第121章

Beckyhadhadagooddealofinstruction。Well，shenotonlytooktracts，butshereadthem。SheworkedflannelpetticoatsfortheQuashyboos——cottonnight-capsfortheCocoanutIndians——paintedhandscreensfortheconversionofthePopeandtheJews——satunderMr。RowlsonWednesdays，Mr。HuggletononThursdays，attendedtwoSundayservicesatchurch，besidesMr。Bawler，theDarbyite，intheevening，andallinvain。Mrs。NewbrighthadoccasiontocorrespondwiththeCountessofSouthdownabouttheWarmingpanFundfortheFijiIslanders(forthemanagementofwhichadmirablecharityboththeseladiesformedpartofafemalecommittee)，andhavingmentionedher“sweetfriend。”Mrs。RawdonCrawley，theDowagerCountesswrotebacksuchaletterregardingBecky，withsuchparticulars，hints，facts，falsehoods，andgeneralcomminations，thatintimacybetweenMrs。NewbrightandMrs。Crawleyceasedforthwith，andalltheseriousworldofTours，wherethismisfortunetookplace，immediatelypartedcompanywiththereprobate。ThosewhoknowtheEnglishColoniesabroadknowthatwecarrywithususourpride，pills，prejudices，Harvey-sauces，cayenne-peppers，andotherLares，makingalittleBritainwhereverwesettledown。

FromonecolonytoanotherBeckyfleduneasily。FromBoulognetoDieppe，fromDieppetoCaen，fromCaentoTours——tryingwithallhermighttoberespectable，andalas！alwaysfoundoutsomedayorotherandpeckedoutofthecagebytherealdaws。

Mrs。HookEaglestookherupatoneoftheseplaces——

awomanwithoutablemishinhercharacterandahouseinPortmanSquare。ShewasstayingatthehotelatDieppe，whitherBeckyfled，andtheymadeeachother’sacquaintancefirstatsea，wheretheywereswimmingtogether，andsubsequentlyatthetabled’hoteofthehotel。MrsEagleshadheard——whoindeedhadnot？——someofthescandaloftheSteyneaffair；butafteraconversationwithBecky，shepronouncedthatMrs。Crawleywasanangel，herhusbandaruffian，LordSteyneanunprincipledwretch，aseverybodyknew，andthewholecaseagainstMrs。CrawleyaninfamousandwickedconspiracyofthatrascalWenham。”Ifyouwereamanofanyspirit，Mr。Eagles，youwouldboxthewretch’searsthenexttimeyouseehimattheClub。”shesaidtoherhusband。ButEagleswasonlyaquietoldgentleman，husbandtoMrs。Eagles，withatasteforgeology，andnottallenoughtoreachanybody’sears。

TheEaglesthenpatronizedMrs。Rawdon，tookhertolivewithheratherownhouseatParis，quarrelledwiththeambassador’swifebecauseshewouldnotreceiveherprotegee，anddidallthatlayinwoman’spowertokeepBeckystraightinthepathsofvirtueandgoodrepute。

Beckywasveryrespectableandorderlyatfirst，butthelifeofhumdrumvirtuegrewutterlytedioustoherbeforelong。Itwasthesameroutineeveryday，thesamedulnessandcomfort，thesamedriveoverthesamestupidBoisdeBoulogne，thesamecompanyofanevening，thesameBlair’sSermonofaSundaynight——thesameoperaalwaysbeingactedoverandoveragain；

Beckywasdyingofweariness，when，luckilyforher，youngMr。EaglescamefromCambridge，andhismother，seeingtheimpressionwhichherlittlefriendmadeuponhim，straightwaygaveBeckywarning。

Thenshetriedkeepinghousewithafemalefriend；

thenthedoublemenagebegantoquarrelandgetintodebt。Thenshedetermineduponaboarding-houseexistenceandlivedforsometimeatthatfamousmansionkeptbyMadamedeSaintAmour，intheRueRoyale，atParis，whereshebeganexercisinghergracesandfascinationsupontheshabbydandiesandfly-blownbeautieswhofrequentedherlandlady’ssalons。Beckylovedsocietyand，indeed，couldnomoreexistwithoutitthananopium-eaterwithouthisdram，andshewashappyenoughattheperiodofherboarding-houselife。”ThewomenhereareasamusingasthoseinMayFair。”shetoldanoldLondonfriendwhomether，“only，theirdressesarenotquitesofresh。Themenwearcleanedgloves，andaresadrogues，certainly，buttheyarenotworsethanJackThisandTomThat。Themistressofthehouseisalittlevulgar，butIdon’tthinksheissovulgarasLady——“andhereshenamedthenameofagreatleaderoffashiontha