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comrade's misalliance。 Never mind the commoners; whom
we will leave to grumble anonymously。
Sir Pitt did not care; as he said; a brass farden for
any one of them。 He had his pretty Rose; and what
more need a man require than to please himself? So he
used to get drunk every night: to beat his pretty Rose
sometimes: to leave her in Hampshire when he went to
London for the parliamentary session; without a single
friend in the wide world。 Even Mrs。 Bute Crawley; the
Rector's wife; refused to visit her; as she said she would
never give the pas to a tradesman's daughter。
As the only endowments with which Nature had gifted
Lady Crawley were those of pink cheeks and a white
skin; and as she had no sort of character; nor talents;
nor opinions; nor occupations; nor amusements; nor that
vigour of soul and ferocity of temper which often falls
to the lot of entirely foolish women; her hold upon Sir
Pitt's affections was not very great。 Her roses faded out
of her cheeks; and the pretty freshness left her figure
after the birth of a couple of children; and she became
a mere machine in her husband's house of no more use
than the late Lady Crawley's grand piano。 Being a light…
complexioned woman; she wore light clothes; as most
blondes will; and appeared; in preference; in draggled sea…
green; or slatternly sky…blue。 She worked that worsted
day and night; or other pieces like it。 She had
counterpanes in the course of a few years to all the beds in
Crawley。 She had a small flower…garden; for which she
had rather an affection; but beyond this no other like
or disliking。 When her husband was rude to her she was
apathetic: whenever he struck her she cried。 She had not
character enough to take to drinking; and moaned about;
slipshod and in curl…papers all day。 0 Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair! This might have been; but for you; a cheery
lassPeter Butt and Rose a happy man and wife; in a
snug farm; with a hearty family; and an honest portion
of pleasures; cares; hopes and strugglesbut a title and
a coach and four are toys more precious than happiness
in Vanity Fair: and if Harry the Eighth or Bluebeard
were alive now; and wanted a tenth wife; do you suppose
he could not get the prettiest girl that shall be presented
this season?
The languid dulness of their mamma did not; as it
may be supposed; awaken much affection in her little
daughters; but they were very happy in the servants' hall
and in the stables; and the Scotch gardener having
luckily a good wife and some good children; they got a
little wholesome society and instruction in his lodge;
which was the only education bestowed upon them until
Miss Sharp came。
Her engagement was owing to the remonstrances of
Mr。 Pitt Crawley; the only friend or protector Lady
Crawley ever had; and the only person; besides her
children; for whom she entertained a little feeble
attachment。 Mr。 Pitt took after the noble Binkies; from
whom he was descended; and was a very polite and proper
gentleman。 When he grew to man's estate; and came
back from Christchurch; he began to reform the
slackened discipline of the hall; in spite of his father; who
stood in awe of him。 He was a man of such rigid
refinement; that he would have starved rather than have
dined without a white neckcloth。 Once; when just from
college; and when Horrocks the butler brought him a
letter without placing it previously on a tray; he gave
that domestic a look; and administered to him a speech
so cutting; that Horrocks ever after trembled before him;
the whole household bowed to him: Lady Crawley's curl…
papers came off earlier when he was at home: Sir Pitt's
muddy gaiters disappeared; and if that incorrigible old
man still adhered to other old habits; he never fuddled
himself with rum…and…water in his son's presence; and
only talked to his servants in a very reserved and polite
manner; and those persons remarked that Sir Pitt never
swore at Lady Crawley while his son was in the room。
It was he who taught the butler to say; 〃My lady is
served;〃 and who insisted on handing her ladyship in to
dinner。 He seldom spoke to her; but when he did it was
with the most powerful respect; and he never let her
quit the apartment without rising in the most stately
manner to open the door; and making an elegant bow
at her egress。
At Eton he was called Miss Crawley; and there; I
am sorry to say; his younger brother Rawdon used to
lick him violently。 But though his parts were not
brilliant; he made up for his lack of talent by meritorious
industry; and was never known; during eight years at
school; to be subject to that punishment which it is
generally thought none but a cherub can escape。
At college his career was of course highly creditable。
And here he prepared himself for public life; into which
he was to be introduced by the patronage of his
grandfather; Lord Binkie; by studying the ancient and modern
orators with great assiduity; and by speaking unceasingly
at the debating societies。 But though he had a fine flux
of words; and delivered his little voice with great
pomposity and pleasure to himself; and never advanced
any sentiment or opinion which was not perfectly trite and
stale; and supported by a Latin quotation; yet he failed
somehow; in spite of a mediocrity which ought to have
insured any man a success。 He did not even get the
prize poem; which all his friends said he was sure of。
After leaving college he became Private Secretary to
Lord Binkie; and was then appointed Attache to the
Legation at Pumpernickel; which post he filled with
perfect honour; and brought home despatches; consisting of
Strasburg pie; to the Foreign Minister of the day。 After
remaining ten years Attache (several years after the
lamented Lord Binkie's demise); and finding the
advancement slow; he at length gave up the diplomatic
service in some disgust; and began to turn country gentleman。
He wrote a pamphlet on Malt on returning to England
(for he was an ambitious man; and always liked
to be before the public); and took a strong part in the
Negro Emancipation question。 Then he became a friend
of Mr。 Wilberforce's; whose politics he admired; and had
that famous correspondence with the Reverend Silas
Hornblower; on the Ashantee Mission。 He was in
London; if not for the Parliament session; at least in May;
for the religious meetings。 In the country he was a
magistrate; and an active visitor and speaker among those
destitute of religious instruction。 He was said to be
paying his addresses to Lady Jane Sheepshanks; Lord
Southdown's third daughter; and whose sister; Lady Emily;
wrote those sweet tracts; 〃The Sailor's True Binnacle;〃
and 〃The Applewoman of Finchley Common。〃
Miss Sharp's accounts of his employment at Queen's
Crawley were not caricatures。 He subjected the servants
there to the devotional exercises before mentioned; in
which (and so much the better) he brought his father
to join。 He patronised an Independent meeting…house in
Crawley parish; much to the indignation of his uncle the
Rector; and to the consequent delight of Sir Pitt; who
was induced to go himself once or twice; which occasioned
some violent sermons at Crawley parish