第90章

OurbelovedRebeccahadnoneed，however，ofanysuchafriendlyhalotosetoffherbeauty。Hercomplexioncouldbearanysunshineasyet，andherdress，thoughifyouweretoseeitnow，anypresentladyofVanityFairwouldpronounceittobethemostfoolishandpreposterousattireeverworn，wasashandsomeinhereyesandthoseofthepublic，somefive-and-twentyyearssince，asthemostbrilliantcostumeofthemostfamousbeautyofthepresentseason。Ascoreofyearshencethattoo，thatmilliner’swonder，willhavepassedintothedomainoftheabsurd，alongwithallpreviousvanities。Butwearewanderingtoomuch。Mrs。Rawdon’sdresswaspronouncedtobecharmanteontheeventfuldayofherpresentation。EvengoodlittleLadyJanewasforcedtoacknowledgethiseffect，asshelookedatherkinswoman，andownedsorrowfullytoherselfthatshewasquiteinferiorintastetoMrs。Becky。

Shedidnotknowhowmuchcare，thought，andgeniusMrs。Rawdonhadbestoweduponthatgarment。RebeccahadasgoodtasteasanymillinerinEurope，andsuchacleverwayofdoingthingsasLadyJanelittleunderstood。

ThelatterquicklyspiedoutthemagnificenceofthebrocadeofBecky’strain，andthesplendourofthelaceonherdress。

Thebrocadewasanoldremnant，Beckysaid；andasforthelace，itwasagreatbargain。Shehadhaditthesehundredyears。

“MydearMrs。Crawley，itmusthavecostalittlefortune。”LadyJanesaid，lookingdownatherownlace，whichwasnotnearlysogood；andthenexaminingthequalityoftheancientbrocadewhichformedthematerialofMrs。Rawdon’sCourtdress，shefeltinclinedtosaythatshecouldnotaffordsuchfineclothing，butcheckedthatspeech，withaneffort，asoneuncharitabletoherkinswoman。

Andyet，ifLadyJanehadknownall，Ithinkevenherkindlytemperwouldhavefailedher。Thefactis，whenshewasputtingSirPitt’shouseinorder，Mrs。Rawdonhadfoundthelaceandthebrocadeinoldwardrobes，thepropertyoftheformerladiesofthehouse，andhadquietlycarriedthegoodshome，andhadsuitedthemtoherownlittleperson。Briggssawhertakethem，askednoquestions，toldnostories；butIbelievequitesympathisedwithheronthismatter，andsowouldmanyanotherhonestwoman。

Andthediamonds——“Wherethedoosedidyougetthediamonds，Becky？”saidherhusband，admiringsomejewelswhichhehadneverseenbeforeandwhichsparkledinherearsandonherneckwithbrillianceandprofusion。

Beckyblushedalittleandlookedathimhardforamoment。PittCrawleyblushedalittletoo，andlookedoutofwindow。Thefactis，hehadgivenheraverysmallportionofthebrilliants；aprettydiamondclasp，whichconfinedapearlnecklacewhichshewore-andtheBaronethadomittedtomentionthecircumstancetohislady。

Beckylookedatherhusband，andthenatSirPitt，withanairofsaucytriumph——asmuchastosay，“ShallIbetrayyou？”

“Guess！”shesaidtoherhusband。”Why，yousillyman。”shecontinued，“wheredoyousupposeIgotthem？——

allexceptthelittleclasp，whichadearfriendofminegavemelongago。Ihiredthem，tobesure。IhiredthematMr。Polonius’s，inCoventryStreet。Youdon’tsupposethatallthediamondswhichgotoCourtbelongtothewearers；likethosebeautifulstoneswhichLadyJanehas，andwhicharemuchhandsomerthananywhichIhave，Iamcertain。”

“Theyarefamilyjewels。”saidSirPitt，againlookinguneasy。Andinthisfamilyconversationthecarriagerolleddownthestreet，untilitscargowasfinallydischargedatthegatesofthepalacewheretheSovereignwassittinginstate。

Thediamonds，whichhadcreatedRawdon’sadmiration，neverwentbacktoMr。Polonius，ofCoventryStreet，andthatgentlemanneverappliedfortheirrestoration，buttheyretiredintoalittleprivaterepository，inanolddesk，whichAmeliaSedleyhadgivenheryearsandyearsago，andinwhichBeckykeptanumberofusefuland，perhaps，valuablethings，aboutwhichherhusbandknewnothing。Toknownothing，orlittle，isinthenatureofsomehusbands。Tohide，inthenatureofhowmanywomen？Oh，ladies！howmanyofyouhavesurreptitiousmilliners’bills？Howmanyofyouhavegownsandbraceletswhichyoudaren’tshow，orwhichyouweartrembling？——trembling，andcoaxingwithsmilesthehusbandbyyoursid