《名利场》(节选)

t last Becky’s kindness and attention to the chief of her husband’s family were destined to meet with an exceeding great reward， a reward which， though certainly somewhat unsubstantial， the little woman coveted with greater eagerness than more positive benefits. If she did not wish to lead a virtuous life， at least she desired to enjoy a character for virtue， and we know that no lady in the genteel world can possess this desideratum， until she has put on a train and feathers and has been presented to her Sovereign at Court. From that august interview they come out stamped as honest women. The Lord Chamberlain gives them a certificate of virtue. And as dubious goods or letters are passed through an oven at quarantine， sprinkled with aromatic vinegar， and then pronounced clean， many a lady， whose reputation would be doubtful otherwise and liable to give infection， passes through the wholesome ordeal of the Royal presence and issues from it free from all taint.

It might be very well for my Lady Bareacres， my Lady Tufto， Mrs. Bute Crawley in the country， and other ladies who had come into contact with Mrs. Rawdon Crawley to cry fie at the idea of the odious little adventuress making her curtsey before the Sovereign， and to declare that， if dear good Queen Charlotte had been alive， she never would have admitted such an extremely ill-regulated personage into her chaste drawing-room. But when we consider that it was the First Gentleman in Europe in whose high presence Mrs. Rawdon passed her examination， and as it were， took her degree in reputation， it surely must be flat disloyalty to doubt any more about her virtue. I， for my part， look back with love and awe to that Great Character in history. Ah， what a high and noble appreciation of Gentlewomanhood there must have been in Vanity Fair， when that revered and august being was invested， by the universal acclaim of the refined and educated portion of this empire， with the title of Premier Gentilhomme of his Kingdom. Do you remember， dear M， oh friend of my youth？ One blissful night five-and-twenty years since， the “Hypocrite” being acted， Elliston being manager， Dowton and Liston performers， two boys had leave from their loyal masters to go out from Slaughter-House School where they were educated and to appear on Drury Lane stage， amongst a crowd which assembled there to greet the king. The King？ There he was. Beefeaters were before the august box； the Marquis of Steyne （Lord of the Powder Closet） and other great officers of state were behind the chair on which he sat， he sat―florid of face， portly of person， covered with orders， and in a rich curling head of hair―how we sang God save him！ How the house rocked and shouted with that magnificent music！ How they cheered， and cried， and waved handkerchiefs！ Ladies wept； mothers clasped their children； some fainted with emotion. People were suffocated in the pit， shrieks and groans rising up amidst the writhing and shouting mass there of his people who were， and indeed showed themselves almost to be， ready to die for him. Yes， we saw him. Fate cannot deprive us of that. Others have seen Napoleon. Some few still exist who have beheld Frederick the Great， Doctor Johnson， Marie Antoinette， &c.―be it our reasonable boast to our children， that we saw George the Good， the Magnificent， the Great.

基对于克劳莱的一家之主那一番关切和殷勤，总算得到了极大的回报。这虽然不过是个空场面，她倒看得比任何实在的好处还重，眼巴巴地盼了很久了。她并不想过良家妇女的生活，却喜欢有良家妇女的名声。我们知道，上等社会里的女人如果要具备这个条件，一定得穿上拖地的长裙，戴上鸵鸟毛，进宫朝见过国王才行。经过这次大典之后，她们就算身价清白，好像御前大臣给了她们一张证明德行完美的证书。比方说，凡是可能带传染病菌的货物和信件，检疫所只要把它们搁在汽锅里烘焙一下，然后洒上些香醋，就算消了毒；以此类推，名声不大好听、可能把别人沾带得不清不白的女人，也只要经过一次有益身心的考验，在国王面前露过脸，所有的污点也就洗干净了。

贝亚爱格思夫人、德夫托夫人、乡下的别德・克劳莱太太，还有好些跟罗登・克劳莱太太打过交道的奶奶、小姐们，听说这可恶的江湖女骗子竟敢对着王上屈膝行礼，不消说心里大不服气。她们断定如果亲爱的夏洛特皇后还在的话，决不准这样一个品行不端的女人走到她简朴高雅的客厅里去。可是你想，当年正是“欧洲第一君子”（英王乔治四世）当政的时候，罗登太太这一进宫，仿佛是在他面前经过考试而得到了名誉上的学位，你如果再信不过她的品德，岂不是等于对国王不忠诚吗？至少拿我来说，每逢回想到这位历史上的大人物，心里就觉得又敬又爱。我们帝国之中有教育有修养的人一致颂扬我们至圣至尊的王上为“国内第一君子”，可见君子之道在名利场中还是受到极高的敬仰。亲爱的麦，我幼年的朋友，你还记得吗？25年前一个幸福的晚上，《伪君子》在特鲁瑞戏院上演，当时爱立斯顿是经理，陶登和里思登是演员，“屠宰场”学校里有两个孩子得到老师特准，爬到戏台上挤在人堆里面欢迎王上，这事你想来还没忘掉吧？王上？喏，他就在那儿。他的尊贵的包厢前面排列着护卫，尚粉大臣斯丹恩侯爵和许多政府里的大官站在他的椅子背后。他端坐在自己位子上，满面红光，身材高大，头发又多又卷，全身挂满了勋章。我们唱《天佑我王》唱得多起劲啊！雄壮的音乐在戏院里响成一片，真正是声震屋宇。所有的人都在欢呼、叫嚷、摇手帕。女客们有掉眼泪的，有搂着孩子的，有些人感动得甚至晕了过去。坐在戏院后面的人差点没闷死，大伙一面扯起嗓子嚷嚷，一面推推挤挤，还有些人闷得受不住，叫的叫，哼唧的哼唧。在场的人都肯为国王陛下牺牲性命。照当时的情形看来，他们真的准备为他死了。我们竟看见了王上，连命运之神也不能剥夺我们那一回的经验。有些人见过拿破仑，还有几个积古的老人见过弗莱特烈大帝、约翰逊博士、玛丽・安东尼等。将来我们也能对下一代夸口，说我们见过圣明的、威严的、了不起的乔治。别人总不能说我吹牛吹得没有道理吧？