第 182 节
作者:左思右想      更新:2021-02-19 19:48      字数:9322
  the Hyde Park of the Roman idlerspossibly in hopes to
  have another sight of Lord Steyne。  But she met another
  acquaintance there:  it was Mr。 Fiche; his lordship's
  confidential man; who came up nodding to her rather
  familiarly and putting a finger to his hat。  〃I knew that Madame
  was here;〃 he said; 〃I followed her from her hotel。  I have
  some advice to give Madame。〃
  〃From the Marquis of Steyne?〃 Becky asked; resuming
  as much of her dignity as she could muster; and not
  a little agitated by hope and expectation。
  〃No;〃 said the valet; 〃it is from me。  Rome is very
  unwholesome。〃
  〃Not at this season; Monsieur Fichenot till after
  Easter。〃
  〃I tell Madame it is unwholesome now。  There is always
  malaria for some people。  That cursed marsh wind kills
  many at all seasons。  Look; Madame Crawley; you were
  always bon enfant; and I have an interest in you; parole
  d'honneur。  Be warned。  Go away from Rome; I tell you
  or you will be ill and die。〃
  Becky laughed; though in rage and fury。  〃What!
  assassinate poor little me?〃 she said。  〃How romantic!  Does
  my lord carry bravos for couriers; and stilettos in the
  fourgons? Bah!  I will stay; if but to plague him。  I have
  those who will defend me whilst I am here。〃
  It was Monsieur Fiche's turn to laugh now。  〃Defend
  you;〃 he said; 〃and who? The Major; the Captain; any
  one of those gambling men whom Madame sees would
  take her life for a hundred louis。  We know things about
  Major Loder (he is no more a Major than I am my Lord
  the Marquis) which would send him to the galleys or
  worse。  We know everything and have friends everywhere。
  We know whom you saw at Paris; and what relations you
  found there。  Yes; Madame may stare; but we do。  How
  was it that no minister on the Continent would receive
  Madame? She has offended somebody:  who never
  forgiveswhose rage redoubled when he saw you。  He was
  like a madman last night when he came home。  Madame
  de Belladonna made him a scene about you and fired off
  in one of her furies。〃
  〃Oh; it was Madame de Belladonna; was it?〃 Becky
  said; relieved a little; for the information she had just got
  had scared her。
  〃Noshe does not mattershe is always jealous。  I
  tell you it was Monseigneur。  You did wrong to show
  yourself to him。  And if you stay here you will repent it。  Mark
  my words。  Go。  Here is my lord's carriage〃and seizing
  Becky's arm; he rushed down an alley of the garden as
  Lord Steyne's barouche; blazing with heraldic devices;
  came whirling along the avenue; borne by the almost
  priceless horses; and bearing Madame de Belladonna
  lolling on the cushions; dark; sulky; and blooming; a King
  Charles in her lap; a white parasol swaying over her
  head; and old Steyne stretched at her side with a livid
  face and ghastly eyes。  Hate; or anger; or desire caused
  them to brighten now and then still; but ordinarily; they
  gave no light; and seemed tired of looking out on a world
  of which almost all the pleasure and all the best beauty
  had palled upon the worn…out wicked old man。
  〃Monseigneur has never recovered the shock of that
  night; never;〃 Monsieur Fiche whispered to Mrs。 Crawley
  as the carriage flashed by; and she peeped out at it
  from behind the shrubs that hid her。  〃That was a
  consolation at any rate;〃 Becky thought。
  Whether my lord really had murderous intentions
  towards Mrs。 Becky as Monsieur Fiche said (since
  Monseigneur's death he has returned to his native country;
  where he lives much respected; and has purchased from
  his Prince the title of Baron Ficci); and the factotum
  objected to have to do with assassination; or whether he
  simply had a commission to frighten Mrs。 Crawley out of
  a city where his Lordship proposed to pass the winter;
  and the sight of her would be eminently disagreeable to
  the great nobleman; is a point which has never been
  ascertained:  but the threat had its effect upon the little
  woman; and she sought no more to intrude herself upon
  the presence of her old patron。
  Everybody knows the melancholy end of that
  nobleman; which befell at Naples two months after the French
  Revolution of 1830; when the Most Honourable George
  Gustavus; Marquis of Steyne; Earl of Gaunt and of Gaunt
  Castle; in the Peerage of Ireland; Viscount Hellborough;
  Baron Pitchley and Grillsby; a Knight of the Most Noble
  Order of the Garter; of the Golden Fleece of Spain; of
  the Russian Order of Saint Nicholas of the First Class; of
  the Turkish Order of the Crescent; First Lord of the
  Powder Closet and Groom of the Back Stairs; Colonel of
  the Gaunt or Regent's Own Regiment of Militia; a Trustee
  of the British Museum; an Elder Brother of the Trinity
  House; a Governor of the White Friars; and D。C。L。
  died after a series of fits brought on; as the papers said;
  by the shock occasioned to his lordship's sensibilities by
  the downfall of the ancient French monarchy。
  An eloquent catalogue appeared in a weekly print;
  describing his virtues; his magnificence; his talents; and
  his good actions。  His sensibility; his attachment to the
  illustrious House of Bourbon; with which he claimed an
  alliance; were such that he could not survive the
  misfortunes of his august kinsmen。  His body was buried at
  Naples; and his heartthat heart which always beat with
  every generous and noble emotion was brought back to
  Castle Gaunt in a silver urn。  〃In him;〃 Mr。 Wagg said;
  〃the poor and the Fine Arts have lost a beneficent patron;
  society one of its most brilliant ornaments; and England
  one of her loftiest patriots and statesmen;〃 &c。; &c。
  His will was a good deal disputed; and an attempt was
  made to force from Madame de Belladonna the
  celebrated jewel called the 〃Jew's…eye〃 diamond; which his
  lordship always wore on his forefinger; and which it was
  said that she removed from it after his lamented demise。
  But his confidential friend and attendant; Monsieur Fiche
  proved that the ring had been presented to the said
  Madame de Belladonna two days before the Marquis's
  death; as were the bank…notes; jewels; Neapolitan and
  French bonds; &c。; found in his lordship's secretaire and
  claimed by his heirs from that injured woman。
  CHAPTER LXV
  Full of Business and Pleasure
  The day after the meeting at the play…table; Jos had
  himself arrayed with unusual care and splendour; and
  without thinking it necessary to say a word to any
  member of his family regarding the occurrences of the previous
  night; or asking for their company in his walk; he sallied
  forth at an early hour; and was presently seen making
  inquiries at the door of the Elephant Hotel。  In consequence
  of the fetes the house was full of company; the
  tables in the street were already surrounded by persons
  smoking and drinking the national small…beer; the public
  rooms were in a cloud of smoke; and Mr。 Jos having; in
  his pompous way; and with his clumsy German; made
  inquiries for the person of whom he was in search; was
  directed to the very top of the house; above the first…floor
  rooms where some travelling pedlars had lived; and were
  exhibiting their jewellery and brocades; above the second…
  floor apartments occupied by the etat major of the
  gambling firm; above the third…floor rooms; tenanted by the
  band of renowned Bohemian vaulters and tumblers; and
  so on to the little cabins of the roof; where; among
  students; bagmen; small tradesmen; and country…folks come
  in for the festival; Becky had found a little nestas dirty
  a little refuge as ever beauty lay hid in。
  Becky liked the life。  She was at home with everybody
  in the place; pedlars; punters; tumblers; students and all。
  She was of a wild; roving nature; inherited from father
  and mother; who were both Bohemians; by taste and
  circumstance; if a lord was not by; she would talk to his
  courier with the greatest pleasure; the din; the stir; the
  drink; the smoke; the tattle of the Hebrew pedlars; the
  solemn; braggart ways of the poor tumblers; the sournois
  talk of the gambling…table officials; the songs and swagger
  of the students; and the general buzz and hum of
  the place had pleased and tickled the little woman; even
  when her luck was down and she had not wherewithal to
  pay her bill。  How pleasant was all the bustle to her now
  that her purse was full of the money which little Georgy
  had won for her the night before!
  As Jos came creaking and puffing up the final stairs;
  and was speechless when he got to the landing; and began
  to wipe his face and then to look for No。  92; the room
  where he was directed to seek for the person he wanted;
  the door of the opposite chamber; No。  90; was open;
  and a student; in jack…boots and a dirty schlafrock; was
  lying on the bed smoking a long pipe; whilst another
  student in long yellow hair and a braided coat; exceeding
  smart and dirty too; was actually on his knees at No。  92;
  bawling through the keyhole supplications to the person
  within。
  〃Go away;〃 said a well…known voice; which made Jos
  thrill; 〃I expect somebody; I expect my grandpapa。  He
  mustn't see you there。〃
  〃Angel Englanderinn!〃 bellowed the kneeling student
  with the whity…brown ringlets and the large finger…ring;
  〃do take compassion upon us。  Make an appointment。
  Dine with me and Fritz at the inn in the park。  We will
  have roast pheasants and porter; plum…pudding and
  Fr