第26章

ItreappearednowforpoorRoseDawson。SirPittwasawidoweragain。Thearmsquarteredontheshieldalongwithhisownwerenot，tobesure，poorRose’s。

Shehadnoarms。ButthecherubspaintedonthescutcheonansweredaswellforherasforSirPitt’smother，andResurgamwaswrittenunderthecoat，flankedbytheCrawleyDoveandSerpent。ArmsandHatchments，Resurgam——Hereisanopportunityformoralising！

Mr。Crawleyhadtendedthatotherwisefriendlessbedside。Shewentoutoftheworldstrengthenedbysuchwordsandcomfortashecouldgiveher。Formanyyearshiswastheonlykindnesssheeverknew；theonlyfriendshipthatsolacedinanywaythatfeeble，lonelysoul。

Herheartwasdeadlongbeforeherbody。ShehadsoldittobecomeSirPittCrawley’swife。MothersanddaughtersaremakingthesamebargaineverydayinVanityFair。

Whenthedemisetookplace，herhusbandwasinLondonattendingtosomeofhisinnumerableschemes，andbusywithhisendlesslawyers。Hehadfoundtime，nevertheless，tocallofteninParkLane，andtodespatchmanynotestoRebecca，entreatingher，enjoiningher，commandinghertoreturntoheryoungpupilsinthecountry，whowerenowutterlywithoutcompanionshipduringtheirmother’sillness。ButMissCrawleywouldnothearofherdeparture；forthoughtherewasnoladyoffashioninLondonwhowoulddesertherfriendsmorecomplacentlyassoonasshewastiredoftheirsociety，andthoughfewtiredofthemsooner，yetaslongasherengoumentlastedherattachmentwasprodigious，andsheclungstillwiththegreatestenergytoRebecca。

ThenewsofLadyCrawley’sdeathprovokednomoregrieforcommentthanmighthavebeenexpectedinMissCrawley’sfamilycircle。”IsupposeImustputoffmypartyforthe3rd。”MissCrawleysaid；andadded，afterapause，“Ihopemybrotherwillhavethedecencynottomarryagain。”“WhataconfoundedragePittwillbeinifhedoes。”Rawdonremarked，withhisusualregardforhiselderbrother。Rebeccasaidnothing。Sheseemedbyfarthegravestandmostimpressedofthefamily。ShelefttheroombeforeRawdonwentawaythatday；buttheymetbychancebelow，ashewasgoingawayaftertakingleave，andhadaparleytogether。

Onthemorrow，asRebeccawasgazingfromthewindow，shestartledMissCrawley，whowasplacidlyoccupiedwithaFrenchnovel，bycryingoutinanalarmedtone，“Here’sSirPitt，Ma’am！”andtheBaronet’sknockfollowedthisannouncement。

“Mydear，Ican’tseehim。Iwon’tseehim。TellBowlsnotathome，orgodownstairsandsayI’mtooilltoreceiveanyone。Mynervesreallywon’tbearmybrotheratthismoment。”criedoutMissCrawley，andresumedthenovel。

“She’stooilltoseeyou，sir。”Rebeccasaid，trippingdowntoSirPitt，whowaspreparingtoascend。

“Somuchthebetter。”SirPittanswered。”IwanttoseeYOU，MissBecky。Comealongameintotheparlour。”

andtheyenteredthatapartmenttogether。

“IwawntyoubackatQueen’sCrawley，Miss。”thebaronetsaid，fixinghiseyesuponher，andtakingoffhisblackglovesandhishatwithitsgreatcrapehat-band。

Hiseyeshadsuchastrangelook，andfixeduponhersosteadfastly，thatRebeccaSharpbeganalmosttotremble。

“Ihopetocomesoon。”shesaidinalowvoice，“assoonasMissCrawleyisbetter——andreturnto——tothedearchildren。”

“You’vesaidsothesethreemonths，Becky。”repliedSirPitt，“andstillyougohangingontomysister，who’llflingyouofflikeanoldshoe，whenshe’sworeyouout。

ItellyouIwantyou。I’mgoingbacktotheVuneral。

Willyoucomeback？Yesorno？”

“Idaren’t——Idon’tthink——itwouldberight——tobealone——withyou，sir。”Beckysaid，seeminglyingreatagitation。

“Isayagin，Iwantyou。”SirPittsaid，thumpingthetable。”Ican’tgitonwithoutyou。Ididn’tseewhatitwastillyouwentaway。Thehouseallgoeswrong。It’snotthesameplace。Allmyaccountshasgotmuddledagin。

YouMUSTcomeback。Docomeback。DearBecky，docome。”

“Come——aswhat，sir？”Rebeccagaspedout。

“ComeasLadyCrawley，ifyoulike。”theBaronetsaid，graspinghiscrapehat。”There！willthatzatusfyyou？

Comebackandbem