第64章

“PoorBriggscannomoreplaythananowl，sheissostupid“(thespinsteralwaystookanopportunityofabusingBriggsbeforetheservants)；“andIthinkIshouldsleepbetterifIhadmygame。”

AtthisLadyJaneblushedtothetipsofherlittleears，anddowntotheendsofherprettyfingers；andwhenMr。

Bowlshadquittedtheroom，andthedoorwasquiteshut，shesaid：

“MissCrawley，Icanplayalittle。Iusedto——toplayalittlewithpoordearpapa。”

“Comeandkissme。Comeandkissmethisinstant，youdeargoodlittlesoul。”criedMissCrawleyinanecstasy：

andinthispicturesqueandfriendlyoccupationMr。Pittfoundtheoldladyandtheyoungone，whenhecameupstairswithhimpamphletinhishand。Howshedidblushalltheevening，thatpoorLadyJane！

ItmustnotbeimaginedthatMr。PittCrawley’sartificesescapedtheattentionofhisdearrelationsattheRectoryatQueen’sCrawley。HampshireandSussexlieveryclosetogether，andMrs。Butehadfriendsinthelattercountywhotookcaretoinformherofall，andagreatdealmorethanall，thatpassedatMissCrawley’shouseatBrighton。Pittwastheremoreandmore。HedidnotcomeformonthstogethertotheHall，wherehisabominableoldfatherabandonedhimselfcompletelytorum-

and-water，andtheodioussocietyoftheHorrocksfamily。

Pitt’ssuccessrenderedtheRector’sfamilyfurious，andMrs。Buteregrettedmore(thoughsheconfessedless)

thaneverhermonstrousfaultinsoinsultingMissBriggs，andinbeingsohaughtyandparsimonioustoBowlsandFirkin，thatshehadnotasinglepersonleftinMissCrawley’shouseholdtogiveherinformationofwhattookplacethere。”ItwasallBute’scollar-bone。”shepersistedinsaying；“ifthathadnotbroke，Ineverwouldhavelefther。I

amamartyrtodutyandtoyourodiousunclericalhabitofhunting，Bute。”

“Hunting；nonsense！Itwasyouthatfrightenedher，Barbara。”thedivineinterposed。”You’reacleverwoman，butyou’vegotadevilofatemper；andyou’reascrewwithyourmoney，Barbara。”

“You’dhavebeenscrewedingaol，Bute，ifIhadnotkeptyourmoney。”

“IknowIwould，mydear。”saidtheRector，good-naturedly。

“YouAREacleverwoman，butyoumanagetoowell，youknow“：andthepiousmanconsoledhimselfwithabigglassofport。

“WhatthedeucecanshefindinthatspooneyofaPittCrawley？”hecontinued。”ThefellowhasnotpluckenoughtosayBotoagoose。IrememberwhenRawdon，whoisaman，andbehangedtohim，usedtofloghimroundthestablesasifhewasawhipping-top：andPittwouldgohowlinghometohisma——ha，ha！Why，eitherofmyboyswouldwhophimwithonehand。Jimsayshe’srememberedatOxfordasMissCrawleystill——thespooney。

“Isay，Barbara。”hisreverencecontinued，afterapause。

“What？”saidBarbara，whowasbitinghernails，anddrummingthetable。

“Isay，whynotsendJimovertoBrightontoseeifhecandoanythingwiththeoldlady。He’sveryneargettinghisdegree，youknow。He’sonlybeenpluckedtwice——sowasI——buthe’shadtheadvantagesofOxfordandauniversityeducation。Heknowssomeofthebestchapsthere。

HepullsstrokeintheBonifaceboat。He’sahandsomefeller。D——it，ma’am，let’sputhimontheoldwoman，hey，andtellhimtothrashPittifhesaysanything。

Ha，ha，ha！

“Jimmightgodownandseeher，certainly。”thehousewifesaid；addingwithasigh，“Ifwecouldbutgetoneofthegirlsintothehouse；butshecouldneverendurethem，becausetheyarenotpretty！”Thoseunfortunateandwell-educatedwomenmadethemselvesheardfromtheneighbouringdrawing-room，wheretheywerethrummingaway，withhardfingers，anelaboratemusic-pieceonthepiano-forte，astheirmotherspoke；andindeed，theywereatmusic，oratbackboard，oratgeography，orathistory，thewholedaylong。Butwhatavailalltheseaccomplishments，inVanityFair，togirlswhoareshort，poor，plain，andhaveabadcomplexion？Mrs。ButecouldthinkofnobodybuttheCuratetotakeoneofthemoffherhands；

andJimcominginfromthestableatthisminute，throughtheparlourwindow，withashortpipestuckinhisoilskincap，heandhisfatherfelltotalkingaboutoddsontheSt。Leger，andthecolloquybetweentheRectorandhiswifeended。

Mrs。ButedidnotaugurmuchgoodtothecausefromthesendingofhersonJamesasanambassador，andsawhimdepartinratheradespairingmood。No