名利场(txt+pdf+epub+mobi电子书下载)

作者：(英)威廉·萨克雷

出版社：外语教学与研究出版社

格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT

名利场试读：

内容简介

名利场，一个极尽浮华、邪恶且又荒唐的地方，充斥着各式虚伪与矫饰。在那里，你赌博，欠债，等着有钱的姑姑死掉；在那里，你对心上人发誓相爱至死不渝，然而次日就给别人写下情书；在那里，耍心机、说谎话才会得到回报；在那里，男人奔赴战场，女人坠入爱河；在那里，欢笑与泪水同在，危险与刺激并存……故事发生在1815年的伦敦、布赖顿、布鲁塞尔和巴黎。

贝姬·夏普和阿梅莉亚·塞德利即将开始在名利场的奇妙历险。她们都将觅得夫婿，但婚姻会持续多久？谁会佩戴钻石，谁会忍饥挨饿？她们会忠贞守一，还是会荒唐行事？她们会被弃之若屣，还是会被深深爱恋？谁会把钞票缝到裙子里，随着胜利之师奔赴巴黎？谁会回到娘家，悲凄淌泪？还有她们的亲朋好友……约瑟夫·塞德利会当一辈子傻瓜吗？罗顿·克劳利会了解真相吗？威廉·多宾会如愿以偿吗？“啊，人类欲望如此虚荣与荒唐！尘世之中，我们谁是真正快乐的？我们谁能称心如意？又或，在遂了心愿后，真正感到心满意足？”

VANITY FAIR

Vanity Fair is a very vain, wicked, foolish place, full of all sorts of falseness and pretence. It is a place where you gamble and get into debt, and wait for your rich aunt to die. A place where you swear undying love to your sweetheart, and write a love letter to someone else the next day. It is a place where cunning and lies bring rewards. It is a place where men go to war, and women fall in love, a place of laughter, tears, danger, and excitement... It is 1815 in London and Brighton, Brussels and Paris.

Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley are starting out on the great adventure of Vanity Fair. Each will find a husband, but how long will it last? Who will wear diamonds, who will go hungry? Will they be faithful, foolish, neglected, devoted? Who will sew banknotes into her dress and follow a victorious army to Paris? Who will go home to her mother and weep in misery? And their friends and relations... Will Joseph Sedley be a fool all his life? Will Rawdon Crawley learn the truth? Will William Dobbin get his heart's desire?‘Oh, the vanity and folly of human wishes! Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has our heart's desire? Or, having it, is satisfied?'

PEOPLE IN THIS STORY

Miss Rebecca (Becky) Sharp

Miss Amelia (Emmy) Sedley

Mr Joseph (Jos) Sedley, Amelia's brother

Mr John Sedley, father of Amelia and Joseph

Mrs Sedley, his wife

Mr George Osborne, a lieutenant in the army; later, a captain

Georgy, George's son

Mr John Osborne, father of George Osborne, and grandfather of Georgy

Mr William Dobbin, a captain in the army; later, a major

Miss Dobbin, William's sister

Sir Pitt Crawley, a baronet

Mr Pitt (later, Sir Pitt) Crawley, Sir Pitt's older son (by his first wife)

Lady Jane Crawley, Pitt Crawley's wife

Mr Rawdon Crawley, Sir Pitt's younger son (by his first wife), a captain in the army; later, a colonel

Young Rawdon (Rawdy), Rawdon's son

Lady Crawley, Sir Pitt's second wife, mother of Rose and Violet

Miss Matilda Crawley, Sir Pitt's unmarried sister, and Rawdon's aunt

Miss Briggs, paid companion to Miss Crawley

Mr Bute Crawley, Sir Pitt's brother

Mrs Bute Crawley, Mr Bute's wife

Lord Steyne, a nobleman

人物介绍

丽贝卡（贝姬）·夏普小姐

阿梅莉亚（埃米）·塞德利小姐

约瑟夫（乔斯）·塞德利先生，阿梅莉亚之兄

约翰·塞德利先生，阿梅莉亚和约瑟夫之父

塞德利夫人，约翰·塞德利先生之妻

乔治·奥斯本先生，陆军中尉；后晋升上尉

乔基，乔治之子

约翰·奥斯本先生，乔治·奥斯本之父，乔基的祖父

威廉·多宾先生，陆军上尉；后晋升少校

多宾小姐，威廉之妹

皮特·克劳利爵士，准男爵

皮特·克劳利先生（后承封号，皮特爵士），皮特爵士的长子（与其第一任妻子所生）

简·克劳利女士，皮特·克劳利先生之妻

罗顿·克劳利先生，皮特爵士的次子（与其第一任妻子所生），陆军上尉；后晋升上校

小罗顿（罗迪），罗顿之子

克劳利女士，皮特爵士的第二任妻子，罗丝和维奥莱特之母

玛蒂尔达·克劳利小姐，皮特爵士未出嫁的姐姐，罗顿的姑姑

布里格斯小姐，克劳利小姐雇用的女伴

比特·克劳利先生，皮特爵士之弟

比特·克劳利夫人，比特先生之妻

斯泰恩勋爵，贵族

1 The young ladies leave school

We are going to see a great deal of Amelia, so there is no harm in saying straight away that she was a dear little creature. She is not a heroine because her nose was rather short and her face was too round, though it shone with rosy health. She had a lovely smile and her eyes were bright with good humour, except when they were filled with tears, which happened a great deal too often because she had the kindest heart in the world. And when she left school she did not know whether to cry or not. She was glad to go home, but she was very sad to leave her friends at school.

Well, at last the goodbyes were over and the carriage drove away. In her hand Amelia held a letter from Miss Pinkerton, the school's headmistress, which was full of praise for Amelia's educational achievements and the sweetness of her nature.

Amelia's companion, Miss Rebecca Sharp, had no letter from Miss Pinkerton, and was not at all sad to leave school. Indeed, she was delighted.

'I hate the place,' she said. 'I never want to see it again! I wish it were at the bottom of the river, with Miss Pinkerton too.'

Amelia was shocked. 'Oh, Rebecca!' she cried. 'How can you have such wicked thoughts?'

As you will guess, Rebecca was not a kind or forgiving person. She said that the world treated her very badly – though it was quite possible that she deserved the treatment she got.

Her father was an artist, who had given drawing lessons to the young ladies at Miss Pinkerton's school. He was a clever man and a pleasant companion, but was always in debt and had too great a fondness for the bottle. When he was drunk, he used to beat his wife and daughter. He had married a French dancer, who had taught her daughter to speak perfect French. She had died young, leaving Rebecca to her father's care.

And when Rebecca was seventeen, her father died. On his deathbed he wrote to Miss Pinkerton, begging her to look after his orphan daughter. So Miss Pinkerton employed Rebecca to speak French to the young ladies. In return, Rebecca lived in the school, was paid a few pounds a year, and was allowed to attend classes when she was free.

Rebecca, or Becky, as she was often called, was small and thin, with a pale face and light red hair. She usually kept her head down, but when she looked up, her green eyes were large and attractive, especially to men. Next to the tall, healthy young ladies in the school, Becky Sharp looked like a child. But being poor and in debt had taught her many adult lessons. She knew how to deal with angry shopkeepers demanding their money, and how to charm them into providing one more meal. Her father, who was very proud of her lively mind, had liked to have her at his drinking parties, though the conversation of his wild friends was hardly suitable for a young girl. But she had never been a girl, she said; she had been a woman since she was eight years old.

Rebecca hated the school. She argued and fought with Miss Pinkerton, and was jealous of the young ladies there. After the freedom of her father's house, the school felt like a prison, and she was soon making plans for her escape.

Her only friend was Amelia Sedley, and when Amelia left school at the age of seventeen, Rebecca, now aged nineteen, left school too. She had obtained a post as a governess to the daughters of Sir Pitt Crawley, to whose house she would go after spending a few weeks with Miss Sedley's family.

By the time the carriage arrived at the Sedleys' house in Russell Square, Amelia had forgotten her sadness and was happy to be home again. She took great pleasure in showing Rebecca every room in the house, her piano, all her books, her dresses, her jewellery, and the wonderful presents which her brother Joseph had brought back for her from India.

'It must be delightful to have a brother,' said Rebecca. 'He's very rich, I expect, if he's been in India. Is his wife very pretty?'

'Oh yes, Joseph is wealthy, but he isn't married,' Amelia said.

'Oh, what a pity!' said Rebecca. 'I was sure you said he was married, and I was hoping to meet your nieces and nephews.'

But the thought that was really going through Rebecca's mind was this: 'If Mr Joseph Sedley is rich and unmarried, why shouldn't I marry him? I have only a few weeks, to be sure, but there's no harm in trying.'

Should we blame Miss Sharp for her marriage ambitions? No, for we must remember that poor Rebecca had no kind mother to arrange this delicate business for her, and that if she did not get a husband for herself, there was no one else to do it for her.

So Rebecca became even more affectionate to Amelia, thanking her with tears in her eyes for the presents which her dear friend had given her. And when the dinner-bell rang, she went downstairs with her arm round her friend's waist, as is the habit of young ladies who love each other dearly.

In the drawing-room they found a large, fat man, fashionably dressed in bright colours, sitting by the fire reading the newspaper. As the young ladies entered, he stood up quickly, and his face went red in alarm and embarrassment.

'It's only your sister, Joseph,' said Amelia, laughing. 'I've finished school, you know, and this is my friend, Miss Sharp. You've heard me talk about her.''This is my friend, Miss Sharp. You've heard me talk about her.'

'No, never,' said Joseph in great confusion. 'That is, yes – what very cold weather we're having, Miss—', and he began to stir up the fire, although it was the middle of June.

'He's very handsome,' Rebecca whispered, rather loudly.

'Oh, do you think so?' said Amelia. 'I'll tell him.'

'No, please don't!' cried Miss Sharp, stepping back and keeping her eyes fixed modestly on the carpet.

Joseph Sedley was twelve years older than his sister, and worked in Bengal, in a very isolated place, for the East India Company. But he became ill, and was sent back to London, where he decided to enjoy all the pleasures he had missed when he went to India. So he had his own apartment, drove his horses in the park, ate in fashionable restaurants, and went to the theatre. But he had no friends. He was fat, lazy, and vain, and the sight of a lady frightened him tremendously.

Becky Sharp would have to be very clever indeed to catch such a man for a husband. Her first moves, though, showed considerable skill. 'I must be very quiet,' she thought, 'and very interested in India.' And all through dinner, she paid great attention to everything Joseph said.

After dinner, when the ladies had gone up to the drawing-room, old Mr Sedley laughed, and said to his son, 'Take care, Jos. That girl is planning to catch you for a husband.'

'Nonsense!' Joseph replied. But he could not help thinking about her and the way she had looked at him with her beautiful green eyes when he had picked up her handkerchief. 'She dropped it twice,' he thought. 'And is that her singing now in the drawing-room? Shall I go up and see?'

But his shyness overcame him, and he quietly slipped away from the house. From the window Mrs Sedley saw him go. 'Miss Sharp has frightened him away,' she remarked.

It was three days before Joseph returned to the house, and during that time Rebecca never mentioned his name. She was full of grateful respect for Mrs Sedley, laughed at all Mr Sedley's jokes, and was delighted with every excursion. When Amelia had a headache, Rebecca would not go out without her. Her green eyes filled with tears. 'Dear, dear Emmy,' she said. 'How could I go out and leave you? You have shown a poor orphan what happiness and love are for the first time in her life.'

In fact, Becky Sharp won the hearts of all the family.

On the day that Joseph reappeared, Amelia reminded her brother that he had promised to take her to the Royal Gardens at Vauxhall, which was a very popular place of entertainment.

'The young ladies must have a gentleman each,' said Amelia's father. 'Jos will forget all about Emmy if he's looking after Miss Sharp. Ask George Osborne if he'll come.'

He and his wife exchanged little smiles, and Amelia looked down and blushed as only a young girl of seventeen can blush – and as Miss Rebecca Sharp had never blushed in her life.

But on the night of the Vauxhall party, it rained heavily, and the young people had to postpone their excursion. They spent a comfortable evening at home instead. The Sedleys had known George Osborne all his life, and it was accepted in both families that he and Amelia would marry one day. In fact, the marriage settlement had already been agreed between the two fathers.

So it was a very informal evening, and when Amelia and George went off to the piano in the back drawing-room, Becky and Joseph were left alone. Joseph was surprised to find that he could talk to Becky quite easily. She asked him many questions about India and listened admiringly to all his stories.

'Promise me that you will never go on one of those dreadful tiger hunts,' she begged him, her green eyes filled with fear.

Joseph laughed bravely. 'Nonsense, Miss Sharp. The danger only makes it more exciting.' He had only once been on a tiger hunt, when he had indeed nearly died – of terror.

Later, Rebecca, whose singing was as excellent as her French, sang a song about an orphan, her voice trembling a little over the sad ending. Everyone was reminded of Rebecca's own orphan state and her uncertain future in life.

'Such a beautiful song, dear Miss Sharp,' said Joseph Sedley. 'It almost made me cry.'

'That's because you have a kind heart, Mr Joseph,' came the soft reply, accompanied by an even softer glance.

Becky's efforts were not wasted. Joseph's mind was full of thoughts of marriage. 'She'll make a fine little wife,' he said to himself. 'I'll ask the question at Vauxhall. Yes, I will!'

George Osborne came to lunch on the day of the Vauxhall party and said to Mrs Sedley, 'I hope you don't mind, but I've asked Dobbin to come here tonight and go with us to Vauxhall.'

Lieutenant George Osborne and Captain William Dobbin had been at school together. Dobbin, a quiet, modest boy, had saved Osborne from a beating, and from then on the two had been good friends. They were now both in the same regiment in the army and had not long returned from service in the West Indies.

'Of course he can come,' said Mrs Sedley. 'I remember Dobbin very well. Is he still as awkward and plain as ever?'

'I'll always like him,' Amelia said, 'however awkward he is.' But her reason for liking Dobbin was that he was George's friend.

'He's a fine fellow,' said George, 'even if he's not very good-looking.' And he glanced towards the mirror, admiring his own handsome face and curly black hair. He blushed a little when he saw Rebecca watching him, and Rebecca thought, 'And you certainly know what a fine fellow you are, don't you!'

That evening, when Amelia came into the sitting-room, singing happily, and as fresh as a rose in a pretty white dress, a very tall awkward gentleman in uniform stepped forward. He had large hands and feet, and bowed clumsily.

He had arrived very quietly, and the ladies upstairs did not know that he was there. Otherwise Amelia would not have come into the room singing. As it was, the fresh little voice went straight to William Dobbin's heart – and stayed there. 'What a lucky fellow George Osborne is,' he thought.

On the way to Vauxhall Gardens, Rebecca sat next to Joseph in the carriage and George Osborne sat between Amelia and Dobbin. Though nothing was said, everybody in the carriage was sure that Joseph would propose to Becky that evening. And when they stepped down from the carriage, Joseph took her on his arm, and George and Amelia went off together.

Dobbin paid for them all, and then walked behind, content in his generous and unselfish way to see Amelia and George so happy together. They had all promised to stay together, but within ten minutes, of course, they had separated, and Rebecca found herself alone with Joseph on one of the side walks. Now, she thought, was the moment for Joseph to ask the question. A few minutes earlier somebody had rudely pushed past Rebecca, and she had fallen back with a little cry, into Mr Sedley's arms. This made him feel very loving towards her, and he told her several of his Indian stories again – for the sixth time.

'How I should like to see India!' breathed Rebecca.

'Would you really?' Joseph asked eagerly, and the important question must have been trembling on his lips, because he was breathing very heavily. Rebecca placed her little hand on his heart and she could feel it beating wildly.

Just at this interesting moment, however, the bell rang for the start of the fireworks, and the lovers were surrounded by crowds of hurrying people, and were forced to go with them.

Captain Dobbin walked round the Gardens alone. He thought of joining the others for supper, but saw, when he passed in front of their table, that they were all talking happily to each other, and that their table was prepared for four only. They had forgotten all about him, so he went away again. When he returned later, he realized that Joseph had drunk too much, for he was talking and laughing and singing very loudly. He had attracted a crowd of people, who were gathering round to watch. In fact, George was just about to hit one man who wanted to join the party, but Dobbin arrived at that moment and sent the crowd away.

'Good heavens! Where have you been, Dobbin?' said George. Then, without waiting for a reply, he added, 'Make yourself useful. Look after Joseph, and I'll take the ladies home.'

That night as she went up to bed, Rebecca said to herself, 'He must propose tomorrow. He called me his darling four times. He must propose tomorrow.'

But wine can be the ruin of marriage plans. The next day Joseph had a terrible headache, and his condition was not improved by a visit from George Osborne, who laughed at him most unkindly. 'What a fool you made of yourself last night, Jos! Singing love songs, and crying all over Miss Sharp's hand!'

George had been thinking about Joseph and Becky Sharp. If he, George, was going to marry into the Sedley family, he did not want his brother-in-law to marry a governess, a little nobody, without money or social position. And so George continued to laugh at Joseph and make cruel jokes about him.

The result of all this was that Joseph decided that he was too ill to visit the young ladies, and the next day he sent a letter to his sister, saying that when he recovered he planned to go to Scotland for several months.

It was the death of Rebecca's hopes. Kind-hearted Amelia was very sad for her friend and cried a great deal, but it was now clear to the rest of the Sedley family that the time had come for Rebecca to leave. She made her preparations, and accepted all Amelia's parting gifts with just the right amount of hesitation. Even George Osborne gave Rebecca a present, but he had made too many unkind jokes about Joseph and the Vauxhall party.

'I'm so grateful to him!' Rebecca told Amelia, but in her heart she was thinking, 'George Osborne prevented my marriage.' So we can imagine just how grateful she was to George Osborne.

And so the final parting came. After many tears and promises of undying friendship, both sincere and insincere, Rebecca and Amelia said goodbye.

good humour good mood 好心情

headmistress n. a female teacher who is in charge of a school 女校长

companion n. someone you spend a lot of time with, especially a friend 伴侣，同伴

wicked adj. behaving in a way that is morally wrong 邪恶的，罪恶的

governess n. a woman employed by a rich family to live in their home and teach their children 女家庭教师

to be sure used to admit that something is true, before saying something that is the opposite 诚然，固然（用于要说相反意见之前）

affectionate adj. showing in a gentle way that you love someone 亲切的，亲热的

drawing-room n. (old-fashioned) a room where guests are entertained （用于招待客人的）客厅

alarm n. a feeling of fear or worry because something bad or dangerous might happen 惊慌，惊恐

vain adj. someone who is vain is too proud of their good looks, abilities, or position 自负的，虚荣的

tremendously adv. greatly 极其，很

grateful adj. showing that you want to thank someone because of something kind that they have done 感激的，感谢的

excursion n. a short journey 短途旅行，出游

marriage settlement the financial arrangements agreed for a marriage 婚姻财产授予

remind of to seem similar to someone or something 使想起（相似的人或物）

lieutenant n. an army officer of middle rank (below captain) 中尉（低于上尉）

regiment n. a large group of soldiers, usually consisting of several battalions （军队的）团

as it is because of the situation that actually exists 照目前情况看来

propose v. to ask someone to marry you, especially in a formal way 求婚

generous adj. someone who is generous is willing to give money, spend time etc, in order to help people or give them pleasure 慷慨的，大方的

ruin n. the cause of losing money, job etc or messing up plans 祸根，罪魁

recover v. to get better after an illness 恢复健康，康复

1 小姐们离校

十九世纪初，六月里一个阳光明媚的清晨，阿梅莉亚·塞德利小姐和丽贝卡·夏普小姐离校了。把她们从平克顿女子学校接走的马车里装满了送给阿梅莉亚的礼物和花儿，因为人人都爱她；但丽贝卡离开时却没有一个人掉眼泪。

我们还会常常见到阿梅莉亚，所以不妨直说，她是个讨人喜爱的姑娘。她不是故事里的女主人公，因为她鼻子颇短，脸又太圆，尽管她的脸蛋透出健康红润的光泽。她有着甜美的笑容，明亮的双眸闪烁着快乐的光芒，除非眼里充满了泪水。这种情况发生得太过频繁，因为她有一颗世界上最善良的心。她离校时不知道自己该不该哭：可以回家了她很高兴，但要告别学校里的朋友她又很伤心。

好啦，道别终于结束，马车出发了。阿梅莉亚手里拿着学校校长平克顿小姐写的信，信中满是对阿梅莉亚学业成绩和善良品格的褒扬。

阿梅莉亚的同伴丽贝卡·夏普小姐没有得到平克顿小姐的信，而且离开学校她一点也不伤心。实际上，这正合她心意呢。“我讨厌这个地方。”她说，“我再也不想看见它了！我希望它沉到河底，连平克顿小姐也一起沉下去。”

阿梅莉亚吓了一跳。“啊，丽贝卡！”她大叫，“你怎么会有这么恶毒的想法呢？”

你可以猜得出来，丽贝卡不是一个善良宽容的人。她说世界对她太残酷——尽管很有可能是，她活该受到那样的待遇。

丽贝卡的父亲是位画家，在平克顿小姐的学校里教年轻小姐们绘画课。他是个聪明人，也好相处，但总是债台高筑，而且贪好杯中物。以前他喝醉时会殴打妻子和女儿。他的妻子是个法国舞女，教会女儿讲一口流利的法语，只是年纪轻轻就去世了，留下丽贝卡给他照顾。

丽贝卡十七岁时，父亲亡故了。临终时他给平克顿小姐写信，求她照顾自己的孤女。于是平克顿小姐就雇丽贝卡同年轻小姐们讲法语。作为报酬，丽贝卡可以住在学校里，每年拿几英镑薪水，空闲时还可以去听课。

丽贝卡，大家也常常叫她贝姬，身材瘦小，脸色苍白，长着一头淡红色的头发。她通常低着头，可是当她抬起眼来时，那双绿眼睛显得又大又迷人，对男性尤其有吸引力。和学校里高挑健康的年轻小姐们站在一起，贝姬·夏普看起来就像个小孩子。然而，家境贫寒又债务缠身，使她学会了许多成年人才知道的诀窍：她知道怎么应付那些来讨钱的凶巴巴的店主，也知道怎么打动他们，让他们再多提供一顿饭。她的父亲非常赞赏她那灵活的头脑，喜欢在找人喝酒时把她带上，可是他那帮狐朋狗友讲的话实在不适合年轻女孩听。然而，她说她从来没当过女孩，从八岁起她就是一位成年女子了。

丽贝卡讨厌平克顿女子学校。她与平克顿小姐争吵不休，对学校里的年轻小姐们嫉妒不已。她在父亲家里过惯了自由的生活，学校简直就像一座监狱，因此她很快就开始计划如何摆脱学校的束缚。

阿梅莉亚·塞德利是她唯一的朋友。阿梅莉亚十七岁离校时，已十九岁的丽贝卡也同时离校了。丽贝卡获得了一个家庭教师的职位，教导皮特·克劳利爵士的女儿们。她会先在塞德利小姐家住几周，之后再前往克劳利爵士家。

等马车到了位于拉塞尔广场的塞德利家门口时，阿梅莉亚已将悲伤抛在脑后，因回到家而高兴起来。她兴致勃勃地带着丽贝卡参观每个房间，展示她的钢琴、书籍、衣服、珠宝以及她的哥哥约瑟夫从印度为她带回来的各种精美礼物。“有位兄长真好。”丽贝卡说，“既然他一直在印度，我猜他一定很富有。他的妻子长得很漂亮吗？”“噢，是的，约瑟夫很有钱，不过他还没有结婚呢。”阿梅莉亚说。“啊，真遗憾！”丽贝卡说，“我确信你曾说过他结婚了，而且我还期待见到你的侄子、侄女们呢。”

但实际上丽贝卡脑子里想的是：“既然约瑟夫·塞德利先生富有且又未婚，我为什么不嫁给他呢？不错，我只有几个星期的时间，但试试也无妨。”

我们应该谴责夏普小姐的结婚大计吗？不，因为我们须记着，可怜的丽贝卡没有体贴的母亲为她安排这桩棘手之事。如果她不为自己寻觅夫君的话，别人是不会为她操办婚事的。

因此，丽贝卡对阿梅莉亚表现得更亲热，对这位亲爱的朋友送给她的礼物感激涕零。餐铃响起，她揽着她朋友的腰走下楼，这是关系亲密的年轻女士们的习惯。

在客厅里，她们看到一位身材高大、体态臃肿的男子。他穿着鲜艳入时，正坐在炉火边看报。两位年轻女士进屋时，他迅速站起身，脸色因惊慌尴尬而变得通红。“只是你妹妹而已，约瑟夫。”阿梅莉亚笑着说，“我完成了学业，你知道的。这位是我的朋友，夏普小姐。我曾向你提起过她。”“没，从来没听过。”约瑟夫极为窘迫地说，“我是说，是听过——这天气可真够冷的，小姐——”他开始拨弄炉火，尽管当时已经是六月中旬了。“他很英俊。”丽贝卡对阿梅莉亚耳语，但是声音相当大。“哦，是吗？”阿梅莉亚说，“我来告诉他。”“别，求你了！”夏普小姐大声说，往后退去，双眼羞涩地盯着地毯。

约瑟夫·塞德利比他妹妹大十二岁，受雇于（英国）东印度公司，在孟加拉一处人迹罕至的地方工作。但他生病了，被派回伦敦。他决定要在这里寻欢作乐，好好弥补去印度时错过的时光。因此，他拥有自己的一套公寓，驾自己的马车去公园游玩，在时髦的餐馆里吃饭，还去剧院看戏。但是他没有朋友。他又肥又懒又虚荣，一看见女士就吓得惊慌失措。

要想抓住这么个男人作丈夫，贝姬·夏普得非常巧妙才行。不过，她最初的行为，还是显示出了相当的技巧。“我必须安安静静的，”她想，“还要表现出对印度很感兴趣。”整个晚餐期间，她都全神贯注地听约瑟夫讲的每一句话。

晚餐结束后，女士们去了楼上客厅，老塞德利先生笑呵呵地对他儿子说：“留神啊，乔斯。那姑娘可打算嫁给你呢。”“胡说！”约瑟夫回道。可是他情不自禁地想起她，想起他为她捡起手帕时，她那双美丽的绿眼睛看他的样子。“她的手帕掉了两次呢。”他想，“是她在客厅里唱歌吗？我是不是该上楼去看看？”

但羞怯最终占了上风，他悄悄地溜出了家门。塞德利夫人透过窗户看见他离开。“夏普小姐把他吓跑了。”她说。

约瑟夫三天后才又回到家里。在这期间，丽贝卡一次也没提过他的名字。她对塞德利夫人毕恭毕敬，充满感激之情；塞德利先生的每个笑话都逗得她哈哈大笑；每次出游她都欢喜不尽。阿梅莉亚害头痛时，丽贝卡没她就不肯出门。她那双绿眼睛里含着泪水。“亲爱的，亲爱的埃米。”她说，“我怎么能留下你一个人出去呢？你让一个可怜的孤儿这辈子头一次感受到什么是幸福和爱啊。”

实际上，贝姬·夏普赢得了全家人的心。

约瑟夫再次现身的那天，阿梅莉亚提醒她哥哥，他曾答应要带她去沃克斯霍尔的皇家花园游玩，那是一处很受欢迎的游览地。“年轻女士们每人都得有男士陪伴。”阿梅莉亚的父亲说，“乔斯如果照顾夏普小姐的话就会完全忽略埃米。问问乔治·奥斯本能不能一起去。”

他和妻子相视而笑，阿梅莉亚红了脸低下头去。只有十七岁的少女才会这样脸红，而丽贝卡·夏普小姐从来都没如此脸红过。

但是原定出发去沃克斯霍尔的那天晚上，下起了倾盆大雨，这群年轻人只好推迟了出游。他们在家里惬意地度过了一晚。塞德利一家对乔治·奥斯本知根知底，两家人早有默契，他和阿梅莉亚有朝一日会结成连理。实际上，双方父亲已经就婚姻财产授予达成了一致。

因此，晚上气氛轻松愉悦，阿梅莉亚和乔治起身去后客厅弹琴，剩下贝姬和约瑟夫两人单独在一起。约瑟夫惊讶地发现他可以轻松自如地和贝姬交谈。她问了许多有关印度的问题，并钦佩地听着他夸夸而谈。“答应我你今后再也不会去参加那些可怕的猎虎活动了。”她乞求道，绿眼睛里满是恐惧。

约瑟夫豪迈地笑了：“这真是无稽之谈，夏普小姐。危险只会让猎虎变得更刺激。”他只参加过一次猎虎活动，那次他的确差点死掉。不过，是差点被吓死的。

之后，丽贝卡唱了一首关于孤儿的歌曲，她的演唱功力可与她的法语水平媲美。在歌曲哀伤的结尾处，她的声音微微有些颤抖。大家都想起了丽贝卡也是一个孤儿，还有她前途未卜的生活。“歌唱得太美了，亲爱的夏普小姐。”约瑟夫·塞德利说，“差点把我唱哭了。”“那是因为你有颗善良的心，约瑟夫先生。”她温柔地回答，并投去更加温柔的一瞥。

贝姬的努力没有白费。约瑟夫满脑子都是结婚的事。“她能成为一个不错的娇妻。”他暗自思忖，“我要在沃克斯霍尔向她求婚。对，我要求婚！”

去沃克斯霍尔那天，乔治·奥斯本来吃午饭，他对塞德利夫人说：“希望您不介意，我邀请了多宾今晚来这里，和我们一道去沃克斯霍尔。”

乔治·奥斯本中尉和威廉·多宾上尉曾同上一所学校。多宾是个安静、谦逊的男孩，在奥斯本挨打时救过他，从那时起两人就成了好朋友。现在，他们在陆军的同一个团里，不久前刚从西印度群岛服役归来。“他当然能来。”塞德利夫人说，“多宾我记得很清楚。他还像以前那样笨手笨脚，相貌平平吗？”“我会一直喜欢他，”阿梅莉亚说，“不管他有多么笨手笨脚。”但是她喜欢多宾是因为他是乔治的朋友。“他人不错，”乔治说，“虽然他长得不怎么好看。”他朝镜子望去，欣赏自己英俊的脸庞和卷曲的黑发。看到丽贝卡在端详他，他脸红了一下。丽贝卡心想：“你当然知道自己是个多么漂亮的人儿啦，不是吗！”

那天晚上，阿梅莉亚穿着漂亮的白裙子，像朵娇艳的玫瑰花，一边高兴地唱着歌，一边走进起居室。这时，一位笨头笨脑、粗手大脚的高个子先生迎了上来。他身穿军服，笨拙地鞠了个躬。

他悄然而至，楼上的女士们不知道他在那里，否则阿梅莉亚也不会唱着歌进起居室了。就这样，她那甜美柔嫩的声音径直闯进了威廉·多宾的心，而且驻扎了下来。“乔治·奥斯本真是个幸运的家伙啊！”他想。

在前往沃克斯霍尔花园的马车上，丽贝卡挨着约瑟夫坐，乔治·奥斯本坐在阿梅莉亚和多宾中间。尽管一言不发，但马车上的人都肯定约瑟夫当晚会向贝姬求婚。他们下马车时，约瑟夫让丽贝卡挽着自己的手臂，乔治和阿梅莉亚则结伴前行。

多宾为大家付了钱，跟着走在后面。看到阿梅莉亚和乔治在一起那么开心，慷慨无私的他觉得心满意足。他们本来说好要一起行动的，但结果不出所料，不到十分钟他们就分开了。丽贝卡发现她和约瑟夫单独走在一条小路上。现在，她想，约瑟夫该问那个问题了。就在几分钟前，有人粗鲁地从丽贝卡身边挤过去，她轻声尖叫，跌进塞德利先生的怀里。这使他对她的爱意更浓了，于是他又讲了几个他在印度的故事——这已经是第六遍了。“我多想去印度看看啊！”丽贝卡轻声说。“你真的想去吗？”约瑟夫热切地问，那个重要的问题一定就在他的嘴边打着转，因为他的呼吸变得粗重起来。丽贝卡把小手放在他的胸口上，能感觉到他的心脏在剧烈跳动。

然而就在这让人心猿意马之际，焰火表演开始的钟声敲响了，这对情侣被匆匆的人流裹挟着，只得随着一起走。

多宾上尉独自一人绕着花园散步。他想和其他人一起共进晚餐，但从他们的桌子前经过时，他发现他们在兴高采烈地交谈，桌子也只是为四人准备的。他们已经把他忘得一干二净。所以，他再次离开了。等他稍后返回来时，他发现约瑟夫已经喝高了，正在高声谈笑、唱歌，吸引了一大群人围观。事实上，乔治正要打一个来凑热闹的男人，但多宾此刻及时出现，把人群驱散了。“我的天啊！你刚才上哪儿去啦，多宾？”乔治问。没等对方回答，他又说：“快帮帮忙。你照顾约瑟夫，我送女士们回家。”

那晚就寝时，丽贝卡心想：“他明天一定会求婚的。他叫我心肝宝贝儿，叫了四次。他明天一定会求婚。”

可是酒也能成为破坏婚姻计划的罪魁。次日约瑟夫头痛得厉害，乔治·奥斯本的来访也没能让情况好转。他对约瑟夫大肆嘲笑，刻薄极了。“你昨晚出了多大的洋相啊，乔斯！唱情歌，还拉着夏普小姐的手痛哭流涕！”

乔治一直在考虑约瑟夫和贝姬·夏普的事。如果他——乔治——将来要和塞德利家结亲的话，他可不愿意他的大舅子娶一个无足轻重的女家庭教师，既没钱又没社会地位。因此，乔治继续嘲笑约瑟夫，还开十分过分的玩笑。

这一切使得约瑟夫决定以抱恙为由，不去拜访年轻女士们了。又过了一天，他给妹妹写信，说等他康复后，他打算去苏格兰待几个月。

丽贝卡的希望破灭了。心地善良的阿梅莉亚为她的朋友感到非常难过，哭了很多次。但塞德利家的其他人都明白，现在是丽贝卡离开的时候了。她打点行装，在表现出恰到好处的犹豫之后，收下了阿梅莉亚全部的临别赠礼。就连乔治·奥斯本也送了丽贝卡一份礼物，但是他开了太多有关约瑟夫和沃克斯霍尔那天晚上的恶意玩笑了。“我对他真感激不尽！”丽贝卡对阿梅莉亚说。但她心里却在想：“乔治·奥斯本阻挠了我的婚事。”所以，我们可以想象她对乔治·奥斯本究竟有多“感激”了。

最终，离别的时刻到了。她们洒下许多泪水，相互许诺友谊不朽，当中有真情也有假意。最后，丽贝卡与阿梅莉亚道别了。

2 Becky Sharp makes new friends

After a week Amelia received a letter from her friend.MY DEAREST, SWEETEST AMELIA – Oh, how my life has changed from those happy times in your house! There I was surrounded by the kindness of a loving friend, and now...!Sir Pitt Crawley is nothing like we silly girls imagined a baronet to be. Think of a short old man, in dirty old clothes, who smokes a horrible pipe, speaks with a rough uneducated accent, swears at his servants, and gets drunk every night! He has been married twice, I learn, and has two sons by his first wife. The older, Mr Pitt Crawley, still lives here. He's a pale, thin, ugly man, who is always reading religious books and riding around the countryside, telling everybody to lead good lives.As for Lady Crawley, Sir Pitt's second wife, she is a poor, faded, unhappy creature, who has nothing to say. She is quite often ill, and spends the rest of her time sewing. I am governess to her two little girls, Rose and Violet, who are no trouble, and already love me quite as much as their mother, I think!Sir Pitt also has a brother, Mr Bute Crawley. He and his wife, whom everyone calls Mrs Bute (there are so many Crawleys!), live in a house nearby. It seems that he and Sir Pitt don't get on – some quarrel about money, I believe. Indeed, Sir Pitt himself is very mean – I am not allowed to have a candle in my room after eleven at night! But of course I cannot complain, as I am only a poor little governess!Your affectionate friend, Rebecca

Becky may have been a poor governess, but she was a clever, cunning little creature as well. For we must remember that this story has Vanity Fair for a title, and Vanity Fair is a very vain, wicked, foolish place, full of all sorts of falseness and pretence.

It was certainly true that Sir Pitt Crawley was a mean, selfish, rude old man. He was never known to give away a penny, or to do a good action, but he enjoyed a joke – and the company of a lively and amusing young woman. So the little governess had no difficulty in making herself useful and agreeable to her employer. She wrote his letters for him, played cards with him, and helped with the management of the farm, park and gardens.

Before many months had passed she was almost mistress of the house, though she was always careful to appear modest and respectful. She was popular with everyone, it seemed, including two other members of the Crawley family, whom she described in another letter to her dear friend.PLEASE FORGIVE MY LONG SILENCE, dearest Amelia, but for some weeks now our usual quiet life at Queen's Crawley has been quite different, because Miss Matilda Crawley is here on her yearly visit. We have dinner-parties and dancing-parties; we drink the best wines every day, and there are fires in every room. Miss Crawley, you see, is Sir Pitt's unmarried half-sister. She is a fat old lady, but has a fortune of seventy thousand pounds, which makes her brothers, Sir Pitt and Mr Bute, very affectionate towards her, as you might imagine! It is said that she intends to divide her fortune between Mr Bute's family, and Sir Pitt's younger son, Rawdon Crawley, who is a captain in the army and a great favourite with his aunt. This Captain Rawdon is staying here now, and I suppose you will like to know what sort of person he is.Well, he is a very large, fashionable young man. He has a loud voice, swears a great deal, and is always giving orders to the servants, who all love him in spite of this, for he is very generous with his money – when he has any! He leads quite a wild life, I believe, gambling and so on, but his aunt Miss Matilda just laughs, and often pays his debts for him. She says he is worth far more than his boring brother, Mr Pitt Crawley, whom she hates.Shall I tell you a compliment Captain Rawdon paid me? one night at a dancing-party he asked me, the poor little governess, to dance with him, and afterwards he swore out loud that I was the neatest little dancer in the room. You should have seen the angry stares I received from all the fine young ladies!Your affectionate friend, Rebecca'You should have seen the angry stares I received from all the fine young ladies!'

Becky did not, strange to say, give her dear friend an altogether accurate report of Captain Rawdon Crawley. The Captain had paid her not just one, but a great many compliments. The Captain had walked with her twenty times in the park, had met her in fifty corridors and passages. The Captain had leaned over her piano in the evenings as she sang, while Miss Matilda Crawley nodded sleepily in her chair by the fire. (Lady Crawley was now upstairs, being ill, and ignored by everyone in the house.)

Nor did Becky mention to her friend what a great liking Miss Crawley had taken to her. Nothing would satisfy the old lady but that Miss Sharp should always sit next to her at dinner, and entertain her with amusing conversation.

'You've more brains in your little finger, my dear, than most people have in their heads,' she said to Becky. 'You're certainly cleverer than my poor nephew Rawdon.'

And so, in truth, she was – cleverer than both father and son.

Not long after this, a carriage stopped at Miss Matilda Crawley's home in London in Park Lane, a fine comfortable house, and Miss Crawley herself was carried inside. Doctors were called, and the old lady was put to bed and cared for day and night by a young person who had accompanied her from Queen's Crawley. No one else was allowed in the sickroom, and this was naturally very upsetting to Miss Briggs, who had been Miss Crawley's devoted companion and friend for many years.

This mysterious young person was none other, of course, than Miss Rebecca Sharp. She nursed Miss Crawley, gave orders to the servants, and very soon persuaded kind-hearted Miss Briggs into friendly feelings towards her.

Captain Rawdon Crawley visited every day, and spent a good deal of time in the company of Miss Sharp, receiving reports about his aunt's health. This improved rapidly, her illness being caused by no more than a rather large, hot fish supper, but when an old lady of great wealth becomes ill, all her affectionate relations are naturally anxious to pay her every attention.

It was not the same case for another member of the Crawley family, however. Sir Pitt's wife, Lady Crawley, had been ill for some time but no one had paid her any attention at all. And some three months after Becky had gone to London, Lady Crawley quietly slipped out of this life, almost unnoticed.

Sir Pitt had missed Becky greatly. It was only his fear of offending his wealthy sister that had made him let Becky go to London at all. He had written to her several times and often visited her in Park Lane, begging her, commanding her to return and continue the education of his two daughters. But Miss Crawley always refused to let her go, and so Becky stayed.

The day after Lady Crawley's death, Sir Pitt appeared in Park Lane. Miss Crawley did not want to see him, so she sent Becky down with a message that she was too ill to have visitors.

'That's all right,' Sir Pitt said. 'It's you I want to see, Miss Becky. I want you back at Queen's Crawley. It's not the same without you. All my accounts have got confused again. I can't get my letters done. You must come back. Dear Becky, do come.'

'I don't think – it would be right – to be alone – with you, sir,' said Becky, seeming rather upset.

'Come as Lady Crawley, if you like,' the baronet said. 'There! Will that satisfy you? Come back and be my wife. Yes or no?'

Tears ran down Becky's face, tears of real sorrow.

'Oh, Sir Pitt!' she said. 'Oh, Sir – I – I'm married already!'

'Married!' cried Sir Pitt. 'Married! Who to? You're joking. Who would marry you, Becky? You've not a penny to your name!'

Becky fell to her knees. 'Oh, Sir Pitt, dear Sir Pitt, please don't be angry. I'm so grateful for all your goodness to me.'

'Grateful be damned!' shouted Sir Pitt. 'Where is this husband, then? Run off and left you, has he?'

'Oh, sir! Please let me come back to dear Queen's Crawley. I can't be your wife, sir. Let me – let me be your daughter!'

At this moment the door opened, and Miss Crawley walked in.

Miss Briggs, accidentally listening at the door, had heard Sir Pitt's proposal and had rushed upstairs to tell Miss Crawley. Neither of them, however, had heard Becky's reason for refusing Sir Pitt's offer of marriage.

'Can this be true, Sir Pitt?' Miss Crawley asked, in a horrified voice. 'You have actually proposed marriage to Miss Sharp?'

'I have told Sir Pitt,' said Becky, in a sad, tearful voice, 'that I can never become Lady Crawley.'

'You've refused him!' said Miss Crawley, amazed that a penniless governess should refuse a baronet. 'But why? Is there someone else?'

'I cannot tell you now,' replied poor Becky. 'I am very miserable. But oh, promise you will love me always.'

Pleased that Rebecca had shown the good sense to refuse Sir Pitt, Miss Crawley promised always to remain Rebecca's friend. To Becky's relief, finding his offer of marriage refused, Sir Pitt left, without revealing her secret to Miss Crawley. So Becky had time to make plans, and that night she sat down and wrote a letter to a certain Miss Eliza Styles.DEAREST FRIEND – The crisis we have talked about so often has arrived! Half of my secret is known. Sir Pitt came today and asked me – to marry him! Think of that! He knows that I am married, but not to whom. Now is the moment to tell Miss Crawley the truth. But she likes me, and she will forgive you anything. So, all will be well. She will die and leave us all her money, and you will stop gambling, and be a good boy. R.

Miss Eliza Styles was, of course, no other than Captain Rawdon Crawley. That big, handsome soldier had become so devoted to little Rebecca that there was no solution but to marry her. He admired her tremendously, believing her to be the cleverest little thing alive, and when he received her orders to rent some rooms for their new home, he hurried at once to obey.

That night in Park Lane, Becky was especially charming to Miss Crawley and Miss Briggs. And after the business with Sir Pitt, Becky, with her secret sorrows, was the heroine of the day.

On the second day after Sir Pitt's proposal the servant went to wake Miss Sharp as usual, but almost at once ran to Miss Briggs's room in great excitement.

'Oh, Miss Briggs,' said the servant, 'Miss Sharp's bed hasn't been slept in. And I found this letter for you in her room.'

'What!' cried Miss Briggs. She opened the letter eagerly.DEAR, KIND MISS BRIGGS – I know that you will pity me and forgive me. I must leave the home where I have known nothing but kindness. I must do my duty and go to my husband, who commands me to join him. Yes, I am married, married to the best and most generous of men – Captain Rawdon Crawley!Only you, dear Miss Briggs, will know how to give this news to his devoted aunt. Tell her how much it hurts me to leave her. Ask her to forgive the poor girl to whom she has shown such affection. Ask Miss Crawley to forgive her children.Your affectionate and grateful Rebecca Crawley

As Miss Briggs finished reading the letter, the servant came to tell her that Mrs Bute Crawley had arrived from hampshire. Mrs Bute was a strong and determined woman, and she and her husband, Sir Pitt's brother, were anxious to pay Miss Crawley every attention. Like Rawdon, they too were in debt and their hopes lay in Miss Crawley's death, since they expected a good share of her money.

Still holding the letter, Miss Briggs ran downstairs to tell Mrs Bute the terrible, shocking news of the marriage.

'It's a good thing I'm here,' said Mrs Bute, 'to take care of poor, dear Miss Crawley. But at least it will open her eyes to that girl. I always knew she was a wicked, cunning little thing.'

Mrs Bute and Miss Briggs waited until Miss Crawley was downstairs, seated comfortably in her armchair. And then they began to prepare her for the dreadful news about Rebecca.

'There was a reason for her refusing Sir Pitt,' said Mrs Bute.

'Of course there was a reason,' Miss Crawley answered. 'She likes someone else.'

'Likes!' Miss Briggs gasped. 'Oh, my dear Miss Crawley, she is married already!'

'The secretive little creature! How dare she not tell me!' cried Miss Crawley. 'Send her to me at once!'

'We cannot,' said Mrs Bute. 'Oh, prepare yourself, dear friend! Miss Sharp has – gone!'

'She went last night,' Miss Briggs said. 'She left a letter for me. She's married to—'

'Such shocking news! Oh, do tell her gently!' said Mrs Bute.

'Married to whom?' said Miss Crawley, in a nervous fury.

'To – to a relation of—' Miss Briggs could not continue.

'Tell me!' cried Miss Crawley. 'Don't drive me mad!'

'Oh, Miss Crawley! She's married to your nephew Rawdon!'

'Rawdon – Rebecca – married! A governess! You stupid old fool, Briggs, I don't believe you!'

The old lady screamed in fury, then fell back in a faint, and had to be taken to bed. The doctor was sent for, and Mrs Bute went to sit by the bedside to act as nurse. 'Her relations ought to be round her at a time like this,' she said, full of concern.

No sooner had Miss Crawley been carried to her room than Sir Pitt arrived at the house. 'Where's Becky?' he said. 'Tell her to get her things together. She's coming with me to Queen's Crawley, even if she is married.'

'Haven't you heard the news?' cried Miss Briggs. 'She's gone. And she has married your son – Captain Rawdon!'

When Sir Pitt heard this news, he broke out into such furious language that it sent poor Miss Briggs trembling from the room. The old man went away, back to Queen's Crawley, and there we will leave him, wild with hatred and unsatisfied desire.

'Suppose the old lady doesn't forgive us,' Rawdon said to his wife as they sat together in their comfortable little London home. He had filled it with presents for his wife – flowers, perfumes, a piano, jewellery, dresses... Becky had been trying her new piano all morning, and new rings sparkled on her little fingers. 'Suppose she doesn't forgive us, eh, Becky?'

'Then I'll make your fortune,' she said, patting his cheek.

'You can do anything,' her husband said, kissing her little hand. 'Come on, let's go out for dinner.'

baronet n. a member of the British nobility, lower in rank than a baron, whose title passes to his son when he dies 准男爵（爵位低于男爵的英国贵族，称号世袭）

Parliament n. the main law-making institution in the UK, which consists of the sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of Commons （英国）议会

commerce n. the buying and selling of goods and services 买卖，贸易

reflect v. to think carefully about something 仔细思考

cunning adj. able to get what you want in a clever way, especially by tricking or deceiving somebody 狡猾的，狡诈的

company n. when you are with other people and not alone 陪伴，做伴

compliment n. a remark that shows you admire someone or something 赞美的话，赞赏

take a liking to sb to begin to like someone 喜欢上某人

devoted adj. having great love for somebody and being loyal to them 挚爱的，忠诚的

companion n. someone, especially a woman, who is paid to live or travel with an older person（受雇的职业）伴侣（尤指女性）

command v. to tell someone officially to do something 命令，下令

damn v. used when swearing at sb / sth to show that you are angry 该死，见鬼

relief n. a feeling of comfort when something frightening, worrying, or painful has ended or has not happened 宽慰，欣慰

reveal v. to make known something that was previously secret or unknown 揭露，透露

solution n. a way of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation 解决方法

secretive adj. a secretive person likes to keep their thoughts, intentions, or actions hidden from others 神秘的，遮遮掩掩的

fury n. a feeling of violent anger 盛怒，大怒

drive sb mad to make someone feel very annoyed 把某人逼疯

2 贝姬·夏普结交新朋友

贝姬·夏普离开伦敦，南下前往汉普郡昆士克劳利的皮特·克劳利爵士家。皮特爵士是准男爵，下院议员。克劳利家族拥有土地，比起经商发财的塞德利家和奥斯本家，社会地位要更高。当贝姬回想起她和约瑟夫·塞德利先生的失败经历时，这一点使她心里获得了些许慰藉。

一周后，阿梅莉亚收到了她朋友的来信。我最亲爱最温柔的阿梅莉亚：唉，在你家度过那些欢乐的时光后，我的生活变化多大啊！在那里，一位挚友对我关怀备至，可现在……！皮特·克劳利爵士跟我们这些傻姑娘想象中的准男爵的样子一点都不像。想象一下，一个矮老头子，衣衫肮脏破旧，抽糟糕的烟斗，说一口粗野土话，冲着仆人咒骂，还每天晚上都喝醉！我听说，他结了两次婚，和第一任妻子生了两个儿子。长子皮特·克劳利先生，现在仍住在这里。他苍白瘦弱，长相难看，总是读宗教书籍，还骑着马在乡下到处转悠，劝诫人们要规规矩矩地生活。至于皮特爵士的第二任妻子——克劳利女士，她是个容颜憔悴、郁郁寡欢的可怜人，没有什么话好说。她经常生病，不生病的时候就做针线活。我是她两个小女儿——罗丝和维奥莱特——的家庭教师。她们一点都不惹事，而且已经像爱她们母亲那样爱我了呢，我认为！皮特爵士还有个弟弟——比特·克劳利先生。他和他的妻子——大家叫她比特夫人（这里叫克劳利的实在太多了！）——住在附近的一栋宅子里。他和皮特爵士似乎关系不和——是因为钱发生争执，我认为。千真万确，皮特爵士本人吝啬极了——晚上十一点过后我的房间里都不准点蜡烛！可是当然啦，我是不能抱怨的，我只不过是个可怜的小家庭教师罢了！深爱你的朋友，丽贝卡

贝姬或许是个可怜的家庭教师，但她同时也是个聪明狡猾的小东西。我们得记住，这本书的书名是《名利场》，而名利场是个极尽浮华、邪恶且又荒唐的地方，充斥着各式虚伪与矫饰。

一点没错，皮特·克劳利爵士是个又吝啬又自私又粗鲁的老头。他从没白给过一分钱，也从没做过一件善事，但是他喜欢取笑活泼风趣的年轻女子，也喜欢有她做伴。因此，这位小家庭教师不必费力表现便赢得了雇主的欢心。她代他写信，和他玩牌，协助打理农庄、庭园和花园。

没过几个月，她俨然成为了家里的女主人，然而，她一直小心翼翼表现出谦逊恭敬的样子。看起来，她受众人喜爱，包括克劳利家族的另外两位成员。她在给她亲爱的朋友的另一封信中写到了这两位。请原谅我长时间杳无音信，最亲爱的阿梅莉亚，但是这几周昆士克劳利以往平静的生活，因为玛蒂尔达·克劳利小姐一年一度的到访而变得完全不同了。我们举行各种晚宴和舞会，每天都喝最好的葡萄酒，而且每个房间里都生了火。你瞧，克劳利小姐是皮特爵士同父异母的姐姐，至今未婚。她是个体态臃肿的老妇人，但是有七万英镑的身家，因此，她的两个弟弟皮特爵士和比特先生都对她殷勤得很，你可以想象得到！据说，她打算把财产分给比特先生一家和皮特爵士的次子罗顿·克劳利。罗顿是一位陆军上尉，十分讨他姑姑的欢心。这位罗顿上尉现在就住在这里，我猜你会想知道他是个什么样的人吧。嗯，他是个魁梧、时髦的年轻人。他大嗓门，老是说粗话，总对仆人们发号施令。尽管如此，仆人们都很喜欢他，因为他花钱非常大方——只要手头有一点钱就这样！我猜想，他生活放荡不羁，爱赌博啊什么的，但他的姑姑玛蒂尔达小姐对此只是哈哈一笑，还经常为他还债。她说，他可比他那无聊的哥哥强多了。她讨厌皮特·克劳利先生。要不我跟你说说罗顿上尉对我讲的一句恭维话吧？一天晚上，在舞会上，他请我这个可怜的小家庭教师与他共舞。跳完后，他大声地发誓说，我是房间里最灵巧的小舞者了。你真该看看那些漂亮的年轻女士们怎么用愤愤不平的目光盯着我瞧的！深爱你的朋友，丽贝卡

说来奇怪，贝姬并没有向她的朋友完全准确地描述罗顿·克劳利上尉。上尉可不仅仅只说过一句恭维话，而是恭维过她许多次。上尉陪她在庭园里散过二十次步，在过道和走廊见过她五十回。晚上她边弹琴边唱歌时，上尉会斜倚在她的钢琴旁，而玛蒂尔达·克劳利小姐则坐在炉边的椅子上打瞌睡。（克劳利女士因为病了，待在楼上，被屋子里的所有人遗忘了。）

贝姬也没向她的朋友提起，克劳利小姐有多么喜欢她。什么都不能令这位老女士满意，除非用餐时夏普小姐坐在她身旁，给她讲些有趣话题让她开心。“亲爱的，你小指头里装的智慧都比大部分人脑袋里装的多。”她对贝姬说，“可以肯定，你比我那可怜的侄子罗顿聪明多了。”

实际情况是，她比他们父子俩都聪明得多。

不久之后，一辆马车停在了伦敦帕克街上玛蒂尔达·克劳利小姐那座精致舒适的房子前，克劳利小姐本人被抬进屋内。医生们应召前来，安排她卧床休息，一位从昆士克劳利陪她过来的年轻人日夜照顾她，其他人一律不准进病房。这自然令布里格斯小姐异常烦心，因为多年来她一直是克劳利小姐忠实的伴侣和朋友。

这位神秘的年轻人并非别人，正是丽贝卡·夏普小姐。她看护克劳利小姐，吩咐仆人，而且很快就哄得心地善良的布里格斯小姐对她亲切起来。

罗顿·克劳利上尉每天都来拜访，很多时候都由夏普小姐陪着，探听他姑姑的身体情况。她康复很快，身体不适不过是一顿丰盛滚烫的鱼肉晚餐所致。但一位腰缠万贯的老太太生病，那些关爱她的亲戚们自然会紧张不已，对她关怀备至。

然而，对克劳利家族的另一位成员来说可就不是这么回事了。皮特爵士的妻子克劳利女士，已经卧病一段时间，但根本没人留意过她。贝姬去伦敦后大约三个月，克劳利女士悄然离世，几乎无人知道。

皮特爵士十分想念贝姬。他只是害怕冒犯他富有的姐姐才肯让贝姬去伦敦的。他给她写过几封信，还经常去帕克街登门拜访，软硬兼施，让她回去继续教导他的两个女儿。但是，克劳利小姐一直拒绝放她走，因此，贝姬留了下来。

克劳利女士去世的第二天，皮特爵士来到帕克街。克劳利小姐不想见他，就派贝姬下楼去传个口信，说她病得太重，不能会客。“没关系。”皮特爵士说，“我想见的人是你，贝姬小姐。我需要你回昆士克劳利。你不在一切都变样了。我所有的账目又变得乱七八糟的。我的信也写不完。你必须回来。亲爱的贝姬，回来吧。”“我认为——这样不合适——单独——和您待在一起，先生。”贝姬说，看起来心烦意乱的样子。“那就作为克劳利女士回来吧，如果你愿意。”准男爵说，“啊，这样你满意了吗？回来做我的妻子。愿意还是不愿意？”

眼泪流过贝姬的脸庞，货真价实的悲伤泪水。“啊，皮特爵士！”她说，“啊，爵士——我——我已经结婚了！”“结婚了！”皮特爵士嚷道，“结婚了！跟谁？你在说笑吧。谁愿意娶你呢，贝姬？你名下可一个子儿都没有！”

贝姬跪倒在地。“啊，皮特爵士，亲爱的皮特爵士，请您不要生气。您对我的恩情，我感激不尽。”“见鬼的感激不尽！”皮特爵士大吼，“那个丈夫在哪里？是不是跑掉把你抛弃了？”“啊，先生！请让我回到可亲的昆士克劳利。我当不了您的妻子，先生。让我——让我做您的女儿吧！”

就在这时门开了，克劳利小姐走了进来。

布里格斯小姐之前碰巧在门边听着，一听到皮特爵士求婚，就冲到楼上去告诉克劳利小姐。然而，她们都没听到贝姬拒绝皮特爵士求婚的原因。“这是真的吗，皮特爵士？”克劳利小姐骇然问道，“你真的向夏普小姐求婚了？”“我已经告诉皮特爵士了。”贝姬带着哭腔哀哀说道，“我永远也不会成为克劳利女士。”“你拒绝了他！”克劳利小姐说。一个一文不名的女家庭教师居然拒绝了一位准男爵，这让她大为吃惊。“可是为什么呢？是不是心中有别人了？”“我现在不能告诉您。”可怜的贝姬回答，“我好痛苦啊。但是，啊，请答应我，您会一如既往地爱我。”

鉴于丽贝卡明智地拒绝了皮特爵士，心中满意的克劳利小姐许诺会永远做丽贝卡的朋友。皮特爵士求婚遭拒之后就离开了，没向克劳利小姐揭露贝姬的秘密，这让贝姬松了口气。她还有时间制订计划。当晚，她坐下来给一位伊丽莎·斯泰尔斯小姐写信。最亲爱的朋友，我们经常谈论的危机来临了！我的秘密泄露了一半。皮特爵士今天过来了，求我——嫁给他！想不到吧！如今他知道我已经结婚，但还不知道嫁给了谁。现在是时候告诉克劳利小姐真相了。她喜欢我，而你做什么她都会原谅。所以，一切都会好起来的。她死了之后会把所有钱都留给我们，你也不要再赌博了，做个好男人。丽。

无疑，伊丽莎·斯泰尔斯小姐不是别人，正是罗顿·克劳利上尉。这位身材魁梧、相貌英俊的军人对小丽贝卡如此倾心，只有娶了她才可一解相思。他对她爱慕至极，觉得她是世上最聪明的小东西。接到她的命令去租几个房间作他们的新家后，他忙不迭地去办了。

那天晚上在帕克街的家中，贝姬在克劳利小姐和布里格斯小姐眼中更显可爱。经过皮特爵士这档子事，暗自悲伤的贝姬成了当天的主角。

皮特爵士求婚后的第二天，仆人像往常一样去叫夏普小姐起床，但马上大呼小叫地奔向布里格斯小姐的房间。“哎呀，布里格斯小姐。”仆人说，“夏普小姐的床没有动过。我在她房间里发现了这封给您的信。”“什么！”布里格斯小姐大叫。她急切地打开了信。亲爱、善良的布里格斯小姐：我知道您会怜悯我，也会原谅我的。我必须离开这个充满温情的家了。我必须尽我的本分，去找我的丈夫，他要求我回到他的身边。是的，我结婚了，嫁给了最优秀、心肠最好的男人——罗顿·克劳利上尉！只有您，亲爱的布里格斯小姐，知道怎样把这个消息告诉深爱着他的姑姑。请告诉她，离开她我有多么心痛。请她原谅这个她一直疼爱有加的可怜女孩吧。请克劳利小姐原谅她的孩子们。深爱您、对您感激不尽的丽贝卡·克劳利

布里格斯小姐刚读完信，仆人来通报，比特·克劳利夫人从汉普郡来访。比特夫人是位身强体壮、意志坚定的女性，她和她丈夫——皮特爵士的弟弟——也焦急地关注着克劳利小姐。和罗顿一样，他们也欠了债。他们把希望寄托在克劳利小姐身上，想在她死后分上一大笔遗产。

布里格斯小姐抓着信，跑下楼告诉比特夫人这个可怕又令人震惊的婚讯。“还好我在这里。”比特夫人说，“我可以照顾可怜的克劳利小姐。不过，至少这件事能让她看清那姑娘的真面目。我一直都知道她是个邪恶又诡计多端的小东西。”

比特夫人和布里格斯小姐一直等到克劳利小姐下了楼，舒舒服服地坐进扶手椅里，才开始为告诉她有关丽贝卡的可怕消息做铺垫。“她拒绝皮特爵士是有原因的。”比特夫人说。“当然有原因。”克劳利小姐回答，“她喜欢上了别人。”“喜欢！”布里格斯小姐倒吸了一口气，“啊，我亲爱的克劳利小姐，她已经结婚了！”“这个守口如瓶的小家伙！她竟敢瞒着我！”克劳利小姐大叫，“立刻叫她来见我！”“我们叫不来。”比特夫人说，“啊，做好心理准备吧，亲爱的朋友！夏普小姐已经——走了！”“她昨晚走的。”布里格斯小姐说，“她留了封信给我。她嫁给了——”“这消息太令人震惊了！啊，婉转地告诉她！”比特夫人说。“嫁给谁了？”克劳利小姐又急又气。“嫁给——一个亲戚——”布里格斯小姐说不下去了。“告诉我！”克劳利小姐大喊，“别把我逼疯了！”“啊，克劳利小姐！她嫁给了您的侄子罗顿！”“罗顿——丽贝卡——结婚了！一个女家庭教师！你真是老糊涂，布里格斯，我不相信你的话！”

老妇人愤怒地尖叫，眩晕中向后一倒，只好被送回床上。医生被请来了，比特夫人坐在床边充当护士。“像现在这种时候她的亲人应该在她身边。”她忧心忡忡地说。

克劳利小姐刚被送进她的房间，皮特爵士就来了。“贝姬在哪里？”他问，“让她把她的东西收拾好。就算她结婚了，她也要跟我回昆士克劳利。”“您还没听说吗？”布里格斯小姐大声说，“她离开了。她嫁给了您的儿子——罗顿上尉！”

皮特爵士听到这个消息，愤怒地破口大骂，吓得可怜的布里格斯小姐浑身哆嗦，赶紧离开房间。老头儿离开了，带着满腔的仇恨和未遂的心愿回到昆士克劳利。他的事我们先暂且按下不表。“如果老太太不原谅我们呢？”罗顿对他妻子说。他们正一起坐在伦敦舒适的小家里。家里堆满了他送给妻子的礼物：花朵，香水，一架钢琴，珠宝首饰，衣裙……贝姬一上午都在试弹她那架新钢琴，小巧的手指上一个个新戒指闪闪发光。“如果她不原谅我们呢，呃，贝姬？”“那么我会让你发财。”她拍拍他的脸颊说。“你无所不能。”她丈夫吻着她的小手说，“走，我们出去吃饭吧。”

3 Amelia Sedley nearly loses hope

Unfortunately, these visits were not at all frequent. George was often with his regiment down in Kent, and when he was in London, he seemed to have so many other things to do, so many friends to see, so many games of cards to play. Amelia saw more of his sisters, Miss Jane Osborne and Miss Maria Osborne, since the Osbornes' home was just the other side of Russell Square.

The two Miss Osbornes were rather proud young ladies. They did not think Amelia was good enough for their handsome brother, and they did not treat her kindly. 'What can George see in that dull little creature?' they asked each other.

So Amelia sat at home, waiting for George, and worrying about Napoleon Bonaparte and the talk of war. She had heard reports that George's regiment would be sent to France to fight Napoleon's army, and the thought terrified her. She asked Dobbin about it when he visited the Sedleys one day. No orders had yet been received, Dobbin told her gently. He was very upset to see Amelia so unhappy and so neglected by George.

Time went past and still George did not visit, but poor little soft-hearted Amelia went on hoping and trusting. She loved George Osborne with all her heart, and wrote to him every day – long, long letters, which were not very well written, but were full of love, devoted, uncritical, unquestioning love.

These letters became quite a joke with George's friends in the regiment. On one occasion George was seen lighting his cigar with one of them, to the horror of Captain Dobbin, who would have very much liked to receive such a letter himself. In fact, Dobbin was so angry that he could remain silent no longer.

'George,' he said, 'are you going to marry Amelia or not?'

'Is that any business of yours?' George asked fiercely.

'Yes, it is, George, because you're neglecting a sweet girl. You should have seen her sad little face when I visited the other day. Go and comfort her, you bad fellow, instead of spending all your time in gambling-houses when you're in town.'

'I'm very fond of Amelia, of course I am,' said George, 'but – but a man must enjoy himself before he gets married, you know.'

'Go and see her,' said Dobbin, 'or write her a long letter. Do something to make her happy. It won't take much.'

'You're right. Yes, I'll go tomorrow. It's true, she is very fond of me,' George said, in a self-satisfied way.

He did go to see Amelia the next day, and Dobbin even lent him some money to buy her a present. George probably would have done so, but on the way to the Sedleys' house, he saw a very nice diamond shirt-pin, and he bought it for himself.

When he arrived, Amelia's sad little face lit up in the sunshine of George's smile. She ran to him, and George kissed her fondly on the forehead and was very affectionate with her; and she thought his diamond shirt-pin (which she had not seen him wear before) was the prettiest thing ever seen.

Since George was only in town for one day, he invited Emmy to dine with him at his father's house that evening, and took her to spend the afternoon with his sisters while he went off to see to some important business (trying on a new coat, and playing several games of billiards with a friend).

He was late home for dinner, and found his father in a very bad mood and his sisters and Amelia eating in nervous silence. When the ladies had gone up to the drawing-room, leaving father and son to their wine, George watched his father's face anxiously. He needed urgently to ask his father for money, to pay off some of his debts, but when he cautiously raised the subject, he did not get the explosion of bad temper he had feared.

'Well, well,' Mr Osborne said, 'young men will be young men. I know you're mixing in the best society, and I like to see it. You have to pay your own way, and my money's as good as theirs, George my boy. You can call at my bank tomorrow.'

George was relieved and properly grateful, but it seemed that the old gentleman had something else on his mind.

'That little girl upstairs – Amelia,' he said. 'What do you intend to do about her, George?'

'Well, it's clear, isn't it?' George said. 'She's very fond of me. Anyone can see that. And didn't you order me to marry her, and don't I always obey you?'

'Mmm,' said Mr Osborne. 'Pass the wine, boy. Why shouldn't you marry higher than just old Sedley's daughter, eh?'

'But you and Mr Sedley arranged this years ago,' said George.

'Things have changed since then,' his father said, frowning. 'Sedley's business is not doing well. I'm not sure that he can pay the money we agreed on for the marriage settlement. In fact, unless Sedley can pay me ten thousand pounds now, there will be no marriage between you and Amelia Sedley.'

George was especially good to Amelia that evening, and even visited her again the next morning on his way to his father's bank. Later in the day Amelia, still anxious about old Mr Osborne's coldness to her the day before, wrote George another of her long letters – four pages of love and fear and hope and worry.

'Poor little Emmy – dear little Emmy! How fond she is of me,' George said, reading the letter after a lively evening with his friends. 'And oh Lord, what a headache this red wine has given me!' Poor little Emmy, indeed.

No more than four months later, Mr Osborne's words to his son were proved true. Old John Sedley was a ruined man. He had judged badly and lost money, and could not recover from his mistakes. The final disaster struck when Napoleon escaped from the island of Elba and invaded France. The money market crashed, taking with it what remained of Mr Sedley's fortune. The family had to leave their fine home in Russell Square, and all the contents of the house were put up for sale.

On the day of the sale, who should visit the house in Russell Square but our old friends, Captain and Mrs Rawdon Crawley? Rebecca had seen her dear friend Amelia a few times since she had been at Miss Crawley's house. Amelia and George Osborne visited her, and Rawdon invited George several times to little gambling parties, which George always accepted, happy to lose money to the son of a baronet and his high-society friends.

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