第75章

ACynicalChapterOurdutynowtakesusbackforabriefspacetosomeoldHampshireacquaintancesofours，whosehopesrespectingthedisposaloftheirrichkinswoman’spropertyweresowoefullydisappointed。Aftercountinguponthirtythousandpoundsfromhissister，itwasaheavyblow。toButeCrawleytoreceivebutfive；outofwhichsum，whenhehadpaidhisowndebtsandthoseofJim，hissonatcollege，averysmallfragmentremainedtoportionoffhisfourplaindaughters。Mrs。Buteneverknew，oratleastneveracknowledged，howfarherowntyrannousbehaviourhadtendedtoruinherhusband。Allthatwomancoulddo，shevowedandprotestedshehaddone。Wasitherfaultifshedidnotpossessthosesycophanticartswhichherhypocriticalnephew，PittCrawley，practised？Shewishedhimallthehappinesswhichhemeritedoutofhisill-gottengains。”Atleastthemoneywillremaininthefamily。”shesaidcharitably。”Pittwillneverspendit，mydear，thatisquitecertain；foragreatermiserdoesnotexistinEngland，andheisasodious，thoughinadifferentway，ashisspendthriftbrother，theabandonedRawdon。”

SoMrs。Bute，afterthefirstshockofrageanddisappointment，begantoaccommodateherselfasbestshecouldtoheralteredfortunesandtosaveandretrenchwithallhermight。Sheinstructedherdaughtershowtobearpovertycheerfully，andinventedathousandnotablemethodstoconcealorevadeit。Shetookthemabouttoballsandpublicplacesintheneighbourhood，withpraiseworthyenergy；nay，sheentertainedherfriendsinahospitablecomfortablemannerattheRectory，andmuchmorefrequentlythanbeforedearMissCrawley’slegacyhadfallenin。Fromheroutwardbearingnobodywouldhavesupposedthatthefamilyhadbeendisappointedintheirexpectations，orhaveguessedfromherfrequentappearanceinpublichowshepinchedandstarvedathome。Hergirlshadmoremilliners’furniturethantheyhadeverenjoyedbefore。TheyappearedperseveringlyattheWinchesterandSouthamptonassemblies；theypenetratedtoCowesfortherace-ballsandregatta-gaietiesthere；andtheircarriage，withthehorsestakenfromtheplough，wasatworkperpetually，untilitbeganalmosttobebelievedthatthefoursistershadhadfortunesleftthembytheiraunt，whosenamethefamilynevermentionedinpublicbutwiththemosttendergratitudeandregard。I

knownosortoflyingwhichismorefrequentinVanityFairthanthis，anditmayberemarkedhowpeoplewhopractiseittakecredittothemselvesfortheirhypocrisy，andfancythattheyareexceedinglyvirtuousandpraiseworthy，becausetheyareabletodeceivetheworldwithregardtotheextentoftheirmeans。

Mrs。ButecertainlythoughtherselfoneofthemostvirtuouswomeninEngland，andthesightofherhappyfamilywasanedifyingonetostrangers。Theyweresocheerful，soloving，sowell-educated，sosimple！Marthapaintedflowersexquisitelyandfurnishedhalfthecharitybazaarsinthecounty。EmmawasaregularCountyBulbul，andherversesintheHampshireTelegraphwerethegloryofitsPoet’sCorner。FannyandMatildasangduetstogether，Mammaplayingthepiano，andtheothertwosisterssittingwiththeirarmsroundeachother’swaistsandlisteningaffectionately。Nobodysawthepoorgirlsdrummingattheduetsinprivate。NoonesawMammadrillingthemrigidlyhourafterhour。Inaword，Mrs。Buteputagoodfaceagainstfortuneandkeptupappearancesinthemostvirtuousmanner。

EverythingthatagoodandrespectablemothercoulddoMrs。Butedid。ShegotoveryachtingmenfromSouthampton，parsonsfromtheCathedralCloseatWinchester，andofficersfromthebarracksthere。ShetriedtoinveigletheyoungbarristersatassizesandencouragedJimtobringhomefriendswithwhomhewentouthuntingwiththeH。H。Whatwillnotamotherdoforthebenefitofherbelovedones？

Betweensuchawomanandherbrother-in-law，theodiousBaronetattheHall，itismanifestthattherecouldbeverylittleincommon。TherupturebetweenButeandhisbrotherSirPittwascomplete；indeed，betweenSirPittandthewholecounty，towhichtheoldmanwasascandal。Hisdislikeforrespectablesocietyincreasedwithage，andthelodge-gateshadnotopenedtoagentleman’scarriage-wheelssincePittandLadyJanecametopaytheirvisitofdutyaftertheirmarriage。

Thatwasanawfulandunfortunatevisit，nevertobethoughtofbythefamilywithouthorror。Pittbeggedhiswife，withaghastlycountenance，nevertospeakofit，anditwasonlythroughMrs。Buteherself，whostillk