第5章

he’samagistrateatBudgebudge，andsuretobeincouncilinfiveyears。Well，sir，theArtillerygaveaball，andQuintin，oftheKing’s14th，saidtome，’Sedley，’saidhe，’IbetyouthirteentotenthatSophyCutlerhookseitheryouorMulligatawneybeforetherains。’’Done，’

saysI；andegad，sir——thisclaret’sverygood。Adamson’sorCarbonell’s？”

Aslightsnorewastheonlyreply：thehoneststockbrokerwasasleep，andsotherestofJoseph’sstorywaslostforthatday。Buthewasalwaysexceedinglycommunicativeinaman’sparty，andhastoldthisdelightfultalemanyscoresoftimestohisapothecary，Dr。Gollop，whenhecametoinquireabouttheliverandtheblue-pill。

Beinganinvalid，JosephSedleycontentedhimselfwithabottleofclaretbesideshisMadeiraatdinner，andhemanagedacoupleofplatesfullofstrawberriesandcream，andtwenty-fourlittleroutcakesthatwerelyingneglectedinaplatenearhim，andcertainly(fornovelistshavetheprivilegeofknowingeverything)

hethoughtagreatdealaboutthegirlupstairs。”Anice，gay，merryyoungcreature。”thoughthetohimself。”HowshelookedatmewhenIpickedupherhandkerchiefatdinner！Shedroppedittwice。Who’sthatsinginginthedrawing-room？’Gad！shallIgoupandsee？”

Buthismodestycamerushinguponhimwithuncontrollableforce。Hisfatherwasasleep：hishatwasinthehall：therewasahackney-coachstandinghardbyinSouthamptonRow。”I’llgoandseetheFortyThieves。”saidhe，“andMissDecamp’sdance“；andheslippedawaygentlyonthepointedtoesofhisboots，anddisappeared，withoutwakinghisworthyparent。

“TheregoesJoseph。”saidAmelia，whowaslookingfromtheopenwindowsofthedrawing-room，whileRebeccawassingingatthepiano。

“MissSharphasfrightenedhimaway。”saidMrs。

Sedley。”PoorJoe，whyWILLhebesoshy？”

CHAPTERIV

TheGreenSilkPursePoorJoe’spaniclastedfortwoorthreedays；duringwhichhedidnotvisitthehouse，norduringthatperioddidMissRebeccaevermentionhisname。ShewasallrespectfulgratitudetoMrs。Sedley；delightedbeyondmeasureattheBazaars；andinawhirlofwonderatthetheatre，whitherthegood-naturedladytookher。Oneday，Ameliahadaheadache，andcouldnotgouponsomepartyofpleasuretowhichthetwoyoungpeoplewereinvited：nothingcouldinduceherfriendtogowithouther。

“What！youwhohaveshownthepoororphanwhathappinessandloveareforthefirsttimeinherlife——quitYOU？Never！”andthegreeneyeslookeduptoHeavenandfilledwithtears；andMrs。Sedleycouldnotbutownthatherdaughter’sfriendhadacharmingkindheartofherown。

AsforMr。Sedley’sjokes，Rebeccalaughedatthemwithacordialityandperseverancewhichnotalittlepleasedandsoftenedthatgood-naturedgentleman。NorwasitwiththechiefsofthefamilyalonethatMissSharpfoundfavour。SheinterestedMrs。Blenkinsopbyevincingthedeepestsympathyintheraspberry-jampreserving，whichoperationwasthengoingonintheHousekeeper’sroom；shepersistedincallingSambo“Sir。”

and“Mr。Sambo。”tothedelightofthatattendant；andsheapologisedtothelady’smaidforgivinghertroubleinventuringtoringthebell，withsuchsweetnessandhumility，thattheServants’HallwasalmostascharmedwithherastheDrawingRoom。

Once，inlookingoversomedrawingswhichAmeliahadsentfromschool，Rebeccasuddenlycameupononewhichcausedhertoburstintotearsandleavetheroom。

ItwasonthedaywhenJoeSedleymadehissecondappearance。

Ameliahastenedafterherfriendtoknowthecauseofthisdisplayoffeeling，andthegood-naturedgirlcamebackwithouthercompanion，ratheraffectedtoo。”Youknow，herfatherwasourdrawing-master，Mamma，atChiswick，andusedtodoallthebestpartsofourdrawings。”

“Mylove！I’msureIalwaysheardMissPinkertonsaythathedidnottouchthem——heonlymountedthem。”

“Itwascalledmounting，Mamma。Rebeccaremembersthedrawing，andherfatherworkingatit，andthethoughtofitcameuponherrathersuddenly——andso，youknow，she——“

“Thepoorchildisallheart。”saidMrs。Sedley。

“Iwishshecouldstaywithusanotherweek。”saidAmelia。

“She’sdevilishlikeMissCutlerthatIusedtomeetatDumdum，onlyfairer。She’smarriednowtoLance，theArtillerySurgeon。Doyouknow，Ma’am，thatonceQuintin，ofthe14th，betme——“

“0Joseph，weknowthatstory。”saidAmelia，laughing。

Nevermindabouttellingthat；butpersuadeMammatowritetoSirSomethingCrawleyforleaveofabsenceforpoordearRebecca：hereshecomes，hereyesredwithweeping。”

“I’mbetter，now。”saidthegirl，withthesweetestsmilepossible，takinggood-naturedMrs。Sedley’sextendedhandandkissingitrespectfully。”Howkindyouallaretome！

All。”sheadded，withalaugh，“exceptyou，Mr。Joseph。”

“Me！”saidJoseph，meditatinganinstantdeparture“GraciousHeavens！GoodGad！MissSharp！’

“Yes；howcouldyoubesocruelastomakemeeatthathorridpepper-dishatdinner，thefirstdayIeversawyou？YouarenotsogoodtomeasdearAmelia。”

“Hedoesn’tknowyousowell。”criedAmelia。

“Idefyanybodynottobegoodtoyou，mydear。”

saidhermother。

“Thecurrywascapital；indeeditwas。”saidJoe，quitegravely。”PerhapstherewasNOTenoughcitronjuiceinit——no，therewasNOT。”

“Andthechilis？”

“ByJove，howtheymadeyoucryout！”saidJoe，caughtbytheridiculeofthecircumstance，andexplodinginafitoflaughterwhichendedquitesuddenly，asusual。

“IshalltakecarehowIletYOUchooseformeanothertime。”saidRebecca，astheywentdownagaintodinner。”Ididn’tthinkmenwerefondofputtingpoorharmlessgirlstopain。”

“ByGad，MissRebecca，Iwouldn’thurtyoufortheworld。”

“No。”saidshe，“IKNOWyouwouldn’t“；andthenshegavehimeversogentleapressurewithherlittlehand，anddrewitbackquitefrightened，andlookedfirstforoneinstantinhisface，andthendownatthecarpet-

rods；andIamnotpreparedtosaythatJoe’sheartdidnotthumpatthislittleinvoluntary，timid，gentlemotionofregardonthepartofthesimplegirl。

Itwasanadvance，andassuch，perhaps，someladiesofindisputablecorrectnessandgentilitywillcondemntheactionasimmodest；but，yousee，poordearRebeccahadallthisworktodoforherself。Ifapersonistoopoortokeepaservant，thougheversoelegant，hemustsweephisownrooms：ifadeargirlhasnodearMammatosettlematterswiththeyoungman，shemustdoitforherself。Andoh，whatamercyitisthatthesewomendonotexercisetheirpowersoftener！Wecan’tresistthem，iftheydo。Letthemshoweversolittleinclination，andmengodownontheirkneesatonce：oldorugly，itisallthesame。AndthisIsetdownasapositivetruth。Awomanwithfairopportunities，andwithoutanabsolutehump，maymarryWHOMSHELIKES。Onlyletusbethankfulthatthedarlingsarelikethebeastsofthefield，anddon’tknowtheirownpower。Theywouldovercomeusentirelyiftheydid。

“Egad！”thoughtJoseph，enteringthedining-room，“I

exactlybegintofeelasIdidatDumdumwithMissCutler。”Manysweetlittleappeals，halftender，halfjocular，didMissSharpmaketohimaboutthedishesatdinner；forbythistimeshewasonafootingofconsiderablefamiliaritywiththefamily，andasforthegirls，theylovedeachotherlikesisters。Youngunmarriedgirlsalwaysdo，iftheyareinahousetogetherfortendays。

AsifbentuponadvancingRebecca’splansineveryway——whatmustAmeliado，butremindherbrotherofapromisemadelastEasterholidays——“WhenIwasagirlatschool。”saidshe，laughing——apromisethathe，Joseph，wouldtakehertoVauxhall。”Now。”shesaid。”thatRebeccaiswithus，willbetheverytime。”

“O，delightful！”saidRebecca，goingtoclapherhands；

butsherecollectedherself，andpaused，likeamodestcreature，asshewas。

“To-nightisnotthenight。”saidJoe。

“Well，to-morrow。”

“To-morrowyourPapaandIdineout。”saidMrs。

Sedley。

“Youdon’tsupposethatI’mgoing，Mrs。Sed？”saidherhusband，“andthatawomanofyouryearsandsizeistocatchcold，insuchanabominabledampplace？”

’Thechildrenmusthavesomeonewiththem。”criedMrs。Sedley。

“LetJoego。”said-hisfather，laughing。”He’sbigenough。”AtwhichspeechevenMr。Samboatthesideboardburstoutlaughing，andpoorfatJoefeltinclinedtobecomeaparricidealmost。

“Undohisstays！”continuedthepitilessoldgentleman。

“Flingsomewaterinhisface，MissSharp，orcarryhimupstairs：thedearcreature’sfainting。Poorvictim！carryhimup；he’saslightasafeather！”

“IfIstandthis，sir，I’md——！”roaredJoseph。

“OrderMr。Jos’selephant，Sambo！”criedthefather。

“SendtoExeter’Change，Sambo“；butseeingJosreadyalmosttocrywithvexation，theoldjokerstoppedhislaughter，andsaid，holdingouthishandtohisson，“It’sallfairontheStockExchange，Jos——and，Sambo，nevermindtheelephant，butgivemeandMr。JosaglassofChampagne。Boneyhimselfhasn’tgotsuchinhiscellar，myboy！”

AgobletofChampagnerestoredJoseph’sequanimity，andbeforethebottlewasemptied，ofwhichasaninvalidhetooktwo-thirds，hehadagreedtotaketheyoungladiestoVauxhall。

“Thegirlsmusthaveagentlemanapiece。”saidtheoldgentleman。”JoswillbesuretoleaveEmmyinthecrowd，hewillbesotakenupwithMissSharphere。Sendto96，andaskGeorgeOsborneifhe’llcome。”

Atthis，Idon’tknowintheleastforwhatreason，Mrs。Sedleylookedatherhusbandandlaughed。Mr。

Sedley’seyestwinkledinamannerindescribablyroguish，andhelookedatAmelia；andAmelia，hangingdownherhead，blushedasonlyyoungladiesofseventeenknowhowtoblush，andasMissRebeccaSharpneverblushedinherlife——atleastnotsinceshewaseightyearsold，andwhenshewascaughtstealingjamoutofacupboardbyhergodmother。”Ameliahadbetterwriteanote。”saidherfather；“andletGeorgeOsborneseewhatabeautifulhandwritingwehavebroughtbackfromMissPinkerton’s。DoyourememberwhenyouwrotetohimtocomeonTwelfth-night，Emmy，andspelttwelfthwithoutthef？”

“Thatwasyearsago。”saidAmelia。

“Itseemslikeyesterday，don’tit，John？”saidMrs。

Sedleytoherhusband；andthatnightinaconversationwhichtookplaceinafrontroominthesecondfloor，inasortoftent，hungroundwithchintzofarichandfantasticIndiapattern，anddoublewithcalicoofatenderrose-colour；intheinteriorofwhichspeciesofmarqueewasafeatherbed，onwhichweretwopillows，onwhichweretworoundredfaces，oneinalacednightcap，andoneinasimplecottonone，endinginatassel——inACURTAINLECTURE，Isay，Mrs。SedleytookherhusbandtotaskforhiscruelconducttopoorJoe。

“Itwasquitewickedofyou，Mr。Sedley。”saidshe。”totormentthepoorboyso。”

“Mydear。”saidthecotton-tasselindefenceofhisconduct，“Josisagreatdealvainerthanyoueverwereinyourlife，andthat’ssayingagooddeal。Though，somethirtyyearsago，intheyearseventeenhundredandeighty——whatwasit？——perhapsyouhadarighttobevain——Idon’tsayno。ButI’venopatiencewithJosandhisdandifiedmodesty。Itisout-JosephingJoseph，mydear，andallthewhiletheboyisonlythinkingofhimself，andwhatafinefellowheis。Idoubt，Ma’am，weshallhavesometroublewithhimyet。HereisEmmy’slittlefriendmakinglovetohimashardasshecan；that’squiteclear；andifshedoesnotcatchhimsomeotherwill。Thatmanisdestinedtobeapreytowoman，asIamtogoon’Changeeveryday。It’samercyhedidnotbringusoverablackdaughter-in-law，mydear。But，markmywords，thefirstwomanwhofishesforhim，hookshim。”

“Sheshallgooffto-morrow，thelittleartfulcreature。”

saidMrs。Sedley，withgreatenergy。