第 26 节
作者:左思右想      更新:2021-02-19 19:45      字数:9322
  to put on the brightest pea…green in her wardrobe; and
  my pupils leave off their thick shoes and tight old
  tartan pelisses; and wear silk stockings and muslin frocks;
  as fashionable baronets' daughters should。  Rose came in
  yesterday in a sad plightthe Wiltshire sow (an
  enormous pet of hers) ran her down; and destroyed a most
  lovely flowered lilac silk dress by dancing over ithad
  this happened a week ago; Sir Pitt would have sworn
  frightfully; have boxed the poor wretch's ears; and put
  her upon bread and water for a month。  All he said was;
  〃I'll serve you out; Miss; when your aunt's gone;〃 and
  laughed off the accident as quite trivial。  Let us hope his
  wrath will have passed away before Miss Crawley's
  departure。  I hope so; for Miss Rose's sake; I am sure。
  What a charming reconciler and peacemaker money is!
  Another admirable effect of Miss Crawley and her
  seventy thousand pounds is to be seen in the conduct
  of the two brothers Crawley。  I mean the baronet and
  the rector; not OUR brothersbut the former; who hate
  each other all the year round; become quite loving at
  Christmas。  I wrote to you last year how the abominable
  horse…racing rector was in the habit of preaching clumsy
  sermons at us at church; and how Sir Pitt snored in
  answer。  When Miss Crawley arrives there is no such thing
  as quarrelling heard ofthe Hall visits the Rectory; and
  vice versathe parson and the Baronet talk about the
  pigs and the poachers; and the county business; in the
  most affable manner; and without quarrelling in their
  cups; I believeindeed Miss Crawley won't hear of their
  quarrelling; and vows that she will leave her money to
  the Shropshire Crawleys if they offend her。  If they were
  clever people; those Shropshire Crawleys; they might
  have it all; I think; but the Shropshire Crawley is a
  clergyman like his Hampshire cousin; and mortally offended
  Miss Crawley (who had fled thither in a fit of rage
  against her impracticable brethren) by some strait…laced
  notions of morality。  He would have prayers in the house;
  I believe。
  Our sermon books are shut up when Miss Crawley
  arrives; and Mr。 Pitt; whom she abominates; finds it
  convenient to go to town。  On the other hand; the young
  dandy〃blood;〃 I believe; is the termCaptain Crawley
  makes his appearance; and I suppose you will like to
  know what sort of a person he is。
  Well; he is a very large young dandy。  He is six feet
  high; and speaks with a great voice; and swears a great
  deal; and orders about the servants; who all adore him
  nevertheless; for he is very generous of his money; and
  the domestics will do anything for him。  Last week the
  keepers almost killed a bailiff and his man who came
  down from London to arrest the Captain; and who were
  found lurking about the Park wallthey beat them;
  ducked them; and were going to shoot them for
  poachers; but the baronet interfered。
  The Captain has a hearty contempt for his father; I
  can see; and calls him an old PUT; an old SNOB; an old
  CHAW…BACON; and numberless other pretty names。  He has
  a DREADFUL REPUTATION among the ladies。  He brings his
  hunters home with him; lives with the Squires of the
  county; asks whom he pleases to dinner; and Sir Pitt
  dares not say no; for fear of offending Miss Crawley;
  and missing his legacy when she dies of her apoplexy。
  Shall I tell you a compliment the Captain paid me?  I
  must; it is so pretty。  One evening we actually had a
  dance; there was Sir Huddleston Fuddleston and his
  family; Sir Giles Wapshot and his young ladies; and I
  don't know how many more。  Well; I heard him say
  〃By Jove; she's a neat little filly!〃 meaning your humble
  servant; and he did me the honour to dance two country…
  dances with me。  He gets on pretty gaily with the young
  Squires; with whom he drinks; bets; rides; and talks
  about hunting and shooting; but he says the country
  girls are BORES; indeed; I don't think he is far wrong。
  You should see the contempt with which they look down
  on poor me! When they dance I sit and play the piano
  very demurely; but the other night; coming in rather
  flushed from the dining…room; and seeing me employed
  in this way; he swore out loud that I was the best dancer
  in the room; and took a great oath that he would have
  the fiddlers from Mudbury。
  〃I'll go and play a country…dance;〃 said Mrs。 Bute
  Crawley; very readily (she is a little; black…faced old
  woman in a turban; rather crooked; and with very
  twinkling eyes); and after the Captain and your poor little
  Rebecca had performed a dance together; do you know
  she actually did me the honour to compliment me upon
  my steps! Such a thing was never heard of before; the
  proud Mrs。 Bute Crawley; first cousin to the Earl of
  Tiptoff; who won't condescend to visit Lady Crawley;
  except when her sister is in the country。  Poor Lady
  Crawley! during most part of these gaieties; she is
  upstairs taking pills。
  Mrs。 Bute has all of a sudden taken a great fancy to
  me。  〃My dear Miss Sharp;〃 she says; 〃why not bring
  over your girls to the Rectory?their cousins will be so
  happy to see them。〃 I know what she means。  Signor
  Clementi did not teach us the piano for nothing; at
  which price Mrs。 Bute hopes to get a professor for her
  children。  I can see through her schemes; as though she
  told them to me; but I shall go; as I am determined to
  make myself agreeableis it not a poor governess's
  duty; who has not a friend or protector in the world?
  The Rector's wife paid me a score of compliments about
  the progress my pupils made; and thought; no doubt; to
  touch my heartpoor; simple; country soul!as if I
  cared a fig about my pupils!
  Your India muslin and your pink silk; dearest Amelia;
  are said to become me very well。  They are a good deal
  worn now; but; you know; we poor girls can't afford des
  fraiches toilettes。  Happy; happy you! who have but to
  drive to St。 James's Street; and a dear mother who will
  give you any thing you ask。  Farewell; dearest girl;
  Your affectionate
  Rebecca。
  P。S。I wish you could have seen the faces of the
  Miss Blackbrooks (Admiral Blackbrook's daughters; my
  dear); fine young ladies; with dresses from London;
  when Captain Rawdon selected poor me for a partner!
  When Mrs。 Bute Crawley (whose artifices our ingenious
  Rebecca had so soon discovered) had procured from
  Miss Sharp the promise of a visit; she induced the all…
  powerful Miss Crawley to make the necessary application
  to Sir Pitt; and the good…natured old lady; who loved to
  be gay herself; and to see every one gay and happy round
  about her; was quite charmed; and ready to establish a
  reconciliation and intimacy between her two brothers。
  It was therefore agreed that the young people of both
  families should visit each other frequently for the future;
  and the friendship of course lasted as long as the jovial
  old mediatrix was there to keep the peace。
  〃Why did you ask that scoundrel; Rawdon Crawley; to
  dine?〃 said the Rector to his lady; as they were walking
  home through the park。  〃I don't want the fellow。  He looks
  down upon us country people as so many blackamoors。
  He's never content unless he gets my yellow…sealed wine;
  which costs me ten shillings a bottle; hang him! Besides;
  he's such an infernal characterhe's a gamblerhe's a
  drunkardhe's a profligate in every way。  He shot a man
  in a duelhe's over head and ears in debt; and he's
  robbed me and mine of the best part of Miss Crawley's
  fortune。  Waxy says she has him〃here the Rector shook
  his fist at the moon; with something very like an oath;
  and added; in a melancholious tone; 〃; down in her will
  for fifty thousand; and there won't be above thirty to
  divide。〃
  〃I think she's going;〃 said the Rector's wife。  〃She was
  very red in the face when we left dinner。  I was obliged
  to unlace her。〃
  〃She drank seven glasses of champagne;〃 said the
  reverend gentleman; in a low voice; 〃and filthy champagne
  it is; too; that my brother poisons us withbut you
  women never know what's what。〃
  〃We know nothing;〃 said Mrs。 Bute Crawley。
  〃She drank cherry…brandy after dinner;〃 continued his
  Reverence; 〃and took curacao with her coffee。  I
  wouldn't take a glass for a five…pound note: it kills me
  with heartburn。  She can't stand it; Mrs。 Crawleyshe
  must goflesh and blood won't bear it! and I lay five to
  two; Matilda drops in a year。〃
  Indulging in these solemn speculations; and thinking
  about his debts; and his son Jim at College; and Frank at
  Woolwich; and the four girls; who were no beauties; poor
  things; and would not have a penny but what they got from
  the aunt's expected legacy; the Rector and his lady walked
  on for a while。
  〃Pitt can't be such an infernal villain as to sell the
  reversion of the living。  And that Methodist milksop of an
  eldest son looks to Parliament;〃 continued Mr。 Crawley;
  after a pause。
  〃Sir Pitt Crawley will do anything;〃 said the Rector's
  wife。  〃We must get Miss Crawley to make him promise it
  to James。〃
  〃Pitt will promise anything;〃 replied the brother。  〃He
  promised he'd pay my college bills; when my father died;
  he promised he'd build the new wing to the Rectory;
  he promised he'd let me have Jibb's field and the Six…
  acre Meadowand much he executed his promis