vanity fair(名利场)-第174章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


as　a　gentleman〃Mr。　Wenham　here　put　his　hand　on
his　waistcoat　with　a　parliamentary　air〃I　declare　I　think
that　your　suspicions　are　monstrous　and　utterly
unfounded；　and　that　they　injure　an　honourable　gentleman
who　has　proved　his　good…will　towards　you　by　a　thousand
benefactionsand　a　most　spotless　and　innocent　lady。〃
〃You　don't　mean　to　say　thatthat　Crawley's
mistaken？〃　said　Mr。　Macmurdo。
〃I　believe　that　Mrs。　Crawley　is　as　innocent　as　my
wife；　Mrs。　Wenham；〃　Mr。　Wenham　said　with　great
energy。　　〃I　believe　that；　misled　by　an　infernal　jealousy；
my　friend　here　strikes　a　blow　against　not　only　an　infirm
and　old　man　of　high　station；　his　constant　friend　and
benefactor；　but　against　his　wife；　his　own　dearest　honour；
his　son's　future　reputation；　and　his　own　prospects　in
life。〃
〃I　will　tell　you　what　happened；〃　Mr。　Wenham
continued　with　great　solemnity；　〃I　was　sent　for　this
morning　by　my　Lord　Steyne；　and　found　him　in　a　pitiable　state；
as；　I　need　hardly　inform　Colonel　Crawley；　any　man　of
age　and　infirmity　would　be　after　a　personal　conflict　with
a　man　of　your　strength。　　I　say　to　your　face；　it　was　a
cruel　advantage　you　took　of　that　strength；　Colonel
Crawley。　　It　was　not　only　the　body　of　my　noble　and
excellent　friend　which　was　woundedhis　heart；　sir；　was
bleeding。　　A　man　whom　he　had　loaded　with　benefits　and
regarded　with　affection　had　subjected　him　to　the　foulest
indignity。　　What　was　this　very　appointment；　which　appears
in　the　journals　of　to…day；　but　a　proof　of　his　kindness　to
you？　When　I　saw　his　Lordship　this　morning　I　found　him
in　a　state　pitiable　indeed　to　see；　and　as　anxious　as　you
are　to　revenge　the　outrage　committed　upon　him；　by
blood。　　You　know　he　has　given　his　proofs；　I　presume；
Colonel　Crawley？〃
〃He　has　plenty　of　pluck；〃　said　the　Colonel。　　〃Nobody
ever　said　he　hadn't。〃
〃His　first　order　to　me　was　to　write　a　letter　of
challenge；　and　to　carry　it　to　Colonel　Crawley。　　One　or
other　of　us；〃　he　said；　〃must　not　survive　the　outrage
of　last　night。〃
Crawley　nodded。　　〃You're　coming　to　the　point；
Wenham；〃　he　said。
〃I　tried　my　utmost　to　calm　Lord　Steyne。　　Good　God！
sir；〃　I　said；　〃how　I　regret　that　Mrs。　Wenham　and　myself
had　not　accepted　Mrs。　Crawley's　invitation　to　sup　with
her！〃
〃She　asked　you　to　sup　with　her？〃　Captain　Macmurdo
said。
〃After　the　opera。　　Here's　the　note　of　invitationstop
no；　this　is　another　paperI　thought　I　had　h；　but　it's
of　no　consequence；　and　I　pledge　you　my　word　to　the
fact。　　If　we　had　comeand　it　was　only　one　of　Mrs。
Wenham's　headaches　which　prevented　usshe　suffers
under　them　a　good　deal；　especially　in　the　springif　we
had　come；　and　you　had　returned　home；　there　would　have
been　no　quarrel；　no　insult；　no　suspicionand　so　it　is
positively　because　my　poor　wife　has　a　headache　that　you
are　to　bring　death　down　upon　two　men　of　honour　and
plunge　two　of　the　most　excellent　and　ancient　families
in　the　kingdom　into　disgrace　and　sorrow。〃
Mr。　Macmurdo　looked　at　his　principal　with　the　air
of　a　man　profoundly　puzzled；　and　Rawdon　felt　with　a
kind　of　rage　that　his　prey　was　escaping　him。　　He　did　not
believe　a　word　of　the　story；　and　yet；　how　discredit　or
disprove　it？
Mr。　Wenham　continued　with　the　same　fluent　oratory；
which　in　his　place　in　Parliament　he　had　so　often
practised〃I　sat　for　an　hour　or　more　by　Lord　Steyne's
bedside；　beseeching；　imploring　Lord　Steyne　to　forego　his
intention　of　demanding　a　meeting。　　I　pointed　out　to　him
that　the　circumstances　were　after　all　suspiciousthey
were　suspicious。　　I　acknowledge　itany　man　in　your
position　might　have　been　taken　inI　said　that　a　man
furious　with　jealousy　is　to　all　intents　and　purposes　a
madman；　and　should　be　as　such　regardedthat　a　duel
between　you　must　lead　to　the　disgrace　of　all　parties
concernedthat　a　man　of　his　Lordship's　exalted　station　had
no　right　in　these　days；　when　the　most　atrocious
revolutionary　principles；　and　the　most　dangerous　levelling
doctrines　are　preached　among　the　vulgar；　to　create　a
public　scandal；　and　that；　however　innocent；　the　common
people　would　insist　that　he　was　guilty。　　In　fine；　I
implored　him　not　to　send　the　challenge。〃
〃I　don't　believe　one　word　of　the　whole　story；〃　said
Rawdon；　grinding　his　teeth。　　〃I　believe　it　a　d　lie；　and
that　you're　in　it；　Mr。　Wenham。　　If　the　challenge　don't
come　from　him；　by　Jove　it　shall　come　from　me。〃
Mr。　Wenham　turned　deadly　pale　at　this　savage
interruption　of　the　Colonel　and　looked　towards　the　door。
But　he　found　a　champion　in　Captain　Macmurdo。　　That
gentleman　rose　up　with　an　oath　and　rebuked　Rawdon
for　his　language。　　〃You　put　the　affair　into　my　hands；　and
you　shall　act　as　I　think　fit；　by　Jove；　and　not　as　you　do。
You　have　no　right　to　insult　Mr。　Wenham　with　this　sort
of　language；　and　dammy；　Mr。　Wenham；　you　deserve　an
apology。　　And　as　for　a　challenge　to　Lord　Steyne；　you
may　get　somebody　else　to　carry　it；　I　won't。　　If　my　lord；
after　being　thrashed；　chooses　to　sit　still；　dammy　let　him。
And　as　for　the　affair　withwith　Mrs。　Crawley；　my
belief　is；　there's　nothing　proved　at　all：　　that　your　wife's
innocent；　as　innocent　as　Mr。　Wenham　says　she　is；　and　at
any　rate　that　you　would　be　a　dfool　not　to　take　the
place　and　hold　your　tongue。〃
〃Captain　Macmurdo；　you　speak　like　a　man　of　sense；〃
Mr。　Wenham　cried　out；　immensely　relieved〃I　forget
any　words　that　Colonel　Crawley　has　used　in　the
irritation　of　the　moment。〃
〃I　thought　you　would；〃　Rawdon　said　with　a　sneer。
〃Shut　your　mouth；　you　old　stoopid；〃　the　Captain　said
good…naturedly。　　〃Mr。　Wenham　ain't　a　fighting　man；　and
quite　right；　too。〃
〃This　matter；　in　my　belief；〃　the　Steyne　emissary　cried；
〃ought　to　be　buried　in　the　most　profound　oblivion。　　A
word　concerning　it　should　never　pass　these　doors。　　I
speak　in　the　interest　of　my　friend；　as　well　as　of　Colonel
Crawley；　who　persists　in　considering　me　his　enemy。〃
〃I　suppose　Lord　Steyne　won't　talk　about　it　very
much；〃　said　Captain　Macmurdo；　〃and　I　don't　see　why
our　side　should。　　The　affair　ain't　a　very　pretty　one；　any
way　you　take　it；　and　the　less　said　about　it　the　better。
It's　you　are　thrashed；　and　not　us；　and　if　you　are　satisfied；
why；　I　think；　we　should　be。〃
Mr。　Wenham　took　his　hat；　upon　this；　and　Captain
Macmurdo　following　him　to　the　door；　shut　it　upon
himself　and　Lord　Steyne's　agent；　leaving　Rawdon　chafing
within。　　When　the　two　were　on　the　other　side；　Macmurdo
looked　hard　at　the　other　ambassador　and　with　an
expression　of　anything　but　respect　on　his　round　jolly　face。
〃You　don't　stick　at　a　trifle；　Mr。　Wenham；〃　he　said。
〃You　flatter　me；　Captain　Macmurdo；〃　answered　the
other　with　a　smile。　　〃Upon　my　honour　and　conscience
now；　Mrs。　Crawley　did　ask　us　to　sup　after　the　opera。〃
〃Of　course；　and　Mrs。　Wenham　had　one　of　her　head…
aches。　　I　say；　I've　got　a　thousand…pound　note　here；　which
I　will　give　you　if　you　will　give　me　a　receipt；　please；　and
I　will　put　the　note　up　in　an　envelope　for　Lord　Steyne。
My　man　shan't　fight　him。　　But　we　had　rather　not　take
his　money。〃
〃It　was　all　a　mistakeall　a　mistake；　my　dear　sir；〃　the
other　said　with　the　utmost　innocence　of　manner；　and　was
bowed　down　the　Club　steps　by　Captain　Macmurdo；　just
as　Sir　Pitt　Crawley　ascended　them。　　There　was　a　slight
acquaintance　between　these　two　gentlemen；　and　the
Captain；　going　back　with　the　Baronet　to　the　room　where　the
latter's　brother　was；　told　Sir　Pitt；　in　confidence；　that　he
had　made　the　affair　all　right　between　Lord　Steyne　and
the　Colonel。
Sir　Pitt　was　well　pleased；　of　course；　at　this　intelligence；
and　congratulated　his　brother　warmly　upon　the　peaceful
issue　of　the　affair；　making　appropriate　moral　remarks
upon　the　evils　of　duelling　and　the　unsatisfactory　nature
of　that　sort　of　settlement　of　disputes。
And　after　this　preface；　he　tried　with　all　his　eloquence
to　effect　a　reconciliation　between　Rawdon　and　his　wife。
He　recapitulated　the　statements　which　Becky　had　made；
pointed　out　the　probabilities　of　their　truth；　and　asserted
his　own　firm　belief　in　her　innocence。
But　Rawdon　would　not　hear　of　it。　　〃She　has　kep　money
concealed　from　me　these　ten　years；〃　he　said　〃She　swore；
last　night　only；　she　had　none　from　Steyne。　　She　knew　it
was　all　up；　directly　I　found　it。　　If　she's　not　guilty；　Pitt；
she's　as　bad　as　guilty；　and　I'll　never　see　her　again
never。〃　His　head　sank　down　on　his　chest　as　he　spoke