vanity fair(名利场)-第167章

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Ill　as　I　was；　I　instantly　called　for　the　carriage；　and
as　soon　as　I　was　dressed　（though　I　couldn't　drink　a　drop
of　chocolateI　assure　you　I　couldn't　without　my
monstre　to　bring　it　to　me）；　I　drove　ventre　a　terre　to
Nathan's。　　I　saw　himI　weptI　criedI　fell　at　hi~
odious　knees。　　Nothing　would　mollify　the　horrid　man。
He　would　have　all　the　money；　he　said；　or　keep　my　poor
monstre　in　prison。　　I　drove　home　with　the　intention　of
paying　that　triste　visite　chez　mon　oncle　（when　every
trinket　I　have　should　be　at　your　disposal　though　they
would　not　fetch　a　hundred　pounds；　for　some；　you　know；
are　with　ce　cher　oncle　already）；　and　found　Milor　there
with　the　Bulgarian　old　sheep…faced　monster；　who　had
come　to　compliment　me　upon　last　night's　performances。
Paddington　came　in；　too；　drawling　and　lisping　and
twiddling　his　hair；　so　did　Champignac；　and　his　chef
everybody　with　foison　of　compliments　and　pretty　speeches
plaguing　poor　me；　who　longed　to　be　rid　of　them；　and
was　thinking　every　moment　of　the　time　of　mon　pauvre
prisonnier。
When　they　were　gone；　I　went　down　on　my　knees　to
Milor；　told　him　we　were　going　to　pawn　everything；　and
begged　and　prayed　him　to　give　me　two　hundred　pounds。
He　pish'd　and　psha'd　in　a　furytold　me　not　to　be　such
a　fool　as　to　pawnand　said　he　would　see　whether　he
could　lend　me　the　money。　　At　last　he　went　away；
promising　that　he　would　send　it　me　in　the　morning：　　when
I　will　bring　it　to　my　poor　old　monster　with　a　kiss　fro
his　affectionate
BECKY
I　am　writing　in　bed。　　Oh　I　have　such　a　headache　and
such　a　heartache！
When　Rawdon　read　over　this　letter；　he　turned　so　red
and　looked　so　savage　that　the　company　at　the　table
d'hote　easily　perceived　that　bad　news　had　reached
him。　　All　his　suspicions；　which　he　had　been　trying　to
banish；　returned　upon　him。　　She　could　not　even　go　out
and　sell　her　trinkets　to　free　him。　　She　could　laugh　and
talk　about　compliments　paid　to　her；　whilst　he　was　in
prison。　　Who　had　put　him　there？　Wenham　had　walked
with　him。　　Was　there。。。。　　He　could　hardly　bear　to　think
of　what　he　suspected。　　Leaving　the　room　hurriedly；　he　ran
into　his　ownopened　his　desk；　wrote　two　hurried　lines；
which　he　directed　to　Sir　Pitt　or　Lady　Crawley；　and
bade　the　messenger　carry　them　at　once　to　Gaunt　Street；
bidding　him　to　take　a　cab；　and　promising　him　a　guinea
if　he　was　back　in　an　hour。
In　the　note　he　besought　his　dear　brother　and　sister；
for　the　sake　of　God；　for　the　sake　of　his　dear　child　and
his　honour；　to　come　to　him　and　relieve　him　from　his
difficulty。　　He　was　in　prison；　he　wanted　a　hundred　pounds
to　set　him　freehe　entreated　them　to　come　to　him。
He　went　back　to　the　dining…room　after　dispatching　his
messenger　and　called　for　more　wine。　　He　laughed　and
talked　with　a　strange　boisterousness；　as　the　people
thought。　　Sometimes　he　laughed　madly　at　his　own　fears
and　went　on　drinking　for　an　hour；　listening　all　the　while
for　the　carriage　which　was　to　bring　his　fate　back。
At　the　expiration　of　that　time；　wheels　were　heard
whirling　up　to　the　gatethe　young　janitor　went　out
with　his　gate…keys。　　It　was　a　lady　whom　he　let　in　at　the
bailiff's　door。
〃Colonel　Crawley；〃　she　said；　trembling　very　much。　　He；
with　a　knowing　look；　locked　the　outer　door　upon　her
then　unlocked　and　opened　the　inner　one；　and　calling　out；
〃Colonel；　you're　wanted；〃　led　her　into　the　back　parlour；
which　he　occupied。
Rawdon　came　in　from　the　dining…parlour　where　all
those　people　were　carousing；　into　his　back　room；　a　flare
of　coarse　light　following　him　into　the　apartment　where
the　lady　stood；　still　very　nervous。
〃It　is　I；　Rawdon；〃　she　said　in　a　timid　voice；　which
she　strove　to　render　cheerful。　　〃It　is　Jane。〃　Rawdon　was
quite　overcome　by　that　kind　voice　and　presence。　　He　ran
up　to　hercaught　her　in　his　armsgasped　out　some
inarticulate　words　of　thanks　and　fairly　sobbed　on　her
shoulder。　　She　did　not　know　the　cause　of　his　emotion。
The　bills　of　Mr。　Moss　were　quickly　settled；　perhaps
to　the　disappointment　of　that　gentleman；　who　had　counted
on　having　the　Colonel　as　his　guest　over　Sunday　at　least；
and　Jane；　with　beaming　smiles　and　happiness　in　her　eyes；
carried　away　Rawdon　from　the　bailiff's　house；　and　they
went　homewards　in　the　cab　in　which　she　had　hastened
to　his　release。　　〃Pitt　was　gone　to　a　parliamentary　dinner；〃
she　said；　〃when　Rawdon's　note　came；　and　so；　dear
Rawdon；　II　came　myself〃；　and　she　put　her　kind　hand　in
his。　　Perhaps　it　was　well　for　Rawdon　Crawley　that　Pitt
was　away　at　that　dinner。　　Rawdon　thanked　his　sister　a
hundred　times；　and　with　an　ardour　of　gratitude　which
touched　and　almost　alarmed　that　soft…hearted　woman。
〃Oh；〃　said　he；　in　his　rude；　artless　way；　〃youyou　don't
know　how　I'm　changed　since　I've　known　you；　andand
little　Rawdy。　　II'd　like　to　change　somehow。　　You　see
I　wantI　wantto　be〃　He　did…　not　finish　the
sentence；　but　she　could　interpret　it。　　And　that　night　after　he
left　her；　and　as　she　sat　by　her　own　little　boy's　bed；　she
prayed　humbly　for　that　poor　way…worn　sinner。
Rawdon　left　her　and　walked　home　rapidly。　　It　was　nine
o'clock　at　night。　　He　ran　across　the　streets　and　the　great
squares　of　Vanity　Fair；　and　at　length　came　up　breathless
opposite　his　own　house。　　He　started　back　and　fell　against
the　railings；　trembling　as　he　looked　up。　　The　drawing…
room　windows　were　blazing　with　light。　　She　had　said　that
she　was　in　bed　and　ill。　　He　stood　there　for　some　time；
the　light　from　the　rooms　on　his　pale　face。
He　took　out　his　door…key　and　let　himself　into　the
house。　　He　could　hear　laughter　in　the　upper　rooms。　　He
was　in　the　ball…dress　in　which　he　had　been　captured　the
night　before。　　He　went　silently　up　the　stairs；　leaning
against　the　banisters　at　the　stair…head。　　Nobody　was
stirring　in　the　house　besidesall　the　servants　had　been　sent
away。　　Rawdon　heard　laughter　withinlaughter　and　singing。
Becky　was　singing　a　snatch　of　the　song　of　the　night
before；　a　hoarse　voice　shouted　〃Brava！　　Brava！〃it　was
Lord　Steyne's。
Rawdon　opened　the　door　and　went　in。　　A　little　table
with　a　dinner　was　laid　outand　wine　and　plate。　　Steyne
was　hanging　over　the　sofa　on　which　Becky　sat。　　The
wretched　woman　was　in　a　brilliant　full　toilette；　her　arms
and　all　her　fingers　sparkling　with　bracelets　and　rings；
and　the　brilliants　on　her　breast　which　Steyne　had　given
her。　　He　had　her　hand　in　his；　and　was　bowing　over　it
to　kiss　it；　when　Becky　started　up　with　a　faint　scream
as　she　caught　sight　of　Rawdon's　white　face。　　At　the　next
instant　she　tried　a　smile；　a　horrid　smile；　as　if　to
welcome　her　husband；　and　Steyne　rose　up；　grinding
his　teeth；　pale；　and　with　fury　in　his　looks。
He；　too；　attempted　a　laughand　came　forward　holding
out　his　hand。　　〃What；　come　back！　　How　d'ye　do；　Crawley？〃
he　said；　the　nerves　of　his　mouth　twitching　as　he
tried　to　grin　at　the　intruder。
There　was　that　in　Rawdon's　face　which　caused　Becky
to　fling　herself　before　him。　　〃I　am　innocent；　Rawdon；〃
she　said；　〃before　God；　I　am　innocent。〃　She　clung　hold
of　his　coat；　of　his　hands；　her　own　were　all　covered　with
serpents；　and　rings；　and　baubles。　　〃I　am　innocent。　　Say　I
am　innocent；〃　she　said　to　Lord　Steyne。
He　thought　a　trap　had　been　laid　for　him；　and　was　as
furious　with　the　wife　as　with　the　husband。　　〃You
innocent！　　Damn　you；〃　he　screamed　out。　　〃You　innocent！　　Why
every　trinket　you　have　on　your　body　is　paid　for　by　me。
I　have　given　you　thousands　of　pounds；　which　this　fellow
has　spent　and　for　which　he　has　sold　you。　　Innocent；
by　！　　You're　as　innocent　as　your　mother；　the　ballet…
girl；　and　your　husband　the　bully。　　Don't　think　to　frighten
me　as　you　have　done　others。　　Make　way；　sir；　and　let　me
pass〃；　and　Lord　Steyne　seized　up　his　hat；　and；　with
flame　in　his　eyes；　and　looking　his　enemy　fiercely　in　the
face；　marched　upon　him；　never　for　a　moment　doubting
that　the　other　would　give　way。
But　Rawdon　Crawley　springing　out；　seized　him　by　the
neckcloth；　until　Steyne；　almost　strangled；　writhed　and
bent　under　his　arm。　　〃You　lie；　you　dog！〃　said　Rawdon。
〃You　lie；　you　coward　and　villain！〃　And　he　struck　the
Peer　twice　over　the　face　with　his　open　hand　and　flung
him　bleeding　to　the　ground。　　It　was　all　done　before
Rebecca　could　interpose。　　She　stood　there　trembling　before
him。　　She　admired　her　husband；　strong；　brave；　and
victorious。
〃Come　here；〃　he　said。　　She