第16章

MissSharpBeginstoMakeFriendsAndnow，beingreceivedasamemberoftheamiablefamilywhoseportraitswehavesketchedintheforegoingpages，itbecamenaturallyRebecca’sdutytomakeherself，asshesaid，agreeabletoherbenefactors，andtogaintheirconfidencetotheutmostofherpower。Whocanbutadmirethisqualityofgratitudeinanunprotectedorphan；and，ifthereenteredsomedegreeofselfishnessintohercalculations，whocansaybutthatherprudencewasperfectlyjustifiable？”Iamaloneintheworld。”saidthefriendlessgirl。”Ihavenothingtolookforbutwhatmyownlabourcanbringme；andwhilethatlittlepink-facedchitAmelia，withnothalfmysense，hastenthousandpoundsandanestablishmentsecure，poorRebecca(andmyfigureisfarbetterthanhers)

hasonlyherselfandherownwitstotrustto。Well，letusseeifmywitscannotprovidemewithanhonourablemaintenance，andifsomedayortheotherIcannotshowMissAmeliamyrealsuperiorityoverher。NotthatI

dislikepoorAmelia：whocandislikesuchaharmless，good-naturedcreature？——onlyitwillbeafinedaywhenIcantakemyplaceaboveherintheworld，aswhy，indeed，shouldInot？”Thusitwasthatourlittleromanticfriendformedvisionsofthefutureforherself——

normustwebescandalisedthat，inallhercastlesintheair，ahusbandwastheprincipalinhabitant。Ofwhatelsehaveyoungladiestothink，buthusbands？Ofwhatelsedotheirdearmammasthink？”Imustbemyownmamma。”saidRebecca；notwithoutatinglingconsciousnessofdefeat，asshethoughtoverherlittlemisadventurewithJosSedley。

SoshewiselydeterminedtorenderherpositionwiththeQueen’sCrawleyfamilycomfortableandsecure，andtothisendresolvedtomakefriendsofeveryonearoundherwhocouldatallinterferewithhercomfort。

AsmyLadyCrawleywasnotoneofthesepersonages，andawoman，moreover，soindolentandvoidofcharacterasnottobeoftheleastconsequenceinherownhouse，Rebeccasoonfoundthatitwasnotatallnecessarytocultivatehergoodwill——indeed，impossibletogainit。Sheusedtotalktoherpupilsabouttheir“poormamma“；and，thoughshetreatedthatladywitheverydemonstrationofcoolrespect，itwastotherestofthefamilythatshewiselydirectedthechiefpartofherattentions。

Withtheyoungpeople，whoseapplauseshethoroughlygained，hermethodwasprettysimple。Shedidnotpestertheiryoungbrainswithtoomuchlearning，but，onthecontrary，letthemhavetheirownwayinregardtoeducatingthemselves；forwhatinstructionismoreeffectualthanself-instruction？Theeldestwasratherfondofbooks，andastherewasintheoldlibraryatQueen’sCrawleyaconsiderableprovisionofworksoflightliteratureofthelastcentury，bothintheFrenchandEnglishlanguages(theyhadbeenpurchasedbytheSecretaryoftheTapeandSealingWaxOfficeattheperiodofhisdisgrace)，andasnobodyevertroubledthebook-shelvesbutherself，Rebeccawasenabledagreeably，and，asitwere，inplaying，toimpartagreatdealofinstructiontoMissRoseCrawley。

SheandMissRosethusreadtogethermanydelightfulFrenchandEnglishworks，amongwhichmaybementionedthoseofthelearnedDr。Smollett，oftheingeniousMr。HenryFielding，ofthegracefulandfantasticMonsieurCrebillontheyounger，whomourimmortalpoetGraysomuchadmired，andoftheuniversalMonsieurdeVoltaire。Once，whenMr。Crawleyaskedwhattheyoungpeoplewerereading，thegovernessreplied“Smollett。”

“Oh，Smollett。”saidMr。Crawley，quitesatisfied。”Hishistoryismoredull，butbynomeanssodangerousasthatofMr。Hume。Itishistoryyouarereading？”“Yes。”

saidMissRose；without，however，addingthatitwasthehistoryofMr。HumphreyClinker。OnanotheroccasionhewasratherscandalisedatfindinghissisterwithabookofFrenchplays；butasthegovernessremarkedthatitwasforthepurposeofacquiringtheFrenchidiominconversation，hewasfaintobecontent。Mr。Crawley，asadiplomatist，wasexceedinglyproudofhisownskillinspeakingtheFrenchlanguage(forhewasoftheworldstill)，andnotalittlepleasedwiththecomplimentswhichthegovernesscontinuallypaidhimuponhisproficiency。

MissViolet’stasteswere，onthecontrary，morerudeandboisterousthanthoseofhersister。Sheknewthesequesteredspotswherethehenslaidtheireggs。Shecouldclimbatreetorobthenestsofthefeatheredsongstersoftheirspeckledspoils。Andherpleasurewastoridetheyoungcolts，andtoscourtheplainslikeCamilla。

Shewasthefavouriteofherfatherandofthestablemen。

Shewasthedarling，andwithaltheterrorofthecook；forshediscoveredthehauntsofthejam-pots，andwouldattackthemwhentheywerewithinherreach。

Sheandhersisterwereengagedinconstantbattles。Anyofwhichpeccadilloes，ifMissSharpdiscovered，shedidnottellthemtoLadyCrawley；whowouldhavetoldthemtothefather，orworse，toMr。Crawley；butpromisednottotellifMissVioletwouldbeagoodgirlandlovehergoverness。

WithMr。CrawleyMissSharpwasrespectfulandobedient。SheusedtoconsulthimonpassagesofFrenchwhichshecouldnotunderstand，thoughhermotherwasaFrenchwoman，andwhichhewouldconstruetohersatisfaction：and，besidesgivingherhisaidinprofaneliterature，hewaskindenoughtoselectforherbooksofamoreserioustendency，andaddresstohermuchofhisconversation。Sheadmired，beyondmeasure，hisspeechattheQuashimaboo-AidSociety；tookaninterestinhispamphletonmalt：wasoftenaffected，eventotears，byhisdiscoursesofanevening，andwouldsay——“Oh，thankyou，sir。”withasigh，andalookuptoheaven，thatmadehimoccasionallycondescendtoshakehandswithher。”Bloodiseverything，afterall。”

wouldthataristocraticreligionistsay。”HowMissSharpisawakenedbymywords，whennotoneofthepeoplehereistouched。Iamtoofineforthem——toodelicate。

Imustfamiliarisemystyle——butsheunderstandsit。HermotherwasaMontmorency。”

Indeeditwasfromthisfamousfamily，asitappears，thatMissSharp，bythemother’sside，wasdescended。

Ofcourseshedidnotsaythathermotherhadbeenonthestage；itwouldhaveshockedMr。Crawley’sreligiousscruples。Howmanynobleemigreshadthishorridrevolutionplungedinpoverty！Shehadseveralstoriesaboutherancestorsereshehadbeenmanymonthsinthehouse；someofwhichMr。CrawleyhappenedtofindinD’Hozier’sdictionary，whichwasinthelibrary，andwhichstrengthenedhisbeliefintheirtruth，andinthehigh-breedingofRebecca。Arewetosupposefromthiscuriosityandpryingintodictionaries，couldourheroinesupposethatMr。Crawleywasinterestedinher？——no，onlyinafriendlyway。HavewenotstatedthathewasattachedtoLadyJaneSheepshanks？

HetookRebeccatotaskonceortwiceabouttheproprietyofplayingatbackgammonwithSirPitt，sayingthatitwasagodlessamusement，andthatshewouldbemuchbetterengagedinreading“Thrump’sLegacy。”or“TheBlindWasherwomanofMoorfields。”oranyworkofamoreseriousnature；butMissSharpsaidherdearmotherusedoftentoplaythesamegamewiththeoldCountdeTrictracandthevenerableAbbeduCornet，andsofoundanexcuseforthisandotherworldlyamusements。

ButitwasnotonlybyplayingatbackgammonwiththeBaronet，thatthelittlegovernessrenderedherselfagreeabletoheremployer。Shefoundmanydifferentwaysofbeingusefultohim。Shereadover，withindefatigablepatience，allthoselawpapers，withwhich，beforeshecametoQueen’sCrawley，hehadpromisedtoentertainher。Shevolunteeredtocopymanyofhisletters，andadroitlyalteredthespellingofthemsoastosuittheusagesofthepresentday。Shebecameinterestedineverythingappertainingtotheestate，tothefarm，thepark，thegarden，andthestables；andsodelightfulacompanionwasshe，thattheBaronetwouldseldomtakehisafter-breakfastwalkwithouther(andthechildrenofcourse)，whenshewouldgiveheradviceastothetreeswhichweretobeloppedintheshrubberies，thegarden-bedstobedug，thecropswhichweretobecut，thehorseswhichweretogotocartorplough。BeforeshehadbeenayearatQueen’sCrawleyshehadquitewontheBaronet’sconfidence；andtheconversationatthedinner-table，whichbeforeusedtobeheldbetweenhimandMr。Horrocksthebutler，wasnowalmostexclusivelybetweenSirPittandMissSharp。ShewasalmostmistressofthehousewhenMr。Crawleywasabsent，butconductedherselfinhernewandexaltedsituationwithsuchcircumspectionandmodestyasnottooffendtheauthoritiesofthekitchenandstable，amongwhomherbehaviourwasalwaysexceedinglymodestandaffable。Shewasquiteadifferentpersonfromthehaughty，shy，dissatisfiedlittlegirlwhomwehaveknownpreviously，andthischangeoftemperprovedgreatprudence，asinceredesireofamendment，oratanyrategreatmoralcourageonherpart。WhetheritwastheheartwhichdictatedthisnewsystemofcomplaisanceandhumilityadoptedbyourRebecca，istobeprovedbyherafter-history。Asystemofhypocrisy，whichlaststhroughwholeyears，isoneseldomsatisfactorilypractisedbyapersonofone-and-

twenty；however，ourreaderswillrecollect，that，thoughyounginyears，ourheroinewasoldinlifeandexperience，andwehavewrittentonopurposeiftheyhavenotdiscoveredthatshewasaverycleverwoman。

TheelderandyoungersonofthehouseofCrawleywere，likethegentlemanandladyintheweather-box，neverathometogether——theyhatedeachothercordially：

indeed，RawdonCrawley，thedragoon，hadagreatcontemptfortheestablishmentaltogether，andseldomcamethitherexceptwhenhisauntpaidherannualvisit。

Thegreatgoodqualityofthisoldladyhasbeenmentioned。Shepossessedseventythousandpounds，andhadalmostadoptedRawdon。Shedislikedhereldernephewexceedingly，anddespisedhimasamilksop。Inreturnhedidnothesitatetostatethathersoulwasirretrievablylost，andwasofopinionthathisbrother’schanceinthenextworldwasnotawhitbetter。”Sheisagodlesswomanoftheworld。”wouldMr。Crawleysay；“sheliveswithatheistsandFrenchmen。MymindshudderswhenIthinkofherawful，awfulsituation，andthat，nearassheistothegrave，sheshouldbesogivenuptovanity，licentiousness，profaneness，andfolly。”Infact，theoldladydeclinedaltogethertohearhishour’slectureofanevening；andwhenshecametoQueen’sCrawleyalone，hewasobligedtopretermithisusualdevotionalexercises。

“Shutupyoursarmons，Pitt，whenMissCrawleycomesdown。”saidhisfather；“shehaswrittentosaythatshewon’tstandthepreachifying。”

“O，sir！considertheservants。”

“Theservantsbehanged。”saidSirPitt；andhissonthoughtevenworsewouldhappenweretheydeprivedofthebenefitofhisinstruction。

“Why，hangit，Pitt！”saidthefathertohisremonstrance。

“Youwouldn’tbesuchaflatastoletthreethousandayeargooutofthefamily？”

“Whatismoneycomparedtooursouls，sir？”continuedMr。Crawley。

“Youmeanthattheoldladywon’tleavethemoneytoyou？”——andwhoknowsbutitwasMr。Crawley’smeaning？

OldMissCrawleywascertainlyoneofthereprobate。

ShehadasnuglittlehouseinParkLane，and，assheateanddrankagreatdealtoomuchduringtheseasoninLondon，shewenttoHarrowgateorCheltenhamforthesummer。Shewasthemosthospitableandjovialofoldvestals，andhadbeenabeautyinherday，shesaid。

(Alloldwomenwerebeautiesonce，weverywellknow。)

Shewasabelesprit，andadreadfulRadicalforthosedays。ShehadbeeninFrance(whereSt。Just，theysay，inspiredherwithanunfortunatepassion)，andloved，everafter，Frenchnovels，Frenchcookery，andFrenchwines。ShereadVoltaire，andhadRousseaubyheart；

talkedverylightlyaboutdivorce，andmostenergeticallyoftherightsofwomen。ShehadpicturesofMr。Foxineveryroominthehouse：whenthatstatesmanwasinopposition，Iamnotsurethatshehadnotflungamainwithhim；andwhenhecameintooffice，shetookgreatcreditforbringingovertohimSirPittandhiscolleagueforQueen’sCrawley，althoughSirPittwouldhavecomeoverhimself，withoutanytroubleonthehonestlady’spart。ItisneedlesstosaythatSirPittwasbroughttochangehisviewsafterthedeathofthegreatWhigstatesman。

ThisworthyoldladytookafancytoRawdonCrawleywhenaboy，senthimtoCambridge(inoppositiontohisbrotheratOxford)，and，whentheyoungmanwasrequestedbytheauthoritiesofthefirst-namedUniversitytoquitafteraresidenceoftwoyears，sheboughthimhiscommissionintheLifeGuardsGreen。

Aperfectandcelebrated“blood。”ordandyabouttown，wasthisyoungofficer。Boxing，rat-hunting，thefivescourt，andfour-in-handdrivingwerethenthefashionofourBritisharistocracy；andhewasanadeptinallthesenoblesciences。Andthoughhebelongedtothehouseholdtroops，who，asitwastheirdutytorallyroundthePrinceRegent，hadnotshowntheirvalourinforeignserviceyet，RawdonCrawleyhadalready(aproposofplay，ofwhichhewasimmoderatelyfond)foughtthreebloodyduels，inwhichhegaveampleproofsofhiscontemptfordeath。

“Andforwhatfollowsafterdeath。”wouldMr。

Crawleyobserve，throwinghisgooseberry-colouredeyesuptotheceiling。Hewasalwaysthinkingofhisbrother’ssoul，orofthesoulsofthosewhodifferedwithhiminopinion：itisasortofcomfortwhichmanyoftheseriousgivethemselves。

Silly，romanticMissCrawley，farfrombeinghorrifiedatthecourageofherfavourite，alwaysusedtopayhisdebtsafterhisduels；andwouldnotlistentoawordthatwaswhisperedagainsthismorality。”Hewillsowhiswildoats。”shewouldsay，“andisworthfarmorethanthatpulinghypocriteofabrotherofhis。”