按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Hush！〃 cried Miss Sedley。
〃Why； will the black footman tell tales？〃 cried Miss
Rebecca； laughing。 〃He may go back and tell Miss
Pinkerton that I hate her with all my soul； and I wish he
would； and I wish I had a means of proving it； too。 For
two years I have only had insults and outrage from her。
I have been treated worse than any servant in the kitchen。
I have never had a friend or a kind word； except from
you。 I have been made to tend the little girls in the lower
schoolroom； and to talk French to the Misses； until I
grew sick of my mother tongue。 But that talking French
to Miss Pinkerton was capital fun； wasn't it？ She doesn't
know a word of French； and was too proud to confess
it。 I believe it was that which made her part with me；
and so thank Heaven for French。 Vive la France！ Vive
l'Empereur！ Vive Bonaparte！〃
〃O Rebecca； Rebecca； for shame！〃 cried Miss Sedley；
for this was the greatest blasphemy Rebecca had as yet
uttered； and in those days； in England； to say； 〃Long live
Bonaparte！〃 was as much as to say； 〃Long live Lucifer！〃
〃How can youhow dare you have such wicked；
revengeful thoughts？〃
〃Revenge may be wicked； but it's natural；〃 answered
Miss Rebecca。 〃I'm no angel。〃 And； to say the truth； she
certainly was not。
For it may be remarked in the course of this little
conversation （which took place as the coach rolled along
lazily by the river side） that though Miss Rebecca Sharp
has twice had occasion to thank Heaven； it has been； in
the first place； for ridding her of some person whom she
hated； and secondly； for enabling her to bring her
enemies to some sort of perplexity or confusion； neither
of which are very amiable motives for religious gratitude；
or such as would be put forward by persons of a kind
and placable disposition。 Miss Rebecca was not； then； in
the least kind or placable。 All the world used her ill； said
this young misanthropist； and we may be pretty certain
that persons whom all the world treats ill； deserve
entirely the treatment they get。 The world is a looking…
glass； and gives back to every man the reflection of his
own face。 Frown at it； and it will in turn look sourly
upon you； laugh at it and with it； and it is a jolly kind
companion； and so let all young persons take their choice。
This is certain； that if the world neglected Miss Sharp；
she never was known to have done a good action in
behalf of anybody； nor can it be expected that twenty…
four young ladies should all be as amiable as the heroine
of this work； Miss Sedley （whom we have selected for
the very reason that she was the best…natured of all；
otherwise what on earth was to have prevented us from
putting up Miss Swartz； or Miss Crump； or Miss Hopkins；
as heroine in her place！） it could not be expected that
every one should be of the humble and gentle temper
of Miss Amelia Sedley； should take every opportunity to
vanquish Rebecca's hard…heartedness and ill…humour； and；
by a thousand kind words and offices； overcome； for once
at least； her hostility to her kind。
Miss Sharp's father was an artist； and in that quality
had given lessons of drawing at Miss Pinkerton's school。
He was a clever man； a pleasant companion； a careless
student； with a great propensity for running into debt；
and a partiality for the tavern。 When he was drunk； he
used to beat his wife and daughter； and the next morning；
with a headache； he would rail at the world for its neglect
of his genius； and abuse； with a good deal of cleverness；
and sometimes with perfect reason； the fools； his brother
painters。 As it was with the utmost difficulty that he
could keep himself； and as he owed money for a mile
round Soho； where he lived； he thought to better his
circumstances by marrying a young woman of the French
nation； who was by profession an opera…girl。 The humble
calling of her female parent Miss Sharp never alluded to；
but used to state subsequently that the Entrechats were
a noble family of Gascony； and took great pride in her
descent from them。 And curious it is that as she advanced
in life this young lady's ancestors increased in rank and
splendour。
Rebecca's mother had had some education somewhere；
and her daughter spoke French with purity and a Parisian
accent。 It was in those days rather a rare accomplishment；
and led to her engagement with the orthodox Miss
Pinkerton。 For her mother being dead； her father； finding
himself not likely to recover； after his third attack of
delirium tremens； wrote a manly and pathetic letter to
Miss Pinkerton； recommending the orphan child to her
protection； and so descended to the grave； after two
bailiffs had quarrelled over his corpse。 Rebecca was
seventeen when she came to Chiswick； and was bound
over as an articled pupil； her duties being to talk French；
as we have seen； and her privileges to live cost free； and；
with a few guineas a year； to gather scraps of knowledge
from the professors who attended the school。
She was small and slight in person； pale； sandy…haired；
and with eyes habitually cast down： when they looked up
they were very large； odd； and attractive； so attractive
that the Reverend Mr。 Crisp； fresh from Oxford； and
curate to the Vicar of Chiswick； the Reverend Mr。
Flowerdew； fell in love with Miss Sharp； being shot dead
by a glance of her eyes which was fired all the way across
Chiswick Church from the school…pew to the reading…
desk。 This infatuated young man used sometimes to take
tea with Miss Pinkerton； to whom he had been presented
by his mamma； and actually proposed something like
marriage in an intercepted note； which the one…eyed
apple…woman was charged to deliver。 Mrs。 Crisp was
summoned from Buxton； and abruptly carried off her darling
boy； but the idea； even； of such an eagle in the Chiswick
dovecot caused a great flutter in the breast of Miss
Pinkerton； who would have sent away Miss Sharp but that
she was bound to her under a forfeit； and who never
could thoroughly believe the young lady's protestations
that she had never exchanged a single word with Mr。
Crisp； except under her own eyes on the two occasions
when she had met him at tea。
By the side of many tall and bouncing young ladies in
the establishment； Rebecca Sharp looked like a child。 But
she had the dismal precocity of poverty。 Many a dun had
she talked to； and turned away from her father's door；
many a tradesman had she coaxed and wheedled into
good…humour； and into the granting of one meal more。
She sate commonly with her father； who was very proud
of her wit； and heard the talk of many of his wild
companionsoften but ill…suited for a girl to hear。 But she
never had been a girl； she said； she had been a woman
since she was eight years old。 Oh； why did Miss Pinkerton
let such a dangerous bird into her cage？
The fact is； the old lady believed Rebecca to be the
meekest creature in the world； so admirably； on the
occasions when her father brought her to Chiswick； used
Rebecca to perform the part of the ingenue； and only a
year before the arrangement by which Rebecca had been
admitted into her house； and when Rebecca was sixteen
years old； Miss Pinkerton majestically； and with a little
speech； made