第86章

AlsobeforethismerryChristmaswasover，theBaronethadscrewedupcourageenoughtogivehisbrotheranotherdraftonhisbankers，andfornolessasumthanahundredpounds，anactwhichcausedSirPittcruelpangsatfirst，butwhichmadehimglowafterwardstothinkhimselfoneofthemostgenerousofmen。Rawdonandhissonwentawaywiththeutmostheavinessofheart。Beckyandtheladiespartedwithsomealacrity，however，andourfriendreturnedtoLondontocommencethoseavocationswithwhichwefindheroccupiedwhenthischapterbegins。

UnderhercaretheCrawleyHouseinGreatGauntStreetwasquiterejuvenescentandreadyforthereceptionofSirPittandhisfamily，whentheBaronetcametoLondontoattendhisdutiesinParliamentandtoassumethatpositioninthecountryforwhichhisvastgeniusfittedhim。

Forthefirstsession，thisprofounddissemblerhidhisprojectsandneveropenedhislipsbuttopresentapetitionfromMudbury。ButheattendedassiduouslyinhisplaceandlearnedthoroughlytheroutineandbusinessoftheHouse。AthomehegavehimselfuptotheperusalofBlueBooks，tothealarmandwonderofLadyJane，whothoughthewaskillinghimselfbylatehoursandintenseapplication。Andhemadeacquaintancewiththeministers，andthechiefsofhisparty，determiningtorankasoneofthembeforemanyyearswereover。

LadyJane’ssweetnessandkindnesshadinspiredRebeccawithsuchacontemptforherladyshipasthelittlewomanfoundnosmalldifficultyinconcealing。ThatsortofgoodnessandsimplicitywhichLadyJanepossessedannoyedourfriendBecky，anditwasimpossibleforherattimesnottoshow，ortolettheotherdivine，herscorn。

Herpresence，too，renderedLadyJaneuneasy。HerhusbandtalkedconstantlywithBecky。Signsofintelligenceseemedtopassbetweenthem，andPittspokewithheronsubjectsonwhichheneverthoughtofdiscoursingwithLadyJane。Thelatterdidnotunderstandthem，tobesure，butitwasmortifyingtoremainsilent；stillmoremortifyingtoknowthatyouhadnothingtosay，andhearthatlittleaudaciousMrs。Rawdondashingonfromsubjecttosubject，withawordforeveryman，andajokealwayspat；

andtositinone’sownhousealone，bythefireside，andwatchingallthemenroundyourrival。

Inthecountry，whenLadyJanewastellingstoriestothechildren，whoclusteredaboutherknees(littleRawdonintothebargain，whowasveryfondofher)，andBeckycameintotheroom，sneeringwithgreenscornfuleyes，poorLadyJanegrewsilentunderthosebalefulglances。Hersimplelittlefanciesshrankawaytremulously，asfairiesinthestory-books，beforeasuperiorbadangel。Shecouldnotgoon，althoughRebecca，withthesmallestinflectionofsarcasminhervoice，besoughthertocontinuethatcharmingstory。AndonhersidegentlethoughtsandsimplepleasureswereodioustoMrs。Becky；

theydiscordedwithher；shehatedpeopleforlikingthem；

shespurnedchildrenandchildren-lovers。”Ihavenotasteforbreadandbutter。”shewouldsay，whencaricaturingLadyJaneandherwaystomyLordSteyne。

“Nomorehasacertainpersonforholywater。”hislordshiprepliedwithabowandagrinandagreatjarringlaughafterwards。

Sothesetwoladiesdidnotseemuchofeachotherexceptuponthoseoccasionswhentheyoungerbrother’swife，havinganobjecttogainfromtheother，frequentedher。Theymy-lovedandmy-dearedeachotherassiduously，butkeptapartgenerally，whereasSirPitt，inthemidstofhismultipliedavocations，founddailytimetoseehissister-in-law。

OntheoccasionofhisfirstSpeaker’sdinner，SirPitttooktheopportunityofappearingbeforehissister-in-lawinhisuniform——thatolddiplomaticsuitwhichhehadwornwhenattachetothePumpernickellegation。

Beckycomplimentedhimuponthatdressandadmiredhimalmostasmuchashisownwifeandchildren，towhomhedisplayedhimselfbeforehesetout。ShesaidthatitwasonlythethoroughbredgentlemanwhocouldweartheCourtsuitwithadvantage：itwasonlyyourmenofancientracewhomtheculottecourtebecame。Pittlookeddownwithcomplacencyathislegs，whichhadnot，intruth，muchmoresymmetryorswellthantheleanCourtswordwhichdangledbyhisside——lookeddownathislegs，andthoughtinhisheartthathewaskilling。

Whenhewasgone，Mrs。Beckymadeacaricatureofhisfigure，whichsheshowedtoLordSteynewhenhearrived。Hislordshipcarriedoffthesketch，delightedwiththeaccuracyoftheresemblance。HehaddoneSirPittCrawleythehonourtomeethimatMrs。Becky’shouseandhadbeen