Vanity Fair - Page 441/573

What words can paint the ecstatic gratitude of Briggs! All she

stipulated for was that little Rawdon should be allowed to come down

and see her at the Hall. Becky promised this--anything. She ran up to

her husband when he came home and told him the joyful news. Rawdon was

glad, deuced glad; the weight was off his conscience about poor

Briggs's money. She was provided for, at any rate, but--but his mind

was disquiet. He did not seem to be all right, somehow. He told

little Southdown what Lord Steyne had done, and the young man eyed

Crawley with an air which surprised the latter.

He told Lady Jane of this second proof of Steyne's bounty, and she,

too, looked odd and alarmed; so did Sir Pitt. "She is too clever

and--and gay to be allowed to go from party to party without a

companion," both said. "You must go with her, Rawdon, wherever she

goes, and you must have somebody with her--one of the girls from

Queen's Crawley, perhaps, though they were rather giddy guardians for

her."

Somebody Becky should have. But in the meantime it was clear that

honest Briggs must not lose her chance of settlement for life, and so

she and her bags were packed, and she set off on her journey. And so

two of Rawdon's out-sentinels were in the hands of the enemy.

Sir Pitt went and expostulated with his sister-in-law upon the subject

of the dismissal of Briggs and other matters of delicate family

interest. In vain she pointed out to him how necessary was the

protection of Lord Steyne for her poor husband; how cruel it would be

on their part to deprive Briggs of the position offered to her.

Cajolements, coaxings, smiles, tears could not satisfy Sir Pitt, and he

had something very like a quarrel with his once admired Becky. He

spoke of the honour of the family, the unsullied reputation of the

Crawleys; expressed himself in indignant tones about her receiving

those young Frenchmen--those wild young men of fashion, my Lord Steyne

himself, whose carriage was always at her door, who passed hours daily

in her company, and whose constant presence made the world talk about

her. As the head of the house he implored her to be more prudent.

Society was already speaking lightly of her. Lord Steyne, though a

nobleman of the greatest station and talents, was a man whose

attentions would compromise any woman; he besought, he implored, he

commanded his sister-in-law to be watchful in her intercourse with that

nobleman.

Becky promised anything and everything Pitt wanted; but Lord Steyne

came to her house as often as ever, and Sir Pitt's anger increased. I

wonder was Lady Jane angry or pleased that her husband at last found

fault with his favourite Rebecca? Lord Steyne's visits continuing, his

own ceased, and his wife was for refusing all further intercourse with

that nobleman and declining the invitation to the charade-night which

the marchioness sent to her; but Sir Pitt thought it was necessary to

accept it, as his Royal Highness would be there.