第85章

BetweenHampshireandLondonSirPittCrawleyhaddonemorethanrepairfencesandrestoredilapidatedlodgesontheQueen’sCrawleyestate。

Likeawisemanhehadsettoworktorebuildtheinjuredpopularityofhishouseandstopupthegapsandruinsinwhichhisnamehadbeenleftbyhisdisreputableandthriftlessoldpredecessor。Hewaselectedfortheboroughspeedilyafterhisfather’sdemise；amagistrate，amemberofparliament，acountymagnateandrepresentativeofanancientfamily，hemadeithisdutytoshowhimselfbeforetheHampshirepublic，subscribedhandsomelytothecountycharities，calledassiduouslyuponallthecountyfolk，andlaidhimselfoutinawordtotakethatpositioninHampshire，andintheEmpireafterwards，towhichhethoughthisprodigioustalentsjustlyentitledhim。LadyJanewasinstructedtobefriendlywiththeFuddlestones，andtheWapshots，andtheotherfamousbaronets，theirneighbours。TheircarriagesmightfrequentlybeseenintheQueen’sCrawleyavenuenow；

theydinedprettyfrequentlyattheHall(wherethecookerywassogoodthatitwasclearLadyJaneveryseldomhadahandinit)，andinreturnPittandhiswifemostenergeticallydinedoutinallsortsofweatherandatallsortsofdistances。ForthoughPittdidnotcareforjoviality，beingafrigidmanofpoorhearthandappetite，yetheconsideredthattobehospitableandcondescendingwasquiteincumbenton-hisstation，andeverytimethathegotaheadachefromtoolonganafter-dinnersitting，hefeltthathewasamartyrtoduty。Hetalkedaboutcrops，corn-laws，politics，withthebestcountrygentlemen。

He(whohadbeenformerlyinclinedtobeasadfree-thinkeronthesepoints)enteredintopoachingandgamepreservingwithardour。Hedidn’thunt；hewasn’tahuntingman；hewasamanofbooksandpeacefulhabits；buthethoughtthatthebreedofhorsesmustbekeptupinthecountry，andthatthebreedoffoxesmustthereforebelookedto，andforhispart，ifhisfriend，SirHuddlestoneFuddlestone，likedtodrawhiscountryandmeetasofoldtheF。houndsusedtodoatQueen’sCrawley，heshouldbehappytoseehimthere，andthegentlemenoftheFuddlestonehunt。AndtoLadySouthdown’sdismaytoohebecamemoreorthodoxinhistendencieseveryday；gaveuppreachinginpublicandattendingmeeting-houses；wentstoutlytochurch；calledontheBishopandalltheClergyatWinchester；andmadenoobjectionwhentheVenerableArchdeaconTrumperaskedforagameofwhist。WhatpangsmusthavebeenthoseofLadySouthdown，andwhatanuttercastawayshemusthavethoughtherson-in-lawforpermittingsuchagodlessdiversion！Andwhen，onthereturnofthefamilyfromanoratorioatWinchester，theBaronetannouncedtotheyoungladiesthatheshouldnextyearveryprobablytakethemtothe“countyballs。”theyworshippedhimforhiskindness。LadyJanewasonlytooobedient，andperhapsgladherselftogo。TheDowagerwroteoffthedirestdescriptionsofherdaughter’sworldlybehaviourtotheauthoressoftheWasherwomanofFinchleyCommonattheCape；andherhouseinBrightonbeingaboutthistimeunoccupied，returnedtothatwatering-place，herabsencebeingnotverymuchdeploredbyherchildren。

Wemaysuppose，too，thatRebecca，onpayingasecondvisittoQueen’sCrawley，didnotfeelparticularlygrievedattheabsenceoftheladyofthemedicinechest；thoughshewroteaChristmaslettertoherLadyship，inwhichsherespectfullyrecalledherselftoLadySouthdown’srecollection，spokewithgratitudeofthedelightwhichherLadyship’sconversationhadgivenherontheformervisit，dilatedonthekindnesswithwhichherLadyshiphadtreatedherinsickness，anddeclaredthateverythingatQueen’sCrawleyremindedherofherabsentfriend。

AgreatpartofthealtereddemeanourandpopularityofSirPittCrawleymighthavebeentracedtothecounselsofthatastutelittleladyofCurzonStreet。”YouremainaBaronet——youconsenttobeamerecountrygentleman。”

shesaidtohim，whilehehadbeenherguestinLondon。

“No，SirPittCrawley，Iknowyoubetter。Iknowyourtalentsandyourambition。Youfancyyouhidethemboth，butyoucanconcealneitherfromme。IshowedLordSteyneyourpamphletonmalt。Hewasfamiliarwithit，andsaiditwasintheopinionofthewholeCabinetthemostmasterlythingthathadappearedonthesubject。

TheMinistryhasitseyeuponyou，andIknowwhatyouwant。YouwanttodistinguishyourselfinParliament；

everyonesaysyouarethefinestspeakerinEngland(foryourspeechesatOxfordarestillremembered)。YouwanttobeMemberfortheCounty，where，withyourownvoteandyourboroughatyourback，youcancommandanything。AndyouwanttobeBaronCrawleyofQueen’sCrawley，andwillbebeforeyoudie。Isawitall。Icouldreadyourheart，SirPitt。IfIhadahusbandwhopossessedyourintellectashedoesyourname，Isom