第79章

“GiveusLadySouthdownandtheblackdose。”wasaconstantcryamongstthefolksinBecky’slittledrawing-roominMayFair。AndforthefirsttimeinherlifetheDowagerCountessofSouthdownwasmadeamusing。

SirPittrememberedthetestimoniesofrespectandvenerationwhichRebeccahadpaidpersonallytohimselfinearlydays，andwastolerablywelldisposedtowardsher。Themarriage，ill-advisedasitwas，hadimprovedRawdonverymuch——thatwasclearfromtheColonel’salteredhabitsanddemeanour——andhaditnotbeenaluckyunionasregardedPitthimself？Thecunningdiplomatistsmiledinwardlyasheownedthatheowedhisfortunetoit，andacknowledgedthatheatleastoughtnottocryoutagainstit。HissatisfactionwasnotremovedbyRebecca’sownstatements，behaviour，andconversation。

Shedoubledthedeferencewhichbeforehadcharmedhim，callingouthisconversationalpowersinsuchamannerasquitetosurprisePitthimself，who，alwaysinclinedtorespecthisowntalents，admiredthemthemorewhenRebeccapointedthemouttohim。Withhersister-in-law，RebeccawassatisfactorilyabletoprovethatitwasMrs。ButeCrawleywhobroughtaboutthemarriagewhichsheafterwardssocalumniated；thatitwasMrs。

Bute’savarice——whohopedtogainallMissCrawley’sfortuneanddepriveRawdonofhisaunt’sfavour——whichcausedandinventedallthewickedreportsagainstRebecca。”Shesucceededinmakinguspoor。”Rebeccasaidwithanairofangelicalpatience；“buthowcanI

beangrywithawomanwhohasgivenmeoneofthebesthusbandsintheworld？Andhasnotherownavaricebeensufficientlypunishedbytheruinofherownhopesandthelossofthepropertybywhichshesetsomuchstore？Poor！”shecried。”DearLadyJane，whatcareweforpoverty？Iamusedtoitfromchildhood，andIamoftenthankfulthatMissCrawley’smoneyhasgonetorestorethesplendourofthenobleoldfamilyofwhichIamsoproudtobeamember。IamsureSirPittwillmakeamuchbetteruseofitthanRawdonwould。”

AllthesespeecheswerereportedtoSirPittbythemostfaithfulofwives，andincreasedthefavourableimpressionwhichRebeccamade；somuchsothatwhen，onthethirddayafterthefuneral，thefamilypartywereatdinner，SirPittCrawley，carvingfowlsattheheadofthetable，actuallysaidtoMrs。Rawdon，“Ahem！Rebecca，mayIgiveyouawing？”——aspeechwhichmadethelittlewoman’seyessparklewithpleasure。

WhileRebeccawasprosecutingtheaboveschemesandhopes，andPittCrawleyarrangingthefuneralceremonialandothermattersconnectedwithhisfutureprogressanddignity，andLadyJanebusywithhernursery，asfarashermotherwouldlether，andthesunrisingandsetting，andtheclock-towerbelloftheHallringingtodinnerandtoprayersasusual，thebodyofthelateownerofQueen’sCrawleylayintheapartmentwhichhehadoccupied，watchedunceasinglybytheprofessionalattendantswhowereengagedforthatrite。Awomanortwo，andthreeorfourundertaker’smen，thebestwhomSouthamptoncouldfurnish，dressedinblack，andofaproperstealthyandtragicaldemeanour，hadchargeoftheremainswhichtheywatchedturnabout，havingthehousekeeper’sroomfortheirplaceofrendezvouswhenoffduty，wheretheyplayedatcardsinprivacyanddranktheirbeer。

Themembersofthefamilyandservantsofthehousekeptawayfromthegloomyspot，wherethebonesofthedescendantofanancientlineofknightsandgentlemenlay，awaitingtheirfinalconsignmenttothefamilycrypt。

Noregretsattendedthem，savethoseofthepoorwomanwhohadhopedtobeSirPitt’swifeandwidowandwhohadfledindisgracefromtheHalloverwhichshehadsonearlybeenaruler。Beyondherandafavouriteoldpointerhehad，andbetweenwhomandhimselfanattachmentsubsistedduringtheperiodofhisimbecility，theoldmanhadnotasinglefriendtomournhim，havingindeed，duringthewholecourseofhislife，nevertakentheleastpainstosecureone。Couldthebestandkindestofuswhodepartfromtheearthhaveanopportunityofrevisitingit，Isupposeheorshe(assumingthatanyVanityFairfeelingssubsistinthespherewhitherwearebound)

wouldhaveapangofmortificationatfindinghowsoonoursurvivorswereconsoled。AndsoSirPittwasforgotten——likethekindestandbestofus——onlyafewweekssooner。

Thosewhowillmayfollowhisremainstothegrave，whithertheywereborneontheappointedday，inthemostbecomingmanner，thefamilyinblackcoaches，withtheirhandkerchiefsuptotheirnoses，readyforthetearswhichdidnotcome；theundertakerandhisge