第33章

MissCrawleyatNurseWehaveseenhowMrs。Firkin，thelady’smaid，assoonasanyeventofimportancetotheCrawleyfamilycametoherknowledge，feltboundtocommunicateittoMrs。

ButeCrawley，attheRectory；andhavebeforementionedhowparticularlykindandattentivethatgood-

naturedladywastoMissCrawley’sconfidentialservant。

ShehadbeenagraciousfriendtoMissBriggs，thecompanion，also；andhadsecuredthelatter’sgood-willbyanumberofthoseattentionsandpromises，whichcostsolittleinthemaking，andareyetsovaluableandagreeabletotherecipient。Indeedeverygoodeconomistandmanagerofahouseholdmustknowhowcheapandyethowamiabletheseprofessionsare，andwhataflavourtheygivetothemosthomelydishinlife。Whowastheblunderingidiotwhosaidthat“finewordsbutternoparsnips“？Halftheparsnipsofsocietyareservedandrenderedpalatablewithnoothersauce。AstheimmortalAlexisSoyercanmakemoredelicioussoupforahalf-

pennythananignorantcookcanconcoctwithpoundsofvegetablesandmeat，soaskilfulartistwillmakeafewsimpleandpleasingphrasesgofartherthaneversomuchsubstantialbenefit-stockinthehandsofamerebungler。

Nay，weknowthatsubstantialbenefitsoftensickensomestomachs；whereas，mostwilldigestanyamountoffinewords，andbealwayseagerformoreofthesamefood。

Mrs。ButehadtoldBriggsandFirkinsooftenofthedepthofheraffectionforthem；andwhatshewoulddo，ifshehadMissCrawley’sfortune，forfriendssoexcellentandattached，thattheladiesinquestionhadthedeepestregardforher；andfeltasmuchgratitudeandconfidenceasifMrs。Butehadloadedthemwiththemostexpensivefavours。

RawdonCrawley，ontheotherhand，likeaselfishheavydragoonashewas，nevertooktheleasttroubletoconciliatehisaunt’saides-de-camp，showedhiscontemptforthepairwithentirefrankness——madeFirkinpulloffhisbootsononeoccasion——sentheroutintherainonignominiousmessages——andifhegaveheraguinea，flungittoherasifitwereaboxontheear。Ashisaunt，too，madeabuttofBriggs，theCaptainfollowedtheexample，andlevelledhisjokesather——jokesaboutasdelicateasakickfromhischarger。Whereas，Mrs。Buteconsultedherinmattersoftasteordifficulty，admiredherpoetry，andbyathousandactsofkindnessandpoliteness，showedherappreciationofBriggs；andifshemadeFirkinatwopenny-halfpennypresent，accompanieditwithsomanycompliments，thatthetwopence-half-

pennywastransmutedintogoldintheheartofthegratefulwaiting-maid，who，besides，waslookingforwardsquitecontentedlytosomeprodigiousbenefitwhichmusthappentoheronthedaywhenMrs。Butecameintoherfortune。

Thedifferentconductofthesetwopeopleispointedoutrespectfullytotheattentionofpersonscommencingtheworld。Praiseeverybody，Isaytosuch：neverbesqueamish，butspeakoutyourcomplimentbothpoint-

blankinaman’sface，andbehindhisback，whenyouknowthereisareasonablechanceofhishearingitagain。Neverloseachanceofsayingakindword。AsCollingwoodneversawavacantplaceinhisestatebuthetookanacornoutofhispocketandpoppeditin；

sodealwithyourcomplimentsthroughlife。Anacorncostsnothing；butitmaysproutintoaprodigiousbitoftimber。

Inaword，duringRawdonCrawley’sprosperity，hewasonlyobeyedwithsulkyacquiescence；whenhisdisgracecame，therewasnobodytohelporpityhim。Whereas，whenMrs。ButetookthecommandatMissCrawley’shouse，thegarrisontherewerecharmedtoactundersuchaleader，expectingallsortsofpromotionfromherpromises，hergenerosity，andherkindwords。

Thathewouldconsiderhimselfbeaten，afteronedefeat，andmakenoattempttoregainthepositionhehadlost，Mrs。ButeCrawleyneverallowedherselftosuppose。

SheknewRebeccatobetoocleverandspiritedanddesperateawomantosubmitwithoutastruggle；andfeltthatshemustprepareforthatcombat，andbeincessantlywatchfulagainstassault；ormine，orsurprise。

Inthefirstplace，thoughsheheldthetown，wasshesureoftheprincipalinhabitant？WouldMissCrawleyherselfholdout；andhadshenotasecretlongingtowelcomebacktheoustedadversary？Theoldladylik