第27章

“Well，BeckywouldhavemadeagoodLadyCrawley，afterall。”MissCrawleyremarked(whowasmollifiedbythegirl’srefusal，andveryliberalandgenerousnowtherewasnocallforhersacrifices)。”Shehasbrainsinplenty(muchmorewitinherlittlefingerthanyouhave，mypoordearBriggs，inallyourhead)。Hermannersareexcellent，nowIhaveformedher。SheisaMontmorency，Briggs，andbloodissomething，thoughIdespiseitformypart；andshewouldhaveheldherownamongstthosepompousstupidHampshirepeoplemuchbetterthanthatunfortunateironmonger’sdaughter。”

Briggscoincidedasusual，andthe“previousattachment“

wasthendiscussedinconjectures。”Youpoorfriendlesscreaturesarealwayshavingsomefoolishtendre。”MissCrawleysaid。”Youyourself，youknow，wereinlovewithawriting-master(don’tcry，Briggs——

you’realwayscrying，anditwon’tbringhimtolifeagain)，andIsupposethisunfortunateBeckyhasbeensillyandsentimentaltoo——someapothecary，orhouse-steward，orpainter，oryoungcurate，orsomethingofthatsort。”

“Poorthing！poorthing！”saysBriggs(whowasthinkingoftwenty-fouryearsback，andthathecticyoungwriting-masterwhoselockofyellowhair，andwhoseletters，beautifulintheirillegibility，shecherishedinherolddeskupstairs)。”Poorthing，poorthing！”saysBriggs。Oncemoreshewasafresh-cheekedlassofeighteen；

shewasateveningchurch，andthehecticwriting-masterandshewerequaveringoutofthesamepsalm-book。

“AftersuchconductonRebecca’spart。”MissCrawleysaidenthusiastically，“ourfamilyshoulddosomething。

Findoutwhoistheobjet，Briggs。I’llsethimupinashop；orordermyportraitofhim，youknow；orspeaktomycousin，theBishop andI’lldoterBecky，andwe’llhaveawedding，Briggs，andyoushallmakethebreakfast，andbeabridesmaid。”

Briggsdeclaredthatitwouldbedelightful，andvowedthatherdearMissCrawleywasalwayskindandgenerous，andwentuptoRebecca’sbedroomtoconsoleherandprattleabouttheoffer，andtherefusal，andthecausethereof；andtohintatthegenerousintentionsofMissCrawley，andtofindoutwhowasthegentlemanthathadthemasteryofMissSharp’sheart。

Rebeccawasverykind，veryaffectionateandaffected——respondedtoBriggs’sofferoftendernesswithgratefulfervour——ownedtherewasasecretattachment——adeliciousmystery——whatapityMissBriggshadnotremainedhalfaminutelongeratthekeyhole！Rebeccamight，perhaps，havetoldmore：butfiveminutesafterMissBriggs’sarrivalinRebecca’sapartment，MissCrawleyactuallymadeherappearancethere——anunheard-ofhonour——herimpatiencehadovercomeher；shecouldnotwaitforthetardyoperationsofherambassadress：soshecameinperson，andorderedBriggsoutoftheroom。

AndexpressingherapprovalofRebecca’sconduct，sheaskedparticularsoftheinterview，andtheprevioustransactionswhichhadbroughtabouttheastonishingofferofSirPitt。

RebeccasaidshehadlonghadsomenotionofthepartialitywithwhichSirPitthonouredher(forhewasinthehabitofmakinghisfeelingsknowninaveryfrankandunreservedmanner)but，nottomentionprivatereasonswithwhichshewouldnotforthepresenttroubleMissCrawley，SirPitt’sage，station，andhabitsweresuchastorenderamarriagequiteimpossible；andcouldawomanwithanyfeelingofself-respectandanydecencylistentoproposalsatsuchamoment，whenthefuneralofthelover’sdeceasedwifehadnotactuallytakenplace？

“Nonsense，mydear，youwouldneverhaverefusedhimhadtherenotbeensomeoneelseinthecase。”MissCrawleysaid，comingtoherpointatonce。”Tellmetheprivatereasons；whataretheprivatereasons？Thereissomeone；whoisitthathastouchedyourheart？”

Rebeccacastdownhereyes，andownedtherewas。

“Youhaveguessedright，dearlady。”shesaid，withasweetsimplefalteringvoice。”Youwonderatonesopoorandfriendlesshavinganattachment，don’tyou？

Ihaveneverheardthatpovertywasanysafegu