第99章

AllshestipulatedforwasthatlittleRawdonshouldbeallowedtocomedownandseeherattheHall。Beckypromisedthis——anything。Sheranuptoherhusbandwhenhecamehomeandtoldhimthejoyfulnews。Rawdonwasglad，deucedglad；theweightwasoffhisconscienceaboutpoorBriggs’smoney。Shewasprovidedfor，atanyrate，but——buthismindwasdisquiet。Hedidnotseemtobeallright，somehow。HetoldlittleSouthdownwhatLordSteynehaddone，andtheyoungmaneyedCrawleywithanairwhichsurprisedthelatter。

HetoldLadyJaneofthissecondproofofSteyne’sbounty，andshe，too，lookedoddandalarmed；sodidSirPitt。”Sheistoocleverand——andgaytobeallowedtogofrompartytopartywithoutacompanion。”bothsaid。”Youmustgowithher，Rawdon，wherevershegoes，andyoumusthavesomebodywithher——oneofthegirlsfromQueen’sCrawley，perhaps，thoughtheywererathergiddyguardiansforher。”

SomebodyBeckyshouldhave。ButinthemeantimeitwasclearthathonestBriggsmustnotloseherchanceofsettlementforlife，andsosheandherbagswerepacked，andshesetoffonherjourney。AndsotwoofRawdon’sout-sentinelswereinthehandsoftheenemy。

SirPittwentandexpostulatedwithhissister-in-lawuponthesubjectofthedismissalofBriggsandothermattersofdelicatefamilyinterest。InvainshepointedouttohimhownecessarywastheprotectionofLordSteyneforherpoorhusband；howcruelitwouldbeontheirparttodepriveBriggsofthepositionofferedtoher。

Cajolements，coaxings，smiles，tearscouldnotsatisfySirPitt，andhehadsomethingverylikeaquarrelwithhisonceadmiredBecky。Hespokeofthehonourofthefamily，theunsulliedreputationoftheCrawleys；

expressedhimselfinindignanttonesaboutherreceivingthoseyoungFrenchmen——thosewildyoungmenoffashion，myLordSteynehimself，whosecarriagewasalwaysatherdoor，whopassedhoursdailyinhercompany，andwhoseconstantpresencemadetheworldtalkabouther。Astheheadofthehouseheimploredhertobemoreprudent。Societywasalreadyspeakinglightlyofher。LordSteyne，thoughanoblemanofthegreateststationandtalents，wasamanwhoseattentionswouldcompromiseanywoman；hebesought，heimplored，hecommandedhissister-in-lawtobewatchfulinherintercoursewiththatnobleman。

BeckypromisedanythingandeverythingPittwanted；

butLordSteynecametoherhouseasoftenasever，andSirPitt’sangerincreased。IwonderwasLadyJaneangryorpleasedthatherhusbandatlastfoundfaultwithhisfavouriteRebecca？LordSteyne’svisitscontinuing，hisownceased，andhiswifewasforrefusingallfurtherintercoursewiththatnoblemananddecliningtheinvitationtothecharade-nightwhichthemarchionesssenttoher；butSirPittthoughtitwasnecessarytoacceptit，ashisRoyalHighnesswouldbethere。

Althoughhewenttothepartyinquestion，SirPittquitteditveryearly，andhiswife，too，wasverygladtocomeaway。Beckyhardlysomuchasspoketohimornoticedhersister-in-law。PittCrawleydeclaredherbehaviourwasmonstrouslyindecorous，reprobatedinstrongtermsthehabitofplay-actingandfancydressingashighlyunbecomingaBritishfemale，andafterthecharadeswereover，tookhisbrotherRawdonseverelytotaskforappearinghimselfandallowinghiswifetojoininsuchimproperexhibitions。

Rawdonsaidsheshouldnotjoininanymoresuchamusements——butindeed，andperhapsfromhintsfromhiselderbrotherandsister，hehadalreadybecomeaverywatchfulandexemplarydomesticcharacter。Heleftoffhisclubsandbilliards。Heneverlefthome。HetookBeckyouttodrive；hewentlaboriouslywithhertoallherparties。WhenevermyLordSteynecalled，hewassuretofindtheColonel。AndwhenBeckyproposedtogooutwithoutherhusband，orreceivedinvitationsforherself，heperemptorilyorderedhertorefusethem：andtherewasthatinthegentleman’smannerwhichenforcedobedience。LittleBecky，todoherjustice，wascharmedwithRawdon’sgallantry。Ifhewassurly，sheneverwas。

Whetherfriendswerepresentorabsent，shehadalwaysakindsmileforhimandwasattentivetohispleasureandcom