第 148 节
作者:左思右想      更新:2021-02-19 19:48      字数:9322
  in the same dingy and gorgeous plated ware。  Miss Moss;
  a dark…eyed maid in curl…papers; appeared with the
  teapot; and; smiling; asked the Colonel how he had slep?
  And she brought him in the Morning Post; with the
  names of all the great people who had figured at Lord
  Steyne's entertainment the night before。  It contained a
  brilliant account of the festivities and of the beautiful
  and accomplished Mrs。 Rawdon Crawley's admirable
  personifications。
  After a lively chat with this lady (who sat on the
  edge of the breakfast table in an easy attitude displaying
  the drapery of her stocking and an ex…white satin shoe;
  which was down at heel); Colonel Crawley called for
  pens and ink; and paper; and being asked how many
  sheets; chose one which was brought to him between
  Miss Moss's own finger and thumb。  Many a sheet had
  that dark…eyed damsel brought in; many a poor fellow
  had scrawled and blotted hurried lines of entreaty and
  paced up and down that awful room until his messenger
  brought back the reply。  Poor men always use messengers
  instead of the post。  Who has not had their letters; with
  the wafers wet; and the announcement that a person
  is waiting in the hall?
  Now on the score of his application; Rawdon had not
  many misgivings。
  DEAR BECKY; (Rawdon wrote)
  I HOPE YOU SLEPT WELL。  Don't be FRIGHTENED if I don't
  bring you in your COFFY。  Last night as I was coming
  home smoaking; I met with an ACCADENT。  I was NABBED
  by Moss of Cursitor Streetfrom whose GILT AND SPLENDID
  PARLER I write thisthe same that had me this time
  two years。  Miss Moss brought in my teashe is grown
  very FAT; and; as usual; had her STOCKENS DOWN AT HEAL。
  It's Nathan's businessa hundred…and…fiftywith
  costs; hundred…and…seventy。  Please send me my desk and
  some CLOTHSI'm in pumps and a white tye (something
  like Miss M's stockings)I've seventy in it。  And as
  soon as you get this; Drive to Nathan'soffer him
  seventy…five down; and ASK HIM TO RENEWsay I'll take
  winewe may as well have some dinner sherry; but not
  PICTURS; they're too dear。
  If he won't stand it。  Take my ticker and such of your
  things as you can SPARE; and send them to Ballswe
  must; of coarse; have the sum to…night。  It won't do to
  let it stand over; as to…morrow's Sunday; the beds here
  are not very CLEAN; and there may be other things out
  against meI'm glad it an't Rawdon's Saturday for
  coming home。  God bless you。
  Yours in haste;
  R。  C。
  P。S。  Make haste and come。
  This letter; sealed with a wafer; was dispatched by
  one of the messengers who are always hanging about
  Mr。 Moss's establishment; and Rawdon; having seen him
  depart; went out in the court…yard and smoked his cigar
  with a tolerably easy mindin spite of the bars
  overheadfor Mr。 Moss's court…yard is railed in like a cage;
  lest the gentlemen who are boarding with him should
  take a fancy to escape from his hospitality。
  Three hours; he calculated; would be the utmost time
  required; before Becky should arrive and open his prison
  doors; and he passed these pretty cheerfully in smoking;
  in reading the paper; and in the coffee…room with an
  acquaintance; Captain Walker; who happened to be there;
  and with whom he cut for sixpences for some hours;
  with pretty equal luck on either side。
  But the day passed away and no messenger returned
  no Becky。  Mr。 Moss's tably…dy…hoty was served at the
  appointed hour of half…past five; when such of the gentlemen
  lodging in the house as could afford to pay for the
  banquet came and partook of it in the splendid front
  parlour before described; and with which Mr。 Crawley's
  temporary lodging communicated; when Miss M。  (Miss
  Hem; as her papa called her) appeared without the curl…
  papers of the morning; and Mrs。 Hem did the honours
  of a prime boiled leg of mutton and turnips; of which
  the Colonel ate with a very faint appetite。  Asked whether
  he would 〃stand〃 a bottle of champagne for the
  company; he consented; and the ladies drank to his 'ealth;
  and Mr。 Moss; in the most polite manner; 〃looked towards
  him。〃
  In the midst of this repast; however; the doorbell was
  heardyoung Moss of the ruddy hair rose up with the
  keys and answered the summons; and coming back; told
  the Colonel that the messenger had returned with a bag;
  a desk and a letter; which he gave him。  〃No ceramony;
  Colonel; I beg;〃 said Mrs。 Moss with a wave of her
  hand; and he opened the letter rather tremulously。  It
  was a beautiful letter; highly scented; on a pink paper;
  and with a light green seal。
  MON PAUVRE CHER PETIT; (Mrs。 Crawley wrote)
  I could not sleep ONE WINK for thinking of what had
  become of my odious old monstre; and only got to rest
  in the morning after sending for Mr。 Blench (for I was
  in a fever); who gave me a composing draught and left
  orders with Finette that I should be disturbed ON NO
  ACCOUNT。  So that my poor old man's messenger; who had
  bien mauvaise mine Finette says; and sentoit le Genievre;
  remained in the hall for some hours waiting my bell。
  You may fancy my state when I read your poor dear
  old ill…spelt letter。
  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