss　Briggs。
The　pipe　of　tobacco　finished　the　business：　　and　the
Bute…Crawleys　never　knew　how　many　thousand　pounds
it　cost　them。　　Firkin　rushed　downstairs　to　Bowls　who
was　reading　out　the　〃Fire　and　the　Frying　Pan〃　to　his
aide…de…camp　in　a　loud　and　ghostly　voice。　　The　dreadful
secret　was　told　to　him　by　Firkin　with　so　frightened　a　look；
that　for　the　first　moment　Mr。　Bowls　and　his　young　man
thought　that　robbers　were　in　the　house；　the　legs　of　whom
had　probably　been　discovered　by　the　woman　under　Miss
Crawley's　bed。　　When　made　aware　of　the　fact；　however
to　rush　upstairs　at　three　steps　at　a　time　to　enter
the　unconscious　James's　apartment；　calling　out；　〃Mr。
James；〃　in　a　voice　stifled　with　alarm；　and　to　cry；　〃For
Gawd's　sake；　sir；　stop　that　'ere　pipe；〃　was　the　work　of
a　minute　with　Mr。　Bowls。　　〃O；　Mr。　James；　what　'AVE　you
done！〃　he　said　in　a　voice　of　the　deepest　pathos；　as　he
threw　the　implement　out　of　the　window。　　〃What　'ave　you
done；　sir！