第71章

Thusanalmostreconciliationwasbroughtaboutbetweenthebrothers。WhenRebeccacametotownPittandhiswifewerenotinLondon。ManyatimeshedrovebytheolddoorinParkLanetoseewhethertheyhadtakenpossessionofMissCrawley’shousethere。Butthenewfamilydidnotmakeitsappearance；itwasonlythroughRagglesthatsheheardoftheirmovements——howMissCrawley’sdomesticshadbeendismissedwithdecentgratuities，andhowMr。PitthadonlyoncemadehisappearanceinLondon，whenhestoppedforafewdaysatthehouse，didbusinesswithhislawyersthere，andsoldoffallMissCrawley’sFrenchnovelstoabookselleroutofBondStreet。Beckyhadreasonsofherownwhichcausedhertolongforthearrivalofhernewrelation。

“WhenLadyJanecomes。”thoughtshe，“sheshallbemysponsorinLondonsociety；andasforthewomen！bah！

thewomenwillaskmewhentheyfindthemenwanttoseeme。”

Anarticleasnecessarytoaladyinthispositionasherbroughamorherbouquetishercompanion。Ihavealwaysadmiredthewayinwhichthetendercreatures，whocannotexistwithoutsympathy，hireanexceedinglyplainfriendoftheirownsexfromwhomtheyarealmostinseparable。Thesightofthatinevitablewomaninherfadedgownseatedbehindherdearfriendintheopera-

box，oroccupyingthebackseatofthebarouche，isalwaysawholesomeandmoralonetome，asjollyareminderasthatoftheDeath’s-headwhichfiguredintherepastsofEgyptianbon-vivants，astrangesardonicmemorialofVanityFair。What？evenbattered，brazen，beautiful，conscienceless，heartless，Mrs。Firebrace，whosefatherdiedofhershame：evenlovely，daringMrs。

Mantrap，whowillrideatanyfencewhichanymaninEnglandwilltake，andwhodriveshergreysinthepark，whilehermotherkeepsahuckster’sstallinBathstill——eventhosewhoaresobold，onemightfancytheycouldfaceanythingdarenotfacetheworldwithoutafemalefriend。Theymusthavesomebodytoclingto，theaffectionatecreatures！Andyouwillhardlyseetheminanypublicplacewithoutashabbycompanioninadyedsilk，sittingsomewhereintheshadeclosebehindthem。

“Rawdon。”saidBecky，verylateonenight，asapartyofgentlemenwereseatedroundhercracklingdrawing-

roomfire(forthemencametoherhousetofinishthenight；andshehadiceandcoffeeforthem，thebestinLondon)：“Imusthaveasheep-dog。”

“Awhat？”saidRawdon，lookingupfromanecartetable。

“Asheep-dog！”saidyoungLordSouthdown。”MydearMrs。Crawley，whatafancy！WhynothaveaDanishdog？Iknowofoneasbigasacamel-leopard，byJove。

Itwouldalmostpullyourbrougham。OraPersiangreyhound，eh？(Ipropose，ifyouplease)；oralittlepugthatwouldgointooneofLordSteyne’ssnuff-boxes？

There’samanatBayswatergotonewithsuchanosethatyoumight——Imarkthekingandplay——thatyoumighthangyourhatonit。”

“Imarkthetrick。”Rawdongravelysaid。Heattendedtohisgamecommonlyanddidn’tmuchmeddlewiththeconversation，exceptwhenitwasabouthorsesandbetting。

“WhatCANyouwantwithashepherd’sdog？”thelivelylittleSouthdowncontinued。

“ImeanaMORALshepherd’sdog。”saidBecky，laughingandlookingupatLordSteyne。

“Whatthedevil’sthat？”saidhisLordship。

“Adogtokeepthewolvesoffme。”Rebeccacontinued。

“Acompanion。”

“Dearlittleinnocentlamb，youwantone。”saidthemarquis；andhisjawthrustout，andhebegantogrinhideously，hislittleeyesleeringtowardsRebecca。

ThegreatLordofSteynewasstandingbythefiresippingcoffee。ThefirecrackledandblazedpleasantlyTherewasascoreofcandlessparklingroundthemantelpiece，inallsortsofquaintsconces，ofgiltandbronzeandporcelain。TheylightedupRebecca’sfiguretoadmiration，asshesatonasofacoveredwithapatternofgaudyflowers。Shewasinapinkdressthatlookedasfreshasarose；herdazzlingwhitearmsandshoulderswerehalf-

coveredwithathinhazyscarfthroughwhichtheysparkled；herhairhungincurlsroundherneck；oneofherlittlefeetpeepedoutfromthefreshcrispfoldsofthesilk：theprettiestlittlefootinthepr