Washington White the go-by in the Ring."One must, my dear, show one is somebody," she said."One mustn't be seen with doubtful people.I pity Lady Crackenbury from my heart, and Mrs.Washington White may be a very good-natured person.YOU may go and dine with them, as you like your rubber.But I mustn't, and won't; and you will have the goodness to tell Smith to say I am not at home when either of them calls."The particulars of Becky's costume were in the newspapers --feathers, lappets, superb diamonds, and all the rest.Lady Crackenbury read the paragraph in bitterness of spirit and discoursed to her followers about the airs which that woman was giving herself.Mrs.Bute Crawley and her young ladies in the country had a copy of the Morning Post from town, and gave a vent to their honest indignation."If you had been sandy-haired, green-eyed, and a French rope-dancer's daughter," Mrs.Bute said to her eldest girl (who, on the contrary, was a very swarthy, short, and snub-nosed young lady), "You might have had superb diamonds forsooth, and have been presented at Court by your cousin, the Lady Jane.But you're only a gentlewoman, my poor dear child.You have only some of the best blood in England in your veins, and good principles and piety for your portion.I, myself, the wife of a Baronet's younger brother, too, never thought of such a thing as going to Court--nor would other people, if good Queen Charlotte had been alive."In this way the worthy Rectoress consoled herself, and her daughters sighed and sat over the Peerage all night.
A few days after the famous presentation, another great and exceeding honour was vouchsafed to the virtuous Becky.Lady Steyne's carriage drove up to Mr.
Rawdon Crawley's door, and the footman, instead of driving down the front of the house, as by his tremendous knocking he appeared to be inclined to do, relented and only delivered in a couple of cards, on which were engraven the names of the Marchioness of Steyne and the Countess of Gaunt.If these bits of pasteboard had been beautiful pictures, or had had a hundred yards of Malines lace rolled round them, worth twice the number of guineas, Becky could not have regarded them with more pleasure.
You may be sure they occupied a conspicuous place in the china bowl on the drawing-room table, where Becky kept the cards of her visitors.Lord! lord! how poor Mrs.Washington White's card and Lady Crackenbury's card--which our little friend had been glad enough to get a few months back, and of which the silly little creature was rather proud once--Lord! lord! I say, how soon at the appearance of these grand court cards, did those poor little neglected deuces sink down to the bottom of the pack.Steyne! Bareacres, Johnes of Helvellyn! and Caerylon of Camelot! we may be sure that Becky and Briggs looked out those august names in the Peerage, and followed the noble races up through all the ramifications of the family tree.
My Lord Steyne coming to call a couple of hours afterwards, and looking about him, and observing everything as was his wont, found his ladies' cards already ranged as the trumps of Becky's hand, and grinned, as this old cynic always did at any naive display of human weakness.Becky came down to him presently; whenever the dear girl expected his lordship, her toilette was prepared, her hair in perfect order, her mouchoirs, aprons, scarfs, little morocco slippers, and other female gimcracks arranged, and she seated in some artless and agreeable posture ready to receive him--whenever she was surprised, of course, she had to fly to her apartment to take a rapid survey of matters in the glass, and to trip down again to wait upon the great peer.
She found him grinning over the bowl.She was discovered, and she blushed a little."Thank you, Monseigneur," she said."You see your ladies have been here.How good of you! I couldn't come before --I was in the kitchen making a pudding.""I know you were, I saw you through the area-railings as I drove up," replied the old gentleman.
"You see everything," she replied.
"A few things, but not that, my pretty lady," he said good-naturedly."You silly little fibster! I heard you in the room overhead, where I have no doubt you were putting a little rouge on--you must give some of yours to my Lady Gaunt, whose complexion is quite preposterous --and I heard the bedroom door open, and then you came downstairs.""Is it a crime to try and look my best when YOU come here?" answered Mrs.Rawdon plaintively, and she rubbed her cheek with her handkerchief as if to show there was no rouge at all, only genuine blushes and modesty in her case.About this who can tell? I know there is some rouge that won't come off on a pocket-handkerchief, and some so good that even tears will not disturb it.
"Well," said the old gentleman, twiddling round his wife's card, "you are bent on becoming a fine lady.
You pester my poor old life out to get you into the world.You won't be able to hold your own there, you silly little fool.You've got no money.""You will get us a place," interposed Becky, "as quick as possible.""You've got no money, and you want to compete with those who have.You poor little earthenware pipkin, you want to swim down the stream along with the great cop-per kettles.All women are alike.Everybody is striving for what is not worth the having! Gad! I dined with the King yesterday, and we had neck of mutton and turnips.
A dinner of herbs is better than a stalled ox very often.
