Ярмарок марнославства

In Which Becky Revisits the Halls of Her Ancestors

           Icouldwaterplantsinagreen-houseandpickoffdeadleavesfromthegeraniums.Icouldaskoldwomenabouttheirrheumatismsandorderhalf-a-crown’sworthofsoupforthepoor.Ishouldn’tmissitmuch,outoffivethousandayear.Icouldevendriveouttenmilestodineataneighbour’s,anddressinthefashionsoftheyearbeforelast.Icouldgotochurchandkeepawakeinthegreatfamilypew,orgotosleepbehindthecurtains,withmyveildown,ifIonlyhadpractice.Icouldpayeverybody,ifIhadbutthemoney.Thisiswhattheconjurorsherepridethemselvesupondoing.Theylookdownwithpityuponusmiserablesinnerswhohavenone.Theythinkthemselvesgenerousiftheygiveourchildrenafive-poundnote,anduscontemptibleifwearewithoutone."AndwhoknowsbutRebeccawasrightinherspeculationsandthatitwasonlyaquestionofmoneyandfortunewhichmadethedifferencebetweenherandanhonestwoman?Ifyoutaketemptationsintoaccount,whoistosaythatheisbetterthanhisneighbour?Acomfortablecareerofprosperity,ifitdoesnotmakepeoplehonest,atleastkeepsthemso.Analdermancomingfromaturtlefeastwillnotstepoutofhiscarnagetostealalegofmutton;butputhimtostarve,andseeifhewillnotpurloinaloaf.Beckyconsoledherselfbysobalancingthechancesandequalizingthedistributionofgoodandevilintheworld.

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Roboto Lora
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